Author: Michael Young, Sr.

I am a practicing Christian, a disciple of Jesus, a husband of over 50 years, a father and a grandfather, a business man, a veteran and a friend to all who will have me. I have served or am serving, at various times, as an Evangelist, a Pulpit fill pastor, an Associate Pastor of Evangelism and as Senior Pastor of a church plant. My passion is for practicing and teaching the Bible, building small groups, reaching the lost with the message of the Gospel of Jesus, recovering the straying Sheep of God and the gathering together the Called of God, in neighborhoods, business settings and in churches by equipping other Christians. I have authored a few small books and I have a background in professional business management, finance and investments. I am glad to meet you, even if it is virtually. Write me at any time and let's become friends.

NOT OF THIS WORLD? Part 2

~ Michael Young, Sr. ~ Leave a comment

If My kingdom were of this world, *then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews

I have heard many Christian friends say something like, “We have to do something about the Leftists, the Progressives, the Liberals and the Marxists taking over America from within.  It’s time we stand up and fight!”

When and if I respond, I might say, “I understand how you feel.  I often feel the same.  However, Jesus has said we have a different mission and calling.”

No one, without exception, has agreed with my response, and, it usually provokes the person to disagree and disapprove or go silent with a look of anger and dissatisfaction on their face.

I, honestly, get so angry at what I see happening in our once great nation, I have to find a way to calm down and not think thoughts of revenge.

So, why do I believe and say that Jesus would not approve of Christians taking up the defense of America, either politically, socially or militarily?

Jesus repeatedly reminds us that we have a different agenda than the agenda of this world.  And, this is not the first (nor the last?) time the world will go after its own ideas and reject God.

One of the earliest attempts by mankind to become like God and to replace God with man’s own efforts, is recorded in Genesis chapter 11.  According to the Biblical account, the descendants of Noah had become numerous and a united humanity in the generations following the Great Flood.  They were speaking a single language and migrating eastward, they settled in a land named Shinar. There, the Babylonians wanted a tower that would “reach to the heavens” so that they could be like God and that they would not need Him. They began to construct the great ziggurat.

God rejected the pride and arrogance of these people, so, He caused the people to suddenly speak different languages so they could not communicate and work together to build the tower. He confused their language. The tower was named The Tower of Babel because the word Babel means confusion. This caused the people to scatter across the land.

Genesis 11:4 reads,  ”They said, “Come, let us build for ourselves a city, and a tower whose top will reach into heaven, and let us make for ourselves a name, otherwise we will be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.”

 Verse 5.  “The Lord came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built. Verse 6.  The Lord said, “Behold, they are one people, and they all have the same language. And this is what they began to do, and now nothing which they purpose to do will be impossible for them.”

The Tower of Babel was a revealing of the sinful and arrogant nature of mankind and his ongoing rebellion toward God.  It was also a foreshadowing of what was happen in THE LAST DAYS.  And, it is happening now, in America and around the world. People of the world are uniting into a One World Community, with a One World Goverment, reaching for the heavens.  (Read this introduction by the Commission for Global Governance.)

The organization is a United Nations specialized agency named UNESCO, the ‘United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’ claiming to be aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, the sciences, and culture.

The first Director-General of UNESCO, Julian Huxley in 1946, said “The task before UNESCO, is the emergence of a single world culture” by transferring “full sovereignty from separate nations to a world organization.”

The “new world order” will be a socialist, authoritarian global government and court with “global rule of law” and a “one-world economy.”

The stated objectives of this New World Order, which are a cover for the coming socialist, authoritarian global government and court with “global rule of law” and a “one-world economy.” can be found on the United Nations web page Transforming our world: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.  

The recommendations of the Commission on Global Governance, if implemented, will bring all the people of the world into a global neighborhood managed by a world-wide bureaucracy, under the direct authority of a minute handful of appointed individuals, and policed by thousands of individuals, paid by accredited NGOs, certified to support a belief system which contains ideas that are foreign to the American experience, and ignores other values and ideas that are precious to the American experience. (Agenda 21 – Cover for the U.N. and a One World Government)

As of this date, Globalists, have been embedded in our government, in our religious systems, in our churches, in our school, colleges and institutions of higher education. They are using methods to erase and eradicate the culture, history and legacy both in Europe and in America.

In the United States, over 528 American cities are members of “Local Governments for Sustainability” or “ICLEI”, is an international Marxist and Socialist leaning sustainability organization, that helps to implement the Agenda 21 and Local Agenda 21 concepts across the world. The United States has nearly half of the ICLEI’s global membership of 1,200 cities promoting sustainable development at a local level.

The United States also has one of the most comprehensively documented Agenda 21 status reports. In response to the opposition, Don Knapp, U.S. spokesman for the ICLEI, has said “Sustainable development is not a top-down conspiracy from the U.N., but a bottom-up push from local governments”. 

The true hidden agenda of this “migration” and Globalism or One World Government is not stuff of just any book. It is stuff of THE BOOK, which is THE BIBLE

TAKING PLACE NOW

The Bible calls this THE LAST DAYS and the Great Tribulation.  Jesus tells us how we are to deal with this long prophesied event, which is taking place, now.

First, in order to understand why Jesus’ instructions and commands seem so antithetical or counter-intuitive to our natural minds, let’s look at His perspective:

Jesus says to the scribes and Pharisees,, in John 8:23, “You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world.

The full text of John 8:12-23 says, “Then Jesus again spoke to them (the The scribes and the Pharisees), saying, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”  So the Pharisees said to Him, “You are testifying about Yourself; Your testimony is not true.”  Jesus answered and said to them, “Even if I testify about Myself, My testimony is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from or where I am going.  You judge according to the flesh; I am not judging anyone.  But even if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone in it, but I and the Father who sent Me.  Even in your law it has been written that the testimony of two men is true.  I am He who testifies about Myself, and the Father who sent Me testifies about Me.”  So they were saying to Him, “Where is Your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither Me nor My Father; if you knew Me, you would know My Father also.”  These words He spoke in the treasury, as He taught in the temple; and no one seized Him, because His hour had not yet come.

“ Then He said again to them, “I go away, and you will seek Me, and will die in your sin; where I am going, you cannot come.”  So the Jews were saying, “Surely He will not kill Himself, will He, since He says, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come’?” Verse 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. 

We cannot follow Jesus nor can we navigate these Last Days and the Tribulation to come, unless we obtain and understand Jesus’ is living and operating in His Kingdom of Heaven which is “above”.  He is not of this world!

Next, in John 15:19, Jesus says to His disciples, “If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you.  If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you.”

We, too, as disciples of Jesus, are not of this world.  In fact, Ephesians 2:4-7 tells us that we are seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.  And, Colossians 3:2 tell us that we are to “Set our minds on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.”  The matters of this world are not our primary concern.

Read and hear what the Apostle Peter says about this matter of Christians ‘not being of this world’ in 1 Peter 1:16:

“Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,

“To those who reside as aliens, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,

“who are chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood: May grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure.

“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 and 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 is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 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, obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.

“As to this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you made careful searches and inquiries, seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow.  It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, in these things which now have been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things into which angels long to look.

“Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.  

“As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

RECAP:

  1. We reside in this world as aliens,  
  2. We are chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood:
  3. We are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time
  4. We have been distressed by various trials, 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;
  5. Obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.
  6. Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
  7. Do not be conformed to the former lusts
  8. “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

John 18:36 says that Jesus answered the scribes and the Pharisees, saying, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, *then 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.”

When Peter took a sword and struck the high priest’s slave, and cut off his right ear, Jesus said to Peter, “Put the sword into the sheath; the cup which the Father has given Me, shall I not drink it?”  Jesus rebuked Peter and reminded the others that things of this world was not their fight.  Their total attention was to be on the mission The Father had given Jesus.  This is also true for us, today.

Jesus emphasized that our time on this earth is to be spent doing the Will of The Father, just like Jesus has always done.  Our concern is not fighting with this world.  Our concern, our calling and our mission is to follow Jesus and to “Go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that Jesus has commanded us.” 

Our time is short and the harvest fields are white for the harvest.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

“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

Click this link to go to “NOT OF THIS WORLD, PART 1”

When does the 7 years begin?

The 5th Tribulation Seal

NOTE:  Here is one response to this article.  Please read.

WR

Satan would love if we would just give up and accept “pacifism. “Or how can one enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man?”
Reply from  Mike Young

This isn’t pacifism, Wayne. We must not entangle ourselves in the conflicts of this world. If God cannot or does not – of if we cannot or will not trust Him with dominion over evil by the Word of our Testimony and by the Blood of the Lamb, then it’s on us. We cannot live and operate as if we are in the world and as if we are in The Kingdom of God. The two just don’t mix.

I know this is hard. It is hard for me, too. But, it is what the word says. “Live the sword, die by the sword”.
Pacifism is opposition to war or violence as a means of settling disputes, specifically the refusal to bear arms on moral or religious grounds.

