I just had one of those "ah ha" moments.
I was thinking about the difference between legalism and obedience as I explain it to my "Christian" friends when they think my obedience to the law/Torah is legalism.
I always explain that "legalism" is trying to be SAVED by doing the works of the law, whereas, "obedience" is going back and doing the works of the law AFTER we are saved.
Then, this verse from Revelation pops into my head:
Rev 2:1-5 Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;
2 I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:
3 And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.
4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.
Although we are "Christians," we have never gone back and done the "first works," which is simply being obedient to Torah.
As grafted in believers, we are grafted into the Commonwealth of Israel. It is interesting that we find this statement by Paul when he is writing to the Ephesians (Ephesians 2:12), the same Church being addressed by Yeshua in Revelation. What was Israel's "first love?"
Ps 119:119 I love thy testimonies.
Ps 119:127 Therefore I love thy commandments above gold;
Ps 119:159 Consider how I love thy precepts:
The Commonwealth of Israel, of which we are members, became a nation at the foot of Mt. Sinai when the Torah was given. At that moment, Israel said:
Exodus 19:8 All that the LORD hath spoken we will do.
What Yeshua is telling the Church in Ephesus to return to Torah. Love it, and do it.
___________________________________________________________________________________________
Teaching - The Gospel of the "Kingdom"
This is a teaching I gave in Orangeburg, SC on Rosh Kodesh (New Moon), June 13, 2010. It explores the hidden chiastic structures within the book of Acts and their implications for us today.
Acts 27 Chiastic Structure
1 Paul
__1 centurion
____2 ship
______5 sea
________7 wind
__________9 Paul admonished them,
____________16 certain island
______________22 be of good cheer:
23 For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, 24 Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou MUST be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.
______________25 be of good cheer:
____________26 certain island.
__________33 Paul besought them
________40 wind
______41 seas
____41 ship
__43 centurion,
43 Paul
About 2000 years ago the Apostle Paul took the Gospel of the Messiah to Rome. Well guess what? We will repeat his pattern! History is also prophecy, and everything that the first century church did, we will do the same.
Paul took the Gospel of "Salvation" to the world, but we live in a day when we will leave our Jerusalems and take the Gospel of "TORAH" to Rome/the Church.
Torah was well-known in the first century, but Paul was commanded to take the Messiah to those who already had heard of the Jewish Torah. Today, those of us who are modern day Pauls are being commanded to take Torah to those places where the knowledge of the Messiah already exists.
As was the case with Paul, we "MUST" go before Caesar/Rome/the Church with the Gospel of the Torah...... and NOTHING can stop us!
Once the full "Gospel of the KINGDOM," not just "salvation" has been preached to all the world, THEN the end will come..... and not a minute before.
Looks like we better get to work!
__1 centurion
____2 ship
______5 sea
________7 wind
__________9 Paul admonished them,
____________16 certain island
______________22 be of good cheer:
23 For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, 24 Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou MUST be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.
______________25 be of good cheer:
____________26 certain island.
__________33 Paul besought them
________40 wind
______41 seas
____41 ship
__43 centurion,
43 Paul
About 2000 years ago the Apostle Paul took the Gospel of the Messiah to Rome. Well guess what? We will repeat his pattern! History is also prophecy, and everything that the first century church did, we will do the same.
Paul took the Gospel of "Salvation" to the world, but we live in a day when we will leave our Jerusalems and take the Gospel of "TORAH" to Rome/the Church.
Torah was well-known in the first century, but Paul was commanded to take the Messiah to those who already had heard of the Jewish Torah. Today, those of us who are modern day Pauls are being commanded to take Torah to those places where the knowledge of the Messiah already exists.
As was the case with Paul, we "MUST" go before Caesar/Rome/the Church with the Gospel of the Torah...... and NOTHING can stop us!
Once the full "Gospel of the KINGDOM," not just "salvation" has been preached to all the world, THEN the end will come..... and not a minute before.
Looks like we better get to work!
Acts 18 Chiastic Structure
A chiastic structure is a way of writing in which two or more words or phrases are related to each other through a reversal of structures in order to make a larger point. The chiastic structure forms an arrow that points to the hidden message within the text.
