July 2023

Receive The Warning

Ezekiel 3:18-21 (HCSB) ¹⁸If I say to the wicked person, ‘You will surely die,’ but you do not warn him—you don’t speak out to warn him about his wicked way in order to save his life—that wicked person will die for his iniquity. Yet I will hold you responsible for his blood. ¹⁹But if you warn a wicked person and he does not turn from his wickedness or his wicked way, he will die for his iniquity, but you will have saved your life. ²⁰Now if a righteous person turns from his righteousness and practices iniquity, and I put a stumbling block in front of him, he will die. If you did not warn him, he will die because of his sin and the righteous acts he did will not be remembered. Yet I will hold you responsible for his blood. ²¹But if you warn the righteous person that he should not sin, and he does not sin, he will indeed live because he listened to your warning, and you will have saved your life.”

Ezekiel 3:18-21 (TS2009) 18 “When I say to the wrong,^b ‘You shall certainly die,’ and you have not warned him, nor spoken to warn the wrong from his wrong way, to save his life, that same wrong man shall die in his crookedness, and his blood I require at your hand. Footnote: ^{b This passage is almost the same as in Eze_18:20-32 and Eze_33:8-20.} 19 “But if you have warned the wrong and he does not turn from his wrong, nor from his wrong way, he shall die in his crookedness, and you have delivered your being. 20 “And when a righteous one turns from his righteousness and shall do unrighteousness, when I have put a stumbling-block before him, he shall die. Because you did not warn him, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he has done is not remembered, and his blood I require at your hand. 21 “But if you have warned the righteous one that the righteous should not sin, and he did not sin, he shall certainly live because he has been warned, and you have delivered your being.”

Matthew 7:23 (HCSB) ²³Then I will announce to them, ‘I never knew you! Depart from Me, you lawbreakers!’^[i][j]

Matthew 7:23 (TS2009) 23 “And then I shall declare to them, ‘I never knew you, depart from Me, you who work lawlessness!’^{c Psa_6:8. Footnote: c See Mat_7:15, and also Mat_13:41-42.}

1 John 3:4 (HCSB) ⁴Everyone who commits sin also breaks the law;^[b] sin is the breaking of law.

1 John 3:4 (TS2009) 4 Everyone doing sin also does lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.

As each of us walks this life that we have been given, we have had, do have and will have issues, adverse situations or unwanted circumstances enter into our lives. Sometimes these issues, adverse situations or unwanted circumstances are allowed to enter our lives so that we can remove ourselves from situations, so that we can learn to change the way we think, so that we are able to see who is or is not truly on our team, so that we will learn when to hush our mouths and when to open our mouths, so that we able to understand that there is better for us to be and do, and so that we can differentiate true life from death. Many do not want to have any issues, adverse situations or unwanted circumstances to exist in our lives. Many want to live “their best life now”, but are aware that many times “their best life now” is really death as “their best life now” keeps them tied to this world and does NOT allow them to live as a citizen of The Father’s Kingdom. Warning!!!

As each of us walks this life that we have been given, we – as individuals who are living our own life – have to learn what is righteousness and what is wickedness, and understand them from the Right Perspective. The Right Perspective is learning how The Father has defined righteousness and how The Father has defined wickedness. Any other perspective – better stated any other opinion – is only a relative, temporary, earthly, and eternally punishable perspective (opinion) that received it’s genesis from the enemy and in how the enemy has changed, attempted to change, and rejected The Father’s Righteous decrees. Many have been hood-winked, tricked, beguiled, confused, and led astray because they have not fully come to understand what it is that The Father has laid down in His Word, how He has NOT changed His Word, how there is NO confusion in Him and of Him, and how they have been sold a bad bill of goods by those who are NOT His. What is that bad bill of goods? It is live any way that you want to live and everything is all good; in other words, follow the disobedient and satanist foundational statement – Do what thy will! Warning!!!

Ezekiel was chosen to be a watchman of Israel. The watchman had the specific assignment from The Father of warning those of Israel who were living righteously according to The Father’s decrees to continue living in righteousness and the specific assignment from The Father of warning those of Israel who were living wickedly against The Father’s decrees to repent (change) of their ways and follow The Way of righteousness. The watchman was to warn those people who – as a nation – were the apple of The Father’s eye to remain with their first love and to demonstrate their love to The Father in obeying Him with all of their heart, all of their mind, all of their soul, and all of their being. The watchman was to continuously warn The Father’s people – not his people – to remain IN a protected position of blessings and comfort. The watchman was NOT to be distracted, dejected, discomforted and delayed by how the people would and would not receive The Message to them from The Father. Warning!!!

Family, we are in a day when folk don’t want the watchmen – only a few are here today – to tell them that they must change how they think, how they speak, and how they live. Folk have their own opinion (perspective) and don’t want to hear how their opinion (perspective) is out of alignment with The Father’s Word. Folk disregard The Warnings from the few watchmen that are present and receive the words from the ocean of liars who have led and are leading them away from The Father. Some folk live righteously sometimes and righteously before some people but end up having their righteousness forgotten because they willingly enter into iniquity and sin – iniquity and sin are lawlessness – without the consideration that their iniquity and sin – lawlessness – will overshadow what has been. Other folk live wickedly from the fact that their wickedness has been defined as good by the world; so they live out the world’s good which is in total opposition to what The Father has defined as good. Warning!!!

