The New Covenant

When we look at the New Covenant we see that the word "new" means just that - new. In the Old Testament the word "new" in Hebrew is hadash which has the sense of something "fresh". It is used in the case of newly harvested grain in Leviticus 23:16 and Numbers 28:26. Also it is used in referring to new songs being sung to Yahweh in Psalms 33:3; 40:3; 96:1; 98:1, and so on.

And finally it is used in speaking of the New Covenant in Jeremiah 31:31 and speaking of the promise of the Holy Spirit in Ezekiel 11:19; 18:31; 36:26.

The other word for "new" that is used is beriah which is only found in Numbers 16:30. The usage in that passage alludes to God bringing about something completely new and in an unprecedented fashion. As we know, He caused the ground to open up and swallow those in rebellion, alive. This was definately something totally new which had not been done before.

In the New Testament the word for "new" that is primarily used (especially in regards to the New Covenant) is kainos which again has the idea of "fresh".

As we know something that is fresh is not necessarily something that is entirely new. In fact freshness has the idea that something that is already there needs refreshing. A word is always defined by the context in which it is used. Take the example of the Hebrew word for "day" which is yom. Yom is a fairly broad word which can mean a literal, 24hr day or an entire age. So how do we know that the days of the Creation Week are literal 24hr days? By the context. We find that every day in that Week is accompanied by "...so the evening and the morning were the [a number] day." Throughout Scripture, everytime the word yom is used with either a number or a time of day, it is a literal, 24hr day.
Also, as I said of the new moon. The moon is always there just because we can't see it. Every month there is not an entirely, newly created moon, but the same one that has always been there, but is new again to us. Interestingly, the new moon reminds us of God's covenant.

Now looking back at the word "new" we find the same to be true. The context gives us the definition. If we ignore what is being said before and after the word then we are ignoring God's use of that word and making up our own definition. The word new in the sense of the New Covenant must be looked at in the same way.

"Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the LORD.
But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God and they shall be My people. No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying 'Know the LORD' for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more." - Jeremiah 31:31-34

Notice that God says "the house of Israel" the second time, compared to when He said both houses in verse 31. He is speaking of ONE house, ONE people under Him.
"There is neither Jew nor Greek...for you are all one in Christ Jesus." - Galatians 3:28

Earlier in that same chapter, Paul wrote, "Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham." Galatians 3:7 speaking of the fact that our heritage, whether Jewish or any other does not save us, but only by faith are we saved.

Abraham was a Gentile called out of a Gentile nation (Genesis 15:7; 11:27-32; 12:1). He was called a Hebrew (which means one who crosses, or passes, over; as in the Euphrates River). God called Abram Abraham - father of mulitudes. He was calling him to make a people unto Himself. That includes ALL who come to the LORD by faith. If we understand this concept, then we begin to realize that everything God has given to His people Israel is not just speaking of the physical nation so much as it's speaking to ANY and ALL who come to Him by faith in receiving His gift of salvation through His blood that was shed on the cross as a sacrifice on our behalf. That is why His WHOLE Law is for both Jew and Gentile who come to Him by faith.

Now when He says in Jeremiah that He will put His law in our minds and write it on our hearts - we must realize that this is a major part of the New Covenant. He accomplishes this by giving us His Holy Spirit as we read in Ezekiel.
"I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them." - Ezekiel 36:27
This goes right in line with Ephesians 2:10.

By God causing us to walk in His statutes and judgments (which always speak of His entire Law, not just the Ten Commandments) we can now see the connection with the word grace. The true definition of the word grace (charis in the Greek) is "a divine influence upon the heart with a reflection through the life". God's grace is not only unmerited favor, but it is especially His Spirit enabling us to walk in His ways and His light which then shines to all men that they may glorify Him (Matthew 5:16).

Notice also that a part of the New Covenant as expressed in Jeremiah is that all who are under that covenant will know God. Psalm 111:10 says, "...A good understanding have all those who do His commandments." Genesis 26:5 tells us this: "because Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws."

Abraham knew the LORD because he not only believed in Him, but obeyed His commandments as well.
And notice that this was four hundred and some years before the law was given at Sinai!
God's law has always been, and that is what we'll look at next.

God's intention all along was to dwell with His people as He does and now and soon will forever. Some have mentioned that because there is no temple then the feasts are no longer commanded for us because everything revolved around the temple. However, WE are the temple. The body of Christ is the tabernacle in which God dwells (1 Corinthians 6:19; 2 Corinthians 6:16). WE are a royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:9) and Messiah is our High Priest (Hebrews 4:14). Jesus is THE sacrifice and we are to offer up spiritual sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving.

"You also as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." - 1 Peter 2:5

This passage in a nutshell shows us the reality of what was changed, or rather renewed, in the New Covenant. God is getting back to what He desired all along. Not to dwell in temples made of stone, but in us. Not to have a priesthood that offered up the blood of bulls and goats, but a priesthood that walked in His good works following our great High Priest - Yeshua the Messiah. The temple, Levitical priesthood, and the animal sacrifices were all three related because they were all tied in together with people's relationship to sin. The Levites would assist in sacrificing the animal in the temple. NOW that we are the temple and the priesthood we can look to our High Priest Who offered up Himself as the ultimate sacrifice and keep the Sabbath, the Feasts, and the rest of the Law in true freedom. Read Acts 7:46-50; Hebrews 9:11-15

"Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law." - Romans 3:31

It is by the law that we experience freedom, not bondage. We become slaves of righteousness, not of sin (Romans 6:17-23).

Remeber, James says that faith without works is dead. Works can't save us, but they prove our faith is real. Obeying the law cannot save us, but it proves to us, and those around us, that we love God and our faith in Him is real. (1 John 5:2-3)

When we place our faith and trust in Christ we enter into a relationship with Him, as heirs, by which we find peace and joy in walking with the Spirit, in obedience to His laws. "For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin." Romans 7:14 "For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man." Romans 7:22 "...So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin." Romans 7:25 "Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be." Romans 8:7

It is because of the constant struggle between our flesh and our spirit that we must submit to God's law in order to be free. We must be a "slave of righteousness" (Romans 6:19).
NOT that we are justified by keeping the law, but that in keeping the law, we are being obedient to the faith, and are able to crucify our flesh.

ONE law for ONE people under ONE God. HE saves us by His grace through our faith, and gives us His instructions and laws for us to live by. Jesus said in John 7:16, "My doctrine is not my own, but His who sent Me." The word 'doctrine' means teaching, or instruction. What are the Father's instructions? The commandments, statutes, judgments, laws. The Feasts of His are a part of that. This is also why we should not participate in holidays that are in opposition to His word. Easter, Christmas, etc... are clearly pagan in origin and tradition and the Lord specifically tells us not to worship HIM with those types of things (Deuteronomy 12:1-4).

Yeshua (Jesus) said, "For this is My blood of the covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins." Matthew 26:28. Neither Matthew nor Mark record the word 'new'. It is a 'new' covenant and one that I am very thankful for!

Caught Red Handed!

Reading through the book of Joshua has been great, since it's one of those books that I rarely read but I forget how powerful and edifying it is (it is part of the Scriptures after all!) Usually we pull out the verse that says, "As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD". Cross-stitched on a pillow or etched on a coffee mug, this verse has become the Christian anthem that most people really do not think about.

The context of that phrase is one of serving ONLY Yahweh! Putting away the other gods in your life to serve Him alone.

"Now therefore, fear the LORD, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the LORD!
And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Ammorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."

- Joshua 24:14-15

Notice that the gods Joshua spoke of were gods from the other side of the River AND/OR the gods of the Amorites which is where the people of Israel were living. Gods from where they CAME from and gods that were where they were PRESENTLY living! We'll talk more about that in a bit.

The people answer Joshua in verses 16-18 and say that they will serve the LORD, but Joshua says in v. 19 that they CANNOT serve HIM! Not a very positive reinforcement there, is it? But read on...

"But Joshua said to the people, 'You cannot serve the LORD, for He is a holy God. He is a jealous God; He will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins. If you forsake the LORD and seve foreign gods, then He will turn and do you harm and consume you, after He has done you good.'"
-Joshua 24:19-20

We cannot be with God and have other gods/idols in our lives and expect Him to be okay with that. He won't be. In fact in Deuteronomy 12:1-4 He told the people there (and us today) not to worship Him with pagan idolatrous things!

