How to live by faith

Yeshua lived our faith perfectly!

        WE BELIEVE, TRUST, RELY UPON, AND EXPECT

* YHWH is our Father (maker, creator, provider, and generator) Matthew 3

* The gain of even needful material things are not a goal but a result of receiving YHWH's life living in and through us. Matthew 4:4

* The natural result of YHWH's shared life in us is every word and promise having a living manifestation in us (seeking the manifestation shows we have no faith in YHWH) Matthew 4:7

* To seek temporal things is to worship the temporal self even if we say it was given by God. We instead worship YHWH and seek the eternity of His life in us. Matthew 4:10

* Yeshua is the only begotten Son of YHWH and as such all that He is has come out of the Father and the Fathers life is the Sons life. John 10:30 and 14:9

* The work of the Father through the Son is to make a marriage covenant with man. All we have and are becomes the possession of Yeshua who suffered and carried away from us the reality of fallen men

Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed? For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form or comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.

He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth.

He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? For he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.

And he made his grave with the wicked and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.

Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: (why would this please the Father and Son? For the result that comes forth) when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.

He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.

Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors Isaiah 58

*the new creation of the new covenant in Messiah is us made one with Yeshua in marriage.  We are now restored into sonship as His spouse and are to be fruitful and multiply the glory and image of YHWH throughout the earth.

Who Yeshua is we are

What Yeshua did we do

He is the living word we are the living word

Our failures come from ignorance of what has been worked in us and unbelief that what YHWH says is true despite our experience, reason, and earthly wisdom.

 

I am saved: what does that mean?

There are times when a word comes to have a meaning in our understanding that is not necessarily its definition. The church is not immune to this effect and at times it is even guilty of changing the meaning of words to suite its own desires. When these skewed definitions last through several generations they become at times so accepted that they are not questioned.

One such word used in the church is saved. The commonly accepted thought of such a word deals with a moment in our life when our destination changes from hell to heaven. This definition of salvation allows for us to live out our lives without any effectual manifestation of YHWH’s living through us.

Where did this thought of salvation being about our final destination come from? There was a time when the church as a whole was seduced by worldly power and control of men. This spiritual adultery against our spouse led to a bride that was both selfish and controlling of all in her household. As a form of control she taught her children that must obey her else her husband would punish them to death and throw them out of the household. She locked her spouse out of his own house and moved in her abusive lover who brought destruction to both her (corporate church) and her children (individuals in the church). The lasting results of this adultery are that the children began raising the children though they lacked the experience of being raised in their Fathers love without the lies of bitterness, fear and unbelief.

If a man is drowning and I through him a floatation device then leave him in the water with a promise that I will come get him later only a skewed thinking would conclude I had saved that man. If we consider a biblical example then let us look at the children of Israel in Egyptian bondage. At what point by our modern definition where they saved?

• At prayer for deliverance
• At Moses call
• At Passover exodus
• At Red Sea
• At Sinai
• At manifestation of manna
• At the healing of the waters
• At the water from the rock
• At the serpent on a pole
• At the crossing of the Jordon

YHWH is salvation at each and every point of His effectual manifestation to save. It is not a position of standing given for a future event but instead it is sleeves rolled up power working in our every moment.

When we see this as true then we are not destroyed for a lack of knowledge but instead we are filled with an expectant hope of faith in the Fathers salvation through Yeshua His Messiah. How different does the witness of the apostles look when our eyes open to the active life of YHWH in us?

Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. Acts 4:12

And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?  And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. Acts 16:30-31

 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. Romans 1:16

 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Romans 10:9-10

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. Ephesians 2:8-9

Some may say well that sounds good but from what I’ve seen YHWH does not always save us. It may be true that you have seen that but as a believer you don’t walk by sight.

The children of Israel didn’t walk in the wilderness for forty years as a matter of YHWH’s hate but instead by His longsuffering love He was teaching them to trust Him to do what He promised. Our salvation also is found in Abba moving us from agreeing He can or will do what He says to believing has and is doing what he says.

I have a peach tree in my back yard. From the moment the seed sprang forth it has been a peach tree but for years it produced no peaches. I pruned back the branches that were not needed and this year it produced the fruit by which it is named. While the older branches are the support of the tree the fruit only grows on new growth.

In a similar way our relationship in the Father is living, growing, and producing as YHWH gives the increase. If you have put your head down and determined to persevere till you reach heaven then I encourage you to look up and see that your salvation is not far away but is running at you full force to wrap you in His arms.

 

Christians effected by the flooding in Louisiana: is our hope in the Lord?

My regular post may be delayed a couple weeks. I along with more than 100,000 am dealing with the aftermath of the flooding in Louisiana. My personal situation is removing damaged insulation, damaged flooring, ensuring my electrical and HVAC is dry, clean, and safe to use, all while dealing with the fact that I no longer own a viable vehicle.

As bad as that may sound I am blessed. I have an expectant hope that my Lord will provide all I need. I believe this is the greatest gift we can have when things go bad; our hope in our Father. 

The Parish (Louisiana’s version of a county) in which I live has a population of approximately 130,000 people; and this flood has to varying degrees effected an estimated 100,000. Truth be told even those who did not lose anything in the deluge are greatly effected as their homes have become the safe haven of multiple displaced family and friends.

This flood will show a few things about men and believers. On one hand it will show that even ungodly men can be moved to do good things for those in need and on the other it will show that men will use others misery and desperation as a way to make a filthy gain for themselves. This opposing good and evil is evident in every son of Adam to a degree and more exaggerated to one or the other side in many. This is because Adam chose to know good and evil and this decision has been lived out through his children ever since.

Yeshua’s statements about what a house is built on and the effect of a storm on those structures is well known. In a terrain like that of Yeshua’s audience the dry season would have produced a hard surface seemingly great for building. Anyone who has ever tried to dig a hole in mostly clay soil in the summer will understand. However an experienced builder would know that the foundation must be dug down because no matter how solid the ground is during the dry season when the rainy season comes it will soften and give way.

For the believer this lesson is not about flood waters and the structures in which we live but instead it is about the structure of our living. These flood waters bring this lesson to the forefront by revealing to us how much we are placing our trust and hope in our heavenly Father. 

In the book of Job Satan tells YHWH; Job only trust in you because of your many blessing. We see every blessing taken from Job; family, provision, honor, health, everything but his very breath and still his faith and hope remains in YHWH.

Pray for me and my fellow believers going through this trial that our trust and hope will be better established in the blessing of being made one with the Father and not in the blessings of our Father alone. 

As a personal note if you feel led to help those affected I would encourage you to give your gift to a church which is trying to help those in need. Just as Paul councils us that our disagreements with believers should be handled within the church so also our help should go through the body of which we are all a part; the body of Messiah.

Abraham: true ever increasing faith

 Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: Genesis 12:1-2

After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward. Genesis 15:1

Abraham is a prominent figure in Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. As with any prominent historic figure he is also a subject of many fables and manipulations. I have no intension to argue against these falsities concerning Abraham but instead I would set forth to witness, as did Moses, of the central teaching of Abraham’s life.

Within the first twelve chapters of genesis Moses has come against the false gods and histories of the surrounding nations but in chapter twelve he begins to deal with our own false ideas of what covenant with YHWH means.

Abraham and his progenitors are not super human examples of our faith but instead a witness of YHWH’s unfailing ability to make weak feeble men the vessels of His unbreakable will and work.  

Abram was called like every other believer into a way, a truth, and a life which was completely foreign to all he had before known. The promise given by YHWH to Abram is the seed carried in the womb of the Jewish nation which was born into the world as Messiah and matured into eternal salvation to all that place their trust in Him.

The scriptures say faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of YHWH. Abram lives this out before the world. It begins with a call to leave behind what is known and move into an unknown place with nothing more than trust in Him who has called you.

The believer should see themselves in Abram. The same human nature inherent from Adam that we struggle against was also in Abram and also the same Elohim who formed Abraham from the dust of Adam and breathed into him the breath of life made him and us living souls.

Abraham’s story begins at his call from YHWH to leave behind all he has known and considered himself to have come from. The call of Abraham has a great blessing promised but also a price to be paid. From the time of Abraham until now the call to those who will walk in faith is the same “come out from among them”.

Abraham’s obedience to this call is much like our own, incomplete. It is not for a lack of desire to obey but rather an ignorance of what full submission entails. Only faith can be blessed and YHWH blesses to the extent that our trust is in Him. Abram enters into faith by leaving both his country and fathers house to obtain the promise of YHWH. However the leaving of his kindred is only partial for he takes with him his nephew Lot.

It is very likely that Abraham did not do this because he was in any type of disobedience but instead his actions were generated by what he felt was right. It would be many years later before Abraham would separate from Lot and begin to experience the full presence and blessings of YHWH.

This is the journey of Abraham’s faith from exuberant action of obedience into a trust that became the very foundation of Abraham’s being. Abraham’s path of change from simply accepting a spoken offer of covenant from YHWH to becoming an embodiment in his very person (a living word) of those things promised is the same path every believer travels.

In Abrahams call of chapter 12 there is a promise of blessings for obedience without a description of how the blessings or obedience will be manifested. In chapter 15 Abraham has come to an experiential knowledge of YHWH to the degree that he can now understand that the how of what was promised is in the fact that YHWH is not only his shield but his reward. The very being of YHWH has been given to Abraham as his. It is this grace that Messiah has delivered to all those in the household of faith.

 The interim events of these three chapters is not only a story of Abraham’s journey but an account of YHWH casting out self-trust (from Adams inheritance) and a creation of a new man in YHWH’s image. I am not saying that Abraham has arrived at chapter fifteen (life is about relationship not arrival) but instead the effective faith that would be called righteousness, receive the miraculous, and be tested beyond comprehension was formed here.

We see in Abraham’s life during this time three things that dove tail perfectly into the three temptations of Messiah. We should see these things as a witness of our own maturing into the life of the Father. Of course Messiah was tempted in all points without sin; neither we nor Abraham can make such a claim. What Abraham can witness too along with us (in the course of time) is that YHWH does give beauty for ashes and joy for tears.

In the first temptation of Messiah we see a Man after forty days of no sustenance tempted to act of His own accord to provide what He truly needs. In Abraham a famine drives him to leave that place YHWH has called him into and find his own way of providence.

If we then look at the results of this action we see that Abraham finds himself not only looking for physical sustenance but in fear for his life from the hands of those around him. The father of faith found himself trading his own wife to sustain his flesh. The mercy of YHWH, even in Abraham’s failure held this shame from being cast on Abraham. Abraham was not forsaken or abandoned in this failure; instead YHWH taught him of both his mercy and providence. When Abraham was converted from trust in self leading to destruction into a more established trust in YHWH the very one Abraham feared would take his life served to establish him with more than he had entered his failure with.

In the second temptation of Messiah a description of Messiah from scripture was used to tempt a public display of messiahship to remove any reasonable argument against believing Yeshua was who he claimed to be.  Yeshua could have avoided the strife that plagued his ministry from those who ran both the temple and the synagogue with a display of angels catching him from a public leap from the pinnacle of the temple.

So Messiah is tempted to do that which will bring Him acceptance from His kinsman to which He answers that YHWH alone can make Him acceptable. Abraham in order to avoid strife with his kinsman (Lot) gives that which was not his to give. It is from a motive of doing what is acceptable and generous but his decision has at its source only Abraham.

It should be noted that despite YHWH’s providence and blessing Abrahams sin still causes hurt to him, his household and those he comes in contact with. The covenant of faith does not make us free from the results of sin but when our eye becomes single we are made free from sin.

 That being said we must always remember that we press for the mark of the prize in Messiah: that mark was a perfectly complete faith in the Father to be His maker and life. It is safe to say that Yeshua alone has walked in perfect faith all other believers are pressing toward that mark.

The third temptation of Messiah deals with the glory of the kingdoms of the earth becoming His. Messiah is promised those same kingdoms will be subject unto Him but the Father alone is the possessor of the heavens and the earth. In a like manner Abraham refuses to be established by an earthly king; instead trusting YHWH’s promise alone will establish him.

We see a very different Abraham now. YHWH has made in him a faith by which comes obedience in the form of simple trust.

•get the out of thy country…to a land I will show you (no provision from Egypt)

•from thy kindred… I will make you a great nation (separation from Lot)

•from thy father’s house…I will make your name great (no dependence on man)

 

Baptism in the Bible

Pin on pinterest

And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose. And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.

There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.

And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.

And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.

These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God. And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth. And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.  Genesis 6: 1-13

Often the things that are the most familiar to us are the things we most ignore. Messiah said that Moses was His witness and as such it is a grievous error to relegate those things taught in Genesis to myths and children’s stories.

The writing of Genesis is apologetic in nature. YHWH through Moses has laid out the truth by which the fables of gods, creation myths, and historic fictions of the surrounding nations would be revealed as embellishments of man. While this is true the believer must remember that this was not YHWH’s purpose for recording these things.

The purpose is to be a witness of the person, truth, purpose, and necessity of the promised Messiah; Yeshua the first born among many brethren. When the believer comes into covenant with YHWH through Messiah the scripture becomes a witness of both that within them from Adam who must be left in the death of the cross and the life of YHWH which is the being of both Messiah and ourselves within us.

The witness of evils consumption of pre-flood man is a truth which should cut through the deception of good works. Mankind is a mirror of every man. Even that which begins as benevolence from a source of man, given the generation of time, becomes selfish and twisted from its original intent. Wickedness (a twisted way) brings forth evil which like a cancer spreads until all becomes cancerous.   

 And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh:

Noah found grace by which he was just and upright in his generation. Was this by random selection from YHWH? YHWH does not change and is no respecter of persons therefore when He says we are saved by grace through faith and that the just shall live by faith we know these things to also be true in the witness of Noah. Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?

 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin.

Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Romans 6: 4-10

The flood of Noah is a baptism of mankind. A baptism is a burial not a murder. What is buried is already dead. We often can see that a surgeon’s act of removing cancer, while violent, is a benevolent act of preserving life. YHWH on the other hand, despite His longsuffering that waits till all possible hope of recovery is exhausted, is confused as being nefarious when He preserves life.

More bible verses about baptism

For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God John 3: 17-18

The story of Noah’s salvation is the story of our own death, burial, resurrection, and expectation of life.

As a closing note the providence of new life for Noah did not make him without sin but served as a lesson of the true resurrection when all men stand before YHWH. On that day the consuming fire of holiness from His presence will purify those who have His life in them and destroy those without His life forever.