Thursday, December 31, 2020

THE LIFE CHANGING POWER OF FORGIVENESS

Forgiveness is not just a one-time act, but a way of life meant to bring us into every blessing in the Messiah. “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matthew 5:44-45).

According to the Messiah Jesus, forgiveness isn’t a matter of picking or choosing whom we would forgive. We can’t say, “You’ve hurt me too much, so I’m not forgiving you.”

Notice what the Messiah Jesus said on the stake: Luke 23:34: Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." He said this in love for the ones who had crucified him and were casting lots at his feet for his robe.

The Messiah Jesus tells us, “For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?” (Matthew 5:46).

It doesn’t matter who our grudge might be against. If we hold onto it, it will lead to a bitterness that poisons every aspect of our lives. Unforgiveness brings on spiritual famine, weakness, and a loss of faith, afflicting not just us but everyone in our circle of fellowship.

Ephesians 4:31-32: Get rid of all bitterness and rage and anger and angry shouting and defaming speech, along with all malice, and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, just as God has forgiven you in the Messiah.

Hebrews 12:15: Watch over others, so that no one is falling away from the grace of God; so that no root of bitterness sprouts up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled....

Over the past fifty years, I have seen terrible devastation in the lives of those who withheld forgiveness. Yet, I also have seen the glorious power of a forgiving spirit.

Forgiveness transforms lives, causing the windows of heaven to open. It fills our cup of spiritual blessing to the brim with abundant peace, joy, and rest in the Lord God Yehovah. Jesus’ teaching on this subject is very specific, and if you want to move in this wonderful realm of blessing, then heed and embrace his words.

“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (Matthew 6:14-15).

Make no mistake: God isn’t making a bargain with us here. He is not saying, “Because you’ve forgiven others, I will forgive you.” We can never earn God’s forgiveness. Only the shed blood of the Messiah Jesus merits forgiveness of sin.

Rather, the Messiah Jesus is saying: “Full confession of sin requires that you forgive others. If you hold on to an attitude of unforgiveness, then you haven’t confessed all your sins. True active repentance means confessing and forsaking every grudge, crucifying every trace of bitterness toward others, in the process of dying to self. Anything less isn’t a repentance God will accept.”

This goes hand in hand with Jesus' Beatitude: “Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy” (Matthew 5:7). His point: Forgive others, so you can move into the blessings and joy of sonship with the Messiah Jesus. God can then pour out tokens of his love. And when you forgive, you’re revealing the Father’s nature to the world and bringing glory to His holy name, Yehovah.

Written by David Wilkerson and edited by Bruce Lyon

Wednesday, December 30, 2020

ACCESS TO THE THRONE OF YEHOVAH

"That they all may be one, as you, Father, are in me, and I in you; that they also may be one in us, that the world may believe that you sent me. And the glory which you gave me I have given them, that they may be one just as we are one: I in them, and you in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that you have sent me, and have loved them as you have loved me” (John 17:21-23).

Jesus says, in essence, “The glory that you gave me, Father, I have given to them.” The Messiah is making an incredible statement here. He is saying that we’ve been given the same glory that the Father gave to him. What an amazing thought. Yet, what is this glory that was given to the Messiah Jesus and how do our lives reveal that glory? It is not some aura or emotion; it is unimpeded access to the heavenly Father!

Jesus made it easy for us to access the Father, opening the door for us by the stake: “For through him, we both have access by one Spirit to the Father” (Ephesians 2:18). The word “access” means the right to enter. It signifies free passage, as well as ease of approach: “In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him - Jesus” (Ephesians 3:12).

Do you see what Paul is saying here? By faith, we’ve come into a place of unimpeded access to God. We’re not like Esther in the Old Testament. She had to wait for a sign from the king before she could approach the throne. Only after he held out his scepter was Esther approved to come forward.

By contrast, you and I are already in the throne room. And we have the right and privilege of speaking to Yehovah our God at any time. Indeed, we’re invited to make any request of Him: “Let us, therefore, come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).

When Jesus the Messiah ministered on earth, he didn’t have to slip away to pray in order to obtain the Father’s mind. He said, “I can do nothing on my own. I do only what the Father tells me and shows me” (see John 5:19). Today we have been given the very same degree of access to the Father that the Messiah Jesus had. You may say, “Wait a minute. I have the same access to the Father that Jesus did?”

Make no mistake. Like Jesus, we are to pray often and fervently, seeking God, waiting on Him. We don’t have to slip away to beseech Yehovah for strength or direction, because we have His very own Spirit living within us. And the Spirit of Yehovah reveals to us His mind and will, guiding us every step of the way towards His soon-coming Kingdom.  

Monday, December 28, 2020

IS THERE AN EVERBURNING HELL-FIRE?

If the penalty for our sins is eternity in Hell, how did Jesus' death pay our penalty if He did not spend eternity in Hell?


There is no place in scripture that says anything about sinners being cast into a ever burning hell and being tormented for the coming ages upon ages. Absolutely nothing of a sort. That belief has come to us from pagan origin and not from God's revelation to us. We are told that at the White Throne Judgment all those who were not a part of the first resurrection will be resurrected and those whose names are not found written in the book of life will be cast into the lake of fire and destroyed and the memory of them will be forgotten. (Revelation 20:15: And if any are not found written in the book of life, they will be cast into the lake of fire.

