How many times do we hear people say (or we say ourselves), "I am so blessed", or, "that is such a blessing."?
What is blessing? Is it really what we think it is?
Rather than try and expound on this with my finite understanding and feeble words, I'll just let the Lord speak for Himself!
Blessed is the one...
- who doesn't walk in the counsel of the wicked. - Psalm 1:1
- whose sins are forgiven. - Psalm 32:1-2
- who trusts in Yahweh. - Psalm 40:4
- who considers the poor. - Psalm 41:1
- whom God calls to approach Him. - Psalm 65:4
- who fears Yahweh and delights in His Commandments. - Psalm 112:1
- who walks in the Law of Yahweh. - Psalm 119:1
- who gives freely. - Isaiah 32:20
- who is hated for Messiah's sake. - Luke 6:22
- who hears and keeps the Word of God. - Luke 11:28
- who is found watching and waiting for the Master. Luke 12:37
- who believes without seeing. - John 20:29
- who endures temptation. - James 1:12
- who does Yahweh's Commandments. - Revelation 22:14
Though there are many other Scriptures that speak of blessing, these are very clear as to what it is and how a person looks, who is truly blessed.
6/28/12
6/27/12
No Rules?
Most of us don't have a problem with that, because we know that there are consequences to breaking the law. And if we're followers of Yeshua Messiah (Jesus Christ) then we also want to be good citizens like Paul says in Romans 13.
Why is it, then, that so many Christians today have a problem with following, or submitting to, God's laws? And why do we constantly disagree as to which laws are still applicable to us today, if any? The simple answer is right there in the pages of God's Word. God's Torah (His commandments, instructions, rules) are first and foremost to show what sin is and bring judgment (1 Timothy 1:8-11; John 12:48-49).
Because of that, the law is what leads us to Messiah; recognizing that we need a Savior to save us!
I think we'd all agree that no flesh shall be justified by the works of the law (Galatians 2:16), so there's nothing we can do in and of ourselves to be saved. So here's where things get a little tricky for some. When we are saved, do we no longer need God's laws? Here's what the bible says to believers about God's law:
Deuteronomy 10:13 - "and to keep the commandments of the LORD and His statutes which I command you today for your good?"
Psalm 1:1-2 - "Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night."
Psalm 19:7 - "The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making the simple wise."
Psalm 111:10 - "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have those who do His commandments. His praise endures forever."
Psalm 119:97-98 - "Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day. You, through Your commandments, make me wiser than my enemies; For they are ever with me."
Proverbs 6:23 - For the commandment is a lamp, and the law a light; Reproofs of instruction are the way of life."
John 14:15 - Jesus said, "If you love Me, keep My commandments." Jesus said earlier, in John, that His doctrine (teaching) was not His own, but the Father's. The Father's teaching was, and is, His laws.
Romans 2:18 - "and know His will, and approve the things that are excellent, being instructed out of the law,"
Romans 3:31 - "Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law."
Romans 7:22 - "For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man."
Romans 8:4 - "that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit."
1 Corinthians 7:19 - "Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing, but keeping the commandments of God is what matters."
1 John 5:3 - "For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome."
Revelation 12:17 - "and the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ."
These and other passages show an attitude of Godly reverence, from the biblical writers, toward His Law. In both the Old and New Testaments we see a healthy understanding as to the relationship we have with God's commandments once we're saved. Just because we become His children by adoption (Galatians 4:5) doesn't mean we're free to do whatever we want and not pay any penalties (Romans 2:1-5, 13). We are to become slaves of righteousness (Romans 6:18). Being a slave means doing things against our will (the will of our flesh, our sinful nature).
Our flesh wants to sin, so being a slave of righteousness means we are to do things that are against the will of the flesh. God is giving us a choice, whether or not to follow Him or our own rules. There are always consequences for breaking the commandments of God, even if they are earthly ones. God wants us to learn from His Son Yeshua, the Living Word, and understand His perfect will for our lives. Yeshua said in John 15:10, "If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love."
Were the commandments Messiah was talking about brand new ones that He had just made up? No, they were the same commandments that He kept - His Father's commandments (God's Torah). God tells us to be holy, for He is holy (Leviticus 11:44-45; 19:2; 20:7; 1 Peter 1:15-16). We can't do that if we don't know what His standard of holiness is, and don't accept the work of His Holy Spirit in our lives. We also must remember that Yeshua is the only Lawgiver and Judge (James 4:12)! He gave us His commandments for our benefit. Since God is true and every person a liar (Romans 3:4) why wouldn't we follow His word and His ways instead of our own, fallible rules?
6/23/12
Remember
Yeah, that's it! Focused. Being so firmly set on a task at hand that I don't have time to bother myself with trivial stuff like "remembering"!
Oh, who am I kidding? I just forget things sometimes. I'll admit it, but while I may be a bit forgetful, I'm learning everyday to remember the important things. Like setting out an extra roll of toilet paper for guests. Haha, just kidding! Well, kinda...
Actually, I think one of the biggest reasons for forgetfulness is that we get too busy and lose focus on the things we're supposed to be more concerned with rather than our own pursuits. If we'd slow down and simplify a little bit I think our focus would change and so would our remembering skills. At least, I think mine would!
As I've been pondering that thought, it dawned on me that remembrance plays a key role in our relationship with the LORD in two ways:
1. The LORD always remembers us and...
2. He tells us to remember what He has done for, and commanded, us.
(the LORD)"Who remembered us in our lowly state: for His mercy endures forever; and has redeemed us from our enemies; for His mercy endures forever." - Psalm 136:23-24
Our God will never leave us nor forsake us when we cling to Him (and even when we don't), because He remembers us in our times of trouble and distress.
