Have you heard the parable about the man who is yelled at by his boss; the man goes home in a foul mood and kicks his dog; the dog, in turn, bites the cat; the cat then shreds the sofa; the wife, seeing the cat clawing the sofa, swats at the cat; and on it goes?

One act incites another act and sets off a chain reaction. It happens every second of every day. The resulting causes and effects, in a world of almost eight billion people, are incalculable.

This is similar to the expression or idiom ‘the butterfly effect’. The Butterfly Effect is the idea that a small change, action, or event can cause a much larger one elsewhere or in the future through a chain reaction. (An allusion to chaos theory, popularized by the notion that a butterfly flapping its wings in one part of the world might cause a tornado many miles away.)

THE POINT

This leads me to my point. Have you ever heard anyone say, “If God was such a loving God, why does He allow bad things to happen?”

First let me say that anyone who asks such a question is probably the victim of an unfortunate turn of events or a recipient of ill-treatment and asks this type of question out of anger, angst, self-pity, confusion or ignorance of God and probably couldn’t define ‘the butterfly effect’.

The Bible deals thoroughly with why ‘bad things happen to good people’ and why, to some, it appears that God allows bad things to happen.

NOTE:  If you claim that you do not believe in God or that you do not believe the Bible, and choose to ignore what the Bible says, your desire to continue uninformed (ignorant), angry, full of angst and self-pity is sad. It is also self-centered.

I appeal to you to read on, consider what is written, then decided. Please.

FREE WILL

First and foremost, The bible tells us that God created the heavens and the earth and all that is in them. (Interestingly, the Bible informs us that It is the very breath of God then He created man and woman, and it is most important to know that God created humankind with what is called a ‘free will’. Men and women are created with the ability to make their own decisions in life, whether they are informed or uninformed.

Some people prefer to ‘read the instructions’ first, get directions or ask advice before launching out own their own. Some others, however, prefer the ‘trial and error’ method of learning. Both can lead to unfortunate or even disastrous results at times, but the ‘informed’ have always fared much better than the ‘free wheelers’, and why does it matter which method you choose? Collateral damage from cause-and-effect is why. You not only hurt yourself, you hurt others. (Further reading on ‘free will’ by Pastor/Teacher John Piper)

THE GOOD AND THE BAD

The Bible unequivocally states “God causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous”, a euphemism for both good things, fortunate and advantageous things happen to both good people and evil people. Likewise, bad and evil things, unfortunate or disastrous things can also happen to both good and bad people.

So, don’t be surprised when ‘stuff happens’.

IT’S HIS FAULT – IT’S HER FAULT – IT’S GOD’S FAULT

The Bible unashamedly defines and good and evil and assigns these attributes and identifies and profiles those who possess these character qualities. (See the account of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden). The Bible even tells us that we are defined as a ‘good or bad’ person by the things we continually, practice (See Galatians chapter 5). The Bible tells us we may ‘inherit’ these qualities (“as far as the 3^rd of 4^th generation), so we may know where these taught and learned behaviors come from, but the responsibility and the consequences lie with the perpetrator, although the consequences are also shared – they spread like a ‘butterfly effect’.

Back to our opening example of cause and effect, imagine EIGHT BILLION people, each individual setting off a chain of events at one time. Each event affecting tens, thousands, millions and even billions of other people, causing them to react, either through:

Sexual immorality, impurity, indecent behavior,  idolatry, witchcraft, hostilities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions,  envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these,

(Of which God forewarns us, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.)

Or with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness, and self-control.

The summary is that although God created all things and all people, they were created with a mind and a will of their own. God created people with the ability to think and to reason, and with the power to choose.

God created a world in which things happen, and we, as human beings, have been given the ability to think and reason, so we have ascribed good to some things and bad or evil to other things.

Reasoned out, we can see that good things can happen to both good people and evil people. Likewise, bad things can happen to both good and evil people as well.

Taken together, in a world of 8 billion people, the cause and effect brings both good and bad things, and the interactions and numbers of ongoing events are incalculable.

Things are made more unpredictable and increasingly worse when people behavior and actions are taken without regard to outcomes.

The Collateral damage from cause-and-effect, as demonstrated by the Butterfly Effect, could be worse than inconvenient in our modern world of advanced technology, it could be a ‘world ending event’.

TELL ME HOW

Would it be great if there was a way to anticipate what was coming or how to avoid or navigate what does come upon us. What if ‘read the instructions’ first, so to speak, or to get directions and ask advice before launching out on our own depending on a ‘trial and error’ method of acting, avoiding or learning?  Wouldn’t we have a chance to fare much better?  I realize that we cannot always avoid unfortunate or even disastrous circumstances at times, even if we are prepared. But the ‘informed’ have always fared much better than the ‘I’ll take my chances, trial-and-error-free-wheeler types’.

So, where can you go for dependable advice? I strongly suggest the Bible. The Bible was written about 3,400 years ago and was completed about 1,900 years ago. So, it has longevity over a broad period of time through all kinds of circumstances. (Here is a comprehensive Biblical and Historical Timeline chart covering 3,000 B.C. through our current day.)

BUT IS IT DEPENDABLE?

The odds are 1 to 100, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000 (Stated another way, that is 1 to 10 to the 157th power)

These are the odds against – yes, AGAINST – Jesus Christ having fulfilled just 48 of the over 450 prophecies written about Him.

In order to give you some perspective, electrons are very small objects. They’re smaller than atoms. It would take 2.5 TIMES 10 to the 15th power of them, laid side by side, to make one inch. Even if we counted 250 of these electrons each minute, and counted day and night, it would still take 19 million years just to count a line of electrons one-inch long.  19 MILLION YEARS!

Read that again, please.  Why is that significant?

It is significant because it gives us evidence that the Bible is true and correct when it says that Christ Jesus came to earth and is the Savior of the world.

It gives YOU evidence, if you choose to pay attention, that your life can be eternal with the only LIFE source which gives eternal Peace, Safety, Security, Joy and fulfillment the universe has ever known or ever will know.

Just think about it: It is a scientific and a mathematical impossibility that HAS COME TO PASS! 

Nothing, no one, and no odds can defy the REALITY of Jesus Christ.

So here you stand – at the PRECIPICE of the End of this Age.  Only a few prophecies are yet to be fulfilled.

This is the “final yard”, so to speak. But it is going to be the FINAL and the TOUGHEST of eschatological yards. Some so-called theologians or Bible teachers say, “It’s already happened”. Some so-called theologians or Bible teachers say “It won’t happen”

But, the evidence says, “It is in the process of happening”.

FINALLY!

It has been said, “What really matters is what you do with what you have”, and this can include material possessions as well as circumstances. The Bible is replete with instruction and examples on doing your best to do what is right in order to obtain the best outcomes.

You can change the trajectory of your life, whether for good or for ill, by the choices you make. It matters little that you set and reach an unobtainable objective, it matters how you go about the effort. Just remember that for ill or for good, you will have to live with the outcome.

Choose to be good and to do good. Choose to live well, and when it’s over, you will have the satisfaction of knowing you have passed the ways to success to others – on the wings of The Butterfly.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

PS: A wise person will hear what the Bible says:  If you really want a life both worth living and worth dying for, follow Jesus. Take up His cause, doing things His way, and “you will receive a hundred times as much now in the present age, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, along with persecutions; and in the age to come, eternal life.”

