My wife and I went to a restaurant for lunch.  We peered in the window and saw a small crowd at tables.  No one was wearing a mask.  So, we decided to go in.

As we entered, I was a sign that said, “Masks Required”. 

So, if I wanted to enter this particular restaurant, it was required I wear a mask.  I wasn’t happy about it, but, it had been a long drive and we wanted to ‘support our local eateries’, so, grudgingly, I wore the mask.

We approached the hostess stand and a young lady said, “Can I help you?”

“Yes, two for lunch, please”, I responded.

“Sorry?”, she replied, “What did you say?”

“Two for lunch, please”, I repeated.

Her quizzical look told me she had not understood me.  So, I held up two fingers and repeated, for a THIRD TIME, “Two for lunch, please.”

She shook her head, slightly, from side to side, indicating she hadn’t heard or understood me.

So, I pulled the mask down and said, again, for the fourth time, “Two for lunch please.”

She nodded.  I removed my mask.  We followed her to the table and were seated.

“THREE TIMES”, I thought.  I had to say it THREE TIMES and it wasn’t until I removed the MASKING, and said it a fourth time, could she understand me.  And this had not been the first time a similar thing had happened.

But, it happens when you try to talk THROUGH A MASK!

Politicians do that.  They TALK THROUGH A MASK.  You know it too.  They do it deliberately, so we cannot understand them.  They do it to conceal what they are up to.  Their MASK is used for deceitful reasons.

Many government agencies do that too.  They TALK THROUGH THEIR MASK.  You know it too.  They do it deliberately, so we cannot understand them, either.  And, they too, do it to conceal what they are up to.  Their MASK is used for deceitful reasons.

Some preachers do that too.  They TALK THROUGH THEIR OWN KIND OF MASK.  And, you should be aware of it.  They do it deliberately, also.  Their reason is so we cannot see them or know them for who or what they are really about.

They MASK their budgets.  They MASK their salaries.  They MASK their incomes.  They MASK their agendas.  They MASK their deeds and behaviors.  They MASK their motives.  They have secrets.

You see, so many of these “men of god”, are generally known by their words.  They get a big pass on what they are doing because they MASK it with words.  The really sad thing is that they have come to believe their own words to the point that they feel that telling others is enough.  They believe they can just tell the rest of us WHAT THEY KNOW without actually having to DO IT themselves.

Jesus had to deal with these same MASK WEARING men during His earthly ministry.

Matthew 23:1 ¶  Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples,

2  saying: “The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses;

3  therefore all that they tell you, do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds; for they say things and do not do them.

4  “They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are unwilling to move them with so much as a finger.

5  “But they do all their deeds to be noticed by men; for they broaden their phylacteries and lengthen the tassels of their garments.

6  “They love the place of honor at banquets and the chief seats in the synagogues,

7  and respectful greetings in the market places, and being called Rabbi by men.

I know this sounds harsh.  But, hear the words Jesus has for these types:

“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut off the kingdom of heaven from people; for you do not enter in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense you make long prayers;

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel around on sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel around on sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.

“You blind men, which is more important, the offering, or the altar that sanctifies the offering?

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier provisions of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness; but these are the things you should have done without neglecting the others.

“You blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence.

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness.

“So you, too, outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous,

“You serpents, you brood of vipers, how will you escape the sentence of hell?

“Behold, your house is being left to you desolate!”

REPENT and WALK HUMBLY before GOD!

1 Hear now what the LORD is saying,
            “Arise, plead your case before the mountains,
            And let the hills hear your voice.

      2“Listen, you mountains, to the indictment of the LORD,
            And you enduring foundations of the earth,
            Because the LORD has a case against His people;
            Even with Israel He will dispute.

      3“My people, what have I done to you,
            And how have I wearied you? Answer Me.

      4“Indeed, I brought you up from the land of Egypt
            And ransomed you from the house of slavery,
            And I sent before you Moses, Aaron and Miriam.

      5“My people, remember now
            What Balak king of Moab counseled
            And what Balaam son of Beor answered him,
            And from Shittim to Gilgal,
            So that you might know the righteous acts of the LORD.”

What God Requires of Man

6With what shall I come to the LORD
            And bow myself before the God on high?
            Shall I come to Him with burnt offerings,
            With yearling calves?

      7Does the LORD take delight in thousands of rams,
            In ten thousand rivers of oil?
            Shall I present my firstborn for my rebellious acts,
            The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?

      8He has told you, O man, what is good;
            And what does the LORD require of you
            But to do justice, to love kindness,
            And to walk humbly with your God?

