Rev. AL BAKER - WEST HARTFORD, CT
The Immutability of God
Every good thing bestowed and every perfect gift comes from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow. (James 1:17)
Astronomers tell us that our galaxy, the Milky Way, has over three billion stars, that it is one thousand light years deep, that it is one hundred thousand light years across. One light year is the speed of light (one hundred and eighty-six thousand miles per second) multiplied by every second in one year! They also say that there are one hundred billion galaxies in our universe. These figures are incomprehensible to us, but they proclaim a God of immeasurable glory and immensity, One who fills up every inch of his creation with his omnipresence, omnipotence, and omniscience.
James refers to God as 'the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow'. Earlier he urges us not to be deceived, not to be led astray by wrong notions. He is after our holiness, saying that the trials of life are from God’s hand, that the temptations of life are put there by the devil, with God ordaining the devil’s work of temptation. It is within this context of trial and temptation that James lays down two foundational principles — the doctrine of God and the doctrine of salvation. In this verse he takes up the doctrine of God, telling us that he is unchangeable.
Every day of the year finds the sun rising and setting at different times. The shadows vary daily, but the Father of lights who created the vastness of all universes is unlike his creation. He does not change. He is the same every day!The Greek text uses two different words (dosis and dorema) in speaking of God’s gifts. The first word (good thing bestowed) has to do with the gift itself. God is saying that he is the author of all things and these always ultimately are good, even the trials of life (Rom.s 8:28). The second word deals with the character or quality of the gifts that God gives (every perfect gift) those things which come down from heaven and the hand of God (Mark 1:10, Rev. 3:12).
And why does God give these perfect gifts? So that we may have perfect endurance that leads to perfect holiness which comes from perfect prayer which can only come through perfect faith (James 1:2-11).And James puts forth two important attributes of God in this verse. He speaks of him as one of unmitigable transcendence (Gen. 1:1, Mal. 4:2, John 1:4, 1 John 1:5). He is eternal, transcendent, and separate from us, a being of immeasurable immensity. He is beyond time and space. Practically this means that he sits on his throne in heaven and does as he pleases (Psa. 115:3).
Nothing or no one can thwart his sovereign plan. If we stop here, however, we may be tempted to see God as capricious or arbitrary. But James also tells us that he is a God of immutable or unchangeable love (Mal. 3:6, 1 John 3:1, Jer. 31:3). His love is eternal and literally 'out of this world'. Here’s what James is telling us — God always does good for all his people, all the time.If you presently are 'living large', then you no doubt can easily agree with this statement. If you have a great job where you are making lots of money, if you have a spouse and lovely, healthy, growing children, if you are enjoying a pain free life, then sure, you agree with this statement.
But what if you have recently gone through the pain of divorce or separation? What if you live with an abusive alcoholic or drug addict who is running the family into poverty? What if you are out of work and you are watching your net worth diminish? What if you live with the constant threat of being laid off from your job? What if your children are breaking your heart by walking away from the faith you love and taught them? What if you are watching a loved one waste away from some terrible form of cancer? Can you still say that God always does good for all his people all the time?Not only can you say, 'Yes', to this question but you must say 'Yes' to it.
If you do not learn to consider all trials with joy, if you do not see that everything comes from the hand of God and ultimately is a good and perfect gift meant for the perfection of your holiness, then you will not make it in this world. You will eventually 'cash in your chips', walk away from the faith, or find some other god to bring comfort. If you desire, with Paul, 'to fight the good fight of faith, to finish the course, to keep the faith,' then you must believe and act upon the glorious truth that God always does good for all his people all the time.
How can you get there? You must do what James is telling you to do in this verse. You must learn to argue the greater to the lesser. He is putting forth the vastness of creation and the fact that a God of unmitigable transcendence and immutable love is the great lover of your soul. If he has done this awesome work of creation, if he sustains it, if he fills up the vastness of his creation with his glorious presence, then surely he can take care of you! If the heavens are telling of the glory of God, if the expanse is declaring the work of his hands (Psa. 19:1), if he has marked off the expanse of the heavens by the span of his hands (Isa. 40:12), if he has created the stars, if he leads forth their host by number, if he calls all the billions and billions of stars by name, if none of them are missing due to the greatness of his might and the strength of his power (Isa. 40:26), then surely you can trust him in every circumstance of your life!
If God has loved you with his everlasting love (Jer. 31:3), if he has known and loved you as long as he has existed (Rom. 8:29), if absolutely nothing can separate you from his love (Rom. 8:31ff), then can you not trust him to bring good from everything in your life?In John 17:9, while praying for his immediate disciples, Jesus says, 'I ask on their behalf; I do not ask on behalf of the world, but of those whom thou hast given me; for they are thine.' On the one hand, this is glorious and comforting to the believer. It means you can be certain that the Lord Jesus is always praying for you (Heb. 7:25). When you face trials, know that Jesus prays to his Father on your behalf, asking him to sustain you, to perfect you, to give you his perfect peace (John 14:27). On the other hand, this is a very sobering statement because it means the unbeliever is totally alone in this world. He has no heavenly Father. He has no priestly Jesus to intercede on his behalf. He faces the trials and sorrows of life without supernatural intervention. He has chosen to believe that God does not exist, or that he is impersonal, imperious, or impotent. Thus he reaps the awful fruit of his unbelief. He must go it alone. Not so for you, if you are in Jesus. So argue the greater to the lesser and find your comfort and hope in Jesus, the great lover of your soul!
And you shall seek Me, and find Me, when ye shall search for Me with all of your heart! (Jeremiah 29:13) The LORD is good to those that wait for Him; to the soul that seeks Him. (Lamentations 3:25)
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Supply From Our Battles
David Wilkerson Today
THE SPOILS OF SPIRITUAL WARFARE
“Out of the spoils won in battles did they dedicate to maintain the house of the Lord” (1 Chronicles 26:27). This verse opens to us a profound, life-changing truth. It speaks of spoils that can only be won in battle. And once these spoils are won, they are dedicated to the building up of God’s house. I believe if we grasp the powerful truth behind this verse, we’ll understand why the Lord allows intense spiritual warfare throughout our lives.
