I thank you for your faithfulness. Even when I waiver for a moment and doubt Your control or Your plan, You still love me and . . . You REMAIN in control.
The blood of every murdered baby and adult cries out to You for vengeance! Their cries will not go unanswered. The wicked will be exposed and receive their due punishment. Your timing is perfect . . . Your Ways are not our Ways!
Luke 12:1-3 – In the meantime, when an innumerable multitude of people had gathered together, so that they trampled one another, He began to say to His disciples first of all, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. 2 For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known. 3 Therefore whatever you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have spoken in the ear in inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops.
You told us everything which has been concealed will be revealed. We know it is true, for You cannot speak falsely. The only question remaining is, will it be in this world or at the judgement? This we do not know. I believe you meant the present evil will be exposed before You take us home in the Rapture, yet even so I hold fast to You, to Your Nature and to Your Sovereignty and not to my assumptions or interpretations.
Will this current election debacle be exposed before the Socialists and the greedy power brokers seize the day? This is entirely up to You, Oh Mighty God! I am certain of one thing, if they are exposed, it will not be entirely in the natural, but only by Your Mighty Hand and You will receive the Honor and the Glory!
If you choose to move on behalf of the nation of America once again, it will be for Your Glory. We beseech You now Lord, to uphold Your Mighty Name and Your Honor before the evil powers of this world while we remain here on this earth. This nation is facing its very own Red Sea Moment. We are hemmed in on every side and our only hope is in You! It had to be thus, for You will share Your Glory only with Jesus Christ the Risen Lord!
We raise up Holy Hands to lift the arms of those You’ve appointed for such a time as this and await Your deliverance and the destruction of the enemy.
Many cowered and cried on the beach of the Red Sea, fearing their seemingly certain destruction. Others made a conscious decision to seek Your Face and to lift up the arms of Your representative with their eyes to Heaven as they awaited Your Miraculous Deliverance! Like us, they did not know how or when it would come, but they knew the time was at hand and they faced either deliverance or destruction. Their faith in Your Character and Nature told them . . . Miraculous Deliverance was at hand.
We will not go back to Egypt. We will not long for the false “peace” of slavery. We will not sell our souls for the fruit of Egypt given by the taskmasters for acquiescence. We will await the Salvation of the Lord.
Thank You Father God, Thank You Lord Jesus, Thank You Holy Spirit . . . for You are faithful and You will guard Your Name for Your Glory and Your Honor . . . and we will be, in whatever manner You choose, the recipients of the Miracle!
We Praise Your Holy Name!
Thanks for taking time for me . . .
BLESSINGS,
Sherry Driskell Griffin
P. S. If this was a Blessing to you . . . be a Blessing and pass it along!
O Father, you knew from the foundations of the earth the entire matter. You knew, without your intervention in the person of Yeshua – Jesus the Messiah, mankind was doomed to the Lake of Fire. You knew sin would enter mankind through our Federal Head, Adam, and the struggle of man to be as God would begin. Yet, rather than discard the human race and begin again, You chose . . . Me . . . and my Brothers and Sisters in Christ!
The struggle within has not ceased for Believers. Most of us have not the lofty aspirations of Satan to arise to Your throne. We are content to sit on the throne of our own heart and attempt to rule ourselves and those around us. Of course, this delusion is no less foolish than Satan’s own. Yet, we power on, oblivious to the damage we do to ourselves and others, continually flustered and even descending into depression when we fail miserably at controlling even the small things in our life and the world.
Colossians 3:15 NKJV – LET THE PEACE OF GOD RULE
And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.
When we come to faith in Your Son, we are rarely confronted with the necessity to vacate the throne of our own heart. This is essential, not as a matter of Eternal Life with Christ, but for temporal success on this earth, joy, peace and growth in the Faith. Thus, without proper instruction, we begin a new life in You of frustration and failure by seeking to do Your will in our own strength.
John 15:4-5 NKJV – ABIDE IN ME
4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. 5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.”
Some have entered into what they perceive to be a “power sharing” agreement with You. They see the necessity to relinquish control of spiritual matters to You, but life in general is perceived to be beyond Your purview. Thus, they do life with a white-knuckle grip of control on the secular while increasingly struggling also in the spiritual.
In fact, you do not entertain “power sharing” agreements and all things are spiritual at their root and core. Ever action, word, thought and belief must first pass through the filter of Your Instructions, the Scriptures, if we are to achieve true peace and success in any aspect of life.
We do not live 2 lives, but there is a war going on within every one of us. We are first and always a Spirit being housed in a physical body. As children of God, our Born Again Spirit Manmust rule and reign as directed by Holy Spirit within. The plan and purpose of God for our lives can only be implemented at Holy Spirit’s direction if we are to be truly successful in our Christian walk.
John 3:3-6 NKJV – YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN
3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’
When we Believe in Jesus, the Old Spirit Man is buried with Christ and we are Born Again with a brand new Spirit. However, we still inhabit the same fleshly body with the same fleshly mind we had previously. The flesh and mind are the containers of old habits and bad choices. The flesh recalls the day when it held sway through the un-renewed Spirit of the Old Man and engaged in all manner of evil. Once a person is Born Again, sealed by the Holy Spirit as a guarantee and promise of Eternal Life with Christ, the battle begins.
Ephesians 4:20-24 NKJV – PUT OFF THE THE OLD MAN
20 But you have not so learned Christ, 21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
The New Spirit Man must now take precedence, for his ear is tuned to the Holy Spirit of God within us. The old illustration of a person with a good angel on one shoulder urging him to do right with an evil angel on the other shoulder whispering evil instructions is only partially wrong. They aren’t angels . . . the New Spirit urges righteous action in line with Scripture while the Flesh and the Mind, retain the memories of the Old Man and those days when habits, addictions and flesh ruled the day and the flesh was in charge. It is to those days the flesh seeks to return.
Romans 8:14 – THE CHILDREN OF GOD
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.
The failure of most churches today is to make the new Believer, or even the older ones, aware of the struggle within. Awareness gives us a sensitivity to the warring factions, an understanding, and enables us to make better choices. If we are left without warning of the upcoming battle, this allows Satan to seek to gain a foothold by declaring, “there’s been no real change, it was all in your mind, you’re still the same bad person you were before. It might work for some people, but not you. Just give up, give in, you are the same.”
Surveys have shown it takes roughly 30 days to establish a habit or break one. You’ve lived your life allowing the flesh to rule. It takes awareness and time to become sensitive to the gentle prompting of the new Spirit within and Holy Spirit. The Old Man of Flesh screams, pushes, berates and belittles.The New Man suggests, encourages, whispers and directs with gentleness. Listen for the soft voice, learn to ignore the grating voice that berates and you’ll find yourself establishing new habits in line with God’s Word.
For some, the New Birth is so radically life-changing the struggle in the beginning is minimal and the real battles are farther down the road where the stakes are higher. Sometimes, by God’s sovereign choice, addictions and bad habits are just wiped away. For others the battle is almost instantaneous. Either way, we’ve all been there, most of us are still there and none of us will be perfected until Jesus returns and we receive our glorified bodies. Only then will we do away with the flesh entirely.
1 John 3:2-3 NKJV – WE WILL BE LIKE HIM
2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. 3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.
Do not listen to the Father of Lies, you are changed, it’s a process rather than simply an event. Eternal Life with Jesus is instantaneous when you Believe, becoming a follower, a disciple, takes time and effort on His part and on yours.
John 5:24 NKJV – EVERLASTING LIFE IN CHRIST
“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.
In the meantime, renew the mind by reading or listening to scripture. Begin with the gospel of John and pay particular attention to how Jesus responded to others, to circumstances and life in general. He is our perfect example. Our minds are “renewed” by the “washing with the water of the Word” and the old habits will be defeated. Reading, listening to and studying the Word will supercharge your progress and limit the battles with the Old Flesh Man’s memories. We are the “Bride of Christ” – the Church and He will have a Holy Bride.
Ephesians 5:25-27 – THE WASHING OF WATER BY THE WORD
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, 26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, 27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.
In truth, no matter how genuine your belief in Christ, either the Old Man or the New Man will rule. It might be necessary to re-bury the Old Man of flesh from time to time. Paul referred to it as “crucifying the flesh” by denying his right to rule and drag you back into old, unproductive, defeating habits and mental attitudes.
Galatians 5:24-25 NKJV – CRUCIFY THE FLESH
24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
If you fail to take definitive action you won’t lose your Eternal Life with Christ He gifted you when you Believed, your sins are paid in full. It will, however, lead you to a frustrating, fruitless life on this earth and a dearth of rewards in Heaven. If you allow the Old Man to take you back down the road of sin you once knew and even farther than before – expect the chastisement of a Loving Father.
Hebrews 12:5-6 NKJV – THOSE WHOM HE LOVES HE CHASTENS
“My son, do not despise thechastening of the Lord, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; 6Forwhom the Lord loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives.”
Chastisement from God is further proof of His love and care for you and of His own Holy nature which cannot abide sin in His children. He does not ever cast His children aside, but you can certainly expect a trip to the wood shed.Continuous refusal to repent – change your mind which changes your behavior – could lead to premature death, this is not a game and God is very serious about holiness.
Arm yourself with understanding, don’t be deceived into following the old dead man you’re familiar with. Rise up in the New Man within, listen to the promptings of Holy Spirit and you will learn to walk in newness of life in Jesus Christ. Don’t merely profess you are a new creature in Christ . . . actually become one!
Thanks for taking time for me . . .
BLESSINGS,
Sherry Driskell Griffin
P. S. If this was a Blessing to you . . . be a Blessing and pass it along!
How do we, as Christians, disagree with another person or teacher in Jesus Christ without being disagreeable? This was my question to Holy Spirit over the last few mornings and He’s given me answers that are helpful to me and quite simple. I know it gives me peace and I pray you find it useful as well.
When the information shared is a personal testimony, pray for the person faithfullyand pray the Father would bring people around the individual to disciple them and teach them the Word. If they have a degree of fame, it’s extremely important, because the vultures will come in attempting to “profit”. Satan will not turn loose without a fight and although he can’t determine a person’s ultimate destiny, he can cripple their testimony and hinder their effectiveness for the Kingdom. You do not want to be on his teamin that or any endeavor. If the profession of faith is insincere, allow God to deal with it.
Your responsewill likely make little or no difference to the famed individual, but what about those who are “considering Christ” on the sidelines of a forum you’re in? Based on an unkind response you make about an individual they may look up to, they decide to keep on walking and not risk putting themselves out there. Their thinking, whether correct or not, might go something like this . . . “Wow, if he or she isn’t good enough, I’m certainly not.” Remember, you likely don’t have access to the individual you have a question about to begin with . . . it’s those who are reading and hearing, considering Christ, who will be helped or harmed by your response.
