Psalms 1 has always been a favorite of mine and I often return to it in my meditations. I love verse 3, that speaks of the reward of the righteous. "And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper." I love the imagery of that verse. It speaks of security and safety. But, in order to experience verse 3, we must take to heart verse 2, " But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night."
Law? Is that the law that has been done away with, the one Jesus nailed to the cross? If so, then verse 3 cannot apply to us. Oh, but it does. The English word "law" is from the Hebrew "torah", which means instructions. The biblical term torah simply means the instructions of our heavenly Father. Picture, if you will, a sheepfold. While in the sheepfold, under the protection of the shepherd, you are safe from harm. When you venture out on your own, you are in danger of that which lurks without and the enemy who comes only to kill, steal and destroy. Jesus tells us in John 10 that he is both the door to the sheepfold, as well as the good shepherd that protects the sheep. Verse 7 "Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.", and in verse 11 "I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep." Verses 27-28 "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand." How do we follow him? We keep the torah! Isn't that trying to be saved by works? No! We are not given access to the protection of the sheepfold because we have kept torah, but keep torah because the good shepherd has brought us into his sheepfold by grace through faith, and then teaches us his instructions for righteous living, whereby we remain in his care. Now we can read again verse 3 and see the blessings that are the reward of those whose delight is in the torah.
The role of earthly parents should be patterned after our heavenly Father. They are to train up their children according to rules and guidelines that are given to keep their children safe and happy. It has been proven that children who are raised with parental boundaries feel loved and secure. They may test those boundaries, but often it is in hopes that their parents will prove to be consistent in their upbringing. Those of us who are parents know the pain and sorrow brought on by disobedient children and the fruit of their willful defiance of the teachings that would bring them innumerable blessings. It breaks our heart. Our heavenly Father feels that pain all too often as he sees his children turning from the ways of eternal life to that which leads to death. His instructions for righteous living are never meant to be seen as bondage, but as a loving father's desire to bless us with abundant life.
Deuteronomy 6:5-7 "And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart. And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up."
Do we see this, even in Christian households today? No, for all our advancements and technology, we see families growing farther apart. We are in bondage to TV, the internet, IPhones, Facebook, twitter, instagram, etc. Families rarely sit down together for a meal or engage in any meaningful conversation. Our children have lost the art of communication and socialization. Their method of "conversation" is through a cell phone attached to their hands every waking hour. Sadly, their parents are doing the same thing. This is not the abundant life our Father intended for us.
Many today grow nostalgic when thinking of the "good old days." Well, if you ask your grandparents or great-grandparents, those days were not all good. What was good though was that they lived in simpler times. They didn't have the distractions we live with today. They knew what it was to join hands at the dinner table in thanksgiving and enjoy the togetherness of family and friends, sharing and laughing with one another. After a hard day's work, they would often sit out on the porch, gazing up at the moon and stars, sharing stories with one another. Children would play outside under the watchful eyes of their elders long after the sun set, chasing fireflies, burning off excess energy, ensuring a restful night's sleep. Children respected their elders and found joy in sitting at their feet listening to tales of days gone by. Their education consisted of the bible and it's teachings, at church and at home. Today, bibles often sit on the bookshelf collecting dust, thought to be ancient tales of ancient times, no longer applicable to our day.
I will close with two passages, one from Jeremiah and the other from Revelation. Deuteronomy 19:15 tells us that at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established. The passages I will share both witness to Psalms 1
Jeremiah 17:7-8 " Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.
Revelation 22:1-2, 14 "And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city."
What a mystery! The bible reveals to us that, by our obedience to the creator, we will be as a tree of life and will one day be given access to THE TREE OF LIFE in the eternal city of our God.
Saturday, December 30, 2017
Sunday, October 15, 2017
King of kings, Lord of lords
The gospel message, according to the Christian church, is the story of Jesus and his free gift of salvation to all who believe in him as savior and call upon his name in repentance for the remission of sins. Following their conversion, believers have a deep desire to minister the message of salvation to others, that they too may experience this saving grace and the fellowship of the brethren. The death, burial and resurrection of our LORD is truly the greatest event in the history of the world to date. The apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 "For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures. And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures". He is indeed the lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.
The message, however, does not stop there. At his first coming to earth to take flesh upon him and tabernacle with men, he fulfilled the prophecies concerning the suffering servant, the sinless lamb of God who willingly laid down his life for his creation, who bore in his own body the penalty for our transgressions. He came to break the bondage of sin that held us captive in it's grasp, to be the mediator between God and man, for he was the Son of God and the son of man. However, he will once again come to earth to fulfill the prophecies concerning his reign as King of kings and Lord of lords. I believe that Christianity has, for the most part, failed in it's understanding of the significance of that day yet in the future.
Our LORD is no longer a babe in a manger or the suffering servant who died for our sins. He is seated at the right hand of the Father on high, where he has received all power and authority in heaven and on earth. The second time he returns to this earth, it will be as reigning King to establish the Kingdom of God and lay down the rules of the Kingdom. Many who have been taught that those rules no longer apply or have been nailed to the cross at his crucifixion will have a rude awakening when they stand before the judgment seat of the Almighty.
The "gospel" Jesus brought during his first coming was not about himself, but about the Kingdom of heaven. Everywhere he went throughout Judea and the Galilee, we are told that he taught the people concerning the gospel of the Kingdom. Fifty-four times in Matthew's gospel alone, his message was the Kingdom. Matthew understood the prophecy of old. Jeremiah 23:5 "Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth." The parables in Luke's gospel were teachings on the Kingdom. The apostle Paul, in his letters, often spoke of the Kingdom. The gospel of the entire New Testament was primarily that of the Kingdom of God. Yet the message of the Church remains one about Jesus rather than what he taught. He is accepted as savior but rarely, if at all, as our Lord or master, the one whom we are commanded to obey.
Do we even have any concept of who Jesus is today? The apostle John, while exiled on the Isle of Patmos, was transported by the Spirit unto the future Day of the Lord. He heard a voice behind him as the sound of a trumpet. He turned and beheld the glorified Jesus standing before him amidst seven golden candlesticks. The sight was so awesome and fearful that John fell as a dead man at his feet. He wasn't looking at a baby in a manger or a suffering messiah, but the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end, a King of such mind-numbing majesty that words failed him, as it would us as well.
Revelation 1:13-16 "And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength."
I believe, if the Church could get even a small glimpse of their savior as a ruling King on the throne of his glory, as was revealed to John, there would be an awakening and a revival such as the world has never seen. One day we will honor him as King of kings and Lord of lords and every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that he is LORD!
Do we even have any concept of who Jesus is today? The apostle John, while exiled on the Isle of Patmos, was transported by the Spirit unto the future Day of the Lord. He heard a voice behind him as the sound of a trumpet. He turned and beheld the glorified Jesus standing before him amidst seven golden candlesticks. The sight was so awesome and fearful that John fell as a dead man at his feet. He wasn't looking at a baby in a manger or a suffering messiah, but the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end, a King of such mind-numbing majesty that words failed him, as it would us as well.
