Greetings to you all.
Today is Holocaust Remembrance Day.
The Holocaust is such a sad thing to remember, but we must. I'm reminded of the quote, “Those who do not remember the past are doomed to repeat it” May it not happen to us. Did you know that in Germany, the details of Hitler and his persecution and murders of Jews is not taught in their schools? I find that so horrible. Today, join me as I remember those who died in the Holocaust, and vow to keep the history of this atrocity alive for future generations.
Sadly, anti-Semitism is alive in America. Just yesterday there were three bomb threats at Jewish schools here in Florida. Not one word of this was reported on the CBS morning news today.
Remembering leads me into my post today on WORDS. History is words that have been spoken or recorded . The Jews take this very seriously. The oral Torah was handed down for many generations before it was recorded. I'm thankful for the faithful Jews who taught their children G-d's Word and Ways. Because of them, we hold the Holy Scriptures in our hands today. What a gift!
I'm reminded again of how blessed we are. We are the first generation to have it so readily at our fingertips. But with that blessing comes responsibility. We are responsible to faithfully share the Truth with our children, grandchildren, and those with whom we have contact.
This week, G-d has pressed me into this passage: I, II, and III John. These words used to puzzle me until I came to Messianic Judaism. I could understand the love part (I thought), but the parts about obeying His commandments made me tremble. My preachers didn't teach on them much, except the love parts. They steered clear of the obedience part.
Look at this in 1 John 5 in the Complete Jewish Bible:
"Everyone who believes that Yeshua is the Messiah has God as his father, and everyone who loves a father loves his offspring too. 2 Here is how we know that we love God’s children: when we love God, we also do what he commands. 3 For loving God means obeying his commands. Moreover, his commands are not burdensome, 4 because everything which has God as its Father overcomes the world. And this is what victoriously overcomes the world: our trust. 5 Who does overcome the world if not the person who believes that Yeshua is the Son of God?"
On that point, are we overcoming the world or is it overcoming us? I see people who call themselves followers of Yeshua acting just like the world. Churches used to be preachers of Truth. Sinners trembled at the preacher's sermons. They were convicted of sin and wept in repentance. They turned from sin and lived holy lives. Not so today, as preachers welcome sinners to come in and practice their sin without reproach. Shame on them.
Now, let's look at 2 John 4-11 in same translation:
4 I was very happy when I found some of your children living in truth, just as the Father commanded us. 5 And now, dear lady, I am requesting that we love one another — not as if this were a new command I am writing you, for it is the one which we have had from the beginning.** 6 Moreover, love is this: that we should live according to his commands. This is the command, as you people have heard from the beginning; live by it!
7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world, people who do not acknowledge Yeshua the Messiah’s coming as a human being. Such a person is a deceiver and an anti-Messiah. 8 Watch yourselves, so that you won’t lose what you have worked for, but will receive your full reward. 9 Everyone who goes ahead and does not remain true to what the Messiah has taught does not have God. Those who remain true to his teaching have both the Father and the Son. 10 If someone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, don’t welcome him into your home. Don’t even say, “Shalom!” to him; 11 for the person who says, “Shalom!” to him shares in his evil deeds.
That's pretty strong, isn't it? This was written by John, who is called the disciple that Yeshua loved. I encourage you to read John's words in the New Testament books of John, I, II and III John, and the book of Revelation. His words are consistent. He equates "love" with obedience to to G-d's commands.
Now, let's look at Revelation 22, where Yeshua, himself, speaks:
12 “Pay
attention!” [says Yeshua,] “I am coming soon, and my rewards are with
me to give to each person according to what he has done. 13 I am the ‘A’ and the ‘Z,’ the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”
14 How
blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they have the right to
eat from the Tree of Life and go through the gates into the city! 15 Outside
are the homosexuals, those involved with the occult and with drugs, the
sexually immoral, murderers, idol-worshippers, and everyone who loves
and practices falsehood.** 16 “I,
Yeshua, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the Messianic
communities. I am the Root and Offspring of David, the bright Morning
Star. 17 The
Spirit and the Bride say, ‘Come!’ Let anyone who hears say, ‘Come!’ And
let anyone who is thirsty come — let anyone who wishes, take the water
of life free of charge.”18 I warn everyone hearing the words of the prophecy in this book that if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues written in this book. 19 And if anyone takes anything away from the words in the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the Tree of Life and the holy city, as described in this book.
20 “The one who is testifying to these things says, ‘Yes, I am coming soon!’”
Amen! Come, Lord Yeshua!
21 May the grace of the Lord Yeshua be with all!
When was the last time you heard a teaching on this passage? Maybe never?
Homosexuals? They are welcomed in the churches today. Some are even preachers. Even worse, the word homosexual has been omitted from many translations.
The occult? I never heard that preached on. As a matter of fact, I was in my thirties before I learned that reading the daily horoscope was occultic. Halloween is occultic and yet churches open their doors and celebrate it. They call it a harvest festival.
Drugs? Today, we are taught that addicts have a disease instead of a sin problem.
Sexually immoral? I know a Bible teacher who tells women to bring any perversion they want into the bedroom because "the marriage bed is undefiled". Isn't it sad that she doesn't know the Torah, where sexual perversion is called sin? Beloved, "the marriage bed is undefiled" means "do not bring perversions into a holy place."
Murderers? Abortion is murder, and yet it is acceptable in churches today. How many grandmothers have taken their own grandchildren to the abortion clinics and had them murdered before they had a chance to be born?
Idol worshipers? Every Christmas, a tree is cut down, decorated and bowed down before by many who call themselves believers. This abomination is supposed to honor Yeshua's birth, and yet it is a pagan practice that G-d hates. (see Jeremiah 10:1-5) Would you put a Buddha statue in your living room?
When you read these words, if you tremble, and your heart beats fast, that is called conviction. I pray you will agree with G-d's Word, and repent. Bow your knee to Him, ask forgiveness, and accept the precious blood of Yeshua to cover your sin. Return to Torah** and follow His ways.
**Leviticus 19:18 - " Don’t take vengeance on or bear a grudge against any of your people; rather, love your neighbor as yourself; I am Adonai."
** Practicing falsehood includes following false religions, prophets, denominations, and teachers.
**The Torah includes the first five books of the Old Testament. Here, G-d gives the laws that preserve and bless our lives. I call it Bible 101, because it is the foundation for understanding Scripture.
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Gail, when I was young there were many sermons and series on Revelations. Today I don't hear much at all. "All Scripture is given ... We need it all!
ReplyDeleteYou are so right, Pamela. We are called to teach the whole Word, not just parts of it.
ReplyDeleteThank you for stopping in today, and for commenting.
Blessings,
GG