Many Christians think once they’re saved, their struggles are over, that life will be smooth sailing. Nothing could be further from the truth. God not only allows our battles, but he has a glorious purpose for them in our lives.What are “spoils of warfare”? Spoils are plunder, loot, goods taken in battle by the victors. The Bible first mentions spoils in Genesis 14, when a confederation of kings invaded Sodom and Gomorrah. These invaders captured the inhabitants and plundered their possessions: “They took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah…. And they took Lot, Abram’s brother’s son” (Genesis14:11–12).
When Abram learned that his nephew Lot was taken captive, he gathered his 318-man army of servants and pursued the enemy kings. Scripture says he overtook the invaders and “smote them…. And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people” (14:15–16). Picture victorious Abram here. He was leading a long procession of joyful people, and wagons piled high with goods of all kinds. And along the way, he met Melchizedek, king of Salem. Scripture tells us Abram was moved to tithe to this king of all his plunder (see 14:20). “Consider how great this man was,unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils” (Hebrews7:4).
Here is the principle God wants us to lay hold of: Our Lord is interested in much more than making us victors. He wants to give us spoils, goods, spiritual riches from our warfare. We’re to emerge from battle with wagon loads of resources. This is what Paul refers to when he says, “We are more than conquerors through him that loved us” (Romans 8:37, italics mine). David had a reverent attitude toward spoils taken in warfare. We see it in a decree he set forth toward the end of his life. David had just appointed his son Solomon to follow him on Israel’s throne. And now he gathered the nation’s leaders together to set up a divine order for sustaining God’s house.
What resources would they use for this holy work? “Out of the spoils won in battles did they dedicate to maintain the house of the Lord” (1Chronicles 26:27). Let me set the scene. After every military victory, David took back spoils and stockpiled them in abundance: gold, silver, brass, timber, money too vast to count. And he had one purpose in mind: to use these spoils as resources for building the temple.When Scripture speaks of maintaining the temple, the original Hebrew means“to repair the house, to strengthen and consolidate what was built.” These resources were meant to maintain the temple’s original splendor.
Where is God’s temple today? It’s made up of his people—you, me, his church worldwide. According to Paul, our bodies are temples of the Holy Ghost. And, like ancient Israel, our Lord still maintains his temple through spoils gained in battle. That’s why our trials are meant for more than just our survival. Through every battle, God is laying aside riches, resources, wealth for us. He’s stockpiling a whole treasury of goods from our warfare. And those spoils are dedicated to building up and maintaining his body, the church of Jesus Christ.Think about it: For years after Solomon built the temple, it was maintained in good order by the spoils taken in past wars. God’s house remained vibrant and alive, because his people had emerged from every conflict not just victorious, but rich in resources. We find this principle of “supply through battle”throughout God’s Word.
THE SPOILS OF SPIRITUAL WARFARE
“Out of the spoils won in battles did they dedicate to maintain the house of the Lord” (1 Chronicles 26:27). This verse opens to us a profound, life-changing truth. It speaks of spoils that can only be won in battle. And once these spoils are won, they are dedicated to the building up of God’s house. I believe if we grasp the powerful truth behind this verse, we’ll understand why the Lord allows intense spiritual warfare throughout our lives.
Many Christians think once they’re saved, their struggles are over, that life will be smooth sailing. Nothing could be further from the truth. God not only allows our battles, but he has a glorious purpose for them in our lives.What are “spoils of warfare”? Spoils are plunder, loot, goods taken in battle by the victors. The Bible first mentions spoils in Genesis 14, when a confederation of kings invaded Sodom and Gomorrah. These invaders captured the inhabitants and plundered their possessions: “They took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah…. And they took Lot, Abram’s brother’s son” (Genesis14:11–12).
When Abram learned that his nephew Lot was taken captive, he gathered his 318-man army of servants and pursued the enemy kings. Scripture says he overtook the invaders and “smote them…. And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people” (14:15–16). Picture victorious Abram here. He was leading a long procession of joyful people, and wagons piled high with goods of all kinds. And along the way, he met Melchizedek, king of Salem. Scripture tells us Abram was moved to tithe to this king of all his plunder (see 14:20). “Consider how great this man was,unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils” (Hebrews7:4).
Here is the principle God wants us to lay hold of: Our Lord is interested in much more than making us victors. He wants to give us spoils, goods, spiritual riches from our warfare. We’re to emerge from battle with wagon loads of resources. This is what Paul refers to when he says, “We are more than conquerors through him that loved us” (Romans 8:37, italics mine). David had a reverent attitude toward spoils taken in warfare. We see it in a decree he set forth toward the end of his life. David had just appointed his son Solomon to follow him on Israel’s throne. And now he gathered the nation’s leaders together to set up a divine order for sustaining God’s house.
What resources would they use for this holy work? “Out of the spoils won in battles did they dedicate to maintain the house of the Lord” (1Chronicles 26:27). Let me set the scene. After every military victory, David took back spoils and stockpiled them in abundance: gold, silver, brass, timber, money too vast to count. And he had one purpose in mind: to use these spoils as resources for building the temple.When Scripture speaks of maintaining the temple, the original Hebrew means“to repair the house, to strengthen and consolidate what was built.” These resources were meant to maintain the temple’s original splendor.
Where is God’s temple today? It’s made up of his people—you, me, his church worldwide. According to Paul, our bodies are temples of the Holy Ghost. And, like ancient Israel, our Lord still maintains his temple through spoils gained in battle. That’s why our trials are meant for more than just our survival. Through every battle, God is laying aside riches, resources, wealth for us. He’s stockpiling a whole treasury of goods from our warfare. And those spoils are dedicated to building up and maintaining his body, the church of Jesus Christ.Think about it: For years after Solomon built the temple, it was maintained in good order by the spoils taken in past wars. God’s house remained vibrant and alive, because his people had emerged from every conflict not just victorious, but rich in resources. We find this principle of “supply through battle”throughout God’s Word.