The first commandment, God says, is to "not have other gods before Me". That phrase 'before Me' that God uses means, in the presence of or in the face of', meaning other gods in His presence. We are not to serve other gods in the LORD's presence. Remember, God sees everything. He knows if we are serving something, or someone else along with serving HIM.

But the people answered Joshua again saying, 'No, but we will serve the LORD!" How emphatic!

"So Joshua said to the people, 'You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen the LORD for yourselves, to serve Him.' And they said, 'We are witnesses!'"
-Joshua 24:21-22

We can fool ourselves pretty well into thinking that we are serving the LORD alone, but are we really? How do we know if we are only following HIM?

By obeying His Commandments. Time and time again the prophets came to the people and warned them to turn back to the Torah/Law which they had forsaken. They followed after other gods throughout much of their history because they continually rejected His Covenant, His commandments.

Yeshua (Jesus) said to the Pharisees and some of the scribes (namely the religious leaders),

"Laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men,..."
And
"All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition."
-Mark 7:8a, 9a

He was giving them the same message He gave His prophets to deliver to the people in times past...Repent! and turn back to the Law of the LORD!

Back in Joshua 7 we read about Achan. The Israelites lost the battle at Ai and 36 men of the Israelites died in battle because of Achan's sin. What was his sin? Achan had taken a wedge of gold, 200 shekels of silver, and a Babylonian garment. Doesn't sound like a big deal, does it? But the LORD called them 'accursed things' and men lost their lives and Israel lost a battle because of Achan's covetousness.

It says that YHWH's anger burned against the children of Israel because of those things which Achan had taken. Then YHWH told Joshua that He would not be with him unless he destroyed the accursed things from among them. Did Achan confess? Not yet.
So Joshua gathered the people according to their tribes and the LORD brought forth the guilty.

"In the morning therefore you shall be brought according to your tribes. And it shall be that the tribe which the LORD takes shall come according to families; and the family which the LORD takes shall come by households; and the household which the LORD takes shall come man by man.
-Joshua 7:14

And the LORD did just that until finally Achan was brought forth after going through all those people, and Joshua came to him and said,
"My son, I beg you, give glory to the LORD God of Israel, and make confession to Him, and tell me now what you have done; do not hide it from me."
-Joshua 7:19

Can you imagine being Achan? Being in that position where all the people are gathered...thousands, perhaps millions of people...and slowly out of each tribe, out of each family, out of each household, it comes down to YOU. You would HAVE to know that God is singling you out for what you knew was already a sin. But Achan never said anything until finally he stood before Joshua and had to confess. Would the LORD have forgiven Achan if he'd repented before Joshua came to him? I believe so because the LORD is merciful and has allowed us to do just that, but we'll never know about Achan because he didn't do that. As a result he, his children, his livestock and all that he had were stoned and burned. This is a very serious issue with YHWH. As Joshua says in ch. 24, YHWH is a holy God. Sin cannot stand in His presence.

There is no hiding from the Father who formed us and sees everything within us.

Achan was caught red handed for his disobedience to YHWH's command (Deuteronomy 7:25-26)! There in Deuteronomy the LORD told them exactly what not to do...exactly what Achan did!

But we're all guilty of doing something similar, aren't we? I know I am, but we can't take the professing church's stance and say, "Well none of us are perfect, but thank God for His grace!" Grace is NOT a license to sin (Romans 6:1, 15-23), but it is the power of God working in us to accomplish HIS will and follow HIS Law (Jeremiah 31:31-34; Ezekiel 36:27; Ephesians 2:8-10). We have no excuse for if we sin willfully we count the blood of Yeshua as worthless, and can expect judgment (Hebrews 10:26-31)

That doesn't mean that we will never mess up, but that our heart's desire should be to not mess up! And when we do sin, to REPENT! We are never going to be perfect on this side of eternity, but we should be walking after the ONE who IS perfect...Yeshua our Messiah! Walk just as He walked...in perfect submission to Torah. Walk in the light as He is in the light...He IS the Light! (1 John 1)

We can see how our sin can affect those around us, just like Achan's did the children of Israel. Our sin can affect our household, our family, our church family, our co-workers, etc... because God is faithful to deal with the sin in our life and He WILL NOT let it be swept under the rug. And we can't forget that He isn't concerned with just us, but those around us as well. He wants our witness to be unblemished, but if it's not, He will expose our disobedience to deal with others in our life, so that they might see the power of a holy God.

Personally I'd rather have Him deal with them through my obedience rather than my disobedience!...but it's my choice. It's your choice.

Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve,...

...but as for me and my house, we will serve YHWH.

The Feast of Tabernacles

Here it is the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles. It's been an interesting week for sure.

One thing I've continued to learn this year is the concept of thankfulness tied in with the Feast. There are over 80 verses in which thanking the LORD is noted.

In Exodus 23:16 and 34:22 the Feast is also called the Feast of Ingathering, because they were to bring in the harvest. It was a time of thanking God for all that He had supplied. This is where the concept of Thanksgiving comes from, however it is merely a replacement of HIS Feast of Ingathering/Tabernacles.

There is so much that I can be thankful for that my Father has given me. It's a wonder to me that many times I complain or grumble about the very things that God has supplied for my good! Complaining, or murmuring, against the LORD is sin (Numbers 14:27). It's my carnal nature, the flesh, that hates God and cannot be subject to HIS Torah (Law) (Romans 8:7) that refuses to acknowledge His goodness and mercy! However, my spirit, in walking with His Spirit, sees the blessings He has bestowed upon me and rejoices in the fact that my Father loves me so much! I have to ask for His forgiveness for my selfish attitude and continue to walk in the light of His Torah that I might crucify that carnal nature (Galatians 5:24).

As this Feast draws to a close I am reminded of the beginning of this year, during the Feast of Unleavened Bread, how the principle of removing the sin (represented in the leaven) from my self continued long after the Feast was done. I believe this Feast of Tabernacles will be no different. Long after it is done, I will no doubt be challenged and reminded to offer up thanksgiving to my God for who He is and all that He has done and is going to do! He is worthy of my praise! And all of this is a grand reflection of the fact that we will one day dwell, literally 'tabernacle', with HIM (Revelation 21:3). Hallelujah!

That is why Yeshua (Jesus) came to dwell with man the first time...to destroy the works of the devil and give us new life and a hope for eternity with HIM (1 John 3:8; 1 Corinthians 15:20-28). He was called Immanuel which means God with us (Matthew 1:23). Read Revelation 21:3 again.

It's amazing that the professing church has taken elements of the Feast of Tabernacles and embellished them into Thanksgiving and Christmas! What a perversion of the truth! I pray that He continues to open eyes and ears to the Truth of His Word, His Law, and guide us in all righteousness.

I'm far from perfect, but I don't want to use that as an excuse and reject His Torah, which is loving instruction, just because of my humanity. On the contrary I want to walk in the light of His Law so that I might crucify my flesh and know what is pleasing and displeasing to Him who bought me with His own blood!!

He tabernacles with me now (1 Corinthians 6:19-20) and will forevermore Revelation 21-22!!!

Yom Teruah (Feast of Trumpets) pt. 2

"...on the first day of the [seventh] month, you shall have a sabbath-rest, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation."
-Leviticus 23:24b

"a memorial of blowing of trumpets" is teruah in the Hebrew:
H8643
תּרוּעה
terû‛âh
ter-oo-aw'
From H7321; clamor, that is, acclamation of joy or a battle cry; especially clangor of trumpets, as an alarum: - alarm, blow (-ing) (of, the) (trumpets), joy, jubile, loud noise, rejoicing, shout (-ing), (high, joyful) sound (-ing).

H7321 is 'rua' which literally means "to shout (for alarm or joy); to sound an alarm; to cry aloud; to make a joyful noise."

The Feast of Trumpets is much more than just blowing the shofar (Hebrew for trumpet). In fact it's not limited to the blowing of the trumpet, but it is for the voice as well. This is important because as we shout to God with the voice of triumph (Psalm 47:1) there is a Voice that we are to be listening for - The Lord God Almighty's!

In fact that is what this Feast, or Day, is all about...hearing HIS Voice!

