Now that is kind of a mind-bender, isn’t it? Think about it. Here is this man who has been sick for 38 years and Jesus approaches him and says to him, “Sir, do you wish to get well?” It would kind of be like asking a man who had been lost in the desert for over 30 years- “Would you like me to show you the way out?”

But you know what the truth is? We might not really want to get well. Sometimes we allow ourselves to get so comfortable with our state of misery and darkness, that we have almost made it our friend. Darkness has silently and stealthily become our “security blanket.”

So, before Jesus could heal this man, He had to get him into agreement with life.

Beloved, you might be struggling right now with sadness, loneliness, or physical pain. You may have been unhappy from your earliest memory. Perhaps you grew up in a family and there was a spirit of depression in your home. Spirits are oftentimes generational and run through families. This is why oftentimes we hear people say, “I don’t want to be like my dad,” or “I don’t want to be like my mom.” And often they end up just like them.

Why? Because they were raised under a spirit and the spirit continues to be passed on through the family. If today you’re at a place where you are saying to yourself: “I wish I was not depressed. I do not want to be down all the time. I wish I was not feeling lonely all the time.” Know that, Jesus is knocking at the door of your heart. He is wanting to bring you out of your darkness and into His light, but He has to get you into agreement first. Yeshua wants to bless you with supernatural recovery, but you have to make up your mind. You have to make a decision of your will.

Are you so sick and tired of being in the condition that you are in that you will say to Yeshua, “Enough is enough. Jesus, I do want to get well. Please make me whole.”

Now take a hold of Him by faith and receive His healing, restoration, and peace into your life and you will have super natural recovery!

The post Supernatural Recovery appeared first on Discovering The Jewish Jesus.

I once heard a former President say: “The problem with you Christians is that you don’t stick together; you’re not in unity. If you guys would be in unity, you would
be so powerful.”

Unity brings life, division produces death.

Our potential to change and impact the world is contingent on our being in unity.

Think about how much more the church would accomplish in the earth if we were united together as a movement, as one voice, as one body.

Consider with me:
Unity is hard to defeat: And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart. Ecclesiastes 4:12

Unity Works:
“Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor; for if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls
when there is not another to lift him up!”Ecclesiastes 4: 9, 10

Unity Strengthens:
“As iron sharpens iron, So one person sharpens another.” Proverbs 27:17

Unity Involves Jesus!
“Where two or three are gathered together, I am in the midst” (Matthew 18:20).

God called us to be one people, a family, and a body. His desire is that we function in unity, standing together as one.

This is why Paul went to such great lengths to say:
“For the body is not one part, but many. If the foot says, ‘Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body, it is not for this reason any less a part of the body. And if the ear says, Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body, it is not for this reason any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? But now God has arranged the parts, each one of them in the body, just as He desired’” (1 Corinthians 12: 14-18).

We need all the different parts of our physical body to be able to function correctly as human beings. Paul uses that analogy to tell us that the body is only whole and can only function properly when we all come together.

Unity is Precious:
I love Psalm 133, a Psalm of David. The first line says this,
“Behold, how good and pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity.” Then he goes on to say, “It is like the precious oil upon the head, coming down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard, coming down upon the edge of his robes. It’s like the dew of Hermon…”

Aaron the high priest, the oil came down upon him, starting from his head going all the way down his robe, all the way down his body. That’s what the anointing is like when God’s people come together. When we gather under His banner as an unified force, the anointing falls.

We need to come together as a powerful army that can act together for God’s purposes here and right now—in the earth.

We see the power of unity expressed in Nehemiah chapter 4. The Jewish people had gone into Jerusalem to rebuild the walls of the Temple, and when they went in, the enemies of God started attacking them. They were determined to stop them! Sound familiar? So, they had to come together as one man, as one body, united, each one doing their part in order to successfully build the wall.

In verse 7 and 8 of Nehemiah chapter 4:
“Now when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites heard that the repair of the walls of Jerusalem went on, and that the breaches began to be closed, they were very angry. So all of them conspired together to come to fight against Jerusalem and to cause confusion in it.”

When God’s purpose is moving forward the enemy immediately sees it and he begins to gather his forces together. It wasn’t just one, it was all of them. It was Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites. All of them, all these different forces came together to fight against God’s people.

Beloved, we are facing so many determined enemies on the front right now. There are so many movements that are anti-God and they’re coming together to fight us as
believers. We must come together to fight back. We will prevail when we do, because Yeshua said,

“I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against us” (Matthew 16:18).

Again…
“Write down the vision And inscribe it clearly on tablets, So that one who reads it may run.” Habakkuk 2:2

Gathering His Army
We have access to a very powerful and effective tool to unify us – texting.

Through texting you and I can come together as an army to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world. When something happens that we need to respond to, I can release a mass text to everybody and together we can then launch a “counter offensive,” just like God’s people did in the days of Nehemiah. Together we will be able to stand as a united front.

I’m believing for 120,000 of God’s people to sign up to receive personal texts from me. Each text will come directly from me in real-time. I will only text when God lays a message on my heart or when something is going on in the earth that I feel that God is calling us to respond to. Think about the impact of 120,000 people united as one and speaking forth together! We immediately can get on that cause and see the tide change and effect a shift because of the power there is in unity.

There are so many things happening in the world right now that as God’s children we need to respond to, in unity as an army. But unless we’re united and do it in force as a group, we will have little impact alone.

Here is what I am humbly asking you to do today—Type the keyword R-A-B-B-I (Rabbi), to the phone number 88777. Together we can have a great impact in accomplishing God’s Kingdom purposes and improve life for God’s people on the earth.

That’s all you have to do. It’s completely confidential. Your number will not be given to anybody. And the only one that you’re going to hear from is me (not my assistant, or anybody else).

Beloved, let’s raise up an army. If we attack together—if we all write an email together, in other words, if we have 120,000 people writing an email to someplace—think about the impact that we can have. Imagine 120,000 people coming against a comment that was made on a radio program, on a television program. I’m telling you,
we can do so much if we’ll only come together to do it.

The time of sitting passively on the sidelines is over. Let us raise our voices together, we have God on our side – and it is time we act like it!

Obviously, the enemy is using technology for destructive purposes. But God can use technology for His purposes. Think about it, who created the brain that invented these things in the first place? Let’s give technology a God-filled purpose.

When I offer this texting service, not only will it be an effective tool to unite us, but I am also trying to bring closer to me those of you that love me, and feel connected with me. Many have shared with me how much my texts have comforted and helped them. I hope and trust they will be a blessing to you too!
“
Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.”
– Helen Keller

To receive personal texts from Rabbi, in real-time – simply text the keyword Rabbi to 88777.

The post Gathering His Army—A Call to Unity appeared first on Discovering The Jewish Jesus.

All of God’s appointed Holy Days have dual applications. Firstly in their original historical context to Israel, and secondly as they relate to their ultimate fulfillment in Messiah Jesus.

What is the ultimate and prophetic message of The Feast of Trumpets? Again, we find in Leviticus that it was “a reminder by the blowing of trumpets.” So, we ask ourselves, what should the blowing of the trumpet remind us of?

The answer is found in Exodus 19, where we find approximately three million Jews encamped at the base of Mount Sinai. The Lord manifested a dramatic demonstration of His power by sounding a trumpet— shofar from heaven. As it grew louder and louder, the people were in awe, and became terrified! When the divine trumpet reached a crescendo of intensity, the Lord spoke from heaven and Israel was marked forever.

Beloved, the blowing of the shofar from heaven in Exodus 19 was a precursor, an introduction to the return of Messiah Jesus and the kingdom of God breaking into the earth.

Hear me, the prophetic counterpart to this divine encounter, is found in the book of Revelation—when the final shofar from heaven is blown.

“The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: ‘The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah, and he will reign for ever and ever.’” Revelation 11:15

“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who remain, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.” 1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17

Beloved, the exact date of Yeshua’s return is not known by those of us on earth today. But the season is revealed in His Word and there is little doubt that His return will happen soon.

“But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near” (Luke 21:28).

Be mindful, that the last words that Jesus spoke in the Book of Revelation are: “Behold, I come quickly.”

The question is: Are you and everyone that you love—READY?

The post A Reminder – He is Coming! appeared first on Discovering The Jewish Jesus.

“Through Him then, let’s continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips praising His name” (Hebrews 13:15).

But when is praise a sacrifice?

Praise becomes a sacrifice when we choose to exalt Father in spite of our emotions or even when our situation does not dictate it. In other words, we don’t feel like it, but we do it anyways! When it does not make any sense to praise God in the temporal or the natural, we still praise and magnify the Lord!

One of my all-time favorite Scriptures is Habakkuk 3:17-19,

“Even if the fig tree does not blossom, And there is no fruit on the vines, If the yield of the olive fails, And the fields produce no food, Even if the flock disappears from the fold, And there are no cattle in the stalls, Yet I will triumph in the LORD, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation. The Lord GOD is my strength, And He has made my feet like deer’s feet, And has me walk on my high places.”

Because it really comes down to:
Do we have more trust in our situation, or more faith in the power of God?

“For nothing will be impossible with God” (Luke 1:37).

I once heard a story about Smith Wigglesworth, the plumber turned evangelist during the late 1800s to early 1900s in Britain. When someone would ask him how he was feeling, he would automatically respond, “I never ask myself how I’m feeling. I just get in alignment with God and praise Him.”

Friend, it is easy to praise Him when everything is going well. But when things are contrary, we need to stir ourselves up, recall all of His marvelous promises, and recount every time that He has brought us through. We need to constantly bring our heart and mind into alignment with God’s Word.

Praise shifts the atmosphere and translates us into the realm of the Holy Spirit.

When we just lost our job and are not sure how we will pay the bills – Praise Him anyways.

When we or a loved one is sick or going through a trial –Praise Him like we mean it!

When the world is out of control and has run amok – Sing even louder!

No matter what it appears like, God is faithful.

“Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God” (Psalm 42:5 NIV).

Beloved, praise your way to victory!

The post Sacrifice of Our Lips appeared first on Discovering The Jewish Jesus.

Some of you may be wondering why I am so determined and insistent on confronting the LGBTQ community. And is the rainbow really that important? I hope that by sharing its divine origin and nature, it will help you to not only understand my position and call, but also encourage you “get on board.” Beloved, the proper place where the rainbow belongs is with us, God’s children.

First, all the colors of the rainbow are contained in white light. When white light from the sun hits rain, the water droplets in the rain act as a prism that divides the white light by bending its wavelengths. The different wavelengths create the colors you see in a rainbow.

God Himself is light (1 John 1:5) and all colors have their origin in white light. This gives us a sense of how beautiful God is. Think about what the Earth would look like without color. It would be lifeless. The rainbow and all its colors are an expression of our Creator’s unimaginable beauty.

There are 7 colors that make up a rainbow. This is no coincidence. The number 7 has special meaning in the Bible—God created the Earth in 7 days, Noah took 7 sets of every clean animal into the ark, the temple menorah has seven candles, and the Book of Revelation is filled with the number 7— seven stars, seven seals, seven trumpets, seven Spirits of God, and more!

There are actually 3 primary colors in a rainbow: red, yellow, and blue. Three is another significant number in Scripture. When you are baptized, it is done in the name of the triune God (the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit); Yeshua rose on the third day! The ancient temple had three sections (the outer court, the holy place, and the Holy of Holies), and there are 3 patriarchs of the Hebrew Bible (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob).

Beloved, the rainbow is a sacred symbol established by God as a sign of His everlasting love for and covenant with you and I. The rainbow is not some emblem for the gay community to parade as their own.

“When the rainbow is in the cloud, then I will look at it, to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.” Genesis 9:16

When someone creates something, they own it. The rainbow was created by God. He has the copyright, patent, and exclusive permit of use for His purpose. It is time for us to stand together, arm in arm to create a movement. This movement is about more than just the rainbow it is about God’s people being an army that stands against and opposes unrighteousness.

“And He who was sitting was like a jasper stone and sardius in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, like an emerald in appearance.” Revelation 4:3

The post The True Meaning appeared first on Discovering The Jewish Jesus.

It’s time for a consolidated movement within the body of Christ to stand up as one and oppose the LGBTQ agenda. It is an affront to the holiness of God and strikes at the very core of His divine blueprint in creation. In the beginning, “God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. God blessed them; and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply.’” (Genesis 1:27, 28) Our heart goes out with compassion to all who are hurting, but as God’s people, we must stand up in righteousness to the LGBTQ movement and its hijacking of the rainbow.

The rainbow is a sacred symbol placed in the sky by God Himself to communicate His love for humanity. It is the sign of an everlasting covenant. This still holds true today. The rainbow is a divine symbol of promise and hope. “When the rainbow is in the cloud, then I will look at it, to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth” (Genesis 9:16).

The enemy has intentionally gone after this sacred symbol of God’s covenant because he hates God. Satan has attempted to pervert a symbol of innocence into something perverse and foul. And we, the Church, have been passive, asleep and in denial about the stakes at hand.

Many of us have completely surrendered the use of the rainbow to the LGBTQ movement.

LET’S WAKE UP!

When Ezekiel saw the glory of the Lord, he said: “Like the appearance of the rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the surrounding radiance. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell on my face and heard a voice speaking” (Ezekiel 1:28).

Also, consider what the Apostle John saw when he was called up in the Spirit to see heaven: “And He who was sitting was like a jasper stone and a sardius in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, like an emerald in appearance” (Revelation 4:3).

Beloved, it is time to stop standing idly by and ignoring the gay community’s hijacking of the rainbow. The reality is, here we are as Christian people, intimidated to even talk about the rainbow, be associated with the rainbow, or wear any clothing with a rainbow on it. The LGBTQ group has made it exclusively their own symbol.

Unfortunately, UNTIL NOW, the majority of God’s people have been too scared to open their mouths. Many who self-identify as Christians will not touch this issue with a 10-foot pole.

But the Rainbow belongs to God. He created it, He declared its true purpose, and He chose to be surrounded by it – PERIOD!

It is time that we reclaim the rainbow for the glory of God. It is time to unify God’s people to stand up and counter the LGBTQ movement and its peril. We must act now for the protection and preservation of our family, our children, and our nation. This is the most pressing social/moral issue in the world today.

We need to adjust our thinking and accept that sometimes the truth hurts.

Too often, as a result of our human compassion for people, we find ourselves aligned with our emotions rather than with God’s Word. Our hearts can become so entangled with a situation that our compassion blinds us to the truth.

“… do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God” (James 4:4).

As a result of our desire to love and accept people, many that call themselves believers have accepted and even embraced the LGBTQ movement. Too often, they justify this as “human compassion” and are unaware that they have positioned themselves against the written Word of God.

The truth is evident in the creation of mankind. A man and a man cannot create children, and a woman and a woman cannot make children.

That alone should instill enough common sense to realize that men with men and women with women are not what God originally intended for His creation. From the very onset, it was clear that homosexuality has never ever been part of God’s divine design. It is 100% contrary to it.

It really is as simple as this: “So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. God blessed them; and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth’” (Genesis 1:27, 28).

Despite how much sympathy, empathy, compassion, concern, and love we have for those that are living in same-sex relationships, we cannot let our human emotions carry us away from the truth of God’s character and Word.

Beloved, this lie is destroying our culture, confusing people, and unraveling the moral fiber of society. Tolerance of evil is not a solution; it is a recipe for destruction.

Recently, I saw a young girl on TV who, when she was just four years old, started telling her mother that she wanted to be a boy. By the age of 7, this young girl began taking hormone pills to delay going through puberty and had started the transgendering process.

Where have we gone? How far will we go? It’s horrendous; it’s terrible! The pressure that is now being put on parents to allow their children to choose their sex when they are little kids is horrifying! The pain that often follows children and young adults who go through hormone treatment and surgery—then afterward regret what they have done—is unimaginable.

Let me say to those of you who are trapped in same-sex attractions: Jesus loves you and I do too. No one is judging you, but there is a difference between loving you and blessing what is wrong.

I am so sorry; I do not mean to offend you. I am not trying to instill any type of animosity; I am just simply telling the truth. I care too much not to tell you the truth.

So have I become your enemy by telling you the truth?” (Galatians 4:16).

This devastating scheme of the enemy has changed the face of morality and quickly impacted and wounded the entire planet. God-fearing people are afraid, neutralized, and silenced.

This has got to stop!

“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” Edmund Burke (1729-97)

We can no longer stand silent and complacent on the sidelines. We must reclaim the Glory of the rainbow for its original purpose and, in so doing, neutralize the LGBTQ’s use of it. There are so many more of us, and we have the truth on our side. We need to have the moral courage to take it back. Unfortunately, the way that society often Rabbi with attendee at Passover weekend.

Rabbi wearing his TakingBackTheRainbow T-shirt operates is to allow the vocal minority to silence a passive majority. We, as God’s people, need to unite and restore the rainbow back to its proper place—a divine symbol of God’s beauty, love, glory and covenant. It is time to become the loud and bold majority!

I challenge you, encourage you, and implore you—rise up!

“You are the salt of the earth… You are the light of the world” (Matthew 5:13 & 14).

We need to provide light to our culture. We need to do something!

If not now, when? If not you, then who?

Come join with others across this country that have decided to reclaim the rainbow – as God’s!

The post The Movement Has Begun! appeared first on Discovering The Jewish Jesus.

Then suddenly, what the God of Israel had done 1,500 years earlier materialized! The Lord appeared again, in an instant, revealing Himself with the same glory and fire that Moses and the children of Israel had encountered at Mount Sinai. 

“When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly a noise like a violent rushing wind came from heaven, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with different tongues, as the Spirit was giving them the ability to speak out” (Acts 2:1-4). 

This day became known in Greek as Pentecost and is called in Hebrew, Shavuot. Shavuot/Pentecost occurs 50 days after Passover. 

Yeshua had promised us a helper, and on that glorious day, He came—the One who walks alongside us and live within us. Since that day, all believers possess a power unlike anything else on this earth! 

“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and remind you of all that I said to you” (John 14:26). 

Beloved, the Holy Spirit is living inside us to guide us, teach us, help us, and comfort us. With God inhabiting us, nothing is impossible! The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives in us! (Romans 8:11) 

There is nothing to fear, no reason to doubt, and no ploy of the enemy that can defeat us. 

“Behold, I have given you authority to walk on snakes and scorpions, and authority over all the power of the enemy, and nothing will injure you” (Luke 10:19). 

We are invincible. We are conquerors. We will reign forever with Him in glory! 

We are supernatural beings! As the Holy season of Pentecost is upon us, invite Father to interrupt your life with His glory and fire. Ask Him to change and refine you! 

The post The Beginning of Our Advantage  appeared first on Discovering The Jewish Jesus.

But beloved, this “place” can only be discovered and apprehended through the supernatural. 

The supernatural is actually all about the endless love of the Father. The reason and purpose for the supernatural is to bring us into a greater revelation and experience of His love. And when we understand and trust this, we will seek for the supernatural in our lives. 

In reality, God’s kingdom is the kingdom of supernatural love and He is longing for two things. 

First, He wants to love us. He wants us to receive that love, to let Him in. He is standing at the door of our hearts and knocking. 

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me” (Revelation 3:20). 

Second, He desires to be loved by us. 

“The one who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and the one who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will reveal Myself to him” (John 14:21). 

“If anyone loves Me, he will follow My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our dwelling with him” (John 14:23). 

But we often put other things in place of faithfully loving God as our priority. We can subtly and unknowingly substitute busyness or going through the motions, all the while feeling like we are working for and serving Him. 

“I know your deeds and your labor and perseverance.” 

Revelation 2:2 

They were faithful. They were committed. But Jesus goes on to say: “But I have this against you, that you have left your first love” (Revelation 2:4). 

Have you possibly drifted unconsciously into that place? You have been faithfully going to church, tithing, reading your Bible, singing in the choir, and so forth; but Jesus is looking for something more from you and me. He is wanting us to love Him. 

You can be brought into a deeper encounter with your loving Father by realizing how much He loves you and is present with you. We can only grasp this through the supernatural revelation of the Holy Spirit. 

“Father, we ask You to burn into our hearts through the Ruach Ha Kodesh how loved we are by You in Yeshua. And Father that You would also burn within our hearts that same fiery passion of love that the Lord Jesus has for You.” 

The post  Love is Supernatural  appeared first on Discovering The Jewish Jesus.

“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.” John 6:44 

Sometimes, we mistakenly think that, somehow, we chose God. Beloved, that is completely flipped upside down. 

“You did not choose Me but I chose you” (John 15:16 A). 

We did not first choose God. God first chose us. The only reasons that we are walking with God, have a love for Him, and have a hunger for Him – is because the Father has drawn us to Himself. 

Jesus goes on to say: 

“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day. Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father, comes to Me” (John 6:44, 45). 

We may not have realized it, but our faith in God is a result of the Father teaching and drawing us. Often, we are not cognizant that we are being taught or aware that the Holy Spirit is at work in our lives. 

