Understanding Scripture

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The Bible, also known as Scripture, can seem overwhelming, even intimidating, to those not familiar with it.  The Bible is different from any other book.  It is more than a collection of prose, poetry, prophecy, and historical accounts.  The Bible informs, teaches, inspires, admonishes, encourages, and comforts us. It is an instruction book about our origin, history, and future.  The Holy Spirit is the true author of Scripture and helps us to understand what we are reading and apply it in our lives.  Just ask for His help.  

The Bible is a collection of books.  Each book has chapters and numbered verses, which can be helpful.  A Bible reference is made up of the name of the book, the chapter number followed by a colon, and the verse or verses referenced. The Bible was originally written in books as we see today.  The chapters and verses in each book were added later. 

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

It helps to have a framework to reference as you read through the Bible. The framework is that God created the world to establish His Kingdom on earth as it is in Heaven.  Satan wants to destroy God’s work.  Despite the interference and setbacks, God will accomplish His goal. Each person has a choice to follow God and be a part of His work, or to follow Satan and be part of the destruction.  A word of warning to those tempted to follow Satan.  He will use you to accomplish his purpose, but you are part of God’s creation, so he will eventually destroy you as well.  On the other hand, those who choose to follow God will live forever with Him in His glory.

The Bible is more than just a history book. It is also God’s love letter to His people. It helps us to keep in mind Yehovah’s goal. He will establish His Kingdom on earth as it is in Heaven, and He wants every one of us to join Him, but He will not force us. However, we do not join Him on our terms, but on His terms, because He is our Creator and the source of all true wisdom.

The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life (John 10:10).

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect (Romans 12:2).

I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one (John 10:28-30)

There are patterns and common themes throughout Scripture.  For example, God reaches out to people to teach them His ways. They follow His ways, and He blesses and protects them.  They thrive. Then they begin to think they succeeded on their own.  They stray away from God, thinking they are merely doing their own thing, not realizing that they are now doing Satan’s bidding. They fall into trouble and cry out to God for help.  He responds to their cries, and the cycle begins again. With the help of the Holy Spirit and learning from Scripture, we can end the destructive part of this cycle.  Each of us has a choice:  we can follow God, help build up His Kingdom, and live forever with God, or we can follow Satan, help tear down the Kingdom of God, and eventually be destroyed.  It may seem that there is a grey area where we can stay neutral and operate on our own, but this is a delusion.  There is no grey area.

In Matthew 12:30, Jesus tells us, “Anyone who isn’t with me opposes me, and anyone who isn’t working with me is actually working against me.”

“Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil” (Proverbs 3:7).

Another recurring theme in the Bible is the making of covenants.  God makes an agreement or contract with one or more people. God made covenants with Noah, Abraham, and Israel.  God is always true to His word and keeps His promises.  We are to keep our promises to Him. God always keeps His end of the agreement, but people often fail to keep their promises. In Scripture, we can see the graciousness and mercy of God and the failure of people.

Throughout Scripture, there is a recurring theme of God miraculously providing for His people. The stories of God providing for His people can bolster our faith and trust as we see His consistent provision.  He can be trusted to take care of us. God provided the Israelites with manna in the desert (Exodus 16).  Jesus fed over 5,000 people (Matthew 14:13-21).

Throughout the Bible, we find that suffering and glory are closely connected. God sometimes allows suffering so that we can be molded into the people He intends for us to be. 

And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you (1 Peter 5:10).

Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us (Romans 5:3-5).

With the help of the Holy Spirit, we can use the Bible to learn how to interact with God. We find examples of how God protects, teaches, encourages, and comforts us.  We can learn from others’ mistakes that are recorded in the Bible.  We learn God’s wisdom, which is far superior to the so-called wisdom of the world. Reading and studying God’s word strengthens us and nourishes our spirits and souls. We learn what God expects of us.

But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone,
    but by every word that comes from the mouth of God’” (Matthew 4:4).

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).

“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).

Read and study the Bible every day.  You may not always understand what you are reading, but the Holy Spirit will teach you what you need to know at this time. As you grow and mature spiritually, so will your understanding of God’s ways. The Holy Spirit will guide you into greater depths of understanding if you are faithful to read Scripture often.  Also, there are excellent Bible studies available online and in congregations.  Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you to the one that is best for you right now. No matter how often you read the Bible, there is always something new and fresh to discover in God’s love letter to us.

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success (Joshua 1:8).

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path (Psalm 119:105).

I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you (Psalm 119:11).

The Unseen Battlefield

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You no doubt have noticed that life can be difficult.  Sometimes it is challenging to get through one day, let alone one hour, at a time.  For many of us, our difficulties are what brought us to Yeshua in the first place.  We realized that we needed help; we could not make it on our own. Why is there so much turmoil and heartache in our lives?