In looking at the pattern of the fall Feasts of YHWH, there is no doubt that Tabernacles is about the time of restitution and Him dwelling with (literally 'tabernacling with') His people...for eternity! (Revelation 21:3). Going backward to the Day of Atonement we see not only the picture of redemption in Messiah Yeshua, but also the Day of His judgment upon the earth. This inevitably leads us back ten days to Trumpets which is a picture of His heralded return! The day Yeshua comes back for His bride, the church! If this is the case then there should certainly be more than one witness of this in the Scriptures.

The first picture we have took place at Mt. Sinai, as Yahweh called His people to enter covenant with Him.

"Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine.
And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation...

Then the LORD said to Moses, 'Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their clothes.
And let them be ready for the third day. For on the third day the LORD will come down upon Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.

Then it came to pass on the third day, in the morning, that there were thunderings and lightnings, and a thick cloud on the mountain; and the sound of the trumpet was very loud, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled.

And when the blast of the trumpet sounded long and became louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him by voice."
-Exodus 19:5-6; 10-11; 16; 19

What an amazing event! And there are so many things to see in this passage that one could devote hours to it, but we won't do that today! But do check out a couple of passages about whom the LORD calls to be a "kingdom of priests, a holy nation, and a special treasure"
(1 Peter 2:4-5; 9; Revelation 1:6).

One thing that obviously stands out is hearing God's voice. This isn't the only place in Scripture that He tells His people to hear His voice. But we also see this clearly in the New Testament,

"As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.
"My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me."
-John 10:15-16; 27

Notice that He says that His sheep hear His voice. Back in verse 5 of John 10, Yeshua said that His sheep will not follow a 'thief' because they do not know his voice. If we do not know the voice of God then we will end up following those who are lawless. If we expect to hear the LORD call our name when He returns then we better know His voice, which He identifies with keeping HIS Commandments (Genesis 26:5; Exodus 15:26; Deuteronomy 13:4, 18; 15:5; 26:17; 27:10; 28:1, 15, 45; 30:8, 10; Psalm 103:20).

Are you lawful or lawless? The anti-christ is identified as the 'man of lawlessness' in 2 Thessalonians 2:3 . Something to think about.

Hearing the voice of Yahweh is knowing His Word and keeping His Commandments which the Holy Spirit writes on the hearts and minds of true believers (Jeremiah 31:31-34; Ezekiel 36:27; John 16:13, 17:17 /Psalm 119:142).

As we continue to look at this, keep in mind the picture of the feast of trumpets - the Lord's return.

As we've seen the blast of the shofar (trumpet) is the awakening sound of the voice of the LORD calling His people to HIM!

"Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other."
-Matthew 24:29-31

"...in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed."
-1 Corinthians 15:52

"For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first."
-1 Thessalonians 4:16

Messiah will return with shouting and blasting of a shofar...an awakening blast! A cry of battle and terror for the lawless, but a shout of joy and acclamation for those who are His! Those who hear HIS Voice!

"I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet, saying, "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last,"
-Revelation 1:10-11a

Yeshua, in speaking to John about the Day to come, shouted His return. It will be for all to hear, but not everyone will hear the same message depending on where they stand. We are either with Him, standing on His commandments, or we are against Him, standing on shaky ground.

I want to leave you with a psalm that speaks of not only His return, but of how triumphant and joyful it will be in that Day. When Messiah returns for His bride, may we be awake and ready, with oil in our lamps, our wicks trimmed, and listening for His Voice.

"Oh, clap your hands all you peoples!
Shout to God with the voice of triumph!
For YHWH Most High is awesome!
He is the great King over all the earth
He will subdue the peoples under us,
and the nations under our feet.
He will choose our inheritance for us,
The excellence of Jacob whom He loves. Selah
God has gone up with a shout,
YHWH with the sound of the trumpet.
Sing praises to our God, sing praises!
Sing praises to our King, sing praises!
For God is the King of all the earth;
Sing praises with understanding.
God reigns over the nations;
God sits on His holy throne.
The princes of the people
have gathered together.
The people of the God of Abraham.
For the shields of the earth belong to God;
He is greatly exalted.
-Psalm 47

Which Day is the Sabbath?

An interesting article on the Sabbath found at World Net Daily, a conservative news publication:
http://wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=57978

This is a link to the Sabbath page on my site:
http://www.ezekielthree.com/sabbath.html

Slaves of righteousness

Having come out of (or should I say still coming out of) professing Christendom I realize more and more how wrong we teach the Bible.

One of the overall points that the "church" makes today is that the Law of God is dead and no longer of any consequence to a believer in Jesus. The Old Testament is pretty much done away with and now all we need is the New Testament.

I ask them what do they do with passages like Jeremiah 31:31-34, Ezekiel 36:27, Matthew 5:17-18, Mark 7:8-13, Romans 3:31, 7:12,14,22-25, 8:4,6-7, 2 Corinthians 3:14-16, Ephesians 2:10, 1 John 2:3-7, 3:4, 5:2-3, Revelation 12:17, 14:12, and others? (I suggest you go and read these.)

Jesus said,

"Most assuredly I say to you that whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed."
-John 8:34-36

The professing church interprets this as meaning that Christ has come to free us from the Law so that we can live freely in His grace, which by the standards of the "church" seems to mean that we can just about live however we want. In reality, grace is defined as God's influence on our hearts with a reflection through our lives. Biblical grace is the LORD writing His Law on our hearts and that work shining out in our very life!

If Jesus sets us free then what does that look like? Can we really live however we want? Oh, I'm sure most pastors would say no and they'd give some guidlines, or some rules much like the Jerusalem council gave in Acts 15. That's all we Gentiles have to worry about, but we certainly don't have to keep all of God's commandments, right?

"And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness."
-Romans 6:18

Did you catch that? If you have been set free from sin, having experienced the grace of God, then you are NOW a slave of righteousness! You're still a slave, but not to sin, rather to God. How can that be free? Well, when we were slaves of sin we did things according to our flesh that were in opposition to the will and Word of God. But now that we are in Him (if you truly are in Him) we have been given the power of His Spirit to say no to sin...we are no longer it's (sin) slave! We do that which opposes sin and should align itself with God's Law. By His grace, our spirit forces our flesh into submission.

Paul says in Galatians,

"For do I now persuade men or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ."
-Galatians 1:10

The definition for "bondservant" is this:

G1401
δοῦλος
doulos
doo'-los
From G1210; a slave (literally or figuratively, involuntarily or voluntarily; frequently therefore in a qualified sense of subjection or subserviency): - bond (-man), servant.

"Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?
For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit which are God's."
-1 Corinthians 6:19-20

If we are not our own, but bondservants of Christ, slaves of righteousness, then shouldn't we walk as HE wants us to? How does He want us to walk?

Jesus said, "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments."
-John 14:15

As some teach, the commandments that Jesus was talking about here are the new ones He supposedly gave in the gospels. What?! Show me one place that He actually did that! He said in John 7:16,

"My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me."

Who sent Jesus into the world? The Father. So the doctrine, or teaching, that Jesus brought was not His but the Father's. So what was the Father's doctrine?

"You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.
And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart."
-Deuteronomy 6:5-6

"Now therefore, if you will indeed obey Me voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel."
-Exodus 19:5-6

"But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation. His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light."
-1 Peter 2:9

God has called us out of confusion, out of "Babylon" if you will, and has given us His Law as a light. If we are in Christ then we are no longer under the letter of the Law as a ministry of death, but in the Spirit, who writes the Law upon our heart (Jeremiah 31:31-34, 2 Corinthians 3:1-18).

If we have accepted Jesus as the ONLY way to the Father, then we have entered the New Covenant, which is really the Old Covenant with a change in how sin is now dealt with - no longer is there a Tabernacle, a Levitical priesthood, or animal sacrifices. Jesus IS the temple (tabernacle), our great High Priest, and the once for all atoning sacrifice for sin! Hallelujah!!

The awesome thing is, He now makes us His temple, His priesthood, and requires us to offer up ourselves as living sacrifices. This all makes sense since we are HIS body!

The Law of God isn't dead or done away with and it never will be until the LORD returns, apart from sin for salvation, sin is cast away and heaven and earth pass away. Only then will His Law no longer be needed in the same capacity it is now. But we will always be under His Word.

We are not our own and we are not free to live sinfully (lawlessly)! It is only by His standard of righteousness (His Law) that we can know what sin is and turn from it toward Him.

