Category Archives: Persecution / Glorifying God

Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Lying / Deceiving, Persecution / Glorifying God, Unteachable / Foolish, Wickedness / Evil

False Witnesses Claimed Stephen Taught Against Law and Moses

As we read Acts 6:8-15, our attention is drawn to a dramatic scene that ultimately leads up to the death of Stephen as he is martyred for his faith. It is easy to focus on the anger of those coming against him as they plot to kill him. It is a powerful scene.

There is another key aspect we should take care not to overlook. Many of us have been taught incorrectly today that Yeshua, His disciples and Paul taught against the law, as if the law were no longer meaningful, or we were no longer supposed to follow it. Here we see Stephen preaching the opposite, and willing to die for it. He preaches a gospel of the law and Yeshua as Messiah. Yeshua fulfills the law as in “fills it with meaning”. He does not make it meaningless for us to follow as so many are taught.

The context for Acts 6 is that Yeshua has already died and been resurrected and gone to be with the Father after a period of time with His followers. In this context, Stephen is not teaching against the law at all. Quite the opposite. How do we know? The people were trying to kill him and accused him of teaching against the law, but the scripture says it was by false witnesses. Had Stephen actually been teaching against the law, they would have no need of false witnesses.

Acts 6:8-15  8And Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and signs among the people. 9But some men from what was called the Synagogue of the Freedmen, including both Cyrenians and Alexandrians, and some from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and argued with Stephen. 10But they were unable to cope with the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking. 11Then they secretly induced men to say, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God.” 12And they stirred up the people, the elders and the scribes, and they came up to him and dragged him away and brought him before the Council. 13They put forward false witnesses who said, “This man incessantly speaks against this holy place and the Law; 14for we have heard him say that this Nazarene, Jesus, will destroy this place and alter the customs which Moses handed down to us.” 15And fixing their gaze on him, all who were sitting in the Council saw his face like the face of an angel.

It is incredibly ironic that the false witnesses testified against Stephen accusing him of teaching against the law and the temple and accuse him of teaching that Yeshua came to change the customs that Moses handed down. So many Christians accuse Yeshua, Paul, and Stephen of the same false claims even today. All three followed the law and the customs of Moses, while also teaching of the promised Messiah in Yeshua. It is not one or the other. They fit together as it was always intended.

We encourage you to review the following teaching for more perspective.

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.

Envy / Jealousy / Coveting, Obeying God, Persecution / Glorifying God, Protector / Deliverer, Share the Good News, Strong in Our Weakness

Obey God Rather Than Men

True followers of Jesus Christ have faced persecution since Yeshua came to walk among us in His earthly ministry. In truth it may actually serve at times for an external measure of our personal testimony for Christ. If we claim to follow Christ but never suffer even the slightest bit of persecution or rejection from others, there is likely one of two things happening. Either we have compromised the true message of the gospel and watered it down such that it no longer makes non believers uncomfortable or we are not proclaiming Yeshua among non believers.

When Yeshua and His disciples preached, people were moved in one direction or the other… there is no middle ground. You either accept Yeshua and follow Him, changing your life to be more like His example, or you reject Him as God and probably get tired of hearing genuine Christians keep telling you about Him.  Someone who hears the true gospel of Christ, that we go to hell and suffer for eternity because of our own sinful nature unless we submit to follow Christ, can not accept it as true and then continue to ignore it, changing nothing in their lives. If this message does not move you to change your life… you have not accepted it genuinely and wholeheartedly. You are just going through the motions, or “checking a box” on a checklist. Perhaps you are just following traditions of what your parents did before you… but this will not lead to salvation through Christ.

Because the message of Christ makes people uncomfortable, many will come against you when you live and share a life and message that truly reflects Yeshua and God’s revealed word in the Bible.  We must decide whom we shall obey… will we obey God or men. The disciples faced strong persecution over and over following the death of Christ. All but John ultimately died for their faith in Jesus. John was exiled to an island, Patmos. Acts 5 shows one such example of persecution and how the disciples reacted to it.