      9The voice of the LORD will call to the city—
            And it is sound wisdom to fear Your name:
            “Hear, O tribe. Who has appointed its time?

      10“Is there yet a man in the wicked house,
            Along with treasures of wickedness
            And a short measure that is cursed?

      11“Can I justify wicked scales
            And a bag of deceptive weights?

      12“For the rich men of the city are full of violence,
            Her residents speak lies,
            And their tongue is deceitful in their mouth.

      13“So also I will make you sick, striking you down,
            Desolating you because of your sins.

      14“You will eat, but you will not be satisfied,
            And your vileness will be in your midst.
            You will try to remove for safekeeping,
            But you will not preserve anything,
            And what you do preserve I will give to the sword.

      15“You will sow but you will not reap.
            You will tread the olive but will not anoint yourself with oil;
            And the grapes, but you will not drink wine.

      16“The statutes of Omri
            And all the works of the house of Ahab are observed;
            And in their devices you walk.
            Therefore I will give you up for destruction
            And your inhabitants for derision,
            And you will bear the reproach of My people.”

Let’s all remove our MASKS and let’s  do what is good;  and do what the LORD requires of us:  To do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly before God.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

Are you or do you try to be a reasonable person?  Do you believe in ’cause and effect’?  Can you or do you believe in miracles?

I consider most of my Christian friends as reasonable people and many of them believe in miracles or at least they believe miracles are possible.

Many more say miracles once occurred but they do not occur any longer, or very rarely.

These same Christians say they still believe in God and that Jesus will, one day, appear in the skies at the sound of a trumpet and we all will be raptured to heaven to be with Him for eternity.  A miracle.  (So, you do still believe they happen?  Or not?)

Webster’s dictionary describes a miracle as an extraordinary event manifesting divine intervention in human affairs. 

But, I believe that definition is subjective and leaves the matter open to personal experience and bias.

Wikipedia says, “A miracle is an event not explicable by natural or scientific laws.^[2] Such an event may be attributed to a supernatural being (especially a deity), magic, a miracle worker, a saint, or a religious leader.

Informally, the word miracle is often used to characterize any beneficial event that is statistically unlikely but not contrary to the laws of nature, such as surviving a natural disaster, or simply a “wonderful” occurrence, regardless of likelihood. Some coincidences may be seen as miracles.^[3]

A true miracle would, by definition, be a non-natural phenomenon, leading many writers to dismiss them as physically impossible (that is, requiring violation of established laws of physics within their domain of validity) or impossible to confirm by their nature (because all possible physical mechanisms can never be ruled out).

The former position is expressed for instance by Thomas Jefferson and the latter by David Hume. Theologians typically say that, with divine providence, God regularly works through nature yet, as a creator, is free to work without, above, or against it as well.^[4] ”  ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miracle )

I am a Christian.  I believe in miracles.  I believe I have experienced a miracle several times in my lifetime.  I can tell you about those experiences, but I cannot prove them.

In their search for a miracle, I believe many people overlook the obvious which is the most spectacular:  You are a miracle living in a provable miracle.  (And, PS:  I do believe that God Created the heavens and the earth IN SEVEN DAYS).

For example, a new study suggests that there are around 700 quintillion planets in the universe, but only one like Earth. It’s a revelation that’s both beautiful and terrifying at the same time.

AGAINST ALL ODDS

Astrophysicist Erik Zackrisson from Uppsala University in Sweden arrived at this staggering figure — a 7 followed by 20 zeros  — with the aid of a computer model that simulated the universe’s evolution following the Big Bang. Zackrisson’s model combined information about known exoplanets with our understanding of the early universe and the laws of physics to recreate the past 13.8 billion years.

Zackrisson found that Earth appears to have been dealt a fairly lucky hand. In a galaxy like the Milky Way, for example, most of the planets Zackrisson’s model generated looked very different than Earth — they were larger, older and very unlikely to support life. The study can be found on the preprint server arXiv, and has been submitted to The Astrophysical Journal.  (excerpt by By Nathaniel Scharping, Discover Magazine)

MANY HAZARDS

The solar system is comfortably nestled in a safe harbor between major spiral arms, and its nearly circular orbit helps it avoid the galaxy’s perilous inner regions. There are

relatively few stars near the sun, reducing risks to Earth from gravitational tugs, gamma-ray bursts, or collapsing stars called supernovae.

A STABLE AND LONG-LASTING STAR

Stars more massive than the sun burn hotter and usually don’t live long enough for planets to develop life. Less massive, younger stars are often unstable and are prone to

blasting their planets with bursts of radiation.

