Category: Discipleship

EFFECTIVE SPIRITUAL WARFARE – Ch. 12, Ep. 9 – Removing the Obstacle of Worry and Anxiety

~ Michael Young, Sr. ~ Leave a comment

A TUTORIAL ON EFFECTIVE SPIRITUAL WARFARE

Teaching, Training & Commissioning

Chapter  12  Episode  9

REMOVING THE OBSTACLES OF WORRY & ANXIETY

This final episode, on the removal of the obstacles of discipleship and of following Jesus, is one of the longest and most difficult.  It requires prayer, faith, trust, self-discipline and obedience to God’s Word, in the midst of a storm. Read carefully, trust God, then do what He says.

Worry brings doubt; worry and doubt are sin; sin separates us from God and brings destruction and death.

We must repent of our sinful thinking and ways, for the Kingdom of God is at hand.

Therefore, if you confess with your mouth what you believe in your heart, and you will be saved; for it is with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. For the Scripture says, “WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.” (Romans 10-:10-11)

(For our convenience, I have coded the Obstacle in green, the penalty in purple and the Remedy in Blue.)

Episode 9:  Removing the Obstacles of Worry & Anxiety requires that we Seek, First, His Kingdom and His Righteousness.

Matthew 6:25-34 says, “For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?

”Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?

“And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?  “And why are you worried about clothing?

Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. “But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? 

You of little faith!

“Do not worry, then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’  “For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things;

For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

“So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself.”

“Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

I will use the example of God’s servant, Job, to help understand how to remove the obstacles of worry and anxiety.

Job, according to the Bible, (Job 1:1-3), was blameless, upright, fearing God and turning away from evil. Job had seven sons and three daughters, he owned 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, 500 female donkeys, and very many servants; The Bible says that Job  was the greatest of all the men of the east. In other words, Job had it all!

But, Job worried. (see Job 1:4-5).  He worried that “his sons had sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” So, Job would pray and consecrate them, daily. The Bible says, “Job did this continually.”  The Hebrew word for ‘continually’ is a complex word, but, in essence could be compared to our modern word describing an obsessive and compulsive behavior, stemming from worry.

Now read carefully what comes next, because, because it is not a coincidence; it is a result of compulsive worrying:

Job:1:6-12  says, “Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them.  The LORD said to Satan, “From where do you come?”

First, notice, Job has ‘left a door open for evil’ through his worry, and Satan will enter Job’s thinking and his life.

Secondly, ask yourself, “Is God not omniscient?  How could God not know this?” But, God did know, and He was revealing the intentions and activities of Satan for all to hear.

Then Satan answered the LORD and said, “From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it.”

The LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job?

(Once again, God is making Satan confess)

God goes on to say, “For there is no one like Job on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil.”  Then Satan answered the LORD, “Does Job fear God for nothing?  “Have You not made a hedge about him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. “But put forth Your hand now and touch all that he has; he will surely curse You to Your face.” Then the LORD said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your power, only do not put forth your hand on him.” So Satan departed from the presence of the LORD.

Then tragedy struck.  In one day, Job lost all his possessions and all of his children. (see Job 1:13-19)

But, it does not end there.  Once again, tragedy strikes and Job loses his health. (see Job 2:1-6)

Then, Job, crying out in pain, laments.  Sadly, Job’s confession of lament confirms only and solidifies his condition. “Afterward, Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth.” (see Job 3:1)

Next, Job utters the realization we must remember, in

(Job 3:25-26)

“For what I fear comes upon me,
            And what I dread befalls me.

“I am not at ease, nor am I quiet,
            And I am not at rest, but turmoil comes.”

What follows in Job’s life are distorted relationships, tragedy, pain and suffering. (see Job chapter 4 through Job chapter 37)

Then, the most amazing of all miracles occurs. God speaks directly to Job in Chapter 38 and verses 2 and 3, and says,

“Who is this that darkens counsel
            By words without knowledge?

      “Now gird up your loins like a man,
            And I will ask you, and you instruct Me!

(In our contemporary language, we might hear, “Who do you think you are, clouding the truth with ignorance?  Now, hike up your pants like and man and face Me!  If you are so smart, tell me what you know about Who I Am!)

Job, after receiving instructions about his own ignorance of the matters of God, utters A NEW CONFESSION that begins the process of removal of the Obstacles of Worry and Anxiety from his life,

” Then Job answered the LORD and said,

      “I know that You can do all things,
            And that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted.

      ‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’
            “Therefore I have declared that which I did not understand,
            Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.”

      ‘Hear, now, and I will speak;
            I will ask You, and You instruct me.’

      “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear;
            But now my eye sees You;

      “Therefore, I retract,
            And I repent in dust and ashes.”

The results?

The LORD restored the fortunes of Job when he prayed for his friends, and the LORD increased all that Job had twofold.

Then all his brothers and all his sisters and all who had known him before came to him, and they ate bread with him in his house; and they consoled him and comforted him for all the adversities that the LORD had brought on him. And each one gave him one piece of money, and each a ring of gold.

The LORD blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning; and he had 14,000 sheep and 6,000 camels and 1,000 yoke of oxen and 1,000 female donkeys. He had seven sons and three daughters. He named the first Jemimah, and the second Keziah, and the third Keren-happuch. In all the land no women were found so fair as Job’s daughters; and their father gave them inheritance among their brothers. After this, Job lived 140 years, and saw his sons and his grandsons, four generations. And Job died, an old man and full of days.”

RECAP

  • Worry brings doubt; worry and doubt are sin
  • Sin separates us from God
  • Sin brings destruction and death
  • Repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand
  • Confess with your mouth what you believe in your heart, and you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. For the Scripture says, “WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.” (Romans 10-:10-11)

Knowing of these things and not doing them, make empty words. But, if we do as John 15:7 tells us, “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.”

Believe it!  Do it!

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

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

Please bookmark this page and watch for our next chapter,  “ANSWERED PRAYER – THE GOLDEN RULE”

(The previous episode can be found at “Removing The Obstacle Pride Serving Two Masters”)

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

EFFECTIVE SPIRITUAL WARFARE – Ch. 12, Ep. 8 -Removing the Obstacle of Two Masters

~ Michael Young, Sr. ~ Leave a comment

 

A TUTORIAL ON EFFECTIVE SPIRITUAL WARFARE

Teaching, Training & Commissioning

Chapter  12  Episode  8

REMOVING THE OBSTACLE OF TWO MASTERS

No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other.  Having two masters is untenable as a disciple of Jesus.  In order to follow Jesus and to serve Him, in order to inherit the Kingdom of God, there is room for only One Master:  Jesus.

We are faced with the reality of making a choice. This choice will determine the path you will follow.  You may have the intention of following Jesus, but, if you practice the “the love of money”, your steps will take you away from Him and into a temporal darkness, far away from the path of the Disciple of Jesus.

(For our convenience, I have coded the Obstacle in green, the penalty in purple and the Remedy in Blue.)

Episode 8:  Removing the Obstacle of Two Masters requires you choose between  God and Wealth.

Matthew 6:19-24 says, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 

“But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven,

“where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal;

“for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear, 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 that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!

“No one can serve two masters;

“for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. 

“You cannot serve God and wealth.”

This teaching is about the obstacle of having to choose between two masters: God or Wealth.

Jesus starts by telling His disciples they must choose between immediate gratification of earthly treasures or the delayed, but, permanent rewards with God. The consequence of gathering earthly treasure is lifetime lost.  It is a choice between the temporal and the eternal.  The text is about God and wealth, but, the CONTEXT is about lust.

Next, Jesus addresses “the lust of the eye” which affects your entire body and soul.  And, we are warned, that if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness.  We are instructed and commanded to walk light as He is in the light, so we will have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

Finally, He describes the lust as the cruel, unforgiving and demanding taskmaster when He says, “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other.  You cannot serve God and wealth.”

Once your mind and soul have been ensnared by the lust for money, (1 Timothy 6:10), you will have wandered away from the faith and pierced yourself with many griefs.

