Category Archives: Study the Word

Church / Body of Christ, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, How do I get started?, Is the Old Testament Relevant Today?, Repenting from Sin, Seeking God, Study the Word, Teachable

Returning to God’s Ways through the Moedim

It is not a new thing for God’s people to realize they and their fathers have drifted away from God’s law. We see examples throughout scripture reflecting this history. Where we see breakthrough for God’s people in scripture is where they recognize their sin and repent, turning back to God’s ways in His law and turn away from the ways they had been following which mixed and mingled other traditions and teachings that were not of God with those that are of God.

We often see emphasized in scripture a returning to the appointed times or moedim as God’s people return to His ways and proper relationship with Him.  In Ezra 6, after the temple is restored, we see a return to observing Passover. In Nehemiah 8, after completing the wall and starting to read and study the word together as a community, we see a return to celebrating Tabernacles.  I have found returning to celebrate the appointed times of God for my family even today helps draw our attention off pagan, man-made holidays, and focus on relationship with God. The focus of the moedim are always structured around bringing us closer to focus on our relationship with God. They are not focused on gifts, or parties, or people. They are focused on God and His relationship with us. These are worth pursuing. There is even more meaning in the Moedim now with Messiah Yeshua as much of the Moedim focuses on Him.  (To learn more, read Celebrating God’s Holy Days (Moedim).)

Nehemiah 8:13-18

Feast of Booths Restored

      13Then on the second day the heads of fathers’ households of all the people, the priests and the Levites were gathered to Ezra the scribe that they might gain insight into the words of the law. 14They found written in the law how the LORD had commanded through Moses that the sons of Israel should live in booths during the feast of the seventh month. 15So they proclaimed and circulated a proclamation in all their cities and in Jerusalem, saying, “Go out to the hills, and bring olive branches and wild olive branches, myrtle branches, palm branches and branches of other leafy trees, to make booths, as it is written.” 16So the people went out and brought them and made booths for themselves, each on his roof, and in their courts and in the courts of the house of God, and in the square at the Water Gate and in the square at the Gate of Ephraim. 17The entire assembly of those who had returned from the captivity made booths and lived in them. The sons of Israel had indeed not done so from the days of Joshua the son of Nun to that day. And there was great rejoicing. 18He read from the book of the law of God daily, from the first day to the last day. And they celebrated the feast seven days, and on the eighth day there was a solemn assembly according to the ordinance.

Don’t overlook this topic too quickly just because it is not commonly discussed by your church or family. With an attitude like that the people of Ezra and Nehemiah would not have returned to proper relationship with God! They had to seek out and study the word of God and change their behavior and focus. They chose to return to God’s law and His ways, leaving behind other customs and teachings they had previously accepted for generations in Babylon.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, thank you for raising up leaders to help us come back to You. Thank You for Your written word to guide us as a lamp unto our feet so we can find the right path. Help us to be willing to test and challenge the “norm” in the church today and seek diligently to return to You and Your ways. Help us to bond together for this change and not have to be isolated. Lead us together in fellowship as Your people as in the case of Nehemiah and Ezra. Open our minds to the wonderful things of Your word. 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.

Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Obeying God, Praise / Worship / Glorify God, Rebuke Wrong Behavior, Repenting from Sin, Seeking God, Study the Word, Teachable

Repent and Return to the Ways of Yahweh with Grief and Joy

Ezra was priest and scribe. Nehemiah became governor. The LORD used them both individually and together to lead the people of Judah back to His ways and to restore Jerusalem. It is fun to watch as the LORD brings all the right “chess pieces” into the right place at the right time to accomplish His will.  The books of Nehemiah and Ezra are great examples of this as a whole. We see examples of the LORD guiding individual leaders among His people, prompting the people at large to take action, and even using Persian kings.

The people who returned from exile had to re-learn a lot about Yahweh’s instructions. The temple had been destroyed.  They had been in exile for generations in a pagan land. When they came together to read the law given to Moses, they treated it with great respect and were truly grieved as they heard it, recognizing how they had not been living according to God’s ways. The law was explained to them. They worshipped Yahweh. It was a powerful moment in history for their reconciliation with Yahweh as His people.

They turned it into great celebration and helped one another by sharing food with those who had not prepared any.