First, the WORD of God is written to and for Christians. (It is foolishness to those who don’t believe. They cannot understand it).

We, as Christians, are told we prove we are followers of Christ by our love for one another.

Secondly, there is a mindset (attitude) we are to hold, even for non-believers. We are not to pick fights with them, and we are to avoid conflict with them whenever possible. Romans 12:18 tells us, “If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.” We are to model the life and attitude of Christ.

The Bible never says we should not defend ourselves, although the Apostles did not defend with violence, they went to great lengths to avoid violent conflict. This is our model.

What I believe, the Bible is teaching is the law of non-resistance – not pacifism. Matthew 5:29 says, “But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.” The word RESIST is a comes from a Greek military term for violent conflict.
James 4:7-8 says we are to, “Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. “

We are to speak the Word of God to evil and the evil one. Our enemies are the rulers, the powers, and the world forces of darkness, and spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. If we engage the enemy there, he is defeated. If we engage him with natural means, it can be a long and bloody war with no end in sight.

This is applicable in “REAL LIFE”. And, it is hard to do because of our flesh and unbelief.
I can give examples of the mighty power of God in and around my life during stressful conflict. It would appear I would suffer great loss. And, at times, I did suffer some loss. But, then came the victory and God has restored what the enemy has stolen; and He has restored what the locust has eaten. But, it has taken faith, patience and endurance. (And, I still doubt, at times).
Your Brother
Mike Young

 

FORGIVENESS and RECONCILIATION

~ Michael Young, Sr. ~ Leave a comment

If you ever find yourself in these circumstances, this may be one of the most important messages anyone could hear, Christian or not, if you will only take it to heart and apply these life giving principals.

Pastor Chris Voorhees is the congregational life pastor at Covenant Church, Naples, Florida.  For brevity and to get to an important part of this message, “The Forgiveness of Sins”.  You can set the video to start at the 35:00 minute mark.  Listen to at least the 40:03 mark. (Or, listen to the entire message).

“Forgiveness is not the same thing as reconciliation“,  is the article from Steve Cornell, founding and senior pastor of Millersville Bible Church, Millersville Pennsylvania, explains the important differences.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

Lord, I pray you help us all see your Truth and embrace it, so we may live life securely and with an abundance of your Peace.

“Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers.“  3 John 1:2

EFFECTIVE SPIRITUAL WARFARE – Final Notes & What is Coming Next?

~ Michael Young, Sr. ~ Leave a comment

A TUTORIAL ON EFFECTIVE SPIRITUAL WARFARE

Teaching, Training & Commissioning

FINAL NOTES – WHAT IS COMING NEXT?

Jesus’ work, now complete on earth, He gives a final few words of instruction and encouragement, then sets the stage as the Last Days are now well under way.

One lesson His disciples, both then and now, should learn is that, “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.

“Therefore, (you are to) take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.  Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,  and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

“With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints.”(Ephesians 6:12-18)

As a fully devoted and completely surrendered disciple of Jesus, you will be imbued with and filled with a power so great and so transformative, that your way of dealing with the matters of this world are, like Jesus, antithetical to this world’s ways.

A Witness, The Holy Spirit & Power

Acts 1:6-11 tells us, “So when they had come together, they were asking Him, saying, “Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?”  He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority;  

but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”

We are reminded, in Psalms 34:15-19, that,

“The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry.
The face of the Lord is against evildoers, to cut off the memory of them from the earth.

“The righteous cry, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles.
The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

“Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the Lord delivers him out of them all.”

Jesus continues to tell us about His indwelling presence in the life of a Disciple. 

Mark 9:21-23 says, ”And He asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. It has often thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, take pity on us and help us!” And Jesus said to him, “‘If You can?’ All things are possible to him who believes.”

 Matthew 7:7-8 tells us to,“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

 Matthew 21:21-22  reminds us, “And Jesus answered and said to them, “Truly I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ it will happen. And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”

Jesus tells us in John 15:7-8,  “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples”.

 Here are some of the many Spiritual Blessings of a disciple of Jesus:  a Christian

  1.  ETERNAL LIFE: John3:14“, As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; verse 15. so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life.

Verse 16. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. Verse 17. “For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. Verse 18. “He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

  1.  ABUNDANT LIFE: John10:9–10. “I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.
  2.  PROSPERITY AND GOOD HEALTH: 3 John 3:2“. “Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers.”
  3.  MANIFEST BLESSINGS:
    1. OBEY GOD:  Deuteronomy28:1“Now it shall be, if you diligently obey the LORD your God, being   careful to do all His commandments which I command you today, The LORD your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth.
    2. IRRESISTIBLE BLESSINGS:  verse 2.“All these blessings will come upon you and overtake you if you obey the LORD your God:
    3. OMNIPRESENT BLESSINGS:  verse 3.“Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the country.
    4. GENERATIONAL BLESSINGS: verse 4. “Blessed shall be the offspring of your body and the produce of your ground and the offspring of your beasts, the increase of your herd and the young of your flock.
    5. NATURAL BLESSING:  verse 5. “ Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl.
    6. CONTINUAL BLESSINGS:  verse 6.“Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out.
    7. PROTECTIVE BLESSINGS:  verse 7. “The LORD shall cause your enemies who rise up against you to be defeated before you; they will come out against you one way and will flee before you seven ways.
    8. OMNISCIENT BLESSINGS:  verse 8. “The LORD will command the blessing upon you in your barns and in all that you put your hand to, and He will bless you in the land which the LORD your God gives you.
    9. HOLY BLESSINGS:  verse 9. “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. Verse 10. “So all the peoples of the earth will see that you are called by the name of the LORD, and they will be afraid of you.
    10. ABUNDANT BLESSINGS:  verse 11. “The LORD will make you abound in prosperity, in the offspring of your body and in the offspring of your beast and in the produce of your ground, in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers to give you.
    11. ESTABLISHED BLESSINGS:  verse12. “The LORD will open for you His good storehouse, the heavens, to give rain to your land in its season and to bless all the work of your hand; and you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow.
    12. BLESSINGS OF AUTHORITY: verse 13. “The LORD will make you the head and not the tail, and you only will be above, and you will not be underneath, if you listen to the commandments of the LORD your God, which I charge you today, to observe them carefully,

The Ascension

Acts 1:9-11 tells us “And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight.  

And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them. They also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.”

 

THE GUIDE

(Click on the image)

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

Here is this entire series in Booklet form:

TUTORIAL ON EFFECTIVE SPIRITUAL WARFARE (digital book)

TUTORIAL ON EFFECTIVE SPIRITUAL WARFARE (Adobe PDF format)

What’s Next?  The Last Days

When does the 7-year Tribulation Begin?

EFFECTIVE SPIRITUAL WARFARE – Ch. 19 – Mission, Focus & Commissioning of a disciple

~ Michael Young, Sr. ~ Leave a comment

A TUTORIAL ON EFFECTIVE SPIRITUAL WARFARE

Teaching, Training & Commissioning

Chapter  19

MISSION, FOCUS & COMMISSIONING OF A DISCIPLE

“Instructions for Service”

Becoming a disciple of Jesus is a calling from God. It is a difficult and trying experience, and, at times, bewildering, despite what you might have been told.  It can also be dangerous and expensive.  Dangerous in the sense that it will cost you your life, ether through transformation or through “the fiery trials”, as mentioned in 1 Peter 4:12-14.  Expensive in the sense that it will likely cost you everything you had been beforehand, and, everything you had possessed.

Difficult and dangerous as it may be, this Journey will be exciting, rewarding, full of purpose and power.  It will give you rewards, worth more than you could even imagine to ask for.

The destination will astound you. Thousands upon thousands have gladly paid the price and would do it again.

The Teachings of Jesus, as pointed out earlier, are antithetical to worldly standards, practices and norms.  Jesus was crucified as a sacrifice for our sins.  But, as far as the unbelieving world was concerned, it was for His controversial and counter cultural teachings.

Jesus made it clear that if you choose to follow Him, you will have to pay the price of a disciple, and that cost is high.  Both the religious and secular worlds persecuted Jesus and His followers because of His teachings.  And, they will persecute you, too, if you choose to be His disciple.

A careful and thorough reading of Matthew will give you the teaching you need in order to take the first steps to becoming a disciple of Jesus.  Specifically, chapters three through chapters ten will help you focus on Jesus’ teachings, His Works demonstrated and the commissioning and sending of His disciples.

Matthew 10:1-20 says, “Jesus summoned His twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every kind of disease and every kind of sickness.

“And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ “

“Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give.  

“Do not acquire gold, or silver, or copper for your money belts, or a bag for your journey, or even two coats, or sandals, or a staff; for the worker is worthy of his support.

“And whatever city or village you enter, inquire who is worthy in it, and stay at his house until you leave that city.