Revelation 1:13-16 "And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength."
I believe, if the Church could get even a small glimpse of their savior as a ruling King on the throne of his glory, as was revealed to John, there would be an awakening and a revival such as the world has never seen. One day we will honor him as King of kings and Lord of lords and every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that he is LORD!
Peace in the Storm
(NOTE: This is a reprint of a post I wrote on 9/7/15, that was accidentally deleted)
It's one thing to say prayer changes things, but another altogether to stand on that affirmation when the going gets rough. Prayer is not something we put on like clothes. A better analogy would be armor. An even better would be skin. Life brings with it many challenges, but God is sufficient to meet them all. It's easy to say that when it's someone else fighting the battle, but not so much when we are the one under attack. Prayer can be far from our lips when we are the one facing the enemy.
Enemies abound, both physical and spiritual. We encounter them each and every day. Some of us may be facing huge challenges at this moment from any number of events. However, it's not the challenges that do us in; illness, financial difficulties, family disputes, etc. It's the inability we seem to have in these moments to keep the faith, to pray to the only One who can change things. He is our strength, our rock, our fortress, our high tower. If we will turn to Him in our hour of need, He will hide us under the shadow of His wings.
I heard a story recently about a contest. The participants were told to paint a picture of the most peaceful scene they could think of. Of course, most of the entries were of beaches, meadows, beautiful mountain scenes, fields of wildflowers. The winning entry, however, was of a raging storm replete with lightning and thunder, heavy rain and high winds. In the corner of this picture was a small cleft in the side of a mountain where a mother bird sat peacefully with her babies tucked safely under her wings.
That is what real faith is all about. It's not the absence of the storm, but the peace that God gives in the midst of it. May He grant peace to each of us as we face the storms in our lives.
Psalm 91:1 "He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty." (NKJV)
It's one thing to say prayer changes things, but another altogether to stand on that affirmation when the going gets rough. Prayer is not something we put on like clothes. A better analogy would be armor. An even better would be skin. Life brings with it many challenges, but God is sufficient to meet them all. It's easy to say that when it's someone else fighting the battle, but not so much when we are the one under attack. Prayer can be far from our lips when we are the one facing the enemy.
Enemies abound, both physical and spiritual. We encounter them each and every day. Some of us may be facing huge challenges at this moment from any number of events. However, it's not the challenges that do us in; illness, financial difficulties, family disputes, etc. It's the inability we seem to have in these moments to keep the faith, to pray to the only One who can change things. He is our strength, our rock, our fortress, our high tower. If we will turn to Him in our hour of need, He will hide us under the shadow of His wings.
I heard a story recently about a contest. The participants were told to paint a picture of the most peaceful scene they could think of. Of course, most of the entries were of beaches, meadows, beautiful mountain scenes, fields of wildflowers. The winning entry, however, was of a raging storm replete with lightning and thunder, heavy rain and high winds. In the corner of this picture was a small cleft in the side of a mountain where a mother bird sat peacefully with her babies tucked safely under her wings.
That is what real faith is all about. It's not the absence of the storm, but the peace that God gives in the midst of it. May He grant peace to each of us as we face the storms in our lives.
Psalm 91:1 "He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty." (NKJV)
Lost in the Forest
(NOTE: This is a reprint of a post I wrote on 9/7/15 that was accidentally deleted)
Today I ran across something I wrote on February 11, 2014, following a dry season in my life. It bears repeating in hopes that it helps someone today who may be going through their own dark season.
"As my spiritual armor lay scattered before me on the floor, I succumbed to the reality. Accepting the futility of walking in circles, I retreated to my bedroom. Words were not necessary. God knew my plight. I needed his direction. I needed him to be my compass. Suddenly my attention was drawn to a book on my bookshelf, a Daily Guideposts. It was from 2012, but for some reason I felt led to pick it up and read the post from February 10th. The title for that day was "Leaning on the Everlasting Arms" and the scripture reading was from Psalms 40:1. "I waited patiently for the Lord; And he inclined to me and heard my cry."
At that moment I knew that I would once again find the light, as I had so many times before. Although the forest is dark and foreboding, trees looming high above, pathless in every direction, there is a way out. My savior is the light. He is the way, the truth and the life.
In my darkest hours I have always found his outstretched hand reaching out to me, leading me into the light. I've also experienced something very powerful each and every time. I come out of the blackness stronger and more committed, with a deeper abiding faith, a greater understanding of his marvelous grace and mercy. I've learned through the years, when I find myself once again lost in that black forest, not to wander there aimlessly too long, but to scan the darkness for that outstretched hand that will lead me home.
Today I ran across something I wrote on February 11, 2014, following a dry season in my life. It bears repeating in hopes that it helps someone today who may be going through their own dark season.
"As my spiritual armor lay scattered before me on the floor, I succumbed to the reality. Accepting the futility of walking in circles, I retreated to my bedroom. Words were not necessary. God knew my plight. I needed his direction. I needed him to be my compass. Suddenly my attention was drawn to a book on my bookshelf, a Daily Guideposts. It was from 2012, but for some reason I felt led to pick it up and read the post from February 10th. The title for that day was "Leaning on the Everlasting Arms" and the scripture reading was from Psalms 40:1. "I waited patiently for the Lord; And he inclined to me and heard my cry."
At that moment I knew that I would once again find the light, as I had so many times before. Although the forest is dark and foreboding, trees looming high above, pathless in every direction, there is a way out. My savior is the light. He is the way, the truth and the life.
In my darkest hours I have always found his outstretched hand reaching out to me, leading me into the light. I've also experienced something very powerful each and every time. I come out of the blackness stronger and more committed, with a deeper abiding faith, a greater understanding of his marvelous grace and mercy. I've learned through the years, when I find myself once again lost in that black forest, not to wander there aimlessly too long, but to scan the darkness for that outstretched hand that will lead me home.
A Leap of Faith
(NOTE: This is a reprint from a post I wrote on 1/13/16 that was accidentally deleted)
"Sometimes your only available transportation is a leap of faith", author Margaret Shepard.
The above quote brings so many thoughts to my mind. As I look back over the years, what a life I have led! I've had more ups and downs than a yo-yo, that's for sure. One thing I've had to face about myself is that I've always been a big dreamer. I'm the queen of dreams, hopes, wishes, and prayers. Until I learned, though, to add real action-packed faith to those desires, I was destined to spend the rest of my life just dreaming, hoping, wishing and praying.
As I think back, I can't remember one time that a realized dream was not preceded by an act of faith on my part, I mean a “leaping into thin air” action. Until I was able to move, jump, walk, run or leap toward my desire, it lay as lifeless as a seed on the ground. We all know that a seed cannot become it's built-in intended purpose unless it is planted. Well, that works for people too. We each have a purpose to fulfill, but like that seed, we will never see our true worth or potential by just laying there wishing. God is the creator of all things and He is the one who has designed a purpose for each of His creations. However, everything comes into existence through struggle. That seed must struggle to exit the earth, birds must break out of their shell, the caterpillar out of his cocoon, and a baby out of its mother's womb. Every hope or dream we have lies as dormant as that seemingly lifeless seed until it is planted in faith and nurtured by action of some kind. Only then can it produce the desired result. Intention must be born of action.