When you have been enticed, your lust gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.

THE CURE is to repent, daily, for His Kingdom is at hand; literally, as near as your hand is to your wrist – it is within you!

Repenting, in the Biblical sense, literally means, “To change one’s mind; to change one’s mind for the better” and it comes from two root words which mean, “Hereafter, have this understanding or perception”.

Repenting is the act of changing your mind which means your mindset, your values, and your worldview is changed.  Some would say you then live by new standards.  But it is much greater than just living by new standards.

A person of sound mind cannot simultaneously think one thing and do another, repentance results in a complete change of mind and direction of one’s life.

Another way of saying this is, “As a man or woman thinks, so are they”.

BOTH A COMMAND AND A PROPHETIC WORD

Interestingly, Jesus, the Son of God, in fact God Himself, said these very words which is recorded in Matthew 4:17.  Remembering, this is both a Command and a prophetic Word from God.

Jesus said this is what we are to do – Repent – in order to become His disciple and to follow Him, and, this is what will happen is we repent.

The disciples echoed and repeated these very words as they continued to do the Works of God, “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is now at hand”.

Jesus says for each of us to repent as an act of our will and that Repentance will allow the Holy Spirit to come into our bodies, our minds and regenerate our spirits.  We will become One with Him.

Our fleshly desires begin to fade, and our new desires emanate from the Holy Spirit of God.  It is not us producing Spiritual Fruit, it is from The Holy Spirit, and it should pour out of us, liberally.

We begin to desire the Things of God.  We are made new, and we can now walk with certainty, with purpose and power in our New Life.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

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

Please bookmark this page and watch for our next chapter, “Removing the Obstacle of Anxiety”

(The previous episode can be found at “Removing The Obstacle Pride and Hypocrisy”)

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

AND YOU SHALL BE MY DISCIPLES – Lesson 16

~ Michael Young, Sr. ~ Leave a comment

​

  • Do Not Cast Pearls before “swine”

​​“Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.” (Matthew 7:6).

 

WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

Jesus has just finished teaching His followers, “Do not judge so that you will not be judged.  For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you.”  

“Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?  “Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye?”   (Matthew 7:1–5).

Now Jesus is telling us to make a judgment on what is Holy, who are the “dogs”, what is a “Pearl” and who or what are the “swine”.

It is important to understand the words and the context being used.

Jesus is NOT SAYING we should never make judgments. He IS SAYING we should not judge people unfairly, but we are to make right judgments. THIS IS IMPORTANT, especially in our world.

I will define terms so we can begin to understand the differences between being judgmental and making righteous judgements.

“Holy” is the word hagios (hag’-ee-os) which refers to the Holy characteristic of God, or being separated to God, who is worthy of veneration.

Its highest application is to God himself, in His purity, majesty and glory.  It is also applied to persons as separated to God’s service and is in regard to Christ, of Christians and in the moral sense of sharing God’s purity, including sacrifices and offerings.

“Pearls” are referred to as a Proverb or a word of Great Value.

A “Dog” is a metaphor for an impudent person.  Someone who shows no respect for another person.

A “Swine” is colloquially, the ultimate symbol of loathing by ancient Jews.  Pigs were considered as symbols of disease, filth and hypocrisy.

We learned, in Lesson #14, that we are not to “judge hypocritically”.  Jesus teaches us that we are not to pronounce judgment on someone, and, that we, as Jesus’ disciples, correct our own attitudes and behaviors.

At the same time, we are told to judge, and “judge righteously”.  That is to say, we are to judge using righteous discernment.  “Do not judge according to appearance, but do judge with righteous judgment.”  John 7:24

Discernment  is the word, dokimazo (dok-im-ad’-zo ) which means to “prove” or to try, to discern and to examine.  To test, examine, prove, scrutinize to see whether a thing is genuine or not, such as metals.  To recognize whether it is genuine after examination, to approve, deem worthy.

Judgment is the word, krino (kree’-no ) which means to determine, to condemn, go to law and to call in question.  It involves esteem.  It is to pronounce an opinion concerning right and wrong.

RECAP:

Disciples of Jesus are not to judge hypocritically.  We are to judge righteously using righteous Discernment.

  • DISCIPLE OF JESUS, are to judge righteously.
  • We are to pray for and use righteous discernment
  • We are to determine (judge) who is worthy of the things of God.
  • We are to determine what is Holy and Pure, His majesty and glory.
  • We are to determine who are the people of God and Christ and in His service.
  • We are to know who is sharing the Truth of God’s purity, including sacrifices and offerings.
  • We are to determine what are the “Pearls” of God, which is a Proverb or The Word of God, which is of Great Value.
  • ​Disciples of Jesus are not to give what is Holy or of Great Value to those who prove to be impudent people full of hate and hypocrisy.

​“Do not judge according to appearance, but do judge with righteous judgment.”   John 7:24

Now, it is your turn:

HOW CAN YOU DO THIS?  _________________________________________

HOW CAN YOU TEACH THIS?______________________________________

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

 

EFFECTIVE SPIRITUAL WARFARE – Ch. 12, Ep. 7 – Removing the Obstacle of Pride and Hypocrisy

~ Michael Young, Sr. ~ Leave a comment

A TUTORIAL ON EFFECTIVE SPIRITUAL WARFARE

Teaching, Training & Commissioning

Chapter  12  Episode  7

REMOVING THE OBSTACLE OF PRIDE & HYPOCRISY

Be on the alert, because sin is lurking at your door, and its desire is to snare you, but you must master it. He has laid traps to entice you and to snare you in order to prevent you from completing your mission.

Pride and hypocrisy are among the snares of the devil.  Jesus will show you the way around these deadly traps, if you will listen, follow and obey Him.

(For our convenience, I have coded the Obstacle in green, the penalty in purple and the Remedy in Blue.)

Episode 7:  Removing the Obstacle of pride and hypocrisy requires practicing Humility & Truth.

Matthew 6:1-15 says,

“Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them;

 otherwise, you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.

“So when you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be honored by men. 

Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. 

“But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.

“When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. 

“But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.

      “And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words.

“So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.

      “Pray, then, in this way:
            ‘Our Father who is 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 do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

“For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.

“But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.”

Jesus is teaching on the matter of “practicing righteousness”. Righteousness is defined, in the Bible, as justice or “justness” according to God’s standard.  A simple way of defining Godly Righteousness is “to be in right standing with God and man”.  Yet, the Bible teaches us that “None are righteous, no not one.”  Therefore, Jesus teaches us the differences because the consequences of failure are dire.

CONTEXT

Jesus teaches on and warns about practicing your righteousness before people.  He illustrates this teaching by using examples of giving to the poor, praying and giving forgiveness.  But, the CONTEXT of this teaching, is hypocrisy.  Jesus is teaching, for a second time, on the deadly consequences of hypocrisy.

Notice that the hypocrite, #1, “loves to be noticed by people”, #2, they “love to be honored by people”, #3, they “love to be seen by people”, and, #4, they “love to talk to be heard”, and, #5, apparently, they are slow to forgive others.

Please, check yourself on these matters.

By these actions, a person who is behaving as a hypocrite, shall receive their full reward from “men”.  They will receive no reward from God, and, are no longer of any use as a disciple of Jesus, “except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men.”

Also, notice, that in each example, the remedy for hypocrisy is humility and the transparency of truth.  Sadly, it is a difficult thing for a person who is caught in the snares of hypocrisy, to honestly humble themselves and admit their fault of pride.

A hypocrite could be compared to a ‘the rich young ruler’ who, although rich with worldly riches, is in fact, poor, miserable and wretched in spiritual possessions.

Jesus teaches that it would be easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a man ‘rich in pride and hypocrisy’ to enter the kingdom of heaven’.