We forget, if we’ve walked with Jesus for a time, how intimidating it can be when you are a new baby and are confronted with questions you don’t have answers for. Even worse, you think you do and you spout off with something you were taught or heard that’s totally wrong, it’s happened to all of us at some point. This is true for every New Believer and even more urgent for those with a measure of fame. After all, at this point all they’ve agreed and claim to know is, “I Believe in Jesus Christ, the son of God and His Death, Burial and Resurrection and so I’m saved and Have Eternal Life” . . . PRAY!
If you have a genuine concern about the authenticity of their faith(that’s a scary plank to walk), after prayer and onlyif you feel led to do soby Holy Spirit. . .speak your opinion in love, making it clear it’s your opinion and only God has all knowledge. If you feel caution is in order, counsel caution in kindness and with specificity . . . not dredging up behavior or statements before their conversion. I shudder to think of the things I said and did before I came to Christ and even when I had fallen away for a time. I certainly wouldn’t do those things now and it also took me some time to clean out those weeds and bad habits out of my life. I’m still working on it over 60 years later. Don’t condemn people for leftover bad fruit . . . wait and see if new fruit takes it place.
Questionable Teaching . . . if you perceive the teaching from another Brother or Sister is incorrect . . . Pray. . . and when or if given release by Holy Spirit . . . approach them privately in kindness and a spirit of Love! If the issue is one of eternal import, stand your ground and do your very best to be persuasive in the Spirit Jesus taught . . . in love. Whether of eternal significance or an interpretation of prophecy, either agree or agree to disagree agreeablywithoutpersonal animus, pride, anger, control, dissensions or divisions creeping in for these are the works of the flesh.
If the issue you are dealing with is a teaching from a well-known person within the Christian Community, yet you realize what they’re teaching is confusing at best and unscriptural at worst . . . Pray! If you have researched the Word and feel led by Holy Spirit, not a personal prideful spirit, offer a counter explanation without Rancor, Pride or Judgementalism about the teaching in the forum in which it is being offered. Leave the personal commentary out if you can’t genuinely say something nice. Make your comments Absolutely without personal accusation or offering your own judgement about someone’s Eternal Life or walk with God.
Perhaps you might consider something like this . . .
My concern is _____ (you fill in the blanks), this specific teaching. Scripture says this (quote the passage and the reference) yet the teaching doesn’t agree with the passages. I’ve gone back through them to be certain I’ve understood thoroughly what has been said and what Scripture teaches and what I find is this __________ in these passages _______. You might want to take a look again for yourself, I think you’ll be enlightened.
Discernment is first knowing the Word, researching the scriptures for yourself and comparing what is being taught directly to the Word of God. Once you’ve done your research, then ask Holy Spirit with a seeking heart to open your eyes anew to a clear understanding of the passage . . . Ask Him to show you truth . . . He will lead you into all truth. This is the process of discernment and practice makes you better, but not perfect in this life. We all have blind spots of our own making and areas in which we refuse to listen to anyone about, including Holy Spirit.We’re being transformedby the Washing of the Water of the Word, but He’s not done with us yet.
We have individual responsibility for what we believe, whether we realize it or not.We must at all times do our very best to understand the Word and assume responsibility for our own understanding, not simply accepting what someone says, no matter their reputation. We must not be swayed by personality, length of service, popularity or how a teaching or individual makes us “feel”. Emotions can be untrustworthy at times and Satan is a past master at utilizing emotion to rope people into falsehood. Check and re-check the Scripture and listen to Holy Spirit. Loyalty to the Word of God must always trump any individual’s reputation as well as our personal feelings about the messenger, whether good or bad. We can all learn from every individual we encounter, even if the lesson we learn is never to behave in such a manner. Eat the Meat and Spit Out the Bones!
Every Believer is responsible for remaining on the Narrow Path Jesus and the Disciplesoutlined in the Scriptures. First, we come to faith by The Gospel to receive Eternal Life by Believing in Jesus Christ and His death, burial and Resurrection. Secondly, we should continue on the path in discipleship and sanctification. It is this second portion of our walk where we gain or lose blessings in this life and rewards in Eternity. It is wonderful to listen to and be instructed by Pastors, Teachers, Prophets and Evangelists for they are gifts to the Body. However, they are human beings just as we are and Holy Spirit resides in us just as he does in them and He Alone is the Source of All Wisdom in our world today.
How do I “check myself” to be certain I’m responding in a Godly way to others within and without the Body of Christ? First, look inside yourself. What am I thinking, how am I feeling – introspection at this point will tell you much. Is your own internal response evidencing the Fruit of the Spirit – Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self-Control?If not and you’re just really angry and want to strangle people, you’re likely exhibiting the Fruit of the Flesh. I know all about the Righteous Anger argument, but be careful with that one, it’s a slippery slope. Yes, Jesus could do it but you’re not Him and neither am I. Stop what you are doing and seek the Father until you can bring yourself into agreement with His Opinionand the correct way to express it, exhibiting the Fruit of the Spirit . . . then respond.
This is not encouragement to accept or condone anything unscripturaland we will likely never agree with everyone on what is scriptural in this lifetime. Nonetheless, you are responsible for Truth and the Word of God in your own life and how you communicate with others both in and out of the Body. No other Brother, Sister, Pastor, Teacher or Prophet will stand with you at the Judgement Seat of Christto determine your rewards . . . yes the Bible is replete with teachings of eternal rewards.
Love and be kind to your Brothers and Sisters, we’ll be together for Eternity.
Thanks for taking time for me . . .
BLESSINGS,
Sherry Driskell Griffin
P. S. If this was a Blessing to you . . . be a Blessing and pass it along!
The greatest gift you can give yourself, your family and the Body of Christ is to BEGIN to know the Character and Nature of God. Once we learn to view every scripture and every situation through the Lens of the True Goodness of God everything changes.
Our human tendency is to view the Character and Nature of God in a similar light as our own authority figures – Father, Grandfather, Mother and even ourselves. If those figures in your life are good examples they are still fallen beings and will never allow you to see the truth of who God is. We can, however, look at Scripture and learn who God says He is – that must be our final authority – not what we think, but what He has written.
Of all the patriarchs, Abraham seemed to have grasped the character and nature of God. But, by the time we find Moses and the Israelites on Sinai, there seems to be none among them who know anything other than the Power of God. Power is certainly an attribute of God, but how he wields His Power will be an outworking of His Character and Nature.
Prior to the Sinai encounter, Moses knows only the God of Power, but he wisely seeks to know God’s character on the mountain. During the first trip up Sinai when He received the Ten Commandments, he did not “See God”, for there was no reflected light shown on his face when he descended. Once he ascended the 2nd time to receive the 2nd Set of Tablets and returns His countenance reflects God’s Glory. Moses wisely has asked God to allow him to “See His Glory” (who He really is) in Exodus 33:18. Moses genuinely wants to know God, not just fear and reverence Him.
Exodus 33:18 – Show Me Your Glory
18 And he said, “Please show me your glory.”
GOD TELLS US HIS CHARACTER AND NATURE
Exodus 34:5-7– God’s own testimony about His character and nature – who He is!
5 Now the Lord descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord. 6 And the Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodnessand truth, 7 keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children to the third and the fourth generation.”
We must learn to view everything in God’s Word and in our own circumstances through the lens God has provided. He has told us Who He Is and How He Behaves toward us, it’s time we believe Him.
He is Merciful. His emotional position toward us is undeserved compassion that desires to help. He understands our past, our pain, our damage and our fears. He gives us Mercy rather than what we deserve.
Ephesians 2:4-6 – Rich in Mercy
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
2. He is Gracious. Grace is God’s undeserved gift to us of free help on every level granted without merit or performance on our part. The acronym for GRACE so we never forget – “God’s Riches At Christ’ Expense”.
Hebrews 4:15-16– His Mercy & Grace assured through Our High Priest
14 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldlyto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
The word boldly in verse 16 means to come with honestyand in full trust, no reservations. There is no need to hesitate when we approach God for there is no shadow of turning in Him. He is exactly who and what He says He is.
What is God willing to do for us because of His Compassion? His Mercy and Grace is given to us freely because these are His attributes, but what does that entail? What does it mean? What does it include?
2 Corinthians 9:8 – Abundance, Sufficiency
8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.
All Grace is necessary to enable our weak and frail flesh to “Do Life”. There is not simply Grace, but many Graces of God and they are not given to us unless we ask for them. Yes, He knows our needs, yet we are still told to ask. We do not receive because we do not ask.
John 16:24 – Jesus’ Instructions
24 Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.
Mental Grace – Our minds are weak, yet He knows everything. We need to ask and because of His Mercy and Compassion He longs to provide us the Mental Grace needed by his Holy Spirit.
John 16:13 – Mental Grace Abounding
8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.
Physical Grace – The frailties and weakness of our bodies is no difficulty for the one who raised Jesus Christ from the dead.
Romans 8:11 – Life to your Mortal Body
11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.
Emotional Grace – the Fruits of the Spirit
Galatians 5:22-23 – His Personality Given to Us
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control.
Spiritual Grace – Power to do Battle in the Spiritual Realm
Acts 1:8 – Power to be witnesses
8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
Financial Grace – Paul is specifically addressing finances to the Corinthians
2 Corinthians 9:8 – Sufficiency for good work
8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.
There is one proviso or condition to receive. We must not only Believe or give mental ascent God has the capacity to do these things, but we must have FAITHHe is willing to do so. Where do we get this faith? It is the gift of God . . . we ask!
Ephesians 2:8 – Grace through Faith
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,
Grace of Perseverance – One final Grace we often choose to Overlook, the Grace to Accept the things God has elected in His own wisdom not to change. Paul told us clearly this does occur. Sometimes the thorn is prevent pride, as in Paul’s case, at other times God has a greater miracle planned for us in the future which we will be unable to receive without the present trial.
2 Corinthians 12:7-9 – The Thorn in the Flesh
7 So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
We are to act on His direction to us, not waiting for Him to dump it on our heads, but beseeching Him specifically. We ask amiss for we often ask for “A financial Miracle” or “A Healing Miracle” when we should ask for Mental Grace, Physical Grace, Emotional Grace, Spiritual Grace or Financial Grace to enable us to do the task He’s laid on our hearts. God is teaching us through prayer to be in relationship with Him. In this way, we are asking for the Grace necessary to obtain the things God has already said He wants us to have.
Our prayers are oftentimes scatter-shot and childlike, rather than specific and in accordance with His stated Word and Nature. When you are 2 years old it is expected you will run to Daddy crying for him to “fix it” and oftentimes our Fathers will do that for us. God is no different, when we are young in the faith we often received response to prayers such as “Help Me Lord”. Why, because He is merciful and gracious.