Nehemiah 8:1-12

Ezra Reads the Law

      1And all the people gathered as one man at the square which was in front of the Water Gate, and they asked Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses which the LORD had given to Israel. 2Then Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly of men, women and all who could listen with understanding, on the first day of the seventh month. 3He read from it before the square which was in front of the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of men and women, those who could understand; and all the people were attentive to the book of the law. 4Ezra the scribe stood at a wooden podium which they had made for the purpose. And beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah on his right hand; and Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah and Meshullam on his left hand. 5Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people for he was standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people stood up. 6Then Ezra blessed the LORD the great God. And all the people answered, “Amen, Amen!” while lifting up their hands; then they bowed low and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground. 7Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, the Levites, explained the law to the people while the people remained in their place. 8They read from the book, from the law of God, translating to give the sense so that they understood the reading.

“This Day Is Holy”

      9Then Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the LORD your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people were weeping when they heard the words of the law. 10Then he said to them, “Go, eat of the fat, drink of the sweet, and send portions to him who has nothing prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.” 11So the Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be still, for the day is holy; do not be grieved.” 12All the people went away to eat, to drink, to send portions and to celebrate a great festival, because they understood the words which had been made known to them.

This is a great example of a people returning to the LORD. They go back to the scriptures and teach and learn them together as a community. They are grieved for how they have been living, but then celebrate that now they are learning and understanding the law correctly. They are together as a community.

Our society, even Christians at large, very much need to turn away from relying on the teachings and customs of men and really dive back into the scriptures in detail and challenge ourselves to leave behind what is not of God and embrace what the word instructs us to do. There are many wrong teachings mingled in with the church today. It is very much like we are living in exile in a pagan land. Much common teaching among Christians has the ways of man mixed and mingled with the truth of God’s word.

Each of us as individuals likely needs to consider if we need to make a similar journey to really test our understanding and common teaching about God’s word. We need to turn away from the things that He does not want us to do and leave those behind. We should celebrate and embrace change as a return to His ways. We should try to do so with others.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please raise up leaders like Ezra and Nehemiah from among the spiritual leaders and government leaders that rule our land. Help rally Your people around them and around each other. Help us be hungry to challenge and test the teachings we have accepted as Yours against Your holy scriptures. Bring about unity in a community of believers seeking You wholeheartedly across our cities, states, and nation… across the world. 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.

Devotions by John, Evidence in Scripture, Faith / Trusting God, How do I get started?, Study the Word

Not Enough Faith to Reject Jesus…

Scientists, detectives, juries in courts of law… and the rest of us with every day common sense follow where the evidence leads when we want to understand something. Whether we want to know about who committed a crime or who took cookies from the cookie jar the approach is the same. Look for clues and follow the evidence. Witnesses are very helpful in any investigation!

The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ has substantial evidence and eyewitness testimony confirming the validity of the Biblical events. We do not have to “take it on faith”, but rather seek to understand and weigh the evidence. Let it lead you to the most probable conclusion.

Jesus was a well-known and recognizable person by the time He was crucified. People recognized Him. Crowds listened to Him. He was publicly executed in broad daylight in a brutal way with many witnesses. There were well trained guards at the tomb to keep disciples from taking His body. Even amongst those who reject Jesus none can reasonably argue against the fact that Jesus’ tomb was empty on the third day.

“During the forty days after his crucifixion, he appeared to the apostles from time to time, and he proved to them in many ways that he was actually alive. And he talked to them about the Kingdom of God.”  [Acts 1:3 NLT]

 These same disciples would face brutal treatment and execution (except John who was exiled to Patmos) and to the end they never changed their mind or testimony that Jesus Christ was God. They were certainly convinced!

Scripture goes on to document that Jesus appeared to many more than just His closest disciples after He rose from the dead.

After evaluating the evidence, I realize it takes more of a leap of faith to reject Jesus as our Lord and Savior than to accept Him.

The following books are good reads and add much more detail to empower us to really understand the evidence. I encourage you to read more of the facts. This is one thing you don’t want to get wrong!

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, thank you for allowing us clear evidence to know that You are who You say You are. Thank You for the evidence we can see that the way to find You is through our Messiah, Jesus Christ. Help us to understand the importance to pursue 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.

Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Is the Old Testament Relevant Today?, Repenting from Sin, Seeking God, Study the Word, Teachable, Thankfulness

What Were the Sacrifices in the Torah? What Do They Mean Today?

Today I am sharing an article from GotQuestions.org for some review and thoughts around the various sacrifices from the Torah, which are much misunderstood by Christians today. I do not consider this article or GotQuestions.org definitive, for that we always test against the Bible and for topics that are complicated or unfamiliar we may also want to test against other study resources for clarity as well. I did, however, think this provides a good overview of the various types of sacrifices. I will comment briefly below on potential relevance still today.

