THE WORDS OF JESUS

Creative, Causative, Prophetic, Instructional – Part 34

“I will; be clean.”

”When he came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him. And behold, a leper came to him and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean. And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. And Jesus said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a proof to them.” – The Words of Jesus, Matthew 8:1-4.

Imagine this scene with me, if you will: When Jesus came down from the mountain, large crowds followed Him. Dozens, hundreds, thousands of people? Such an audience, full of questions, anticipation and perhaps, excitement.

And a leper came up to Him in this throng of perhaps thousands of people,  and bowed down before Him. Most likely, no one noticed at first. No one except Jesus. And, if anyone had noticed, they would have been, no doubt, terrified and repelled by this man’s disease.

The leper spoke, “Lord, if You are willing, You are able to make me clean (well).” Again, how could he have been heard above the crowd noise? Nonetheless, Jesus reached out His hand and touched him. He touched him despite the disease, despite the potential reaction from the crowd, and said, “I am willing; be cleansed.”

Immediately, his leprosy was cleansed.

There are many more millions who claim to be Christ followers, Christians, and deny that these things happen any longer. I have personally heard those who attend church regularly and open declare they are Christians, say these miracles have ceased, “ with no Biblical justification. They say that Jesus did these things to draw crowds, and since He has been crucified and His Church established, these things (miracles) are no longer necessary”, or so they say. And, by the words of their mouth, it has come to pass – at least in their presence.

Jesus said the reason miracles had ceased or slowed, or that even He could do few things in some places, was because of their “unbelief’ (see Matthew 17:20 and Mark 6:1-6 ).

Imagine, at any time, anyone standing in judgement on Jesus’ ability or standing in judgement on the veracity of the Holy Scriptures. A terrifying thought.

Nonetheless, Jesus said to the now-cleansed-leper, “See that you tell no one [about this]; but go, show yourself to the priest [for inspection] and present the offering that Moses commanded, as a testimony (evidence) to them [of your healing].”

This man is restored physically, undoubtedly renewed spiritually and ready to be reintegrated into society. Made whole, made safe, healed; the very definition of ‘to be saved’ (sozo).

Finally, what about the crowd? Where have they gone? They aren’t mentioned again. They must still have been there, watching. Our attention is drawn away from the crowed and what they think. It doesn’t matter. The business at hand is Jesus healing a person in need. That is what matters. That is all that has ever mattered. You and Jesus, renewing your spirit, saving your soul, healing your mind, body and spirit.

If He calls you, come to Him. If you come to Him, ignore the crowds – they are just a curious distraction. Follow Jesus, only.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

NEXT: THE WORDS OF JESUS – What Are You To Do With Them?, “I will come and heal him…”

PREVIOUS: NEXT:  THE WORDS OF JESUS – What Are You To Do With Them?, “Build your house on the Rock…”

A seminary professor recently remarked that in his 40-something years in ministry as a pastor, teacher and professor, training young men and women for ministry, he has never seen such a dearth of young men desiring to become pastors. He attributes this decline to the complexities of requirements, the mounting pressures of becoming more than a pastor to be a pastor and fear; the fear of having to say things that society is becoming increasingly hostile toward. The fear of speaking Biblical truth that results in rejection, animosity and isolation from society at large and even in the church, in part.

TO ASPIRING PASTORS:  Don’t come if you are not called. If you are fearful of what you will have to say, don’t come.

If you do come, fear not! And, don’t let the crowds rule you – they are just a curious distraction. Follow Jesus, alone.

THE WORDS OF JESUS

Creative, Causative, Prophetic, Instructional – Part 33

Build Your House on the Rock

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.” – The Words of Jesus, Matthew 7:24-27

Having issued His warning that “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven” and to some who erroneously thought they were following Him, He will say, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’  Jesus continues His teaching, speaking to “everyone who hears these words of mine and does them…”

IMPORTANT NOTE: Only those who truly know Him “can hear His words and can do them”, for His Words are the will of His Father.

There are thousands upon millions of people who consider themselves as Christians and believe they will inherit the Kingdom of Heaven, but they will not. They are living a strange and impotent form of Christianity, a strange form of the Gospel which they have created from their own imagination, in their own image, according to their own wishes and desires. Jesus address this matter by giving instructions and showing the results of obedience to His spiritual disciplines, and what happens to those who have another way.

