Pandemic? You are in Control (Much More than You Can Imagine)

A particular Bible study teacher was instructed by his pastor not to present anything “dark and dreadful,” like the Devil, or hellfire and judgment, because the pastor felt that the parishioners had enough dark things to deal with in their every day lives.  A goodly portion of today’s Christian ministries would be better characterized as “motivational” rather than the full Gospel of judgment and grace.  Much of the world has a misconception of who God really is.  He certainly is not the smiley-face bumper sticker that reads “God loves you!” 

The great commission given to the saints by Jesus Christ is recorded in Mark 16:15-16:

15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

One only needs to count the people on Noah’s Ark to realize the bumper sticker missed the mark.   The number of those on the Ark—the number of people saved from God’s judgment—was eight.  The rest of mankind was destroyed by the global flood, whose death toll could have easily numbered millions upon millions.  Jesus said it would be as it was in the days of Noah when He returns (Matthew 24:37-39).  By God’s grace, the number saved will be far greater than eight, but Jesus also said: “…few be that find it” (Matthew 7:14). 

It’s true we are saved by grace and not by works, but good works must follow. Ephesians 2:8-10:

8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Without good works, we would be classified as tares and not fruit-bearing wheat.  Matthew 13:24-30:

24 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:

25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.

26 But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.

27 So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?

28 He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?

29 But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.

30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

Hebrews 2:3 is truly a sobering thought:

How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;

If we ever ran the race, it is time to run it now.  If you never ran the race, the time to start is now. It’s almost over.  Have you been born again—born a very real second time, this time of the Spirit of God?  Jesus said it is the only way to see the Kingdom of God (John 3:3).  At born-again, everything becomes brand-new.  At born-again, all your sin and shame are washed away by the saving blood of Jesus Christ.  At born-again, Satan’s bondages on your life are broken.  At born-again, the power to live a glorious, Christian life is yours.  In just a few moments, everything changes.  Follow me in this simple prompt.  Ready?  Here we go: Click onto “Further with Jesus”  for childlike instructions and immediate entry into the Kingdom of God.  NOW FOR TODAY’S SUBJECT.

GOD SAID, Philippians 4:6:

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

GOD SAID, Romans 8:28:

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

GOD SAID, III John 1:2:

Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.

GOD SAID, Revelation 21:7-8:

7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

MAN SAID: What are we going to do?!  The whole world is shut down!  I’m terrified!!  I can’t believe it!  They’re rationing toilet paper?!

Now THE RECORD: Welcome to GodSaidManSaid feature 997 that will again prove the full and supernatural inerrancy of God’s Holy Bible.  All of these faith-defending features are archived here in text and streaming audio for the edification of the redeemed and as bait for the fishers of men.  Every Thursday eve, God willing, they grow by one. 

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Thank you for coming.  May the glorious excitement of the Cross consume all in your life that offends. 

The fear du jour at the time of this writing is the global pandemic called Covid-19.  Of course, keep in mind:  When we don’t have a fear du jour, the media will create one for the sons and daughters of Adam to tremble at—and tremble they do.  Saints, pretty soon Jesus Christ will return for His chaste virgins and all the blood-bought will meet the Lord in the clouds.  However, do note that the fearful will not enter in.  Revelation 21:8:

But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

Shake off the fear—it is the damnable token of perdition.  Shake off the spirit of fear that has lips, hands, teeth, and feat—or it will devour you.  Shake off the fear—it is flat ungodly.  II Timothy 1:7:

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

When we fear, the devils feast.  DON’T FEED THE DEVILS!  Giving place to fear is a reproach to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

Over the years, GodSaidManSaid has published numerous features addressing neuroscience’s latest discoveries concerning physical effects that are the direct result of the intent of WORDS. Several of our features dealt with the very real placebo and nocebo effects, which are measurably physical, and all a result of the intent of WORDS. 

If you understand the WORD principle we will lay out today, you will relish the repetition.  If you do not yet understand, your eyes will be opened wide.  Proverbs 18:21 reads “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.”  The truth of that verse is staggering.

Job 34:3:

For the ear trieth words, as the mouth tasteth meat.

Each of us have a physical and a spiritual man.  The physical man eats bread and the spiritual man eats words, good or evil, and we choose the menu. 