What were the various sacrifices in the Old Testament?  (from GotQuestions.org)

There are five main types of sacrifices, or offerings, in the Old Testament. The burnt offering (Leviticus 1; 6:8–13; 8:18-21; 16:24), the grain offering (Leviticus 2; 6:14–23), the peace offering (Leviticus 3; 7:11–34), the sin offering (Leviticus 4; 5:1–13; 6:24–30; 8:14–17; 16:3–22), and the trespass offering (Leviticus 5:14–19; 6:1–7; 7:1–6). Each of these sacrifices involved certain elements, either animal or fruit of the field, and had a specific purpose. Most were split into two or three portions—God’s portion, the portion for the Levites or priests, and, if there was a third, a portion kept by the person offering the sacrifice. The sacrifices can be broadly categorized as either voluntary or mandatory offerings.

Voluntary Sacrifices

There were three voluntary offerings. The first was the burnt offering, a voluntary act of worship to express devotion or commitment to God. It was also used as an atonement for unintentional sin. The elements of the burnt offering were a bull, a bird, or a ram without blemish. The meat and bones and organs of the animal were to be totally burnt, and this was God’s portion. The animal’s hide was given to the Levites, who could later sell it to earn money for themselves.

The second voluntary offering was the grain offering, in which the fruit of the field was offered in the form of a cake or baked bread made of grain, fine flour, and oil and salt. The grain offering was one of the sacrifices accompanied by a drink offering of one-quarter hin (about a quart) of wine, which was poured into the fire on the altar (Numbers 15:4–5). The purpose of the grain offering was to express thanksgiving in recognition of God’s provision and unmerited goodwill toward the person making the sacrifice. The priests were given a portion of this offering, but it had to be eaten within the court of the tabernacle.

The third voluntary offering was the peace offering, which consisted of any unblemished animal from the worshiper’s herd, and/or various grains or breads. This was a sacrifice of thanksgiving and fellowship followed by a shared meal. The high priest was given the breast of the animal; the officiating priest was given the right foreleg. These pieces of the offering were called the “wave offering” and the “heave offering” because they were waved or lifted over the altar during the ceremony. The fat, kidneys, and lobe of the liver were given to God (burnt), and the remainder of the animal was for the participants to eat, symbolizing God’s provision. The vow offering, thanksgiving offering, and freewill offering mentioned in the Old Testament were all peace offerings.

Mandatory Sacrifices

There were two mandatory sacrifices in the Old Testament Law. The first was the sin offering. The purpose of the sin offering was to atone for sin and cleanse from defilement. There were five possible elements of a sin sacrifice—a young bull, a male goat, a female goat, a dove/pigeon, or 1/10 ephah of fine flour. The type of animal depended on the identity and financial situation of the giver. A female goat was the sin offering for the common person, fine flour was the sacrifice of the very poor, a young bull was offered for the high priest and the congregation as a whole, and so on. These sacrifices each had specific instructions for what to do with the blood of the animal during the ceremony. The fatty portions and lobe of the liver and kidneys were given to God (burnt); the rest of the animal was either totally burned on the altar and the ashes thrown outside the camp (in atoning for the high priest and congregation), or eaten within the tabernacle court.

The other mandatory sacrifice was the trespass offering, and this sacrifice was exclusively a ram. The trespass offering was given as atonement for unintentional sins that required reimbursement to an offended party, and also as a cleansing from defiling sins or physical maladies. Again, the fat portions, kidneys, and liver were offered to God, and the remainder of the ram had to be eaten inside the court of the tabernacle.

The sacrifices in the Old Testament pointed forward to the perfect and final sacrifice of Christ. As with the rest of the Law, the sacrifices were “a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ” (Colossians 2:17). Christians today recognize Christ’s atoning death on the cross as the only needed sacrifice for sin, offered once for all (Hebrews 10:1–10). His death opened the “holy place” for us (Hebrews 10:19–22) so that we can freely enter God’s presence and offer our “sacrifice of praise” (Hebrews 13:15; cf. 9:11–28; 4:14—5:10).

There can certainly be some engaging study and discussion to be had around the relevance of the sacrifices today and their role when Yeshua returns. I think a few key points I would highlight:

  • It is not possible for us to do these sacrifices according to instruction in the Torah today without the priesthood and the temple.
  • The death and resurrection of Yeshua is the focus of all forgiveness of sin. Sacrifices were looking ahead or foreshadowing His death and reminding people of the penalty that has to be paid for sin. The death of animals in and of themselves does not lead to forgiveness of sin. If sacrifices return in the millennial kingdom, they will not be replacing the death of Christ nor making it void of purpose. They would simply again be looking back to the death of Yeshua and reminding us of the penalty of sin.
  • The death of Yeshua for our sin fills with meaning the sin offerings mentioned above. It is not related directly to the other sacrifices.
  • The other sacrifices still have meaning that cannot be executed according to the law today due to lack of priest and temple. However, consider and reflect prayerfully on how we may still connect with Yahweh today for these areas: voluntary act to express devotion and commitment to God, express thanksgiving in recognition of God’s provision and unmerited goodwill, and thanksgiving for provision and fellowship over a shared meal. These all have meaning that can inform and prompt us to pursue a closer relationship with Yahweh.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, help me to be thankful for the redemption from sin through Yeshua. Help me not take that for granted. Help me to live my life submitted to You and seeking to follow the example that Yeshua provided for us rather than following the traditions of men or the church. Lead me in how I can come to You with thanksgiving for Your provision and for the unmerited goodwill you have toward me. 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.

Grace / Forgiveness, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Merciful, Obeying God, Repenting from Sin, Seeking God, Study the Word, Traditions / Holidays

Passover Is Important to Yahweh (His Ways vs. the Ways of Man)

Passover is important to Yahweh. It is highlighted over and over throughout the Bible. When we read historical accounts of righteous kings restoring the proper worship of the LORD, we often see focus on Passover. All the Moedim, or appointed times, are important.  Passover is not just looking back to Yah delivering His people from slavery in Egypt, but it also points to Messiah who was sacrificed for us to set us free from bondage to sin. For those who preceded Yeshua’s death on the cross, it foreshadowed and looked forward to that pivotal event in history. For those of us who came after, we celebrate Passover to remember it and because it is important to Yah.

2 Chronicles 35

The Passover Observed Again

      1Then Josiah celebrated the Passover to the LORD in Jerusalem, and they slaughtered the Passover animals on the fourteenth day of the first month. 2He set the priests in their offices and encouraged them in the service of the house of the LORD. 3He also said to the Levites who taught all Israel and who were holy to the LORD, “Put the holy ark in the house which Solomon the son of David king of Israel built; it will be a burden on your shoulders no longer. Now serve the LORD your God and His people Israel. 4“Prepare yourselves by your fathers’ households in your divisions, according to the writing of David king of Israel and according to the writing of his son Solomon. 5“Moreover, stand in the holy place according to the sections of the fathers’ households of your brethren the lay people, and according to the Levites, by division of a father’s household. 6“Now slaughter the Passover animals, sanctify yourselves and prepare for your brethren to do according to the word of the LORD by Moses.”

      7Josiah contributed to the lay people, to all who were present, flocks of lambs and young goats, all for the Passover offerings, numbering 30,000 plus 3,000 bulls; these were from the king’s possessions. 8His officers also contributed a freewill offering to the people, the priests and the Levites. Hilkiah and Zechariah and Jehiel, the officials of the house of God, gave to the priests for the Passover offerings 2,600 from the flocks and 300 bulls. 9Conaniah also, and Shemaiah and Nethanel, his brothers, and Hashabiah and Jeiel and Jozabad, the officers of the Levites, contributed to the Levites for the Passover offerings 5,000 from the flocks and 500 bulls.

      10So the service was prepared, and the priests stood at their stations and the Levites by their divisions according to the king’s command. 11They slaughtered the Passover animals, and while the priests sprinkled the blood received from their hand, the Levites skinned them. 12Then they removed the burnt offerings that they might give them to the sections of the fathers’ households of the lay people to present to the LORD, as it is written in the book of Moses. They did this also with the bulls. 13So they roasted the Passover animals on the fire according to the ordinance, and they boiled the holy things in pots, in kettles, in pans, and carried them speedily to all the lay people. 14Afterwards they prepared for themselves and for the priests, because the priests, the sons of Aaron, were offering the burnt offerings and the fat until night; therefore the Levites prepared for themselves and for the priests, the sons of Aaron. 15The singers, the sons of Asaph, were also at their stations according to the command of David, Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun the king’s seer; and the gatekeepers at each gate did not have to depart from their service, because the Levites their brethren prepared for them.