'Tis the Season

Another season is upon us. What season am I speaking of?....the beginning of the LORD's appointed times!

In the Scriptures we read about the feasts of the LORD, His Sabbaths, and other holy convocations. These are all times that HE has appointed for His people to gather before Him in praise and worship.

And it all started around the end of this past week (approx. Mar. 26th) with the New Moon. The New Moon is the beginning of each new month, according to God's time keeping, and last week's new moon started what is called the month of Abib, or "tender", as in a tender ear of grain. This happens in the Middle East around this time every year.

In Exodus, as God was instructing Moses and Aaron about the Passover, and preparing them to go, He told them when the start of each year would begin,

"Now the LORD said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, 'This month shall be the beginning of months for you; it is to be the first month of the year to you.'"
Exodus 12:2

"On this day in the month of Abib, you are about to go forth."
Exodus 13:4

The month of the Passover, the very month they were leaving, was the month of Abib. That month is the beginning of the new year. It makes sense when we look at His creation that He would start each new year in the spring, when life begins to bloom again. What never made sense to me was why we celebrate the new year in the middle of winter (when every thing is still dead) or why some pagans (and the Jews) ackowledge the new year in the fall when everything is getting ready to die. God's way always makes sense.

So why is this so important? Because we can plainly see just from this one thing that our way of looking at time is vastly different than the way the Creator keeps time. Not only does the start of our year begin in the spring, but it's the rest of the LORD's appointed times that make up His yearly cycle of gathering before Him.

The word for appointed is:
appointed
H4150
מועדה מעד מועד
mô‛êd mô‛êd mô‛âdâh
mo-ade', mo-ade', mo-aw-daw'
From H3259; properly an appointment, that is, a fixed time or season; specifically a festival; conventionally a year; by implication, an assembly (as convened for a definite purpose); technically the congregation; by extension, the place of meeting; also a signal (as appointed beforehand): - appointed (sign, time), (place of, solemn) assembly, congregation, (set, solemn) feast, (appointed, due) season, solemn (-ity), synagogue, (set) time (appointed).

They are HIS appointed times, not ours. It is about how HE views things, not how we see them. And as Paul says in Galatians 1, are we seeking to please men (and by implication ourselves as well) or are we seeking to please God?

Now certainly we can, and should, worship the LORD daily, but that doesn't mean we are to disregard HIS times of meeting! Who made up time anyway....us or the Lord of heaven and earth?

So in the very first month of the year what do we come to? The LORD's Feast of Unleavened Bread, which included Passover and Firstfruits. This feast is NOT the feast of the Jews, but HIS feast (Leviticus 23). For so many years we looked at them as belonging to Israel, but the LORD said they are His feasts. They are His holy convocations.

What are holy convocations? The word 'convocation' actually has the meaning of being like a rehearsal. The Strong's definition says it well:

convocation
H4744
מקרא
miqrâ'
mik-raw'
From H7121; something called out, that is, a public meeting (the act, the persons, or the palce); also a rehearsal: - assembly, calling, convocation, reading.

So a holy convocation is a meeting that is sacred and set apart, for the LORD and His people. It is a holy rehearsal. So what are we rehearsing for? The only thing that we truly look forward to....the marriage of the Lamb and His bride (us)!

We are rehearsing for an eternity with our God and King! Every Sabbath, every feast day is another time of rehearsing for that Day when we will be with our Savior, the Bridegroom! Hallelujah!!

These times of meeting are, as I said before, appointed by the LORD. God has specifically set aside times throughout the year just for meeting with, and worshiping, Him. Of course we can do that on a daily basis, but we can't forget the fourth commandment that says we must work six days and rest the seventh. So the LORD has given us a pattern of working through the week and gathering before Him on His weekly appointed time - the Sabbath.

His feasts are another opportunity to fellowship with Him and those of His body. The feast of Unleavened Bread is coming soon, in the middle of the month of Abib during the full moon. It is a time of reflecting on how we can get rid of the leaven in our house, a perfect picture of ridding ourselves of sin. Leaven represents sin, and "cleaning" out the "house" involves diligence and watchfulness. We must call upon the Spirit of the LORD to help us crucify our flesh and reckon ourselves dead so that we may live to God. This is what the Feast of Unleavened Bread is about....that and realizing that the perfect, sinless Lamb of God offered Himself up so that we might have the chance to be saved and live for Him!

The day of Passover begins this feast and it is all about His sacrifice for our sins and the atonement that came with that. Following the High Sabbath (first day) of Unleavened Bread, after Passover, we count three days and come to First fruits. This day is the most glorious day when our Lord conquered the grave and was risen from the dead!!

These "old testament" feasts are for the people of God and are according to HIS time, not ours. Wouldn't we be wise to seek Him according to His design, His time, His ways?

"Clean out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, just as you are in fact unleavened. For Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed. Let us therefore celebrate the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth."
1 Corinthians 5:7

Walking in the Spirit

What does it mean to "walk in the Spirit"? Paul uses this phrase in Galatians 5:16, but what is it that he's speaking of?

Many professing christians today believe that walking in the Spirit is many things depending on how they interpret the Scriptures.

John MacArthur, a well known pastor and author said this of the Holy Spirit:
At the moment of salvation the Holy Spirit takes up residence in the life of a believer and becomes the source of power for his life."

The question is - "The source of power for his life...to do what?"

Is the Holy Spirit working in us to give us power so that we can live according to how we think we should? Many people believe so. How many times have you heard, "If God wanted me to do that, then He would have..." Just fill in the blank, as I'm sure we can come up with a million reasons as to why we disobey the Lord in what He tells us to do.

"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked;
Who can know it?
Jeremiah 17:9

The fool has said in his heart "There is no God."
They are corrupt, and have done abominable iniquity;
There is none who does good. God looks down from heaven
upon the children of men to see if there are any
who understand, who seek God. Every one of them has turned aside;
They have together become corrupt; There is none who does good.
No, not one.
Psalm 53:1-3

How can we think that we can know best, that we can set the standard of how we should live? Yet we do all the time. "Oh no, not me!" Yes, even you. I have found myself far too many times deciding that I know better than God what is best for my life, and I'm sure that you've done it from time to time.

How do we do it? By adding to His Word, or taking away from it. It is a constant process of submitting to His will and letting go of ours that will give us direction, because we are choosing to follow the One who knows ALL things, and certainly knows what's best for us.

Only by keeping His Commandments can we begin to see the corrupt nature of our flesh and crucify the "old man", that sinful nature.
This is where the discussion usually has people spewing out terms like, "legalist" or "bondage", in reference to a believer choosing to obey God's Commandments. "We're free from the Law." "The Law is dead." Really? That's not what Jesus said,

"Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For assuredly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled."
Matthew 5:17-18

Until when? Until heaven and earth pass away, not one single mark will be removed from the Law (His Word)! Has heaven or earth passed away yet? Nope. When will they? Not until Messiah returns to consumate the marriage with His bride (the church). In 1 John 3:4, John writes that "sin is lawlessness." Jesus Himself said that there will be people who come to Him and claim to have done great things in His name, but He will say to those people, "I never knew you, depart from Me you who practice lawlessness." (Matthew 7:21-23)

How can we know Christ if we do not know His Law? The answer is - we can't. Remember, it's HIS law, not ours. Since He is the Creator of life and the giver of all good things, then He knows what is good for those who love Him.

"If you love Me, you will keep My commandments" Jesus said this in John 14:15 and it is not an ultimatum or a command, but simply a fact. If we truly love Him, then we will naturally obey His Word, His Commandments. This is walking in the Spirit.

The Spirit is our Helper, our seal of redemption, and He gives us the power, by His grace, to obey His Commandments through faith. It is only through faith that we can access grace and it is only by God's grace that we can hope to be obedient to Him. Like James writes,

"faith without works, is dead"
James 2:26

If our faith is real, then good works will follow. Those works are proof that our faith is real. These are the fruits of the Spirit. These are the works that God prepared beforehand in Messiah for us to walk in (Ephesians 2:8-10).

So let's look at Paul's discussion of what walking in the Spirit is about, in Galatians 5.

He writes:

"I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law."
Galatians 5:16-18

Before we move on I want to point out that this argument is identical to what Paul wrote in Romans 7 and 8.

