Temptations are with Desires, Life, and Wealth

06 / 19 / 06
(Comments in parentheses and emphasis are mine)

FIRST THOUGHTS

1 John 2:15-16:

“Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world -

1.) the cravings of sinful man, (The desire of a man’s heart … what he craves, or his intentions and inclinations. Some versions have this as “lust of the flesh”. Our flesh is sinful and is often called our sinful nature. God’s Laws go against this nature we were born with. Have you told a child not to do something, only to have that child do it out of curiosity? Our craving is to do wrong. 2 Peter 2:10 is clear: “This is especially true of those who follow the corrupt desire of the sinful nature and despise authority.”)

2.) the lust of his eyes (Have you ever been pleased with what you have … until you saw what someone else had? Our eyes are forever gazing upon what the world has … are you still satisfied? It may be with our spouses or material objects. We must learn contentment and contentment stops this worldly battle of our eyes.)

3.) and the boasting of what he has and does (Our self-worth is often determined by others. We have all been there. When we purchase something we just HAVE TO show someone else! This is of the world and is out of pride. Simply, our flesh desires to satisfy flesh … not God!)

- comes not from the Father but from the world.”

Yes sir, ever since Adam and Eve (the creation of the human race), Satan has used the same three temptations. God desires us to let go of all three of the above and be satisfied with Him alone. He wants our hearts to crave Him only; He wants us to see and desire Him only as the only way to life, peace, and joy; He wants us to be satisfied with His provisions only.

Within every man there is a desire to know God. But, along side with that desire, there is also a desire to satisfy our flesh. My friends, it is that sinful nature (our flesh with all its desires of this world) that we are to crucify so that we can wholly serve God!! (Galatians 5:24 … “Those who belong to Messiah Yeshua (Christ Jesus) have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.”)

Man’s sinful nature does not want to obey God, does not want to serve God, and is not satisfied with God’s provisions for each day alone.

“Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Yeshua Messiah (Jesus Christ), and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.” (Romans 13:14)

“So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.” (Galatians 5:-16-17)

Can you see why the churches that preach a prosperity doctrines are so popular? These doctrines try to satisfy this sinful nature, while trying to hold on to the promises of God. This is impossible and God will not share His throne! These doctrines actually APPEAL to the lustful desires of our sinful nature. These teachers claim a freedom from obedience, yet worldly wealth as a gift from God. Can you see mere babies in Christ, who have yet to “put off” their old self and “clothe” themselves with Christ … grabbing hold of this doctrine? They can have both the world and God! (In the end … they only truly had the world, though) These types of churches that preach to the sinful nature are not new … read 2 Peter 2:18 … “For they mouth empty, boastful words and, by appealing to the lustful desires of sinful human nature, they entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error.”

Let us go back in time and look at Adam and Eve. It is, again, these three aspects of the world that Satan has ALWAYS used. It is no different for us today. Let us read the temptation Satan used on Eve (Genesis 3:4-6):

“‘You will not surely die,’ the serpent said to the woman. ‘For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.’ When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.”

Did you see them? Let us examine this scripture more closely. Remember, in order to stand up to Satan, we must know how he works. We are not to merely trust in our faith, but to act upon it. Could this be why, in the end, the elect will not be deceived (Matthew 24:24)? We are to train ourselves to recognize our enemy.

1.) Satan tested Eve’s heart. She was given a command by God (do not eat of this tree) and Satan twisted God’s command and explained it away … it made sense to Eve, so she continued in the desire / intention of her heart.
2.) Satan tested her soul. She was told … you would be like God. Eve looked at who God was and who she was. She should not have been looking in the first place. Our sinful flesh desires this … to be our own Master with no one being over us!
3.) The rest is Eve’s strength … she saw that it was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom … Eve failed. She was not content with the food that God had given her. Like the child who was told not to do something … wanted to do it even more. Eve should not have even been around the tree.

How are we doing? Are we falling for the same lies, the same deceptions?

- Heart: Many have twisted God’s word to mean that they no longer have to obey God’s commands. Yet they hang on to the promise of eternal life (minus any sanctification). Their daily decisions and lifelong goals are based on the desires and intentions of a heart set on their own standards, free time, hopes, and dreams. They claim, “God is okay with these new commandments,” or worse yet, “His Son told us to change them.”
- Soul: Many lives are being guided by a soul set on pleasing the flesh. Set on things other than God. They claim that they are under God’s control and leadership, yet they do not obey His laws and commands in their daily lives. They are continually looking around to check their own lives.
- Strength: So many people want to satisfy their flesh with material wealth (not being satisfied with God’s simple provisions for each day). In short, they want more than what God has given them.

Have so many missed the point of knowing God? Have so many missed the point of knowing what His Son did? I know this is strong, but we all must (myself included), check ourselves every day to make sure that we are not simply following traditions and friends … claiming “they must be right”.

So let us continue looking for these traps of Satan so that we will know how to avoid his schemes of deception. Adam and Eve’s temptation was no different than our Master’s and those who followed Him. Let us first examine our Savior’s temptation found in Matthew 4:1-11 (I suggest reading it entirely, but to save time, I will use the verses that are critical to the point at hand) Our Lord was being obedient to His Father in the wilderness being tempted by Satan for forty days. We will see the same three temptations:

1.) “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” (vs. 4:3)
2.) “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: ‘He will command His angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.” (vs. 4:6)
3.) (After showing Yeshua (Jesus) the riches and spender of the world … which appear to be within SATAN’S power to give (Now there’s a thought provoker!! Is this what many have fallen for and think that it is God blessing their disobedience?) “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”(vs. 4:9)

Let us examine these temptations. Do they fit the previous pattern of Satan’s weapons and armory?