However, He also wants us to grow in our relationship with Him and in our understanding of the world so that we can aid others. We do this by learning to communicate with God, to articulate our needs and problems in order to grow in Faith and in Grace. This growth in specifics enables us to communicate to others and point them to answers in scripture for their own needs as their relationship grows with God.
He is Longsuffering. God is willing to suffer for a very long time for us and not give up or get angry.
Hebrews 13:5-6 – God’s Never Means Never
5 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” 6 So we may boldly say:
“The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”
He will never leave us nor forsake us. He never changes His mind. He’s not frustrated with you or your perceived lack of progress and missteps. He knew the day you were Born Again you were a long-term project and He signed on for the duration. He is never surprised or confounded when you hit an obstacle in your growth and development. He’s already planned and provided for the good He will work out of it for you!
He is Abounding in Goodness. He has no bad days and no bad moods. Every thought God has toward you is good. God’s goodness is not contingent upon your being or doing good. He cannot be other than good, because there is no shadow of turning in Him.
James 1:17 – No Shadow of Turning in God
17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. God’s thoughts towards us are always good, not of evil, nor of disappointment or frustration.
God’s thoughts towards us are always thoughts of good – not of disappointment, not of frustration and never anger or even surprise. God lives outside time and space and thus has foreknowledge of every single thing we’ll do or say. He KNEW US before HE CHOSE US and still He Chose to call us to Him. Now that we have responded, we may be surprised and distressed at our failures and shortcomings but He already knew this moment would come and paid the price for it. This is part of the process for Him and He will never give up on you.
Jeremiah 29:11 – God’s thoughts toward you are always Good.
11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.
Consequently, since God’s thoughts toward you are always good and of peace and not evil; how then can you not have a future and a hope? It is inevitable since God is all-knowing and it is His choice! He seeks your cooperation and you may delay the cooperation, but His Goodness is your Assurance.
He is Abounding in Truth. Abounding means much, mighty, greatly, abundant and overflowing . . . in Truth! God never lies or misrepresents Himself when dealing with a person, there are no exceptions or caveats. He cannot lie, for it is against His very nature.
Matthew 24:35 – God cannot Lie
35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.
God will never break a promise to you, for it would be a violation of His very nature.
He is Forgiving. God is consistently Peace-seeking and ready to forgive. He keeps no record of wrongs.
Psalm 103:14 – He Separates our Sins from Us
12As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.
How far is the east from the west? Infinity – One may travel to the East and you will always be traveling East, you will never arrive at the “West”. How far would we have to go to recover our transgressions which God has removed from us? It cannot be done. We have all lived with other human beings who never forget a wrong and seem to take great joy in bringing past indiscretions up when new difficulties come. We incorrectly adjudge God to be of the same character as man, when He has told us in His Word this will not occur.
Matthew 18:21 – Seventy times Seven
22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.
Jesus used Hebrew Reasoning because He was a Hebrew though the New Testament was written in Greek. He was not instructing Peter to count only up to 490 times and then drop the hammer of unforgiveness. His point is – it is beyond counting, the number of times you must forgive. Thankfully, God takes His own council and thus, we have infinite forgiveness.
He is Just. God’s Justice for His children is chastening to enable us to achieve our potential, to protect us from harm as the consequence of our own mistakes. God’s justice for His children is discipleship, but not eternal punishment.
Hebrews 12:7-11 – Chastening to amend a harmful behavior
7 If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? 8 But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons.9 Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness.11 Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
God’s discipline is the evidence of His love for you, to see you grow. It is simply wrong thinking to see His discipline as anger or rejection. He loves us too much to allow us to damage ourselves. He has the courage and intestinal fortitude to do for us that which some parents were unwilling or unable to properly provide. God’s rules are there to provide and protect us as a person and a Believer and to make certain we become the finished creation he fashioned us to be.
Every parent who has loved their children has “chastened” them, not to balance the scales of perceived justice but for their ultimate gain. We have also looked on sorrowfully as some children play in the street and endanger their lives or scream at the top of their lungs and make themselves less than welcome in polite company with no clue about how to behave in society. For our own children, it seems unfair others escape the chastening they received, yet Godly parents cannot chasten another’s child.
At times in our own lives we’ve wondered at the seeming lack of consequences evil people experience in this world. We must know they are illegitimate and not sons of God. Pray for them to come to a saving knowledge of Yeshua. Otherwise, their justice will come and it will last throughout the eternity to come.
NOW WE KNOW GOD’S NATURE
MERCIFUL
GRACIOUS
LONGSUFFERING
ABOUNDING IN TRUTH
ABOUNDING IN GOODNESS
FORGIVING
JUST
By His own testimony God’s nature and character has 6 attributes for which we will only see good things. His 7th attribute, Justice, will bring temporary chastening to bring about our ultimate good. How can we not love and draw close to a Father who truly is what He says He is?
You can only get as close to God as your concept of Him allows. If you see Him as vindictive, angry, impatient and forbidding not only will you be wrong, denying His own testimony of His character, you will fail to receive the comfort of a Loving God Who Cannot Fail. Take Him at His Word, run to Him as we saw in the Prodigal Son – He longs for your fellowship, your need of and for Him and to more easily shape you and make you what He has created you to be. Give Him that opportunity by drawing so close to Him He can’t possibly move without bumping into you!
THE RESULT OF OUR NEW KNOWLEDGE
A correct understanding of Who God Is will forever change 3 areas of your life.
Your Worship
Your Self-Worth
Your Witness
YOUR WORSHIP – Once you truly see God for who He really is, you will no longer run and hide as Adam and Eve. You will draw close to Him for comfort, counsel and safety. Your Worship of God will become true worship from the heart, not an obligatory offering to a tin dictator. Your heart will, of its own volition, SURRENDER IN WORSHIP!
YOUR SELF-WORTH – Once you see God for who He really is, you will finally see yourself as He sees you, HIS IMAGER! You will see yourself from the reflection you see in God’s eyes. You are not an accident of nature, you are not an inconvenience and you are not less than those around you. You were known by your Father before you were created in your Mother’s Womb. None can do in the entire universe what you specifically were created and gifted to do. This life is merely boot camp, your training ground. Throughout eternity you will be flawless, for you will be Like Him!
YOUR WITNESS – Once you understand and “Know in your Knower” who God is, from His Own Testimony, you will no longer be hesitant to share about Him with others. Those seemingly difficult questions you worry you will be unable to answer are already answered by His Nature and Character. You can freely say, “I don’t know why it happened that way, but I can tell you this without question, it was for their ultimate benefit and for their good . . . always!” That answers every seemingly unanswerable theological question you will ever face.
You will be Proud of Him and you will be unable to stop talking about Him and attempting to draw others to see Him as You do. We will not all become the greatest evangelist, but we will become the best example of Who He Created Us to Be . . . the one who is unceasingly Proud of Who God is and never questions His goodness and His intent!
This is the one time when pride is justified . . . Pride in Your Father God and His Son who can never, ever fail
Thanks for taking time for me . . .
BLESSINGS,
Sherry Driskell Griffin
P. S. If this was a Blessing to you . . . be a Blessing and pass it along!
John 10:22-23 LEB – The Feast of Dedication (Emphasis Mine)
22 Then the feast of the Dedication (Hanukkah) took place in Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Jesus was walking in the temple in the Portico of Solomon.
What is Hanukkah? Hanukkah is a joyous, eight-day celebration marking the reclaiming and rededication of the holy Temple from the Syrians more than 2,000 years ago in 164 BC. When the Hasmoneans, also called the Maccabees, liberated the Temple they found only enough pure ritual oil to fuel the Menorah for one night, yet the oil miraculously lasted for eight full days and nights, a miracle indeed. Hanukkah (also spelled Chanukah) is Hebrew for “dedication” and this joyous Festival of Lights memorializes the “Miracle of the Oil”.
WHAT IS THE “MIRACLE OF THE OIL”? After the Jewish victory, it was necessary to cleanse and purify the Temple before worship could be restored. The cleansing was completed and the rededication of the Temple began on the 25th day of the Hebrew month Kislev – late November to December on the Gregorian calendar and this year, 2018, Hanukkah begins at Sundown on December 1st. The Temple Menorah was required to burn perpetually, day and night, fueled by the first fruits of the Olive pressing, prepared specifically in accordance with Levitical law, requiring 8 days of preparation. The flame of the Menorah was lighted and, in a miracle only God could perform, the single cruse of holy oil lasted for 8 full days and nights.
THE HANUKKIAH MENORAH
SIDETRACK – Hanukkiah – is the 9 branched candelabrum pictured above and used only during Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights. The Hanukkiah celebrates the “Miracle of the Oil” and the 8 miraculous nights during which the ritual oil burned for the rededication of the Temple. The most recognizable Menorah is the Temple Menorah, pictured below, which contains 7 branches.
THE TEMPLE MENORAH IS ALWAYS 7 BRANCHES
Hanukkah is much more than a celebration of victory in battle or even the recovery of the Temple. Israel was given clear, physical evidence Yahweh had also returned to the Temple as well. The Temple, without Yahweh, is merely a building. The Syrians had sought to stamp out Israel’s national identity, their worship of Yahweh, yet had only succeeded in strengthening their resolve. Though the flames burned, the Oil was not consumed, affirming the PRESENCE of Yahweh. Today, Hanukkah is celebrated not only to remember the defeat over the Syrians, the restoration of the Temple of Jerusalem, and the “Miracle of the Oil”, but those who understand the true fuel in the flame also celebrate – the Presence of Yahweh – Yeshua Ha’Mashiach!
HOW IS HANUKKAH CELEBRATED? This holiday is all about the faithfulness and might of God to preserve Israel when they faced overwhelming might and numbers far greater than their own in battle. The 8 days of celebration reflect the 8 days of the “Miracle of the Oil” – God’s provision. The number 8 is also reflective of New Beginnings. The Hanukkah should be lighted just before sunset by lighting the Shamash candle, also called servant candle, and then lighting the first candle on the right only. The second night the servant candle is lighted, followed by the 2nd day candle (left of the one lighted the previous night) and the 1st night candle. Blessings are recited before the lighting on each night and families linger around the Hanukkiah and recite stories of faith and joy for about 30 minutes.
Fried foods are the order of the day, to remind everyone of the Miracle of the Oil. Potato Latkes and Jelly filled Doughnuts are two favorites. Dairy foods are also a star of the show. Small gifts or money, termed Hanukkah Gelt, is given to the children. Oftentimes the gelt is in the form of chocolates wrapped with golden or silver foil and stamped to look like coins.The coins are a memorial to the new coinage after the Maccabean Revolt which celebrated the return of Israel as a nation with its own government and the restoration of the Temple Service. It is also customary to increase one’s charitable giving during Hanukkah as an expression of appreciate for all the material blessings of Yahweh.