Paul cries out "O wretched man that I am who will save me from this body of death?" Of course we know the answer - Yeshua! (Jesus). But why does Paul say that? In verses 14 through 23 we see the struggle that is in all of us! Our spirits want to do one thing, but our sinful nature wants to do another, and sometimes we end up doing things against the will of our spirit because we've given room for our flesh to win a victory in our lives instead of yielding control over to the Holy Spirit. In Romans 6:18-19 Paul points out that we are to be slaves of righteousness, going against the will of our flesh and obeying the Law of God.

In Romans 7:14 he writes that the Law is spiritual. The Spirit and the Law work together in the life of the believer because they are both "spiritual" (Romans 8:2-4). The flesh hates both the Spirit and the law. In fact Romans 8:7 says this:

"Because the carnal mind [sinful nature] is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be."
Romans 8:7

Did you get that? Our flesh CANNOT be subject to God's Law and it is hostile toward Him. Is it any wonder that we don't "feel" like obeying the Commandments of Yahweh?! That's because our flesh is lying to us, telling us that we don't need to follow a "dead law", as it says. However, the Law is NOT dead, as Jesus already said He didn't come to destroy it, but to fulfill it. That word "fulfill" actually means to fully preach!

What about Paul's statement back in Gal. 5:18 about not being under the law if we are led by the Spirit? The same thing we just talked about. To be under the Law is to be under God's wrath and the condemnation of death. Remember, the Law shows us what sin is, what sinners we are, and our need for a Savior. This is being "under" the Law. Perhaps you recall the verse that says "Christ is the end of the law". Well, it says

"For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes."
Romans 10:4

If Christ already said that He didn't come to destroy the Law but to fulfill (fully preach) then what is being said here? The word for end in the above verse actually means 'goal' or aiming for a mark.

G5056
τέλος
telos
tel'-os
From a primary word τέλλω tellō (to set out for a definite point or goal); properly the point aimed at as a limit, that is, (by implication) the conclusion of an act or state (termination [literally, figuratively or indefinitely], result [immediate, ultimate or prophetic], purpose); specifically an impost or levy (as paid): - + continual, custom, end (-ing), finally, uttermost. Compare G5411.

The Law is all about Messiah - the Living Word! It points to Him, but that doesn't mean that He did away with it in the process of fulfilling it!

To be under the Law is death, that's one of it's ministries
(1 Corinthians 3:7) as it was, written on stone. The Law is the knowledge of sin and therefore shows us our sin - that which leads us to death, but it is also for our good (Deuteronomy 10:13; Romans 3:17-18) and David and Paul both said they delighted in the Law of God (Psalm 1:2; 19; 119; Romans 7:22). Paul also said that he serves the Law of God with his mind and that we, as believers, actually establish the Law through faith! (Romans 7:25; 3:31)

"Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kindgom of God."
Galatians 5:19-21

Practice what things? All of the things Paul just listed - which are sinful. Sin is what? - lawlessness. People who practice lawlessness will be told by the Lord that He never knew them and they will be told to depart from Him.

"but the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit."
Galatians 5:22-24

The Law of God, which not only shows us our sin, but shows us how to live for Him, tells us what HE wants from us. The Spirit, testifying with our spirits that we are children of God, shows us this by acknowledging whether or not we love Him and whether or not we'll follow Him.

We crucify our flesh by dying to it daily. Laying ourselves on the altar as living sacrifices. How do we do that? By loving the Lord our God with all our heart, mind, and strength and loving our neighbor as ourself - by obeying His Torah/Law!

"On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."
Matthew 22:40

How do we love God and love others?...by obeying His Commandments. Simple. How do we walk in the Spirit?...by obeying His Commandments. Again, simple.

The Faithfulness of YAHWEH

I can't say it enough....the faithfulness of the LORD is AMAZING! It overwhelms me sometimes when I stop to think about His consistency in my life.

David writes in Psalm 28:1,

"Unto You I will cry, O LORD, my Rock..."

The LORD is unchanging and steadfast. More and more through my life I realize that when I am like the shifting sand, He is immovable and constant.

I say all of this because once again He has shown me that the more I try and do things my way the more I step away from Him. But if I slow down and listen to what He is saying to me then I will be able to walk with Him through this life.

It's so important for us to understand HOW to listen to the LORD when He speaks. He speaks clearly through His Word. If we do not read His Word then we will have no idea what He is trying to say to us.

"If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ouselves, and the truth is not in us."
-1 John 1:5-8

Notice John mentions both "light" and "truth" several times in this passage. What is the light and truth that John is speaking of? Is it some ethereal light surrounding God? Perhaps a glowing light around His throne?
And what about the truth? Pilate asked Messiah "What is truth?"

In Revelation 21:23 we read,

"The city [New Jerusalem] had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light."

The Lamb, Yeshua (Jesus), is the light of the New Jerusalem, which is to say He is the light of His people.

We know that Yeshua is also the living Word of God.

In John's gospel, he writes,

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God,"
- John 1:1

and also

"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth."
- John 1:14

Messiah was/is the living Word of God and the Light. Yeshua said to Nicodemus,

"For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God."
- John 3:20-21

Christ as the Light and the Truth are synonymous with that of God. There can only be one source of Truth and since the LORD created everything, He has to be it. So what does this have to do with His faithfulness. Well as we've already seen, His faithfulness is most effective in our lives when we listen to what He is saying to us. Though the faithfulness of the LORD is not limited to our ability to hear Him (He can clearly work in and through us IN SPITE OF US), but in a relationship with the Living God we must be able to hear Him speaking.

If He is the Word, and we must listen to His Word, then it stands to reason that we must come to Him and allow Him to expose our evil deeds for what they are - lawless acts against Him - and cleanse us from our sins. That is what He was saying to Nicodemus, that those who hate the light hate it because it exposes the very things their flesh delights in.

So, in order to hear what He is saying, we must listen to Him through His Word which is both light and truth.

Again, in John, Yeshua says,

"Father, sanctify them by Your truth, Your Word is truth."
- John 17:17

What "Word" is Jesus speaking of here? The New Testament? It wasn't written yet. His own words? Well technically yes, because He's God, but He clearly makes the point throughout His time here on earth that He didn't come to speak His own words.

"I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak."
- John 12:49

Why would He say that? Isn't Jesus God? Yes, but He was making a very clear point. That point is that He came, not to destroy the Law and the Prophets, but to fulfill (fully preach) them. He came to firmly establish the Torah (Law) in the hearts and minds of believers. In order to do that He had to A)Live Torah perfectly and B)Obey the Father and speak on His behalf.

Jesus didn't come to set down any new rules. If He did then He would be against the commandments of God and therefore would be disqualified as the Messiah. But we know that He IS the Messiah because He lived the Law perfectly, not to do away with it (which makes no sense contextually)but to fill it up full, which is what the Greek word for fulfill, pleroo, means.

Looking again at the concept of Light and Truth, if we look back into Psalm 119 we find something very interesting. Remember, Yeshua said, "sanctify them by Your truth, Your word is truth". And we asked the question, "what is the word He is speaking of?"

"Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and
Your Law is truth."
-Psalm 119:142

The entirety of Psalm 119 is all about God's Law/Torah. Verse 160 says, "The entirety of Your word is truth."

We cannot separate the Word of God into sections that meet our purposes and throw out the parts that we don't like. The WHOLE Word of the LORD is truth, and all of it is founded upon His Torah/Law. Back in verse 29, the psalmist writes,

"Remove from me the way of lying, and grant me Your law graciously".

He writes this because he knows that the Law of Yahweh IS truth, and what better teacher to correct his lying tongue than the Law of the LORD?

We cannot deny that the Law of God, which is truth is also light.

"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. I have sworn and confirmed that I will keep Your righteous judgments."
- Psalm 119:105

Remember that the context of Psalm 119 is the entire Word of God, namely His Law.

Solomon wrote, "For the commandment is a lamp, and the law a light."

So God's Law, which is the foundation of the rest of His Word, is both Truth and Light. Jesus, the Living Word, or we could say the Living Torah, came to speak that which the Father told Him, thereby establishing again the foundation of Torah. This leads us to see a little more clearly what John was writing about in his 1st epistle when he said, "If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth." If we walk apart from His Torah, then we are living according to our own standard of righteousness which is to say, none at all.

"There is none righteous, no not one." - Romans 3:10 quoting from psalms 14 and 53.

It is by His standard - Torah - that our sin is identified and can be dealt with, all in line with His will.

