Have We Lost Our Way?

     I was intrigued with a recent article on the Charisma News website.  It quoted a prophetic statement made by Dr. Elton Trueblood, the former chaplain for Stanford and Harvard universities in the early 1900s. He was once asked what the church in America would look like in the last half of the 20th century. Dr. Trueblood stated, "By the year 2000, Christians in America will be a conscious minority surrounded by an arrogant, militant paganism."  Well, we are nearly two decades past his prognostication, and I daresay that not only is the Body of Christ surrounded by paganism, but we are becoming increasingly comfortable with compromising with the pagan world.
    I feel confident in saying that because I see too much evidence that the Church and Christians are willing to let the "leaven" of the world infiltrate our professed faith in God.  Remember, in our discussion of God's Feasts yesterday that He warned the Israelites about sweeping the corrupting influence of Egypt out of their lives. Yet, I'm afraid that I see the world and its corrupting values permeating the sanctity of our Church buildings and our faith.

     I'm pretty sure that some of what I'm about to say will be viewed as legalistic, rigid, and uncompromising.  But I would like to propose the idea that it is precisely because of our compromise and lack of obedience to God's Word that the world is in the mess it's in. Because the Church has presented only a picture of a Loving and Merciful God, there is no fear of Him or His Judgment.  In addition, we have let the ideology of "tolerance" overshadow the areas in which Jesus was intolerant. As followers of Christ, we have become tolerant about divorce; about what constitutes the Biblical concept of marriage; about wickedness in high places; about immorality, as evidenced by the existence of rampant pornography, sex trafficking, and pedophilia; and crime and godlessness have become accepted norms in society, with nary a peep out of the Church.
     We have forgotten that Jesus warned us to enter by the narrow gate. He said, narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. This is perfectly illustrated by the Billy Graham Association, which wrote, "If you should ask a man the directions to New York City and he said, 'Oh, just take any road you wish, they all lead to New York,' you would question both his sanity and his truthfulness.  Nevertheless, we have somehow gotten it into our minds that 'all roads lead to Heaven.' " Yet, even Billy Graham, himself, whose faith in Jesus is without question, when asked whether those who belong to religions that reject Christ as Savior (Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, etc.) and secularists will be saved, responded, “Those are decisions only the Lord will make. It would be foolish for me to speculate on who will be there [in heaven] and who won’t. … I don’t want to speculate about that.” I guess he's forgotten the Word of God!
    In fact, there was a time when no professed Christian would have dared to entertain the thought that other gods offer a path to eternal life. What was once solid doctrine has slowly eroded into the acceptance of multiple paths to eternity. And with that sliding scale of righteousness, we are becoming the makers of our own moral values. The consequences of Biblical sin are diminished, while standards of Divine morality or Divine revelation go unspoken.  How convenient is that? When God's standards are ridiculed or non-existent, then no one's moral values can be judged wrong. And when there is no Divine revelation, then we become our own god; the world operates by the religion of man and his politics, and we will be saved by secular values.... the path is wide that leads to destruction. That is why the modern Church is in danger of operating more on man's traditions and thought than God's Word.
     Sadly, we have removed the profound sense of mystery that is God and His supernatural characteristics, and reduced Him to just a slightly larger image of ourselves.  And we have allowed occultism, mysticism, magic, and the mysteries and worship of other gods to grow and replace YHWH's once exalted position. We are embracing Christian yoga, for goodness sake!
     And because we Christians have not stood firm in the Word as our guiding principle, we have seen the breakdown of the family; our youth abandoning their faith in God, as well as confusion over their God-given sexual identities; and the shocking increase of perversion in our culture.  I fear that we are headed for a showdown -- a confrontation between true Believers and those who profess a faith that has no foundation in Jesus.  This confrontation is already apparent in our society and it will soon split our Churches.  Greed, idolatry, and adultery with the culture is permeating the Body of Christ, and Jesus will no more allow His Church to succumb to such wickedness as He allowed the moneychangers to defile His Father's House.
     It's time the Church and the Body take a good hard look in the mirror. We have not been about our Father's business and we are now in a battle for hearts and minds, and the destiny of millions of souls hangs in the balance. I sense that we will soon hear a voice from Heaven announce, "Take your sickle and reap, because the time to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is ripe." I believe the Body of Christ in America is in for a big transition.  Will we become the kind of Bride Jesus is looking for? I, for one, will not be in agreement with the world; nor will I compromise with those in the Church who insist on taking the wide path. I'm ready for the battle that is to come, and I will not hide the Light that is in me under a bushel basket. I will expose the lies of satan and the unfruitful works of his darkness and death. And I will tell the Lost of the abundant Life available when we are in fellowship with Jesus. Let us join together to find our way once again; to recover our path to Jesus, and return this world to the Lord!

Proverbs 25:26   "Like a muddied spring or a polluted fountain is a righteous man who gives way before the wicked".



   
   

Why I Celebrate the Festival of Passover & What It Means To Me

     The Festival of Passover will begin on the evening of Monday, April 10 and will conclude at evening on Tuesday, April 18.  Within these Holy days, God ordained the Feast of Pesach, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and the Feast of Fruitfruits -- all in commemoration of what He did in delivering the Israelites out of bondage in Egypt AND as a foreshadowing of the work He would do through His Son, Jesus Christ, in delivering us out of a life of bondage to sin. Within these eight days of Passover, Jesus was crucified, buried, and resurrected, and each Feast speaks of Him and His redemptive work on our behalf.
     And yes, God ordained these Feast Days, and they are His Holy Days, not just Jewish holidays, as the Church has mistakenly believed. In Leviticus 23, God proclaimed them as My Feasts and that they would be a perpetual statute among all your generations in all your dwelling places.  And because we are the spiritual descendants of Abraham, these Feasts not only have meaning to us, but I believe that we are to celebrate them, too.  After all, Abraham is the "father" of our faith, and as Galatians 3:29 says, If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. 
     But I want us to understand that God consecrated these specific holidays; set them apart as times to remember what He has done, what He continues to do, and what He will complete at the end of this Age.  Therefore, it is important that we know what each Feast Day means and what it tells us about the God we serve.