If the Bible is correct in its assertion that everything is a product of WORDS, then we should be able to find proof everywhere—and we do.  WORDS are everything—absolutely everything!  Years ago, while attending one of my son’s baseball games, I had a discussion with a gentleman and the subject of God arose.  The man responded that what I said was “just words,” as though WORDS were nothing.  I asked him if he would like me to prove that everything is made out of God’s WORDS.  He exclaimed, “Go ahead!  Try it!”  The man worked in steel, so it was appropriate that the example I used was the making of an automobile, and about the making of it out of thin air, with WORDS.  The story goes like this: 

Over a hundred years ago, a man was driving down a bumpy, dirt road in this buckboard wagon, which was being pulled along by his horse.  The twenty-mile trip—which would take about 25 minutes today—would take the man most of the day.  As the man rode along, sweaty and fly-bitten, he thought about how great it would be if he could make a horseless carriage.  His thoughts—WORDS—ruminated around in his head all the way home. 

At this point, I asked the gentleman what we had so far, and he said WORDS.  My example continued:

When he got home, our inventor got out a tablet of paper.  With his pencil, he made WORD pictures, and a parts schematic, creating the design of his new “horseless carriage.” 

Again, I asked the gentleman what we had so far, and he rightly answered again, WORDS. 

Our inventor then got his shovel and dug up a load of iron ore, and other materials.  The iron ore was smelted to steel to make the parts of the horseless carriage.  That iron ore—and the other materials—was spoken into existence out of that which is invisible with WORDS, God’s WORDS. 

When I finally asked the gentleman what an automobile was made of, the answer was—WORDS.  Everything is made of WORDS, even the digital device on which you are receiving these WORDS. 

Science was literally shocked when they began to discover DNA and its astounding marvels.  A big—very big—surprise was DNA’s four-letter alphabet.  Using these four letters, DNA delivers its instructions for the construction of all living things in WORDS arranged in sentences, paragraphs, chapters, and volumes of books.  DNA maintains onboard the world’s most sophisticated editing and proofing systems, and it takes a very powerful microscope to even see it.  Everything is made out of WORDS. 

As a result of this global pandemic, the world’s population is being fed mostly bad words twenty-four hours a day.  Tune in for just five minutes a day to get the news you need to deal with, and then tune out! Our bodies are made out of WORDS and the WORDS we feed our spiritual man will surely produce physical results in those bodies. 

Several excerpts from the GodSaidManSaid feature “The Heart Series, Part Four,” which was published several years ago, follow:  

This heart—out of it flow the issues of life, and keeping it is life, and life more abundantly here, and eternal life hereafter.  To neglect it is to one’s own peril. These are the last days – the very last days.  Jesus speaks of them in Matthew 24:22-24:

22  And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect''s sake those days shall be shortened.

23  Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.

24  For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

Keeping the heart squarely fixed on, and filled with the Word of God, will be the only way of escape.

Inside each feature in this series you’ll find recent discoveries of science that fully confirm the veracity, the supernatural inerrancy, of the scriptures; proof that the God of the Bible is, and that He interacts daily in the lives of the redeemed.  In order for salvation to function in full power in a believer’s life, the absolutes of God’s Word must be absolutely absolute.  This is where water-walking faith resides.

Part One of this series addressed two issues:

(1.)  That a heart can be made merry or sad with words, and the results produce very real spiritual and physical ramifications.

(2.)  The heart is not just a muscle pump, but it in fact has its own thoughts, and out of it flow the issues of life.

Part Two dealt with the soul—man’s spiritual/psychological nomenclature, and how thoughts (WORDS) are considered, and how they do or do not take up residence in the heart.

Part Three focused on purging the heart of bitterness, hatred, fear, etc., and preparing the heart to house the true issues of life.

The heart’s food is comprised of WORDS which make up thoughts.  Fixating on the right thoughts is crucial to spiritual and physical health.  It is a truism to the faith walker that today is the best day of my life and tomorrow will be better, but maintenance of the heart is central to such an all-encompassing and glorious confession.  This feature will focus on three pertinent issues:

(1.)  Positive reframing.  Positive reframing is a psychological term that deals with how we should handle thoughts and circumstances.  The well-worn idea of the glass of water applies.  Do you see it as half full or half empty?  Positive reframing is simply looking at a bad situation and putting a new frame around it.  Example: A pregnant woman has a miscarriage and says, “It’s for the best.  This is nature’s way of preventing birth defects.”  Positive reframing and positive thinking have much in common.  But Biblical positive reframing is not simply positive thinking.  It is a confession of faith in Christ Jesus which has, standing behind it, the full faith and credit of the eternal Godhead and heavenly host.  God is standing at the ready to make the believer’s investment in faith good.  Positive thinking will eventually fail, but positive faith in Christ never ever fails.