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”  John 3:16.

There He hung on a cruel Roman cross for all to see. The humiliation, the shame, the pain. But make no mistake, He had changed everything, forever. Neither the cosmos nor this world would ever be the same again. IT HAD BEGUN!

And “This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” 1 John 4:10.

Friends, let’s love one another; for love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love. By this the love of God was revealed in us, that God has sent His only Son into the world so that we may live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him.” 1 John 4:6 7 & 16.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

“Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS.”

Matthew 11:28-29

AN URGENT PROPHETIC WORD

Do you ever feel worn down and worn out? Your spirit is so downcast that you wonder if you will ever be able to get up again? Do you just feel like crying from spiritual, emotional and physical exhaustion, sometimes? Perhaps, you have tried everything you know to do and yet you hunger for some relief? Then, this is for you.

For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands.

There are times that we grow weary in our present bodies, and we long to put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing. For we will put on heavenly bodies; we will not be spirits without bodies. While we live in these earthly bodies, we groan and sigh – but it’s not that we want to die and get rid of these bodies that clothe us – Rather, we want to put on our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be swallowed up by life.

God himself has prepared us for this, and as a guarantee He has given us His Holy Spirit.

So we are always confident, even though we know that as long as we live in these bodies we are not at home with the Lord. For we live by faith and not by sight.

Yes, we are fully confident, even though we would rather be away from these earthly bodies, so we would be at home with the Lord. But whether we are here in this body or away from this body, our goal is to please Him.

For we know that we must all stand before Christ to be judged and we will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body.

It is good to know this, but knowing it alone is not enough. We must understand it. We must put it on. It is our calling.

We Are God’s Ambassadors

“Because we understand our fearful responsibility to the Lord, we work hard to persuade others. God knows we are sincere, and I hope you know this, too.

“So, are we commending ourselves again? No. But, we are giving you a reason, so you can answer those who brag about having a spectacular ministry rather than having a sincere heart.

“This may seem crazy, but it is to bring glory to God. And if we are in our right minds, it is for everyone’s benefit.

“Either way, it is because Christ’s love controls us.

“Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that, we too, have all died to our old life. He died for everyone so that those who receive His new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.

 A Heavenly Perspective

“So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now! This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!

“And all of this is a gift from God, Who brought us back to Himself through Christ.

“God has given us this task of reconciling people to Him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And He gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation.

 We Fix our eyes on what is Eternal

“So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.” (Taken from 2 Corinthians, chapter 5)

1. Our present journey through life is temporary – but as a Christian, it is with a great purpose.
2. We may long to be home with God, but we have a task, a calling, now, in this life.
3. We do not live or work for ourselves but we live for Christ and His Cause.
4. We are working to persuade a few that God has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ
5. We see things and people from a heavenly perspective – that is, from God’s point of view.
6. Our task is to reconcile people to God through Christ.
7. We are Ambassadors for Jesus, pleading with others to, “Come to God” through faith in Jesus.

We must take our eyes and our minds off of ourselves and earthly matters and spend ourselves on The Call of Christ. The things which ensnare us also hold us captive. If you want to be free, give yourself away, to Him.

Your Brother and Friend

Mike Young

Although we are strangers and sojourners, scattered throughout , we are chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ.     

(1 Peter 1:1,2)

First, let me say that I have written, over the last ten years, about the present and unfolding events of the ‘Biblical Tribulation Period’ foretold in many Old Testament prophetic scriptures and in the New Testament.  These events will find their fulfillment in the future; and that future is now!

​​Isaiah 2, 9, 11, 13        Matthew 24,         Zechariah 8       2 Peter 3:3.

Micah 4                       Hebrews 1:2,         Ezekiel 30          Revelation 6:1 – 16:21

Jeremiah 30, 33, 50  Hebrews 9:26,      Amos 5

Hosea 3                       Acts 2:14-17,          1 Peter 1:20,

Joel 2, 3,                      2 Timothy 3:1,       1 Peter 4:7,

These events are leading us through the judgment Seals, and to the judgment Trumpets and Bowls (found in the books of Matthew and The Revelation and), leading us to The Great Tribulation, God’s Wrath upon the earth and the End of this Age.

Secondly, if you don’t know about him, I want to introduce you to Dr. Jordan Peterson, a clinical psychologist and professor emeritus at the University of Toronto. From 1993 to 1998 he served as assistant and then associate professor of psychology at Harvard. He spent fifteen years writing Maps of Meaning: The Architecture of Belief (1999; released in June 2018 as a now bestselling author-read audiobook). Maps of Meaning is a scholarly investigation into the nature of narrative and religious thought, the structure of perception, the regulation of emotion.

Dr. Peterson has become one of, if not The Leading Voice and thought for the Conservative movement, worldwide. He is hated and reviled by many on the Left, Globalists, Marxists and progressives, but they have been unable to contend with his brilliance.

Here is a recent video of Dr. Peterson as he interviews Michael Yon, an American writer and photographer. He served in the Special Forces in the early-1980s, and he became a writer in the mid-1990s. He focused on military writing after the invasion of Iraq. Yon has been embedded on numerous occasions with American and British troops in Iraq, most prominently a deployment with the 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment (Deuce Four) of the 25th Infantry Division in Mosul, Iraq that ended in September 2005.

This video is an interview and discussion between two experienced, studied, accomplished, dedicated and brilliant men that borders the prophetic.  Michael Yon, one of America’s youngest Green Berets at 19 years old, has traveled and lived over half of his life abroad in more than 80 countries . Author of three books in the United States and three others in Japan, he is America’s most experienced combat correspondent. Michael Yon joins Dr Jordan B Peterson to discuss the current state of affairs across the globe.

Dr. Peterson says, “We are heading into one of the most epic famines in world history, where the poor will freeze in the dark and burn in the sun while they starve.”

Stay on the alert. Jesus is coming, soon!

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

WHAT DOES IT SAY?

WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO ME?

The Revelation of Jesus Christ – PART 2.

These messages are from God, given to Jesus to show His bond-servants the things which must soon take place. Jesus sent and communicated these messages by His angel to His bond-servant, John the Revelator. John then gave these messages to the seven churches in Asia.

Please, for your own sake and for the sake of those around you, DO NOT diminish the importance, the accuracy nor the profound impact these messages and these Words of God will have on you and your life.

They are describing what is coming soon, how  you will be affected and how you are to respond to escape the Day of His Wrath. Please heed the instruction of these messages to the Church.

If these messages were solely and exclusively to and for the churches in Asia, the message would have ended there. However, God’s Word is eternal and these messages in particular are prophetic and are therefore written to all people who call themselves Christians, of all the ages as a warning, a teaching and as instruction.

These messages were written to you.

Revelation 1:1, “The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-servants, the things which must soon take place; and He sent and communicated it by His angel to His bond-servant John, verse 2,who testified to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, everything that he saw. Verse 3. Blessed is the one who reads, and those who hear the words of the prophecy and keep the things which are written in it; for the time is near.

Message to the Seven Churches

Verse 4. “John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from Him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before His throne, verse 5, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood— verse 6, and He made us into a kingdom, priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. Verse 7. BEHOLD, HE IS COMING WITH THE CLOUDS, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So it is to be. Amen.