It’s up to each of us to use our opportunities and nurture our talents to realize our potential, giving birth to those hopes and dreams that otherwise would lay dormant in our hearts. Then we need to encourage others and help them fulfill their own potential as well. Many of the people we rub shoulders with each and every day are dealing with enormous pressures. They have unrealized hopes and dreams and they pray for a way out. They look for that light at the end of the tunnel but wake up every day to the same darkness they lay down with the night before. We are our brother's keeper and we all have a responsibility to share our light with them. If you have been blessed, if you have experienced the answer to prayer, if you have leaped into thin air and found waiting arms that caught you and lifted you up, please share with others. Give someone else the faith that they too can move the mountains in their life, that they can plant that faith and experience the joy and beauty of becoming the unique and awesome person they were always meant to be.
Saturday, October 14, 2017
The Vineyard
The two passages below, one in Isaiah and the other in Matthew, portray Israel as the vineyard of Yehovah. They both allude to, in parable form, the story of our heavenly Father planting a vineyard (Israel) in a beautiful land. He provided everything needed for them to produce spiritual fruit.
Isa 5:1-7 Now will I sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill: And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes. And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard. What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes? And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down: And I will lay it waste: it shall not be pruned, nor digged; but there shall come up briers and thorns: I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry.
Mt 21:33-43 Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country: And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it.And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise. But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son. But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance. And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him. When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen? They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons. Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.
These passages may speak of a nation, the nation of Israel, but they also speak to me as an individual. I believe, that as a child, my Father was preparing the soil of my heart for His word. Although I was not aware of it at the time, I can now look back and see His work in my life. I can remember specific incidents which speak to His calling upon me. When it was time for Him to sow the seed of His word in my heart, I was able to receive it gladly. Much like the vineyard in the previous two passages, He chose me as a goodly place to plant His word. He cleaned me up, placed a fence of protection around me, removed anything that might inhibit my growth. He nurtured me like a precious plant and provided everything I needed to be fruitful.
More amazing, this word that was sown into my heart was the very WORD of God, my savior and LORD, Yeshua.
In John 15:1 he tells us, "I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman."
Also in verses 4-5, we read, "Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing."
If I continue to let him abide in me and I in him, I will produce fruit fit for the kingdom. He will live his life in me if I will yield myself to the master's hand, if I will allow the husbandman to cultivate and prune and shape my life according to His plan for me.
Isa 5:1-7 Now will I sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill: And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes. And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard. What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes? And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down: And I will lay it waste: it shall not be pruned, nor digged; but there shall come up briers and thorns: I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry.
Mt 21:33-43 Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country: And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it.And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise. But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son. But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance. And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him. When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen? They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons. Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.
These passages may speak of a nation, the nation of Israel, but they also speak to me as an individual. I believe, that as a child, my Father was preparing the soil of my heart for His word. Although I was not aware of it at the time, I can now look back and see His work in my life. I can remember specific incidents which speak to His calling upon me. When it was time for Him to sow the seed of His word in my heart, I was able to receive it gladly. Much like the vineyard in the previous two passages, He chose me as a goodly place to plant His word. He cleaned me up, placed a fence of protection around me, removed anything that might inhibit my growth. He nurtured me like a precious plant and provided everything I needed to be fruitful.
More amazing, this word that was sown into my heart was the very WORD of God, my savior and LORD, Yeshua.
In John 15:1 he tells us, "I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman."
Also in verses 4-5, we read, "Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing."
If I continue to let him abide in me and I in him, I will produce fruit fit for the kingdom. He will live his life in me if I will yield myself to the master's hand, if I will allow the husbandman to cultivate and prune and shape my life according to His plan for me.
Wednesday, September 27, 2017
The Oracles of God
I listened to a DVD recently on the oracles of God by teacher and historian, Michael Rood. It was very enlightening, so I decided to look into this topic for myself. These oracles are mentioned four times in the New Testament, once by Luke, the evangelist, twice by the Apostle Paul in his writings and once by the Apostle Peter. The word "oracles" is from the Greek "logion", meaning utterance or communication.
Luke writes in Acts 7:38-39, speaking of Moses, This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel (messenger) which spake to him in the mount Sinai, and with our fathers: who received the lively (living) ORACLES to give unto us. To whom our fathers would not obey, but thrust him from them, and in their hearts turned back again into Egypt.
Moses was a mediator between the children of Israel and the Almighty. He spent 40 days at the top of Mt. Sinai receiving the oracles or communication directly from the creator, which he then taught the people. However, they quickly turned from God's commandments in disobedience. They would not listen to Moses, so he gave them a stern warning that is still applicable to all nations today.
Luke references in Acts 7:37 the message from Yehovah himself to the disobedient Israelites who refused to obey him. Deut 18:18-19 I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee (Moses), and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.
This Prophet is none other than Yeshua (Jesus). Yehovah declared that he would put HIS words into his mouth and he would only speak as he was commanded. All will be required to shama (hear and obey). We see in the gospels Yeshua stating over and over that he only spoke or did what the Father told him. He was totally submissive to Yehovah and taught nothing of himself or in opposition to the Father's instructions. He declared the same ORACLES that were given to Moses at Mt Sinai. We learn in 1Cor 10:4 that He was the Rock that followed them through the wilderness and, no doubt, was the one who communicated directly with Moses.
In Romans 3:2, Paul states that there were advantages to being a Jew, chiefly because unto them were committed the ORACLES of God. See the words of Moses in Deut 4:5-8 Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as the LORD my God commanded me, that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to possess it. Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people. For what nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them, as the LORD our God is in all things that we call upon him for? And what nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day?
Paul was referring them back to the Torah, back to Mt. Sinai, where the oracles of God were transmitted to Israel. These instructions or communication from the Almighty are eternal. Israel was to be a light to the nations around them, teaching them the way of Yehovah. Though, as a nation, they never fulfilled their calling, spiritual Israel is waking up and declaring these oracles to the world.
In Hebrews 5:12, Paul chastises many believers in his day with these words. "For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the ORACLES of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat."
Many Christians today are satisfied with the milk of the word, so to speak.They readily accept the sacrifice of Yeshua for salvation. They worship him and eagerly share him with others. However, the gospel message is not primarily the story of his life on earth, but the message he brought to us, the message of the Kingdom. That is the story the Bible presents to us from Genesis to Revelation. Most Christians don't really know that story. They don't read what is termed the "Old Testament". They are not familiar with the oracles of God. Paul calls them the first principles. These oracles are the communication of God with mankind, his instructions for righteous living based on his word, not on modern Church theology.
In 1Peter 4:11 we read "If any man speak, let him speak as the ORACLES of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen."