Think about the following for a moment. How could any believer who has been resurrected at the first resurrection and have become glorified immortal men/woman have any peace knowing that their relatives are suffering everlasting torment in an ever burning hell? To believe such a thing is to blaspheme the name and character of our God and our Father.
As God's character is determined by love, would He not do as the scripture says and destroy all those whose names are not found written in the book of life. Does scripture not say our God is a consuming fire, and that it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
However believers have no such fear of their God and their Father because they know they have been delivered from the wrath of God which unbelievers; those whose names are not written in the book of life have not so been delivered.
God will destroy all those whose names are not written in the book of life and do so as an act of love, knowing that such people would be totally miserable if they lived in the ages to come with their anti-God attitude.

Thursday, December 24, 2020

RESSURECTION LIFE, THE POWER OF YEHOVAH IN YOU

Paul expressed concern for the church of Jesus the Messiah when he prayed, “May God reveal to you, not just the past greatness of the Messiah but his present greatness.” Here is his specific prayer:

Paul, an emissary of Jesus the Messiah by the desire of God, to the set-apart ones who are in Ephesia, and are true to the Messiah Jesus: Favour to you and peace from God our Father and our master Jesus the Messiah.

Blessed be the God and Father of our master Jesus the Messiah, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenlies in the Messiah - His anointed one, even as He - God chose us in him - Jesus before the foundation of the world, that we should be set-apart and blameless before Him - God, in love, having previously ordained us to adoption as sons through Jesus the Messiah to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His desire, to the praise of the esteem of His favour with which He - God favoured us in the beloved, in whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of trespasses, according to the riches of His - God's favour, which He - God has lavished on us in all wisdom and insight, having made known to us the secret of His desire, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in him - Jesus, to administer at the completion of time, to gather together in one, all in the Messiah, both which are in the heavens and which are on earth, in him, in whom also we did obtain an inheritance, being previously ordained according to the purpose of Him - God working all matters according to the counsel of His desire, for us to be the praise of His esteem those having first trusted in the Messiah, in whom you also, having heard the word of the truth, the Good News of your deliverance, in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Set-apart Spirit of promise, which is the pledge of our inheritance, until the redemption of the purchased possession -us, to the praise of His - God's esteem. (Ephesians 1:1-14)

We have a great reverence for Jesus who walked on this earth, as Yeohvah's agent, who filled him with the fulness of His nature enabling him to turn water into wine, feed the multitudes, and heal the sick. Believing in him, we believe that because Jesus became a sin-offering sacrifice, we can be forgiven our sins and relieved our guilt. We believe that our God can provide us with peace and joy and give us eternal life in the Messiah Jesus. Too few of us know our God of the natural world we live in. We often don’t recognize Him and submit to Him as Lord over our everyday affairs, as God of our home, our children, and marriage, our job and bills. Many don't realize that Yehovah Elohim - God is as close to them as their breath.

When Jesus was called upon to heal his friend Lazarus, he faced limited faith. “When Mary came where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying to Him, ‘Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died’” (John 11:32). The passage goes on to show that Mary and her sister Martha had faith only to the point of death. “Some that has gathered at the tomb said: ‘Could not this man, who opened the eyes of the blind, also have kept this man from dying?’” (John 11:37).

It is any wonder there is so much commotion in the lives of so many believers. Why is there so much grieving and mourning? It is because we don’t believe our God through His uniquely begotten son Jesus can resurrect what has died. We don’t believe our God has a lifegiving plan for us. We think many times that things are too far gone for God to intervene. Beloved, Yehovah Elohim - God has never been more willing to show His resurrection and healing power to you than He is right now. Do we only love, serve, and worship Yehovah Elohim - God only to the point of giving up when things get tough. Why don’t we trust Him when all hope is gone?

Notice: Habbakuk 3:17- 19:

Though the fig tree does not blossom, And there is no fruit on the vine, The yield of the olive has failed, And the fields brought forth no food, The flock has been cut off from the fold, And there is no herd in the stalls, Yet I will exult in Yehovah I will rejoice in the Elohim - God of my deliverance. Yehovah the master is my strength. And He makes my feet like those of deer, And makes me walk on my high places.

That is the kind of covenant faith we have. We can ask our God and Father to give us more faith to love, believe and trust in Him when everything around is failing!

Scripture says we have been provided the very same energizing, resurrection life that is in the Messiah Jesus: “If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised the Messiah from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit that dwells in you” (Romans 8:11).

Yehovah's Spirit dwells in you to enable you to bring forth the present greatness of the Messiah Jesus as he lives his life through you! Believe in him!

Wednesday, December 23, 2020

KEPT BY THE LOVE OF YEHOVAH ELOHIM - GOD

Satan cannot shake or test the faith of any child of God without Yehovah’s permission. Simply put, Yehovah Elohim - God has a purpose and plan behind every trial that Satan brings to our lives. Jesus gave a warning to the apostle Peter: “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat” (Luke 22:31).

The scriptures make it clear that Satan’s main objective is to destroy the faith of those who serve Yehovah Elohim - God and the Messiah Jesus.

Most Christians remember Peter’s boast about his own faith: “Lord, I am ready to go with you, both to prison and to death” (Luke 22:33). What Peter says here comes across as spiritual boldness, but in truth, it represents a fleshly audacity that the scriptures warn against: “Let him who thinks he stands to take heed lest he falls” (1 Corinthians 10:12). None of us can stand without the enabling Spirit of the living God - Yehovah indwelling us! Without the Spirit of Yehovah enabling us to walk according to His will we are helpless to do anything according to His will. 