Family, Receive The Warning to obey The Father’s Word – His Righteous Law – which came from His Mouth into His watchmen. Receive The Warning to demonstrate how strong you are in The Father. Receive The Warning to separate yourself from this world’s chaos, corruption, confusion, complacency and the coming wrath from The King. Receive The Warning to keep your righteousness before The Father’s eyes so that He will remember your life of righteous surrender to His Will, His Way, His Word and His Worship! Receive The Warning from The Master recorded in Matthew 7:23, John’s reminder in 1 John 3:4 and The Word’s revelation: Revelation 22:12 (HBSB) ¹²“Look! I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me to repay each person according to what he has done.

Scriptural References & Note:

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ezekiel%203&version=HCSB

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=MATTHEW+7&version=HCSB

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Note: TS2009 is the 2009 version of The Scriptures developed by Institute For Scripture Research (https://www.isr-messianic.org/). The Scriptures is a literal bible translation that utilizes the Masoretic letters and symbols for the true name of The Father and The Son (Messiah) without utilizing replacement titles or a position created by men. In order to minimize the debate over proper name enunciation, they have elected to utilize the theologically and historically accepted symbols for Their Names and have left the enunciation to the reader and/or student. They have also approached this translation from a Hebraic perspective in lieu of a Latinized, Greek, Roman, Greco-Roman, or Hellenized perspective. Why would I be led to introduce you (or some of you) to this method of translation?

Well, let’s go to The Scriptures for the answer – ¹John 19:19-20 (HCSB) ¹⁹Pilate also had a sign lettered and put on the cross. The inscription was: JESUS THE NAZARENE THE KING OF THE JEWS. ²⁰Many of the Jews read this sign, because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and it was written in Hebrew,^[f] Latin, and Greek; and ²Romans 3:1-2 (HCSB) ¹So what advantage does the Jew have? Or what is the benefit of circumcision? ²Considerable in every way. First, they were entrusted with the spoken words of God.

If the Jews (Israelites) were entrusted with The Word of God and during the time that The Messiah walked in the flesh they spoke Hebrew (some will say they spoke Aramaic), then why would we not read, understand and apply The Scriptures the Hebraic spiritual, familial, cultural, linguistic, etymological, historical and generational context? After all, they were reminded in

Jeremiah 10:1-2 (HCSB) 1 Hear the word that the Lord has spoken to^[a] you, house of Israel. ²This is what the Lord says: Do not learn the way of the nations or be terrified by signs in the heavens,
although the nations are terrified by them,

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=revelation+22&version=HCSB

Isolated To Hear From Heaven

Revelation 1:9-10 (HCSB) ⁹I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation, kingdom, and endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because of God’s word and the testimony about Jesus.^[q] ¹⁰I was in the Spirit^[r][s] on the Lord’s day,^[t] and I heard a loud voice behind me like a trumpet

Revelation 1:9-10 (TS2009) 9 I, Yoḥanan, both your brother and co-sharer in pressure, and in the reign and endurance of יהושע Messiah, came to be on the island that is called Patmos for the Word of Elohim and for the witness of יהושע Messiah. 10 I came to be in the Spirit on the Day of יהוה,a and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet, ^{Footnote: aSee also Isa_13:6, Isa_13:9, Eze_13:5, Joe_1:15, Joe_2:1, Joe_2:11, Joe_2:31, Joe_3:14, Amo_5:16-20, Oba_1:15, Zep_1:7, Zep_1:14, Mal_4:5, Act_2:20, 1Th_5:2, 2Th_2:2, 2Pe_3:10.}

John, Paul, Ezra, Daniel and Moses were able to witness something that your greatest – or perceived to be your greatest – 20^th, 19^th, 18^th, 17^th, 16^th & 15^th century preachers, pastors, professors and proclaimers were never able to see – The Messiah (The Word/The Son) and Heaven. These 5 men were isolated and shown Heaven – whether by vision or physically there. These 5 men were so focused on pleasing The Father and His Son that nothing else in this life mattered to them. They refused to bow to the authority figures of their day, they refused to bow to their world’s policies, they refused to disregard their biological and spiritual heritage, and they refused to bow the gods of this world. Their refusal brought them into the presence of this world’s power brokers who had the power to kill them or to allow them to live. Life nor death mattered to them – all that mattered is that they do the work to which they had been called. Isolated so they could hear from Heaven.

The Emissary (Apostle) John lived what he believed and continuously spoke what he believed. What did he believe? He believed every word that came from The Word’s mouth. He believed The Understanding of The Word (what we would call the Old Testament) that was given to them by The Word in the flesh. How did others know what he believed? He believed The Word so much that he had no other choice than do what it was that he had come to believe and suffer the consequences for not keeping quiet about his redeemer and teacher. How did he demonstrated that he believed in The Master? He chose life in the midst of death. He chose life in the midst of temporary discomfort. Isolated so he could hear from Heaven.

The Emissary (Apostle) John did not allow the discomfort of being isolated to the island of Patmos for the truth with which he lived and The Truth in what he spoke. Discomfort in this world means comfort in the new Jerusalem, new heaven, and new earth. Discomfort in this world because you displease this world’s leaders – those who rebel against The Scriptures and who follow this world’s god – will send you to a place of isolation so that you can increase in your assignment for the people to whom you will be sent with The Eternal Truth. Discomfort and isolation makes your heart and mind available to witness something that the majority of the world can not come close to witnessing nor believing. Discomfort and isolation drives you to a place where you must be so that others can hear what it is that The Father is sending to them, what it is that others must hear while they are in time, and why it is that others must hear The Word for their betterment. Isolated so they could hear from Heaven.

