NOT OF THIS WORLD

January 30, 2024January 31, 2024 ~ Michael Young, Sr. ~ Leave a comment

NOT OF THIS WORLD

The title sounds like it belongs on a science fiction novel. It might bring to mind strange looking creatures in other-worldly surroundings. But a similar caption can be found in the New Testament book of John 8:23, “And He was saying to them, “You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world.” (the words of Jesus).

And again, in John 18:36, “Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm.”

Is Jesus speaking in metaphors, or is this to be taken literally? Is He really ‘not of this world’?

Then in John 17:13–19, “But now I am coming to You; and these things I speak in the world so that they may have My joy made full in themselves. I have given those you have given Me, Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world (kósmos; literally, “something ordered“; an “ordered system”, the world. ), just as I am not of the world. I am not asking You to take them out of the world, but to keep them away from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. Just as You sent Me into the world, I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, so that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth.”

Are those who profess to become Christians really not of the world? (I mean, they were born into the world of natural parents.)

Then, in Romans 12:2, we are told that the believer is not to be “conformed to this world, but (to) be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”

Again, are these verses to be taken literally, or is it metaphorical?

It is a peculiarity of becoming a Christian that a transformation takes place. I suspect, unfortunately, that most people consider this transformation to be a natural cognitive process. Is it a natural process being described by metaphor or hyperbole, or is it something that literally happens with a believer?

Again, 2 Corinthians 5:17 tells us that, “If anyone is in Christ, this person is a new creature; the old has passed away; behold, new things have come.” (Some Bible versions have altered that word to read, “If anyone is in Christ, this person is a new creation.” After all, becoming a new creature or a different creature is a bit out of this world.)

The Bible talks about being born again, of being made new, being transformed, being filled with the Spirit of God. Are these just exaggerations, metaphors, hyperboles or similes, used to get a point across? If so, it is odd then, that on the one hand, the Bible talks about unexplainable events, out of this world events, as miracles, then on the other hand would reduce the transformation of a human being into a child of God and a child of light, to a metaphor? Or is it both?

Is it possible that it is we – those of us who read the Bible and profess to believe in God – who are ascribing the miraculous to events which happen to others or miracles in nature, as being possible and literal? But are reducing those things that happen to us – individually – as metaphorical?

Or, are you and I just unwilling to believe such out of this world things can literally happen to us?

Or, perhaps, we are unwilling to do the literal, that is to die to our old lives and our old selves in order to literally become Christlike and to literally follow Jesus? (Before you answer, consider the Apostles and read Hebrews chapter 11.)

Please consider these events and decide if they literally happened or if they were just metaphors and hyperbole:

Jesus, having been crucified, killed and buried, literally coming back to life.
About all believers, at some point, being raised from the dead when Jesus miraculously appears in the clouds of the sky and His angels will gather His elect to be raptured into heaven.
About the lame being healed; the blind given sight; the dead raised back to life; axe handles that float; a donkey speaks;
Then there is the parting of the Red Sea (Exodus 14).
Jonah and the big fish (Jonah 1:17).
The virgin birth of Jesus (Matthew 1:18–25).
Daniel’s survival in the den of lions (Daniel 6:21–22).
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego’s preservation in the fiery furnace (Daniel 3:25).
Jesus’ walking on water (Matthew 14:25–27).
Jesus’ calming of the storm (Matthew 8:23–27).

Miracles of healing

Jesus’ healing of the nobleman’s son (John 4:46–47), a leper (Mark 1:40–45), a paralytic (Matthew 9:1–8), and a woman with an issue of blood (Luke 8:43–48)

Miracles over demonic forces

Jesus’ casting out of many unclean spirits (Mark 1:23–28; Matthew 8:28–34)

Miracles of provision

God’s provision of manna (Exodus 16:4).
Jesus’ turning of water into wine (John 2:7–9).
Jesus’ feeding of the multitudes (Matthew 14:19–20; 15:36–37).

Miracles of resurrection

Elijah’s raising of the son of the widow of Zarephath (1 Kings 17:17–24).
Elisha’s raising the Shunamite woman’s son (2 Kings 4:18–37).
Jesus’ raising of the widow of Nain’s son (Luke 7:11–18), Jairus’s daughter (Luke 8:52–56), and Lazarus (John 11).
Peter’s raising of Tabitha (Acts 9:36–43).
Paul’s raising of Eutychus (Acts 20:7–12).
Jesus’ resurrection (Luke 24:1–7)

Could it be that becoming a Christian is more than just adopting a religion, and a new world view? Is it possible that something ‘supernatural’ actually takes place in your own mind, body, soul, spirit and life? Something OUT OF THIS WORLD?

It is interesting that the Greek word used for ‘transformed’ or ‘transformation’ is metamorphóō; it translates to “metamorphosis” and “metamorphize. (Metá, “change after being with” and /morphóō, and means “changing form in keeping with inner reality”; transformed after being with; transfigured.

A creature that has gone through a metamorphosis is radically and permanently changed from one thing into another. It is a process, when taken literally, that cannot be undone.

2 Corinthians 3:16-18 says, “Whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. But we all, with unveiled faces, looking as in a mirror at the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.”

So, why all this talk about miracles, metaphors, and hyperboles? I use it to help us focus on the idea that the Bible is not a religious book, nor is it a book about religion. I am wanting to ask and ponder the question “what if the Bible is indeed a book breathed and written by God, describing Himself, His plans, purposes, methods and His Kingdom – and about us as His creation, who came from another world to inhabit earth? SOMETHING TRULY OUT OF THIS WORLD!

The Bible is a book that not only answers all the questions of life but directs us to ‘rise up out of the dust of this earth’, to be born again and to be transformed into a new creature to inherit the coming new heaven and the new earth. God intends us to take our place as His children, as joint heirs with Jesus over all that God has created. It is entirely plausible and practical that our experience of a natural birth and our life on this earth is nothing more than God’s incubator for our maturing into the image and likeness of Christ Jesus in preparation of our eternity with Him.

I hope this gives a new urgency and meaning that “The gate is small, and the way is narrow that leads to life and there are few who find it”, because there are literally very few who call themselves Christian, willing or able to see the Bible as a literal call from God to come out of this world and its ways. They fail or refuse to see that if they are truly born again and transformed, they are NO LONGER OF THIS WORLD and should not simply be adding the benefits of being a Christians (such as going to heaven receiving answered prayers, etc.) to living like they are of this world! They must stop entangling themselves with the concerns and matters of this world and follow Jesus in His inexorable march to the consummation of this age!

I hope this gives incentive to re-read the Bible with new eyes that can see.

Furthermore, I pray that the eyes of our hearts may be enlightened, so that we will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the boundless greatness of His power toward us who believe. (see Ephesians 1:18-19).

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

(Next: The Prophetic Words of Jesus)

COME FOLLOW JESUS?

January 27, 2024 ~ Michael Young, Sr. ~ Leave a comment

(Scroll down the page as the audio file plays).

(Christian): Come! Follow Jesus!

OK. How do I do that?

(Christian): Read this little booklet. Pray this little prayer. Find a good bible-believing Church. Read your Bible.

10 years later.

What now? I’ve done all you have said and there’s been nothing but trouble inside and outside the church. It seems that I’ve changed, but little else has changed.

(Christian): What are you doing different?

Nothing.

(Christian): Oh, I see. That’s probably the problem. You actually have to follow Jesus. Do what He says and do what He does. You know?

Huh? Do you mean, really follow Him around? So, if I am to actually follow Him, please tell me, where we are going?

(Christian): I don’t know. I mean, we are going to heaven! In the meantime, just read your Bible, be nice, and to the best of your ability, do what it says. Or, listen to your preacher. He will tell you what to do! Right?

I have been asking around, and so many people and preachers are saying so many different things. Who should I listen to? Whose advice should I follow?

Jesus answered, “Be careful that no one misleads you, deceiving you and leading you into error. For many will come in My name, misusing it, and appropriating the strength of the name which belongs to Me, or representing me in the Church, saying, ‘I am the Christ, the Messiah, the Anointed One,’ or saying, ‘I represent Jesus as His anointed one, His spokesman or spokeswoman’ and they will mislead many.” Do not listen to them and do not follow them. Follow only Me.

I feel like I am lost in a forest of religions. How can I find my way home to God? How can I know which way to go?

The world seems to be in an irreversible spiral of chaos, careening out of control. But that is only the appearance. There is order behind the apparent chaos. Satan creates chaos, disease, poverty and death to discourage and distract you from God’s Great Design and Plan. Satan will try to convince you that he has a plan for your salvation. It is a lie.

Everything, past, present and future is going according to God’s Plan. Knowing and following God’s Will from beginning to end will help you see and know what God is doing in these Last Days and why He is doing it this way.

Let me take you on a journey. A journey through the Bible, following Jesus and important signposts from the beginning to the end.