 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

Whether or not we realize it, we live on an unseen battlefield.  Understanding this battlefield and how it came about helps us.  Just as we all have the same Creator, we also all have an unseen enemy who wants to harm us, even destroy us.

For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places (Ephesians 6:12).

The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life (John 10:10).

Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8).

God creates only what is good and fruitful.  He created us to grow and to thrive.  God desires only good and pleasant things for us.  It was the same when He created Heavenly beings.  One Heavenly spirit was especially beautiful and was appointed to a high position. He began to boast about himself.  At some point, he decided that he could replace God. He gathered an army of other Heavenly spirits to go against their Creator.  They were cast out of Heaven.  We call the rebellious leader Satan in English, taken from the Hebrew hasatan, which means “the adversary”.  You can read about this in Ezekiel 28:11-19.  The beginning of the chapter discusses the prince of Tyre, but many believe verses 11-19 refer to Satan.  Verse 13 says, “You were in Eden, the garden of God”.  Humans were banished from Eden after Adam and Eve sinned (Genesis 3:22-24), so these words cannot apply to the prince of Tyre. Ezekiel also says that this spiritual being walked among the stones of fire, which are near the throne of God (verse 14).

Since the adversary could no longer go directly after God, he decided to go after humans who were created in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:26-27).  God had created a delightful garden on the earth called Eden.  Everything was beautiful and perfect, a reflection of Heaven.  We were created in God’s image to reflect His glory. Satan sought revenge by going after God’s creation, especially us.  Satan tricked humans into serving him, rather than obeying and serving God. Adam and Eve believed Satan’s lies and disobeyed God (Genesis 3). They no longer reflected the glory of God, and the earth was cursed.  When we disobey God’s commands, we do not reflect His glory, and we separate ourselves from Him.  Satan and his followers are constantly at work to claim the earth’s inhabitants for their own.  We are caught in the middle of the battle.  So, what can we do?

The first thing is to realize that there is a spiritual realm, in addition to the physical realm. We are used to operating in the physical realm.  When we are born again, our spirit belongs to God. When we are born again, the Holy Spirit moves into us to care for our spirit and to teach our spirit how to live in the Kingdom of Heaven.  Our job is to cooperate with the Holy Spirit to learn how to operate in both realms.  The physical realm reflects what is going on in the spiritual realm. Jesus set the perfect example of operating in both realms while He was on earth.

For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children (Romans 8:16).

Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, and he will show him even greater works than these, so that you will be amazed (John 5:19-20).

We can pray to our Father and Jesus to ask for help. The Holy Spirit will guide us, if we ask Him.  We can pray for discernment so that we can discern what the Holy Spirit is guiding us to do.  The Bible teaches us about God and His ways. We can praise and worship God in all things. Every day, we should remember to put on the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18).

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right (2 Tim 3:16).

When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future (John 16:13).

We need never be alone on the battlefield.  As born-again believers in Jesus, we have access to the Father and Jesus. We learn from them how to overcome the enemy’s attacks. We mature in operating in both the physical and the spiritual realms.

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:37-39).

Embracing the Holy Spirit

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After Jesus died on the cross, He was resurrected on the third day!  He visited with His followers for forty days.  Then He went back to His Father in Heaven, but before He left, He promised His followers that He would send them a helper, the Holy Spirit. This is the same Holy Spirit who descended on Jesus after His baptism. (Matthew 3:13-17). Jesus is our perfect example of how to live in the Kingdom of Heaven, so we should welcome the Holy Spirit to help us, just as Jesus did.

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8).

And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38).

If you read through the book of Acts in the Bible, you will see that the apostles interacted with and were guided by the Holy Spirit.  We, too, have access to the Holy Spirit when we belong to Jesus.  All we need to do is ask our Father in Jesus’ name.  We need the Holy Spirit every bit as much as the apostles did. 

Some followers of Jesus, and even some congregations, tend to downplay or even dismiss the importance of engaging with the Holy Spirit.  Why? Why would you reject such a precious, necessary gift?  Here are a few reasons:

Some people do not understand the Holy Spirit’s function and role in our lives.  People sometimes avoid what they do not understand.  In addition, there is an overwhelming amount of misinformation that, unfortunately, is taught as Gospel truth.  You might hear people say that the Holy Spirit was given only to the apostles for a specific time and purpose.  Indeed, we do not live in the time of the apostles, but our purpose is the same as theirs.  We, too, are called to build up the Kingdom of Heaven on earth, the very work that Jesus began while He was here on earth.