“As you enter the house, give it your greeting. “If the house is worthy, give it your blessing of peace. But if it is not worthy, take back your blessing of peace. “Whoever does not receive you, nor heed your words, as you go out of that house or that city, shake the dust off your feet. “Truly I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city.”

Jesus is now, for the first time, giving His disciples His ‘Authority’. As you progress in your training and preparation, He will also give you His Authority. Just remember, it is He Who is doing the work through you.

And, once again, has given His disciples instructions on how they are to proceed.  This is not the conclusion of Jesus’ teaching, but, this is the conclusion of the disciples initial preparation. It will be the same for you and for me.

A Hard Road before Them

Jesus reminds His disciples of the difficulties that await them.  You would be wise to settle your accounts and get ready for what is coming for the true disciple of Jesus.

Jesus reminds and warns His disciples, both then and now, in Matthew 10:16-23, “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves.

“But beware of men, for they will hand you over to the courts and scourge you in their synagogues; and you will even be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles.

“But when they hand you over, do not worry about how or what you are to say; for it will be given you in that hour what you are to say. “For it is not you who speak, but it is the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.

 “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. “You will be hated by all because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved.

“But whenever they persecute you in one city, flee to the next; for truly I say to you, you will not finish going through the cities of Israel until the Son of Man comes.”

The Great Commission

Matthew28:16-20 tells us, ” But the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated. When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some were doubtful. And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,  teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

  • The disciples proceeded.
  • The disciples worshiped Jesus.
  • Some disciples were doubtful.
  • Jesus sent them anyway, because He will be with His disciples, including you, even to the end of the age.

If you have any questions, doubts or comments, please let me know.  None of us should embark on this journey alone,  Let’s join together.  The Body of Christ, on Mission with Jesus.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

Now, go.  Make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that Jesus has  commanded you.

Please remember to click the blue italicized links in each chapter, in order to get the important details on these Bible teachings)

The Final Episode: “WHAT’S NEXT – AND FINAL NOTES”

(The previous episode can be found at “The Works of Healing – Episode 3”)

(Please also notice, you can listen by podcast as you read along.  You can pause the audio in order to click the links for details and references, which are necessary for the entire teaching)

EFFECTIVE SPIRITUAL WARFARE – Ch. 18, Episode 3 – The Works of Healing

~ Michael Young, Sr. ~ Leave a comment

A TUTORIAL ON EFFECTIVE SPIRITUAL WARFARE

Teaching, Training & Commissioning

Chapter 18, Episode 3

THE WORKS OF HEALING

Jesus Says the Words; Shows the Wonders; Sends the Workers

Matthew 8:14-17 tells us, “When Jesus came into Peter’s home, He saw his mother-in-law lying sick in bed with a fever. He touched her hand, and the fever left her; and she got up and waited on Him. When evening came, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed; and He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were ill.  

This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet: “HE HIMSELF TOOK OUR INFIRMITIES AND CARRIED AWAY OUR DISEASES.”

*Jesus touched her hand, the fever left; It is Jesus Who does the works.

*And she got up and served; Peter’s mother showed her gratitude through service.

*They brought many who were demon-possessed and ill; Jesus cast out the spirits with a word and healed all who were ill. Jesus does His works through His disciples. We are to lift Jesus up and people are drawn to Him.

“Jesus, Himself, took our infirmities and carried away our diseases.”

Please read and meditate on these words of Jesus from John chapter 15 as He reiterates our roles as His disciples.

Verse 1. “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vine dresser.  

Verse 2. “Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit.

Verse 3. “You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.

Verse 4. “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me.

Verse 5. “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.”

During most of His earthly ministry, Jesus worked through eleven disciples.  Jesus ministry and works could be multiplied by eleven.

There was estimated, in 2010, to be around 800 million Protestant Christians in the world.  Assuming these Christians truly “Abide in Jesus” that means Jesus’ ministry and works could be multiplied by 800 million.

There is no way of knowing how many of those 800 million Protestants, or of the over 1 billion Roman Catholics, or of the 260 million Orthodox Christians or the other 28 million adherents not affiliated with a major denomination are actually “Abiding in Jesus”, but that is not our concern.

Your concern and my concern, is that we, “Abide in Jesus, and He is in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me.  Jesus is the vine, we are the branches; he who abides in Jesus and Jesus in him, bears much fruit, for apart from apart from Jesus, you can do nothing.”  

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go to the Father.”

John 14:12

More resources on this matter:

Power of One

Then There was One

Please remember to click the blue italicized links in each chapter, in order to get the important details on these Bible teachings)

Please bookmark this page and watch for our next chapter, “The Focus of Discipleship”

(The previous episode can be found at “The Works of Healing – Episode 2”)

(Please also notice, you can listen by podcast as you read along.  You can pause the audio in order to click the links for details and references, which are necessary for the entire teaching)

EFFECTIVE SPIRITUAL WARFARE – Ch. 18, Episode 2 – The Works of Healing

~ Michael Young, Sr. ~ Leave a comment

A TUTORIAL ON EFFECTIVE SPIRITUAL WARFARE

Teaching, Training & Commissioning

Chapter 18, Episode 2

THE WORKS OF HEALING

Jesus Says the Words; Shows the Wonders; Sends the Workers

Jesus’ method of teaching His disciples, as we see in the Book of Matthew, is this:

  • First, He teaches with words; next,
  • He demonstrates His teaching with ‘works in action’; then,
  • He sends His disciples to do His Works.

If Jesus had not intended His disciples to make disciples, who in turn, repeated the process, Christianity would have ended with the death of the last Apostle.  But, Jesus, set in motion a process, by which “you shall be His witness, both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.” (see Acts 1:8)

A MAN UNDER AUTHORITY

Matthew 8:5-13 tells us, “And when Jesus entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, imploring Him, and saying, “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, fearfully tormented.”

“Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.”  But the centurion said, “Lord, I am not worthy for You to come under my roof, but just say the word, and my servant will be healed.

“For I also am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.”

“Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled and said to those who were following, “Truly I say to you, I have not found such great faith with anyone in Israel. “I say to you that many will come from east and west, and recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven; but the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” And Jesus said to the centurion, “Go; it shall be done for you as you have believed.” And the servant was healed that very moment.”

The Centurion did not make the mistake so many contemporary Christians make.  He did not assume that anything he could do would make any difference.  He humbly submitted himself to the authority of Jesus and made his request known.

Anything we ever do, in and of ourselves, is ‘wood, hay and stubble’.  The Works of Jesus are eternal, built of ‘gold, silver, precious stones’.

We are to be the yielded and still instrument of our Lord. He will do His Works through us as we submit ourselves to Him.

Secondly, there are no obstacles which can impede the Work of God. In this case, distance is no matter of concern.

Finally, it is the certain faith of the Centurion through which Jesus worked.  It was this faith at which Jesus marveled.

We, disciples of Jesus, enter this world of Spiritual warfare under the protection of God, submitted and yielded to the authority of Jesus.  He has prepared His Works ahead of time that we should walk in His works – not our own works.

When we are obedient to His Word, He completes His Works through us.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

“Prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.”

Please remember to click the blue italicized links in each chapter, in order to get the important details on these Bible teachings)

Please bookmark this page and watch for our next chapter, “The Works of Healing – Episode 3”.

(The previous episode can be found at “The Works of Healing – Episode 1”)

(Please also notice, you can listen by podcast as you read along.  You can pause the audio in order to click the links for details and references, which are necessary for the entire teaching)

THIS IS THE WORK OF GOD

~ Michael Young, Sr. ~ Leave a comment

“This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.”  

John 6:29

It is interesting that Jesus commands 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).

  • This is how we fight this Spiritual war.
  • This is how we overcome by the word of our testimony and by the Blood of the Lamb.
  • This is how we endure to the end.

Most of those chasing around after Jesus, during His earthly ministry, misunderstood what He was saying about His Works, and not much has changed to this day.

For example, a large crowd that had stayed on the far shore, saw that the disciples had taken the only boat, and they realized Jesus had not gone with them.  Several boats from Tiberias landed near the place where the Lord had blessed the bread and the people had eaten. So, when the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went across to Capernaum to look for him.  They found him on the other side of the lake and asked, “Rabbi, when did you get here?”

“Jesus answered them and said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled.  “Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you, for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal.”

“Therefore they said to Him, “What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?” Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.”   John 6

It can be a bit confusing, but, take heart.  Jesus told us that He has prepared His Works ahead of time so that we, His disciples, would walk in them.  And, 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)

He prepared the good Works; we just ‘walk in them’.

Many churches are teaching to do your own good works, in your own ways as if to say, “those were things they did THEN. But, these are the things we do NOW.

But, NO!  Man’s ways are failing.  They are failing to engage the enemy .  Our enemies are evil, fear, doubt, hatred, vengeance, lust, poverty, war, disease, sickness and more.