Acts 5:17-32

Imprisonment and Release

      17But the high priest rose up, along with all his associates (that is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with jealousy. 18They laid hands on the apostles and put them in a public jail. 19But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the gates of the prison, and taking them out he said, 20“Go, stand and speak to the people in the temple the whole message of this Life.” 21Upon hearing this, they entered into the temple about daybreak and began to teach. Now when the high priest and his associates came, they called the Council together, even all the Senate of the sons of Israel, and sent orders to the prison house for them to be brought. 22But the officers who came did not find them in the prison; and they returned and reported back, 23saying, “We found the prison house locked quite securely and the guards standing at the doors; but when we had opened up, we found no one inside.” 24Now when the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests heard these words, they were greatly perplexed about them as to what would come of this. 25But someone came and reported to them, “The men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people!” 26Then the captain went along with the officers and proceeded to bring them back without violence (for they were afraid of the people, that they might be stoned).

      27When they had brought them, they stood them before the Council. The high priest questioned them, 28saying, “We gave you strict orders not to continue teaching in this name, and yet, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.” 29But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men. 30“The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you had put to death by hanging Him on a cross. 31“He is the one whom God exalted to His right hand as a Prince and a Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. 32“And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him.”

What a powerful testimony! Imagine yourself in their place… arrested when you stood up to proclaim Yeshua. Then Yahweh sets you free in a powerful way. How many of us would then run and hide? The disciples, filled with courage from the Holy Spirit, obeyed Yahweh and went to a public place where they could be easily found and preached the truth of the gospel of our Messiah!

I pray my Father would prepare me to respond in a like manner as the disciples. I am convinced it requires the presence of the Holy Spirit. We must each pray for Yah’s help in this area so that we would proclaim the gospel boldly in all circumstances. We must also prepare through consistent, daily study of His word.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please prepare my heart to stand firmly for You even when I am threatened by those who seemingly have power or authority over me. Thank You for being our provider and protector. Let me not be easily discouraged from boldly proclaiming the gospel. Please give me the words to speak and the opportunity to speak them. I pray these things also for others who follow You, locally, across my state, across my country and 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.

Consequences of Sin, Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Persecution / Glorifying God, Prophecy, Wickedness / Evil

Mocked, Beaten, and Executed… For Your Sins and Mine

Yeshua willingly laid down His life for us. He humbled Himself as servant to all. He suffered and died on the cross as payment in judgment of our sins, to pay the penalty of sin (death) on our behalf. Let us never overlook the gruesome treatment He suffered for us, that we deserve. He was isolated from His friends. He was beaten, mocked, and ultimately killed in painful fashion. He received no mercy or compassion. Those that loved Him, kept at a distance for the most part. As you read through the scripture… dwell on the fact that Yeshua chose to willingly endure this punishment for your sins and mine.

Mark 15:16-41

Jesus Is Mocked

      16The soldiers took Him away into the palace (that is, the Praetorium), and they called together the whole Roman cohort. 17They dressed Him up in purple, and after twisting a crown of thorns, they put it on Him; 18and they began to acclaim Him, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 19They kept beating His head with a reed, and spitting on Him, and kneeling and bowing before Him. 20After they had mocked Him, they took the purple robe off Him and put His own garments on Him. And they led Him out to crucify Him.

      21They pressed into service a passer-by coming from the country, Simon of Cyrene (the father of Alexander and Rufus), to bear His cross.

The Crucifixion

      22Then they brought Him to the place Golgotha, which is translated, Place of a Skull. 23They tried to give Him wine mixed with myrrh; but He did not take it. 24And they crucified Him, and divided up His garments among themselves, casting lots for them to decide what each man should take. 25It was the third hour when they crucified Him. 26The inscription of the charge against Him read, “THE KING OF THE JEWS.”

      27They crucified two robbers with Him, one on His right and one on His left. 28[And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “And He was numbered with transgressors.”] 29Those passing by were hurling abuse at Him, wagging their heads, and saying, “Ha! You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, 30save Yourself, and come down from the cross!” 31In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes, were mocking Him among themselves and saying, “He saved others; He cannot save Himself. 32“Let this Christ, the King of Israel, now come down from the cross, so that we may see and believe!” Those who were crucified with Him were also insulting Him.

