A PROPHETIC WORD FROM JESUS – Ask, Seek, Knock – Part 28

Creative, Causative, Prophetic, Instructional

“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 the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!  (The Words of Jesus, Matthew 7:7-11)

It would seem, at this point, that Jesus is abruptly changing the subject to persistent, confident supplication, and in the broadest sense. Is there a continuity, a connection between what came before to what is being presented?

He has been teaching by various examples on how we must clear all the ‘interference’, that is, the sin, from our spirit, our soul, our mind and our body, so we can focus our hearts and our minds on Him and the spiritual.

Jesus started with the basics of becoming ‘perfected’, teaching us to have a clear mental slate, so He can write His words upon our hearts and minds. This must happen before we can expect to receive from Him and to begin the transformation from needing ‘the milk of the word, to eating solid food’, from being the rebellious child to the mature disciple of Christ.

We have been told to lay up treasures in heaven, for where our treasure is, there our heart will be also, and it is from the heart that spring the issues of life. In other words, change our focus and our mindset from earthly and temporal to those things above, to the Kingdom of Heaven and of eternal things.

Next, Jesus has told us to guard what we set our sights on and to guard what comes into the focus of our eyes, as they are the ‘lamp to our bodies’.

Jesus has taught us about being single-minded. He is saying to clear away the clutter of double-mindedness. The Apostle James warns that the double minded person is unstable in all his or her ways and should not expect they will receive anything from the Lord. (James 1:5-8).

Jesus taught us that we are to focus on things of an eternal nature instead of the temporal; “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness” and do not be distracted with worries about necessities of the world because God will provide.

Jesus has warned – yes, warned us – once again about our focus. This time He is admonishing the believer not to be the judge or a judge, for only God is able to judge.

Finally, He has taught us about spiritual discernment and the dangers of unrepentant, unrighteous people.

It would seem, at this point, that He is abruptly changing the subject to persistent, confident supplication and in the broadest sense. There is a continuity, a connection in what came before to what is now being presented.

Assuming you have accomplished ‘the basics’, Jesus is now telling you to “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” This statement can be as perplexing as it is profound. Once your mind is set on the things of God, on the things above, your priorities are right and “everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.”

Assuming you have followed Jesus closely; watching, listening, learning, looking over His shoulder as He “went throughout, teaching in churches and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people, as they brought Him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, those oppressed by demons, those having seizures, and paralytics, and watched as He healed them”.  (Matthew 4:23-25)

He has told you to make Him and His Kingdom work a priority over your family, your job and everything you hold as important and to “Follow Him, and He will make you fishers of men”.  Now that time has come.

Jesus encourages you to ASK, as He reminds us, “which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him?”

Perhaps your denomination teaches that these kinds of things have ceased. Perhaps you believe that Jesus did these things, but you cannot. Or, perhaps you believe the kinds of works are possible, but you have not seen them in your life, yet.

Recount the steps you have taken with Jesus. Have you completed the ‘basics’ He has taught in preparation for this work, or did you just ‘say a little prayer to accept Jesus’ and go on about your way?

It is time to step out on faith. A faith that is built on the saving and sanctifying work that comes from following Jesus and by “the renewing of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:2).

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

PS: This is not hyperbole, nor is it bending the Word of God to fit a topic. This is the Gospel Truth. Hear it, meditate on it, do it, and nothing will ever be the same again!

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A PROPHETIC WORD FROM JESUS – Do Unto Others – Part 29

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A PROPHETIC WORD FROM JESUS – DO NOT BE ANXIOUS

Creative, Causative, Prophetic, Instructional

“Therefore, I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Isn’t life more than food, and the body more than clothing?

Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin,yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

Therefore, do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

“Therefore, do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” – The Words of Jesus, Matthew 6:25-34.

I began this series on “The Words of Jesus” asking, ‘what if The Word of God is true?’ I mean, what if His Words are literally true in ways we fail to recognize? People who personally encountered Jesus testified and reported on the Works He did, and this caused throngs to follow Him, stirred great controversies, created deadly conflicts and gave untold millions a greater hope for a new, vibrant, changed life, full of promise now and eternal hope of a home in heaven with God.