When we invite the Holy Spirit to come into our lives, we agree to relinquish control and let Him take over. It seems like a big risk, but the truth is that the Holy Spirit knows far more than we do and can guide us in our new identity and life in Jesus.  It is a more dangerous risk to deny the Holy Spirit. He helps us to understand the Bible and how it applies to us.  He guides us and equips us with gifts to complete our assignments from the Father. Even though we still live on the earth, we are now citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven.  The Holy Spirit teaches us how to live and function in our Father’s Kingdom.

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will bein you (John 14:16-17).

And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness (Acts 4:31).

Likewise, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words (Romans 8:26)

People often fear what they do not understand or cannot see.  Those who lived in Israel when Jesus lived there were able to see, hear, and touch Him.  He looked like them and spoke their language.  Whether or not they are accurate, we have pictures of Jesus, so it is easier to relate to Him. How do we relate to the Holy Spirit?  We cannot see Him or touch Him.  We can feel His presence, though, once we realize what we are sensing. It feels like love, peace, protection, and well-being.  The Holy Spirit nudges us from within or speaks to us in a still, small voice. Sometimes He uses Scripture to communicate with us. It takes time and practice to learn how to interact with the Holy Spirit, but it is well worth the effort.  We have so much to gain from the Holy Spirit!

“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore, I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you” (John 16:12-15).

When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. And at this sound, the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language (Acts 2:1-6).

Ask the Father to fill you with His Holy Spirit. Welcome the Holy Spirit! Ask the Father to guide you to other followers of Jesus so that they can help you learn to interact with the Holy Spirit. Embrace the Holy Spirit!

Living with Jesus

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When we ask Jesus to be Lord of our lives, at first it may seem as if nothing has happened, nothing has changed.  In reality, radical changes have occurred, but not that we can see with our physical eyes.  In Heaven, our record with God has been cleansed.  We are starting a new life.  We belong not only to Jesus, but to His Father. Jesus’ Father is now our Father.

 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me (John 14:6).

“So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith”(Galatians 3:26)

As we spend time with Jesus, we will begin to sense His love and care for us.  Our Father also loves us more than we can imagine.  Jesus loved us enough to die for us centuries before we were born, but His love does not stop there.  Jesus knows that we have been hurt in the past.  He knows when we feel sad, threatened, lonely, or tempted.  He rejoices with us when we are happy, and He cries with us when we are hurting. He has experienced all the things we have, even temptation.  He has not sinned, but He carried all our sins to His crucifixion, so He is well acquainted with them. Jesus heals our broken hearts.

“But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children” (Psalm 103:17).

For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him (Psalm 103:11).

“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin” (Hebrews 4:15).

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; (Isaiah 61:1).

Jesus is our perfect example of how to live in the Kingdom of Heaven.  He came to serve others.  He did not seek glory for Himself, but for His Father.  He came to do the work His Father assigned to Him. He shows us how we are to live.

“…just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28, Mark 10:45).

I  (Jesus) glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do (John 17:4).

For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will (John 6:38).

We no longer live for ourselves.  We have a new identity in Jesus and a new purpose for our lives.  Our job now is to live for Jesus just as He died, was resurrected, and now lives for us.  Jesus is at work establishing His Kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.  Our job is to assist Him in this work. Jesus does not leave us on our own, but sends His Holy Spirit to live in us and guide us.  The Holy Spirit will equip us with whatever we need to do our part.  We must learn to be sensitive to the prompting, the quiet voice of the Holy Spirit.

“I have been crucified with [Jesus], and I no longer live, but [Jesus] lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).

“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Messiah Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do (Ephesians 2:10)

“Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you”(Matthew 28:19-20).

You may feel confused and overwhelmed at this point, but take heart. You have many brothers and sisters (we all have the same Father) in Jesus who have experienced what you are now experiencing.  Ask Jesus to send some brothers and sisters to help you. Up to now, you have learned values, priorities, and survival skills from the world’s perspective.  As you learn more about Jesus and your Father, you will discover that they have a very different viewpoint.  It will take some time to get used to it, so be patient with yourself.  Persistence will pay off, and eventually you will see and appreciate the wisdom and beauty of God’s ways.

Identity Crisis?

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Who are you?  Do you know for sure?  Before you write me off as crazy, let me say that most people do not have a clue who they are, or at least not who they were created to be.  For many years, I did not realize who I was or, more accurately, who I am supposed to be.  I did not realize how much more meaningful my life could be.  Many times, I wondered if I had any purpose here on earth or if I was just a mistake.  For years, I did not understand that I am of great importance and value to Someone.

