The Divine destiny connection, the chain that links us together.
Thursday, May 14, 2020
Keep His Commandments!!!
Today we are walking in: Keep My Commandments!!!
The Method style of study: Is the process of studying The Word of A-HI-YAH Asher A-HI-YAH (which is I AM that I AM in Hebrew). The Great I AM, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and we seek His guidance in living a Kingdom lifestyle. The TORAH (God’s teaching and instructions & 613 principles) is where the Creator Speaks (mother) and Then we search the witnesses through the books of the Prophets (Nevi’im), and the books of the Writings (Ketuvim) (collectively the Torah, Nevi’im and Ketuvim) are identified as the TANANKH or (as some refer to it) the Old Testament, which is THE only Word the Yahusha studied and referenced throughout the New Testament
Genesis 26:5
Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, H4687 my statutes, and my laws.
COMMANDMENTS
Today we look to the word COMMANDMENT-- H4687 mitsvah --commandment (of man), the commandment (of God) commandment (of code of wisdom), (which was) commanded, law, ordinance, precept.
The Torah testifies...............
Exodus 15:26
And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, H4687 and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee.
The prophets proclaim..................
Ezra 9:10
And now, O our God, what shall we say after this? for we have forsaken thy commandments, H4687
The writings bear witness...........................
1 Kings 2:3
And keep the charge of the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, and his commandments, H4687 and his judgments, and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself:
We have completed the Method style of study this morning reviewing, (COMMANDMENT) First we recognize the standard set in the Torah and 613 principles, then we search the witnesses in the books of the Prophets (Nevi’im), and the books of the Writings (Ketuvim) collectively the Torah, Nevi’im and Ketuvim are identified as the TANAKH which is the Old Testament’s proper title, and is the only book Yahusha studied & referenced throughout the New Testament.
Fiveamprayer, The Most High’s commandments aren’t negotiable just because you don’t want to do them. It is time that we keep His commandments because of our love for Him, not out of obligation like you’re doing The Most High a favor!!
Psalms 78:7
That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments: H4687
Shalom Alakeim (Peace be unto you FIVEAM prayer Community) The Most High set commandments in place to help you on this wilderness journey. Either you do the commandments because you truly love Him or you die in the wilderness as your forefathers did. What will you choose?
https://youtu.be/JMYCD7YMClA
Wednesday, May 13, 2020
Obedience Is Better Than Sacrifice!!!
2 Thessalonians chapter 1
Today we are walking in: Obedience Is Better Than Sacrifice
Today we look to the word OBEY --H8085 - shâmaʻ, shaw-mah'; a primitive root; to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, attentively, call gather together, carefully, certainly, consent, consider, be content, declare, diligently, discern, give ear, (cause to, let, make to) indeed, listen, make (a) noise, (be) obedient, obey, perceive, make a proclaimation, publish, regard, report, shew (forth), (make a) sound, surely, tell, understand, whosoever (heareth), witness.
The Torah testifies.........……
Exodus 23:22
But if thou shalt indeed obey H8085 his voice, and do all that I speak; then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries.
The prophets proclaim..................
Joshua 24:24
And the people said unto Joshua, The Lord our God will we serve, and his voice will we obey H8085.
The writings bear witness............
Job 36:11
If they obey H8085 and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures.
If Ye Be Willing and Obedient
Many Scripture passages tell us, and show us by vivid example, the The Most High’s children are defined and identified by their obedience. Indeed, even the blessings of the Inheritance are to those who are obedient.
Let’s begin, as we notice the following passage:
Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. 19 If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: 20 But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it. (Isaiah 1:18-20)
Most today understand that verse 18 in the above passage does apply to New Covenant Believers. But let’s look at the rest of the story seen in verses 19 and 20. The Most High is telling us that if we are [present] obedient, we shall [future] eat the good of the Land. The Most High is telling us that our future welfare in the Promised Land, depends on our current obedience; and that our obedience is determined now, before we enter the Land! This can be confirmed in Rev 22:14-15, where the right to enter in to the City of the King is given, as determined by obedience to Yahushua’s commandments.
Few today are being taught the importance of walking in obedience to The Most High. Even fewer still are being taught the importance of doing what The Most High ‘delights’ in, and what ‘pleases’ Him. One of the hallmarks of the Biblical Marriage Covenant is the mark of obedience.
As we advance in our walk with The Most High, there will be many occasions in which He presents opportunities for us to choose whether we will obey Him, or not. Each day The Most High reveals something new to us, with the hope and desire that we will choose to go beyond our comfort zone, and walk in the new thing He has revealed, according to the Scriptures. We must make a choice — a fresh choice each day — whom we will serve (Joshua 24:15).
Let us proceed now to new ground.
It is obvious to the sincere seeker, which of the Old Testament [Torah] commandments and sayings of The Most High have already found their fulfillment in Messiah Yahushua. What has been obscured by the religionists is the necessity for all The Most High’s children to likewise fulfill the Torah, with only a few exceptions as seen in the Book of Hebrews.
Our present difficulty lies in the fact that the Body of Messiah has for centuries been given traditions and decrees of Rome, instead of the Truth of scripture. The result is that most Believers today are in a state of famine, of what constitutes ‘Truth’ for New Testament Saints. Yahushua is now restoring all [true] things, prior to His return, just as He promised!
Our greatest discomfort comes when we try to make the Scriptures fit the ‘Doctrines and Commandments of Men’ we have been taught. Perhaps by now our inner conflicts have become evident, regarding what we have learned about Law and Grace, Grace and works, Grace and Legalism, Old and New, Then and Now, Jew and Gentile, Liberty or Bondage, Life or Death. In order to avoid the discomfort, many will simply not dig in to the Scriptures, to seek for the Truth.
Yahushua, in His mercy, has painstakingly revealed each one of these subjects to us in His Word, yes, even in the New Testament! He wants us to know and thoroughly understand the Word of Righteousness (Hebrews 5:13). Father desires that His children would learn His Ways, and walk in them!
The Most High has revealed all these subjects in His Word, and desires that we would see how they all fit marvelously, as pieces of a great puzzle, to portray the beautiful and majestic picture that He desires to reveal to His Beloved.
He also wants us be aware of the abundant hindrances that can prevent us from walking in ‘The Way.’
Yahushua’s Word vs. What You Have Been Taught
As an illustration of the conflict between Truth and Error, let us observe several passages regarding Eternal Life. As we look at these, let us note of the contrast between what we have been taught, and what Yahushua actually says.
Yahushua had just been asked by a man what good thing must he do, that he may have eternal life. First notice the question, and then look carefully at Yahushua’s reply:
And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God. Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother. And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth. Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me. And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions. (Mark 10:17-22)
In the above passage, two things are to be noted. First, this verse indicates that eternal life is conditioned upon obedience to the Ten Commandments. This verse is for all New Testament Believers, contrary to what many Pastors would say today (2 Tim 3:16).
Many Pastors and spiritual Leaders, for example, have been trained in Bible Schools and Seminaries, and have chopped up, rationalised, compartmentalised, dispensationalised, and discarded much of Scripture. In their formal training, they learned what other men said, rather than what Scripture says. They were taught that, for one reason or another, a particular verse, or chapter, or Book of the Bible, is not for Gentile Believers today, but for some ‘other’ people, or some ‘other’ dispensation [This is a man-made meaning that was given to a good Bible word, and as a result of this man-made doctrine, has become a great source of error in the Body of Messiah].
Some of the results of the man-made dispensation error teach, “That’s for the Jews;” “That’s not for us — it’s for the early church;” “That’s for another age;” “That’s Old Testament;” “That’s bondage;” and on and on, until nothing is left of the Scriptures but an empty carcass. The Scriptures tell us that all Scripture is eternal, and is for all of The Most High’s children, and is part of their heritage — their inheritance!
Most formally-trained Pastors and Leaders of today would explain the above passage, by saying that this and several similar passages do not apply to New Testament Believers. Perhaps these statements are made, because this passage does not seem to fit man’s modern, twisted notion of what Biblical ‘Grace’ is!
Most would summarise the ‘eternal life’ requirements spoken by Messiah, by stating that all we must do is believe — that is, we must give only mental agreement to a set of facts. This is the modern-day definition of the word ‘Believe,’ and is a devilish definition, void of Biblical Truth. Using this definition of ‘Believe,’ there is no need for such Biblical practices as repentance, sanctification, holy living, dying to self, obedience, or enduring unto the end.
