Category Archives: Holy

Compassionate, Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Doubt / Lacking Faith, Grace / Forgiveness, Heaven and Hell, Holy, Justice / Judgment, Loving / Kind, Merciful, Obeying God, Salvation, Worthy of Fear / Reverence

Doors of the Bible

Today I want to share an interesting perspective I gained from the Ark Encounter in Kentucky. I am sharing their material, which can be found at arkencounter.com/about/good-news/. I am grateful for the ministry and outreach efforts of that organization. I would encourage you to consider it for future family vacation plans. My family greatly enjoyed it and it supports a ministry that shares the truth of God’s word in a powerful way.

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Why Did God Send the Flood?

The pre-Flood world was exceedingly wicked and filled with violence. The Bible states that all flesh had corrupted its way on the earth. God sent the global Flood to judge the evil world while preserving Noah’s family and representatives of land animals.

The Ark’s Door

One of God’s specific instructions for Noah was to build a door in the side of the Ark. Noah and his family entered this door to be saved from the Flood. Everyone outside of the Ark perished.

What’s Wrong with This World?

God created a perfect world, but our first parents, Adam and Eve, chose to rebel against their holy Creator. Their sin brought suffering and death into creation, and since all people are descendants of Adam, all have inherited a sin nature set against God. Furthermore, all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). We live in a fallen, sin-cursed world where men love darkness rather than light.

Will God Judge the World Again?

The Bible states that God will judge this wicked world once again, but this time it will be by fire. In fact, Jesus compared the days of His return to the days of Noah. People were caught unaware by the judgment because they were so focused on the things of this world, such as eating, drinking, and marriage. Similarly, Peter prophesied that skeptics would come in the last days and would mock the biblical teachings of creation, the Flood, and the coming judgment. We see these things happening in our day, and God always keeps His promises—judgment will come.

Another Door

Noah’s family entered the Ark’s door to escape the physical destruction of the Flood. God has provided another “door” to save people from the coming eternal judgment. Jesus Christ said, “I am the door of the sheep” (John 10:7). In that culture the shepherd really was the door to the pen—they would rest in the entryway, ensuring that the sheep would be kept safe. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, is the door through which we must enter to be saved from our sin.

The Substitute

Jesus Christ, the Son of God, became a man, lived a sinless life, and then willingly died on the Cross as a substitute. As man’s sin brought death, the Son of God died to redeem man from his sins. Three days later, Jesus rose from the dead, showing that He held power over death and demonstrating God’s acceptance of Christ’s payment for sin.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)

Who Needs to Be Saved?

The short answer is “everyone.” Since God is holy and perfect in every way, He must judge sin. As such, each of us deserves to face God’s justice because we have broken His laws. If you stop and examine your own heart, you will recognize times where you have lied, stolen, coveted, and failed to honor God as He deserves. On our own each of us stands condemned to suffer eternally because of our rebellion, and we need someone to save us from God’s wrath.

How Can I Go Through This Door?

We cannot earn God’s forgiveness as manmade religions teach—it is offered freely through the sacrificial death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We receive God’s forgiveness only through faith in what Christ has done. This means that we repent of our sins, trusting in Jesus and believing that He died for our sins and rose from the dead. In faith, we acknowledge our guilt before God and plead with our Creator to forgive us and save us from our sins.

“That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9)

Have You Entered the Door?

Have you placed your faith in Christ alone to save you from your sins? If not, we urge you to turn from your sins (repent) and call out to God for His merciful forgiveness. Enter the door of salvation today.

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

All Knowing, Compassionate, Grace / Forgiveness, Holy, Loving / Kind, Merciful, Prophecy, Thankfulness

Jesus Was A Willing Sacrifice

As I read through certain passages in scripture, I am boldly and plainly reminded that Yeshua knew what was to happen and willingly submitted to the Father in sacrificing Himself to pay for our sins. A good way to internalize this a bit more personally is to say to yourself, “Jesus died for MY sins.”