"And God remembered Noah..." - Genesis 8:1
"God remembered Abraham..." - Genesis 19:29
"God remembered Rachel..." - Genesis 30:22
and the list of Scriptures goes on....
Now that's not to say that God forgot about Noah, Abraham, and the rest and all the sudden remembered them! It wasn't like God was sitting there and went "Ooops! I almost forgot about that guy down there!" No, not at all! When we read that God remembered someone or something it's that He did NOT forget them. He had marked a special place for them in His plan and He was going to keep His promises to them, just like He ALWAYS does!
The Lord of heaven and earth will never forget those who call on His name to be saved. If we are born again then we are His children and nothing outside of our relationship with Him can remove us from His hand. Though we can remove ourselves, it is not a quick process.
At least 14 times in the book of Deuteronomy alone, Yahweh tells His people to "remember" all the things He did for them - in Egypt, in the wilderness, to keep His commands, etc...
Another fascinating thought in the realm of memory is what the Lord commanded concerning the Sabbath;
"Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy" - Exodus 20:8
The Lord is not simply saying to remember which day it is (though that's part of it) but look closely at what He is telling us to remember:
"Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy".
That's the key to remembering the Lord's Sabbath...that we keep it holy. Not that we can keep, or make, the day holy, but that we would treasure it in our lives. God has already made it holy (Genesis 2:3) because HE said it was, and by setting it apart from every other day, He sanctified it.
Our Creator is telling us to keep it holy (separate) from every other day in our lives. To keep it sacred before Him.
Yeshua said that the Sabbath day was made for mankind, not the other way around (Mark 2:27) thereby making it important for us to see what God's purpose in this day is all about.
It is not only about physical rest, which our bodies do need, but spiritual and mental rest as well. A day of reflecting on the Lord and the coming eternity that we will spend with Him. After 6 days of working in, and dealing with, this world we need rest! That's part of the commandment, by the way...to work 6 days and rest on the seventh.
He has called us to meet with Him on His Sabbath day. It is an appointed time for gathering with Him (Leviticus 23:1-3). The day was made for us, but it's all about HIM!
Some argue that our Sabbath rest can be anytime in Jesus. While we do find our eternal security, or rest if you will, in our Savior, that argument of "Sabbath can be any day", doesn't make sense, Scripturally. Given the fact that even though our eternal rest is in Him, we still exist in this physical realm and God has still given us bodies to dwell in and a physical earth to live on. He still expects us to live for Him in the same way His people have lived for Him for thousands of years. We can't hyper-spiritualize everything to the point where we're constantly thinking about things and that's all we need to do. If all I do is just think about eating, I'll end up getting pretty hungry and would eventually starve to death.
The time is coming when we will rest with our Lord forever, but until then we have a weekly, holy reminder/rehearsal with Him and His body until He returns. What a blessing that He has given us such a beautiful picture of our eternity with Him while we're still waiting for that day to come!
So while I know I'll forget things once in a while, I hope that I will remember His great love for me, His promises to me, and His provision for me. And if I forget, I'm sure He will remind me! He's so faithful to do that!
So may we remember Him, not only on this beautiful Sabbath day, but every day on life's journey.
6/21/12
God's Wondrous Works
"The more we discover, the less we know." 
Scientists have been trying to figure out how big the universe is but none have been able to discern the measurement. Often, they use an evolutionary basis to calculate their findings but are clearly in error since evolution has been proven false time and time again.
Some purpose (again, through evolutionary thought processes) that the universe stretches out at 156 billion light years wide! That's astounding, but there's no way to be sure since they're using a false belief to determine the information. The truth is the universe is so vast that even if we could find the size of it we wouldn't be able to wrap our minds around it. In fact, people can't even fully understand the vastness of our galaxy, or even our solar system for that matter.
If we step outside and peer into the night sky we can see the stars in that sky (if we live away from too many city lights) and get a "small" glimpse at the enormity of Yahweh's creation.
"When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained, what is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him?"
- Psalm 8:3
But that's just it, isn't it? Even in all of God's splendor and majesty, He made the universe and all that is in it - for us! We are His greatest creation, made in His image. Yet we choose to sin and walk away from Him day after day without the thought of repentance. Without the thought of eternity. Do we ask ourselves "Why"? Why do we shun the One who gave us life and all good things under the sun? Our pride and selfishness keep us from falling on our knees before our Creator.
The prophet Jeremiah wrote:
"Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, and whose hope is the LORD. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; but its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit. The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; Who can know it? I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings."
- Jeremiah 17:7-10
Jeremiah is partially quoting from Psalm 1 in the first few verses here. Notice that if we trust and hope in the LORD, rather than ourselves, we will be upheld by His hand and planted firmly....unmovable. If we choose to look to our own strength, however, then we will surely be deceived and perish because the heart of man is "deceitful" and "desperately wicked". It will not tell us the truth, therefore we cannot trust in our own ways lest we be led astray, away from God. But if we place our faith and trust in Him and His perfect Word, then we will yield fruit/good works which men will see and then glorify the God of heaven and earth. And though our heart is not trustworthy and will condemn us, the LORD is greater than our heart, and He knows us (1 John 3:20).
The apostle Paul writes:
"Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be."
- Romans 8:7
Our flesh will never be submissive to God and His standard. His standard (the Law) is the plumb line with which to measure sin, yet many in the professing church throw it out saying it was "nailed to the cross" when in fact it is the only truth there is. It is HIS word. If it is truth and men have tried to say it is no longer in effect, then we see how they can look past Yahweh as the Creator of all things and deny Him in their own lives.