THE RIGHT DISTANCE

We’re at just the right distance from the sun.  Earth orbits in the so-called Goldilocks zone, where the planet receives enough energy to allow water to exist as a liquid

on its surface. Too far, and the vital compound stays locked up as ice. Too close, and the water would rapidly evaporate into the atmosphere.

A DYNAMIC CORE

The interstellar cloud of gas and dust that gave rise to Earth contained enough radioactive elements to power a churning core for billions of years. This creates a magnetic field that protects the planet from dangers like solar flares.

A BIG MOON

Our moon stabilizes our axial wobble. Earth is tilted with respect to the sun, and teeters as it spins. This tiny wobble can shift the climate from hot to icy every 41,000 years—and might vary more without the moon’s stabilizing pull.

OZONE LAYER

We have an ozone layer to block harmful rays Ancient plantlike organisms in the oceans added oxygen to the atmosphere and created a high-altitude layer of ozone that shielded early land species from lethal radiation.   (https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2018/03/one-strange-rock-interactive-earth-solar-system-milky-way-galaxy/)

ATMOSPHERE

Earth has a breathable atmosphere. Oxygen is the gas that is required for the life of most creatures. This is present in Earth’s atmosphere and also in water. Oxygen is constantly put into the atmosphere by plants and trees. Earth’s atmosphere also contains a small amount of carbon dioxide. This is a poisonous gas which makes up most of the atmosphere of planets like Venus and Mars and makes them unable to support human life. However, its smaller presence on Earth is useful as it helps to moderate the planet’s temperature and is absorbed by plants during photosynthesis to produce oxygen.

CLIMATE

Earth has a suitable climate. This is caused by the moderate amount of carbon dioxide in the planet’s atmosphere, which is constantly refreshed whenever there is a volcanic eruption. The temperature on Earth does not go from one extreme to the other either. Mercury can be anything from 200°c below freezing to 375°c above. At 375°c, water would only exist as a gas, and the planet would be completely dry. Venus has a surface temperature of 480°c, which would be much too hot for anybody to live in. Mars, although it can reach 25°c, is usually freezing and can be as cold as -140°c, a temperature which would freeze blood and water. Other planets are colder still.

WATER

Earth has water! Water is considered to be the most important chemical necessary for life. It contains the oxygen needed for life. Other liquids can contain poisonous elements. Water doesn’t burn skin (like liquids containing acids do), it is drinkable, and it allows life-providing molecules to move around easily. Other moons in the Solar System, such as Europa, a moon of Jupiter, are believed to have oceans of water under its icy surface. Scientists believe that the presence of water on other objects in the solar system greatly increases the chances of life existing on them. Water on Earth is abundant and can be found in its three states of matter. It can be frozen, taking the form of ice. It can be liquid, seen in seas and oceans and lakes. It can also be a gas, seen as clouds. In the picture below, we can see water in its three states; a solid, a liquid and a gas. The blue glow at the top of the Earth is the planet’s thin atmosphere.

LIGHT

All planets receive light from the Sun, but no planet uses it as usefully as Earth. Trees and plants on the planet produce oxygen through a process called photosynthesis. Plants need the Sun to grow. Look at plants in windows and notice how they usually seem to grow towards the Sun. Try growing a plant in a dark room and in a light room. Notice which one grows quicker. The one which has grown quickest is the one which also produces more oxygen. It is believed that if we were able to get plants to grow on another planet, such as Mars, they would begin putting oxygen into the planet’s atmosphere and increase the possibility of life. This process is sometimes referred to as terraforming and is a requirement for the possible existence of human beings on other planets. Something else which helps the plants to photosynthesise on Earth is the length of time the planet takes to spin once on its axis. Taking just under 24 hours means that each side of the planet receives sunlight regularly. If we look at a planet like Venus, which takes 243 days to spin on its axis, it means that for a large period of time certain parts of the planet are in complete darkness. So even if the planet could support life, it would struggle to do so. But Mars, with a day length similar to that of Earth, and quite a bit of light, it could be a possibility.  (https://www.bobthealien.co.uk/earth/life.htm )

THE MAGNETOSPHERE

The fact that Earth has a metallic, molten core creates a magnetic field around the planet called the Magnetosphere.  This invisible “gravity shield” deflects radiation from the sun and space and protects organisms on the planet from the solar wind.  Mars was once a highly volcanic planet (an indication of a molten core), but its volcanoes have long-since become dormant and it appears to have a very weak and fluctuating Magnetosphere.  This may be why its atmosphere is virtually non-existent.  The solar wind simply stripped it away without the protection of a strong and steady Magnetosphere.