My prayer is that you would read the Bible (from the beginning to the end in the proper context), and that everything you may have wondered regarding the reasoning behind God’s plan for the world and for your life – all your successes, all your failures, all the good times and the hard times – will begin to make sense and fall into place. That God will give you an increased and a renewed enthusiasm for His Word so that you may be able to perform His Word and His Works in these Last Days.

Please, be aware that this will not be an easy journey. Jesus has already told us that we will have tribulation in this world. In fact, it is through these trials that we are made ready – perfected into the image and likeness of Christ Jesus – in order to inherit this world and the next as joint heirs with Jesus. (see Matthew 5).

I promise you that this is an amazing journey. A journey from the beginning of time through recorded world and Biblical histories. We will identify important past Bible prophecies and correlate them to the actual past world events; then we will compare both prophecies and histories to one specific prophecy known as ‘Daniel’s Seventy Weeks’, which will bring us to current events and the final epoch of time known by various names, such as, “The Last Days”, “The End The Age” the “Latter Days” and “The Tribulation”, which are now unfolding with frightening accuracy.

I will not stop there, however. I will conclude by laying out a successful response to these events, a plan of action by which you can both survive and thrive in these final days.

Finally, there is an event coming which is so fantastic as to be unbelievable. But I will show the evidence leading to this event, known as the ‘Rapture’ and I will even help you calculate the odds of its occurrence. You will then be faced with the most monumental decision you have ever faced. You don’t want to miss this.

NEXT: PERFECTION

PERFECTION

January 26, 2024January 27, 2024 ~ Michael Young, Sr. ~ Leave a comment

PERFECTION

In the beginning, God created.

He began with the imperfect and created the Masterpiece, first in the heavens and then on the earth. His work completed in just seven days; He would allow His Masterpiece to mature for a millennium until it became His Perfection.

This is a journey of discovery and revelation of God’s Grand Plan and Design, from creation through the End of the Age, then into a New Heaven and a New Earth.

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:2.

(Please note that I use page links in place of citations, footnotes and references. They are important for background information and a more complete understanding of these teachings.)

PREFACE

There are no random words, sentences, paragraphs, chapters or books in the Bible. None. No, not one – from the beginning to the end – from Genesis 1:1 through Revelation 22:21. Every word matters. Each word is built upon another until the Bible forms the perfect written Word and Thoughts of God.

I will go further to point out that the Word of God, in spiritual reality, is the breath, the Breathed Word of God (see 2 Timothy 3:16). It should be presented as the longest and continuous word ever spoken and written (although we – men and women – needed to divide it into verses, sentences, chapters and books for our convenience).

Furthermore, we should realize that the Bible is instructive, creative, causative and prophetic by its nature. It is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. (see Hebrews 4:12).

782,805

The Bible contains 782,815 words (the New American Standard Bible). It begins with “In the beginning God” and every word, sentence, paragraph, chapter and book that follows is synchronized and in context with those opening words. (He and His Message is the same yesterday, today and forever.)

The remaining 782,805 words of the Bible continue to be in the context of the first words found in Genesis; and if you read the rest of the Bible out of that context, you will not – you cannot – get the correct understanding of the Message from God.

So, it should come as no surprise that reading all sixty-six books of the Bible in context, becomes especially challenging since you are dealing with 782,815 words, composing 31,103 verses and 1,189 chapters and 66 books written by 40 authors over a span of 1,500 years. (Further complicating this matter, there are about fifty mainline versions of the Bible, not counting revisions). However, doing the hard work of keeping your reading and comprehension in context will make understanding God’s purpose and plan for this world, the cosmos and for your life much easier to understand.

Another helpful hint when trying to read the Bible, and understanding the importance of context, is knowing the beginning and the end, before you dig into the entire narrative of the Bible – it is immeasurably helpful to know how it starts and how it ends before reading such extensive content.

Coincidentally, as a prelude to his sermon on Sunday, January 21^st of this year, Pastor Trent Casto of Naples Covenant Church made this observation:

“Researchers from U.C. San Diego, California, have hypothesized that it could be that once a person knows how a story turns out, it is cognitively easier – you are more comfortable processing the information – and can focus on a deeper understanding of the story.” In other words, knowing the end of a story before you read it, may actually enhance our enjoyment and understanding of that story.” (Click here for the video version).

I consider this hypothesis to be especially applicable when it comes to reading the entire Bible, especially since the Bible is the longest continuous instructional (love) letter ever composed.

The Bible begins with the creation of heaven and earth, and completes the journey with God’s judgements on the earth and culminates with the destruction and the re-creation of the heavens and the earth as the eternal home for faithful believers. Everything between these two points is the active will of God being completed in and through His creation – it is His perfecting of what He has created! It is the perfecting of His children (you, me and His Church) in preparation for our great inheritance.

Just to cite three (out of numerous) examples of perfection, God tells us in Romans 12:2, ”And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”

Again, in Matthew 5:48, God says, “Therefore you shall be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

And, in Hebrews 10:14, He tells us, “Because by a single offering (Jesus) He has made perfect for all time those who are being sanctified.”

In the beginning, God created. God began with the imperfect and created His Masterpiece, first in the heavens and then on the earth. His work completed in just seven days; He would allow His Masterpiece to mature for a millennium until it became His Perfection.

God’s Word is a journey of discovery and revelation of God’s Grand Plan and Design, from creation through the End of the Age, then into a New Heaven and a New Earth.

Again, the apostle Peter told us, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled, and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,

who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials,

so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which perishes though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (see 1 Peter).

INTRODUCTION

Our world seems to be in an irreversible spiral of chaos, careening out of control. Everything we have known as good in recorded history is being called evil; and all things evil are being called good; The world substitutes darkness for light and light for darkness, bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!

There is a large and growing worldwide faction, however, will tell you that all is well and that we have entered a New World Order, a Great World Reset is at hand.

This short video will give you a glimpse of what is being sold as this New World, but in reality, it is the same tired old saga of the failed Marxists Utopia. The claims are the outrageous imagination of the world’s Globalists-Socialists and Marxists.

Having and promoting unrealistic promises as reality is nothing new, except every single previous promise of a Socialist, Communist, Leninist, Marxist government or social structure, or any variant of the same, has always ended in tyranny, despotism, wars, loss of personal freedom, lack of basic needs, poverty and the death of millions.

If you will patiently walk with me, I will take you on an amazing journey. A journey from the beginning of time through recorded world and Biblical histories. We will identify important past Bible prophecies and correlate them to the actual past world events; then we will compare both prophecies and histories to one specific prophecy known as ‘Daniel’s Seventy Weeks’, which will bring us to current events and the final epoch of time known by various names, such as, “The Last Days”, “The End The Age” the “Latter Days” and “The Tribulation”, which are now unfolding with frightening accuracy.

I will not stop there, however. I will conclude by laying out a successful response to these events, a plan of action by which you can both survive and thrive in these final days.

We will take a journey followed by a book aptly titled ‘The Journey to Perfection’. Our travels will coordinate Bible Prophecy, Biblical and World Histories culminating with The End of Days’. You will be able to read this book either as a digital ONLINE book or in a PDF format.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

(Please bookmark this page or subscribe for coming episodes of “The Journey to Perfection”.)

(PS: The main idea here is that in the beginning God had already determined the end. And with God, all things have already been fulfilled. (This is the mystery of God’s view of time.) We, who are living within His creation, have to walk through a linear timeline. It is not so we can change anything God has created or ordained to happen, but it is so we can benefit from the experience of life. This is the time we experience our joys, suffer our trials and we are to make our decison relating to God and to our eternity as spoken of in Daniel 12:1-2, “And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book. And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. Verse 10. Many shall purify themselves and make themselves white and be refined, but the wicked shall act wickedly. And none of the wicked shall understand, but those who are wise shall understand.

It is through this process we, who are believers, will experience God’s perfecting of our soul and will experience His process of sanctification.)

A PROPHETIC WORD FROM JESUS – Laying Up Treasures – Part 22

January 24, 2024February 3, 2024 ~ Michael Young, Sr. ~ Leave a comment

A PROPHETIC WORD FROM JESUS – Where Your Treasure Is – Part 22

Creative, Causative, Prophetic, Instructional

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

The Words of Jesus, Matthew 6:19-21

Jesus is speaking from a spiritual perspective. He is comparing the value of earthly treasures such as money, property and such worldly wealth, to the greater spiritual wealth from which all other things flow.

From a practical standpoint, Jesus seems to be giving good advice about living your life for things that matter, things of eternal significance. Temporal things such as physical possessions, money, properties, titles, ego and pride, fade after death and are forgotten.

But Jesus is teaching about much more than quality of life issues. He is teaching about a hidden oracle of God. He is teaching about living and operating from within the Basileia Ouranos – The Kingdom of Heaven. The rule of Christ in believers’ hearts – which is a rule that “one day will be universal on the physical earth in the Millennium.