When Peter was questioned about his faith in the garden, rather than boldly declaring his allegiance to Jesus, he denied that he knew him. And then, in panic, he ran from the scene of his denial.

However, this once fearless disciple, now broken and anguishing over his failure to acknowledge the lord Jesus, was never for a moment on his own. Jesus had proclaimed earlier, “I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail” (Luke 22:32).

This is one of the most encouraging verses in all of Scripture. Jesus was telling Peter here that no matter what he faced, no matter what he would go through; even including his denial of the Messiah Jesus; his faith would not fail!

Just as he has done throughout history, Satan demands Yehovah’s permission to sift us today as His did with Job. He wants to attack our homes, our marriages, our children, our health, our jobs and careers, our very belief in Yehovah and His uniquely begotten God Jesus. But be assured, Yehovah has not forsaken you; and He never will. Indeed, right now He is saying to you through His Son Jesus: “I will never leave you. Lo, I am with you, even to the end of the age.”

Tuesday, December 22, 2020

HOW IS SATAN THE GOD OF THIS WORLD?

Satan is the god of this world because Adam forfeited his position as to his God given ruler-ship over this world when he rebelled against Yehovah. God true to form will allow Satan to hold on to the position Adam forfited until the second man, the last Adam; Jesus, who qualified to replace him, when he becane a sin-offering sacrifice on the stake, returns to this earth to take his place on the throne of David at Jerusalem with all of his holy ones - glorified immortal saints - us!

At that time one of the first things he will do is have one of his angels bind Satan and cast him into a pit where he can deceive the nation no more.

Yehovah will show those who do not accept the rulership of the lord Jesus at at the end of the 1,000 year rule what their end result will be. He will loose Satan to once against deceive the nations to rebel against Him and His vice-regent Jesus. This will be done to show that human beings even during the 1,000 years reign will have retained their Adam nature he had after the fall.

However, that rebellion will be put down immediately and Satan and his angels will be caste into the lake of fire and destroyed. Yes I said destroyed. Whatever God has created He can destroy and Satan was and is a created being.

After all this comes the White Throne Judgement, and beyond a complete new order of things to take place in the ages upon ages to come.
What a glorious future we have to become immortal men and women co-inheriting and co-ruling with the lord Messiah Jesus in the coming new age! May that day soon come! 


Monday, December 21, 2020

YEHOVAH ELOHIM - GOD WON'T WALK OUT ON YOU!

Embracing His Loving Kindness in Your Trial

Psalm 107 has been called “the Old Testament love feast.” It is one of the most encouraging passages in all of God’s Word, and it is meant especially for those needing forgiveness, deliverance, or restoration. The final verse promises the reader an understanding of who Yehovah truly is. “Whoever is wise will observe these things, and they will understand the lovingkindness of Yehovah” (Psalm 107:43, NKJV).

If you read, observe and study this psalm, you will have a revelation of Yehovah’s longsuffering and lovingkindness even toward the rebellious and disobedient. It is proof that Yehovah will never walk out on any of His children, no matter how low they might have sunk.

This psalm gives us four classifications of God’s people who end up in trouble and affliction because of their own doings. Yehovah doesn’t walk out on any of them, not one. See if you find yourself in any of these categories.

The first kind of a believer in trouble is one who’s starving.

“They wandered in the wilderness in a desolate way; they found no city to dwell in. Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them” (107:4-5). These people once knew the fullness of Yehovah, but now they are in a solitary wilderness, wandering alone and unable to find the city.

“The city” in the Old Testament is always Zion, which represents Yehovah's true called-out Assembly. Today, of course, that city is the true body of the Messiah that worships in spirit and truth. Multitudes of such believers starve for a true word from Yehovah, going from church to church trying to find their place. In the end, they give up because they believe there isn’t a church for them.

Some pastors and congregations simply have no interest in righteousness. Those people only care about having their “needs met,” so the church’s schedule is full of activities like father-daughter dances and family nights at pro sports events. Do these activities cause hell to tremble? No, many churches of this kind are an absolute mockery of God.

On the other hand, some critically-minded believers have become so hard to please that no church could ever meet their standard. The least imperfection drives them away. I knew a pastor who received an angry letter because his church bulletin mentioned “Singles Night.” The letter-writer accused the church of trying to pair up lovers. The pastor answered that he was simply announcing a night of ministry for single people to worship God together.

Without regular fellowship among the true body of believers, any believer can end up cold, leaving their first love, wandering around, continually thirsty. Some end up sampling unhealthy doctrines, while others end up isolated and bitter.

In his mercy, Yehovah has provided a solution. “Then they cried out to Yehovah in their trouble and He delivered them out of their distresses. And He led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city for a dwelling place” (107:6-7). Yehovah says, “I’ll show you my called-our Assembly. I’ll lead you right to them.” He has his body of believers all over the world, and if you cry out to Him, He’ll miraculously bring like-minded believers to you. Until that happens, He will not walk out on you. He promises to manifest Himself even where two or three are gathered in His name.

The second kind of a believer in trouble has fallen into sin by disobedience to God’s Word.

“Those who sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, bound in affliction and irons; because they rebelled against the words of Yehovah, and despised the counsel of the Most High, therefore He brought down their heart with labor; they fell down, and there was none to help” (Psalm 107:10-12).