JUPITER AS A VACUUM CLEARNER

Jupiter acts as a vacuum clearer for earth, sucking up asteroids, comets and meteors that might otherwise strike earth.  Astronomers watched in amazement as the comet Shoemaker-Levy broke into 9 pieces and slammed into Jupiter in 1994.  The impact on the planet was frightening and a reminder of Jupiter’s value in our Solar System.  In many respects, its immense gravitational field acts like a system wide vacuum cleaner attracting rogue asteroids, comets and meteors to its surface and away from other planets including Earth. 

STABLE SOLAR SYSTEM

3.3 to 4.5 millions years ago, our Solar System was a highly unstable environment.  The orbits of the gas giants on the outer rim of our Solar System were closer and not as concentric resulting in a maelstrom of rocky debris and icy comets in constant collision across the planets.  Any life at that time didn’t stand a chance beyond the most resilient and buried bacteria.  No doubt, there are millions and millions of solar systems enduring the same.  Fortunately, our Solar System is relatively stabilized in terms of planetary orbits.

OUR LOCATION

Our location in the Milky Way Galaxy is at the edge of a spiral arm called the Orion Arm, and is about two-thirds of the way from the center of our galaxy to the edge of the starlight.  That’s a very good place to be.  Stars and systems closer to the center of the Milky Way are in a very crowded neighborhood where collisions with celestial bodies and high radiation exposure is statistically higher.  There’s also the affect of that super-massive black hole at the center of our galaxy.  Our location is a very good one that once again provides relative stability and safety.

I could go on into the hundreds and hundreds of ‘scientific coincidences’ which scientists observe and can explain the observable but they cannot say WHY.  All the odds say, it should not have been, logically speaking.

A DISAPPEARING MIRACLE?

But, all of these observable, yet inexplicable ‘coincidences’, are fading away.  Scientists tell us that the entire observable universe (and beyond?) is moving apart and will one day cease to exists, if you choose to believe them.

THE BIBLE SAYS

The Bible is a remarkable document.  It is referred to by various sub-titles, such as an historical account, a book of religion or faith, The Word of God and so forth.  But, the one thing that is undeniable, at least by a reasonable person, it that has been able to peer far into the past and into the future and tell us things science is just now discovering.

The Bible tells us scientists are right about this:  Revelation 21:1 

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea.

2And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. 3And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, 4and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.”

      5And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” And He said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true.” 6Then He said to me, “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost. 7“He who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son. 8“But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

      9Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and spoke with me, saying,

Come here, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.

      10And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, 11having the glory of God. Her brilliance was like a very costly stone, as a stone of crystal-clear jasper. 12It had a great and high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels; and names were written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel. 13There were three gates on the east and three gates on the north and three gates on the south and three gates on the west. 14And the wall of the city had twelve foundation stones, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

“I was blind, but, now I see!”  It is a matter of faith.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

NEXT on Miracles:    AN INTRODUCTION TO

NEXT:  A SIMPLE GUIDE TO MIRACLES

CONFESSING WITH YOUR MOUTH

Romans 9:10  “That if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;

v10  “for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.”

There are people, many of the Christians, who believe that by “Positive Confession” you can bring your thoughts and words to pass. 

On the negative side, these people believe a NEGATIVE confession can bring you harm.

These folks don’t necessarily confess what the Scriptures of the Bible say, if it even comes close to Bible words, they just say what either sounds good to them or what they want to obtain.

This is both a mistake and dangerous. 

Believing your confession will be manifest based solely on saying what you want, shows a misunderstanding of the Bible, at best, or sadly an ignorance of the Bible, or a deliberate manipulation of God’s Word, at worst.

 It is tantamount to witchcraft and occultism and is a mockery of Biblical teachings and mandates.

Now that is out of the way, let’s take a look at what it means to

CONFESS WITH YOUR MOUTH

SALVATION

Romans 10:9  

“that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;”

CLEANSING FROM UNRIGHTEOUSNESS

1 John 1:9      

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

HEALING

James 5:16     

Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.

GOD HEARS YOU, FORGIVES YOU, HEAL YOUR LAND

2 Chronicles 7:14      

and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

DEATH AND LIFE

Proverbs 18:21          

Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.

COMPASSION

Proverbs 28:13          

He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper, But he who confesses and forsakes them will find compassion.

RIGHTEOUSNESS AND SALVATION

Romans 10:10

for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.

ANSWERED PRAYER

Mark 11:23

“Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted him.”

ANSWERED PRAYER, BEARING FRUIT, DISCIPLESHIP

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.”

CLAIMING THE PROMISES OF GOD

Some people consider claiming the promises of God akin to a “Positive Confession” in that the act of saying “I receive” or “I claim” this promise of God, will somehow bring it to pass.