You need to ask yourself which group you inhabit.

Group #1:  “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them, will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.”

First, this hearkens to Matthew 16:18 when Jesus says, “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.” In this verse, Jesus explain “two rocks”.

#1. Peter, which comes from the Greek words, “Pétros”, meaning “a detached stone or a small rock“.

#2. “Pétra” which translates from the Greek word for a “a huge mass of rock, a boulder, such as a projecting cliff. Solid native rock, rising up through the earth”.

Jesus is going to use many ‘detached stones’, coming together into “a huge mass of rock, a boulder, such as a projecting cliff. Solid native rock, rising up through the earth” and resting upon the chief cornerstone, the “Lithos”.

• Psalm 118:22

A stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone.

• Matthew 21:42

Jesus *said to them, “Did you never read in the Scriptures, ‘A stone which the builders rejected, This has become the chief cornerstone; This came about from the Lord, And it is marvelous in our eyes’?

• Mark 12:10

Have you not even read this Scripture: ‘A stone which the builders rejected, This has become the chief cornerstone;

• Luke 20:17

But Jesus looked at them and said, “Then what is this statement that has been written: ‘A stone which the builders rejected, This has become the chief cornerstone’?

• Acts 4:11

He is the stone which was rejected by you, the builders, but which became the chief cornerstone.

• 1 Peter 2:7

This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for unbelievers, “A stone which the builders rejected, This became the chief cornerstone,”

Secondly, notice “it will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.” You will not escape trials and tribulations having built your ‘home’ upon this Rock, but you will not fall. You will endure successfully to the end.

Group #2:  Finally, Jesus clearly states, “And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”

Great, “Megas”, exceedingly large in the widest sense; loud, mighty, enduring.

Fall of it, “Ptosis”, a falling into ruin. This word comes from a root word, “piptó” which means to fall under condemnation.

Jesus, in the previous verses, warns that He will tell some who are deceived and disobedient to the Father, “Depart from Me, I never knew you”. He casts them out. Now, He is warning of condemnation for the foolish man who would ‘build his house on the sand’, a metaphor for ‘doing things your own way, from your own imagination, in their own image, according to their own wishes and desires.”.

This will conclude, for now, these teachings of preparation to walk as Jesus’ disciple in His footsteps, doing the works He has done and greater works than these.

The importance of these verses cannot be over-emphasized.  Be a wise man or woman, who builds their house on the rock, and when the rain falls, and the floods come, and the winds blow and beat on your house, as they will, you will not fall, because you have been founded on the rock.”

 

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

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THE WORDS OF JESUS

Creative, Causative, Prophetic, Instructional – Part 32

“I Never Knew You”

 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ – The Words of Jesus, Matthew 7:21-23

This is a continuation of the thoughts and teaching of the preceding verses, which warn against false prophets. Jesus now expands His warning to include “everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord’, but do does not do the will of My Father who is in heaven.”

Consider the gravity of what Jesus is saying. On the one hand, Jesus says, “Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28). Now, He says, “depart from me, you workers of lawlessness”?

This ‘lawlessness’ is disobedience to the Word of God which God considers a gross injustice, immorality, corruption and sin.

(The old question then arises, ‘was that person ever really saved’ or did they ‘lose their salvation’? Let me say this clearly: It does not matter what came before. It only matters that they are being cast out.)

Secondly, take careful notice that, ”On that day many will say to me…” To use a colloquial expression, ‘there will be a shockwave of surprise and disbelief’ when we get to heaven to see how many did not make it! Just make sure you are among the many who are not there.

The final exclamatory point is that ‘your works will not earn you a place in heaven’. No amount of good deeds, prophecy or casting out of demons will get you (or keep you?) saved.

Let’s all, please consider these things:

“But I say, walk habitually in the [Holy] Spirit [seek Him and be responsive to His guidance], and then you will certainly not carry out the desire of the sinful nature [which responds impulsively without regard for God and His precepts]. For the sinful nature has its desire which is opposed to the Spirit, and the [desire of the] Spirit opposes the sinful nature; for these [two, the sinful nature and the Spirit] are in direct opposition to each other [continually in conflict], so that you [as believers] do not [always] do whatever [good things] you want to do. But if you are guided and led by the Spirit, you are not subject to the Law. Now the practices of the sinful nature are clearly evident: they are sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality (total irresponsibility, lack of self-control), idolatry, [k]sorcery, hostility, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions [that promote heresies], envy, drunkenness, riotous behavior, and other things like these. I warn you beforehand, just as I did previously, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” (See Galatians 5:16-21.)