Could this be you? You’ve sat under godly, convicting preaching. The Spirit has striven with you, but still, you sinned willfully. Now you are back in the clutches of old habits. You are miserable, your heart “brought down with labor.”

When a person sins willfully, disobeying the Word of God, his tendency is to hide, cower in fear, and wallow in misery. He thinks it’s all over, that God can’t use him. When you’re in that kind of condition, the devil will whisper to you, “There is no hope for you. You’re one of those people who never change. Your sin has forced God to hide his face from you.”

Here is God’s answer to that. “Then they cried out to Yehovah in their trouble, and He saved them out of their distresses. He brought them out of the darkness and the shadow of death and broke their chains in pieces. Oh, that men would give thanks to Yehovah for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men! For He has broken the gates of bronze and cut the bars of iron in two” (Psalm 107:13-16).

Hear this well: Yehovah never has; and never will; hide His face from a crying child of His. It doesn’t matter how far you’ve fallen, how many promises to Yehovah, you’ve made and broken. Your sins, though scarlet red, will be white as snow if you will repent and cry out to Him for help and forgiveness. Only Yehovah can cut the bars asunder. Only He can deliver you from your darkness. He is our strength and our hope.

“Then they cried out to Yehovah in their trouble and He saved them” (107:13). The sufferers in this psalm didn’t cry out to Yehovah after they were out of their mess; they cried out from within it! What did Yehovah do? He saved them.

The third kind of believer in trouble is a fool who has brought trouble on himself.

“Fools, because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, were afflicted. Their soul abhorred all manner of food and they drew near to the gates of death” (Palm 107:17-18).

The dictionary says a fool is someone who lacks judgment or good sense, one who makes silly, stupid mistakes. He does his own thing without thinking of the consequences.

Many believers are paying a high price for their past acts of foolishness. Some spent a night in adultery and have contracted HIV. Some are sinking into financial holes because of foolish spending. Others are locked in a terrible marriage because they rushed into it foolishly.

The despair of many such believers is unspeakable. They feel helpless, on the verge of giving up. One man wrote to me, “I feel like my life is over. There’s nothing I can do. I just look forward to death.” These tragic words reflect the psalmist’s description of this type of despair: “They drew near to the gates of death” (Psalm 107:18).

You don’t have to live without hope. Yehovah has given you His promise that He does not walk out on foolish people. “Then they cried out to Yehovah in their trouble and He saved them out of their distresses. He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions” (Psalm 107:19-20).

I get so happy when I read these verses because I know all the dumb and foolish mistakes I’ve made in my life. Yehovah knows there are things we can’t change, words we’ve spoken that we can’t bring back. Yet He isn’t asking us to do penance or make promises. All He asks is that we cry out to Him in our desperation. He can heal, prolong life, and provide supernatural grace. “He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions” (Psalm 107:20).

Yehovah will send someone to you, reminding you of His word. All you have to do is hear His promise and cry out to Him.

The fourth kind of a believer in trouble is someone swamped by an unexpected storm of life.

As I read the following verses, I think of people facing troubles in their business or career or in the circumstances that surround them in this world.

“Those who go down to the sea in ships, Who do business on great waters, they see the works of Yehovah and His wonders in the deep. He commands and raises the stormy wind, which lifts up the waves of the sea. They mount up to the heavens, they go down again to the depths; their soul melts because of trouble. They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits’ end” (Psa.m 107:23-27).

Businesspeople and career people are like seamen in ships. The great waters signify the big world of competition, an ocean of activity. Suddenly, a storm breaks out that is beyond their control, waves of problems threatening to swallow their boat. “Their soul melts because of trouble” (Psalm 107:26).

They were able to solve their past problems, to escape one crisis after another, but there seems no way of escape from this trial. “They... are at their wits’ end” (Psalm 107:27). They can’t sleep at night for worrying, trying to reason their way out of their trouble.

Yehovah alone can calm their storm. He alone can still those threatening waves. He alone can bring gladness and peace and lead them into a safe harbor. “Then they cry out to Yehovah in their trouble and He brings them out of their distresses. He calms the storm so that its waves are still. Then they are glad because they are quiet; so He guides them to their desired haven” (Psalm 107:28-30).

I want to tell such readers, “Don’t let your situation get into your spirit. Bring it all out before Yehovah Elohim - God. Go into your secret closet and cry out everything to him. He can do what you can not do on your own.”

God is not about to walk out on you. He is with you in the battle to the end, no matter how it came upon you. He is in you, with you, and besides you, no matter what. “Nevertheless He regarded their affliction when He heard their cry” (106:44). Hallel Jah - Praise Yehovah.

Written by David Wilkerson and edited by Bruce Lyon

Saturday, December 19, 2020

WHAT DID JESUS MEAN WHEN HE SAID "I AM"?