      33When the sixth hour came, darkness fell over the whole land until the ninth hour. 34At the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “ELOI, ELOI, LAMA SABACHTHANI?” which is translated, “MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?” 35When some of the bystanders heard it, they began saying, “Behold, He is calling for Elijah.” 36Someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a reed, and gave Him a drink, saying, “Let us see whether Elijah will come to take Him down.” 37And Jesus uttered a loud cry, and breathed His last. 38And the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. 39When the centurion, who was standing right in front of Him, saw the way He breathed His last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”

      40There were also some women looking on from a distance, among whom were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the Less and Joses, and Salome. 41When He was in Galilee, they used to follow Him and minister to Him; and there were many other women who came up with Him to Jerusalem.

Only as they witnessed His death, and Yahweh demonstrated power in tearing the veil of the temple, did some realize that Yeshua was in fact the Son of God. For each of us, as we recognize this fact, we must decide how we are to respond to such an act of selfless love as that of Christ dying for us. We should live our lives in submission to Yeshua and all He taught us. We are to surrender to Him and live accordingly. We are to be a light to others to show them the way to Him as well. We must die to self and rise again to follow Christ. It should be evident in our lives well beyond just the words we say or the church services we attend. Our very lives should be witness to others in good times and bad.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, thank You for Yeshua! Thank You for providing a way for me to be reconciled to You despite my sin. Help me never take it for granted. Help me remember that I did not earn or deserve this, but rather forgiveness through Yeshua is offered as a gift. Amen. 

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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.

Devotions by John, Faith / Trusting God, Fear / Reverence for God, Government, Obeying God, Persecution / Glorifying God, Purposeful / Intentional, Submitted / Servant

Will You Live Fully for Yahweh? Or Will You Compromise When Threatened?

There are times when the decisions of those governing our nations have significant impact on our personal lives and may truly test our devotion and commitment to our LORD. It is not hard to see this playing out in our world today. Whether it is related to COVID or the government response to it which threatens personal freedom in many cases across the globe or whether it is persecution in Muslim countries like Iran and Afghanistan or atheistic countries like China, choosing to live boldly a life publicly committed to Christ can cause many to make difficult choices affecting their lives dramatically.

This is not a new situation. We can see an example of this in 2 Chronicles following the split of the kingdom after the death of Solomon. The Levites in Israel were removed by Jeroboam from their God given duties and he appointed his own priests and places of worship. The Levites had to make a choice about whether they would remain in such a situation or not. They would have to decide whether to leave their pasture lands and property behind in pursuit of living for Yahweh or whether they would make excuses to remain in the ungodly situation they found themselves in.

2 Chronicles 11:14-17

Jeroboam Appoints False Priests

      14For the Levites left their pasture lands and their property and came to Judah and Jerusalem, for Jeroboam and his sons had excluded them from serving as priests to the LORD. 15He set up priests of his own for the high places, for the satyrs and for the calves which he had made. 16Those from all the tribes of Israel who set their hearts on seeking the LORD God of Israel followed them to Jerusalem, to sacrifice to the LORD God of their fathers. 17They strengthened the kingdom of Judah and supported Rehoboam the son of Solomon for three years, for they walked in the way of David and Solomon for three years.

This is not theoretical for people all around the globe today. It is real. Will I choose to live for Yahweh? Will I choose to proclaim Yeshua as the way? or will I go silent? Will I let government and employers determine how I will live because of the persecution that will follow… losing a job or losing one’s life?

I am fortunately not in a situation where my life or that of my family is at stake. I am, however, potentially impacted by government and employer mandates that may conflict with my faith. Most of us have to make a decision about how openly we share our faith in our workplace and what the implications may be. I am trying to prepare myself ahead of time for such a time as I see others experiencing today. I ask God’s help and I decide up front what I will or will not do. As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD, even if there are significant ramifications.

