December 17, 2024

Just as Joshua was given the above divine instruction, so likewise it is given to believers when they confess the Lordship of our Savior Yeshua [Jesus], when we ask Him to redeem us and incorporate us into His “people” Israel. This divine expression is confirmed in the New Testament:

“If you love Me, keep My commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever, 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.” jn 14:15-17 nkjv

The entire context of John chapter 14 is an in-depth commentary, by Yeshua, about our relationship to Him and what He expects of us… “if we love Him.” The promise of the Holy Spirit is given to strengthen us to “love Him,” and obey Him, and to trust Him… The Holy Spirit is always in agreement with the Torah, the Messiah Yeshua’s teachings (Same as the Torah instruction principles; mat 5:17); any other “contrary” thinking or teaching is false teaching. I think the greatest work of the Holy Spirit is explained here:

“ You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” 1 jn 4:4 nkjv   The very presence [mind] of Yeshua, in us, is there by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit… are we listening to the Holy Spirit, or the religious teachers who distort His truth, some unintentionally because of twisted doctrines theological institutions, and well meaning, but misinformed, preachers and teachers? There is ONLY one Truth… “it is written.” The promise of Yahweh is that the Holy Spirit will only agree with the Torah.

“For the Lord spoke thus to me with a strong hand, and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people, saying:” isa 8:11 nkjv;   then read verses 12 through 19, and consider this next verse:

“To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” isa 8:20 nkjv;   then let us understand this;

“Those who forsake the law praise the wicked, But such as keep the law contend with them. Prov 28:4 nkjv;  And...

“One who turns away his ear from hearing the law, Even his prayer is an abomination. Prov 28:9 nkjv

These powerful truths were on the books, if I may call it that, long before Jeremiah the prophet penned these words in his Lamentations, concerning the total destruction of Judah… by the Babylonians:

“Let us search out and examine our ways, And turn back to the Lord; Let us lift our hearts and hands To God in heaven. We have transgressed and rebelled; You have not pardoned.” lam 3:40-42 nkjv

Clearly here, Judah has “transgressed” the Torah, their covenant with Yahweh… they said “I do,” at Mt. Sinai… just as we believers have said “I do,” when confessing the blood of the covenant when we agreed to take Yeshua [all of Him] as our Savior, and we cannot, like Judah, make Yahweh’s conditions second fiddle to our selfish interest… there is a price to pay, UNLESS, like Jeremiah says… “Let us search out and examine our ways, And turn back to the Lord;” otherwise:

“Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?” heb 10:29 nkjv

According to 1 John 3:1-9, sin WILL ALWAYS be transgression of the law [Torah]. That’s why Yahweh, seeing us as damaged goods, from the beginning, provided the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world [Yeshua/Jesus] for our salvation… “while we were yet sinners… Christ died for US!” rom 5:8.

I have provided all of the above “truth” to share something with you that I feel the Holy Spirit revealed to me during my Bible study and meditation a few days ago… I have long prayed the scripture, as much as I can, in the words of my prayers, because I think it matters what foundation one approaches the throne of grace from. One of the “gold standard” Bible verses that has always weighed heavily on my mind [faith substance] is:

“So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.” isa 55:11 nkjv

I think it is correct to believe that Yahweh’s Word is “Spirit/Life” and is alive and active in everything that exists… eternally, do you think? And, I think it is certain that the Bible tells us that Yahweh “upholds all things,” by the Word of His power.” heb 1:3 nkjv

At my “old age,” I think the Holy Spirit, after all these years, clarified the blessings and the curses in the meaning of Isaiah 55:11 nkjv, above… to kindly “jerk the slack out of my self-focused chain.” Yahweh’s Word certainly WILL accomplish what HE pleases, and prosper in the the thing for which He sent it to do… It will surely manifest blessing to me for obeying it and chastisement to me for carelessly assuming I always get the positive and not the negative from the “justice” and “faithfulness” of the Torah’s truth.

I sat for quite some time thinking about this profound understanding… I realized I simply can’t draw one type of drink from THE fountain of truth… it is my choices and actions [my cleanliness or uncleanliness] that determines the sweet or bitter results by drinking of the ever faithful river of life… for believers, "drinking" is not optional.

“And he said to me, “Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand. 11 He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still.”
12 “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.”
14 Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. 15 But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie.” rev 22:10-15 nkjv

Oh Yahweh, turn us back to You, forgive us for our confusion, misunderstandings, unfaithfulness, carelessness, selfishness, disobedience and uncleanliness… we surely are damaged goods. Thankfully, Yeshua is faithfully “working in us, both to will and to do of Your good pleasure.” Phil 2:13 nkjv

Such love and faithfulness towards us will always be, to me, the greatest story ever told. I think it is called the “gospel.”

Shalom, John