KEY POINTS:

• These things keep you from doing the things you want to do.
• Those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

If you acknowledge and confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord [recognizing His power, authority, and majesty as God], and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart a person believes [in Christ as Savior] resulting in his justification [that is, being made righteous–being freed of the guilt of sin and made acceptable to God]; and with the mouth he acknowledges and confesses [his faith openly], resulting in and confirming [his] salvation. For the Scripture says, “WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM [whoever adheres to, trusts in, and relies on Him] WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED [in his expectations]. (See Romans 8:10-11)

KEY POINTS:

• Confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord.
• Believe in your heart that God raised Him from the Dead.

“Then, Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to follow Me [as My disciple], he must deny himself [set aside selfish interests], and take up his cross [expressing a willingness to endure whatever may come] and follow Me [believing in Me, conforming to My example in living and, if need be, suffering or perhaps dying because of faith in Me]. (See Matthew 16:24)

KEY POINTS:

• Deny yourself and take up His cross.

“But the fruit of the Spirit [the result of His presence within us] is love [unselfish concern for others], joy, [inner] peace, patience [not the ability to wait, but how we act while waiting], kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature together with its passions and appetites.

If we [claim to] live by the [Holy] Spirit, we must also walk by the Spirit [with personal integrity, godly character, and moral courage–our conduct empowered by the Holy Spirit]. We must not become conceited, challenging or provoking one another, envying one another”. (See Galatians 5:22-26)

KEY POINTS:

• We must walk by the Holy Spirit.

Let’s pray for and encourage one another to follow and obey Jesus.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

“If we say 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.”

PREVIOUS:  THE WORDS OF JESUS – What Are You To Do With Them? “Beware of False Prophets”, Part 31

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THE WORDS OF JESUS

Creative, Causative, Prophetic, Instructional – Part 31

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, you will recognize them by their fruits.” – The Words of Jesus, Matthew 7:15-20.

Pseudoprophḗtēs – False Prophets. Someone pretending to speak the word of the Lord (prophesy) but in fact is a phony, an imposter, acting as a wolf in sheep’s clothing, specializing in “the art of misimpression,” like about how they were “commissioned” by the Lord to touch the world with their message. But when in fact, they operate by self and for self, so they must be exposed for what they are – and are not! (Strong’s Concordance).

 Another example of warnings against false prophets, found in Matthew 24:4-5, is when His disciples asked Him about the end of the age and the sign of His coming. Interestingly, before He answered their questions, Jesus issues this warning: “Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many.” Matthew 24:4-5.

So, what’s the big deal? Why is this so important? After all, “once saved, always saved”, right?

This is a warning against ‘roaming from safety, truth, or virtue; against being led astray, being seduced to wander’. This comes from the Greek word “deceive” or “deceived”.

First, Jesus is specifically instructing and warning His disciples.  Jesus is telling them (and us), in Matthew 7:15-20, that false prophets will appear among up in disguise, as ‘in sheep’s clothing’, a reference perhaps to appearing gentle and more likely appearing to be one of you – Jesus’ disciples. But inwardly, they are ravenous wolves.

A ravenous wolf is an angry predator, hungry to devour its prey. His or her nourishment is your destruction and the subjugation of the Gospel. Beware.

Jesus then instructs that “You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit.”

This is simple to read and easy to understand. The problem comes once you are ‘under the spell’ of a false prophet. It is hard to break away. It is hard to leave the ‘other sheep’ or friends you have made in that fellowship. But all are in danger, and you must listen to these words of Jesus and follow them.

I cannot recount all the times I have experienced or seen, what appeared to be a good man, a pastor, after years of ministry, finally reveal that he was inwardly a ravenous wolf. He had been stalking, planning, and preparing his prey for years, and now he strikes, leaving broken lives, broken souls scattered around ‘his church’.