The Holy Spirit has hidden hundreds of chiastic structures within the Bible. The following structure is hidden in Acts 18.
5 that Jesus was the Christ
--12 Jews
----17 Synagogue
------18 After this tarried there a good while
--------19 Ephesus
21 I must by all means keep the Feast in Jerusalem
--------21 Ephesus
------23 After he has spent some time there
----26 Synagogue
--28 Jews
28 that Jesus was Christ
It is interesting to contemplate WHY the Holy Spirit would go to so much trouble to point out that Paul ALWAYS kept the Feasts. Is He perhaps allowing us to discover these hidden messages NOW at the precise time when so many believers are once again discovering that the Feasts of the Lord are still for today? Sure seems like a lot of trouble to go to for something that is no supposedly longer applicable for modern Christianity.
__________________________________________________
Acts 18:1-28 After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth;
2 And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla; (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome:) and came unto them.
3 And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought: for by their occupation they were tentmakers.
4 And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks.
5 And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ.
6 And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean: from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles.
7 And he departed thence, and entered into a certain man's house, named Justus, one that worshipped God, whose house joined hard to the synagogue.
8 And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized.
9 Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace:
10 For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city.
11 And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.
12 And when Gallio was the deputy of Achaia, the Jews made insurrection with one accord against Paul, and brought him to the judgment seat,
13 Saying, This fellow persuadeth men to worship God contrary to the law.
14 And when Paul was now about to open his mouth, Gallio said unto the Jews, If it were a matter of wrong or wicked lewdness, O ye Jews, reason would that I should bear with you:
15 But if it be a question of words and names, and of your law, look ye to it; for I will be no judge of such matters.
16 And he drave them from the judgment seat.
17 Then all the Greeks took Sosthenes, the chief ruler of the synagogue, and beat him before the judgment seat. And Gallio cared for none of those things.
18 And Paul after this tarried there yet a good while, and then took his leave of the brethren, and sailed thence into Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila; having shorn his head in Cenchrea: for he had a vow.
19 And he came to Ephesus, and left them there: but he himself entered into the synagogue, and reasoned with the Jews.
20 When they desired him to tarry longer time with them, he consented not;
21 But bade them farewell, saying, I must by all means keep this feast that cometh in Jerusalem: but I will return again unto you, if God will. And he sailed from Ephesus.
22 And when he had landed at Caesarea, and gone up, and saluted the church, he went down to Antioch.
23 And after he had spent some time there, he departed, and went over all the country of Galatia and Phrygia in order, strengthening all the disciples.
24 And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus.
25 This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John.
26 And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.
27 And when he was disposed to pass into Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him: who, when he was come, helped them much which had believed through grace:
28 For he mightily convinced the Jews, and that publickly, shewing by the scriptures that Jesus was Christ.
The Holy Spirit has hidden hundreds of chiastic structures within the Bible. The following structure is hidden in Acts 18.
5 that Jesus was the Christ
--12 Jews
----17 Synagogue
------18 After this tarried there a good while
--------19 Ephesus
21 I must by all means keep the Feast in Jerusalem
--------21 Ephesus
------23 After he has spent some time there
----26 Synagogue
--28 Jews
28 that Jesus was Christ
It is interesting to contemplate WHY the Holy Spirit would go to so much trouble to point out that Paul ALWAYS kept the Feasts. Is He perhaps allowing us to discover these hidden messages NOW at the precise time when so many believers are once again discovering that the Feasts of the Lord are still for today? Sure seems like a lot of trouble to go to for something that is no supposedly longer applicable for modern Christianity.
__________________________________________________
Acts 18:1-28 After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth;
2 And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla; (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome:) and came unto them.
3 And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought: for by their occupation they were tentmakers.
4 And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks.
5 And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ.
6 And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean: from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles.
7 And he departed thence, and entered into a certain man's house, named Justus, one that worshipped God, whose house joined hard to the synagogue.