1.) Our Master’s heart was tempted (His desire to take control of the decision of His life – to determine His own destiny apart from the Father was being tested.)
2.) Our Master’s soul was tempted (He was far beyond hungry … does he wait on God’s provisions to satisfy his hunger, or does he take it in his own hands? Does He follow His flesh or His Spirit?)
3.) Finally, the Master’s strength was tempted (The flesh desires the riches of this world and all it has to offer … He could have had it in this life … He chose to forgo and built up treasures in heaven!)

In opposition to the final outcome of Adam and Eve … the Son of the Father passed the test. He knew His Father and trusted in Him alone for every desire. His heart waited on Him (even though He was more hungry than any of us will EVER know) … His soul trusted in His Father’s guidance (He knew that He had the power and the word was with Him … but He waited on His Father’s direction) … Finally, His strength was not in the wealth of the world but trusted and desired in whatever the Father was going to provide Him in this life (It ended up being simply food and clothing … not even a place to lay His head. And He considered Himself blessed! Can we do the same? Can we forgo all that He did … or does our sinful flesh proclaim, “He lived that way so that we don’t have to.”? He could have had the entire wealth of this world … but He was satisfied with food and clothing … for it was his Father’s will.)

It fits. We are seeing how the deceiver works. I hope that you find it as amazing as I did when you read about the third seed sown. It can be found in Matthew 13:22. Again, I will write it and then examine it more closely:

“The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful.”

Did you see the pattern, again? It is hidden, but I believe that all three are there, as well:

1.) Heart … although this person received the word, it did not change Him. His desires were set on what the world has to offer.
2.) Soul … remember that the soul is one’s life. Therefore, he was too worried about his flesh and its worries that he never really trusted in God with his life … “worries of this life”.
3.) Strength … remember that our strength is wrapped up in who we are and what we have. Therefore, it is obvious that this person still desired wealth and was deceived by it. His strength was not in the Lord but in what he had and could gain in this life.

I think that we have found the three areas that our flesh does not want to let go of. It is these three that both Satan and our Father are after. Our Father in heaven desires:

1.) Our heart (As His Spirit writes His Law on our hearts, He wants our desires to be HIS desires as we submit to His commands. NO MATTER what others may think.)
2.) Our soul (Giving Him total control of our lives. He has appointments each day, each week, and each year … we are to keep them, just as our Savior did. We are to give HIM our life, our soul, by giving Him our schedule each day, each week, each year … it is HIS to control, not ours.)
3.) Our strength (We are to be satisfied with simply food and clothing for the day. We are not to desire more than that each day. Can you see how worldly advertisements play against this? “We need more” … “We need better” … “You are not successful unless you reach this point.” It all plays upon this weakness in our flesh, as well.)

WAIT JUST A MINUTE!!! Does this sound familiar, or what? I knew I heard this before:

“He (Yeshua (Jesus)) answered: “Love YHVH your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind,” (Luke 10:27a) Can you see why our Savior quoted Deuteronomy 6:4-5 as the greatest commandment? Moses had just got done giving us the Law (or mind) of God!!

Finally, to emphasize this even more, let us look at King Josiah. Satan deceived the hearts, souls and strength of our forefathers … They went astray. They abandoned the ways of God. They were NOT obeying God’s laws, they were NOT living to please God, and they were going after the riches and luxuries of the world. Then came King Josiah (found in 2 Kings 23:25) … “Neither before nor after Josiah was there a king like him who turned to YHVH as he did – with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his strength, in accordance with all the Law of Moses.”

I pray that this has enlightened you, as it did me … there is nothing new under the sun!! God still desires His children to love Him with all of their heart (obey His commandments / appointments) and with all of their soul (give Him their life and all that they are) and with all of their strength (not desire the riches of this world, but storing up wealth in heaven).

All I am saying is “just think about it.”

God Disciplines bescause we sin Against His Law

How many of us cringe when watching a parent unjustly spank his child in public?
(Is God this type of parent? I mean, why would He discipline us for no reason?)

05 / 05 / 07
(NIV used)

FIRST THOUGHTS:

Last week we studied about what sin was, is, and will always be (Man can say all that He wants, but God say His Laws are eternal, so we need to be practicing God’s Law … NOT to gain salvation like many of the Jews were trying to do, but out of love of God!). How many of us have heard cliché’s like:

- “It doesn’t matter if we sin, because God will forgive us anyway.”
- “Since He takes our sins away, it no longer matters if we sin.”
- “We just have to love our neighbor as ourselves, and since we already love God … well, we stand in righteousness before Him since all He sees when He looks at us is Christ’s righteousness!”
- “If that’s what you believe, then great for you, but I show God I love Him by merely praising Him.”
- “Jesus obeyed all those laws so that we don’t have to.”
- “The Law was for the Jews in the Old Testament; they didn’t have grace like we do today.”

If the above cliché’s are true (and they are not, as they are quoted), then why would God discipline those He loves? For what reason? Does God have bad days and simply takes out His heavy work load on us poor and helpless creatures? You know, like going home and kicking the dog to get your anger out. I think not!! I don’t know about you, but the reason that I discipline my children is when they do not obey me. I do this to train them because I love them. How much more does a loving and just God do so with His children? What is the standard that we must follow in order to avoid discipline, though? I mean, I do not discipline my children without letting them know what it is they are to obey, do you? God has already given us His standards (His Laws, commands, statutes and decrees) and He has given us an example of how to obey them (His Son, Yeshua (Jesus)) and He did not stop there! He also gave us His Spirit to teach us His Laws! We have no excuse!

Right here, let me say:

- I have learned that He is serious about honoring His Sabbath. I learned this fact through trials and errors, by things just not going right … being disciplined by God.
- I have learned that my Father is serious about what He desires me to eat. How? By being disciplined by Him who loves me (I ate sand when I was a child, although my Mother told me not to. She explained that it was not food. I thought it tasted pretty good, though! My Mother would discipline me when she found out that I disobeyed her command.).
- I have learned that He is serious about all of the Laws that I now enjoy, because of being discipline by God. Discipline can be painful, but I knew that God had my best interest in mind.