“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things.” John 14:26 

Beloved, we did not stumble into this. The faith that we have was given to us as a gift from God. The Lord first chooses us to be His children; He then nurtures us through the Holy Spirit, putting faith in us. 

“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God.” Ephesians 2:8 

Many have not been taught on this subject, but consider Paul’s words in Ephesians 1:4, 5: “He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons and daughters through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will.” 

We have a Holy identity as a son or a daughter of the Father. Some might think their identity is in the natural, like a career. But our core identity is not to be tied to our profession, appearance, or wealth. Our identity is as a son or daughter of the Lord. This is what we need to focus on. This is what gives us value. 

“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints” (Ephesians 1:18). 

Our identity is that of sons and daughters, and our destiny is to be conformed to the image of Jesus. This is the meaning and purpose of our lives. Every day we want to press in, putting one foot in front of the other toward our destiny. 

The post Our Identity/Our Destiny  appeared first on Discovering The Jewish Jesus.

When we rely on God and trust Him to direct our paths, suddenly, our lives come into proper focus. Everything has relevancy. This will then propel us and give us the strength – to move forward in victory. Depending on Father to show us the way takes the pressure off. Beloved, like the old Hymn, we just have to “Trust and obey.” 

Consider these attributes and ministries of Father into our lives: 

1. Our Father Teaches 
2. Our Father Protects 
3. Our Father Disciplines 

Teaches 

Father is continually teaching us about all things – by His written Word, in dreams and visions, through other people, and by His Spirit. In this life, we need supernatural wisdom, guidance, and revelation. It is only through His divine instruction that we can be assured to overcome! 

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will advise you with My eye upon you.” Psalm 32:8 

Protects 

There are dangers and threats in this world, as we all know. We are facing difficult times, and beloved, as long as we are on earth – we will continue to. But as we move through the darkness and the enemy’s ploys, know that we are protected – Father has our back; His power is upon our lives, the blood of Yeshua is surrounding us, and Father is watching over us as the apple of His eye. Fathers protect, and you, my beloved child of the Creator of the universe – are indeed protected. 

“One who dwells in the shelter of the Most High Will lodge in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the LORD, ’My refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust!’ For He will give His angels orders concerning you, To protect you in all your ways” (Psalm 91:1-2, 11). 

Disciplines 

Father is disciplining us. Sometimes we do not understand why we keep running into the same problems. Oftentimes it is because God is trying to wake us up and is disciplining us. Beloved, when we face trials, we need to look up and say: “Father, what are you trying to teach me?” Father uses challenges to discipline us in order to make us more like Yeshua. 

“For whom the LORD loves He disciplines, Just as a father disciplines the son (daughter) in whom he delights” (Proverbs 3:12). 

Beloved, when we open up to His correction, as He’s disciplining us – we will come into greater and greater victory and greater peace. Our Father loves us and so He teaches us, protects us, and disciplines us. Let’s say together: “Daddy, thank You for making me the apple of Your eye!” 

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“And Jesus raised His eyes, and said, ‘Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. But I knew that You always hear Me; nevertheless, because of the people standing around I said it, so that they may believe that You sent Me’” (John 11: 41, 42). 

The two things I want to point out here are: First, we learn from Yeshua’s Words, in these verses, that most of His communication with the Father was not out loud so that others could hear it. In this instance, He spoke out loud so that His disciples would understand His connection and relationship with Father. Secondly, we can see (from John 11: 41, 42) that Yeshua was in perfect union with the Father. He knew God always heard Him, whether He spoke out loud or silently from His heart. Jesus participated continually in a personal and silent dialogue with His Father, God. 

The Son maintained a perpetual state of fellowship with His heavenly Father. 

As it was with Jesus, who did not always pray out loud but was always in conscious union with His Father, so it is with us. Our prayer life should involve a constant inner dialog with God. It is not essential for it to always to be expressed aloud. In fact, we are effectively praying whenever we talk to God, whether earnestly in our hearts and minds or verbally with our mouths. 

Prayer is best defined as simply – reaching out to God. We pray because we believe that God exists, that He knows and loves us, and that He will answer our prayers. 

This does not mean that every time we ask God for something that we are going to see it happen immediately. He answers in His own way and in His own time. But we are to remain strong, unquestionably trusting Him, even when we do not see the results right away. 

When we don’t understand His hand, we continue to trust His heart. 

I want to encourage you to trust that God hears your most subtle inclination, the most delicate movement of your soul. He hears you always. You do not always have to project out loud with your vocal cords, thinking that the louder you are – the better your chance is that He notices you. Beloved, be convinced that He hears you – even before you ask. 

“Your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.” Matthew 6:8 

When we are in communion with the Lord, He responds to us. We do not have to go somewhere or project out loud to connect with Him. God is always right in the center of our very being. We never have to fear that He does not hear us. He hears us – always! 

As Yeshua said: 

“I knew that You always hear Me” (John 11:42). 

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The LORD told Moses, 

“Have them construct a sanctuary for Me, so that I may dwell among them. According to all that I am going to show you as the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furniture, so you shall construct it.” Exodus 25: 8, 9 

Each detail was to be made according to its “Holy Architect’s” instructions. Every aspect had a significant meaning and conveyed a Kingdom principle, that teaches us how to have intimacy with God. 

When the Priest entered the Tabernacle and came into the Holy Place, he went into a secluded room. It was entirely cut off from the outside world. It was completely enclosed with animal skins, so no wind was able to enter the room. Inside this room was an altar of incense that was continually burning. The Bible tells us that incense represents the prayers of the saints. 

Now consider again, that because this room was completely sealed with animal skins there was no wind, the air was still. Because of this, when the smoke of the incense ascended – it ascended straight up. Straight up where? To Father God! 

“Another angel came and stood at the altar, holding a golden censer; and much incense was given to him, so that he might add it to the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense ascended from the angel’s hand with the prayers of the saints before God.” Revelation 8: 3,4 

True, authentic prayer ascends straight up — to God. 

Regrettably, many of the saints’ prayers are not rising up to God; instead, they are blowing towards the people next to them. Why? Because of being concerned about impressing others and trying to appear spiritual. We need to fear God and humbly talk to Him. 

If we really want to be heard by the LORD so that He responds with joy to our prayers – we need to be authentic. We need to recognize that we are in His presence. We need to focus on Him and approach Him with reverence. 

“The reward of humility and the fear of the LORD Are riches, honor, and life” (Proverbs 22:4). 

“True worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers” (John 4:23). 

Beloved, humility moves Father’s heart. 

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“But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.”
Hebrews 11:6 KJV

Thus, authentic prayer begins with believing that there is a God and He is who He says He is. The author of Hebrews tells us that Father is a rewarder of those that diligently seek Him. Be assured that God hears you, and when you call out to Him – He will respond.

Secondly, authentic prayer occurs when we call upon the Lord, from our heart, in such a way that we are not putting on any type of facade. God is moved when we are being open and transparent with Him. We should speak to God like we would talk to our trusted best friend. Beloved, authentic prayer is authentic.

If we are honest with ourselves, we must admit that Father already knows everything about us, even our faults. He sees the negative attitude that we sometimes have. He is aware of the jealousy, selfishness, and even the loathing that we might experience in our hearts. God knows all that. We need to talk to Father about, and in the midst of, our weakness and sin. Because of His unconditional love, He still sent His Son for us.

“While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Romans 5:8

Thirdly, we have to grasp that if we want to move into the deep places in our prayer experience with the Lord, we have to get our focus off ourselves. We need to let go of praying so much about the things that we desire – that are typically from the world. Instead, we should be asking – “Father, what do You want to do in and through me?” Authentic prayer occurs when we transition from a prayer life that is centered on the things that we yearn for, to seeking what He wants.

When Jesus taught us how to pray, He started with, “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). Yeshua made it about His Father’s will. He was not pursuing the Lord in order to meet His personal needs. Authentic prayer is about praying for the Father’s will to be accomplished, rather than coming to Father so He can simply fill in the missing blanks in our life. The things that we often consider to be our dire needs are only temporary and earthly comforts.

Authentic prayer is about chasing after the real things that are above the natural. It is desiring intimacy and relationship with the Father. It is about discovering His will for our lives. Beloved, we need to constantly pursue and prioritize the eternal things of His kingdom.

“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided to you” (Matthew 6:33).

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Over the years we have had many high-level meetings with Governmental Leaders in Africa, including the Speaker of Parliament of Uganda and the Governor of Nairobi, and the King of Cape Coast, Ghana. I am very grateful and humbled by the “divine appointments” God has given me to minister to so many influential leaders.

This past Yom Kippur, we had a phenomenal and extraordinary opportunity for outreach into Africa. The Pastor of the largest church in Uganda organized a National Day of Prayer. As part of this incredible event, the President of Uganda, President Museveni and I were connected via Zoom to broadcast on television to the entire nation of Uganda. During this special live program, I prayed over President Museveni and spoke a word of momentum and breakthrough over the people of Uganda – Praise God! (See more pictures at top of the next page)

What a remarkable thing it was that Uganda called a National Day of Prayer on Yom Kippur, honoring the God of Israel and the Jewish roots of their faith in Messiah Yeshua.

Beloved, with your support, God has used me to preach the Jewish Jesus all over Uganda, as well as many other nations on the African continent. We have seen great fruit of our labors from the Lord.

Truly the Word that the Lord spoke to me in a vision of the night, back in 1982, has come to pass. In that vision, the Lord showed me that He would be releasing a healing anointing through me to the African people. In addition to hundreds of thousands responding to the Lord for salvation, we have witnessed the deaf, lame, and even the blind healed, and many delivered – by the supernatural power of a loving Father.

Continue to pray that the Lord would continue to open “doors” of opportunity for us to release God’s healing anointing, not only in Africa, but to Jew and Gentile alike – all over the earth.

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“But like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior” (1 Peter 1:15).

“For I am the LORD your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, because I am holy” (Leviticus 11:44).

To be holy means to be set-apart, to be unique, and unlike the world. It is to be peculiar and cut-out from the rest. In other words, beloved – “kids of the King”- we are to look different, talk different, and be different.

“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people” (1 Peter 2:9). (KJV)

One of the ways that I have chosen to do this was to grow out the side locks of my hair, called in Hebrew peyos. I wanted to stand out as a Jew that believed in Messiah Jesus. I know that some people look at me and think that I am a bit strange. Like, “who is this?” But you know what? I believe that I am called out to be a Shaliach: a sent-out one, a messenger of Yeshua in the earth. I submit to being different. I desire to be unique so that I can represent the exclusive message of the Kingdom. I have to be set-apart to convincingly convey the unique ministry that God has given me. And beloved, the same is true for you.

I am not suggesting that you grow peyos, but that you would live your life separate from the world and fully unto Jesus. By doing so, others will recognize that you are different. Thus, opening a door to be effective witnesses because people will see that you are unique and God will use you to draw some to Himself.

Living holy will give us the confidence to step out of our comfort zone so that God can display Himself through us. Being unique creations will propel us to become more empowered witnesses to our: friends, associates, neighbors, family, and everyone we come in contact with.

Know though, at times it is going to cost us. Rejection, ridicule, and mocking is sometimes the price we must pay for declaring our faith to others. Living a holy life is not easy, but is always worth it. Beloved, keep in mind that we are in good company – Yeshua paid the ultimate price. But He overcame victoriously and so will we!

In these last days, let us make it a priority to submit ourselves as holy vessels unto God. And then, like Peter and John, pray for the boldness to tell others about the Son of God.

After Peter and John were arrested for preaching about Yeshua, they prayed.
“And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word” (Acts 4:29).

We have been chosen to be a holy and set-apart people, so His light will shine through our lives in the darkness.

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“For our momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison” (2 Corinthians 4:17).

Know that the earthly challenges that we may be experiencing are working within us an eternal weight of glory.

We need to keep our eyes on the eternal prize!
A divine destination awaits us! This world is not our home. Everything here on earth is temporary and will soon pass away. Let us be like Abraham and set our sights on the majestic city whose builder and architect is God.

“For he (Abraham) was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God” (Hebrews 11:10).

Beloved, living with an eternal viewpoint requires that we are continually looking towards heaven. Everything we think of or encounter should be filtered through an eternal mindset. Our natural thinking is subdued by our supernatural existence. This will determine and change the course of our lives.

“Set your minds on the things that are above, not on the things that are on earth” (Colossians 3:2).

We are not of this world. This world can never and will never satisfy us. There is no fulfillment here, we will always be thirsty, hungry, and wanting more. Let us cease from trying to please ourselves with the brief and tangible things that this world has to offer. Instead, we need to live each day with the realization that we are sojourners on a journey – eternal life is our calling and Heaven is our destination.

“For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Philippians 3:20).

That is why Paul also said:
“For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21).

While we are still here, we need to do good, discipline ourselves to submit to God’s Spirit, and share our hope with others.

All the while, clinging to His promise:
“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away” (Revelation 21:4).

As we eagerly await His return!

“Behold, I am coming quickly” (Revelation 22:12).

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What is Paul meaning here? First, we are not going to be justified through our own efforts. Whether a Jew or a Gentile, we just cannot do it. But God’s righteousness has come to us, apart from good works, through the gift of grace, in the person of Messiah Yeshua.

So, is the Law still valid then?

Paul goes on to say,
“For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from works of the Law” (Romans 3:28).

Do we nullify the Law through faith? Should we just throw the Law away?

Unfortunately, many Christians have done just that. The New Testament teaches that by the works of the Law no man shall be justified, but this does not mean that the Law is no longer relevant – as many New Testament believers today are taught. Paul has something to say that is different than what many of God’s people today are believing:

“Do we nullify the Law through faith?” “May it never be!”

In other words, just because we cannot be justified through the Law, it does not mean that we discard it. The Law is a self-revelation of God. The Law reveals to us who God is. The Law speaks to us of God’s holiness and His compassion. The Law shows us God’s heart for the oppressed and the underdog. In the Law, for example, the Lord told the children of Israel,

“When you reap the harvest of your land, moreover, you shall not reap to the very edges of your field nor gather the gleaning of your harvest; you are to leave them for the needy and the stranger” (Leviticus 23:22).

God’s Law reflects to us who He is.

Understanding the Law enables us to discern good from evil, wrong from right, and good from bad. And in that discernment, we are trained how to follow the Spirit in Messiah Jesus. Not as those that are under the Law, or as those that are trying to work out our salvation through the Law. But understanding the Law gives us glimpses into God’s character and nature. And as we know God’s character and nature, it gives us better discernment and clarity as we are being led by the Spirit.

Beloved, let’s not make the mistake of thinking that the Law has no relevance today. On the contrary – there is tremendous value. There are incredible riches and nuggets of truth that we can uncover and receive through knowing God’s Law. God’s Law is still valid, meaningful, and important today.

“So then, the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good” (Romans 7:12).

“But we know that the Law is good, if one uses it lawfully” (1 Timothy 1:8).

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Jesus said, “I will make them come and bow down before your feet, and make them know that I have loved you” (Revelation 3:9).

Beloved, we will obtain the ultimate victory and receive complete justification. God is going to bring our lives to a triumphant conclusion! But we must continue to hold on and stay strong. We may lose some battles, but we will surely win the war.

There is nothing that exists, or ever will, that is capable of keeping God from completing what He says. He is a sovereign God. We can be confident of this because of who made the promise to us.

That is why Paul said (Ephesians 3:20), “Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us.” We have to filter everything through the reality that our God is limitless, invincible, and in control.

Remember that it looked like Jesus had lost when He was on the cross as they were mocking and spitting on Him. They thrust a spear in His side and placed a thorn of crowns on His head. It must have seemed like they had the last laugh. But God was not done! Yeshua rose from the dead!

“But God raised Him from the dead, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power” (Acts 2:24).

The enemy had thought he had succeeded, but his celebration was cut short.

Beloved, although at times it may seem that the enemy is winning, stand your ground – victory is assured! Your ultimate accuser, the devil, will have his day in “court” and receive the final judgement for all his false accusations and lies. We will have the last laugh!

“Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers and sisters has been thrown down, the one who accuses them before our God day and night” (Revelation 12:10).

So, hold on and stay strong.

“The one who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat with My Father on His throne. The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
Revelation 3:21-22

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As we embark on a new year, I want to ask you an important question: how many people will you share the Gospel with in 2022?

Jesus commanded us:
“Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19).

Are you going to share your faith? Are you going to tell somebody?

We encounter people all the time that need to know about Father’s love for them. There are so many that are hurting and have lost hope. God is looking for us to be His instruments that He can use to radically change someone’s life. Will you try to reach somebody that does not know Yeshua? Will being a witness for King Jesus be a priority this year?

Beloved, time is short!

It is not enough to come together and sing songs. It is not enough to recite Bible verses and pray. We are the salt of the earth – the light of the world. We have been given a divine assignment with eternal consequences. We have work to do. God wants to use us. He wants to compel us to reach the world. Everybody can impact somebody.

This is not to condemn anyone. It is just meant to wake us up to realize; we have to say “yes” to Jesus. We need to step out of our comfort zone. We must accept the call and embrace the challenge. Sometimes that means we do what is uncomfortable. All of us have to come out of trying just to fit in. We need to make a decision to somehow come out of our perceived limits and find a way, in the spirit, to share Jesus with others.

Jesus said,
“Just as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”
John 20:21

Who will go? Who will say like Isaiah (6:8), “Here am I. Send me!”

If God is talking to you and you want a fresh anointing and power to be a witness – ask Father for it right now. Pray for the Lord to give you boldness and opportunities; so that you can be an effective witness everywhere you go. If you mean it and are ready to be used by God, take the first action step today. Begin by starting each morning with asking Father to place people in your path that need His Son. Pray for a new anointing to effectively share the Gospel with them. Then trust Father that He will give you the words and wisdom to be able to penetrate the heart of each person you share Yeshua with.

Beloved, let us make 2022 a year dedicated to making His house full!

“Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.”
Luke 14:23

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The history of Hanukkah can be traced back to 168 BC, when the Greco-Assyrians, under the leadership of Antiochus IV, invaded and captured Jerusalem. They attempted to destroy the culture and religion of the Jewish people and desecrate the Temple of the LORD. During this time, a group of Greco-Assyrian soldiers marched into a Jewish settlement and demanded that the Priest there, Mattathias, sacrifice a pig to their pagan god, Zeus. Because Mattathias feared the LORD more than the enemy, he refused to sacrifice the pig. A fellow Jewish onlooker, afraid of the Greco-Assyrians wrath, volunteered to sacrifice the pig. In response to this, Mattathias drew his sword and killed him.

This act of conviction and courage by Mattathias was such an inspiration to the rest of the Jewish people that they formed an army to rebel against the Greco-Assyrian oppression. Under the leadership of Mattathias’ son, Judah, they successfully stopped the Greco-Assyrians from overtaking their settlement and eventually drove them out of Jerusalem and the Temple. This victory climaxed with the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem and the inauguration of the Feast of Dedication/Hanukkah in 164 BC.

As one of the Priests prepared to light the Menorah (the lampstand inside of the Temple) during the Temple rededication ceremony, they realized that there was only enough Holy oil to burn for one day. However, according to tradition, the oil burned supernaturally for eight days! This is why Hanukkah is celebrated for eight days and why the Hanukkah Menorah that Jewish people light each year has eight candles. (There is an additional ninth “Servant” candle on the Hanukkah Menorah that is used to light these eight candles.)

A Hanukkah Application—
“Let Your Light Shine”
Just as the ninth candle on the Hanukkah Menorah is used to light the other eight, so too Yeshua has “lit” us in order that we become “supernatural lights” to the world!

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16)!

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“I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you of these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.”
Revelation 22:16

As believers, we need to embrace and celebrate the Jewishness of our faith. We need to remember and be prepared to make the case – that our Redeemer was and is a Jew.

Consider…

Yeshua was educated in the Hebrew Scriptures. For example, He quoted from Isaiah 61 in Luke 4:18,19.

“THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME TO BRING GOOD NEWS TO THE POOR. HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO CAPTIVES, AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND, TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED, TO PROCLAIM THE FAVORABLE YEAR OF THE LORD.”

Jesus personally handpicked His twelve disciples, who were all Jewish. These men became the foundation of His ministry (See Matthew 10:1-4). In fact, three of them became His “inner circle” and closest companions – Peter, James, and John.

After His resurrection, Yeshua confronted and recruited the Apostle Paul.

“But it happened that as I was on my way, approaching Damascus at about noon, a very bright light suddenly flashed from heaven all around me, and I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?’ And I answered, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said to me, ‘I am Jesus the Nazarene, whom you are persecuting.’” (Acts 22: 6 – 8).

Paul was not only a Jew but also a Pharisee, according to his own words: “But Paul, perceiving that one group were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, began crying out in the Council, ‘Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees.’ When he said this, a dissension occurred between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor an angel, nor a spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all” (Acts 23:6 – 8).

Paul would eventually go on to author two-thirds of the New Testament and become an emissary to the Gentiles.

Both Yeshua and His Apostles celebrated the Jewish Holidays. For example, in Acts 20:16 we read about Paul being in a hurry to get to Jerusalem to celebrate the Jewish Holiday called Shavuot, which is translated in English as Pentecost. In John 10: 22, 23 we read about Yeshua participating in the celebration of Hanukkah – called the Feast of Dedication. (The Hebrew word Hanukkah is translated in English as “Dedication”).

And in Matthew 26:18 we read about Yeshua celebrating Passover with His Disciples.

Perhaps, the ultimate symbol of Yeshua’s Jewish lineage was the sign they posted on His cross at His crucifixion.

“And above His head they put up the charge against Him which read, ‘THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS’” (Matthew 27:37).

Today, like never before, we are faced with rising skepticism concerning the tenets of our faith. Understanding that the foundation of our faith is rooted in the Hebrew Bible will ground us in unshakable truth and create in us the right perspective when we read and study God’s Word.

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No matter what we are going through right now, we need to take our eyes off the situation and look instead to King Jesus – fixing our gaze on the One who created us. When we choose to do this, looking beyond our natural circumstances – we will be transformed from glory to glory. All our circumstances will be used to change us into His likeness.

“They looked to Him and were radiant, And their faces will never be ashamed” (Psalm 34:5).

The Bible also says; whether it is things past, present, or things to come – we overwhelmingly conquer through Christ Jesus. Beloved, we are more than a conqueror through Christ Jesus!

“But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8: 37, 38, 39).

We will overcome every trouble, trial, and tribulation!

Seize God’s Word, do not let anything else in. Stay faithful and wholly committed to Father, and He will cause you to ascend over every single one of your difficulties.

“He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the mud; And He set my feet on a rock, making my footsteps firm” (Psalm 40:2).

Just keep looking to Him. Keep on taking in His Word. Keep on talking to Him. Keep on praying. Keep on surrounding yourself with other believers that enrich your faith. Discard anything that could distract, deter, or dissuade you from the truth. Cut out from your life anything that will bring you down. Avoid those things that create any opportunity for the enemy to speak to you and overwhelm you. And continue to praise Him, declaring that you are victorious in Messiah.

Remember, the same power that raised Yeshua from the grave resides in you!

“But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you” (Romans 8:11).

Beloved, you cannot be defeated! You are a winner! Your victory is assured! You can do all things through Yeshua!

“I can do all things through Him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).

Dedicate your entire life to Him. Pray without ceasing. Make spending time alone with Him a priority. And beloved, you will continually find yourself rising up and triumphing over every situation that comes.

“If God is for us, who is against us” (Romans 8:31)?

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“Again the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ‘Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, In the seventh month on the first of the month you shall have a rest, a reminder by blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation. You shall not do any laborious work, but you shall present an offering by fire to the LORD.’” Leviticus 23: 23-25

What is curious here is that we know we are to blow the trumpet as a reminder, but what is it that we are to remember?

The key can be found in the Book of Exodus.

“Now Mount Sinai was all in smoke because the LORD descended upon it in fire; and its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the entire mountain quaked violently. When the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him with thunder.” Exodus 19:18-19

The blowing of the cosmic trumpet from heaven speaks of the glorious reign of the Kingdom of God.

“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.” 1 Thessalonians 4:16

Just as God descended on Mount Sinai in a dramatic display of power, that was preceded by the sound of the shofar- Jesus will also appear in like manner. When the trumpet reached a crescendo on Sinai, God came in His glory for all to see. So too, Yeshua will be announced from heaven by a cosmic, heavenly shofar that will be heard around the world.

At that very moment every eye will see Him. Even those who pierced Him. The Creator of the world will present Himself to His creation.

“Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him.” Revelation 1:7

But are we overflowing with an expectation of His return?

We should live every day in anticipation of the culmination of our faith – Jesus’ second coming. As we celebrate the Feast of Trumpets, let’s take the opportunity to rekindle our passion and desire to see Him. Let us take time out from our busy lives and remind ourselves that our God is going to disclose Himself to the world again. Jesus is coming back for us soon. And what the Lord desires is for every generation to live with the mindset and expectation that Yeshua will return in our lifetime.

“Come, Lord Jesus.” Revelation 12:20

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We are all familiar with the epic scene of Jesus making His “grand and triumphant” entrance into Jerusalem.

Instead of the pomp and circumstance expected of a king, Yeshua enters the Old City – riding a donkey.

“SAY TO THE DAUGHTER OF ZION, ‘BEHOLD YOUR KING IS COMING TO YOU, HUMBLE, AND MOUNTED ON A DONKEY, EVEN ON A COLT, THE FOAL OF A DONKEY.’”
Matthew 21:5/Zechariah 9:9

This is a remarkable insight into the nature of God. How did He enter Jerusalem? He came in humble. He did not come in like a privileged king. Nor with a demonstration of royalty.

It is a remarkable thing to consider that an all-powerful God would enter in this way. The One that has always been. The One that created the universe with His words. The One that knows the beginning from the end – chose to sit upon a donkey for all to see. Beloved, our God is gentle and humble of heart.

That is why Yeshua said, “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I AM GENTLE and Humble in HEART, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS” (Matthew 11:29).

The eternal God has put Himself in a position that you and I can touch His heart. When we voluntarily choose to love Him, it moves Him. He is warmed by our feelings. He is affected by our love. We can actually add to Father’s happiness when we choose to love Him, please Him, and put Him first. Even though God is complete and needs nothing. He is moved by our love. Why? Because He is gentle and humble. God has put Himself in a position where you and I can touch Him.

We can even make Him weep.

“He said, ‘Where have you laid him (Lazarus)?’ They said to Him, ‘Lord, come and see.’ Jesus wept.”
John 11:34-35

“When He approached Jerusalem, He saw the city and wept over it” (Luke 19:41).

We can either move Father to joy or to tears. That is God’s genius in creating You and I in His own image. We can touch this humble and gentle One that rode into Jerusalem on a donkey.

The question is, what will we do? Will we humble ourselves also?

If so, pray this with your whole heart, “Jesus, I want to love You. I want to touch Your heart. I want to put You first. I want to do whatever I need to do so we can be united together – as one. Father, prepare me to meet Yeshua at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. Help me to walk with humility, gentleness of spirit, full of mercy, and full of peace – just like You.” Amen

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Oftentimes, in my Christian walk, there is a bit of loneliness. I have to live a certain way because I am not part of the world. And because I am not “among the crowd,” I cannot engage or participate in the things our society defines as acceptable.

“Therefore, COME OUT FROM THEIR MIDST AND BE SEPARATE,” says the Lord.”
2 Corinthians 6:17

Beloved, you and I are separate; we have been called. We are required to act a certain way and think above the existing culture. We are also called to share Messiah with those God brings into our lives.

I am meeting new people all the time. And you know, people that are from the world, they speak and behave as those that are “earthly minded.” But those of us who have our eyes set on heaven and are born again have a different value system. We speak a different language; we talk about different things. We exalt absolute truth. We are set apart.

We are unique. You and I are called. We have been selected to live apart from this world. We must accept that our godly stance can sometimes create a divide or a negative response from people.

“Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 John 2:15).
Think about Paul’s life and how mistreated he was because he was set apart. He was beaten, ridiculed, and maligned. In fact, he wrote most of the New Testament while in prison.

Consider the people of Israel. Even though they are God’s firstborn covenant people, look at the price that the Jewish people have had to pay. They have been persecuted and hated ever since their call. And beloved, we should expect the same. We must be willing to suffer the reproach of our calling.

“Indeed, all who want to live in a godly way in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12).

Apostle Paul also said,
“That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death” (Philippians 3:10).

There was this dual fellowship that Paul was experiencing in his walk with Messiah. On the one hand, he knew Jesus in the power of His resurrection, but on the other hand, he knew Jesus in the fellowship of His sufferings. He knew what it meant to be rejected for Yeshua. He knew what it meant to feel lonely because he was not being received. This is also part of our call and destiny. We have been set apart. So be encouraged; know that Father loves you and know that you will be rewarded for all that you suffer and give up because of your love for Him.

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One of the tenets that is often lacking in most doctrine today is the teaching of the fear of God. We have somehow glossed over it. In fact, many say that God does not really want us to fear Him, but that He only wants us to revere Him. Although we do need to admire and respect Him, there is something clean and holy about fearing the Lord.

We need to realize that one day we are going to be face-to-face with the eternal self-existent God – whom has no beginning, and no end. It is not just that He created reality; He is reality. We will actually stand before the One with no boundaries, no limits, and no constraints. Beloved, I believe, at that moment, we will certainly know what it means to have the fear of the Lord. Let us not wait until then to humble ourselves.

“The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever.”
Psalm 19:9

God balances the need for us to fear Him by generously imparting the revelation that He is compassionate and by nature a God full of lovingkindness. When we fear Him and put ourselves in proper alignment with Him, Father comes to us and immeasurably pours out His grace, mercy, and love upon us.

“We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love” (1 John 4:16).

We are called upon to fear the Lord. It is the catalyst that releases the depth of God’s love that He wants to impart into our lives. There are different elements that are all part of our same relationship with Him. Fearing God and receiving His entire blessings are connected and interdependent. We need to have both aspects working continually in our lives to experience Father at His fullness.

Beloved, let us not forsake the fear of the Lord. It truly is the beginning of wisdom and our relationship with God. Yes, we are brought into the love of God, but we need to be convicted of our sin.

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge.”
Proverbs 1:7

We need to understand that without God’s love and forgiveness we are destined to an eternity apart from Him. There is a healthy and beautiful balance to our relationship with Father. It is like a fine diamond. There are many different facets.

“Let me hear Your lovingkindness in the morning; For I trust in You; Teach me the way in which I should walk; For to You I lift up my soul. Deliver me, O LORD, from my enemies; I take refuge in You. Teach me to do Your will, For You are my God; Let Your good Spirit lead me on level ground. For the sake of Your name, O LORD, revive me. In Your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble. And in Your lovingkindness, cut off my enemies And destroy all those who afflict my soul, For I am Your servant” (Psalms 143:8-12). -NASB1995

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This Holy Day takes place fifty days after Passover; that is why it is called in Greek- Pentecost, meaning fifty. Jewish people refer to it as Shavuot, meaning weeks, because the Lord said that it falls “seven weeks after Passover (Leviticus 23: 15-16).”

The Jewish people came to associate Shavuot with the day the God of Israel appeared on top of Mount Sinai in fire and glory and gave them His Law on tablets of stone.

In Acts chapter 2, we see many believers had gathered together in one place (Jerusalem). They were recounting how God had revealed Himself to their ancestors on Mount Sinai. They were thinking about the glory; they were talking about the fire; they were reminded of the voice of God and the revelation their forefathers had received at Sinai. Then suddenly, what the God of Israel had done 1,500 years earlier – materialized! HaShem appeared again, in an instant, revealing Himself with the same glory and fire that Moses and the children of Israel had encountered.

“When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly a noise like a violent rushing wind came from heaven, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with different tongues, as the Spirit was giving them the ability to speak out.” Acts 2:1-4

This time He did not speak to them from upon a mountain or on tablets of stone, written by His finger. This time He spoke from amongst them; God spoke inside them – and wrote His Law upon their hearts.

Beloved, as the Holy season of Pentecost is upon us, invite Father to interrupt your life with His glory and fire. Let Him change and refine you.

Luke records for us in Acts 5:32, “And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him.”

The Holy Spirit is a free gift that HaShem pours out. He can only make entrance however into our lives, when we by His grace, submit to Him. He can’t fill those who simply believe in Him, He can’t even fill those who simply want Him. We must believe in Him and want Him but to be filled by Him we must obey Him. This is why Yeshua taught, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me” (Matthew 16:24).

The cross represents obedience. None of us are perfect but we must be growing in obedience and as we do, we will be more and more filled with the precious gift of the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit).

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Through Jesus, HaShem (Father God) is capable of sympathizing with our weaknesses and frailties. He is always able and willing to help us with our insecurities, fears, and doubts. Father desires to strengthen us! He is compassion!

Consider this – God does not have to be compassionate and merciful. He could have easily wiped all of us out like He did with the flood – except for Noah and his family (Genesis 6: 9-22). He could have dealt with us like he did the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19: 1-29). But instead, praise HaShem, He has chosen, through the blood of Yeshua, to extend His love to us wholeheartedly.

We need to understand that it is God’s compassion that allows us to be honest with Him. We can talk with Father. We can tell HaShem anything that we are struggling with. We can open up our whole life to Him. And, every time, Father’s response is going to be filled with love and compassion. This does not mean that He will not discipline and chastise us when necessary. He will, but He is always going to help us. God actually knows us better than we know ourselves. He even loves us more than we love ourselves. He is aware of all of our thoughts before we think them and He is closer to us than our next breath.

But oftentimes we feel as though God is really far away, that He is distant – so we have a hard time sensing His love for us. We imagine that Father is so far removed, that He is up in Heaven somewhere. We want to feel closer to Him. The truth is that sometimes we do not feel and experience a deeper closeness to God, not because He is so far away, but because we are afraid to let Him in.

Yes, God is in Heaven, but God is beyond a place. He is The Place. He is beyond space, time, and any borders. God is not confined by a location or anything else. He created space! God created time! You know where God is? He is right here. He is right now. He is with you and in you. He loves you. Father adores you and is waiting for you to love Him, to bless Him, and to let Him in.

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I have a friend who was in the congregation that I used to shepherd in Toledo, Ohio. He was sitting in the prayer room there – reading from the book of Isaiah. While he was reading, a particular verse “popped out” at him,

“Yet those who wait for the LORD will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary” (Isaiah 40:31).

He said that when he read that Scripture, he suddenly felt like the Lord was saying, “I want you to call and share that Scripture with Rabbi.” Like many of us, he wasn’t quite sure whether that was the Lord or not. Suddenly, a woman walks into the prayer room. Her name is D. Schneider, same last name as mine, and she is wearing a T-shirt with an eagle on it! When he saw this woman walking in with an eagle on her T-shirt, and having the same last name as me – he knew what to do next. He reached out to me by phone and told me about the Scripture. I was encouraged by it, and I was thankful for him sharing. But it was kind of general. After all, it is a pretty common and well-known Scripture, so I didn’t quite know what was personal about it for me at that time.

Here is what happened a few days later as I looked out my back window at home. The first time I have ever seen this in my life, a literal bald eagle was sitting on a tree stump right in my back yard, as clear as day! I was blown away. I knew God was encouraging me to be patient in hope and expectation of what He was about to do in my life.

“Yet those who wait for the LORD will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary” (Isaiah 40:31).

Beloved, I just wanted to share this to remind us all that our God is alive and surrounds every aspect of our being. He is at work in our lives as we seek Him, and He will continue to work in our lives even into eternity. Let’s be paying attention.

Father God, we ask You to wake us up today to recognize You in all our circumstances. You said,

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Revelation 2:29).

Father, open our spiritual ears and eyes to hear and see. We do not want to miss Your Word in any situation that You are using to speak to us. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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Every day we face challenges from the world, our flesh, and the devil. We must have kavanah (which is the Hebrew word for intention) that every day we are going to live with purpose by adorning ourselves with humility, gentleness, love, and sensitivity to the Spirit. The more that we become like Jesus, the more we are going to know God.

“The one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.” 1 John 2:6

To the extent that we harness the flesh, holding back our anger, frustration, words of reproach, and accusation – the more we will be able to abide in God. We have to hold our natural impulses back. It takes strength. It takes resolve. It takes kavanah. Until we restrict the earthly inclinations of our carnal nature and instead willfully choose to walk in love, peace, and unity; we will not be able to experience HaShem at the level He desires for us.

Let me ask you, how many times have you found yourself gossiping about people or speaking words of negativity? Beloved one, this will break your fellowship with God. If you will instead engage in warfare, by constraining your flesh and choosing the higher ways of the Father, you are going to ascend in the power of the Spirit and enter into a relationship with God that is beyond anything that you have ever known before!

The more we limit our worldly tendencies and clothe ourselves with the Spirit, the more we will become like Messiah Jesus. This will necessitate a daily commitment, discipline, and dying to self, but the ultimate goal of being transformed into His likeness is our goal and worth it.

“But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.” 2 Corinthians 3:18

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When David heard that he was under attack, he did not just passively sit there and let the enemy succeed – he responded. He did something; he went down to the stronghold. The word “stronghold” in Hebrew is metsudah, which means: a fortress, to fortify. King David went down into God’s fortress. David initiated – he answered the attack aggressively by taking action.

I have found that what often happens in our lives is that when we are under attack, we are passive and just let the enemy keep beating us up. Whether it is a mental or physical attack or a circumstance – sadly, God’s people frequently “put their heads in the sand” and hope it just goes away. But David went down to God’s stronghold and looked to the Lord. He began to pray. He began to encourage himself in the Word of God. He responded with vigilant determination to the attack by digging down deep into the Lord.

Beloved, God has not called us nor created us to be on the defense against the forces of darkness – but instead to be on the offense!

“The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil.” 1 John 3:8
Jesus/Yeshua diligently, actively, and aggressively came against the devil.

You and I need to recognize that when we are under siege by the enemy, we need to get in motion like David did and thwart it. When David heard of the adversary’s plan – he took action. He was in motion. He did something to shift the atmosphere. When you and I are under attack, we need to get in motion because motion will change our emotion. If we want to change the way we are feeling, if we want to change our emotions, then we need to be in motion. And by doing something – adjusting our attitude, shifting our focus, going into prayer, and declaring God’s Word we will change the spiritual atmosphere around us!

Father God, I pray that You would deliver Your children from passivity. Father, too many of us are just sitting and waiting for You to do something, while You are calling us to stand up and fight! I pray HaShem, that You would inspire us by imparting an “active” Spirit, to engage in spiritual warfare and fight the enemy. I pray that You would equip us to tear down any barriers and overcome any ploys of the enemy that are keeping us in darkness and keeping us from You and our destiny.

The post Spiritual Warfare, Part 3 appeared first on Discovering The Jewish Jesus.

I recall a true story that I recently read about a man. For years, he had known that God was calling him into the ministry, but he was reluctant to do it because he had a very secure job. Finally, he made the decision to trust God and go into fulltime ministry. What happened next. Immediately, his company came to him and offered him a big promotion. Why? The enemy was trying to stop him from advancing in God’s plan for his life. Beloved, we need to become fully aware of and walk in the revelation – we are in a spiritual war.

“So that no advantage would be taken of us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes.”
2 Corinthians 2:11

Just as the Philistines attacked David when they heard that he was anointed king, so too the powers of darkness will attack us as we are moving forward in God. Consider our divine role model – Messiah Jesus. What was the first thing that happened to Him after He was supernaturally anointed by the Holy Spirit and declared to be the Son of God? The devil attacked Him (Matthew 4:1).
You and I have to recognize that we are in an ongoing spiritual confrontation. And if we do not grasp this, the enemy will thwart us in our pursuit of God. When we expect resistance and opposition, we will not be caught off guard when it happens. When it comes, we will be prepared, remain steadfast, and keep going forward – like a battleship in the night, because we know that we are progressing in the Lord and we refuse to be stopped!

“Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you.”
1 Peter 4:12

Peter is saying here that when we go through a fiery trial, it is because of God’s call on our life – so do not be astonished or dismayed. As we rely wholeheartedly on God through the attack, it is going to form in us godly character, firm roots, and make us strong.

I want to encourage you to recognize, first of all, that it is not a strange thing to come under enemy fire when you are moving forward in HaShem. When you trust God for something new, when you surrender unto Him in a deeper way, or when you are advancing in His call on your life – expect and count on beloved, that you are going to be resisted.

The post Spiritual Warfare, Part 2 appeared first on Discovering The Jewish Jesus.

Beloved, supernatural people attract opposition! When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed, they immediately came up against him. Likewise, when we are walking deeper in the spirit, and operating in a greater anointing, the powers of darkness are going to resist us. The enemy will attack us. We have to realize this and “wake up” to this reality. So often we attribute the source of things that go wrong in our life and the challenges that we are facing – to natural explanations. But we need to understand that the battle that we are in is not primarily against flesh and blood – it is supernatural.

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.”
Ephesians 6:12

We witness the intentions of darkness against David in Samuel’s description- “all the Philistines went up to seek out David.” Why was David targeted? Because David was anointed. Oftentimes when you and I move forward in the anointing, when we progress in the spirit, and are going deeper in the Lord – our adversary will try to stop us by attacking. Why? Because we have become a greater threat to the kingdom of darkness!

I remember many years ago, as a brand-new believer, I read in the Book of Hebrews that the “Lord is a rewarder of those that diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6).” A day or two after reading this, I said, “I’m going to spend today seeking God, and He is going to reward me.” All day long, for probably 12 hours, I sat on a chair with my Bible in my hand, reading, praying, and listening to worship music. Afterward, I got into my bed and went to sleep.

What happened that night was horrific. I was attacked by a spirit that was more violent, hostile, and angrier than anything I have ever encountered in my life. It was that evil. When I got up the next morning, I remember the enemy tempting me with the thought, “If this is what happens when you pursue God – maybe you better not seek Him like that anymore or this will happen to you again.”

This was exactly what the enemy wanted. He intended to stop me from moving forward in the anointing. He wanted to halt me from advancing in God by scaring me. Beloved one, the point that I am making is that you and I need to understand that when we are moving forward in God, we are going to receive resistance from the forces of evil – but we must never let the enemy win.

The post Spiritual Warfare, Part 1 appeared first on Discovering The Jewish Jesus.

Through Jesus, HaShem (Father God) is capable of sympathizing with our weaknesses and frailties. He is always able and willing to help us with our insecurities, fears, and doubts. Father desires to strengthen us! He is compassion!

Consider this – God does not have to be compassionate and merciful. He could have easily wiped all of us out like He did with the flood – except for Noah and his family (Genesis 6: 9-22). He could have dealt with us like he did the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19: 1-29). But instead, praise HaShem, He has chosen, through the blood of Yeshua, to extend His love to us wholeheartedly.

We need to understand that it is God’s compassion that allows us to be honest with Him. We can talk with Father. We can tell HaShem anything that we are struggling with. We can open up our whole life to Him. And, every time, Father’s response is going to be filled with love and compassion. This does not mean that He will not discipline and chastise us when necessary. He will, but He is always going to help us. God actually knows us better than we know ourselves. He even loves us more than we love ourselves. He is aware of all of our thoughts before we think them and He is closer to us than our next breath.

But oftentimes we feel as though God is really far away, that He is distant – so we have a hard time sensing His love for us. We imagine that Father is so far removed, that He is up in Heaven somewhere. We want to feel closer to Him. The truth is that sometimes we do not feel and experience a deeper closeness to God, not because He is so far away, but because we are afraid to let Him in.

Yes, God is in Heaven, but God is beyond a place. He is The Place. He is beyond space, time, and any borders. God is not confined by a location or anything else. He created space! God created time! You know where God is? He is right here. He is right now. He is with you and in you. He loves you. Father adores you and is waiting for you to love Him, to bless Him, and to let Him in.

The post He is Compassion appeared first on Discovering The Jewish Jesus.

In the early 1980s, the Lord suddenly spoke to me in an audible voice: “You’re an evangelist.”

This evangelistic call ignited a fiery passion within my heart and into the core of Discovering the Jewish Jesus.

As a result, we have tried to air our evangelistic commercials on many mainline secular TV channels including CBS, but were unable to get our spots placed. Recently however, FOX News, the largest cable news channel in America, agreed to air our spots.

Discovering The Jewish Jesus does not necessarily support the views of FOX NEWS or any other secular network, our Kingdom is not of this world.

Our commercial asked specific life questions (see bottom of page) that compelled viewers to go to WhoAmI.com, an evangelistic web site that we created to help people find the answers to these profound questions – while ultimately leading them to Jesus.

Our commercials resulted in over 149,000 people going to WhoAmI.com!

Baruch HaShem!
Blessed be the name of the LORD!
You may be aware that there are not many ministries that are doing the types of things that Discovering The Jewish Jesus, with your help are undertaking by the grace of God. And in doing so, we are preparing the way for our Messiah’s return, for He said:

“This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.” Matthew 24:14

Let us hasten His return!

If you have not yet visited WhoAmI.com, I encourage you to do so. Take a few minutes to watch the three videos there and then share the web site on your Facebook page and also send it to someone who needs Jesus.

I want to thank you for your ongoing, faithful financial support. The end is truly closer than we think. Together, let us do everything we can, while we still can-to fill His house – heaven (Luke 14:23).

“Behold, I am coming quickly.” Revelation 22:12

Below are a series of images that show the text from our evangelistic commercial.

The post Reaching the Lost appeared first on Discovering The Jewish Jesus.

This prophecy foretells of an event that would take place thousands of years later and was fulfilled when Mary gave birth to Yeshua our Messiah, who, after dying for our sins, rose from the dead and crushed Satan under His feet.

Another integral part of Messianic prophesy in the Hebrew Scriptures is the foretelling of the lineage that Messiah would come into the world through. God said to Abraham: “In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice” (Genesis 22:18). Paul (Shaul in Hebrew) foretold in Galatians 3:16 that the “seed” prophesied to Abraham
is Christ.

The Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) also tells us that the specific tribe of Israel that Messiah would come from is Judah. Genesis 49:10 says: “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, Until Shiloh comes, And to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.” “Shiloh” is a code word for the Messiah.
Furthermore, God revealed to us that the Messiah would come through the line of King David. The LORD said to David in Psalm 132:11: “Of the fruit of your body I will set upon your throne.”

Jeremiah spoke clearly of this Messianic reality when he said in Jeremiah 33: 14, 15:“Behold, days are coming,’ declares the LORD, ‘when I will fulfill the good word which I have spoken concerning the house of Israel and the house of Judah. In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch of David to spring forth; and He shall execute justice and righteousness on the earth.’”

Perhaps the best known Messianic prophecy is Isaiah 7:14: “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel, God with us.” We recognize this fulfillment in Matthew 1:20-23.

When we see how Jesus fulfills the Messianic prophecies found in the Old Testament, we become absolutely convinced and secure in our faith – Jesus is the way to God the Father.

“And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12

Love and Shalom, – Rabbi

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Jesus said:
“I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”
John 14:6

Being an authentic witness is to represent Yeshua to anyone God has given you influence with, so that they can have an opportunity to reject Him or accept Him. If we only represent Jesus as just being one of many paths that has become the Savior of some, and we believe that all the other religions of the world have their own way to eternal life- we have compromised the Truth.

Jesus said:
“Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.” John 8:24
The question I have is this: Will you and I align ourselves with the Words of God contained in Scripture? Or will we say: “You know what? The Words that I am reading in Scripture do not make sense when I compare them to what is going on in the world today. ” And then reject the Words of Scripture, because we are relying on earthly knowledge and we would prefer to go along with the “flow.”

Beloved, if we are going to enter into eternal life, we have to come into absolute agreement with God’s Word, even when it is not culturally correct. Too many of us, because the Words of Jesus are controversial and inconvenient, decide to avoid the rejection that often comes with aligning ourselves with His Word. We choose to “shrink back” by refusing to speak out that He, and He alone, is the only way to the Father.

Jesus said:
“When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” Luke 18:8

You and I are going to have to make a choice. Will we choose to stand in faith and be His witnesses by declaring that Jesus is the only way to eternal life? Or will we “shrink back” and become another casualty of deception? Beloved, choose to stand with the Word of God!

The post The Way – Part 2 appeared first on Discovering The Jewish Jesus.

“I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” John 14:6

Many cannot accept that God would keep, especially what are considered to be good people out of heaven, just because they do not believe in Jesus. They refuse to accept that Jesus is the only way to eternal life. Beloved, this kind of earthly thinking carries grave and eternal consequences. The Antichrist spirit is the instigator of this deception and the author of the propaganda that is penetrating our society, especially amongst young people who more and more are ascribing to a thought process that says it is unreasonable and ignorant to believe that Jesus is the only way to heaven.

To take the stand today that Jesus is the only way, puts us in a position of walking down a very narrow path because we are making an exclusive claim. What we, as Jesus’ disciples, are claiming is that the only way to life is to believe in and to obey the Son.

“He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” John 3:36
But to make the exclusive claim that the only way to know HaShem (God) in an intimate way, the only way to enter into the mystery of eternal life, is through the Son; to take this position, once again, puts you in the camp of being outside the mainstream.

There is such demonic pressure today upon society to say: “No, people can go to God any way they choose to” and “Who are you to say that your way is the only way?” Beloved, we as a people of God, as the Church, are being so minimalized by the culture today and by the power of the enemy. Sadly, as a result, God’s people are shrinking back in fear and timidity from taking a stand.

Jesus declared:
“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.” Matthew 7:13

Beloved, narrow is the path for those of us who will take a stance of absolute steadfastness and conviction- there is no other way to be saved from our sins and see heaven-except through Jesus. Today, more than ever before, we must take on the lie being thrust onto society against the exclusivity of Yeshua, and draw a line in the sand and say “enough is enough” and resolve to stand and be His witnesses.

To be continued next month…

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Beloved, Jesus wants to saturate your soul, fulfill your emotions, clothe you with His beauty, and bring you into intimacy with Himself. Messiah Jesus is the water that quenches all our thirsts. But our walk with Jesus is not about religion, it has to do with the Spirit. We have to be led by the Spirit in order to experience the living water.

Sometimes people think that they are living a full Christian life simply because they are immersed in Christian culture. But we need to go beyond Christian culture. We need to enter into the supernatural realm of Hashem; into the Spirit world. We are going to have to journey into the Spirit in a way that you and I can only go individually. In other words, God is going to call each one of us as He did Abraham. He called Abraham to leave everything that was comfortable for him. Abraham had to go from his land and leave his friends (Genesis 12:1). He had to follow the Lord’s Spirit, to find something so much bigger – the supernatural life of God.

If we are going to move in power, we are going to have to be led by the Spirit. It is going to be supernatural. God is going to train us how to abide in Him. He is going to teach us how to hear His voice. He is going to lead us to do things that sometimes make no sense. He is going to stretch us to even do that which is uncomfortable. And as we obey Him like Abraham did, we are going to enter into a place in life that is fulfilling and beautiful!

Beloved, real life is in the Spirit. The Spirit gives life. Again, Jesus says, “Whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst, but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water, springing up to eternal life.” This is not a one-time act, but is a lifetime pursuit. Slowly we are transformed, the old things pass away as we become new creations in Messiah Jesus. As we age, this new wine becomes the fullness of our life, and even though the outward body decays as we age, our inner man is being renewed day by day. So that the older we are, the fuller, happier, and more content we become.

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I am growing the peyos because I want to, in my own heart, live out my Jewish calling. Deep inside me, there is just a yearning to be able to manifest what is within me in an external way. In the same way that I wear the prayer shawl and yarmulke (head cap) – it is for the same reason that I am growing the peyos. I want to clothe myself as a Jewish person because the world needs Jewish messengers of Yeshua.

Beloved, I believe that God wants to use me to push the envelope forward and to challenge the status quo with the fact that Jesus is a Jew. Even though I already wear the prayer shawl and yarmulke; I believe that growing the peyos pushes the envelope further; making people face the fact that here is this guy wearing peyos saying that Jesus is the Messiah. I know that it may offend some people. I know some people might even accuse me of being inauthentic because I am not an orthodox or a Hasidic Jew. But growing the peyos is not about being orthodox, Hasidic, or under the Law. And beloved, I want you to hear loud and clear that I am not, nor are any of you – under the Law.

Instead, I really want to be able to reflect what is in my inner person – in my outer person. Having the peyos marks me as not being part of the world. There are so many people in the world that don’t just need another friend, or a handshake – they need to hear the voice of God. I feel by wearing the peyos it helps to set myself apart as somebody that is unique on the earth. I am then able to speak hope and truth into people’s lives as someone that is not of the world, but as someone that is from another world – the world of God, the world of Hashem.

I want to assure you that my doctrine has not changed whatsoever, I will continue to preach the same gospel: Jesus is the only way to the Father. Beloved, I earnestly believe that God wants us to keep on going up the mountain to be changed from glory to glory, to keep on pressing the envelope to the next level for breakthrough!

Finally, I would like to say that I don’t know if this is just for a season or how long I will have the peyos, but at this point in my life – it is in my heart to do.

Speaking God’s best over your life!

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But do you know what Jesus said?

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
John 3:3

When Jesus used the Words “born again,” He was not just talking about a change of lifestyle, a new beginning, or even referring to a person’s amount of zeal. He was not figuratively speaking or using a metaphor. What He was talking about was literally being born of God’s Spirit and becoming supernaturally alive! He was talking about an invisible dimension that is as real as our first birth.

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” John 3:5-6

Jesus was talking about our first (natural) birth and a second (spiritual) birth. The first birth happens when we were birthed into this world from our mother’s womb – we were born in the flesh. But at the second birth, when we receive Jesus, we literally receive the substance of God’s Spirit. God’s Spirit literally comes inside us, and when that happens we receive another nature. We are given God’s own character because His Spirit comes and inhabits us.

Father wants us to get in touch with the fact that His Spirit is inside each of His children. God wants us to tap into this power! He is the “life force” that has given us supernatural abilities. Beloved, we should not let the false concept that the world has spun about being “born again” keep us from fully realizing, that because we were “born again” at our second birth, we now have the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead residing in us.

“But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.” Romans 8:11

Beloved, I want to encourage you to embrace the Biblical meaning of being “born again,” for it is what separates us from the world and creates a way for God’s Spirit to dwell in us.

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God created us in His likeness so that we could experience reality as He experiences reality. This is what a true relationship with Father is about. It is about experiencing His reality. God wants to share himself with us, but in order to do so, we have to first be convinced that He truly loves us.

Jesus took our sin, condemnation, and guilt out of the way. All that has to happen, to receive His love, is for us to open up our hearts and realize Father’s favor is upon us. He is not angry with us. Our sin is not in the way. He loves us. God loved you during your worst days, and His love has never, and will never, fail you! You have to believe that His love for you is unconditional. Beloved, we need to internalize His love for us if we are going to comprehend our purpose for being created in His image.

Beloved, we are here to come into unity with our Creator. Our purpose is to become transformed into His likeness and to come into harmony with Him. The real reason that we are here is to choose to put God first. We may be taking different roads. We may be coming from different parts of the world. We may have different occupations. Some are old, some are young, some are single, some are married, we are on different paths, but we all have the same destination – to come into unity with Hashem, to come into unity with Father God, through the love of His Son – King Jesus. God loves you more than you and I can ever know. He loves us so much. He is infinite. Father’s love is so broad, deep, and wide that it is immeasurable! He made us for Himself. Father made us in His image so that we can experience His joy, His victory, His reality, and His love!

“So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.”
Ephesians 3:17-19

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Beloved, God loves us even more than we can imagine, and He’s looking for you and I to love Him back—with our whole heart. Father longs to strongly support those that fully surrender their lives to Him and shower Him with extravagant love.

A great example of extravagant (whole heart) love is the story of Mary of Bethany.

“Jesus, therefore, six days before the Passover, came to Bethany where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. So they made Him a supper there, and Martha was serving; but Lazarus was one of those reclining at the table with Him. Mary then took a pound of very costly perfume of pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But Judas Iscariot, one of His disciples, who was intending to betray Him, said, “’Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and given to poor people?”’ Now he said this, not because he was concerned about the poor, but because he was a thief, and as he had the money box, he used to pilfer what was put into it. Therefore Jesus said, ‘“Let her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of My burial. For you always have the poor with you, but you do not always have Me.”’ John 12: 1-8

Beloved, Mary’s gift was extravagant! It was extravagant because she took action, not because she was compelled by somebody or someone manipulated her—she expressed her devotion, because she wanted to. It was extravagant because her gift represented her entire life, her whole heart. It was extravagant because she was so compelled by her love for Jesus that she gave herself completely—without regard to the cost or what others would think!

Let us be like Mary and give Him everything, no matter the cost, regardless of what people might say, and never look back. Beloved, to really do this, you need to make a decision to get on your knees and give yourself completely, without reservation, to Jesus. No holding back! No second thoughts! Jesus is coming soon. There is only an “hour” left. Let’s be ready!

“‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.”
Matthew 22:37

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“But who do you say that I am?” (Matthew 16:15)

Few doubt whether Jesus actually lived and walked the streets of Jerusalem. In fact, if you go to Israel today, you will see all the evidence that archaeologists have uncovered regarding Jesus, supporting the accounts that He existed. But who was He and who is He?

Is He a liar, a lunatic, or the Lord?
(C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity)

Some consider Jesus a liar; that He told people things that were not true about Himself. Beloved, for this to be true, we would have to conclude that all the Old Testament prophecies that He fulfilled were false and that all the writers of the New Testament were duped.

But Peter said: “… We did not follow cleverly devised tales when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty.” 2 Peter 1:16

Could He have been a lunatic? In other words, did Yeshua think that He was somebody that He was not? Did He have delusions of grandeur? Did He imagine Himself to be the Messiah because He was out of His mind? Again, overwhelming evidence proves otherwise. The greatest of which are the numerous eyewitnesses to His resurrection.

“After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep.” 1 Corinthians 15:6

Encountering Jesus after His resurrection:
Mark 16:9
Matthew 28: 5, 6, 9
Luke 24: 6, 7, 13-31
Luke 24:34
John 20:18, 19
John 21:1
Acts 1:9
1 Corinthians 15:7, 8

The only sound and logical conclusion is that He was who He said He was, and is who He said He is—Lord, Messiah, risen Savior, and soon returning King!

“And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12

When people refuse to accept that Jesus is the only way to the Father, and believe that being a good person is the only requirement for eternal life—they are sadly deceived and have no way for their sins to be forgiven.

Beloved, we need to be prepared and be bold in proclaiming the truth of who Jesus is to those that have not accepted Him as their Savior.

Time is short, be encouraged to go through the Bible Study below to equip you to boldly lift up His name.

Bible Study
Mark 14:61–62
Philippians 2:5–8
Matthew 12:38–40
1 Corinthians 15:3–7
Matthew 25:31–46
Titus 2:13
John 1:3
Hebrews 1:8
Mark 2:3–12
Romans 10:9
Acts 7:56
John 3:16
“I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” John 14:6

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“So that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects.” Colossians 1:10

Beloved, have you ever asked yourself: “What am I really trying to do with my life?” “What are my goals?” “What is my ambition for the day?” When you wake up in the morning and examine the trajectory of your heart—What is your motive for the day? Should this not be the first thought we have and the first words we say?

Unfortunately, many people that call themselves believers wake up in the morning without considering how they can walk in a manner worthy of the Lord and please Him in all respects. Instead, they are focused only on their job, personal problems, relationships, and so on. God is too often way in the background, put on hold until the next emergency. But if you and I are going to walk truly worthy of our calling, we have to understand that we are born again with the Spirit
of the living God and have been purchased by HaShem (Which is the Hebrew way to say: “Bless the name of the Lord”). Beloved, we have been bought by Father God through His Son to live for Him and walk in a manner worthy of our calling. Many of us need to reprogram our minds. We need to set our sights on why we are really here.

Jesus was born to go to the cross and He came to that cross and said, “Not My will, but Yours be done (Luke 22:42).” I want to challenge you, beloved ones, to begin every morning by waking up and recognizing that you have a God-centered mission to accomplish every day. Whatever obstacles you are going to face, you need to have victory over them and walk in a manner worthy of the Lord. Every day there are going to be battles, and every day our purpose is to win those conflicts by the Spirit and the Word of the Lord. While, at all times, keeping our affection and priority set on Him, in order to walk in a manner worthy of our calling. Jesus said in the book of Revelation, “He that overcomes will inherit these things.” The more we overcome, the greater our reward. And beloved, it gives Father great pleasure to reward His children. Let’s start making His will for each day our top priority, and by doing so, we will walk in victory and in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects.

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All of us should be seeking to have an experience like Abraham. Remember, God came to Abraham and said: “Go forth from your country, And from your relatives And from your father’s house, To the land which I will show you (Genesis 12:1).“ Abraham was willing to leave what he was comfortable with, forsake all that made him secure (in the natural), and not consider what others thought—because he trusted God.

To receive something more with God, to obtain the extraordinary, we cannot be concerned with our comforts or being different. If we are too afraid of standing out “in the crowd” or of taking a step of faith like Abraham, God is unable to do something new for us because we are holding on to where we are. If you hold on to where you are, how can you come out of that place into a new thing? You have got to trust HaShem (God), and let go and then follow Him where He leads you. Even though it can be scary, be assured that there is a reward on the other side! This is the pathway beloved, to fully reaching your destiny! This is the way of eternal life. It is an everlasting adventure in God! It is a never-ending journey in the spirit!

Beloved, if you will persist and trust Him wholeheartedly, being convinced that He is with you all the way, knowing He loves you, confident He is leading you and believing He is going to bring you into something good—you will get there! If you will follow Him and let go of some of the things you need to let go of, you are going to enter more and more into His realm of eternal life. God’s Spirit is living, active, and real. Beloved, we can truly only have divine satisfaction in God if we pursue Him with our all!

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Beloved, God is more than just a force. He actually has a personality just like us whom He created in His own image. When God speaks His name to Moses, the very first characteristic that we learn about Father is that His nature is compassionate and gracious. “The LORD (YAHWEH), the LORD (YAHWEH) God, compassionate and gracious…”

What do compassionate and gracious mean? They convey the showing of unmerited favor by having mercy for one that does not deserve it. Beloved, He is a good God! He delights in loving us. He is merciful, gracious, and slow to anger. He is not a fuming God that loses His temper. Father is slow to anger, abounding in goodness and love. What does abounding mean? It is like bubbling up, overflowing, and more than enough. This is a good God! He is a wonderful Father full of compassion and grace!

But notice the next thing that God makes known about Himself to Moses:
“Yet He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished.”

Beloved, what we learn in Exodus 34: 6, 7 is one of the most profound revelations in the entire Torah (Old Testament)—that first of all, God is compassionate, but secondly, He is just. We need to understand His ways and His actions from these two perspectives that describe His essence. Father is first of all merciful. He desires to show mercy. That is why He sent Jesus. If He just wanted to sow justice, YAHWEH would have never sacrificed His Son for us. He would have just destroyed mankind and not provided a path for redemption. Instead of mercy, every time somebody sinned for the first time, God would have just killed them on the spot as the Bible teaches—“the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). But, because God is first compassionate, gracious, long-suffering and patient, He does not immediately destroy someone when they sin. Instead, Father has provided a way to turn to Him through Yeshua. God loves us. He is compassionate, and He is calling to all: “Come to Jesus and be saved.”

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There is much revelation when we understand why Jesus said, “Peace be with you” and then said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” Beloved, as Jesus released His Spirit, He was also releasing His peace! Peace is the foundation and substance of having authority. Unless we are in peace—we will have no power!

So beloved, it is critical for us, in order to maintain peace, to develop and practice spiritual discernment. This will enable us to stop evil spirits that would cause us to be anxious, persuade us to run, or attempt to take away His peace from our heart and mind. We must keep them out! We have to shut any door to these spirits in order to be at peace and thus walk in authority. Beloved, true spiritual discernment comes from God, through putting His Word (Solid Food) in our spirit, and by becoming spiritually in-tune to everything around us.

“But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good
and evil.” Hebrews 5:14

PRAYER
Father God, in Yeshua’s name, we can talk about these things, but we know to receive these things, it must be supernatural. Jesus, we think about Peter and how You said to Him, “Who do you say that I am?” And when he answered back to You, “You’re the Messiah,” You then said to Him, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 16:17).” Father God, we come and ask You right now to sovereignly and supernaturally empower us with supernatural discernment to know evil form good, so we can defeat any ploy of the enemy to steal our peace. Father, we ask that You would bless us with peace, with the very peace of the Sar Shalom, The Prince of Peace, Jesus the Messiah. We ask You to strengthen us in our inner man with the same power that raised Jesus from the dead. Strengthen our soul and gird our mind, Father, so that we become diligent in our walk, leading us to maturity in our faith. I pray, Father, in Jesus’ name, breathe on us fresh once again, with the same Words that Jesus spoke over the first Apostles, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” “My peace I give to you.” Father, in Jesus’ name, we thank You today for the gift of peace, and we ask You again, Abba God, strengthen us mightily in the Sar Shalom, The Prince of Peace, Jesus the Messiah. Father, we love You. We glorify You!

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“As the deer pants for the water brooks, So my soul pants for You, O God.” Psalm 42:1

Beloved, God’s presence is so beautiful, so satisfying and is beyond anything that this world has to offer. Those of us that have been touched by His presence are so hungry to be touched again—in an even more profound and powerful way!
I know there have been certain times, in my life, that God has made His presence so manifest in my heart, that even though some of those instances were five, ten, fifteen, twenty years ago or longer, I still remember each of those experiences. Although some of those times lasted only for a second, they were so impactful, so powerful, that I never forgot them and I yearn for the Father’s next touch. Like David, each of us desires to enter into a deeper walk in which we are experiencing His presence in our everyday lives.

But, we need to realize that beyond our desire and above the importance of you and I experiencing God’s presence—there is something even more profound and more important. And, that is beloved, that we exist for God’s glory! Experiencing God’s presence is absolutely an awesome and beautiful thing. We want to experience God’s presence. But, beloved, there needs to be an awareness inside us that recognizes that there is something greater, and that is God’s glory.

God’s ultimate purpose, in everything that He does, is to glorify Himself. In fact, Paul tells us in Ephesians 1:6 that we have been saved “to the praise of His glorious grace.” In heaven there are divine beings worshiping Him day and night, crying out—“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty” (Revelation 4:8). We need to understand that the Gospel, which was once and for all delivered to us, was first and foremost about the glory of God. Not us first, not our desires first, not our needs first. Although we are loved and valued by the Father, what is most important is God’s own glory. If we are going to walk in greater fellowship and a greater experience of His presence, we need to recognize that our highest purpose is to glorify Him. Let us become like Jesus who said to the Father:

“I glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do.” John 17:4

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The Spirit of the Lord was with the children of Israel in the wilderness when they were living in tents around the mishkan, the tabernacle. By night the Holy Spirit manifested over the tabernacle as a pillar of fire. During the day, the Spirit of God took the form of a glory cloud. The Bible tells us, in Numbers chapter 9, that when the Spirit of the Lord stopped, either in the form of fire or a cloud, the children of Israel would stop, and they would camp there. But whenever the Spirit of the Lord lifted, when either the fire or the cloud began to move, they would take up camp and follow the Spirit.

The Israelites never knew when the cloud or fire were going to move. Sometimes it was two days, sometimes two months, or sometimes even two years. They had to keep their eyes on God’s Spirit and obey.

Beloved, think about it. If the fire or the cloud were stationary over the tabernacle, but the Israelites got antsy and they decided on their own to move without the fire or cloud going before them—what would have happened? They would have died in the wilderness and fallen short of the Promise Land because there would not have been any provision, protection or direction for them anymore. Conversely, if the Spirit of the Lord moved and they said: “We’re comfortable here, we like this spot, we like this place, we’re not going to move—we are staying here.” Then, if the Spirit of the Lord moved and they did not follow, what would have happened? They would have also died in the wilderness because there would have been no food/water, safeguard or guidance there from God. Not only that—they would have missed their destiny!

It is the same for each of us today. God still desires to direct our path. Instead of a pillar of fire or a cloud, He has placed His Spirit inside us. But are we following? Are we paying attention to the inner witness of the Holy Spirit who is leading us? Just like the Israelites in the wilderness, our provision, protection and guidance comes from the Lord when we are obedient to Him.

“But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak…” John 16:13

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Passover/Feast of Unleavened Bread
Passover (Celebrated annually for approximately 3,500 years), commemorates the Israelites deliverance from bondage—a story of redemption and deliverance, through the blood of an unblemished lamb. Our Passover has since been realized in Yeshua: “Messiah has become our Passover” (1 Corinthians 5:7). Jesus died for us on Passover, redeeming us with His blood. He is the fulfillment of Passover, and is referred to as “the Lamb
of God” 29 times in the book of Revelation.

The Feast of Unleavened Bread begins the day after Passover and lasts for seven days (Leviticus 23:6–8). Throughout the week, Jewish families remove all leaven from their homes and eat only unleavened bread, called Matzah. In preparing for their deliverance from Egypt, God instructed the children of Israel, “when you hear My voice, leave in haste and do not wait for the bread to rise” (Deuteronomy 16:3). Immediate action was required! Jesus is the fulfillment of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. He is the ultimate obedient One, Whose instant and perfect obedience, to the point of His death on the cross, saved us! At Passover, He took the Matzah (unleavened bread) and breaking it said, “take this bread and eat, this is My body which is given for you” (Luke 22:19).

The Feast of First Fruits
During The Feast of First Fruits in ancient Israel, the Israelites would take the first fruit of their spring harvest and offer it to God, demonstrating their thankfulness to their Provider and thus sanctifying their whole harvest (Leviticus 23:9–14). Consider this, in the spring, the earth that looked dead during the winter suddenly comes to life! For example: colorful flowers and a variety of fruits miraculously appear out of the grey and brown lifeless earth. It is like the dead earth suddenly comes to life.

In the same way, 2,000 years ago Jesus was dead, but supernaturally came back to life on the Feast of First Fruits and then ascended to the Father as “the first fruits of those raised from the dead” (1 Corinthians 15:20, 23). In ancient Israel, God accepted the whole harvest through the first fruit offering. So it is today: we are accepted and loved by Father God through the First Fruits offering of Messiah!

Shavuot (Pentecost)
Shavuot, meaning weeks, also known as Pentecost, meaning 50, is first found in Leviticus 23:16. By the time the New Testament was written it became associated with the Lord revealing Himself on Mt. Sinai. Later, in Acts chapter 2, we read that there were Jews from all over the world, living in Jerusalem, celebrating this Jewish Holiday known in Greek as Pentecost. They were remembering how God appeared to them 1,500 years earlier on Mt. Sinai in fire and glory, giving them His law on tablets of stone (Exodus 19:16–19). Again, this Holy Day (Shavuot) is said to be the day God did this. In Acts, as the disciples were remembering this, they experienced it as the God of Israel filled them with His Holy Spirit and wrote His law on their hearts. Thus, the Holy Spirit moved from writing His Word on tablets of stone to writing it on our hearts. This was the fulfillment of what the prophet spoke of in Ezekiel 36:26, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you.” The final atonement for sin was accomplished at Passover through the blood of Jesus. The gift of the Holy Spirit was given at Pentecost (Shavuot) to all who received Him!

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“Beloved, let us love one another, because love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.” 1 John 4:7

“The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” 1 John 4:8

“And we have come to know and believe the love that God has for us. God is love; whoever abides in love abides in God, and God in him.” 1 John 4:16

For some of us, this is harder than others. The enemy (Satan) tries to make us, especially men, afraid to love. The devil wants us to think, that showing love is to show weakness. Some of you perhaps grew up in a home where it was considered unmanly to show affection. You never kissed. You never hugged. You never said, “I love you.” But, I want to encourage you through the example of Jesus, Who often spoke about and showed His love for others.

Jesus wept at Lazarus’ grave: John 11:35
Jesus speaks of His love: John 13:34
Jesus washes disciples’ feet: John 13:12
Jesus shows compassion: Matthew 9:36, and 14:14
Jesus weeps for Jerusalem: Luke 19:41
Jesus at Passover with John: John 13:23

Jesus, the Creator of the world, the One who bound Satan, the One who holds the keys to death and Hades, the One who rose from the grave, conquered death, conquered the devil, ascended to heaven, sits in heaven now at the Father’s right hand reigning over everything, He is the most masculine being in the universe and beloved—He loves.

Men, I want to encourage you to break out of the devil’s false reality that it is unmanly to love. We need to be able to tell and show people that we love them. We need to be able to tell our brothers and sisters—“I love you.” We need to be able to express affection to people, because, to not be able to do this, actually makes us weak.

Paul said,
“And may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another, and for all people.”
1 Thessalonians 3:12

God is an expansive being, Whose love never ends. Those that are in Him and those that want to abide in Him, their love needs to keep growing.
Beloved, we all, men and women alike, need to become a “River of Love” to everyone around us.

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Beloved, there is always more. We always want to keep on growing, especially in love. We should never get to the place where we stop increasing in love because the love of God is endless. What an awesome concept to grasp—the love of God expands forever, there is no end to it! It just gets fuller and fuller and fuller. Beloved, that is what heaven is going to be like for us. We are going to be experiencing more and more of God’s love—forever more. It is like walking into the ocean, and it just keeps getting deeper and deeper, until we become “consumed.” That is what the love of God is like for us beloved. And, because we are created in His likeness, and now have become members of Him through Yeshua, the Lord wants His love to keep on expanding and growing in our life. Again, Paul says,

“I pray, that your love may abound still more and more …” Philippians 1:9

Notice the double “more.” They already had love, but Paul says, “I want your love to keep on growing more and more.” This is a remarkable thing to realize. As you and I continue to focus on developing love and growing in love, we are actually expanding our capacity for releasing the love of God to everyone around us. As we pursue a deeper experience with Him, we then become a conduit of His love to the world. It is kind of like this: A body of water that has no way to flow out will become like a swamp: stagnant, foul, and polluted. But, a body of water that has an outflow, when the water is moving into a river; this body of water is going to stay useful, clean, and pure. And, in a similar way, we cannot be whom God desires us to be, a “river of love” to others, unless we have an outlet, an outflow, by which we are expressing, showing and demonstrating the true Biblical love of God that He is imparting into us.

“Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” 1 Corinthians 13: 4-7

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The Father is looking for those who will worship Him, “In spirit and in truth.” (John 4:23)

Beloved, both truth and spirit are the foundations that our relationship with God is based on. The truth is the written Word of God, and the revelation that the Holy Spirit gives us. Our faith is based on both the truth and the spirit. Not just in spirit, not just in truth, but the combination of the two. The point is that we should not limit our relationship with God by only knowing Him with our intellect (truth). We also need to seek to spiritually experience and feel God. What would you think of a marriage relationship with someone that had no feeling, if you never felt anything for your husband, or if you never felt anything for your wife? No, relationships involve feelings, and feelings makes us alive! I am not saying we are to be led only by our feelings. But, what I am saying is that those that never feel anything—are missing something.

Jesus said,
“When I am raised to life again, you will know that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.” John 14:20

The “know” that Yeshua is referring to in the previous Scripture (John 14:20) is to be intimately felt and experienced.

Beloved, I want to know Jesus in me and around me. I want to be conscious of God. I want to be aware of His love. I want to know who He is. I want to sense His glory. I want to experience His power. I want to know who I am to Him. All these things that I am describing—require an experience. They cannot just be in the mind, they have to be felt in our heart and spirit.

When Jesus went away, He told the disciples that He would send us the promise (the Helper) of the Father (John 16:7). Then He said that the promise of the Father is the Spirit, and the Spirit then would take of Him and reveal Him (disclose Him) unto us (John 16:13, 14). In other words, Jesus said: “I am going to send you the Spirit and the Spirit will make Me real to you. The Spirit will take of Me, My very nature, My very thoughts, My very heart, My very feelings and He will reveal them unto you.”

As a believer, one of our primary goals is to come into a greater realization of these realities in our lives. To not only know the truths of His Word, but to also realize that we can sense Him within and throughout our life. Beloved, we can truly experience God and His Son—in spirit.

“This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.”
John 17:3

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The history of Hanukkah can be traced back to 168 BC when the Greco-Assyrians, under the leadership of Antiochus IV, invaded and captured Jerusalem. They attempted to destroy the culture and religion of the Jewish people, and desecrate the Temple of the LORD. During this time, a group of Greco-Assyrian soldiers marched into a Jewish settlement and demanded that the Priest there, Mattathias, sacrifice a pig to their pagan god, Zeus. Because Mattathias feared the LORD more than the enemy, he refused to sacrifice the pig. A fellow Jewish onlooker, afraid of the Greco-Assyrians wrath, volunteered to sacrifice the pig. In response to this, Mattathias drew his sword and killed him.

This act of conviction and courage was such an inspiration to the rest of the Jewish people that they assembled right there and joined Mattathias to form an army. Under the leadership of Mattathias’ son Judah, they successfully stopped the Greco-Assyrians from overtaking their
settlement, and eventually drove them out of Jerusalem and the Temple. This victory climaxed with the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem, and the inauguration of the Feast of Dedication/Hanukkah in 164 BC.

As one of the Levite Priests prepared to light the Menorah (the lamp-stand inside of the temple) during the Temple rededication ceremony, they realized that there was only enough Holy oil to burn for one day. However, according to tradition, the oil burned supernaturally for eight days! This is why the Hanukkah Menorah that Jewish people light each year has eight candles, representing those eight miraculous days of burning. (There is an additional ninth “Servant” candle on the Hanukkah Menorah that is used to light these eight candles.)

Hanukkah— “Let Your Light Shine”
Just as the ninth candle on the Hanukkah Menorah is used to light the other eight, Yeshua has “lit” us in order that we become “supernatural lights” to the world!

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does any one light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven!” Matthew 5:14-16

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Did you know that you are Jesus’ inheritance? Beloved, when Jesus gave His life on the cross, He did not just do it to forgive our sins, as important as that is; but even beyond that, He did it to purchase us for Himself. We are His inheritance. We are what He gave His life for. We are what He shed His blood for. It is because of us that He took the nails in His hands, the spear in His side, and the nails in His feet. He did it, beloved, to redeem us, to purchase us. God did not only send Jesus to the cross for your transgressions, but Yeshua died In order to marry you!

I want you to realize how beautiful you are to Him. You are truly magnificent to God. You are special and important beyond any words that I could use. He chose you for Himself. That is what Paul was praying for here:

“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints.” Ephesians 1:18

In fact, you are so remarkable; you are considered the bride of Christ!

“Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.” Revelation 19:7

This is where it all ends, the marriage supper of the Lamb. This is the final culmination of God’s great plan of redemption—His children wed to His Son!

Beloved, what I am telling you is that you are someone special to God. Your importance, your value, and your significance are so much greater than any validation this world, or any person on earth, could ever give you. If we are depending on the world to tell us how treasured we are, if we are depending on someone to validate us, to give us a sense of significance, we are going to be disappointed. Neither the world nor anybody in it can ever confirm us in a way that measures how valuable we truly are to the Father. Only the Father loved us enough to sacrifice His Son in order that we would become His inheritance. That is and will always be—the ultimate act of validation.

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I do not know that prayer minister’s motive. Was it to look good? Was it a need to perform on his part? Was it a belief that I would be better off for it?

One thing I do know: There is no satisfaction in faking a supernatural experience. God comes on people at times, but we cannot control—nor do we have to control—where and when He comes. Sometimes I know that someone is going to be healed, but I have no idea who it is. And I am relaxed about this because I know that I cannot heal anybody and it is up to God. The point is, if we are going to experience the authentic supernatural presence of the Holy Spirit, we cannot give in to the pressure to try to make it happen.

It is important when moving in the supernatural not to let it be a burden or a place of anxiety or fear. You do not have to prove to anyone who you are. In fact, walking in the supernatural begins with knowing who you already are. Before Jesus did any miracle, He knew who He was. His identity had been confirmed by the Father’s voice: “You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.”

Being Spirit-conscious means doing your best to remain at peace. You step out as you are led, and your faith leads to experience. I like to think of the fire and cloud over the Tabernacle (see Numbers 9:15–22). Whenever it stayed in place, the Israelites stayed in place. Whenever it moved, they moved. Whenever it stopped, they stopped. I want to encourage you to look at God’s leading like this instead of being driven by nervousness, fear or ambition. Follow the witness of the Holy Spirit.

Quite frankly, the Lord can do something supernatural in us or through us at any time—sometimes when we least expect it; oftentimes when we do not deserve it. Anybody can experience a miracle: Balaam’s donkey talked to him. To walk in the supernatural consistently, however, we must cooperate with the spiritual principles of the Kingdom.

The Holy Spirit is on earth right now, revealing the Father to you and revealing the Son to you. If you are not looking for Him, if you have not trained your spiritual senses to recognize Him, then He can be knocking on the door of your heart all day long, but you will never know it.

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The Feast of Trumpets
Which is called in Hebrew, Yom T’rooah

The Day of Atonement
Which is called in Hebrew, Yom Kippur

The Feast of Tabernacles
Which is called in Hebrew, Sukkot

The first of the Fall Feasts is called Yom T’rooah—The Day of Trumpets. In modern day Judaism, it is known as Rosh Hashanah, Head of the Year, and is celebrated as the Jewish New Year. A common custom is to say “L’shanah tovah”, which means, “May it be a good year.” Another custom is to eat apples dipped in honey. The apples and honey represent God’s provision and sweetness that He will manifest to us in the coming year. We read about this feast (Yom T’rooah) in Leviticus 23:24—“Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, in the seventh month, on the first of the month (Tishri), you shall have a rest, a reminder by blowing of (shofars) trumpets.” But what does the shofar help us to remember? In the Holy Scriptures, there are two passages that speak of the LORD, Himself, blowing the shofar.

The first passage is found in Exodus 19:13 when the children of Israel prepared themselves to go up to Mount Sinai to meet the LORD. The second is found in 1 Thessalonians 4:16–17, “For the LORD Himself will come down from heaven with a rousing cry, with a call from one of the ruling angels, and with God’s shofar; those who died united with the Messiah will be the first to rise; then we who are left still alive will be caught up with them in the clouds to meet the LORD in the air…”

In both of these instances, the blowing of the shofar announces God’s manifest presence. In Exodus 19, the sound of a shofar from heaven grew louder and louder so that the people who stood at the base of Mt. Sinai began to tremble. Then God spoke, and more than a million Israelites heard His voice at the same time.

The second of the Fall Feasts is called Yom Kippur—The Day of Atonement. We read about this feast in Leviticus 16 & 17 and in Leviticus 23:27. This is the day that the High Priest would carry the blood of the bull and goat through the veil and into the Most Holy Place in the Tabernacle—the Holy of Holies. The High Priest of the Israelites would then pour the blood onto the altar over the Ark of the Covenant and, in doing so, make atonement for the children of Israel (Lev. 17:11).

The book of Hebrews chapters 9 and 10 tell us that the blood of the bulls and goats offered up to the LORD in the ancient Temple, on the Day of Atonement, was a foreshadow of the blood of Jesus. Through the death and shed blood of Jesus, we are forgiven once and for all! Praise God! Hallelujah!

“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace.” Ephesians 1:7

For us, Yom Kippur is a time of thanking and worshiping Yeshua for His sacrifice and for forgiving us our sins. There is also another prophetic aspect of this feast that has yet to be fulfilled—the turning of the Jewish people to Messiah Yeshua as according to Zechariah: “…they will look on Me whom they have pierced” (Zech. 12:10).

When He returns, He will lift the veil from their eyes! The book of Revelation foretells this glorious event:
“Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So it is to be. Amen” (Rev. 1:7). Paul foretells of this same event in Romans 11:26, which states that at Messiah’s return “all Israel will be saved.”

The last of the Fall Feasts is called Sukkot—The Feast of Tabernacles. This feast is a joyous and happy time of giving thanks to God for His provision. We read about this feast in Leviticus 23:34–42 “On the fifteenth of this seventh month is the Feast of Tabernacles for seven days to the LORD… You shall thus celebrate it as a feast to the LORD… It shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations… You shall live in booths for seven days.”

Throughout this feast, in many Jewish homes and synagogues, a sukkah will be constructed. A sukkah (meaning tabernacle or booth) is a temporary structure made out of lumber, grass, or any other natural substance, and is decorated with natural materials including tree branches, leaves, flowers, vegetables, and fruit. During the celebration of Sukkot, many people will eat their meals and sleep in the sukkah for the entire seven days of the feast. While in the sukkah, Jewish people remember how they had nothing in the wilderness but God, Who for forty years supplied their every need.

He fed them supernaturally with manna, gave them water out of a rock, and caused their clothes not to wear out. They had nothing but God, yet He was enough! This is another beautiful foreshadow of how we should live our lives today; totally dependent on Him!

Sukkot also involves the tradition of “the waving of the lulav.” The lulav is a gathering of branches made from four species found in Israel: the Palm branch, Myrtle, Willow and the Etrog (Lev. 23:40). We hold the lulav up and wave it before the LORD. By doing this, we are testifying of His beauty and bounty, that He is everywhere, and that every good gift comes from Him! Praise the LORD!

A remarkable tradition that took place during the Feast of Tabernacles in the days of Yeshua is called Hoshana Rabbah. During this ceremony, the priests would march from the pool of Siloam to the altar at the Temple in Jerusalem carrying a pitcher of water. They would then pour the pitcher of water onto the altar. Through this act, the priests were thanking God in advance for the coming winter rains which would produce another bountiful harvest in the spring. This practice also prophetically depicted that God would pour out His Spirit at the coming of Messiah.

It was on the day of Hoshana Rabbah, that Jesus cried out, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, from his innermost being will flow rivers of living water” (John 7:37–38). By proclaiming this, Jesus was revealing that He was the Messiah.

Lastly, the Scriptures tell us that the Feast of Tabernacles will be celebrated in the millennial Kingdom of God. The book of Zechariah tells us “any who are left of all the nations that went against Jerusalem (during Armageddon), will go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles” (Zech. 14:16).

Read more about the Fall Feasts of the LORD and their origin in Leviticus, Chapter 23.

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“But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.” 2 Corinthians 3:18

Have you ever faced something in your life that you never faced before? Come into a challenge in your life that was a brand new test? You were feeling pretty good before you entered the “wilderness.” You were feeling confident in your walk with God before it hit you. But then, when you entered into the trial, you realized that your heart was not as pure and full of faith as you thought. You noticed that you were failing the test in some sense, not that you were failing completely, but that you were just not walking through it as perfectly as your heart wanted to. A bad attitude, toxic stress, anxiety, or fear entered in. You sometimes reacted to the people in your life with less patience. So, what do we do? We call out to Father God: “Help me get my attitude right. Help me to get my heart in order. Help me to walk in love.” And what does He do? Father girds us and transforms us, as He elevates us up to the next level.

This is what was happening with ancient Israel. Father God was transforming them in the wilderness. And He does the same thing with us as we go through our wilderness experience(s); as we cling to Father God, cry out to Him and become totally dependent on Him!

“He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the LORD.”
Deuteronomy 8:3

When you and I go through a wilderness experience, we find our provision supernaturally, in God, in ways that we often cannot and do not, when things are going easy for us. It was only when Israel was in the wilderness that manna appeared on the ground six days a week and water supernaturally came out of a rock. So, beloved, Don’t Waste Your Wilderness!

If you are in the midst of a wilderness experience right now, guard your heart against being bitter. Guard yourself against complaining. Do not let the devil steal your joy, even though it is a hard time. But, in the midst of your wilderness, thank God and worship Him.

“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28

Get ready for a breakthrough!
Get ready to go to the next level!
Do Not Waste Your Wilderness.

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Beloved, God wants His people to live, increase, multiply, and go in and possess. He wants us to take more and more of Him. He is our land. Father God said to Abraham, “I am your exceedingly great reward” (Genesis 15:1). Father God wants to give us Himself and He wants us to be blessed!

I want you to know, child of God, you are a winner! God has great things in store for you. God’s purpose is that you are victorious as you continue to depend on Him—all the way to the top of the mountain. But, as I taught in Part 1 of this series, before Israel could take possession of this “full life”—they first had to go through their own personal wilderness. God has a great plan for your life. But, before He can bring you into the fullness of your inheritance in Him, He first has to strip you, humble you, and get you totally dependent on Him. Father has to wean us off of relying on all other things. He has to bring us to the place where we put Him first in our life. And then, when He gets our heart, our soul, and our thoughts in order, He can bring us into the abundance that He has for us.

I really want you to get this. So much of the teaching people hear today, makes them believe that God is just going to bless them and it is going to happen overnight. They do not understand there is a process to entering into the fullness of the blessing.

“You shall remember all the way which the LORD your God has led you in the wilderness these forty years, that He might humble you…” Deuteronomy 8:2

Why did the Father lead them in the wilderness? To humble them. To humble means to make one dependent, having one’s soul bowed low towards the Lord.
To walk in humility is to walk in dependency on God, and in reverence towards Him. Father was literally building humility in the lives of His people, through the process of, bringing them through the wilderness.

Humility is the foundation of God’s kingdom in our lives. This is why the first Beatitude says: “Blessed are the poor (humble) in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:3)

Beloved, Do Not Waste Your Wilderness, praise Him throughout it, because your blessing is coming as He completes His purpose, in you, during your wilderness experience.

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As we study the history of Israel, God leads them out of Egypt then through the wilderness for 40 years. Also, consider this, Jesus comes out of the Jordan River (Baptized by John) and hears the Father’s voice saying to Him: “You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased.” Mark 1:11

Afterwards, He was immediately led by the Spirit of God into the wilderness, where He fasted for 40 days and 40 nights while dealing with the devil.

Beloved, the pattern is no different today. Before Father God brings us into our fullness, we must first go through our own personal wilderness experience. There are things that Father God can only do for you there. Often, the deepest things that we receive from Him will come when we are the most dependent on Him. It was only when Israel was in the wilderness for 40 years that they saw, every single day, the Spirit of the Lord manifest in the center of their camp as a glory cloud by day and as a pillar of fire by night. It is no different today. Father God feeds us with revelation knowledge and with deep spiritual impartation as we call out to Him, depend on Him, and walk with Him, hand in hand, through our own wilderness experiences. Beloved one, Don’t Waste Your Wilderness.

I want you also to consider that Israel was in the wilderness for 40 years. It was not just a short thing. They had 40,000 meals and slept 14,000 nights in the wilderness. It took a while for God to accomplish in His people what He intended for them—their own Promised Land.

Don’t Waste Your Wilderness—God has great plans for you!

Let us look to Paul:
“…We were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life; indeed, we had the sentence of death within ourselves so that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead” 2nd Corinthians 1:8, 9

Like Israel, God also brought Paul through his wilderness experience. Father wanted Paul to learn to depend only on Him so that he could walk in the power of the Spirit and receive Father’s blessing.

So beloved, keep your faith in Father and keep praising Jesus in your wilderness. Trust that Father is doing something wonderful in your life.

“For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison.” 2nd Corinthians 4:17

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Beloved, through His Spirit we now have access to Him. There is no greater event in the history of the Church, aside from the death and resurrection of Jesus, than the giving of His Spirit. When Father God gave us His Spirit, He gave us Himself. In His Spirit is love, power, joy, and victory! Through His Spirit we can go through, and get through—whatever tribulation we may be experiencing right now and whatever trials we will face in the future.

But, we cannot know the power of the Spirit, we cannot know this abundance through experience, we will not live in the reality of it—unless we obey the Spirit. And one of the things that is really important, regarding obedience, is to be His witnesses.

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses…” Acts 1:8
Why would God keep giving us more of something if He knows we are not going to use it? Beloved, we are not going to know the fullness of His Spirit unless we are obedient to Him in the realm of witnessing. We have a mission in this world. Our mission is to be His witnesses.

Everybody can speak to somebody.

I want to encourage you, with Pentecost approaching, to BEGIN MAKING JESUS RELEVANT TO THE PEOPLE AROUND YOU. Jesus is the most ancient being, because He is the Ancient of Days, and yet; He is also the most contemporary, modern, and cutting-edge person on the planet. Pentecost is a reminder that we have been given His Spirit. Now is the time to share Jesus with others and the relevance that He has to change their lives.

Father God, I pray that you would anoint each person reading this to be your witness. Father, I pray that you would equip each one to be a bolder, better and more effective witness. Teach us how to present your Son in a cutting-edge way to this generation, to the world around
us, and to our sphere(s) of influence. Father, we love you today. We thank you for Jesus and we thank You for Your Spirit. Amen

“Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.” Mark 16:15

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The Feast of Unleavened Bread begins the day after Passover and lasts for seven days (Leviticus 23:6-8). Throughout the week, Jewish families remove all leaven from their homes and eat only unleavened bread, called Matzah. In preparing for their deliverance from Egypt, God instructed the children of Israel, “when you hear My voice, leave in haste and do not wait for the bread to rise” (Deuteronomy 16:3). Immediate action was required! Jesus is the fulfillment of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. He is the ultimate obedient One, Whose instant and perfect obedience, to the point of His death on the cross, saved us! At Passover, He took the Matzah (unleavened bread) and breaking it said, “take this bread and eat, this is My body which is given for you” (Luke 22:19).

During The Feast of First Fruits in ancient Israel, the Israelites would take the first fruit of their spring harvest and offer it to God, demonstrating their thankfulness to their Provider and thus sanctifying their whole harvest (Leviticus 23:9-14). Consider this, in the spring, the earth that looked dead during the winter suddenly comes to life! For example: colorful flowers and a variety of fruits miraculously appear out of the grey and brown lifeless earth. It is like the dead earth suddenly comes to life. In the same way, Jesus was dead, but supernaturally came back to life and then ascended to the Father as “the first fruits of those raised from the dead” (1 Corinthians 15:20,23). In ancient Israel, God accepted the whole harvest through the first fruit offering. So it is today: we are accepted and loved by Father God through the First Fruits offering of Messiah!

Shavuot, meaning weeks, also known as Pentecost, meaning 50, is first found in Leviticus 23:16. By the time the New Testament was written it became associated with the Lord revealing Himself on Mt. Sinai. Later, in Acts chapter 2, we read that there were thousands of Jewish people in Jerusalem celebrating this Jewish Holiday known in Greek as Pentecost. They were remembering how God appeared to them 1,500 years earlier on Mt. Sinai in fire and glory, giving them His law on tablets of stone (Exodus 19:16-19). Again, the Holy Day (Shavuot) is said to be the day God did this. In Acts, as the disciples were remembering this, they experienced it as God filled them with His Holy Spirit and wrote His law on their hearts. Thus, the Holy Spirit moved from writing His Word on tablets of stone to writing it on our hearts. This was the fulfillment of what the prophet spoke of in Ezekiel 36:26, “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you.” The final atonement for sin was accomplished at Passover through the blood of Jesus and the gift of the Holy Spirit was given at Pentecost (Shavuot) to all who received Him.

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Psalm 91 has no author listed. I believe that Father made it this way because this Psalm comes directly from Him to each of His children.

Psalm 91
Security of the One Who Trusts in the LORD
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
Will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress,
My God, in whom I trust!”
For it is He who delivers you from the snare of the trapper
And from the deadly pestilence.
He will cover you with His pinions,
And under His wings you may seek refuge;
His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark.
You will not be afraid of the terror by night,
Or of the arrow that flies by day;
Of the pestilence that stalks in darkness,
Or of the destruction that lays waste at noon.
A thousand may fall at your side
And ten thousand at your right hand,
But it shall not approach you.
You will only look on with your eyes
And see the recompense of the wicked.
For you have made the LORD, my refuge,
Even the Most High, your dwelling place.
No evil will befall you,
Nor will any plague come near your tent.
For He will give His angels charge concerning you,
To guard you in all your ways.
They will bear you up in their hands,
That you do not strike your foot against a stone.
You will tread upon the lion and cobra,
The young lion and the serpent you will trample down.
“Because he has loved Me, therefore I will deliver him;
I will set him securely on high, because he has known My name.
“He will call upon Me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will rescue him and honor him.
“With a long life I will satisfy him
And let him see My salvation.”

In order to fully dwell under the shelter of the Most High we need to be totally dependent on Him. We have to relate to God as our Father. We relate to God as Father, beloved one, by trusting in Him, by dwelling under His presence, by carrying our hearts humbly before Him, and by relying on Him to protect us.
Love, Rabbi

Action Step:
Read Psalm 91 daily for the next 30 days.

The post Live Secure appeared first on Discovering The Jewish Jesus.

The Bible speaks at length of such mounting trouble in the Book of Revelation. The apostle John received a vision from God of the global calamity that would come in the last days, or what many refer to as the end times. He wrote down this vision under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, describing what he saw—from a climactic world war to cosmic signs of earth’s demise to strange creatures in heaven.

I doubt he knew his prophetic account would one day become one of the most controversial and misun-derstood books of the Bible. Indeed, countless believers today avoid reading it because they think it is too difficult to understand, too scary, or, worse still, completely irrelevant.

It is true that the Book of Revelation contains some difficult elements. But for too long it has been seen as a confusing, mysterious, unapproachable book only to be understood by biblical experts. In fact, some Bible teachers preface their teachings on Revelation by saying only “mature believers” can truly understand its words.

I do not believe God intended for the book of Revelation to be understood by only a few. I am confident He wants every believer to receive the revelation of Revelation, no matter what his or her level of spiritual maturity or scriptural expertise. Its message is far too important—and yes, relevant—for the times we live in to be ignored, and that is especially true for believers.

Jesus said of the Book of Revelation, “Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecyand keep those things which are written in it, for the time is near” (Rev. 1:3). This should let us know it is important to God that we understand the message given in this book.

We must be prepared with such hope and expectation because, as you will discover in this book, we are entering into the most difficult days in human history. What we today think of as humanity’s darkest moments—the Holocaust, World Wars I and II, the Black Death, the Crusades, the genocides of recent years—will pale in comparison to what is yet to come. Amid such extreme darkness and evil, a great deception will arise within the church, causing many believers to fall away from their faith. The world will witness the most miraculous, supernatural signs and wonders in history. And all throughout, the bride of Christ will be purified and made spotless so she finally can be joined with her Bridegroom, Jesus, upon His return.

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Beloved, we only have a little time on this earth to devote ourselves to the cause of Messiah Jesus and the building of His kingdom, and that is what I am here to do. I want to thank you so much for supporting me and for sending me and our team to those that are in desperate need of a loving Savior. You are playing a pivotal role in what God is doing throughout the earth through this ministry.

God bless you,

Rabbi

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God continues to use Discovering The Jewish Jesus to touch lives and to bring many into the arms of Jesus, around the world, through each television broadcast and on-the-ground Crusades. In Haiti, Brazil, Cuba, and throughout Africa, we have seen thousands saved and many healed and set free by the power of Yeshua. Beloved, it is only through your ongoing donations that we are able to bring the Gospel to those in need of a Savior.

“Thank you Rabbi, God has used you to guide me to Jesus as I have opened my heart and found Him through you and your teachings.” Sheila

“Thank you Rabbi Schneider! More than any other ministry, it was yours that did the most to lead me to the Lord.” Tanya

Again, God bless you our faithful Friend, please know how much we appreciate you. Also know that Father God will reward your diligence in helping to see His Son’s name lifted up around the earth.

“Look! I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me to repay each person according to what he has done.” Revelation 22:12
Together we are making a Kingdom impact! Time is short, Jesus is returning soon, and we must continue pushing forward for Yeshua’s Name and Yeshua’s Fame.

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The Feast of Trumpets
Which is called in Hebrew, Yom T’rooah
October 2nd (Sundown) – October 3rd.
The Day of Atonement
Which is called in Hebrew, Yom Kippur
October 11th (Sundown) – October 12th.
The Feast of Tabernacles
Which is called in Hebrew, Sukkot
October 16th (Sundown) – October 25th.

Read more about the Fall Feasts of the LORD and
their origin in Leviticus, chapter 23.

The first of the Fall Feasts is called Yom T’rooah – The Day of Trumpets. In modern day Judaism, it is known as Rosh Hashanah, Head of the Year, and is celebrated as the Jewish New Year. A common custom is to say “L’shanah tovah”, which means, “May it be a good year.” Another custom is to eat apples dipped in honey. The apples and honey represent God’s provision and sweetness that He will manifest to us in the coming year. We read about this feast (Yom T’rooah) in Leviticus 23:24 – “Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, in the seventh month, on the first of the month (Tishri), you shall have a rest, a reminder by blowing of (shofars) trumpets.” But what does the shofar help us to remember? In the Holy Scriptures, there are two passages that speak of the LORD, Himself, blowing the shofar.

The first passage is found in Exodus 19:13, when the children of Israel prepared themselves to go up to Mount Sinai to meet the LORD. The second is found in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, “For the LORD Himself will come down from heaven with a rousing cry, with a call from one of the ruling angels, and with God’s shofar; those who died united with the Messiah will be the first to rise; then we who are left still alive will be caught up with them in the clouds to meet the LORD in the air…”

In both of these instances the blowing of the shofar announces God’s manifest presence. In Exodus 19, the sound of a shofar from heaven grew louder and louder so that the people who stood at the base of Mt. Sinai began to tremble. Then God spoke, and more than a million Israelites heard His voice at the same time.

The Blowing of the Shofar
Announces
God’s Manifest Presence.

“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.”
1 Thessalonians 4:16

The second of the Fall Feasts is called Yom Kippur – The Day of Atonement. We read about this feast in Leviticus 16 & 17 and in Leviticus 23:27. This is the day that the High Priest would carry the blood of the bull and goat through the veil and into the Most Holy Place in the Tabernacle – the Holy of Holies. The High Priest of the Israelites would then pour the blood onto the altar over the Ark of the Covenant and, in doing so, make atonement for the children of Israel (Lev. 17:11). The book of Hebrews chapters 9 and 10 tell us that the blood of the bulls and goats offered up to the LORD in the ancient Temple, on the Day of Atonement, was a foreshadow of the blood of Jesus. Through the death and shed blood of Jesus, we are forgiven once and for all! Praise God! Hallelujah!

For us, Yom Kippur is a time of thanking and worshiping Yeshua for His sacrifice and for forgiving us our sins. There is also another prophetic aspect of this feast that has yet to be fulfilled – the turning of the Jewish people to Messiah Yeshua as according to Zechariah: “…they will look on Me whom they have pierced” (Zech. 12:10).
When He returns, He will lift the veil from their eyes! The book of Revelation foretells this glorious event:
“Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will
see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So it is to be. Amen” (Rev. 1:7). The New Testament foretells of this same event in Romans 11:26, which states that at Messiah’s return “all Israel will be saved.”

The last of the Fall Feasts is called Sukkot – The Feast of Tabernacles. This feast is a joyous and happy time of giving thanks to God for His provision. We read about this feast in Leviticus 23:34-42 “On the fifteenth of this seventh month is the Feast of Tabernacles for seven days to the LORD… You shall thus celebrate it as a feast to the LORD… It shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations… You shall live in booths for seven days.”

During this feast, in many Jewish homes and synagogues, a sukkah will be constructed. A sukkah (meaning tabernacle or booth) is a temporary structure made out of lumber, grass, or any other natural substance, and is decorated with natural materials including tree branches, leaves, flowers, vegetables and fruit.

During the celebration of Sukkot many people will eat their meals and sleep in the sukkah for the entire seven days of the feast. While in the sukkah, Jewish people remember how they had nothing in the wilderness but God, Who for forty years supplied their every need. He fed them supernaturally with manna, gave them water out of a rock, and caused their clothes not to wear out. They had nothing but God, yet He was enough!

This is another beautiful foreshadow of how we should live our lives today; totally dependent on Him! Sukkot also involves the tradition of “the waving of the lulav.” The lulav is a gathering of branches made from four species found in Israel: the Palm branch, Myrtle, Willow and the Etrog (Lev. 23:40). We hold the lulav up and wave it before the LORD. By doing this, we are testifying of His beauty and bounty, that He is everywhere, and that every good gift comes from Him! Praise the LORD!

A remarkable tradition that took place during the Feast of Tabernacles in the days of Yeshua is called Hoshana Rabbah. During this ceremony, the priests would march from the pool of Siloam to the altar at the Temple in Jerusalem carrying a pitcher of water. They would then pour the pitcher of water onto the altar. Through this act, the priests were thanking God in advance for the coming winter rains which would produce another bountiful harvest in the spring. This practice also prophetically depicted that God would pour out His Spirit at the coming of Messiah.

On this day of Hoshana Rabbah, Jesus cried out, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, from his innermost being will flow rivers of living water” (John 7:37-38). By proclaiming this, Jesus was revealing that He was the Messiah.

Lastly, the Scriptures tell us that the Feast of Tabernacles will be celebrated in the millennial Kingdom of God. The book of Zechariah tells us “any who are left of all the nations that went against Jerusalem (during Armageddon), will go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles” (Zech. 14:16).

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God responds by revealing His true nature with these words:  “The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding  in loving-kindness and truth.” Exodus 34:6

When we begin to confess that God is good, that He is gracious, and that He has a heart of loving kindness towards us, it is going to change us and bring us into a deeper relationship with Him.

David said: “Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness…” Psalm 51:1

Beloved, God is not up in the sky with a gavel, waiting to judge us. God’s anger for our sin was already taken out on the beloved Lord Jesus. God is simply asking us to come boldly before the throne of grace and to have confidence in His love toward us.

Father God, we thank you right now that Your heart towards us is to bless us. Father, Your desire is to be gracious to us, to show us Your favor.

“This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” John 17:1

His purpose for creating you, beloved, was to have a relationship with you. He sent His Son to die for

you because He loves you. And when Jesus died for you, He did not die to only save you from hell.

He did not just die to forgive you of your sins. He died to marry you!

“Blessed are they which are called unto the  marriage supper of the Lamb.” Revelation 19:9

God loves you specifically. He loves you uniquely. He died for you!

“I chose you out of the world…”  John 15:19

Father, I want to thank you today that there is a supernatural transformation that is taking place in my life right now; that Father, You are washing me of wrong concepts of You and even washing me from the sin of not believing in Your love for me. Father, I reject Satan and his lies right now and I take a stand with Jesus and His Word that You love me and that You proved it to me by sending Your Son. So Father, I thank You for Your love today. I thank You for washing me. Thank You so much, Father, I love you. Amen.

“Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity And cleanse me from my sin.”  Psalm 51:2

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“The record of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham.” Matthew 1:1

Matthew was very careful to point out that Jesus was the one that was prophesied of by David and is the fulfillment of the seed of Abraham. By connecting Jesus to David and Abraham, it not only fulfilled Old Testament prophecy, but it established Jesus as the true Messiah.

Daniel, David, and other prophets spoke of Jesus’ coming.

Let’s consider the words of Ezekiel:

“Then I will set over them one shepherd, My servant David, and he will feed them; he will feed them himself and be their shepherd. And I, the LORD, will be their God, and My servant David will be prince among them; I the LORD have spoken” Ezekiel 34:23 & 24

Jesus revealed to us in the Book of Revelation, that He is the David, which Ezekiel was prophesying about:

“I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.” Revelation 22:16

Matthew also indicated that Jesus is the Son of Abraham, connecting Jesus all the way back to the father of the Jewish people. Matthew goes on to

establish Jesus as Israel’s true representative and the personification of their history.

God said to Abraham:

“In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.” Genesis 22:18

Paul explains:

“Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, ‘And to seeds,’ as referring to many, but rather to one, ‘And to your seed,’ that is, Christ.” Galatians 3:16

Beloved, there is only one Jesus. Through Him all the promises of God are fulfilled and all the nations of the earth are blessed.

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“I received clarity on feeling the love of Father God, feeling the love for His people, and feeling the love of his people for Him and I. I realized that it is not the signs and wonders or miracles that I first desired to see; It is just God’s presence, His beauty, His love, and whatever way He wants to show Himself – is just fantastic!

We are all thankful for the cross-eyed woman that saw, the deaf ear that was opened, the paralyzed girl that can now walk, and the demons that fled; but that’s not what really fills my heart with satisfaction. It’s the love that I felt with the people: His love for them, my love for them, their love for Father God, and their love for me. That is what is really fulfilling for me. Some seek after supernatural signs and wonders and healings; I just want God’s Presence and His Fullness and that dimension of His beauty – love and peace. The signs and wonders – He blesses us with those – but it’s His fullness and His relationship that is really what is meaningful and satisfying.”

Love,
Rabbi

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Thousands lined the streets, melodies filled the air, and the people rejoiced in the songs of the Lord as Rabbi entered the town. The Bible says, “When you receive a prophet in the name of a prophet you receive a prophet’s reward” (Matthew 10:41). This was demonstrated in Gulu. Record number crowds of 25,000 received Rabbi each night at the crusade. The Kingdom of God was truly invading Gulu. Cripples walked, the deaf heard, and most importantly – thousands were saved! Rabbi had a word of knowledge that Jesus would heal a child. The next night, a couple brought their young daughter forward to testify of what God had done. For two months, she had been feverish, lethargic, and barely responsive. Jesus had healed the girl and brought life back into her body again! As Rabbi gave altar calls, thousands ran forward to receive Jesus. The local Pastors came together as one – in such an amazing way. Over 1,500 Pastors and Church leaders gathered to receive an apostolic blessing from the Lord through Rabbi, but God wasn’t finished. The next two days, from the lowest levels of government to the highest, Rabbi was invited to speak into their lives. The District leaders and local officials gathered together to receive words of instruction and wisdom, from God, on how to lead their country. Then God supernaturally arranged a meeting to bless and speak into the life of Her Right, Honorable Kadaga, the Speaker of Parliament for all of Uganda. Praise the Lord! God is using Rabbi to bring the Kingdom of God, in both the spiritual and physical realms, to the people and the governments of the world.

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Who Do You Say at I Am? (Matthew 16:15)

Few doubt whether Jesus lived. Most agree that He was, minimally, a historical figure. In fact, if you go to Israel today, you will see all the evidence that archaeologists have uncovered regarding Jesus and the fact that He lived.

But: Is He a liar, a lunatic, or the Lord? (C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity)

Some consider Jesus a liar, meaning He told people things that were not true about Himself. Beloved, for this to be fact, we would have to conclude that all the Old Testament prophecies that He fulfilled were false, and that all the writers of the New Testament were duped.

“For we did not follow cleverly devised tales when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty.” 2 Peter 1:16

Could He have been a lunatic? In other words, did He think He was somebody that He was not? Did He have delusions of grandeur? Did He imagine Himself to be the Messiah because He was out of His mind? Again, overwhelming evidence proves otherwise. e greatest of which are the numerous eyewitnesses to His resurrection.

“According to the historical record, a er Jesus’ death and burial, He appeared alive to more than 500 people.” (facstandfaith.com – 1st Corinthians 15:6)

The only sound conclusion is that He was who He said He was, and is who He said He is – Lord, Messiah and Savior.

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The Feast of Unleavened Bread begins the day after Passover ( is year it starts at sunset on Saturday, April 23) and lasts for seven days (Leviticus 23:6-8). Throughout the week, Jewish families remove all leaven from their homes and eat only unleavened bread, called Matzah. In preparing for their deliverance from Egypt, God instructed the children of Israel, “when you hear my voice, leave in haste and do not wait for the bread to rise” (Deuteronomy 16:3). Immediate action was required! Jesus is the fulfillment of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. At Passover, He took the Matzah (unleavened bread) and breaking it said, “take this bread and eat, this is My body which is given for you” (Luke 22:19). He is the ultimate obedient One, Whose obedience, to the point of His death on the cross, saved us!

During The Feast of First Fruits (Occurs this year on Sunday, April 24), the Israelites would take the first fruit of their spring harvest and offer it to God, demonstrating their thankfulness to their Provider (Leviticus 23:9-14). In the same way, Jesus was dead, but supernaturally came back to life then ascended to the Father as “the first fruits of those raised from the dead” (1 Corinthians 15:20,23). In Revelation 1:17-18, Jesus said, “I
am the first and the last, and the living One; and I was dead, and behold I am alive forevermore…” In ancient Israel, God accepted the whole harvest through the first fruit offering. So it is today: we are accepted and loved by Father God through the First Fruits offering of Messiah! e Lord Jesus rose from the dead on the Feast of First Fruits, both fulfilling it and bringing it to its climax. Thank you Yeshua!

Shavuot, meaning weeks, also known as Pentecost, meaning 50, (This 24 hour feast begins this year at sunset on Saturday, June 11) is found in Leviticus 23:16. In Acts, chapter 2, we read that there were thousands of Jewish people in Jerusalem celebrating Pentecost. They were remembering how God appeared to them 1,500 years earlier on Mt. Sinai in re and glory, giving them His law on tablets of stone (Exodus 19:16-19). The disciples experienced this as God filled them with His Holy Spirit and wrote His law on their hearts. is was the fulfillment of what the prophets spoke of in Ezekiel 36:26 “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you”. eternal atonement for sin was accomplished at Passover through Jesus and the gift of the Holy Spirit was given at Pentecost-Shavuot.

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When Cynthia and I hear about what God is doing in the lives of our Covenant Partners – it fills us with joy! In fact, one of our most memorable moments happened while I was ministering during one of our crusades in Africa. As I was telling them: “the gifts of my Covenant Partners made it possible for us to be here” – the crowd immediately responded with a loud and tremendous praise! Beloved, it blessed us so much to see how the support of our Covenant Partners is being used to truly reach those in need.

As we celebrate the faithfulness of our Covenant Partners and all the “fruit” they continue to make possible, I want to encourage those of you that have yet to join me as a monthly Covenant Partner. Cynthia and I have always believed that Father God has chosen certain individuals to financially support His work through Discovering The Jewish Jesus, as monthly Covenant Partners. If you sense that you are one of these persons and God is speaking to you – step out in faith, right now, by completing the form that came with this newsletter.

“‘The bowl of flour shall not be exhausted, nor shall the jar of oil be empty…’” 1 Kings 17:14

The widow of Zarephath experienced the blessing of God that comes to those that trust and obey Him. Through the prophet Elijah, her miracle was released and she and her son were provided for. The widow, in faith, put her time, talents, and treasure in the hand of God. She committed to depending on Him for all her needs, and our Father responded (1 Kings 17: 7-16).

Beloved, I believe this same principal applies to those that step out in faith to help us reach the lost and build His Kingdom here on earth.

That is why Jesus said: “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Matthew 6:33

Father, I ask that You bless and cause increase for each one that supports this ministry because of their love for You.

Again, thank you so much for helping to make everything we do for Jesus possible.

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“He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love”. Ephesians 1:4

The primary way that He causes us to grow in His love is by cherishing us. God wants us to know that He desires us, He cherishes us, and He loves us unconditionally. Father wants us free to both receive and give love.

Break off the spirit of self-rejection!

Jesus wants you to get into agreement with Him that you are beautiful: beautiful in God and beautiful to God. Father yearns for you to know that you are lovelier than the most magnificent flower or the most delicate butterfly. That you are more amazing than a hundred roaring lions, more majestic than a soaring eagle – because you are the crown of God’s creation; the “Apple of His eye.”

“God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” Genesis 1:27

God created you in His own image! Jesus lives in you! The very Spirit of God resides in you! You are wholly desirable to God. He sees Himself in you. Right now, you need to cast-o self-rejection and say: “Yes Father, You desire me, You love me, and You accept me just as I am. I am beautiful to You.” Beloved, you are desirable to God,you are lovely to God, and you are beautiful to God. From the top of your head to the bottom of your feet, you are special to Him (Song of Songs 7:1-10). God loves you and He wants you to overcome self-rejection by embracing how beautiful you are to Him, and how much He desires you. His love for you is a flame of fire. Father wants
to consume you with His love; setting you free to love yourself, to love others, and to be able to fully receive all His love.

“For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things pre ent, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39

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“And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from o thy shoulder, and his yoke from o thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing.” Isaiah 10:27 KJV

Walking in the breaker anointing (described above), rst requires us to press in to receive more and more of Jesus and then acting upon what we have received (James 2:18)! Next, we must commit to continue to do what is right, thus creating momentum by continuing to say “Yes God, yes God, yes God!” especially in the midst of trials. By doing this we will create the strength which propel us into breakthrough.

The breaker anointing is the type of anointing that results in breakthrough, and is a type of spiritual-strength that arises within us in violence against the devil and his schemes.

“Jesus entered the temple and drove out all those who were buying and selling in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who were selling doves.” Matthew 21:12

This is the type of breaker anointing that it takes to get free of the demonic forces that torment us and our loved ones. We have to turn on the oppressor – so that the very thing that was hunting us down becomes the hunted. We need to go from being a victim to arising and becoming the victor; turning on Satan and his cohorts. Remember, when we receive Jesus, we take on His likeness: “The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil.” 1 John 3:8

The breaker anointing will manifest when the anointing of Jesus so takes possession of us, that we are empowered by Him to turn on the devil and destroy him. is anointing will destroy his works, literally break down gates, remove hindrances, and move mountains!

God wants our lives to reflect Him. We need to have this type of mentality. We must have
a “not-to-be-denied” mindset like Jacob had when he took ahold of the Angel and said to the LORD: “I am not going to let go until you bless me.” Beloved, breakthrough requires that you have this same spirit, one that says: “I will walk in a breaker anointing, and I will pursue God until it is mine!”

When you set your intention on that, by submitting your time, your talents, your treasure, and your heart, towards an “all-out” pursuit of God – you are going get strong! You are going to enter into this breaker anointing. Beloved, if you do not give up, you are eventually going to get your breakthrough!

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The history of Hanukkah began in 168 BC when the Greco-Assyrians, under the leadership of Antiochus IV, invaded and captured Jerusalem. They attempted to destroy the culture and religion of the Jewish people, and desecrate the Temple of the LORD. During this time, a group of Greco-Assyrian soldiers marched into a Jewish settlement and demanded that the Priest there, Mattathias, sacrifice a pig to their pagan god, Zeus. Because Mattathias feared the LORD more than the enemy, he refused to sacrifice the pig. A fellow Jewish onlooker, fearing the Greco-Assyrians wrath, volunteered to sacrifice the pig. In response to this, Mattathias drew his sword and killed him.

This act of conviction and courage was so inspiring to the rest of the Jewish people that they assembled right there and joined Mattathias to form an army. Under the leadership of Mattathias’ son Judah, this newly formed army of the LORD successfully stopped the Greco-Assyrians from overtaking their settlement, and eventually drove them out of the whole region, including Jerusalem and the Temple. is victory climaxed with the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem, and the inauguration of the Feast of Dedication (Hanukkah) in 164 BC.

As one of the Levite Priests prepared to light the Menorah (the lamp-stand inside of the temple) during the Temple rededication ceremony, they realized that there was only enough Holy oil to burn for one day. However, tradition states that the oil burned supernaturally for eight days! us, the Hanukkah Menorah that Jewish people light each year has eight candles, representing those eight miraculous days of burning. An additional ninth “Servant” candle on the Hanukkah Menorah is used to light the other candles each night.

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“There is nothing outside the man which can defile him if it goes into him; but the things which proceed out of the man are what defile the man.” Mark 7:15

We often think that our life reflects what a Christian’s walk should look like, because we have some of the “outer things” right. We attend church, we pray, we read our Bible… but beloved, if our words are not full of life and the Holy Spirit, then we are deceiving ourselves. It takes discipline to control our words when someone does something that displeases us, or they do not live up to our expectations. It takes discipline to control our tongue (James 3:5). Again, our words can defile and divide or they can build-up and bring life. I want to encourage you to recognize that if we are going to live victorious in Jesus, we need to guard our hearts and our mouths.

“Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life.” Proverbs 4:23

The day is coming when each of us will stand before the throne and give an account of every word that we have spoken (2 Corinthians 5:10, Romans 14:10). We cannot take back what we have said, but we can repent right now. We can declare that for the rest of our days, by the grace of Jesus, by clinging to Him by the Holy Spirit’s power, we will submit our tongues to God. When we stand before God, we then will be able say:

“Yes, Lord I confess that it is all true. I was careless with my words. I had said so many hurtful words of judgement, accusation, and spite. But I made a decision to repent, and from that day forward, by your grace – I guarded my heart and my words.”

“When there are many words, transgression is unavoidable, But he who restrains his lips is wise.” Proverbs 10:19

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During my early development as a Christian, when I prayed to the Lord, I would usually address Him as God. I would begin by saying “God…” I believe many of you, if you would stop and examine your own prayer life, would nd that you are address- ing the Lord as God, but not as Father. Recently, I received one of the most ful lling revelations from the Lord in my entire walk with Him: He wants
to be considered as my Daddy. Now, I most o en begin my prayers addressing God as Father, Abba, or even as Daddy.

“…you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! (Daddy!) Father!” Romans 8:15

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Beloved, we can enter into this “Parallel Reality” through Jesus by applying these three principles to our lives:

Desire Faith Intent

Without desire, we do not have the right mindset to enter in. If we first believe that we can attain this “realm of victory” that Jesus promised, then we have to determine to pursue it. God does not just drop it on us, but He calls us to it; and we must warfare to enter in. Too often though, we are passively waiting for something to happen in our life – just waiting for God to show up, just waiting for a miracle to happen. I want you to know that you have to be in cooperation with the Lord to fully access what He has for you. You must desire it with all your heart.

Secondly, faith is an action word. James said, “I will show you my faith by my works” (James 2:18). We have to demonstrate faith to enter in. I want to encourage anyone, who is feeling melancholy and wondering why nothing is happening – to take action! The Bible says, “Seek and you shall find, knock and the door shall be open.” We have to participate with God. We have to be engaged with the Holy Spirit – we must press in and do something.

The third principle to move into this “Parallel Reality” is intent. Faith comes when we believe that we can have what God said. This fuels desire, and then when faith and desire begin to work together, something comes to the surface. There is a convergence that arises, which becomes our focal point. That is when we become very intentional. When we believe that we can have it, we become purposeful. Our vision becomes clear as we seek this supernatural dimension with dogmatic focus and intent.

This parallel world requires us to exercise our faith. We cannot just sit around waiting for our miracle. We need to believe that it is real and we can have it. Through desire, we begin to press in with intent and things start happening, allowing the Kingdom of God to move in our lives.

“If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you.” Matthew 17:20

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This prophecy foretells of an event that would take place thousands of years later, the birth of Jesus our Messiah and His victory over darkness and its head- satan. Isaiah gives us one of the most direct Messianic prophecies: “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel, God with us” Isaiah 7:14, which we see fulfilled in Matthew 1:20-23.

The New Testament begins in Matthew 1:1 with the genealogy of Jesus as the son of David, the son of Abraham. The LORD said to David: “…Of the fruit of your body I will set upon your throne” Psalm 132:11. 
To Abraham, God said: “In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice” Genesis 22:18. Abraham of course is the father of all the Hebrew nations, and both Joseph and Mary are direct descendants of Abraham!

There are numerous Old Testament scriptures that accurately depict the lineage of Jesus.

Genesis 12:3, 17:19, 21:12, 22:18, 49:10 | Revelation 5:5 | Jeremiah 23:5 | Numbers 24:17 | 2 Samuel 7:12-13 | Isaiah 9:7

Beloved, I want to encourage you to take some time to investigate the many prophecies of Jesus in the Hebrew Bible. Here are just a few more examples:

When we see in the Old Testament how Jesus fulfills the Messianic prophecies, we become absolutely convinced and secure in our faith – Jesus is indeed the only way to God.

“And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12

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Often when we hear the word Sabbath, we think of the 4th Commandment given to Moses (Exodus 20:8) or of the Jewish people whom “keep the Sabbath”. The truth is that the Sabbath (Hebrew: Shabbat) is a principle of creation and actually predates the Law and the Hebrew people.

1 Thus the heavens and the earth were completed, and all their hosts. 2 By the seventh day God completed His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. 3 Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made. (Genesis 2:1-3)

When the Lord said that He sanctified the seventh day (Genesis 2:3), it was actually the first time the word “holy” was used in the Bible. The word “sanctified” in verse 3 comes from the Hebrew word kadosh, which is translated as: holy, unique, separate, or set apart. From this principle we learn that it is important to have time in our life that is separated unto God.

Beloved, it is essential that we create and maintain healthy boundaries in our lives. Taking a day each week to rest and be “human beings” and not “human doings” will help us in our walk with God. Because He loves us and always wants what is best for us, He is saying to unplug from work, computers, cell phones, entertainment, or any other daily routines that contribute to stress. This is a discipline that we have to practice; myself included. I am so busy during the week that I literally have to warfare to take a day of rest, forcing myself to do it. I am able to function in greater wholeness and in greater health because of it.

Consider taking one day each week to spend quality time with God and to enjoy the beauty and majesty of nature, which He created for us. Shabbat is about the Lord. We honor Him by setting it apart unto Him. In return, He brings us deeper into healing, peace, and fellowship with Him. Remember, God set the example for us on the seventh day of creation, so when we do the same-we become more like Him.

I want to encourage you, beloved one, to practice the Principle of the Sabbath. You will be blessed in the presence of God, you will be refreshed and renewed, and you will discover why He said this to the Psalmist:
“Be still and know that I am God…” Psalm 46:10

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1. Let Go
2. Be Flexible
3. Believe!

First, we need to let go of things we have needlessly clung to in order to receive the new and good thing that God wants to do for us. Real growth doesn’t always come from living under ideal circumstances. In fact, it usually comes during difficult situations and relying upon God through them. That is why God said to Paul: “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Cor. 12:9).  As we let go of what we have lost, God is faithful to replace it with something even better (I Cor. 2:9).

Secondly, we need to be flexible and embrace God’s new paradigm for us. When we are too rigid, we will not be able to follow the Spirit and embrace the new thing that God is wanting to give us. If we are not flexible and continue to adhere to our preconceived notions of how we think things ought to go – we will miss God! Life will never go exactly how we imagine it should and we cannot stop things from changing. The only thing that never changes (other than God) is that things will always change! Following the Holy Spirit requires us to be flexible.

Lastly, we must believe! Regardless of what may have been lost, God has something even greater for us! This is the God we serve; Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” (John 11:40). How many of us have been through something that made us feel like we had lost so much, only to find out that God had something even better for us? Jesus came to give life “more abundantly” (John 10:10)!

Beloved, it is time to let go, be flexible, and believe! God causes all things to work together for good to those who love Him, to those who are called according to His purpose (Rom. 8:28).

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The History of Hanukkah began when the Greco-Assyrians invaded and captured Jerusalem. They attempted to destroy the culture and religion of the Jews, and desecrate the Temple of the LORD. During this time, a group of Greco-Assyrian soldiers marched into a Jewish settlement and demanded that the priest there, Mattathias, sacrifice a pig to their pagan god, Zeus. Because Mattathias feared the LORD more than the Greco-Assyrians, he refused to sacrifice the pig. A fellow Jewish onlooker, fearing the Greco-Assyrians wrath, volunteered to sacrifice the pig. In response to this, Mattathias drew his sword and killed him.

This act of conviction and courage was so inspiring to the rest of the Jews that they assembled right there and joined Mattathias to form an army. Under the leadership of Judah (Mattathias’ son), this newly formed army of the LORD successfully stopped the Greco-Assyrians from overtaking their settlement, and eventually drove them out of the whole region, including Jerusalem and the Temple. This victory climaxed with the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem, and the inauguration of the Feast of Dedication in 164 BC.

When the Jews lit the Menorah (the lamp-stand inside of the temple) during the re-dedication and found that there was only enough oil to burn for one day. However, tradition states that the oil burned supernaturally for eight days! Thus, the Hanukkah Menorah that Jewish people light each year has eight candles, representing these eight miraculous days of burning. An additional ninth “Servant” candle on the Hanukkah Menorah is used to light the candles each night.

Just as the ninth candle on the Hanukkah Menorah is used to light the other eight, Yeshua has lit us to be “supernatural lights” to the world!

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does any one light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven!” (Matthew 5:14-16)

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Paul said that before Jesus returns, He who restrains will no longer restrain (2 Thess. 2:6-7). The Holy Spirit has been restraining evil, but as we are approaching the end of this age, the Holy Spirit is taking His hands off and allowing the chaos of Satan to abound more and more. The evidence of this is everywhere…

First, we saw prayer taken out of schools. Now, the 10 Commandments have been removed from Government and Judicial Buildings. The sacred institute of marriage is being destroyed by divorce and the legalization of homosexual marriages. Today’s society has adopted the Nike slogan of, “Just Do It” regardless of the consequences. A civilization that builds its foundation on anything but God will reap lawlessness.

Our culture has become lawless: pleasure seeking, rebellious, materialistic, and full of demonic pride. “But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. 2For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, 4of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these.” 2 Timothy 3:1-5

Daniel’s end-times prophecy of the increase of knowledge and travel has come to pass (Dan. 12:4). Technology has advanced and frequent flier miles have piled up, but have we really come that far? Stress and busyness occupy us as we attempt to “make ends meet.”
Many main line churches today are about scratching people’s backs; trying not to offend anyone with the truth. They emphasize that you can achieve wealth, but they exclude some of the important Biblical foundations of our faith.

We have seen some of our teachers, who are considered heroes of the faith, compromising. When being interviewed by secular media and asked, “Is Jesus the only way to heaven?” they give an answer like, “I don’t want to exclude anyone.” The Bible warns against this type of thing in 2 Peter 2:1, saying “there will also be false teachers among you… even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves.”

We need to cultivate an awareness of His return and become proactive. We must stay in a state of expectation; remaining vigilant and avoiding complacency and compromise, which are snares of the enemy. As we focus on His return and fix our hope on Him, we will purify ourselves, just as He is pure.

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A certain woman, with an issue of blood, put her faith in action. She aggressively pushed through the masses, compelled by one thought: ‘If I could just touch King Jesus’. Her motive was not driven by a chance to see a celebrity, but by her faith that Jesus would heal her. She shoved her way near to Him and as she touched the fringe of His garment-she was instantly healed! Jesus immediately asked who touched Him, saying that He felt power go out from Him. This woman’s determination to reach Jesus, and her faith in Him, released the power that made her well (Luke 8:43-48).

Jesus said that we only needed to believe in order to see the glory of God (John 11:40). Isn’t that what we really want to see? God’s glory manifested in our lives and others? Beloved, sometimes it requires the same persistent faith that the woman with the issue of blood displayed. The book of Acts is filled with daring exploits of people that acted on their faith. They were rewarded with seeing the otherwise unbelievable. Can you imagine if they had been satisfied with only staying in the Upper Room?

Beloved, we have the right to say and think about ourselves the same way that God does. He loves us and created us in His image. It is time to see ourselves from God’s perspective and proclaim these faith declarations over our life-taking hold of our potential in Him and through Him. He says that we are more than conquers (Romans 8:37); that through Jesus we have overcome the world (1 John 5:4); and that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us (Philippians 4:13).

Jesus said: “… I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” (John 10:10)

Beloved, faith is a gift of God (1 Corinthians 12:9) but we must nourish it through feeding on His Word. The writer of Hebrews said, “Without faith it is impossible to please Him.” (Hebrews 11:6). We need to examine ourselves and break out of spiritual passivity; breaking into the realm of aggressive faith in order to go deeper in God.

Begin today: thinking with a faith mindset, speaking with words of faith, and then acting upon your faith.

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The first of the Fall Feasts is called Yom T’rooah- The Day of Trumpets. In modern day Judaism, it is known as Rosh Hashanah, Head of the Year, and is celebrated as the Jewish New Year. A common custom is to say “L’shanah tovah”, which means, “May it be a good year.” Another custom is to eat apples dipped in honey. The apples and honey represent God’s provision and sweetness that He will manifest to us in the coming year. We read about this feast (Yom T’rooah) in Leviticus 23:24 – “Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, in the seventh month, on the first of the month (Tishri), you shall have a rest, a reminder by blowing of (shofars) trumpets.” But what does the shofar help us to remember? In the Holy Scriptures, there are two passages that speak of the LORD, Himself, blowing the shofar.

The first passage is found in Exodus 19:13, when the children of Israel prepared themselves to go up to Mount
Sinai to meet the LORD. The second is found in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, “For the LORD Himself will come down from heaven with a rousing cry, with a call from one of the ruling angels, and with God’s shofar; those who died united with the Messiah will be the first to rise; then we who are left still alive will be caught up with them in the clouds to meet the LORD in the air…”

In both of these instances the blowing of the shofar announces God’s manifest presence. In Exodus 19, the sound of a shofar from heaven grew louder and louder so that the people who stood at the base of Mt. Sinai began to tremble. Then God spoke, and more than a million Israelites heard the audible voice of God at the same time. In 1 Thessalonians 4:16, God again blows His shofar from heaven, as Jesus the Messiah returns to the world manifesting the glory of God! At the sounding of the Shofar each year on Yom T’rooah – The Feast of Trumpets, we remember that Messiah Jesus, Yeshua HaMashiach, is returning soon!

The second of the Fall Feasts is called Yom Kippur-The Day of Atonement. We read about this feast in Leviticus 16 & 17 and in Leviticus 23:27. This is the day that the High Priest would carry the blood of the bull and goat through the veil and into the Most Holy Place in the Tabernacle- the Holy of Holies. The High Priest of the Israelites would then pour the blood onto the altar over the Ark of the Covenant and, in doing so, make atonement for the children of Israel (Lev. 17:11). The book of Hebrews chapters 9 and 10 tell us that the blood of the bulls and the goats offered up to the LORD in the ancient Temple was a foreshadow of the blood of Jesus. Through the death and shed blood of Jesus, we are forgiven once and for all! Praise God! Hallelujah!

For us, Yom Kippur is a time of thanking and worshiping Yeshua for His sacrifice and for forgiving us our sins. There is also a prophetic aspect of this feast that has yet to be fulfilled – the turning of the Jewish people to Messiah Yeshua (Zech. 12:10). When He returns, He will lift the veil from their eyes! The book of Revelation foretells this glorious event: “Behold, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over Him. So it is to be. Amen” (Rev. 1:7). The New Testament foretells of this same event in Romans 11:26, which states that at Messiah’s return “all Israel will be saved.”

The last of the Fall Feasts is called Sukkot- The Feast of Tabernacles. This feast is a joyous and happy time of giving thanks to God for His provision. We read about this feast in Leviticus 23:34-42 “On the fifteenth of this seventh month is the Feast of Tabernacles for seven days to the LORD… You shall thus celebrate it as a feast to the LORD… It shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations… You shall live in booths for seven days.”

During this feast, in many Jewish homes and synagogues, a sukkah will be constructed. A sukkah (meaning tabernacle or booth), is a temporary structure made out of lumber, grass, or any other natural substance, and is decorated with natural materials including tree branches, leaves, flowers, vegetables and fruit.

During the celebration of Sukkot many people will eat their meals, and sleep, in the sukkah for the entire seven days of the feast. While in the sukkah Jewish people remember how they had nothing in the wilderness but God. For forty years the LORD supplied their every need. He fed them supernaturally with manna, gave them water out of a rock, and caused their clothes not to wear out. They had nothing but God, yet He was enough! This is another beautiful foreshadow of how we should live our lives today; totally dependent on Him! Sukkot also involves the tradition of “the waving of the lulav.” The lulav is a gathering of branches made from four species found in Israel: the Palm branch, Myrtle, Willow and the Etrog (Lev. 23:40). We hold the lulav up and wave it before the LORD. By doing this, we are testifying of His beauty and bounty. that He is everywhere, and that all good gifts come from Him! Praise the LORD!

A remarkable tradition that took place during the Feast of Tabernacles in the days of Yeshua is called Hoshana Rabbah. During this ceremony, the priests would march from the pool of Siloam to the altar at the Temple in Jerusalem carrying a pitcher of water. They would then pour the pitcher of water onto the altar. Through this act, the priests were thanking God in advance for the coming winter rains which would produce another bountiful harvest in the spring. This tradition also represented the pouring out of God’s Spirit at the coming of Messiah to the people of Yeshua’s day.

On this day of Hoshana Rabbah, Jesus cried out, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, from his innermost being will flow rivers of living water” (John 7:37-38). By proclaiming this, Jesus was revealing that He was the Messiah

Lastly, the Scriptures tell us that the Feast of Tabernacles will be celebrated in the millennial Kingdom of God. The book of Zechariah tells us- “any who are left of all the nations that went against Jerusalem (during Armageddon), will go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles.” (Zech. 14:16)

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You will gain a greater awareness of God’s Spirit within you when you develop the spiritual discipline of being still before the LORD. As you learn to sit still before God and allow Him to minister to you, He will transform your life. Even though you may feel nothing at first, trust in the process. You probably won’t see change in a single day. However, you will notice change in your life over time.

As you sit before the LORD, He will bring you into a greater understanding of who you are in Him. This greater revelation of self-understanding will bring a positive affirmation of your identity in Him. Additionally, you will become aware of the areas in your life where you have been deceived and need to repent.

I encourage you to get into a quiet room in your home and spend at least 30 minutes every day sitting before the LORD with beautiful worship music playing. As you spend time in tranquility before the LORD, He will use the music as an agent of the Holy Spirit to impart Himself into your life.
Remember, this is not a sprint, but a marathon.

For many years the scripture verses found in John 14:21-23 had troubled me:
21“‘Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.’ … 23Jesus replied, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.”

As the years went by, Yeshua helped me to understand that He was actually saying this: as I give myself to Him, He will reveal His love to me. In other words, He responds to us as we respond to Him. We do not obey Him to earn His love. Rather, we obey Him out of a desire to walk in oneness with Him.

He isn’t seeking obedience for the sake of obedience, but obedience for the sake of love. Obedience produces a separation of your life unto God. As you learn how to say, “LORD, not my will, but Thy will be done,” you will enter deeper and deeper into intimacy with God.

Fasting is another way to achieve intimacy with God. The purpose of fasting is not to gain God’s favor. You don’t need to gain God’s favor because He already loves you and He will never love you any more than He loves you right now! Fasting makes you hunger and thirst for God. When you fast you will look to God alone as your source for life. As you recognize your sole dependence upon Him, a greater focus and clarity will evolve in your life; drawing you into greater intimacy with Him.

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I used to be trapped in a common deception of blaming others for my mistakes, shortcomings, and frustrations. “It’s your fault!” was my response to many frustrating situations instead of accepting the blame. Always pushing the blame onto somebody else is a sure sign that the Holy Spirit needs to work within our hearts and reveals that we have a long way to go in maturing in godliness. While waiting on the Lord about this issue, I learned many things. The Holy Spirit began to show me so much that needed to be fixed in my life. Jesus said, “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you” (John 14:16-17). I thank God that the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit) lives within me. The Holy Spirit convicted me, then empowered and taught me how to overcome my anger and its source: fear. He continues to teach me and show me what I need to know.

By the power of the Holy Spirit we can overcome the enemy’s attacks. We read seven times in the chapters 2 and 3 of Revelation that we will receive an inheritance when we overcome. (Reference: Chapter 2:7, 11, 17, 26 & Chapter 3:5, 12, 21)

God promises us so much when we overcome in Messiah Jesus. In Him we are called to overcome the world and all that is in it; at the top of this list is fear.

We are engaged in heavy warfare and sometimes we are tempted to give up. Even if we fail we must get up again, brush ourselves off, and realize that the Holy Spirit will always be with us. His power will be perfected in our weakness and we will overcome as we keep clinging to and depending on Him. The Lord says that it is “not by might nor by power, but My Spirit” (Zech. 4:6). The Holy Spirit will continue to impart His strength to us. We are being transformed from strength to strength and from glory to glory. As God’s children, we will overcome! Glory be to our God!

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Are you afraid of suffering? God’s grace is sufficient for you. Are you afraid of growing old? God’s grace is sufficient for you. Are you afraid of dying? God’s grace is sufficient for you. Beloved, no matter what your fear might be, God’s grace is there for you; empowering you to be free from fear, to overcome, and be victorious. Because God’s grace is at work in our lives, there is nothing to fear. He will be with us and His grace will be working on our behalf. Jesus has overcome the world on our behalf. Through Him, we can overcome the world as well. Look at how God’s grace helped the apostle Paul in the midst of hardship.

“And now, behold, bound by the Spirit, I am on my way to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit solemnly testifies to me in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions await me. But I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, so that I may finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:22-24).

Paul had no fear of suffering because God’s amazing grace had set him free from fear. He was ready to die for the sake of Messiah Jesus. It’s possible for us to have this same strength from the Holy Spirit; empowering us to go through any situation we may face without fear.

Prayer: God, I come to You now in the name of Yeshua, seeking Your grace and strength to help me. Thank You, Father, for Your all-sufficient grace that will see me through. Thank You for strengthening me to face all the circumstances of my life. Strengthen me, Yeshua, to face life and all its circumstances without fear by Your Spirit, Your truth, and Your Word.

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Paul says in Romans 10:14: How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? Beloved, we need to recognize that it is not just a small benefit for those living in the countries that we are preparing to go to in boldness; proclaiming the “Good News” (see Crusade Report). Please hear me: these are dire consequences, truly life or death situations; without Jesus, people go to hell.

There is no way to Heaven but through the Lamb of God, there is no one who is worthy (Acts 4:12). We need to realize that it is our mission to bring the gospel of light and salvation to the utter most parts of the earth. Jesus’ last words to the church are called “The Great Commission”: And He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned. These signs will accompany those who have believed…’ (Mark 16: 15-17). Miracles! Let’s pray for miracles, for salvations, and for the preaching of the gospel to be followed by signs and wonders!

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Friends, Jesus could not have just been a prophet; for a mere prophet would not have made the statements that He made. Jesus claimed that He was the only way to God and to heaven.

But how do we know about Jesus? How do we know what He actually said? It is through the writings contained within the New Testament. So here is the real question: Is the New Testament an accurate historical document?

To determine the authenticity of ancient historical documents, there are certain criteria that historians have agreed upon:

1. Was the author alive at the same time as the person they wrote about? If not, how long after the person’s life did the author write about them?
2. Did the author actually witness the person or event he was writing about?

The New Testament was written, beloved, not by people that lived hundreds of years after Jesus died, but by people that actually lived with Him. They walked with Him. They talked with Him. John said, “…what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life (Jesus)… we proclaim to you…”(1 John 1:1-3). Peter said, “For we did not follow cleverly devised (fairy) tales … but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty.” (2 Peter 1:16).

Beloved, today is the day to stand in truth. We must resist and denounce the “doctrine of tolerance” and proclaim to all: “Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no one comes to the Father, except through Him.” (John 14:6)

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In the beginning of Song of Songs chapter 6, the women of Jerusalem ask the Shulamite bride where Jesus is. The bride responds by saying that He is serving. Today, this is still where we can find Jesus. We know that Jesus did not come to be served, but to serve. In Matthew 6:10 Jesus said “I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” It is in using you and I, beloved, that He builds His church.

Some of us need to break away from believing we fulfill our obligation to the LORD by coming to church once or twice a week. We do this and wonder why we still feel empty. If you want to experience more, begin to serve, and you will feel alive and become more passionate. Do not wait to hear a voice telling you exactly where to serve. Rather, find a need in the body and serve God’s people.

Jesus was free to serve because He knew who He was, where He was going, and that the Father fulfilled all of His needs. We too are complete in Christ.
Song of Songs 6:3 says, “I am my beloved’s, and my beloved is mine.”
There is no reason to allow fear to keep us from reaching out to others, or serving. This is our true destiny and who we are. You will find completeness and fullness in serving others with Him.

We can allow Him to break in and break up the things we cling to that keep us from finding our true identity in Him. We are His inheritance, and are to be in partnership with Him, to accomplish His will; in continuing to build His kingdom here on earth. We ask You-Father for help to receive the heart of a servant, to become more like Your Son, and to be cleansed and transformed.

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Right now, some of you are struggling with sickness or pain. God causes all things to work together for good, but ultimately, His plan is for you to be whole. Sometimes the source of health issues is self-rejection. You can bring sickness on yourself when you reject your body. In rejecting your body you actually curse your body. Instead my brother and sister you need to bless your body. Your body is a vessel containing the anointing of Jesus; His very Spirit resides in you, hallelujah!
So instead, let us declare together:

“Father, I want to thank you for creating me in Your magnificent image, I want to rejoice that I have been fearfully and wonderfully made. I choose to praise You and thank You, that one day I will be given a glorious body: free of pain, sickness, and disease!”

After Jesus had risen, He breathed life on His disciples saying ‘receive the Holy Spirit, My peace (Shalom) I give to you’. Shalom means wholeness and completeness, nothing lacking. Beloved, Jesus wants you well; He went to the cross and bore the stripes for your healing. God loves you, which encompasses all of you: body, soul, and spirit. He is calling you today to lay hold of His promises and to stir up your faith in Him.

Right now, wherever you are, I want you to lay aside any distractions, any doubt, any fear. Then embrace the mighty name of Jesus who died on the cross for you and took your infirmities in His own body in the process: He is your Healer, He is your Deliverer, He is your King. I want you to reach out to Him, just like the woman with the issue of blood. Reach out to Him asking Him to release His healing anointing into your life: spirit, soul, mind and body. Ask Him to take away your sickness, to heal your broken heart, and make you whole. Amen!

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