The Words Jesus spoke, and the Works Jesus did, changed the world.

I ask again, ‘what if we have been reading and misunderstanding what Jesus meant by His Words and the intentions of His Words? What if we have been misapplying what He taught? (Jesus was always concerned about His disciple’s lack of understanding and ‘lack of faith’.)

What if Jesus has been telling us how to actively engage His Word, so we could actually ‘live life more abundantly’ AND ‘do His Works, and even greater works’?

I realize I am wading into a potentially controversial area, but I am not referring to some kind of religious mysticism or extra-Biblical teaching, heresy or religious nonsense. (I believe, practice and teach a reformed view of the Bible.) But I do believe a great majority of the church, the teaching and practices of the church and the results produced by the early church have waned if not disappeared completely.

So, I ask one last time: What if the Word of God is

• Somehow, literally Alive, and
• Somehow, literally Active, and
• Producing the effect of being Sharper than any two-edged sword,
• Capable of literally Penetrating as far as the division of soul and spirit,
• Dividing both joints and marrow, and

Somehow, literally able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart?

I would like to say that the verses we are looking at today are the cure for anxiety and worry, but like a coat on a cold day, it does you no good unless and until you put it on and wear it for a while. In other words, you have to do it and practice these words and let Jesus do His Work in you.

A better translation would say, ‘take no thought for your life’, that is to employ your ‘psuche’, or your soul, your psyche, which is the seat of your feelings, desires, affections and aversions. Another way of saying this in a colloquial way might be, ‘don’t waste your time and energy thinking about and worrying over ’what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on’.

Jesus then turns our attention to the root of the problem and to the remedy, saying, “seek first the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness”.  Once again, Jesus is teaching about the focus of our heart, soul and spirit. We are to stop focusing on the temporal, such as what you shall eat, drink or wear, after all, this is what the gentiles, the pagans and non-believers focus on. You are to set your mind, first, on the kingdom of God and His Righteousness!

Are we getting the message, here? Jesus has been teaching about clearing your mind of the clutter of life through fasting, so you can focus; then focusing your heart, your mind and your eyes on Him and His Kingdom. You and I are to be single-minded in that pursuit.

The question and the rebuke are, “will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?”

The human soul, regarded as a moral being, is designed for eternal life, and it differs from the body in that it is not dissolved by death. If you believe your destiny is heaven, which you cannot see, believe also that God has provided, is providing and will continue to provide all the things you can see. He provides all your needs in and through Christ Jesus!

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and pleading with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”  Philippians 4:6.

Pray on this.   Think on this.   Meditate on this.   Practice this.   Live this.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

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A PROPHETIC WORD FROM JESUS – Serving God and Money

Creative, Causative, Prophetic, Instructional – Part 24

“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. – The Words of Jesus, Matthew 6 :24.

Beginning in Matthew 6:19, Jesus is teaching how we must begin to clear all the ‘interference’, that is, the sin, from our spirit, our soul and our body. He is starting with the basics of becoming ‘perfected’, teaching us to have a clear mental slate, so He can write His words upon our hearts and minds. This must happen before we can expect to receive from Him and to begin the transformation from the rebellious child to the mature disciple of Christ.

We are told to lay up treasures in heaven, for where our treasure is, there our heart will be also, and it is from the heart that spring the issues of life. In other words, change our focus and our mindset from earthly and temporal to those things above, to the Kingdom of Heaven and of eternal things.

Next, Jesus has told us to guard what we set our sights on and to guard what comes into the focus of our eyes, as they are the ‘lamp to our bodies’.

Now, Jesus is teaching about being single-minded. He is saying to clear away the clutter of double-mindedness. The Apostle James warns that the double minded person is unstable in all his or her ways and should not expect they will receive anything from the Lord. (James 1:5-8)

This is the most difficult of teachings, but it is representative of what is required to be a disciple of Jesus. Listen carefully friend, Jesus is clearly teaching that if you want to be saved that you must,

“Sell all that you have, distribute it to the poor, then you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” (Luke 18:22)

“If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24)

“Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. (Matthew 10:37-38)

The focus of your heart, of your eyes of your mind, emotions and your will must be solely on Jesus as your Lord and Master.