Scientists are just now getting there first look into some of the moon's deepest craters. Something that is so close to our own planet (in comparison with the rest of the universe) and they think, in their pride, that they have accomplished such great things. Though I marvel at the technology of today it saddens me to think that for all that mankind knows, it is like Solomon in all his wisdom. He knew the truth but in the end he could not grasp it with his heart, therefore he turned away from the LORD and followed after other gods.
What do you see when you look at our universe? A vast emptiness of cosmic coincidences....or the work of a loving Creator?
Scientists have been trying to figure out how big the universe is but none have been able to discern the measurement. Often, they use an evolutionary basis to calculate their findings but are clearly in error since evolution has been proven false time and time again.
Some purpose (again, through evolutionary thought processes) that the universe stretches out at 156 billion light years wide! That's astounding, but there's no way to be sure since they're using a false belief to determine the information. The truth is the universe is so vast that even if we could find the size of it we wouldn't be able to wrap our minds around it. In fact, people can't even fully understand the vastness of our galaxy, or even our solar system for that matter.
If we step outside and peer into the night sky we can see the stars in that sky (if we live away from too many city lights) and get a "small" glimpse at the enormity of Yahweh's creation.
"When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained, what is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him?"
- Psalm 8:3
But that's just it, isn't it? Even in all of God's splendor and majesty, He made the universe and all that is in it - for us! We are His greatest creation, made in His image. Yet we choose to sin and walk away from Him day after day without the thought of repentance. Without the thought of eternity. Do we ask ourselves "Why"? Why do we shun the One who gave us life and all good things under the sun? Our pride and selfishness keep us from falling on our knees before our Creator.
The prophet Jeremiah wrote:
"Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, and whose hope is the LORD. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; but its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit. The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; Who can know it? I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings."
- Jeremiah 17:7-10
Jeremiah is partially quoting from Psalm 1 in the first few verses here. Notice that if we trust and hope in the LORD, rather than ourselves, we will be upheld by His hand and planted firmly....unmovable. If we choose to look to our own strength, however, then we will surely be deceived and perish because the heart of man is "deceitful" and "desperately wicked". It will not tell us the truth, therefore we cannot trust in our own ways lest we be led astray, away from God. But if we place our faith and trust in Him and His perfect Word, then we will yield fruit/good works which men will see and then glorify the God of heaven and earth. And though our heart is not trustworthy and will condemn us, the LORD is greater than our heart, and He knows us (1 John 3:20).
The apostle Paul writes:
"Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be."
- Romans 8:7
Our flesh will never be submissive to God and His standard. His standard (the Law) is the plumb line with which to measure sin, yet many in the professing church throw it out saying it was "nailed to the cross" when in fact it is the only truth there is. It is HIS word. If it is truth and men have tried to say it is no longer in effect, then we see how they can look past Yahweh as the Creator of all things and deny Him in their own lives.
Scientists are just now getting there first look into some of the moon's deepest craters. Something that is so close to our own planet (in comparison with the rest of the universe) and they think, in their pride, that they have accomplished such great things. Though I marvel at the technology of today it saddens me to think that for all that mankind knows, it is like Solomon in all his wisdom. He knew the truth but in the end he could not grasp it with his heart, therefore he turned away from the LORD and followed after other gods.
What do you see when you look at our universe? A vast emptiness of cosmic coincidences....or the work of a loving Creator?
Bump!!!
BUMP. That's what the teeny, tiny sign said about the upcoming bridge.
At least it SEEMED teeny, tiny to me.
Nonetheless there was a sign there. However, I didn't see it and proceeded to re-enact a scene from "The Dukes of Hazzard" with my van!
Stuff flew everywhere as the Montana (now renamed the General Lee) went air born and then slammed into the pavement. My ladder flopped off my roof rack, containers jumped off the shelves, cable boxes slid forward, and things I'd forgotten I had flew into places I didn't know existed in my van. Oh, and the best part was the old girl bottomed out. hmmm...not good. I would've yelled "yeehaw" as I was going through the air if I wasn't so shocked and then mad.
I don't think "Bump" quite does that spot in the road justice. I think, "You'd Better Slow Down Or You'll Be Sorry!" would be much better. Or maybe, "Keep Going At The Speed You Are If You Don't Like Your Vehicle".
Thankfully everything was fine and it seems the ol' Montana is still running at peak...er, well..."normal" performance.
After I checked everything and started heading down the road again (all while fuming a bit) it got me considering the "bumps" we experience in life...and whether or not we pay attention to the signs. Yes, there are signs!
Let's face it, there are plenty of situations and circumstances in life that toss us around like a carton of cable ties!...just go with it...Yet we still wonder why we didn't see it coming. I'll admit there are those times when we just get thrown for a loop, but I think those are pretty rare. If we're really paying attention to what's going on around us we usually aren't too surprised and we end up being better prepared to deal with whatever comes along.
In the Bible, in Matthew 16:3, Yeshua (Jesus) called the Pharisees hypocrites because they sought after a sign from Him to prove He was who He said He was. He said they could tell what the weather would be like that day but they couldn't discern the signs of the times. In other words, they could almost predict the nearly unpredictable but they could NOT see the completely obvious! The fact that the living Word of God - Yeshua the Messiah - stood right there, talked with them, telling them the truth, and yet they didn't get it! Why? Because they held their own beliefs at or above the things of God. Their own word was as good as God's, in their version, whether they realized it or not. How do I know this? Because in verse 12 Messiah said that their "doctrine" or teaching was leaven...in other words it was sin. Their teaching was contrary to God's Torah which Yeshua constantly challenged them on. They added to it or took from it, which He says specifically not to do. When we add to or take from His Word we open the door for the devil and our own flesh to deceive us into thinking we understand more than we actually do. That's a dangerous road to walk down.