     The eight days that make up the Festival of Passover actually incorporate three separate Feasts, all under the umbrella of "the Feast of Passover". The first day of the Festival, and the first of the Feasts, is called Pesach, which means "spare" or "exempt" in Hebrew, and which our English Bibles translate as "pass over".  Therefore, it has become known as the Feast of Passover in our time.
     It is the foundation of all three Feasts, and commemorates the Lord's direction to the Israelites to sacrifice an unblemished and spotless lamb, applying it's blood to the side doorposts and top lentil of each home. [It is important to note, that this application made the motion of the Cross]. The Lord promised to pass over homes where the blood of the lamb had been applied.  The lambs were the substitutes for the people, sparing them [and saving them] from death and judgment by the Lord.  Each house marked by the blood of the lamb would be a haven of salvation, a place safe from the judgment that was about to come upon Egypt. Those Egyptian homes, where there was no application of the blood, would suffer the judgment of the Angel of Death at Midnight.
     We know the rest of this story... the Israelites were spared, while the first born in every Egyptian home died that night, causing Pharaoh to issue a decree that the Israelites be released and allowed to leave.  For the Jewish people, the focus of the Passover observance is remembering YHWH's deliverance of Israel out of Egypt. "Remember" -- that is the key word for this celebration.
     For us Christians, who are Abraham's seed of the New Covenant, the Feast of Passover is a call to remember the Redemption we have received through Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God.  He is our Passover who takes away the sin of the world.  We are redeemed with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. Just as the first Passover proved to be the Power of God to release the children of Israel from their bondage in Egypt, Jesus is the Power of God to release us from the penalty of our sin into Repentance, His love, Life, and Freedom and Liberty. Jesus IS the manifestation of the Passover Lamb, and He was crucified on the Feast of Passover.
     The second feast of the Passover Festival is the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which lasts seven days.  Historically, it is a call to remember the quick exodus from Egypt, when the Israelites were instructed to make bread without leaven (yeast) because they didn't have time to wait for it to rise. In addition, yeast, or leaven, in the Bible always referred to any corrupting influence in the nation of Israel.  In this instance, God was telling them to leave behind the unholy influences of Egypt -- the worship of false Egyptian gods, and the rituals and traditions that had corrupted Israel's relationship with their God during their 430 years of captivity. They were to spend that week in worship and reflection for what God had done for them, and for their relationship with Him that they were privileged to know.  They were to remove any leaven [or sin] that was corrupting their present  relationship; it was to be a time of absolute separation from leaven in any form.
     For today's Christian, this time is a Call to Purity, to an "Unleavened" life.  Jesus knew no sin, nor was any deceit found in Him.  He was unblemished and spotless.  He was made sin for us so that we could be made the righteousness of God in Him.  For us, it is a time to call to mind what God has done in each of our lives.  We should each have a personal testimony of God's salvation and our relationship to Him.  As we reflect on how He has delivered us from sin, we can ask His help in removing any leaven from our life that is separating us from Him.  The Feast of Unleavened Bread is a time of renewal and revival in our daily lives.
      The third feast of this Holy Festival is the Feast of Firstfruits.  This feast occurs during the week of Unleavened Bread on the Sabbath after Passover.  In the Old Covenant, it acknowledged the Lord as the giver of the harvest, and commemorated Adam's son, Abel, bringing the first of his flock as an offering to the Lord.  It was an expression of dependence on [and gratitude to] the Lord.  Offering the first fruits of the harvest [whether grain or livestock] was a way of sanctifying the entire harvest to the Lord, seeking the blessing of God on the harvest so that it could be used and enjoyed by Israel as its people lived out their lives as the people of God. It was a way of connecting to God, and seeking His fruitfulness over the entire harvest as it grew to maturity.  It all belonged to Him and was a gift from Him.  In essence, it was a harvest celebration, but it was more as we will see.
     As Christians, this Feast speaks volumes of Christ as the first of God's Harvest of souls and is a shadow of what Christ has done and the promises He has yet to do. The Feast of Firstfruits points to Christ and His redemptive work. First of all, Jesus's resurrection occurred on the very day of the celebration of the Feast of Firstfruits.  He is the offering presented to the Heavenly Father as the first fruit of the harvest.  But just as important, He is the guarantee that more resurrections will follow.  In His first fruits offering, we see the blessing and the setting apart [or sanctifying] of the entire harvest to the Father, and a preview of what the resurrection will be like for every Believer.  Because He overcame death and lives today, every born-again follower of Christ is connected to Him and His power.
     The Feast of Firstfruits is the call to remember our hope of Resurrection.  Christ is the  first fruits of the resurrection and a living hope for all of us!  We have hope in knowing that we will be resurrected into eternal life with Him in the future.  But for now, we have the hope in His resurrection power in our daily lives.  The very power that raised Jesus from the dead, lives in us now, in the person of the Holy Spirit. And by celebrating the Feast of Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and the Feast of Firstfruits, it is a call to remember all that my God has done in my life, and promises to do today, and into eternity.  He has provided a way for me to be delivered from the bondage of sin; to live a life of righteousness and holiness; and to call upon the power that is my salvation in order to effect this world until He returns and I am resurrected into His perfection for eternity.
     There is a fullness and expectancy that accompanies the celebration of the Festival of Passover.  It is Biblical and it is holy.  It is a remembrance of things God has already accomplished for us and a hope of what is to come.  I know that this is all new for us Christians, but I truly believe that it is pleasing to God when we make the effort to follow His command to celebrate His ordained Feasts.
     It doesn't have to be elaborate or follow the Jewish rituals.  Our Home Church will gather together on the Sabbath day of April 15th to honor all three Feasts, sharing a feast of lamb, unleavened bread, and bitter herbs (in the form of horseradish) as detailed in Exodus 12:8.  We will share in other favorite dishes and the four cups of wine that were featured in Jesus's last Passover meal to commemorate the promises God made to the Israelites ... the Cup of Sanctification – ( I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will free you from their bondage); the Cup of Judgment -- (I will rescue you with an outstretched arm, and by mighty acts of judgment); the Cup of Redemption (I will take you to Me for a people). At the last Passover Supper, Yeshua took this third cup, and said, “This is my blood which is poured our for the forgiveness of sins.”  Then we will partake of the fourth Cup, which Jesus said He would not drink until He drinks it with us in His Father's Kingdom.  This is the Cup of the Future Kingdom, a kingdom of truth, peace, and freedom -- (I will be to you a God).
     We are not concerned with following any strict program of Jewish rituals, because we are not called to become Jews.  But we are called, as spiritual descendants of Abraham, to remember what YHWH did in the lives of our spiritual forefathers and to thank Him for Christ's redemptive work in our own lives. This is the fourth year we have celebrated Passover, and with each year, I am blessed with a growing intimacy with the heart of my Lord. I invite you to join me in being obedient to Him and gathering your family to thank Him for the rich heritage that is ours, and for the growing knowledge and intimacy that He shares with us.  Happy Passover!

1 Corinthians 5:7-8   "Clean out the old leaven so that you may be a new lump, just as you are in fact unleavened. For Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed. Therefore let us celebrate the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth". 

   

Intercession and Manifestation: How We Can Heal In The Name of Jesus

     If you ever want to make a fellow Christian uncomfortable, try this ... when they request that you intercede on their behalf; to pray for them and plead with God to heal their illness or sickness, ask them if you can lay hands on them instead and let the power of Jesus heal them right then and there.  Talk about the sins of Doubt and Unbelief! They will most likely stare at you as if you've lost your mind! But who, if they profess faith in Jesus, can say, "No, thank you. I'll pass this time, if you don't mind"?
     I know how foreign healing sounds to the ears of the Modern Church, but that's exactly what Jesus asked those who would believe in Him [and follow Him] to do.  Our Lord spent three years training His disciples in the principles of healing and deliverance as part of their Kingdom work. And He meant for those valuable lessons to be passed down through the centuries of Believers to become a part of each of our ministries for His Kingdom.
     You have heard me say repeatedly that Jesus has given us His power and authority to do the things that He did -- heal the sick, cast out demons, and preach the Message of God's Kingdom.  So I won't belabor that point in this particular blog post -- we will accept that as a given, okay? Today, I want to expand upon that point and discuss how intercession for others through the manifestation of that power results in the ability to heal those with all manner of sickness and disease.