This teaching can be traced to Matthew 5:3, which says, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”  The word, “Poor” in the phrase, “Poor in Spirit”, (from the Greek word, Ptochos), means that a person is in a state of falling down, terrified, feeling poor and near begging, destitute of wealth, influence, position and honor, feeling lowly, afflicted helpless, powerless to accomplish anything, they are in a state of ‘poor in spirit’.

Both, in Matthew 5:4 and in Matthew 19:22, the result of becoming poor or ‘poor in spirit’ is followed by a mournful or a grieving state of mind. Mourning and grieving the loss of worldliness, both in a natural and a spiritual sense, which can lead to a truthful transparency of your life and an honest humility in your life.

It is in this condition that most people are ready and able to give themselves up to Christ’s teaching and find themselves able to lay hold of God’s heavenly treasure. This is when you have come near to the Kingdom of God and into His Salvation.  This opens the way for the operation of the process of sanctification in your life.

This is why Matthew 5 says,

Blessed are you when you mourn as a person is in a state of falling down, terrified, feeling poor and near begging;  destitute of wealth, influence, position and honor;  feeling lowly, afflicted helpless, powerless to accomplish anything; you are, therefore, in a state of being ‘poor in spirit’.

Blessed are you when you are made to be gentle from this condition, for then, you shall inherit the earth;

Blessed are you when you surrender yourself to God, which creates in you a hunger and a thirst for God’s righteousness, for then you shall be satisfied;

Blessed are you when you gain the capacity to be merciful as a result of having been humbled and made poor in spirit, for then you shall receive the mercy of God;

Blessed are you when you have been made to be pure in heart because of your lowly state, for it is now that you shall see God.

Blessed are you as the peace of God settles over you mind, soul and spirit, having been freed from the worries, burdens, false prides, hypocrisies and the toils of the world, are have become a peacemaker, and, you shall be called a son or a daughter of God.

Romans 6:20-22 tells us,

“When you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed?

“For the end of those things is death.

 “But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, and the fruit you now get leads to sanctification and its end, is eternal life.”

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

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

Please bookmark this page and watch for our next chapter, “Fasting, Treasures and Wealth”

(The previous episode can be found at “Removing The Obstacle of Hate”)

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

AND YOU SHALL BE MY DISCIPLES – Lesson 15

~ Michael Young, Sr. ~ Leave a comment

  • ​Judge Not

“Do not judge so that you will not be judged.  For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you.

“Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?  “Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye?”   (Matthew 7:1–3).

WHAT DOES IT SAY?

To get a clear understanding of these verses, we have to look at the context of what Jesus is teaching.  And the context is “hypocrisy”.

v3  “Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?

v4  “Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye?

v5  “You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.

The “hypocrite”, according to Bible lexicons and concordances, is an actor, stage player, a dissembler, a pretender and a hypocrite.  A hypocrite is one who simulates, feign or pretends.  One who is vile, shameful, reproachful, full of dishonor, ignominy, and disgrace.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

Definitions won’t adequately describe what Jesus is talking about.  Jesus is saying that one’s attitude reveals their character, their heart and their intentions.  The hypocrite is in danger of being lost and perishing.

Read what Jesus says about, and to, hypocrites (I have abbreviated these verses for context.  You can read the full chapter of Matthew 23, here:

Matthew 23

13 “But WOE to you, scribes and Pharisees,

hypocrites, you will receive greater condemnation.

15 “WOE to you, scribes and Pharisees,

hypocrites, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.

27 “WOE to you, scribes and Pharisees,

hypocrites, you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

29 “WOE to you, scribes and Pharisees,

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

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO ME?

Read, again, Matthew 23, verse 29, “WOE to you, scribes and Pharisees,

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

Hypocrisy could be described as a deadly form of narcissism, where the practice of claiming to have moral standards or views to which one’s own behavior does not meet.  It is a pretense of morality that cloaks our inability to meet some predetermined moral code.

The word, in the verses cited above, comes from the Greek word,  “hupokrinomai”, which means, to be an actor under an assumed character, a stage-player;  figuratively, to disguise or conceal one’s real nature, motives, or feelings behind a false appearance.

One of the root causes of hypocrisy is fear and low self-esteem. We suffer hypocrisy as an avoidance for looking at our shortcomings and figuring out our part in it.  Hypocrisy  typically stems from a sincere belief that the double-standard we apply to ourselves is justifiable, because we have better intentions, therefore, we are forgiven for our “mistakes”.

We believe our intentions are just, noble and sincere, despite how we act at times.  The Bible, in Jeremiah 17:9, warns us about trusting our ‘heart’ on these matters, when it tells us, “The heart is more deceitful than all else, and is desperately sick. Who can understand it?”

1 John 1:8, tells us that, “If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.”

In order to find relief from this satanic trap, this disorder, we must admit that we are imperfect beings, created with flaws, who are prone to fail.

1 John 1:9, says that, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

We must learn to look at our own shortcomings and recognize that every one of us is prone to wrongdoing.  The Bible tells us that we all fall short of God’s Glory and that none of us are righteous, no not anyone!

The person suffering from hypocrisy has a strong desire to be loved and accepted. The fear of personal failure, humility and judgment is so powerful, that we use “double-mindedness” and cognitive dissonance to avoid facing ourselves.

Also, at the root of hypocrisy is a desire to be loved and accepted without judgment.   Only God can give that kind of love.  It takes time and work by way of spiritual discipline to come to know and trust God, Who, alone, is trustworthy.

Remember, people have difficulty trusting or having compassion for hypocrites. Others are likely to forgive you when you admit making a mistake, and take responsibility for your actions, seek forgiveness and make amends, if that is necessary and appropriate.   But they have a harder time forgiving someone who refuses to admit they have made a mistake or behaved as a hypocrite.

When you start to show humility and become more authentic toward others, you will get exactly that in return.

Let these verses from Psalm 103:8-14 be an encouragement to you:

The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness.

He will not always strive with us,
Nor will He keep His anger forever.

He has not dealt with us according to our sins,
Nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.

For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
So great is His lovingkindness toward those who [a] fear Him.

As far as the east is from the west,
So far has He removed our transgressions from us.

Just as a father has compassion on his children,
So the Lord has compassion on those who [b] fear Him.

For He Himself knows [c] our frame;
He is mindful that we are but dust.

NOW IT IS YOUR TURN

How can you do this?__________________________

How can you show others?_____________________

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

EFFECTIVE SPIRITUAL WARFARE – Ch. 12, Ep. 6 – Removing the Obstacle of Hate

~ Michael Young, Sr. ~ Leave a comment

A TUTORIAL ON EFFECTIVE SPIRITUAL WARFARE

Teaching, Training & Commissioning

Chapter  12  Episode  6

REMOVING THE OBSTACLE OF HATE

Satan has laid traps to entice you and to snare you in order to prevent you from completing your mission. Hate is one of those snares. Jesus alone, can show you the way around this, and other deadly traps of the devil.

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

Jesus has warned that the gate is small and the way that leads to life is both narrow and difficult, and there are few who find it. But, He is the Door that leads to life. Follow Him closely.

These next episodes will lead you to the “small gate which is narrow” and we will continue to identify the obstacles to our transformation for their removal from your life.

(For our convenience, I have coded the Obstacle in green, the penalty in purple and the Remedy in Blue.)

 Episode 5:  Removing the Obstacle of hate requires showing unconditional, Agape, love.

Matthew 5:43-48  “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 causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

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

“Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Jesus is speaking to Jews and to His Christian Disciples, and these Truths are meant for His disciples (that is to say, His followers; Christians), present and future.

Anyone can listen to Jesus, but, not everyone can hear and understand what He is saying.  Anyone can attempt to apply these Truths to their life because The Truth is universal.  But, a person cannot live the Truth without Christ Jesus because Jesus is the Truth, bodily.

The Bible tells us that “hate is sin” and that sin is the root of all the Obstacles that cause you to separate yourself from the presence and love of God.

Sin is rebellion toward God and to His Word, and it is THE obstacle to entering the Kingdom of Heaven, the Kingdom of God.