The application of the Word of God to a bad picture turns dark skies blue.  Romans 8:28:

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

When positive faith reframes a believer’s circumstances—“…all things work together for good…”—it is an absolute.  Example: Many fear the coming of the antichrist, yet II Thessalonians 2 declares that in the window of time when the antichrist enters the Jewish temple to confess himself to be God, this is the doorway to the great taking up of the church when the saints of God meet Jesus Christ in the air.  This marvelous event is one of the seven best days of the children of God, and the antichrist plays a pivotal role.  The antichrist will work to our good.  It is important that we reframe this fearful picture with promise.  The antichrist plays an important role in one of the very best days of our lives.  We must feed our hearts with the WORDS of faith.  Reframe your life’s pictures with faith.  Fear just won’t do; fear is devil’s food.

(2.)  Meditation and prayer.  Feed your heart with meditation and prayer, and the results will be health to all your flesh.  The children of God are directed to meditate and pray hundreds of times in the scriptures.  Neuroscientist Andrew Newberg and Mark Waldman authored the book, How God Changes Your Brain. Their extensive research proves once again the total reliability of the Word of God. 

Twelve minutes of meditation a day yields startling results such as:

💓 Increased length of life

💓 Improved ability to perform a variety of tasks

💓 Augmented anger management

💓 Stress reduction, and according to the authors, “…stress is the number one killer in America because it damages nearly every organ in the body—especially your brain.”  [End of quote]

💓 Enhanced memory recall, concentration, and verbal fluency on average 10-20%

💓 Reduced anxiety

💓 Reduced depression

💓 Improved quality of life

💓 Enhanced cognitive performance of the brain

💓 Strengthened neural circuits that normally tend to deteriorate with age

Again, from How God Changes Your Brain:

I want to bring up an important but often overlooked point.  What you choose to meditate upon, or pray for, can do more than change your brain.  You can damage it, especially if you choose to focus on something that makes you frightened or angry.  In psychology this is called “rumination,” and it is clearly hazardous to your health.  In a Stanford brain-scan study, people who focused on negative aspects of themselves, or on a negative interpretation of life, had increased activity in their amygdala.  This generated waves of fear, releasing a torrent of destructive neurochemicals into the brain.  [End of quote]

Meditation and prayer are important players in the keeping of the heart.

(3.)  Going to church.  The following paragraphs are from the GodSaidManSaid feature article, “The Power of Going to Church:”

Hundreds of studies have been and are presently being conducted to ascertain whether there is any connection between religious faith and health.  Some of the latest results are shocking to the unbelieving world.  In 1999 the results of a study conducted by the University of Texas were published.  Twenty-two thousand people were followed over a nine-year period.  Those who attended church or synagogue more than once a week lived an average of eight years longer than those who didn''t.  Let me say it another way: those who attended church more than once a week lived 2,920 days or 11% longer than those who didn''t.

A Yale study reported that churchgoers were less likely to become physically disabled.  In a syndicated article released by Knight Ridder Newspapers it was recorded:

Several studies concluded that people who attended religious services regularly are hospitalized less often and have stronger immune systems than people who rarely or never attend.  [End of quote]

A healthy heart spiritually and physically attends church more than once a week.

Out of the heart flow the issues of life, and we are responsible for keeping it.

Instant replay:

💓 Positive reframing

💓 Meditation and prayer

💓 Going to church

Feed your heart the beauty of God’s science—His WORDS. [End of quotes]

DON’T FEED THE DEVILS!  Your fear is the devil’s feast.  God’s menu, on the other hand, is typified in Philippians 4:8:

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

The spiritual man eats WORDS.  Our brains have been made in the image and likeness of God’s brain, and it is made to thrive on faith and hope.

Several paragraphs from author and Pulitzer-Prize winner JT Hallinan’s book, Kidding Ourselves, follow.  While you are reading, remember it is all WORDS. 

But perception is a two-way street.  Not only can we convince ourselves that something will make us better; we can also convince ourselves that something will make us worse.  When this happens, the effect we feel is attributed not to a placebo, but to its evil twin, the nocebo.  A nocebo is a negative placebo, and research has shown that its effects can be just as powerful as the positive ones produced by a placebo; in extreme cases, they can even be fatal.  Although instances of this are rare, they occur often enough that many physicians believe they comprise a modern medical malady: death by hypochondria.

Maybe one day we walk into our doctor’s office feeling more or less fine and walk out with the news we all dread.  Under such circumstances, people have been known to simply drop dead of a heart attack.  These reports are not mere folklore, but fact. 

In 2012, researchers in the United States, Iceland, and Sweden examined the health records of more than 6 million Swedes.  Swedes not only enjoy some of the world’s best health care, they also benefit from having some of the world’s most thorough care records.  The recording of cancers by clinicians and pathologists has been required by Swedish law since 1958, and the country maintains a nationwide registry of cancer and causes of death that is unrivaled; the completeness of the Swedish Cancer Registry approaches 100 percent. 