More grievously, I have witnessed hundreds and hundreds of faithful Christians’ lives and souls devastated as they fell prey to these men and women who are inwardly wild, dog-like, spiritual carnivores. I heard one woman in such a situation say that their family could not leave this man (the preacher) and that church because they had been there so long. “I cannot throw the baby out with the bathwater”, she cried. Others just ‘go along to get along’ and pay the awful price required, becoming more like the wolf than they realize, day-by-day “becoming a diseased tree, bearing bad fruit.” (The Apostle Paul also warned, “Do not be misled; bad company corrupts good character. Come back to your senses as you should, and stop sinning. 1 Corinthians 15:33-34)

What Jesus says next has been grappled with by theologians since it was spoken, “Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” Beware, indeed!

What follows is Jesus’ gravest of warning to those who believe they are His followers and disciples:

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

Then, Jesus’ final words on this matter will be to “Build your house on the Rock”, which we will visit in the next few episodes.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

PREVIOUS:  THE WORDS OF JESUS – What Are You To Do With Them? Part 30, “Enter by the Narrow Gate…”

NEXT:  THE WORDS OF JESUS – What Are You To Do With Them? Part 32, “I never knew you…”

“But understand this, that in these last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith. But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was that of those two men.

“Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,  while evil people and imposters will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3)

THE WORDS OF JESUS

Creative, Causative, Prophetic, Instructional – Part 30

“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide, and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow, and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”

The Words of Jesus, Matthew 7:13-14

Anyone and everyone, who wishes, can read these Words of Jesus. But it is a mistake to think everyone can hear them or do them. “To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables, so that “‘they may indeed see but not perceive, and may indeed hear but not understand, lest they should turn and be forgiven.’” (Mark 4:11-12)

It is of utmost importance that as you read the foregoing verses, you realize they are written specifically to Jesus’ disciples, and if you count yourself among those who are following Jesus, He has said these Words to you.

Remember, His Words are creative, causative, prophetic and instructional. You cannot escape them. You must embrace them.

Everything Jesus says and teaches is built on what He said previously. He is building His Church – you and me – upon a strong foundation so you and I can withstand the storms, the winds and floods and accomplish His Mission. Each and every layer of this foundation is exact, leading to His perfecting of the saints.

What Jesus is saying now seems to depart from what He has been teaching, but have taught the basics, He is now going deeper, directing our steps, warning us of the deceptions we may face.

It would seem that having come this far and having become His disciple, that the rest would be smooth sailing. But dangers lurk at every turn. Jesus warns, we are to ‘enter by the narrow gate’; this is the ‘strait gate’ which is not only pent-up, restrictive and requires singleness of purpose, it is hard to find, and few will find it.

This narrow gate is like the ‘eye of the needle’: Jesus has said to his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. Again, I tell 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.” (Matthew 19:23-24)

Please listen carefully. If you are going through life, seeking the easy way to follow Jesus, you may be at the wrong gate.

If you go to church and never come away without a sense of brokenness and a sorrow for your sins, you may be at the wrong gate.

If you are always demanding from God and are rarely giving to God the sacrifice of obedience, then you may be at the wrong gate.

If your life habits and practices mirror the world around you, then you are definitely at the wrong gate. You are at the wide gate, where the way is easy, but it leads to destruction, and you are among the many who are entering by the wrong gate!

It is important to remember that we are living in the Last Days, as described by:

• The Apostle Paul in Hebrews 1:2, Hebrews 9:26,
• The Apostle Peter in Acts 2:14-17, 1 Peter 1:20, 1 Peter 4:7,  2 Peter 3:3.
• The Apostle Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:1,

The Apostle Paul warned that God would send a strong delusion, so that those outside the Kingdom may believe what is false, in order that all may be condemned because they did not believe the truth, and they had their pleasure in unrighteousness. (2nd Thessalonians 2:11-12).

You know the way. It is “the gate is narrow, and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

PS: I remember running track in high school. I wanted to just show up and prance around the track, win a race, get a ribbon and take a bow. But that is not how it works. Winning is hard. It takes hard work, sacrifice, patience, endurance and at times it is painful. But you have to decide for yourself if it is worth it. I know it’s worth it. You just have to do it.

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:1-2).