Friday, September 24, 2010
Behold! He Prayeth
There are examples in the Bible of how to pattern our lives. Three jumped out at me this morning. When King David was in perhaps the worst season of his life as his son Absalom sought to overthrow his kingdom, ran to the Mount of Olives. (2 Samuel 15) Verse 30 says, " And David went up by the ascent of mount Olivet, and wept as he went up, and had his head covered, and he went barefoot; and all the people with him covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping as they went..."
In Luke 22 it's recorded of Jesus that as was His custom, He went to the Mount of Olives (the same Mount as David) and His disciples followed Him. In the greatest trial of His life, Christ went to the place He knew best, the place of prayer. The Prophet Daniel, as was his custom, against the entire kingdom in Babylon, the head of gold in his vision, the greatest kingdom mankind has ever known, went to pray in the direction of Jerusalem. Three times a day Daniel would open his window and talk to God. He did not change his communion with the Father for anyone.
Each of these men had a custom. In their life they developed a living relationship with the God of Heaven. They knew and were confident of who He was; just as important they were assured that He knew who they were!
In our times of trial there is great confidence in knowing there is One in the heavens who hears. His ears never grow weary. His arm is never shortened that it cannot save. He wants to be involved in our everyday life. Don't let our enemies, both spiritual and physical, change our routine of going to Him about everything.
Isaiah 43:10,11 says we are His witnesses; His servants, chosen by Him. We didn't chose Him - He chose us. He desires that we understand, know and believe He is the one and before Him there was no God formed; neither shall there be any God after Him! There is nothing else "coming down the pike". He is the ONE.
That we may know, believe and understand.
The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed in the time of trouble. Those who KNOW His Name will put their trust in Him. " For You, LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You." (Psalm 9:9,10)
He is always ready, willing and more than able!
In Luke 22 it's recorded of Jesus that as was His custom, He went to the Mount of Olives (the same Mount as David) and His disciples followed Him. In the greatest trial of His life, Christ went to the place He knew best, the place of prayer. The Prophet Daniel, as was his custom, against the entire kingdom in Babylon, the head of gold in his vision, the greatest kingdom mankind has ever known, went to pray in the direction of Jerusalem. Three times a day Daniel would open his window and talk to God. He did not change his communion with the Father for anyone.
Each of these men had a custom. In their life they developed a living relationship with the God of Heaven. They knew and were confident of who He was; just as important they were assured that He knew who they were!
In our times of trial there is great confidence in knowing there is One in the heavens who hears. His ears never grow weary. His arm is never shortened that it cannot save. He wants to be involved in our everyday life. Don't let our enemies, both spiritual and physical, change our routine of going to Him about everything.
Isaiah 43:10,11 says we are His witnesses; His servants, chosen by Him. We didn't chose Him - He chose us. He desires that we understand, know and believe He is the one and before Him there was no God formed; neither shall there be any God after Him! There is nothing else "coming down the pike". He is the ONE.
That we may know, believe and understand.
The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed in the time of trouble. Those who KNOW His Name will put their trust in Him. " For You, LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You." (Psalm 9:9,10)
He is always ready, willing and more than able!
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
God's Smoke!
We have real enemies in this life. God has a way of dealing with them if we but pray, believe and wait for Him. I often I try to deal with problems on my own. I get weary, tired and frustrated. Even small things like putting a screen in a window without tearing it for a dear friend, Rev. Cooper; to dealing with mistakes I personally make; God is right here waiting for us to ask Him for help. He's that involved in our life. Not just on Sunday mornings when we sing a few songs, put a piece of money in a golden plate, and listen to a 20 minute sermon - but He's involved in even the minutest detail of our everyday life.
If we but wait upon Him, which has always been difficult for me, His wrath will smoke against our enemies-it will burn and devour like fire and coals are kindled by it. Some, by their own sin and rebellion are coals to be kindled, fuel for His fire-they will be consumed by it.
He will ordain His arrows against the persecutors of His children and He sends His arrows forth wheresoever He pleases. The arrows He sends are sure to hit their mark and do execution for the arrows are as lightening's. He shows His readiness to plead our cause and He works deliverance on our behalf. I have a tenancy to be like King Saul; tired of waiting for a Samuel (the Holy Spirit) to give direction. I only push ahead and mess things up worse than they already are.
God rides upon a cherub and flies for the maintaining of right and relieving His distressed servants. When He works here is no opposition or obstruction that can be given to the One who rides upon the wind and travels through the heavens for the help of His people. He operates in excellency on His skies!
He will show us His condescension in taking cognizance of our case, or cause, whatever it may be. God is no respecter of persons. What He does for one He promises to do for another if we but wait with a humble, expecting spirit. What He said to King David, Jeremiah, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, He says to us. Acts 10:34.35 says, " Peter opened his mouth and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons; But in every nation those who fear Him and works righteousness is accepted with Him. "
Also, Deuteronomy 10:17 says, " For the LORD your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward."
God will bow the heavens and come down; He will not send an angel but He will come Himself for He is associate with the affliction of His people; He will only allow so much. Isaiah 63:9 says " In all their afflictions He was afflicted and the Angel of His presence saved them- in His love and in His pity He saved them-and He bore them and carried them all the days of old."
God wraps Himself in darkness at times, and yet He commands light (revelation) to shine out of our darkness for us to see what is happening. He is often a God who hides Himself and He will make darkness His pavilion. His glory is invisible, His counsels are unsearchable, His proceedings are unaccountable- But rest assured; He is ever present!
Often, like the Children of Israel, clouds and darkness are round about Him. Exodus 20:21 says, " And the people stood afar off-and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was..." Again, in Exodus 19:18, " and Mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked greatly."
We do not always know the way God takes; even when He is coming to us in mercy. Wait upon Him! Even though His designs are secret, they are always kind for God is love. Though He hide Himself He is the God of Israel, our Saviour.