The researchers found that the risk of death from heart attack and stroke soared immediately after a cancer diagnosis and was more than five times higher than in people without cancer.  The risk was greatest the week following a cancer diagnosis and decreased over time.  But even a year after diagnosis, it remained three times higher compared to those without cancer.  Moreover, the likelihood of a heart attack or stroke increased with the severity of the cancer diagnosis: the darker their future looked, the greater the risk of cardiac death. 

The increased risk of death, they found, wasn’t the same for everyone.  Younger people, for instance, were at greater risk than older patients.  For those under the age of fifty-five, the risk of cardiovascular death jumped by a factor of 11.9 during the first four weeks after being diagnosed.  For those between the ages of sixty-five and seventy-four, by comparison, the risk of cardiovascular death increased only by a factor of 5.2. 

During the 1991 Scud missile barrage on Israel, the incident of heart attacks in Tel Aviv tripled [as in up 300%] during the first three days of the hostilities, as compared with the same three days of January the year before.  A similar response occurred after an earthquake struck Athens in 1981: abnormally large numbers of Greeks simply dropped dead. [End of quotes]

Around a quarter of a century ago, brother Dick (not his actual name), a mighty man of God, came to my office at the end of the day and asked if he could speak with me.  He was shaken and highly concerned.  Dick had just come from the doctor, where he was told he had a deadly disease.  Dick’s concern had taken on a dark despair.  I asked if he had been feeling sick; he responded, “not in the least.”  Dick stated that just before he visited his doctor, he had, in fact, just finished an enjoyable round of golf.  WORDS—everything is WORDS.  Dick and I discussed the glories of our salvation and prayed together, confessing the promises of God.  Faith vanquished the dark despair.  I felt impressed of God to tell brother Dick not to fear, as he wouldn’t soon be dying from the dread disease.  When it was his appointment, it would be something or whatever else that would take him home.  Dick left with full victory.  I saw Dick recently—some twenty-five years later—and he was the picture of health.  WORDS are everything. 

The following excerpt is from Dr. BH Lipton’s book, The Biology of Belief, and declares information for all to embrace:

We are the drivers of our own biology, just as I am the driver of this word processing program.  We have the ability to edit the data we enter into our biocomputers, just as surely as I choose the words I type.  When we understand how IMPs [integral membrane proteins, which Lipton proposes controls cell operations] control biology, we become masters of our fate, not victims of our genes. 

Job 34:3:

For the ear trieth words, as the mouth tasteth meat.

Our mind/brain eats WORDS, but especially at the absolutely dominant subconscious level.  We have Godlike brain capabilities that God unlocks through His WORD.  Our mind/brain thrives on faith that worketh by love and hope. 

In her book, Switch on Your Brain, Dr. Caroline Leaf summarizes how thoughts (WORDS) affect the brain:

Our thoughts, imagination, and choices can change the structure and function of our brains on every level: molecular, genetic, epigenetic, cellular, structural, neurochemical, and electromagnetic, and even subatomic.  Through our thoughts, we can be our own brain surgeons as we make choices that change the circuits in our brain.  We are designed to do our own brain surgery. 

Scientists now know that the brain has the amazing ability to reorganize throughout life, changing its structure and function through thinking alone. 

Neuroplasticity (the ability of the brain to change in response to thinking) can operate for you as well as against you because whatever you think about the most will grow.  This applies to both the positive and negative ends of the spectrum.

Our perception of the environment plus how we manage our environment controls our bodies and lives.  So, if you change your perception, you change your biology.  You become the master of your life instead of a victim.  [End of quotes]

DON’T FEED THE DEVILS! They feast on your fear.  Consider the following WORDS:

📣 Hebrews 3:12:

Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.

📣 Psalm 1:1:

Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

📣 Psalm 23:4:

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

📣 I Thessalonians 5:18:

In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

Even in pandemics, we are believers.  We believe.  That’s what believers do.  Shake off that damnable spirit of fear!  It is ungodly! 

GOD SAID, Philippians 4:6:

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

GOD SAID, Romans 8:28:

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

GOD SAID, III John 1:2:

Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.

GOD SAID, Revelation 21:7-8:

7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

MAN SAID: What are we going to do?!  The whole world is shut down!  I’m terrified!!  I can’t believe it!  They’re rationing toilet paper?!

Now you have THE RECORD.

 

 

 

References:

Authorized King James Version

Hallinan, J., Kidding Ourselves, Crown Publishers, 2014

Leaf, C., Switch on Your Brain, Baker Books, 2013

Lipton, B., The Biology of Belief, Hay House, Inc., 2005

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