PREVIOUS:  THE WORDS OF JESUS – What Are You To Do With Them? Part 29, “Do unto others…”

NEXT:  THE WORDS OF JESUS – What Are You To Do With Them? Part 31, “Beware of false prophets…”

THE WORDS OF JESUS

 

Creative, Causative, Prophetic, Instructional – Part 27

“Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, because they will trample them underfoot and turn to attack you and tear you to pieces.” – The Words of Jesus, Matthew 7:6

Holy refers to that which is sacred, physically pure, morally blameless or religious, ceremonially, consecrated – most holy one or thing; A follower of Christ, The Word or deeds of God.

The “pearl” as mentioned here, comes from a proverb, meaning to thrust the most sacred and precious teachings of the gospel upon the most wicked and abandoned men, incompetent as they are, through their hostility to the gospel, to receive them, and thus to profane them.

A dog, universally despised in the East, comes from the Greek word ‘kyon‘ literally, a scavenging canine; figuratively, a spiritual predator who feeds off others.  A loose dog was disdained in ancient times – viewed as a “mooch pooch” that ran about as a scavenger.

The swine was forbidden as food by the Levitical law, ( Leviticus 11:7 ; 14:8 ) the abhorrence which the Jews as a nation had of it may be inferred from (Isaiah 65:4 ). Swine were considered ceremonially unclean and naturally filthy animals.

They were also associated with demons (Mark 5:11-13), and another time swine and dogs are mentioned together (2 Pet. 2:22), they are associated with “false prophets”, who, like Balaam, knew the way of God but had “forsaken the right way”, men who had “known the way of righteousness”, but chose to “turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them”, showing they were Hebrews who were never saved (1 John 2:19).

This might raise questions. Why would Jesus, on the one hand, tell His disciples to “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to follow all that I commanded you” and, on the other hand, “Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs”?

Is this a contradiction or a controversy, or is there a distinction?  The answer to these questions must be found by considering ‘the dogs’ and ‘the swine’ as representing, not men and women as such, but the passions of this kind or that which make them brutish. So long as they identify themselves with those passions, we must deal cautiously and wisely with them, as one would with an aggressive dog or a swine.

The dogs and swine of these verses represent those people who are hardened and altogether incapable of receiving evangelic truth, and to whom that which is holy is utterly foreign and distasteful. The capacity to discern, distinguish, or to discriminate the source of a spiritual manifestation — whether it emanates from a good or evil spirit (i.e., a ‘dog’ or a ‘swine’), is the gift and ability of discerning of spirits which is bestowed by the Holy Spirit to Christian believer.

One certain way to discern a spirit is that “Anyone who confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God”. (1 John 4:15). Conversely, they do not know Him and are not from Him.

EXAMPLE: While members of a Nazarene church, we had a youth pastor whose attitudes, speech and behavior were not lining up with the Biblical qualifications to serve as a pastor.

Since he was teaching our sons, I asked him what he thought it took to be saved. His answer was ‘believe in God’. I pressed him further, asking if he had ever ‘confessed with his mouth that Jesus is Lord and believed in his heart that God raised him from the dead’?

He asked, “where did you get that idea?”

I told him it comes from the Apostle Paul, Romans chapter 10.

His answer was, ‘That was just something Paul said. After all, Helen Keller was a mute, so she could never say that, but she was a Christian”.

I continued, “So, you are saying you have never confessed your sins to God, asked forgiveness, confessed Jesus as Lord, and submitted yourself to Him?”

He repeated that these things were not necessary as long as he believed in God, his way. After our encounter, he began to gossip about our talk.

Our senior pastor did not see any failings, contradictions or conflicts of interest, so, I had little choice but to remove my sons from this influence.

I resigned my position within that church, and we left that denomination. (The senior pastor followed up by retaliating against me, as well as preaching against me from his pulpit.)

EXAMPLE #2:  I once counseled a man who claimed to be a Christian, who had been charged with acts of sexual deviancy. At one point in our discussions, he told me that God understood his weakness toward sexual matters, had forgiven him, and that he could now continue to behave in that manner with impunity from God.

I felt a degree of compassion toward this man, knowing that this behavior would make his life a living hell and would destroy his chances in life. So, told this man that his attitude and behavior demonstrated a complete lack of understand of salvation and a severe addiction that required extensive therapy, and that he most likely was not a Christian and was in rebellion toward God and His Word.

He became defiant and angry and hostile.

I ended our sessions. Both these rather obvious examples led me to ‘discern’ that I was right to “not give dogs what is holy, and not to throw pearls before swine, because they will trample them underfoot and turn to attack me and tear me to pieces.