ONE OF MANY VARIATIONS OF THE DREIDEL
Playing games with the dreidel is customary. Each player is given an equal amount of candies or nuts to begin. A dreidel is a four sided top, one spins in a “game of chance” to win . The letter tells the one who spins whether they are to put in or take out candies. The game ends when all the candies are held by one person, or more likely when they’ve all been eaten! Historically, according to 19th century rabbis, the dreidels were used to study Torah since the Greeks did not understand the Hebrew lettering and Torah was taught using the Dreidel.
The spiritual purpose of Hanukkah recalls and celebrates the faithfulness and Blessing of Yahweh to the Hebrew people and the assurance of His PRESENCE for those who seek to know and follow Him. This is termed in Hebrew Tikkun Olam, or standing up for what one believes – Religious Freedom. The purpose of all the “feasts” or “celebrations” to the Israelites has always been to convey the understandings of a faithful God to a new generation. The joy of knowing your place in the Father’s Heart is only compounded when you also know His Son and what He has done for all who accept His Sacrifice on the Cross for our sins.
SIDETRACK– Hellenization – to become like the Greeks. The Hellenistic period covers the period from the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC to the emergence of the Roman Empire in 31 BC. Hellenization is the historical spread of ancient Greek culture, religion and, to a lesser extent, language, over foreign peoples conquered by the Greeks or brought into their sphere of influence following the campaigns of Alexander the Great in the fourth century BC. Hellenization saw elements of Greek origin overwhelm and replace the cultures of the people conquered, thereby assuring their assimilation as “Greeks”.
THE PERSECUTION OF ISRAEL
We must learn to appreciate the present by examining the past! Without the horrors and darkness of the past, there would be no appreciation for the Festival of Lights or ultimately . . . The Light of the World . . . Yeshua ha’Mashiach . . Jesus the Christ!
JESUS IS THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD!
The Syrian ruler, Antiochus III, reigned from 222 BC to 186 BC over the Syrian-Greek empire, encompassing the land of Israel. Antiochus fought Ptolemy of Egypt and gained Israel by Right of Conquest. Why was Israel ripe for conquest initially? She had forgotten her first love, Yahweh, and prostituted herself with fallen angels masquerading as gods.
Antiochus III was initially favorable and beneficent to the Jewish people, yet when his kingdom was conquered by Rome and levies of gold were demanded, those taxes came from his subjects, including the Hebrews. Upon Antiochus III’s death, his son, Seleucus IV, took command in his father’s stead, further oppressing Israel and demanding greater tribute in gold.
ALEXANDER THE GREAT BROUGHT CONQUEST, BUT ALSO THE WAYS OF THE GREEKS!
THE ENEMY WITHIN
The systematic Hellenization of Israel was also well under way. The conquerors detested the “otherness” of the Jewish people and their steadfast refusal to assimilate into Syrian-Greek society. Many of the Israelites were delighted to be “set free” from the moral and ethical restrictions of Torah and Levitical Law. They chafed at the restrictions placed upon them by the Rabbis and welcomed the interlopers. These “Hellenized” Israelites sought position with their new rulers, personal freedom to worship pagan idols and enjoyed the idealization of aesthetics and outward beauty. If betrayal of their own brothers brought riches as well, so much the better. Judaism, conversely, taught truth and moral purity with faith in only one God – Yahweh. The real enemy of Israel, as with any country, is its own people.
THE PRIESTHOOD AND THE TEMPLE WERE INTEGRAL TO JUDAISM!
John (Hebrew – Yochanon), the High Priest at the time, insisted the people steadfastly resist Hellenization and the temptation to indulge in the customs practiced by the pagans. The Hellenized hated those who insisted Torah and the Temple must be maintained and the Jewish people must remain separate and distinct from its captors. To garner favor, the Hellenists gave testimony to the Commissioners of Rome, relating tales of vast amounts of gold held within the Temple, not only in its furnishings, but also in the ½ shekel temple tax given annually by each Jewish male for maintenance of the Temple. The Temple Treasury also contained the orphans’ fund, the inheritance of children whose parents had died, kept in trust until they reached their majority.
This betrayal was valuable to a heavily taxed King Seleucus, who sent his minister, Helyodros, to demand the temple treasury. When Yochanon refused, begging him not to pass beyond the Outer Court and enter the Temple for it was forbidden to Gentiles, Helyodros refused to listen. He entered the Temple Gate, immediately became pale and fainted. Once revived after this encounter, Helyodros never attempted to enter the Temple again. Upon Seleucus’ death in 174 BC, his brother Antiochus IV Epiphanes, became the ruler in his place and Satan had a willing consort in his efforts to destroy Israel.
ONLY HEBREWS WERE ALLOWED TO PASS BEYOND THE COURT OF THE GENTILES
ANTIOCHUS IV EPIPHANIES
The new king, Antiochus IV Epiphanies, was contemptuous of religion, those who practiced it and any behavior unlike his own. He would later be known simply as Epiphanies (meaning the visible god), surely this presumptuous thought must have come directly from the Old Dragon himself. Polybius, a noted historian, identified Antiochus IV as a madman, a well-deserved epithet for this harsh, cruel king. Epiphanies is the unquestioned Old Testament pattern and type of Antichrist who will persecute Israel and the World during the Day of the Lord. The cruelty of Epiphanies remains unmatched by all the villains of history from ancient to modern times and this world has seen great evil. Surely the accounts of torture and mayhem visited upon the Jewish people by The Madman Epiphanies is overstated, you might suggest, for this world has known Mao Zedong of China, Adolph Hitler of Germany, Leopold II of Belgium and Joseph Stalin of the Soviet Union, to name only four.
ANTIOCHUS IV EPIPHANIES FOCUSED ON TOTAL SUBMISSION TO HIS RULE!
To unify his kingdom, Epiphanies forced the righteous High Priest Yochanon (John) out, replacing him with his brother, Joshua, who preferred to be known by his Hellenized name, Jason, as High Priest. Jason was instrumental in spreading more and more pagan customs among the priesthood and into the fabric of Jewish society. Jason was later replaced by Menelaus, another Hellenized Jew, for he promised to bring in even more revenue for the king’s treasuries. When the retired Yochanon protested the increasing Hellenization of the priesthood and people, Menelaus hired assassins and had him murdered.
Antiochus IV was in Egypt, engaged in successful combat to gain their land by Right of Conquest, when he received a message from Rome demanding his immediate return. He did so grudgingly and the battle with Egypt as well as the new land was lost. Meanwhile, in Jerusalem, a rumor spread of Antiochus IV’s death leading to a rebellion against Menelaus, causing him to flee with his followers. Antiochus returned, enraged at Rome for interfering in his battle and powerless to protest the mighty Caesars. When he learned of the rebellion of the Jewish people, he had found the perfect outlet for his rage and ordered his army to fall on the Jewish people, killing thousands.
THE TEMPLE TREASURY AND FURNISHINGS WERE LOOTED
Epiphanies enacted harsh rules against Israel – forbidding their worship of Yahweh, confiscating the Torah scrolls and burning them. Sabbath Rest, Dietary Laws and Circumcision were prohibited and his rules strictly enforced, under penalty of death. Rabbi Eliezer, a respected Jewish Elder of 90, was ordered to eat pork to entice others to follow his example. When the old Rabbi refused, they suggested he put it to his lips to convince others he was eating it. His predictable refusal resulted in his torture and murder.
With the faithful priests murdered or unwilling to perform any rituals, women circumcised their own sons and were murdered. They were led to the public gallows, their murdered babies hung around their necks for all to see as they died. Epiphanies thought these acts of extreme torture and cruelty would serve as a deterrent, yet they only hardened the resolve of the Israelites.
MURDER AND MAYHEM WERE THE ORDER OF THE DAY!
THE FIRST ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION
On Kislev 25, 167 BC, Epiphanies entered the Jewish Temple, though it was absolutely forbidden under Levitical Law, erecting a pagan altar to Zeus where he sacrificed a pig. This desecration of the holy Temple was the final straw for many and led to the Maccabean Revolt, which would retake Israel from her conquerors and re-establish Temple worship three years later, on the anniversary of this first abomination of desolation, Hanukkah. Coincidence is not a Kosher word.
EPIPHANIES BELIEVED HE COULD MURDER YAHWEH BY MURDERING HIS PEOPLE
CHANAH AND HER SEVEN SONS
Thousands upon thousands sacrificed their lives during this time, including the famed Chanah and her seven sons. They were devout adherents to Torah who refused to abandon their beliefs or be discreet in their practice. Epiphanies heard of the unrelenting refusal of the Jewish people to submit to his harsh decrees and returned to Jerusalem, taking a direct hand in forcing their submission. He commanded Chanah and her seven sons be brought to him so he could teach them an object lesson in obedience and humility the rebellious people would never forget. He taught the lesson and, just as he suggested, the Jewish people have never forgotten. The revulsion to Epiphanies behavior led to rebellion.
Chanah and her children were bound and brought before The Madman. When the king sought to reason with the eldest, encouraging him to abandon Torah and save himself and his family, the young man refused with a lofty, determined speech. Antiochus ordered his tongue, hands and feet severed and thrown into the fire while his Mother and six brothers watched his agonizing death.
Epiphanies was certain this would force the family into immediate submission. However, the courage of the eldest sibling and apparent insanity of the madman king served only to strengthen their resolve. They also refused to submit, though members of Antiochus own court begged them to relent. The brothers, one by one, refused, giving meticulous and glowing testimony to Antiochus and the court of their preference for honorable death in service to Yahweh rather than to live a life of luxury and privilege as a cruel tyrant, such as the king and his henchmen, all of whom, they were assured, were doomed to an eternity in the pit.
ABRAHAM BOUND ONLY ONE SON ON THE ALTAR
Throughout the torture of six of her sons, Chanah stood by as silent witness and encourager to her sons until only her youngest remained – a 7-year old. Antiochus besought him with gold and silver to relent and save himself and his Mother. The child displayed the same courage as his brothers, even taunting the king to complete the task and allow him the honor of death for Yahweh, as his brothers had been given. When reading the accounts of Chanah, recall these quotes are taken from the Talmud and Israelites were not permitted, according to man’s tradition, to speak the name of Yahweh or God. Thus, He was addressed as either Adonai when speaking. When written, The Name (Yahweh or YHWH) would not be spelled out, but written as G-D in English or simply The Name. The quotes below honor their source and are offered as printed in the Talmud.