Family, isolation is needed in order for us to be all we have been called to be to this world for The Kingdom. Family, don’t get so upset because you are ostracized by the world, don’t get so upset because you are constantly hated by the world, don’t get so upset because you see and hear those of this world talking about you and talking against you, don’t get so upset because you see those of this world plotting your perceived downfall, and don’t get so upset with those who have made themselves your enemy. It all has a purpose within The Father’s plan. Family, isolation is for their good even though some of them will never receive The Good that you have been given especially for them. Family, isolation is not for you but it is for those to whom the message that has been placed in you will be given. Family, you have been and will be Isolated To Hear From Heaven!

Scriptural References & Note:

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=revelation+1&version=HCSB

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Close = NOT!

Mark 12:29-34 (HCSB) ²⁹“This is the most important,”^[n] Jesus answered: Listen, Israel! The Lord our God, the Lord is One.^[o] ³⁰Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.^[p][q] ³¹“The second is: Love your neighbor as yourself.^[r] There is no other command greater than these.” ³²Then the scribe said to Him, “You are right, Teacher! You have correctly said that He is One, and there is no one else except Him. ³³And to love Him with all your heart, with all your understanding,^[s] and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself, is far more important than all the burnt offerings and sacrifices.” ³⁴When Jesus saw that he answered intelligently, He said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And no one dared to question Him any longer.

Mark 12:29-34 (TS2009) 29 And יהושע answered him, “The first of all the commands is, ‘Hear, O Yisra’ěl, יהוה our Elohim, יהוה is one. ^Deu_6:4. 30 ‘And you shall love יהוה your Elohim with all your heart, and with all your being, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ ^Deu_6:5. This is the first command. 31“And the second, like it, is this, ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ ^Lev_19:18. There is no other command greater than these.” 32 And the scribe said to Him, “Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth, for there is one Elohim, and there is no other besides Him. ^Deu_4:35. 33 “And to love Him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the being, and with all the strength, ^Deu_6:5 and to love one’s neighbour as oneself, is more than all the ascending offerings and offerings.” 34 And when יהושע saw that he answered wisely, He said to him, “You are not far from the reign of Elohim.” And after that no one was bold enough to question Him.

I grew up playing a game called horseshoes. I believe that this is a southern United States created and loved game. Stakes are placed at a specific distance from one another. Participants each have 2 horseshoes and stand beside one stake and then they take turns throwing their horseshoes at the opposite stake hoping to place the U of the horseshoe around the stake in order to gain the maximum points available. If you don’t get it around the stake then you want to get it within a short distance of the stake so that you are able to accumulate some points. With every throw that is made each participant desires to always accumulate some points by getting as close to the stake as possible…if they are not able to place the U around the stake. Some points are always better than no points. Close but not there!

Horseshoes can be a lot of fun and competitive at the same time. It is an easy game to learn and an easy game to set up…..as long as you have land to set up the game. Hours and hours have been consumed by southern families and friends who have pulled out the horseshoes while participating in a gathering of loved ones. There have always been winners and losers, and there always be winners and losers of the game of horseshoes. The winners won the game/match because they accumulated the most points by sometimes getting the U on the stake and by other times getting close enough to accumulate points. The losers lost because they came close enough but were still too far away from the needed point accumulation to win the game/match. Close but not there!

As we look at the conversation that has occurred in Mark 12, we see that our Messiah has been questioned by a supposedly learned one – one educated in The Scriptures. The learned one has studied The Scriptures and is able to quote The Scriptures with some understanding. How do we know that he had some understanding? Well, our Messiah saw the he answered ‘intelligently/wisely’. You cannot answer a question wisely/intelligently without having spent some time reading and gaining an understanding of The Scriptures. Today, we have many that have no clue of what The Scriptures are really saying and how to apply Scriptural understanding to their daily lives. This learned one had some understanding but he had no application of what it is that he had read and come to understand in his daily life. Close but not there!

Family, we must learn that reading and understanding The Scriptures is important to our growth as followers of The Way. In getting our understanding in The Scriptures, putting that learning into daily practice is a sign or are signs of Whose we are and The Life that we live because of Him. If we only read and understand The Scriptures without daily putting that understanding into practice, then we are close to the Kingdom of The Father but we are NOT in The Kingdom. There are many today who are close to The Kingdom but are NOT in The Kingdom. There are many today that are close to following The Messiah but are NOT truly following Him. There are many that are close to eternal life but do NOT have it because they refuse to fully obey HIM. Close but not there!

Family, life is not about playing a game of horseshoes where you are close enough to get some points. Some points do NOT give you the victory. Some points will have you frustrated and angry because you do NOT get to where it is that you say you want to be. Some points will fool you into thinking that are you good enough to win but at the end of the game (during this life and at the end of this life) you have lost because you lived your life close to The Kingdom but you refused to enter The Kingdom. Don’t be that learned one who has all of the information that is needed to enter The Life but refuses to put all of that learning and understanding into effect in your life! Close = NOT in The Kingdom!

Scriptural References & Note:

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=mark+12&version=HCSB

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Change for The Revelation

Romans 12:1-2 (HCSB) ¹Therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual worship.^[a] ²Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

Proverbs 20:1 (NKJV) ¹Wine is a mocker, Strong drink is a brawler,
And whoever is led astray by it is not wise.