This is a message for those who preach the gospel to us in our churches, no matter the denomination. If any speak, let him speak the oracles or communication of God. We need to hear this today, to take it to heart, to hear and obey the words of our creator. We are often told that these words are not applicable for our day and time, that they are outdated or spoken only to an ancient people. We don't have to obey them. All we need is JESUS. Scripture proves that this Jesus was the God of the Old Testament, that he was the one through whom the Father created the world. All things were made by him and for him. He was the one who met with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Israel). He was the one who journeyed in the wilderness with the Israelites, the one who instructed the prophets, the one who came to earth as a man and tabernacled among us, who taught the disciples, met Paul on the road to Damascus, gave his life as a ransom for sin, was resurrected to the right hand of the Father in heaven and poured out the Holy Spirit on his followers on Shavuot (Pentecost). He is alive today as our High Priest, interceding for us before the throne of God. The story is all about him and he is the WORD! The living oracles are his instructions and we must hear and obey if we are to enter into life everlasting.
Luke writes in Acts 7:38-39, speaking of Moses, This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel (messenger) which spake to him in the mount Sinai, and with our fathers: who received the lively (living) ORACLES to give unto us. To whom our fathers would not obey, but thrust him from them, and in their hearts turned back again into Egypt.
Moses was a mediator between the children of Israel and the Almighty. He spent 40 days at the top of Mt. Sinai receiving the oracles or communication directly from the creator, which he then taught the people. However, they quickly turned from God's commandments in disobedience. They would not listen to Moses, so he gave them a stern warning that is still applicable to all nations today.
Luke references in Acts 7:37 the message from Yehovah himself to the disobedient Israelites who refused to obey him. Deut 18:18-19 I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee (Moses), and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.
This Prophet is none other than Yeshua (Jesus). Yehovah declared that he would put HIS words into his mouth and he would only speak as he was commanded. All will be required to shama (hear and obey). We see in the gospels Yeshua stating over and over that he only spoke or did what the Father told him. He was totally submissive to Yehovah and taught nothing of himself or in opposition to the Father's instructions. He declared the same ORACLES that were given to Moses at Mt Sinai. We learn in 1Cor 10:4 that He was the Rock that followed them through the wilderness and, no doubt, was the one who communicated directly with Moses.
In Romans 3:2, Paul states that there were advantages to being a Jew, chiefly because unto them were committed the ORACLES of God. See the words of Moses in Deut 4:5-8 Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as the LORD my God commanded me, that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to possess it. Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people. For what nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them, as the LORD our God is in all things that we call upon him for? And what nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day?
Paul was referring them back to the Torah, back to Mt. Sinai, where the oracles of God were transmitted to Israel. These instructions or communication from the Almighty are eternal. Israel was to be a light to the nations around them, teaching them the way of Yehovah. Though, as a nation, they never fulfilled their calling, spiritual Israel is waking up and declaring these oracles to the world.
In Hebrews 5:12, Paul chastises many believers in his day with these words. "For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the ORACLES of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat."
Many Christians today are satisfied with the milk of the word, so to speak.They readily accept the sacrifice of Yeshua for salvation. They worship him and eagerly share him with others. However, the gospel message is not primarily the story of his life on earth, but the message he brought to us, the message of the Kingdom. That is the story the Bible presents to us from Genesis to Revelation. Most Christians don't really know that story. They don't read what is termed the "Old Testament". They are not familiar with the oracles of God. Paul calls them the first principles. These oracles are the communication of God with mankind, his instructions for righteous living based on his word, not on modern Church theology.
In 1Peter 4:11 we read "If any man speak, let him speak as the ORACLES of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen."
This is a message for those who preach the gospel to us in our churches, no matter the denomination. If any speak, let him speak the oracles or communication of God. We need to hear this today, to take it to heart, to hear and obey the words of our creator. We are often told that these words are not applicable for our day and time, that they are outdated or spoken only to an ancient people. We don't have to obey them. All we need is JESUS. Scripture proves that this Jesus was the God of the Old Testament, that he was the one through whom the Father created the world. All things were made by him and for him. He was the one who met with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Israel). He was the one who journeyed in the wilderness with the Israelites, the one who instructed the prophets, the one who came to earth as a man and tabernacled among us, who taught the disciples, met Paul on the road to Damascus, gave his life as a ransom for sin, was resurrected to the right hand of the Father in heaven and poured out the Holy Spirit on his followers on Shavuot (Pentecost). He is alive today as our High Priest, interceding for us before the throne of God. The story is all about him and he is the WORD! The living oracles are his instructions and we must hear and obey if we are to enter into life everlasting.
Saturday, May 13, 2017
AWAKENED
If you have come to this site, whether on purpose or clearly by accident, don't turn away without reading this post. Yehovah has called you this very moment in time. It does not matter where you are, what your life is like, what it has been up until this very hour. He is calling you out of the world and into his light. He loves you very much and wants to bless you and have a personal relationship with you.
We are all brothers and sisters, whether we live down the block from one another or on different continents. Our culture or religious denominations, economic situation, education, background, traditions, etc. do not define us or separate us from the love our Creator has for each and every one of us. If you feel you have failed him or not lived up to his standards and could never receive his love and forgiveness, you are so wrong. None of us are perfect or more acceptable than any one else. It is time for all who love him to wake up and realize that, though the world view has separated us from one another and our God in so many ways. He is calling us home as one family to fellowship with each other and with himself as our heavenly Father.
The world at large has wholly abandoned the truth revealed by our Creator from the dawn of time, that which would lead us into abundant life. The first man, Adam, exchanged the knowledge of God for the knowledge of good and evil. He was coerced by Satan to question God's authority and instructions and to govern himself by his own ability to choose right and wrong., That fateful day resulted in the fall of the human race and mankind has continued to corrupt himself throughout history, resulting in unimaginable pain and suffering. The very creation itself suffers the results of man's sin, and we are plunging quickly toward total destruction if we don't wake up and turn back to our God. He alone knows what is best for us and his instructions are the only ones that lead to life everlasting and eternal peace.
It is my opinion that of all the things that divide us, religion is at the heart of all our problems. It is the very foundation of our particular world view. It is said that every war has been the result of our differing religious ideologies. Yeshua didn't come to earth to start a new religion, but to free us from religion, to bring us to the truth. He challenged the religious leaders of his day because, even though they were very zealous for the Torah, they had added so many man-made laws to control the masses, they completely lost sight of their Creator's heart.
Every religion today does the same thing. No matter what denomination you are in, you will find yourself subject to their definition of what is and isn't sin. They control what you think and how you act, what you come to believe as their brand of truth. The really sad reality is that they have all gone away from absolute truth and inherited the religious system born out of the attempted one world government of Nimrod. You can read of him in the book of Genesis, where he erected a tower in Babel that was to reach into the heavens, in defiance of God. Nimrod wanted to be God and the dominant ruler over a political/religious state. God thwarted his plans, separating the language of the people, resulting in their migration from Babel, leaving behind their building project.