Chanah asked the King for permission to speak to her son, intimating she would encourage him to capitulate. Yet, when she reached the young boy she kissed him and said in the hearing of all in the room,
“My son, I carried you in my body for nine months, I nursed you for two years and I have fed you until today. I have taught you to fear Adonai and uphold His Torah. See the heaven and the earth, the sea and the land, fire, water, wind and every other creation. Know that they were all created by the word of Adonai. He created man to serve Him and He will reward man for his deeds. The king knows he is condemned before G-d. He thinks that if he convinces you, G-d will have mercy on him. G-d controls your life’s breath and can take your soul whenever He desires. If only I could see the greatness of your glorious place where we would be illuminated with G-d’s light and rejoice and exult together.”
Chanah turned to face the king, confidently declaring,
“I was unable to prevail upon him.”
The exasperated king again addressed the child once again with dire warnings, scoldings and inducements only to receive his answer,
“Whom are you seeking to overpower with your words and enticements? I laugh at your foolishness. I believe in the Torah and in G-d Whom you blaspheme. You will remain an abomination upon all mankind, loathsome and far from G-d.”
The Talmud, Jewish rabbinical teaching, is explicit about the King’s outrage. Antiochus gave the boy one final chance to save himself by ostensibly bowing down to retrieve his signet ring, yet the boy again refused. As they seized him, Chanah begged to be allowed to kiss the boy one last time.
As if speaking to all seven children, Chanah said,
“My children, tell your ancestor Abraham, ‘You bound only one son upon an altar, but I bound seven.”
Antiochus ordered the child be tortured even more than his brothers while Chanah looked on.
The grieved Chanah, mother in this world no more, was left surrounded by the mangled bodies of her sons, a prayer exalting Adonai on her lips. The distraught woman threw herself from the roof and rested in the arms of God with her martyred sons.
JUDAH THE STRONG AND THE MACCABEAN REVOLT
THE SEEDS OF REVOLT
In the small village of Modiin, 17 miles NW of Jerusalem, Matthew the elderly Priest lived with his five sons. They were called the Hasmoneans after one of their ancestors and would become the ruling dynasty in Israel when she was restored. One day the Syrians rode in and commanded Matthew to make a sacrifice, for they had built an altar in the town square. They commanded the esteemed Rabbi to perform a ritual sacrifice to the Greek gods. Upon his refusal, a Hellenist Jew from the town approached and offered to make the sacrifice on behalf of the town. Matthew drew his sword and killed the Hellenist while his sons and other villagers fell upon the Syrians, killing many and allowing only a few to survive by fleeing. No longer safe in their own village, the rebel Hasmoneans fled to the hills around Judea where they were joined by thousands more who had been displaced, their families murdered and their farms and possessions seized.
This encounter began the resistance, later called the Maccabean Revolt. The revolt was guerrilla warfare from the hills and caves upon the armies of the Syrians. The Israelites were too outnumbered to engage the armies directly, yet the rebels’ numbers were growing with every persecution staged by Epiphanies. Matthew the Elder, directed his son, Judah the Strong, to continue the attacks and lead the revolt to take back their land upon his death bed. The people hailed Judah Maccabee, meaning “Who is like God”. They did not offer worship to Judah, but implied his efforts, strength and success came directly from Yahweh. Under Judah Maccabee’s strong leadership, the Jewish people ultimately defeated three large armies sent separately by Epiphanies, and reclaimed their land as well as the Temple.
SIDETRACK – Mikvah (singular) mikva’ot (plural) is a bath used for the purpose of ritual immersion in Judaism. In Scripture, the word is employed in its broader sense generally meaning a collection of water. Levitical Law specified full immersion in water is required to regain ritual purity after ritually impure incidents have occurred.
Ritual uncleanness resulted from three processes of normal human life. Touching a dead body was the most grievous of all uncleanness and required ritual cleansing with the ashes of the red heifer before they could attend the Temple. Intentionally or not – an individual was deemed ritually unclean for 7 days and required cleansing. All other ritual cleansing was performed by Mikvah – ritual bathing. A woman, during her normal menstrual cycle and for 7 days thereafter, or for a specific period after childbirth was considered ritually unclean and required to undergo cleansing prior to attendance at Temple. A man who had a seminal emission, even nocturnally, was considered unclean, requiring ritual cleansing before he could attend the Temple. The point of the cleansing rituals was the introspection and examination of one’s heart, the ashes and water were the outward evidence of the inner purification.
MIKVA IN THE OLD CITY – JERUSALEM
THIS HISTORY IS DARK – WHY BRING IT UP?
If we do not learn from the past, we are doomed to repeat it. The Miracle of the Oil and the Festival of Lights, not surprisingly, has another level of meaning all Believers in Yeshua should focus on. Israel and many of her people will likely be unable to see this aspect of Hanukkah until after we are gone, but see it they will.
John 8:12 LEB – YESHUA IS THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD (Emphasis Mine)
12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world! The one who follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
The Israelites were so focused on ritual purity and observance of the Laws of Moses, they overlooked the lesson in all of their laws which pointed to the heart issue, the holiness of Yahweh and the Person of Messiah – Jesus the Christ (Hebrew – Yeshua ha ‘Mashiach). Not only did Yeshua create the Sun, Moon, Stars and all that is within the universe – He, Himself, IS the LIGHT!
What is the purpose of light? The PRESENCE of light effectuates the REMOVAL of darkness. Darkness does not “battle” with light for supremacy, although we think of it in this way in the Spiritual realm. Darkness can only exist where there is an absence of light. Once light in sufficient quantities arrives, darkness simply vanishes. Walk into a darkened room and flip on a switch – voila’ !
THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD!
The New Heaven and New Earth will have neither Sun nor Moon, for Yahweh is the light of the whole world throughout eternity. We do not understand it, we cannot truly comprehend it, yet we know it is true for Isaiah spoke of this truth and John the Revelator confirmed it.
Revelation 21:24 CJB – THE SH’KINAH (GLORY) OF GOD ILLUMINATES (Emphasis Mine)
22 I saw no Temple in the city, for Adonai, God of heaven’s armies, is its Temple, as is the Lamb. 23 The city has no need for the sun or the moon to shine on it, because God’s Sh’khinah gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb.24 The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it.
LIGHT BECOMES FLESH AT THE FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS!
WAS YESHUA CONCEIVED AT HANUKKAH?
Many scholars believe Yeshua was conceived in Mary’s womb by Holy Spirit during Hanukkah. What more appropriate time could there be for the Light of the World to come to earth in the flesh than during The Festival of Lights? This is not stated explicitly in scripture, but we begin at the conception of John the Baptist in Sivan (June), based on the established Courses of the Priesthood when Zechariah was foretold of the birth of his own son, as he served in the Temple. Six month’s later Gabriel announces the coming of Messiah to Mary who departs “immediately” or “with haste” to see Elizabeth, the Mother of John. Scripture confirms Mary was already with child and remained there for 3 months. These dates place the conception of Yeshua on or about Hanukkah with Yeshua’s birth some 9 months later in early September, likely on the Feast of Trumpets.
Luke 1:39-45 LEB – THE BABY LEAPED IN ELIZABETH’S WOMB (Emphasis Mine)
39 Now in those days Mary set out and traveled with haste into the hill country, to a town of Judah,40 and entered into the house of Zechariah, and greeted Elizabeth.41And it happened that when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby in her womb leaped and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 And she cried out with a loud shout and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 And why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby (John the Baptist)in my womb leaped for joy! 45 And blessed is she who believed that there will be a fulfillment to what was spoken to her from the Lord!”
ONLY ONE KING . . . BECAME A BABY!
Mary’s reply, clearing under the anointing of Holy Spirit, is often referred to in Orthodox assemblies as The Magnifcat and by others as The Song of Mary!
Luke 1:46-56 LEB – THE SONG OF MARY (Emphasis Mine)
46 And Mary said,“My soul exalts the Lord,47 and my spirit has rejoiced greatly in God my Savior,48 because he has looked upon the humble state of his female slave,for behold, from now on all generations will consider me blessed, 49because the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name.50 And his mercy is for generation after generation to those who fear him.51 He has done a mighty deed with his arm (Yeshua is Yahweh’s arm);he has dispersed the proudin the thoughts of their hearts.52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones,and has exalted the lowly.53 He has filled those who are hungry with good things,and those who are rich he has sent away empty-handed.54 He has helped Israel his servant,remembering his mercy,55 just as he spoke to our fathers,to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”
56 And Mary stayed with her about three months, and returned to her home.
Mary remained with Elizabeth for about 3 months. All details in scripture are given for a reason, not simply to fill a page. The details themselves are time markers to determine when one thing occurs in relation to another. The 24 courses of the Priesthood established by King David are well known dating instruments.
SIDETRACK – TWENTY FOUR COURSES OF THE PRIESTHOOD – King David assigned each of the 24 priestly clans to a weekly watch during which its members were responsible for maintaining the schedule of offerings at the Temple in Jerusalem, in accordance with 1 Chronicles 24:3-5. Prior to that time, the priestly courses numbered a mere eight. These “priestly divisions” repeated itself roughly twice each year. Historically, the assignment by ancestry of the priestly courses enables historians to determine the time of service for particular divisions and/or events.
FOCUS NOT ON RITUAL . . . BUT ON THE LIGHT!
In Middle Eastern culture, the birth date of the child is not nearly as important as the date of conception. Job was troubled when his children drew together to celebrate their “birthdays”, why? Their focus was aligned with “the nations” who celebrated their own birth rather than the Creator’s planting of the seed at conception. Perhaps his fear was linked also to their behavior during these times as well as the focus on birth date rather than conception. Job feared his children’s departure from the ways of Yahweh, becoming “like the nations”.
Wisdom suggests we should focus not on a specific date, or event when Jesus Robed Himself in flesh and came to dwell among us. Rather we should look upon the absolute, historical, scriptural truth He did so . . . HE WAS BORN! What greater cause for celebrating the Festival of Lights than the actual Light of the World?
WE CAN NEVER BE GRATEFUL ENOUGH!
THE FUEL WAS NOT CONSUMED
The “Miracle of the Oil” of Hanukkah should remind us of another Miracle where God “showed Himself” to Moses, at the Burning Bush. The Fuel, the bush, was burning but was not consumed. It is extremely important to note, Moses experienced The Trinity in this miracle of the Old Testament. He saw the Angel (Christ) and the Fire (Father God) and he Heard (Holy Spirit) from the midst of the bush.