8 And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized.
9 Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace:
10 For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city.
11 And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.
12 And when Gallio was the deputy of Achaia, the Jews made insurrection with one accord against Paul, and brought him to the judgment seat,
13 Saying, This fellow persuadeth men to worship God contrary to the law.
14 And when Paul was now about to open his mouth, Gallio said unto the Jews, If it were a matter of wrong or wicked lewdness, O ye Jews, reason would that I should bear with you:
15 But if it be a question of words and names, and of your law, look ye to it; for I will be no judge of such matters.
16 And he drave them from the judgment seat.
17 Then all the Greeks took Sosthenes, the chief ruler of the synagogue, and beat him before the judgment seat. And Gallio cared for none of those things.
18 And Paul after this tarried there yet a good while, and then took his leave of the brethren, and sailed thence into Syria, and with him Priscilla and Aquila; having shorn his head in Cenchrea: for he had a vow.
19 And he came to Ephesus, and left them there: but he himself entered into the synagogue, and reasoned with the Jews.
20 When they desired him to tarry longer time with them, he consented not;
21 But bade them farewell, saying, I must by all means keep this feast that cometh in Jerusalem: but I will return again unto you, if God will. And he sailed from Ephesus.
22 And when he had landed at Caesarea, and gone up, and saluted the church, he went down to Antioch.
23 And after he had spent some time there, he departed, and went over all the country of Galatia and Phrygia in order, strengthening all the disciples.
24 And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus.
25 This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John.
26 And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.
27 And when he was disposed to pass into Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him: who, when he was come, helped them much which had believed through grace:
28 For he mightily convinced the Jews, and that publickly, shewing by the scriptures that Jesus was Christ.
Scales and Fins
To be a clean, a fish must have scales and fins. If either one is missing, the fish remains unclean.
We are like fish in our study of Torah. Our fins are our intellect and study skills that propel us through the water of the Word. Our scales are our protective armor which we must put on to shield from error and distortion. These scales are our fear of God.
Notice in nature that there are fish with fins and no scales, but ALL fish that have scales also have fins.
What does this tell us?
We can study and dazzle one another with our genius, wit, oratory skill and charasmatic personalities, but in the end it does no eternal good because such learning is not based on Divine wisdom but man's.
However, even a person who has deficient intellect, yet has a fear of the Almighty, will succeed in his pursuit of Truth. The Almighty will see to it that this man who only has scales, will also be provided with fins.
We are like fish in our study of Torah. Our fins are our intellect and study skills that propel us through the water of the Word. Our scales are our protective armor which we must put on to shield from error and distortion. These scales are our fear of God.
Notice in nature that there are fish with fins and no scales, but ALL fish that have scales also have fins.
What does this tell us?
We can study and dazzle one another with our genius, wit, oratory skill and charasmatic personalities, but in the end it does no eternal good because such learning is not based on Divine wisdom but man's.
However, even a person who has deficient intellect, yet has a fear of the Almighty, will succeed in his pursuit of Truth. The Almighty will see to it that this man who only has scales, will also be provided with fins.
Earthen Vessels
And every earthen vessel into which any of them fall... shall be unclean. Leviticus 11:33.
The rabbis teach that "if the source of impurity enters within the space of an earthen vessel--even without touching its walls--it becomes impure. If it did not enter into it, even if it touched it from the outside, it remains pure."
Sounds like Yeshua might have been teaching on the above Torah Portion (Shemini) when He said the following:
Mark 7:18-23 18 And he saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him; 19 Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats? 20 And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. 21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: 23 All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.
The rabbis teach that "if the source of impurity enters within the space of an earthen vessel--even without touching its walls--it becomes impure. If it did not enter into it, even if it touched it from the outside, it remains pure."
Sounds like Yeshua might have been teaching on the above Torah Portion (Shemini) when He said the following:
Mark 7:18-23 18 And he saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him; 19 Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats? 20 And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. 21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: 23 All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.
What Is Truth?
"Truth" is "everything as God sees it." Our job in life then is to get to the point where we see everything as God does.
This is an impossible task without Torah.
This is an impossible task without Torah.