I do not like it when I am disciplined. It does not feel good, and sometimes I rebel. But when it is done righteousness (obedience) is the result, and I look more like the One who gave His life for me. Then, on to the next sin!! “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” (Hebrews 12:11)

WHY WOULD GOD DISCIPLINE US IF THE LAW IS NO LONGER FOR US?

- “Do not bring a load out of your houses or do any work on the Sabbath, but keep the Sabbath day holy, as I commanded your forefathers. Yet they did not listen or pay attention; they were stiff-necked and would not listen or respond to discipline.” (Jeremiah 17:22-23) (I will use only one verse out of the Old Testament, although it is FULL of God’s love and mercy as He repeatedly tries to make them turn towards Him and obey Him.)

- “Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent.” (Revelation 3:19) (To repent means to turn from one’s sin and obey God. We must make sure that our sorrow over sin is godly and not worldly though!! “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.” (2 Corinthians 7:10) We have all seen worldly sorrow … “oops, I got caught. I must be more careful next time to hide my deeds more secretly.”)

- “And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: “My son, do not make light of YHVH’s discipline, and do not lose heart when He rebukes you, because YHVH disciplines those He loves, and He punishes everyone He accepts as son.” Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons.” (Hebrew 12:5-8) Did you catch that last part? They are claiming to be sons and daughters, but since they do not accept discipline, they are not truly sons and daughters. I do believe that the majority of “Christians” are not saved but merely deceived. The gate is small and path is narrow and only a few find it (Matthew 7:14). These devotions are only for those who are trying to figure out God’s ways and know that the church is not “where it is at” in most cases. I often was confused when I saw a “self proclaimed Christian’s” life going along at ease and never in pain. They never acknowledged God’s Laws, nor did they desire to. “Why, Father?” The response was clear: “You are always righteous, O YHVH, when I bring a case before you. Yet I would speak with you about your justice: Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all the faithless live at ease?” (Jeremiah 12:1)

- “When we are judged by YHVH, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world.” (1 Corinthians 11:32)

- “If we deliberately keep on sinning (I cannot emphasize more about there being a big difference between deliberate, intentional sin, and truly not knowing, which is sinning unintentionally.) after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. Anyone who rejected the Law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. HOW MUCH MORE SEVERLY do you think a man deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God under foot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that SACNTIFIED him, and who has INSULTED the Spirit of GRACE?” (Hebrews 10:26-29) Again, by saying that we don’t have to obey God’s Law, we are treating the blood of the covenant as unholy. For His Spirit is supposed to be writing God’s Laws on our heart, so that we can obey them. By saying some of those cliché’s at the beginning, we are insulting the Spirit of grace. Even Paul addresses this: “Do we, then, nullify the Law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the Law.” (Romans 3:31). So when we say that we are saved by grace and no longer have to obey, this insults the grace that God is extending to us.

- True children of God should be appalled by the acts of those who are not obeying God. Take special note of the last part of the following passage. The unrighteous are not punished now, their time is coming! They follow their own desires of being in charge of their own lives and despise God’s attempt to have authority over them by giving them rules to obey. “(for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard) – if this is so, then YHVH knows how to rescue godly men from trials and to hold the unrighteous for the day of judgment, while continuing their punishment. This is especially true of those who follow the corrupt desire of the sinful nature and despise authority.” (2 Peter 8-10a)

- When a sin is revealed to a child of God, that child of God despises that sin and desires to rid it from His life. THAT is freedom and shows that we are slaves to the Spirit who is sanctifying us. It also shows God that we understand what He is asking of us. Now to those who continue to say there is freedom from God’s Law, they are not free at all, but are slaves to sin that controls them. Yet, “They (leaders) promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity – for a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him. If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Yeshua Messiah (Jesus Christ) and are again entangled in it (Corruption, or sin) and overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them. Of them the proverbs are true: “A dog returns to its vomit,” and, “A sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud.”” (2 Peter 2:19-22) Unlike what we may been taught, this is NOT God’s Law that we were entangled with … it is SIN!! For me to start disobeying the Sabbath, now that I have known the sacred command, well, I would have been better off never knowing it in the first place. I tasted the goodness, yet would be turning against the Spirit! He died for that sin, and when I realized the truth, He forgave me and all the times I sinned against Him by not obeying it out of my ignorance to it! To go back now, well … ) “It is impossible for those who have been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Sprit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting Him to public disgrace.” (Hebrews 6:4-6)

- This next passage may be a hard pill to swallow. You may want to cut it in half. We all say it, but do we believe it? The Son of God was 100% man (and also 100% God). By being 100% man, though, how did HE learn obedience? “During the days of Yeshua’s (Jesus) life on earth, He offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save Him from death, and He was heard because of His reverent submission. Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from what He suffered and, once MADE perfect, He became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey Him.” (Hebrews 5:7-9)

LAST THOUGHTS:

Just think about it! We now know what sin is. So, when the Law of God says, for instance, to stand up before the gray haired person, does it become utterly sinful when you do not? Or is sin like a buddy to you? “So then, the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous, and good. Did that which is good, then, become death to me? By no means! But in order that sin might be recognized as sin, it produced death in me through what was good, so that through the commandment, sin might become utterly sinful.” (Romans 7:12-13) (How would we know what sin was, unless there was a Law that said so?)

“Let those who love YHVH hate evil, for He guards the lives of His faithful ones and delivers them from the hand of the wicked.” (Psalm 97:10) (Of course, this is nothing new: obedience by faith.)