John goes on to say in 2:3,

"Now by this we now that we know Him, if we keep His commandments."

Yeshua said, "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments."
- John 14:15 Again, He didn't come preaching a bunch of new commandments, but those which the Father (and He) had already established from the beginning.

If we truly love our Savior then the natural extension of that love will be that we keep His Commandments. Not to be saved, but because we ARE saved.

His faithfulness is that He continues to pursue us when we stray, reminding us by His Law that because we are in Him, our flesh is not in control. It can only give off the illusion that it is, but there is no power in our flesh. It's dying and we are told to crucify it along with its desires.

The flesh is hostile toward the law of God and cannot be subjected to it. This should be enough of a reason for us to seek the Lord and His Torah in order to gain a better understanding into His will for our lives. If we have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16) then we should be walking in obedience to His Law, knowing that it has shown us our sin and that we needed a Savior, but now that we are no longer under that schoolmaster (Galatians 3:24-25), we are free to live according to His Law by our own choice, knowing that His commandments are not burdensome (1 John 5:3) but a delight (Matthew 11:30).

Life Insurance

I saw a commercial the other day in which a dad and his young son, probably around 7 or 8, were watching t.v. and a 'commercial' came on about life insurance. The boy turned to his dad and asked, "Dad, what's life insurance?" The father turned ever so caringly to his son and said, "Well...it's something that....if anything happened to me or your mom, then you kids would be taken care of." Or at least something to that effect. The boy faced the television again, reassured now that dad had answered his question and then turned back to his father and said, "Do you have life insurance?" The father answered "Yes." and then the boy paused for a moment then replied, "I'm glad we have life insurance."

Seeing this advertisement made me stop and think for a bit. I have life insurance for my family, but money only goes so far. If anything happened to me, I know they would be taken care of financially but is that all that I'm giving to my children?

For some people that's more than enough. If they can give their children a good "cushion" if anything happened to them then they're doing all right. I think that there's a whole lot more that we can be doing for our children besides life insurance. Let me explain.

The first question we have to ask ourselves as parents is, "Do my kids have a relationship with the Living God?" "Do they know and obey Yeshua the Messiah, or do they just do what we tell them?"

If these questions go unanswered then it could be a horrifying thought of what could happen to our children when they pass away, no matter what their age.

As parents raising our children is a task, that's for sure (especially in this world today), but I'm reminded of what the Lord commanded for His people to do,

1. "Now this is the commandment, and these are the statutes and judgments which the LORD your God has commanded to teach you that you may ovserve them in the land which you are crossing over to possess,
2. that you may fear the LORD your God, to keep all His statutes and His commandments which I command you, you and your son and your grandson, all the days of your life, and that your days may be prolonged.
3. Therefore, hear O Israel, and be careful to ovserve it, that it may be well with you, and that you may multiply greatly as the LORD God of your fathers has promised you - 'a land flowing with milk and honey'.
4. "Hear O israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one!
5. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.
6. And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart.
- Deuteronomy 6:1-6

Notice how many times the Lord mentions His commandments, statutes, and judgments in these few verses. Also, see that the purpose of these are that we would fear the Lord and keep His commandments. The LORD is one and they were to love Him with all their heart, soul, and strength. Sound familiar? Jesus said this to the Pharisees in Matthew 22:37. We know that we are to do the same, yet notice what the Lord continues to say,

"You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up."
- Deuteronomy 6:7

What are we to teach our children? The commandments. And we are to teach them diligently, the Lord says. The word for teach them diligently is the Hebrew shanan which means 'intensively to pierce'; prick, sharpen.' Think of it, we are to pierce, or prick our children's ears and hearts with the commandments of Yahweh! To sharpen them with His Law. Notice that it's not just a quick prayer when they head out the door, or a quaint bible story before they go to bed. No, it should be throughout the entire day...when we sit, walk, lie down and wake up together.

This doesn't mean that we should constantly be shoving the Law of God down their throats, pointing out every thing they do in which they break the commandment, thereby causing them to disdain His Word. Certainly not, for if we are looking unto our Savior and living for Him according to His Torah/Law, then His grace in our lives (divine influence upon the heart with a reflection through the life) will almost effortlessly come out in our relationship with our children. We must make a constant effort to teach them the Ways of Yahweh, in His entire word. If we are walking in Torah, obeying the voice of the Lord, and teaching our children how to hear His voice, then they will very early on begin to hear Him. In their lives they will know Him intimately and walk on their own with the Spirit in His Torah.

A Torah life is one that exhalts the Lord of heaven and earth and seeks to know Him more and to be obedient to Him in all that we do. It is not bondage, as some say, but true liberty. The truth shall make you free indeed! Messiah said this to those who did not fully understand the purity of God's whole word. Yeshua (Jesus) also said,

"Sanctify them by Your truth, Your Word is truth."
- John 17:17

When we look at Psalm 119 we read,

"Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and Your Law is truth."
- Psalm 119:142

Here specifically we see that God's Law is truth. We know that it is His instruction, His standard, and His direction for us. The word Torah actually has the meaning of "a prescribed grazing". His Law is food for us, much like Jesus said in Matthew 4 quoting....well Himself from Deuteronomy 8:3, saying,

"It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'"
- Matthew 4:4

What 'word' was He speaking of? The entire Word of God including the foundation - the Torah!

If we teach our children about who the Lord is and train them up in obeying His Commandments, then we are giving them everything they need for life and godliness. His Torah is His standard by which He judges all men. Our children were sinners from birth and they need to be born again in Messiah Yeshua, believing that He is the only way, truth, and life and that there is no other way to the Father except through Him! The Law of God teaches them this and will lead them to a point where they must either except Him as Savior or reject Him. They are not saved just because they are born into a family that follows Messiah. They must make the decision to follow Him on their own.

We CANNOT make the decision for them, no matter how badly we want to. We cannot force our will upon them anymore than our Father WILL NOT force His will upon us. But like He does with us, so we must do with our children....love them by being patient with them, disciplining them when they disobey, and teaching them along the way to be obedient to the Torah of Yahweh, because His love for them is greater than ours.

So life insurance, as best we can provide in our limited abilities, can be money related (though only temporary), but at best is simply living in obedience to the LORD, training our children up in Torah, in the way they should go, and as they grow they will not depart from it. This will hold true if WE hold true to His Word and our children will see that in our lives. They will see that no matter how much we love and care for them, their heavenly Abba much more so.

We must give them more....much more than money. We have to offer up our lives as living sacrifices to God, praying that our testimony and our parenting will result in our children's obedience to Him. Though they may not, that will be between them and Him in the end. But they must be warned that only HE can provide a true assurance of life eternal....a real life insurance.

What is Faith?

What is faith? Or more directly - what is faith in Jesus?

Is it simply believing in your mind that He is your Savior and nothing more?

James says even the demons believe. Are they saved? Certainly not. So what is faith?

Paul says in Romans 10:17,

"So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God."

So true faith in God comes from hearing His Word....but not only hearing, but acting on it.

Let me explain.

Genesis 15:6 says, "Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness."

So that must be it, right? Just believing?

James says that faith without works is dead. So what is James saying, that we must have works to be saved? Well, let's look a little more into Abraham's situation, shall we?,

When did Abraham believe God? Was it there in chapter 15 like we just read? And what was he believing God about? What had God said to him? Abraham's journey actually started a while before.

"Now the LORD had said to Abram:
Get out of your country,
from your family
and from your father's house
To a land that I will show you.
I will make you a great nation;
I will bless you
and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you,
and I will curse him who curses you;
and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.
So Abram departed as the LORD had spoken to him, and Lot went with him.
And Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran."
Genesis 12:1-4

Notice that the LORD told Abraham (still named Abram at that point) to leave everything behind. His country, his family, his father's house....everything!
Many of us would have a difficult time doing something like that, even if we knew that the LORD was calling us to do it. Yet if we have faith in Him, then we must obey. Abraham obeyed the LORD. He trusted in Him and had faith enough to believe Him so he left his homeland and his father's house behind.

Notice, too that Abraham was from Ur originally, which was in Mesopotamia (Babylon). Abraham was a Gentile living in a pagan, Gentile nation. The LORD called him out to show him to the land of Canaan, which Abraham was to inherit.