If we choose to rely on Yahweh and His truth/word then we can rest assured we will have the direction we need for this life...and we'll be able to slow down and deal with those "bumps" along the way.
At least it SEEMED teeny, tiny to me.
Nonetheless there was a sign there. However, I didn't see it and proceeded to re-enact a scene from "The Dukes of Hazzard" with my van!
Stuff flew everywhere as the Montana (now renamed the General Lee) went air born and then slammed into the pavement. My ladder flopped off my roof rack, containers jumped off the shelves, cable boxes slid forward, and things I'd forgotten I had flew into places I didn't know existed in my van. Oh, and the best part was the old girl bottomed out. hmmm...not good. I would've yelled "yeehaw" as I was going through the air if I wasn't so shocked and then mad.
I don't think "Bump" quite does that spot in the road justice. I think, "You'd Better Slow Down Or You'll Be Sorry!" would be much better. Or maybe, "Keep Going At The Speed You Are If You Don't Like Your Vehicle".
Thankfully everything was fine and it seems the ol' Montana is still running at peak...er, well..."normal" performance.
After I checked everything and started heading down the road again (all while fuming a bit) it got me considering the "bumps" we experience in life...and whether or not we pay attention to the signs. Yes, there are signs!
Let's face it, there are plenty of situations and circumstances in life that toss us around like a carton of cable ties!...just go with it...Yet we still wonder why we didn't see it coming. I'll admit there are those times when we just get thrown for a loop, but I think those are pretty rare. If we're really paying attention to what's going on around us we usually aren't too surprised and we end up being better prepared to deal with whatever comes along.
In the Bible, in Matthew 16:3, Yeshua (Jesus) called the Pharisees hypocrites because they sought after a sign from Him to prove He was who He said He was. He said they could tell what the weather would be like that day but they couldn't discern the signs of the times. In other words, they could almost predict the nearly unpredictable but they could NOT see the completely obvious! The fact that the living Word of God - Yeshua the Messiah - stood right there, talked with them, telling them the truth, and yet they didn't get it! Why? Because they held their own beliefs at or above the things of God. Their own word was as good as God's, in their version, whether they realized it or not. How do I know this? Because in verse 12 Messiah said that their "doctrine" or teaching was leaven...in other words it was sin. Their teaching was contrary to God's Torah which Yeshua constantly challenged them on. They added to it or took from it, which He says specifically not to do. When we add to or take from His Word we open the door for the devil and our own flesh to deceive us into thinking we understand more than we actually do. That's a dangerous road to walk down.
If we choose to rely on Yahweh and His truth/word then we can rest assured we will have the direction we need for this life...and we'll be able to slow down and deal with those "bumps" along the way.
Blueberry Mint Smoothie
Here's my recipe for a Blueberry Mint Smoothie.
Aww yeah.
1-1/2 cups - Milk.
Small Handful - Organic Blueberries.
5 to 7 - Frozen Whole Strawberries.
1 - Banana
2 - Mint leaves
1 tsp - Raw Agave Nectar
Pour Milk into Blender and add all ingredients. Blend until...well, smoothie-like! Drink. Enjoy.
You can add 2 extra Mint leaves on top for a garnish to look fancy. =P
It's simple and you can find most of these items already in your kitchen. I have Moroccan Mint growing around my back porch so it's really fresh! Mint is also super easy to grow, but don't plant it near anything else. Mint tends to flourish and overtake everything.
Notes:
I use Raw Goat milk, but any will do.
I also put in 1 raw egg for a little extra creaminess as well as protein and vitamin D, but this is recommended ONLY if you have your own hens to get fresh eggs from!
I used 1 tsp of Agave, but some like their smoothies really sweet, so add whatever floats your boat. I think the teaspoon makes it just sweet enough but keeps it refreshing. Honey works great too.
6/19/12
Slaves of Righteousness
Having come out of (or should I say still coming out of) professing
Christendom I realize more and more how wrong we teach the Bible.
One of the overall points that the "church" makes today is that the Law of God is dead and no longer of any consequence to a believer in Jesus. The Old Testament is pretty much done away with and now all we need is the New Testament, so they allude to.
I ask them what do they do with passages like Jeremiah 31:31-34, Ezekiel 36:27, Matthew 5:17-18, Mark 7:8-13, Romans 3:31, 7:12,14,22-25, 8:4,6-7, 2 Corinthians 3:14-16, Ephesians 2:10, 1 John 2:3-7, 3:4, 5:2-3, Revelation 12:17, 14:12, and others? (I suggest you go and read these.)
Jesus (Yeshua) said,
"Most assuredly I say to you that whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed."
-John 8:34-36
The professing church interprets this as meaning that Christ has come to free us from the Law so that we can live freely in His grace, which by the standards of the "church" seems to mean that we can just about live however we want. In reality, grace is defined as God's influence on our hearts with a reflection through our lives. Biblical grace is the LORD writing His Law on our hearts and that work shining out in our very existence!
If Jesus sets us free then what does that look like? Can we really live however we want? Oh, I'm sure most pastors would say no and they'd give some guidelines or some rules much like the Jerusalem council gave in Acts 15. That's all we Gentiles have to worry about, but we certainly don't have to keep all of God's commandments, right?
"And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness."