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” is not just an axiom or an allegory, it is a deep spiritual truth that tells of your eternity. An eternity of darkness and fear, wailing and gnashing of teeth or an eternity of perfection living in the presence of God.

If your heart is fixed on earthly treasures that will deteriorate, can be destroyed or stolen, so will go your body, your soul and spirit – down to destruction.

But if your heart is fixed on storing up the ‘treasure hidden in the field’ or ‘the pearls of great value’, that which was paid by Christ for our redemption, you will have found the treasures of good character, wisdom and excellence in behavior which will successfully guide and guard you through your journey in this life to an incorruptible inheritance of the love of God through Christ; fulfilling your greatest needs, satisfying your deepest longings, making you whole and clean before God, calming and quieting your heart, and giving you assurance for the future.

These treasures are hidden, indicating that spiritual truth is missed by many and cannot be found by intelligence or power or worldly wisdom. Matthew 13:11-17 and 1 Corinthians 2:7-8, 14 make it clear that the mysteries of the kingdom are hidden from some who are unable to hear, see, and comprehend these truths. The disobedient reap the natural consequences of their unbelief—spiritual blindness. Those whose eyes are opened by the Spirit do discern spiritual truth, and they, like the men in the parable, understand its great value. (see GotQuestions.org)

You will find treasures of the greatest eternal value in the Kingdom of Heaven, where you will live and serve the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and you will worship him. You will see his face, and his name will be on your forehead. And night will be no more. You will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be your light, and you will reign with Him, forever and ever. (see Revelation 22:3)

This is one of the most reliable statements and one of the direst warnings. Meditate on this. Let it seep into your spirit and be transformed.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

NEXT: (coming soon). A PROPHETIC WORD FROM JESUS – The Eye Is The Lamp – Part 23

PREVIOUS: A PROPHETIC WORD FROM JESUS – When You Fast – Part 21

(Please bookmark this page or subscribe for future episodes).

THESE WORKS

January 21, 2024July 24, 2024 ~ Michael Young, Sr. ~ Leave a comment

What would you think, if in passing, you were to ask me, “What are you up to nowadays?”, and I were to answer, saying…

“Oh, just testifying to the Truth,

“Bringing a sword to the world and

“Turning sons against their fathers, daughters against their mothers.

“I am working at fulfilling the Hebrew and Judaic law and that of their prophets, and

“Calling sinners to righteousness.

“I am bringing fire upon the earth and to creating a lot of division.

“I guess you might say I have been busy working at saving the world”.

WHICH WORKS?

It is interesting that Jesus commanded His disciples (Christians) to do the works that He has done and even greater works than these. We are to continue in His mission, using His methods and His ways. (John 14:12, Matthew 10:1)

It can be a bit confusing, but He promised us that He will be with us, in His authority, giving us direction and even giving us the words we should use. (Matthew 28:16-19, Luke 21:15, Luke 12:12)

WHY DID JESUS COME INTO THE WORLD?

“For this purpose I have been born, and for this I have come into the world: to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to My voice.” This, too, is our calling!

TO TESTIFY TO THE TRUTH

John 18:37 “Therefore Pilate said to Him, “So You are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say correctly that I am a king. For this purpose I have been born, and for this I have come into the world: to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to My voice.” This, too, is our calling!

TO BRING A SWORD

Matthew 10:34, “Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. Verse 35. For I came to TURN A MAN AGAINST HIS FATHER, AND A DAUGHTER AGAINST HER MOTHER, AND A DAUGHTER-IN-LAW AGAINST HER MOTHER-IN-LAW; Verse 36 and A PERSON’S ENEMIES WILL BE THE MEMBERS OF HIS HOUSEHOLD.” This, too, is our calling!

TO FULFILL THE LAW

Matthew 5:17, “Do not presume that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill the Law and the Prophets.” This, too, is our calling!

TO CALL SINNERS

Mark 2:17, “And hearing this, Jesus *said to them, “It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” This, too, is our calling!

TO SAVE THE WORLD

John 12:47, If anyone hears My teachings and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world.” In a very real sense, This, too, is our calling, by lifting the Name of Jesus, telling others and leading them to Him

TO CAST FIRE & BRING DIVISION UPON THE EARTH

Luke 12:49, “I have come to cast fire upon the earth; and how I wish it were already kindled! Verse 50. But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is accomplished! Verse 51. Do you think that I came to provide peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather to create division; This, too, is our calling!

WHAT HE REALLY MEANT, WAS…

John 14:12, “Truly, truly I say to you, the one who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I am going to the Father. 13 And whatever you ask in My name, this I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.”

I have heard so many preachers and bible teachers try to justify or explain away these Words of Jesus because they just cannot fathom the gentle and sweet ‘dashboard Jesus’ saying such things as we find in the verses cited. These same confused preachers really get tied in a knot over John 14:12. They will begin their commenary of teaching it with, “what this really means is…”.

Jesus said what He meant and meant exactly what He said. We need to get over it and get on with it.

CONTEXT

The year is now 2024. A recent-past president of the United States has declared that America is no longer a Christian nation. Postmodernism is a term used to describe this new paradigm. Our churches are practicing a new version of the Gospel of Jesus Christ often described by a “3-line motto” which can be seen across the spectrum of churches in America: “Gather, Grow, Give” or “Love each other, Enjoy Jesus, Share Him with others”, etc.

These mottoes are an attempt to describe the church and its ministry to the watching world or to the ‘church shopping Christian’. But, if these mottoes or labels are supposed to describe Jesus and His Church, they fail.

Jesus’ purpose in coming to earth was not to teach a social gospel, create a ‘family life center’, to make you a better you or to shake up the existing religious institutions. Jesus was on a specific Mission from God the Father as is reflected in the foregoing Bible verses. Jesus confirms that He is on His Father’s mission,, in John 5:19, “Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in the same way.”

With this in mind, can you, in your most vivid imagination, see Jesus announcing “mother’s morning out”, “cookies and campfires for kids”, “fishing with fathers and sons”, “financial workshops”, etc? You might say “what’s wrong with that?”. I would respond that there is nothing wrong with these activities, but, they have nothing to do with Jesus Mission and our calling to that mission.

THE BOTTOM LINE

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life. 17For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but so that the world might be saved through Him.”

FACING REALITY

Everything Jesus has done is IN THE CONTEXT of what God the Father said. But, the world, both Christian and secular worlds seem to have decided that Jesus is exclusively a gentle little lamb. But, if you make a closer inspection and take an honest look a what the Bible says, you see a different picture: Jesus is both the Lion of Judah and the Sacrificial Lamb. He is both careful with His words and brutally honest. He is both gentle and forceful.

THE HOUSE IS ON FIRE

If you came home and saw your house on fire, knowing your family was inside, what would you do? Would you politely suggest everyone might want to step outside or would you take immediate action, sparing no effort or words to alert everyone to the immediate danger and move them to safety at any cost?

Likewise, God’s creation is perishing because of lack of knowledge of Him and Jesus is doing what is necessary to save the world. We may not always understand His words, His methods or His ways, but it would be prudent to observe, listen, think and obey Him.

The world has long held a misconception, a distorted view of God. We have made Him into a “kinder and gentler” image which we would prefer.

Jesus is setting that record straight in order to save the world from itself.

SO, WHAT ABOUT JESUS BEHAVIORS?

Most who have read this far, should have been shocked by the opening paragraphs of this article, but, that is EXACTLY what Jesus said and did. These are EXACTLY the behaviors of our Savior. Jesus’ words and behaviors are the perfect balance of love for this world coupled with rebuke, correction, and training in righteousness This, too, is our calling!

His words and actions must be kept in context, lest we misuse them, ourselves. Read John 3:16 again, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life. 17For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but so that the world might be saved through Him.”

Jesus’ words and behaviors are the perfect balance of love for this world coupled with rebuke, correction, and training in righteousness. This, too, is our calling!

WE ARE IN AN END DAYS WAR

We are locked in the eternal Spiritual struggle. Millions upon millions of souls are at risk. We cannot fight and win this battle using our own means, methods and ways. It is urgent that we return to Jesus, to His methods and His ways. It is urgent that we have the mind of Christ at all times and in all matters. Anything less ends in defeat.

If you dispute or dismiss the idea that God’s ways may seem strict harsh or unfair, remember, God sacrificed His own Son for you. That seems strict, harsh and unfair.

Jesus willingly gave up His own life for this Cause which also seems strict, harsh and unfair.

And, if God did not spare the natural branches (His own Jewish / Hebrew people), how will you stay secure in this Cause without following Him? Does this also seems strict, harsh and unfair? Perhaps. But it is the only way!

WE MUST GET THIS RIGHT

Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. We cannot fight this war with conventional earthly method, means or way. WE MUST GET THIS RIGHT in our minds and do this in real-time!

This is the only way, for as it is written. This will shake the very foundations of your life, your church and the world!