Most spiritual Leaders today put forth an un-Scriptural, blanket idea of ‘Grace,’ but then deny the Biblical ‘Grace’ that teaches one to be obedient (Romans 1:5), to live a life glorifying The Most High. Thus the religious world has been taught that the main issue is pure mercy and an unscriptural notion of ‘forgiveness,’ beyond which one may do as he pleases, even if what he does displeases the Mighty The Most High and the Prince of Peace. This idea is summarised for us in Jude 1:4, describing those who have substituted the decrees and traditions of Rome in place of the Truth of Scripture.
Most spiritual teachers today say that Yahushua, in the passage above, was telling the inquirer something that applied to another time period they call a ‘dispensation,’ and not applicable to the present day, which they call the ‘Church Age’ or an imaginary ‘Age of Grace.’ [This concept is not in Scripture!].
It is evident in the New Testament that there are many descriptions of Eternal Life, and how one may inherit, or obtain, or ‘enter in’ to this eternal life. In fact, there are 134 uses of the Greek word ‘zoe’ in the New Testament. If we were to look at all the instances where this word zoe is used in the New Testament, we would see that receiving Eternal Life is dependent upon at least twenty-five separate and distinct actions on the part of man!
These twenty-five different conditions are not mutually exclusive, and they are not in contradiction to one another. Taken as a whole, they all complement one another, and are like the links of a chain, all contributing to the strength of the entire concept of Eternal Life!
Taken as a whole, all the different conditions upon which one may receive Eternal Life merely reveal the wonderful truth and richness of what it means to truly ‘believe’ in the Name of Yahushua, as Abraham found out. We may conclude from these observations that The Most High’s plan of redemption of mankind is a many-faceted means of revealing His identity to mankind.
https://youtu.be/9D4yeG20Xbs
Tuesday, May 12, 2020
A WARNING!!!!!
John 14
We are walking in today: A Warning!!! If you love me.... Keep My commandments
Today we look to the word LOVE --H157 - 'ahab --a primitive root; to have affection for:—be loved, lovely, like, friend.
The Torah testifies.........……
Exodus 20:6
And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love H157 me, and keep my commandments.
Deuteronomy 6:5
And thou shalt love H157 the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
Deuteronomy 7:7
The Lord did not set his love H157 upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people:
The prophets proclaim..................
Joshua 23:11
Take good heed therefore unto yourselves, that ye love H157 the Lord your God.
Isaiah 56:6
Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the Lord, to serve him, and to love H157 the name of the Lord, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant;
Micah 6:8
He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love H157 mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?
The writings bear witness............
Psalms 31:23
O love H157 the Lord, all ye his saints: for the Lord preserveth the faithful, and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer.
Proverbs 17: 9
He that covereth a transgression seeketh love H157; but he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends.
Proverbs 16:13
Righteous lips are the delight of kings; and they love H157 him that speaketh right.
A Warning
Dear Fiveamprayer, you are encouraged not to believe anything without first seeking The Most High in the Scriptures diligently as to the truth of a matter, including anything in this writing! We must be led by His Spirit, and as we approach maturity, or ‘marriageable’ age as a Bride. The Holy Spirit will lead us in places that we would not desire or want to go. However, as we put ‘self’ to death, we will allow Him to gird us, and we will then go where He leads. Only then do we begin to truly follow Him (John 21:18-19).
We must, however, find our point of departure into uncharted waters. We must confirm what we understand, and what we do not yet understand. Most find their current understanding is mostly ‘Commandments of Men’ based on twisted Scripture. We will now review a few basics of Scripture that Yahushua’s Disciples should come to understand, by diligent seeking in the Scriptures, just as did the Bereans, who searched the Scriptures to see whether these things Paul was saying were true.
In our seeking, we must do two things. First, we must come to an unshakeable understanding of Biblical ‘Grace,’ in order that we may walk in the ‘mystery’ of ‘Messiah-in-you’ (Col 1:27); and second, we must discard any Traditions of Men that do not agree with Scripture, the Doctrines and Traditions we have accumulated in our understanding and practice. All our focus then begins to be upon the issues of Messiah-in-you.
Messiah-In-You
Most of the children of The Most High understand that by the Blood of the spotless Lamb of The Most High, who is Yahushua the son of The Most High, we have been redeemed from slavery to another master, called “Sin,” and also by this shed Blood of Yahushua we have forgiveness of all Sins — our Transgressions of the Law [Torah] (1John 3:4). This forgiveness of our Sins places us in right standing with The Most High, without any works on our part whatsoever. It is by His Grace alone that we are forgiven, and are Born-again by the Spirit of The Most High. His Blood has cleansed us, and He has given us the ‘Blessing of Abraham’ — which is Righteousness by Faith.
As Believers, we have been set free, and forgiven, and cleansed for a purpose, just as a vessel must be cleansed before it is filled (Gal 3:14). Let us now look at the purpose for our cleansing. Notice the following passage:
Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: To whom The Most High would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Hamachiach in you, the hope of glory: Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Hamachiach Yahashua: (Colossians 1:26-28)
Notice the issue of ‘Messiah-in-you’ is listed as a mystery. Not many will understand it. Second, we see that ‘Messiah-in-you’ is the hope of glory. The use of the word ‘the’ shows exclusiveness, and tells us that this is the only hope of glory, of being counted among those called “My Glory,” and of being among those who will be allowed to enter in to the City of the King. The word ‘perfect’ shows that the goal of informing others about ‘Messiah-in-you’ is that they would become ‘perfect’ or complete, a term referring to the preparation of the Company of Believers, just as a Bride prepares for her Husband.
Notice also that this description of perfection is not what man would call perfection, but is simply a Biblical term meaning complete, a term that describes the state of those in whom Messiah-in-them has been allowed to come to fullness, so that Messiah-in-them can bring them in to the Land.
As we look further, we can see in several passages the purpose of our cleansing. We are cleansed, so that we might be filled with the fullness of Yahushua, by His promised Spirit (Gal 3:14). This is done so that we might be directed into the Way of Truth, so that we may have right relationship and fellowship with Yahushua, and with His children; and so that we might bear the resulting fruit unto The Most High.
Just as a baby in the natural sense is the result of an intimate fellowship, so it is in the spiritual realm. It is in this way that we become Born-Again, in that Messiah becomes birthed within us, and “Messiah-in-us” is formed within us. This is how He comes forth in us, and how we grow up in Him, as we mature, and become increasingly obedient to all of Scripture (Gal 4:19; Eph 4:15).
The Most High desires that we walk together with Him, day by day. As we choose daily to allow ourselves to be conformed to the image of Messiah, we begin to notice that some of the dealings of The Most High are not as we expected. We go through many experiences of what we think is death to self, and it really is, but resurrection life is brought forth as a result! The Master deals with us about yokes of bondage, and how we are not to be yoked again, but then expects us to take on His yoke of bondage (Matt 11:29-30), the yoke of bondage in betrothal to Him, in the marriage Covenant with Him (Ezekiel 20:37).
This last step is very difficult for most Believers to do, since they have been trained by their teachers and false prophets to avoid all forms of bondage, including the ‘Bond(age)’ of Love between the Lamb and His Bride! It may be noted here that the main feature of the Mountain of The Most High’s presence — His habitation, called Mount Zion in Scripture — is ‘Bondage.’ Everything of Truth in The Most High’s kingdom appears as Bondage, and for that reason only the few, the very elect of The Most High, will attempt to come near, and touch the Mountain.
In our next item in this series, we will look at several vivid examples of what Scripture says, in contrast to what many have been taught today. We will see how this false teaching can change our behaviour, and can thus actually disqualify us from entering His Rest, and from being among the Bride-Company.
As we look at this subject of entering His rest, we must first give warning to the Reader, that this is not an easy subject. What is to be said may not seem to be politically correct, but in order to maintain Biblical Truth, it must be said.
In this writing I have not attempted to sugar-coat the presentation, but have tried only to deal with the objective Truths of what the Scriptures actually say. Scripture tells us that open rebuke [what is given to help someone] is better than secret love [what is not given to help someone, and is thus not really love] (Proverbs 27:5).
We will now look at some of the items laid out in Scripture that tell us clearly what is required for us to ‘enter in to His Rest,’ which is a euphemism for entering in to the Promised Land, into the City of the King. Participation in these things will further identify to The Most High those who are allowed to enter, and who are not.