I just hate when He uses that big paddle … I try to avoid it at all costs.

Practicing our Obedience

08 / 12 / 06

(NIV … unless noted)

Who are those who will be cast into the fiery furnace?
(This should make those who love the Lord really think.)

“So as the tares are gathered up and burned with fire, so shall it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness, and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

(Matthew 13:40-42 … NASB)

HERE’S A THOUGHT:

Most Christian denominations teach that we do not have to obey the majority of God’s Laws. Is this truly what God’s Word says, or merely a doctrine that has been developed over time? I am not perfect, nor have I ever claimed to be. I am a sinner in need of a Savior … I have found Him in the Messiah Yeshua (The real name of Jesus. Yeshua means YHVH’s Salvation). I do not use this faith as an excuse to disregard His Laws, though. I obey because of this faith.

How many of you have ever practiced a particular sport? Say, baseball or softball? Tennis? How about golf? I know many who will go out and shoot a couple of “practice rounds” to better their play! Even Tiger Woods, although close, is not perfect when it comes to golf. (Perfection would be holes in one on every shot.) A couple of my children “practice” the piano. They are good, but they are far from perfect. Do you get the idea of what practice is? Just like we do in our work and play, we are supposed to be doing even more so in our walk with our Lord. We are to be practicing His Laws … not giving excuses and living as if His Laws were irrelevant. (For THAT is lawlessness, my friends).
Before I present a few verses that caught my attention regarding this topic, let us look at what Stephen was falsely accused of teaching about the Laws of Moses and the Prophets. (Remember, a false accusation is just that … it is not true.):

“They produced false witnesses, who testified, “This fellow never stops speaking against this holy place and against the Law. For we have heard Him say that this Yeshua (Jesus) of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs Moses handed down to us.” (Acts 6:13-14)

So, the truth is: Stephen preached about obeying the Law as Moses and that Yeshua (Jesus) of Nazareth confirmed it.

Our Savior NEVER changed or altered God’s Laws given through Moses … period. The “fuzzy” verses that “seem” to do so are just that, “fuzzy” at first glance, but obviously in need of more attention and study. (It is often the case in the New Testament, that when we read a statement of Paul, we are reading the answer to a question that Paul was asked … but we do not know what the question actually was!)

Let me get back to the topic at hand, though … what are children of an unchanging God to be like? Are we to be “Practicing the Law” or “practicing lawlessness”? As one practices, they become better at whatever they are practicing! As we practice the Laws, the fact is, we become more like the Son of God (obedient to the Father):

VERSES REGARDING THAT WE ARE TO BE “PRACTICING” OBEYING THE LAWS OF GOD:

- “Therefore, everyone who hears these words of Mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” (Matthew 7:24) (Are you practicing His Words? Remember, He spoke of righteousness and obedience flowing from love for His Father, He did NOT preach lawlessness. The fact is: When someone practices the Laws given by YHVH to Moses and the Prophets … we built our faith on the Rock. We cannot fall since we can show skeptics where and why we do what we do. The traditions simply are built on sand.)

- (Who ARE the brothers, sisters and even mothers of Yeshua (Jesus)? “He replied, “My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice.” (Luke 8:21) (At this time … the only Word; the only Scriptures was the Old Testament … this is a case in point regarding the importance of the original context of a passage. The New Testament works hand in hand and builds upon what has been already written.)

- (Paul continually preaches obedience to God’s Law out of faith. We often find Paul even practicing what He preached … Sabbath on the seventh day, honoring God’s festivals, etc….) “Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me- put it into practice….” (Philippians 4:9) (Paul even states in 1 Corinthians 11:1 to “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.”)

- (Let me ask you: What teaching are you following? What does your life show? That there is a Law of Moses, the commandments of God, or that there is not? Notice, both of the following are still in heaven, but one has a higher level … just like the temple of God reveals.) “ANYONE who breaks one of the LEAST of these commandments and TEACHES OTHERS to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever PRACTICES and TEACHES these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:19 … from the lips of our Master!)

CLOSING THOUGHTS:

As believers, we are to be practicing righteousness (obeying God’s Laws out of love for Him and our neighbor). When we fail and fall short, however, God is quick to forgive and remembers it no more) … “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” (Jeremiah 31:34b and Hebrews 8:12a)

Sin is still the same … anything against God’s Laws / commandments. Are many of us practicing sin or righteousness?

As we practice and practice … we become better and better. As we get better and better, we become more and more like the one that they want to imitate. For those who are into golf, this may be Tiger Wood; for those in business, it may be Bill Gates. For US, as children of God, it is to be our Master … The Son of God. As we practice obeying God’s Law, our lives become more characterized by righteousness than by sin (remember: sin is breaking the Law, or is often called lawlessness … 1 John 3:4.).

WARNING: We must be careful, though. As we get better, we can also become critical of those who are just getting into the sport (or, in this case, obedience through faith). A poor leader in any sport is one who will not share his talents with those who are rookies. We can become quick to judge and condemn the attempts of those with less training. (I was guilty of such a sin.) I have found this to be just as true in the arena of obedience (This was the case and the object of many of our Master’s rebukes as He walked the earth). I am simply saying that there is a Law to obey … let us start practicing it. If you need help, ask someone you can trust with His Word.

Can you imagine … a family of believers living a life of loving their neighbors as themselves AND loving God by practicing His Laws? Can you imagine this? This would look like the Israel that God intended His family (children) to look like and be, composed of all who believe (whether Jew, Gentile, woman, man, slaves or free). No matter what others may think of us, we must press on, knowing that it is the way that God intends us to live … for His Son is our Master and our teacher. Will we be hated by those within the church by practicing such obedience? Of course! I am the receiver of such hatred. They may even kick you out of the Synagogue (or church) for doing so and even think they are doing the right thing! John 16:2-3 … “They will put you out of the synagogue (church); in fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to God. 3 They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me.” They thought, like they did with Stephen, that we who obey God’s Laws are against their belief.

