September 23, 2014

Shana Tova greeting: see the glory of Adonai!

Yirmeyah 31:31-34 Orthodox Jewish Bible (OJB)
31 (30) Hinei, the days come, saith Hashem, that I will cut a Brit Chadasha with Bais Yisroel, and with Bais Yehudah;
32 (31) Not according to the Brit that I cut with their Avot in the day that I took hold of their yad to take them out of Eretz Mitzrayim; which My Brit they broke, although I was Ba’al (Husband) to them, saith Hashem;
33 (32) But this shall be the Brit that I will cut with Bais Yisroel [T.N. OJBC is Jewish]; After those days, saith Hashem, I will set My Torah in them inwardly, and I will write ketuvim on their hearts; and I will be their Elohim, and they shall be My People.
34 (33) And they shall teach no more every ish his re’a (neighbor), and every ish his brother, saying, Know Hashem; for they shall all have da’as of Me, from the katon of them unto the gadol of them, saith Hashem; for I will forgive their avon, and I will remember their chattat no more.
2 Corinthians 3 Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)
Are we starting to recommend ourselves again? Or do we, like some, need letters of recommendation either to you or from you? You yourselves are our letter of recommendation, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone. You make it clear that you are a letter from the Messiah placed in our care, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on stone tablets but on human hearts.
Such is the confidence we have through the Messiah toward God. It is not that we are competent in ourselves to count anything as having come from us; on the contrary, our competence is from God. He has even made us competent to be workers serving a New Covenant, the essence of which is not a written text but the Spirit. For the written text brings death, but the Spirit gives life.
Now if that which worked death, by means of a written text engraved on stone tablets, came with glory — such glory that the people of Isra’el could not stand to look at Moshe’s face because of its brightness, even though that brightness was already fading away — won’t the working of the Spirit be accompanied by even greater glory? For if there was glory in what worked to declare people guilty, how much more must the glory abound in what works to declare people innocent! 10 In fact, by comparison with this greater glory, what was made glorious before has no glory now. 11 For if there was glory in what faded away, how much more glory must there be in what lasts.
12 Therefore, with a hope like this, we are very open — 13 unlike Moshe, who put a veil over his face, so that the people of Isra’el would not see the fading brightness come to an end.
14 What is more, their minds were made stonelike; for to this day the same veil remains over them when they read the Old Covenant; it has not been unveiled, because only by the Messiah is the veil taken away. 15 Yes, till today, whenever Moshe is read, a veil lies over their heart. 16 “But,” says the Torah, “whenever someone turns to Adonai, the veil is taken away.”[a] 17 Now, “Adonai” in this text means the Spirit. And where the Spirit of Adonai is, there is freedom. 18 So all of us, with faces unveiled, see as in a mirror the glory of the Lord; and we are being changed into his very image, from one degree of glory to the next, by Adonai the Spirit.

Footnotes:

  1. 2 Corinthians 3:16 Exodus 34:34
https://www.biblegateway.com/versions/Complete-Jewish-Bible-CJB/

September 22, 2014

Shana Tova Greetings:: Rosh Hashanah 2014

Rosh Hashanah 2014 begins in the evening of
Wednesday, September 24
and ends in the evening of
Friday, September 26
 
To all Children of Israel, descendants of Abraham.
 

September 15, 2014

Raise up the Sword of the Spirit: by the power of the Spirit of God

And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:
 
For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.
 
But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.
 
But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
 
And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.
 
And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.
 
How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
 
Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
 
Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.
 
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
 
 
And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
 
That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
 
In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,
 
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
 
By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,
 
Ephesians 1:18-20 18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,
20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,

Ephesians 3:19-21
19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

Ephesians 6:10-11
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
 
 

 
 

September 10, 2014

end times Sword of the Spirit: be perfect, just as God is perffect

The Sword of the Spirit – the word of God, slashes through and divides between truth and lies, spirit (born of God) and soul (human mind and emotion, born of flesh). In the end days the Sword of the Spirit is the weapon that Jesus will use to defeat His enemies. We too must use this powerful weapon to snatch some from the fire, just as Jude had urged.
When do we wield this supernatural sword? When we see and hear false teachings being taught in the church. Wield your sword. use the words of God. (definition of wielding: If you wield a weapon, tool, or piece of equipment, you carry and use it.)
Today we slash and destroy the false teaching that Christians are human and cannot be expected to attain perfection. (The false implication is that we can safely sin just as if we do not have Jesus Christ – His Holy Spirit in us)
Prayer: Dear Abba Father, “In Jesus name I pray that now as we read these words of truth, let the sword of the Spirit manifest, let your Son manifest in each of us, and destroy the work of the devil. Let the mind of Christ  take over our mind, just as your word has said. Let the veil on our eyes melt and the Spirit of Christ sets us free.” Thank You Father. (1 John 3:8; Ephesians 6:17; 1 Corinthians 2:16; 2 Corinthians 3:16-18)
Proclaim this truth: Christians are the children of God. God is perfect and has made provision for His children to be perfect.
Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.
He is the Rock, His work is perfect; For all His ways are justice, A God of truth and without injustice; Righteous and upright is He.
[ Noah Pleases God ] This is the genealogy of Noah. Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God.
As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the Lord is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him.
It is God who arms me with strength, And makes my way perfect.
The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple;
I have seen the consummation of all perfection, But Your commandment is exceedingly broad.
The Lord will perfect that which concerns me; Your mercy, O Lord, endures forever;
A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher.
I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?
till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;
[ Pressing Toward the Goal ] Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.
Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.
But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.
But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.
For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body.
But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.
Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God.

