“There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.”   Proverbs 14:12

Postmodernism, “hyper-grace”, the cheap gospel, a seeker sensitive gospel, new age practices, gnosticism, chrislam, ecumenicalism, prayer labyrinths, holy laughter, the purpose driven life.  A Strange gospel has invaded the church.

Some are saying that there are many ways to heaven, but, the Bible says there is but One Way, and His Name is JESUS.  But, many ways are being offered by false prophets, antichrists and deceivers.

Jesus says to take on His yoke for it is easy and His burden is light and it leads to life.  But, make no mistake, His way is costly and difficult and He warns us to count the cost before we start.  The END however, is a choice between Eternal Life with Him or eternal damnation in hell, where there is wailing and gnashing of teeth.

I am presenting you both a teaching and a plea.  Both an instruction and a warning. 

Please read to the end and prayerfully consider what is offered here.  Your life may depend on it.

PRESS ON TO MATURITY

Hebrews 6:1  “Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, 2 of instruction about washings and laying on of hands, and the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment. 3 And this we will do, if God permits.

4 For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come,

6 and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame. 7 For ground that drinks the rain which often falls on it and brings forth vegetation useful to those for whose sake it is also tilled, receives a blessing from God; 8 but if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless and close to being cursed, and it ends up being burned.”

The Apostle Paul is generally credited with writing these verses to the Hebrews, both believer and non-believers in and around the Roman Empire and in Israel.

This book is described as eloquent and intellectual but most commentaries make it difficult to understand its purpose and message because of its complexities.

It is not my intention to try to explain the details surrounding these verses from the Book of Hebrews, but, my intention is to understand the prophetic meaning and application of these verse – for our edification and use in His service.

I understand that the purpose of the Book of Hebrews was that many of the early Jewish believers were slipping back into the rites and rituals of Judaism in order to escape the mounting persecution. This letter, then, is an exhortation for those persecuted believers to continue in the grace of Jesus Christ.

I want to simplify the purpose and message to the Hebrews: 

This book was originally intended for the Hebrews, but, it is important to realize that Hebrews is written for ALL PEOPLE who are following Jesus.  The Apostle Paul is saying to us all, “IT IS PAST TIME TO GROW UP!”  

(I have color coded this message to link related thoughts and teachings; and I have used CAPITALIZATION to emphasize specifics; and I have separated it into paragraphs to further group the related teachings.)

Hebrews 6:1  Therefore leaving THE ELEMENTARY TEACHING about the Christ, let us PRESS ON TO MATURITY, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God,

2  of instruction about washings and laying on of hands, and the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment.

3  And this we will do, if God permits.

4  For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit,

5  and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come,

6  and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame.

7  For ground that drinks the rain which often falls on it and brings forth vegetation useful to those for whose sake it is also tilled, receives a blessing from God;

8  but if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless and close to being cursed, and it ends up being burned.

Verses 1-3.  Most Hebrews would understand the context of these verses.  If you want more detail you can look it up yourself or go to https://thirdmill.org/seminary/lesson.asp/vs/HEB/ln/1

Verses 4-5.   The first few words identifies the addressees, the intended audience, of this prophetic warning:  “For in the case of THOSE who have once been enlightened…”

“For in the case of” is the Greek word, ‘hapax’ which means ‘once for all time’.  It is a clear statement that it happened and is an enduring fact!

“those who have once been enlightened” means to give light, to shine, to render evident, to become clear to all and to spiritually imbue with the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.  (Strong’s Concordance).  Many commentaries either fail to mention this altogether or work around it:  It is saying, “those who have been saved…”

“Have tasted of the heavenly gift”  means to taste of or to eat and to perceive the flavor of; to partake of, to enjoy, to feel, to make trial of and to experience, to take nourishment from. 

This is certainly not a ‘seeker sensitive’ casual encounter with God or His Gifts. 

This is reminiscent of and akin to what Jesus says in John 6:51  “I am the living bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread also which I will give for the life of the world is My flesh.”

v53 “Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves. 54 “He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. 55 “For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink. 56 “He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. 57 “As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats Me, he also will live because of Me. 58 “This is the bread which came down out of heaven; not as the fathers ate and died; he who eats this bread will live forever.”