Verse 8. “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

Message to you and to the Church at Smyrna

Revelation 2:8 “And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write:

The first and the last, who was dead, and has come to life, says this:

Verse 9. “‘I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich), and the slander by those who say they are Jews, and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. Verse 10. Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life. Verse 11. The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death.’

Those in the Church at Smyrna,

(1). Are suffering tribulation and poverty, but are rich (also see 1 Peter 1:3-8).

(2). Are slandered by Jews what are ‘a synagogue of Satan’.

(3). Are to suffer prison, more tribulation and death.

(4). They will get the crown of life from Jesus.

(5). They will overcome and will not be hurt by the second death.

((NOW, ASK YOURSELF, (INSERT YOUR NAME HERE):

Are you, (YOUR NAME HERE), suffering tribulation and poverty, but are rich because of Jesus?

Are you slandered by ‘Christians’ for your commitment to Christ Jesus and His Gospel?

Is your service to God bringing a threat of prison, tribulation and even death?

Message to you and to the Church at Pergamum

Revelation 2:12 “And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write:

The One who has the sharp two-edged sword says this:

Verse 13. ‘I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is; and you hold firmly to My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days of Antipas, My witness, My faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. Verse 14. But I have a few things against you, because you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who kept teaching Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit sexual immorality. Verse 15. So you, too, have some who in the same way hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. Verse 16. Therefore, repent; or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will wage war against them with the sword of My mouth. Verse 17. The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one knows except the one who receives it.’ “

We can know that the Church at Pergamum,

(1). Dwells where Satan’s throne is yet holds firmly to God’s Name and do not deny faith in God. (I.e., The Pergamene believers lived in a difficult place, surrounded by pagan influences, yet they held fast to Christ’s name and did not deny Him during difficult times.)

(2). Held to the teachings of Balak, eating things sacrificed to idols and to commit sexual immorality.

(3). Held the teachings of the Nicolaitans, (eating things sacrificed to idols and to commit sexual immorality).

Some in the Church at Pergamum denied what Biblical prohibitions against sexual immorality, (homosexuality, fornication, adultery), to their own harm and judgment, much like many professing Christians, today.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

NEXT: The Message to the Church at Thyatira

PREVIOUS: The Message to the Church at Ephesus.

More Reading: What Does It Say? What Does it Mean?

WHAT DOES IT SAY?

WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO ME?

The Revelation of Jesus Christ

Revelation 1:1, “The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-servants, the things which must soon take place; and He sent and [a]communicated it by His angel to His bond-servant John, verse 2,who testified to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, everything that he saw. Verse 3. Blessed is the one who reads, and those who hear the words of the prophecy and keep the things which are written in it; for the time is near.

Message to the Seven Churches

Verse 4. “John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from Him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before His throne, verse 5, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood— 6and He made us into a kingdom, priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. Verse 7. BEHOLD, HE IS COMING WITH THE CLOUDS, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So it is to be. Amen.

Verse 8. “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

The Patmos Vision

Verse 9. “I, John, your brother and fellow participant in the tribulation and kingdom and perseverance in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. Verse 10. I was in the [i]Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like the sound of a trumpet, verse 11, saying, “Write on a scroll what you see, and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.”

Verse 12. “Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me. And after turning I saw seven golden lampstands; Verse 13. and in the middle of the lampstands I saw one like a son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and wrapped around the chest with a golden sash. Verse 14. His head and His hair were white like white wool, like snow; and His eyes were like a flame of fire. Verse 15. His feet were like burnished bronze when it has been heated to a glow in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of many waters. Verse 16. In His right hand He held seven stars, and out of His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword; and His face was like the sun [m]shining in its strength.”

Verse 17. “When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. And He placed His right hand on me, saying, “Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, verse 18, and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.

Verse 19. “Therefore, write the things which you have seen, [o]and the things which are, and the things which will take place after these things. Verse 20. As for the mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.

The Message to the Church at Ephesus

Revelation 2:1. “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write:

“The One who holds the seven stars in His right hand, the One who walks among the seven golden lampstands, says this: 

Verse 2. ‘I know your deeds and your labor and perseverance, and that you cannot tolerate evil people, and you have put those who call themselves apostles to the test, and they are not, and you found them to be false; verse 3, and you have perseverance and have endured on account of My name, and have not become weary. Verse 4. But I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Verse 5. Therefore, remember from where you have fallen, and repent, and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and I will remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent. Verse 6. But you have this, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. Verse 7. The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who overcomes, I will grant to eat from the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of God.’

Pastor Alistair Begg, in his opening remarks when preaching on Revelation 3:1-6 & 3:14-22, correctly said,

“In the material that was sent to me and to the other speakers—but the passage that relates directly to my task—I was directed as follows: “The Bible reader will expound the text but will also focus on Christ as revealed in the text.” “The Bible reader will expound the text and focus on Christ as he is revealed in the text.” What an immense privilege, to have the opportunity to take the Bible, to study it, and then to be able to share it with others, and in all of that to have our gaze turned again and again to the Lord Jesus! “I love to tell the story of unseen things above, of Jesus and his glory, of Jesus and his love.”[2] Therefore, it is an immense privilege for us. For of all the places we could be on this morning, all the circumstances that we might face, in the providence of God, he has ordered our steps—none of us is here by chance—in order that we might hear from the risen Lord Jesus Christ himself.

“Now, I used that little chorus purposefully in prayer, asking that God would show himself to us in the reading of the Word. There is an inherent danger in it though. If you know it, or if you listened carefully as I said it, it says, “Make the Book live to me.” And the great, inherent danger in the study of the Bible is that we want to move immediately from our reading of the text to personal application.

“And so, from time to time, especially in a small group context, after you’ve read a portion of Scripture like this, it’s not long before somebody in the group will say, “Let me tell you what this means to me”—which, of course, is of interest but is of secondary importance. Because what the individual may be about to say may actually be true to the text, may be actually helpful to the rest of the group, and in actual fact, it may be completely bizarre. And the only antidote, then, is to come to the text of Scripture not saying, “Let me tell you what this means to me,” initially, but coming to the Scripture saying, “Let me find out what this means.” And once I understand what it means in the context in which it has been delivered, then and only then may I begin to make points of personal application.

“So, it’s important for us this morning to recognize that what we’re dealing with here is history and geography, as real as any history and geography that we may have done for our GCSEs. We’re dealing with real churches in real places, real men and women, real families, living at a certain point in time. And from the passages we know that Jesus understands their condition, he understands their circumstances, and he writes to them expressly in the awareness of the context in which they’re living.”

What I appreciate in Jesus’ message and Alistair’s remarks, is that The Revelation is about real churches in real places, real men and women, real families, living at a certain point in time. And from the passages we know that Jesus understands their condition, he understands their circumstances, and he writes to them expressly in the awareness of the context in which they’re living.” I will go on to say that people don’t change. People may be different, one from another, but people do not change. So, in a very real and accurate way, Jesus is talking to, not just those people in those churches in Revelation chapter 3, but He is talking to all people, everywhere, of all times. He is talking to you and to me.

I will leave it to you, the reader, to satisfactorily study and come to understand WHAT THESE VERSES ARE SAYING, and WHAT THEY MEAN, which is no easy task. Reading various commentaries will give you as many opinions, which are varied and complex. But the one I like for brevity and accuracy is found at GotQuestions.Org, “What are the Seven Candlesticks – Lampstands of Revelation?”