     First of all, I need to address the subject of "the Gift of Healing" as mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12.  The subject of "the gifts of the Spirit" is one that is both fascinating and difficult; oftentimes dependent upon which denominational doctrine you have been taught.  We should all be familiar with 1 Corinthians 12:4-7, which says, Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons.  But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.   
     Let me share with you what this passage is telling me ... when you read further, you discover what the gifts are: the word of wisdom; the word of knowledge; faith; healing; effecting miracles; prophecy; distinguishing of spirits; speaking in tongues; and interpretation of tongues. Then verse 11 tells us, But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.
     Unfortunately, today's Body of Christ believes that each of us is given a specific gift; or if you're really lucky, you might have been given more than one of those listed in 1 Corinthians 12.  How many times have you heard a fellow Christian say, "I didn't receive the gift of ____ from the Holy Spirit, so that is not what I've been called to do". But that is not what the Bible says!
     We need to understand that ALL of the gifts are the characteristics of the nature of the Holy Spirit.  He possesses them ALL! And when we receive the Holy Spirit at the time of our conversion [and acceptance of Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior], the Holy Spirit indwells us, bringing all those characteristics of His Divine Nature with Him.  We aren't given a specific gift at that time -- we have them all, and when we step out in faith (i.e., are active in our belief), the Holy Spirit will manifest whatever gift is needed at that time; we will receive the gift we need for that particular situation, and the gift(s) of the Holy Spirit will be manifested through us.
     The Amplified version of 1 Corinthians 12:4 gives a pretty good interpretation: "Now there are [distinctive] varieties of spiritual gifts [special abilities given by the grace and extraordinary power of the Holy Spirit operating in believers], but it is the same Spirit [who grants them and empowers believers]". Do you see it? These special abilities are all part of the nature of the Holy Spirit, who resides in us. And we are given the authority to use (any or all of) them as the Spirit empowers us and wills it.
     But what does it mean that these gifts are manifested through us?  And how does that pertain [specifically] to one's need to be healed, for instance? Here's the best way I can think to describe it ... when we are confronted with a person's need to be healed, say from cancer, there is an internal disclosure [from the Holy Spirit] to the Believer that it's time to act out our faith. At that moment, we are empowered to reveal the true Divine character of the Holy Spirit, which is to heal. He, who is in us, acts through us to reveal His character, which is from the Father.  We lay hands on that person, and the power of the Holy Spirit (which is the power of Jesus and the Father) is transferred through us to do the Father's will. And lest you still need convincing, the Bible abounds with Scripture that says it is the Father's will that we be healed ... Psalm 103:2-3; Exodus 23:25; Matthew 8:2-3, among others.
     But here is what the Church does ... we ask others to pray (intercede) for us and basically, beg God to heal us.  There is no demonstration of the power and authority of the Holy Spirit in us.  And I truly believe that God wants us to demonstrate that power to the Prince of this world! Instead, the Church's theology has been reduced to a doctrine that either begs God to do the work [for us], or condones intercession as taking on the suffering of others; standing in the gap and accepting the blows of the devil and his demons on behalf of another -- and reveling in the suffering as some kind of honor.
     God never asks that of us! Instead, we aren't to pray, begging God to heal, but we should stir up the gifts of the Holy Spirit, look in the face of the illness, and demand that it leave, declaring that this cancer is defeated, quoting Psalm 118:17: I will not die, but live, and tell of the works of the Lord! 
     And we have a perfect example of this principle in 2 Timothy 1:6, when Paul says to his "spiritual son", Timothy, "Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands".  Paul was instructing Timothy that he must be ever mindful to "keep the flame alive"; that the gift(s) of the Holy Spirit should be regarded as a fire capable of dying out if neglected.  We should take this to heart -- to keep stoking the fire of the Holy Spirit [within us] so that we will be effective in carrying out the Lord's work, as the Spirit empowers us.
     I also wish to make one point very clear.  When you are not in a person's presence, you can absolutely intercede for them, standing in the gap between them and the devil. BUT, if you are doing it in your own power, you can expect that the Enemy will knock you to your knees.  In other words, you can expect that the devil will retaliate. But when you stir up the power of the Holy Spirit within you, He will release His power and  manifest it through you, enabling you to stop the devil's onslaught.
     And if the thought of being empowered by the Holy Spirit to take on the devil frightens you -- or if you can't conceive of the possibility that the Spirit can heal someone through you -- I'd like to point out what Paul told Timothy after he instructed him to stir up that very power ... God has not given us a spirit of timidity [cowardice], but of power and love and discipline [sound judgment].
     When we receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, we receive the very power and authority of Heaven in the person of the Holy Spirit.  There is nothing that the devil can do to defeat it [or us]! But we have to be in agreement with Heaven, and keep that power stirred up and active; being a willing vessel for the manifestation of the Holy Spirit through us.
     So the next time, when someone asks you to pray for them to be healed, do as Peter did in Acts, Chapter Three.  When the lame beggar at the Temple pleaded for money to help him relieve his infirmed state, Peter said, "I do not possess silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene—Walk!" Peter was professing that he possessed the power of the Holy Spirit to heal him. Show the sick people in your life [and the devil] that you possess the Divine Nature of the Holy Spirit; and [through your active faith], proclaim Liberty for the captive; and declare the Word of the Lord, that by their Savior's stripes, they are healed...  Then expect it to be so.

John 10:10     The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

Jeremiah 7:2-4

Stand in the gate of the Lord’s house and proclaim there this word

 and say, ‘Hear the word of the Lord, all you of Judah, who enter by these gates to worship the Lord!’ Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, 

“Amend your ways and your deeds, and I will let you dwell in this place. 

Do not trust in deceptive words, saying, ‘This is the temple of the Lord, 

the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord.’

     I must admit something as I write this blog this morning ... first, that Jeremiah is my favorite prophet because he seems so human; I can identify with him and his impatience with the stiff-necked people of Judah.  Like Jeremiah, I often harbor harsh criticism for those who are willing to accept the blessings of God while rejecting Him.  At the same time, I am filled with sadness for the reality of where they will spend eternity if they do not set aside their pride and worldliness in favor of surrendering all to God. I struggle with whether it is okay for me to be offended on behalf of Jesus.  But then I look at Jeremiah, and see myself.  

     In fact, in Jeremiah 7:2-4, I am seeing a situation that is being played out far too often in the affluent communities of America.  I have personally witnessed it, so I do not speak out of turn or about something that I know nothing of.  But I am offended when I see the wealthy in upscale communities vociferously competing for coveted spots for their children in Christian private schools.  Often, the efforts to place their children in these exclusive schools begins while the child is still in the womb! And it is not the desire for a Christian education that offends me, but rather the disinterest in knowing the Person upon whom the education is based.

     These parents are far too willing to set themselves (and their children) above what they consider a substandard education in the public schools, but they are equally consistent in denying faith [or any kind of relationship] in Jesus; He Who is the very foundation of the education their children are receiving. 

     But not all the blame can be laid at the feet of these defiant and rebellious parents.  Shame on the Churches and the Church schools who accept students whose parents do not support the Gospel of the Kingdom!  Is it all about the money that the parents pay that supports the Church organization [or should I say business]? Why isn't the Church concerned that the home be [necessarily] a stronghold of Faith? Are these Churches aware of the Parable of the Sower and how the Word that was sown on stony hearts had no depth in which to nourish the seed, and it therefore did not take root?  Is it possible that this supposedly prized "Christian education" is more about the prestige and the status, than it is about Christ?

     I personally have heard Elitist unbelieving parents bragging about writing a letter of recommendation to help another unbelieving friend's child gain entrance into their prestigious private school.  And my spirit saw Christ's grief-stricken face as I fought to control my righteous indignation! Like Jeremiah, I wanted to shout for them to amend their blasphemous deeds and words.  I wanted them to know what an honor it was for their child to be taught the ways of Jesus, and I wanted them to truly know the Lord who died for them! 

     I wanted these parents to know what I think of those Church school officials who are so tolerant of disbelief [by accepting massive amounts of tuition money]. These parents are trusting in the [lying] words of those who tell them it is okay to continue to worship the gods of this world [money, status, privilege], and then give lip service to how wonderful it is their child is attending this Christian school. Their exclamations of "The School, the School, the School" is no different than the Jewish sinners shouting to God in His House, and  proclaiming "The temple, the Temple, the Temple".

     Like Jeremiah, I am truly weary of this self-centered, egotistic, superficial, and self-seeking generation!  Why is Jesus and the Cross so offensive to these people who have everything?  They have no financial worries, no needs of any kind. Perhaps it is because nothing says you are a sinner more than the Cross, and no one says you are in need of a Savior, more than Jesus. He is a mirror that reflects our pride, our idolatry, and the darkness of our souls. And while I know that my indignation reflects what angers God, Himself, I need to be careful that my anger does not cause me to sin. So, for now, I will continue to bite my tongue. But I will never stop proclaiming my faith in Jesus -- even when the looks of disgust surface, and the eyes roll, and the subject is quickly changed ... And I will pray for their children; that they might bear fruit from hearing the Word and lead their parents to the knowledge of Jesus; a knowledge in which all the riches of this world pale in comparison.

