NOT to Destroy But to FULFILL ...

ADVENT MEDITATIONS # 2

2016

JESUS CHRIST / Y'SHU+ the M'SHIKHA+

The Law Incarnate

… versus …

[ "Now I'm saved; I can sin all I want to." ]

GOD FORBID!

+  +  +

Think not that I+ am come

to destroy The Law, 

or the Prophets:

I+ am not come 

to destroy,

BUT TO FULFILL.

+

Words of Our LORD 

Matthew 5:17

+  +  +

Our LORD JESUS / Y'SHU+ spoke clearly and plainly about His+ Mission. After His+ great trial of temptation by the devil in chapter 4 of Matthew, HE+ emerged victoriously to establish the Kingdom of GOD on earth.

Leaving Nazareth, HE+ moved beside the Sea of Galilee, to Capernaum in the districts of Zebulan and Naphtali ( Mt. 4:13-17), thus FULFILLING Isaiah 9:1-2.

Nevertheless

the dimness shall not be 

such as was in her vexation,

when at the first 

HE lightly afflicted

the land of Zebulun 

and the land of Naphtali,

and afterward 

did more grievously afflict her

by the way of the sea,

beyond Jordan, 

in Galilee of the nations.

The people that walked in darkness have seen a Great LIGHT+:

they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death,

upon them hath The LIGHT+ shined.

Isaiah 9: 1-2

The LORD JESUS / Y'SHU+ the M'SHIKHA+ preached repentance and called His+ first disciples to Him+ . 

HE+ healed the sick and great crowds from the surrounding areas flocked to HIM+.  HE began teaching them in the Sermon on the Mount, chapter 5.

Think not 

that I+ am come

to destroy The Law, 

or the Prophets:

I+ am not come 

to destroy,

BUT TO FULFILL.

Mt. 5:17

The LORD honored The LAW. 

HE+ spoke often of its abuses and mis-applications by men, but The Law itself HE+ honored. It revealed His+ own Divine Character and the character of His+ Heavenly FATHER. HE+ was in agreement with it.

In fact,

The LORD JESUS / 

Y'SHU+ the M'SHIKHA+

 expanded   

The Law !

As the MESSIAH / M'SHIKHA, HE+ explained how the keeping of The Law was to GO DEEPER than the Jews' observance of it.

The Law was to be kept in the MOTIVES and inside the hidden places of the heart, where no-one could see ... except GOD. 

HE+ explained this when teaching about lusting after another was ALREADY an act of adultery in the eyes of GOD.

GOD'S standard of right vs wrong did not CHANGE at the advent of CHRIST / the M'SHIKHA+. 

The LORD JESUS 

/ Y'SHU+ the M'SHIKHA+ 

came

to restore GOD'S Law

... in Spirit, this time,  

and in Truth.

+  +  +

Let us pray:

Dear Heavenly FATHER,

Hallowed be Thy Name, O HOLY FATHER, and the Name of Thy HOLY SON+ , The LORD JESUS / Y'SHU+ the M'SHIKHA+. 

I thank THEE+ for Thy Law, for giving forth the Divine Standard of Right, for teaching me what is wrong, and that Thy Standard does not change.

I confess , O LORD, that I am ashamed for the times I have hid sins in my heart, thinking no-one could see me. 

Please forgive me and cleanse me by the BLOOD of Thy Precious SON+. Make me pure through-out. Amen. 

+  +  +

In the Name of 

The FATHER,

Who created us;

And HIS HOLY SON+

JESUS / Y'SHU+ ,

Who+ saves us;

And The 

Blessed HOLY SPIRIT 

/ RUACH ha KADOSH,

Who sanctifies us. 

+  +  +

We LOVE Thy LAW+ , O GOD !

ADVENT MEDITATIONS # 1

2016

JESUS CHRIST / Y'SHU+ the M'SHIKHA+

The Law Incarnate
...versus... 

"Now I'm saved; I can sin all I want to."  

GOD FORBID !