However, I will move on to the application of these verses – WHAT DO THEY MEAN TO ME (or, what Am I To Do with What I Know?).

It has always been a difficult task to apply these verses since there are so many differing views of what they say and what they mean. We know that God speaks in a language unique to the hearer, one thing we can discern is the characteristics of the churches and the people receiving these letters. Read and decide which attributes, characteristics and personalities you possess.

Revelation 2:1. “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write:

“The One who holds the seven stars in His right hand, the One who walks among the seven golden lampstands, says this: 

Verse 2. ‘I know your deeds and your labor and perseverance, and that you cannot tolerate evil people, and you have put those who call themselves apostles to the test, and they are not, and you found them to be false; verse 3, and you have perseverance and have endured on account of My name, and have not become weary. Verse 4. But I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Verse 5. Therefore, remember from where you have fallen, and repent, and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and I will remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent. Verse 6. But you have this, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. Verse 7. The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who overcomes, I will grant to eat from the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of God.’ “

Those in the church in Ephesus, like some other people,

(1). Are known by their good deeds, labors and their perseverance, (endurance);

(2). Cannot tolerate evil people, and

(3). They have put those, who call themselves apostles, to the test,

(4). and have found them to be false;

(5). The Ephesians have perseverance and have endured on account of Jesus’ name, and have not become weary.

(6). But they have left their ‘first love’ of Jesus and the things of God.

(7). They have fallen, from the deeds they did at first;

So, I will suggest a more novel approach. Let’s assume that God has written these letters, not only to real churches in real places, and to real men and women with real families, living at a certain point in time, but He has also written to you and to me.

You and I would do well to decide which of these characteristics describe us, and to describe those characteristics in greater detail. (I.e., “What is meant by ‘good deeds’ and which have I done? Etc.)

Let’s begin…

The Revelation of Jesus Christ, addressed to: (YOUR NAME GOES HERE).

Revelation 1:1 “The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-servant, (YOUR NAME GOES HERE), the things which must soon take place; and He sent and communicated it by His angel to His bond-servant John, verse 2, who testified to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, everything that he saw. Verse 3. Blessed are you (INSERT YOUR NAME), when you and others read, and hear the words of the prophecy and when YOU keep the things which are written in it; for the time is near.

Message to you and the Seven Churches

Verse 4. John to (INSERT YOUR NAME), and the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from Him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before His throne, verse 5, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood— verse 6. and He made us into a kingdom, priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Verse 7. BEHOLD, HE IS COMING WITH THE CLOUDS, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So, it is to be. Amen.

Verse 8. “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

The Patmos Vision

Verse 9. “I, John, your brother and fellow participant in the tribulation and kingdom and perseverance in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. Verse 10. I was in the [i]Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like the sound of a trumpet, Verse 11, saying, “Write on a scroll what you see, and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.”

Verse 12. “Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me. And after turning I saw seven golden lampstands; Verse 13, and in the middle of the lampstands I saw one like a son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and wrapped around the chest with a golden sash. Verse 14. His head and His hair were white like white wool, like snow; and His eyes were like a flame of fire. Verse 15. His feet were like burnished bronze when it has been heated to a glow in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of many waters. Verse 16. In His right hand He held seven stars, and out of His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword; and His face was like the sun shining in its strength.

Verse 17. “When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. And He placed His right hand on me, saying, “Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, Verse 18, and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades. Verse 19. Therefore, write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after these things. Verse 20.  As for the mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.”

Message to you and to the Church in Ephesus

Revelation 2:1 “To:   The angel of the church in Ephesus, write:

The One who holds the seven stars in His right hand, the One who walks among the seven golden lampstands, says this:

2 ‘(INSERT YOUR NAME), I know your deeds (which are?), and your labor (which is?), and your perseverance, and that you cannot tolerate evil people, and you have put those who call themselves apostles to the test, and they are not, and you found them to be false; 3 and, (INSERT YOUR NAME), you have perseverance and have endured on account of My name, and have not become weary.

Verse 4. “But, (INSERT YOUR NAME), I have this against you, that you have left your first love.

Verse 5. “Therefore, remember from where you have fallen, and repent, and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and I will remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent.

Verse 6.But you have this, (YOUR NAME), that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

To the one who overcomes, I will grant to eat from the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of God.’

((NOW, ASK YOURELF (INSERT YOUR NAME):

1.  What are my deeds Jesus is referring to? (If you cannot answer this, beware.)

2.  What are my labors Jesus is referring to? (If you cannot answer this, beware.)

3.  What is my perseverance Jesus is referring to? (If you cannot answer this, beware.)

4.  What is it I cannot tolerate (about evil people) Jesus is referring to? What have I done about that evil? (If you cannot answer this, beware.)

5.  How did I test those who call themselves Apostles? How did I find them false? (If you cannot answer this, beware.)

6.  What is it I hate about the Nicolaitans? (Do you even know about the Nicolaitans? If you cannot answer this, honestly, beware.)

7.  How did I not become weary? (You never will weary if you are not doing anything. Right?)

8.  From where have I fallen? (If you cannot answer this, beware.)

What were my ‘first deeds’? (If you cannot answer this, beware.)

This is a ‘reality check’. The postmodern church in America is unfortuatley striving to keep us comfortable while we wait on the rapture. (Big mistake). Jesus said we are to be found doing what He commanded  us to do when He returns, or?

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

NEXT: THE CHURCHES AT SMYRNA AND PERGAMUM.

More Reading: What Does It Say? What Does it Mean?

The Book of Mark – click the image above or this text for a video

New American Standard Bible

Preaching of John the Baptist

Mark 1:1 “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God”,

Mark begins at the beginning: The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ; the Good News of Jesus the Messiah, the Anointed One, Who, was in the beginning with God, and was God, the Son of God.

Please note that Mark does not start with a ‘warm up speech’ or an interesting lead-in or a joke. He does not give us an outline or a sociopolitical background. He omits the geography, traditions and customs of both the Jews and of Jerusalem around 65 A.D.. (That comes later.) Mark simply begins with what the reader needs to know, first: The Prophetic Truth, the historic Truth and the Eternal Truth of God, and he does that in just eleven words: “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God”.

The Prophetic Truth emanates from Isaiah 40:2-3,

^{Isaiah 40:2} just as it is written in Isaiah the prophet:

“Behold, I am sending My messenger ^[a]before You,
Who will prepare Your way;
^{Verse 3} The voice of one calling ^[b]out in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
Make His paths straight!’”

(1). The Purpose to be fulfilled is God’s perfecting of His people in preparation for the End of The Age through purging, cleansing, and refining. Then the destruction of the wicked, the Beast, Satan, the heavens and earth, making way for a new and perfect heaven and earth where His Chosen will live in perfection with Him forever.

(a). Isaiah 40:3-5. A voice is heard calling on unseen agencies to prepare a way for Jehovah through the desert. The idea expressed is that already the spiritual and supernatural forces are in motion which will bring about the return of the captives and a revelation of the Divine glory to all the world.

(b). Isaiah 40:6-8. A second voice calls on the prophet to proclaim the fundamental truth on which the realization of his hope depends,—the ‘perishableness’ of all human power, and the enduring stability of the word of the Lord.

(c). Isaiah 40:9-11. The prophet himself now takes up the strain; he summons a company of ideal messengers to announce to Zion and the cities of Judah the advent of Jehovah with His ransomed people.