The significant part is, though, that Abraham was told by the LORD to do something (leave everything behind) and he DID IT! He didn't just say "Okay Lord, I believe you, and so I'm going to just stay right here." NO! Abraham actually left his country and family behind! That's real faith!

God spoke again to Abraham some years later saying this:

"Then He brought him outside and said, 'Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them.' And He said to him, 'So shall your descendants be.' And he believed in the LORD, and He accounted it to him for righteousness. Then He said to him, 'I am the LORD, who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to inherit it. And he said, 'Lord GOD, how shall I know that I will inherit it?'"
Genesis 15:5-8

The LORD proceeded to show Abraham through a vision that his descendants would be enslaved in another land (Egypt) and they would then be rescued by the LORD and be brought back into the land.
The LORD reminded Abraham that He called him out of his homeland, and HE was the One to give Abraham the land of Canaan. He was reminding Abraham of the promise He made to him and that Abraham had responded to the LORD and did something....he left his home.

The letter to the Hebrews tells us more about what Abraham did:

"By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going."
Hebrews 11:8

Notice again, by faith Abraham obeyed and went out.

Some argue that what Paul writes in Romans and what James writes about in his epistle contradict each other, concerning faith. If that's true, then we have a serious problem in the Scriptures! However, we can rest assured that the Word of God is whole and complete and absolutely true! Let's look at those passages.

"For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt." Romans 4:3-4

It sounds like Paul is saying that all we have to do is just believe. But we must look at what Paul is saying through the entirety of his letter to the Romans. Look just a few verses back, at the end of chapter 3.

"Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law." Romans 3:31

But wait a minute! I thought the law was works! No. Paul, in Galatians 2:16 says "for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified." Yet in Romans 2:13 he says, "for not the heares of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified;"
Hold on! What is Paul doing here? Is he back tracking? Is he contradicting himself? Not if he's inspired by the Holy Spirit to write these things.

Notice what Jesus says in Matthew 5,

"Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven. For I say to you, that unless your rightousness exceeds the rightousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven."
Matthew 5:17-20

Now while that may seem to make matters more confusing, look at what the Lord is saying. Besides the fact that He didn't come to do away with the Torah/Law of God, He also said that anyone who breaks even the smallest commandment would be called the least in the kingdom of heaven. That doesn't mean that someone would be in the lowest position in heaven, but rather, that those called the least in the kingdom of heaven will be cast out from it. He clarifies this in verse 20 by saying that one's righteousness must exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees in order to enter the kingdom of heaven. The scribes and Pharisees taught the Law, but they did not apply it to their lives by faith. And not only that, but they added to and/or took away from God's commandments by adding their own additions and subtractions to His Law. Their "oral torah" was a burden for many and they tried to establish their own righteousness instead of trusting in Yahweh completely.

No one can be justified by doing any works, including those of the law, hoping to merit salvation. However, when we call on the name of the LORD to be saved and repent of our sins (doing something) then He saves us. Then when we obey the Lord and His righteous standard (the Law), He supplies us with His grace and righteousness. We are in right standing with Him, because of our faith which then produces fruit (works). Real faith produces fruit befitting salvation. If our faith isn't real, then we will show no fruit. That's why James says faith without works is dead. If faith is not accompanied by works, then it is lifeless and cannot save us.

We are not saved by works, but we are saved by faith - which should produce works - if it's real faith.

We cannot earn God's favor nor His salvation. It is a free gift for all those who would believe in Him. Our faith accesses His grace in our lives. Therefore we must define faith. As we've already seen, faith is not just saying you believe in something, but doing something about it.

Here's a passage that'll throw you for a loop. We all know the famous verse that we just read above, that Abraham believed God and "it was accounted to him for rightousness", right?

Well in Psalm 106 we read something very interesting,

"They joined themselves also to Baal of Peor, and ate sacrifices made to the dead. Thus they provoked Him to anger with their deeds, and the plague broke out among them. Then Phinehas stood up and intervened, and the plague was stopped. And that was accounted to him for righteousness to all generations forevermore." - Psalm 106:28-31

So what did Phinehas do? Well, I'd suggest going back to Numbers 25 to get the whole context, but essentially the Lord had commanded Moses to have the leaders of the tribes kill all those who had taken Moabite women and committed harlotry with them. Then a certain Isrealite man came and presented a Moabite woman that he had taken to his brethren in the sight of Moses and the rest of the camp, who were weeping in front of the tent of meeting. He then took this woman into his tent. Phinehas got up, grabbed a javelin and went into the tent and shoved the javelin through both the man of Israel and the Moabite woman - through her stomach actually. They were going to have children together which the LORD told His people not to do. Because of what Phinehas did, the Lord stopped the plague and honored him. Now to us that seems a tad bit harsh, to kill two people like that. But the Lord doesn't mess around with sin, because ultimately, that's what kills us. And because of what Phinehas did, it was accounted to him for righteousness!

By faith, Abraham did something - he left his country and family. Later on, he offered up Isaac as a sacrifice, by faith, to the LORD reasoning that the LORD would bring him back to life.
By faith, Phinehas did something.

Back in Hebrews chapter 11 we read a passage that ties this all together,

"by faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the rightousness which is according to faith."
Hebrews 11:7

Notice that Noah prepared, or built, the ark by faith! Now that's doing something. The ark was approx. 450' long by 75' wide by 45' tall. That's no small boat. Yet Noah built it by faith.
Also, because Noah did so, he saved his household and it says he condemned the world. How did Noah condemn the world by building the ark? He was proving that his faith in what God said was going to happen, was real. Thereby showing that God was going to bring judgment upon the world unless people repented.

It then says that he became heir of the rightousness which is according to faith. How? By thinking about building the ark? Or by actually trusting God and preparing the ark for the coming flood.

It's no different for us today. If God speaks to us, either through His written word or by those in His body, then we must have faith in what He says, and then act on it.

Jesus said, "If you love Me, keep My commandments." - John 14:15

He didn't say "If you love Me, think about My commandments", OR "believe My commandments". No, He said "keep My commandments". Keep, or do, His commandments. Keep them close, like gaurding them as being precious to you. It's that simple. If we love Him and believe in Him, then fruit should come of that.

Ephesians 2:8-9 are some of the most quoted verses in the professing church. But what about verse 10?

Let's read all three;

8. "For by grace you have been saved through faith,
and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,
9. not of works, lest anyone should boast.
10. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus
for good works, which God prepared beforehand
that we should walk in them." - Ephesians 2:8-10

Are we saved by works? No. Are we saved by anything we can do? No. We are saved by the grace of God, through our faith in Him. BUT, once we're saved, then we are to walk in His works which He has made beforehand just for us to walk in. His Law/Torah is His doctrine/teaching/instruction that He has given us to walk in because He loves us and cares for us. Because He died to save us from the wages of sin AND from the power of sin in our lives. Walking in His commandments is how we crucify our flesh. Dying to ourselves, we offer ourselves up as living sacrifices, holy, acceptable to God which is our reasonable service (Romans 12:1). If we love Him, let us keep His commandments, for they are not burdensome (John 14:15; 1 John 5:3)

So what is faith? Hearing the Word of God and acting upon it, believing and trusting in Him to perform that which He has spoken. Remember, real faith produces real fruit (works).

Freedom's Slipping Grip

A former youth in Adolf Hitler's Nazi party is warning America that it's headed in the same direction.

Hilmar von Campe served in the Hitler Youth under Nazi Germany and saw first hand the National Socialism first hand, though he didn't fully understand it until years later.

Now a U.S. citizen and author, von Campe is proclaiming a warning to Americans that we are walking the same road that leads to National Socialism.

"Today in America we are witnessing a repeat performance of the tragedy of 1933 when an entire nation let itself be led like a lamb to the Socialist slaughterhouse.", said von Campe.

His message is most poignant to the churches in this country -
"The silence from our pulpits regarding the moral collapse of American society from within is not very different from the silence that echoed from the pulpits in Germany toward Nazi policies,"

However, it is not simply a lack of churches getting involved with the political system. No, in fact it goes much further than that. Professing christians today, especially pastors and leaders, are rejecting the very Living Word - Jesus our Messiah. They are rejecting the Torah of God and thereby opening a door for the man of lawlessness.

The church has painted their picture of a Jesus that looks very little like the One of the Scriptures. Blond haired, blue eyed, and saving us no matter how much we sin without repentance...this is not the God of the bible.