If Ye Be Willing and Obedient
Many Scripture passages tell us, and show us by vivid example, the The Most High’s children are defined and identified by their obedience. Indeed, even the blessings of the Inheritance are to those who are obedient.
Let’s begin, as we notice the following passage:
Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. 19 If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: 20 But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it. (Isaiah 1:18-20)
Most today understand that verse 18 in the above passage does apply to New Covenant Believers. But let’s look at the rest of the story seen in verses 19 and 20. The Most High is telling us that if we are [present] obedient, we shall [future] eat the good of the Land. The Most High is telling us that our future welfare in the Promised Land, depends on our current obedience; and that our obedience is determined now, before we enter the Land! This can be confirmed in Rev 22:14-15, where the right to enter in to the City of the King is given, as determined by obedience to Yahushua’s commandments.
Few today are being taught the importance of walking in obedience to The Most High. Even fewer still are being taught the importance of doing what The Most High ‘delights’ in, and what ‘pleases’ Him. One of the hallmarks of the Biblical Marriage Covenant is the mark of obedience.
As we advance in our walk with The Most High, there will be many occasions in which He presents opportunities for us to choose whether we will obey Him, or not. Each day The Most High reveals something new to us, with the hope and desire that we will choose to go beyond our comfort zone, and walk in the new thing He has revealed, according to the Scriptures. We must make a choice — a fresh choice each day — whom we will serve (Joshua 24:15).
Let us proceed now to new ground.
It is obvious to the sincere seeker, which of the Old Testament [Torah] commandments and sayings of The Most High have already found their fulfillment in Messiah Yahushua. What has been obscured by the religionists is the necessity for all The Most High’s children to likewise fulfill the Torah, with only a few exceptions as seen in the Book of Hebrews.
Our present difficulty lies in the fact that the Body of Messiah has for centuries been given traditions and decrees of Rome, instead of the Truth of scripture. The result is that most Believers today are in a state of famine, of what constitutes ‘Truth’ for New Testament Saints. Yahushua is now restoring all [true] things, prior to His return, just as He promised!
Our greatest discomfort comes when we try to make the Scriptures fit the ‘Doctrines and Commandments of Men’ we have been taught. Perhaps by now our inner conflicts have become evident, regarding what we have learned about Law and Grace, Grace and works, Grace and Legalism, Old and New, Then and Now, Jew and Gentile, Liberty or Bondage, Life or Death. In order to avoid the discomfort, many will simply not dig in to the Scriptures, to seek for the Truth.
Yahushua, in His mercy, has painstakingly revealed each one of these subjects to us in His Word, yes, even in the New Testament! He wants us to know and thoroughly understand the Word of Righteousness (Hebrews 5:13). Father desires that His children would learn His Ways, and walk in them!
The Most High has revealed all these subjects in His Word, and desires that we would see how they all fit marvelously, as pieces of a great puzzle, to portray the beautiful and majestic picture that He desires to reveal to His Beloved.
He also wants us be aware of the abundant hindrances that can prevent us from walking in ‘The Way.’
https://youtu.be/T8apm6J1AAc
Thursday, May 7, 2020
Numbers 9
We are walking in today: Pesach Sheni: Second Chances
Today we look to the word-- SECOND --H8145 - sheniy -- properly, double, second; again:—again, another, second time.
The Torah testifies.........……
Numbers 10:6
When ye blow an alarm the second H8145 time, then the camps that lie on the south side shall take their journey: they shall blow an alarm for their journeys.
The prophets proclaim..................
Isaiah 11:11
And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second H8145 time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.
The writings bear witness............
1 Kings 9:2
That the Lord appeared to Solomon the second H8145 time, as he had appeared unto him at Gibeon.
It’s never too late to come home.
Sometimes we have to experience missteps before we can travel in the right direction.
We make a left when we should take the road on the right; we say yes when we should say no; we stay when we should leave, and we withdraw when we should engage.
A step forward, a step back, a side step, and an inching forward slightly once again. This is the dance of life and embedded within this dance are second chances.
On the 14th day of the Hebrew month of Iyar, one month after the holiday of Passover, Pesach Sheni, a second Passover makes its appearance. It’s time for a second chance.
On the day before Passover, the Paschal Lamb was brought to the Holy Temple to be offered as a sacrifice. Anyone who came into contact with a dead body and became ritually impure could not bring this sacrifice to the Holy Temple. Nor could someone who was stuck too far away to make it to the Temple in time.
But there was an issue. These citizens also wanted to participate in this pivotal holy service. They wanted to be part of something bigger than themselves, something that would connect them to their community and to The Most High. So they approached Moses and Aaron and declared,”Why should we be deprived, and not be able to present The Most High’s offering in its time, amongst the children of Israel?”
Moses asked The Most High what to do, and The Most High replied, “Speak to the children of Israel, saying: Any person who is contaminated by death, or is on a distant road, whether among you now or in future generations, shall prepare a Passover offering to Gd. They shall prepare it on the afternoon of the 14th day of the second month, and shall eat it with matzahs and bitter herbs...." (See Numbers, 9:6-12)
The Most High said I will give you a second chance despite your status, despite your present state. When you do what you need to do to change, I will change the rules. I will wait for you until you are ready.
What does being “contaminated by death,” and a traveling on a “distant road” have to do with us?
These terms point to deeper concepts. A state of disconnection from The Most High is a type of death. A distant road is place where we are far away from who we really are supposed to be. This is something most of us can identify with.
When we are influenced by “death”, when we are traversing along a distant road, cut off from our truth and our source, we have the power to change directions and come home.
How? By accessing this unbelievable gift of second chances.
How do we know when we are far away from our homestead, when we are wandering and cut off?
A sense of disconnection is a place where we have lost touch with our essential self. On this road there is a chasm between what we really are and what we are becoming.
When we are not the person, partner, or parent we should be, often, somewhere deep inside, we know we are far from home. Maybe it’s a vague feeling, detached and blurred. Perhaps it’s an explicit feeling, weighty and robust. In all cases it often leads to confusion and a robotic way of life.
Disconnection is often a byproduct of unconscious living. When we let our conditioning be our compass so that our paths never change, neither will our landscape. Whether it’s in relation to ourselves or to others we will feel disconnected from the inroads that lead to our essential self.
But life gives us many second chances. And each time we choose to live consciously and move from judgment to compassion, apathy to care, idleness to activity, we begin to reconnect and travel towards home.
Pesach Sheni, the Second Passover, thus represents the power of rerouting to our core, to our Divine connection. This is the essence of teshuvah – the power of return. Teshuvah is defined as repentance but it encompasses something far greater. It is the power to embrace comprehensive change, the power to shift from one state to another. It is the power to change our dance.
Changing our waltz, samba, or freestyle is not easy. But it can be done. No matter how distant, no matter how disconnected, The Most High gives us the power to repair and rebound. Our brush with “death” can give us life. Our “distance” can lead to greater closeness to both ourselves and to The Most High.
Pesach Sheni, the holiday of second chances, reminds us that we can always change our steps and return home.
https://youtu.be/bIAEhpBkCBI
Friday, May 1, 2020
Biblical Grace, Not A License to NOT Keep The Law!!!! Part 3
Hebrews 12
We are walking in today: Biblical Grace, Not A License to NOT Keep The Law!!!! Part 3
Today we look to the word FRUIT --H6529 -pĕriy -- fruit (literally and figuratively): bough, first, fruitful, reward.
The Torah testifies.........……
Leviticus 19:24
But in the fourth year all the fruit H6529 thereof shall be holy to praise the Lord withal.
The prophets proclaim..................
Ezekiel 36:8
But ye, O mountains of Israel, ye shall shoot forth your branches, and yield your fruit H6529 to my people of Israel; for they are at hand to come.
The writings bear witness............
2 Kings 19:30
And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall yet again take root downward, and bear fruit H6529 upward.
The Most High’s Goal: The Harvest
Before we home in on our main theme of our being prepared for Messiah, let us first summarise what we have seen. Most today have been long familiar with the first aspect of grace — our forgiveness while we were yet sinners. Likewise, most are familiar with the corresponding first aspect of righteousness — Yahushua’s own righteousness He has imputed to us, by our faith in His shed Blood. We have seen the that there is a second aspect of The Most High’s grace, and of His righteousness — that of springing up in order to produce fruit.