NEWSFLASH –

I am sorry to disillusion some, but, GOD’S PROMISES have already come to pass!  He has already graciously and generously given us more than we could even think or imagine to ask!  (Ephesians 3:20)

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”  Ephesians 2:10

Claiming that you have the power to activate God’s Promises is an affront to His Authority, His Mercy, His Graciousness, His Gifts to us, His Love for us.

All we have to do is, (Matthew7:7)  “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 

v8  “For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

v9  “Or what man is there among you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone?

v10  “Or if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he?

v11  “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!”

“Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us,  v21 to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.” 

Ephesians 3:20

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

RELATED ARTICLE:  THE SECRET OF MEDITATING ON AND MEMORIZING THE WORD OF GOD

PLEASE NOTE:  You do not have to be a Christian to face severe trials, tests and temptations.  Everyone will face them.  To successfully endure and overcome them , you MUST know these Truths.

Jesus has shown His disciples the way to resist the devil and to overcome times of testing and of temptations.  But, you must be His devoted follower.

“Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

 And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry.  And the tempter came”  Matthew 4:1-3

Our last study was from Matthew 26:41, “Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Matthew 26:41).

The word “Temptation” as used here describes a “trial,  a testing, a proving trial. 

• It is the trial of man’s fidelity, integrity, virtue, constancy;  the enticement to sin, arising from personal desires or from the outward circumstances;

• In this case it is the temptation by which the devil sought to divert Jesus the Messiah from his divine errand; 

• It also show the condition of a person, a mental state, by which we are enticed to sin, or to a lapse from the faith and holiness;

• It comes from adversity, affliction, trouble, sent by God and serving to test or prove one’s character, faith, holiness.

Jesus set the example and showed us why God sends trials and temptations our way.  He tested His own son to show us what to expect and how we are to react.  Notice:

1.  Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit – God initiates the trials.

2.  Into the wilderness – No food, no water, no resources, no earthly help for 40 days.

3.  To be tempted by the devil – In a weakened state, alone.

This part of the Judean desert or wilderness could be arid, fiercely hot and waterless.  There were predatory animals prowling and roving bands of thieves.  Imagine how the dangers of geography, climate and the barren landscape could affect and test your body, mind and spirit.

Then, “after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry. And the tempter came”  Matthew 4:1-3

This is the condition and these are the type of circumstances which will truly prove a disciple.  Jesus deliberately and willingly followed The Spirit into a hostile wasteland to be tested.

In a desperate physical condition, Jesus was tempted by Satan, first with His physical need of food.

Next, His soul was tempted with pride of life.

Finally, His Spirit was tempted with glory and honor.

Jesus was tried, tempted and tested and He overcame the temptations of the Body, the Soul and the Spirit.  He has shown us the way!

We would do well to study this and commit it to memory so in that time of temptation and testing you will also say,

1.  ‘I SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.’”

2.  ‘I SHALL NOT PUT THE LORD MY GOD TO THE TEST.’”

3.  ‘I SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD MY GOD, AND SERVE HIM ONLY.’”

Then, and only then, the devil will leave you; and even the angels will come and minister to you.  (see Matthew 4:11)

Be encouraged by the words of the Apostle Peter when he said, “

1 Peter 1:6  “In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, 7 so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 8 and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, 9 obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.

Dear friends, the let’s finish this race as to obtain the Prize!

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

The Gospel is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes.  Romans 1:16.

(This teaching, applied, can change your life for the better.  Much better)

But what does it say? “The word is near you, in our mouth and in your heart”—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;  for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. Romans 10:8-10

Why is confessing or speaking what you are thinking required for salvation?  For that matter, why is saying aloud (confessing) what you are thinking necessary at all?

Notice how the Apostle Paul connects Words + Believing + Confessing

• “The Word in your mouth” with also being “in your heart”. 
• And again, he connects “confessing with your mouth” with “believing in your heart”
• And finally, again, connecting “with the heart a person believes” with “with the mouth he confesses”
• THE RESULT is SALVATION (soteria)

There is something powerful about saying aloud what is in your mind or heart – for good or for evil.

Read what Dr. Ronald Alexander, PhD psychotherapist says, “An affirmation can work because it has the ability to program your mind into believing the stated concept. This is because the mind doesn’t know the difference between what is real or fantasy.  There are both positive and negative types of affirmations.”

One of the key psychological theories behind positive affirmations is self-affirmation theory (Steele, 1988). So, yes, there are empirical studies based on the idea that we can maintain our sense of self-integrity by telling ourselves (or affirming) what we believe in positive ways.

Another related article by Catherine Moore, Psychologist, MBA, says

“The development of self-affirmation theory has led to neuro-scientific research aimed at investigating whether we can see any changes in the brain when we self-affirm in positive ways.

There is MRI evidence suggesting that certain neural pathways are increased when people practice self-affirmation tasks (Cascio et al., 2016). If you want to be super specific, the ventromedial prefrontal cortex—involved in positive valuation and self-related information processing—becomes more active when we consider our personal values (Falk et al., 2015; Cascio et al., 2016).

More importantly, and centuries ahead of Ronald Alexander, PhD psychotherapist, Catherine Moore, Psychologist, MBA, and all the others, is what The Bible has to say on meditating and speaking what you are thinking:

1.         THE POWER OF THOUGHTS 

Proverbs23:7  “For as a man thinks within himself, so he is.
            He says to you, “Eat and drink!”
            But his heart is not with you.

2.         THE POWER OF MEDITATION

Joshua 1:8  “This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.

3.         THE POWER OF SPEECH

Matthew21:21  “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. 22“And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”

John15:7  “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

Matthew 16:19  “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.”

Matthew18:19  “Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven.

 Philippians 4:8  “Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. 9The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”

The Bible uses words like The Mind (set on), To Think, To Think on, Meditate, Dwell on, Speak, Say, in both the Greek (NT) and Hebrew (OT) languages to show us how we are made and how we are to manage what God has granted to us.

A FINAL NOTE and a caution:  The secular view by most psychologists and psychiatrists is anthropocentric (man-centered, woman-centered).

The Biblical view is Theocentric or God-centered.

So, while you practice these powerful Truths, it is vitally important to remember that Romans 8:5 teaches us the difference between man-centered (death) and God-centered (life) and the application of these truths”

Verse 5. “those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.

Verse 6.  “For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace,

Verse 7.  “because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.”   ROMANS 8: 5-8

Please remember that you are dealing with powerful forces here.  One leading to death and the Other leading to LIFE.  Use wisdom.  Use caution. Choose Life. 

Please do not dabble in occult-like practices.  This is not about you being a “better you” or “how to gain wealth” nor is it a “name-it-and-claim-it theology”. 

This is about SERVING GOD, BECOMING HIS DISCIPLE and BEING MADE INTO HIS IMAGE.  What you learn and apply here are His gifts and methods to serve Him better and to live this life abundantly by His Standards.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

“Father, I pray over this article and this message and that you will watch over those who read this, who diligently apply this, Your Word, to their lives, that You will cause it to bear much fruit that You will be glorified.”   Amen & Amen!

In a recent POST, “Open Your Eyes“ from my series “And You Shall Be My Disciples”, I note how the Apostle Paul prayed this for the Ephesian Christians: 

“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling…and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe (Ephesians 1: 18-19).

Also, in 2 Kings 6:17  Elisha prayed and said, “O LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” And the LORD opened the servant’s eyes and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.”

The problem is that we don’t always see things clearly.  It is like we are squinting in a fog, peering through a mist.  But we can have the weather clear and the sun shine bright!  We can see it all as clearly as God sees.  

(“For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known.”  1 Corinthians 13:12)

We need our eyes opened so we may see what God would have us see.  So we can see our way.

The Good News is that God has made a way – even when there doesn’t seem to be a way. (1 Corinthians 10:13)

Coincidentally, I finished another post, “Bring in the Poor” Lesson #35, of my “And You Shall Be My Disciples” series, with these words:

“We are living in a time where the “State” has largely replaced God in our lives.  What the Church used to do (or does, in a very limited fashion) The “State” now does, but with serious consequences.

“The “State” provides food, clothing, housing, medical care, social welfare income, social security retirement income, disability income, mandated education, government funded abortions, job training, etc., regardless of your beliefs, lifestyle or habits, morals or ethics.

“WE, the CHURCH, are abdicating our role and responsibility.  We must care for and provide for our pastors. But, the average church spends 70% to 80%+ of its buildings, debt, income on salaries, retirement plans, healthcare plans, perks, etc., for pastors and staff.  Even the best missions programs top of their giving at an average of just 5%. Even once the mission money is delivered, it to goes largely to the same budgetary items. 

We go to our church buildings and worship in relative luxury while the world around us becomes more and more secular, more hostile to Christianity and lost to God.

“WE, THE CHURCH, THE SAINTS OF GOD, HIS CHILDREN, MUST RECLAIM THIS TERRITORY!

“I pray that God will forgive me – forgive us – and that we will submit ourselves, our luxuries, our wants to Him. That I – that we – have the will and the courage to repent and follow Him, fully devoted, fully surrendered, all in!”