      

Is Your Labor In Vain?

     This is a touchy question when it comes to the Body of Christ.  The word "Labor" conjures up one of the Church's "sacred cows" ... Labor = Works, and All works are invalidated because Ephesians 2:8-9 says, For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that [salvation is] not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. Satan has twisted this Scripture and convinced much of the Church that we are not to do works at all. Therefore, much of the Modern Church's teachings deplore the idea of works, and we are left with an ineffective Body which has abandoned the mandate and directives of Jesus.  Let me explain...
     There are two different aspects of this doctrinal position.  The first is the issue of inheritance and rewards.  Colossians 3:23-24 says it pretty plainly: Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. That word "work" signifies "labor", and obviously, when we work hard for the Lord, we can expect rewards from Him.  But that is not the aspect I want to address today.

     I want us to think about Jesus's heart in this matter.  In Matthew, Chapter 9, we get a very good picture of His heart when it came to healing people.  In this short chapter, we see Him healing a paralytic; the daughter of a synagogue official; a woman who had been hemorrhaging for twelve years; two blind men; and a mute, demon-possessed man.  At the end of the chapter, it says He went "through all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness".  And then, in the last verse, it tells us why He healed them all ... He had compassion on them.
     That word compassion, in the Greek, literally means to have the bowels yearn. The bowels were considered by the Hebrews to be the seat of tender affections, so the fact that Christ felt "compassion" means He was so moved with tender mercy for the multitudes [who needed healing] that He physically felt it. But it is the last two verses of Chapter 9 that I hope will dispel the Church's sacred cow regarding "works".
     In verses 37 and 38, after seeing the multitudes who cried out for healing, and feeling mercy to His very core, Jesus turns to His disciples and says, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.” Can you grasp the immensity of this situation?  The Greek word for "send out" is ekballo, and it means "to throw out", "to cast out", "to drive"... all with force and effort.  It is the same word used when referring to casting out demons, and denotes the intensity and the need for the action.  Here, in Matthew 9, Jesus is saying, "There is such a multitude [or plentiful harvest] that need healing and delivering and saving, that I can't get to them all.  Please ask the Lord to send out [with intense force and effort] workers and laborers to gather His Harvest [of lost and hurting souls]."
     At this point, it is evident that Jesus is not concerned about how skilled the laborers are -- it is about how much time we have to save the harvest.  If we don't gather the harvest, the harvest will die! How true is that today??? How many people need to hear us preaching and teaching the Gospel of the Kingdom so that they can receive God's grace and avoid the fires of hell?  How many people need to hear the message of the Gospel and God's Kingdom on earth so they can be healed from the Enemy's  spiritual oppression?  How many need to feel the power of Jesus in our hands as we heal their physical illnesses? Are we, as Jesus's Church, doing what He asked those disciples to go and do in Matthew, Chapter 9?  Do we think the need is any less today than it was 2,000 years ago?
      You see, the Modern Church puts the emphasis on the readiness of the Laborer [if they even consider that work needs to be done, in the first place]. They will say, "We can't get out ahead of God!" "We better be careful -- we might make a mistake, and make it worse!" "We just need to Wait!!!"
     But Jesus's emphasis was on the readiness of the Harvest.  There are people who DESPERATELY NEED the Message of the Kingdom, and healing, and casting out of their demons. As the Church, we don't need to wait any longer for a special sign from Heaven!  If you believe it is truly Jesus doing the work in and through us, then you're ready to wade into His Harvest. The Church is still waiting for a door to be opened for them.  But Jesus said, The gates of hell will not prevail [against My Church]. So, what does that tell us?  Hell has gates! And Satan is not going to willingly open the door or gate for us!  Sometimes we have to kick some doors open!
     Sometimes I get the impression that the Church is waiting for Heaven to open up and give us permission to delve into the spiritual aspects of the Kingdom.  But Heaven opened up the minute Jesus returned to His Father and the veil was torn away! Heaven opened and received Him -- and it has never closed!
     It is very clear by Jesus's instructions to us as His disciples that we are the conduit between Heaven and earth. He has given us a commission to bring in the harvest before it withers away and dies. We are to engage with those who are hurting and need healing, and that means we will have to engage with the darkness in this world [because it is the darkness that is oppressing both believer and unbeliever, alike].  But the Church only wants to take The Light where it's already light. We're afraid of the dark!
     But our examples are Jesus and those disciples who went forth to preach and teach the Gospel of the Kingdom.  [NOTE: Jesus didn't preach about His death, burial, and resurrection -- i.e., the Salvation Message -- and neither did He tell these early disciples to teach the Gospel of Salvation. He didn't reveal that until right at the end of His life and ministry]. But Jesus and these disciples taught the multitudes about the Kingdom of God; about the reign, rule, and superiority of God.  And then they demonstrated what they preached ... they healed, and cast out demons, and proved that YHWH is superior to any demon or power of Satan.
     Isn't that the same message that needs to be heard today? And don't you think that those same lost multitudes exist today?  That the Harvest is plentiful? And can you see the need for Laborers in this massive Harvest? So, are you willing to work heartily for the Lord of the Harvest?  Or are you content with containing His Light in your comfortable surroundings?  Jesus said the Harvest is plentiful ... God is waiting for us to move into the fields and begin sharing the Gospel of His Kingdom and doing the works as His ambassadors.  His Word says that by our fruits He will know us.
     The harvest is ripe and there are multitudes waiting for us -- all manner of illnesses and diseases need to be healed; demons need to be cast out; and the power and authority of Heaven [through the Holy Spirit] is waiting to permeate every new disciple of Jesus Christ -- all in His mighty and compassionate Name.
     It's almost Harvest Time -- Are you practicing your faith by laboring for the Kingdom of God -- or is your faith absent of useful aim or effect; void of results for the Kingdom? We will all have to account for our works when we stand before Him. I beseech you -- Do not labor in vain!

1 Corinthians 15:58   "Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain".

         

God's Covenants and the Millennial Reign of Christ

   