When Jesus said "I AM" he was referring to the fact that he was the Messiah, which the leaders of Israel would not accept and tried to trump up any excuse to trip him up in what he said, or to interpret what he said in such a way to bring a charge against him. In no way was he saying he was YHVH = Yehovah, for if indeed he had said that plainly in front of them they would have definitely stoned him on the spot [example Stephan].
Jesus said of himself: Revelation 1:18: I AM HE that lives, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
John 19:21: THEN SAID THE CHIEF PRIESTS OF THE JEWS TO PILATE, WRITE NOT, THE KING OF THE JEWS; but that HE SAID, I AM KING OF THE JEWS.
John 18:37: Pilate therefore said unto him, Are you a king then? Jesus answered, you say that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth.
Every one that is of the truth hears my voice.
Joh 18:5-6: They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus said unto them, I AM HE, and Judas also, who betrayed him, stood with them.
As soon then as he had said unto them, I AM HE, they went backward, and fell to the ground........ Jesus answered, I have told you that I AM HE (the Messiah): if therefore you seek me, let these go their way:
John 15:1: I AM the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman....... I AM the vine, you are the branches: He that abides in me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit: for without me you can do nothing.
John 14:6: Jesus says unto him, I AM the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes unto the Father, but by me.
John 14:10-11: Believe you not that I AM in the Father, and the Father in me? The words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father who dwells in me, HE does the works. Believe me that I AM in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake.
John 14:20 At that day you shall know that I AM in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.
John 13:19: Now I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to pass, you may believe that I AM HE [the Messiah].
John 10:36: Say you of him, whom the Father has sanctified - set apart, and sent into the world, you blaspheme; because I said, I AM THE SON OF GOD? - if the Jews here thought he was saying that he was Yehovah they would have stoned him  to death on the spot.
John 8:28: Then said Jesus unto them, when you have lifted up the son of man, then shall you know that I AM HE, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father has taught me, I speak these things.
It is obvious here he is not calling himself Yehovah when he says I AM HE...
John 8:18: I AM one that bears witness of myself, and the Father that sent me bears witness of me.
John 7:33 : Then said Jesus unto them, Yet a little while I AM with you, and then I go unto Him that sent me.
John 5:43: I AM COME IN MY FATHER'S NAME [as THAT PROPHET mentioned by Moses], and you receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him you will receive.
John 4:25-26: The woman saith unto him, I know that Messiah comes, who is called Christ - the anointed one - the Messiah: when he is come, he will tell us all things. Jesus sats unto her, I that speak unto you AM HE.
Notice what John the baptist says about himself and Jesus: 
John 3:28 You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Messiah, but that I am sent before him.
Luke 22:70-71: Then said they all, Are you then the Son of God? And he said unto them, You say that I AM. And they said, What need we any further witness? For we ourselves have heard of his own mouth..... And the whole multitude of them arose, and led him unto Pilate. And they began to accuse him, saying, we found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, SAYING THE HE HIMSELF IS THE CHRIST - THE ANOINTED ONE - THE MESSIAH - A KING.
Notice: When the Jews brought Jesus before Pilate they did not accuse him of claiming to be Yehovah. That would have meant nothing to Pilate. However to claim that Jesus said he was the Messiah, a King would cause him to be in conflict with the Roman Government.
Later the Jews condemn themselves and showed they were not of the truth and did not "hear" the words of Jesus [John 18:37] when they said, "We have no King but Caesar". This showed that they rejected the one who said, "I AM He - the Messiah. 

Friday, December 18, 2020

IF A MAN HAS MORE THAT ONE WIFE AND BECOMES A CHRISTIAN, WHAT IS HE SUPPOSED TO DO?

If a man has multiple wives and then becomes a Christian, he should stay married to all the wives who wish to remain married to him. There is nothing in the NT that restricts polygamy, however, Jesus did refer to God's intent in the beginning that a man and a woman should join together in marriage.

We know that the Patriarchs had multiple wives and there were probably some who had more than one wife in the first century and were Christians. Again, the ideal from God's point of view is that one man and one woman join in marriage. The only restriction on plural marriage has to do with someone who desires to become an overseer, pastor/teacher, etc., and in those cases, they are to be married to only one wife. This restriction makes sense because where there is more than one wife domestic peace is most of the time is not evident.

We are not called upon to judge the status of others who stand before God on their own merits. Yehovah knows those that are His and can deal with them on an individual basis.

I don't know of any churches to-day who can sit in judgement over any member of their congregation considering the state of the church's departure from the plain instruction they have received from their lord and savior Jesus and do not do them. In most cases, Jesus could come into their midst and say, "If you call me your lord and master, why do you not do all that I have told you to do?"

ARE YOU BURDENED WITH GRIEF?

Nothing stirs the heart of our God more than the soul that is overcome with grief. Grief is defined as “deep sorrow” or “sadness caused by extreme distress.” Notice the grief that lord Jesus experienced:

Isaiah 53:1-12:

Who has believed our message? To whom has the arm of Yahweh been revealed? For he grows up before him as a tender plant and as a root out of the dry ground. He has no good looks or majesty. When we see him, there is no beauty that we should be attracted to him.

He is despised and rejected by people; a man of suffering, and one who knew sickness. Like one from whom men hide their faces, he is despised and we did not respect him.

Surely he has borne our sickness and carried our suffering, yet we considered him plagued, struck by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities. The punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds, we are healed.

We all like sheep have gone astray. Everyone has turned to his own way, and Yahweh has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and he was afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth. As a lamb that is led to the slaughter and as a sheep that before its shearers are mute, so he did not open his mouth.

He was taken away by oppression and judgment; and who among his generation considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living and stricken for the disobedience of my people? They made his grave with the wicked, but with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence and no deceit was in his mouth.

Yet it pleased Yehovah to crush him. He has caused him to suffer. When you make his soul a guilt offering, he will see his seed. He will prolong his days, and the pleasure of Yahweh will prosper in his hand.