Exodus 3:2-5 LEB – MOSES AND THE BURNING BUSH (Emphasis Mine)
2 And the angel of Yahweh appeared to him (He SAW the pre-incarnate Christ – a Theophany) a flame of fire (the Father was the Flame itself) from the midst of a bush, and he looked, and there was the bush burning with fire, but the bush was not being consumed. 3And Moses said, “Let me turn aside and see this great sight. Why does the bush not burn up?” 4 And Yahweh saw that he turned aside to see, and God called to him (Holy Spirit) from the midst of the bush, and he said, “Moses, Moses.” And he said, “Here I am.” 5 And he said, “You must not come near to here. Take off your sandals from on your feet, because the place on which you are standing, it is holy ground.”
WHEN YAHWEH CALLS . . . BE WILLING TO “TURN ASIDE”
What if Moses hadn’t been paying attention, had not been looking for the small things, the unique and unusual things in life? What if he had been so busy with his own thoughts, he had failed to “turn aside”. Yahweh “saw” Moses had turned aside and THEN, He “called to Him”. Israel’s destiny would not have been different, but perhaps Moses’ would. We must look for God, not only in the huge miracles like the parting of the Red Sea, but also in the small miracles of our own lives when God offers us an opportunity to “turn aside” and “see and Hear Him”. Yes, Yahweh moves in mighty and magnificent ways, but . . . not always . . . sometimes He is in the small bush off the side of the beaten path we are hurrying down.
Yahweh told Elijah, I am not in the Whirlwind, the Earthquake or the Fire, but in the Still Small Voicewhich can only be heard by those who determine to listen. Be on the lookout for the daily miracles, the winks from God, and you will find the profound and earth shattering as well! When you seek Him . . . God’s whisper becomes a Shout!
I pray this peak into the Miracle of Hanukkah brings you to an even greater appreciation of the real Miracle of Jesus Christ, who is . . . THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD!
Thanks for taking time for me . . .
BLESSINGS,
Sherry Driskell Griffin
P. S. If this was a Blessing to you . . . be a Blessing and pass it along!
SALVATION IS FULLY AND FINALLY ACCOMPLISHED WHEN YOU TRUST IN JESUS
Reading Time 8 Minutes
What is Salvation? Salvation is the assurance of eternal life with Christ by Believing in His Death, Burial and Resurrection as the Blood Atonement paid for your personal Sin Debt!
What I notice occurring in many Christians hearts and lives is a direct attack on the salvation assurance of the Believer. Therefore, it must be an attack of the enemy. So, let us reason together and go to the Scripture, the final authority.
First – What is The Gospel? Paul defined the gospel in 1 Corinthians using 3 points.
1 Corinthians 15:1-4 ESV – (Highlight and Parenthesis Emphasis Mine)
1Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that (1) Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that (2) he was buried, that (3)he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,
WE ARE SURROUNDED BY A GREAT CLOUD OF WITNESSES!
What is Salvation? A decision to BELIEVETHE GOSPELin your heart. What Jesus Christ said and did is TRUE and YOU NOW TRUST IN HIS TRUTH.
Jesus Christ died for your sins.
He was buried.
He rose again on the third day.
What must I do to be saved?
Acts 16:30-31 ESV – (Bold and Underline Emphasis Mine)
30 Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”
JESUS IS OUR CHAMPION . . . OVER DEATH AND THE GRAVE!
Jesus did the difficult part, our part is quite simple – as simple as A,B,C!
A – Acknowledge you are a Sinner
B – Believe the Gospel – Jesus died, was buried & Rose Again to pay for your sins.
C – Confess to Father in Prayer and to Others You Believe!
Pray something like this –
Father I know I am a Sinner in need of a Savior. I Believe Jesus Died, was buried and Rose Again to Pay for my Sins. Father I accept the gift of Salvation today and Believe I am Saved. Thank You Lord – In Jesus’ Mighty Name I Pray – Amen
BE ASSURED YOU ARE SAVED BECAUSE YOU BELIEVED!
How do you KNOW you are saved? God said “whosoever believes” and God cannot lie.
John 3:16-17 KJV – (Highlight and Parenthesis Emphasis Mine)
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world (those who accept the gift) through him might be saved.
JUST AS HIS TOMB IS EMPTY . . . SO TOO WILL WE RISE TO MEET HIM!
When you Hear and Believe – you come into agreement with what Jesus said and did, trusting in His finished work then you HAVE everlasting life.
John 5:24 KJV (Underline Emphasis Mine)
24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
SEALED BY HOLY SPIRIT . . . YOUR GUARANTEE OF ETERNAL LIFE!
How can I be sure I am saved? Once you Believe, you are sealed by Holy Spirit who guarantees your inheritance.
Ephesians 1:13-14 ESV– (Highlight and Underline Emphasis Mine)
13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.
WE ARE NEVER ALONE . . . THE STILL SMALL VOICE GUIDES AND DIRECTS!
Is there evidence of your salvation? Yes, the still small voice you often attribute to conscience, is the voice of Holy Spirit, now resident in you, to comfort, instruct and guide you.
John 10:27-28 ESV – (Highlight and Underline Emphasis Mine)
27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
WE ARE HELD BY HANDS WHICH CANNOT FAIL!
Can anyone, including you, cause you to LOSE your Salvation?
John 10:29-30 ESV – (Highlight Emphasis Mine)
29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and my Father are one.
THE GREATEST GIFT IS YOURS . . . SALVATION!
What must I do for my Salvation? You Believed and Receivedthe Gift of Salvation and this is your entire contribution. You didn’t deserve it, you didn’t buy it and you can’t work to keep it. That’s why it’s called Faith!
Ephesians 2:9-10 ESV – (Bold and Underline Emphasis Mine)
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
BORN AGAIN . . . AN ENTIRELY NEW CREATURE!
You are now BORN AGAIN . . . of the Spirit of God . . . not of flesh!
John 3:6-7 ESV –
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’
You are bought and paid for by Christ, waiting to be picked up for you are the purchased possession.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 ESV –
19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.
YOU NEITHER DESERVE NOR EARN . . . THAT WHICH IS FREELY GIVEN!
Why do I deserve to be saved?You don’t, none of us deserve to be saved. All are saved because of the Father’s great love for us.
John 3:16 ESV –
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gavehis only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
HOLY SPIRIT IS OUR COMFORTER . . . AND OUR EVER PRESENT GUIDE!
Is the Holy Spirit within me at Salvation?
John 14:16-17 ESV – (Bold and Underline Emphasis Mine)
16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.
SAFELY WE ARE HELD . . . IN THE FATHER’S ARMS!
How can I be sure I’m safe in Christ? Jesus asked the Father to keep us and make us one.
John 17:11 ESV –
11 And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one.
SECURE FOR ALL ETERNITY!
If I commit a sin, do I lose my salvation? No. We will sin, for we are still in our flesh. But Jesus Christ has already paid the price for our sin – past, present and future.
1 John 2:1-2 ESV – (Bold and Parenthesis Emphasis Mine)
1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 He is the propitiation (atonement – payment) for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.
OUR CONFIDENCE IS IN CHRIST . . . NOT IN OURSELVES!
But, what if I mess up? You will, we all will – God is greater!
Jude 24-25 ESV – (Bold and Parenthesis Emphasis Mine)
24 Now to him (Jesus) who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, 25 to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.
WE ARE FOREVER HIS . . . THROUGHOUT ETERNITY!
Do I have Eternal Life?
1 John 5:13 ESV – (Bold and Underline Emphasis Mine)
I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.
THE TENT OF FLESH IS LEFT BEHIND . . . YET OUR SPIRITS ARE ETERNAL!
What happens when I die? Your Spirit goes home to Jesus in Heaven
2 Corinthians 5:1 ESV – (Bold, Parenthesis and Underline Mine)
For we know that if the tent (our body) that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
AS THOUGH WE WALKED THROUGH A DOOR . . . INTO HIS ARMS!
Is there a period of time after we die before we are with God?No
2 Corinthians 5:8 KJV – (Bold and Underline Emphasis Mine)
We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
WATCHED OVER BY BEINGS WE CAN SCARCELY COMPREHEND!
Are we held in safekeeping by God after we are saved?
2 Timothy 1:12 ESV – (Bold and Underline Emphasis Mine)
. . . But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me.
HE WILL NEVER LET YOU GO!
Are you sure He won’t give up on me?Yes, I’m sure!
Hebrews 7:25 ESV – (Bold and Underline Emphasis Mine)
Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.
GRACE IS A GIFT FROM GOD . . . WE ARE TO EXTEND TO OTHERS!
It is Finished – The work is all Jesus. Human discussion and debate is healthy and can be extremely productive to Believers, new and old. Every point of debate, every argument and every doctrinal claim must align with the Word of God or it cannot be considered.
The wealth of clear statements supporting the Doctrine of Salvation some refer to as Once Saved Always Saved and Eternal Security are abundant. Meditate on them . . . Make them your own . . . and share them with those who struggle with doubt. There is no greater assurance than the Word of God.
Thanks for taking time for me . . .
BLESSINGS,
Sherry Driskell Griffin
P. S. If this was a Blessing to you . . . be a Blessing and pass it along!
Why are they Mysteries? In the Christian world today, the mysteries are taught from childhood, but this was not the case in Jesus’ day. The mystery concepts were completely foreign and not understood to those who sat at Jesus’ feet to hear His Words! The ancients were taught to provide their own sacrifice to the Priests at the Temple for their sins . . . repeatedly!
HEROD’S TEMPLE
The people who lived during the Age of the Law and Old Testament were given no understanding of the concepts which form the Church and Salvation. We can see now, in hindsight, there were references to them in the Scriptures of their day, but they could not see the truths, for it was not time for their revealing.
When Jesus began to teach the supporting elements of the mysteries to the people it was foreign to their old sacrificial temple system. The focus had shifted to individuals, a direct relationship with God and a permanent and final payment for sins. The foundational truths of the Church Age would not be fully disclosed to Paul until Jesus met with Him in the Arabian desert after the crucifixion and took him to Heaven for a visit.
The old sacrificial system had come to a close and Jesus’ death was the final and permanent sacrifice which would begin the Church Age and the New Covenant. The debt of sin for all mankind had been paid. Only through the mysteries and their foundational truths, can we fully comprehend the radical shift the Church Age brought. The new insights threatened the Priesthood, with its daily sacrifices, the system of law which they used to control the people and the prestige the rabbis enjoyed. Radical indeed . . . and not to be tolerated by the leadership!
Their denial of Jesus as Messiah and His teachings led to the Crucifixion and ultimately the judgement of Israel, with Paul designated as the Apostle to the Gentiles. A new age of administration with all its mysteries for a new life in Christ was conveyed in the Epistles of Paul. Although veiled to the ancients, the mysteries are all supported in both the Old Testament and the New in Jesus’ teaching.