” Tragic? Yes. Difficult Yes. Necessary? Also, yes. The takeaway?

I am leaving this to you. Please let me and others know what you see as the takeaways.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

PREVIOUS: THE WORDS OF JESUS – What Are You To Do With Them? Part 26, “Judge not that you be not judged…”

NEXT:  THE WORDS OF JESUS – What Are You To Do With Them? Part 28, “Ask, seek and knock…”

THE WORDS OF JESUS

Creative, Causative, Prophetic, Instructional – Part 25

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Philippians 4:6

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

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

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THE WORDS OF JESUS

Creative, Causative, Prophetic, Instructional – Part 24

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sola Christo. Sola Scriptura.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

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

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

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

PREVIOUS:  THE WORDS OF JESUS – What Are You To Do With Them? Part 23, “The Eye is the Lamp of the body…”

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THE WORDS OF JESUS

Creative, Causative, Prophetic, Instructional – Part 23

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

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

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

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

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

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

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

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

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

PREVIOUS:  THE WORDS OF JESUS – What Are You To Do With Them? Part 22, “Do not lay up treasures on earth…”

NEXT:  THE WORDS OF JESUS – What Are You To Do With Them?, Part 24, “No one can serve two masters…”

THE WORDS OF JESUS

Creative, Causative, Prophetic, Instructional – Part 22

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

The Words of Jesus, Matthew 6:19-21

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

NEXT:  THE WORDS OF JESUS – What Are You To Do With Them? Part 23, “The eye is the lamp of your body…”

PREVIOUS:  THE WORDS OF JESUS – What Are You To Do With Them? Part 21. “And when you fast.“

THE WORDS OF JESUS

Creative, Causative, Prophetic, Instructional – Part 21

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

 The Words of Jesus, Matthew 6:16-18

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

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

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

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

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

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

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

NEXT:  THE WORDS OF JESUS – What Are You To Do With Them? Part 22, “Laying up treasures…”

PREVIOUS: THE WORDS OF JESUS – What Are You To Do With Them? Part 20, “And when you pray…”

THE WORDS OF JESUS

Creative, Causative, Prophetic, Instructional – Part 20

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

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

The Words of Jesus, Matthew 6:10-14

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Pray then like this:

“My Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.

 

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

 

Give me this day my daily bread,

 

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

 

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

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

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

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

NEXT:  THE WORDS OF JESUS – What Are You To Do With Them? Part 21, “And when you fast…”

PREVIOUS: THE WORDS OF JESUS – What Are You To Do With Them? Part 19, “And when you pray…”

THE WORDS OF JESUS

Creative, Causative, Prophetic, Instructional – Part 19

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Jesus gives us a model for prayer when He says,

“Pray then like this:

“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name,

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

“Give us this day our daily bread,

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

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

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

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

Remember, confess and admit His sovereignty and presence.

Ask for your daily sustenance from God, alone.

Confess your sins before God, and

Pray for His deliverance, daily

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

NEXT:  THE WORDS OF JESUS – What Are You To Do With Them? Part 20, “Thy Kingdom Come”.

PREVIOUS:  THE WORDS OF JESUS – What Are You To Do With Them? Part 18, “And when you pray…”

THE WORDS OF JESUS

Creative, Causative, Prophetic, Instructional – Part 18

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

The Words of Jesus, Matthew 6:5-6

PRACTICAL, POSITIONAL, TRANSCENDING?

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

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

Completely confound you,

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

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

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

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

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

Here is exactly what Jesus taught and practiced about prayer:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(1), interact with Him,

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

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

Confusing? Let’s try to simplify.

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

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

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

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

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

NEXT: THE WORDS OF JESUS – What Are You To Do With Them? Part 19, “Do not use vain repetitions when praying.”

PREVIOUS: THE WORDS OF JESUS – What Are You To Do With Them? Part 17, Practicing your righteousness.

THE WORDS OF JESUS

Creative, Causative, Prophetic, Instructional – Part 17

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

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

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

THE ‘LITMUS’ TEST

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

 

 

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

NEXT:  THE WORDS OF JESUS – What Are You To Do With Them? Part 18, The Lord’s Prayer.

PREVIOUS:  THE WORDS OF JESUS – What Are You To Do With Them? Part 16, Love your enemies.

A VERY BIG P.S.:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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