Proverbs 20:1 (HCSB) ¹Wine is a mocker, beer is a brawler,
and whoever staggers because of them is not wise.

A few days ago I had to take a trip for work. While on this trip I went to a social with my colleagues. Attending socials is really not my thing but I have learned that you have to socialize with your colleagues and/or people in order to get to know them and them get to know you. Typically, once your colleagues and/or people get to know you and you get to know them a work-related partnership will develop. These partnerships are needed in order for work to be productive. Sometimes after developing these work-related partnerships, friendships and/or brotherhoods/sisterhoods are developed.

While sitting beside a particular colleague, he began to talk about his relationship with God and experiences that he has had with Him over his life. This colleague knows that I am a preacher as we have discussed our faith in the past. The conversation was spawned because everyone at our tables – except me – had ordered an alcoholic beverage or two or three. It was interesting to him that in the midst of an establishment for drinking and eating, I was disciplined enough to not do what all that were in attendance were doing – order a drink or order a few drinks. Many have come to understand that social drinking is a part of getting to know somebody. Social drinking lowers your guard and the ‘real you’ begins to appear and now colleagues and/or people see the ‘who’ that is inside of you.

My colleague tells me a particular experience where God had answered a question that he asked Him. God didn’t answer at the exact time that he asked Him but God did answer his question in time. God answering his question made him feel close to God. Now, he did let me know that there had been other times when he asked questions and never received answers to his questions. Here is where I come in. He said, “It’s impressive that you didn’t order a drink like me and the others. Is that root beer that I heard you order? I said yes.” He then began to talk about us changing for God. He said, “God wants us to change for Him but we don’t want to do change. We don’t want to give up things to show God how we appreciate Him. Look at me, I ordered a drink and you ordered root beer.” The next part of the dialogue is the wow moment…. He said, “If we give up things – drinking – or whatever it is that we like to do or just have to do, then we can hear more from God and really see what is going on.” Wow!!!

If you will notice in the above paragraph, I did NOT do the majority of the talking. The conversation was initiated and led by someone that is not a preacher nor has ever proclaimed to be a preacher. He has expressed a faith in God and acknowledges that there is a way that God would have us to live. My life – actions – in the presence of temptation is what sparked the conversation. I did NOT order an alcoholic beverage and I did NOT attempt to condemn nor convict any of the colleagues that were in attendance and were partaking of alcoholic festivities. Full disclosure – I do not recommend that anyone should drink alcoholic beverages as there are spiritual ramifications that come with frequent partaking in wine or strong drink (beer, hennessy, patrone, jack daniels, jim bean, etc.). The casual christian or maturing (maybe) believer would more than likely call me a wine bibber, beer bibber or strong drink bibber because I was in a place with those who like to drink alcoholic beverages. The casual drinker observing me not drinking alcoholic beverages would call me a ‘holier than though’ person, even though I said nothing derogatory to any of my colleagues or any other patrons in the establishment who were drinking.

Family, the apostle, empowered by The Father’s Spirit, told us to not be conformed to this world but to have a mind that is ever changing – not evolving -to be more and more like our Messiah (Christ). He wants us to understand that our flesh and ‘our desire to fit in’ will always lead us to do the things that The Father would not have us to do. He wants us to understand that we have to desire to change for The Father and then actually live changed lives everyday for the good pleasure of The Father. It does not matter how folk think about you, it does not matter how folk look at you, it does not matter how folk talk about you and it does not matter how folk attempt to hinder your spiritual maturation; all that matters IS that you are obedient to The Father, you are walking in The Way, you understand how to Worship The Father in Spirit & Truth, you actually Worship The Father in Spirit & Truth every day, and you are allowing your light to shine before men in such a manner that they can see your light and glorify our Father in heaven.

Family, Change is important to your righteous longevity. Change is critical in order to see the revelation that The Father wants you to see. Change is critical if others are going to get to know Who The Father IS. Change – within you – can only be accomplished by truly drawing close to The Father through The Son/The Word/The Messiah/The Christ. Change for the glory of The Only Living Ancient of Days!!!

Shalom (Peace)!

Scriptural References:

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=romans+12&version=HCSB

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=proverbs+20&version=NKJV

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=proverbs+20&version=HCSB

Lying Leaders

Mark 15:1-5 & 9-11 (HCSB) ¹As soon as it was morning, the chief priests had a meeting with the elders, scribes, and the whole Sanhedrin. After tying Jesus up, they led Him away and handed Him over to Pilate. ²So Pilate asked Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” He answered him, “You have said it.”^[a] ³And the chief priests began to accuse Him of many things. ⁴Then Pilate questioned Him again, “Are You not answering anything? Look how many things they are accusing You of!” ⁵But Jesus still did not answer anything, so Pilate was amazed. ⁹So Pilate answered them, “Do you want me to release the King of the Jews for you?” ¹⁰For he knew it was because of envy that the chief priests had handed Him over. ¹¹But the chief priests stirred up the crowd so that he would release Barabbas to them instead.

Revelation 21:8 (HCSB) ⁸But the cowards, unbelievers,^[f] vile, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars—their share will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

As we walk this walk called life, each day we are going to have to deal with situations in which folk around us speak against us without any true or righteous cause for their speaking. You can live your life without any care as to what others are doing in their lives. You can live your life without any animosity, hatred, or envy of those who are around you. You can live your life in such a way that you have no reason to hurt anybody nor do you like to hear or see someone get hurt. You can go around folk with the single intent of allowing your light to shine before them in such a manner that they will look up to heaven and glorify your Father because of your light. Yet, with all of this, some folk are going to plot against you. Envy….