After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light and be satisfied. My righteous servant will justify many by the knowledge of himself, and he will bear their iniquities.

Therefore I will give him a portion with the great, and he will divide the spoil with the strong; because he poured out his soul to death, and was counted among the transgressors, yet he carried the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors.

Even in judgment, God grieves over his children. The Psalmist makes an incredible statement regarding Israel: “For their sake He remembered His covenant and relented according to the multitude of His mercies. He also made them be pitied by all those who carried them away captive” (Psalm 106:45-46). When God sees His children hurting, He not only grieves over them, He makes their enemies pity them!

Perhaps you are burdened with some sort of heavy grief. It could be over someone dear to you who is suffering, in trouble, or hurting. It could be a son or daughter who is backslidden, slowly sinking into the death of sin. Or it could be a loved one facing a severe, looming financial crisis. I say to all: Yehovah and the lord Jesus our Messiah is moved by your grief.

It is wonderful to have Jesus walking alongside us through our pain. When a blessing is on the way, there can be delays. Consider the woman who suffered from chronic hemorrhaging and touched the hem of Jesus’ garment for healing. For twelve years she had bled and she was literally dying a slow death. Luke, a physician, wrote that she “had spent all her livelihood on physicians and could not be healed by any” (Luke 8:43).

“[The woman] came … and touched the border of His garment. And immediately her flow of blood stopped … Jesus said, ‘Somebody touched me, for I perceived power going out from me’” (8:44-46). Jesus felt this woman’s pain and he met her need when she reached out to him!

When the suffering woman reached out and touched the man Jesus, merely making contact with the hem of his garment, she was instantly healed! The compassion of Jesus flowed out to her and made her whole.

Sadly, multitudes of people today are doing just what that woman did; run from place to place looking for answers. They explain their problems, again and again, hoping to find relief. All they want is for someone to stop their pain and suffering that makes their hearts heavy with grief.

If you are burdened with grief turn to Yehovah in fervent prayer and seek His help to deliver you from your grief and place in you His steadfast love that casts our all fear and grief. Even in grief, we can rejoice in our God and Father Yehovah knowing that He cares for us and will be a strong tower and sure comfort for all those who are His.

Notice Habakkuk: 3:17-19:

For though the fig tree doesn’t flourish, nor fruit is in the vines, the labor of the olive fails, the fields yield no food, the flocks are cut off from the fold, and there is no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in Yehovah. I will be joyful in the God of my salvation! Yehovah the Lord is my strength. He makes my feet like deer’s feet and enables me to go up to high places.

EL CHAY - LIVING GOD

For thousands of years, humans have often created idols as objects of worship.  In Jeremiah 2:26-28:

As the thief is ashamed when he is found, so is the house of Israel ashamed; they, their kings, their officials, and their priests and their prophets, who tell the wood, You are my Father,’  and a stone, ‘You have brought me out,’ for they have turned their back to me  and not their face;  but in the time of their trouble they will say,  ‘Arise and save us.’

But where are the gods that you have made for yourselves?  Let them arise if they can save you in the time of your trouble; for according to the number of your cities are your gods, Judah.

The prophet exhorts the Israelites that idols are mere stone and wood, the work of man’s hands.  And as such, they could not possibly hear a person's prayers, let alone act on their behalf.  Instead, the Israelites are reminded to look to EL CHAY, THE LIVING GOD.

Jeremiah 10:10: But Yehovah is the true God. He is the living God and everlasting King.

We should ask ourselves how often do we put idols in the place of worship and honor in our hearts. For every time we put our trust in anything other than Yehovah and His uniquely begotten son Jesus, we are committing idolatry. People, possessions, our appearance, cars, money, power, success, position, relationships are among the hundreds of things that can become idols in our lives!

We need to remember that the Living God, EL CHAY, calls believers by name, loves them (1 John 3:1), longs to nurture a relationship with them (John 14:20-21), promises to hear them when they call (Jeremiah 33:3), promises to provide for their needs (Philippians 4:19) and to forgive their sins (1 John 1:9). With all that He provides for believers by His amazing grace, why would they seek after anything or anyone else?

Note: I am the work of His hands; He is not the work of mine!

Look at the testimony that King Darius gave about Yehovah after He saved Daniel from the lion’s den in Daniel 6:26-27:

I issue a decree that in every part of my kingdom people must fear and reverence the God of Daniel.

“He is the living God and He endures forever; His kingdom will not be destroyed, His dominion will never end. He rescues and He saves; He performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions.”

Notice this statement from the Apostle Paul: “Clearly, we are the temple of the living God.  As God said, ‘I will love and walk among them. I will be their God and they will be my people.’ (2 Corinthians 6:16)

1 John 5:21: Little children guard yourselves against idols.

Tuesday, December 15, 2020

YEHOVAH'S PLAN OF REDEMPTION

Yehovah’s plan of redemption, with the aim of ultimately reaching people from every race, language, tribe, and nation, began with His chosen people Israel. This is why Jesus said: “Salvation is from the Jews” (John 4:22).

Notice: Yehovah’s plan has not changed today!

All those who have repented, died to self, and have been baptized have been grafted into the true Israel of God. [Romans 11:17: But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and became a joint-partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree - Israel,] This means that Yehovah's plan of redemption is still being carried out by Israel now.