(2). The Promise to be fulfilled that is Jehovah will return with His people to their ancient abode. This second division contains three sections:

Now, Mark turns our attention to the ‘voice heard calling out in the wilderness’,

^{Mark 1:4, “}John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins”, and this prophecy is being fulfilled.

(Please note, these verses and this passage is deeply Prophetic, mysterious and is for our instruction. Prophecy can be a ‘one time event’ or it can be an ‘ongoing event’ which is not completed until the consummation of a period of time or the consummation of the age.

This is distinguished by the context and the tense of the verb used:

Present Tense is an action completed in the present.

Perfect Tense is an action completed in the past and need not be repeated.

Future Tense is an event which has not yet occurred.

Aorist Tense is an action which has no regard for the past, present or future – it is repeated until it is consummated. A continuing action or act.)

NOTE: As part of the mystery of this Word, ALL FOUR of these tenses are used in these few verses.  Here is an example of each tense being used.

This is complex, but I will simply as much as possible.

(Red lettering unedited and is from the New American Standard version of the Bible; Purple lettering is an explanation of the use of each tense by way of commentary and Strong’s Bible Concordance):

Mark 1:2, “just as it is written (Perfect Tense) in Isaiah the prophet:

(I.e., (in the Perfect Tense), Mark 1:2, “just as it is  written in Isaiah the prophet, and does not need to be repeated:

“BEHOLD (Aorist Tense), I AM SENDING,

(I.e., (in the Aorist Tense), BEHOLD FROM THE PAST, BEHOLD NOW, AND CONTINUE TO BEHOLD UNTIL THE AGE IS CONSUMMATED”,

(Present Tense) MY MESSENGER BEFORE YOU,

(I.e, in the Present Tense), “I HAVE SENT, AND THIS IS A COMPLETED ACTION,”

“WHO WILL PREPARE YOUR WAY (Future Tense);

(I.e., (In the Future Tense), “WHO, IN THE FUTURE, WHEN THE TIME COMES, WILL PREPARE YOUR WAY”,

Verse 3. “THE VOICE OF ONE CALLING OUT (Present Tense) IN THE WILDERNESS,

Verse 3. (I.e, in the Present Tense),“THE VOICE OF ONE CALLING OUT an action completed in the present). (Present Tense) IN THE WILDERNESS,

‘PREPARE THE WAY OF THE LORD (Aorist Tense),

(I,e., the Aorist Tense),‘PREPARE THE WAY OF THE LORD FROM THE TIME IT WAS SPOKEN, PREPARE THE TIME TODAY, AND CONTINUE TO PREPARE THE TIME UNTIL THE AGE IS CONSUMMATED”,

MAKE HIS PATHS STRAIGHT!’” (Present Tense)

(I.e., the Present Tense), MAKE HIS PATHS STRAIGHT TODAY!’”

————————————————

Mark 1:2-3, The text transliterated using the VARIOUS TENSES:

Mark 1:2, “just as it is  written in Isaiah the prophet, and does not need to be repeated – it is permanent, until the Consummation of The Age:

BEHOLD FROM THE TIME IT WAS SPOKEN, BEHOLD NOW, AND CONTINUE TO BEHOLD UNTIL THE AGE IS CONSUMMATED”, “I HAVE SENT, AND THIS IS A COMPLETED ACTION, WHICH WILL BE FULFILLED IN THE FUTURE, WHEN THE RIGHT TIME COMES, WILL PREPARE YOUR WAY”,  Verse 3. “THE VOICE OF ONE CALLING OUT TODAY, IN THE WILDERNESS,

PREPARE THE WAY OF THE LORD FROM THE TIME IT WAS SPOKEN, PREPARE THE TIME TODAY, AND CONTINUE TO PREPARE THE TIME UNTIL THE AGE IS CONSUMMATED”,

MAKE HIS PATHS STRAIGHT TODAY!’”

————————————————

This is the message. It is prophetic and very mysterious. There are actions taken at one time which either remain in the present, or are spoken in the present-past but are destined to be fulfilled at a future date, or are spoken in the present-past and will begin at that time and will continue until the consummation of the age!

WHY IS THIS RELEVANT AND IMPORTANT?  This message is written to those of that age and to people of all the ages to come. This is written to you and to me. We are to follow Jesus, and Mark is telling us how, when and where we follow Him. This is not optional for a Christian. It must be done if you are truly His disciple.

INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE TEXT (WITH COMMENTARY).

^{Mark 1:5} ” And all the country of Judea was going out to him (THIS IS UP TO YOU and ME, TODAY), and all the people of Jerusalem (THIS IS UP TO ALL JEWS, TODAY); and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins (THIS IS WHAT WE DO, WHETHER IN THE JORDAN RIVER, OR WHERE YOU LIVE NOW). ⁶ John was clothed with camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist, and ^[d]his diet was locusts and wild honey. ⁷ And he was ^[e]preaching, saying, “After me One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to bend down and untie the straps of His sandals. ⁸ I baptized you ^[f]with water; but He will baptize you ^[g]with the Holy Spirit.” (JOHN IS GIVING US INSTRUCTIONS. THIS IS NOT OPTIONAL FOR A CHRISTIAN, THAT IS, A DISCIPLE OF JESUS. YOU ARE HEARING WHAT IS TO BE DONE TODAY AND WHAT WILL COME TO YOU NEXT.)

Believe it in your heart by the Spirit of God. Let it seep up into your soul – your mind, will and emotions – and live it out!

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

(Next:  Mark 1:9-12 – The Baptism of Jesus.)

It may seem strange to use the word, “Pagan”, to describe someone or an entire group of people. It is such a misunderstood and archaic term. But it is exactly the right word to use here.

Pagans are diverse and varied people. The term Pagan comes from the Latin word paganus, which means “country dweller”; paganism can refer to polytheism, (the belief in many gods), or the worship of more than one god, such as in ancient Rome. A pagan is also considered to be one who, for the most part, has no religion and indulges in worldly delights and material possessions; someone who revels in sensual pleasures; a hedonistic or self-indulgent individual.

Another, more modern term is neo-paganism, which refers to some of the contemporary forms of paganism such as Wicca, Druidry, and Gwyddon.

Modern “pagan” practices are actually similar to their ancient counterparts in that they rely heavily on hedonism—sensual gratification and self-indulgence and the pursuit of happiness and pleasure to the exclusion of everything else. In ancient times, sexual ceremonies were a major part of pagan religions. The Old Testament references these perverted religions in such passages as Deuteronomy 23:17, Amos 2:7–8, and Isaiah 57:7–8.

Though they are numerous and varied in their practices and beliefs, pagans do hold to some similar beliefs. For example:

• The physical world is a good place, one to be taken pleasure in by everyone.
  • Everyone is considered to be part of this Mother Earth.
  • Divinity reveals itself in every facet of the world.
  • Every being, man and animal, is a derivative of the Divine. As such, all are gods and goddess.
  • Most pagan religions do not have gurus or messiahs.
  • Doctrine is superseded by one’s own responsibility.
  • Solar and lunar cycles are significant in pagan worship.

From a Christian viewpoint, pagans are generally characterized as those who are caught up in any religious ceremony, act, or practice that is not distinctly Christian. Correspondingly, Jews and Muslims also use the term pagans to describe those outside their religion. Others define the term paganism as any religion outside of Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, and Christianity; whereas some argue that a pagan is anyone with no religion at all.