However, the seeds of rebellion had been sown and Nimrod's world view infested the populations of the known world at that time. Mankind had begun to worship the creation rather than the Creator. They worshipped the sun, moon and stars and developed a religious system that became known as Babylonian sun-god-worship. Down through the ages, all of mankind has been influenced and corrupted by this deceptive "religion".
No matter your nation, culture or religion, you have inherited much of the belief system of this ancient kingdom. The world at large is in total bondage to it's sway over the hearts and minds of mankind. Our accepted customs and traditions, as well as our religions, have all been infected with the deception of Nimrod. The bible tells us he was a mighty hunter before Yehovah. The original text declares he was a might hunter "in the face of God" or in defiance of God.
We can't help what we have inherited. All we can do is repent and turn back to God, read His word, learn His ways, obey His instructions. The Torah is His instructions and, despite the fact that many declare them to be done away with or nailed to the cross, nothing could be further from the truth. Yehovah is the same yesterday, today and forever. He does not change. What he has declared in the beginning will be declared in the end. When Yeshua returns to earth the gather his saints and rule the earth, he will judge and rule this world with the same instructions given to Adam in the garden.
Ancient Israel was given seven annual moedim (appointed times) to observe throughout their sojourn in the promised land. Three times a year they would gather in Jerusalem, the place where Yehovah chose to place his name. Each of these rehearsals were shadow pictures of their coming savior and his plan of salvation, not only for Israel, but for the entire world. God's truth is embedded in each of these festivals. Our inherited religious systems do not contain the truth found in these beautiful shadow pictures. Our Messiah has already fulfilled the Spring feasts to the very day, hour and moment as they were rehearsed for thousands of years. He is coming soon to fulfill the Fall feasts in every detail as they were also rehearsed by ancient Israel. These reveal to mankind the answers to our deepest questions. Why were we born, why are we here, what is the purpose of life and where are we going after we die. It's all there, embedded in these beautiful living oracles given at Mount Sinai four thousand years ago. They are still as meaningful today as when God gave them on the holy mount.
We all need to return to Yehovah today and follow the ancient paths He laid out for us from the beginning. It doesn't matter who we are, where we live, we are all His children, brothers and sisters in Messiah, called out of the world to be His holy people, set apart for a holy purpose. Though we are in the world, we are not to be of the world Yehovah has a purpose for each and every one of us. We are special in his sight and greatly loved. If we will turn back to Him in spirit and truth, He will do great and mighty works in our lives and grant us eternal life in his soon coming kingdom.
We are all brothers and sisters, whether we live down the block from one another or on different continents. Our culture or religious denominations, economic situation, education, background, traditions, etc. do not define us or separate us from the love our Creator has for each and every one of us. If you feel you have failed him or not lived up to his standards and could never receive his love and forgiveness, you are so wrong. None of us are perfect or more acceptable than any one else. It is time for all who love him to wake up and realize that, though the world view has separated us from one another and our God in so many ways. He is calling us home as one family to fellowship with each other and with himself as our heavenly Father.
The world at large has wholly abandoned the truth revealed by our Creator from the dawn of time, that which would lead us into abundant life. The first man, Adam, exchanged the knowledge of God for the knowledge of good and evil. He was coerced by Satan to question God's authority and instructions and to govern himself by his own ability to choose right and wrong., That fateful day resulted in the fall of the human race and mankind has continued to corrupt himself throughout history, resulting in unimaginable pain and suffering. The very creation itself suffers the results of man's sin, and we are plunging quickly toward total destruction if we don't wake up and turn back to our God. He alone knows what is best for us and his instructions are the only ones that lead to life everlasting and eternal peace.
It is my opinion that of all the things that divide us, religion is at the heart of all our problems. It is the very foundation of our particular world view. It is said that every war has been the result of our differing religious ideologies. Yeshua didn't come to earth to start a new religion, but to free us from religion, to bring us to the truth. He challenged the religious leaders of his day because, even though they were very zealous for the Torah, they had added so many man-made laws to control the masses, they completely lost sight of their Creator's heart.
Every religion today does the same thing. No matter what denomination you are in, you will find yourself subject to their definition of what is and isn't sin. They control what you think and how you act, what you come to believe as their brand of truth. The really sad reality is that they have all gone away from absolute truth and inherited the religious system born out of the attempted one world government of Nimrod. You can read of him in the book of Genesis, where he erected a tower in Babel that was to reach into the heavens, in defiance of God. Nimrod wanted to be God and the dominant ruler over a political/religious state. God thwarted his plans, separating the language of the people, resulting in their migration from Babel, leaving behind their building project.
However, the seeds of rebellion had been sown and Nimrod's world view infested the populations of the known world at that time. Mankind had begun to worship the creation rather than the Creator. They worshipped the sun, moon and stars and developed a religious system that became known as Babylonian sun-god-worship. Down through the ages, all of mankind has been influenced and corrupted by this deceptive "religion".
No matter your nation, culture or religion, you have inherited much of the belief system of this ancient kingdom. The world at large is in total bondage to it's sway over the hearts and minds of mankind. Our accepted customs and traditions, as well as our religions, have all been infected with the deception of Nimrod. The bible tells us he was a mighty hunter before Yehovah. The original text declares he was a might hunter "in the face of God" or in defiance of God.
We can't help what we have inherited. All we can do is repent and turn back to God, read His word, learn His ways, obey His instructions. The Torah is His instructions and, despite the fact that many declare them to be done away with or nailed to the cross, nothing could be further from the truth. Yehovah is the same yesterday, today and forever. He does not change. What he has declared in the beginning will be declared in the end. When Yeshua returns to earth the gather his saints and rule the earth, he will judge and rule this world with the same instructions given to Adam in the garden.
Ancient Israel was given seven annual moedim (appointed times) to observe throughout their sojourn in the promised land. Three times a year they would gather in Jerusalem, the place where Yehovah chose to place his name. Each of these rehearsals were shadow pictures of their coming savior and his plan of salvation, not only for Israel, but for the entire world. God's truth is embedded in each of these festivals. Our inherited religious systems do not contain the truth found in these beautiful shadow pictures. Our Messiah has already fulfilled the Spring feasts to the very day, hour and moment as they were rehearsed for thousands of years. He is coming soon to fulfill the Fall feasts in every detail as they were also rehearsed by ancient Israel. These reveal to mankind the answers to our deepest questions. Why were we born, why are we here, what is the purpose of life and where are we going after we die. It's all there, embedded in these beautiful living oracles given at Mount Sinai four thousand years ago. They are still as meaningful today as when God gave them on the holy mount.
We all need to return to Yehovah today and follow the ancient paths He laid out for us from the beginning. It doesn't matter who we are, where we live, we are all His children, brothers and sisters in Messiah, called out of the world to be His holy people, set apart for a holy purpose. Though we are in the world, we are not to be of the world Yehovah has a purpose for each and every one of us. We are special in his sight and greatly loved. If we will turn back to Him in spirit and truth, He will do great and mighty works in our lives and grant us eternal life in his soon coming kingdom.