The Law of The LORD is good, for it reveals the character of The ELOHIM (GOD: The FATHER, HIS SON+, JESUS CHRIST / Y'SHU+ the M'SHIKHA+, and the blessed HOLY SPIRIT / RUACH ha KADOSH) . 
.

The Law does so in concrete terms --- itemized and in minute detail oftentimes --- so that no-one can mistake the Character or  Will of GOD, the ELOHIM. The Law also reveals the great compassion and loving-kindness of GOD, The ELOHIM, for mankind.
.

Thus, for example, we see the Law of Moses detailing the continued care of a widow who had no son to raise up the name of her dead husband. 
.

Gleaners were instructed NOT to re-harvest every missed shock of grain or bough of olives in order to provide sustenance for the poor who were allowed to pick up the left-overs. 
.

We see GOD's concern for the animals when treading out the corn... they are not to be muzzled and kept from taking a nip of the sweet-smelling grain. 
.

The LORD shows His concern for the lowly beasts of burden when pulling a cart or plow; they are not to be un-equally yoked so that none does more than its share of the workload.
.

HE even hears the lowing of the cow for her calf; thus, we are admonished NOT to boil a baby in the milk of its own mother. In other words, we do not feed a "baby" to the parent animal.   We recall we are not to thresh soft grains with hard grains, nor to sow a field with mingled seed.  
.

Such loving care of man and animal and plant does The ELOHIM include for the ordering of how man is to live , an order that reveals HIS will and HIS good heart towards ALL HIS creation. 
. 

The Law also detailed the animal sacrifices --- what they were, how they were to be sacrificed, and when. 
.

The Law reveals WHY the sacrificial system was established in the first place... perhaps as early as the first slaying of animals ... to provide a Covering for sinful Adam and Eve. 
.

[ Keep in mind that the Hebrew word used for "atonement " is  "Kippor" and KIPPOR and its various forms are somehow always translated as "atonement."  
.

Unfortunately, "atonement" indicates a propitious sacrifice of appeasement  which is needed to appease an angry GOD. 
.

However, KIPPOR  tells us The ELOHIM provided man a COVERING for sin out of HIS love and pity for mankind, who is helpless to deliver himself from the bondage of sin. It has NOTHING to do with “atonement” or appeasing an “angry god.”  That is what the pagans did !  
.

We can thank Augustine of  Hippo,  John Calvin, and Martin Luther for planting the doctrine  of appeasement in their translations and promoting the confusion.  ]
.

Hence, in no way is The Law seen as un-necessary to a serious-minded Follower of JESUS / Y'SHU+ the M'SHIKHA . The Law reveals the Wisdom of The ELOHIM and GOD'S love for mankind. 
. 

 IN ORDER TO UNDERSTAND the First Advent of Our LORD and SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST / Y'SHU+ the M'SHIKHA+, we will see His+ relationship to us through The Law.  How does it all fit together ? 
.

HE+ was born in the likeness of sinful flesh. HE+ was born under the Law. HE+ was dedicated to GOD under the Law and an offering for HIM+ was made following the tenets of The Law.  
.

His parents were humble, righteous doers of the Law and did all things according to the Law.  He grew up under the Law and lived under the Law.  And HE+ died under the Law, becoming a curse for us. 
. 

The LORD JESUS CHRIST / Y'SHU+ the M'SHIKHA+ was born to FULFILL the LAW. 
.

HE+ became

The LAW INCARNATE

for us.
.

Thus, we obey HIM+ with all the vigor  with which we obeyed The Old Law … for now, HE+ is THE LAW+ … a Living LAW+ that we can love as well as obey.
.

We shall see how this happened , in these Advent Meditations during this season of preparation, the REMEMBRANCE of HIS+ first Coming to planet earth. 
. 

+  +  +

Let us pray:

O HOLY FATHER, we bless THEE and Thy Only-Begotten SON+ JESUS CHRIST / Y’SHU+ the M’SHIKHA, through The Blessed HOLY SPIRIT … for giving us The Old Law and now, THE Living LAW+ . 
.