I encourage each of you to seek God on this before you find yourself in such a situation. Be prepared. Take steps to get out of debt and live less paycheck to paycheck so you are not so dependent on employers or government. Can you stock up food? Can you save 6 months spending in the bank to give you cushion if you lose your job? Can you start gardening some of your own food? Can you build up your skills to be able to generate income on your own? There are many such steps as these to consider and consider them prayerfully.

I invite you to pray for me:

Father, please help me to prepare for difficult times that may come. Help me to be courageous to live for You and You alone. Let me not be coerced to live differently for fear of losing my job or my life. Help Your people everywhere with this type of situation. Raise up the righteous and be their shield. Strike down the plans of the wicked. 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.

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

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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.

Courage / Fear, Persecution / Glorifying God

Yeshua Was Mocked for Us. Are We Willing to be Mocked for Him?

Have you ever been mocked for standing up for Yeshua? Have you ever been in a situation where you felt intimidated not  to let others know you follow Him? We all know this is wrong, but we still may experience those emotions in some situations. Consider that Yeshua has experienced some very harsh mockery while paying the penalty for our sins. In fact, He was ruthlessly mocked until the very end while He was suffering a tortuous death, crucified on the cross. Ask the LORD to help you to have courage and strength to live boldly and unapologetically for Christ, as He stood for us.

Matthew 27:27-44

Jesus Is Mocked

      27Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole Roman cohort around Him. 28They stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him. 29And after twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand; and they knelt down before Him and mocked Him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 30They spat on Him, and took the reed and began to beat Him on the head. 31After they had mocked Him, they took the scarlet robe off Him and put His own garments back on Him, and led Him away to crucify Him.

      32As they were coming out, they found a man of Cyrene named Simon, whom they pressed into service to bear His cross.

      33And when they came to a place called Golgotha, which means Place of a Skull, 34they gave Him wine to drink mixed with gall; and after tasting it, He was unwilling to drink.

      35And when they had crucified Him, they divided up His garments among themselves by casting lots. 36And sitting down, they began to keep watch over Him there. 37And above His head they put up the charge against Him which read, “THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.”

      38At that time two robbers were crucified with Him, one on the right and one on the left. 39And those passing by were hurling abuse at Him, wagging their heads 40and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.” 41In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes and elders, were mocking Him and saying, 42“He saved others; He cannot save Himself. He is the King of Israel; let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe in Him. 43“HE TRUSTS IN GOD; LET GOD RESCUE Him now, IF HE DELIGHTS IN HIM; for He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” 44The robbers who had been crucified with Him were also insulting Him with the same words.

      45Now from the sixth hour darkness fell upon all the land until the ninth hour. 46About the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “ELI, ELI, LAMA SABACHTHANI?” that is, “MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?” 47And some of those who were standing there, when they heard it, began saying, “This man is calling for Elijah.” 48Immediately one of them ran, and taking a sponge, he filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and gave Him a drink. 49But the rest of them said, “Let us see whether Elijah will come to save Him.” 50And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please give me courage to stand firmly for You. Help me to live boldly and unapologetically for You, even when I face mockery or persecution. Help me to honor You with all aspects of my life. 

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.

Arrogance, Consequences of Sin, Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Murder, Obeying God, Parables, Persecution / Glorifying God, Rebuke Wrong Behavior, Repenting from Sin, Selfishness, Slow to Anger, Submitted / Servant, Wickedness / Evil, Worthy of Fear / Reverence

How Will You Treat God’s Messengers? His Son?

The Parable of the Landowner lays out in Yeshua’s words a summary of the relationship of Yahweh with His people, Israel. He chose them. For a time they followed Him. There were times when they rejected and mistreated His prophets (servants in the parable). So, He sends Yeshua (the landowner’s son in the parable) to the people of Israel. They reject Him and kill Him. Ultimately the LORD scatters the Jewish people and reaches out to gentiles to be grafted in to His people and His ways. This may sometimes be called “spiritual Israel” to differentiate from physical Israel which is a nation of Jewish people, who do not accept Yeshua as Messiah, but have the lineage back to Jacob who was renamed Israel.