Here are Jesus’ methods and ways, and here is exactly what He has told us to do:

And, Jesus said, “And lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”  

Here is our methods and ways, just as Jesus has told us:

  • Believe on the One whom He has sent.
  • Jesus will give us the words to speak.  
  • The Bible is the Sword of God.  
  • Jesus has fulfilled the law on our behalf.  
  • We are made to be His witnesses.  
  • When we lift Jesus, people are drawn to Him. Jesus will heal the sick; raise the dead; cleanse the lepers; cast out demons.

Each of us must develop and have our personal plan and intention of making disciples, following Jesus’ model, in His Name.  I pray you will work on yours today!

Again, let’s please remember, it is God Who does these Works through His disciples. We do not accomplish these Works on our own.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

PS: Do these “Works” of Jesus sound like the 2021 postmodern Church?  It would seem that, many claiming His Name, are so far off His Message, His Methods and His Means, that one has to wonder what He will have to say upon His return?

(Will it be, “‘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; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’;  or, will it be “Well done, good and faithful servant. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’”)

Imagine with me, if you will, that the world could witness these works being performed on a global scale. Don’t you think it would change how the world thinks and behaves?  It’s our job now, to be obedient and available for Him to do His Works through us, remembering, it is not us who does the Works; it is God Who does them.

Agenda 21 – Cover for the U.N., One World Government

~ Michael Young, Sr. ~ Leave a comment

GLOBALISM & ONE-WORLD GOVERNMENT

The Beatles, the wildly popular, and now legendary, singing group from the UK, in 1971 made the equally legendary song, “IMAGINE”:

Lyrics.

Imagine there’s no heaven, It’s easy if you try.
No hell below us, Above us only sky,

Imagine all the people, Living for today,

Imagine there are no countries, It isn’t hard to do.
Nothing to kill or die for, And no religion, too.

Imagine all the people, living life in peace.

You may say that I’m a dreamer, But I’m not the only one
I hope someday you’ll join us, And the world will be as one.

Imagine no possessions, I wonder if you can.
No need for greed or hunger, A brotherhood of man.

Imagine all the people, sharing all the world.

You may say that I’m a dreamer, But I’m not the only one.
I hope someday you’ll join us, And the world will live as one.

Yes. Imagine. Four teenagers, with barely a high school education, succeed in helping transform an entire generation (or two) into thinking of the possibilities of their being “No Heaven & No Hell, Just living for the day, No countries, no nations, No religion, No God.  The World as One.”

Life as Atheists, Globalists, Socialists and as Communists.

The Beatles also popularized the song “Come Together”, and, they are not alone. This has been in the imagination of people since ancient times. The Bible records that about 3,000 years ago, mankind made the first effort at a Global Community (in or around 900 BC). Now, technology has made it feasible, and it is happening – a real chance at a GLOBAL COMMUNITY.

 ONE WORLD COMMUNITY (and GOVERNMENT) – What is it?

  1.  GLOBALISM. Publications like Wikipedia or “The Economist” deliberately confuse the term Globalism and the aims of Globalism by asserting there are various kinds of ‘Globalism’. (disassembling the word into component parts and delving into fabricated systems).

Merriam-Webster’s definition is a close approximation, saying ‘Globalism’ is “a national policy of treating the whole world as a proper sphere for political influence, similar to imperialism or internationalism”.

Socialists and communists say Globalism is the key to worldwide prosperity. But, the truth is that they know it is the key to controlling people under the dictatorial rule of godless communism.

Read this introduction by the Commission for Global Governance “The task before UNESCO,” said its first Director-General Julian Huxley in 1946, is “the emergence of a single world culture” by transferring “full sovereignty from separate nations to a world organization.”

The “new world order” will be a socialist, authoritarian global government and court with “global rule of law” and a “one-world economy,”.

The recommendations of the Commission on Global Governance, if implemented, will bring all the people of the world into a global neighborhood managed by a world-wide bureaucracy, under the direct authority of a minute handful of appointed individuals, and policed by thousands of individuals, paid by accredited NGOs, certified to support a belief system which contains ideas that are foreign to the American experience, and ignores other values and ideas that are precious to the American experience.

  1. AGENDA 21 – WHAT IS IT?

Further evidence is found in Agenda 21 documents. Agenda 21 initially claimed to be a comprehensive plan of action to be taken globally, nationally and locally by organizations of the United Nations System, Governments, and Major Groups in every area in which human impacts on the environment.

Agenda 21, the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, and the Statement of principles for the Sustainable Management of Forests were adopted by more than 178 Governments at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 3 to 14 June 1992.

A link to this document can be found at: Agency-21 sustainable development documents.

Although touted as ‘a non-binding resolution’ this UN agency formed The Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) in December 1992 to ensure effective follow-up of UNCED, to monitor and report on implementation of the agreements at the local, national, regional and international levels. It was agreed that a five-year review of Earth Summit progress would be made in 1997 by the United Nations General Assembly meeting in special session.

The full implementation of Agenda 21, the Program for Further Implementation of Agenda 21 and the Commitments to the Rio principles, were strongly reaffirmed at the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) held in Johannesburg, South Africa from 26 August to 4 September 2002.

There was a World Summit on Sustainable Development, held in New York City, NY, USA, September 15-17, 2015,, in which a date of 2030 has been set for complete global dominance by this Marxist global movement.

Finally, the next World Summit on Sustainable Development will be held on February 16-18, 2022

Agenda 21 has now become involved in forty areas ranging from SOCIAL and ECONOMIC DIMENSIONS to poverty, consumption issues, health matters, deforestation, legal instruments and implementation and everything in between, including The World Health Organization, which is closely allied to and aligned with the World Summit on Sustainable Development.  The World Health Organization has revamped their website to conceal this fact.  Their previous web address was https://www.who.int/wssd/en/, but when you click the link you will find they have concealed any mention of the WSSD.

  1. The United States is a signatory country to Agenda 21. But adherents quickly remind us that because Agenda 21 is “a legally non-binding statement of intent” and not a treaty, the United States Senate did not hold a formal debate or vote on it. It is therefore not considered to be law under Article Six of the United States Constitution, or say they say.

However, President GEORGE H.W. BUSH was one of the 178 heads of government who signed the final text of the agreement at the Earth Summit in 1992, and in the same year Representatives NANCY PELOSI, Eliot Engel and William Broomfield spoke in support of United States House of Representatives Concurrent Resolution 353, supporting implementation of Agenda 21 in the United States.

Then president, BILL CLINTON, signed a 1993 Executive Order, creating the President’s Council on Sustainable Development (PCSD) is explicitly charged with recommending a national action plan for sustainable development to the President. So, bypassing Congress, Clinton, made it law.

The President’s Council on Sustainable Development is composed of leaders from government and industry, as well as from environmental, labor and civil rights organizations.

The President’s Council on Sustainable Development submitted its report, “Sustainable America: A New Consensus”, to the President in early 1996. In the absence of a multi-sectoral consensus on how to achieve sustainable development in the United States, the President’s Council on Sustainable Development was conceived to formulate recommendations for the implementation of Agenda 21.

In the United States, over 528 American cities are members of “Local Governments for Sustainability” or “ICLEI”, is an international Marxist and Socialist leaning sustainability organization, that helps to implement the Agenda 21 and Local Agenda 21 concepts across the world. The United States has nearly half of the ICLEI’s global membership of 1,200 cities promoting sustainable development at a local level.

The United States also has one of the most comprehensively documented Agenda 21 status reports. In response to the opposition, Don Knapp, U.S. spokesman for the ICLEI, has said “Sustainable development is not a top-down conspiracy from the U.N., but a bottom-up push from local governments”. 

Additional links to the President’s Council on Sustainable Development:

"Sustainable America: A New Consensus"

"Sustainable America: A New Consensus for Prosperity, Opportunity...

“The President’s Council on Sustainable Development:”

  1. ONE WORLD GOVERNMENT

The Bible tells us of a time when world events will collide in a world-wide cataclysm. We are seeing what appears to be the finals acts of that day.

The Bible warns us of wars and rumors of wars, nations rising against nations, earthquakes, famines, drought, disease and death. We are warned of false Messiahs, a horrific persecution of Christians, world-wide and a great falling away from the faith.

All of these things have already occurred and have been ongoing since the death and resurrection of Jesus – except for the Apostasy, the great falling away, but we now have signs that the Apostasy has begun.

We are told that “AFTER THE TRIBULATION OF THOSE DAYS”, seemingly the first FIVE SEALS as described above and in the book of Matthew chapter 24 and the book of Revelation chapters 6 and 7, the world will witness great cosmic disturbances as never seen by mankind.

During these times, the Bible (the books of Daniel and of The Revelation) foretells of coming a World Government, headed by a highly intelligent and charismatic individual who is able to lead a great and fierce army, conquering many. He will be able to deceive many and to do miraculous deeds, and will take control of a worldwide empire and the lives of every person on earth.

I have outlined the SEALS of the Tribulation, below for easy reference in order to point out what is now at hand. I am showing Jesus Word to His disciples, taken from the book of Matthew, chapter 24, and I have added the corollary verses from the Book of Revelation:  When Does the 7 years of The Great Tribulation Begin?