Notice that the keys words in these verses are “Love” and “Hate” and remember that these eternal words of Jesus are written

  •  To the Christian
  •  About being a Christian, and,
  •  For the Christian

So, when 1 John 4:20-21, tells us that, “If someone says, “I love God,” and yet he hates his brother or sister, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother and sister whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.  And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God must also love his brother and sister.”

Again, 1 John 3:15 says, “Everyone who hates his brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life remaining in him.”

Simply put, God is Love.   Hate is not of God.  If these two coexist in your life as a Christian, you will stumble.  If they persist in your life as a Christian, you will have lost your usefulness as a disciple, and, you should know that there is a deeper and darker problem embedded in your soul.

The remedy, the way to remove this Obstacle, is to “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven”. (Please click the foregoing text for the entire teaching.)

This seems simple, but it is powerful.  It’s effectiveness is not in the hearing, but, in the doing.

 Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

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

Please bookmark this page and watch for our next chapter, “Removing the Obstacle Pride and Hypocrisy”

(The previous episode can be found at “The Obstacle of Revenge”)

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

EFFECTIVE SPIRITUAL WARFARE – Ch. 12, Ep. 5 – Removing the Obstacle of Revenge

~ Michael Young, Sr. ~ Leave a comment

A TUTORIAL ON EFFECTIVE SPIRITUAL WARFARE

Teaching, Training & Commissioning

Chapter  12  Episode  5

REMOVING THE OBSTACLE OF REVENGE

Jesus said, “Follow Me and I will make you fishers of men”.  Jesus was literally saying, “I will fashion you, make you into, craft you into, Fishers of men”.  These men would come to be known as His disciples.  Jesus taught on, preached and demonstrated what He was fashioning as disciples.

These, and the future men and women who would become His disciples, would do the works that Jesus had done, and “greater works”, because Jesus had gone to the Father.  Jesus told them, as His disciples, they would inherit the Kingdom of God.

However, Satan has laid traps to entice you and to snare you in order to prevent you from completing your mission. The only safe path, is to follow Jesus, very closely.

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

Jesus came to show us the way to Life, and He warned that the gate is small and the way that leads to life is both narrow and difficult, and there are few who find it.

These next episodes will lead you to the “small gate which is narrow” and we will continue to identify the obstacles to our transformation for their removal from your life.

(For our convenience, I have coded the Obstacle in green, the penalty in purple and the Remedy in Blue.)

Episode 5:  Removing the Obstacle of Revenge requires practicing Non-resistance

Matthew 5:38-42 says, “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 an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. “If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat also. “Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two. “Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you.”

“Entitlement”, lust and vengeance are snares of Satan. He convinces a person that they are entitled to ‘their fair share’ in life, and they should receive respect, fair treatment and justice. And when we are denied our ‘fair share’ to which we are entitled, we lust and seek revenge – and this is the trap.

But, God says none of us are entitled. And, none of us are righteous – no, not even one of us – we all have sinned and fall short of His Glory.

Each one of us have been tempted when we were carried away and enticed by our own lusts, and, when lust was conceived, it gave birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death. We are entitled to death.

It is only because Jesus has borne our sins and by His completed work on the Cross, are we set free from the snares of death.  And, we are entitled – not to take, but to give – respect, fair treatment, justice, honesty and kindness to others.

Again, a teaching of Jesus seems counter-intuitive and can test the soul of even the most dedicate man or woman.  It is difficult to understand – unless you are willing.

At first glance, this teaching sounds as if a disciple of Jesus is to stand idly by while an evil person slaps you about and perpetrates all kinds of evil against you and in your presence.  But, what Jesus is telling us is, not to entangle yourselves in the affairs of evil men, even when they cast their evil upon us.  Instead, stay focused on Jesus’ Mission while actively responding to evil, by overcoming evil with good.

Secondly, God’s Word and methods are an intricate balance of mercy and justice, something we rarely see anymore.  Once you have “paid the debt” of forgiveness and kindness, do not linger.  If an evil person continues in his or her evil ways, “Shake the dust off your sandals”, so to speak, and move on. Do not fall for the snare of entangling yourself in vengeance.

James 4:7-8, teaches this principal and its practice when he says, “ Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.  Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.”

If you are drawn into this trap and snared by it, you are no longer free to follow Jesus because of the things that so easily entangle us.  Do not fall of the bait of Satan.

Galatians 5 :1 tells us that, “It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.”

Please click this link and go to “Resist not Evil” for a deeper teaching on this matter.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

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

Please bookmark this page and watch for our next chapter,

“Removing the Obstacle of Hate”

(The previous episode can be found at “Secrecy and Lies”)

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

CRITICAL RACE THEORY – The Threat

~ Michael Young, Sr. ~ Leave a comment

The pundits of Critical Race Theory (CRT) will tell you, (in unison), that “the Critical race theory is an academic movement made up of civil-rights scholars and activists in the United States who seek to critically examine the law as it intersects with issues of race, and to challenge mainstream liberal approaches to racial justice.”

The Encyclopedia Britannica says, “Critical race theory (CRT), an intellectual movement and loosely organized framework of legal analysis based on the premise that race is not a natural, biologically grounded feature of physically distinct subgroups of human beings but a socially constructed (culturally invented) category that is used to oppress and exploit people of color. Critical race theorists hold that the law and legal institutions in the United States are inherently racist insofar as they function to create and maintain social, economic, and political inequalities between whites and nonwhites, especially African Americans.”

The American Bar Association, in an article written to and for attorneys, says “CRT is not a diversity and inclusion “training” but a practice of interrogating the role of race and racism in society that emerged in the legal academy and spread to other fields of scholarship. Crenshaw—who coined the term “CRT”—notes that CRT is not a noun, but a verb. (read this entire article at this link).

Confused?  Tired of reading?

SIMPLIFY, PLEASE?

Reading about CRT is a never ending task.  Understanding what you read is  even more (unnecessarily) difficult.  I believe the interminable defining of CRT is intended to discourage the reader and cause him or her to throw up their hands and say, “Oh well.  Whatever!”  But, we cannot do that.  We cannot give in.  We must understand what is happening and learn to fight back!

SIMPLIFIED

Critical Race Theory, which is deeply rooted in the Marxist doctrine of ‘Critical Theory’, says that racism is embedded in every institution in America.  And, that everyone who is not “a person of color” (Black) has been taught to be racist and needs to be retrained in their thinking or eliminated (cancelled or removed).

Marxism, while hiding under the guise of ‘social justice’ or ‘racial justice’, has the goal is to subjugate every man woman and child under ‘state control’, eliminate the right standards of living according to the Bible, and to vanquish God from His Throne.”

NOTE:  Critical Race Theory (CRT) is a deeply rooted in the Marxist doctrine of “Critical Theory”.  It has been borrowed and cultivated by modern Marxists to say “If you are not ‘black’ or some other ‘minority skin color’, you are racist, and you need to be retrained or eliminated.”

The message that “anyone who does not believe in systemic racism is part of the problem” and that message, is sadly, permeating all the literature on race in America today, our school systems, the courts and our churches.

These ideas of oppression and systemic racism come from a Marxist doctrine called “critical theory.”

It is important to note that Marxism is the theory and Communism is the practical implementation of Marxism.  Communism has never worked as advertised.  It is an inhumane, murderous scheme to enrich a few at the cost of hundreds of millions of lives.

Examples of the viral spread of this lie can be found in Buffalo, New York, the school district’s “Emancipation Curriculum” told children that “all white people play a part in perpetuating systemic racism.”

Another example is at the National Museum of African-American History and Culture, a Smithsonian institution funded by taxpayers.  Officials released a document last year intended for use in schools that claimed ideas such as “hard work is the key to success” and that trying to “be polite” are evidence of an oppressive society.