Saturday, April 22, 2017
A Rush To Judgment
We all do it! We judge others.It's a major part of the human experience and, I believe, the number one cause of the evil so rampant in our world today. Judgment negatively affects every area of our lives and has resulted in the ruin of multiple millions from the dawn of time.
We humans have made judgment a way of life and it is often so cruel and unfair. No one is off limits when it comes to the judgmental opinions or harsh words of others. I'm sure we all have been the recipients of petty gossip by unthinking individuals who didn't consider the potential results of their careless words. No one is immune from this insidious practice, yet we all have to admit that we too have been guilty of the same. However, that behavior is mild compared to what we see going on today. Many have graduated to a whole new level of judgment. Due to social media, many are taking their verbal attacks to the internet, spewing out all manner of evil upon those they deem worthy of their displeasure. By their actions, many have taught their children that it's okay to belittle others, to attack those who don't measure up in their opinion. Now we see that school bullying is getting out of hand, often resulting in the suicide of the one being bullied. People, in general, are becoming less tolerant and are quick to get angry and lash out at anyone and everyone they encounter on a daily basis. Love and compassion for our fellow man has fallen in the streets. The frustrations of everyday life have caused many to take it out on any who cross their path. Families are disintegrating, divorce is rampant, children have no respect for authority, our colleges have become institutions of social unrest, the workplace has often become a war zone, road rage is common on our highways, riots have become daily fare in our inner cities.The list goes on and on. The problem is that many want to be GOD! Most don't realize it, but it is true. Their thoughts and opinions are the only truth there is and those who disagree are not to be tolerated.
When it comes to judgment, nothing is off limits. We judge others by appearance, race, gender, religion, culture, social standing, occupation, lifestyle, education, income, behavior, vices, on and on. This is true of every individual, every group, company, organization, institution, denomination, social club, political party, government, country, you name it.
It's the cause of every war, whether it be neighbor against neighbor or nation against nation. We make blanket judgments of entire groups of people. Millions around the world are suffering unimaginable horrors because of evil governments ruled by despots who delude themselves into believing they are GOD! They have decided who should live and who should die. Massive migrations of entire populations are seen on the evening news each night, people running for their lives because of war and persecution by those who have judged them of lesser value.
One day soon, our creator, Yeshua, is going to judge the world and I fear it is not going to be the judgment we hoped for. When he came to earth two thousand years ago, he taught his disciples to judge not lest they be judged. He is the only righteous judge and his judgment is not based on the criteria we use to judge others. He is not interested in outward appearances, but the inner heart. When he returns as King of kings and Lord of lords, he will come to render judgment upon each and every one of us according to our heart. The standard for that judgment will depend upon us. The measure we use to judge others will be the exact measure he will use to judge us. That is a very sobering thought. Our eternal destiny depends upon us. May we all consider our ways and our contribution to the pain and suffering of our fellow man. God is love and those who are his will live to spread that love throughout this dying world.
We humans have made judgment a way of life and it is often so cruel and unfair. No one is off limits when it comes to the judgmental opinions or harsh words of others. I'm sure we all have been the recipients of petty gossip by unthinking individuals who didn't consider the potential results of their careless words. No one is immune from this insidious practice, yet we all have to admit that we too have been guilty of the same. However, that behavior is mild compared to what we see going on today. Many have graduated to a whole new level of judgment. Due to social media, many are taking their verbal attacks to the internet, spewing out all manner of evil upon those they deem worthy of their displeasure. By their actions, many have taught their children that it's okay to belittle others, to attack those who don't measure up in their opinion. Now we see that school bullying is getting out of hand, often resulting in the suicide of the one being bullied. People, in general, are becoming less tolerant and are quick to get angry and lash out at anyone and everyone they encounter on a daily basis. Love and compassion for our fellow man has fallen in the streets. The frustrations of everyday life have caused many to take it out on any who cross their path. Families are disintegrating, divorce is rampant, children have no respect for authority, our colleges have become institutions of social unrest, the workplace has often become a war zone, road rage is common on our highways, riots have become daily fare in our inner cities.The list goes on and on. The problem is that many want to be GOD! Most don't realize it, but it is true. Their thoughts and opinions are the only truth there is and those who disagree are not to be tolerated.
When it comes to judgment, nothing is off limits. We judge others by appearance, race, gender, religion, culture, social standing, occupation, lifestyle, education, income, behavior, vices, on and on. This is true of every individual, every group, company, organization, institution, denomination, social club, political party, government, country, you name it.
It's the cause of every war, whether it be neighbor against neighbor or nation against nation. We make blanket judgments of entire groups of people. Millions around the world are suffering unimaginable horrors because of evil governments ruled by despots who delude themselves into believing they are GOD! They have decided who should live and who should die. Massive migrations of entire populations are seen on the evening news each night, people running for their lives because of war and persecution by those who have judged them of lesser value.
One day soon, our creator, Yeshua, is going to judge the world and I fear it is not going to be the judgment we hoped for. When he came to earth two thousand years ago, he taught his disciples to judge not lest they be judged. He is the only righteous judge and his judgment is not based on the criteria we use to judge others. He is not interested in outward appearances, but the inner heart. When he returns as King of kings and Lord of lords, he will come to render judgment upon each and every one of us according to our heart. The standard for that judgment will depend upon us. The measure we use to judge others will be the exact measure he will use to judge us. That is a very sobering thought. Our eternal destiny depends upon us. May we all consider our ways and our contribution to the pain and suffering of our fellow man. God is love and those who are his will live to spread that love throughout this dying world.
Sunday, April 16, 2017
Beware of False Teachers
I guess you could say this post is a continuation of previous posts, "The Origin of Easter" and "Resurrection Sunday". However, it is much more than that. It is very personal and comes from the depths of my heart. Today, as I watched the news and saw nothing but people "celebrating" the resurrection with dyed eggs, face painting, candy, bunnies, and baby chicks, I was sickened to the core of my being. Just hearing the phrase "Happy Easter" sends chills down my spine. Easter, the Babylonian bare-breasted goddess named the queen of heaven, the reincarnated Semiramis, the wife of Nimrod has nothing to do with my savior.
How have so many in the world come to associate the resurrection of Yeshua with Babylonian sun-god worship? What do the ancient fertility rites and traditions of pagan cultures have to do with the Messiah? If you consider yourself to be a believer in Yeshua, saved by his blood, secure in your hope of eternal life through him, you should seriously ask yourself that question and, even more seriously, be careful how you answer.
I faced the truth many, many years ago and it is a bitter pill to swallow. It is not pleasant to go against the accepted traditions of an entire culture. You find yourself isolated from all that has previously been your reality. You are no longer comfortable in a world that you once were very much a part of. Yet, once you know and accept the truth, however painful it may be, there is no going back. You can't unlearn what has been revealed to you. The blinders are off, the veil has been lifted. You once were blind but now you see, and what you now see is a world under judgment, a world that will one day soon be stripped of all of its false gods, it's religions, governments, educational institutions, it's very culture. Everything they have put their trust in will collapse before their very eyes and they will see the awful truth, that they had been fed nothing but lies.