“Been made partakers of the Holy Spirit“  –  To have been made a partaker is being made a partner in, a sharing in.  It comes from the word “amen”, it is so or so it is completed.  This is a Holy Union.

“Have tasted” in the context of the Greek word, ‘geuomai’ (taste), is to ask, beg, call for, crave, desire, require to eat and feel and to  make trial of, to experience and to be nourished by eating.

“The good”  word of God,  contextually is an honorable word, excellent, eminent, affecting the mind.

“Word of God”  in this case, is the Greek word, “rhema” which is The Word of God which is or has been uttered by the living voice, thing spoken, the Spoken Word of God. 

It is important to note that the spoken Word of God is Causative, Creative and Prophetic.

“The powers of the age to come“  The Greek word, for ‘power’ in this case, is the word, “dunamis” from whence we get the English words, dynamite and dynamic.  It is defined as a mighty work, miracle working strength, virtue.  An in0herent power, power residing in a thing by virtue of its nature, or which a person or thing exerts and puts forth

• power for performing miracles
• moral power and excellence of soul
• the power and influence which belong to riches and wealth
• power and resources arising from numbers
• power consisting in or resting upon armies, forces, hosts

“The powers of the age to come”   The age to come is forever, an unbroken age, perpetuity of time, eternity and includes all of creation, time, space and matter.  All of this world, all of the universe, the cosmos and things beyond our comprehension.

Verses 6-8.  If this were a play, it would be a Greek tragedy, and it would be a most sought after play. 

It is a most tragic fact, God tells us, that it is possible for those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, can fall away.

“Have fallen away”  is a phrase taken from the Greek word “pipto”, to descend from a higher place to a lower, to be thrust down, metaphorically, to fall under judgment, came under condemnation; it is used to describe those overcome by terror or astonishment or grief or under the attack of an evil spirit or of falling dead suddenly; to lose authority, no longer have force, to fail of participating in, miss a share in (God’s Gift of salvation).

These verses are a picture of a Greek wrestler being “thrown to the mat” (fallen away) even after having tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and having tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, continues to ‘wrestle’ with the good things of God.

“Impossible to renew them”   The Greek word for impossible, “adunatos”, means exactly that:  It cannot be done.   They cannot be restored nor can they repent again.  This is not an act of God but is the innate workings of mankind.  This must be taken, in English (or any other language) at complete face-value.  They are now unrepentant, permanently, because they would again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame.

“For ground that drinks the rain which often falls on it and brings forth vegetation useful to those for whose sake it is also tilled, receives a blessing from God”  This is a beautiful metaphor comparing mankind to ‘the ground’ drinking in the rain of the Gifts and of God being tilled by The Holy Spirit of God, bringing forth the produce or fruit of righteousness and of the Holy Ghost.

“But if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless and close to being cursed, and it ends up being burned.  The metaphor turned into a paradox, shows ‘the ground’, after drinking in the gifts of God, producing the antithesis of Fruit of the Spirit, being ‘thorns and thistles’.

The end of this man or woman is damnation.   Note:  There are some theologians and bible teachers who argue that their works will burned up, but the person will be spared. 

BEWARE.  THAT IS A LIE.  Both the person and their works will perish.

Please read these passages and pray:

• Matthew 13:41 “The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness, and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

• 2 Peter 2:1  “But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. 2 Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned; 3 and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.
• 4 For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment;