We all know that in order to be the best in business, we must work at it and devote much of our time. We must follow the example of those we view as higher than ourselves.

We all know that in order to be the best in golf (or any other sport), we must practice and practice. We must even study the swings (or moves) of those who are better than we.

We all know that in order to have a good marriage, we must practice forgiveness and love.

WOW … in order to know God more, we must practice His Laws, and imitate the one who is better than we … Yeshua (The Salvation of God). We must not turn a deaf ear to the Laws of Moses. We must always be ready to shed our sins by our obedience. It is written that those who say that God’s Laws are no longer valid for Christians, their prayers are not heard in heaven: “If anyone turns a deaf ear to the law, even his prayers are detestable.” (Proverbs 28:9)

Just something to think about before the next practice session.

Family Genealogy

05 / 19 / 06
(Comments in parentheses and emphasis are mine)

FIRST THOUGHTS:

I pray that this devotion will do for you, what it did for me … “Wow, if that’s the case, everything changes!”

Family genealogy

Yep, it’s all about our family tree! I am fascinated about where I came from, aren’t you? I mean, our great, great, great, grandpa … who was he and what did he do? I asked my Mother if she had a “family tree” … she did!! (My Mother led me to her Brother, my Uncle, and he had pictures and even locations. He had times and dates and what they did for a living … it was awesome!)

As children of God (who is NOT flesh, but Spirit … “God is Spirit, and His worshippers must worship in spirit and in truth.” (John 4:24)), we also have a family tree and it goes back to Abraham!! Which leads us to Isaac; Which leads us to Jacob who received the name Israel. The Israelites … they are the family of God (both to the Jews and to the Gentiles who believe!!). It has always been that way. This is where our story begins. If you want to know the rules of the family and how God expects His children to act … go to the family history book … God’s Word. Even our Brother, Yeshua (Jesus) came from the line of David (He HAD to … in order to be part of the family and fulfill the promise). By faith in Yeshua (Jesus), we are heirs to the throne (we are Israel … Jew, Gentile, slave or free, male or female … all who believe!!) Read the next couple of verses very carefully … for they are spiritually discerned. They are showing what God has been revealing since creation:

- “Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring – not only to those who are of the law but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all.” (Romans 4:16) What this is saying is that Abraham’s offspring are not only the physical (those who were received the Law – see study on “under the Law”), but also those who have overcome the world, like Jacob, and believe.
- “In other words, it is not the natural children who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham’s offspring.” (Romans 9:8) … (Did you see it? Israel, God’s chosen people, is actually comprised of those who live by faith in the Messiah!! It has always been that way. Listen to Romans 9:6-7a … “It is not as though God’s word had failed. For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel. Nor because they are his descendants are they all Abraham’s children.” (Then it goes into Romans 9:8 above. Note: Did you see what we were called in the Messiah? Israel! Not even those who descended from the natural lineage are Israel, if they do not believe.)

Do you believe in the promise of the Messiah? Do you believe that Yeshua (Jesus) is that Messiah? Then you are part of the family of Israel!! NOT a new or changed Israel, the same one including Abraham, Isaac and Jacob!! So when you read the family lineage and history … it’s YOUR family and mine. What was given to THEM is given to us (same covenants … same promise of the land … same Laws to live by) So when it says in places like Leviticus 23:2 … “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘These are my appointed feasts, the appointed feasts of YHVH, which you are to proclaim as sacred assemblies” it is speaking to US, as well! REMINDER: We do NOT do them to earn salvation (like some imposters were doing back then), but out of faith!! These are OUR gifts and heritage, as well! I mean, if God says they are His … who are we to change them? Some imposters did!! Our Brother and Savior did not!! (Matthew 5:17-19)

Please stay with me on this. For many, over time, have almost destroyed our heritage in the Messiah. I pray that you are able to put aside, for a moment, all the traditions and teachings of man and consider what is about to be shown to you from God’s Word. Let us trace our family tree and see who is Israel and who is not.

NOTES (before we start our search for God’s truths):

- If we follow God’s Word as a “complete” description of our family history … it will come alive right before us. (We should not go into His Word saying to ourselves, “I will not change or go against what I have been taught.” Instead, we should search God’s Word and say, “Show me, Lord, how you want me to live and I will do it … no matter what it takes or what I may lose in this life.”)
- Gentiles are referred to as aliens, strangers, as well as “foreigners among you” before Christ came (this knowledge will help us when we read passages like “Peter and the sheet”. God NEVER called us Gentiles “unclean”). Read about the end times in Zechariah 2:8, then down to 2:11. This will show that Israel, daughter of Zion, is the apple of God’s eye, as well as all the nations that join her!! “For this is what YHVH Almighty says: ‘After he has honored me and has sent me against the nations that have plundered you (Israel) – for whoever touches you touches the apple of His eye … Many nations will be joined with YHVH in that day and will become my people. I will live among you and you will know that YHVH Almighty has sent me to you.’”
- The Community of Israel always consisted of the natural born Israelites and those who sojourned with them (Those who wanted the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Israel) as their God). This definition is drawn from such verses as “… must be cut off from the community of Israel, whether he is an alien or native-born.” (Exodus 12:19b)

WITH THE ABOVE KNOWN, LET US LOOK INTO THE GENEOLOGY OF ISREAL … (What about us Gentiles … were we always welcomed into the family? As an Israelite, did the Gentiles have the same Laws as the natural-born children?)