We have seen that The Most High’s goal is that the Seed He plants in our heart should be allowed to sprout, or spring forth, and mature, so that it becomes as a ‘Tree of Righteousness, the planting of the The Most High.’ We have seen that The Most High’s purpose for this Tree of Righteousness (“Messiah in you,” as the Apostle Paul puts it) is to bear the Fruit of Righteousness — for the tree is known (identified, or named) by its fruit.
We might say that The Most High’s purpose and goal is that the Seed of Light is to be sown in our heart, in order to harvest the fruit of Righteousness, which consists of works of righteousness done by the life of Messiah-in-us, living within.
We have seen that both righteousness poured out, and righteousness that springs up from the earth, are both claimed by The Most High to be His creation, hence they are both by His grace. We have seen also in the same passage in Isaiah 45:8 that salvation and righteousness spring up together. This would tell us that our salvation is not in the planting of the seed, but in the springing up, or sprouting of the seed.
We might say also that this Fruit of Righteousness is the ‘precious fruit of the earth’ for which the husbandman waiteth! (James 5:7.) Likewise, we might say that The Most High’s grace is the seed that yields the fruit of obedience, as seen in (Romans 1:5).
We will now go on to see how the fruit of Righteousness reveals the two-fold nature of The Most High’s Grace.
Works Produced By Grace
We are told in the letter to the Philippians the following:
“…work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is The Most High which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” (Php 2:12b-13)
In the above passages, we see that what we must ‘work out’ is that which The Most High has already ‘worked in.’ We might say that the Righteousness The Most High has worked in, we must work out. The Fruit of righteousness, springing forth from the seed planted in our heart, is what some have called the out-worked righteousness — the works of obedience that Yahushua produces within us.
Again, we must be reminded that it is not our own works that qualify as Fruit of Righteousness; these are mere dead works. The true Fruit of Righteousness is simply the works that Yahushua, as He lives within us, produces on His own initiative, with our cooperation, in obedience to His Word! (Philippians 1:11)
We found that these works of righteousness are the fruit produced by the Tree of Righteousness, by Messiah-in-us; which tree had been sprouted and grown from the Original Seed, the Living Word of the Gospel, planted in the garden of our heart. It was by His grace that we were forgiven, and by His grace the seed (Messiah) was planted in the earth (our hearts) by the Gospel.
It is also by His continuing grace that He enables us to walk with Him. Thus it is Yahushua living out His own obedience in us, (“Messiah in us”) that produces the Fruit of Righteousness — the “Works of Righteousness” which He has done, living in us.
The writer to the Hebrews, in encouraging and admonishing us, speaks of this second aspect of grace, as bringing forth fruit:
“…looking diligently, lest any man fail of the grace of The Most High…” (Hebrews 12:15a).
Notice the context of the above passage (from verse 11 onward) is that of a garden, and of ‘Grace’ as a crop that could fail. We see from the above passage, along with its context, that we should be diligent to receive The Most High’s grace that He gives us to produce the crop of obedience to His Word — the works produced by “Messiah in you” — the second aspect of The Most High’s Grace!
Beloved, we must come to the realisation that Messiah in you is not only your hope of glory, but is your only hope of glory — and your only hope of obeying, of pleasing and of delighting the Father. It is only Messiah-in-us that can do any of these things, so we must allow Him to produce the fruit of obedience within us!
One might ask, “Just how do we allow Yahushua to produce fruit in us?” We might answer that question by considering how we may have been actually preventing the Master Yahushua from producing this Fruit of Righteousness within us. We must come to the realisation that the great majority of Believers within the Body of Messiah on earth today, including ourselves, have been preventing Yahushua from producing this Fruit of Righteousness within them. This is ‘crop failure’ of massive proportions, even a virtual plague against us. Let’s see how this has happened, so that we, as King David, might stop the plague. Let us see what Yahushua would do.
What Would Yahushua Do?
Beloved, what do you think? If Messiah is living in you, would He obey the Commandments of the Father any less (while living in you today) than He did when He walked on the earth almost 2,000 years ago? Let us remember — Yahushua is the same yesterday, and today, and for ever (Hebrews 13:8). Therefore He desires to walk ‘in us’ today — in the same degree of obedience as when He walked on the earth! He kept the Commandments of the Father as He walked in those days — all of them! We must ask ourselves, “Are we allowing Yahushua to do the same today, as He lives in us?”
Beloved, what would we do if we knew there was something in our life that was preventing us from walking with the Master — from really knowing Him? Wouldn’t we have a desire to find out, so that we could eliminate that thing? Surely all that have come to Yahushua He will not cast out. Yet today, in this present generation, there is a grievous cancer within the Body of Messiah.
The condition of the Body of Messiah in general can be described in the following way. Our New Master has set us free, but we have allowed the old master (satan) to re-shackle us back into bondage, simply because we have not been fully yoked to the New Master. Notice what Yahushua is saying to us today, in our generation:
“…Thus have ye made the commandment of The Most High of none effect by your tradition.” (Matthew 15:6)
“…laying aside the commandment of The Most High, ye hold the tradition of men…ye reject the commandment of The Most High, that ye may keep your own tradition…making the word of The Most High of none effect through your tradition…” (Mark 7:8,9,13)
According to the above Scripture verses, it is Traditions and Doctrines of Men that prevent Messiah Yahushua from fully living out His life of obedience in His people. Just as it was true for the Pharisees in Yahushua’s day, so it is true for us today.
Beloved, we must remember that under the Grace of the New Covenant, we are under no obligation to keep any of the things that please or delight the Father. The only motive for any New Testament action is our love for our Father — and our desire to avoid what Father hates, and to do what pleases Father — and to choose that in which Father delights (Isaiah 66:4).
So it was with Yahushua. You would not have seen Yahushua keeping the Father’s Commandments out of a sense of duty or obligation, also called legalism. You would have seen Him, however, doing the mystery of the will of the Father — because he had been instructed by the Law [Torah], and because He loved His Father, and desired to abide by Father’s House Rules! (Romans 2:18).
Again, we must be reminded that under the New Covenant we are under no obligation of any kind, even to obedience. This is the Grace nature of the New Covenant — we all have a choice of what we do, and The Most High simply urges us to repent, and choose life. There is a thin line between the yoke of bondage to a letter of death (legalism) and the yoke of bondage to the Master — the bond(age) of love. In many ways the two appear the same. In this regard Yahushua has reminded us, “If ye love me, keep My Commandments…” (John 14:15).
Yahushua spoke those words long before there was any written New Testament. Therefore, the idea of New Testament Saints keeping Yahushua’s Commandments was easily understood by His disciples in that day to mean keeping the Commandments of The Most High — as written in the Law and the Prophets — what we call today the ‘Old’ Testament, or Father’s House Rules for His children.
In any doctrinal matters or questions, we must ask ourselves, “What would Yahushua do?” In what ways would Yahushua have kept the Commandments today? Let us be assured of this one thing: In every way we see Yahushua in Scripture keeping the Commandments of the Father, He desires to do likewise living in us Today.
Many pastors and Bible teachers tell us today, that because of various and sundry theological reasons, we as Believers today are not supposed to do a particular thing. Many Bible scholars today are teaching that various doctrines or practices are only for a certain group, or a certain era, and not for Today’s New Testament Saints in a ‘Time’ of Grace. To that we should respond in our hearts, “What would Yahushua do?”
Messiah In You
Beloved, there are many Doctrines of Men that we have accepted as ‘truth’ that are actually hindering and preventing “Messiah living within us” from His own obedience to the Father. The Grace of The Most High is present, waiting to enable us, as soon as our doctrines will allow us to obey. Yet many of us are still living our spiritual life as the disobedient son in the parable of Matthew 21, by not keeping the commandments of the Father. We continue to refuse to keep all His Commandments, simply because we have been taught serious error concerning matters of grace and of the New Covenant.
However, a real adventure begins after we discover, for ourselves — that it was Yahushua that gave the Ten Commandments on Mt. Sinai [He calls these ‘MY‘ Commandments!] — and after we repent of disobedience, as did the first son in the Matthew 21 parable!
Beloved, we should be undergoing our full preparation for coming into the presence of THE KING! We should choose to allow ourselves to become equally yoked [the yoke of bondage to Yahushua] through our daily repentance, and full obedience to His Commandments. We must ask ourselves — why did the apostle Paul on many occasions call himself a ‘bond’ slave or servant of Yahushua? What is significant about the bond(age) of love? Paul reminds us also that we were reconciled by Yahushua’s death, but much more we are saved by his life (Romans 5:9-10). According to Paul in this passage, our abiding, daily life of walking with Messiah, with “Messiah in us,” is much more to be considered, than simply our reconciliation — our forgiveness!