At His brightness thick clouds pass-comfort returns, the face of our affairs change-that which is gloomy and threatening and seemingly hopeless becomes serene and pleasant.
Wait upon God!
If we but wait upon Him, which has always been difficult for me, His wrath will smoke against our enemies-it will burn and devour like fire and coals are kindled by it. Some, by their own sin and rebellion are coals to be kindled, fuel for His fire-they will be consumed by it.
He will ordain His arrows against the persecutors of His children and He sends His arrows forth wheresoever He pleases. The arrows He sends are sure to hit their mark and do execution for the arrows are as lightening's. He shows His readiness to plead our cause and He works deliverance on our behalf. I have a tenancy to be like King Saul; tired of waiting for a Samuel (the Holy Spirit) to give direction. I only push ahead and mess things up worse than they already are.
God rides upon a cherub and flies for the maintaining of right and relieving His distressed servants. When He works here is no opposition or obstruction that can be given to the One who rides upon the wind and travels through the heavens for the help of His people. He operates in excellency on His skies!
He will show us His condescension in taking cognizance of our case, or cause, whatever it may be. God is no respecter of persons. What He does for one He promises to do for another if we but wait with a humble, expecting spirit. What He said to King David, Jeremiah, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, He says to us. Acts 10:34.35 says, " Peter opened his mouth and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons; But in every nation those who fear Him and works righteousness is accepted with Him. "
Also, Deuteronomy 10:17 says, " For the LORD your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward."
God will bow the heavens and come down; He will not send an angel but He will come Himself for He is associate with the affliction of His people; He will only allow so much. Isaiah 63:9 says " In all their afflictions He was afflicted and the Angel of His presence saved them- in His love and in His pity He saved them-and He bore them and carried them all the days of old."
God wraps Himself in darkness at times, and yet He commands light (revelation) to shine out of our darkness for us to see what is happening. He is often a God who hides Himself and He will make darkness His pavilion. His glory is invisible, His counsels are unsearchable, His proceedings are unaccountable- But rest assured; He is ever present!
Often, like the Children of Israel, clouds and darkness are round about Him. Exodus 20:21 says, " And the people stood afar off-and Moses drew near unto the thick darkness where God was..." Again, in Exodus 19:18, " and Mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire: and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked greatly."
We do not always know the way God takes; even when He is coming to us in mercy. Wait upon Him! Even though His designs are secret, they are always kind for God is love. Though He hide Himself He is the God of Israel, our Saviour.
At His brightness thick clouds pass-comfort returns, the face of our affairs change-that which is gloomy and threatening and seemingly hopeless becomes serene and pleasant.
Wait upon God!
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Power Of The Blood - Asher Intrater
Revive Israel Ministries
Power of the Blood
©September 19, 2010 by Asher Intrater
On the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), the High Priest brought the blood of the sacrifice into the Holy of Holies. This day reminds us of the importance of the blood of Messiah who was offered as a sacrifice for us (Hebrews 7-10). The blood of Yeshua (Jesus) has greater significance than the physical blood cells that came out of His body on the cross (John 19:34). The spiritual power of that blood lives on and still speaks today (Hebrews12:24).
The blood gives validity and enforcement to the covenant. A covenant is a divine unbreakable contract. The covenant is composed of words. The covenants of God to mankind are written in the Bible, both the "Old" and "New" Covenants. The blood seals and signs the covenant. The person has given his life on behalf of the covenant and guarantees it. The soul of the covenant partner is in his blood (Leviticus 17:11).
When God cut covenant with the people of Israel, Moses sprinkled half of the blood on the altar and half of the blood on the people.
Exodus 24:6, 8
Moses took half of the blood and… sprinkled it on the altar.
And Moses took the blood and sprinkled it on the people, saying, "Here is the blood of the covenant which YHVH has cut with you."
The blood touched the covenant and the people. There are words of blessing and curses in the covenant. The blood brings those blessings and curses into effect. The blood applies the covenant to the people, puts it into operation. When we believe in the covenant and the blood of atonement, great spiritual power is released.
The covenant has conditions and results. The terms of condition require a blood sacrifice. The results are the blessings and curses. When we believe in the blood of the covenant, the curses are turned into blessings. Our sins are forgiven, our souls are delivered, our bodies are healed, our families are blessed, our finances are redeemed, and the devil is defeated (Revelation 12:10-11).
Many Christians are aware of the power of blood covenant regarding their personal salvation. In the history of the people of Israel, the covenant was also collective; not just on an individual person, but on the nation as a whole. They would rise or fall together; be blessed or cursed together. The people of Israel received the covenant as a nation by declaration.
Exodus 24:7
The people said, "All that YHVH has said, we will do and we will hear."
They put the covenant into action by their words, by their declaration of faith. In the gospels, we find that the people put the covenant into effect in exactly the wrong direction. They declared their rejection of the Messiah, and they brought the blood of the covenant onto themselves as a curse instead of a blessing.
Matthew 27:25
And all the people said, "His blood be upon us and upon our children."
They released the corporate power of the blood, not the way it was intended, but just the opposite. They brought destruction upon themselves, their nation and the generations to follow. The Temple was razed, the nation destroyed, and the people sent into exile.
If there was so much power in the blood when it was used against what it was intended for, how much more will happen when it is used in the right way (Romans 5:15; 11:12). Reversing the power of the blood will bring the opposite results. The people of Israel will be regathered, the Messiah will be received, and the kingdom of Israel will be restored (Acts 1:6).
When the power of the blood was enacted for evil, our people were dispersed among the nations. When the power of the blood will be enacted for good, the nations will be gathered to Jerusalem to submit to the kingdom of Yeshua (Isaiah 2:2-4; Zechariah 14:16).
In the end times, a remnant of faith in Israel will cry out for the blood of Yeshua to be upon them, not for destruction but for restoration. When that remnant reaches a critical mass, the revival will break forth and all Israel will be saved (Romans 11:26).
At the end of the Day of Atonement, a long shofar blast is sounded (Leviticus 25:9-10). This shofar is the same as the last great trumpet that is sounded at the time of the rapture and the Second Coming (I Thessalonians 4:16; I Corinthians 15:52). The shofar at the Day of Atonement is the sign. The cry of the remnant to enact the blood is the power. The invitation by the remnant for the Messiah to return is the pre-requisite (Matthew 23:37-39). The Second Coming of Yeshua is the result.
This week in Jerusalem, three Messianic congregations met in unity on the Day of Atonement to celebrate the feast. After a day of prayer and fasting, we called out together in faith, His blood be upon us, and upon our children and upon our nation" and "Blessed be He who comes in the name of the Lord, Yeshua, King of Israel." Then we sounded the last great trumpet.
We ask you to stand with us in faith for the curse to be reversed, and for the power of the blood to bring God's destiny for Israel, the Church, and the nations.
Power of the Blood
©September 19, 2010 by Asher Intrater
On the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), the High Priest brought the blood of the sacrifice into the Holy of Holies. This day reminds us of the importance of the blood of Messiah who was offered as a sacrifice for us (Hebrews 7-10). The blood of Yeshua (Jesus) has greater significance than the physical blood cells that came out of His body on the cross (John 19:34). The spiritual power of that blood lives on and still speaks today (Hebrews12:24).
The blood gives validity and enforcement to the covenant. A covenant is a divine unbreakable contract. The covenant is composed of words. The covenants of God to mankind are written in the Bible, both the "Old" and "New" Covenants. The blood seals and signs the covenant. The person has given his life on behalf of the covenant and guarantees it. The soul of the covenant partner is in his blood (Leviticus 17:11).
When God cut covenant with the people of Israel, Moses sprinkled half of the blood on the altar and half of the blood on the people.
Exodus 24:6, 8
Moses took half of the blood and… sprinkled it on the altar.
And Moses took the blood and sprinkled it on the people, saying, "Here is the blood of the covenant which YHVH has cut with you."
The blood touched the covenant and the people. There are words of blessing and curses in the covenant. The blood brings those blessings and curses into effect. The blood applies the covenant to the people, puts it into operation. When we believe in the covenant and the blood of atonement, great spiritual power is released.
The covenant has conditions and results. The terms of condition require a blood sacrifice. The results are the blessings and curses. When we believe in the blood of the covenant, the curses are turned into blessings. Our sins are forgiven, our souls are delivered, our bodies are healed, our families are blessed, our finances are redeemed, and the devil is defeated (Revelation 12:10-11).
Many Christians are aware of the power of blood covenant regarding their personal salvation. In the history of the people of Israel, the covenant was also collective; not just on an individual person, but on the nation as a whole. They would rise or fall together; be blessed or cursed together. The people of Israel received the covenant as a nation by declaration.
Exodus 24:7
The people said, "All that YHVH has said, we will do and we will hear."
They put the covenant into action by their words, by their declaration of faith. In the gospels, we find that the people put the covenant into effect in exactly the wrong direction. They declared their rejection of the Messiah, and they brought the blood of the covenant onto themselves as a curse instead of a blessing.
Matthew 27:25
And all the people said, "His blood be upon us and upon our children."
They released the corporate power of the blood, not the way it was intended, but just the opposite. They brought destruction upon themselves, their nation and the generations to follow. The Temple was razed, the nation destroyed, and the people sent into exile.
If there was so much power in the blood when it was used against what it was intended for, how much more will happen when it is used in the right way (Romans 5:15; 11:12). Reversing the power of the blood will bring the opposite results. The people of Israel will be regathered, the Messiah will be received, and the kingdom of Israel will be restored (Acts 1:6).
When the power of the blood was enacted for evil, our people were dispersed among the nations. When the power of the blood will be enacted for good, the nations will be gathered to Jerusalem to submit to the kingdom of Yeshua (Isaiah 2:2-4; Zechariah 14:16).
In the end times, a remnant of faith in Israel will cry out for the blood of Yeshua to be upon them, not for destruction but for restoration. When that remnant reaches a critical mass, the revival will break forth and all Israel will be saved (Romans 11:26).
At the end of the Day of Atonement, a long shofar blast is sounded (Leviticus 25:9-10). This shofar is the same as the last great trumpet that is sounded at the time of the rapture and the Second Coming (I Thessalonians 4:16; I Corinthians 15:52). The shofar at the Day of Atonement is the sign. The cry of the remnant to enact the blood is the power. The invitation by the remnant for the Messiah to return is the pre-requisite (Matthew 23:37-39). The Second Coming of Yeshua is the result.
This week in Jerusalem, three Messianic congregations met in unity on the Day of Atonement to celebrate the feast. After a day of prayer and fasting, we called out together in faith, His blood be upon us, and upon our children and upon our nation" and "Blessed be He who comes in the name of the Lord, Yeshua, King of Israel." Then we sounded the last great trumpet.
We ask you to stand with us in faith for the curse to be reversed, and for the power of the blood to bring God's destiny for Israel, the Church, and the nations.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Tired? - Weary?
The past three weeks have been difficult ones for my family. My only surviving brother languished in a Veterans Center and was taken off of life support this past Friday. Many events occurred during this process. I have learned volumes about myself, my inner most man, and about the faithfulness, loving mercies and tenderness of God.
His Spirit has been ever so gently standing by me as I cry, try to reason come to some type of consensus about what it means to be the sole survivor of a family of six. I was led this morning to a passage of Scripture in Jeremiah 12:5. This applies to my present condition ~
God asks Jeremiah -
" If you have run with the footmen and are weary,
then how can you contend with horses? "
" And if in the land of peace, wherein you trusted they have wearied you,
then how will you do in the swelling of the Jordan? "
What God was asking Jeremiah, and He is asking every Believer today, if we grow tired of our trials today, what on earth are we going to do if things really fall apart? From where will our strength come? Do we know God well enough, actually trust Him well enough that we can still be effective for His Kingdom and bring Him glory? Will He be honored by our actions and words no matter the circumstances?
I like the commentary in Dake's Bible for these verses ~
If running with the footman has wearied you, how can you contend with horses? That is, if you are overcome and make bitter complaints about your own countrymen who show just minor opposition to you, what will you do when the king, princes, priests and prophets in Jerusalem inflict sufferings upon you?
If in the land of peace where you have been secure and trust to have peace men have wearied you, then how will you ever get along in the swelling of the Jordan? In these times of peace, you have no peace? What will be your peace and security when war or something really terrible happens?
If we put this in context with what our nation faces today, what if there is another terror attack that shuts everything down and we are put under martial law? What if the banks are closed and the economy really tanks? What if there is war in the Mideast and there is no gasoline for our cars? What if we are diagnosed with a fatal disease? These days, as difficult as they have been for my family with the passing of my brother may very well pale in comparison with what may perhaps happen during our life time.
God is bringing me through this ordeal. He has never left my side, even when I spoke out in anger and fear. He is truly an ever present help in times of trouble. This exercise has strengthened me in my inner man. Running with the footmen is only preparation that enables us to run with whatever may come across our path.
We must keep our ears and eyes tuned to the Spirit of God. For most, Isaiah 64:4 sadly applies to life's events, " For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen.....(but for us) O God, beside Thee, what You have prepared for those who wait for You"!
All of our experiences serve a purpose in God's equation. He is with His children every step of the way.
His Spirit has been ever so gently standing by me as I cry, try to reason come to some type of consensus about what it means to be the sole survivor of a family of six. I was led this morning to a passage of Scripture in Jeremiah 12:5. This applies to my present condition ~
God asks Jeremiah -
" If you have run with the footmen and are weary,
then how can you contend with horses? "
" And if in the land of peace, wherein you trusted they have wearied you,
then how will you do in the swelling of the Jordan? "
What God was asking Jeremiah, and He is asking every Believer today, if we grow tired of our trials today, what on earth are we going to do if things really fall apart? From where will our strength come? Do we know God well enough, actually trust Him well enough that we can still be effective for His Kingdom and bring Him glory? Will He be honored by our actions and words no matter the circumstances?
I like the commentary in Dake's Bible for these verses ~
If running with the footman has wearied you, how can you contend with horses? That is, if you are overcome and make bitter complaints about your own countrymen who show just minor opposition to you, what will you do when the king, princes, priests and prophets in Jerusalem inflict sufferings upon you?
If in the land of peace where you have been secure and trust to have peace men have wearied you, then how will you ever get along in the swelling of the Jordan? In these times of peace, you have no peace? What will be your peace and security when war or something really terrible happens?
If we put this in context with what our nation faces today, what if there is another terror attack that shuts everything down and we are put under martial law? What if the banks are closed and the economy really tanks? What if there is war in the Mideast and there is no gasoline for our cars? What if we are diagnosed with a fatal disease? These days, as difficult as they have been for my family with the passing of my brother may very well pale in comparison with what may perhaps happen during our life time.
God is bringing me through this ordeal. He has never left my side, even when I spoke out in anger and fear. He is truly an ever present help in times of trouble. This exercise has strengthened me in my inner man. Running with the footmen is only preparation that enables us to run with whatever may come across our path.
We must keep our ears and eyes tuned to the Spirit of God. For most, Isaiah 64:4 sadly applies to life's events, " For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen.....(but for us) O God, beside Thee, what You have prepared for those who wait for You"!
All of our experiences serve a purpose in God's equation. He is with His children every step of the way.
Monday, September 6, 2010
SUCH LOVE!
David Wilkerson Today
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2010
THE REVELATION OF GOD’S LOVE
I was stirred recently by the Holy Spirit and he led me to this passage: "Ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life" (Jude 20–21).
As I read these verses, I heard the Spirit whisper to me: "David, you've never yet come into the fullness and joy of my love. You have the theology right—but you haven't yet experienced the ecstasy and rest of keeping yourself in my love. Up to now, you've only been in it up to your ankles. But there's a whole ocean of my love for you to swim in."The Bible is filled with the truth of God's love. But at times I allow myself to wonder how the Lord could ever love me. It's not that I doubt his love; it's more a failure on my part to keep myself in the knowledge and assurance of his love to me.
The revelation of God's love comes in part when we are born again. If you were to ask most Christians what they know of God's love for them, they'd answer, "I know God loves me because he gave his Son to die for me." They would quote John3:16: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. "It's a wonderful moment when you grasp this truth. You suddenly realize, "God loved me when I was lost, undone, a stranger. And he proved his love for me by sacrificing his own Son on my behalf.
"Few Christians, however, learn how to be kept in God's love. We know something of our love toward the Lord—but we seldom seek the revelation of God's love for us. In fact, if you were to ask most Christians to find biblical passages on God's love for us, they could point to only a few. Yet, understanding the love of God is the secret to an overcoming life. Multitudes grow spiritually cold and lazy because they're ignorant of the Lord's love for them. They don't know that their greatest weapon against Satan's attacks is to be fully convinced of God's love for them, through the revelation of the Holy Ghost.
In his final prayer on earth, Jesus said, "Father…thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world" (John 17:24). What an incredible thought; Christ was greatly loved by the Father before creation.Then Jesus prayed this remarkable prayer. "Thou, Father…hast loved them, as thou hast loved me" (v. 21, 23). He also prayed, "That the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them" (v. 26). Christ was saying,"Father, I know you're going to love those I bring into my body, just the way you've loved me."The implication here is that when the Father loved Jesus before eternity, he loved us too. Indeed, when man was still only a thought in God's eternal mind, the Lord was already numbering our parts and planning our redemption:"According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love" (Ephesians 1:4).
How long has God loved you? He's loved you since he has existed—because God is love. It is his very nature. He loved you as a sinner. He loved you in the womb. He loved you before the world began. There was no beginning to his love for you—and there is no end to it. When will God stop loving you? He'll stop loving you when he stops loving his own Son—which is impossible.