-Romans 6:18
Did you catch that? If you have been set free from sin, having experienced the grace of God, then you are NOW a slave of righteousness! You're still a slave, but not to sin, rather to God. How can that be free? Well, when we were slaves of sin we did things according to our flesh that were in opposition to the will and Word of God. But now that we are in Him (if you truly are in Him) we have been given the power of His Spirit to say no to sin...we are no longer it's (sin) slave! We do that which opposes sin and should align itself with God's Law. By His grace, our spirit forces our flesh into submission.
Paul says in Galatians,
"For do I now persuade men or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ."
-Galatians 1:10
The definition for "bondservant" is this:
G1401
δοῦλος
doulos
doo'-los
From G1210; a slave (literally or figuratively, involuntarily or voluntarily; frequently therefore in a qualified sense of subjection or subserviency): - bond (-man), servant.
"Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?
For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit which are God's."
-1 Corinthians 6:19-20
If we are not our own, but bondservants of Christ, slaves of righteousness, then shouldn't we walk as HE wants us to? How does He want us to walk?
Jesus said, "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments."
-John 14:15
As some teach, the commandments that Jesus (Yeshua) was talking about here are the new ones He supposedly gave in the gospels. What?! Show me one place that He actually did that! He said in John 7:16,
"My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me."
Who sent Jesus into the world? The Father. So the doctrine, or teaching, that Jesus brought was not His but the Father's. So what was the Father's doctrine?
"You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.
And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart."
-Deuteronomy 6:5-6
"Now therefore, if you will indeed obey Me voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel."
-Exodus 19:5-6
"But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation. His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light."
-1 Peter 2:9
God has called us out of confusion, out of "Babylon" if you will, and has given us His Law as a light. If we are in Christ then we are no longer under the letter of the Law as a ministry of death, but in the Spirit, who writes the Law upon our heart (Jeremiah 31:31-34, 2 Corinthians 3:1-18).
If we have accepted Yeshua as the ONLY way to the Father, then we have entered the New Covenant, which is really the Original Covenant as God always wanted, but now with a change in how sin is now dealt with - no longer is there a Tabernacle, a Levitical priesthood, or animal sacrifices. Jesus IS the temple (tabernacle), our great High Priest, and the once for all atoning sacrifice for sin! Hallelujah!!
The awesome thing is, He now makes us His temple, His priesthood, and requires us to offer up ourselves as living sacrifices. This all makes sense since we are HIS body!
The Law of God isn't dead or done away with and it never will be until the Lord returns, apart from sin for salvation, sin is cast away and heaven and earth pass away. Only then will His Law no longer be needed in the same capacity it is now. But we will always be under His Word.
We are not our own and we are not free to live sinfully (lawlessly)! It is only by His standard of righteousness (His Law) that we can know what sin is and turn from it toward Him.
One of the overall points that the "church" makes today is that the Law of God is dead and no longer of any consequence to a believer in Jesus. The Old Testament is pretty much done away with and now all we need is the New Testament, so they allude to.
I ask them what do they do with passages like Jeremiah 31:31-34, Ezekiel 36:27, Matthew 5:17-18, Mark 7:8-13, Romans 3:31, 7:12,14,22-25, 8:4,6-7, 2 Corinthians 3:14-16, Ephesians 2:10, 1 John 2:3-7, 3:4, 5:2-3, Revelation 12:17, 14:12, and others? (I suggest you go and read these.)
Jesus (Yeshua) said,
"Most assuredly I say to you that whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed."
-John 8:34-36
The professing church interprets this as meaning that Christ has come to free us from the Law so that we can live freely in His grace, which by the standards of the "church" seems to mean that we can just about live however we want. In reality, grace is defined as God's influence on our hearts with a reflection through our lives. Biblical grace is the LORD writing His Law on our hearts and that work shining out in our very existence!
If Jesus sets us free then what does that look like? Can we really live however we want? Oh, I'm sure most pastors would say no and they'd give some guidelines or some rules much like the Jerusalem council gave in Acts 15. That's all we Gentiles have to worry about, but we certainly don't have to keep all of God's commandments, right?
"And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness."
-Romans 6:18
Did you catch that? If you have been set free from sin, having experienced the grace of God, then you are NOW a slave of righteousness! You're still a slave, but not to sin, rather to God. How can that be free? Well, when we were slaves of sin we did things according to our flesh that were in opposition to the will and Word of God. But now that we are in Him (if you truly are in Him) we have been given the power of His Spirit to say no to sin...we are no longer it's (sin) slave! We do that which opposes sin and should align itself with God's Law. By His grace, our spirit forces our flesh into submission.
Paul says in Galatians,
"For do I now persuade men or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ."
-Galatians 1:10
The definition for "bondservant" is this:
G1401
δοῦλος
doulos
doo'-los
From G1210; a slave (literally or figuratively, involuntarily or voluntarily; frequently therefore in a qualified sense of subjection or subserviency): - bond (-man), servant.
"Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?
For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit which are God's."
-1 Corinthians 6:19-20
If we are not our own, but bondservants of Christ, slaves of righteousness, then shouldn't we walk as HE wants us to? How does He want us to walk?
Jesus said, "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments."
-John 14:15
As some teach, the commandments that Jesus (Yeshua) was talking about here are the new ones He supposedly gave in the gospels. What?! Show me one place that He actually did that! He said in John 7:16,
"My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me."
Who sent Jesus into the world? The Father. So the doctrine, or teaching, that Jesus brought was not His but the Father's. So what was the Father's doctrine?
"You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.
And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart."
-Deuteronomy 6:5-6
"Now therefore, if you will indeed obey Me voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel."