THIS TIME IS AT HAND.  Please, read and prepare.

Your Brother and Friend,

 Mike Young

Related Posts and Pages:

THE GREAT RESET

Globalism and The Tower of Babel

WHAT IS GLOBALISM

The Pre-Wrath Rapture

Agenda 21 – Cover for the U.N., One World Government

https://americanpolicy.org/agenda21/

LESSON 1: Introduction to Agenda 21

AGENDA-21 and the End of Western Civilization.

 

Click to access WSSD_PlanImpl.pdf

AGENDA-2030

Click to access 21252030%20Agenda%20for%20Sustainable%20Development%20web.pdf

 

 

When Will the Tribulation Begin? Page 5

~ Michael Young, Sr. ~ Leave a comment

Seals of the tribulation.jpg

Revelation 8:1 says,  “When the Lamb broke the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.

Verse 2:  “And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them.

Verse 3:  “Another angel came and stood at the altar, holding a golden censer; and much incense was given to him, so that he might add it to the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar which was before the throne.

Verse 4:  “And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, went up before God out of the angel’s hand.

Verse 5:  “Then the angel took the censer and filled it with the fire of the altar, and threw it to the earth; and there followed peals of thunder and sounds and flashes of lightning and an earthquake.

Verse 6:  “And the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound them.

When the Lamb broke the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. This discourse on the tribulation is now into the 7th seal!

COULD THIS BE THE RAPTURE?

Another angel came and stood at the altar, holding a golden censer; and much incense was given to him, so that he might add it to the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar which was before the throne.

Ask these questions:  WHO & WHERE?

I repeat, for emphasis,

  • ALL THE SAINTS, (Who?)
  • BEFORE THE THRONE. (Where?)

There is also a “Woe” to those still on earth, but it seems there are no more references to The Church, to disciples or Christ followers on earth after this event.

Now that Jesus has warned His followers of what to expect

He gives instructions on what we are to do:

Matthew 24:37 says,“For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah.

Those in that day had it wrong, all except Noah, and I wonder about us in the 21st Century prophecy experts?

Verse 37:  “For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah.

Verse 38:  “For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark,

Verse 39:  “and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be.

Verse 40:  “Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one will be left.

Verse 41:  “Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one will be left.

Verse 42:  “Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming.

Verse 43:  “But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into.

Verse 44:  “For this reason, you also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.

Verse 45:  “Who then is the faithful and sensible slave whom his master put in charge of his household to give them their food at the proper time?

Verse 46:  “Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes.

Please, don’t be self-deceived.

1. For this reason, you also must be ready.

2. The faithful and sensible slave whom his master put in charge of his household to give them their food at the proper time.

3. Blessed in that slave whom his master finds so doing when He comes.

For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah

  • Noah believed God against all the odds.
  • Noah obeyed God, all the time, by faith.
  • Noah stood against the contemporary wisdom and the taunts of those around him.
  • Noah got ready. Noah stayed ready.
  • Noah as the faithful and sensible slave whom his master put in charge of his household to give them their food at the proper time.
  • Noah is the Blessed Slave whom his Master found doing so when He came.
  • Noah and his household endured to the end and were saved!

Are you ready to be a Noah?

Have you started building the Ark of your Salvation by believing God by faith, against all the odds?

Are you obeying God?  Are you doing what He has said to do to be ready?

Are you standing against contemporary wisdom and the taunts of those around you, both inside and outside the church?

Are you Ready for what is coming and may indeed already be here?

Are you being the faithful and sensible salve whom your Master has put in charge of your household to give them their food at the proper time?

Be the Blessed slave whom your Master finds doing so when He comes.

Let’s join together in HIS CAUSE

Your Friend and Brother

Mike Young

(Click here to return to Page 4)

(Click this link for a video of Matthew 24:1-35 from the Lumoproject.com )

(Click this link for a video of Matthew 24:36-51 from the Lumoproject.com )

Click the video below for a video of Revelation starting at chapter 6.

Also, Here are 5 excellent videos on the Pre-Wrath Rapture.  Just click on this text).

Rapture Revealed – A PowerPoint presentation:

When Will The Tribulation Begin? Page 3

~ Michael Young, Sr. ~ Leave a comment
Seals of the apocolypse.png

Here’s a quick scan of time and history as it relates to the Bible. Read carefully, study and see what you think.

News Headlines.  (2018)

The breaking of the 1st Seal in the Book of Revelation says we will hear of WARS and rumors of war and that we will hear of nation rising against nation

There have been thousands upon thousands of wars and conflicts since the time of Christ. Most notable for their scope and breadth are the

  • Religious Crusades (1095 – 1291, Muslims vs Latin Church, almost 2 million dead),
  • WWI (1914 – 1918, 17 million dead), and
  • WW2 (1939 – 1945, over 70 million dead).

Current wars and global conflicts, 2018 (link)

As recently as 1978 the communist military coup on 27 April 1978, known as the Saur Revolution, when the People’s Democratic Party of Afghanistan, (PDPA), took power. Since that day, an almost continuous series of armed conflicts has dominated and afflicted Afghanistan.

The Syrian civil war has drawn the US, Russia, Iran, Turkey, The Kurds, ISIS into this conflict.

Other countries involved in military conflicts as of 2018.

· Iraq. …

· Russia. …

· Ukraine. …

· Yemen. …

· Democratic Republic of the Congo. …

· Mexico. …

· Central African Republic

Wars and rumors of war is nothing new.  So, when Jesus says, in Matthew 24:6-8, “You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end. “For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes. “But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.”, to WHICH wars, rumors of wars, earthquakes and famines was Jesus referring?  Those in AD 1?  Those in AD69?  Those later wars?  No.  Jesus was speaking in the present about an unfolding present and future event. 


The LAST DAYS began in our around the birth of Jesus. This is confirmed by Jesus and several Apostles in Matthew 24, Hebrews 1:2, Hebrews 9:26, Acts 2:14-17, 2 Timothy 3:1, 1 Peter 1:20, 1 Peter 4:7, 2 Peter 3:3., Revelation 1:9, One of the first, most accurate, and most persistent advocates of the Pre-Wrath Rapture of the Church can be found at Zion’s Hope, with videos on this site. Finally, in this 21st century, there are a few prominent Bible teachers who are now arriving at this same conclusions (John Piper, and Corrie Ten Boom) Here is a continuing list of Famines: A list of global famines (link)

Earthquakes: A historical list of global seismic activity (link)

Compare what Jesus said, found in Matthew 24 and what John said in Revelation about these matters.

I have coupled the corollary verses:

Matthew 24:6 “You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end.

Verse 7.  “For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes.

Verse 8.  “But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.“

Revelation 6:1 says, Then I saw when the Lamb broke one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures saying as with a voice of thunder, “Come.”

Verse 2.   “I looked, and behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.

Verse 3.  “When He broke the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, “Come.”

Verse 4.  “And another, a red horse, went out; and to him who sat on it, it was granted to take peace from the earth, and that men would slay one another; and a great sword was given to him.”

  • But that is not yet the end…all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.

  • Wars and rumors of wars have been ongoing since the 1st century.

  • The breaking of the 2nd Seal brings outright warfare on a Global Scale.

  • We have now seen two world wars

  • We have seen ‘the sons of Ishmael’ warring with ‘the sons of Isaac’ on an global scale since the time of Christ.

So, how can we tell when the 1st and 2nd Seals of the ‘tribulation’ have been broken?

Let’s skip forward to the 5th Seal events found in Matthew and Revelation.

Matthew 24:9 “Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name.”

Revelation 6:9   When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God, and because of the testimony which they had maintained;

Verse 10:  “and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?”

Verse 11:  “And there was given to each of them a white robe; and they were told that they should rest for a little while longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed even as they had been, would be completed also.”

  • THEN, they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you…”
  • Matthew 24:13 “But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.

Once again, if we are not to endure these ‘tribulations’ why is Jesus warning us to “endure to the end”?

Matthew 24:15 tells us, Therefore when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand),

Verse 16:  “Then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains.

Verse 17:  “Whoever is on the housetop must not go down to get the things out that are in his house.

Verse 18:  “Whoever is in the field must not turn back to get his cloak.

Verse 19:  “But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!

Verse 20:  “But pray that your flight will not be in the winter, or on a Sabbath.

Verse 21:  “For then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will.

Verse 22:  “Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.”

  •  “When you SEE the Abomination of Desolation. (HEY, DISCIPLES, when you SEE IT? How can you SEE IT if you are not on earth?)
  •  “For THEN there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will.
  •  “…but for the sake of the ELECT”.  (THE ELECT are still on earth at this point? The ELECT are still on earth at the 5th Seal of the tribulation? How is that even possible, if they will have been Raptured away?)