As you walk this walk called life, you are going to have to learn to deal with folk who have what they perceive to be ‘boss status’, and who see you as a threat to their power, position, prosperity, partiality, and purpose. Folk will look at you as someone from somewhere else when you don’t think like they think, when you don’t talk like they talk, when you don’t act like they act, and when you have no ill will towards anybody. Folk will look to destroy you simply because your light is shining bright. Your light is shining so bright that folk who were once under their spell have had the spell broken, have had the curse removed, have had the scales fall from their eyes, and have had an opportunity to truly see them for who they really are. Your light is shining so bright that folk will have no choice – at least from their perspective – but to try to deny the light with which you shine, try to defame your name, try to destroy any good that you do and have done for others, try to dismiss your walk, try to dim your shine, and try to get others to disapprove of whom you have shown yourself to be – not your talking – but your demonstration of true light. Envy….

Family, as we read and dive into Mark chapter 15, we see that the Israelite leadership had come together to question and then devise lies on The Master. These folk were the leaders of the Israelites dwelling in the area of Judea at the time that The Master walked in His human body. The ministers accused Him – lied on Him. Pilate observed the verbal and non-verbal responses from The Master and was amazed at His demeanor in the midst of folk lying on Him – for no GOOD reason. Yet, He did not respond to the accusations – lies on Him. He had no reason to defend Himself because He had not been guilty of breaking any of The Fathers Instructions – lies on Him. Pilate was able to see that the leadership was envious of The Master. Envy will cause people to accuse you and in their envy lie to themselves, lie to you & lie on you of things that they cannot prove. Envy….

Family, you must understand that those who lie lie on you because they are envious of you. Those who lie on you have NOT the Spirit of The Father. Those who lie on you – and some of them are so far gone that they can’t even tell when they are lying – have demonstrated that they are NOT The Father’s children. They are children of the father of lies and follow the words, works and worship of their father who was a liar from the beginning. Family, understand that those liars have a not so pleasant destination awaiting them. Family, if you are that liar, turn away from living as a liar, apologize to those on whom you have lied, and become a child of The Father. You CANNOT live as a liar and live as a child of The Father.

Family, stop following Lying Leaders (like Israel followed), stop allowing Lying Leaders to stir you up (like Israel allowed), stop conceding your life to Lying Leaders (like Israel conceded), stop walking on the broad path that Lying Leaders are on (like Israel walked), and don’t receive a one-way ticket to an eternal destination like Lying Leaders!

Shalom (Peace)!

Scriptural References:

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark%2015&version=HCSB

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation%2021&version=HCSB

This Is The Way

Exodus 19:9 (HCSB) ⁹The Lord said to Moses, “I am going to come to you in a dense cloud, so that the people will hear when I speak with you and will always believe you.” Then Moses reported the people’s words to the Lord.

Exodus 20:1-17 & 22-26 (HCSB) 1 Then God spoke all these words: ²I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the place of slavery. ³Do not have other gods besides Me. ⁴Do not make an idol for yourself, whether in the shape of anything in the heavens above or on the earth below or in the waters under the earth. ⁵You must not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the fathers’ sin, to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, ⁶but showing faithful love to a thousand generations of those who love Me and keep My commands. ⁷Do not misuse the name of the Lord your God, because the Lord will not leave anyone unpunished who misuses His name. ⁸Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy: ⁹You are to labor six days and do all your work, ¹⁰but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. You must not do any work—you, your son or daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the foreigner who is within your gates. ¹¹For the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and everything in them in six days; then He rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and declared it holy. ¹²Honor your father and your mother so that you may have a long life in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. ¹³Do not murder. ¹⁴Do not commit adultery. ¹⁵Do not steal. ¹⁶Do not give false testimony against your neighbor. ¹⁷Do not covet your neighbor’s house. Do not covet your neighbor’s wife, his male or female slave, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.

²²Then the Lord told Moses, “This is what you are to say to the Israelites: You have seen that I have spoken to you from heaven. ²³You must not make gods of silver to rival Me; you must not make gods of gold for yourselves.^[d] ²⁴“You must make an earthen altar for Me and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, your sheep and goats, as well as your cattle. I will come to you and bless you in every place where I cause My name to be remembered. ²⁵If you make a stone altar for Me, you must not build it out of cut stones. If you use your chisel on it, you will defile it. ²⁶You must not go up to My altar on steps, so that your nakedness is not exposed on it.

Psalm 1:1-2 (NKJV) ¹Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ^[a]ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; ²But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he ^[b]meditates day and night.

Psalm 119:105-108 (NKJV) ¹⁰⁵Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path. ¹⁰⁶I have sworn and confirmed That I will keep Your righteous judgments. ¹⁰⁷I am afflicted very much; Revive me, O Lord, according to Your word. ¹⁰⁸Accept, I pray, the freewill offerings of my mouth, O Lord, And teach me Your judgments.

Mark 12:29-34 (HCSB) ²⁹“This is the most important,”^[n] Jesus answered: Listen, Israel! The Lord our God, the Lord is One.^[o] ³⁰Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.^[p][q] ³¹“The second is: Love your neighbor as yourself.^[r] There is no other command greater than these.” ³²Then the scribe said to Him, “You are right, Teacher! You have correctly said that He is One, and there is no one else except Him. ³³And to love Him with all your heart, with all your understanding,^[s] and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself, is far more important than all the burnt offerings and sacrifices.” ³⁴When Jesus saw that he answered intelligently, He said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And no one dared to question Him any longer.