I was in my late twenties, and my outlook was bleak. I was in a dark place, loaded down with burdens and responsibilities, wondering how I could make it even one more day. I was a divorced mom who had just lost another job.  My young daughter and I were living far from family.  I felt alone and abandoned, overwhelmed and terribly inadequate.  My precious daughter deserved much more than I could give her.  I wanted the very best for her, and at this point, I was not sure I could even provide the basics. I felt like an utter failure, worthless.  I did not know where to turn. In desperation, I called a friend and poured out my troubles.  She led me to Jesus.  Thus began my journey into discovering who I really am.  As I prayed, read Scripture, and interacted with my Savior, I learned that I am loved, accepted, and valued more than I could have ever dreamed possible.

The same is true for you.  If you are feeling inadequate, unworthy, or unwanted, take the chance and ask Jesus to be your Lord and Savior.  You are worth so much to Jesus that He suffered and died to pay the debt for your sins so that you could be restored to Him and to His Father. 

Ephesians 2:10 – “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”

Romans 5:8 – “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

1 Peter 2:24– “[Jesus] himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.

You are not an accident or a mistake.  You have not failed so miserably that you cannot be rescued and restored. It does not matter if others do not love you or even like you.  You are precious in the sight of your Creator.

Romans 8:37-39 – “And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Asking Jesus to be Lord of your life does not mean that you and your circumstances will be instantly perfect.  God works in process.  For example, if you plant a seed today, you will not see an adult plant producing flowers or fruit in an hour or even a week. It takes time for the process to unfold.  As Jesus works through the process with you, you will get to know and trust Him.  You will learn many things about God’s Kingdom in Heaven and how different it is from the way this world operates.  The journey will take the rest of your life, and it may seem difficult and harsh at times, but every step will be worth the result.  You will become the person you were designed to be, and you will know favor, glory, and blessing beyond what you can imagine.  I speak from experience.  I am not quite there yet, but I am much closer than when I began forty-five years ago.  This world is not an easy place, but with Jesus at your side, you can become all that you were intended to be.

John 16:33—I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth, you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”

I encourage you to ask Jesus to forgive your sins and to take over as Lord of your life.  Ask Him to show you who you are to Him.  Ask Him to teach His ways to you.  Speak from your heart and be honest with Him.  If you decide to invite Jesus to be your Lord and Savior, then welcome, new Sister or Brother in Jesus!  Please let me know of your decision so that I can pray for you.  If you have questions about your walk with Jesus, please email me, and I will do my best to answer them.  I encourage you to talk to Jesus, read the Bible, and ask Jesus to help you find other brothers and sisters in the faith.  It is good to have guidance from those more experienced, and it is a joy to have others to encourage you, pray with you, and for you in your new life.  Watch for upcoming articles that I hope will be helpful to you

More Than Conquerors

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The world is reeling from evil and threats of evil.  Everything is spiraling out of control.  Governments and economies are shaky and unpredictable.  Many believe that we are living in the end times.  Fear and uncertainty are rising, but this should not be the case for those of us who belong to Yeshua.  This should not be a time for looking around, but for looking up and waiting eagerly for Yeshua’s glorious return.  Throughout the Bible, Yehovah tells those who belong to Him not to fear, but to trust Him.  It helps, in these troubling times, to stay focused on Yehovah and His word.

This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (Josh 1:9)

There are wars and rumors of wars. Even though nuclear bombs have been around for approximately eighty years, government leaders today are issuing threats of nuclear war at an alarming rate.  It seems to be not if, but when.  As governments increase spending on warfare, their people are languishing, especially the vulnerable.  What is Yehovah’s response?

Woe to those who enact unjust decrees
and draft oppressive legislation
to deprive the impoverished of justice
and rob my people’s poor of their rights,
looting widows and preying on orphans. What will you do on the day of punishment,
when calamity comes from afar?
To whom will you flee for help?
Where will you leave your wealth so as not to squat among the prisoners
or fall among the slain? (Isaiah 10:1-4 CJB)

Conspiracies and conspiracy theories abound.  Whom should we believe?  Can we trust world leaders, the media, or anyone else?

The Lord has given me a strong warning not to think like everyone else does. He said,

 “Don’t call everything a conspiracy, like they do,
    and don’t live in dread of what frightens them.
Make the Lord of Heaven’s Armies holy in your life.
    He is the one you should fear. He is the one who should make you tremble (Isaiah 8:12-13 NLT)

In over 150 countries, people who follow Yeshua (Jesus) are threatened with or are suffering severe persecution, even martyrdom.  Many who belong to Yeshua have lost lives, family members, homes and employment.  Many of our brothers and sisters in Yeshua have escaped with only the clothes on their backs.  They are now living in refugee camps under deplorable conditions and are in constant danger.  Is there hope for them?