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

(Click here to return to Page 2)  –  (Click here to go to Page 4)

When Will the Tribulation Begin? Page 4

~ Michael Young, Sr. ~ Leave a comment

blood moon.jpg

Matthew 24:29 says, “But immediately after the tribulation of those days THE SUN WILL BE DARKENED, AND THE MOON WILL NOT GIVE ITS LIGHT, AND THE STARS WILL FALL from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.

Verse 30: “And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF THE SKY with power and great glory.

Verse 31: “And He will send forth His angels with A GREAT TRUMPET and THEY WILL GATHER TOGETHER His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.

Revelation 6:12 says, “I looked when He broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became like blood;

Verse 13:  “and the stars of the sky fell to the earth, as a fig tree casts its unripe figs when shaken by a great wind.

Verse 14:  The sky was split apart like a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.

Verse 15:  “Then the kings of the earth and the great men and the commanders and the rich and the strong and every slave and free man hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains;

Verse 16:  “and they *said to the mountains and to the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the presence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb;

Verse 17:  “for the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”

Revelation 7:1 says,  “After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth, so that no wind would blow on the earth or on the sea or on any tree.”

Revelation 7:9 says,  “After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands;

Verse 10:  “and they cry out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.”

Verse 11:  “And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures; and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God,

Verse 12:  “saying, “Amen, blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to our God forever and ever. Amen.”

Verse 13:  “Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, “These who are clothed in the white robes, who are they, and where have they come from?”

Verse 14:  “I said to him, “My lord, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

RECAP

  • But, immediately after the tribulation of those days
  • THE SUN WILL BE DARKENED, AND THE MOON WILL NOT GIVE ITS LIGHT, AND THE STARS WILL FALL from the sky, and the power of the heavens will be shaken.
  • AND THEN, the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, AND THEN all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and THEY WILL SEE the SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF THE SKY with power and great glory.
  • And He will send forth His angels with A GREAT TRUMPET and THEY WILL GATHER TOGETHER His elect from the FOUR WINDS , from one end of the sky to the other.
  • A great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues

(I mean no disrespect, but, since when is the Bible unable to count the number of anything? So, this must be an extraordinarily large number, perhaps from the time of creation?)

  • Standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches in their hands
  • and they cry out with a loud voice, saying “Salvation to our God who site on the throne, and to the Lamb.
  • THESE ARE THE ONES WHO COME OUT OF THE GREAT TRIBULATION, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. (This is just too clear to be misunderstood).

Revelation 7:15 says  “For this reason, they are before the throne of God; and they serve Him day and night in His temple; and He who sits on the throne will spread His tabernacle over them.

Verse 16:  “They will hunger no longer, nor thirst anymore; nor will the sun beat down on them, nor any heat;

Verse 17:   “for the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and will guide them to springs of the water of life; and God will wipe every tear from their eyes.”

IS THIS THE RAPTURE?

This is very clear:

These “ones who come out of the tribulation” are now in heaven along with the “great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues”

Next, please notice how Chapter 8 of Revelation starts by clicking here to go to the final page, Page 5.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

(Click here to return to Page 3)     (Click here to go to Page 5)

The LAST DAYS began in our around A.D. 1 to A.D. 69. This is confirmed by Jesus and several Apostles in

as spoken by Jesus and the Apostles Paul, Peter and Timothy.

One of the first, most accurate, and most persistent advocates of the Pre-Wrath Rapture of the Church can be found at Zion’s Hope, with videos on this site. Finally, in this 21st century, there are a few prominent Bible teachers who are now arriving at this same conclusions (John Piper, and Corrie Ten Boom)

When Will The Tribulation Begin? Page 2

~ Michael Young, Sr. ~ Leave a comment

WARNING: Proceed with Caution

If you are in an Evangelical, Fundamentalist or Reformed church and do not hold tightly to a pre-tribulation Rapture view, there is a very good chance you may be lectured and corrected, and if you question a “traditional” pre-tribulation rapture view.  You may be ridiculed, mocked, marginalized and even shunned by some church leaders, bible teachers and pastors.

As an example in case, I casually shared my concerns and changing views with a pastor / friend and his wife at our kid’s Christian school track meet one day. I asked his feeling about this. His face turned red, and he stated he wouldn’t hear it. His wife was equally angry and told me that I might be stuck here during the tribulation, but they would be in heaven. They both turned their backs to me and stopped talking to me.

The next time I took my oldest son to this pastor’s church to visit, the pastor met me at the door, made a show of stopping me, turning his back on me and making it clear to all that I was not welcomed in his church. He never talked to me again. His name is John Marks, an otherwise dear man and a Baptist pastor. And this was not the only occasion a church leader acted this way regarding this matter. So, beware.

However, this is an important message. Most Christians think that once they repeated “a simple prayer” and “got saved” that is all they needed to do to go to heaven. But, not everyone believes that is enough.

Our stated faith in Christ requires that we follow Him, which validates that statement. And Jesus tells us, clearly, what we are to DO if we are going to follow Him.

Don’t come up short.

Now, back to the End of Days and a Biblical narrative.

(Click here to continue to Page 3 and a quick scan of time and history as it relates to the Bible and The Last Days.)  Read carefully.  Study and see what you think.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

(Click here to return to Page 1)

When Will The Tribulation Begin?

~ Michael Young, Sr. ~ Leave a comment

 

So, how can we tell if

“The Tribulation”

Has begun?

(The very short version).

The most popular and widely accepted doctrine on the tribulation is that all Christians will be ‘Raptured’ off the earth and into heaven, BEFORE the tribulation starts. Once the Rapture has occurred, the tribulation will then begin.

I accepted the pre-tribulation-rapture-view without much thought. It was what I was told would happen and as a new Christian, I never questioned it.

Many years later, a friend and co-teacher, asked me to join him in teaching a Church class on a book about the Rapture and the Tribulation. My assignment was PRE-tribulation Rapture, and he would present and discuss the mid-tribulation rapture view.

It took me almost a year to prepare, and that study and preparation raised questions I could not ignore. For example:

1. Why was Jesus warning His disciples (and subsequent disciples or anyone who would eventually read His Words in the Bible) about coming events if they would not experience those events, if they would be raptured before the tribulation?

2. How can we tell WHICH ‘wars and rumors of wars, famines and earthquakes’ were the result of breaking of the first seal of the tribulation, because there have been thousands of them since Jesus said these words.

3. Was Jesus wanting to ‘scare’ listeners into believing by warning them ahead of time? (I think not. Trickery just doesn’t fit Jesus Character, and He tells us “do not be frightened” by these things.)

4. Jesus tells His disciples (and subsequent disciples or anyone who would eventually read His Word in the bible), in Matthew 24:6, that “You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end.”

Verse 7.  For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes.

Verse 8. But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.

And a few verses later, Matthew 24:13 says, “But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.”

Why is Jesus telling us that we should not be frightened by the WARS, RUMORS OF WARS, NATIONS RISING AGAINST NATIONS, FAMINES, EARTHQUAKES, and that we must ENDURE TO THE END TO BE SAVED if we will have been raptured and out of harms way?

5. When you compare Jesus’ Words in the book of Matthew with the words of John the Revelator in the Book of the Revelation, why do you get the very real sense that something about evangelical or reformed doctrines of the end times and the dispensational pre-tribulation rapture don’t line up with or doesn’t fit with what you literally read IN THE BIBLE?

(There are other daunting questions I had, but this is enough for this article)

I’m no scholar. But, that year of study changed my views, slowly at first.  Now, after fifteen years of continued, diligent study and review, my mind is changed, permanently.

And, I am not alone.  Well known and respected men and women like Pastor and teacher John Piper and missionary Corrie Ten Boom have come to this realization.  Bible teacher and author and Biblical pioneer, Marvin Rosenthal, founder of Zion’s Hope Ministries, authored “The Pre-Wrath Rapture of the Church” revealing and promoting sound Biblical evidence overlooked by the bias of religious denominationalism.

WARNING: Proceed with Caution…

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

(Click here to go to Page 2)

Here are 5 excellent videos on the Pre-Wrath Rapture.  Just click on this text).

AGENDA 21 – What is it?

~ Michael Young, Sr. ~ 2 Comments

Agenda 21, The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (U.N.C.E.D.), 1992

Agenda 21 is a comprehensive plan of action to be taken globally, nationally and locally by organizations of the United Nations System, Governments, and Major Groups in every area in which human impacts on the environment. (A cover for population control and a One World autocratic governance).

Agenda 21, the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, and the Statement of principles for the Sustainable Management of Forests were adopted by more than 178 Governments at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (U.N.C.E.D.) held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 3 to 14 June 1992.

The Commission on Sustainable Development (C.S.D.) was created in December 1992 to ensure effective follow-up of U.N.C.E.D., to monitor and report on implementation of the agreements at the local, national, regional and international levels.

Where did it originate?