-Exodus 19:5-6
"But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation. His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light."
-1 Peter 2:9
God has called us out of confusion, out of "Babylon" if you will, and has given us His Law as a light. If we are in Christ then we are no longer under the letter of the Law as a ministry of death, but in the Spirit, who writes the Law upon our heart (Jeremiah 31:31-34, 2 Corinthians 3:1-18).
If we have accepted Yeshua as the ONLY way to the Father, then we have entered the New Covenant, which is really the Original Covenant as God always wanted, but now with a change in how sin is now dealt with - no longer is there a Tabernacle, a Levitical priesthood, or animal sacrifices. Jesus IS the temple (tabernacle), our great High Priest, and the once for all atoning sacrifice for sin! Hallelujah!!
The awesome thing is, He now makes us His temple, His priesthood, and requires us to offer up ourselves as living sacrifices. This all makes sense since we are HIS body!
The Law of God isn't dead or done away with and it never will be until the Lord returns, apart from sin for salvation, sin is cast away and heaven and earth pass away. Only then will His Law no longer be needed in the same capacity it is now. But we will always be under His Word.
We are not our own and we are not free to live sinfully (lawlessly)! It is only by His standard of righteousness (His Law) that we can know what sin is and turn from it toward Him.
6/18/12
From the Glove State
This was too funny not to post! Being formerly from Michigan I can say that almost all of these are true. ALL of them are hilarious, though!
Sauerkraut
Sauerkraut is chock full of vital good bacteria which is essential for our overall health. Below is an article from Natural News that gives some pertinent information concerning sauerkraut (minus the superstitious "good fortune" part).There's also a good recipe for a fermented veggie dish that I've posted below!
NaturalNews.com/sauerkraut
1 head of cabbage (use red cabbage for extra phytonutrients)
4 large carrots
1 onion
3 cloves of garlic
3 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon of sea salt
purified water
I tried this recipe, though I multiplied it times 5 and it tasted great!
6/17/12
Faith
A lot of people in and around the community have been TALKING about how much we need rain. A few even mentioned Elijah from the Bible and how he prayed for rain and it rained.
Do we ask God for things like He wants us to? Oh, now I know we ask Him for all sorts of things...things that WE really want but that may not always line up with His Word. But when we ask Him for things do we really believe that He answers?!
Proverbs 28:9 says, "One who turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination."
Wow! Abomination? That's pretty strong! Abomination means something that is utterly disgusting! So even our prayers are disgusting to the LORD if we don't listen to, and regard, His Law! Let that sink in.
I'm sure many argue that the "law" spoken of here is Solomon's laws or some other, but did he ever answer prayer? Not possible. God hears and answers prayers. It is HIS Law that Solomon was speaking of, and what we should be concerning ourselves with. God's Law (or better translated from the Hebrew word for it: Torah - is loving instructions) is His perfect guidance for those who trust in Him for their salvation, and who then walk in it because they are saved. If we turn away from, and despise His instructions, His commandments, then we are foolishly rejecting the Almighty Creator's very Word!
However, if we don't turn away our hearing from His Torah, but rather accept and rejoice in the fact that our Creator has given us instructions to live by, then proof that our faith is real exists! That faith is what He is constantly trying to bring out in us.
What is faith? It is simply believing what God has said (Romans 10:17)! It's really simple yet profound. Belief in what the God of the universe says is very hard for those whose affections are for this world and the things in it. But for those who are called in Him, we know that this world is not our home and we look for a dwelling place that is yet to come. A city whose builder and maker is God. A country that is awaiting for us to settle in...and it's not here on earth that we can travel to it.
Faith is what Elijah had when he prayed for rain. After 3-1/2 years it DID rain when he prayed. But lest we forget that he prayed for it to NOT rain for those 3-1/2 years and it did NOT rain. Elijah prayed for a drought showing God's judgment on the people and that drought lasted for 3-1/2 years!! We read about this in 1 Kings 17-18, and James mentions it in his epistle. He paraphrases the event in chapter 5:17-18. However, I encourage you to read that whole chapter (or even the whole epistle!). God is concerned, not with rain or crops, but with HIS vineyard! His people! Read Matthew 21:33-46/Mark 12:1-12/Luke 20:9-19. The parable of the vineyard speaks loudly of those who are IN Messiah and those who aren't. Paul compares believers to being God's field in 1 Corinthians 3:9. And of course what Yeshua said in John 15 - He is the true vine and the Father is the vinedresser. We are the branches. We are grafted into Yeshua Messiah, who was and is our perfect example of how to walk in this life. The Father is the vinedresser and we are His vineyard. What a wonderful picture!
So faith in God and what He says is what produces fruit! James said that "the effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much." Why? Because of faith in what God has said. We can't muster up a fervent prayer, but if we truly believe what God has said then our prayer will be fervent! The Greek word there for fervent is energeo which means "to be active, efficient". Our faith is active and alive when we believe God. It's actually doing something! In James 2 he wrote that faith without works is dead. What are those works? The same works Paul wrote about in Ephesians 2:10 - they are the Commandments of our God. The ones He created for us to walk in from the beginning. Saying you have faith is not the same thing as actually having it! Walking in the loving instructions of our God is real faith! Which, by the way, is His work in us, too! Ezekiel 36:27 - He will cause us to walk in His Torah by the Holy Spirit. Not force us to walk in them, but actually cause and help us to! Like picking someone up when they've fallen and helping them walk.
We prayed for rain and it's raining. We shouldn't be surprised when He answers, only constantly amazed by His goodness.
What else does He want us to pray for? I pray we hear Him and believe!