Like the Israelites, we have been brought out of Egypt by the Blood of the Lamb of The Most High. The Israelites had been brought out, but failed to enter in because of disobedience. Yet we must still enter in to the Promised Land by obedience — by “Messiah in us” living out His own obedience within us! Let us recall this passage:
“…To whom The Most High would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:” (Colossians 1:27-28)
Thus we see in the above passage “Messiah in us” is our only hope of being presented perfect, and our only hope of [entering into] Glory! For two thousand years the ‘Come-out‘ ministries have ministered the grace of salvation to the Believers. Today there is very small number of ‘Enter-in‘ ministries, who are to locate the very small remnant of Overcomers, and prepare them to overcome, even as did Joshua and Caleb, who alone were able to enter in!
Beloved, we who hope to enter in, must focus all our energies into seeking Yahushua, and learning the Fear of The Most High, that we might say, with Paul, “…Nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Messiah liveth in me….” Paul came to the place in His walk with Yahushua that he exhibited “Messiah in him.”
Let us also be followers together of Paul, as we have Paul for an example. Let us seek to take Yahushua’s yoke upon us, and learn of Him. We shall then be prepared to be Awakened to Righteousness, even as a tree is awakened in Spring, ready to bring forth fruit.
For those who hope to enter in, we must choose to focus our full attention on those things in our lives that The Most High reveals to us, first in matters of obedience, then in matters of pleasing and delighting Him. If you and I are not walking as Yahushua did while He walked on the earth, from the same motives He had [“walk as He walked,” as John puts it (1John 2:6)], then according to John we are not yet abiding in Him, even though we think or say we are. Thus we are under the same warning that Queen Vashti was under (See Esther 1:12).
Beloved, The Most High is building His Habitation, the Mountain of The Most High. The building process requires not only his grace of forgiveness from above, but also His enabling grace from within — from the Master Yahushua Messiah living within us.
Truly it is grace-grace, in both its aspects, that will very soon bring us into His presence!
We are walking in today: Biblical Grace, Not A License to NOT Keep The Law!!!! Part 3
Today we look to the word FRUIT --H6529 -pĕriy -- fruit (literally and figuratively): bough, first, fruitful, reward.
The Torah testifies.........……
Leviticus 19:24
But in the fourth year all the fruit H6529 thereof shall be holy to praise the Lord withal.
The prophets proclaim..................
Ezekiel 36:8
But ye, O mountains of Israel, ye shall shoot forth your branches, and yield your fruit H6529 to my people of Israel; for they are at hand to come.
The writings bear witness............
2 Kings 19:30
And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall yet again take root downward, and bear fruit H6529 upward.
The Most High’s Goal: The Harvest
Before we home in on our main theme of our being prepared for Messiah, let us first summarise what we have seen. Most today have been long familiar with the first aspect of grace — our forgiveness while we were yet sinners. Likewise, most are familiar with the corresponding first aspect of righteousness — Yahushua’s own righteousness He has imputed to us, by our faith in His shed Blood. We have seen the that there is a second aspect of The Most High’s grace, and of His righteousness — that of springing up in order to produce fruit.
We have seen that The Most High’s goal is that the Seed He plants in our heart should be allowed to sprout, or spring forth, and mature, so that it becomes as a ‘Tree of Righteousness, the planting of the The Most High.’ We have seen that The Most High’s purpose for this Tree of Righteousness (“Messiah in you,” as the Apostle Paul puts it) is to bear the Fruit of Righteousness — for the tree is known (identified, or named) by its fruit.
We might say that The Most High’s purpose and goal is that the Seed of Light is to be sown in our heart, in order to harvest the fruit of Righteousness, which consists of works of righteousness done by the life of Messiah-in-us, living within.
We have seen that both righteousness poured out, and righteousness that springs up from the earth, are both claimed by The Most High to be His creation, hence they are both by His grace. We have seen also in the same passage in Isaiah 45:8 that salvation and righteousness spring up together. This would tell us that our salvation is not in the planting of the seed, but in the springing up, or sprouting of the seed.
We might say also that this Fruit of Righteousness is the ‘precious fruit of the earth’ for which the husbandman waiteth! (James 5:7.) Likewise, we might say that The Most High’s grace is the seed that yields the fruit of obedience, as seen in (Romans 1:5).
We will now go on to see how the fruit of Righteousness reveals the two-fold nature of The Most High’s Grace.
Works Produced By Grace
We are told in the letter to the Philippians the following:
“…work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is The Most High which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” (Php 2:12b-13)
In the above passages, we see that what we must ‘work out’ is that which The Most High has already ‘worked in.’ We might say that the Righteousness The Most High has worked in, we must work out. The Fruit of righteousness, springing forth from the seed planted in our heart, is what some have called the out-worked righteousness — the works of obedience that Yahushua produces within us.
Again, we must be reminded that it is not our own works that qualify as Fruit of Righteousness; these are mere dead works. The true Fruit of Righteousness is simply the works that Yahushua, as He lives within us, produces on His own initiative, with our cooperation, in obedience to His Word! (Philippians 1:11)
We found that these works of righteousness are the fruit produced by the Tree of Righteousness, by Messiah-in-us; which tree had been sprouted and grown from the Original Seed, the Living Word of the Gospel, planted in the garden of our heart. It was by His grace that we were forgiven, and by His grace the seed (Messiah) was planted in the earth (our hearts) by the Gospel.
It is also by His continuing grace that He enables us to walk with Him. Thus it is Yahushua living out His own obedience in us, (“Messiah in us”) that produces the Fruit of Righteousness — the “Works of Righteousness” which He has done, living in us.
The writer to the Hebrews, in encouraging and admonishing us, speaks of this second aspect of grace, as bringing forth fruit:
“…looking diligently, lest any man fail of the grace of The Most High…” (Hebrews 12:15a).
Notice the context of the above passage (from verse 11 onward) is that of a garden, and of ‘Grace’ as a crop that could fail. We see from the above passage, along with its context, that we should be diligent to receive The Most High’s grace that He gives us to produce the crop of obedience to His Word — the works produced by “Messiah in you” — the second aspect of The Most High’s Grace!
Beloved, we must come to the realisation that Messiah in you is not only your hope of glory, but is your only hope of glory — and your only hope of obeying, of pleasing and of delighting the Father. It is only Messiah-in-us that can do any of these things, so we must allow Him to produce the fruit of obedience within us!
One might ask, “Just how do we allow Yahushua to produce fruit in us?” We might answer that question by considering how we may have been actually preventing the Master Yahushua from producing this Fruit of Righteousness within us. We must come to the realisation that the great majority of Believers within the Body of Messiah on earth today, including ourselves, have been preventing Yahushua from producing this Fruit of Righteousness within them. This is ‘crop failure’ of massive proportions, even a virtual plague against us. Let’s see how this has happened, so that we, as King David, might stop the plague. Let us see what Yahushua would do.
What Would Yahushua Do?
Beloved, what do you think? If Messiah is living in you, would He obey the Commandments of the Father any less (while living in you today) than He did when He walked on the earth almost 2,000 years ago? Let us remember — Yahushua is the same yesterday, and today, and for ever (Hebrews 13:8). Therefore He desires to walk ‘in us’ today — in the same degree of obedience as when He walked on the earth! He kept the Commandments of the Father as He walked in those days — all of them! We must ask ourselves, “Are we allowing Yahushua to do the same today, as He lives in us?”
Beloved, what would we do if we knew there was something in our life that was preventing us from walking with the Master — from really knowing Him? Wouldn’t we have a desire to find out, so that we could eliminate that thing? Surely all that have come to Yahushua He will not cast out. Yet today, in this present generation, there is a grievous cancer within the Body of Messiah.
The condition of the Body of Messiah in general can be described in the following way. Our New Master has set us free, but we have allowed the old master (satan) to re-shackle us back into bondage, simply because we have not been fully yoked to the New Master. Notice what Yahushua is saying to us today, in our generation:
“…Thus have ye made the commandment of The Most High of none effect by your tradition.” (Matthew 15:6)
“…laying aside the commandment of The Most High, ye hold the tradition of men…ye reject the commandment of The Most High, that ye may keep your own tradition…making the word of The Most High of none effect through your tradition…” (Mark 7:8,9,13)
According to the above Scripture verses, it is Traditions and Doctrines of Men that prevent Messiah Yahushua from fully living out His life of obedience in His people. Just as it was true for the Pharisees in Yahushua’s day, so it is true for us today.