TESTIFY TO THE TRUTH
BRING A SWORD
FULFILL THE LAW
CALL SINNERS TO REPENTANCE
SAVE THISWORLD
CAST FIRE & BRING DIVISION UPON THE EARTH
WHAT HE REALLY MEANT, WAS “Truly, truly I say to you, the one who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I am going to the Father. And whatever you ask in My name, this I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.” (John 14:12 ).

Time is short. His return is near. It is time each of us, individually and collectively, to pick up our cross and really follow Him. Now! Today!

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

(Contact me and let’s work, together!)

whitestonefellowship1@gmail.com

PS: Just in case you were wondering. The Bible is clear: I am not talking about us saving ourselves. No one can earn their way into the Kingdom of Heaven by what they say or do apart from Jesus. Our salvation and place in heaven is secured solely by God’s Grace and through our faith in Jesus.

How we act, that is, our words and our behaviors are a reflection of our attitude. And our attitude, our mind set, must be the same as Christ. Philippians 2:5, exhorts us to “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus”.

Your attitudes and resultant words and behaviors are what will free you or will limit you.

You will overcome because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of your testimony, and that you do not love this life even when faced with death!

A PROPHETIC WORD FROM JESUS – When You Fast – Part 21

January 19, 2024February 3, 2024 ~ Michael Young, Sr. ~ Leave a comment

A PROPHETIC WORD FROM JESUS – When You Fast – Part 21

Creative, Causative, Prophetic, Instructional

“And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”

The Words of Jesus, Matthew 6:16-18

Here, Jesus is telling us about religion versus true worship of and prayer, to God. Fasting is a mysterious act of worship and prayer. There is no doubt that when entering into the presence of God with worship and prayer, the eternal battle between our flesh and our spirit erupts, pride being the great enemy of our soul. Scriptures tell us that God hates pride and opposes the proud, and that fasting is our remedy for taming and humbling the passions of our flesh and soul when approaching God. The Psalmist (Psalms 35) tells us he humbles his soul (nephesh), the appetites, emotions and passions of his flesh, with fasting.

The Apostle Paul also talks about this struggle between the flesh and the spirit, in Romans 7:21-24, when he says, “So, I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?”

Jesus instructs us that ”when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret.” I admit that I don’t fully understand why ‘praying in secret’ and ‘practicing your righteousness privately’ is necessary to obtain God’s reward, except that it is probable that our fleshly attitudes and passions have a direct effect on our spiritual life. Proverbs 4:23 tells us, “Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life”. Another way of saying this is “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”

It is as if Jesus is drawing a line for us, separating the spiritual world, where all things originate, from the natural world, where all things are made manifest, showing us where we must live and breathe and have our being. (Acts 17:28)

It is almost like the function of a boiler producing heat. If the boiler has ‘leaks’, the steam and pressure necessary to produce heat is dissipated, and the boiler is only lukewarm and good for little more than vapor. But if the steam and pressure is contained, hidden away, focused on the internal workings of the boiler, the power to produce heat for the entire house is created. The ‘leaks’ are fissures of emotions, pride and self-glorification. The containment is ‘spiritual disciplines’ focused on worshiping, praying and serving God alone. This is how spiritual power is built; this is when the reward is revealed.

Jesus is teaching us a deep and important spiritual truth. It will be found only by a few who remember that we are not of this world (John 17:16), but that we are of His Kingdom. We have been adopted as heirs of heaven by God Himself, and that is where our citizenship is (Titus 3:7). This is where our power lies. This is where our reward resides.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

NEXT: (coming soon). A PROPHETIC WORD FROM JESUS – Laying Up Treasures – Part 22

PREVIOUS: A PROPHETIC WORD FROM JESUS – Your Kingdom Come – Part 20

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Bible Stories, Religious Ethical Teachings or THE TRUTH to be applied so you can live faithfully?

January 18, 2024 ~ Michael Young, Sr. ~ Leave a comment

Bible Stories, Religious Ethical Teachings or THE TRUTH to be applied so you can live faithfully?

The answer to the question: “Is The Bible a record of Stories leading up to and including Jesus? Is the Bible Religious Ethical Teachings we can choose from and adjust for our own particular circumstances? Or is the Bible THE TRUTH to be applied to keep you from stumbling, so you can live successfully and faithfully?

The answer could be ‘yes’ to all the above. But that view will lead you to minimizing the importance – no, make that the vital urgency – of knowing and doing the Will of God for your life and in your life.

Let me begin by saying that the Bible was written to you, for you and about you, for your understanding and relationship with God. There are those who would argue that the Bible sometimes was written to specific people or about specific people but not always for those people, and this, unfortunately, is the prevalent view among most theologians and Christian denominations. It is an attempt to avoid having to apply the parts Truth of God’s Word which they do not understand or do not agree with. In other words, puny and arrogant humans standing in judgement on God and His Word! (Think about that.)

Here is why I say what I am saying: The Bible instructs us, “Every place on which the sole of your foot steps, I have given it to you, just as I spoke to Moses. From the wilderness and this Lebanon, even as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and as far as the Great Sea toward the setting of the sun will be your territory. No one will be able to oppose you all the days of your life. Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not desert you nor abandon you. Be strong and courageous, for you shall give this people possession of the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the Law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may achieve success wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will achieve success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not be terrified nor dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:3-9).

And again in Deuteronomy 28:1-13, “Now it shall be, if you diligently obey the LORD your God, being careful to do all His commandments which I am commanding you today, that the LORD your God will put you high above all the nations of the earth. And all these blessings will come to you and reach you if you obey the LORD your God:

“Blessed will you be in the city, and blessed will you be in the [c]country.

“Blessed will be the children of your womb, the produce of your ground, and the [f]offspring of your animals: the newborn of your herd and the young of your flock.

“Blessed will be your basket and your kneading bowl.

“Blessed will you be when you come in, and blessed will you be when you go out.

“The LORD will cause your enemies who rise up against you to be defeated by you; they will go out against you one way and will flee at your presence seven ways. The LORD will command the blessing for you in your barns and in everything that you put your hand to, and He will bless you in the land that the LORD your God is giving you. The LORD will establish you as a holy people to Himself, as He swore to you, if you keep the commandments of the LORD your God and walk in His ways. So all the peoples of the earth will see that [i]you are called by the name of the LORD, and they will be afraid of you. And the LORD will give you more than enough prosperity, in the children of your womb, in the offspring of your livestock, and in the [l]produce of your ground, in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers to give you.The LORD will open for you His good storehouse, the heavens, to give rain to your land in its season and to bless every work of your hand; and you will lend to many nations, but you will not borrow. And the LORD will make you the head and not the tail, and you will only be above, and not be underneath, if you listen to the commandments of the LORD your God which I am commanding you today, to follow them carefully”.

In a nutshell, your thoughts, your ideas, your circumstances and your needs, no matter how great or dire, overshadow or trump the Truth of God’s Word. Anytime you skirt or compromise the clear teachings and instructions of God’s Word you get, at best, a diluted result and at worst, death – death, whether the death of a dream, the death of your hopes and aspirations, or a physical death.

We, as Christians, are so quick to exclaim “He is risen, indeed”, but then hesitant when it is time to act on the Words of the Risen King, Jesus Christ! Perhaps it is because we are a frail and broken people, saved only by God’s Grace and through our faith in Jesus. Or, perhaps it is because we are a rebellious people, bent on having our own way.

But know this: If you are able, you must.

If you cannot, put yourself at God’s mercy. He knows that’ our frames are but dust’, prone to fail. And though He will not test you beyond what you can endure, the finished Work of Jesus on the cross has provided and secured our salvation.

Do what you can, and all you can, while you can. If you cannot, turn to The Father through Jesus His Son, our Lord, our Savior, our Friend and Brother.

If you have called on the name of the Lord, you can depend on Him and His Word. Read it. Know it. Believe it. Do it. It is Creative, Causative, Prophetic and Instructional.

Each and every Word of the Bible is God’s love letter of hope, promise and instruction written specifically to and for you and me. This is how and why it is written. This is how it is to be read, understood and applied – every time, all the time.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

A PROPHETIC WORD FROM JESUS – Your Kingdom Come – Part 20

January 17, 2024January 19, 2024 ~ Michael Young, Sr. ~ Leave a comment

A PROPHETIC WORD FROM JESUS – Your Kingdom Come – Part 20

Creative, Causative, Prophetic, Instructional

“Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.

For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

The Words of Jesus, Matthew 6:10-14

Herein, Jesus is handing you the Golden Spiritual Key to righteous, effective prayer that always earns God’s Reward. But you must have eyes to see and ears to hear.

There has been so much written about this model prayer that there is little I can or should add. I will say, however, this is the perfect prayer. Notice that, by repeating or using this as your model, you will make a bold and grand remark that you identify yourself as a son or daughter of God, The Father Who resides in heaven, and by this you lay claim to heaven as your home.