6/14/12
A Cool Wind
I'm sitting on my back porch this morning, eating breakfast and enjoying a beautiful sunrise. The birds are chirping back and forth, and my roosters are crowing. Ahhh...so peaceful. The one thing that really keeps getting my attention, though, is the somewhat cool breeze. It'll feel nice later in the day when the sun is overhead and hot, however, right now it's a bit too crisp for me to be totally comfortable.
That got me to thinking about the Holy Spirit and His work in our lives. The Hebrew word for "spirit" is ruach which means "wind; breath (as in exhalation)". In the Greek it is pneuma which means the same. That concept of the Spirit and wind was used by Yeshua when He was speaking to Nicodemus in John 3:8.
The Holy Spirit cannot be touched, but He can be felt. He can't be seen, but He can see into the depth of our own spirit. We can't sway Him, but He can move us to greater things beyond ourselves. God even promised that He would cause us to walk in His Commandments by His Spirit (Ezekiel 36:27).
So what does this have to do with the cool breeze on my back porch, you might ask? Well this cool wind grabs my attention everytime it picks up. Just when I seem to focus on something else, or even lose my focus altogether, the cold breeze snaps me back to where I'm at, and making me slightly uncomfortable at times. The Holy Spirit does this same thing in our lives. Messiah said that the Holy Spirit will "convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment" (John 16:8). He goes on to say, "of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged." (v.9).
The faithfulness of God will not let us rest if He is indeed calling us. The Spirit of the living God is ever pursuing us, trying to get our attention when we get too comfortable with the things of this world and lose our focus. The ruler of this world (the devil) IS judged, Yeshua said, and the world itself is not concerned with the things of God. We are to be IN the world, but not OF it. If we get too cozy in this place, the Holy Spirit lovingly (which sometimes means sternly) reminds us that this is not our home!
He also brings to our remembrance everything that Yeshua said, which was everything that the Father had told Him to say. We aren't told anything new by the Spirit, but everything that the Father is constantly speaking to us. We are righteous if we're in HIM. We are to be holy because HE is holy. We are to walk just as Messiah walked which was in obedience to His perfect Word.
So I'll take that crisp, cool breeze this morning. I have many things to learn, and who better to teach me than THE Teacher! Besides, I know that later in the day, when it's unbearably hot, that wind will be very, very comforting.
That got me to thinking about the Holy Spirit and His work in our lives. The Hebrew word for "spirit" is ruach which means "wind; breath (as in exhalation)". In the Greek it is pneuma which means the same. That concept of the Spirit and wind was used by Yeshua when He was speaking to Nicodemus in John 3:8.
The Holy Spirit cannot be touched, but He can be felt. He can't be seen, but He can see into the depth of our own spirit. We can't sway Him, but He can move us to greater things beyond ourselves. God even promised that He would cause us to walk in His Commandments by His Spirit (Ezekiel 36:27).
So what does this have to do with the cool breeze on my back porch, you might ask? Well this cool wind grabs my attention everytime it picks up. Just when I seem to focus on something else, or even lose my focus altogether, the cold breeze snaps me back to where I'm at, and making me slightly uncomfortable at times. The Holy Spirit does this same thing in our lives. Messiah said that the Holy Spirit will "convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment" (John 16:8). He goes on to say, "of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged." (v.9).
The faithfulness of God will not let us rest if He is indeed calling us. The Spirit of the living God is ever pursuing us, trying to get our attention when we get too comfortable with the things of this world and lose our focus. The ruler of this world (the devil) IS judged, Yeshua said, and the world itself is not concerned with the things of God. We are to be IN the world, but not OF it. If we get too cozy in this place, the Holy Spirit lovingly (which sometimes means sternly) reminds us that this is not our home!
He also brings to our remembrance everything that Yeshua said, which was everything that the Father had told Him to say. We aren't told anything new by the Spirit, but everything that the Father is constantly speaking to us. We are righteous if we're in HIM. We are to be holy because HE is holy. We are to walk just as Messiah walked which was in obedience to His perfect Word.
So I'll take that crisp, cool breeze this morning. I have many things to learn, and who better to teach me than THE Teacher! Besides, I know that later in the day, when it's unbearably hot, that wind will be very, very comforting.
6/12/12
Home: Peaceful Bluegrass
It's one of my favorites.
It's great for just playing around the house when you want to relax (or imagine you're sittin' on the back porch of your mountain cabin for those of us who don't have that mountain cabin!).
I've always liked bluegrass music and this album really has a great sound and soothing melodies.
Also, this isn't like some "background nature" cd's where it's just too much background noise. The sounds of nature on this are just right; you hardly notice them which really allows the music to shine through. They're just enough to give you a sense of peacefulness and makes you feel like you're in those mountains!
http://www.amazon.com/Home-Peaceful-Bluegrass-Dan-Gibson/dp/B000PDZH32
Trapping
A good article on Trapping skills from Off the Grid News.
Though most of the animals you would typically trap are not meant for food according to the Bible, a person could make a little extra money selling the furs.
Better yet, there's always a need to get rid of some unwanted "guests" around the house sometimes!
Trapping For Survival
Though most of the animals you would typically trap are not meant for food according to the Bible, a person could make a little extra money selling the furs.
Better yet, there's always a need to get rid of some unwanted "guests" around the house sometimes!
Trapping For Survival
Backpacker Magazine
This magazine is FREE to read on Google. Issues from 1973 to 2009!
http://books.google.com/books/serial/ISSN:0277867X?rview=0&lr=&sa=N&start=0
http://books.google.com/books/serial/ISSN:0277867X?rview=0&lr=&sa=N&start=0
A Sip of Soda
I'll have a Root Beer once in a while (because it's fantastic!), but if you drink at least one soda a day you might want to consider what it does to your system.