Beloved, we must remember that under the Grace of the New Covenant, we are under no obligation to keep any of the things that please or delight the Father. The only motive for any New Testament action is our love for our Father — and our desire to avoid what Father hates, and to do what pleases Father — and to choose that in which Father delights (Isaiah 66:4).
So it was with Yahushua. You would not have seen Yahushua keeping the Father’s Commandments out of a sense of duty or obligation, also called legalism. You would have seen Him, however, doing the mystery of the will of the Father — because he had been instructed by the Law [Torah], and because He loved His Father, and desired to abide by Father’s House Rules! (Romans 2:18).
Again, we must be reminded that under the New Covenant we are under no obligation of any kind, even to obedience. This is the Grace nature of the New Covenant — we all have a choice of what we do, and The Most High simply urges us to repent, and choose life. There is a thin line between the yoke of bondage to a letter of death (legalism) and the yoke of bondage to the Master — the bond(age) of love. In many ways the two appear the same. In this regard Yahushua has reminded us, “If ye love me, keep My Commandments…” (John 14:15).
Yahushua spoke those words long before there was any written New Testament. Therefore, the idea of New Testament Saints keeping Yahushua’s Commandments was easily understood by His disciples in that day to mean keeping the Commandments of The Most High — as written in the Law and the Prophets — what we call today the ‘Old’ Testament, or Father’s House Rules for His children.
In any doctrinal matters or questions, we must ask ourselves, “What would Yahushua do?” In what ways would Yahushua have kept the Commandments today? Let us be assured of this one thing: In every way we see Yahushua in Scripture keeping the Commandments of the Father, He desires to do likewise living in us Today.
Many pastors and Bible teachers tell us today, that because of various and sundry theological reasons, we as Believers today are not supposed to do a particular thing. Many Bible scholars today are teaching that various doctrines or practices are only for a certain group, or a certain era, and not for Today’s New Testament Saints in a ‘Time’ of Grace. To that we should respond in our hearts, “What would Yahushua do?”
Messiah In You
Beloved, there are many Doctrines of Men that we have accepted as ‘truth’ that are actually hindering and preventing “Messiah living within us” from His own obedience to the Father. The Grace of The Most High is present, waiting to enable us, as soon as our doctrines will allow us to obey. Yet many of us are still living our spiritual life as the disobedient son in the parable of Matthew 21, by not keeping the commandments of the Father. We continue to refuse to keep all His Commandments, simply because we have been taught serious error concerning matters of grace and of the New Covenant.
However, a real adventure begins after we discover, for ourselves — that it was Yahushua that gave the Ten Commandments on Mt. Sinai [He calls these ‘MY‘ Commandments!] — and after we repent of disobedience, as did the first son in the Matthew 21 parable!
Beloved, we should be undergoing our full preparation for coming into the presence of THE KING! We should choose to allow ourselves to become equally yoked [the yoke of bondage to Yahushua] through our daily repentance, and full obedience to His Commandments. We must ask ourselves — why did the apostle Paul on many occasions call himself a ‘bond’ slave or servant of Yahushua? What is significant about the bond(age) of love? Paul reminds us also that we were reconciled by Yahushua’s death, but much more we are saved by his life (Romans 5:9-10). According to Paul in this passage, our abiding, daily life of walking with Messiah, with “Messiah in us,” is much more to be considered, than simply our reconciliation — our forgiveness!
Like the Israelites, we have been brought out of Egypt by the Blood of the Lamb of The Most High. The Israelites had been brought out, but failed to enter in because of disobedience. Yet we must still enter in to the Promised Land by obedience — by “Messiah in us” living out His own obedience within us! Let us recall this passage:
“…To whom The Most High would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:” (Colossians 1:27-28)
Thus we see in the above passage “Messiah in us” is our only hope of being presented perfect, and our only hope of [entering into] Glory! For two thousand years the ‘Come-out‘ ministries have ministered the grace of salvation to the Believers. Today there is very small number of ‘Enter-in‘ ministries, who are to locate the very small remnant of Overcomers, and prepare them to overcome, even as did Joshua and Caleb, who alone were able to enter in!
Beloved, we who hope to enter in, must focus all our energies into seeking Yahushua, and learning the Fear of The Most High, that we might say, with Paul, “…Nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Messiah liveth in me….” Paul came to the place in His walk with Yahushua that he exhibited “Messiah in him.”
Let us also be followers together of Paul, as we have Paul for an example. Let us seek to take Yahushua’s yoke upon us, and learn of Him. We shall then be prepared to be Awakened to Righteousness, even as a tree is awakened in Spring, ready to bring forth fruit.
For those who hope to enter in, we must choose to focus our full attention on those things in our lives that The Most High reveals to us, first in matters of obedience, then in matters of pleasing and delighting Him. If you and I are not walking as Yahushua did while He walked on the earth, from the same motives He had [“walk as He walked,” as John puts it (1John 2:6)], then according to John we are not yet abiding in Him, even though we think or say we are. Thus we are under the same warning that Queen Vashti was under (See Esther 1:12).
Beloved, The Most High is building His Habitation, the Mountain of The Most High. The building process requires not only his grace of forgiveness from above, but also His enabling grace from within — from the Master Yahushua Messiah living within us.
Truly it is grace-grace, in both its aspects, that will very soon bring us into His presence!
https://youtu.be/Rw3YvRXftko
Thursday, April 30, 2020
Biblical Grace, Not A License To NOT Keep The Law!!!!!!!! PART 2
Hebrews 12
We are walking in today: Biblical Grace, Not A License To NOT Keep The Law!!!!!!!! PART 2
Today we look to the word RIGHTEOUSNESS--H6663 tsadaq -- Justify, Righteous, Just, Justice, Cleansed, Clear Ourselves, Righteousness
The Torah testifies.........……
Deuteronomy 6:25
And it shall be our righteousness H6663, if we observe to do all these commandments before the Lord our God, as he hath commanded us.
The prophets proclaim..................
Isaiah 54:17
No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness H6663 is of me, saith the Lord.
The writings bear witness............
Proverbs 11:5
The righteousness H6663 of the perfect shall direct his way: but the wicked shall fall by his own wickedness.
Today The Most High is speaking to His people regarding their preparation to come into the presence of the King. Even as Esther underwent many months of preparation before she was brought into the presence of the king, so we today are being prepared for our King.
An important aspect of our preparation is that we must be established in The Most High’s Grace. To understand Biblical grace, we must first unlearn some of what the theologians are saying. There is no “age of grace,” or at least Noah was not aware of this notion. The Bible says Noah found grace in the eyes of The Most High! (See Genesis 6:8.) But let us begin with what most of us understand as ‘Grace.’
The Scriptures reveal that there are not one, but two aspects of His Grace — one of which has gone largely unnoticed, but which is a vital part of our preparation. Let us Notice the following verse:
Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it. (Zechariah 4:7)
As we see in the above passage in Zechariah, The Most High requires two aspects of His grace to be brought to bear in order to bring forth the headstone thereof. Without both aspects of The Most High’s Grace, the His habitation can not be built! Thus The Most High is bringing His people to see and understand the two-fold nature of His grace, revealed much in the New Testament, and clearly seen in the above passage in Zechariah as ‘Grace-Grace.’
We might say that just as there are two sides to the same coin, so there are two aspects of The Most High’s Grace toward His people. This two-fold aspect of Grace can be seen in the encounter with the religious leaders of Yahushua’s day, when the man with a palsy was brought to Him to be healed. Notice Yahushua’s reply:
Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Rise up and walk? But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins, (he said unto the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go into thine house. (Luke 5:23-24)
Notice in the above passage, that Yahushua speaks of both aspects of The Most High’s Grace.
These are:
Two Aspects of The Most High’s Grace
“Thy sins be forgiven thee” [The grace of Mercy and Forgiveness]; and
“Rise up and walk” [The grace given to Rise up, and Walk with Yahushua].
Notice that the words ‘rise up’ and ‘arise’ are both translated from the Greek word ‘egeiro,’ which is the same Greek word used to describe Yahushua’s Resurrection! Here Yahushua is speaking prophetically of our resurrection life — of our “rising up and walking” in daily, resurrection life with Him. Thus we see in the above passage both aspects of The Most High’s Grace — the grace of His mercy and forgiveness, and the grace He gives us to walk with Him, in His Way. Let us now look at these two aspects of grace, and see how they fit into The Most High’s plan for the preparation of His People.