Spring Feasts Schedule
by servant@nazareneisrael.org
Shemote (Exodus) 12:14 "Now this day will be a memorial to you, and you shall celebrate it as a feast to YHWH; throughout your generations you are to celebrate it as a permanent ordinance."
Shabbat Shalom, Nazarenes.
Observers in the Land of Israel have spotted significant quantities of Aviv barley in the Land of Israel, thus clearing the way for the the New Hebrew Year to begin with the declaration of the next Hebrew month.
The next new moon is not expected to be visible from the Land of Israel until the fourth day of next week (W-dnesday), 3/17, when it is supposed to have 97 minutes of lagtime (or 'hang time'), and 3.22% illumination. While that should be enough to make a positive sighting (assuming there are no clouds), it should not be visible the day prior. Further, since 3/17 is the evening ending the 30th day of the previous month, the New Moon Day will be declared whether there are clouds or not (as a month cannot be longer than 30 days).
At this time (pending final confirmations and the final sighting of the New Moon of the Seventh Month), the Feast Days are expected to be:
Spring Feast Days:
Rosh HaShanah: Evening of 3/17 thru evening of 3/18
Passover: Afternoon of 3/31 (All leaven removed from houses)
First Day of Unleavened: Evening of 3/31 thru evening ending 4/1 (No work)
Wave Sheaf: Afternoon of 4/4 (begins Omer Count to Pentecost)
Last Day of Unleavened: Evening of 4/6 thru evening ending 4/7 (No work)
Pentecost: 5/23 (always the first day of the week)
Approximate Fall Feast Days
(pending final sighting of the New Moon of Seventh Month):
Yom Teruah/Trumpets: Evening of 9/10 thru evening of 9/11 (Blow the Shofar)
Yom Kippur/Atonement: Evening of 9/19 thru evening of 9/20 (No work, no food, no water)
1 Sukkot (Tabernacles): Evening of 9/24 thru evening of 9/25 (No work)
8 Sukkot/Shemini Atzeret: Evening of 10/1 thru evening of 10/2 (no work)
Norman Willis
www.nazareneisrael.org
Shemote (Exodus) 12:14 "Now this day will be a memorial to you, and you shall celebrate it as a feast to YHWH; throughout your generations you are to celebrate it as a permanent ordinance."
Shabbat Shalom, Nazarenes.
Observers in the Land of Israel have spotted significant quantities of Aviv barley in the Land of Israel, thus clearing the way for the the New Hebrew Year to begin with the declaration of the next Hebrew month.
The next new moon is not expected to be visible from the Land of Israel until the fourth day of next week (W-dnesday), 3/17, when it is supposed to have 97 minutes of lagtime (or 'hang time'), and 3.22% illumination. While that should be enough to make a positive sighting (assuming there are no clouds), it should not be visible the day prior. Further, since 3/17 is the evening ending the 30th day of the previous month, the New Moon Day will be declared whether there are clouds or not (as a month cannot be longer than 30 days).
At this time (pending final confirmations and the final sighting of the New Moon of the Seventh Month), the Feast Days are expected to be:
Spring Feast Days:
Rosh HaShanah: Evening of 3/17 thru evening of 3/18
Passover: Afternoon of 3/31 (All leaven removed from houses)
First Day of Unleavened: Evening of 3/31 thru evening ending 4/1 (No work)
Wave Sheaf: Afternoon of 4/4 (begins Omer Count to Pentecost)
Last Day of Unleavened: Evening of 4/6 thru evening ending 4/7 (No work)
Pentecost: 5/23 (always the first day of the week)
Approximate Fall Feast Days
(pending final sighting of the New Moon of Seventh Month):
Yom Teruah/Trumpets: Evening of 9/10 thru evening of 9/11 (Blow the Shofar)
Yom Kippur/Atonement: Evening of 9/19 thru evening of 9/20 (No work, no food, no water)
1 Sukkot (Tabernacles): Evening of 9/24 thru evening of 9/25 (No work)
8 Sukkot/Shemini Atzeret: Evening of 10/1 thru evening of 10/2 (no work)
Norman Willis
www.nazareneisrael.org
This Is HUGE!!!!