Jesus, the Living Word of God, the Law/Torah in the flesh has given His word which, like a sword, divides. It divides between our spirit and our flesh. It divides those who are for Him from those who are against Him. Between the wheat and the tares which are growing together until He seperates them...the wheat being believers and the tares being unbelievers. He will gather His people (wheat) unto Himself, but those who are unbelievers (tares) will be cast into the fire.

If we find ourselves in opposition to His Torah, then we are in opposition to Him and therefore will be cast away. Additions and subtractions to His Word are lies, and because of that very reason, the Pharisees and other religious leaders missed Jesus - the Living Word - when He was standing right in front of them! They were blinded by their own traditions and laws and made the commandments of God ineffective in their lives(Matthew 15:3-9).

"Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates to the city. But outside are dogs, sorcerers, adulterers, murderers, idolaters, and those who love and practice a lie." - Revelation 22:14-15.

Does that mean that if we obey His commandments we're saved? We know that no one is justified by the works of the law (Galatians 2:16) but by faith we are justified, and by that faith we establish His Law in our lives (Romans 3:31).

True, biblical faith is hearing the Word of God and acting upon it (Romans 10:17; James 2:17-26).

So now, with the presidential election over, and president-elect Barack Obama soon to take office, we must remember that Yahweh is far bigger then Obama or any other leader in this world. The LORD is far bigger than the devil - the enemy of our souls. HE is our Rock and our Salvation! Our faith must be in Him and through obedience to Him, out of love for Him, we will abide in His love and protection. What can man do to us when God is on our side!

There is no need to fear, but there is certainly a need for prayer. Barack Obama can still accept the Lord Jesus as Savior and turn his life over to the ONLY King! It is not in our hands, but in the LORD's, and greater is He that is in us, then he who is in the world. But if Obama continues in his "socialistic" ideals we may find ourselves in a similar situation to what von Campe did when he was a boy growing up in Nazi Germany. Plans like Obama's required "civilian national security force" is a high point of discussion for many. Granted, most youth (and adults) in this country need to be "encouraged" to get off our lazy rear ends and DO something productive. However, creating a civilian "police force" with the same amount of funding as our branches of the military, and mandatory boot camps for youth sounds a bit...troubling. Here's a link to an article on this subject found and World Net Daily:
"Emanuel volunteers Americans to do 'a lot'"

If Obama pushes his liberal agendas, this country will be sorely up for judgment by God. He will not be patient with sin forever. We can rest assured in His promises as we continue to truly seek Him and walk as He walked...in the truth of His Torah.

The Feast of Trumpets

What is the Feast of Trumpets? Well, on our calendars it's known more familiarly as Rosh Hashanah. However, in reality we're talking about two completely different feasts.

Rosh Hashanah actually means "Head of the Year"; in other words, it's the Jewish New Year. The Jews believe that it is the beginning of their civil year, but it has very little to do with Yahweh's Feast of Trumpets as read in Leviticus 23.
In fact, the new year celebration of the Jewish people comes directly from the Babylonian calendar system which they began to adopt after their captivity there, some 2,500 years ago.

The Feast of Trumpets.
"Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
Speak to the children of Israel, saying: 'In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall have a sabbath-rest, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation.
You shall do no customary work on it; and you shall offer an offering made by fire to the LORD.'" - Leviticus 23:23-25

First of all let's define a few things:
The Seventh Month: While we're looking at the end of September, which is the ninth month, how can we say that the feast is in the seventh month?
Well, the LORD told Moses and Aaron before He led them out of Egypt that the beginning of their months, or the true new year, was actually in the spring around the time of our months March/April. So starting from there we end up with the seventh month falling around this time of year. God's calendar is the true time keeper, not our Gregorian calendar.

A Holy Convocation: What does the word convocation mean? The Hebrew word for convocation is "miqra" (mik-raw) which means a public meeting; also a rehearsal.
The idea is that the feasts of the LORD are holy meetings between Him and us, as well as rehearsals. Rehearsals for what, you may ask? Rehearsals for the time coming when we are with Him for all eternity.
The word for feasts is "moed" which means appointment, or a fixed time. The Feasts of Yahweh are appointed times that He has specifically set aside to meet with us throughout the year. They are important for that reason alone, but He also works in many ways during the feasts, in the lives of His people.

In verse 24, the LORD says that the feast of trumpets should be a memorial of blowing of trumpets.

Memorial = zikron - a memorable thing; a record
Blowing of Trumpets = teruah - clamor, that is, acclamation of joy or a battle cry.

It is a memorial of an acclamation of joy!
In Nehemiah 8:1-12, Ezra read from the Law to all the people assembled on the Feast of Trumpets. As he read, the people were convicted upon hearing the Commandments and began to weep, however, the Levites who taught the people said,
"This day is holy to the LORD your God: do not mourn nor weep...do not sorrow, for the joy of the LORD is your strength."

So how can we say that the Feast of Trumpets, which Yahweh gave to the Israelites, is for us as believers in Christ? And what about the 'offering made by fire to the LORD'? How does that work today under the New Covenant?

Quite simply, the feast itself speaks of not only hearing the voice of the Lord, but responding to Him with our lives as we await His return.
"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service."
Romans 12:1

If we offer up not only our praises, but our very lives as a sacrifice to God, then He will accept that offering if we are living in obedience to His Word.
And because our God is a consuming fire (Hebrews 12:29), our lives then become a "burnt offering" in a sense.
This is not spiritualizing the matter, since the idea of literal, animal sacrifices were simply a shadow, or picture of the sacrifices which we are to now offer up.
In fact, in Hosea 14:2 it reads,
"for we will offer the sacrifices of our lips."
The word for sacrifices in the Hebrew is "par" which means literally - bull calves.

The Feast of Trumpets speaks clearly of Jesus'/Yeshua's return for His saints. Whether or not we respond to His calling by repenting of our sins is the decision we must make.

Because of this, it is beautiful to see that The Feast of Trumpets is literally Yom Teruah, or the Day of the Awakening Blast.
The Trumpet (Hebrew - shofar) was often used as an alarm, a call to battle, or an awakening blast for the people to respond to. This is why the shofar (trumpet) can be best identified with the voice of God. It represents His voice because the Lord often uses the trumpet as a picture of calling His people to Him.
Exodus 19:16 tells us of the shofar which sounded from the Mountain. It grew louder and louder and the people shook.
Moses spoke and God answered Him by voice. Moses responded to the blast of the shofar and God then answered him.
This should be our response as well. The shofar sounded louder and louder, just as the Lord does with us to get our attention.
Our prayer should be that we would hear His voice and respond to Him before He has to cry out to wake us up!
Like Elijah, we too should listen to the 'still, small voice' of the LORD. The one that is gentle and peaceful.
Otherwise we will not fully understand what He is saying to us when it comes to the point that He's shouting to get our attention.

The Day of the LORD (the Day when Christ returns) is a Day which Joel describes as terrible, and a Day of darkness and gloominess (Joel 2:1-2), and all accompanied by the sound of the trumpet (shofar). This is 'terrible' to those who do not know the voice of the LORD - those who do not have a saving relationship with Him and reject His commandments (Matthew 7:21-23)

But to those who love and obey Him, the Day of the LORD is a great day of salvation to all His people who wait for Him.

"And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they willl gather together His elcet from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other."
Matthew 24:31

Notice the 'great sound of a trumpet' that accompanies our Lord's return.
Also,
"For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first."
1 Thessalonians 4:16

Notice the words like 'shout' and 'voice' which are alongside the phrase 'trumpet of God'. There is a definate link between the shofar and the voice of the Lord.

"I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet, saying,
'I am the Alpha and Omega, the first and the Last'
Revelation 1:10-11a

We see from the context of this chapter that the 'voice' that John heard was the Lord Yeshua's, and it sounded like a trumpet.

Clearly, the shofar that sounded from Mount Sinai as God spoke to the children of Israel was also a prelude to the coming of our Messiah when the heavenly shofar will sound again and He will gather His saints to Himself!

Jesus said, "'My sheep hear My voice,'" - John 10:27a

Do you hear His voice?
Can you tell where the Lord is directing you?
If not, then you must search His Word to determine whether you truly know the Shepherd or not. If you don't, then when the shofar sounds from heaven and our Messiah returns for those who love Him, He will say to you,

"I never knew you, depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness"