SAVIOR and LORD

J   E   S   U   S

 

Which is HE for you?

I find it interesting how we throw these terms around in our “Church” talk, all the while we fail to fully appreciate the significance associated with these designations.

I would contend that most followers of JESUS understand the Savior aspect, but FEW truly comprehend the LORDSHIP component of JESUS.

• One day HE will be our RETURNING KING!

[Can I let you in on a little secret…I only recently began to grasp the magnitude of this concept]

Why do I say that?

• Simple.  This is the most visible aspect of one’s walk.
• This is where one’s allegiance is most signified.

JESUS as Savior is epitomized in HIS gracious, sacrificial act on the cross…

• and for most believers, this is where it ends.

It is such a WONDERFUL event that unfortunately, we get “stuck” at the foot of the cross.

Instead we should be using the cross as a staging point to propel us into the LORDSHIP of our returning KING, YESHUA!

Let’s take a look at

Matthew 6:24

No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve GOD and mammon.

• Note masters here is literally LORDs in the Greek
• Strong’s translates it as so: he to whom a person or thing belongs

• Mammon here simply refers to the “world’s system”
• That which is in opposition or competition with GOD’s Kingdom

Let me ask you, is HE your LORD?

• Who do you belong to?
• Do you claim the blood of the Savior and yet pledge your allegiance to your own god of this world?
• Do you seek HIS approval?
• Or perhaps your satisfaction lies with those of your friends, family, or co-workers?
• Do you seek to obey HIS commandments and statutes?
• For you maybe HIS rules don’t apply…after all you are living under HIS “grace”.

Let’s be honest for a moment…

• When a decision is to be made, is HIS LORDSHIP even on our mind?

Unfortunately we have fooled ourselves into believing that HIS Grace allows us FREEDOM to do WHATEVER we want!

* * *N E W S   F L A S H* * *

• That my friends is ANARCHY, and a KINGDOM divided against itself cannot stand.

• The KING is under NO obligation to bless someone who is not being obedient to HIS authority.
• Read Deuteronomy 30:15-20

As mature followers, we need to come to that place where

GRACE willingly gives itself to OBEDIENCE.

G R A C E  is the access point by which we are adopted into the KINGDOM of GOD

JESUS as SAVIOR has let down the draw-bridge and allowed me to enter into HIS KINGDOM!

• A Kingdom up until that point, I was unworthy to enter!

JESUS as KING grants me access to the power and authority of HIS KINGDOM!

• Matthew 6 : 33
• But seek ye first the Kingdom of GOD, and HIS righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

The reality is WE will serve one of two Kings…there is no THIRD option.

It will either be:

• JESUS the KING of all Kings, which has major ETERNAL implications

OR

• satan and his “worldly” faux kingdom, which has no eternal value and only leads to destruction!

When you understand the choices presented before you, there really is only one choice!

So choose LIFE in JESUS the LORD!

I pray that JESUS may become your SAVIOR and LORD, because one day the LAMB is coming back to RULE as KING !

May the LORD add HIS blessing to these words…

To The KING and HIS KINGDOM ! ! !

`Shalom

Are We Free?

F R E E D O M

IS

D E C E P T I V E

Now that is quite a statement!

What do I really mean by “freedom” is deceptive?

I would present to you that the only FREEDOM we have is the freedom to choose.

The real question is “what are we choosing between?”

I would purport that one is either a slave to either the KING of Heaven or the Deceiver of this World.

Let’s take a look at some scriptural references.

Matthew 6 : 24 [ESV]

          “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve GOD and money.

         

• Notice here that you will serve, love, or be devoted to one of two masters.

1.      GOD

o       We must choose GOD’s kingdom, we do not automatically belong to it.

o       We must pledge our allegiance to the KING of GOD’s Kingdom which is JESUS the MESSIAH

2.      “money” or more aptly put, the WORLD’s system / kingdom

o       Which as a point of reference is the default kingdom.

Knowing that you WILL serve one of these “masters”, I would implore you to choose the one who has your best interest at heart – literally.

This is where the often used cliché “be in the world not of the world” fits nicely.

What does that really look like?

Well., let me give you an example.

Let’s say you work at Starbucks. 

Instead of just mixing up Lattes all day, and trying to be a nice Christian person, why not elevate your “game”

What would happen if you began to pray over every drink you served?

• LORD I pray that you may be known to this person whom I am making this Cappuccino.
• Get creative, have fun, and let GOD be GOD ! ! !

Deuteronomy 30 : 15 - 20 reminds us

          “See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil. If you obey the commandments of the LORD your God that I command you today, by loving the LORD your God, by walking in his ways, and by keeping his commandments and his statutes and his rules, then you shall live and multiply, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to take possession of it.

• See HIS Kingdom, like all Kingdoms, have certain “rules, customs and statutes” that make it unique – make it identifiable.

But if your heart turns away, and you will not hear, but are drawn away to worship other gods and serve them, I declare to you today, that you shall surely perish. You shall not live long in the land that you are going over the Jordan to enter and possess.

• Other “gods” have a different set of rules by which they represent their kingdoms.
• Unfortunately, the lures of these “worldly” kingdoms lead to death.

I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse.

Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live, loving the LORD your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him, for he is your life and length of days, that you may dwell in the land that the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.”

C H O O S E   L I F E ! ! !

The reality is that we will serve one of two masters!

So choose wisely…

May the LORD add HIS blessings to these writings . . .

PASSOVER & EASTER

Let’s continue to explore this concept of the LORD’s mo’ed  Or Appointed Times.

I want to use Easter as an example.

My purpose is not to offend anyone, nor to diminish my LORD’s crucifixion and resurrection, BUT rather to allow the scriptures to magnify the event AS GOD had ORDAINED!

There is MUCH controversy surrounding the origins of Easter.

Here is what we do know:

Easter

• Has its PAGAN roots in Eostre the Teutonic goddess of Spring – hence:
• Easter Bunnies
• Easter Eggs
• All signs of spring and fertility

• Unfortunately, there is no reason to “re-name” what YHVH has already ordained back in Leviticus 23

–        namely that our Messiah was crucified on Passover

–        Buried on Unleavened Bread

–        Raised on First Fruits.

• Please see my blog on Passover, Unleavened Bread, and First Fruits for specific scriptural support.

Easter is the Celebration of PASSOVER, and we should call it as such!

Let’s be careful not to replace the LORD’s [YHVH] instructions with the tradition of men.

JESUS speaking in regards to traditions of men and their doctrines

• Matthew 15 : 6 – 7
• Isaiah 29 : 13
• Mark 7 : 8
• Colossians 2 : 8

JESUS encourages Us to look to the Hebrew scriptures, not so we can become “Jews” but so we can truly understand the GLORY of JESUS!

• Matthew 23 : 2
• Matthew 5 : 17
• Luke 24 : 27

In our attempt to “include” everyone WE have “excluded” the ONE that matters most!

WE say that’s not HOW I understand “EASTER”, but I say that is the exact spirit of Babylon.

• A spirit of dedication to our “selves” rather than devotion to our GOD and our KING

Although We are a NEW creation we still have OLD thoughts and habits

In these last days, we need to make sure we are not compromising the WORD for the world.

~Shalom

The LORD's Time Clock

THE LORD’s APPOINTED TIMES

Does GOD work on HIS own Timeframe?

Does “HE” communicate this to us?

Is Holiness a key element to HIS time?

The Concept of Mo’ed

#4150 mo’ed             an appointment or a fixed time

From the Root

#3259 ya`ad              to fix, appoint, assemble

Genesis 1

14 And God said: 'Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let *them be for signs [owth], and for seasons [moed], and for days and years;

*Them              BOTH LUNAR and SOLAR

                        Jewish Calendar is on a solar [years] and lunar [months] cycle

                        Gregorian and Julian calendars are SOLELY solar

The Jewish Day begins at SUNDOWN

The Jewish week begins on Sunday and ends on Saturday        

Leviticus 23

• Is the single chapter of the entire Tanakh that sums up everything –
• God’s Eternal Plan is revealed through the NATURE and TIMING of the Seven Annual Feasts of the LORD. 
• Sacrifice is a major feature of the FEASTS

Leviticus 23

1 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying:

2 Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them: The appointed times of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations [4744], even these are My appointed times.

#4744  miqra’ a calling out as in an assembly OR a rehearsal

NOTE:             Whose “appointed times” are these to be?                     YHVH

These Appointed Times help us to separate ourselves from the "world" and its deceptive traditions.

GOD wants US to MODEL our ACTIVITIES after HIS PURPOSES

Satan wants you to believe that your GOD is trying to catch you off guard – that is a lie!

The Adversary often portrays your FATHER as a uncaring and distant – that is a lie!

Your FATHER wants nothing more than for you to KNOW HIS WAYS!

Here is another interesting phenomena within Hebraic history ...  it is known as Tisha B'av.

Please note, although there are Biblical references to this "phenomena",  this is not one of The LORD's Appointed Times as mentioned in Leviticus 23.

My goal is merely to point out that GOD has worked and continues to work through out history in "knowable" manner.

The material presented here was taken from Judaism 101 website. 

TISHA B'AV

Significance: Remembers major communal tragedies
Observances: Fasting; reading the book of Lamentations
Length: 25 hours
Customs: Torah cabinet is draped in black

It is a very ominous time


¹ The Alhambra Decree, issued March 31, 1492, ordered all Jews to leave Spain by the end of July 1492. July 31, 1492 was Tisha B'Av. Note that if you use a Jewish calendar converter to check this, it may show August 11 as the 9th of Av in that year. If so, the converter has failed to take into account the Gregorian Reformation, which skipped 11 days on the calendar. If you delete an additional 11 days from August 11 for the 11 skipped days that never happened, you get the result of July 31.

~ As always, THE LORD BLESS YOU and KEEP YOU . . .

Five misfortunes befell our fathers ... on the ninth of Av. ...On the ninth of Av it was decreed that our fathers should not enter the [Promised] Land, the Temple was destroyed the first and second time, Bethar was captured and the city [Jerusalem] was ploughed up. -Mishnah Ta'anit 4:6

How then are these dates to be reconciled? On the seventh the heathens entered the Temple and ate therein and desecrated it throughout the seventh and eighth and towards dusk of the ninth they set fire to it and it continued to burn the whole of that day. ... How will the Rabbis then [explain the choice of the 9th as the date]? The beginning of any misfortune [when the fire was set] is of greater moment. -Talmud Ta'anit 29a

Tisha B'Av, the Fast of the Ninth of Av, is a day of mourning to commemorate the many tragedies that have befallen the Jewish people, many of which coincidentally have occurred on the ninth of Av.
Tisha B'Av means "the ninth (day) of Av." It usually occurs during August.
Tisha B'Av primarily commemorates the destruction of the first and second Temples, both of which were destroyed on the ninth of Av (the first by the Babylonians in 586 B.C.E.; the second by the Romans in 70 C.E.).

Although this holiday is primarily meant to commemorate the destruction of the Temple, it is appropriate to consider on this day the many other tragedies of the Jewish people, many of which occurred on this day, most notably the expulsion of the Jews from Spain in 1492.¹