Produced by the United Nations World Commission on Environmental and Development, authored by Gro Harlem Brundtland, VP of the World Socialist Party, the term Sustainable Development was first introduced to the world in the pages of a 1987 report (Our Common Future).

The term was first offered as official U.N. policy in 1992, in a document called UN Sustainable Development Agenda 21, issued at the U.N.’s Earth Summit, today referred to simply as Agenda 21.

The full implementation of Agenda 21, the Program for Further Implementation of Agenda 21 and the Commitments to the Rio principles, were strongly reaffirmed at the World Summit on Sustainable Development (W.S.S.D.) held in Johannesburg, South Africa from 26 August to 4 September 2002.  The actual and basic goals of the United Nation’s Agentda-21 and the W.S.S.D are hidden behind the stated goals of, which will be reaffirmed at a world summit in 2022.

What is Sustainable Development?

According to its authors, the objective of sustainable development is to integrate economic, social and environmental policies in order to achieve reduced consumption, social equity, and the preservation and restoration of biodiversity. “Sustainablists” insist that every societal decision be based on environmental impact, focusing on three components; global land use, global education, and global population control and reduction.

Social Equity, Economic Diversity.

Staying true to form, Agenda 21 describes “Social Justice” as the right and opportunity of all people to benefit equally from the resources afforded us by society and the environment.”  They go on to say that “Redistribution of wealth. Private property is a social injustice, since not everyone can build wealth from it. National sovereignty is a social injustice.” Universal health care is a social justice. All part of Agenda 21 policy.

If you ever wondered where the American Democrat Party got its party platforms, now you know.  They and their platform is Marxist and Communist.  The enemy of America, in the White House and in control of Congress.

WHY THE BIG PUSH TO USE ALL THE COVID-19 VACCINATIONS?

Public Private Partnerships (P.P.P.) are special dealings between government and certain chosen corporations which get tax breaks, grants and the government’s power of Eminent Domain to implement sustainable policy. Government-sanctioned monopolies.

Some ‘private sector initiatives’ benefiting from Public Private Partnerships (P.P.P.) are Smart Growth, Wild Lands Project, Resilient Cities, Regional Visioning Projects, STAR Sustainable Communities, Green jobs, Green Building Codes, “Going Green,” Alternative Energy, Local Visioning, facilitators, regional planning, historic preservation, conservation easements, development rights, sustainable farming, comprehensive planning, growth management, and others, which are liberal progressive programs initiated to implement the United Nation’s Agenda-21 programs of ultimately creating a One World Government..

Shaping Minds around Sustainable Development

As a global ideology, young minds must be indoctrinated. A U.N. initiated curricula has been launched worldwide. In the US, it is based on principles found in the Education for Sustainable Development Toolkit

Most importantly, this curriculum is centered on removing analytics, reason , and, cause and effect. Higher levels of education are not sustainable. From the Education for Sustainable Development Toolkit:

Generally, more highly educated people, who have higher incomes, consume more resources than poorly educated people, who tend to have lower incomes. In this case, more education increases the threat to sustainability

In the case of the United States, more education has not led to sustainability. Clearly, simply educating the citizenry to higher levels is not sufficient for creating sustainable societies. The challenge is to raise the education levels without creating an ever-growing demand for resources and consumer goods and the accompanying production of pollutants.

This is the deliberate “dumbing down” of America.

Who is behind it?

I.C.L.E.I. – Local Governments for Sustainability (formally, International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives). Communities like Cary pay I.C.L.E.I. dues to provide “local” community plans, software, training, etc. Addition groups include American Planning Council, The Renaissance Planning Group, International City/ County Management Group, aided by U.S. Mayors Conference, National Governors Association, National League of Cities, National Association of County Administrators and many more private organizations and official government agencies. Foundation and government grants drive the process.

What provides authority?

More than 178 nations, including the United States, adopted the United Nations Agenda 21 as official policy during a signing ceremony at the Earth Summit. US president George H.W. Bush signed the document for the US. In signing, each nation pledge to adopt the goals of Agenda 21. In 1995, President Bill Clinton, in compliance with Agenda 21, signed Executive Order #12852, effectively bypassing Congress, to create the President’s Council on Sustainable Development in order to “harmonize” U.S. environmental policy with U.N. directives as outlined in Agenda 21. The executive order directed all agencies of the Federal Government to work with state and local community governments in a joint effort “reinvent” government using the guidelines outlined in Agenda 21.  We are under an illegal (international) law, ruling and dictating our future.

Here is a comprehensive list of the U.S. Cities operating as surrogates for the American Democrat implemented, Socialist takeover of America: Local U.S. State and City Governments for Sustainability.

For additional detail and further reading, go to the website: Downtown Cary.

Read.  Study.  Educate.  Plan.  Resist.  Act.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

Additional posts and pages:

Agenda 21 – Cover for the U.N. and One World Government

THE GREAT RESET

Agenda 21 & Sustainable Development, The American Policy Center

LESSON 1:  Introduction to Agenda 21

Agenda 21:  The End of Western Civilization

UPDATE:  Agenda 2030, The U.N., Marxists Globalism

Click to access WSSD_PlanImpl.pdf

 

THE MYSTERY OF BABYLON

~ Michael Young, Sr. ~ Leave a comment

 

 

photo of MECCA, Saudi Arabia

There is much debate and discussion about the identity of

  • “BABYLON THE GREAT MOTHER OF HARLOTS” – Ezekiel 38
  • “THE ABOMINATION OF THE EARTH” – Daniel 7,9
  • “THE BEAST WITH SEVEN HEADS AND TEN HORNS” – Revelation 17

(Links to resources used for this page are Enduring Word Bible Commentary and Zion’s Hope Videos Parts1,2 & 3  (I suggest watching all three videos, in order, but, video Part-2 may be of particular interest)

To be clear, this discussion is interesting and is helpful to some, but generally, it has nothing to do with our salvation in Christ. It can be helpful in our preparation, as followers and disciples of Jesus for His return. We are to be about His Work in these Last Days.  Some of the most popular guesses are that…

  • The Great Harlot could be Rome (the reemergence of Rome as a power),
  • Or, that even New York City, USA, could be the Great Harlot.
  • One view suggest that the Apostle Peter uses the word “Babylon” as a symbolic way of referring to the new world culture at war with the covenant community. The Whore of Babylon is the spirit of seductive culture, actively engaged in the deception and destruction of God’s people. That she rides upon “the beast” means she is propped up by the forces of anti-Christian government.

Just like the beast, who was, and is not and is about to rise, the “Whore” keeps on rising from the dead! A particular brand of her seductive charm may fall into the dust and be buried by the sands of time, but just you wait! Before you know it, she will rise again in another place, known by another name but waging the same destructive war against God’s covenant people. With that said…

The Bible calls this a mystery for good reason. But, in Revelation 17, we read, starting in

Verse 1 “Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls (NOTE: 9At this point, the 7 Seal Judgements are finished and the Church is with Christ, before the Throne of God in heaven) came and spoke with me, saying, “Come here, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters,

verse 2.  “with whom the kings of the earth committed acts of immorality, and those who dwell on the earth were made drunk with the wine of her immorality.”

verse 3.  “And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness; and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast, full of blasphemous names, having seven heads and ten horns.

verse 4.  “The woman was clothed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a gold cup full of abominations and of the unclean things of her immorality,

verse 5.  “and on her forehead a name was written, a mystery,

verse 9 “Here is the mind which has wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits,

verse 10.  “and they are seven kings; five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; and when he comes, he must remain a little while.

verse 11.  “The beast which was and is not, is himself also an eighth and is one of the seven, and he goes to destruction.

verse 12. “The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but they receive authority as kings with the beast for one hour.

verse 13. “These have one purpose, and they give their power and authority to the beast.

verse 14.  “These will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him are the called and chosen and faithful.”

verse 15.  “And he said to me, “The waters which you saw where the harlot sits, are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues.

verse 16.  “And the ten horns which you saw, and the beast, these will hate the harlot and will make her desolate and naked, and will eat her flesh and will burn her up with fire.”

I am posting two views here:

  1.  David Guzik (Enduring Word Bible Commentary) and
  2. David Rosenthal Videos posted give a complete description – video Part 2, in particular):
  3. DAVID GUZIK commentary on Revelation Chapter 17: 3. (verse 9) Seven mountains associated with the beast.