Don’t rush past this thought, dwell on it. Jesus knew what was going to happen before it happened. He was not surprised or trapped or “caught”. He already knew exactly what was to happen. He willingly took the place of the Passover lamb, sacrificed for MY sins… and yours.

Mark 14:12-21

The Last Passover

      12On the first day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb was being sacrificed, His disciples said to Him, “Where do You want us to go and prepare for You to eat the Passover?” 13And He sent two of His disciples and said to them, “Go into the city, and a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him; 14and wherever he enters, say to the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher says, “Where is My guest room in which I may eat the Passover with My disciples?”’ 15“And he himself will show you a large upper room furnished and ready; prepare for us there.” 16The disciples went out and came to the city, and found it just as He had told them; and they prepared the Passover.

      17When it was evening He came with the twelve. 18As they were reclining at the table and eating, Jesus said, “Truly I say to you that one of you will betray Me—one who is eating with Me.” 19They began to be grieved and to say to Him one by one, “Surely not I?” 20And He said to them, “It is one of the twelve, one who dips with Me in the bowl. 21“For the Son of Man is to go just as it is written of Him; but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born.”

Knowing that Jesus willingly suffered and died on MY behalf, and yours… should I not come before Him humbly and thankfully to accept this offer of forgiveness by grace through faith? We each must decide. If someone offered you a new car, would you be thankful or would you reject them and keep doing your own thing? So too we must each decide if we will come before Jesus humbly and ask forgiveness for our sins, turning from them and turning our actions and behaviors and attitudes to the ways of Jehovah, that we see modeled in the life of Jesus. Will we choose to accept the gift of salvation, of forgiveness, from the punishment and judgment we have justly earned?

Take care, however, as you can not simply call on the name of Jesus to save you and then continue to go about ignoring or rejecting everything He taught and lived as example. You must truly accept Him as Lord, which will be reflected in how your life changes to reflect His ways instead of your own.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, thank You for Yeshua. Thank You for grace and forgiveness. Please forgive my sin and help me to repent and live wholeheartedly for You, according to Your ways snd not the ways of man or the flesh. You are worthy of praise! Amen.

 Shalom.

Devotion by John in service to Christ

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Consequences of Sin, Fear / Reverence for God, Forgive Others / Seek Forgiveness, Grace / Forgiveness, Holy, Justice / Judgment, Obeying God, Submitted / Servant, Worthy of Fear / Reverence

God Is a Consuming Fire

Yahweh is often represented as some kind of pushover or marshmallow who is happy with any who even sort of identify with Him even if they are not really submitted to Him. No one says it as directly as this, but we should reflect on how we compromise with the culture and world around us as an indicator. Yah calls us to be a set apart people, holy, for His purposes. We should not put other gods or focus areas in our lives competing with Him or sharing our priority with Him. This could be work, golf, power, money, sports, and literally accepting other gods as another way to salvation, even if we don’t follow them. It could be putting government on God’s place as our father and provider. It could be many things.

What is more direct is those that outright oppose God. This could be in choices like abortion, taking God out of school and government, persecuting those who do follow Yah and many others.

God is a consuming fire, not a marshmallow. He is not insecure and desperately seeking any type of friendship, even half hearted. He expects all of us!

I am sharing the below article from GotQuestions.org.

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What Does it Mean That God Is a Consuming Fire?

God is first identified as a “consuming fire” in Deuteronomy 4:24 and 9:3. The writer to the Hebrews reiterates, warning the Hebrews to worship God with reverence and awe “for our God is a consuming fire.” There is nothing mysterious about the Hebrew and Greek words translated “consuming fire.” They mean exactly that—a fire that utterly consumes or destroys. How, then, can a loving and merciful God also be a consuming fire that utterly destroys?

In both Deuteronomy passages in which God is called a consuming fire, Moses is speaking first to warn the Israelites against idolatry (Deuteronomy 4:23-25) because God is a “jealous God” and will not share His glory with worthless idols. Idolatry provokes Him to a righteous anger which is justified when His holiness is disrespected. In Deuteronomy 9:3, Moses again refers to God as a consuming (or devouring) fire who would go ahead of the Israelites into the Promised Land, destroying and subduing their enemies before them. Here again we see God’s wrath against those who oppose Him depicted as fire that utterly consumes and destroys anything in His path.

There are several incidents in which God’s wrath, judgment, holiness or power are displayed by fire from heaven. Aaron’s sons Abihu and Nadab were destroyed by fire when they offered a profane sacrifice, “strange fire,” in the tabernacle, a sign of their disregard for the utter holiness of God and the need to honor Him in solemn and holy fear. The confrontation between Elijah and the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel is another example of consuming fire from God. The prophets of Baal called upon their god all day long to rain fire from heaven to no avail. Then Elijah built an altar of stones, dug a ditch around it, put the sacrifice on the top of wood and called for water to be poured over his sacrifice three times. Elijah called upon God, and God sent fire down from heaven, completely consuming the sacrifice, the wood, and the stones and licked up the water in the ditch. Then His anger turned against the false prophets, and they were all killed. When prophesying the destruction of the Assyrians, who resisted the true and living God and warred against His people, Isaiah refers to the tongue of the Lord as a consuming fire and His “arm coming down with raging anger and consuming fire” (Isaiah 30:27-30).

God’s holiness is the reason for His being a consuming fire, and it burns up anything unholy. The holiness of God is that part of His nature that most separates Him from sinful man. The godless, Isaiah writes, tremble before Him: “Who of us can dwell with the consuming fire? Who of us can dwell with everlasting burning?” Isaiah answers this by saying that only the righteous can withstand the consuming fire of God’s wrath against sin, because sin is an offense to God’s holiness. But Isaiah also assures us that no amount of our own righteousness is sufficient (Isaiah 64:6).

Fortunately, God has provided the righteousness we need by sending Jesus Christ to die on the cross for the sins of all who would ever believe in Him. In that one act, Christ mitigates God’s wrath, exchanging His perfect righteousness for our sin. “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21). All the wrath of God was poured out on Jesus, so that those who belong to Him would not have to suffer the same fate as the Assyrians. “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31), but we need not fear the consuming fire of God’s wrath if we are covered by the purifying blood of Christ.

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I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please help me be fully submitted and devoted to You. Let me not try to be in relationship and submission to You half hearted. I want to be all in. Please forgive me for my sins and failures through the blood of Christ. Thank You for Your Grace and mercy. Amen.

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

 

 

Fear / Reverence for God, His Ways Are Not Our Ways, Holy, Obeying God, Seeking God, Worthy of Fear / Reverence

Focus on God’s Mission, Not Your Own, and Do It His Way

Sometimes we may have a tendency to get angry with Yahweh when something does not work out well, even if it was relating to the church or ministry or service to others. David experienced this when he tried to move the ark and Uzza was struck down by Yahweh for touching the ark. David became fearful, which is understandable, and paused the movement of the ark.

1 Chronicles 13

Peril in Transporting the Ark

      1Then David consulted with the captains of the thousands and the hundreds, even with every leader. 2David said to all the assembly of Israel, “If it seems good to you, and if it is from the LORD our God, let us send everywhere to our kinsmen who remain in all the land of Israel, also to the priests and Levites who are with them in their cities with pasture lands, that they may meet with us; 3and let us bring back the ark of our God to us, for we did not seek it in the days of Saul.” 4Then all the assembly said that they would do so, for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people.

      5So David assembled all Israel together, from the Shihor of Egypt even to the entrance of Hamath, to bring the ark of God from Kiriath-jearim. 6David and all Israel went up to Baalah, that is, to Kiriath-jearim, which belongs to Judah, to bring up from there the ark of God, the LORD who is enthroned above the cherubim, where His name is called. 7They carried the ark of God on a new cart from the house of Abinadab, and Uzza and Ahio drove the cart. 8David and all Israel were celebrating before God with all their might, even with songs and with lyres, harps, tambourines, cymbals and with trumpets.

      9When they came to the threshing floor of Chidon, Uzza put out his hand to hold the ark, because the oxen nearly upset it. 10The anger of the LORD burned against Uzza, so He struck him down because he put out his hand to the ark; and he died there before God. 11Then David became angry because of the LORD’S outburst against Uzza; and he called that place Perez-uzza to this day. 12David was afraid of God that day, saying, “How can I bring the ark of God home to me?” 13So David did not take the ark with him to the city of David, but took it aside to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. 14Thus the ark of God remained with the family of Obed-edom in his house three months; and the LORD blessed the family of Obed-edom with all that he had.

A common attitude in reading this scripture may be that Yahweh was harsh or that David was only trying to honor Yahweh. However, if we look deeper the history gets more interesting.  David clearly asked the people if moving the ark was a good idea, and said he wanted to do it if it was from Yahweh. However, there is no firm indication that David went to the LORD in prayer and sought an answer from Yahweh about moving the ark. It is not clear if he did so, but its absence of mention may imply he did not as elsewhere in scripture that action is explicitly mentioned.

Further, David moved the ark his own way, not the way Yahweh had instructed. David used a cart where Yahweh instructed it was to be carried by men in a certain way. Yahweh also said noone should touch it and that was violated when Uzza reached up to stabilize it. It would not have tipped and needed to be stabilized if it was carried properly as Yahweh instructed.

I suppose a summary may be that David was so excited with what he wanted to do, perhaps with good intention for honoring the LORD, that he may not have consulted with the LORD on the mission and definitely went about it his own way instead of Yah’s way. The ark was holy and set apart for Yahweh’s purpose. It was not to be treated as common cargo.

I believe there is a lesson in this for all of us. It is not enough to seek to honor God in what we think is right and do it however we want. We must honor God how He instructs and seek Him to make sure we are lined up with His mission and not our own.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please help me to stop and ask You about those things I want to accomplish, even if my heart is towards You. Help me pause and seek You. Let me hear from You. May the Spirit guide me. Show me how to accomplish all You call me to do in a way that is pleasing to You. Help me not to just hurry to do it how I think is right without seeking You. Amen. 

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Children, Faith / Trusting God, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, His Ways Are Not Our Ways, Holy, Justice / Judgment, Loving / Kind, Obeying God, Study the Word, Traditions / Holidays

Yeshua Is the Passover Lamb

As the final days of his earthly ministry were passing, Yeshua led His disciples to prepare to celebrate Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Think about that for a few moments. Yeshua, God himself living among us, chose to spend some of the closing moments of His brief earthly ministry in preparation of Passover. It was clearly important to him and for good reason.

The timing is not coincidental that Yeshua would be sacrificed for our sins at Passover time. It was intended that way by our Creator. Passover not only reminds us of deliverance from bondage in Egypt but also foreshadows our deliverance from the bondage of sin through the sacrifice of Yeshua on the cross. Yeshua was sacrificed as our Passover lamb… dying for our sins so we can be set free from sin and death.

Mark 14:12-21

The Last Passover

12On the first day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb was being sacrificed, His disciples said to Him, “Where do You want us to go and prepare for You to eat the Passover?” 13And He sent two of His disciples and said to them, “Go into the city, and a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him; 14and wherever he enters, say to the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher says, “Where is My guest room in which I may eat the Passover with My disciples?”’ 15“And he himself will show you a large upper room furnished and ready; prepare for us there.” 16The disciples went out and came to the city, and found it just as He had told them; and they prepared the Passover.

17When it was evening He came with the twelve. 18As they were reclining at the table and eating, Jesus said, “Truly I say to you that one of you will betray Me—one who is eating with Me.” 19They began to be grieved and to say to Him one by one, “Surely not I?” 20And He said to them, “It is one of the twelve, one who dips with Me in the bowl. 21“For the Son of Man is to go just as it is written of Him; but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born.”

These celebrations are not “Jewish” tradition. They are not just somehow a meaningless or obsolete instruction from our Creator either. Now we who believe in Yeshua as Messiah have more reason to celebrate it than ever before! Passover and Unleavened Bread are part of God’s tradition for celebrating and remembering our deliverance from sin through Christ! It is a wonderful way to teach our children about the Creator’s relationship with His people.

Exodus 13:6-10

6“For seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there shall be a feast to the LORD. 7“Unleavened bread shall be eaten throughout the seven days; and nothing leavened shall be seen among you, nor shall any leaven be seen among you in all your borders. 8“You shall tell your son on that day, saying, ‘It is because of what the LORD did for me when I came out of Egypt.’ 9“And it shall serve as a sign to you on your hand, and as a reminder on your forehead, that the law of the LORD may be in your mouth; for with a powerful hand the LORD brought you out of Egypt. 10“Therefore, you shall keep this ordinance at its appointed time from year to year.

We should enjoy taking part in our Father’s appointed times rather than creating our own based on the traditions of men. It is not just that He tells us to… that got me started to look into it. Now I see how powerfully these celebrations tie into the core element of my faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and what a wonderful way it is to teach my children. As I reflected personally in this regard, it occurred to me. God has some pretty good ideas. (That is quite an understatement!)

I invite you to take some small steps even today to learn more about Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread and how it is not only a celebration of Yahweh freeing His people out of slavery in Egypt, but also a celebration of our being freed from bondage to sin through the death and resurrection of Yeshua!

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, thank You for preparing a path to redemption and reconciliation for us with You. Thank You for sending Your son, Yeshua, to die for our sins so that we can be forgiven. Help me to have a thankful and joyful heart and fully submit to You! Amen. 

To study more on this topic, please review our category of posts relating to Holidays/Traditions (scroll down to move from one post to another) and consider the following.

Here are a few resources where you can learn more about the Moedim, the Creator’s calendar (often called the “Jewish” calendar).

 

I encourage you to invest time studying this topic and do not dismiss it. I have found it to be powerful in transforming the focus of our celebrations off of ourselves and rightly focused toward our Creator and Savior!

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Anger (unrighteous anger), Healer, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Holy, Holy / Set Apart, Jesus (hearing from God), Justice / Judgment, Miracles, Miracles, Rebuke Wrong Behavior, Righteous, Salvation, Traditions / Holidays, Worthy of Fear / Reverence

Righteous Anger Can Be Productive

After Jesus enters Jerusalem for the Passover feast, and to be crucified, buried and resurrected for our sins, He visits the temple. In Matthew 21, we are reminded that there is such as thing as righteous anger from God against those who profane what He has declared to be holy… to be set aside for His purposes. God is not just love, but is righteous and holy and absolutely feels righteous anger against us when we break His commands and instructions, especially when we know better, or should.

Matthew 21:12-17

12And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all those who were buying and selling in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves. 13And He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer’; but you are making it a robbers’ den”.

14And the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them. 15But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that He had done, and the children who were shouting in the temple, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they became indignant 16and said to Him, “Do You hear what these children are saying?” And Jesus said to them, “Yes; have you never read, ‘Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies You have prepared praise for Yourself’?” 17And He left them and went out of the city to Bethany, and spent the night there.

God’s temple is to be set aside as holy, for God’s purposes, not just as market to sell things. So, too are other things which God commands, such as the Sabbath. It is to be set aside to honor God and obey His commands, not profaned or made common by work. God commanded us to celebrate Sabbath on the seventh day of the week from Genesis and reinforced it through the life of Jesus as He did so without fail. (In the Jewish calendar, days start at sundown, so Sabbath actually starts Friday at sundown and ends Saturday at sundown. Sunday was introduced by tradition of men in contradiction to God’s commands.) What God sets apart as holy, we are not to make common. We should keep it holy, whether it is the temple, or the Sabbath, or other things God sets apart as holy.

Notice that Jesus focused the expression of His righteous anger productively. He did not lash out at everyone or everything. He rebuked harshly those doing wrong and then turned and embraced those in need who were seeking Him. He was not out of control.

Jesus, after disrupting the market, welcomed the blind and lame to be healed at the temple. All the chief priests and scribes could do is stand indignant, disregarding the miracles Jesus  performed, and disregarding the truth of who He was. They should have known better, but were unwilling to submit to God when His teaching was different from their traditions of men. They were so blinded by their religion and traditions of men, that theses esteemed and studied scholars of scripture could not recognize Jesus as the Christ and Messiah, even when it was so obvious that even the children could see it. They called out “Hosanna to the Son of David,”.

The chief priests and scribes challenged Jesus that He should deny such a claim, but He did the opposite. He accepted it and rebuked the religious leaders.

Jesus clearly claimed to be the Christ and Messiah. He is not “a good man” or a “good teacher” or a “good prophet”. Jesus Christ is either God, as He claimed, or he is a madman or a liar.  Judaism and Islam have made a significant error in their assessment of Jesus Christ. Jesus is God and to deny Him is to deny the offer of salvation through grace by faith.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please help me to avoid unrighteous anger but also to avoid being complacent in accepting things which are offensive to you. Please help me focus my righteous anger toward productive channels that can help to rebuke wrong and still embrace those who seek you with open arms. If I am rebuked for actions I am doing wrong, please help me not to resist wise correction because of pride or lack courage to change or lack of discernment to see my error. Help me to accept appropriate rebuke from others and make changes in my life. Help me not to miss you and your truth because I am too attached to my traditions and the traditions of family or man. Help me to see and recognize and worship You as the children did in today’s scripture. Father please grant these requests also for all those who are called by Your name. Amen. 

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Consequences of Sin, Free Will, Heaven and Hell, Holy, Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Justice / Judgment, Righteous, Salvation, Tribulation, Unteachable / Foolish, Visions

A Righteous Judge Holds People Accountable For Wrongdoing

There is a purpose to YHWH’s judgment and the coming times of suffering. YHWH has not suddenly lost His temper irrationally. He has given all of us a path to righteousness through Yeshua. Yeshua died for our sins and rose again. He extends the offer of salvation to those who would submit to Him, acknowledge they are in need of a savior because of their sin, acknowledge Yeshua as Messiah, and repent of their wicked and sinful ways.

For those who continue to do wrong and refuse to accept Yeshua’s death to pay for their sins. Some may ask, “why make it so long and drawn out… so painful”. That would seem important and worth celebrating. We can observe that Revelation 7 indicates a multitude who were saved by turning their lives to Christ after the initial suffering described earlier in Revelation. Clearly some will not repent regardless of what YHWH does. Ultimately, we must trust the LORD. He is in control.

We should remember however, that all will face judgment. Those who die before the tribulation and those who face death in the tribulation. All will face judgment before the almighty and He is a holy, just and righteous judge. A penalty must be paid for our sin. But He is also merciful and gracious. We can come before Him now and accept Yeshua as our savior. We can be forgiven.

Revelation 9:13-21

The Sixth Trumpet—Army from the East

      13Then the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, 14one saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.” 15And the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were released, so that they would kill a third of mankind. 16The number of the armies of the horsemen was two hundred million; I heard the number of them. 17And this is how I saw in the vision the horses and those who sat on them: the riders had breastplates the color of fire and of hyacinth and of brimstone; and the heads of the horses are like the heads of lions; and out of their mouths proceed fire and smoke and brimstone. 18A third of mankind was killed by these three plagues, by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone which proceeded out of their mouths. 19For the power of the horses is in their mouths and in their tails; for their tails are like serpents and have heads, and with them they do harm.

      20The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, so as not to worship demons, and the idols of gold and of silver and of brass and of stone and of wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk; 21and they did not repent of their murders nor of their sorceries nor of their immorality nor of their thefts.