Meditate on these next words, ”hallowed be your name”. ‘Hallowed’ is to regard as special (sacred), i.e. holy, “set apart”, sanctified. (hagiázō, “to make holy, consecrate, sanctify; to dedicate, separate”. There is none other like Him. This is your confession. Selah.

“Your kingdom come, Your Will be done, on earth as it is in heaven”, is the grandest of confessions made. It is in the Greek Aorist tense, meaning that ‘Your Kingdom has come, it is now coming, and it shall continue to come’! You are recognizing and affirming that as a child of God you live as a resident and an heir of God’s Kingdom, now and forevermore.

Let’s save time and space here and say what Jesus says, that we ‘shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God’. This is divine provision; all the sustenance God supplies to yielded believers, moment-by-moment, to live in His preferred-will. “Give us this day our daily bread”, indeed!

“And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors” can also be said with this in mind: “For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses”.

“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil” is also spoken and written in the Aorist Tense which hold no regard for the past, present or the future, again asking ‘And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, in the past, in this current day nor at any time in the future”.

We are told to make all our requests known to God, but “when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

Pray then like this:

“My Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.

Your kingdom come, your will is being done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Give me this day my daily bread,

and forgive me my debts, as I also have forgiven my debtors.

And lead me not into temptation, but deliver me from evil.

(I forgive others their trespasses, and you, my heavenly Father will also forgive me, but if I do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will my Father forgive my trespasses.)

This is the heartfelt and fervent prayer that avails much! (James 5:16)

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

NEXT: A PROPHETIC WORD FROM JESUS – And When You Fast – Part 21

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A PROPHETIC WORD FROM JESUS – And When You Pray, Pray Like This – Part 19

January 15, 2024October 20, 2024 ~ Michael Young, Sr. ~ Leave a comment

A PROPHETIC WORD FROM JESUS – And When You Pray, Pray Like This – Part 19

Creative, Causative, Prophetic, Instructional

“And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Pray then like this:” The Words of Jesus, Matthew 6:7-9

Another way of saying this is, “do not use thoughtless repetitions”. Prayer is not a magic formula or an incantation. Prayer is not an endless repetition of words that are meant to bring about a desired result.

The Greek words for “do not use thoughtless repetitions” has a force but is feebly rendered in the English. Formed from a word which reproduces the repeated attempts of ‘the stammerer to clothe his thoughts in words’, it might be almost rendered, “Do not stutter out your prayers, do not babble them over.” The devotion of the rosary, in which every bead is connected with a ‘Pater Noster’, (Our Father), or an Ave Maria (Hail Mary), reproduces the eighteen prayers of the Rabbis, which they held it to be an act of religion to repeat. These words describe only too faithfully the act of prayer when it becomes mechanical, and Jesus, Himself, says thoughtless, repetitive phrases disguised as prayers will not produce ‘the reward’ of answered prayer.

There is more here, however. Jesus is warning that we shall not be like the hypocrites (an actor, a pretender, a fraud), or like the Gentiles (Heathens; usually referring to non-Israelites; a pagan, a “non-covenant person,” standing outside God’s covenant of salvation).

One of the greatest dangers that has always faced the church is Syncretism, the attempted union of principles or practices which are irreconcilably at variance with each other, the merging of two opposing religious belief systems.

We are not to think like the Gentiles (Pagans) and hypocrites, in any fashion.

Do not dress like them, do not act like them or eat like them, drink like them, talk like them and in particular, do not practice your righteousness like them, and never approach God and never pray like them. Its end is vanity and loss.

Jesus gives us a model for prayer when He says,

“Pray then like this:

“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name,

“Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

“Give us this day our daily bread,

“and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”

Of course there is nothing wrong with repeating this prayer, but if it is done mechanically, as becomes the tendency, it can become a meaningless repetition and will lose its effect. Instead,

Acknowledge, greet and call God by name and relationship: Father.

Remember, confess and admit His sovereignty and presence.

Ask for your daily sustenance from God, alone.

Confess your sins before God, and

Pray for His deliverance, daily

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

NEXT: (coming soon). A PROPHETIC WORD FROM JESUS – Thy Kingdom Come – Part 20

PREVIOUS: A PROPHETIC WORD FROM JESUS – And When You Pray – Part 18

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KNOWING GOD’S WILL

January 10, 2024October 20, 2024 ~ Michael Young, Sr. ~ Leave a comment

It is recognizing and continually doing God’s Will in the course of my life that determines the outcome of His Will for my life.

Do you ever wonder about “The Will of God for your life” or for your life’s circumstances?

I frequently hear people say “I want to know the will of God” when making important or difficult decisions or trying to find their way out of difficult or trying situations.

I often hear people finish their prayers with “IF it is your will” as a polite guess. You get the sense that a person who prays this way is saying, “I really don’t know Your Will, God, but, here’s what I think” as if we can bring God to our point of view.

Or is it a reluctance because the person praying feels like they are imposing on God?

I see some folks wearing a rubber bracelet or sporting a sticker which reads “WWJD?” (What would Jesus do?) I guess that is supposed to make us stop and think about what He would do before we make important decisions or misbehave?

My experience has been that most people, including MOST preachers, are not ready to give a definitive answer to this all important question for their lives: “What is God’s Will for my life” or in this situation?

The phrase “the will of God” and “God’s will” is used a total of twenty-five times in the Bible (“The Authorized version”).

The frequency of the use of a word or phrase in the Bible potentially tells us is the importance or uniqueness of that word or idea communicated by that word or phrase.

But, regardless of the frequency of this phrase, I would say that the “Will of God” is a pretty important idea.

Here is a novel idea, “why not use the Bible to decide what God says about GOD’S Will and go with that”?

Here are four instances of the twenty-five occurrences of the phrase “God’s Will” from the Bible where the Bible clearly explains God’s Will:

- - - 1 Peter 2:15 “For such is the will of God, that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men.”
    - Romans 12:2 “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”
    - 1 Thessalonians 4:3 “For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality;”
    - 1 Thessalonians 5:18 “in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

Do you want to see the power of God’s Word and His Spirit work for good in your life? Does using these three verses sound too simple? Well, you can expand on these verses. But, just try these for a start.

- - - DO RIGHT.

- - - RENEW YOUR MIND TO THAT WHICH IS GOOD AND ACCEPTABLE AND PERFECT.

- - - ABSTAIN FROM SEXUAL IMMORALITY.

- - - IN EVERYTHING, GIVE THANKS

Interesting, huh? God’s Will produces a life that is RIGHT, GOOD, ACCEPTABLE, PERFECT and produces THANKSGIVING. Isn’t that what you want for every circumstance in your life?

Think about it.

Also, it is almost impossible to escape from these three ideals in your daily living.

Let’s look at the first requisite for God’s Will in your life: DO RIGHT.

We are constantly faced with the opportunity to DO RIGHT. The choices usually come in the form of a temptation, whether mild or severe.

- - “Should I clean up my mess before I leave?”
  - “Should I buy that new car?”
  - “Should we go to church this Sunday?”
  - “Should I take the petty cash for my personal use?”
  - “Should I pay what I owe or spend my money on something I would enjoy?”
  - “Should I carry on that flirtatious relationship, even though I am married?”

We somehow have the idea that “God’s Will” for my life is unique for MY needs or wants.

It is recognizing and continually doing God’s Will in the course of my life that determines the outcome of His Will for my life.

God’s Will for my life doesn’t just kick-in when things get tough or when I need something. God’s Will for my life is a constant.

Another way of looking at God’s Will for my life is that I wouldn’t need to ask (“what is God’s Will for my life) regarding the various circumstances if I have been doing His Will for my life all along. That is, have I been DOING RIGHT all along?

Here’s another great example: A friend asked me and my wife if she should continue dating a certain man she had met because she wasn’t sure of God’s Will. She says she is looking for a husband.

We asked her to tell us about this man. Turns out this man is married (separated) from a difficult and unfaithful woman with whom he has children.

“So” I said, “he is a married man, fighting with his wife and dating around in front of his children? And you have been dating this man? And you want to know God’s Will regarding this matter?”

In other words, do you want a life that is RIGHT, GOOD, ACCEPTABLE, PERFECT and produces THANKSGIVING? Isn’t that what you want for every circumstance in your life?

To which she replied, “Yes, but, I am lonely”.

Yeah? That can be tough. But, the question isn’t ‘how do you feel today’ but DO YOU WANT GOD’S WILL FOR YOUR LIFE? Then,

1. DO RIGHT.

2. RENEW YOUR MIND TO THAT WHICH IS GOOD AND ACCEPTABLE AND PERFECT.

3. ABSTAIN FROM SEXUAL IMMORALITY.

4. IN EVERYTHING, GIVE THANKS.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

(Click here for more on KNOWING and EXPERIENCING GOD’S WILL FOR YOUR LIFE.