We LOVE Thy LAW+, O LORD. Help us not to grieve THEE+ with our disobedience to THEE+, O CHRIST / M’SHIKHA+. 
.

We thank THEE+ for making a Way+ through Thy Sacrifice for us to come to The HOLY FATHER clean and full of love now for HIM and THEE+ … for now we see more clearly and love The ELOHIM more dearly. 
.

+  +  +

In the Name of The FATHER,

Who created us;

And HIS HOLY SON+ JESUS / Y'SHU+

Who+ saves us;

And The Blessed HOLY SPIRIT / RUACH ha KADOSH,

Who sanctifies us. 

Conformed to His+ Image ... PATIENCE in Babylon the Great

 Are we developing 

CHRIST-centered patience

or

“Our-Political-Rights”-centered

activism ?

 ?  ?  ?

But let patience have her perfect work,

that ye may be

perfect and entire (Complete),

wanting/lacking nothing.

James 1:4

 

PATIENCE , the virtue , is  frightening. It literally means “to stay under.”  We think of it as endurance.  The endurance , however, is measured ONLY WHEN WE ARE UNDER A SEVERE TESTING. 

 

Notice that the Apostle James exhorts us “to LET” (allow) patience to have her perfect work.  We are NOT to hinder The LORD’S work of perfecting our lives because we do not “like” these hard, unpleasant, hurtful experiences and events HE+ calls us to endure. 

And ye shall be hated of all men

for My+ Name’s sake.

But there shall not an hair of your head perish.

In your patience possess ye your souls.

And when ye shall see Jerusalem

compassed with armies,

then know that the desolation

thereof is nigh..

Luke 21: 17 – 20

 

Here, The LORD JESUS commends   PATIENCE   to us in the midst of HATRED when His+ Followers are being hounded and hated by all sectors of society … the public, the government,  and the religious alike. We will not have a friend except JESUS. There will be NO PLACE of SAFETY except by His+ side.

 

How close is this event ?

 

Ask the Persecuted Christians in North Korea, in the Sudan, in Vietnam, in Thailand, in Iran, in Iraq, Syria etc. It is worldwide and coming to all lands. That is a Scriptural promise no-one likes to “claim.” 

 

There will not be PEACE under Mr. Trump … at least, not for serious-minded Christians.  There will ONLY be a “new world order” agenda. Note that Mr. Kissinger is one of his “consultants,”  along with others in the CFR club.  

 

We do NOT JOIN ourselves to the “popular-rights” crowd. We do not become unequally-yoked with political movements and social rights activities. That would put us with strange bed-fellows.

Instead … 

Serious-Minded Christians join ourselves to CHRIST, Who+ is the Eternal Word of the FATHER. We receive from His+ hand what HE+ has ordained. HE+ places some in dire straights.

HE+ places some in terrible persecution. HE+ does this so that we might bear WITNESS TO HIM+  — in the WORST OF PLACES, to the WORST ELEMENTS OF SOCIETY — in this grossly blemished, unrighteous Civilization.

 

And not only so,

but we glory in tribulations also:

 

knowing that

tribulation worketh patience;

Romans 5:3

 

It appears the ONLY way to develop CHRIST-centered PATIENCE  is in tribulation… TRUE tribulation ( i.e., not a flat tire or a burned supper.)

 

So that we ourselves glory in you

in the churches of GOD

for your patience and faith

 

in all your persecutions

and tribulations

that ye endure:

2 Thessalonians 1:4

 

PATIENCE,  it seems, is tied unfailingly to persecution. Injury gained BECAUSE of following CHRIST JESUS. Loss sustained because of holding fast to His+ Truth. Sorrow endured because of faithfulness to His+ Word.

 

For ye have need of patience,

that,

after ye have done the will of GOD,

ye might receive the promise.

Hebrews 10:36

 

PROMISES — to be received — are connected to doing the Will of GOD.  In order to do the Will of GOD, though, we must OF NECESSITY develop PATIENCE  during  persecution and tribulation.

 

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about

with so great a cloud of witnesses,

let us lay aside every weight,

and the sin

which doth so easily beset us,

and let us run with patience

the race that is set before us…

Hebrews 12:1

 

There is a race tailor-made for each one of us. It will touch the “sore” spots in our hearts.  Our particular race will reveal our weaknesses and weights and faults that have warped our character, warped our faith. 

 

What are we to do

to rid ourselves of these warpings ?

 

We are to RUN anyway. We are not to flinch and fling ourselves away from the race-track that Our LORD has assigned for our particular life-run. We are not to join a “people’s-rights” movement and campaign for a lessening of the distresses.  We are to STAY FOCUSED ON THE RACE-TRACK which HE+ has ordained. 

 

Here is how we WIN that race:

 

Looking unto JESUS

the AUTHOR+ and FINISHER+ of our faith;

WHO+ for the joy

that was set before HIM+

 

endured the cross,

despising the shame,

and is set down

at the right hand

of the throne of GOD.

 

For consider HIM+ that endured

such contradiction of sinners against Himself+,

lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

 

Ye have not yet resisted unto blood,

striving against sin.

 Hebrews 12: 2-4

 

Our Race is to be won on our knees.  We win as we DRAW CLOSER to CHRIST.  HE+ will direct our prayers against the evil forces and our prayers WILL PREVAIL …. if HE+ is truly directing them and not our own voice. 

Yes, we need to gird our loins to suffer. However, the kingdom of darkness is going to feel the heat of the Suffering Saints’ prayers !

The Prophet Daniel tells us this:  in the midst of a TERRIBLE on-slaught against GOD’S people, they will be strong and DO EXPLOITS!

[ The exact word “exploits” is not in the Hebrew, but the meaning involves ACCOMPLISHING MUCH. See DANIEL 11:32.]

 

May we humble ourselves, forsaking the ways and means of the world. Let us diligently cast aside values and ideologies that are CONTRARY TO CHRIST. Every Follower of JESUS in every society in every country MUST DO THE SAME. 

 

All of our various societies and governments — tribal, democratic, and all those in-between — are all run by fallen men. The fallen nature of man ALWAYS co-operates closely with the ideologies of satan.

 

The business of our fallen societies and governments does NOT CONCERN the Followers of JESUS.  We have a totally different nature and our Kingdom has NOT YET been established, in Power and Glory upon the earth.  ( But,  that IS COMING! )

 

We are passing through our respective lands and tribes for one purpose only: to turn the hearts of fallen man to Our Heavenly FATHER and to HIS Glorious SON+ JESUS CHRIST. We are to rescue fallen men … all who are willing to be rescued … for the sake of Our LORD JESUS CHRIST. 

 

Let us  therefore  be about

OUR  FATHER’S BUSINESS+ …

and leave the fallen world’s activities

to fallen men.

+  +  +

 And at that time shall Michael stand up,

the great prince which

stands for the children of your people:

 

and there shall be a time of trouble,

such as never was since there was a nation

even to that same time:

 

and at that time

Thy+ People shall be delivered,

every one that shall be found

written in The Book.

 

And many of them that sleep

in the dust of the earth shall awake,

some to everlasting life,

and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

 

And they that be Wise

shall shine as the brightness of the firmament;

and they that turn many to Righteousness

as the stars for ever and ever.

Daniel 12: 1-3

 

In The Name of GOD,

YHWH ELOHIM Almighty,

 and  YHWH ADONAI+

HIS only begotten, Eternal SON+.

And YHWH RUACH ha KADOSH

HIS Eternal SPIRIT.

 

AMEN + + +

Loving A LIE ?

Whosoever LOVETH and MAKETH a LIE..

 … will not enter into the New Jerusalem.

 

That Holy City, coming down from GOD out of Heaven is that Continuing City, whose Builder and Maker is GOD. This Holy Jerusalem is the crowning jewel of the New Heaven and the New Earth.

 

 

And there shall in NO wise

enter into it any thing that defileth,

neither

whatsoever worketh abomination,

or

maketh a lie:

but they which are written

in the LAMB’S+  BOOK of LIFE.

Revelation 21:27

 

 

Lies are behind all idolatry, the work of the satan, to deceive the spirit of man.

 

The lying idols will make people believe things that will take them to their utter destruction. This is NOT a lie !  

 

It is a lying spirit that tells a drunk to imbibe MORE ALCOHOL ( i.e., “spirit water” ).  “It will make you feel good. It will lift your spirits,” the lying spirit tells that person… as the alcohol destroys the mind, the pocketbook, the family unit, his liver, his soul,  and eventually his life.

 

The drug-addict believes the same lie.  So does the materialist and money-grabber, whether rich or poor. The LIE functions the same regardless of the financial status of that individual. 

 

The LIE, it proclaims of itself,

will MAKE YOU HAPPY.

 

The trouble is, that is the ORIGINAL LIE.  It is exactly what will lead you into GREAT UNHAPPINESS.

 

Lies infiltrate everything connected to human life, from promiscuity to abortion, to clothing styles and entertainment, from pursuits of careers to pursuits of life-styles and pursuits of philosophies.

LIES infiltrate the CORE of our value system, alas.

 

LIES , unfortunately, are ingrained in us because Adam and Eve bought the LIE and passed it on to us in our Adamic Nature. That LIE was: GOD does not make us happy; the WORLD does !

 

Thus, we Christians STRUGGLE to untangle ourselves from the world wide web of LIES we have been born into, imbibed ourselves, and taught to love. If we do not see the error of our ways, we soon teach others to “love the LIE,”  also. 

Does the “TRUTH ALWAYS HURT” ,

as some folks say ?

 

The TRUTH NEVER HURTS.

 

The TRUTH SETS US FREE,

as The LORD JESUS

truthfully told us.

 

DEEP, SEARING PAIN, however, overwhelms us when we first see the LIE which has led us down the wrong path so long.  The WITHDRAWAL from a  lying value and belief system is as painful as withdrawal from any abused substance.

 

So, the TRUTH of the matter is that  the LIE ALWAYS HURTS; the TRUTH sets us free.

 

“What is TRUTH?” a very expedient Pilate asked, who lived to regret his expediency.  

 JESUS said,

 ” I+ AM The Way,

THE TRUTH,

and The Life;

 

no man comes to The FATHER,

except through ME.+ “

John 14:6

 

“Come OUT of her, MY+ People;

and touch not the unclean thing.”

 

That “unclean thing” is all LIES, all false values, all identities we adhere ourselves unto … other than JESUS CHRIST our LORD. HE+ is THE … THE… THE  … TRUTH.  There is no TRUTH outside of CHRIST JESUS.

 

We are strangers and pilgrims on this earth, whose citizenship is in Heaven, not on earth. 

 

On earth , we do not travel through another country and try to re-form its government as we pass through it. We simply tell its citizens the “Good News” about JESUS as we journey on our way.  We are not STAYING there; we are heading to another place where we are the RIGHTFUL Citizens of the land, our Heavenly Home.

 

Let us not entangle ourselves with the affairs of this life, Christians. Let us not think we can glibly slip into the marriage supper of the LAMB+. We may find out we do not have the PROPER WEDDING GARMENT.

 

Indeed, if we have already had affairs with this world and are impure with divided loyalties, we will not find a wedding garment set aside for us.  

 

The LORD will have NO DIVIDED LOYALTIES in His+ Bride; HE+ is looking for a pure BRIDE, worthy of wearing the white linen of the Saints.

 

BEWARE. Beware of the LIES. They are designed to steal your berth in the Holy , New Jerusalem.

 

For without are dogs,

and sorcerers,

and whoremongers,

and murderers,

and idolaters,

 

and whosoever loveth

and maketh a lie.

Revelation 22:15

 

+  +  +