By Grace Alone
Many of us have learned that it is by grace that we are saved through faith (Ephesians 2:8), and not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy He saved us (Titus 3:5). Indeed, works of righteousness are important, but they are the result, and not the cause, of The Most High’s Grace.
Martin Luther, spearhead of the great Reformation, went through a series of wrong conclusions, seeking The Most High with great anguish of soul, before the Holy Spirit illumined his understanding concerning true Righteousness and the Grace of The Most High. It was only after he fervently and diligently sought The Most High over the matter, that He revealed to him the true nature of justification by faith, the cornerstone of the Reformation. Until the Believers today do likewise, fervently seeking The Most High, they will, as did Luther in his earlier years, continue to hold fast to a wrong conclusion [only half the truth] of The Most High’s Grace.
Thus we must first understand that there is no justification apart from the shed Blood of the Lamb of The Most High, which takes away the sin of the world. Anything good that we would do can not add one whit to our justification. In fact, the Word of The Most High tells us that all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6); that is, all our own good works of righteousness, that spring up from our own initiative, as a means of justification, are as filthy rags in the sight of The Most High!
We must thoroughly learn that our means of justification is not from ourselves — and that Yahushua alone is our righteousness. Without this basic understanding of Yahushua as our righteousness, we can not go on to fully grasp the meaning of the mysteries of which the Apostle Paul speaks.
There is one passage of Scripture in which Paul speaks of a mystery hidden from ages and from generations — including most of the evangelical Believers of this present generation. Paul tells us that this hidden mystery is “Messiah in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:26-27). It is this understanding of the mystery of “Messiah in you” that we must fully grasp, so that we might be presented to Messiah fully prepared. It is the understanding of “Messiah in you” that will enable us to have an understanding of both aspects of The Most High’s true Grace.
It was this mystery of “Messiah in you” that the Apostle Paul preached, warning every man, and teaching every man, in all wisdom (Colossians 1:27-29). Indeed it is Paul who tells us (Romans 5:9-10) that, after first having been justified by Yahushua’s Blood – that is, having been reconciled by His death, and Born Again – much more to be considered is that we are to be saved by His life — the life of Messiah in you.
It is the revelation of the mystery of Messiah in you that unlocks a vault full of treasure more precious than rubies. However, it is in understanding the two-fold nature of The Most High’s Grace that we will find a Scriptural understanding of Messiah in You. So we see that the two ideas of Grace-Grace and Messiah in You are intertwined.
There are many Scriptures that picture the two-fold nature of The Most High’s Grace, but perhaps the one idea that is revealed more than any other is the parallel connection between grace and righteousness. We see this close connection in the description of The Most High’s character, as well as in describing how Messiah is to reign within us:
Gracious is the LORD, and righteous; yea, our The Most High is merciful. (Psalms 116:5)
That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 5:21)
We see from Scripture that grace and righteousness are closely connected. Thus we will begin by observing The Most High’s Grace revealed and demonstrated in a two-fold nature of righteousness.
The Seed of Righteousness
The Lord has illustrated many Truths of the Kingdom of The Most High by use of word pictures, or parables, by which many complicated Truths may be seen and understood. Many of the parables Yahushua spoke reveal the two-fold nature of Grace, and of Righteousness. We recall that many of Yahushua’s parables describe seeds, which sprout into plants. Some of these plants do not survive the various levels of growth, and others do; some then go on to mature, and some finally produce fruit. This is a profound Truth Yahushua reveals to us.
Let us recognise that Yahushua — His Word, and His Righteousness — are pictured as seeds, which He plants in the soil of our heart. We are told that The Most High is the Gardener, and we are the garden (See 1Cor 3:9; John 15:1). Yahushua plants the seed — the soil does nothing but to receive the seed. In this action of The Most High’s planting we may clearly see the first aspect of Grace with which we are familiar — the Grace of Forgiveness.
Having forgiven us, Yahushua, by His Grace, plants the seed of His Word, even the Seed of Himself — and thus His righteousness — in our heart. There is nothing the soil must do, except to receive the seed. Notice how Yahushua pictures this planting and sprouting of the Seed of His
Righteousness:
Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness: let the earth open, and let them bring forth salvation, and let righteousness spring up together; I the LORD have created it. (Isaiah 45:8)
In the above passage we see Righteousness revealed in two separate aspects. First, we see Righteousness ‘poured down from the skies’ (figurative of the heavens), and sown in the earth (in the heart of man); which corresponds to the truth of imputed righteousness, whose heavenly source is Yahushua Himself.
This pouring down from the skies pictures the The Most High planting the seed of His Righteousness — Messiah-in-us — by His Grace. He has imputed His Righteousness to us, by Grace through Faith; and He has placed the Seed of Himself within our heart, that He might dwell within, and mature into a Tree of Righteousness within us.
The second thing we see in the above passage is Righteousness that springs up from the earth, even as a plant springs forth from the seed that has been planted in the earth, and eventually bears fruit. This springing up speaks of the life of Yahushua, as the Tree of Life within us, living by His Grace. Notice in the above passage that both the acts of pouring down, and of springing up, are claimed by The Most High to be His own work; and are thus both by His grace — “I the LORD have created it.”
This same principle of sowing and reaping can be seen in a passage in Exodus, where Moses asks for more grace:
Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight (Exodus 33:13)
Notice in the above passage that the first mention speaks of grace sown [imputed] by The Most High; but the second mention is a reaping of grace — it is dependent upon being in The Most High’s Way, and upon knowing Him. Moses is saying, “if I have found grace in your sight, do this, in order that I may find [more] grace in your sight.” Moses knew that The Most High’s grace, like His righteousness, and like all other aspects of The Most High’s character, must be both sown and harvested in Moses’ own life. And it is the same for us!
To gain further understanding that Scripture portrays grace, and righteousness, as seeds and plants, we will take note of the following passages, with regard to sowing and reaping. A key to understanding the following verses is that the word light in Scripture speaks of Righteousness:
And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday. (Psalms 37:6)
Light (“Righteousness”) is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart. (Psalms 97:11)
For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so The Most High will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations. (Isaiah 61:11)
The above passages reveal that the seed is sown for the fruit, and that it is the The Most High who causes righteousness to spring forth and produce the harvest. Thus we see again, that both the sowing of the seed, and the springing forth of the plant, are by The Most High’s Grace alone! For a new Testament picture notice the following verse:
And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. (John 1:16)
In the above passage we can clearly see the same principle of seed (grace) sown for, and because of the harvest (grace).
At this point we might ask, “What is The Most High’s purpose, that He would plant the Seed of
Righteousness within us?” As we will see, The Most High has a goal, or purpose in mind. We all understand in the natural sense, that if we plant seeds, it is because we have a purpose in mind. One purpose is that the plant, or tree, might grow and mature. A further goal is that there be a harvest of fruit from the tree. Thus we will examine the tree, and its fruit.
Trees of Righteousness
We must turn our attention to the mature plant — the tree. Now if the seed is called Righteousness, what is the fruit called? And what is the tree called? We know from practical experience that if we want to harvest corn, we must plant corn seeds. Likewise, if we want a harvest of peaches, we must plant peach seeds. The Lord has illustrated this principle to us, and tells us what fruit we can expect from His planting of the Seed of Righteousness:
Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of The Most High. (Php 1:11)
And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace. (James 3:18)
Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness… (2Co 9:10)
We see that from both natural and Scriptural principles, that the fruit is according to the seed. Thus we see that the Seed of Righteousness that is sown in our heart is to eventually produce the fruit of Righteousness. We will deal with the fruit in detail in the next section. Our focus now is the tree. Since we know that the Fruit of Righteousness comes from the Seed of Righteousness, what is the tree called? Yahushua tells us:
For every tree is known by his own fruit. (Luke 6:44a)
The fruit the tree will bear is the Fruit of Righteousness — for the tree is known [named] by its fruit. In our simple way of thinking, we have concluded that the Seed of Righteousness is planted by The Most High in order to produce a Tree of Righteousness. Let’s look at the following passage:
To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified. (Isa 61:3)
Beloved, The Most High is talking about people that are called trees of Righteousness. He also tells us that these trees are those that He has planted, and established, unlike the tares that have been planted by an enemy (See Matthew 13:24-30). This tree can bee seen in another sense, in the following passage:
The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life (Proverbs 11:30a)
Our understanding of Scripture up to now has been that Yahushua is the Tree of Life. However, in the above passage we see the clear revelation that Messiah-in-us is the Tree of Life living within us, and He is also the producer of the fruit — the result — of the seed that has been planted and cultivated within a man. We will see this Tree of Life in greater detail, as we further examine the fruit.