A PROPHETIC WORD FROM JESUS – And When You Pray – Part 18

January 10, 2024January 15, 2024 ~ Michael Young, Sr. ~ Leave a comment

A PROPHETIC WORD FROM JESUS – And When You Pray – Part 18

Creative, Causative, Prophetic, Instructional

“And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father, who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” –

The Words of Jesus, Matthew 6:5-6

PRACTICAL, POSITIONAL, TRANSCENDING?

We have been trying to answer the question, “what if we have been reading and misunderstanding the entirety of what Jesus meant by, and the intentions of, His Words? What if we have, even slightly, been misapplying what He taught? If so, could this be one of the main reasons our faith has grown weak and our works have faded?”

Many times, a simple face-value reading of Jesus’ Words and a careful study of the results of His spoken Word, will either

Completely confound you,

Thoroughly convince you that ‘He meant what He said and said exactly what he meant’, or

Will cause you to search the depth and breadth of His Words on your natural world.

When it comes to prayer, Jesus used the word ‘pray’ or referred to ‘prayer’, just twenty-one times (in the book of Matthew, English Standard version).

Since the time of Jesus’ earthly ministry, men and women have written uncounted hundreds-of-thousands, if not millions, of books and articles about prayer and about ‘how-to-pray’. But Jesus taught on it in detail, only once.

Perhaps prayer was so widely understood and practiced in Jewish life, that Jesus did not see a necessity to teach on prayer in detail beyond the one time found in Matthew 6:5-14. This, of course, would be an incorrect assumption since Jesus’ life was a constant demonstration of active prayer – and one would know that if one correctly understood the idea and meaning of prayer.

Here is exactly what Jesus taught and practiced about prayer:

“And when you pray”, Matthew 6:5, as defined in Strong’s Bible concordance, #4336: proseúxomai, comes from two root words,

#4314 /pros), which means, “towards, exchange” and

#2172, euxomai, which means, “to wish, pray”,

Which more properly means to ‘exchange wishes (or ideas)’;

Pray – literally means, to interact with the Lord by switching human wishes (ideas) for His wishes (ideas) as He imparts faith (“divine persuasion“).

Accordingly, praying (Strong’s concordance #4336, proseuxomai), is closely interconnected with 4102 /pístis (“faith”).

Let’s recap. Jesus is saying, “And when you pray it shall be an expression of your wishes, ideas, desires or thoughts, directed toward God in order to

(1), interact with Him,

(2), in order to switch or exchange your human ideas or wishes for His supreme ideas and wishes

(3) which will result in an importation of God’s divine persuasion through faith, from God to you.

Confusing? Let’s try to simplify.

Jesus is saying, “When you pray…”, come face-to-face with God directly. Do not be anxious about anything. Ask anything by way of prayer and petition, but do it with an attitude of thanksgiving. Let your requests be made known to God, then, having expressed your ‘wishes and ideas’, eagerly and willfully exchanged your ‘wishes and ideas’ for His wishes and ideas. Do not seek to find compromise. Do not add anything of your own out of doubt or impatience. Discard your own ideas and replace them with His. Then, wait expectantly.

If you approach God in prayer with any motives other than finding and receiving His wishes and ideas, you will in no way receive your reward.

Once you have heard God, believe in faith, and He will reward you openly. This is the only way to receive your ‘reward’ of answered prayer from God.

This is both amazingly simple and enormously difficult, and to help us further, Jesus gives us a model for this kind of prayer when He says, “Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven…”

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

NEXT: A PROPHETIC WORD FROM JESUS – Pray Like This – Part 19

PREVIOUS: A PROPHETIC WORD FROM JESUS – Practicing Righteousness – Part 17

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THE SECOND COMING OF JESUS

January 9, 2024January 9, 2024 ~ Michael Young, Sr. ~ Leave a comment

THE SECOND COMING OF JESUS

I am istening to Pastor and Teacher, Alistair Begg, teaching through a series called “Stories of the Kingdom” from Mark 13,

( https://www.truthforlife.org/ ) and this lesson is titled, The Coming of the Son of Man – part 1 – the events leading up to the Return of Jesus, and in fact His Return. I am following along in a Bible. We are reading in Mark 13, Isiah 13:6ff, Daniel chapter 9. An excellent teaching. Alistair Begg’s conclusion is that these events must be taken from an “Evangelistic perspective”.

Please read and consider learning for your own benefit:

THE DAY OF THE LORD – AS FORETOLD IN ISIAH 13

Verse 6, “Wail, for the day of the Lord is near;
as destruction from the Almighty it will come!

Verse 7, “Therefore all hands will be feeble,
and every human heart will melt.

Verse 8, ‘They will be dismayed:
pangs and agony will seize them;
they will be in anguish like a woman in labor.
They will look aghast at one another;
their faces will be aflame.

Verse 9, “Behold, the day of the Lord comes,
cruel, with wrath and fierce anger,
to make the land a desolation
and to destroy its sinners from it.

Verse 10, “For the stars of the heavens and their constellations
will not give their light;
the sun will be dark at its rising,
and the moon will not shed its light.

Verse 11, “I will punish the world for its evil,
and the wicked for their iniquity;
I will put an end to the pomp of the arrogant,
and lay low the pompous pride of the ruthless.

Verse 12, “I will make people more rare than fine gold,
and mankind than the gold of Ophir.

Verse 13, “Therefore I will make the heavens tremble,
and the earth will be shaken out of its place,
at the wrath of the Lord of hosts
in the day of his fierce anger.

THE COMING DAY OF THE LORD (TRIBULATION) – AS FORETOLD IN DANIEL 9 (NASB)

Daniel 9:24 “Seventy weeks have been decreed for your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy place.

Verse 25, “So you are to know and discern that from the issuing of a decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince there will be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; it will be built again, with plaza and moat, even in times of distress.

Verse 26, “Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined.

Verse 27, “And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate.” (New American Standard Bible version)

JESUS’ EXPLANATION OF THE COMING “DAY OF THE LORD” (TRIBULATION) – AS FORETOLD IN MARK 13 (NASB)

Mark 13:14 “But when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION standing where it should not be (let the reader understand), then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains.

Verse 15, “The one who is on the housetop must not go down, or go in to get anything out of his house;

Verse 16, “and the one who is in the field must not turn back to get his coat.

Verse 17, “But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!

Verse 18, “But pray that it may not happen in the winter.

Verse 19, “For those days will be a time of tribulation such as has not occurred since the beginning of the creation which God created until now, and never will.

Verse 20, “Unless the Lord had shortened those days, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect, whom He chose, He shortened the days.

Verse 21. “And then if anyone says to you, ‘Behold, here is the Christ’; or, ‘Behold, He is there’; do not believe him;

Verse 22, “for false Christs and false prophets will arise, and will show signs and wonders, in order to lead astray, if possible, the elect.

Verse 23, “But take heed; behold, I have told you everything in advance.

Verse 24, “But in those days, after that tribulation, THE SUN WILL BE DARKENED AND THE MOON WILL NOT GIVE ITS LIGHT,

Verse 25, “AND THE STARS WILL BE FALLING from heaven, and the powers that are in the heavens will be shaken.

Verse 26, “Then they will see THE SON OF MAN COMING IN CLOUDS with great power and glory.

Verse 27, “And then He will send forth the angels, and will gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest end of the earth to the farthest end of heaven.

Verse 28, “Now learn the parable from the fig tree: when its branch has already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near.

Verse 29, “Even so, you too, when you see these things happening, recognize that He is near, right at the door.

Verse 30, “Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.

Verse 31, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.

Verse 32. “But of that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.

Verse 33, “Take heed, keep on the alert; for you do not know when the appointed time will come.

Amen

As I was reading and listening, these THREE things jumped out at me. Please see what you can discern from these observations.

1. God has drawn a timeline. There is a beginning and an end. This will affect you for eternity. You should know.

a) There are those IN THE CHURCH saying these things have already taken place that they are simply allegorical. Do not believe them. Avoid these people. Jesus clearly says, “But take heed; behold, I have told you everything in advance.” (verse 23) Why would Jesus warn us “in advance” if these things have already taken place? He would not. Jesus always said what He meant and if He used figures of speech, he indicated as much. This is an event yet to come.

b) “And then He will send forth the angels, and will gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest end of the earth to the farthest end of heaven.” (verse 27) What do you think is taking place here? Most, IN THE CHURCH, are saying this is anything and everything except a Rapture. It’s written in plain language.

i) The angels will gather His elect (some commentaries say ‘all people’, but that is a lie)

ii) from the four winds (A colloquial expression meaning “from everywhere”), from heaven and earth.

iii) From 2 Thessalonians 2:3 “Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction”

Note 1.) There are two events that must take place before the day of the Lord can come. First, the apostasy must come. Second, the man of lawlessness must be revealed.

*“And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate.”