September 9, 2014

end times letter from a disciple: To those who are called, set apart

This is an open letter to all Christians. Read this together with Jesus’ letters in the Book of Revelation 22:
12 “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.”[f]
14 Blessed are those who do His commandments,[g] that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. 15 But[h] outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie.
16 “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches.
——————————————————

Jude 1 New King James Version (NKJV)

Greeting to the Called

Jude, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James,
To those who are called, sanctified[a] by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ:
Mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.

Contend for the Faith

Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God[b] and our Lord Jesus Christ.

Old and New Apostates

But I want to remind you, though you once knew this, that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day; as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
Likewise also these dreamers defile the flesh, reject authority, and speak evil of dignitaries. Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!” 10 But these speak evil of whatever they do not know; and whatever they know naturally, like brute beasts, in these things they corrupt themselves. 11 Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah.

Apostates Depraved and Doomed

12 These are spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried about[c] by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots; 13 raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.
14 Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, 15 to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.”

Apostates Predicted

16 These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage. 17 But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ: 18 how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts. 19 These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit.

Maintain Your Life with God

20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
22 And on some have compassion, making a distinction;[d] 23 but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire,[e] hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.

Glory to God

24 Now to Him who is able to keep you[f] from stumbling,
And to present you faultless
Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,
25 To God our Savior,[g]
Who alone is wise,[h]
Be glory and majesty,
Dominion and power,[i]
Both now and forever.
Amen.

Footnotes:

  1. Jude 1:1 NU-Text reads beloved.
  2. Jude 1:4 NU-Text omits God.
  3. Jude 1:12 NU-Text and M-Text read along.
  4. Jude 1:22 NU-Text reads who are doubting (or making distinctions).
  5. Jude 1:23 NU-Text adds and on some have mercy with fear and omits with fear in first clause.
  6. Jude 1:24 M-Text reads them.
  7. Jude 1:25 NU-Text reads To the only God our Savior.
  8. Jude 1:25 NU-Text omits Who . . . is wise and adds Through Jesus Christ our Lord.
  9. Jude 1:25 NU-Text adds Before all time.

September 6, 2014

Connect to the power source for LIFE

https://kzlam36.wordpress.com/2012/04/14/end-times-watchman-bible-study-be-in-union-with-the-messiah-yeshua-2/

September 5, 2014

Finally, ending a letter: my brethren

 In conclusion, be strong in the Lord [be empowered through your union with Him]; draw your strength from Him [that strength which His boundless might provides]. Put on God’s whole armor [the armor of a heavy-armed soldier which God supplies], that you may be able successfully to stand up against [all] the strategies and the deceits of the devil. For we are not wrestling with flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the despotisms, against the powers, against [the master spirits who are] the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spirit forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) sphere. Therefore put on God’s complete armor, that you may be able to resist and stand your ground on the evil day [of danger], and, having done all [the crisis demands], to stand [firmly in your place]. Stand therefore [hold your ground], having tightened the belt of truth around your loins and having put on the breastplate of integrity and of moral rectitude and right standing with God, And having shod your feet in preparation [to face the enemy with the firm-footed stability, the promptness, and the readiness produced by the good news] of the Gospel of peace. Lift up over all the [covering] shield of saving faith, upon which you can quench all the flaming missiles of the wicked [one]. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword that the Spirit wields, which is the Word of God. Pray at all times (on every occasion, in every season) in the Spirit, with all [manner of] prayer and entreaty. To that end keep alert and watch with strong purpose and perseverance, interceding in behalf of all the saints (God’s consecrated people). And [pray] also for me, that [freedom of] utterance may be given me, that I may open my mouth to proclaim boldly the mystery of the good news (the Gospel), For which I am an ambassador in a coupling chain [in prison. Pray] that I may declare it boldly and courageously, as I ought to do. - Ephesians 6:10-20 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians6:10-20&version=AMP

Rejoice with old hymns: He lives!

Rejoice, rejoice, O Christian lift up your voice and sing Eternal hallelujahs to Jesus Christ, the King The Hope of all who seek Him, the He...