     One of the most debatable subjects among Christians is the Millennial Kingdom in which Christ reigns from Jerusalem for 1,000 years.  There are those who think it is merely allegorical; that God's Word is simply trying to communicate "a long period of time".  But the Christians of the first and second centuries believed in the literal 1,000-year reign of Christ on this earth. These early Christians all expected Christ to return to the earth to establish His Kingdom for 1,000 years, and they believed this was why Christ taught them to pray "Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." Papias and Polycarp were two of these early church fathers who believed in the literal Millennial Kingdom.
     But over time, some leading Christians began to teach that the Kingdom was allegorical rather than literal. Specifically, Clement of Alexandria, and Origen of Alexandria (both in the 2nd and 3rd centuries) "spiritualized" the 1,000 year reign.  In addition, in 373 A.D., the Council of Rome under Pope Damasus [and the Catholic Church] taught that there would be no return of Christ to set up His earthly Kingdom, and that the Roman Catholic Church itself would gradually convert the world, and the promises of the Kingdom would be fulfilled by the triumph of Catholicism.
     Today, the Protestant Church has introduced "replacement theology", which also allegorizes the Millennial Age and Kingdom, teaching that there will be no restoration of Israel; that the “church” replaces Israel; that Christ will not return visibly to this earth to set up His Kingdom; and that the “church” will convert the world, bringing in a golden age. Notice that all the allegory theories are the inventions of men. As a Christian, I prefer to take my instruction from the Word of God and what He tells me in Revelation 20:2-7, where He mentions the literal 1,000 years no less than six times.
     But my focus is not on trying to convince you that the Millennial Reign of Christ is real and yet to come, but to show you that God will fulfill all the promises He has made to mankind, and we will see the completion of all His covenants in the Millennial Kingdom.  To God, a covenant is literally, a contract.  In the Bible, a covenant is an agreement between God and His people, in which God makes promises to His people. And staying true to His character, these covenants will be satisfied.  Let's take a look at them....
     The Land Covenant.  God has already fulfilled the personal aspects of the Abrahamic Covenant; Abraham did go to the Promised Land, he did have many descendants, and he is the forefather of many nations. Several hundred years after Abraham, Joshua led the Israelites to claim ownership of the Promised Land. But Israel has never possessed the specific boundaries that God promised in Genesis 15:18–20 and Numbers 34:1-12.
     Not even Solomon ruled over this particular area. Although he did reign from the River of Egypt to the Euphrates, he did not hold the area from Mount Hor to Hazarenan — into present-day Lebanon and Syria. In addition, the covenant God made with Abraham was that he and his descendants would have the land for eternity (Genesis 13:15; Ezekiel 16:60). The current Israeli state may be a step in this direction, but they still do not possess the boundaries God laid out. But all that will change in the Millennial Kingdom, and this covenant will be realized.
     The Davidic Covenant.  God’s covenant with David was that his line would never die out and that David’s heir would sit on the throne of Israel forever (2 Samuel 7:16). Biblical scholars agree that Jesus is the fulfillment of this covenant—one of the reasons His genealogy is given for both His step-father (in Matthew), and His mother (in Luke). The Jews understood this when they laid down palm branches and their cloaks as Jesus rode into Jerusalem. They expected Him to be a military/political leader that would liberate them from the Romans and make Israel a great nation again. But they didn’t understand that the nature of Jesus’ work at the time was for the New Covenant, not the Davidic Covenant. The 1,000-year reign will be the beginning of Jesus’ eternal reign over Israel and the earth. At this time, David's human heir will sit on His throne in Jerusalem, and reign forever.
     The New Covenant.  This is perhaps the most misunderstood by Christians.  There are those who take this to mean God's covenant with us, those of the Christian faith who have accepted Jesus as our Savior.  Yes, the work of the New Covenant—Jesus’ death and resurrection to reconcile hearts to God—has been accomplished. But we have not yet seen the complete fulfillment. Jeremiah 31:33 says, “But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” Ezekiel 36:28 gives more specifics: “You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God.” There is still work to be done to reconcile the hearts of the Jews to their God, who is now our God.
     Isaiah 59:20–21 explains that this covenant is possible because of the Redeemer, and the reconciliation He provides for the Jews will last forever. This covenant does not mean that every Jew will be saved. But it does mean that Israel as a nation will worship their Messiah. The Old Testament prophets who spoke of this covenant, including Isaiah, Jeremiah, Hosea, and Ezekiel, all wrote that it will be fulfilled in the future. From their time on, Israel has yet to be an independent nation that worshiped its Messiah (please read Romans 9—11 for God's plan of redemption for His chosen people). They will be that nation in the 1,000-year reign of Christ!
       Other Promises Fulfilled. These are the covenants God made with Israel that are to be fulfilled in Jesus’ 1,000-year reign, but the Bible lists other promises that will be fulfilled, too. God promised Jesus He will make His enemies a footstool, and that Jesus’ followers will worship Him freely. God promised the nations of the world that they would live in peace with Jesus as their ruler. And He promised creation that the curse would be lifted, animals and the earth would be restored to peace and prosperity, and people would be freed from disease. These, too, will be fulfilled during the 1,000-year reign.
     There's more to the Story. If we are going to believe the literal interpretation of the Millennial Kingdom, it is important that we understand that these unconditional covenants demand a literal, physical return of Christ to establish His Kingdom. At His Second Coming, these covenants will be fulfilled as Israel is re-gathered from the nations, converted, and restored to the land under the rule of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. The Bible speaks of the conditions during the Millennium as a perfect environment physically and spiritually. It will be a time of peace, joy, and comfort. The Bible also tells us that only Believers will enter the Millennial kingdom -- some who live through the Tribulation Period, and some who come back with the Lord at His Second Coming. Because of this, it will be a time of obedience, holiness, truth, and the knowledge of God.
     This can only happen if Satan is bound for the 1,000 years. Revelation 20 tells the entire story: Satan will be bound in the Abyss during this period and the Messiah Jesus will be the benevolent dictator ruling over the whole world; Jerusalem will be the political center of the world. The resurrected saints of all times will participate in the management of the government.
     The Believers who live through the Tribulation will be mortal. They will live and repopulate the earth during the Millennial Kingdom. Without the devastation of sin taking its toll, we can imagine the population increase during the Millennium will be enormous, almost incomprehensible. All those who are born during the Millennium will enjoy the benefits and blessings of Christ's reign on the earth, but they will still be born with a sin nature, and they will still have to freely repent and believe the Gospel, personally choosing Christ as Savior and Lord.
     Yet, at the end of the Millennial Reign, Satan is loosed and is able to deceive a vast multitude to follow him in one final rebellion against the Lord of glory and His saints, gathering them to battle (God and Magog)! As a Believer, I naturally have lots of questions as to why this is part of God's plan, but I do not doubt Him. The one thing I know for sure is that Mankind will have been living in a perfect environment with every need cared for, overseen by a truly just government, yet they are still tempted to do better. Man simply cannot maintain the perfection that God requires. Even though the number who rebel with Satan are said to be "as the sand of the sea" (Revelation 20:7), they may still be a minority compared to the number who do not rebel. Yet, it will still be a large number of souls who join Satan. But at the end of the Millennium, the final rebellion is crushed, and Satan will be cast into the lake of fire. Then comes the Great White Throne Judgment where all the unrighteous of all of the Ages will be judged according to their works, and anyone not found written in the Book of Life will also be cast into the lake of fire.
     My main purpose for presenting this post to you was to show you that Jesus’ 1,000-year reign will be a fulfillment of God's promises and prophecies given to Israel; and the promises made to Jesus, the nations, and the whole earth. God promised He would bless Israel and restore the world in specific ways, and He will. We have much to look forward to ... After the final judgment, God and His people will live forever in the New Jerusalem, on a new earth with a new heaven (Revelation 21). God’s plan of redemption will have been completely realized, and the redeemed will know God and enjoy Him forever. What a blessing that we can take God at His Word!

Thank you to the website got questions.org for its invaluable Scriptural and historical references.

Revelation 22:20-21      He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming quickly.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all the saints. Amen.

When Are We Going To Stop Blaming God?

     How can we, as the supposedly most "informed" generation of mankind, be so far off-base when it comes to God's will in our lives?  Granted, it would be difficult to come to a consensus of what is  even meant by the term "God's will".  Between our doctrinal differences and theological disagreements, I'm not sure we can identify even a foundational aspect of God's will.
     On a very simple level, His will is what He desires; and we can go from that thought to knowing that He desires a relationship with us. He desires that we seek Him, and that we know Him. And as we walk with the Lord, obeying His Word and relying on His Holy Spirit, we find that we are given the mind of Christ. And if you want a real clear picture of Christ's mind when it comes to the will of God, it is perfectly stated in John 6:38-40 ... " For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but to do the will of Him who sent Me. This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but that I [give new life and] raise it up at the last day.  For this is My Father’s will and purpose, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him [as Savior] will have eternal life, and I will raise him up [from the dead] on the last day.”
     The Apostles had no problem understanding the will of God. Paul was able to state God's will in a very concise and brief statement: [God] wishes all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge and recognition of the [divine] truth (I Timothy 2:4). As you have heard me say several times before, that word SAVED in verse 4 comes from the Greek word sozo. It means "healed; delivered; protected; made whole; kept safe and sound; do well; and to be kept safe from harm." THAT IS WHAT GOD'S WILL IS; WHAT HE DESIRES FOR EVERYONE!
     So why are we blaming Him when our lives go wrong? Think you don't?  What is your first thought when confronted with sickness or disease; financial difficulties; natural disasters; an accident; crime or violence; harm or death to a child; when your prayers aren't answered? If you are like some Christians, you probably think, "Why did God allow this to happen to me?" And that question can only be asked if you believe that God is in control of everything. But I challenge you to find that in Scripture!
     There are verses that say all things are possible with Him; that He directs our path; that He does whatsoever He pleases; and that He works everything in agreement with the counsel and design of His will. But I do not believe that there is any verse that says He is in control of everything. If you take that thought to its logical conclusion, then you must say that if God is in control, then everything bad that happens comes from Him. That is simply contrary to His nature!