Christ says, "The Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end" (John 13:1).
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2010
THE REVELATION OF GOD’S LOVE
I was stirred recently by the Holy Spirit and he led me to this passage: "Ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life" (Jude 20–21).
As I read these verses, I heard the Spirit whisper to me: "David, you've never yet come into the fullness and joy of my love. You have the theology right—but you haven't yet experienced the ecstasy and rest of keeping yourself in my love. Up to now, you've only been in it up to your ankles. But there's a whole ocean of my love for you to swim in."The Bible is filled with the truth of God's love. But at times I allow myself to wonder how the Lord could ever love me. It's not that I doubt his love; it's more a failure on my part to keep myself in the knowledge and assurance of his love to me.
The revelation of God's love comes in part when we are born again. If you were to ask most Christians what they know of God's love for them, they'd answer, "I know God loves me because he gave his Son to die for me." They would quote John3:16: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. "It's a wonderful moment when you grasp this truth. You suddenly realize, "God loved me when I was lost, undone, a stranger. And he proved his love for me by sacrificing his own Son on my behalf.
"Few Christians, however, learn how to be kept in God's love. We know something of our love toward the Lord—but we seldom seek the revelation of God's love for us. In fact, if you were to ask most Christians to find biblical passages on God's love for us, they could point to only a few. Yet, understanding the love of God is the secret to an overcoming life. Multitudes grow spiritually cold and lazy because they're ignorant of the Lord's love for them. They don't know that their greatest weapon against Satan's attacks is to be fully convinced of God's love for them, through the revelation of the Holy Ghost.
In his final prayer on earth, Jesus said, "Father…thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world" (John 17:24). What an incredible thought; Christ was greatly loved by the Father before creation.Then Jesus prayed this remarkable prayer. "Thou, Father…hast loved them, as thou hast loved me" (v. 21, 23). He also prayed, "That the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them" (v. 26). Christ was saying,"Father, I know you're going to love those I bring into my body, just the way you've loved me."The implication here is that when the Father loved Jesus before eternity, he loved us too. Indeed, when man was still only a thought in God's eternal mind, the Lord was already numbering our parts and planning our redemption:"According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love" (Ephesians 1:4).
How long has God loved you? He's loved you since he has existed—because God is love. It is his very nature. He loved you as a sinner. He loved you in the womb. He loved you before the world began. There was no beginning to his love for you—and there is no end to it. When will God stop loving you? He'll stop loving you when he stops loving his own Son—which is impossible.
Christ says, "The Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end" (John 13:1).
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Revive Israel - Asher Intrater
REVIVE ISRAEL MINISTRIES - ASHER INTRATER
For thirty years I have been involved with reconciliation conferences with Arab Christians. It has been my dream that we would go beyond just reconciliation and begin to cooperate in sharing the gospel and advancing the kingdom together.
About 10 years ago I was scheduled to speak at a reconciliation conference in Jordan. I told the organizers that I wanted to teach in Hebrew. They said that to arrange the translation would be too difficult. However, some Arab Pastors from Iraq heard the conversation and ran up to say that they wanted to hear the gospel in Hebrew.
At that moment a revelation was birthed in my heart. There are many intense feelings among Arabs toward Jewish people. Because of Jihadist indoctrination, much of those feelings are extremely antagonistic. There is an obsession in the Muslim world concerning Israel. I believe that obsession can be used by God for good. For Arab Muslims to hear the gospel preached to them from a Jew, from Israel, in Hebrew (with translation or subtitles) would be a captivating and transforming experience.
We desire to share the gospel with Muslims. Our effort has primarily been to support Arab evangelists who risk their lives to share the good news with their own people. They do more than we could ever do. (We thank God for such partners as Harun, Basaam, Zach, Jack, Samir, Victor, Amir and many others.) The time has come for the message of love and salvation, coupled with racial reconciliation, to go forth from Arabs to Jews, and from Jews to Arabs.
Here is a summary of the second message I recorded last week with our friends at Al Hayat (- we hope this is just the beginning):
"For centuries there has been great enmity between our peoples. There is only one way to escape this cycle of hatred; it comes from Yeshua the Messiah. He taught: "Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you" – Matthew 5:44. He is the only person in history to teach this kind of love. "
" He not only taught this love, He lived it. He gave His life on the cross to forgive us of sins and to break the cycle of hatred. Someone had to take the first step. Yeshua's act of sacrificial love was that first step. It was an intervention of God to stop the cycle of hatred to start the cycle of love. On the cross, Yeshua prayed, "Father, forgive them; they do not know what they are doing" – Luke 23:34.
" Those of you from Muslim background might say that it is forbidden for you to believe in Yeshua as the Son of God. But it is also forbidden to us as Jews to believe in Him. Yet today there are thousands of Jews and Muslims who have found salvation and reconciliation through Yeshua the Messiah. Through Him we can become spiritual brothers and sisters in love."
" If you want to get out of the cycle of hatred, there is a way. I cannot determine for you what you want. I cannot make you want to escape that hatred. But for those of you who DO want to get out of that hatred, I have good news for you: THERE IS A WAY. Yeshua is that way (John 14:6). Hatred is a form of spiritual darkness. Yeshua is the light of the world." (John 1:5, 9).
Everyone says they want peace. But a peace treaty without love will never be successful. Until the hatred is taken out of our hearts, there can never be peace. Only the sacrificial love of Yeshua on the cross can take the hatred out. We must make a distinction between cause and effect. Peace is the effect. Love is the cause. Yeshua is the source of true love from God.
We reach out our hands to you in Yeshua's name. Come to Him to find forgiveness, eternal life, divine love - and even reconciliation between Jew and Arab."
Please pray for all those who are sharing the gospel with Muslims. It is a critical mandate in this generation. Pray for the gospel of salvation and reconciliation to go forth between Jews and Arabs alike.
For thirty years I have been involved with reconciliation conferences with Arab Christians. It has been my dream that we would go beyond just reconciliation and begin to cooperate in sharing the gospel and advancing the kingdom together.