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on My account.  Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you (Matt 5:10-12 NKJV).

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.  But rejoice insofar as you share Messiah’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when His glory is revealed.  If you are insulted for the name of Messiah Yeshua, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. (1 Peter 4:12-14 ESV).

How much time do we spend on news reports, or planning strategies for “what if”?  Do we let fear drive us to find solutions rather than seek His guidance?  Do we doubt that Yehovah can address all the current issues and the evil that is so prevalent in this world?  When we feel overwhelmed, let us turn our focus from what is happening around us, and meditate on the following verses from Isaiah 40:12-20 (NLT).

    Who else has held the oceans in his hand?
    Who has measured off the heavens with his fingers? Who else knows the weight of the earth
    or has weighed the mountains and hills on a scale?
13 Who is able to advise the Spirit of the Lord?
    Who knows enough to give him advice or teach him?
14 Has the Lord ever needed anyone’s advice?
    Does he need instruction about what is good?
Did someone teach him what is right
    or show him the path of justice?

15 No, for all the nations of the world
    are but a drop in the bucket.
They are nothing more
    than dust on the scales.
He picks up the whole earth
    as though it were a grain of sand.
16 All the wood in Lebanon’s forests
    and all Lebanon’s animals would not be enough
    to make a burnt offering worthy of our God.
17 The nations of the world are worth nothing to him.
    In his eyes they count for less than nothing—
    mere emptiness and froth…

21 Haven’t you heard? Don’t you understand?
    Are you deaf to the words of God—
the words he gave before the world began?
    Are you so ignorant?
22 God sits above the circle of the earth.
    The people below seem like grasshoppers to him!
He spreads out the heavens like a curtain
    and makes his tent from them.
23 He judges the great people of the world
    and brings them all to nothing.
24 They hardly get started, barely taking root,
    when he blows on them and they wither.
    The wind carries them off like chaff.

25 “To whom will you compare me?
    Who is my equal?” asks the Holy One…

28 Have you never heard?
    Have you never understood?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
    the Creator of all the earth.
He never grows weak or weary.
    No one can measure the depths of his understanding.
29 He gives power to the weak
    and strength to the powerless.
30 Even youths will become weak and tired,
    and young men will fall in exhaustion.
31 But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.
    They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary.
    They will walk and not faint.

Yehovah is in control and is aware of all that is happening.  Our job is to move boldly under His direction, trusting that He is fighting our battles for us.

There is Power in The Name

God's Name, Peter's blogs, ,

In my first posting on this topic (What’s in a Name?), I established through a chain of scriptural references that God wants His Name to be known and spoken, although it has been hidden from the majority of Jews and Christians for 2,000+ years. The true pronunciation of God’s (Yehovah’s) Name was hidden before Yeshua (Jesus) came to earth the first time, as the Jewish leaders had decided it was too holy for the common people to speak. Yeshua said that one of the main reasons Abba had sent Him to Earth was to reveal the true name of the Father (Yehovah) to His disciples while He was on the earth (John 17:6).

Since there were no vowels in Hebrew scrolls at that time, there was no way to know the pronunciation of God’s Name from reading the scrolls. However, Jewish scribes painstakingly transcribed the scriptures in the 10th and 11th centuries into what are now known as the Aleppo and the Leningrad Codex. These scrolls are unique because vowel points were added so that unfamiliar words, such as God’s Name, could be pronounced properly. The image at the top of this posting contains the Hebrew letters for God’s Name, including the vowel points as found in the two Codexes mentioned above. According to 100+ instances in these two Codexes, the Name is clearly pronounced as Yehovah or Y’hovah.

What is even more crucial, though, is how we use His Name. In Zechariah 13:9, YHVH says to His people that they will call upon His Name and He will answer them. In the Aaronic blessing, Yehovah spoke to Aaron through Moses and told him what words he was to speak to the people of Israel to bless them (Num 6:23-26). Very few people know that what YHVH said in the next verse is the most important part of the blessing. He was explaining the significance of the blessing when He said: “So shall they [the priests] put My Name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them” (Num 6:27). Each verse of the blessing contains God’s holy Name, and YHVH was saying that if they would place (speak) God’s Name over the people, He would promise to bless them.