When a Torah-loving Jew stands in the streets of Jerusalem and declares that the lost 10 tribes are beginning to be regathered by God, YOU KNOW SOMETHING IS UP! Yet, that is exactly what our friend Jeremy Gimpel did in a recent episode of Tuesday Night Live From Jerusalem. (Click to watch)
The timing of this event fits perfectly with the prophecy of Ezekiel 4:4,5, which states that about the year 2010, the judgment of the northern kingdom would be coming to an end and they would begin to desire to return to the covenant land.
Unfortunately, those of us who are part of the regathered northern kingdom cannot return to the the land at present. But, I want to pass on a scenario from Norman E. Willis from his book entitled The Post-Millenial Return (click title to read online free) which could very quickly give those of us who believe in Yeshua the opportunity to make aliya to the Land of the Covenant.
Willis suggests that were the Islamic nations surrounding Israel to attack both Israel and the US, we would have no choice but to respond. No doubt, the United States government (not out of love for Israel) would jump at the opportunity to overthrow the governments of the nations surrounding Israel so as to control the oil reserves. Once these nations have been annexed by Israel, both Israel AND the United States will be looking for settlers to occupy these territories. Incidentally, these are the same territories that the northern tribes occupied prior to the dispersion.
Willis' scenario can be outlined as follows:
Proposed Timeline Of The Return House Of Israel
• A spiritual resurrection of the House of Joseph (taking place now, Ezekiel 37, 1st Cor. 15).
• Islamic attacks against the United States and Israel start the War(s) for Territorial Expansion.
• The United States and Israel emerge victorious from these wars (Zech. 10:5-10, Isaiah 11:14).
• At the conclusion of the Wars for Territorial Expansion, the annexation of lands creates a greatly expanded Land of Israel (Gen. 15:18).
• The Ingathering of the Lost Tribes fills these newly-annexed territories with Ephraimite settlers (Zech 9:6-7, Isa. 11:14-20, Isa. 66:20).
• The House of Judah sees that Yeshua is the reason the Ephraimites are coming back
together as a nation, and accepts Yeshua as their Messiah (Zechariah 12:10).
• The Two Houses of Israel are united.
When brother Judah begins to openly proclaim from the streets of Jerusalem that the northern kingdom needs to return (That's us!), should we not expect to see the doors opened that will allow us to make that return? (Believers in Yeshua are currently barred from making aliya.)
Rav Shaul (Paul) said that we are now the children of Abraham and fellow citizens in the Commonwealth of Israel. God gave us the land of Israel in which to live as a part of the Covenant. I plan on claiming my inheritance as soon as the doors are opened!
Gen 13:14-17 And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward:
15 For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed FOREVER.
16 And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered.
17 Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee.
"For," or "Against"
This is an excerpt from David Wilkerson Today.
"They...limited the Holy One of Israel" (Psalm 78:41). The word for limited here comes from two root words, meaning, "grieving God by scratching out an imprint." In short, limiting God means drawing a line, or making a circle, and stating, "God is in here, and he goes no further." This describes the thinking of many believers. We've marked in our minds a very small imprint, or concept, of Christ's magnitude.
That's just what the early church in Jerusalem did. They limited Christ to a small circle, confining him to the Jewish population. But Jesus can't be confined. He is constantly breaking out of our little, confining circles, and always reaching out to the uttermost.
Let me give an example. Up to about 40 years ago, Pentecostals seemed to have the baptism of the Holy Spirit confined to their movement. Many Pentecostals thought, "We are God's Spirit-filled church!" Pentecostal preachers bemoaned the deadness of mainline denominations, "They don't have the full gospel like we do," they declared.
Suddenly, God's Spirit burst through everyone's drawn circles. The Holy Ghost fell on believers in all kinds of denominations. A classic book was written about this move of the Spirit, called They Speak With Other Tongues by John L. Sherrill.
The Lord also used my book, The Cross and the Switchblade, especially in Catholic circles. Yet, like Peter and the early church, I had to allow God to work in my heart before I could accept what was going on. I had been raised Pentecostal, and for the first time in my life I saw priests weeping with conviction, crying out to Jesus.