      16So all the service of the LORD was prepared on that day to celebrate the Passover, and to offer burnt offerings on the altar of the LORD according to the command of King Josiah. 17Thus the sons of Israel who were present celebrated the Passover at that time, and the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days. 18There had not been celebrated a Passover like it in Israel since the days of Samuel the prophet; nor had any of the kings of Israel celebrated such a Passover as Josiah did with the priests, the Levites, all Judah and Israel who were present, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 19In the eighteenth year of Josiah’s reign this Passover was celebrated.

Josiah Dies in Battle

      20After all this, when Josiah had set the temple in order, Neco king of Egypt came up to make war at Carchemish on the Euphrates, and Josiah went out to engage him. 21But Neco sent messengers to him, saying, “What have we to do with each other, O King of Judah? I am not coming against you today but against the house with which I am at war, and God has ordered me to hurry. Stop for your own sake from interfering with God who is with me, so that He will not destroy you.” 22However, Josiah would not turn away from him, but disguised himself in order to make war with him; nor did he listen to the words of Neco from the mouth of God, but came to make war on the plain of Megiddo. 23The archers shot King Josiah, and the king said to his servants, “Take me away, for I am badly wounded.” 24So his servants took him out of the chariot and carried him in the second chariot which he had, and brought him to Jerusalem where he died and was buried in the tombs of his fathers. All Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah. 25Then Jeremiah chanted a lament for Josiah. And all the male and female singers speak about Josiah in their lamentations to this day. And they made them an ordinance in Israel; behold, they are also written in the Lamentations. 26Now the rest of the acts of Josiah and his deeds of devotion as written in the law of the LORD, 27and his acts, first to last, behold, they are written in the Book of the Kings of Israel and Judah.

Passover should be a time to come together with fellow disciples of Yeshua to celebrate and observe an important feast every year. For those new to Passover, it is distinct from the traditions of Easter, which are man-made traditions largely derived from worship of false gods. I would encourage deeper study for anyone in regards to better understanding the deep significance of Passover to those who are following Yeshua as Messiah.

Even for Josiah, the book of the law had been lost and then rediscovered. He embraced it and tried to return to the ways of Yahweh instead of the ways of the traditions of men.  Clearly this was pleasing to the LORD. Let us seek to do likewise.

For more information, consider reading Celebrating God’s Holy Days (Moedim).

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, thank You for your holy word. Thank You for Your grace and mercy when we are struggling to understand Your ways. Please raise up leaders and followers to passionately pursue Your ways and bring those who would follow You over the traditions of men into closer fellowship together. 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.

Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Obeying God, Share the Good News, Study the Word

What God Has Cleansed, No Longer Consider Unholy

To understand the Bible clearly, we must be careful to study the context of the situation being recorded and not just read it quickly at a surface level or take everything literally. It is important to look for clues such as how those involved understood and interpreted God’s guidance to them as revealed in scripture. One great example of this is documented in Acts 10.

Many read this scripture and quickly conclude that God was making a change to the dietary restrictions He set before His people in the Old Testament under the leadership of Moses. But if we dig deeper, we see this is not correct at all. One of the clues is to study how Peter understands the situation Himself as revealed in this same scripture.

Acts 10:9-33

     9On the next day, as they were on their way and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray. 10But he became hungry and was desiring to eat; but while they were making preparations, he fell into a trance; 11and he saw the sky opened up, and an object like a great sheet coming down, lowered by four corners to the ground, 12and there were in it all kinds of four-footed animals and crawling creatures of the earth and birds of the air. 13A voice came to him, “Get up, Peter, kill and eat!” 14But Peter said, “By no means, Lord, for I have never eaten anything unholy and unclean.” 15Again a voice came to him a second time, “What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy.” 16This happened three times, and immediately the object was taken up into the sky.

      17Now while Peter was greatly perplexed in mind as to what the vision which he had seen might be, behold, the men who had been sent by Cornelius, having asked directions for Simon’s house, appeared at the gate; 18and calling out, they were asking whether Simon, who was also called Peter, was staying there. 19While Peter was reflecting on the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are looking for you. 20“But get up, go downstairs and accompany them without misgivings, for I have sent them Myself.” 21Peter went down to the men and said, “Behold, I am the one you are looking for; what is the reason for which you have come?” 22They said, “Cornelius, a centurion, a righteous and God-fearing man well spoken of by the entire nation of the Jews, was divinely directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and hear a message from you.” 23So he invited them in and gave them lodging.

Peter at Caesarea

       And on the next day he got up and went away with them, and some of the brethren from Joppa accompanied him. 24On the following day he entered Caesarea. Now Cornelius was waiting for them and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25When Peter entered, Cornelius met him, and fell at his feet and worshiped him. 26But Peter raised him up, saying, “Stand up; I too am just a man.” 27As he talked with him, he entered and found many people assembled. 28And he said to them, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a man who is a Jew to associate with a foreigner or to visit him; and yet God has shown me that I should not call any man unholy or unclean. 29“That is why I came without even raising any objection when I was sent for. So I ask for what reason you have sent for me.”

      30Cornelius said, “Four days ago to this hour, I was praying in my house during the ninth hour; and behold, a man stood before me in shining garments, 31and he said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God. 32‘Therefore send to Joppa and invite Simon, who is also called Peter, to come to you; he is staying at the house of Simon the tanner by the sea.’ 33“So I sent for you immediately, and you have been kind enough to come. Now then, we are all here present before God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord.”

Peter was perplexed by the vision God shared with him. He avoided jumping to conclusions about what it meant even through a literal interpretation of the vision. Instead, Peter carefully considered the events occurring around that same time and came to conclude that the vision had nothing to do with what food we should or should not eat, but rather God’s message was that he should share the gospel of Christ with gentiles in addition to sharing it with Jews. If Peter was quick to jump to conclusions and not careful in evaluating the events surrounding the vision, he could have certainly gotten way off track in following God.

We must carefully apply wisdom, discernment, and patience in understanding scripture to apply it to our lives as well as to clearly understand what God is directing us to do. To “shoot from the hip” or jump to conclusions may result in missing God’s instruction.

Prayerfully seek God’s help and study the Bible carefully in order to follow the path that God has directed for us as His followers. Many can quote the Bible and by applying it poorly end up with the wrong conclusions. Imagine if Peter had turned away his visitors, refusing to go to Caesarea and instead charged off to tell everyone that now it was acceptable to eat anything they want. God’s plans would have been incomplete, and Peter would have brought forth a false teaching that confused many.

Careful thought by Peter, and careful study of the Bible by us today confirms a different conclusion. The dietary restrictions are not the real issue being discussed in Acts 10. The message of Acts 10 is that the gospel of Christ should be shared with everyone, whether Jew or gentile! We take the truth of Jesus Christ to all the world, not just a few!

Do you feel you have received instructions from God specific for your life? Are you patiently and prayerfully considering how to properly apply them or are you sprinting to execute based on your first impression?

Are there any parts of scripture that you find confusing? Are you dismissing or ignoring the seeming conflict or confusion or are you taking the time to really study carefully and prayerfully God’s written word and how to apply it in your life?

We invite you to visit our Study the Word section of our website to get a sample of some very good resources available to help you discern God’s word.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please open my eyes to the truth of Your word. Help me to have discernment and wisdom in understanding and applying to my life.  Help me to dig deeper than just my first impression on the surface of what I read in the Bible. Encourage me to dwell on Your word and not skim it or too quickly assume that what I read just confirms what I already thought was right. Help me to read and study with a critical eye that tests everything to draw me nearer to You. Thank 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.

Discerning / Judging, False Prophets / Teachers, Seeking God, Study the Word, Teachable

Learn To Discern Truth From False Teaching or Be Led Astray

It always amazes me. Less than a week after the crowds came out to welcome Yeshua as He entered Jerusalem, the “triumphal entry”, they are easily manipulated to call for His painful execution. And who is leading them in this way? Those that identify as the spiritual leaders of the people. The people failed to discern truth from false teaching and were quickly led astray.

The Roman leader, Pilate, even knew that Yeshua was innocent and tried to release Him. He knew the chief priests were trying to kill Yeshua out of envy. The people would not have it. Ultimately, Pilate remains responsible as well for executing Yeshua alongside the chief priests. He knew Yeshua was innocent and allowed the execution.

Mark 15:1-15

Jesus before Pilate

      1Early in the morning the chief priests with the elders and scribes and the whole Council, immediately held a consultation; and binding Jesus, they led Him away and delivered Him to Pilate. 2Pilate questioned Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” And He answered him, “It is as you say.” 3The chief priests began to accuse Him harshly. 4Then Pilate questioned Him again, saying, “Do You not answer? See how many charges they bring against You!” 5But Jesus made no further answer; so Pilate was amazed.