Contemporary Marxists claim that Karl Marx “was well aware of the centrality of race under capitalism”.  Even though Marx never wrote on the question of slavery and its racial impact in societies, he did write about America from his own egocentric and psychopathic point of view:

According to Marx: “The discovery of gold and silver in America, the extirpation, enslavement and entombment in mines of the aboriginal population, the beginning of the conquest and looting of the East Indies, the turning of Africa into a warren for the commercial hunting of Black skins, signalized the rosy dawn of the era of capitalist production.”

Although Marx never personally witnessed anything of what he wrote about regarding America, he found it expedient to ‘fill in his necessary blanks to make his points.  He wrote:

“Direct slavery is just as much the pivot of bourgeois industry as machinery, credits, etc. Without slavery, you have no cotton; without cotton, you have no modern industry. It is slavery that has given the colonies their value; it is the colonies that have created world trade, and it is world trade that is the pre-condition of large-scale industry. Thus, slavery is an economic category of the greatest importance.

“Without slavery, North America, the most progressive of countries, would be transformed into a patriarchal country. Wipe out North America from the map of the world, and you will have anarchy–the complete decay of modern commerce and civilization. Cause slavery to disappear, and you will have wiped America off the map of nations. Thus, slavery, because it is an economic category, has always existed among the institutions of the peoples. Modern nations have been able only to disguise slavery in their own countries, but they have imposed it without disguise upon the New World.”

Thus, Marx proposed a fundamentally flawed and a gross misunderstanding of the centrality of slave labor in the national and international economy.

But what about race?  Marx never addressed race. Let me repeat:  Karl Marx never addressed race.  His supporters and adherents state unequivocally that Marx addressed race, but with the implied disclaimer, “What Marx meant to say” – even though he never said it.  And, for a man to write as prolifically as Marx, to never have mentioned a matter simply means it was not relevant in his thinking.

KARL MARX WAS PROFOUNDLY RACIST in his advocacy of the fundamental tenants of Critical Race Theory.  In fact, Marx used the ‘underprivileged’, the ‘oppressed masses’ for his own ends from the beginning.

In practical terms, CRT is being WOKE.

Merriam-Webster added the word to its dictionary in 2017, defining WOKE as, “aware of and actively attentive to important facts and issues (especially issues of racial and social justice).” The Oxford dictionary adopted it the same year, defining it as “originally: well-informed, up-to-date. Now chiefly: alert to racial or social discrimination and injustice.”

“WOKE is a slang term that is easing into the mainstream from some varieties of a dialect called African American Vernacular English (sometimes called AAVE),” according to Merriam-Webster. “In AAVE, awake is often rendered as woke, as in, ‘I was sleeping, but now I’m woke.’”

WOKE, in my studied opinion is, besides being very bad grammar, is a spreading twisted narcissistic pathology.  It says, that ‘I had a hard time growing up’.  Most likely you were treated unfairly, perhaps abused in some fashion, and/or denigrated, marginalized, criticized, demonized and cast aside. You felt unloved and mistreated, and you probably were, to some degree, great or small.

Now you are AWAKE to the facts of your hardships and the injustices you suffered, and you are going to get even. You are going to get what you are owed – whatever you decide that might be.

You are going to make others pay. It doesn’t matter that maybe only a few people are responsible for your mistreatment. It doesn’t matter that it was a very long time ago and that most of ‘those people’ are now dead. In your WOKE state of mind, EVERYONE has to pay, now that you are WOKE.

This is what is being passed of as Critical Race Theory the movement for Reparations for Black Americans. This narcissistic pathology has seeped, or has been force-fed into the thinking of many everyday Americans. Worse yet, our school children are being indoctrinated, they are having their minds poisoned, by this HATE THOUGHT, and it is in part thanks to the efforts of co-conspirators, the National Teachers Association and Union.

Americans who are just doing their best to be good people by being honest, fair, just, hardworking, kind, generous and faithful are being both unfairly punished and indoctrinated with this Marxists Hate Doctrine by the enemies of our educational systems and of our government.

CRT (Critical Race Theory) is rooted in Marxism.  But, it is nothing more than another fabrication of The Beast and the Dragon of the Bible, this thinly veiled “New Marxism” has come only to steal, kill and destroy!.

An article by Christopher F. Rufo, founder and director of Battlefront, A public policy research center, explains Critical Race Theory, its dangers and how to fight it. You can read this article by clicking this link.

It is a good article, and gives us an idea of how to respond, how to fight the manifest evil known as “CRT”.  But, it also falls short of giving us a grassroots remedy.  None of us can muster up a “PhD Quality dissertation” to fight with.  We need a simple and powerful method. I have listed some links to additional articles which will help can you find methods that will work.

Let me conclude this very brief introduction to CRT by saying, Critical Race Theory is a Marxist battle plan to divide, subvert and to overthrow the American system of government, and our way of life.  Marxism’s goal is to subjugate every man woman and child under ‘state control’, to eliminate the right standards of living according to the Bible, and to vanquish God from His Throne.

It is time to get serious.  Find groups in your area who are fighting this battle.  Also, consider supporting a frontline legal team, such as Alliance Defending Freedom, and ADF Church Alliance who are busy engaging this enemy.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

For Additional reading, click these links:

Critical Race Theory simplified

Critical Race Theory (CRT) Exposed

Oz, Critical Race Theory, The Dragon and The Beast

How to Engage in Effective Biblical Warfare

The Enemy:  How to Identify Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing

How to Deal with Marxists in the Church

How to Overcome

Why America is Unraveling and What You Can Do

EFFECTIVE SPIRITUAL WARFARE – Ch. 12, Ep. 4 – Removing the Obstacle of Lies

~ Michael Young, Sr. ~ Leave a comment

A TUTORIAL ON EFFECTIVE SPIRITUAL WARFARE

Teaching, Training & Commissioning

Chapter 12, Episode 4

REMOVING THE OBSTACLES OF SECRECY & LIES

We are told by the Holy Spirit in Romans 12:2 that, as disciples of Jesus, you are not to be conformed to this world, but you are to be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is:  that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

There are obstacles to (1) being transformed into a Child of God and (2) becoming a disciple of Jesus (3) entering the Kingdom of Heaven, now, and (4) walking in the power of His Spirit.  Galatians 5:19-21 tells us of these obstacles and that those who practice these things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

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

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

Jesus came to show us the way to Life, and He warned that the gate is small and the way that leads to life is both narrow and difficult, and there are few who find it.

These next episodes will lead you to the “small gate which is narrow” and we will continue to identify the obstacles to our transformation for their removal from your life.

(For our convenience, I have coded the Obstacle in green, the penalty in purple and the Remedy in Blue.)

Episode 4:  Removing the Obstacle of Secrecy & Lies requires Transparency and Truth.

Matthew 5:33-37 says, “Again, you have heard that the ancients were told, ‘YOU SHALL NOT MAKE FALSE VOWS, BUT SHALL FULFILL YOUR VOWS TO THE LORD.’ 

“But I say to you, make no oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet, or by Jerusalem, for it is THE CITY OF THE GREAT KING. “Nor shall you make an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black.  “But let your statement be, ‘Yes, yes’ or ‘No, no’; 

anything beyond these are of evil.”

When you brag about what you can or will do and fail to do it, you look like a fool and a liar.  This is not the representation a Christian can make as a follower of Jesus.

Deuteronomy23:21 helps us understand the gravity of an unfulfilled pledge or vow:  “When you make a vow to the LORD your God, you shall not delay to pay it, for it would be sin in you, and the LORD your God will surely require it of you.

“However, if you refrain from vowing, it would not be sin in you. 

“You shall be careful to perform what goes out from your lips, just as you have voluntarily vowed to the LORD your God, what you have promised.”

James 4:13-17 picks up on Jesus teaching and reiterates, “Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.” Yet, you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.   Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.”  But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil.  Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.”

Proverbs 6:16-19 tells us that,

There are six things which the LORD hates,
            Yes, seven which are an abomination to Him:

      Haughty eyes, a lying tongue,
            And hands that shed innocent blood,

      A heart that devises wicked plans,
            Feet that run rapidly to evil,

      A false witness who utters lies,
            And one who spreads strife among brothers.