God loves to hear His Name spoken and there are so many different ways to speak His Name: in praise and worship (Ps 8:1, 66:4, 148, etc.), in blessings (as in Num 6), in prayers (Isa 1:4, Ps 105:1) and in the joys and sorrows of everyday life (as a greeting in Ruth 2:4). There is power in God’s Name; the greatest power in all the universe. In Isa 45:22, Yehovah is telling everyone to look to Him and be saved; He is saying that He Alone is God and there is no other god. Then in the next verse (Isa 45:23) He says “That to Me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall confess.” Finally in Verse 24 He says that all Israel will glorify Yehovah as the true Creator and Redeemer God of the universe.

The power of YHVH’s Name is best seen through His attributes that are contained in His compound names in scripture. One of the most powerful is in the graphic at the beginning of this posting: “Yehovah my Miracle [YHVH Nissi]” – this illustrates that we can call on the Name of Yehovah and trust Him to work miracles in our lives, and then give glory to His Name once again when they happen. Another descriptive name for God is Yehovah Yireh (sometimes written as Jevohah Jireh). This is usually translated as “The LORD my Provider”; however, a more accurate translation is “Yehovah who sees”, meaning in essence that He not only sees and knows our needs but that He satisfies them.

The many other names for God in the scriptures powerfully illustrate YHVH’s mercy, forgiveness, and unconditional love for His people. To know God’s Name is important, but it is more relevant to experience the power and beauty of using His Name when we pray. Such prayers are like sweet fragrant incense rising up to our Father in heaven (Rev 5:8).

For instance, when we are interceding for another who is suffering from illness, we can speak His Name along with the attribute of His character that relates to healing: “Yehovah Rapha (The LORD our Healer)”. When we do this, we can sense the Holy Spirit going into action, bringing healing. In the same way, when we cry out to God that He is our Rock (Yehovah Tsuri) we feel comforted in our soul that we can lean on him as our solid Rock and He will never leave us or forsake us. Many people have experienced peace and comfort when they recite the 23rd Psalm, but when you realize that “The LORD our shepherd” is actually “Yehovah Ro’i” in Hebrew and we can call our Shepherd by His Name, then it makes Yeshua’s words in John 10 so much more personal. Yeshua said in John 10:27: “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” (Isn’t it easier to hear His voice and discern it from all other (false) shepherds when we know His Name as well as His voice? Finally, He says: “I am the good Shepherd. The good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.” (John 10:11) How comforting to know that our Creator and Lord is willing to lay down His life for us (and did just that when He died on the cross)?

I will leave you with the words that Yeshua spoke to His disciples near the end of His first mission to the earth: “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14:27) If you want to see more about the Hebrew Names for God, see this Web site (remember that “Y” is usually written as “J” in English translations): Names of God – Blue Letter Bible

Reversals

Encouragement, , , , , ,

When Yeshua went to the cross, it seemed like total defeat.  His own chosen people whom for centuries He had loved and prepared to receive Him as Messiah rejected Him (Luke 23:18-25). He came to share Good News, the best news with them.  He fed them, taught them, healed them, freed them from demonic oppression, comforted them, yet they rejected Him.  He was betrayed by one of His own followers, one in a group that He had held especially close and dear (Luke 22:47-48). The rest of that special little group was scattered after His arrest, one denying that He even knew Him (Matt 26:69-75). His so-called trial was a sham.  Those conducting it broke just about every one of their rules for conducting a trial.  He was cruelly beaten and whipped, crucified, mocked, and humiliated in every way by the very people He came to save.  At the end, it seemed that even His Father had abandoned Him (Ps. 22:1).  At any time, did He ever wonder what was the point?  Why had He gone to the trouble of becoming one of us, to suffer with us and to serve us, when we were already His enemies and there seemed little likelihood of anyone being willing to commit themselves to faithfully following Him?  Yet, despite the discouragement and pain that He suffered, He continued with His mission and poured Himself out as the perfect sacrifice that would pay our otherwise impossible debt and cleanse us from unrighteousness.  In the end, His broken body was taken down and placed in a burial cave. Everything seemed hopeless.

After three days and three nights in the grave, a remarkable thing happened:  Yeshua was resurrected!  His body was no longer broken, but was whole and now immortal.  Death had not defeated Him, rather He had defeated death! His humiliation was now His glory (Phil 2:8-11).  His brokenness was now impenetrable wholeness. Now, instead of rejection, countless people have clamored for Him through the centuries and still do today!  Many people have willingly suffered much and have even been martyred rather than be separated from Yeshua.  In fact, today there are people in over 150 countries who are suffering much persecution because they refuse to abandon Yeshua. His supposed defeat is now revealed as the greatest victory ever.