      6Now at the feast he used to release for them any one prisoner whom they requested. 7The man named Barabbas had been imprisoned with the insurrectionists who had committed murder in the insurrection. 8The crowd went up and began asking him to do as he had been accustomed to do for them. 9Pilate answered them, saying, “Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?” 10For he was aware that the chief priests had handed Him over because of envy. 11But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to ask him to release Barabbas for them instead. 12Answering again, Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Him whom you call the King of the Jews?” 13They shouted back, “Crucify Him!” 14But Pilate said to them, “Why, what evil has He done?” But they shouted all the more, “Crucify Him!” 15Wishing to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas for them, and after having Jesus scourged, he handed Him over to be crucified.

We must each study the scriptures and pray for the Father for wisdom in discerning truth from false doctrine. We are to seek truth and then stand up for it. We must not just accept what we are told by men without challenging and verifying they speak truth. To do so results in easily being led astray to reject Yeshua and embrace the world.

—-

Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? Are you living today filled with the peace and joy of truly knowing and following Jesus Christ? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Seeking God, Study the Word, Teachable

Ministries With Online Presence To Help You On Your Journey

Ministries

Many claim to bring a Christian message, but far too often there are false prophets mixed among the true Christian ministries and even genuine Christian ministries have significant gaps or wrong teaching embedded in their teaching. We are called to study God’s word and use discernment to determine which ones line up with the Bible and reject the rest.

I have attached links to some of the ministries I have found helpful that have a lot of information online that can help us in specific focus areas to help us grow in our walk with the Lord.

I pray you would find these resources as a helpful place to start or continue your studies in seeking the Lord in all His truth. No one person or ministry has it all right, but many have learned enough that they can help you on your journey. If you have limited time or if you want to know where to start, I truly encourage you to spend time Understanding the Hebrew Roots of our Christian faith. It provides insight into what most of the Christian teachers are missing, including ones that are listed on HearingFromJesus.org. As with all teaching (including mine), as you study also seek the Lord in prayer and test everything against the holy scriptures themselves.

—-

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, Consequences of Sin, Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, His Timing Not Ours, His Ways Are Not Our Ways, Jesus (hearing from God), Justice / Judgment, Persecution / Glorifying God, Prophecy, Prophecy, Study the Word, Teachable, Tribulation, Wickedness / Evil, Worthy of Fear / Reverence

See to It That No One Misleads You

The disciples, like most of us, can easily be drawn to marvel at beautiful creations… especially if they are perceived to have good purpose. It troubled them that Yeshua would indicate the temple being destroyed. Yeshua, on the other hand, was more grieved when He saw lost souls, who had rejected Jehovah rather than buildings.

Yeshua warns His disciples of what is to come. I believe He speaks of what has already come to pass, when the Romans occupied Jerusalem and destroyed the temple to the very foundation in 70 AD. It reconnects with the prophecy in Daniel 9:27. As we continue reading in Mark 13 beyond verse 23 (subject for another post) we see that Yeshua is also foreshadowing His return. Thus Yeshua has combined information about the Romans occupation of Jerusalem in the near future for the disciples and His return in the farther out future, which is still yet to come.

He did this without specifically answering the original question of timing, which was not for the disciples to know. We can also learn from this scripture how we should respond in times of darkness and apply it in our lives today.

Mark 13:1-23

Things to Come

      1As He was going out of the temple, one of His disciples said to Him, “Teacher, behold what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!” 2And Jesus said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left upon another which will not be torn down.”

      3As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew were questioning Him privately, 4“Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are going to be fulfilled?” 5And Jesus began to say to them, “See to it that no one misleads you. 6“Many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He!’ and will mislead many. 7“When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be frightened; those things must take place; but that is not yet the end. 8“For nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will also be famines. These things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.

      9“But be on your guard; for they will deliver you to the courts, and you will be flogged in the synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them. 10“The gospel must first be preached to all the nations. 11“When they arrest you and hand you over, do not worry beforehand about what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour; for it is not you who speak, but it is the Holy Spirit. 12“Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and have them put to death. 13“You will be hated by all because of My name, but the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.

      14“But when you see the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION standing where it should not be (let the reader understand), then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains. 15“The one who is on the housetop must not go down, or go in to get anything out of his house; 16and the one who is in the field must not turn back to get his coat. 17“But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! 18“But pray that it may not happen in the winter. 19“For those days will be a time of tribulation such as has not occurred since the beginning of the creation which God created until now, and never will. 20“Unless the Lord had shortened those days, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect, whom He chose, He shortened the days. 21“And then if anyone says to you, ‘Behold, here is the Christ’; or, ‘Behold, He is there’; do not believe him; 22for false Christs and false prophets will arise, and will show signs and wonders, in order to lead astray, if possible, the elect. 23“But take heed; behold, I have told you everything in advance.