“Here is the mind which has wisdom: The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits.”

a. The seven heads are seven mountains: Many quickly associate the seven mountains with Rome and the Papacy, because Rome is well known as the city on seven hills. Yet literally, the Greek word means mountains, not hills.

i. Many commentators – especially those who see all of Revelation fulfilled in history – regard the seven mountains as an irrefutable connection with Rome. Clarke is a good example of this when he writes, “This verse has been almost universally considered to allude to the seven hills upon which Rome originally stood.”

ii. But in the Bible mountains are sometimes a figure of governments (such as in Daniel 2:35) and the city of Rome is built on hills, not mountains.

b. The seven heads are seven mountains: It is probably better to see the seven mountains as representing the seven kings and kingdoms described in Revelation 17:10. Many people find the connection between religious Babylon and Roman Catholicism irresistible, yet it is flawed in the sense that there is no doubt that religious Babylon will incorporate a strong Roman Catholic element, but it will be much bigger than Roman Catholicism.

i. Tendencies for Roman Catholicism’s ultimate partnership with a one-world religion were evident in Pope John Paul II’s bizarre involvement with and approval of other anti-Christian religions.

ii. In addressing a “prayer gathering” of Christians, Muslims, Jews, Buddhists and others, Pope John Paul II told participants that their efforts were “unleashing profound spiritual energies in the world and bringing about a new climate of peace.” The Pope pledged that “the Catholic Church intends to ‘share in and promote’ such ecumenical and inter-religious cooperation.”

iii. The Catholic Review commented on this and said, “The unity of religion promoted by the Holy Father Pope John Paul II and approved by His Holiness the Dalai Lama is not a goal to be achieved immediately, but a day may come when the love and compassion which both Buddha and Christ preached so eloquently will unite the world in a common effort to save humanity from senseless destruction, and lead toward the light in which we all believe.”

4. (verse 10). Seven kings and kingdoms.

“There are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come. And when he comes, he must continue a short time.”

a. Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come: This is one of the more difficult passages in the Book of Revelation. Some explain these seven kings, five past, one present, and one to come in the succession of Roman Emperors in John’s era, but there are many historical difficulties with this approach. More likely, it is a reference to:

· Five have fallen refers to the five world empires before John’s day: Egypt, Assyria, Babylonia, Medo-Persia, and Greece

· One is refers to the world empire of John’s day: Rome

· The other has not yet come refers to the one world empire to come: a revival of the Roman Empire

b. When he comes, he must continue a short time: This seventh will quickly be taken over by an eighth – and will become the state of the Antichrist (Revelation 17:11).

NOTE:  There are problems with this viewpoint as well (so some have taken the seven as symbolic). This plainly is a difficult passage!

5. (verse 11). The beast (the Antichrist) is clearly identified as the eighth king.

“And the beast that was, and is not, is himself also the eighth, and is of the seven, and is going to perdition.”

Is he, himself, also the eighth: He is of the seven in the sense that he shares characteristics with all previous world empires, but his fate is clear. Perdition means “destruction,” and the beast will be destroyed.

6. (verses 12-15) Ten kings to come, allies of the Antichrist.

“The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast. These are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast. These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.” Then he said to me, “The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues.

Ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet: This probably alludes to a ten-nation confederation (as in the toes of the Daniel 2:24-45 image), but some take ten as a symbolic number.

They are ten kingdoms which shall arise out of the fourth great kingdom there: ten European powers, which in the last time, in concert with and subjugation to the antichristian power, shall make war against Christ. In the precise number and form here indicated, they have not yet arisen… What changes in Europe may bring them into the required tale and form, it is not for us to say.” (Alford, 1866)

These are of one mind: Many have seen the European Union (formerly the European Economic Community) as the potential fulfillment of this. Perhaps, but now there are more than ten nations in this revived European power, and more on the way.

There is little doubt the EU itself claims to be a successor to the ancient Roman Empire. The EEC started in 1957, when six European nations met to talk about combining their nuclear, coal, and economic resources. They met together in Rome and signed the treaty of Rome – the beginnings of the present EU. In many places in Europe, the EU flag is just as prominent as any national flag.

ONE VIEW:  We could still say what Alford wrote in 1866: “In the precise number and form here indicated, they have not yet arisen… What changes in Europe may bring them into the required tale and form, it is not for us to say.” But it will happen, and this confederation of nations will emerge as an heir to the ancient Roman Empire.

ANOTHER VIEW by DAVID ROSENTHAL:  The 10 Nation Confederation, (THE HEADS), of the BEAST from Ezekiel 38, of Daniel 7,9 and Revelation 17:

Nation #1. Gog:  A Reubenite, son of Shemaiah, the prophetic prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal, and Magog. Gog is identified as a descendant of the prophet Joel, and in Ezekiel 38–39, he is the chief prince of the tribes of Meshech and Tubal in the land of Magog, the mountainous region between Cappadocia and Media.

Nation #2. Magog:  The 2nd son of Japheth, grandson of Noah, and progenitor of several tribes northward from Israel; the mountainous region between Cappadocia and Media and habitation of the descendants of Magog, son of Japheth and grandson of Noah

Nation #3. Rosh:  “the Prince of Rosh” is Asiatic Russia receives confirmation from the Imperial Dictionary. “Evidence exists of an ancient people called Rosh, or Rhos, supposed to be the original stem from which the Russia or modern Russians have derived their race and name.” The scholar, Bishop Lowther says: “Rosh, taken as a proper name, in Ezekiel, signifies the inhabitants of Scythia, from whom modern Russians derived their name. We must conclude therefore, that Ezekiel’s “episode of Gog’s invasion” (A. B. Davidson) points irrefutably and undeniably to the Russians.

Nation #4. Meschack:  Was a Chaldean. The Chaldeans inhabited the coastal area near the Persian Gulf. About 630 Nabopolassar became king of the Chaldeans and in 626 he forced the Assyrians out of Uruk and crowned himself king of Babylonia. Modern day Turkey.

Nation #5. Tubal:  a region in east Asia Minor, perhaps nearly equal to Cappadocia

Nation #6. Persia:  Iran

Nation #7. Cush (Ethiopia):  located on either side or both sides of the Red Sea. As such, “Cush” is alternately identified in scripture with the Kingdom of Kush or ancient Ethiopia.

Nation #8. Put (Libya):  Ancient Libya. In this sense, Libya was the whole known African continent to the west of the Nile Valley and extended south of Egypt. Herodotus described the inhabitants of Libya as two peoples: The Libyans in northern Africa and the Ethiopians in the south.

Nation #9. Gomer:  (was the wife of the prophet Hosea (8th century BC), mentioned in the Hebrew Bible‘s Book of Hosea (1:3). Hosea 1:2 refers to her alternatively as a “promiscuous woman” (NIV), a “harlot” (NASB), and a “whore” (KJV) but Hosea is told to marry her according to Divine appointment. She is also described as the daughter of Diblaim.) The Hebrew name Gomer refers to the Cimmerians, who dwelt in what is now southern Russia, “beyond the Caucusus”, and attacked Assyria in the late 7th century BC.

Nation #10. Beth-Togarmah:  Togarmah is a city mentioned in Assyrian and Hittite texts. It was north of Carchemish on an Assyrian trade route. It may be related to modern Gurun between the Halys and Euphrates Rivers))

These are the 10 Nation Confederation, (THE HEADS), of the BEAST Ezekiel 38, of Daniel 7,9 and Revelation 17. All are Islamic, the Center of which is MECCA (see video #2).

The common argument is for Rome which is built on 10 hills. Guzik deals with the assumption as incorrect.

(Resume with Guzik comments, here)

These are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast: Whatever their exact identity, their actions are clear. They join with the Antichrist in the war against Christ, in the battle alluded to in the sixth and seventh bowls (Revelation 16:12-21).

The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits: The harlot presides over peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues. This tells us that the harlot’s influence is worldwide, through her connection to the beast. This will be a truly one-world religion.

The interpretation of the harlot focuses on her relation to the beast: she is utterly connected to the beast and his government. If this sounds unthinkable, remember that throughout history, religion – not true Christianity – has often been the willing servant and supporter of tyrants.

I know this is a difficult subject and a ‘tough read’. So, I will conclude with…

“SO WHAT”?

While scholars may debate some of the fine details of this particular vision, the main points of application seem abundantly clear:

#1. We are crossing the threshold of a Global Transformation – and it does not look good for most people.

#2. By all indicators, God’s prophecy of the End of Days is well under way.

#3. The Bible says events will turn cataclysmic – very soon.

#4. Culture is not neutral. You will have to choose sides by your actions. Talk won’t work.
#5. Satan is boldly walking through the front door of a worldwide governmental alignment, even as I write this.
#6. The devil is encroaching through the backdoor of seduction, idolatry, technology, perverse entertainment and has crept into the church. He is now in the church, deceiving many.

#7. The majority of the Church is either compromised, asleep, ignorant or afraid to engage the enemy.
#8. A remnant is rising at the Voice of God.

#9. God is calling and it is time you and I mobilize and do the Works Jesus has commanded.
#10. Doing nothing, except being nice and “going to church”, assures you of nothing!

Let’s Remain, IN HIS GRIP!

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

whitestonefellowship1@gmail.com

additional reading:

The Age of Babylon and the Great Harlot

The Mystery of Babylon – The 7 Hills

The 7 Hills of Rome

What are the 70 of Sevens (Daniel’s 70 Weeks)

The Christian Betrayal of Jesus

When does the 7 Years of Tribulation Begin