About 10 years ago I was scheduled to speak at a reconciliation conference in Jordan. I told the organizers that I wanted to teach in Hebrew. They said that to arrange the translation would be too difficult. However, some Arab Pastors from Iraq heard the conversation and ran up to say that they wanted to hear the gospel in Hebrew.
At that moment a revelation was birthed in my heart. There are many intense feelings among Arabs toward Jewish people. Because of Jihadist indoctrination, much of those feelings are extremely antagonistic. There is an obsession in the Muslim world concerning Israel. I believe that obsession can be used by God for good. For Arab Muslims to hear the gospel preached to them from a Jew, from Israel, in Hebrew (with translation or subtitles) would be a captivating and transforming experience.
We desire to share the gospel with Muslims. Our effort has primarily been to support Arab evangelists who risk their lives to share the good news with their own people. They do more than we could ever do. (We thank God for such partners as Harun, Basaam, Zach, Jack, Samir, Victor, Amir and many others.) The time has come for the message of love and salvation, coupled with racial reconciliation, to go forth from Arabs to Jews, and from Jews to Arabs.
Here is a summary of the second message I recorded last week with our friends at Al Hayat (- we hope this is just the beginning):
"For centuries there has been great enmity between our peoples. There is only one way to escape this cycle of hatred; it comes from Yeshua the Messiah. He taught: "Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you" – Matthew 5:44. He is the only person in history to teach this kind of love. "
" He not only taught this love, He lived it. He gave His life on the cross to forgive us of sins and to break the cycle of hatred. Someone had to take the first step. Yeshua's act of sacrificial love was that first step. It was an intervention of God to stop the cycle of hatred to start the cycle of love. On the cross, Yeshua prayed, "Father, forgive them; they do not know what they are doing" – Luke 23:34.
" Those of you from Muslim background might say that it is forbidden for you to believe in Yeshua as the Son of God. But it is also forbidden to us as Jews to believe in Him. Yet today there are thousands of Jews and Muslims who have found salvation and reconciliation through Yeshua the Messiah. Through Him we can become spiritual brothers and sisters in love."
" If you want to get out of the cycle of hatred, there is a way. I cannot determine for you what you want. I cannot make you want to escape that hatred. But for those of you who DO want to get out of that hatred, I have good news for you: THERE IS A WAY. Yeshua is that way (John 14:6). Hatred is a form of spiritual darkness. Yeshua is the light of the world." (John 1:5, 9).
Everyone says they want peace. But a peace treaty without love will never be successful. Until the hatred is taken out of our hearts, there can never be peace. Only the sacrificial love of Yeshua on the cross can take the hatred out. We must make a distinction between cause and effect. Peace is the effect. Love is the cause. Yeshua is the source of true love from God.
We reach out our hands to you in Yeshua's name. Come to Him to find forgiveness, eternal life, divine love - and even reconciliation between Jew and Arab."
Please pray for all those who are sharing the gospel with Muslims. It is a critical mandate in this generation. Pray for the gospel of salvation and reconciliation to go forth between Jews and Arabs alike.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Not Going Down!
David Wilkerson Today
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2010
SATAN USES SUBTLE DEVICES
"And the king of Assyria sent…Rabshakeh…to king Hezekiah with a great host against Jerusalem" (2 Kings 18:17). The Assyrians represent today's "guides to prosperity." The devil will parade his army around your walls: people who are powerful, beautiful and seemingly successful in all they undertake. When you see them, you will feel walled in like a prisoner! The first trick of the man of sin is to question a believer's commitment to trust the Lord fully. Rabshakeh, whose name means "drunken envoy," was the king's ambassador. He mocked the godly with a taunt (see 2 Kings 18:19–20).
The accusation was, "God is not going to get you out of this mess. You are going down! You are in real trouble, and your faith is not going to work. "Satan then adds another twist; he tells you that God is the one behind all your troubles. Assyria's messenger claimed, "The Lord said to me, Go up against this land, and destroy it" (2 Kings 18:25). Satan will try to convince you that God is getting even with you, that he is mad at you. This is his slickest lie! He makes you believe God has forsaken you and turned you over to trouble and sorrow. He wants you to think all your problems are the result of God's punishment for your past sins.
Don't believe it! It is Satan who is out to destroy you. Our Lord is a deliverer, a fortress. Isaiah said he comes "to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified" (Isaiah 61:3).
No, dear saint, you are not going down. You are simply under attack, being barraged by the enemy's lies because you have set your heart truly to trust in the Lord. Satan is trying to destroy your faith in God.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2010
SATAN USES SUBTLE DEVICES
"And the king of Assyria sent…Rabshakeh…to king Hezekiah with a great host against Jerusalem" (2 Kings 18:17). The Assyrians represent today's "guides to prosperity." The devil will parade his army around your walls: people who are powerful, beautiful and seemingly successful in all they undertake. When you see them, you will feel walled in like a prisoner! The first trick of the man of sin is to question a believer's commitment to trust the Lord fully. Rabshakeh, whose name means "drunken envoy," was the king's ambassador. He mocked the godly with a taunt (see 2 Kings 18:19–20).
The accusation was, "God is not going to get you out of this mess. You are going down! You are in real trouble, and your faith is not going to work. "Satan then adds another twist; he tells you that God is the one behind all your troubles. Assyria's messenger claimed, "The Lord said to me, Go up against this land, and destroy it" (2 Kings 18:25). Satan will try to convince you that God is getting even with you, that he is mad at you. This is his slickest lie! He makes you believe God has forsaken you and turned you over to trouble and sorrow. He wants you to think all your problems are the result of God's punishment for your past sins.
Don't believe it! It is Satan who is out to destroy you. Our Lord is a deliverer, a fortress. Isaiah said he comes "to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified" (Isaiah 61:3).
No, dear saint, you are not going down. You are simply under attack, being barraged by the enemy's lies because you have set your heart truly to trust in the Lord. Satan is trying to destroy your faith in God.
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