Money is the only other thing in life we pursue our entire lives for our support and our livelihood. Jesus is saying, in no uncertain terms, that not you, not the preacher, not the church, no not anyone, can depend on God and on money. It has to be one or the other. You cannot serve God and money, for they will bring your mind, soul and spirit into an unresolvable conflict, and you will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. This is both a spiritual truth and a spiritual law.

If you try to make both God and Money your ‘master’, you will have rendered yourself to become like the ‘the salt that has lost his saltiness, which cannot be restored. It is therefore worthless, good for nothing except to be cast out, and trodden under the foot of men.’ (Matthew 5:13)

This teaching, to our great harm, is the one most often compromised, twisted to fit our own thinking or completely disregarded, by both the individual calling themselves, ‘Christian’ and by the Church.

So, where does this leave you? Do you now take a vow of poverty? Please, don’t be silly. The Apostle Paul helps us understand when he says, “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19) We all need some amount of money to live in this world. Some can handle small amounts, others can safely and effectively deal with great wealth. Either way, you must depend completely on God to supply your needs, then do what He has directed. Do not lose the focus of your calling to the mission and to Christ as your Lord and Master, and never compromise.

God (the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit) and the teaching of scriptures always take priority. There are no ‘2^nd choices’ or ‘2^nd place’. 

Sola Christo. Sola Scriptura.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

FOR YOUR EDIFICATION:  The word for “serve” in these verses is the Greek word, ‘douleuó’, which means to serve as a slave, having all personal ownership-rights assigned to the owner; to willingly give over the prerogative to be self-governing. The pursuit or love of money will enslave you.

This word also describes someone who belongs to another; a bond-slave, without any ownership rights of their own. Ironically, this is used with the highest dignity in the New Testament – namely, of believers who willingly live under Christ’s authority as His devoted followers.

This is why you must choose. Don’t be deceived. It cannot be both.

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A PROPHETIC WORD FROM JESUS – The Eye Is The Lamp – Part 23

 

Creative, Causative, Prophetic, Instructional

“The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!” – The Words of Jesus, Matthew 6:22-23

The previous verses instruct us in the focus of our heart. Now, Jesus progresses with the focus of our eyes. Both reach past our bodies and souls into the deepest part of our spirit or, as the Bible calls it, our heart. All things originate in our ‘heart’ or our spirit, which forms and holds our core beliefs, which then well up into our mind, our will, our emotions. They form our thoughts, attitudes and behaviors. “For out of the heart, flow the issues of life”. (Proverbs 4:23)

Your attitudes, emotions behaviors and beliefs are greatly affected by what you take into your eyes. The things you see and watch, the things you dwell upon and think upon seep down into your spirit and determine not only how and what you believe and how you live your life – for good or for evil, but also determine your eternal destiny.

If in your life, you seem to repeatedly encounter the same or similar problems, trials and tribulations, don’t count it to ‘bad luck’. You may even be inclined to blame other people, and you may have been tragically influenced by parents, friends and circumstances, but you have the ability to rid yourself of these ‘demons’ of thought, attitude and behavior. God has given you the power of choice. It will not be easy, but it can and must be done.

You can change your life now, today. First, call upon the Name and Person of Jesus. He will direct you. Your path will be difficult, but the outcome is the prosperity of your soul! Your life’s trajectory will take a decidedly and dramatic upward turn. Do this, and one day you will wonder whose body you once inhabited, because you will be made new!

“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God?” (1 Corinthians 6:19). God created this sacred place in each of us. It is indeed the temple of the Holy Spirit within us. You must guard it at all costs, beginning with the focus of your heart and guarding what you allow into it.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

Blessed is the one
    who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
    nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
 but their delight is in the law of the Lord,
    and on His law they meditate day and night.