I read in an article this morning that says Easter is also known as Pascha (Passover). That is an absolute lie. Easter has nothing to do with Passover. None of it's ancient celebrations, rituals, or customs identify with anything remotely associated with Yeshua. Do you know where the custom of dying eggs comes from? On the first Sunday after the vernal equinox, the priests of Easter would impregnate virgins on the altar of Easter and the next year sacrifice those three-month-old babies, dying eggs in their blood. Is this the ritual we are rehearsing with our children. Many will respond, "That's not what it means to me!" Well, what does it mean to you? You tell me! When you are telling your children the story of the resurrection, how do you insert egg-laying rabbits, baby chicks and baskets filled with candy?
Yehovah's warning to his called-out ones is to stay away from the worship of pagan cultures, not to learn the ways in which they honored their gods and attempt to do so to him. It is an abomination. Jeremiah 10:2, "Learn not the way of the heathen". God tells his people in Revelation 18:4 to come out of Babylon, that we are not partakers of her sins, and receive not of her plagues.
It doesn't matter how sincere we may be. We are to worship him in spirit and in truth. He shows us what that true worship is in his sight. Ancient Israel rehearsed, through their temple services, the shadow pictures of the Messiah and how he would save mankind. The celebration of each of the festivals and the manner in which they were to be observed were to tell the story of Yeshua, both his first coming as the lamb of God and his second coming as King of kings. He fulfilled the Spring feasts two thousand years ago through his death, burial, and resurrection. These shadow pictures are beautiful illustrations that pagan practices can never duplicate or replace. However, because the majority of mankind has abandoned these feasts and celebrations for those of pagan sun-god worship, his second coming will be that of judgment on a disobedient, God-rejecting world. We have been warned. Jude 1:3 begs us to earnestly contend for the faith once delivered to the saints for, even in the first century, many crept in unawares among the early believers, bringing in false doctrine and leading many astray, turning God's grace into license. Too many today believe that God accepts any form of worship we choose to offer him, but God is not mocked. He has revealed to us how he wants to be worshiped.
The religions we have today come from the deluded mind of Emperor Constantine in 325 A.D. who declared Christianity the official religion of the Roman empire, albeit a hybrid religion. He purged the empire of the teachings of Yeshua and the early apostles and ushered in a corrupted form of religion that merged pagan sun-god worship with the worship of God. Any who refused to comply with the new religion were executed. To appease those followers of Yeshua who remained, he changed the names of all the pagan festivals to cover up their origins, so as to make them more acceptable. So, here we are today, nearly two thousand years later, completely immersed in Babylonian sun-god worship, and it's not just Easter. It permeates nearly everything in our culture. We should not be surprised. The bible tells us that Satan is the god of this age and has deceived the whole world.
We have been warned, but will we heed the warning? We can do nothing about what we have inherited. It goes back much farther than our parents or grandparents. All we can do is repent and ask God to show us the truth. Can we do that? If we are taught the truth, can we turn from what has become so familiar, from those traditions that have become so dear to our hearts, those which we thought were honoring God but were birthed in the mind of a madman who remained a sun-god worshiper to the day of his death?
Modern day Christianity, as we know it, has been the recipient of this hybrid religion and our priests, ministers and pastors have continued in its teachings down through the centuries. Some have seen the light and discontinued their association with their previous denominations. Most have remained, many who know the origins of their religion but who are afraid to preach it for fear of losing their position in the church. They weakly proclaim that it doesn't make any difference. Well, lets read the message of Yehovah to Jeremiah and see if it makes a difference to him. You alone are responsible for your life, for the decision you make. God has set before us life and death. I pray you choose life.
Jer 2:8 The priests said not, Where is the LORD? and they that handle the law knew me not: the pastors also transgressed against me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal and walked after things that do not profit.
How have so many in the world come to associate the resurrection of Yeshua with Babylonian sun-god worship? What do the ancient fertility rites and traditions of pagan cultures have to do with the Messiah? If you consider yourself to be a believer in Yeshua, saved by his blood, secure in your hope of eternal life through him, you should seriously ask yourself that question and, even more seriously, be careful how you answer.
I faced the truth many, many years ago and it is a bitter pill to swallow. It is not pleasant to go against the accepted traditions of an entire culture. You find yourself isolated from all that has previously been your reality. You are no longer comfortable in a world that you once were very much a part of. Yet, once you know and accept the truth, however painful it may be, there is no going back. You can't unlearn what has been revealed to you. The blinders are off, the veil has been lifted. You once were blind but now you see, and what you now see is a world under judgment, a world that will one day soon be stripped of all of its false gods, it's religions, governments, educational institutions, it's very culture. Everything they have put their trust in will collapse before their very eyes and they will see the awful truth, that they had been fed nothing but lies.
I read in an article this morning that says Easter is also known as Pascha (Passover). That is an absolute lie. Easter has nothing to do with Passover. None of it's ancient celebrations, rituals, or customs identify with anything remotely associated with Yeshua. Do you know where the custom of dying eggs comes from? On the first Sunday after the vernal equinox, the priests of Easter would impregnate virgins on the altar of Easter and the next year sacrifice those three-month-old babies, dying eggs in their blood. Is this the ritual we are rehearsing with our children. Many will respond, "That's not what it means to me!" Well, what does it mean to you? You tell me! When you are telling your children the story of the resurrection, how do you insert egg-laying rabbits, baby chicks and baskets filled with candy?
Yehovah's warning to his called-out ones is to stay away from the worship of pagan cultures, not to learn the ways in which they honored their gods and attempt to do so to him. It is an abomination. Jeremiah 10:2, "Learn not the way of the heathen". God tells his people in Revelation 18:4 to come out of Babylon, that we are not partakers of her sins, and receive not of her plagues.
It doesn't matter how sincere we may be. We are to worship him in spirit and in truth. He shows us what that true worship is in his sight. Ancient Israel rehearsed, through their temple services, the shadow pictures of the Messiah and how he would save mankind. The celebration of each of the festivals and the manner in which they were to be observed were to tell the story of Yeshua, both his first coming as the lamb of God and his second coming as King of kings. He fulfilled the Spring feasts two thousand years ago through his death, burial, and resurrection. These shadow pictures are beautiful illustrations that pagan practices can never duplicate or replace. However, because the majority of mankind has abandoned these feasts and celebrations for those of pagan sun-god worship, his second coming will be that of judgment on a disobedient, God-rejecting world. We have been warned. Jude 1:3 begs us to earnestly contend for the faith once delivered to the saints for, even in the first century, many crept in unawares among the early believers, bringing in false doctrine and leading many astray, turning God's grace into license. Too many today believe that God accepts any form of worship we choose to offer him, but God is not mocked. He has revealed to us how he wants to be worshiped.