There is so much information worth studying and praying for wisdom to fully understand, I can’t possibly hope to cover it all in a post. I encourage each of you to prayerfully pursue further study.

Yeshua correctly prophecies about the destruction of the temple, and it seems to tie back to prophecy in Daniel 9:27 as well. God is God. He is aware of what has been, what is, and what will be.

Yeshua warns His disciples to avoid following pretenders, or false prophets, even those who do signs and wonders. We must study the word to recognize and judge good and faithful teachers from false prophets. There are false prophets and we are called to judge who they are! We must reject false doctrine that presumes anyone who says ‘I follow Jesus’ is to be believed or that a teacher who claims to teach the word must not be challenged. Let us judge based on scripture and without hypocrisy.

Do not be surprised that there will be wars and strife. Prepare for it.

Expect to be hated by the world. Expect to be persecuted. It will be hard to be a genuine follower of Christ.

Another common doctrine that many Christians believe is that they will be removed by God before the tribulation. There is no evidence of that in this scripture to be sure. In fact, one might conclude the opposite… that Christians will endure the tribulation. More study is merited on this subject.

20“Unless the Lord had shortened those days, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect, whom He chose, He shortened the days.

So after all this dramatic warning to His disciples, what does Yeshua conclude with?

23“But take heed; behold, I have told you everything in advance

We are to seek to understand the content of Yeshua’s message and use it to prepare ourselves and others. We are not to ponder endlessly about “when” it will happen. The disciples asked that question and Yeshua avoided answering it, instead giving the information He wanted them to focus on.

Challenge yourself to find another significant aspect of Yeshua’s message to His disciples that I did not highlight in this post. Re-read the scripture here, or click to go to read the full chapter at BibleHub.com by following the green hyperlinks above. You can even read some of the commentaries to help you get started in your study. Of course, web search is always an option as well. The point is… develop the discipline to study the Bible more… so that you can “take heed” as Yeshua calls us to do.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please help me to heed Your word in the Bible. Help me to remain faithful to You even under harsh persecution and death. Please give me the words to say when pressed so that the Holy Spirit would speak through me to point people to You. Let me take care not to follow people simply because they do signs and wonders, as many false prophets will try to lead the elect astray in this manner. Let me not rely solely on what I feel and experience, but help me test everything with discernment against Your word. 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.

Jesus (hearing from God), Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Seeking God, Study the Word, Teachable

Challenge Yourself To Dig Deep In Scripture

Jesus captivated the crowds. He took on the traps and challenges of those who plotted against Him and challenged those who would listen to think beyond the obvious. He covered the basics, yes, but He also delved deep into the scriptures in order to help challenge people to really think about what God was saying in them. Often, it was different than what they were commonly taught by the religious leaders.

Mark 12:35-37

   35And Jesus began to say, as He taught in the temple, “How is it that the scribes say that the Christ is the son of David?

36“David himself said in the Holy Spirit,
‘THE LORD SAID TO MY LORD,
“SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND,
UNTIL I PUT YOUR ENEMIES BENEATH YOUR FEET.”’

37“David himself calls Him ‘Lord’; so in what sense is He his son?” And the large crowd enjoyed listening to Him.

 Any pastor or teacher considers it good news when the crowd is both large and enjoying listening to the message… especially when the message is not just intended to say what people want to hear, but rather challenge them to seek to understand God’s word at a deeper level. Jesus captivated people with the truth of God’s word. He never compromised… and yes there were always those who would plot against Him because of it. However, many learned and were drawn closer to God.

As disciples of Christ we should dig deep into the scriptures and challenge ourselves and others to truly consider their true meaning and how it affects our lives even today. Do not be satisfied just listening over and over to the basics or accepting the word of others for what the Bible says. Dig in deep and study to challenge yourself to understand new sections you have not previously considered in depth. Then, apply to your life. Then repeat with more scripture.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, help me not be content with just the basics of Your word, but rather hungry to study and challenge my understanding of what others teach. Help me to continually better define my understanding of You by studying and understanding scripture more deeply rather than let my current understanding of You redefine what the scripture actually says to fit in my “box”. Help me to enjoy studying and learning the truth of Your word. 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.