     And yes, I know that people will counter this argument by saying, "Well, God allowed it." And they always cite the Book of Job as underlying this premise. But nowhere in the Book of Job does it say that. In the first chapter of Job, Satan appears before the throne of God with other angels, and God asks him where he's come from.  Satan responds, "From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it".  And if you know your Scripture, then you know what he was doing ... prowling like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8-9).
     Have you ever stopped to think how arrogant it was of Satan to come before God and announce what he was doing?  It was as if he was taunting God that he could do whatever he liked, and no man could resist him.  After all, Jesus declared that He [and the Father] know the intentions of the devil: to steal, kill and destroy.  So when God confronts Satan in the Book of Job, He knows what the devil is capable of.  But He accepts the arrogant challenge, and says, "Have you considered my servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil." And what's the devil's response?  I'm paraphrasing here, but basically the devil says,  "The only reason Job loves You is because of what You give him and because of how You've blessed him." (See Job 1:9–11).
     You see, the devil counts on people loving their things [and their power and knowledge and status] more than they love God. It worked in the Garden of Eden!  In fact, Satan is sure that Christians will seek God more for things that benefit themselves than they will seek an intimate relationship with Him. So he goes about touching their "stuff" to get them to blame God for the bad things that happen to them.
     So, those who think that God controls everything, or at least allows things to happen, will point to Job 1:12 as proof of their argument: Then the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your power, only do not put forth your hand on him.” So Satan departed from the presence of the Lord.  But here's what we need to consider ...  If Satan became god of this world when Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, why did he need permission from God to attack Job? The answer is, he didn't. It was already in his power to do so.  The Bible very clearly states in 2 Corinthians 4:4 that Satan is the god of this world.  Adam and Eve had been given dominion (authority, control, and power) over the earth (Genesis 1:26-28), and they transferred it to Satan when they rebelled against God's commands.
     Satan doesn't need God's permission to kill this one. or cause that one to be in an accident. He doesn't have to ask God if he can take the life of a little child. He just does it. Could God stop it? Absolutely. But He will not violate His Cosmic Rule of Free Will. After all, God created mankind in His own image, and that included the ability to choose.  He says in Malachi 3:6, I, the Lord, do not change. Why do we not believe Him? God does not choose one day to allow free will, and then to prohibit it the next. So, because of Adam and Eve's rebellion, Satan received dominionship of this world and we must choose whether to follow him or God.
     Of course, there follows the difficult question of whether we have some sin in our lives that has given Satan cause or authority to bring hardship or tragedy to our doorstep.  That is a possibility, and we must all search our souls and spirits for our own accountability. But we must also realize that Sin exists in this world, and we must all pay with a death -- and Satan is glad to oblige with the death of our hopes and dreams; a death of a loved one; or the death of our trust and confidence in God.
     And we need to recognize that Death comes from the devil. We know that Satan introduced Death to man, which separated us from an eternity with God.  Before the Garden incident, man did not experience death. And we know that Jesus came and conquered Death, so that we could once again have a way to experience eternity with God. And Jesus will return soon to conquer all evil and wickedness from the earth, establishing a 1,000-year reign for God to fulfill promises (covenants) He made specifically to Israel, to Jesus, to the nations of the world, and to creation. All of these will be fulfilled during Jesus’ 1,000-year reign. (My next post will outline these specific promises and their fulfillment).

     But for now, we somehow rationalize that Satan no longer has dominionship of this earth, or that he has somehow been removed from his position of Prince of this world.  And it just astonishes me that we can so easily let ourselves be convinced that God "allowed" the bad things in our lives to happen instead of giving credit where credit is due... at the feet of Satan!
     And I'm going to say something that is difficult for me to even write, but I think we must consider it ... When people blame God for all of the bad things that have happened to them, there's no way they can truly love Him as He deserves. Oh sure, they say they love Him. But how can you trust God if you think He will put cancer on you?  Or allow a loved one to be tragically taken from you? It's impossible to truly love God if you don't trust Him, because you never know when He might "allow" the devil to have his way with you!  And that is just how cunning the devil can be in presenting an argument that can threaten our relationship with our Father.
     Earlier, I quoted John 10:10: "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. But that was only half of the verse. Jesus went on to say, " I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance [to the full, till it overflows]."  This is very clear that it is the devil who kills, and Jesus [and God] who offer Life.  God never gives permission to the devil to attack anyone. The devil does it because, for now, he can, as god of this world.
     And for those who argue, "God wants to build character in our lives through trials", I would argue this ... While Romans 5 encourages us that trials bring perseverance, perseverance produces character, and character produces hope, how can that happen if we think God allows bad things to happen to us?  We certainly can't build character if we've lost hope that we can always trust God. Proverbs 13:12 tells us, "Hope deferred [postponed, suspended] makes the heart sick".  And a sick heart cannot love or honor God.
     Trials and tribulations are situations in which the devil tries to get us to blame God for whatever isn't going right in our lives. When they come our way, we need to declare the authority Jesus has given us and bring the Power of Heaven into Satan's hellish circumstances. We need to make the devil wish that he never touched or tempted us! And instead of attributing anything bad to God, our trials should purify our hearts, strengthen our faith, and draw us closer to Him. We should never attribute the deeds of the devil to "God's will".  Nowhere in the Bible does it say it is His desire to harm us in anyway. It is simply not in His character!
     But remember... it IS in Satan's character to steal, kill and destroy. And the devil thought he could get Job to blame God when he began afflicting him with hardships and loss. See, here's the thing -- Satan cannot kick God off His throne in Heaven. BUT, he can try to get us to kick Him off the throne of our hearts. Anytime that we ascribe the devil's actions to God, we are denying His Goodness and attacking His Divine Character.  Stop blaming God, and give the devil his due!  Let him know that we're not buying what he's selling, and we know Who our God is! Don't let our Enemy rob you of the complete joy that is our God.

Jeremiah 29:11    For I know what I have planned for you, says the Lord. I have plans to prosper you, not to harm you. I have plans to give you a future filled with hope.
     

Matthew 16:19

 I will give you the keys (authority) of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind [forbid, declare to be improper and unlawful] on earth will have [already] been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose [permit, declare lawful] on earth will have [already] been loosed in heaven.

     This is part of the passage that includes Peter's confession of Christ as the Messiah and the Son of the Living God. Think how happy Jesus must have been, knowing that His crucifixion was coming near, but that He had successfully set His Disciples on a firm path to carry on His work. They recognize Him for who He truthfully is, and He can now begin to prepare them for when He must leave them. He can begin to reveal the Father's plan and the part they will play in it.

     He praises Peter for his steadfastness and his faith, and then announces that He, Himself, will be the bedrock or cornerstone of His Church.  This is what I picture happening ... Jesus with His hand on Peter's shoulder, saying "Yes, you are a rock".  Then, pointing to Himself, saying, "And it is on this rock that I will build My church".  Perhaps he laid his hand on his breast, as he did in John 2:19: Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.” 

     Then He announces today's passage and their purpose in "the plan"... they will receive the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven! What must they have thought?!? The concept of someone having the keys to anything meant they had the power to open and shut the door to it. But Jesus is telling them they have that power and authority when it comes to the Kingdom of Heaven!

    I believe Jesus is telling Peter that he, himself, will open the door to faith, just as he would do to the Jews at Pentecost (Acts 2) and to the Gentiles in the person of Cornelius and his household (Acts 10). Those keys would unlock the blessings and the power of Heaven itself for all those who come to faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God of Heaven! That faith is a key that unlocks a Divine relationship between Heaven and Earth -- one that cannot be hindered.