The religions we have today come from the deluded mind of Emperor Constantine in 325 A.D. who declared Christianity the official religion of the Roman empire, albeit a hybrid religion. He purged the empire of the teachings of Yeshua and the early apostles and ushered in a corrupted form of religion that merged pagan sun-god worship with the worship of God. Any who refused to comply with the new religion were executed. To appease those followers of Yeshua who remained, he changed the names of all the pagan festivals to cover up their origins, so as to make them more acceptable. So, here we are today, nearly two thousand years later, completely immersed in Babylonian sun-god worship, and it's not just Easter. It permeates nearly everything in our culture. We should not be surprised. The bible tells us that Satan is the god of this age and has deceived the whole world.
We have been warned, but will we heed the warning? We can do nothing about what we have inherited. It goes back much farther than our parents or grandparents. All we can do is repent and ask God to show us the truth. Can we do that? If we are taught the truth, can we turn from what has become so familiar, from those traditions that have become so dear to our hearts, those which we thought were honoring God but were birthed in the mind of a madman who remained a sun-god worshiper to the day of his death?
Modern day Christianity, as we know it, has been the recipient of this hybrid religion and our priests, ministers and pastors have continued in its teachings down through the centuries. Some have seen the light and discontinued their association with their previous denominations. Most have remained, many who know the origins of their religion but who are afraid to preach it for fear of losing their position in the church. They weakly proclaim that it doesn't make any difference. Well, lets read the message of Yehovah to Jeremiah and see if it makes a difference to him. You alone are responsible for your life, for the decision you make. God has set before us life and death. I pray you choose life.
Jer 2:8 The priests said not, Where is the LORD? and they that handle the law knew me not: the pastors also transgressed against me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal and walked after things that do not profit.
Jer 10:21 For the pastors are become brutish, and have not sought the LORD: therefore they shall not prosper, and all their flocks shall be scattered.
Jer 12:10 Many pastors have destroyed my vineyard, they have trodden my portion under foot, they have made my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness
Jer 22:22 The wind shall eat up all thy pastors, and thy lovers shall go into captivity: surely then shalt thou be ashamed and confounded for all thy wickedness.
Jer 23:1-2 Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the LORD. Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel against the pastors that feed my people; Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the LORD.
Jer 16:19 O LORD, my strength, and my fortress, and my refuge in the day of affliction, the Gentiles shall come unto thee from the ends of the earth, and shall say, Surely our fathers have inherited lies, vanity, and things wherein there is no profit.
Sunday, April 9, 2017
The Cultivated Mind
I love the parable of the sower. Yeshua often
used agricultural analogies to bring to light spiritual
principles. We learn from this parable that God sows his word like
seed in the world. His purpose in sowing the word is that it
might bring forth abundance in people's lives. We are likened unto
the ground in the parable. Some people hear the word of God, but
don't understand it at all. They are pictured as the ground
by the side of the road. The seed falls on it, but the
birds come quickly and take the seed away. Maybe these are those
who are not interested or maybe they don't believe in God,
the bible doesn't say. What it does say is that the evil one
(HaSatan) immediately takes it away so that it has no chance to
make a difference in that one's life.
Some are compared to rocky ground. This is
ground that may quickly receive a seed, per chance, and bring forth a
small plant. I've seen impatiens grow in some pretty rocky soil, but
they have no opportunity to reach their full potential. This
represents people that eagerly receive the word, but have
no depth within their hearts that allows the word to get down
deep, where it can grow.
Others are compared to ground that contains
thorny weeds. These weeds, the cares of this life, the pursuit
of possessions, fame or fortune, choke out the word. These people are
too busy pursuing their own agenda to give ear to God's word.
Some, however, are likened unto good
ground, cultivated soil that can produce abundant fruit. I was
thinking this morning about cultivated soil. The tractor,
tiller, shovel or hoe has to break up that ground to prepare it for
the seed. The Holy Spirit's job is to prepare the way for God's word.
Our hearts and minds need to be cultivated so that, when God's word
is planted inside of us, we can accept it and allow it to grow and
produce an abundant harvest for the Kingdom. To produce the greatest
fruit, we often must be broken, humbled or chastened to prepare
us for the growth to come, much like a plant needs pruning to bring
forth a greater yield.
The important lesson here is that we are not
the ones who produce the fruit. The fruit is produced by the word
(seed). We are the ground. The ground does not, of itself, produce
fruit. It receives the seed that produces the fruit. Any so-called
goodness within us comes from God. We have no goodness within
ourselves. We are a receptacle for his word. We must receive that
word into cultivated minds and hearts, that it may be able to produce
his purpose for our lives.
Saturday, April 8, 2017
Never Give Up
Yeshua tells us that all things are possible with God. Sometimes we humans have a hard time believing that. We live in a world of limits, or so we think. The ones who truly excel are those who conceive a thought or an idea and bring it to full fruition with a never give up attitude and a boundless faith in their ability to achieve it.
Take every invention that we are the recipients of today. Each one began as a seed in the inventor's mind. They saw it clearly in their mind's eye first before they were able to manifest it in the physical world.
Every musician hears the music before he/she creates the notes. A writer sees their characters and story line before they appear on paper. An artist imagines the strokes of a painting before the picture is put to canvas.
What is man really capable of? What are each of us capable of? More than we can ever imagine! That's why I know, at the deepest level of my being, that we can eradicate negativity in our lives and we can rise above any obstacles that loom large in front of us and conquer them with an unwavering faith that all things are possible. Good things don't just happen to the "lucky" few, the rich and powerful, the educated or the famous. We are all on equal footing when it comes to faith. We hear all the time of people who have risen above their circumstances; humble beginnings, poverty, disabilities, abuse, whatever.
What did they all have in common? They were tired of the status quo. They assessed the situation and dared to believe. They put one foot in front of the other with determination and a will to fight for what they wanted, and they rose above every barrier, every naysayer, every mountain, fought every giant and their own doubts and fears until they achieved their dream. That's what each of us needs to do. We need to know that nothing can tear us down if we don't let it. It's up to us. How bad do we want it? That's the only question.
Take every invention that we are the recipients of today. Each one began as a seed in the inventor's mind. They saw it clearly in their mind's eye first before they were able to manifest it in the physical world.
Every musician hears the music before he/she creates the notes. A writer sees their characters and story line before they appear on paper. An artist imagines the strokes of a painting before the picture is put to canvas.
What is man really capable of? What are each of us capable of? More than we can ever imagine! That's why I know, at the deepest level of my being, that we can eradicate negativity in our lives and we can rise above any obstacles that loom large in front of us and conquer them with an unwavering faith that all things are possible. Good things don't just happen to the "lucky" few, the rich and powerful, the educated or the famous. We are all on equal footing when it comes to faith. We hear all the time of people who have risen above their circumstances; humble beginnings, poverty, disabilities, abuse, whatever.
What did they all have in common? They were tired of the status quo. They assessed the situation and dared to believe. They put one foot in front of the other with determination and a will to fight for what they wanted, and they rose above every barrier, every naysayer, every mountain, fought every giant and their own doubts and fears until they achieved their dream. That's what each of us needs to do. We need to know that nothing can tear us down if we don't let it. It's up to us. How bad do we want it? That's the only question.
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