The Apostle Paul wrote, “Furthermore, since they, (pagans), did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, He gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done” (Romans 1:28).

In spite of common assumptions, most pagan worshipers claim they don’t believe in Satan. However, there’s no question that Satan is their chief source of influence and control. Though they will deny it, they deify him in their worldly and sensual practices. Paul tells us plainly how Satan works in the lives of people without God, through his power, his signs, his deceit, and his lies:

Finally, Pagans can seem to be good guys, too, (although a lot of ‘good guys and gals’ won’t escape the coming wrath). Let’s remember, as Christians, our quarrel is not with the flesh and blood person. Our quarrel is with “the rulers, the powers, the world forces of darkness, the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places” that directs their thoughts and actions.

This can be a tough distinction to make when you are face-to-face with a quarrelsome and antagonistic person or when interacting with a ‘free spirit’ type who lives only for fun and pleasure and finds any discipline too restrictive. It helps to relax and remember, “IT IS GOD’S JOB TO SAVE THEM”. You and I are just the messenger.

Now, how about CHRISTIANITY?

Biblically speaking, Christians are those who are forgiven of their sins and who have entered a personal relationship with Almighty God through faith in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:8–9; Romans 10:9–10). In order to become a Christian, a person must fully accept as part of his or her own personal worldview the following core beliefs:

• Jesus is the Son of God and is equal with God (John 1:1, 49; Luke 22:70; Mark 3:11; Philippians 2:5–11)
  • Jesus lived a perfect, sinless life (Hebrews 4:15; John 8:29)
  • Jesus was crucified to pay the penalty for our sins (Matthew 26:28; 1 Corinthians 15:2–4)
  • Jesus rose from the dead (Luke 24:46; Mark 16:6)
  • We are saved by the grace of God; that is, we cannot add to or take away from Christ’s finished work on the cross as full payment for our sin (Ephesians 2:8–9)

Let’s simplify this. A Christian is a disciple, a student and a follower of Jesus. A Christian “get’s up-close and personal” with Jesus. They follow Him around in order to learn to think like Him in order to be like Him. They are recognized as having been with Jesus and the longer you are with Him, something amazing happens. The Spirit of God takes up residence within your mind, heart, soul and spirit and you are no longer your own. You are His.

So, when encountering a Pagan, you will find they are a lot like you in many ways. On the other hand, they are nothing like you. To avoid confusion, just stay focused on Jesus. Show interest in the person you encounter, but always remember, you are ON MISSION with JesusA.

CAN YOU BE BOTH CHRISTIAN AND PAGAN? 

Finally, can you profess Christianity and still hold on to some of the traits and practices of Paganism?  (Be honest with yourself here.) Many confessing Christians do that very thing. They actually say one thing and then do both! So, what does that mean for you?

First, you may find it helpful to compare the two.

PAGANISM as contrasted to CHRISTIANITY

• The physical world is a good place, one to be taken pleasure in by everyone.
• The physical world is fallen and, for now, is ruled by Satan. (1 John 5:19)
• There is pleasure to be found in the world, but as Christians we are strangers to this world, scattered about, being distressed by various trials for the proving of our faith until Jesus returns. (1 Peter 1:1-9, Matthew 24:29-31)

• Everyone is considered to be part of this Mother Earth.
• We have been created by God, conceived in the womb of a woman. Although we ‘come from dust and will return to dust’, our souls, (spirits), have life after our physical death and will either suffer in eternal darkness, torment and damnation or will spend eternity with God in heaven.

• Divinity reveals itself in every facet of the world.
• The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard. Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them he has set a tent for the sun. (Psalms 19:1-4), but the Bible says we are to worship only God, and not to worship His creation (Romans 1:25).

• Every being, man and animal, is a derivative of the Divine. As such, all are gods and goddess.
• We are made in the image of God but with a flaw and afflicted by the curse of sin and condemned to eternal damnation. It is only by being born again by the Spirit of God by His grace and great mercy and through our faith in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, are we to be saved from destruction.
• Some false religions and cults teach that we are ‘made in his image’ and that we become like gods. This is a twisting, a misunderstanding and misrepresentation of the Bible which says ‘we will become like Him’.

• Most pagan religions do not have gurus or messiahs.
• Jesus is the Messiah.

• Doctrine is superseded by one’s own responsibility.
• There is a way that seems right to a person, but ends in death. (Proverbs 14:12)
• Our good deeds are no better than filthy rags. (Isaiah 64:6)
• God will judge us by our deeds. (Romans 2:6)

• Solar and lunar cycles are significant in pagan worship.
• God and the Bible warn against sun worship.

God says, “I Am a jealouse God”, and that Christians shall have no other god. This is an absolute. Still, many indulge themselves in forms of hedonism and spiritual duality. Playing on God’s Grace at this point is a dangerous game. Beware.

Again, scriptures say, “There is a way that seems right to a person, but ends in death.” Proverbs 14:12).

The Apostle Paul emphasizes “the whole counsel of God” as a way to affirm the completion of his duties toward the Ephesians and to remind them of the Truth, WHICH IS ALSO OURS TO AFFIRM TO THE WORLD AROUND US.

Paul warns, “I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard!” (Acts 20:29–31).

The whole counsel of God includes some things that are difficult to hear—the fact that we are dead in sin and deserving of God’s wrath (Ephesians 2:1–3) and the fact that we cannot save ourselves through works (Ephesians 2:8–9). The gospel is a call to repentance and faith. Believers will face persecution (John 16:33) and likely be considered foolish. But none of these things can dissuade us.

We should follow Paul’s example and also preach and live the whole counsel of God. All Scripture is inspired, and all of it is profitable (2 Timothy 3:16). We must preach it and live it in its entirety and allow the Holy Spirit to use His sword as He sees fit (Ephesians 6:17). Paul did not share half-truths or only parts of the gospel; rather, he shared all of what God has revealed. We must do the same. (see GotQuestions.Org)

The Bible warns us of this ‘Deluding Influence’, “the mystery of lawlessness which is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He, (The Holy Spirit), is removed. Then that lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will eliminate with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming; that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not accept the love of the truth so as to be saved.  For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false,  in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.” (2 Thesslonians 2:7-12)

In these Last Days, as the Bible says, the spirit of antichrist is present. False christs and false prophets will arise and will provide great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect.

We must hold fast to the example of sound words which we have heard and in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.

Jesus says, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father except through Me.” John 14:6 

Let’s not forget to pray for one another as the Day of our Lord draws near.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

WHAT WOULD YOU LOOK LIKE?

• Repent

“From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 4:17).

WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

The greatest pronouncement and call to readiness for all Christians:  “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

The hour has arrived.  Final preparations are being made.  Ready yourself for the Heaven’s final assault upon the earth.  Satan is to be defeated, and you and I are part of God’s invading force.

This is not a metaphor.  It is not hyperbole.  It is the literal call from God through His Son, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Repent, 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 are 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.
MANIFESTATION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

Once we Repent, our new desires move us to a new way of living, new actions, which are the direct manifestation of the Holy Spirit.

Repentance means it is no longer you, or I who live, but it is Christ, literally, living in us.

Galatians 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me”

If you are living in the sin of doubt or fear,  “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

If you are living under the oppression of poverty, sickness, lack or want, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Rise up.  Proclaim the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness, help all who are ill, those suffering with various diseases and pains, demoniacs, epileptics, paralytics; heal them all.  Matthew 4:24

Go and tell others this exceedingly Good News, telling them to “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

HOW WILL YOU DO IT?                                                                            

 HOW WILL YOU TEACH IT?                                                                    

Your Brother and Friend,

 Mike Young

YOU HAVE TO FOLLOW HIM, FOR REAL

A CALL TO ARMS – PART 2

(You can listen by audio and pause the audio to follow page links, then resume the audio when you are ready. Please Note: I use page links in lieu of footnotes or references. The page links contain important details for this teaching – especially for this episode.)

Matthew 3:11, “As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. Verse 12. “His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor; and He will gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

I will present these vitally important verses in 2 segments. The FIRST segment deals with the Prophetic Nature of these verses. The SECOND segment deals with the Practical Nature and application of these verses.

THE PROPHETIC NATURE: Matthew 3:12 says, “His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor; and He will gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

THERE ARE FOUR POINTS GIVEN IN VERSE 12 WHICH ENCAPSULATES THE ENTIRE TRIBULATION PERIOD, BEGINNING WITH THE BREAKING OF THE TRIBULATION SEALS, CONTINUING THROUGH THE TRUMPET AND BOWL JUDGMENTS, INCLUDING THE  WHITE THRONE JUDGMENT AND CULMINATING WITH THE DESTRUCTION OF THE 1ST HEAVEN AND THE FIRST EARTH WITH INTENSE HEAT.

(a)  “His winnowing fork is in His hand:  Cleansing, refining, purifying His Church.

(b)  He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor:  Preparation through tribulation.

(c)  He will gather His wheat into the barn:  Jesus gathering His Church through the rapture and taking us to our eternal Home.

(d)  He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire: The Great and Terrible Day of the Lord and the destruction of the first heavens and earth. Listen and read carefully.

The Ultimate Purpose of God’s Eternal Plan is Perfection. He is maturing His people, of all the ages, by His Plan, to live in perfect harmony with Him and with one another. In the end, God is going to destroy this earth and heavens with an intense heat, and will create a New and Perfect heaven and earth.

Having become a Christian, a disciple of Jesus, you are no longer of this world. You are to take up your rightful place as a child of God, and as the righteousness of God, you must stop thinking as this world thinks. God is preparing you to be an active participant in the events of these Last Days.

THE PRACTICAL NATURE AND APPLICATION: John is telling us, “As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”

This may well be one of the most important statements made by John, and one of the most overlooked in the entire New Testament. 

Ask yourself, “Do you know what this means to you?” and have you been baptized with the Holy Spirit and with Fire?

First, about baptism:  The word in the original Greek is “baptizo”, pronounced bap-tid’-zo.  It means, in this case, to cleanse by dipping or submerging, to wash, to make clean with water, to overwhelm with permanent change.

This word is not to be confused with “bapto” which is to dip in or immerse in water, as to dip into dye, or to color.  This is simply and change of the exterior. 

The clearest example that shows the meaning of baptizo is a text from the Greek poet and physician Nicander, who lived about 200 B.C.   It is a recipe for making pickles and is helpful because it uses both words.  Nicander says that in order to make a pickle, the vegetable should first be ‘dipped’ (bapto) into boiling water and then ‘baptized’ (baptizo) in the vinegar solution. Both verbs concern the immersing of vegetables in a solution. But the first is temporary. The second, the act of baptizing the vegetable, produces a permanent change.

When used in the New Testament, this word more often refers to our union and identification with Christ than to our water baptism. (Mark 16:16).  ‘He that believes and is baptized shall be saved’.  Christ is saying that mere intellectual assent, a coloring of the outside of a person, so to speak, is not enough.  There must be a spiritual union with him, a real change, a permanent change which only the Holy Spirit can accomplish, is needed, like the vegetable to the pickle!

JOHN’S BAPTISM is the act of Binding, on earth.  “Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.” Matthew 18:18

Second,  John is saying, in fact he is prophesying, that Jesus will baptize you – BAPTIZO – with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

We can see what is meant by this in the next verse:

Matthew 3:12 

(a)  “His winnowing fork is in His hand, and

(b)  He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor; and

(c)  He will gather His wheat into the barn, but

(d)  He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.“

A winnowing fork is an instrument used to separate the grain of the wheat from the chaff.  It is a violent act of beating and threshing.  This is symbolic of the process of salvation, sanctification and being made ready to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

Jesus will thoroughly clear His threshing floor.  Nothing is left untouched.  Everything will be “purged, purified and refined” and made ready for the Kingdom of God.

THIS IS FOR THE BELIEVER in preparation for what is coming upon us.  This is your first and last line of defense against the evil day.  You cannot and will not survive what is coming upon the world if you have not allowed Jesus to Baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with Fire!

(*NOTE:  This is NOT some postmodern or contemporary reenactment of ‘speaking in some strange tongue’ and behaving strangely.  It is NOT an elevation of your adrenaline or some ‘excited fit’ where you supposedly ‘take dominion over demons’.  This IS an awesome and a fearsome act of God.  It IS God’s steady hand, filling you with His power and Presence.  It IS HIM doing HIS works through you.  It is HIM speaking His Words and HIM doing His bidding through you, while you are quiet and yielded to Him.)

We can also see this prophecy given and this process described in

Daniel 12:1  “Now at that time Michael, the great prince who stands guard over the sons of your people, will arise. And there will be a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time; and at that time your people, everyone who is found written in the book, will be rescued. Verse 2. “Many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt.  Verse 10. “Many will be purged, purified and refined, but the wicked will act wickedly; and none of the wicked will understand, but those who have insight will understand.”

These are prophetic pictures of Jesus Second Coming as Judge and Conquering King. In His first coming, Jesus arrived in the most humble of circumstances.  His second coming,  Jesus will arrive with the armies of heaven at His side.

Revelation 19:11-16, “I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice, he judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. ‘He will rule them with an iron scepter.’ He treads the wine press of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.”

Dear Brothers and Sisters, it is urgent that we understand

(1).  What is coming. 

(2).  That it is already upon us. 

(3).  We are to be participants in these Last Days, and not standing idly by looking up into the sky wondering about His Return. 

(4).  He will prepare us to join with Him to complete His earthly mission and then

(5). Comes His Judgment

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

The Next Teaching from Matthew 3:12, His Winnowing Fork

This is a question that is asked by millions of people every day. This is also a question lurking in the minds of many millions who say they believe in Jesus, but secretly wonder if they are really “saved”.

This is a question, not of practicality or one that can be measured by science, but is a question of faith.

The Bible, as explained in the Bible, has been written or ‘breathed’ by God into the hearts and minds of certain dedicated and devoted people, who then wrote down what God inspired them to write – or so they say.

Centuries of writings and experiences began to show a pattern of sorts. Eventually, holy men came together and began to decide which writing should be canonized into the Old and New testaments of the Bible.

Let’s attempt to gain some understanding by starting with two important and keywords: Faith and Saved.

Ephesians 2:8 tells us, “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God.”

FAITH, from Strong’s Concordance: “pístis”, means to “persuade or to be persuaded”, to come to trust).

Faith is always a gift from God, and never something that can be produced by people. In short, “faith” for the believer is “God’s divine persuasion“, and therefore distinct from human belief (confidence), yet involving it. The Lord continuously births faith in the yielded believer, so they can know what He prefers, i.e. the persuasion of His will. (1 John 5:4).

Faith, in secular antiquity, referred to a guarantee, a warranty. In Scripture, faith is God’s warranty, certifying that the revelation He in birthed will come to pass (His way).

Faith is also used collectively of all the times God has revealed, (given the persuasion of) His will, which includes the full revelation of Scripture, (Jude 3). Indeed, God the Lord guarantees that all of this revelation will come to pass! Compare Matthew 5:18 with 2 Timothy 3:16. (For more detail, click here)

SAVED, from Strong’s Concordance: “sṓzō”. From the Greek language, means “safe and rescued”; to deliver out of danger and into safety; used principally of God rescuing believers from the penalty and power of sin, and into His provisions, (His safety). Rescued from destruction and brought into divine safety.

To save, to keep safe and sound, to rescue from danger or destruction; to make well, heal, restore to health; to deliver from the penalties of the Messianic judgment, Joel 2:32; to save from the evils which obstruct the reception of the Messianic deliverance; to make one a partaker of the salvation by Christ;

If you read these definitions, you may have settled one or two questions and probably created scores of new questions!

Now let’s get to the ‘meat of the subject’.

The Apostle Paul, in Romans 10:8-10, explains it this way, “Verse 8. But what does it say? “THE WORD IS NEAR YOU, IN YOUR MOUTH AND IN YOUR HEART”, that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, Verse 9. that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; Verse 10. for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.”

This is not a ‘secret formula’. It is an attempt to explain of one of the greatest mysteries of God. The Apostle is telling us that God has made humankind in such a fashion that if you truly believe something that your mouth will speak or confess those things, aloud.

Paul goes deeper to explain that true faith begins in a person’s ‘heart’ or in your core. It is in this place (in the spirit of a man or a woman) that true belief, that is true life changing belief, takes root.

Let me stop here to say that the mind is a powerful thing. Modern science is showing that how we think and perceive things can have a powerful effect on our bodies, relationships and abilities, even into old age. (See The Effects on Aging. Also see The Effects on living well, Also see Whole Health – the Power of the Mind, U.S. Veterans Affairs )

Even with all of this said, “we should not attempt to import modern notions of mind, brain, and intellect into the ancient text. The people in Old and New Testament times seem to have had a much more integrated view of humanity.

“There was much less emphasis on the distinction between the material and the immaterial. When Jesus says to love the Lord with all your heart, soul, and mind, He is not highlighting various aspects of personality. He is not differentiating between emotion and intellect; rather, He is saying that our love for God should be all-inclusive. The mind is simply one more way to identify the inner being—all that we are. In fact, in Matthew 22:37, Jesus uses the word kardia (“heart”), which in other contexts is translated “mind.”

The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia states, “We look in vain in the Old Testament and New Testament for anything like scientific precision in the employment of terms which are meant to indicate mental operations.” Biblically, the mind is simply the “inner being” or the sum total of all our mental, emotional, and spiritual faculties, without drawing fine distinctions between them.” (Got Question.Org)

Let me simply conclude this way: Who would not want to be saved if that salvation made you safe, healthy and whole in your mind and body? If it made you safe, healthy and whole in your marriage, with your family and children; in your job and career, reaching across the decades having made your life well worth living?

Troubles will come and go, as it is with everyone in life, but you could have hope of recovery and a hope for the future. Ultimately, you will be delivered out of the danger of perishing into the dark abyss of hell and to be safely delivered into the presence of an almighty and loving God.

This cannot be found by experimentation. It is not a project to be tried or proven. Salvation is  a gift from God, and is never something that can be produced by people. In short, “faith”, for the believer, is “God’s divine persuasion“, and therefore distinct from human belief or confidence, although it involves it. The Lord will continuously birth faith in a yielded ‘believer’ so they can know Him and what He prefers. This is the persuasion of His will

Now you know a little more. Now, it is up to you:  BELIEVE IT OR NOT!

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

By the Church in America?

(Click on the image above for a video on 2 Corinthians)

Reading the Apostle Paul’s letters to the Corinthian Church (1 and 2 Corinthians) you can see images of the postmodern Western Church. Even the best of the Western Churches are drifting or have drifted away from the teachings and the model of The Gospel of Jesus Christ, and they are embracing a heresy, an apostasy in the name of Christianity.

You read about the demands of this generation for a gospel and a religion that better suits their life goals and their lifestyle.

So, in the 21st century, the church has responded, “We must adapt to the current culture in order to reach them”. And adapt they have. Speaking the words of the Gospel but presenting them in a brand-new light of APPEASEMENT, WEALTH, SUCCESS, COMFORT, BOUTIQUE POLITICS, ELOQUENCE, EXCESS, and ENTERTAINMENT.

The result are in:

In an article by Christopher Howard, (Fox News) we read, “Religion is a topic that seems to be at the bottom of the list of what Millennials value. When asked whether religion was very important, a large number of young people said they “broke free” from their former religions. Stella, 18, a student of N.Y.U. said her parents raised her with two religions, her mother being Protestant and her father being Jewish.

“They really gave me the opportunity to pick where I wanted to go, and I picked neither,” she said.

Millennials acknowledge the shift in religious values from the former generation to now — some cite the age of social media and the exchanging of information as the reason for the disconnect.

“Femi, a student at Columbia University, feels like marriage has become “archaic.” “A lot of us, we were raised by our parents, and we saw those marriages kind of deteriorate, and even if they did stay together the love might have not been there. I feel as we progress these institutions, whether it be marriage or religion, they start to seem archaic.”

Many churches resent this proposition. But, the evidence is in, and it is clear: The Bible says to “Go…make disciples” and the verdict is that the church is making “congregants”, not disciples. Congregants who attend church in dwindling numbers, inviting people to the local church instead of introducing them to Jesus. Some even shout the name of Jesus on Sunday but remain silent about His Name the rest of the week.

Paul’s Dispute with the Church in Corinth, which is more true today, can be better understood in the video (above).

The Corinthians disregarded Paul because he dressed poorly, he earned a poor and meager living was under constant persecution, and he was not an impressive public speaker.

The Corinthian Christians admired and preferred wealthy and eloquent leaders and asked Paul to prove his authority.

Paul points out that the Corinthians preference for wealth and eloquence was a betrayal of Jesus and shows a totally distorted value system..

True Christian Leadership is not about status or self-promotion or success in ministry.

Paul says the Christians in the Corinthian Church are his proof, as God’s new covenant people.

Rather than seek wealth and status, Christians should embrace the paradox of the cross and the cruciform life that transforms them to love and serve.

They had to adopt and embrace a “Cruciform Life” and so must we.

Could it be that the breaking of the 5th Seal is beginning?

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

Verse 10. “At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another.”

Has the Tribulation Begun?

We must remain ready.

• Let’s DO IT,
• Let’s DEMAND IT,
• Let’s DEVOTE ourselves to it.

Your Brother and Friend

Mike Young

TIME IS RUNNING OUT.  WE MUST TURN AWAY FROM WESTERN POST-MODERN RELIGION, AND RETURN TO JESUS AND HIS GOSPEL AND PRACTICE THESE THINGS

Come and join us in the harvest, as we go and make disciples, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that He commanded; and lo, He is with us always, even to the end of this age. Contact me for further information on how.