Even though Yeshua’s death seemed an indication of failure and defeat, it was really the greatest triumph of all time.  What does that mean for us?  Our sins can be forgiven when we sincerely desire it, our debt paid in full, and we are rescued from the clutches of our enemies.  Our greatest defeat may turn out to be our greatest triumph.  When we have loved and served Yeshua only to be disregarded or even shunned by others, we find that we are valued and highly esteemed by the only One whose opinion truly matters.  When we are betrayed by the very ones on earth who should love and support us, we are loved, cherished, nurtured and protected by Yehovah who created us.  We may do all that we can to advance the Kingdom of Yehovah on earth and it may seem that all our efforts have been futile, but perhaps we are not yet able to see the whole picture. Maybe our efforts will bear good fruit even after we are gone.  Just like Yeshua our mortal bodies will also be replaced with immortal bodies at our resurrection (1 Cor. 15:53). Our so-called defeat will become our victory!

Yeshua sits at the right hand of Yehovah in glory and splendor (Rom 8:34; Mark 16:19).  If we remain faithful to Yehovah, we have a place with Yeshua in His glory (Eph 2:6). Yeshua became like us so that we could become like Him. Through our suffering, we are tried and tested and prepared to be effective citizens in the Kingdom of Yehovah. Right now in this world there is ever-increasing darkness and evil. Yeshua warned us that there would be tribulation, but that we should be encouraged because He has overcome the world (John 16:33). Sha’ul (Paul) tells us that our present suffering is not worth comparing to the glory that will be revealed to us later (Rom 8:18). With the help of the Holy Spirit, we can endure to the end, just as Yeshua did. There is hope for us, even in our darkest hours.

What’s in a Name ?

God's Name, Peter's blogs, , , ,

They know My Name

When we meet someone, one of the first questions we ask is “what is your name”? Jesus (Yeshua) died for our sins, to restore our relationship with our Father. We relate to God as our heavenly Father, so it is good to call Him Abba (Aramaic for Father or Daddy). But we also know from scripture that He has a name, and that His children are even called by His name – see II Chron 7:14 and Isa 43:7 (“…everyone who is called by My name, whom I created for My glory…”). And should you believe that knowing and speaking God’s name is only for Israel, see Amos 9:12 where God speaks through Amos and says “…And all the Gentiles [nations] who are called by My name, says the LORD…”.

So, how do we know that God wants us to know and speak His name? There are over 100 scriptures in the Torah, Psalms and Prophets where God says that He wants all the earth to know, speak, and praise His name (e.g. Ex 9:16; Num 6:27; Ps 9:10; Ps 66:4; Ps 91:14; Ps 105:1,3; Ps 105:1,3; Ps 119:132; Ps 148:13; Isa 42:8; Isa 52:6; Jer 16:21; Mal 4:2). The other question that pops up is whether God’s name is to be remembered by everyone for all time? This question is answered soundly by David in Ps 45:17 “I will cause Your name to be remembered in all generations; therefore nations will praise You forever and ever”. A prime example of God blessing His people when they remember His name is in Ex 20:27 “In every place where I cause My name to be remembered I will come to you and bless you.”

What does Yeshua have to say about the name of God? In Matt 23:39, when He was weeping over the people of Jerusalem because they had not recognized Him as their Messiah, He said “for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’ ”. “The LORD“ in this verse is actually YHVH (Yehovah), not Adonai (the Hebrew word for Lord). Yeshua was quoting directly from the prophecy in Ps 118:26, which was talking about the future end times when people would speak those words, and use God’s true name in place of the generic title of “The LORD”. In John 17:6, when Yeshua was praying to Abba Father on behalf of his disciples, He said “I made your name known to the people you gave me out of the world. They were yours, you gave them to me, and they have kept your word.”

In Acts 2:21, Peter quotes Joel 2 when he says “And it shall come to pass that all who call upon the name of the Lord [YHVH] shall be saved”. Just as in Matt 23 above, “the Lord” in this verse is not the generic title for Lord, but rather YHVH (written as The LORD in the Old Testament). In the end times (as reported in Zech 13:9), YHVH says “They will call on My name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘This is My people’; and each one will say, ‘The LORD [YHVH] is my God.’”

So now that we have established that YHVH wants His name to be known, spoken, praised and glorified in all the earth, how can we know how to speak and pronounce His name? I will go into this in more detail in future blogs in this series, but in summary we know the following to be true:

  • God always wanted us to know His name (from the time He spoke His name to Moses in Ex 3:15)
  • God’s name (the full pronunciation of YHVH) was spoken regularly by people up until the time of the Second Temple, after the return from Babylon – see Ruth 2:4
  • The speaking of God’s name was progressively restricted to a smaller and smaller group of Jews during the Second Temple period (first only the priests, and eventually only the high priest, before and during Yeshua’s time)
  • As stated in John 17:6 above, Yeshua revealed the true name of YHVH to His disciples while He was on the earth (which had been hidden from the common people for several hundred years)

As far as the actual pronunciation of God’s name, there is great dispute, but through our research over a number of years, we believe that His name (YHVH), which is written 6828 times in the Hebrew scriptures, is pronounced as Yehovah (or Y’hovah). We also believe that His name is being revealed to many in this age, as another of the many signs of the approach of the end times that are now unfolding. Finally, we believe it is all part of Yehovah’s plan, that His name would be hidden for a time, and then revealed again to His remnant when the time was right. Stay tuned for further chapters in this story and why we and others believe as we do.