As you read the parable, keep these things in mind. Consider what it can mean for us as His people today if we refuse to listen to His instructions and His messengers or even as we reject His son as a nation.

Matthew 21:22-45

Parable of the Landowner

      33“Listen to another parable. There was a landowner who PLANTED A VINEYARD AND PUT A WALL AROUND IT AND DUG A WINE PRESS IN IT, AND BUILT A TOWER, and rented it out to vine-growers and went on a journey. 34“When the harvest time approached, he sent his slaves to the vine-growers to receive his produce. 35“The vine-growers took his slaves and beat one, and killed another, and stoned a third. 36“Again he sent another group of slaves larger than the first; and they did the same thing to them. 37“But afterward he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 38“But when the vine-growers saw the son, they said among themselves, ‘This is the heir; come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.’ 39“They took him, and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. 40“Therefore when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vine-growers?” 41They said to Him, “He will bring those wretches to a wretched end, and will rent out the vineyard to other vine-growers who will pay him the proceeds at the proper seasons.”

      42Jesus said to them, “Did you never read in the Scriptures,
‘THE STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED,
THIS BECAME THE CHIEF CORNER stone;
THIS CAME ABOUT FROM THE LORD,
AND IT IS MARVELOUS IN OUR EYES’?

43“Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people, producing the fruit of it. 44“And he who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; but on whomever it falls, it will scatter him like dust.”

      45When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard His parables, they understood that He was speaking about them. 46When they sought to seize Him, they feared the people, because they considered Him to be a prophet.

When the chief priests and Pharisees heard the parable from Yeshua, they were not open to listening and learning and then changing their lives in repentance. They got defensive and rejected the message and the messenger. Ironically they moved right toward the worst part of the warning in the parable… to kill the landowner’s son. I pray those of us reading this today will be more open to receive Yahweh’s message and apply it in our lives. The wise listen to correction and learn from it. They receive a rebuke and change. Fools and arrogant people assume they are right and anyone who speaks to the contrary is wrong and must be silenced or ignored.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please help me to receive your rebukes and the truth of your word from scripture. Help me not to be arrogant and defensive like the Pharisees and chief priests in the scripture reading. Rather than striking down a messenger who brings a message of truth and warning, help us to listen and turn towards you and your ways. Let us receive the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us. Help us have the courage and wisdom to change where we should. As a nation, and as a global body of Christ, help us to experience revival and restoration. Lift up the righteous and strike down the wicked from power and influence. Help your people to draw near to you and be loyal servants with a right relationship with you. 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.

Courage / Fear, Faith / Trusting God, His Ways Are Not Our Ways, Obeying God, Persecution / Glorifying God, Purposeful / Intentional, Seeking God, Submitted / Servant

Discipleship Is Costly; Are You Prepared?

True discipleship can be costly. It means we choose Yahweh over all else. We lay down our wants and needs for whatever He calls us to do.

Matthew 16:24-28

Discipleship Is Costly

      24Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. 25“For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. 26“For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 27“For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and WILL THEN REPAY EVERY MAN ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS.

      28“Truly I say to you, there are some of those who are standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.”

Reflect on each verse carefully.

“For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.

“For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

Verse 28 is also intriguing. You can read, as I did, some thoughts documented in the commentaries on BibleHub for this verse. I am not convinced I can conclusively say to what He was referring. However, just because we may not fully understand every verse and its full significance does not mean Yeshua is any less our redeemer and savior. The evidence is overwhelming.

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.

Blessed, Humility, Jesus (hearing from God), Mercy, Peace / Rest, Persecution / Glorifying God, Purposeful / Intentional

Prayerfully Reflecting on the Beatitudes

There is clearly a lot of study that can be done to more deeply understand the beatitudes, and we will certainly only cover the tip of the iceberg here. I would encourage all to study them and prayerfully reflect on them beyond reading this article.

Matthew 5:1-11

The Sermon on the Mount; The Beatitudes

      1When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. 2He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying,

      3“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

      4“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

      5“Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.