John 14:23-24 (HCSB) ²³Jesus answered, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word. My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. ²⁴The one who doesn’t love Me will not keep My words. The word that you hear is not Mine but is from the Father who sent Me.

John 17:3 (HCSB) ³This is eternal life: that they may know You, the only true God, and the One You have sent—Jesus Christ.

Revelation 12:17 (NKJV) ¹⁷And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus ^[c]Christ.

Revelation 14:12 (HCSB) ¹²This demands the perseverance^[k] of the saints, who keep God’s commands and their faith in Jesus.”^[l]

Revelation 18:4-5 (HCSB) ⁴Then I heard another voice from heaven: Come out of her, My people, so that you will not share in her sins or receive any of her plagues. ⁵For her sins are piled up^[e] to heaven, and God has remembered her crimes.

Revelation 22:12-17 (NKJV) ¹²“And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. ¹³I am the Alpha and the Omega, the ^[f]Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.” ¹⁴Blessed are those who ^[g]do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. ^15 [h]But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie. ¹⁶“I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.” ¹⁷And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.

Fire For Your Salvation

Jeremiah 1:4-4 (HCSB) ⁴The word of the Lord came to me: ⁵I chose you before I formed you in the womb; I set you apart before you were born. I appointed you a prophet to the nations.

Jeremiah 20:8-9 (HCSB) ⁸For whenever I speak, I cry out, I proclaim, “Violence and destruction!” because the word of the Lord has become for me constant disgrace and derision.⁹If I say, “I won’t mention Him or speak any longer in His name,” His message becomes a fire burning in my heart, shut up in my bones. I become tired of holding it in, and I cannot prevail.

John 14:21 (HCSB) ²¹The one who has My commands and keeps them is the one who loves Me. And the one who loves Me will be loved by My Father. I also will love him and will reveal Myself to him.”

Philippians 2:12 (HCSB) ¹²So then, my dear friends, just as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now even more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

As each of us lives in this world, there are many thoughts or things that many of us desire. Some desire to always live in a life of vacation – not having to or needing to work. Some desire to always live in close proximity to their biological relatives and childhood friends. Some desire to not be in the presence of anybody they are biologically related to or grew up with. Some desire to always live as the center of attention. Some desire to always live in the position of first in every thought, word and deed. Some desire to always live in a position of knowing that others want to be them or want to be with them. Some desire to always live in a place of peace, tranquility and having no problems. And then there are some who desire nothing more than to be chaos, to be confusion, to be disorder and to be trouble.

The prophet Jeremiah was a man who was chosen for his assignment before he even graced his mother’s womb. The prophet Jeremiah was not like many popular prophets of today. The prophet Jeremiah – who was assigned to be a prophet to the nations – did not prophecy peace, wealth, prosperity, and all of the desires of people’s heart – the nation of Israel and the other nations. The prophet Jeremiah proclaimed a word, cried out that word, spoke only the word that did not please his hearers as his hearers did not want to hear what The Creator had to say about how they were living nor wanted to believe that The Creator would reject them and send them into bondage. The prophet Jeremiah would not be well thought of today, nor invited to the family cookout, nor be invited to latest and greatest congregational gathering, nor thought to be a great preacher, teacher, proclaimer or messenger, nor be paid by the people ‘who wanted to hear from The Lord’.

The prophet Jeremiah was on fire from The Creator. Because of his messages from The Creator, in the people’s eyes, Jeremiah was a disgrace, was scoffed at, and made a mockery. It is interesting that this ‘Man of God’ was a disgrace, a scoffer, and mocked by the people yet he was the oracle by whom The Creator chose to use to forecast the pain that was coming to His People because that had chosen to abandon The Instructions that He had given through that old prophet named Moses. It is interesting that this ‘Man of God’ was a disgrace, a scoffer, and mocked by the people yet he was the oracle by whom The Creator was giving His People an opportunity to turn from their wicked ways and be received back into His Loving Arms. It is interesting that this ‘Man of God’ was a disgrace, a scoffer, and mocked by the people yet he was the oracle by whom The Creator was using to show all nations what it would be like if they chose not to hear His Word, chose not be subject to His Word, and chose to reject Him and all that He desires for them to be. It is interesting that this ‘Man of God’ was a disgrace, a scoffer, and mocked by the people yet he was the oracle by whom The Creator was please with.

The prophet Jeremiah obeyed The Father even when it did not feel good to him, obeyed The Father even when the folk mocked him, obeyed The Father even when folk didn’t think well of him, obeyed The Father even when folk began to talk about him even if they thought that he was coming to them, and obeyed The Father even when he was tired of being the spectacle that he was created to be. The prophet Jeremiah was filled with The Spirit – just as John the Baptist & The Messiah – which is the fire within his bones that he references in verse 9 of chapter 20. When The Spirit -The Anointing, The Fire, The Seal – is within you, the message that you have been given is a message from The Father that you must proclaim and you are not able to keep it to yourself as it was never intended for you to keep, but to give away. The prophet Jeremiah worked to please The Father in spite of the pain that he had to endure as he worked the work of salvation for his natural nation and the adopted nations (note: this refers to the natural branch and adopted branch that Paul speaks of in the epistle to the Romans). The prophet Jeremiah knew The Instructions of The Creator, held onto The Instructions from The Creator, and lived out The Instructions of The Creator. The prophet Jeremiah was not created to please the folk. The prophet Jeremiah did not choose to please folk by not telling them what The Creator said, and did not choose to please folk by adding to or subtracting from the word for them from The Creator.