It seems, if you are looking around, you cannot escape this message. 

For instance, today, I heard a message from Pastor Alistair Begg.  Here is an excerpt from his message.

https://www.truthforlife.org/resources/sermon/frangelism-1friends-relatives-assoc-/

“They (the disciples) were looking without seeing. Despite the fact that the disciples of Jesus lived closed to him, listened to him, were part of seeing his miraculous deeds, and were, if you like, as tuned in as any group might be, they were guilty of taking care of practical matters to the detriment of ultimate issues. Indeed, what Jesus says to them here is that they’re living with their eyes closed.

“Now, that would be one thing if it were merely an historical description and we could look back on it and say, “Boy, those guys really made a mess of it. I’m glad we’re not like that at all”—until we read the verses, and it begins to scratcth where we itch, begins to cut into our lives.

“And we realize that this is a telling picture not simply of the disciples on that day, but it is to some degree a picture of many local churches—and actually, to a certain measure, a description of the church as a whole: taking care of what it believes to be priorities, while all the time failing to see that the issues, as good and as important as they may be, are subservient to the timeless and pressing issue of the souls of men and women. Indeed, if you like, living in the midst of time without acknowledging that eternity casts its shadow across it all.

“So Jesus, exhorts his disciples , “I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.” The disciples obviously were not noticing this; they hadn’t grasped it, nor had they been grasped by it.

And again, it is vitally relevant, because I find myself like them, inclined to be preoccupied with the immediate and the material needs, and that I constantly need to be refocused to the spiritual and to the eternal.

Why is it that I can be so consumed with the assumption that because my neighbors and my friends are relatively okay, they are materially satisfied, they are intellectually stable, they are emotionally not total basket cases, is that really the case?

“And, we look at indigent people, in a crime-laden society, the criminal elements, the poor people, and such, and we’re often lulled in to thinking “if we would only  increase the social benefits towards these folks, all would be well for them—failing to recognize that no matter what we do in that regard, still will not address the ultimate issues of these people’s lives.

“And in that, the harvest is obscured. 

“The picture which Jesus employs is to, “open your eyes and look at the fields!” Now, what does Jesus mean? I mean, they obviously weren’t standing around with their eyes actually closed.  But, they certainly had their ears closed, and metaphorically, so were their eyes.”  Alistair Begg.

ONE WAY

There is only ONE WAY to fix the mess we are in and that our world is in.

1.  If you have not already, then, turn to God now, through faith in Jesus

2.  Put your desires and passions for luxuries of this world aside (no matter what the size, cost or context of luxury is to you)

3.  Immediately, come to the Harvest.  God is calling and I am inviting you.

4.  OPEN YOUR EYES.  Be aware that if you continue to seek your own achievements, your own status and goals, pleasures, relaxation and comfort, NO MATTER HOW NOBLE THEY MAY BE, you may be putting yourself in jeopardy as that Day of the Lord draws near.  You and I must fix this.

5.  If you and I continue CHURCH AS USUAL, then what are you really doing?

As the Church goes, so goes America, so goes the world

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

The Rabbit, The Plant and The Eagle.

I am sitting on my lanai (screened patio) watching the sun rise, drinking a cup of coffee and reading my morning devotions.

The Rabbit

I spy a rabbit appearing to also be enjoying the same sunrise as he sits quietly, eating the dew wet grass, just outside my patio area.

I thought, “Rabbits are such cute creatures.  They hurt no one and seem to enjoy what life they have, playing, eating and hiding.  Yes, hiding.  They are also food for predators.  So, they have their nests or burrows or warrens, I like to call them their “hidey-holes”.

The Plant 

I glance around and notice what appears to be a new plant in our landscaping.  It is noticeable because it isn’t like the rest of the plants and flower.  It is growing more quickly than the other plants and is beginning to loom above them.  

So, I get up and go out into the landscaping to inspect this plant.  It is a small tree indigenous to southern Florida.  It is not an attractive tree and is considered to be an invasive plant.  If it is not controlled, it will grow and spread quickly, overcoming the other plants in an area.

I pull the plant out by the roots and toss it aside and return to my seat on my lanai.

The Eagle 

I am back in my chair and I continue to read.  I hear a slight screech from above.  I look and see and eagle, circling.  The pond behind our house has fish, so I suspect this eagle is looking for a morning meal.  Then my eyes catch the rabbit who is unaware of what is now overhead.  I realize the rabbit may become the meal.

The Lesson

Rabbits are cute creatures.  They contribute little except as a meal for predators.  They live in relative fear, always staying close to their “hidey-holes”.  Beyond that, they are just cute little creatures descended from the rodent family.  Oh, yes, and they multiply.