Also note Romans 2:28-29: For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is true circumcision in the outward man, in the flesh. On the contrary, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly, and true circumcision is of the heart, in spirit, not by the written code. This person's praise is not from people, but from God.

So as Jesus said: “Salvation is from the Jews” (John 4:22), it still is today!

So to conclude all those who are in the Messiah Jesus, as members of his body, the called-out Assembly of God, are the true circumcision [spiritual Jews] and members of the true Israel of God commissioned to bring glory to the name of Yehovah, by declaring His plan and message of redemption to the whole world. That message is the message the lord Jesus preached about how a person can enter into the coming Kingdom of God.

May Yehovah give us the strength and drive to enthusiastically bring the message of the coming Kingdom of God and the things about Jesus' place in the Kingdom. We are to do a Philip did when he went out to Samaria: Acts 8:12: “… proclaiming the good news about the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Messiah, they were baptized, both men and women

Understand that when we proclaim the name of Jesus the Messiah we are giving people an understanding of all that he represented as the son of God, and as the head of the called-out Assembly of God, and as the one whom God will send to take his place on the throne of David At Zion, and rule over physical Israel as their Messiah and Lord of lords and King of kings over the nations during his thousand-year rule [Zechariah 12-14].

Maranantha – The Lord is coming! 

TRUE STRENTH COMES FROM YEHOVAH

“Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting Elohim - God, Yehovah the Creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might, He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, but those who wait on Yehovah shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint” (Isaiah 40:28-31).

These are powerful words from the prophet Isaiah. Right now the world seems to be shaking and the people of God needs to know how to maintain their strength in the midst of it all. Drawing near to God in times of crisis is absolutely necessary in order to sustain perseverance, stability, and effectiveness.

The psalmist David says, “Oh, how great is Your goodness, which You have laid up for those who fear You, which You have prepared for those who trust in You in the presence of the sons of men! You shall hide them in the secret place of Your presence from the plots of man; you shall keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues” (Psalm 31:19-20).

This is profound! David is telling us, in essence: “All true strength comes from drawing near to Yehovah. Indeed, the measure of our strength is proportionate to our nearness to him.” Simply put, the closer we are to Yehovah, the stronger we are going to be. In fact, all the strength we are ever going to need will come through a life of fervent prayer.

The enemy - Satan the Adversary of your soul wants you drained of all strength and he will use anything he can, even “good” things from the perspective of the world, to keep you from spending time in fervent prayer with Yehovah. He knows your time with God enables you to endure fear and anxiety, even in these worrisome times. As we are quickly moving towards the end of this age we will experience difficult times and incredible changes.

Each one of us must ask, “How near am I to Yehovah in this hour?” Spend time alone with Him daily and seek His face in prayer. He promises to hear your every cry and meet your every need.

Saturday, December 12, 2020

DEAD TO SELF, DEAD TO SIN

For the love of the Messiah shows us that one died for all, therefore all died, and he died for all so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, for he died and rose again on their behalf. (2 Corinthians 5:14-15).

There is a deep meaning to this passage that takes some time to realize; a whole lifetime! Paul expressed it in several places.

Consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in the Messiah Jesus. (Romans 6:11)

Praise God! While we have been included in the Messiah’s ascended life, made alive in a whole new way, we should continue to plumb the depths of how we have died. They must be considered together. As Jesus said, ‘unless the seed falls to the ground and dies…’ (John 12:24)

Sin had a hold over us, as we all lived in a state of deception. We knew that we could not do anything to be free from the consequences of sin's penalty which is death! (Romans 6:23)

Paul must have spent years praying, thinking, and carefully writing to help us understand that sin’s hold; firm as it was; is no longer. We are freed from being a prisoner to sin and death through the lord Jesus, and now we live as new creations, in the manner that Galatians 2:20 powerfully proclaims:

I have been crucified with the Messiah, and it is no longer I who live, but the Messiah lives in me. (Galatians 2:20)

Any time we fall into old ways of sin, it is because we have lost sight of who we are in the Messiah. We have offered ourselves again to the law of sin and death; not that it has a hold over us any longer, but we have chosen, through carelessness or rebelliousness, to live out of the old man, not as a new [creation] man in the Messiah.

Reflect on ancient Israel and how they experienced some amazing and profound miracles as they were freed from Egypt and set on the path to the Promised Land. One can hardly imagine the moments of sheer joy and excitement as the journey began. The Red Sea parting would be perhaps the most significant; an experience to last 100 lifetimes through the stories that were passed on.

Yet it was not long before they lost their focus on where they are going and where they have been. They were slaves for 4 centuries, but Israel (disappointed by the circumstances in the desert they now were experiencing) wanted to go back to the ‘leeks and garlic of Egypt’ rather than forging ahead to the promised land; a land God had chosen for them (Numbers 11).

As we look ahead to the joy of our new lives in the Messiah; the new life accompanied by God’s indwelling spirit, and the new life that will be ours when we are raised to be like the Messiah Jesus; we come to understand more deeply, as Paul did, the new in juxtaposed with the old.

Consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in the Messiah Jesus. (Romans 6:11)

We must indeed consider how we have died to ourselves in the Messiah in order to now live out our lives in the Messiah.

For the love of the Messiah shows us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died, and he died for all so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for him who died and rose again on their behalf.