They are like a tree
    planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
    and its leaf does not wither.
In all that they do, they prosper.

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

Creative, Causative, Prophetic, Instructional

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

The Words of Jesus, Matthew 6:19-21

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

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

Creative, Causative, Prophetic, Instructional

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

 The Words of Jesus, Matthew 6:16-18

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

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

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

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

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

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

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

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

Creative, Causative, Prophetic, Instructional

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

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

The Words of Jesus, Matthew 6:10-14

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Pray then like this:

“My Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.

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

Give me this day my daily bread,

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

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

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

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

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

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

Creative, Causative, Prophetic, Instructional

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Jesus gives us a model for prayer when He says,

“Pray then like this:

“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name,

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

“Give us this day our daily bread,

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

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

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

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

Remember, confess and admit His sovereignty and presence.

Ask for your daily sustenance from God, alone.

Confess your sins before God, and

Pray for His deliverance, daily

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

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

Creative, Causative, Prophetic, Instructional

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

The Words of Jesus, Matthew 6:5-6

PRACTICAL, POSITIONAL, TRANSCENDING?

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

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

Completely confound you,

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

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

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

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

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

Here is exactly what Jesus taught and practiced about prayer:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(1), interact with Him,

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

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

Confusing? Let’s try to simplify.

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

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

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

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

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

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A PROPHETIC WORD FROM JESUS – Practicing Righteousness – Part 17

Creative, Causative, Prophetic, Instructional

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

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

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

THE ‘LITMUS’ TEST

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

 

 

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

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AND A VERY BIG P.S.:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

Creative, Causative, Prophetic, Instructional

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

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A PROPHETIC WORD FROM JESUS – Turning the Other Cheek – Part 15

 

Creative, Causative, Prophetic, Instructional

“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.”  (The Words of Jesus, Matthew 5:38-42.)

Have you heard the term ‘counter-cultural’? I have heard it used to describe the attitude, actions and behavior of Jesus and His followers. But I believe it falls woefully short in its descriptive value, and is even more inadequate when applied to Jesus’ mission and intention.

This term, which came about in the mid-to-late 20^th century, (around 1980), and it may be better used to describe many Christians of the postmodern world. Postmodern is a word used to describe major changes in the underlying ways people think — especially the way people view truth and reality.

“Postmodernity”, as discussed by Pastor Steve Cornell, founding and senior Pastor of Millersville Bible Church, Millersville, Pennsylvania, is a worldview which refuses to allow any single defining source for truth and reality. The new emphasis is on difference, plurality and selective forms of tolerance.

Postmodern thinking is full of absurdities and inconsistencies. It is, for example, the worldview that says no worldview exists. It is an anti-theory that uses theoretical tools to neutralize all theories. It demands an imposed uniformity in an effort to resist uniformity. It employs propositional statements to negate truth based on propositional statements.

“Don’t misunderstand; God is warmly welcomed in the postmodern world, as long as he doesn’t try to play God. As one has written, ‘Postmodernity returns value to faith and affirms the nurturing of our spiritual being as vital to humankind. Unfortunately, with the loss of truth, people will now seek faith without boundaries, categories, or definition. The old parameters of belief do not exist. As a result, people will be increasingly open to knowing God, but on their own terms’”. (See Summit Ministries)

Jesus, during His ministry, was described by His detractors and even His family crazy, ‘having a demon’, a lawbreaker, a radical, a troublemaker, a fraud and more.

If Jesus is compared to the prevailing mores and social norms of the 21^st century, His teaching, His methods and His ways may seem to be counter-cultural indeed, at least to the uniformed casual eye. But to the informed, Jesus is better described as ”the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature.”

Jesus, in these verses, begins to explain the law of retaliation or retribution in a 1^st century contemporary terms, saying, “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ I can only imagine the Pharisees, Sadducees and the scribes nodding in agreement at these words.

Then Jesus ‘drops the bombshell’, saying, “But I say to you, do not resist the one who is evil”. (that is, do not oppose, show resistance to, do not push back against or hold a contrary position against and evil person).

HOW CAN WE?