Even the divine beings we call angels around God’s throne did not understand what was occurring or their part in it. They longed to know the plans and purposes of God revealed in the mysteries. Paul would enable all, angels, prophets and mankind to understand them fully once He’d spent time with Jesus in the Arabian desert and been taken to the Third Heaven, the Throne Room of God. The First Heaven is the air above our heads, the Second Heaven, we term Outer Space and the Third – the Place of God.
1 Peter 1:12 ESV (Bold, Underline & Parenthesis Emphasis Mine)
12 It was revealed to them (angels) that they were serving not themselves but you (the Body of Christ), in the things (mysteries) that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.
THE WORD BECAME FLESH!
MYSTERY #1– THE INCARNATION
What is the Incarnation? Jesus was born as a human baby. While on the earth He was not God, but fully human.
Jesus the Christ, the Son of God, was born in the Flesh and sent to redeem mankind from Sin. Since Jesus was born as a man, He gained the legal right as Kinsman Redeemer to redeem mankind. Ancient custom required a “relation” or kinsman be given the opportunity to redeem a relative who had sold themselves and their possessions into slavery. Jesus, the 2nd Adam, became a Kinsman with legal right to redeem mankind and the earth lost by the 1stAdam. Jesus was Fully Divine, yet became fully Man and upon His resurrection and ascension became – The God Man – both fully God and fully glorified mankind!
The Number 1 is Ordinal/Deity– 1 represents the First in a Sequence and Divinity. The Incarnation, Jesus’ birth, had to occur first for all the other mysteries to come to fruition. Jesus was One with Us, mankind, on earth, fully man throughout His life and the Crucifixion. Now, after the Resurrection and Ascension He is both Fully Man and God, seated at the Right Hand of the Father in the position of Authority!
1 Timothy 3:16 KJV – (Bold and Parenthesis Emphasis Mine)
And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness (incarnation): God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
CHRIST IN YOU . . . THE HOPE OF GLORY!
MYSTERY #2 – THE INDWELLING CHRIST
What is the Indwelling Christ? Jesus lives in every Believer, every Day by the power of His Holy Spirit once we are born again.
Jesus Christ, the Hope of Glory, comes to live within mankind at the New Birth by His Holy Spirit. Once we Believe in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ to shed His Blood in payment for our personal sin, we are “Born Again“. Our Spirit is made new by Christ and sealed with Holy Spirit until our bodies are ultimately redeemed. Holy Spirit is our guarantee of this present reality.
By virtue of this exchange, His Promise deposited within us of Holy Spirit, we are made the Righteousness of Christ Jesus and have the guarantee of Jesus’ Return for us to take us home with Him. We are Saved by Faith in His finished work on the cross and a permanent member of the Body of Christ.
The ultimate truth is, we are saved by Faith Alone in Christ Alone for there is NOTHING we can add to or take away from Salvation achieved when we Believe in Christ, for He now Dwells in us by His Spirit. It is this concept – Faith Alone in Christ Alone (the latin – Sola Fide’) which formed the basis for the Protestant reformation and split from the Catholic Church.
THE SPIRIT OF THE LIVING GOD DWELLS INSIDE EVERY BELIEVER!
The Number 2 represents Agreement– We Come Into Agreement with the Person, the Nature and the Position of Christ when we are Born Again.
John 3:9-10 ESV – (Bold & Underline Emphasis Mine)
1Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.
27 To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ.
CHRIST IN YOU . . . THE HOPE OF GLORY!
The Scriptures teach Justification by Grace and our having been made Heirs of Eternal Life. Our Souls (mind, intellect) are renewed or sanctified by Holy Spirit and our Flesh (Bodies) are changed at the Resurrection and Rapture. Thus, our Spiritis saved when we are Born Again. Our Soul (mind, intellect) is being saved, by sanctification through Holy Spirit and the washing of the Water of the Word. Our Fleshwill be saved and changed to incorruptible at the Rapture. Thus, it is said, “Our Spirit is saved, our Soul is being saved and our Flesh will be Changed.” We are Saved, we are Being Saved and we Will Be Changed!
Titus 3:4-7 ESV – (Bold, Underline & Parenthesis Emphasis Mine)
4 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit (Sanctification), 6 whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
The Flesh is not renewed, but CHANGED . . . to Imperishable!
51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep(die), but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.
OUR FLESH WILL BE CHANGED!
We cannot save ourselves by works, otherwise, it would have been unnecessary for Jesus to die. Israel with its full complement of Laws and Commandments are the example to prove mankind is incapable of living a Holy Life unblemished by sin in their own strength. Salvation is accomplished in and through Christ Alone when we Believe. We are to be Holy and live a Holy Life according to Scripture to the best of our ability by the power of the Holy Spirit once we are Born Again, but this is the result of Salvation called Sanctification.
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
The Church is the Body of Christ and every Believer is a member, individually, of His Body.
Now you are the body of Christand individually members of it.
THE CHURCH . . . NOT A BUILDING . . . A SPIRITUAL BODY!
MYSTERY #3– THE CHURCH
What is The Church? All who have been Born Again by faith in Jesus Christ’ finished work on the Cross, without regard to nationality, are The Church.
Gentiles and Hebrews who accept Jesus Christ and His finished work on the cross for payment of their sin debt become a living organism called The Church, the Body of Christ. The Church is Not Israel nor is it Gentile, but a new category for the Church Age – The Body of Christ!
The concept of the Church was hidden from the Old Testament prophets and seers. They never foresaw this entity, nor the lengthy distance of time between the Sufferings of Christ (Crucifixion) and the Glory of Christ (Ascension, Enthronement and Second Coming). The Dispensation of Grace, the time between the Crucifixion of Jesus and the Resurrection and Translation or Rapture of the Church is called the Church Age.
The Number 3 represents the Trinity for the Church, at its Translation, becomes one with Jesus as His Body and His Joint Heirs. The Church and its Kingdom in Christ is Spiritual, of the Heavenly realm and its rewards are Eternal Life with Christ in the Heavenly Kingdom in Glorified Bodies, like unto Jesus.
1I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.
3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: (1) that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 (2) that he was buried, (3) that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,
BLIND . . . WITH EYES WIDE OPEN!
MYSTERY #4 – THE BLINDNESS OF ISRAEL
What is the Blindness of Israel? The eyes of Israel have been blinded (veiled) in judgement to prevent their seeing the truth of Jesus as Messiah and Savior for a period of time because of their rejection of Messiah.
Failure to recognize Jesus as the Messiah prophesied in Scripture resulted in the Partial Blindness of Israel to the Gospel, a judgement, until the last Gentile is come in. The folly of Israel, God used as an opportunity to raise up a better kingdom, not of this earth, the Kingdom to which one belongs by Faith in Christ.
Those of Israel may choose to be part of the Church and have done so, but they are in a great minority until the blindness is removed. How is the blindness removed? Repentance – Changing their mind about “Who Jesus is” and “What He has done”! Any Individual, irrespective of nationality, who seeks the truth about who and what Jesus is will find the truth. When the Blindness is removed, Israel, as a nation, will realize Jesus is Messiah! If this occurs for individuals before the Resurrection and Rapture, they become members of the Church, the Body of Christ and heirs to a better promise of the Heavenly Kingdom.
Israel, like all nations, is dealt with corporately, the Nation of Israel as a whole, but also as individuals. Any person who seeks and finds the truth of Jesus Christ as Messiah is given the opportunity to come into His Body, the Church. The Judgements on any nation are corporate judgements. This does not preclude an individual within the nation, from seeing the truth, repenting and coming to Faith in Christ.
The Number 4 is representative of the Earth – Israel is of the Earth, an earthly entity for they sought and could only envision an Earthly Kingdom.
25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in. 26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion (Heaven) the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob (Israel): 27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. 28 As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sakes (Abraham, Isaac & Jacob). 29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.
NOTE CAREFULLY: The Blindness of Israel is Partial and Temporary. Never allow a false understanding of this mystery to espouse Anti-Semitism. Do not come into agreement with this heresy. The Blindness is for a period certain and for a purpose. God will redeem ALL Israel. A failure to understand this results in the false teaching of Replacement Theology, a claim Israel has been cast aside permanently by God and replaced with the Church. This teaching is false and those who espouse it make God a liar. It is anathema, a cursed teaching, and it is wrong! Take no part in this evil.
But I will for their sake remember the covenant with their forefathers (the Unconditional Abrahamic Covenant), whom I brought out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the nations, that I might be their God: I am the Lord.”
Israel is the nation chosen by God to be His people, His Heritage on earth! God chose . . . and His decision is final!
For the Lordwill not forsake his people (Israel); he will not abandon his heritage (Israel);
ISRAEL HAS BEEN GIVEN MANY SIGNS!
Yes, Israel has been under judgement for denying Christ, disobedience and worshipping other Gods, but His character and nature is mercy and His love is steadfast. God will fulfill His promises to Abraham, Isaac and to Jacob in and through the Nation of Israel.
31 For the Lord will not cast off forever, 32 but, though he cause grief (judgement), he will have compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love (His Character & Nature);
God foreknew everything which would occur and made provision for man’s disobedience, all of mankind, including Israel. The Provision is Jesus Christ and His death on the Cross to pay the sin debt for all mankind, if you will only receive His Gift!
God has not rejected his people (Israel) whom he foreknew.
THE COVENANT GAVE TO ABRAHAM THE PROMISED LAND AND DESCENDANTS AS NUMEROUS AS THE STARS OF THE SKY AND THE SANDS OF THE SEA!
The Abrahamic Covenant is an Unconditional Covenant in its ultimate fulfillment. Yes, Israel had responsibilities within the Covenant, but their failure to adhere to their responsibilities did not make the Covenant void or of no value, it brought judgement. The Covenant contains the permanentright to the Land of Israel with its Biblically defined borders. The Covenant also promised Abraham his descendants would be as numerous as the stars in the sky and the sands of the sea. GOD SAID IT . . . IT WLL BE DONE!
42 then I will remember my covenant with Jacob, and I will remember my covenant with Isaac and my covenant with Abraham (the Abrahamic Covenant), and I will remember the land. 43 But the land shall be abandoned by them and enjoy its Sabbaths while it lies desolate without them, and they shall make amends for their iniquity, because they spurned my rules and their soul abhorred my statutes.44 Yet for all that, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not spurn them, neither will I abhor them so as to destroy them utterly and break my covenant with them, for I am the Lord their God. 45 But I will for their sake remember the covenant with their forefathers, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the nations, that I might be their God: I am the Lord.”
THE GARDEN OF GOD!
The Land of Israel, the Promised Land, with its borders as outlined in Scripture will be restored to Israel. Any who seek to divide God’s land will come under judgement. The judgement for any action taken against Israel, even when God uses the action as a punishment, will be visited upon the perpetrator. Be careful what you do to Israel, for whatever is done to Israel, the nation who caused Israel to suffer will be punished in like manner, but with greatly increased measure.