Just sayin'.
Just sayin'.
 | |
| For a larger image follow the link by clicking here. |
6/9/12
Clear Vision
If you look at yourself through another person's eyes it will be their version of you.
If you look at yourself through your own eyes it will be your version of you.
If you look at yourself through God's eyes...it will be perfectly clear.
If you look at yourself through your own eyes it will be your version of you.
If you look at yourself through God's eyes...it will be perfectly clear.
6/3/12
Wild Kingdom...Indoors!
Well, life in an old farmhouse is never dull. It seems ever since I started working on this place and living here I've had more "visitors" than I can remember. From the momma raccoon to the frazzled humming bird to the ground hog thinking that this is his home too!
Notice about the raccoon I said "momma"? That's because she was! I tried catching that coon for weeks using a live trap. I'd bait it with all kinds of stuff, like cat food, peanut butter and anything else people recommended. Tips on baiting traps are right up there with ways that women can "tell" if an expectant mother is having a girl or a boy!
One day when I had given up hope on catching said raccoon I heard a tussling noise in the attic space next to the room I was working in. I thought, "Ah ha! Now I've gotcha." So I put on my heavy work gloves and went into the attic determined to catch this thing. When I got a few feet along I saw some insulation moving. I thought this is it, I'll grab her and...oh, right!...what was I going to do if I caught this thing?! Oh well, I was so tired of dealing with it that I'd figure it out as I went. Kind of a shoot-first-ask-questions-later sorta thing. Anyway, I crawled up to the insulation and I began hearing a tiny squeaking sound. "This doesn't sound like a big 'ol raccoon", I thought to myself. I pulled back the insulation and what did I see? You guessed it, baby raccoons! Oh great, they're multiplying! "Fantastic", I said sarcastically to myself (and I DID pick up on the sarcasm). But then I thought, "Hey, if I take the babies away then maybe momma will leave!". So I put them in a box and took them outside.
Okay, so I'm outside with the baby raccoons and now what to do? I stood there looking down on these helpless little creatures that I had just stolen out of their warm, safe "home" in my attic insulation. I couldn't just let them die! They couldn't have been even a week old. So I did what anybody in my situation would have done...I started taking care of them! Oy. They were given a diet of raw goat milk and did fine for several weeks. All that time I never saw hide nor hair of momma raccoon. I later discovered that she moved out to the barn.
After a short time the baby raccoons began to move around a bit more and we soon realized that we had to figure out a plan before they got too big. The girls did a great job feeding them, but we ran out of goat milk and so we substituted it with something else...I can't remember right now what it was. However, whatever it was did not work. One by one the little things started passing on. Just awful.
Oh, and did I mention the mangy cat that kept hanging around? Okay, okay, so I DID feed it a little! But the thing was about ready to spend it's 9th life, I think. Sheesh, I guess I'm kind of a softy.
Well all of this and just the other day a bird gets caught in my wood stove chimney! I thought it was capped off well enough but obviously not. Although I didn't get pics of some of the things that came around, I did get others that I've posted below. Enjoy!
Notice about the raccoon I said "momma"? That's because she was! I tried catching that coon for weeks using a live trap. I'd bait it with all kinds of stuff, like cat food, peanut butter and anything else people recommended. Tips on baiting traps are right up there with ways that women can "tell" if an expectant mother is having a girl or a boy!
One day when I had given up hope on catching said raccoon I heard a tussling noise in the attic space next to the room I was working in. I thought, "Ah ha! Now I've gotcha." So I put on my heavy work gloves and went into the attic determined to catch this thing. When I got a few feet along I saw some insulation moving. I thought this is it, I'll grab her and...oh, right!...what was I going to do if I caught this thing?! Oh well, I was so tired of dealing with it that I'd figure it out as I went. Kind of a shoot-first-ask-questions-later sorta thing. Anyway, I crawled up to the insulation and I began hearing a tiny squeaking sound. "This doesn't sound like a big 'ol raccoon", I thought to myself. I pulled back the insulation and what did I see? You guessed it, baby raccoons! Oh great, they're multiplying! "Fantastic", I said sarcastically to myself (and I DID pick up on the sarcasm). But then I thought, "Hey, if I take the babies away then maybe momma will leave!". So I put them in a box and took them outside.
Okay, so I'm outside with the baby raccoons and now what to do? I stood there looking down on these helpless little creatures that I had just stolen out of their warm, safe "home" in my attic insulation. I couldn't just let them die! They couldn't have been even a week old. So I did what anybody in my situation would have done...I started taking care of them! Oy. They were given a diet of raw goat milk and did fine for several weeks. All that time I never saw hide nor hair of momma raccoon. I later discovered that she moved out to the barn.
After a short time the baby raccoons began to move around a bit more and we soon realized that we had to figure out a plan before they got too big. The girls did a great job feeding them, but we ran out of goat milk and so we substituted it with something else...I can't remember right now what it was. However, whatever it was did not work. One by one the little things started passing on. Just awful.
Oh, and did I mention the mangy cat that kept hanging around? Okay, okay, so I DID feed it a little! But the thing was about ready to spend it's 9th life, I think. Sheesh, I guess I'm kind of a softy.
Well all of this and just the other day a bird gets caught in my wood stove chimney! I thought it was capped off well enough but obviously not. Although I didn't get pics of some of the things that came around, I did get others that I've posted below. Enjoy!
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