• 5 and did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, with seven others, when He brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly;
• 6 and if He condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction by reducing them to ashes, having made them an example to those who would live ungodly lives thereafter; 7 and if He rescued righteous Lot, oppressed by the sensual conduct of unprincipled men 8 (for by what he saw and heard that righteous man, while living among them, felt his righteous soul tormented day after day by their lawless deeds),
• 9 then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment,
• 10 and especially those who indulge the flesh in its corrupt desires and despise authority. Daring, self-willed, they do not tremble when they revile angelic majesties, 11 whereas angels who are greater in might and power do not bring a reviling judgment against them before the Lord. 12 But these, like unreasoning animals, born as creatures of instinct to be captured and killed, reviling where they have no knowledge, will in the destruction of those creatures also be destroyed, 13 suffering wrong as the wages of doing wrong. They count it a pleasure to revel in the daytime. They are stains and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions, as they carouse with you, 14 having eyes full of adultery that never cease from sin, enticing unstable souls, having a heart trained in greed, accursed children; 15 forsaking the right way, they have gone astray, having followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; 16 but he received a rebuke for his own transgression, for a mute donkey, speaking with a voice of a man, restrained the madness of the prophet.
• 17 These are springs without water and mists driven by a storm, for whom the black darkness has been reserved. 18 For speaking out arrogant words of vanity they entice by fleshly desires, by sensuality, those who barely escape from the ones who live in error, 19 promising them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved. 20 For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. 21 For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment handed on to them.”

This is offered in love and out of a heartfelt concern.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

PS:  If your study of the Bible, your worship of God and your Church is not presenting a complete, comprehensive, mature teaching of the Gospel, you may be in danger.  Flee!

If you church is seeker sensitive, pandering to the world’s lost, watering down the Word of God to please the unsaved, FLEE!

If your pastor is trying to fit into the culture by his speech, his dress, his attitudes and behaviors, demand he grow up!  If he won’t then leave!

If you do not know what is going on behind the scenes at church, you don’t know where the money is actually being spent or how much you are paying your staff, if don’t understand you budget, this may be OBFUSCATION.  FLEE!

There are Bible centered, Bible teaching, Bible practicing Churches and Pastors.  Find one.

A Prophetic Word

I woke up this morning with this portion in my mind. Repeating over and over, “He is the Lifter of my head”.

Of course, I wondered why the Lord would give me this portion of this verse? What does it mean?  What could it mean to me?  What could it mean to others?

This in The Scriptures:

“O Lord, how my adversaries have increased!
Many are rising up against me.
Many are saying of my soul,
“There is no deliverance for him in God.” Selah.

“But You, O Lord, are a shield about me, My glory, and

The One who lifts my head.
I was crying to the Lord with my voice,
And He answered me from His holy mountain. Selah.”

Psalm 3:1-4

Also This:

“The LORD is my light and my salvation;
Whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the defense of my life;
Whom shall I dread?

When evildoers came upon me to devour my flesh,
My adversaries and my enemies, they stumbled and fell.

Though a host encamp against me,
My heart will not fear;
Though war arise against me,
In spite of this I shall be confident.

One thing I have asked from the LORD, that I shall seek:
That I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life,
To behold the beauty of the LORD
And to meditate in His temple.

For in the day of trouble He will conceal me in His tabernacle;
In the secret place of His tent He will hide me;
He will lift me up on a rock.

And now my head will be lifted up above my enemies around me,
And I will offer in His tent sacrifices with shouts of joy;
I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the LORD.

Psalm 27:1

Here is the Meaning:

As the day of His return draws near, remember, God is the One who raises us up.

He is exalted, and we are set on high with Him, and we shall not be shaken.

We are no longer the tail but we are the now the head because He has brought us to the front, to the summit, to be with Him. Our head will be lifted up!

Confirming Scriptures:

Ephesians 2:4-6 He has raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus

Deuteronomy 28:1 “Now it shall be, if you diligently obey the LORD your God, being careful to do all His commandments which I command you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. 2 “All these blessings will come upon you and overtake you if you obey the LORD your God:

3 “Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the country.

4 “Blessed shall be the offspring of your body and the produce of your ground and the offspring of your beasts, the increase of your herd and the young of your flock.

5 “Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl.

6 “Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out.

7 “The LORD shall cause your enemies who rise up against you to be defeated before you; they will come out against you one way and will flee before you seven ways.

8 “The LORD will command the blessing upon you in your barns and in all that you put your hand to, and He will bless you in the land which the LORD your God gives you.

9 “The LORD will establish you as a holy people to Himself, as He swore to you, if you keep the commandments of the LORD your God and walk in His ways. 10“So all the peoples of the earth will see that you are called by the name of the LORD, and they will be afraid of you.

11 “The LORD will make you abound in prosperity, in the offspring of your body and in the offspring of your beast and in the produce of your ground, in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers to give you.

12 “The LORD will open for you His good storehouse, the heavens, to give rain to your land in its season and to bless all the work of your hand; and you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow.

13 “The LORD will make you the head and not the tail, and you only will be above, and you will not be underneath, if you listen to the commandments of the LORD your God, which I charge you today, to observe them carefully, 14and do not turn aside from any of the words which I command you today, to the right or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them.

The Time of His Return is very near. We know that “Immediately after the tribulation of these days THE SUN WILL BE DARKENED, AND THE MOON WILL NOT GIVE ITS LIGHT, AND THE STARS WILL FALL from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.

“And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF THE SKY with power and great glory.” He tells us to BE READY.

Let’s put this Word in our mind, in our heart and let it into our spirit so we may endure and overcome and live and Spiritually prosper by His Word

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

Yᵉhowshuwa‘ is the Hebrew for Joshua.   Joshua was a “type” of the prophesied Messiah, a foreshadowing of the coming Savior.  

Joshua Chapter 1 verses 1 – 4:  An Encouragement.  These verses not only give us a mighty picture of conquest, victory and salvation, but it is a LIVING PROPHETIC WORD.  It is applicable both to the coming Messiah (Jesus) and for our daily lives.  THIS IS A GREAT ENCOURAGEMENT FOR THESE DAYS! 

Read it, Believe it, Apply it, Do all of it – Today!

VERSE 1

The Verse:   1 Now it came about after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, that the LORD spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ servant, saying,

The Prophetic Transcription:  Gods says, I will draw you out of your current circumstances.  God says I will cause you to rise up and become powerful, you will endure to the end, you will pass over all difficulties, as you lay prostrate before me, you will be saved.

Your ​Application:  The old way of drawing you out of your former life, is dead; now therefore rise up, now,  and come into The enduring power and you cross over from this descended position of being lost without hope to an Eternal Hope in Christ.

VERSE 2

The Verse:  2 “Moses My servant is dead; now therefore arise, cross this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them, to the sons of Israel.

The Prophetic Transcription:  You are become the sons and daughters of God, I am to build you, to establish you. God prevails, God is mighty, God is giving you His Strength.

Your ​Application:  You and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them, to the eternal sons of God, prevail, you are now made mighty by God in His strength

VERSE 3

The Verse:  3 “Every place on which the sole of your foot treads, I have given it to you, just as I spoke to Moses.

The Prophetic Transcription:  “Every place on which the sole of your foot treads, I have given it to you, just as I spoke to Moses.  All, in totality, as you bow yourself down before God, walking in His Spirit, every place you foot treads, is yours – you have victory and dominion in Him.​

Your ​Application:  Every place and everything you touch, bow yourself to God, and the touch of God will grant you dominion in all circumstances.

VERSE 4

The Verse:  4 “From the wilderness and this Lebanon, even as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and as far as the Great Sea toward the setting of the sun will be your territory.

The Prophetic Transcription:  “From the wilderness and this Lebanon, even as far as the great river, the river Euphrates,

From the time you lived in wilderness, and the speech of your mouth was dead, I, God, purify and give life to your heart and your mind and you break forth in fruitfulness.

All the place of terror, the low places that come to you and that you to enter in, God gives you dominion over

​ Your ​Application:  From the time you were wild in your imaginations, without a (heart) living spirit within you or a mind, until God broke forth and gave you a fruitful heart and gives you a mind, an awareness of of Him and in Him; you have dominion over all the terrors and low places you encounter in your life until you enter into His Kingdom of eternity, all of this is yours

VERSE 5 

The Verse:  5 “No man will be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you.

The Prophetic Transcription:  No man of any kind, neither great or powerful, without exception, can stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you;

Your ​Application:  You will not sink down today. I will not relax on your behalf.  You  will not drop back, you will not be disheartened.  You will know that I am always with you and I never forsake you, nor will I let you be alone, I never show slack. 

VERSE 6 

The Verse:  6 “Be strong and courageous, for you shall give this people possession of the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. 

The Prophetic Transcription:  Be strong and take hold of my strength, and be strengthened, hardened, and prevail.  Be encouraged, and secure even obstinate in your assurance for I am making you superior in your strength.  Again I say, you are strong.

Your Application:  You have already inherited this.  The land is now yours, that is all the earth.  This is the oath, God’s Oath, which He swore to your fathers.  Now, YOU possess it.  Take your possessing, today!

These are the Works He prepared ahead of time that we should walk in them.  Now let’s take our rightful place and walk therein!       Ephesians 2:10

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

Note:   

• “The Verse” is from the NASB version of the Bible; 
• “The Prophetic Transcription” is a literal translation from the Hebrew language with all the detail and nuances of what is written.
• “Your Application” is the “Prophetic Transcription” transcribed and is for YOU to actually do – today!

 

Did JESUS really mean we should do GREATER WORKS than He did?

I heard a sermon and the Preacher said “The Greater Works” referred to by Jesus (John 14:12) were a direct reference to evangelism and coming to Jesus for Salvation. I don’t think so.

These Words spoken by Jesus were a profound and prophetic proclamation, empowering every believer to follow in the footsteps and Works of Jesus. Read this…

John 5:18  “For this reason therefore the Jews were seeking all the more to kill Him, because He not only was breaking the Sabbath, but also was calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God.

19 “Therefore Jesus answered and was saying to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner.

20 “For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself is doing; and the Father will show Him greater works than these, so that you will marvel.”

21 “For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom He wishes

These are THE GREATER WORKS, as seen in verse 21

Now, Jesus turns His attention to us, His followers, His disciples…

John 14:10 “Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works. 11“Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves.

12 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father.

13“Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14“If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.

15 “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.

These are THE GREATER WORKS, as seen in verse 12

So, why are we, the Disciples and followers of Jesus, so impotent?

Read further:

Matthew 17:14  “When they came to the crowd, a man came up to Jesus, falling on his knees before Him and saying, 15 “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is a lunatic and is very ill; for he often falls into the fire and often into the water. 16 “I brought him to Your disciples, and they could not cure him.” 17 And Jesus answered and said, “You unbelieving and perverted generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring him here to Me.” 18 And Jesus rebuked him, and the demon came out of him, and the boy was cured at once.

19 Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not drive it out?”

20 And He said to them, “Because of the littleness of your faith; for truly I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you. 21[“But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”]

Listen, dear brothers and sisters in our Lord:   We huddle in our churches and shout or swoon at the words spoken by our leaders. We get excited by our music, our rituals and our gatherings. But our Lord has told us to GO, to DO and to BE.

GO – “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 observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

DO – “For if you DO these things, you will never stumble, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

BE – “Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you.
“BE diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.”

Unless we are perceived as hypocrites or lunatics, ourselves,  let’s GO and DO and BE all that our Lord told us.

Your Brother in THE CAUSE

Mike Young

HOW DO YOU GET THERE FROM HERE?

The Disciples were good and dedicated men who made “honest mistakes”.  These men did extraordinary things, but, they sometimes acted out of passion, or from their traditions, certainly from their current understanding of matters or out of ignorance.

We do that at times, don’t we?

They have been named as Apostles of the Gospel.  And we have raised them to lofty positions in our churches and in our minds.  They have been venerated, and rightly so.

But, we seem to be struggling to follow them and get the results they obtained. So, how do we get to the point we can accurately follow Jesus and get the results He said we should get.  How do we get there from here? 

So, let’s be clear from here on:  Jesus is our example.  Jesus is the standard.  Jesus, always.  Jesus, alone.

THE CONTEXT OF THE ENTIRE BIBLE

We must always be careful to read the Bible n the entire context of the matter and in the context of the entire Bible.

We generally try to relate what we read in the New Testament to our day and time.  This can be very helpful but it can also be very reckless and dangerous. 

Jesus and the Apostles warned of a coming day when times would become very difficult.   A time when people would be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving,  irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good,  treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,  atime when people would hold to a form of godliness, although they will have denied its power.  It would seem that we are living in such a time.  (2 Timothy 3)

Jesus was on mission from His Father, as a sacrifice for the sins of many.  Nothing else could rise to the importance of His Mission.

Jesus has instructed us to continue His Works and Mission and we must be aware of the struggles and battles we must face and be be shrewd as serpents and yet innocent as doves.

During Jesus’ ministry on earth, there were two types of struggles or battles being waged in Israel. 

The first battle was with the Roman occupation of Israel and the Jewish resistance. 

Some Jews, in this struggle, colluded and collaborated with the Romans, such as the Jewish tax collectors or some political figures.

Some Jews simply cooperated and obeyed Roman law and occupation, to gain favor or to have the ability to continue their daily routines, to hold on to their position in Jewish society without much additional Roman interference, such as the Pharisees. 

But, some Jews resisted the Roman occupation with armed conflict and sabotage.  They engaged the Roman enemy to the point of death.  One of these such men was the infamous Barabbas.

The second conflict being waged was spiritual.  Jesus was on mission from His Father as savior of the world.  His march to the cross of crucifixion was on a timescale and He could not be distracted or diverted by world affairs.  Jesus was often confronted, His mission and his life threatened by the Jewish religious establishment, Roman authorities, many in Jewish society and at times, even by his own disciples.  But, He remained focused, on mission and on schedule.

Today, we are on mission from Jesus.  Ours is to continue and complete the Great Commission, “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 Jesus commanded us”.  Nothing else should rise to the importance of our mission.

We, too, are faced with two types of struggles or battles.

Our first struggle is with the distractions and threats of world and local affairs, religious establishments, politics and government authorities and from the segments of society which are hostile to the Cause of Christ. 

Just like during for Israel during the Roman occupation, many in our society collaborate with the godless Marxist and Socialist in our government to gain political power, position and wealth.  They are a direct threat.

Some in our society simply cooperate and obey onerous U.S or state laws, to have the ability to continue their daily routines without government to much government interference.  They can be an indirect threat.

Some among us are beginning to resist unfair and unjust laws and edicts. There is even talk of armed conflict as a response.  Like some Jews during the Roman occupation, they are willing to engage the enemy within, even to the point of death.

Our second conflict being waged is spiritual.  Our primary struggle does not originate in flesh and blood, but it originates with the powers, the world forces of darkness as spiritual forces of wickedness, in the heavenly places.(See Ephesians6:12)

And, just as God protected Jesus and His disciples until His time came, God will protect us until our time comes.  As soldiers of the cross, we must be ready for anything.  Just as God appointed that some disciples suffer or die in His Cause, some of us could face that same fate.

Read Peter’s exhortation:

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

How do we proceed?  By following the Biblical Pattern modeled by Jesus. 

You must organize yourself as the Body of Christ:

FIRST, as Pastors, Deacons – Poymane-Diakonos (poy-mane’- dee-ak-on-eh’-o)  (pastor-deacon)

The prayer warriors, planners and doers of the Word, deacons and pastors.  Those who don’t mind, and would prefer to be in the background, working without notice, helping.

SECONDLY as Preachers, Evangelists, Teachers – Euaggelistes- kerux- didaskalos (yoo-ang-ghel-is-tace’- kay’-roox- did-as’-kal-os) (evangelist-preacher-teacher)

The Tip of the Spear are the evangelists, teachers, preachers and front line workers.  Those who don’t mind being in view and out-front, taking the heat and standing strong with the support of the faithful praying saints.

THIRDLY, as The Army of God, 1 Chronicles 12:22 – ‘Elohiym-machaneh  (el-o-heem’- makh-an-eh’

These are the guards of the camp.  These are ones who are mighty in the Word of God.  These will defend the camp, with the Force of God, when necessary.  The “Army of God”  1 Chronicles 12:22.

NOTE:  DO NOT let your experiences, circumstances, education or training be an obstacle!  Equip yourselves and go!

 Acts 4:13  “Now as they observed the confidence of Peter and John and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed, and began to recognize them as having been with Jesus.”