Today, much of the main-stream church teaches that God’s laws are different for us (the Gentiles) … is this true or a false teaching? I have found that the SAME Laws of God applied to the aliens and the natural-born (They didn’t have separate rules … such as “one for the Jews and one for the Gentiles” … if you were Israel, God’s children, you had family rules (Don’t we all inside our own physical families?) These Laws that we are to obey are the exact ones that our Messiah did. We are to imitate Him! (In order to understand many teachings, we must know the original Laws. Then we will know what Yeshua (Jesus) was correcting and rebuking the teachers of being wrong of!):

- The same law applies to the native-born and to the alien living among you.” (Exodus 12:49)
- “One and the same law applies to everyone who sins unintentionally, whether he is a native-born Israelite or an alien.” (Numbers 15:29)
- “But you must keep my decrees and my laws. The native-born and the aliens living among you must not do any of these detestable things, for all these things were done by the people who lived in the land before you, and the land became defiled.” (Leviticus 18:26-27)

Please note: As we read through God’s word and the descriptions about our family (Israel) … we will find that the Gentiles were ALWAYS welcomed in and accepted. It was the natural born children who eventually had the problem with us and put walls up to separate us and them. Remember the walls of hostility that our Savior destroyed? They were the dividing walls inside and around the temple that the natural-born Israelites installed to separate us. (Ephesians 2:14-15). Even the dogma laws that stood opposed to us (NOT God’s laws!!). My friends, listen to God’s heart as He tells His natural children NOT to oppress us, the aliens: “Do not oppress an alien; you yourselves know how it feels to be aliens, because you were aliens in Egypt.” (Exodus 23:9). Even when the Israelites left Egypt, MANY of the Egyptians who saw the wonders of YHVH, came with them!! (Exodus 12:38) BUT … once these outsiders were inside the family, they were to obey the same laws as the natural-born children. (Because of their faith – even back then as it is today – NOT to gain salvation!!)

- Nothing has changed, even today, if someone is an unbeliever, they are outsiders, excluded from citizenship. They are without God and without hope! “Remember that at that time (Before we knew God) you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.” (Ephesians 2:12) (That verse stands alone!!!)

- Do you remember Peter’s vision? Most remember it as the verse “giving us freedom to disobey God’s dietary laws”, but in truth, it is about us Gentiles having NEVER been unclean before God. Acts 10:9-28 … “… But God has shown me that I should not call any man impure or unclean.” (This verse is the conclusion about the dream. This is what the dream was all about! It was NOT about what we can or cannot eat … even Peter said in verse 14 … “Surely not, Lord!”. Peter knew that it would be a sin!)

- “The whole Israelite community and the aliens living among them will be forgiven, because all the people were involved in the unintentional wrong.” (Numbers 15:26) (Yes, even God’s mercy extended to the Gentile believers who were part of the family.)

- “The community is to have the SAME rules for you (the natural-born) and the alien living among you (That’s the Gentiles who came to love and worship the God of Israel!); this is a lasting ordinance (This means “forever” in the original words) for the generations to come. You (Again, the natural-born) and the alien (Again, that’s the Gentiles who love God) shall be the SAME before YHVH. The SAME laws and regulations will apply BOTH to you and to the alien living among you.” (Numbers 15:15-16) (When did this change? Did our Savior change it? My friends, that would have been a sin, if He did!!)

Okay, this can go on and on. The fact is, as God gives the family of Israel rules to live by (And what loving father would NOT have rules for the family?), we discover that anyone who came to Him in true faith … became part of the family … Israel! Whether natural-born or an alien.

GOD REVEALS WHO ISRAEL IS … EVEN BACK IN THE PROPHETS!! (Why are we changing God’s Law, simply because we are now His children? Isn’t that being disobedient children? Why did we change the family name and the family heritage given us? Read these verses VERY carefully and find US (The Gentiles) embracing our heritage again … God’s Sabbath, Feasts, eating diet, and the rest):

- (Speaking of the end times when God is going to call His children together again) “One will say, ‘I belong to YHVH’; another will call himself by the name of Jacob; still another will write on his hand, ‘YHVH’s,’ and will TAKE THE NAME ISRAEL.” (Isaiah 44:5)

- “Let no FOREIGNER who has bound himself to YHVH say, “YHVH will surely exclude me from His people (Gods people is Israel … we will NOT be excluded.) … And foreigners who bind themselves to YHVH to serve Him, to love the name of YHVH, and to worship Him, ALL who keep the Sabbath without desecrating it and who hold fast to my covenant – these I will bring to my holy mountain and give them joy in my house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house will be called a house of prayer for ALL nations.” (Isaiah 56:3a and 6-7)

- “This is what YHVH Almighty says: ‘In those days ten men from ALL languages and nations will take firm hold of one Jew by the hem of his robe and say, ‘Let us go with you, because we have heard that God is with you.’’” (Zechariah 8:23) My friends, this has already begun to happen!! People are embracing the laws given to our forefathers! We are embracing our family again! Remember the exodus from Egypt when God called His children out of the bondage of slavery (representing our bondage to sin)? It is happening again … just as God’s word has prophesied! God’s Law is being embraced again. God’s family and name HE gave to us is being realized … as God’s attention is going back to the natural-born Israelites … again. We are part of the continued history!!
 “I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel (the natural-born) has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in.” (Romans 11:25)
 (Can you see God’s calling again? Can you see Israel “on the move again?” He is calling “Return to me”! Are you going to sojourn with them, as they return?) “Go, proclaim this message toward the North: ‘Return, faithless Israel,’ declares YHVH, ‘I will frown on you no longer, for I am merciful’, declares YHVH, ‘I will not be angry forever. Only acknowledge your guilt – you have rebelled against YHVH YOUR God, you have scattered your favors to foreign gods under every spreading tree, and have NOT obeyed me’, declares YHVH.” (Jeremiah 3:12-13)

- Remember, God’s calling out to the natural-born Israelite is irreversible (He promised that He will never stop calling them to repentance and salvation … “for God’s gifts and His call are irrevocable. (Romans 11:29)) He promised that He will always call them to “return … repent”.
NOTE: There have been many attempts to explain away who “Israel” is. Two such explanations, in short, are:

First explanation: That we (Gentiles) are the “New Israel” … is this true? This cannot be true since Paul talks about this in Romans 11:1 … “I ask then: Did God reject His people? By no means! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin.”