 

Finally and conclusively, Jesus tells us, in John 14:6, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”

The remedy for making false vows is, at the same time, both simple and difficult. The only way to the stop living in secrecy and living in lies is to begin, now, telling the truth in all matters.

You may, at first, think others will regard you lightly.  But, the cloak of humility and honesty brings honor, both to you and to God.

Just do it and be transformed.

Be His disciple.  

Inherit the Kingdom of God.  

And, walk in the strength of His Might.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

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

Please bookmark this page and watch for our next chapter,

“Removing the Obstacle of Revenge”

(The previous episode can be found at “Removing the Obstacles of Divorce”)

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

EFFECTIVE SPIRITUAL WARFARE – Ch. 12, Ep. 3 – Removing the Obstacle of Divorce

~ Michael Young, Sr. ~ Leave a comment

A TUTORIAL ON EFFECTIVE SPIRITUAL WARFARE

Teaching, Training & Commissioning

Chapter  12  Episode  3

REMOVING THE OBSTACLE OF DIVORCE

Commitment to the Covenant

We are told by the Holy Spirit in Romans 12:2 that, as disciples of Jesus, you are not to be conformed to this world, but you are to be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is:  that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

There are obstacles to (1) being transformed into a Child of God and (2) becoming a disciple of Jesus (3) entering the Kingdom of Heaven, now, and (4) walking in the power of His Spirit.  Galatians 5:19-21 tells us of these obstacles and that those who practice these things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

These next episodes will continue to identify these obstacles and remedies for their removal from your life.

Divorce and remarriage is a common error committed by people calling themselves “Christian”, who want the benefits of but reject the requirements of becoming a Christian as they are often overcome by fleshly or emotional desires.

(For our convenience, I have coded the Obstacle in green, the penalty in purple and the Remedy in Blue.)

Episode 3:  Removing the Obstacle of Divorce requires cooperation and commitment to the covenant of marriage.

 Matthew 5:31-32 says “WHOEVER SENDS HIS WIFE AWAY, LET HIM GIVE HER A CERTIFICATE OF DIVORCE’;

but I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except for the reason of un-chastity, makes her commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.”

Jesus, first, gives us an understanding of divorce in Matthew 19:3-6 and then the remedy for divorce in Ephesians 5:21-24:

Jesus explains, in Matthew 19:3-6, “Have you not read that He who created them from the beginning MADE THEM MALE AND FEMALE, and said, ‘FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND BE JOINED TO HIS WIFE, AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH’?

 “So they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate.”

Imagine having your arm our your leg amputated.  Can you imagine the pain and the loss?  Literally losing part of yourself would impact and affect your body, your mind, your soul and your spirit.  Please dear ones, do not deliberately wound yourself and others.

The remedy to divorce is found in Ephesians 5:21-24.  

Ephesians 5:”21-24 says “be subject to one another in the fear of Christ. Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord.  For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body. But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything.”

The word Greek word for “to be subject to” or “submit to” is “Hupotasso”, which literally means:

  1. To arrange under, to subordinate;
  2. To subject, put in subjection
  3. To subject one’s self, obey
  4. To submit to one’s control
  5. To yield to one’s admonition or advice
  6. To obey, be subject.
  7. To mutually agree upon

HUPO – arrange under; TASSO – mutually agree upon

The intention of “submission or subjection” is found in the CONTEXT of the words in this chapter of Ephesians which encourages us to be wise and moral, kind and pure, gentle and forgiving.

The context is also found in the meaning of the words in these verses.

Specifically, “Hupotasso” comes from a Greek military term meaning “to arrange [troop divisions] in a military fashion under the command of a leader”.

These troop formations were called a Phalanx. The Phalanx was the formation, usually in triangular form, in which The hoplite phalanx of the Archaic and Classical periods in Greece (c. 800–350 BC) was the formation in which the hoplites would line up in ranks in close order.

Hoplites were citizen-soldiers of Ancient Greek city-states who were primarily armed with spears and shields. Hoplite soldiers utilized the phalanx formation in order to be effective in war with fewer soldiers. The formation discouraged the soldiers from acting alone, for this would compromise the formation and minimize its strengths

The hoplites would lock their shields together, and the first few ranks of soldiers would project their spears out over the first rank of shields.

Those at the front were, what we would call today, THE TIP OF THE SPEAR or the POINT MAN. They presented the first defense against the enemy and were the first to engage the enemy and the first to take casualties.

The phalanx therefore presented a shield wall and a mass of spear points to the enemy. Making frontal assaults against it very difficult.

It also allowed a higher proportion of the soldiers to be actively engaged in combat at a given time, rather than just those in the front rank.

This word, “Hupotasso”, in non-military use, is “a voluntary attitude of giving in, cooperating, assuming responsibility, and carrying a burden”.

The Bible gives this as an example for husbands and wives to cooperate and to successfully navigate life and in waging wars against ‘their common enemy’, Satan.

The wife is fully engaged in the marriage relationship, but, God says the husband is to be the Tip of the Spear in order to protect and preserve and, if necessary, the first to fall.

Interestingly, Ephesians 5:22, contains the phrase, “be subject to your own”, which include the word Greek word, “idios”, and means, “uniquely one’s own, peculiar to the individual”.  “Idios” is a stronger word than the simple possessive pronoun, ‘own’.  This emphatic adjective means ‘private and personal’ “.

In other words, God gives each husband a wife, designed by God, Himself, to fulfill a role specifically for that husband. God gives the wife gifts, talents, abilities and a calling uniquely designed to serve God and to compliment and to complete the husband.

This is why the Bible says “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.

“So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself”.

It is also why God says, “Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord.”

Neither, the husband nor the wife, can be made complete as persons, finding refuge, protection and provision as provided by God;  neither can they mature and sustain one another, until they understand this Spiritual principal and follow it.

Marriage has mutual strength through commitment and cooperation with one another under God’s Steady Hand.

Please take this to heart, dear ones. This message is so important.

The world and the Devil are deceiving the family in to thinking ‘what works for you is OK”. It is NOT OK. God’s design, His plan and His Word is what gives life, and life more abundant. Stop following the world and REASON through God’s Word. Understand it and live!

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

PS:  Marriage makes the two into ONE.  Divorce is a violent tearing apart, no matter how amicable you try to be.

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

Please bookmark this page and watch for our next chapter,

“Removing the Obstacle of Secrecy and Lies”

(The previous episode can be found at “Removing the Obstacles of Lust”)

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

EFFECTIVE SPIRITUAL WARFARE – Ch. 12, Ep. 2 – Removing the Obstacle of Lust

~ Michael Young, Sr. ~ Leave a comment

A TUTORIAL ON EFFECTIVE SPIRITUAL WARFARE

Teaching, Training & Commissioning

Chapter  12   Episode  2

REMOVING THE OBSTACLE OF LUST

We are told by the Bible, in Romans 12:2 that, as disciples of Jesus, you are not to be conformed to this world, but you are to be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is: that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

There are obstacles to being transformed into a Child of God and becoming a disciple of Jesus and entering the Kingdom of Heaven.  Galatians 5:19-21 tells us of these obstacles and that those who practice these things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

For our convenience, I have coded the Obstacle in green, the penalty in purple and the Remedy in Blue.

Episode 2:  Removing the Obstacle of anger requires Reconciliation

  Matthew 5:27 says “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 lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 

“If your right eye makes you stumble, tear it out and throw it from you; 

for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.

“If your right hand makes you stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; 

for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to go into hell.”

God considers lust an offense worthy of death. Leviticus 20:10 says “If there is a man who commits adultery with another man’s wife, one who commits adultery with his friend’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.”

Jesus uses an extreme figure of speech when He says to pluck out your eye or to cut off your hand in order to illustrate the serious consequential reality of lust, “your whole body will go to hell”.