1.  Realize (find) your Spiritual Gifting and apply what God has given you.

2.  Submit yourself to God

3.  The Holy Spirit will empower you

4.  Jesus will do His Works thought you

Time is short and our Mission is urgent.  Please, click on this image and continue to study, pray and receive from God!

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

– Introduction –

The Bible, is unity in diversity, expressing its unique message in a rich variety of literary forms. The literature of the Bible is an aesthetically beautiful interpretation of human experience from a divine perspective. The literary forms found in the pages of Scripture, including figurative language, narrative history, poetry, wisdom literature, prophetic literature, gospel, oratory, and epistle.

The mystery of the Oracles of the Bible are hidden in plain sight, woven into parables, allegories, similes, riddles and symbols and poetry ( Bible.org series page 4 – a literary forms bible ).

Matthew 13:44, tells us that “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” The “Kingdom of Heaven” is the Miracle, the “field” is the Scriptures, and the “Treasure” is Key to all the miracles of God.

Throughout The Scriptures we find the immutable and prophetic Words of God hidden in His Field.

Here are “25 simple keys” to Miracles for your life

1.  The Key of Clean Hands & A Pure Heart

Psalms 24:3

Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place?

4 (Key #1) The one who has clean hands and a pure heart,

(Key #2) who does not trust in an idol

(Key #3) or does not swear by a false god.

5 They will receive blessing from the Lord and vindication from God their Savior. 6 Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek your face, God of Jacob.

2.  The Key Of The Vine (link)

John 15:4

Verse 7 “If you abide in Me, and

(Key #6) My words abide in you,

(#6a) ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

Verse 8. “My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples. verse 9. “Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love.

Verse 10. (Key #7) “If you keep My commandments,

(7a) you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.

Verse 11. “These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.”

3.  The Key Of The Mustard Seed

Matthew 7:20 “And He said to them, “Because of the littleness of your faith; for truly I say to you,

(Key #8) if you have faith the size of a mustard seed,

(#8a) you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you. 21

(#8b) “But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”

4.  The Key Of The Mountain

Mark 11:22 And Jesus answered saying to them,

(Key #11) all things for which you pray and

(11a) ask, (11b) believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you.

25 “Whenever you

(Key #12) stand praying,

(Key #13) forgive,

if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions. 26 “But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in heaven forgive your transgressions.”

5.  The Key Of Asking, Seeking, Knocking

Matthew 7:1

(Key#15) 6 “Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.

(Key #16) 7 “Ask, and it will be given to you;

(Key #17) seek, and you will find; (Key #18) knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 “For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 9 “Or what man is there among you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone? 10 “Or if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he? 11“If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!

 

(Key #19) 12“In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

6.  The Key of Works

John 14:10 “Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works.

11 (Key #20) “Believe Me that

(Key #21) I am in the Father and

(Key #22) the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves.

(Key #23)12 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father.

13 (Key #24) “Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14“If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.

(Key #25) 15“If you love Me, you will keep My commandments

Many of my friends will read a verse like John 14:12 and say something like, ‘Yes, but it doesn’t mean you can really ask for “anything” ‘. The plain language of this verse says ANYTHING. Believe in Him – Ask anything in His Name – He will do it. (But then, why doesn’t it happen, “all the time”?)

Read the entire Guide. Do all of it. Try, try again! It will happen.

John 14:12 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father. 13 “Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 “If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

Jesus said, “These only come out by prayer and fasting”.  The same can be said about miracles.  You get ready and Jesus will do the works!

By What Authority

Have you ever seen a fire hose get loose?  The water pressure becomes to great and causes the hose to slip from the hands of the fireman and the hose swings wildly, to and fro, up and down, like a snake gone wild, trying to escape from itself.  It can be a danger.  The remedy is to relieve the water pressure, so the hose will lay still.

Likewise, I see stress fractures in my friends lives and in the lives of people around us.  Even in my own life.

It is the pressure building up around us, and within us, squeezing us.  And, like the fire hose, I see the erratic behavior from that stress.  Emotions swinging wildly, to and fro, up and down, a like a person trying to escape themselves.  It hardly makes any sense.  The only remedy is to relieve the pressure so we may lay still and rest.