2. The coming of the Lord (The Day of the Lord) is awful beyond description. If you can escape that day, you must. You should know, few will survive.

a) “Unless the Lord had shortened those days, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect, whom He chose, He shortened the days.” (verse 20)

b) “But in those days, after that tribulation, THE SUN WILL BE DARKENED AND THE MOON WILL NOT GIVE ITS LIGHT, AND THE STARS WILL BE FALLING from heaven, and the powers that are in the heavens will be shaken.” (verses 24, 25)

c) (See Isiah 13, above) Verse 6, Wail, for the day of the Lord is near; as destruction from the Almighty it will come! Verse 7, “Therefore all hands will be feeble, and every human heart will melt. Verse 8. They will be dismayed: pangs and agony will seize them; they will be in anguish like a woman in labor. They will look aghast at one another; their faces will be aflame.

3. You / We must Be Ready and Stay Ready to escape this terrible day. It is clear we cannot know the day nor the hour, but we can and must know the ‘season’ and BE PREPARED.

a) verse 29 “Even so, you too, when you see these things happening, recognize that He is near, right at the door.
Verse 30. “Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.
Verse 31. “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.
Verse 32. “But of that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.
Verse 33. “Take heed, keep on the alert; for you do not know when the appointed time will come.
Verse 34. “It is like a man away on a journey, who upon leaving his house and putting his slaves in charge, assigning to each one his task, also commanded the doorkeeper to stay on the alert.
Verse 35. “Therefore, be on the alert — for you do not know when the master of the house is coming, whether in the evening, at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning —
Verse 36. in case he should come suddenly and find you asleep.
Verse 37. “What I say to you I say to all, ‘Be on the alert!’”

Is saying you are “Saved”, enough?

James 3:21 instructs, “Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls.
Verse 22. “But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.
Verse 23. “For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror;
Verse 24, “for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was.

Verse 25. “But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.
Verse 26. “If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man’s religion is worthless.

James 4:24 warns, “You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone.
25 In the same way, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way?
Verse 26. “For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.

1 Peter 1:3 promises, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
Verse 4, “to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,
Verse 5, “who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
Verse 6. “In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials,
7 so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
Verse 8, ‘“and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,
Verse 9, “obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.

Jesus is coming again!

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

Additional Relevant Scriptures:

A SECRET RAPTURE?

ONLY ONE 2nd APPEARING!

ONLY ONE SECOND COMING AND NO SECRET RAPTURE

THE RETURN OF JESUS AND THE END OF THE AGE

A PROPHETIC WORD FROM JESUS – Practicing Righteousness – Part 17

January 7, 2024January 10, 2024 ~ Michael Young, Sr. ~ Leave a comment

A PROPHETIC WORD FROM JESUS – Practicing Righteousness – Part 17

Creative, Causative, Prophetic, Instructional

“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.

“Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.

But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” – The Words of Jesus, Matthew 6:1-4.

THE ‘LITMUS’ TEST

It was in the 14th century that scientists discovered that litmus, a mixture of colored organic compounds obtained from lichen, turns red in acid solutions and blue in alkaline solutions and, thus, can be used as an acid-base indicator. Six centuries later, people began using litmus test figuratively. It can now refer to any single factor that establishes the true character of something or causes it to be assigned to one category or another. Often it refers to something (such as an opinion about a political or moral issue) that can be used to make a judgment about whether someone or something is authentic or not.

How can you, as a Christian, know if your motives are genuine? Matthew 6:1 is a sure-fire litmus test for authenticity. To wit:

“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.”

Sometimes our true motives are hidden, even from ourselves, covered by layers of ‘good intentions’. When you perform an act of charity or a good deed, or as the Bible calls it, ‘your righteousness’, with either the express intention of assuring that someone else sees your ‘goodness’ or generosity, you have probably missed the mark. If it is done, so you can ‘get credit’, perhaps to build up your reputation as a good person in the eyes of others or in the Eye of God, you have missed the mark of righteousness. (Christian Righteousness is literally “the approval of God” which refers to what is deemed right by the Lord after His examination, i.e. what is approved in His eyes.)

It all comes down to motives. Only you can know your true intentions, and even that can be tricky at times. But here is a way to ‘check yourself’ as you go. Do good even when you don’t feel like. If you feel like doing good, then do it, but don’t talk about it afterward.

Although applied to ‘slaves’ in the 1^st century, Colossians 3:22-24 can also be applied to the ‘Bond Servants’ of Jesus, today:

In everything you do, do not with eye-service, that is with the intention of being seen, as people-pleasers, but do it with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord and not for people, knowing that it is from the Lord that you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.

This, dear brothers and sisters, is another of the great Keys to the Kingdom of God. Treasure it and use it wisely.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

NEXT: A PROPHETIC WORD FROM JESUS – When You Pray – Part 18

PREVIOUS: A PROPHETIC WORD FROM JESUS – Love Your Enemies – Part 16

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AND A VERY BIG P.S.:

Strange as it may seem, if you get the ‘warm fuzzies’, probably caused by the release of endorphins, you may just be on the right track. Studies have shown that the sensation is known as ‘helper’s high’ and is produced when your brain releases endorphins, the feel-good chemicals of the brain. When you do something good for someone else, your brain’s pleasure centers light up, releasing endorphin and producing this high. Not to mention, doing good has also been known to generate feelings of satisfaction and gratitude, (see PsychologyToday.com).

According to a 2013 study examining the relationship between volunteering and hypertension, giving back can have a significant impact on blood pressure. Researchers found that adults over 50 who volunteered about four hours a week were 40 percent less likely than non-volunteers to have developed hypertension four years later.

Additionally, being generous can have the same effect, according to a 2010 study, which found that the less money people gave away, the higher their cortisol levels.

Doing good can also increase life expectancy. Researchers from the University of Buffalo found a link between giving, unselfishness and a lower risk of early death. The findings show that subjects who provided tangible assistance to friends or family members (running errands, helping with child care, etc.), reported less stressful events and, consequently, had reduced mortality. In other words, “helping others reduced mortality specifically by buffering the association between stress and mortality.”

According to a study from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, altruists in the office are more likely to be committed to their work and less likely to quit their jobs. The researchers also found that individuals in their mid-30s, who rated helping others in their work as important, reported they were happier with their life when surveyed 30 years later.

Overall, the study came to an important conclusion about office altruism: those who help others are happier at work than those who don’t prioritize helping others.

The results are in! After an extensive review of 40 studies on the effect of volunteering on general health and happiness, the BMC Public Health journal has concluded that volunteering is also good for mental health. The review found that – along with improved well-being and life satisfaction – volunteering is also linked to decreased depression.

“People who engage in kind acts become happier over time.” It’s that simple, according to Sonja Lyubomirsky, Ph.D., a professor of psychology at the University of California, Riverside. Lyubomirsky, who has studied happiness for over 20 years, found that performing positive acts once a week led to the most happiness.

In addition, Researcher Stephen Post of Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine found that when we give of ourselves, everything from life satisfaction to self-realization and physical health is significantly improved.

A 2012 study published in Psychological Science found that thinking about times you’ve helped others will make you want to help others again. The research found that reflecting on your past good deeds makes you feel selfless and want to help more, as compared to reflecting on the times others have helped you. In other words, thinking about what you’ve given others – and not only what you’ve received – will motivate you to do good again and again. (The foregoing taken from Goodnet.org)

THROUGH JESUS’ EYES

January 6, 2024 ~ Michael Young, Sr. ~ Leave a comment

(Please note: Links on this page are used in lieu of citations, footnotes and references, and they are important in order to gain a full understanding of this teaching. Please use them as you go.)

THROUGH JESUS EYES

The phrase ‘seeing through another person’s eyes’ is a figure of speech – an idiom. When someone sees or considers something through another person’s eyes, they consider it in the way that another person does; they see it from their perspective or their point of view.

Which leads me to ask, ‘why was Jesus so mysterious to so many people’? Why can’t we understand who He is and why He behaved the way he did? I believe the problem was that most people either have no concept of where Jesus’ comes from and have little idea of His mission – or choose not to believe it.

However, I believe that if a person would ‘see through Jesus’ eyes’, so to speak, they might better understand what He was saying and teaching. I believe we could better understand His intentions and His purpose. Then the question would be, or could we believe? (And this is especially true for professing Christians).

Jesus’ purpose, (His plan, ministry, methods and mission) was often misunderstood, even by those closest to Him. Perhaps it was because He would explain Himself through figures of speech, such as idioms, metaphors and similes, or perhaps it was because the miracles He performed were too fantastic to believe. Other times Jesus was very clear and exacting in His teachings and in His proclamations, but He was still misunderstood, or worse, He was rejected as a liar, a lunatic or a fraud by many.

Nonetheless, Jesus clearly stated that He was sent by God the Father. His home and domain is the Kingdom of Heaven and His mission is to defeat sin and its consequences and to seek and save those who are spiritually lost – this was and is Jesus total reason. This is how Jesus sees our world. Everything He said and did was in response to this one mission.

John 5:37-38, “And the Father who sent Me, He has testified about Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form. Also, you do not have His word remaining in you, because you do not believe Him whom He sent.”