Family, if you love The Father & The Son, obey His Word with fear and trembling. To fear Him is to know and understand His Power, His Authority, His Dominion, His Immutability, His Everlastingness, His Sovereignty, and His Uniqueness. To tremble before Him is to realize your limited capacity, your finiteness, your powerlessness, you’re created in His image and your life is in His Hands. Family, work out your own soul’s salvation by coming to Him in Spirit & in Truth, by surrendering His image back to Him, by knowing what He has said and obeying His Word, and then by living as a citizen of His Kingdom while you tarry for The Master’s return. Family, get that fire that the prophet Jeremiah had and stand firm on fire for your salvation and the salvation of others.

Shalom (Peace)!

Scriptural References:

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jeremiah+1&version=HCSB

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jeremiah%2020&version=HCSB

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=JOHN+14&version=HCSB

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians2&version=HCSB

The Good Thing For Eternal Life

Matthew 19:16-19 (NKJV) ¹⁶Now behold, one came and said to Him, “Good^[d] Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?” ¹⁷So He said to him, ^[e]“Why do you call Me good? ^[f]No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.” ¹⁸He said to Him, “Which ones?” Jesus said, “‘You shall not murder,’ ‘You shall not commit adultery,’ ‘You shall not steal,’ ‘You shall not bear false witness,’ ¹⁹‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ ”

Revelation 22:14-15 (NKJV) ¹⁴Blessed are those who ^[g]do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. ^15 [h]But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie.

As we look at this world and grow to have our own opinions, we come to an understanding of what is good and what is bad. The understanding that we received may have come from a person or organization; or it may have come from within us. Once we have developed our own definition of what is good and what is bad, we evaluate everything in life based on our definition of what is good and what is bad. As we grow, we learn that how we define good or bad is not necessarily how others define what is good or what is bad. Sometimes that definition can be defined based upon how we feel about something or someone, sometimes it can be based upon how our parents or system of understanding have taught us, sometimes it can be based upon how the people with whom we fellowship have taught us, or sometimes it can be defined by whatever spirit we subject ourselves to. Understanding what is good versus what is bad is important to us as each has a particular destination for us at the end of our journey along the path called good or the path called bad.

As we examine Matthew 19:16-19, we have a young man who has come to The Master Teacher with a profound and eternity based question. He called The Master good based on his understanding of what is considered to be good. He called The Master good based on the actions that The Master displayed as He walked among His people of Judea. He called The Master good because the Judeans were taught from The Word of The Father (some call it the Law of Moses) on what is good and what is bad. He called The Master good because The Master’s walk was in perfect alignment with The Spirit embedded in The Word from The Father. He called The Master good because their was no fault in Him when His life and actions were examined to see if they met the standard for how The Father defined what is good and what is bad.

As we examine Matthew 19:16-19, we have a young man who has come to The Master Teacher with a profound and eternity based question. The young man had been taught what is good and how to display what was good in the eyes of The Father. Now, the young man asked The Master Teacher, who walked the walk as He talked the talk of eternity, a question about his eternal destination. The Master looked at him and told him to follow The Instructions that are given in Exodus 20. Ahhh, here it is. The Master is providing the straight and narrow path for the young man to follow into his destiny. The Master does not provide him a riddle to solve to understand his destiny. The Master does not tell him to go and get several college degrees to understand his destiny. The Master does not tell him that he does not have the right secret symbols or handshakes to enter into his destiny. The Master simply tells him to do what was taught to Israel by Moses after Israel had come away from Egypt.

Family, this same question asked by this young man is asked by many people across the earth. The answer to the question is so simple that many have trouble even believing that it is as simple as The Master told the young man. Many want to add and have added to what The Master said. Many want to take away and have taken away from what The Master said. Many do not want to follow what The Master has said, but will follow what fallible, empty and prideful men have told and continue to tell them. Many will follow powerless traditions that come from the cunningness of the chief of liars and all those on his team.

Family, The Master in His pre-resurrection body told the young man and us what Good Thing we need to do in order to Enter Eternal Life. The Master in His post-resurrection body has told us what Good Thing we need to do in order to Enter Eternal Life. The Father’s Word is the same yesterday, today and forevermore. The Father does not change. He is Good, Great, Giving and Glorious! Family, do what The Master has told us to do.

Family, stop following those who speak, teach, preach and live contrary to what The Master has said. Family, stop fooling yourself into thinking that your bad way of thinking, bad way of speaking and bad way of living is actually good in the eyes of The Father. The world has taught you that all of this bad that you see is good and the minimal amount of good that you see is bad. Family, He has spoken…let all of the disciples say So Be It, say Halleluyah, and say that It Is So! Family, make sure that you don’t walk away from The Master like the young man did, but that you take to heart what The Master has said and do the Good Thing to Enter Eternal Life!

Shalom (Peace)!

Scriptural References:

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew+19&version=NKJV

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=revelation+22&version=NKJV

Study For Your Life

2 Timothy 2:15 (HCSB) ¹⁵Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who doesn’t need to be ashamed, correctly teaching the word of truth.

As we look around, we see many people who have a desire to be approved. Some want to be approved by a man. Some want to be approved by a woman. Some want to be approved by their family. Some want to be approved by an organization. Some want to be approved by a team. Some want to be approved by leadership. And some just want to be approved…they don’t care who or what approves them, they just want to be approved. Approval…..