     But those keys were not reserved for Peter alone!  Just two chapters later, in Matthew 18, Jesus repeats the same benefits of binding and loosing, once one unlocks the key to the Kingdom. This time it is directed to the other disciples.  But it also pertains to us!  When we are obedient to the commands of our Lord, Jesus (in heaven) looses the authority of His Word as it goes forth on earth for the fulfillment of its purpose. 

     It is important to understand that the expressions “bind” and “loose” were common to Jewish legal phraseology.  Whenever a Jew came up against the Law of Moses, that Jewish person was either "bound" or "loosed" in regard to that law. To loose was to permit; to bind was to prohibit. To loose was to free from the law, to bind was to put under the law. Their regular sense, which any Jew would recognize was to allow and to forbid. To bind something was to declare it forbidden; to loose was to declare it allowed. These were the regular phrases for making decisions in regard to the law.

     But Jesus has come to fulfill the Law, so Heaven is now the authority to which we appeal -- not the Rabbinic Law.  Therefore, whatever we bind (because it goes against the commands of Jesus) has already been declared forbidden; and whatever we loose (that aligns with Jesus and benefits the Kingdom) has already been declared allowable -- and the authority of Heaven stands behind us! It goes without saying that this refers to Kingdom work done in Jesus's Name and in obedience to His Word on earth.

     The authority that comes with the keys is still promised to the Body of Christ today. In the powerful words of theologian Charles Spurgeon, "The Lord continues to back up the teaching and acts of His servants, and as long as we abide rightly in Him, we have His sanction to make them valid. The words of His servants, spoken in His Name, shall be confirmed by the Lord, and shall not be, either as to promise or threatening, a mere piece of rhetoric." Hallelujah, that we possess the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven!

     

     

Ten Prophetic Keys

     I am an unabashed history lover. And no history is more fascinating than that of the ancient Israelite nation, whose story permeates the Old Testament in the Bible. And with the upcoming Feast of Passover in April, my thoughts turn to the deliverance of ancient Israel from Egypt. I also wanted to consider all the prophecies that the Good Book makes about the future nation of Israel, and how we are seeing them play out before our very eyes.
     I  want to begin by giving recognition to Asher Intrater, the Director of Revive Israel, for the research done on this topic. Revive Israel is a Ministry with a vision of Revival and Restoration in the land of Israel and the Nations.  And as part of the Messianic remnant in the Holy Land, the ministry team feels the Lord has a plan for them in this 21st Century.  And I was greatly interested in the unique perspective that Intrater, a Messianic Jew, could bring to the Bible's prophecies about Israel in these latter days.  So, after studying Jewish history, Rabbinic thought, and current events in Israel, Intrater gives us an interesting picture of how a modern Jew views modern Israel from a Biblical worldview. Allow me to share his insight on ten prophetic keys to the restoration of End Times Israel:

Eliezer Ben Yehuda

     1. Restoring the Language. What was perhaps the first modern prophetic key regarding Israel in the End Times, came to Eliezer Ben-Yehuda in the late 1870s. He had a vision. He felt God tell him, "You will go back and restore the language of the prophets in the land of the prophets." He accepted that calling, and today is known as the father of the Modern Hebrew language. He moved his family to Israel in 1881, and his son was the first person to speak Hebrew as his mother tongue since ancient times. Intrater reports that, today, the Messianic community in Israel, has returned not just to the Hebrew language, but to speaking in tongues as the early church did for the first time on Pentacost in Acts 2.
    2. Global Reconciliation.  The second key was from Rabbi Kook, the first Chief Rabbi of Israel, and possibly the most significant in modern Jewish history. In the beginning, the Ultra-Orthodox Jews were against the nation of Israel. In fact, most of them continue to be so. Kook saw that the Israeli pioneers were secular, atheist Communists. Therefore it seemed that the movement could not be from God. However, because they were bringing God&039;s people back to the Land of Israel according to Biblical prophecies, he created a bridge between Ultra-Orthodoxy and modern Zionism, and in doing so, laid the foundations of what we call Modern Orthodoxy. Today this stream of Judaism is pro-Israel and even serves in the IDF.
     Similarly, Intrater believes that the calling of Messianics is to bring together all the diverse aspects of Israel, including Orthodox and secular Jews, as well as the international Ekklesia (church). Even though they're all supposed to be on the same side, throughout history these groups have opposed each other. So the second End Times prophetic word is the joining together of Israel and the church.
     3. Stages of Restoration.  Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook was the first Ashkenazi chief rabbi of British Mandatory Palestine; a Jewish thinker, Kabbalist and a renowned Torah scholar. He was born in 1865 and died in 1935. It is interesting to note than when Rabbi Kook considered modern Israel, he did not believe that it was the Kingdom of God, but rather the first stage of the restoration which would lead to the Kingdom of God. There had to be some sort of physical restoration of the Land and the people of Israel so that redemption could take place.
     It is even more interesting that Asher Intrater is saying the same thing. He believes that modern Israel today is not the Kingdom of God, but rather the initial steps of a restoration that is leading to the Kingdom of God. He states that it is a mistake to be overly Zionist and call this the Kingdom of God, and it's also a mistake to reject the idea completely. He believes that these are the beginning stages and the Messianic community is in the middle of it.
     4. Reading the Prophets.  David Ben-Gurion, visionary and leader of Modern Zionism, read the Bible, particularly the prophets. He held Bible studies each week in his home. He taught the Bible, but he mistakenly interpreted the Bible through a Communist viewpoint, as a kind of a socialist work. However, he was right to encourage the reading of the prophets, and to not just read the Bible, but try to live it. Intrater believes that because he took inspiration from the Scriptures about restoring the nation of Israel, God chose him to be the first Prime Minister of Israel.
     5. Pre-Governmeny Preparation.  During the time of the British Mandate, prior to the establishment of the State of Israel, Ben-Gurion also realized that one day the future nation was going to have a government, but it wasn't ready yet. They needed to build an organization that could function like a government so that they would be ready to have a nation when the time came. He set up an organization called the "Histadrut," and it began to function like a government until it later became one.
     Intrater believes that is a prophetic word for the Church. The Ekklesia is supposed to be two things, not just the people who have been gathered out of the nations to become the Body of Christ, but the word Ekklesia also means a governing body or coalition. As Believers, we are here not just to run the Church but act as our own "Histadrut" or pre-government. We are being prepared now to run Yeshua's government when He returns. That's why we believe in apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers, in elders and deacons, and in the structure of the Church, because we are in training. A government isn't run by one person, but by a whole group of people. That's what discipleship is all about; getting ready to run one of the positions of His government.