When the come to an area they contribute little, barely change the environment and when they are gone, they are soon forgotten.

Invasive plants contribute little except as unwanted shade for other plants.  Other plants will eventually die from the overwhelming influence of surrounding weed-like-plants.  Invasive plants and trees are actually nothing more than a plant doing the work of a weed.

When these plants come to the environment they are considered a nuisance and are removed.  No one misses them and are glad to be rid of them.  Oh, yes, and they multiply.

Eagles are a spectacle.  Eagles are large, powerfully built birds of prey, with heavy heads and beaks. Due to the size and power of many eagle species, they are ranked at the top of the food chain as apex predators in the avian world.  

When an eagle comes to an area, the dynamics of that world are changed.  Other animals in the eagle’s area are put on notice and go on guard.  The area becomes the domain of the eagle to be of service to him and his offspring.

Eagles will probably live between 20-30 years.  Some eagles in captivity have lived up to 50 years.

The Bald Eagle mates for life only mate with it’s own kind.  If one of the pair dies, the other will find a new mate and usually keep going in the same territory.

Adults eagles may withhold food as the eaglets get near fledging, and encourage them to fly to a nearby perch to get their meal, but that’s about it. Usually, no coaxing is necessary and the eaglets are all too anxious to test their wings!

Given the option, eagles will choose a “super-canopy” for their nests, trees which rise above the rest of the trees with sturdy limbs and a commanding view of the surrounding terrain, which is also always very near to water.  Typical nest heights are 50-125 feet high.  The higher the better!

1.  Don’t just be a rabbit.  Don’t live in fear.  Don’t be just a ‘meal ticket’.  Don’t stay hidden.  Don’t be a forgotten footnote.

2.  Don’t be like an invasive weed.  Don’t be a negative influence.  Don’t overshadow others just to silence them.  Don’t be the type others are glad to be rid of.

3.  Be an Eagle.  Change things around you for the better.  Bring positive order to the world, make your domain serve for good.  Be faithful to your own.  Live long and prosper!

              Isaiah 40:28

Do you not know? Have you not heard?

The Everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth
            Does not become weary or tired.
            His understanding is inscrutable.

      29 He gives strength to the weary,
            And to him who lacks might He increases power.

      30 Though youths grow weary and tired,
            And vigorous young men stumble badly,

      31 Yet those who wait for the LORD
            Will gain new strength;            

They will mount up with wings like eagles,
            They will run and not get tired,
            They will walk and not become weary.

Maybe I just think too much about this kind of thing.  But, WOW.  There are things to be learned, and they are all around us!

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

IMAGINE with me that a person stands up in the congregation of a church and loudly makes a statement, ending it with or implying, “This is what God says!”

Are they demonstrating themselves to be a prophet or a prophetess?  Are the demonstrating they have the Spiritual gift of “Tongues” or “Prophecy”? 

It is a strange or risky thing, is it not, that someone using words which are not from the established Word of God, The Bible, would presume to speak for God?  Saying or implying that God had given them some special words or special revelation?

They may be good and encouraging words.  They may have even been the thoughts or images this person would think relating to God or what they think God might say. 

BUT THAT IS NOT WHAT THEY SAID they were saying – They were saying it is a WORD FROM GOD – BUT, IT IS NOT THE WORD OF GOD!

It is indeed presumptive to instruct the Assembly in extra-scriptural sayings.

It is one thing to repeat or to closely paraphrase the Word of God to a congregation, proclaiming “THUS SAYS THE LORD”, but it is quite another to imagine a saying or a clever word and deliver it as BEING A WORD FROM GOD.

WORDS OF CAUTION

1 Corinthians 14:20 , says, “Brethren, do not be children in your thinking; yet in evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature. Verse 21. In the Law it is written, “BY MEN OF STRANGE TONGUES AND BY THE LIPS OF STRANGERS I WILL SPEAK TO THIS PEOPLE, AND EVEN SO THEY WILL NOT LISTEN TO ME,” says the Lord. Verse 22. So then tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but prophecy is for a sign, not to unbelievers but to those who believe. Verse 23. Therefore, if the whole church assembles together and all speak in tongues, and ungifted men or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are mad?

Matthew 5:18, says, “For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Verse 19. “Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”

Revelation22:18, says,  “I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues which are written in this book; 19and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book.”

GOOD INSTRUCTION

2 Timothy 3:14 , instructs, “You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them, 15 and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.

2 Timothy 4:1 , says, “I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: Verse 2. preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.

Amen, Amen.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young