Second explanation: That God has displaced (or put aside) the natural-born Israelites for a “season” while He tends to His “true bride” (Us Gentiles) … is this true? This is not true, either, because there is only ONE family!
- “I have other sheep that are NOT of this sheep pen. (What sheep pen? Israel!) I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.” (John 10:16) This verse talks about God taking the time to gather us Gentiles into His pen. He is NOT making a new pen or a new family. But, just like it has always been, He has allowed us Gentiles to sojourn with them and become part of the family! My friends in Christ, we Gentiles are simply part of the continued journey of God’s family. So let us sojourn with them as part of them … same rules … same God … and same family name!
- “There is ONE body and ONE Spirit – just as you were called to ONE hope when you were called – ONE Lord, ONE faith, ONE baptism, ONE God and Father of ALL, who is over all and through all and in all.” (Ephesians 4:4-6) (So why does much of the mainstream church, today, say that we Gentiles “displaced” Israel or “replaced” them?)

THE SAME IS TRUE FOR THE JEWS … if they are not living by faith, they are not TRUE ISRAELITES. This statement does NOT change God’s Laws or His covenants! All who believe in the promised Messiah are Israel … part of the family by faith. A heritage of God! We were given laws to live by, by the very breath of God.)

Just like in the past (before our Savior came to earth), there will always be imposters. Let us not make up a new family or create doctrines that go against what God has revealed and set down for us to do. God will come and separate the sheep from the goats, again, just like He did back in Jeremiah 3:8! It was the “FAITHLESS” Israelites who were sent away … NOT the ones living by FAITH! God’s word does NOT fail … those who believe are, in fact, Israel.

Let me ask you: Are all Jews true Israelites (to God)? Is there two ways to be saved: Being a Jew and believing in Yeshua (Jesus)? Of course not! Even among the Jews, those who do NOT believe are NOT Israel – they received the certificate of divorce! Only faith in the Messiah gets you into the family of Israel!

This same fact is for the Gentiles who call themselves Christians. Let me ask you: Are all Christians part of the family of God? Are all those who go up during an altar call truly saved? Or are only the ones living by faith in the Messiah?
- “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Messiah Yeshua (Christ Jesus). If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Galatians 3:28-29) (My brothers and sisters in the Messiah, this does NOT mean that we change the heritage of the Jews (For Christ, Himself, did not), this does NOT mean that we change God’s festivals, His Sabbath, His Laws … simply for the sake of traditions! We are just as much a part of the family of Israel as a believing Jew is! We are one with the believing Jews in the family. NOT to come in and change things – only God can do that!)
- “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God – children born NOT of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.” (John 1:12-13)

Get to know your family tree … your heritage. Let us embrace the kingdom that God gave our forefathers. The kingdom He promised Israel … our family. God’s family is to be holy and made up of obedient children who desire to live by His Laws. Made up of children who show love to others, without sinning. Children who long to please Him at all times!

LAST THOUGHTS:

- IF … God’s children (who live by faith) are indeed Israel … then when God says, “Say to the Israelites … ” … it is to US personally that He speaking.
- IF … God’s children (who live by faith) are indeed Israel … then when God’s Word says, “I will love Israel forever” … He is letting US know that He will never leave us.
- IF … God’s children (who live by faith) are indeed Israel … then the entire Word is applicable for US today and OUR lives (Hebrews 4:12 and 2 Timothy 3:16).
- IF … God’s children (who live by faith) are indeed Israel … it just makes sense that our Savior is “your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.” (Isaiah 41:14).

Our Brother, the Messiah, Yeshua (Jesus) is the shepherd of Israel … the family of God. You and I are each one of those branches of the family tree! “For out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of MY PEOPLE Israel.” (Matthew 2:6b) Our Savior is the Root supporting us and giving us the nourishing Sap (His Spirit)!

Reasoning from the Old Testament that Yeshua was the Savior

Let us reason together:

“Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks.”

(Acts 18:4)

Like Paul, I will try to persuade you using Scripture
(The Law of Moses and the Prophets)

“… he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and proving …”

(Acts 17:2)

11 / 03 / 07
(NIV used)

FIRST THOUGHTS:

Paul was NOT trying to persuade the Jews and Gentiles to stop obeying God, but to realize that they don’t have to obey in order to gain salvation (which was never possible, anyway). Paul was NOT trying to prove that the Scriptures (Laws of Moses and The Prophets) were nullified, but that Yeshua (Jesus) WAS the Messiah they had been waiting for. How did he do this? By using the “Old” Testament!

Did you know that any time “Scripture” is used in the “New” Testament, it is referring to the “Old” Testament? The Books of Moses and Prophets are God’s breathed words to man. The fact is, the books of the New Testament were decided on (or canonized) in 200 A.D.. It was not until 405A.D. that the first complete Bible was even put together (called a Latin vulgate and done by St. Jerome). Question: So what did the believers use as Holy Scriptures until then? God’s Word, of course. The New Testament isn’t anything new, it just testifies about the Messiah. It HAD to line up with the “Old” Testament. If a book (or letter) contradicted something in the “Old” Testament, it as not considered truth, and was not included as Scripture. Anytime we “think” that something in the “New” Testament changes what God has already said, we are reading it with an incorrect interpretation, or from a western view point. So, why do so many today try to pin the “New” Testament against the “Old” Testament? Why do so many today try to start a proverbial brawl between the Son and the Father (As if the Son came up with His own rules or way to be saved)?