      6“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

      7“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

      8“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

      9“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

      10“Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

      11“Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. 12“Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Blessed are the poor in spirit.

Poor in spirit does not reflect material wealth or poverty in any way. This is an interesting area to study and there are many explanations as to what it means, but try to think of it in this way. If I have poverty, I know I am in need. I am not self sufficient and comfortable. In the same way spiritual poverty implies an awareness that we are not self sufficient. We need help. We need to grow and learn and get more. With this in mind, it makes a lot more sense to say that they are blessed. The poor in spirit know they need Messiah Yeshua. Thus the kingdom of heaven is theirs.

Blessed are those who mourn.

To mourn is to express deep grief or sorrow. We could ask ourselves what these people are mourning about. They may be mourning over the pain and suffering of others. They may be mourning over their own sin condition and guilt because they, unlike many, recognize it as a problem they can not solve without Messiah. Scripture does not say outright. But from context of this section of scripture being about spiritual nature we can assume they are not blessed for mourning in a way that is contrary to the ways of YHWH. Think about the above examples. To recognize the impact of sin or suffering, or both, draws us nearer to our Messiah and savior and to the Holy Spirit for to be comforted. If we do not even recognize or feel a need to mourn these things, then we are again very much acting self sufficient and will not be as likely to draw near to the LORD.

Blessed are the gentle.

Again, there are many opinions on exactly what this means. I found one that is very helpful to consider from NeverThirsty.org – Blessed are the Gentle (Meek). I encourage you to read the linked document as reference as they build out the meaning well. However the punchline is that to be meek or gentle in this sense is not a weakness. Both Moses and Yeshua were meek or humble in this way. Both were fiery and passionate when they needed to be. However this character trait is more like being power that has been tamed, like a domesticated animal. Still strong, but contained and intentional. Willing to yield to others when it is appropriate.

I can easily see that the meek by this understanding of the word would truly be blessed. The ability to willingly and lovingly submit to others (when appropriate) or to YHWH is a powerful blessing indeed.

Some of the others are easier to digest. Those who pursue after righteousness will be more likely to find it than those who do not. Be merciful and receive mercy.  The pure in heart will see YHWH. Quick point on this one would be that to be pure in heart (perhaps like David) does not mean pure and perfect in living for God according to His commandments. It does mean when you fail, you repent… genuinely. Truly the pure in heart will grow closer to the Father. To be a peacemaker is a good thing. Do not be confused however, as this does not mean peace at any cost. Even Yeshua said he did not come to bring peace, but to bring a sword (bonus reading starting at Matthew 10:34).

The last pair truly strikes home as reminding us that His ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55:8). If we are persecuted for righteousness or because of following Yeshua, we should rejoice! Even as they are saying lies about us. I tell you this one has been great encouragement for me. We are not to simply be people pleasers. We are to be first and foremost pleasing to our Father in heaven. That will put us at odds with the world and even our families (refer again to Matthew 10:34. 

Take time to prayerfully reflect on this part of the sermon on the mount from our Messiah. What does it show you that you should change in your life?

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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.

Persecution / Glorifying God, Salvation, Satan, Submitted / Servant, Tribulation

Satan Bound and the First Resurrection

Revelation is a fascinating record of a prophecy given to a disciple whom Yeshua loved. There is so much imagery and also information contained. One such nugget is to remind ourselves that YHWH is in control of all things, including the limits or boundaries put on the adversary, Satan. They are not equal rivals. YHWH is above all and it is not even close. Satan will be bound (or loosed) when YHWH calls for it. It is that simple. There is no doubt.

I also see that not all of those who are dead will rise for the 1000 year reign of Christ. Some will not rise until later. Clearly those who rule with Yeshua during this time are His priests and are among those who demonstrated true and strong faith in Him, suffering much. Those who suffer much in His name will be rewarded much later. How encouraging. He is a loving and gracious LORD.

Revelation 20:1-6

Satan Bound

     1Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. 2And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; 3and he threw him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he would not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were completed; after these things he must be released for a short time.

      4Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 5The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed. This is the first resurrection. 6Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years.

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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.