• But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.
• And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.
• And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.
• Give to the one who begs from you,
• And do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.”

This was beyond radical to the Jewish mind. It was blasphemous. It was beyond ridiculous; it was insanity on display. They might ask, ‘Where was the balance between right and wrong in that thinking?’; ‘How could social order be maintained with such foolish thinking?’; Let evil thieves, evil and overbearing people have unrestrained rule over the good people?’

The greatest mistake the 1^st century world made in response to Jesus’ teaching, and the greatest misunderstanding in our day, is they thought Jesus was talking to everyone and anyone. Although anyone and everyone would benefit from practicing what Jesus is teaching, This was not the case. Jesus was talking solely to His disciples and to those who would be His disciples, about His mission and His calling. He said, “I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me.” (John 6:38) Jesus goes on to say,  “I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me.” (John 5:30)

His mission was not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. Whoever believes in Him is not condemned. But whoever does not believe in Him is condemned because he does not believe in Jesus. (John 3:17).

In fact, “Then the disciples came and said to Jesus and asked, “Why do you speak to others in parables?” And he answered them, “To you, it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them, it has not been given. For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”

This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says:

“‘“You will indeed hear, but never understand,
and you will indeed see, but never perceive.”
For this people’s heart has grown dull,
and with their ears, they can barely hear,
and their eyes they have closed,
lest they should see with their eyes
and hear with their ears
and understand with their heart
and turn, and I would heal them.’

“But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.”  The Words of Jesus, Matthew 10:10-17.

DESTINATION – THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN

Jesus warns us that another of the greatest obstacles lying in wait to entangle you and keep you from the Kingdom of Heaven is the need for retaliation, vengeance or neglect. From the moment that you involve yourself with evil or selfishness, you find yourself snared and held captive, unable to take even one more step toward or within the Kingdom of God.

Jesus is saying to go on your way, do not ‘resist’ an evil person; in other words, ‘do not entangle yourself’ with the demands of evil. Follow Jesus, do not be distracted, do what is necessary to stay focused on Him and His calling to you. Bypass evil that so easily entangles. Your destination is the Kingdom of Heaven.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young.

“Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”

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A PROPHETIC WORD FROM JESUS – Making Oaths – Part 14

Creative, Causative, Prophetic, Instructional

“Again, you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ But I say to you, do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.” – The Words of Jesus, Matthew 5:33-37.

Remembering that the Word of God is Creative, Causative, Prophetic, Instructional and that we proceed with great caution and care when we speak and employ His Words in our life or for our use.

What do you suppose Jesus meant by these words, and what are His intentions of this teaching? Misapplying what He has taught can carry dire consequences. (Jesus has always been concerned about our lack of understanding and ‘lack of faith’.)

By these words, Jesus is instructing us about the power of His spoken Word and the seriousness of making oaths or covenantal contracts by or in His Name or in the Name of The Father.

There is much that can be made of these verses and much that could be said about the Law, tradition, social constructs, etc. However, Jesus continues His teaching by simply comparing, contrasting and moving our attention from the Old Covenant to the New Covenant, saying, “Again, you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn’.

We, unlike the Jew of that day, do not have even a basic understanding of the Jewish Law. Jesus is presenting what would have been considered a radical departure from ‘the Law and the Prophets’.

He is teaching us about the New Covenant, a contract, written in His Blood and by His Flesh. This is a  ‘Covenantal Bridge’, which leads to the Kingdom of Heaven. (Again, there is much more that could be said here – volumes more.)

Remember, you and I must see the simple and ‘narrow way’. When Jesus says, ‘But I say to you’. Remember that “the gate is narrow, and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few”, it is an alarm, like the sounding of the ancient Shofar.

You are privileged to be among the few and to hear His voice as He says, ‘Do not take an oath at all’. These few words summarize this urgent teaching, and we could stop here for all practical purposes.  But since Jesus continues, so shall we. He emphasizes, that we are not to make any oath at all, ‘either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.’