Soon I had evangelical preachers contending with me, demanding, "What about those Catholics' Maryology? How can you minister to people who believe in that?" I found myself answering the same way Peter did: "I don't know anything about Maryology. All I know is, there are hungry people in the Catholic Church. And there are true Jesus worshippers among the priests. God is filling these people with his Spirit."
God has his people everywhere, and we are not to call any of them common or unclean. We have to be careful that we do not represent Jesus as being small and box him in with our puny thinking.
This really convicted me as I have been guilty of this also. I have been trying to get "Church-folks" to come out of the traditional church and return back to their roots. I have been trying to get them to quit doing Sunday Worship, Easter, Christmas etc, and THEN start doing things the "right" way.
But if Wilkerson's pattern above is correct, and I believe it is, we don't need to get them "out" of anything. That is God's business. Had Wilkerson tried to get the Catholics "out" of Catholicsm before he would minister to them, then many would have missed the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
Wilkerson couldn't be "against" Catholicism, instead, he simply had to be "for" the baptism. We can't be "against" traditional Protestantism, we simply must be "for" the Truth.
"They...limited the Holy One of Israel" (Psalm 78:41). The word for limited here comes from two root words, meaning, "grieving God by scratching out an imprint." In short, limiting God means drawing a line, or making a circle, and stating, "God is in here, and he goes no further." This describes the thinking of many believers. We've marked in our minds a very small imprint, or concept, of Christ's magnitude.
That's just what the early church in Jerusalem did. They limited Christ to a small circle, confining him to the Jewish population. But Jesus can't be confined. He is constantly breaking out of our little, confining circles, and always reaching out to the uttermost.
Let me give an example. Up to about 40 years ago, Pentecostals seemed to have the baptism of the Holy Spirit confined to their movement. Many Pentecostals thought, "We are God's Spirit-filled church!" Pentecostal preachers bemoaned the deadness of mainline denominations, "They don't have the full gospel like we do," they declared.
Suddenly, God's Spirit burst through everyone's drawn circles. The Holy Ghost fell on believers in all kinds of denominations. A classic book was written about this move of the Spirit, called They Speak With Other Tongues by John L. Sherrill.
The Lord also used my book, The Cross and the Switchblade, especially in Catholic circles. Yet, like Peter and the early church, I had to allow God to work in my heart before I could accept what was going on. I had been raised Pentecostal, and for the first time in my life I saw priests weeping with conviction, crying out to Jesus.
Soon I had evangelical preachers contending with me, demanding, "What about those Catholics' Maryology? How can you minister to people who believe in that?" I found myself answering the same way Peter did: "I don't know anything about Maryology. All I know is, there are hungry people in the Catholic Church. And there are true Jesus worshippers among the priests. God is filling these people with his Spirit."
God has his people everywhere, and we are not to call any of them common or unclean. We have to be careful that we do not represent Jesus as being small and box him in with our puny thinking.
This really convicted me as I have been guilty of this also. I have been trying to get "Church-folks" to come out of the traditional church and return back to their roots. I have been trying to get them to quit doing Sunday Worship, Easter, Christmas etc, and THEN start doing things the "right" way.
But if Wilkerson's pattern above is correct, and I believe it is, we don't need to get them "out" of anything. That is God's business. Had Wilkerson tried to get the Catholics "out" of Catholicsm before he would minister to them, then many would have missed the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
Wilkerson couldn't be "against" Catholicism, instead, he simply had to be "for" the baptism. We can't be "against" traditional Protestantism, we simply must be "for" the Truth.
Manna Comes Down At Night
A friend of mine just pointed something out to me. The manna came down at night, not in the morning. By morning, it was already there.
Yeshua is the manna/bread that has come down to us. He came down in person about 2000 years ago. Pretty soon he will be coming down in person again. When? In the darkness!
Judah in the first century was in captivity. It was a very dark time when the Messiah arrived. And so it will be again today. It will be the dark days ahead in which He shows up again to lead us safely home.