The Fruit of Righteousness
As in any planting operation, our Heavenly Planter has a purpose in mind for planting the seed of Righteousness within His people. Just as we would plant peach seeds in order to obtain the fruit of the peaches; so The Most High has a purpose in mind for the seed He plants in our heart. The Most High plants the seed of righteousness — Yahushua Himself — in our heart, in order to obtain the fruit of righteousness that He, living within us, wants to produce within us.
Now if we understand that Messiah within us is the Seed; and Messiah within us is the Tree — then what is the nature of the fruit that Messiah would produce in us? Let’s notice the following verses:
He watereth the hills from his chambers: the earth is satisfied with the fruit of thy works. (Psalms 104:13)
Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates. (Proverbs 31:31)
That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of The Most High; (Colossians 1:10)
The more we study The Most High’s Word, the more it becomes clear that the fruit The Most High desires to produce within us are works of righteousness. This fruit, however, is not produced by man — it is produced by Yahushua Messiah, living within us:
Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of The Most High. (Philippians 1:11)
The fruit of righteousness does not consist of dead works initiated by ourselves. True works of righteousness can be produced only by Yahushua, the result of Himself being planted within as the Seed, at the moment we becomes ‘Born-Again.’ Since the Seed is the Word of The Most High (See Luke 8:11), the fruit of that Word of The Most High must be works of obedience to His Word.
Again, we must state that the true fruit of righteousness is not the result of man’s own effort to obey The Most High’s Word — but it is simply Messiah, living within, providing His grace and ability to obey His own Word. From what we have seen, we may safely conclude that the fruit of righteousness is that which Messiah Yahushua produces within us, by His grace, and with our cooperation, as He lives within us.
https://youtu.be/4HsFf55SBSU
Tuesday, April 28, 2020
Biblical Grace, Not A License To NOT Keep The Law!!!!!!!
Romans 6
We are walking in today: Biblical Grace, Not a License to NOT Keep The Law!!
Today we look to the word GRACE--H2580 chen -- Grace, Favor, Gracious, Pleasant, Precious, Wellfavored
The Torah testifies.........……
Exodus 33:13
Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace H2580 in thy sight, shew me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace H2580 in thy sight: and consider that this nation is thy people.
The prophets proclaim..................
Jeremiah 31:2
Thus saith the Lord, The people which were left of the sword found grace H2580 in the wilderness; even Israel, when I went to cause him to rest.
The writings bear witness............
Psalms 84:11
For the Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace H2580 and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.
Grace is chen in Hebrew and charis in Greek. In both languages it may be translated as favor. However, in relation to The Most High, grace is not passive favor, such as “to receive favor,” rather it is active favor, such as “to be favored with a gift.”
This active form is the way grace is to be understood in Scripture. In fact, charis is translated as gift many times in the New Covenant writings in connection with the gifts of the Holy Spirit (1Cor 12:4). In this context it clearly means an endowment or enablement.
The Most High’s grace is His willingness to provide us with His enablement. When “Noah found grace in the eyes of The Most High” (Genesis 6:8), it says in the Hebrew “Noach matsa chen b’ayini The Most High.” This may also be translated, “By the vision of The Most High Noah came forth enabled,” or even “Noah was gifted through the insight of The Most High.” It is very important to understand that Grace does not mean that The Most High accepts us regardless of our actions, but that The Most High makes us acceptable. That is, He provides the means whereby we can be accepted by Him.
The belief that grace and mercy are near synonyms, almost interchangeable concepts, is a gross misunderstanding by many. So much of Christianity thinks of grace as a kind of ‘blanket mercy’ which is constantly forgiving all sin, and at the same time cancels out the Law of The Most High. Thus many have believed the error that grace allows them to disobey The Most High’s Law; and that since grace abounds, sin may abound without penalty.
This is especially taught by those who wish to ignore the eternal Law of The Most High, or certain parts of it. Such doctrine is a nearly fatal error, because it waters down The Most High’s righteousness and calls into question His eternal faithfulness. It also misconstrues His kindness; and there are MANY who have gone astray and departed from the truth because of this misinformation! The Scripture is clear: Disdain for The Most High’s Law puts one in mortal danger. Hopefully, this danger can be reduced through a fuller understanding of The Most High’s Word.
What is Mercy?
Mercy is the forgiveness of The Most High that comes as a result of sincere repentance (changing directions in thought and in action). When we sin, and then sincerely repent of that sin by changing our actions and relying on His righteousness, The Most High will forgive our sin. “Sin is transgression of the Law [the Torah],” (1John 3:4).
Therefore, when we know we have transgressed the Law of The Most High we are required to repent of our way and return to walking after His Law, which is His light for us. His mercy allows us to return to Him.
“For the commandment is a lamp, and the Torah [Law] is light, and reproofs of instruction are the way of life;” (Proverbs 6:23)
“Yes, all Israel has transgressed Your Torah, even by departing, that they might not obey Your voice; therefore the curse is poured upon us, and the oath that is written in the Torah of Moses the servant of God, because we have sinned against Him,” (Daniel 9:11)
“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1John 1:8,9).
“If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not perform the truth. But if we walk in the light, just as He is in the light, we have fellowship together, and the blood of Yahashua Messiah His Son cleanses us from all sin,” (1John 1:6,7)
This clearly shows that The Most High’s mercy abounds to forgive sin because of the blood sacrifice of Yahashua. However, walking in the light of The Most High, His Torah, is also necessary for fellowship to continue with Him. The Most High’s light is “all the instruction that He has ever spoken.”
The Most High’s grace, on the other hand, is the very thing we need in order to perform that which is pleasing to Him, namely to obey His Law. This is why the apostle Sha’ul (Paul) said, “Where sin abounds grace does much more abound,” (Romans 5:20). Sha’ul did not mean that sin no longer mattered, or that grace would overlook sin. Rather, it is grace that is needed to bring righteousness into action in our lives, which is why he states,
“That as sin has ruled in death, even so might grace rule through righteousness leading unto eternal life by Yahashua Messiah our Master,” (Romans 5:21).
In the above passage we see that Grace rules through righteousness (Righteous actions)! So grace is the enablement to act out righteousness. Grace does not forgive sin, nor does it cancel the Law!
“Shall we continue sinning that grace may abound? May it never be! How shall we who are dead to sin live any longer in it?” (Romans 6:1,2).
Grace, then, is the power not to sin! It is the power not to transgress the Law! The goal is to become like Messiah Yahashua, who was perfect in all points of the Law, “full of grace and truth.”
So What’s the Difference?
So the difference is this: mercy forgives us of sin, but it is grace that enables us not to sin.
When Paul said we are no longer under the Law, but under grace (Romans 6:14, 15), he was not negating the Law. He was instead emphasizing our power toward the Law because of grace. The Law is no longer something pressing on us to showcase how unlawful we are, and how we are in bondage to sin. Rather, grace is now pressing on us to fill us with the righteous nature of The Most High Himself. In such a case the Law is no longer a burden, but rather the usual result of being filled with the divine nature.
“For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments, and His commandments are not burdensome” (1John 5:3).
It is the grace of The Most High toward us that provides us with the New Covenant in Messiah Yahashua. The prophet noted that this “new covenant” was to be marked by a new relationship with the Law [Torah]; not by negating the Law, but by putting it within us, and by writing it upon our heart:
“Behold, the days come, say The Most High, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah. Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers…But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel: After those days, says The Most High, I will put my Torah [Law] in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.” (Jeremiah 31:31-33)
We may say then, that the true grace of The Most High concerning the New Covenant is “the ability to perform the Law with power from the inner person.” So the purpose of Sha’ul, in all his teaching about the Law, must not have been to put it away. But rather, he is showing off the grace of The Most High in turning us from viewing the Law as a stumbling block, to it being placed in our very being. He argues that the Law is not something we must do — but something we cannot help but do.
Read Paul’s letters in this context and see if it does not become clear. Only in this context is Paul not in direct conflict with the words of Yahashua and the prophets, in saying that The Most High’s Torah shall never pass away.
Oh the goodness, mercy and grace of The Most High!
https://youtu.be/Jb5BxVba9nk
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)