HERE IS HOPE

There is an answer.  But, we must embrace the answer – or better yet, The Answer, let Jesus, embrace us, so we can rest.

I could go into a long and detailed message copied from some psychology oriented website, but, few would read it.  So, let’s keep this short and to the point. 

1.  This requires you trust what is being written and just do it.

2.  Your mind needs to be a wiped clean of the daily distractions:

a.  For the next 24 hours:  No News Channels;  No Newspapers;  No FACEBOOK or other social media.

b.  Your mind needs to be as close to a clean sheet of paper as possible for this to work.  The Bible refers to this state as “childlike faith”, untainted by the world and untarnished by the sin of this world.

c.  Revelation 3:17  “Because you say, “I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,” and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked”

d.  You must come to Jesus as His disciple, admitting you are “Poor in Spirit“,  (from the Greek language), “Ptochos,” (Matthew 5:3) – You actually need to act this out, aloud.

i)    Jesus, I am reduced to begging and asking alms;

ii)   Jesus, I am destitute of wealth, influence, position or honor.

iii)  Jesus, I am lowly, afflicted, destitute of the Christian virtues and eternal riches.

iv)  Jesus, I am helpless, powerless to accomplish an end.

v)   Jesus, I am poor, needy.

vi)  Jesus, I am lacking in anything as respects the spirit.

vii) Jesus, I am destitute of learning and intellectual culture .which schools afford.

People of this class most readily give themselves up to Christ’s teaching and proved themselves fitted to lay hold of the heavenly treasure.

Once you reach out to Jesus, in this state, you are where it can begin:  NOW, YOURS IS THE KINGDOM OF GOD!

NOW, “You will be enriched in everything for all liberality, which through us is producing thanksgiving to God.” (2 Corinthians 9:11)

3.  Set the conditions of worship.  Prepare the mind to relax and receive.

a)  Go to the videos and listen and meditate and rest.  If you fall asleep, just rest: 

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

“Abide” –  Christian Bible Meditation

“Abide” –  Christian Meditation

“Abide” –  Christian Meditation

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Two for lunch, please”, I repeated.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

REPENT and WALK HUMBLY before GOD!

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

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

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

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

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

What God Requires of Man

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

AGAINST ALL ODDS

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

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

MANY HAZARDS

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

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

A STABLE AND LONG-LASTING STAR

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

blasting their planets with bursts of radiation.

THE RIGHT DISTANCE

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

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

A DYNAMIC CORE

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

A BIG MOON

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

OZONE LAYER

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

ATMOSPHERE

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

CLIMATE

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

WATER

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

LIGHT

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

THE MAGNETOSPHERE

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

JUPITER AS A VACUUM CLEARNER

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

STABLE SOLAR SYSTEM

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

OUR LOCATION

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

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

A DISAPPEARING MIRACLE?

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

THE BIBLE SAYS

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

NEXT on Miracles:    AN INTRODUCTION TO

 

NEXT:  A SIMPLE GUIDE TO MIRACLES

CONFESSING WITH YOUR MOUTH

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

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

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

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

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

This is both a mistake and dangerous. 

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

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

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

CONFESS WITH YOUR MOUTH

SALVATION

Romans 10:9  

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

CLEANSING FROM UNRIGHTEOUSNESS

1 John 1:9      

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

HEALING

James 5:16     

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

GOD HEARS YOU, FORGIVES YOU, HEAL YOUR LAND

2 Chronicles 7:14      

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

DEATH AND LIFE

Proverbs 18:21          

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

COMPASSION

Proverbs 28:13          

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

RIGHTEOUSNESS AND SALVATION

Romans 10:10

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

ANSWERED PRAYER

Mark 11:23

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

ANSWERED PRAYER, BEARING FRUIT, DISCIPLESHIP

John 15:7,8

“If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.  “My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.”

CLAIMING THE PROMISES OF GOD

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

NEWSFLASH –

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ephesians 3:20

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Next, His soul was tempted with pride of life.

Finally, His Spirit was tempted with glory and honor.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Your Brother and Friend,

Mike Young