Examples:

- If any writer / preacher actually states that we no longer have to obey God’s Law … he or she is a false prophet, and therefore, the author of false writings. (So we know that Yeshua (Jesus) AND His followers did not preach such rebelliousness): “That prophet or dreamer must be put to death, BECAUSE he preached rebellion against YHVH your God.” (Deuteronomy 13:5) The end-times prophesy now makes sense in 2 Thessalonians 2:3 … “Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction.” Make sure that you are not deceived like I was and follow anyone who preaches that we no longer need to obey God’s laws. (That is law-less-ness, or rebellion).

- Some believe that the Law of Moses was just for the Jews, and that we Gentiles have “Christ’s Law”. This is false. It is shown to be false in both the “Old” and “New” Testaments: “The same Law applies to the native-born and to the alien living among you.” (Exodus 12:49) and John 10:16 … “I have other sheep that are not part of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one Shepherd.”

- Some say that the Laws of Moses are too hard and were impossible to obey. This is false. Deuteronomy 30:11 … “Now what I am commanding you today is NOT too difficult for you or beyond your reach.” and 1 John 5:3 … “This is love for God: to obey His commands. And His commands are NOT burdensome.” (Hint: It is our flesh and sinful nature that keeps us from obeying them … NOT Christ, the Son of God! Why would the very Son of God keep us from obeying God the Father? Have you ever tried to obey God’s Laws?)

- Some say that taking pagan days and making them “God centered” is giving glory to God, and that He is pleased with such days. This, too, is false. “You must not worship YHVH your God in their way.” (Deuteronomy 12:4) and again in Deuteronomy 12:31 “You must not worship YHVH your God in their way, because in worshipping their gods, they do all kinds of detestable things YHVH hates…” (Yes, these are the Words that Yeshua (Jesus) told Moses to say! Why do many do what HE, the Son of God, told us NOT to do?)

Below is proof that the “New” Testament believers obeyed God’s Laws from the “Old” Testament. The “Old” Testament was their guideline for truth! Without this base, man becomes his own “law maker” and decides what God desires. The “New” does NOT contradict the “Old” Testament … EVER!:

- “He (Paul) writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.” (2 Peter 3:16) (Again … when was the New Testament added? Hundreds of years later than this writing! So Peter is talking about the book of Moses and the Prophets. So when people say that “Paul says we don’t have to obey God’s Laws anymore,” they are the ones who are distorting Paul’s words and are being ignorant and unstable.)

- “However, I admit that I worship the God of our fathers as a follower of the Way, which they call a sect. I believe everything that agrees with the Law and that is written in the Prophets…” (Acts 24:14) (This is Paul’s testimony! This backs up the passage above about those who claim that Paul says we no longer have to obey the Law. They are distorting Paul’s words … but they do it to their own destruction … as they do to other Scriptures.)

- “When they heard this, they praised God. Then they said to Paul: “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed, and all of them are zealous for the Law.” (Acts 21:20) (It’s funny, but this passage continues about a false report about Paul. People were saying that Paul was preaching to turn from the Law of Moses … Paul, of course, quickly put an end to that rumor. What ignorant and unstable people would to that, eh? Oh … I used to be one of them.)

- “Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.” (Acts 17:11) (If Paul said to stop obeying the Law … he would be a false prophet and the Christ that he preached would be a false Messiah, as well. Let us stop and think about what we are doing against the faith that saves us!)

- “If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. But since you do NOT believe what he (Moses) wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?” (John 5:46-47) (Many do not believe what Moses wrote; Many actually say that what Moses wrote is all done away with. Do they really believe what Yeshua (Jesus) said, then? Not according to the words of our Savior!!)

- “They produced false witnesses, who testified, “This fellow never stops speaking against this holy place and against the Law.” (Acts 6:13) (If these were false accusations about Stephen, what is the truth about him then? Fact: He spoke in favor of the holy place AND obeying the Law of Moses.)

- “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law OR the Prophets; I have NOT come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, WILL BY ANY MEANS DISSAPEAR FROM THE LAW until everything is accomplished.” (Matthew 5:17-18) (His work on the cross may be finished here on earth, but everything is definitely not accomplished. Satan is still roaming around, is he not? The heavens and earth are still present, are they not? The man of lawlessness is sure being exposed, though! I am going with my Savior on this one and continuing to obey the Laws that HE gave my brethren back in the desert. I will AT ALL TIMES trust in HIM for my salvation.)

Let us put this knowledge into practice:

Some say that the Laws of Moses were the “walls of hostility” spoken of in Ephesians 2:14-15. … “… the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in His flesh the law with its commandments and regulations.” Now based upon the “Old” testament writings found in Psalm 19:7 … “The Law of YHVH is perfect and 2 Samuel 22:31… “The word of YHVH is flawless.” and, my favorite found in Psalm 119:151-152 … “Yet you are near, O YHVH, and ALL your commands are true. Long ago I learned from your statues that you established them to last FOREVER.”. Now based upon just these three “Old” Testament passages, the passage in Ephesians seems to contradict Scripture. Actually, based upon the rule of taking them back and comparing them to the “Old”, it does not line up. Since it is already in the “New” Testament, we KNOW that it must line up. Since a true believer wants to defend the Law of Moses and the Prophets (like Yeshua (Jesus), Paul, and the rest did), let us find out the truth: After a word search in Strongs on the words “commandments and regulations”, we can find out that it was, in fact, the man made laws that separated the Jews from the Gentiles that were considered hostile. We all know that the Laws of Moses were NOT hostile! If they were, then God, Himself, is hostile … and if God, Himself, is then so is His Son. For He is the word made flesh.

As I say in all my devotions … just think about it … before we make false accusations against the Son of God and His Spirit.

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