Isa 42:16 And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.
Isa 49:8-12 Thus saith the LORD, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee...
9 That thou mayest say to the prisoners, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Shew yourselves.....
10 ...... for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them....
11 And I will make all my mountains a way, and my highways shall be exalted.
12 Behold, these shall come from far: and, lo, these from the north and from the west....
Persecution got so bad in the first century that the believers eventually had to leave the synagogue and meet privately in homes. It was dangerous to be a Christian.
Get ready. Pretty soon, those of us who are serious about the Truth will be FORCED out of the system and into homes and private assemblies. And as in the first century, it will be the Romans that persecute us. The cycle repeats. History is also prophecy.
I was reminded this morning as I visited a traditional church that we never really broke with a lot of the traditions of the religion of Rome. I watched everyone in this Protestant church take communion which is found nowhere in the Scriptures. What we have called the "last supper" was simply the Passover supper. Nothing new was instituted here. It was the Roman Catholic Church that hijacked true Christianity implanting THEIR festivals and symbolism within the true Church.
I thought, as I passed the communion tray without partaking, that one day, that simple act will mark me as an enemy. Why? Because I don't honor the god of THEIR fathers, I honor the God of MY fathers.... Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. (Don't misunderstand, there are many Christians in the Church. It is the church system of control that I am speaking of.... not individuals.)
Of the anti-christ system, Daniel said:
Dan 11:38-39 "But instead he will honor a god of fortresses, A GOD WHOM HIS FATHERS DID NOT KNOW; he will honor {him} with gold, silver, costly stones, and treasures.
39 "And he will take action against the strongest of fortresses with {the help of} a foreign god; he will give great honor to those who acknowledge {him,} and he will cause them to rule over the many, and will parcel out land for a price.
I believe, as I watch the devolution of Christianity that the anti-christ system will be apostate Christianity. We're not there yet, but it looks like the time is growing short. The days are getting darker and darker.
But the Good News is that THE MANNA comes in the darkness. As the end grows closer, so does His coming. So does our relationship with Him and others. And that's a good thing.
Yeshua is the manna/bread that has come down to us. He came down in person about 2000 years ago. Pretty soon he will be coming down in person again. When? In the darkness!
Judah in the first century was in captivity. It was a very dark time when the Messiah arrived. And so it will be again today. It will be the dark days ahead in which He shows up again to lead us safely home.
Isa 42:16 And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.
Isa 49:8-12 Thus saith the LORD, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee...
9 That thou mayest say to the prisoners, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Shew yourselves.....
10 ...... for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them....
11 And I will make all my mountains a way, and my highways shall be exalted.
12 Behold, these shall come from far: and, lo, these from the north and from the west....
Persecution got so bad in the first century that the believers eventually had to leave the synagogue and meet privately in homes. It was dangerous to be a Christian.
Get ready. Pretty soon, those of us who are serious about the Truth will be FORCED out of the system and into homes and private assemblies. And as in the first century, it will be the Romans that persecute us. The cycle repeats. History is also prophecy.
I was reminded this morning as I visited a traditional church that we never really broke with a lot of the traditions of the religion of Rome. I watched everyone in this Protestant church take communion which is found nowhere in the Scriptures. What we have called the "last supper" was simply the Passover supper. Nothing new was instituted here. It was the Roman Catholic Church that hijacked true Christianity implanting THEIR festivals and symbolism within the true Church.
I thought, as I passed the communion tray without partaking, that one day, that simple act will mark me as an enemy. Why? Because I don't honor the god of THEIR fathers, I honor the God of MY fathers.... Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. (Don't misunderstand, there are many Christians in the Church. It is the church system of control that I am speaking of.... not individuals.)
Of the anti-christ system, Daniel said:
Dan 11:38-39 "But instead he will honor a god of fortresses, A GOD WHOM HIS FATHERS DID NOT KNOW; he will honor {him} with gold, silver, costly stones, and treasures.
39 "And he will take action against the strongest of fortresses with {the help of} a foreign god; he will give great honor to those who acknowledge {him,} and he will cause them to rule over the many, and will parcel out land for a price.