  1. Lust is destructive. Proverbs 6:32 says “The one who commits adultery with a woman is
    lacking sense; He who would destroy himself does it.”
  2. Lust is a sin that spreads like a virus. Matthew 5:32 says “but I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except for the reason of un-chastity, makes her commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.”
  3. Lust is powerfully seductive and fatally addictive.

James 1:14-15 says, “But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.”

  1. Lust leads to corruption of the soul, debauchery and a reprobate mind.

James 4:2 says, “You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel.

A true disciple, a true Christian, must avoid lust at all costs. But, when we find ourselves caught in the vortex of strong delusions and web of sin, we must start by admitting it and begin the long and difficult journey back to freedom and ridding ourselves of this obstacle.

1 John 1:8-9 says , “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

God will set you free and strengthen you, and He will reward you.  But, as we have already seen, the cost of discipleship is high and the process of sanctification is difficult.  His reward is more than just worth the cost; it is everything.

And, be encouraged! God will perform His Word in your life!  And, you can know and do the Will of God!

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

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

Please bookmark this page and watch for our next chapter,

“Removing the Obstacle of Divorce”

(The previous episode can be found at “Removing the Obstacles to Transformation”)

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

EFFECTIVE SPIRITUAL WARFARE – CH. 12, Ep. 1 – Removing the Obstacle of Anger

~ Michael Young, Sr. ~ Leave a comment

A TUTORIAL ON EFFECTIVE SPIRITUAL WARFARE

Teaching, Training & Commissioning

Chapter  12   Episode  1

TRANSFORMATION

REMOVING THE OBSTACLE OF ANGER

We are told, in Romans 12:2, that as disciples of Jesus, you are not to be conformed to this world, but you are to be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is:  that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

Let’s say that another way.  You are transformed (from the Greek word, “metamorphóō” or metamorphized, metá, “change after being with” and “morphóō”, “changing form in keeping with an inner reality), by the renewing of your mind, which PROVES WHAT THE WILL OF GOD IS:  (#1), That which is good, (#2), that which is acceptable, and, (#3), that which is perfect.

The result is a visible demonstration of God living within you.

There are obstacles to being transformed into a Child of God and becoming a disciple of Jesus and entering the Kingdom of Heaven.  Galatians 5:19-21 tells us of these obstacles and that those who practice these things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

The next ten chapters (episodes) will discuss these obstacles and their remedies.

For your convenience, I have color-coded

  • The Obstacles to your transformation in green,
  • The penalty of the obstacles in purple and
  • The Remedy of the obstacles in Blue.

Episode 1:  Removing the Obstacle of anger requires Reconciliation

Matthew 5:21-22 says “You have heard that the ancients were told, ‘YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT MURDER’ and ‘Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.’

“But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother

shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing,’ shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.

Verse 23 through 25 says, “Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering. “Make friends quickly with your opponent at law while you are with him on the way,

Verses 25 and 26 say “so that your opponent may not hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. “Truly I say to you, you will not come out of there until you have paid up the last cent.

This anger, from the original Greek word, “orgizó”, means to provoke or enrage. It expresses a “fixed anger” and a settled opposition, which is positive when inspired by God, but, always a negative when arising from the flesh.  It is a seething, consuming anger and a wrath full of passion, directed at a person.  This anger intends punishment and vengeance as its objective.

It is a sinful and unnecessary anger which focuses on punishing the offender rather than focusing on the moral content of the offense.

This anger is both an obstacle and a trap. Once ensnared, your effectiveness as a disciple of Jesus is negated.  (In other words, your light is extinguished, and your salt has lost its savor and is good for nothing except to be thrown out and trod under foot of man.)

When this type of anger becomes your ‘mindset’ and is expressed toward another person, it is tantamount to murder. It will sentence you to a lifetime “mental prison” of your own making.

Romans 8:5–6 says, “For 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. For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace.”

The remedy is both simple and difficult. It does not matter if you are innocent of the offense, you must assume full responsibility for both the offense and for reconciliation.  Nothing held back.  Complete forgiveness. This is the only way for the disciple of Jesus.

Remember:  This is a necessary step in your training and preparation in becoming Jesus’ disciple and to effectively engage in this Spiritual war.  You have to pay the price of a disciple, and that cost is high.  Both the religious and secular worlds persecuted Jesus and His followers because of His teachings.  And, they will persecute you, too, if you choose to be His disciple.

Jesus came to show us the way to Life, and He warned that the gate is small and the way that leads to life is both narrow and difficult, and there are few who find it.  This is a big step in that direction.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

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

Please bookmark this page and watch for our next chapter,

“Removing the Obstacle of Lust”

(The previous episode can be found at “The Standard of Righteousness”)

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

EFFECTIVE SPIRITUAL WARFARE – Ch. 11 – The Standard of Righteousness

~ Michael Young, Sr. ~ Leave a comment

A TUTORIAL ON EFFECTIVE SPIRITUAL WARFARE

Teaching, Training & Commissioning

Chapter  11

THE STANDARD is HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS

Matthew 5:17-20  “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.

“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.

“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.

“For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.”

The “Laws and the Prophets” were meant to teach and guide the Jewish people in all their thought and conduct in order to live a life pleasing to God to have success in their affairs.

Then, In one bold and sweeping statement Jesus announces that He is the fulfillment, the revealing and the completion of all the Law and the Prophets spanning their four thousand years of history.

Jesus is saying that His life, ministry and teachings not only explain Law and the Prophets but completes their meanings and requirements.

The significance of this announcement is that not only does it satisfy all the requirement of the Jewish Law, that is the Torah, but, it relegates the Law and the Prophets as being subject to Jesus and His teachings.

The requirements of the law said that in order to be in right standing with God, the Jew had to perfectly obey over 600 laws in order to atone for sin and gain the favor of God, which no one could do.

This is not dissimilar to the person who believes they can earn ‘saving favor’ with God, or can earn their way into heaven by way of their own set of rules or laws of good behaviors and good deeds.

The Jewish Law adequately points out our sinfulness and condemns us for our sin, just as the non-Jew is condemned by their own heart.  Just as the Law is inadequate when it comes to changing our sinful nature and canceling the curse of sin; so is the human heart since it is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked.

We need something better than an external set of Laws or the imaginations of our heart to accomplish that, and that something better is Jesus.

What this leads to is that the disciple of Jesus is not to be bound by and must not adhere to any external Law, social norm, familial, political or national allegiance over their loyalty, allegiance and obedience to Jesus, our Christ.  Doing so is tantamount to the annulment of these commandments, and the teaching others to do the same; that person shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven. This is also the annulment of your effectiveness as a disciple of Christ.  In Jesus’ own words, “Your salt will have lost its savor”.

Secondly, generation after generation of people have been condemned to perish because of their ignorance of God or their rejection of Jesus; and we as “The Called of Christ, are charged with the mission to preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.

This is not a metaphor.  

It is every Christian’s charge and mission.

The time has come when even those who “attend church” do not endure sound doctrine; but they want to have their own way.  So, they seek teachers according to their own self-centered desires.  They turn away from the truth and turn aside to myths. (1 Timothy 4:1-5)

We must be sober in all things, endure hardships, do the work of an evangelist and fulfill our mission and ministry as His disciples.

Finally, know that Jesus is our righteousness which surpasses the righteousness of the scribes and the Pharisees, and only by His Righteousness do we enter the kingdom of heaven.

We have been conditioned and taught to “attend church”, (which, by the way, is a nonsensical term).  We sit, watch, listen, participate in a few good deeds and then go to the relative safety of our homes, having never engaged the enemy of Christ or reached a lost person in Jesus’ Name.

Please, dear loved ones, let’s not be like the son who said he would obey his father, but did not.  Let’s be the son who does what his father asks of him.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

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

Please bookmark this page and watch for our next chapter,

“Removing the Obstacles”

(The previous episode can be found at “The Transformation”)

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

EFFECTIVE SPIRITUAL WARFARE – Ch. 10 – Transformed

~ Michael Young, Sr. ~ Leave a comment

A TUTORIAL ON EFFECTIVE SPIRITUAL WARFARE

Teaching, Training & Commissioning

Chapter  10

THE TRANSFORMATION – A DISCIPLE IS MADE

Matthew 5:13-15.  “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how  can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men.