John 6:38-40, “For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that of everything that He has given Me I will lose nothing, but will raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.”

John 5:30, “I can do nothing on My own. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of Him who sent Me.”

John 16:25-31, “These things I have spoken to you in figures of speech; an hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures of speech, but will tell you plainly about the Father. On that day you will ask in My name, and I am not saying to you that I will request of the Father on your behalf; for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me and have believed that I came forth from the Father. I came forth from the Father and have come into the world; again, I am leaving the world and going to the Father.”

His disciples said, “See, now You are speaking plainly and are not using any figure of speech. Now we know that You know all things, and that You have no need for anyone to question You; this is why we believe that You came forth from God.” Jesus replied to them, “Do you now believe?”

If you or I do not see this world (and the world which is to come), as Jesus sees it – if we do not have the mind and attitude of Christ – we do not understand even the first thing about Jesus, His mission, His methods, His promises, His claims or His Word.

I know this is a bold statement. I can hear the Bible student’s mind whirring right now! “That can’t possibly be true”, they might say. But I stand in this statement, as narrow as it sounds.

Listen to the words of James as he says, “You do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask with the wrong motives, so that you may spend what you request on your pleasures.” (see James 4:2b-3). James is adamant that using the promises and power of God for things other than the Mission of Christ Jesus leads to ungodly behavior, greed, selfishness, vanity and division. It is a sad misunderstanding of the teachings and calling of Jesus at best, and a mockery of the Gospel at worst. (You should read the entire chapter to get the full context of what James is teaching.)

Furthermore, no matter how well-intentioned we may be, Jesus has warned, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; leave Me, you who practice lawlessness.’”

On the flip side, if you are willing, there is nothing that compares to following Jesus. You will never regret the results! Then you may ask what you will and it will be done for you!

Seeing through Jesus’ Eyes should radically alter most Christian’s view of everything they think they know, especially in matters of one’s own salvation and what should follow.

What we Christians should now be facing, I pray, is making the second most monumental decision following our decision to follow Jesus, and that is to actually follow Him, which requires that we “see through the Eyes of Jesus”.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

(If you think this sounds harsh or too narrow, please know that I have felt the same way. But, please believe me, salvation by God’s grace through faith in Jesus is neither cheap nor easy – no matter how it is being sold. Please consider this short series: “It Ain’t Easy”.)

A PROPHETIC WORD FROM JESUS – Love Your Enemies – Part 16

January 5, 2024January 7, 2024 ~ Michael Young, Sr. ~ Leave a comment

A PROPHETIC WORD FROM JESUS – Love Your Enemies – Part 16

Creative, Causative, Prophetic, Instructional

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven.

“For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

“For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?

“You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” – The Words of Jesus, Matthew 5:43-48

This is one of the most counter-intuitive commands Jesus gives. It shows how hard it is for the carnally-minded to be a ‘fully devoted’ follower of Jesus. Jesus is speaking prophetic Truth, which, when believed and humbly absorbed into one’s heart, mind and soul, you will have truly begun to enter the Kingdom of God.

Once again, Jesus begins with “You have heard that it was said, but I say to you…”, reminding us that He is the fulfillment of the Old Covenant and that you ‘cannot live by bread alone, but by every Word that proceeds from His mouth’.

He could not be any clearer than when He says, ”But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven.”

I have prayed for my enemies and those who persecute me, as many of you have, by saying things like ‘make him or her a better person’ , or ‘make him or her a Christian’, with the unspoken thought, ‘so that they will quit being such a nuisance, a bother or a threat’. This is skirting Jesus’ teaching. He begins with ”But I say to you, Love your enemies” which precludes any preconditions, spoken or unspoken, I may add to my prayers.

The real question here is, ‘am I praying for my enemies and those who persecute me’ in order to obtain the keys to heaven, or can I truly ‘Love my enemies’? Because it is in ‘Loving my enemies and praying, in love, for those who persecute me’ that I find the keys to the Kingdom. This is very difficult. It is hard. It is impossible for some.

This should remind us of the time a wealthy young man came to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing shall I do so that I may obtain eternal life?” And, Jesus responded with, “If you want to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”

But when he heard these things, he became very sad and went away grieving, for he was extremely rich.

Then, Jesus said to his disciples, “How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”

When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Then Peter said in reply, “We have left our homes and followed you.” And Jesus said to him, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who will not receive many times more in this time, and in the age to come eternal life.” (Taken from Luke 18:18-29)

AN ASIDE and a NOTE: There has been a story circulating, albeit false, which purports that there is actually a gate somewhere in Jerusalem called the “eye of the needle”, through which a camel could not pass unless it stooped down and had all its baggage first removed. After dark, when the main gates were closed, travelers and merchants would have to use this smaller gate. Great sermon material, with illustrations about how we must humble ourselves and remove our baggage before entering the kingdom.

It would be quite convenient if this myth were true because it would legitimize people’s affinity for money and probably the prosperity gospel as well. If the passage is about baggage and humility and not actually about wealth, then the prosperity preachers can breathe a big sigh of relief. However, this myth has been propagated since the 11th century, and it is completely made up. There is zero evidence to show that this gate ever existed other than stories brought back from Jerusalem tours.

But what about the image, above, showing the eye of the needle? This wall passage did not exist when Jesus walked the earth, or anytime close to his generation. This wall was built hundreds of years after Jesus’ time. The gates of Jerusalem were destroyed in 70 A.D. and later rebuilt. Josephus, the 1st century Jewish historian, wrote about the wall in Jerusalem (excepting the western wall):

“All the rest of the wall [surrounding Jerusalem], it was so thoroughly laid even with the ground by those that dug it up to the foundation, that there was left nothing to make those that came thither believe it [Jerusalem] had ever been inhabited.”

So, the image above would not exist in Jesus’ time.

Furthermore, the passage states that is it easier for a camel to go through the eye of “a” needle, not “the” needle. “A needle” refers to any needle. “The needle” would refer to a specific needle. This is not a mistake. Greek is an incredibly precise language, and definite articles (the) are hard to confuse with an indefinite article (a).

Finally, I would point out that this type of hyperbole is common in Jewish literature and as well as other literature. Jesus, again, uses the term of a ‘narrow gate’ in Matthew 7:13-14)

Thus, it is not necessary to try to bend Jesus’ words to mean something other than what they actually meant. This is why the disciples replied with this phrase in astonishment:

When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?” (Matthew 19:25)

Jesus was actually referring to a camel and an actual needle, and that the camel is a simile for ‘every man and women, boy and girl’ and the ‘eye of the needle’ is a simile for the gate to the Kingdom of Heaven.

So, everyone who is laden with ‘the baggage and possessions of pride, high self-esteem, education, personal achievements, wealth, pedigree, education and the like cannot enter the Kingdom. All of these things must first be put aside, discarded, before entering through the ‘narrow gate’.

Secondly, Jesus is equally clear that in order to become ‘a son of God’ you must first learn to “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you”. I can hear the echo of Peter’s words, “Who then can be saved?”

Christians are called the “sons” or “children” of God in several of these senses: as his offspring; as adopted; as his disciples; as imitators of Him. In this passage the word is applied to them because, in doing good to enemies, they resemble God. He makes His sun to rise upon the evil and good, and sends rain, without distinction, on the just and unjust. So, His people should show that they imitate or resemble Him, or that they possess His spirit, by doing good similarly.

Next, in what seems the closing of any possible ‘theological loopholes’, Jesus reminds us that taking the low road, the ordinary expected path which all others travel, yields no reward. “If you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You must choose to travel the high road, the road less travelled, that is the narrow path, in order to find your reward.”

Finally, Jesus complete this teaching with the exclamatory words, “You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” I have heard so many explanations of this idea of perfections and of those many who say, ‘this does not really mean perfect in the sense that God is perfect, instead it simply means ‘mature’”.

The word, “perfect”, here, does mean mature, but in the sense as consummated from going through the necessary stages to reach the end–goal of perfection in maturity. Mature in our labors, our spiritual growth, in our mental capacities and our moral character, as reflected by Jesus. Made into His image. (It is well-illustrated with the old pirate’s telescope, unfolding, extending out, one stage at a time to function perfectly, at full-strength and in full effectiveness).

It is when you reach this point of maturity that you are truly able to ”love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you”, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven” and you will hear the words, “‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’

The Word of God truly means more than we could ever have imagined, and mastery of the Word of God in Its application requires subjugating ourselves to complete and utter surrender to God’s will and way. It involves becoming ‘poor (crushed) in our spirit’, in our mind and body, completely dead to our ‘old selves’. It is then and only then that God can begin to transform us from hopeless, destitute sinners into His child. It is then, and only then, that we, as joint heirs with Jesus, shall inherit the Kingdom of God.

(If you find the time, refer to a short series “It Ain’t Easy” which is about the difficulties you will face as Jesus devoted disciple and the unspeakable wonders of His rewards.)

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

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