David Ben-Gurion

    6. Preparing for War.  Ben-Gurion also knew that when the new State of Israel, was declared, within 24 hours every nation in the Middle East was going to attack it. They were not ready. They didn't have any weapons or soldiers. They didn't know how to fight. So he set aside all of his other functions, forming and training a military in a year and a half.
     Again, Intrater believes this is a prophetic word coming out of the body of Messiah in Israel. We are heading towards the greatest war in the history of mankind. We are moving into a period where all the nations of the world are going to attack Israel and Christians, and do everything they can to stop the second coming of Yeshua.  We need to learn to pray and prophesy, to understand the Scriptures and declare the Word of God.
     7.  Confrontation of .the Nations.  Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel, goes to the United Nations and confronts them, unlike any other world leader we've seen. He tells the UN that they are making decisions against the Land and people of Israel, even though they have a mandate from God to be there. He quotes the Bible and he rebukes them for immorality and humanistic thinking, boldly confronting the nations of this world.
     There is something about the nation of Israel and its very existence that is in confrontation with the UN. Intrater believes Israel is going to begin to confront the nations of the world with the truth of God. This is one aspect of Israel's calling, and now that the body of Messiah is connected to Israel, they have a prophetic message to give to the world.
     8. Exposing Radical Islam.  Netanyahu - more than any other world leader today - understands that radical Islamic terrorism is the worst evil this world has ever seen, and we need to fight it. Intrater says, "People are being murdered at an unprecedented rate and nobody is really fighting it other than Israel. There is an alignment coming out of the nation of Israel".
     Furthermore, he says, "You have the choice either to succumb to radical Islam or to fight against it. The church doesn't necessarily need to take up weapons. But it needs to be able to speak the truth and call it what it is: a murderous, Anti-Christ spirit. When you send people all over the world to murder everyone who disagrees with you, you are breaking the Ten Commandments. That cannot be the God of Israel, and we need to actively oppose it".
     9. Establishment of the Throne of David.  In Hebrew, there is no word for 'prime minister.' Instead, the title is the 'head of the government of Israel.' Do you remember all the prophecies about Yeshua when He was born? He would sit on the throne of David and rule over the tribes of Jacob. When Yeshua comes back, He will sit on David's throne and rule the world from David's throne forever.
     Intrater, and the Messianic community in Israel, believe in a literal fulfillment of the prophecies of the Kingdom of God coming on earth. But until there was modern Israel and a government in Israel, how could you believe these prophecies? For 2,000 years much of the Church did not really believe in the Second Coming, but instead in the Second Appearance. They believed that Yeshua is going to appear, come half way down, rapture away His bride, and then leave again! But the Bible says He comes back once - all the way back to the Mount of Olives! Israel has been restored and its capital is in Jerusalem. Yeshua can now return and reign over the earth from Jerusalem.
     10. Physically inheriting the Land.  Lastly, Intrater wants it understood that one of the things that the head of the Israeli government does is to guarantee that Jews and their descendants can settle in the Land: that they have the right to build homes, establish farms, support an economy and raise their children. It is amazing how much this idea is hated by so many around the world.
     Does the Bible indeed say that when Yeshua comes back the saints will inherit the earth? Yes (Matthew 5:5 and 25:34). The way God ensures that His kingdom will come to this earth is by promising it to the Jewish people, in the Land of Israel. If it doesn't happen there, it can't happen anywhere else on the rest of the earth. The fact that Jewish people are living there is a sure sign that Yeshua is coming and we will inherit the earth.

     I hope you have found this perspective as fascinating as I have.  As Christians, it is important that we put politics aside and recognize that the modern state of Israel has yet to fulfill its prophetic fullness: 1) The full number  has yet to be Saved; 2) They have yet to operate in their full Biblical power; 3) They have yet to operate in their full Biblical character; 4) They have yet to operate in their full Biblical purpose to lead all nations.  But, as you can see by Asher Intrater's resolute conviction, the Messianic Jews in Israel recognize God's plan for the fullness of the nation of Israel, which will bring about the Glory of God in the Millennial Kingdom. Our God is a God of covenants, and His commitments and promises to His portion, Israel, will not be broken.

Amos 9:14-15    "I will restore the fortunes of My people Israel, and they shall rebuild the ruined cities and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and drink their wine, and they shall make gardens and eat their fruit. I will plant them on their land, and they shall never again be uprooted out of the land that I have given them,” says the Lord your God".


   

   

What's Your Real Security?

     As I wrote this post, AT&T cell coverage for nearly the entire state of Texas and major cities on the East Coast (including New York City and Washington, D.C.), the middle of the country (Cleveland, Detroit, rural Missouri), Southeast (Atlanta), and West Coast (San Francisco), was nonexistent for about 5 hours.  Not only were cell phones useless, but banks were unable to conduct business; grocery stores could not sell their goods; and businesses, in general, came to a grinding halt.  Those people and companies who rely on wireless cell coverage for their internet access were suddenly left unconnected with the worldwide web. I heard rumors that other major wireless carriers were also encountering problems.

     Fortunately for me, my internet access comes from a local cooperative, and I was able to write this post and see what was going on across the world. When checking AT&T's website, there were over 16,000 comments reporting that outages were either occurring now, or in some cases, had been reported for over 3 days. Funny thing is, there was no media outlet reporting this phenomenon! No crawlers running across news station feeds; no reports on major social media sites; not even a mention on the conspiracy sites.  On top of that, the Stock Market took a pretty steep dive (supposedly because of doubts that the Congressional House will pass a new health care bill) -- but was that the real reason? Regardless of all that, in interacting with people in my local area, there was a sense of underlying alarm ... what did this mean?  I witnessed people withdrawing money from their banks (those transactions being done the old-fashioned way, by hand; and gassing up their cars). I will admit that I took those same precautions; primarily because I needed to fill up my car anyway and didn't want to get in a long gas line (I still remember those of the 1980's).
     Without appearing to be a fearmonger, it was not out of the question to suggest that this could be a nefarious act -- someone (or nation) attempting to disrupt the business and/or economy of this nation; or at the very least, causing confusion, an interruption in day-to-day activities, and an unsettling sense of anxiety.  So, now comes the crux of what I want to say in this post ... how secure would all this make you feel?  Are your first thoughts for your physical safety, or like me, would you have a calmness in your spirit, knowing that you are not of this world? That no matter what chaos ensues, I am secure in my spiritual safety.  I seek the shelter of Almighty God and picture myself running into a strong tower where I am protected from the disorder and pandemonium swirling outside.

     I ask these questions because we are living in an increasingly unsafe world.  Terrorism, nuclear weapons, and radical ideologies are the modern weapons of this world; weapons that man is far too familiar with.  But there is a growing wickedness and evil that are dangerous spiritual weapons against us, too.  Believe me, I am seeing that in the people God is bringing to us through our ministry.  And I will tell you that ten years ago, I never would have believed that I would be hearing from people who have experienced demons trying to convince them to end their lives; or demons identifying themselves as Lucifer during a healing/deliverance session; or heard the soul-searing pain that so many have suffered in their childhoods.
     But I have also witnessed women who have seen Jesus, in their spirits, change their filthy rags into a gown of white. And I have witnessed the Holy Spirit help a hurting heart forgive the one who transgressed against them so long ago, and experienced with them, the joy of a life-long weight being lifted from their soul. I have seen soul ties broken; oaths meant to keep generations in bondage be renounced; and childhood experiences integrated into the identity of the adult, all under the compassionate authority and guardianship of Jesus.
     And that is why I can approach the uncertain and unknown [that is a reality in our world today] with complete confidence and with peace in my spirit. I am aware of the dangers in this world -- those that are possible, and those that are inevitable. I read my Bible and Jesus makes it clear that if we follow Him, we will not leave this life unscathed. But if the gates of hell were opened tomorrow, I know that He is the rock upon which I would stand, making my steps secure.  My spirit will find rest in Him, knowing my faith in Him is my shield, behind which I can abide in total confidence and trust. And I feel safe, knowing His faithfulness [to me] will protect me from the fiery darts of the Enemy. His Word promises that He will fight for me, because I am precious to Him; bought with His blood! What in this world can offer any greater security?
     So, the "wireless crisis" passed after several hours, with no apparent explanation. And I do not doubt that when the "time of difficulty" comes upon the earth, the chaos will cause widespread panic and fear.  That is the time that we Christians need to know where our real security lies. We need to know the Authority and the Power we will have to wield over the forces of evil, while being prepared to lay down our lives for our friends. The coming destruction will be sudden, and that's why we need to be settled in our spirits this very moment. Know that if Jesus is your Savior, you are not condemned to God's Wrath on the Day of the Lord. Jesus is your Rock, your Fortress, and your Deliverer. There is no need to fear because His Arms are everlasting, and He is a refuge and strength, and abundantly available to help in times of trouble. Any security that this world has to offer is inadequate and insufficient.

Psalm 16:8   "I have set the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken".