August 13, 2024

“What should each of us need to understand and often be reminded of… on a regular basis.” Paul said: “each of us, who once were far off,” AND, “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.” eph 5:8 nkjv… Oh how soon we forget… as the Scriptures say:

“Listen to Me, you who follow after righteousness, You who seek the Lord: Look to the rock from which you were hewn, And to the hole of the pit from which you were dug.” isa 51:1 nkjv

None of us have any bragging rights as to our self-worthiness or value in God’s [Yahweh’s] eyes… In fact, in order to be called “My People,” by Yahweh, we first need to acknowledge our origin from the sinful seed of Adam, and the divine change afforded to us, by Yeshua’s sacrifice for us at Calvary. Our “grafting” into this marvelous redeemed condition is none of our doing… it was fully Yahweh's plan from the foundation of the world. (rom 8:29-30, eph 1:5,11) He who sees the end from the beginning was fully aware of our need for a Savior because of our “pit” condition Isiah speaks of above. Isaiah also wrote:

“Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” isa 53:4-6 nkjv... Isiah penned these words about 700 years before Yeshua was born into our world… for the very purpose Yahweh had for our redemption (jn 3:16-17). Paul’s letter to the Colossians records this:

“For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, 20 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. 21 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled 22 in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight— 23 if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister.” col 1:19-23 nkjv… can you say Amen!

So then, how should we respond to Yahweh’s expectations of us concerning our thinking, talking, and doing… if “indeed we intend to faithfully continue in the faith…? And thereby, not be moved away from the hope of the gospel…?” This world and its sinful and debased cultural practices all around us, is the work of the evil one, and his intentions are to separate us from the “faithful walk,” that Yeshua has secured for us. We [the redeemed] are no longer the “sheep gone astray,” turning each to our own way… unless we carelessly choose to return to the pit, and don’t heed the danger sign ahead that the writer of Hebrews, in chapter 10, warns us about:

“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful…  26 For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. 28 Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 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 10:23-29 nkjv… if any of this applies to you, repent now and get back right with Yahweh, don’t procrastinate your destiny into tomorrows careless hands.

Moses, near the end of his wilderness journey, just prior to his departure into his eternal rest, sternly cautions the Children of Israel to take heed to the Torah’s truth and instruction… otherwise it will not end well… As born again believers, in our journey towards our heavenly destination, we are not unlike them… we have a duty to choose between good and evil… the cause and effect works the same way for us as it did for them… note these words:

 “See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil, 16 in that I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, His statutes, and His judgments, that you may live and multiply; and the Lord your God will bless you in the land which you go to possess. 17 But if your heart turns away so that you do not hear, and are drawn away, and worship other gods and serve them, 18 I announce to you today that you shall surely perish; you shall not prolong your days in the land which you cross over the Jordan to go in and possess. deut 30:15-18 nkjv

And then… this: “I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; 20 that you may love the Lord your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.” deut 30:19-20 nkjv

While the journey and struggle between our flesh and our spirit may be difficult… it is certain that we will reap what we sow, and that our choices will determine our destination… only walking hand and hand with Yeshua will lead us to the celestial city… let us pray to see one another there someday.

Shalom, John