It was common for men around Jesus’ time on earth, to add phrases to an oath or a proclamation like, ‘I swear to God; or, I swear by the heavens above; I swear on the earth or by Jerusalem’ as a means to add weight of solemnity or gravity of seriousness and inspiring the fear of God into their oath or statement. (See this extended commentary.) This is slightly similar to what some will do in our day, saying, ‘I swear to God; Cross my heart and hope to die; I swear on my mother’s grave’, when trying to convince others of the truthfulness of what you are saying.

Jesus, however, is emphasizing that telling the truth, if that is what we are doing, is enough. Additionally, and most importantly, He is warning that we have no authority and no right to invoke the Name of God or anything under His dominion to support our statements or oaths.

Jesus warns against this type of ‘religious license and plagiarism’. “Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:19-20).

Again, He cautions, ”I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.” (Revelation 22:28-19).

And, there has never been a clearer statement from our Lord regarding any ‘name it and claim it theology’ than when He says, “And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black.” Jesus is clear that you have neither the power nor the authority to change anything. It is God alone who creates and causes, gives and takes away, brings the rain and the sunshine. “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and He upholds the universe by the word of his power.” (Hebrews 1:1-3)

Instead of making any oath at all, “Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.” Nothing more need be said. Nothing more can be said, than “anything more than this comes from evil.”

Anything more than this comes from evil. Evil, from the Greek word, ‘ponērós’, meaning pain and laborious trouble – pain-ridden, emphasizing the inevitable agonies and misery that always go with evil.

Jesus is making a loving and concerned appeal against bringing pain, trouble and misery upon yourself and those around you from making oaths.

“Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’. Be completely dependent upon God and His Word, and live!

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

“If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” John 15:7

“It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”  Matthew 4:4

NEXT:  Coming Soon – A PROPHETIC WORD FROM JESUS – Resist Not Evil – Part 15

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A PROPHETIC WORD FROM JESUS – Whoever Divorces – Part 13

Creative, Causative, Prophetic, Instructional

“It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.” – The Words of Jesus, Matthew 5:31-32

This may be one of the most difficult subject found in The Word of God. It is another of those subjects that are so painful, extraordinarily difficult to understand, hard to accept, and most difficult to do. Most people, when reading the Bible, will choose, at their own peril, to quickly scan through teachings like this and move on to more pleasant reading.

But Jesus has included the matter of divorce in His teachings on stumbling blocks, as obstacles to the Kingdom of Heaven.

Let me say that divorce is not a singular act in and of itself. Divorce is a deadly process. A breaking point, a severing of that which had been joined together in one body. Divorce is both the culmination of what God had joined together and the beginning of .a curse that will ravage the body, soul, mind and spirit of many, even to the third and fourth generations

Jesus is continuing to teach the fulfillment of the Old Covenant, which has set us free from the bondage of the Law, giving us the right to become the children of God, joint heirs with Christ Jesus, and to be clothed with power from on High! These are the privileges of the heirs of the Kingdom of Heaven.

The Word of God is no longer just written on ‘tablets of stone’ but it is written upon the hearts of those who believe and follow Him. Jesus has set us free and dwells within us. Amazingly, He has even given us His authority to accomplish His Works through us!

Unlike Jesus’ continuing teachings on salvation, the process of sanctification and entering the Kingdom of Heaven, (Matthew chapters 5 through 11), He does not offer a solution to this obstacle of the sin of divorce. Once a divorce is complete, there is no remedy for the pain and the damage that follows. Consequences will come. The best remedy is to marry right and never divorce.

If you have been through a divorce, just remember, God is merciful, abounding in loving kindness. There is hope for healing and restoration.  Although it is not always easy, it is always worth it.  What is done, is done, and the future can be bright with opportunities and hope of peace, security and prosperity for your soul, in Christ!

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

Here is important reading for Christians on the subject of “Marriage and Divorce“. Please do not move on without reading the referenced article.

NEXT:  Coming Soon. A PROPHETIC WORD FROM JESUS – Making Oaths – Part 14.