What you must understand is that the approval of people is fickle. What do I mean by fickle? Many people are only going to follow their own emotions. So, if they follow their emotions, that means that some times they like you and some times they don’t or won’t like you. Some times they will not even want you in their presence. Now, if you are only joyful – notice that I didn’t say happy – when someone or some organization approves of you, then you have a major problem. Better stated, you have given a person or an organization power over who are, who you desire to be, and what you are able to achieve. Their Approval…

What you, my friend, must understand is that your worth is not found in a person or organization nor whether that person or organization approves of you or not. Your worth is in the fact that you have been created in the image of The Creator. And because you have been created in His Image and because you are able to shine as He Shines, then you are valuable to Him. What you, my friend, must understand is that you must learn more about Him and how He desires for His image bearers to live and represent Him. What you, my friend, must understand is that in order to truly shine to the brightness that you were created to display, you must study what it is that He has said to us. You must understand that His Message – His Word – will give you the recognition that you have been attempting to receive from people and/or organizations. His Approval…

Family, Paul, led by The Holy Spirit has given us a word of encouragement. I know he directed it to his student Timothy; but this word is not only for a young leader but for an old leader, for a non-leader, for a man growing in his faith, for a woman who is about to lose her faith, for a young person who wants to have just a little faith, for a woman of faith who’s faith is constantly being tested, and for that one who cares not to have any faith in promised The Messiah (The Anointed One). Studying The Word will show you who you currently are and who you are capable of becoming. Studying The Word will show you some folks who were in the same situation as you and some folks who were in worse situations than you but they were delivered from their miserable, dreadful, painful and sad situations. Studying The Word will empower you when it seems that the enemy and your enemies have defeated you. Studying The Word will show you how The Eternal One stepped into time to defeat your eternal, material, and mortal enemy for you and to show you the Right Way to eternity while you are still in time.

Family, stop killing yourself for the approval of a man, a woman or an organization and truly begin your journey of pleasing The One in who’s image you have been created. You may be tarnished right now but studying His Word can and will give you the shine that you so desperately desire. Study The Word and receive The Only Approval that really matters from The Right Authority who has always had your best interest in His Mind! It’s go time……time to go unroll the scrolls and get your approval!

Shalom (Peace)!

Scriptural Reference:

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+timothy+2&version=HCSB

True Freedom

Genesis 2:15-16 (HCSB) ¹⁵The Lord God took the man and placed him in the garden of Eden to work it and watch over it. ¹⁶And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree of the garden, ¹⁷but you must not eat^[m] from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for on the day you eat from it, you will certainly die.”

John 8:30-31 (HCSB) ³¹So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word,^[i] you really are My disciples. ³²You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Freedom is a concept that is multi-faceted. Freedom politically given does not mean that you are free socially. Freedom socially accepted does not mean that you are free respectfully. Freedom temporarily given does not mean that you are free eternally. Freedom physically given does not mean that you are free emotionally. Freedom emotionally given does not mean that you are free mentally. Freedom mentally given does not mean that you are free spiritually. Again, freedom is a multi-faceted concept that many want you to believe is simple…”if you are free then and only then are free you”. Freedom according to this world’s standard is not that simple phrase!

Adam was born free, spiritually and physically, and was able to partake of the best that has ever been created on this earth. With Adam’s freedom came one restriction – don’t eat of this one particular tree. With Adam’s freedom came the opportunity to display his obedience to The Word and the opportunity to display his discipline to refrain from something that he was told would cause him to spiritually die, and, something that many miss, that spiritual death brings with it bondage. Adam was told to stay away from that thing that would cause his spiritual walk to become a natural walk, that would cause his spiritual connection with The Creator to become severed, that would cause his spiritual image of The Creator to become tarnished, and that would cause him and those after him to need someone to restore that spiritual image, connection and walk. We shouldn’t be too hard on Adam because, for many of us, being told ‘don’t do that’ sounds to us like ‘go do that’.

Family, your freedom is not dictated by some crafty, slick, serpent-minded man, woman, leader, organization or policy. Your freedom is a spiritual freedom that should be displayed in the natural. Your freedom was eternal, brought to earth, and has returned to the eternal. The Word came so that you might be free. I say might as many will not rely on The Word for their eternal freedom. Temporal, political, social, physical, emotional and mental bondage is received the moment you refuse to receive and obey The Creator. Many walk around clothed in what is perceived to be freedom but their freedom is only disguised by events, activities, explosions, and festivities. Many cover up their bondage by busy-ness while telling themselves that they are free and trying to show others that they are free.

Family, if you truly want to be free – obey The Creator. If you truly want to be free – stopping making idols – better understood to be gods – of men, women, organizations, events and festivities. If you truly want to be free – start obeying The Father’s Son and follow His example of always pleasing The Father. If you truly want to be free – start understanding that The Kingdom is at hand and The Father’s desire is for you to be within His Kingdom. If you truly want to be free – start living under the authority of The King who has no beginning nor ending. If you truly want to be free – start living from the mind-set, heart-set and eye-set of eternal freedom has come to you, has come for you, and is available to you so that you can be the glory of The Son as you are afforded each day to live. Let your Freedom Light shine bright as you live each day from (continuing in) The Word that came for you from The Father!

Shalom (Peace)!

Scriptural References:

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=genesis+2&version=HCSB

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=john+8&version=HCSB