Jesus’s death, the most significant event in all creation, is surpassed only by his ascension to a new immortal life… as the firstborn of all creation (Colossians 1:15)! Such is the magnitude of Jesus’ death, that all mankind may be reconciled to God! All are included in the death of the son of God. We realize however that it is only those who believe in the one whom Yehovah Elohim - God has sent who will be reconciled to Him.

Those reconciled, have had an unpayable debt paid in full, because of the sin-offering sacrifice on the lord Jesus on the stake!

Now, if we can appreciate what the Messiah’s death has accomplished for us, we can grow in living out the lord Jesus in our lives through the power of his indwelling spirit. Realizing that Jesus never promised us a rose garden, the way will be difficult and we will be severely tested and tried along the way. The goal before us is so wonderful that we will be encouraged to keep on keeping on, until we arrive at our destination, a place in the coming Kingdom of God!

We might picture it this way:

We were chained to this world and the law of sin and death.

Jesus has broken the chain!

Jesus has totally freed us; ending our slavery to sin, the world, and its ruler!

We can run as far as we like from Egypt [a type of this world] with the baggage of who we were as slaves to sin, an ever-present reminder that it is not we who live now, but the Messiah who lives in us. Our life is not ours to live… it is to be lived in and through the lord Messiah Jesus.

As we joyously ponder the new life, let us prayerfully consider that it is only lived to the extent that we reckon our old self as dead! We eagerly look forward to our change; to finally be like He is, a glorified immortal man.

HOW TO BECOME A FRUIT BEARING BRANCH

The way to become a powerful and effective fruit-bearing branch is through fervent prayer. The Father is glorified in our fruit-bearing. On the night when Jesus was wrestling in prayer with his mission to die on the cross, his disciples couldn’t keep their eyes open, much less support him in prayer. So Jesus said to them, “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The Spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matthew 26:41).

Prayer is a fundamental, indispensable weapon in our struggle against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places (Ephesians 6:12-13). In the book of James, we read that “the prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective” (James 5:16-17). A fervent prayer can rally Yehovah our God and Father to intervene on our behalf and give us what we need. Through prayer, we gain the strength and knowledge we need to overcome temptation, discern God’s will, and walk as He would have us do. Yehovah Elohim - God gives supernatural wisdom and power to those who are totally committed to loving, obeying, and trusting Him in all we say and do. Fervent prayer will help us to move forward with dynamic power enabled to do so by Yehovah's indwelling presence!

It is really sad when believers use prayer as nothing more than a recitation of a wish list, or a last-ditch call for help. Many people spend their prayer time begging God for things they want to fulfill their selfish desires. God doesn’t answer that kind of prayer coming from people who haven't died to themselves. However, when we pray according to His will, and for what we truly need in advancing the kingdom, He answers.

When we walk in accord with God’s will, we can depend on Him to open doors for us; to make a path, and guide us as we go along that way. We can feel His constant presence as we go about our daily tasks. He is there to help us through personal crises: financial attacks, sickness, and so much more. We can always be assured that our God and Father will never leave us alone or forsake us.

Fervent prayer is life-changing when we go to Yehovah Elohim - God with every need, concern, and question, and then learning to obey when we sense Him answering. It is petitioning God for direction before we move, and then going in the direction that His Spirit leads us. I know that if we submit to the leading of His Spirit, and live our lives in the wisdom He gives us, and try to move in the direction He leads, all will be well. If we do go the wrong way from time to time, our God and Father will correct us and turn us around to walk on the path that leads to entering His soon-coming Kingdom. What an amazing Father He is towards all those who are His sons and daughters!

Friday, December 11, 2020

WHAT IS FIRST AND FOREMOST YOUR MAIN DESIRE?

In Psalm 27, David beseeches God in intense urgent prayer. He pleads in verse 7, “Hear, O Yehovah, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me and answer me.” His prayer is focused on one desire, one ambition, something that has become all-consuming for him: “One thing have I desired of Yehovah, that will I seek after” (Psalm 27:4).

David is testifying, “I have one prayer, Yehovah, one request. It is my single most important goal in life, my constant prayer, the one thing I desire. And I will seek after it with all that’s within me. This one thing consumes me as my goal.”

What was this one thing that David desired above all else, the object he’d set his heart on obtaining? He tells us: “That I may dwell in the house of Yehovah all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of Yehovah, and to inquire in His temple” (27:4).

Make no mistake: David was no ascetic, shunning the outside world. He wasn’t a hermit, seeking to hide away in a lonely desert place. No, David was a passionate man of action. He was a great warrior, with huge throngs singing of his victories in battle. He was also passionate about his prayer and devotion, with a heart that yearned after God. And Yehovah had blessed David with so many of the desires of his heart.

Indeed, David tasted everything a man could want in life. He had known riches and wealth, power, and authority. He had received the respect, praises, and adulation of men. Yehovah had given him Jerusalem as the capital for the kingdom and he was surrounded by devoted men who were willing to die for him.

Most of all, David was a worshiper. He was a praising man who gave thanks to God for all His blessings. He testified, “Yehovah laid blessings on me daily.”

David was saying, in effect, “There is a way of living I seek now; a settled place in Yehovah that my soul longs for. I want uninterrupted spiritual intimacy with my God.” This was what David meant when he prayed, “That  I may dwell in the house of Yehovah all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of Yehovah, and to inquire in His temple” (Psalm 27:4).

Monday, December 7, 2020

JESUS OUR SHEPHERD