      “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lamp stand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.  “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

You, as a disciple of Jesus, are sitting with Him as He talks to you and teaches you about the difficulties, and the blessings, of becoming His disciple and entering the Kingdom of God.

He has just called you, “The Light of the World”.  Now, He calls you “salt of the earth”.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

The most common and important seasoning in Israel was salt, demonstrated by how it is referenced throughout the Bible, and by how its use was mandated with most sacrifices (Leviticus 2:13).

You would have been referred to as a person who, like salt, is precious.  In Jesus’ day, salt was a valued commodity. Roman soldiers were sometimes paid with salt, giving rise to the phrase “worth his salt.”

Jesus is saying that, like salt, you, His disciple, would have a preserving influence. Salt was used to preserve and to slow decay. Likewise, Christians should have a preserving influence on their culture.

Disciples, like salt, should add flavor to their community, making the earth a purer and more palatable place to live.

This is one of the tactical maneuvers of our Spiritual warfare.

Then, without pausing, He looks directly at you and says, “But, if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again?”

The word “tasteless” was a familiar word to the Jewish audience of that day as to mean “to be foolish, to turn to foolishness, tainted, and thus: tasteless, made useless.”

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU?

So, the question with which you are faced is:

“If you, as a disciple of Jesus, who should be a preserving influence and a purifying influence on those around you, have lost those qualities and thus, have become useless as a disciple of Jesus, how you can be made useful again?”

This borders on shocking; almost an indictment. The question Jesus is asking is a direct interrogatory. In other words, “if you know of another way, tell me, because there is no other way.”

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?

Then, as if to hammer the point home, Jesus bluntly says, ”It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by people.”

Staying with the metaphor of salt, at that time, garbage would have been disposed by throwing it out, into the street. This explains why once the salt is cast out it will be trodden under the foot of men as useless garbage. A stark warning to the disciples as to the commitment required to follow Jesus as His disciple and the consequence of failure.

Jesus is saying that, if you are going to enter into a covenant agreement to follow Him as His disciple, the standards are impossibly high, the disciplines are impossibly strict, and the commitment is for life.

We should be reminded of another time Jesus was talking to His disciples, “Truly I say to you, it will be hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven. And again I say to you, 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 very astonished and said, “Then who can be saved?”

And looking at them, Jesus said, “With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

The Disciples’ Reward

Somehow, you would expect it would be Peter to respond to Jesus and boldly ask, “We have left everything and followed You; what is in this for us?”

Jesus answered Peter and said, “Truly I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

“And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or farms for My name’s sake, will receive many times as much, now in this life, and in the age to come, will inherit eternal life.”

The good news is that God is eternally faithful to finish the work He has begun in you. He is rich in grace and abounding in mercy and loving kindness. Jesus reminds you that His burden is light, and His yoke is easy and that all who come to Him will find rest for their soul, and He will in no way cast you out.  Jesus saves!

The war is raging, people are perishing, and Jesus is calling you and me to join Him in “His Great Rescue”.  So, now that you know a little more, will you still follow Him and join Him on this Mission?

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

CAUTION:  “Jesus said to him, “No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”  Luke 9:62

Let’s endure to the End!

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

Please bookmark this page and watch for our next chapter,

“The Standard”

(The previous episode can be found at “The Blessings”)

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

EFFECTIVE SPIRITUAL WARFARE – Ch. 9 – The Blessings

~ Michael Young, Sr. ~ Leave a comment

A TUTORIAL ON EFFECTIVE SPIRITUAL WARFARE

Teaching, Training & Commissioning

Chapter  9

THE BLESSINGS

Matthew 5:1-11.  “When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying,

       “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

       “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

       “Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.

       “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

       “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

       “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

       “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

       “Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

       “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. 12 “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

It sounds odd that being poor in spirit, mourning, being insulted and persecuted could be considered a blessing.  But, this is the Process of Sanctification which brings the blessing, which is the fruit of righteousness in one’s life.  “Righteousness” as defined by the Bible, is right standing with God and with man.  It produces the fruit of the Holy Spirit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

This is the process by which a person is transformed into a Disciple of Jesus:

SANCTIFICATION is the process you experience after you fully surrender your life to God, His Purposes and His Ways. God will, through the work of the Holy Spirit and through circumstances, strip away your old life and make you into a new creation.  New in your mind, body and spirit.

Sanctify:  Is the Greek word, “hagiazo” (hag-ee-ad’-zo), To make holy, consecrate, sanctify; to dedicate, separate, set apart for God; To purify, make conformable in character to such dedication; Forensically, to free from guilt.

Holy: (“Sanctify” comes from the word Hagios which means holy; it is a characteristic of God, to be separated to God, to be worthy of veneration.  In the moral sense of sharing God’s purity: Of pure, clean sacrifices and offerings.

Most of us may work hard to avoid this most difficult, painful and bewildering process.  But, actually, it is the amazing, supernatural work of God transforming us into His Own, children of Light.

By the Hand of God and by way of this process, you will become:

Poor in Spirit:  Literally, to be crushed in your spirit; to be pinched by toil, hopelessness and extreme poverty; A beggar with no hope of rescue, on the verge of death and perishing.

 One Who Mourns:  “Mourning”.  An understandable response upon finding yourself severely pinched by poverty, reduced to begging; destitute with no influence, no position; lowly, afflicted and helpless; powerless to change your circumstances for the better; lacking in anything and terrified.

 Gentle in Spirit:  You may have now had enough time to reflect on what has happened, and you lapse into a time of quiet, gentle appearing reflection. Your emotions and spirit are quieted for a time.

 Hungering & Thirsting for Righteousness:  The ‘calm the followed the storm’ in your soul.  The storm of your life behind you, you were actually hungry, in need of nourishment.  It is the same in our spirit.  It is usually at this point that we begin to make life-decisions.  

For those being redeemed by the mercies of God, the process is to ‘hunger and thirst for right-thinking and right living’:  which is the very definition of Righteousness.

It is through this process that we gain new insights and understanding.

Merciful:  The word ‘mercy’ in this verse literally means “kindness or good will towards the miserable and the afflicted, joined with a desire to help them; of men towards men: to exercise the virtue of mercy, show one’s self merciful

 Pure in Heart:  Showing mercy is a sign that our hearts are changing and become pure in the sight of God.  We are being transformed in what we see and in how we see.  We are beginning to see matters as God sees them.

 A Peacemaker:  A peace will begin to settle over the heart and mind of the redeemed and sanctified Believer.  We, not only begin to experience ‘a peace that passes understanding’ from our deepening relationship with God, but we begin to demonstrate and practice that peace of God which earns us the title “sons (and daughters) of God”.  We are being made into His image.

 Persecuted for Righteousness: 

The bible tells us, it is at this time, we inherit and possess the Kingdom of Heaven with all the rights, responsibilities and authority of a son of God, a joint heir with Jesus.

This statement is staggering, even for the fully devoted and fully surrendered follower of Jesus.  And, it is too rich and too profound for the “casual Christian” or “casual Believer” to begin to understand.

 The Light of the World:  This is what “Entire Sanctification” looks like.  These verses should leave the child of God breathless. Jesus tells us in John 8:12  that He calls Himself, “The Light of the World”, and, again in John 9:5 Jesus says, “As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” 

Jesus is now calling you by that name!  Truly, in His Image.

Your training is now, well under way.  You are being made ready for the Teachings of The Master.  It is now beginning.

“I pray that the eyes of our heart may be enlightened, so that we will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints.”

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

A Note Of Caution:  You can resist the sanctifying work of God, and if you do, Jesus tells us in Matthew 5:13 that, “It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men.”

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

Please bookmark this page and watch for our next chapter,

“The Transformation”

(The previous episode can be found at “The Works”)

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