Who Is Yeshua?

Living Kingdom

Yeshua is everything to us:  our salvation, our hope, our future, to name a few. It is important to get to know Him as well as possible.  We can do this by interacting with Him and also by reading the Bible.  It is the word of Yehovah and Yeshua is the living Word of Yehovah.  This series, entitled “Who Is Yeshua?” will consist of twenty-one articles. Each article will explore a different section of the Bible to discover different titles and roles of Yeshua and our response to each role. In the twenty-first and final article in the series, Yeshua is Mighty Conqueror.

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:3)

Yeshua came into the world not only to serve as our teacher and perfect example, not only to pay the debt of our sin, but also to overcome the evil one, hasatan, who is the enemy of Yehovah as well as our enemy.  So why does Yeshua say that He overcame the world rather than hasatan?  In my previous article about Yeshua as Restorer, we discussed how hasatan had taken over dominion of the earth after the fall of Adam and Eve.  It was necessary for Yeshua to overcome the world as well as hasatan, to win back for us what had been lost to us. Yehovah had assigned dominion of the earth to Adam and Eve and, consequently, to their descendants (Gen 1:26-28).

Yeshua also conquered death.  Knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him (Rom 6:9).  Even though we all must die the first death, just as Yeshua did, we who belong to Him will never suffer death again but will have eternal life.  “I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life” (John 5:24).

The enemy no longer has dominion over us unless we give it back to him by choosing hasatan’s ways rather than Yehovah’s ways. Therefore, it is important that we grow close to Abba, our Father in Heaven so that we are trusting and obeying Him.  When we place our trust in Yehovah, we overcome hasatan and temptation.  “Look, I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy, and you can walk among snakes and scorpions and crush them. Nothing will injure you” (Luke 10:19). 

In the first article in this series, we learned that Yeshua is the promised Seed of the woman (Gen 3:15).  We discovered that the Seed (Yeshua) died in order to produce more seed (us).  Yes, indeed! I tell you that unless a grain of wheat that falls to the ground dies, it stays just a grain; but if it dies, it produces a big harvest (John 12:24). We, as seed produced from the Seed, must die to ourselves daily or even suffer persecution or martyrdom in order to continue the production of many seeds. 

A seed contains the embryo of a plant.  In other words, a grain of wheat will produce a wheat stalk that produces more grains of wheat.  Yeshua, the Seed of the woman, has produced many seeds (us) through His death.  As we grow and mature, we become like Yeshua. For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith (1 John 5:4). We are expected to carry on Yeshua’s work of building the Kingdom of Heaven.  We are able to do all things necessary for building Yehovah’s Kingdom on earth as it is in Heaven. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength (Phil 4:12-13).

As seeds produced from the Seed, we are mighty conquerors and can overcome the enemy’s influence and his evil ways.  Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God (1 John 5:5)?  The Seed continues His work through us and because of Him we are more than conquerors!  No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us (Rom 8:37).

If we remain faithful through all the trials and tribulations of this world, we will one day reign with Yeshua in victory. We will be part of His glorious Kingdom. Our rewards will be many!

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God’ (Rev 2:7).

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death’ (Rev 2:11).

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, to him I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one knows but he who receives it’ (Rev 2:17).

He who overcomes, and he who keeps My deeds until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations (Rev 2:26).

He who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels (Rev 3:5).

He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will not go out from it anymore; and I will write on him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God, and My new name (Rev 3:12).

He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne (Rev 3:21).

He who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son (Rev 21:7).

This is an excellent time to ask forgiveness for your sins and invite Yeshua (Jesus) to be Lord of your life.  When we commit sin, we incur a debt that none of us can ever pay on our own.  It cannot be paid with earthly currency or even with great sacrifice on our part.  This debt can only be paid for by the blood of Yeshua which has already been shed for us. This is the greatest gift to ever be offered.  Don’t miss out.  After you have accepted Yeshua as your Lord and Savior, ask for baptism in the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit will be your constant companion and Counselor and will equip you for Kingdom living.