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A PROPHETIC WORD FROM JESUS – Lust and Adultery – Part 12

Creative, Causative, Prophetic, Instructional

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.”  –  The Words of Jesus, Matthew 5:27-30

It is a fact that the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, even penetrating as far as the division of your soul and spirit, of both your joints and marrow, and is able to judge your thoughts and the intentions of your heart.

These teachings cut through all the devil’s obfuscation and philosophical conundrums surrounding the matters of sin and go to the heart of the matter. They are the basest teachings of life. They are extraordinarily difficult to understand, hard to accept, and most difficult to do. Most people, when reading the Bible, will choose, at their own peril, to scan through them quickly and move on to more pleasant reading.

Here, Jesus is quoting from the Law of the Old Testament found in the Ten Commandments, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ Jesus is teaching that the fulfillment of this law begins, not with externals, but within ourselves; But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”

Jesus then seems to contradict Himself as He goes on to say, ”If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away”. Is He now suggesting externals (the eye and the hand) are the cause of your sin? No, He is not saying anything of the sort.

There is no contradiction here. Jesus, once again, is building a bridge for us to cross. He is building a bridge from the natural world to the spiritual world of the Kingdom of Heaven. He is building a bridge from the Old Covenant to the New Covenant. Furthermore, he is not negating the Old Covenant. He is fulfilling it.

Jesus is the New Covenant, and He is teaching, (that is, The Word of God is teaching us),

(1), how to understand The Word of God and find wisdom,

(2), how to revere and to properly fear The Word of God, and

(3), how to perform The Word of God in your own life.

I have heard a myriad of sermons on these verses, and without exception, preachers, pastors and Bible teachers rightly add the remark that Jesus did not mean that you are to literally ‘tear out your eye’ or to ‘cut off your hand’ if they cause you to sin. Jesus often uses hyperbole or ‘reductio ad absurdum’ to emphasize the point of His teaching.

Or is He?

I have seen and read of those who have had a limb snared in an accident or a trapped by a building collapse, and the only means of escape and saving one’s life is to sever the limb from their body.

There are examples that a limb or a body part is so affected by decline or disease that it is causing nearby organs to fail; or that a cancer is spreading, endangering the life of the person and excision is the only way to save the patient’s life.

Jesus is emphasizing the immediate urgency and the critical nature of being snared by habits of sin.

Persistent sin always brings death.

James 1:15 tells us, “When lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it has run its course, brings forth death.”  This is the insidious nature of sin and in this case even “looking at a man or a woman with lustful intent” is the same as adultery, even if you don’t see the immediate connection.

Jesus is framing this dilemma using a ‘binary trap’ to make this point. It is ‘one or the other, but it cannot be both’. Choose life, or allow death to make the choice for you.

The bottom line here is, “It is better that you lose one of your ‘body parts’ than if your whole body be thrown into hell.”

It is easy to see that this is no casual or joking matter. Jesus has opened a window of sorts, a portal, so you and I can peer in the wondrous spiritual world of the Kingdom of Heaven to find our help.

(It is breaking my heart as I write this to know that some will dismiss the Word of God as mere fantasy or some religious-speak. Others will pick and choose as if choosing from a self-improvement list of classes, deciding which class it pleases them to attend. Let’s PLEASE, please, dear friend, do not make that mistake.)

The Word of God is powerful and accurate and without error, far beyond our ability to understand. The Gospel is the power unto salvation. It is prophetic by its very nature – it will tell the Truth to you and through you once you put it in your heart.

This requires faith, obedience and endurance. The Word of God will save your life, and it will give you a life worth living, both now and forever with God.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

PS: If you find yourself in a quandary of sin, trying to break free but finding yourself in a seemingly unending cycle, frustrated and feeling defeated, THERE IS HOPE OF DELIVERANCE!  PLEASE READ THIS POST ⇒ “Separated From God?”

PREVIOUS:  A PROPHETIC WORD FROM JESUS –  Part 11 – Everyone Who Is Angry – Part 11.

NEXT:  Coming Soon – A PROPHETIC WORD FROM JESUS –  Part 13 – Whoever Divorces – Part 13.

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