I believe, as I watch the devolution of Christianity that the anti-christ system will be apostate Christianity. We're not there yet, but it looks like the time is growing short. The days are getting darker and darker.
But the Good News is that THE MANNA comes in the darkness. As the end grows closer, so does His coming. So does our relationship with Him and others. And that's a good thing.
What About The Children?
We have ran into a lot of folks that want to come out of the traditional church, but their concern is "what about our children?"
My kids are all grown now. They were brought up in Sunday School and learned all the stories about Noah, Adam and Eve, David, etc. And it is only with these stories in mind, that they can come into a full understanding of the faith. Thoses stories from Torah are the foundation! As we like to say in our Torah Study group, "you gotta know the stories."
So as we were going through our Torah study today (no kids invited), we learned the following principle:
Egypt was gathered together AGAINST Israel. They got killed. Israel was gathered together FOR the feast and they got Torah/Life.
Those of us coming into the Hebraic cannot gather AGAINST the Church. Our purpose is to come together FOR the feasts and commandments of the Father.
We know the church is blind on many things BUT, they are still bringing people to salvation. In fact, that is where WE were saved, so we don’t need to be AGAINST them. In fact, it was on the FIRST day of creation that God separated the light from the darkness which is symbolic of salvation. The FIRST thing we do, if we want to join with God is to come out of darkness into light and become born again. Therefore, it is symbolic that the Church meets on the FIRST day of the week.
It is in the traditional Church, in Sunday School, that we learned the basics…. The stories. So should we kick against them for teaching the basics? As Paul would say, “God forbid!”
So what's the point?
If you are coming into Torah and joining yourself to a local Torah study, chances are, they have nothing for your children. No Sunday School. Nothing for the kids. So what are you to do as a parent?
STAY IN THE TRADITIONAL CHURCH!
The traditional church is where we were born and received the milk of the Word. Likewise, our kids need to be receiving the milk of the Word, and you as a parent, must see to it that they get it!
So, what about the children?
Make sure they are getting the stories! Make sure they are getting the basics, and if you have to spend a little more time in the traditional church, then so be it!
But better yet, how about go to an adult Torah study on Saturday morning, and then take the time to teach the stories to your children on Saturday afternoon.
What better way to spend a Shabbat?
My kids are all grown now. They were brought up in Sunday School and learned all the stories about Noah, Adam and Eve, David, etc. And it is only with these stories in mind, that they can come into a full understanding of the faith. Thoses stories from Torah are the foundation! As we like to say in our Torah Study group, "you gotta know the stories."
So as we were going through our Torah study today (no kids invited), we learned the following principle:
Egypt was gathered together AGAINST Israel. They got killed. Israel was gathered together FOR the feast and they got Torah/Life.
Those of us coming into the Hebraic cannot gather AGAINST the Church. Our purpose is to come together FOR the feasts and commandments of the Father.
We know the church is blind on many things BUT, they are still bringing people to salvation. In fact, that is where WE were saved, so we don’t need to be AGAINST them. In fact, it was on the FIRST day of creation that God separated the light from the darkness which is symbolic of salvation. The FIRST thing we do, if we want to join with God is to come out of darkness into light and become born again. Therefore, it is symbolic that the Church meets on the FIRST day of the week.
It is in the traditional Church, in Sunday School, that we learned the basics…. The stories. So should we kick against them for teaching the basics? As Paul would say, “God forbid!”
So what's the point?
If you are coming into Torah and joining yourself to a local Torah study, chances are, they have nothing for your children. No Sunday School. Nothing for the kids. So what are you to do as a parent?
STAY IN THE TRADITIONAL CHURCH!
The traditional church is where we were born and received the milk of the Word. Likewise, our kids need to be receiving the milk of the Word, and you as a parent, must see to it that they get it!
So, what about the children?
Make sure they are getting the stories! Make sure they are getting the basics, and if you have to spend a little more time in the traditional church, then so be it!
But better yet, how about go to an adult Torah study on Saturday morning, and then take the time to teach the stories to your children on Saturday afternoon.
What better way to spend a Shabbat?
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