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

All Powerful / King of All, Eternal, Grace / Forgiveness, Guide, His Ways Are Not Our Ways, Holy, Infinite / Without Limit, Loving / Kind, Praise / Worship / Glorify God, Strong in Our Weakness, Worthy of Fear / Reverence

Blessings, Honor, Glory, and Dominion Forever – YHWH and Yeshua Rather than Man

I will honestly say I do not take time to just stop and praise YHWH and Yeshua often enough. I mean for who they are and what they have already done, not just when they give me a personal victory. Our God is amazing. He is creator of all. He rules over all. He became man and died for us. Who are we that He should be concerned with each of us!?

Blessings, honor, glory and dominion for YHWH and Yeshua indeed. Let us not seek the glorification of man or his creation in His place.

Revelation 5:11-14

Angels Exalt the Lamb

      11Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands, 12saying with a loud voice,

“Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing.”
13And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, “To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.”

14And the four living creatures kept saying, “Amen.” And the elders fell down and worshiped.

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Faith / Trusting God, Grace / Forgiveness, Holy, Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Loving / Kind, Merciful, Righteous, Visions, Worthy of Fear / Reverence

Only the Lion of the Tribe of Judah Is Worthy

Only Yeshua is worthy. He has died and purchased us with His blood. It is too easy to overlook that in our day to day. We can somehow drift into thinking we are “good enough” or we are “doing our best”. But YHWH is a righteous judge who judges against a firm standard. Only through Christ are we forgiven. Holy is He! Worthy is He!

Revelation 5:1-10

The Book with Seven Seals

1I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a book written inside and on the back, sealed up with seven seals. 2And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the book and to break its seals?” 3And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the book or to look into it. 4Then I began to weep greatly because no one was found worthy to open the book or to look into it; 5and one of the elders said to me, “Stop weeping; behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals.”

6And I saw between the throne (with the four living creatures) and the elders a Lamb standing, as if slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent out into all the earth. 7And He came and took the book out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne. 8When He had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9And they sang a new song, saying,

“Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation.
10“You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.”

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

All Powerful / King of All, Compassionate, His Ways Are Not Our Ways, Holy, Holy / Set Apart, Is the Old Testament Relevant Today?, Jesus (hearing from God), Justice / Judgment, Loving / Kind, Peace / Rest, Prophecy, Salvation, Self Control, Through Prophets

Remember The Words Of the Prophets and Of Our Savior

The commandments of our LORD and Savior are consistent with the words spoken by the holy prophets. They are not different. Peter calls us in his second letter to remember both as he then goes on to remind us of what they both said. Yeshua fulfilled the message of the Torah and the prophets. He did not change the message or end it. Let us remember as Peter encourages us to do.

We are also reminded to look forward to the coming day of the LORD. For those who gladly follow him now, this is a great hope and expectation. For those who reject and rebel against him, it will stand as a day of judgment. Let us keep this coming day in mind as we choose to live our lives daily.

2 Peter 3

Purpose of This Letter

1This is now, beloved, the second letter I am writing to you in which I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, 2that you should remember the words spoken beforehand by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior spoken by your apostles.

The Coming Day of the Lord

            3Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, 4and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation.” 5For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water, 6through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded with water. 7But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.

      8But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. 9The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.

A New Heaven and Earth

     10But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.

      11Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat! 13But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.

      14Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless, 15and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, 16as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction. 17You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness, 18but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

Do not miss the warning Peter gives regarding Paul in verses 16-18. Paul is still misunderstood and has been since he started teaching. If he was misunderstood then by people who shared his culture and language and customs, then it is easy to imaging how so many Christians today misunderstand him and what he was teaching. As an example, many  say he taught against the Torah and the law, but this is wrong. He taught against the law for salvation. He did not teach against obeying the law. This is one simple example. He is perhaps the most misquoted and misunderstood of any Biblical figure and often his letters are used as an excuse to behave differently than how Yeshua (and his disciples) actually demonstrated for us. (For more on this: Understanding the Law – What Does It Mean For Us Today, Is God’s Law A Burden?, Remember the Sabbath)

I truly encourage you to test everything you are taught against what the word actually says and pray for wisdom and discernment.

I include some helpful links on my website at Focused Ministries – Understanding Hebrew Roots.

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.