Joel 3:2-3 ESV – (Bold, Underline & Parenthesis Emphasis Mine)
2 I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat (Judgement). And I will enter into judgment with them there, on behalf of my people and my heritage Israel, because they have scattered them among the nations and have divided up my land, 3 and have cast lots for my people, and have traded a boy for a prostitute, and have sold a girl for wine and have drunk it.
Did you not, our God, drive out the inhabitants of this land (the Promised Land) before your people Israel, and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham your friend?
God does not Lie!
Numbers 23:19 ESV – (Bold Emphasis Mine)
God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?
THE BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON
Whatever is done to Israel will be done to that nation. The end result of the conflict in the Middle East, which has now been joined by all the nations of the world via the United Nations, has already been decided. It is already done, but has not yet been made manifest. Those who attempt to destroy Israel will be unsuccessful and they will be destroyed.
15 For the day of the Lord (Jacob’s Trouble – The Tribulation) is near upon all the nations.
As you have done, it shall be done to you;
your deedsshall return on your own head.
16 For as you have drunk on my holy mountain,
so all the nations shall drink continually;
they shall drink and swallow,
and shall be as though they had never been.
17 But in Mount Zion (Jerusalem) there shall be those who escape (the Remnant),
and it shall be holy,
and the house of Jacob (Israel) shall possess their own possessions.
18 The house of Jacob shall be a fire,
and the house of Joseph a flame,
and the house of Esau (Arab Nations)stubble;
they (Israel) shall burn them and consume them,
and there shall be no survivor for the house of Esau,
for the Lord has spoken.
A nation and an individual’s destiny is determined by their position toward Israel. There is only one scriptural position to adopt about Israel. Come into agreement with God, for His Promise to, and Covenant with, Abraham still stands unbroken today. Agree with God or be broken on God’s altar, called Israel!
“I will bless those who bless you (Abraham and his descendants), and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you (Israel) all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
JERUSALEM . . . THE MOUNT ZION OF GOD!
Those who attempt to destroy Jerusalem will be destroyed!
2 Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about,
When they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem.
3 And in that day (The Tribulation) will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people:
All that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces,
Though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it.
4 In that day, saith the Lord,
I will smite every horse with astonishment, and his rider with madness:
And I will open mine eyes (forgiveness and mercy) upon the house of Judah,
And will smite every horse of the people with blindness.
IN A MOMENT . . . IN THE TWINKLING OF AN EYE WE SHALL BE CAUGHT UP!
MYSTERY #5 – The Translation of the Church
What is the Translation of the Church? The Dead who Believed in Christ will be raised and Living Believers will be Translated (Transformed) in the Twinkling of an Eye into Glorified Bodies (Divine) and be taken from this Earth to the Third Heaven.
The Number 5 represents Grace. The Resurrection of the Dead in Christ and the Translation of Living Believers will represent the Grace of God to change the Church, to be like His Glorified Body in the Ascension . . . a Divine Body! The final phase of a Believer’s Salvation is victory over death, the changing (translation) of the fleshly body to the Imperishable, Glorified Body and the removal from the earth to be with Christ forever!
1 Corinthians 15:50-57 ESV
50 I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:
“Death is swallowed up in victory.”
55 “O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?”
56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
THE SON OF PERDITION . . . ANTICHRIST
MYSTERY #6 – THE MYSTERY OF INIQUITY
What is the Mystery of Iniquity? The Power of Sin to control individuals and ultimately cause the death of man is wielded by Satan and his minions to rule the earth. This power is given to Satan by God for a limited period of time, yet he remains under God’s control. This temporary Power of Sin over life and death is the Mystery of Iniquity.
The Revelation of the Man of Sin is the beginning of the defeat of the Mystery of Iniquity. This evil entity is variously called Little Horn (Daniel 7:8), King of Fierce Countenance (Daniel 8:23), willful king (Daniel 11:36), the prince that shall come (Daniel 9:26), man of Sin (2 Thessalonians 2:3), Son of Perdition (2 Thessalonians 2:3), that Wicked One (2 Thessalonians 2:8), the Beast out of the Sea (Revelation 13:1) or The Antichrist (1 John 2:18). Only the Apostle John in the Epistles 1 and 2 John refer to the Man of Sin as Antichrist.
The Restrainer of Iniquity is the power of Holy Spirit magnified through Sealed Believers. The Son of Perdition, as Satan is termed initially in Revelation, cannot be revealed prior to the Rapture of the Church. The Wicked One is restrained from full manifestation presently by the magnified power of Holy Spirit through the sealed Body of Believers we know as the Church, the Body of Christ.
The Number 6 is the Number of Man – the Number of Antichrist is 666 or man in his most evil (tripled) form. The Day of the Lord is also called Jacob’s Trouble or The Tribulation. It is during this time when Iniquity will be shown in its full manifestation. This is also the time when the Wrath of God and the Lamb will be poured out in full measure to destroy both Sin and Iniquity among men and the Divine Fallen. Satan will be bound for 1,000 years at the end of The Tribulation.
3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day (THE DAY OF THE LORD) shall not come, except there come a falling away (apostasia) first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. 5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? 6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. 7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. 8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: 9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; (Why?) because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
THE SPIRIT AND THE BRIDE SAY COME!
MYSTERY #7 – THE BRIDE OF CHRIST
What is The Mystery of The Bride of Christ? The Church is not only the Body of Christ, but also His Bride, Flesh of His Flesh and Bone of His Bone – ONE WITH CHRIST FOR ETERNITY!
Just as Adam’s body produced Eve, his Bride, the Body of Jesus Christ, the Seed of the Woman, was sown into the ground to raise up His Bride. The Church is not only the Body of Christ, neither Israel or Gentile, but also The Bride of Christ. The Church is Christ’ Bride and His Body, Joint Heirs, Priests & Kings to rule and reign with Him Forever! The Church is also a City – The New Jerusalem – with Jesus as the Chief Cornerstone!
The Number 7 denotes Perfection and Completion – Adorned, decked out, dressed in Bridal garments, the Robes of Righteousness given by the Lord Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 5:30-32 KJV
30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. 31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. 32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
LIKE UNTO A PRECIOUS STONE!
The Bride is also individually Living & Breathing Stones which will be assembled as a city – the New Jerusalem – a Spiritual Kingdom!
1 Peter 2:4-6 ESV
4 As you come to him,a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For it stands in Scripture:
“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone,
a cornerstone chosen and precious,
and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”
The New Jerusalem . . . Breathing and Living Stones . . . the Bride of Christ!
Rev 21:9-11 KJV
9 And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife. 10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, 11 Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;
There is a duality in Israel and the Church. Both are loved by and created for God. Israel was created as an earthly entity and given the assignment to bring “The Nations” or Gentiles back to Yahweh. When Israel failed in their assignment and did not recognize Jesus as Messiah, they were sent into exile as a judgement and The Church was born to be the Body and Bride of Jesus Christ, an eternal Priesthood. The Church is made up of “all mankind from every nation who will accept Christ’ finished work on the Cross” . . . He Died for your sins and mine!
NEW JERUSALEM . . . A SPIRITUAL KINGDOM!
The Body of Christ inherits a Spiritual, not an earthly Kingdom as Israel does. The Church was created to do the work Israel failed to do while in the Land, evangelize the nations and bring them back to faith in Yahweh. The Church is not a replacement for Israel, but a higher expression of Faith in and through Christ – a Spiritual Entity, not constrained by nationality. The Church will operate until such time as Christ removes them in the Rapture and returns His focus to Israel during Jacob’s Trouble where The Remnant will come to faith in Jesus the Christ as Ha’ Mashiach.
Israel retains all the promises of the Unconditional Abrahamic Covenant (the Land Covenant) and will have their physical land on earth restored to them both now and in its full measure during the Millennium. The current nation of Israel returned to the land in Apostasy, as prophesied, but will be brought to faith in Christ as Messiah during Jacob’s Trouble.
Do not concern yourself with who is “true Israel” and who is not, God already knows and He will take care of any imposters. The Remnant of the nation of Israel who come to faith in Messiah during Jacob’s Trouble will repopulate the land of Israel with the borders as outlined in Scripture and rule their Kingdom with Yeshua Ha’Mashiach (Jesus the Messiah) as their King for 1,000 years. All the promises of the Abrahamic Covenant will be fulfilled during this time.
The Body of Christ is the beneficiary of the Eternal or Everlasting Covenant we term also the New Covenant. The Church will be removed from the earth once its work is completed and taken HOME as The Body and Bride of Christ to rule and reign with Him in Glorified Bodies forever.
THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST . . . WITH HIS SAINTS AND ANGELS!
Yes, the Bride will return with Christ to Earth at the final stage of His Second Coming at the end of Jacob’s Trouble. The Church will then possess Glorified Bodies, in His Service, not as mortal mankind who populates the Millennium, for we shall always be with the Lord. The center of the earth both now and during the Millennium is Jerusalem.
1 Thessalonians 4:17-18 ESV
16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.
Thanks for taking time for me . . .
BLESSINGS,
Sherry Driskell Griffin
P. S. If this was a Blessing to you . . . be a Blessing and pass it along!
It is 1982. I sit studying the Word, enjoying the intricacies of His plan and my part in it when the room is filled with the most incredible fragrance I’ve ever encountered. Everything stops and the room is filled with breathless anticipation as I hear Him speak with absolute clarity in my mind. This is an audible voice to my mind, rather than a knowing as is the voice of Holy Spirit. This is the voice of Elohim – the Manifest Son of God – Jesus Christ!
LISTEN WHEN HE SPEAKS!
“Heavenly Father – Earthly Father. Glory to God! My Pathway is Clear, My Power is Pure, My Message Divine. The Task is Mine, I give it to you! You cannot accept half a truth! If you accept salvation, that is only part, you must accept the Whole Truth of the Word. You cannot accept half of Jesus. How can you accept half of the Word, for He is the Living Word? Is half or a portion of Jesus a lie? Then how can we accept only a part of his message and life? God is not fear. God is Jesus. You are not alone for God is with you always, even unto the ends of the earth. By my Spirit which is within you. I give you not a Spirit of Fear, but of Power, Health and a Sound Mind. How can we believe Salvation if we do not believe everything. Mine is not a Selective Gospel!
I know it is exactly what He said. I wrote it down, I have it still, I carry it with me.
Excerpt from my Book – “Through the Eyes of a Child”
Thanks for taking time for me . . .
BLESSINGS,
Sherry Driskell Griffin
P. S. If this was a Blessing to you . . . be a Blessing and pass it along!
There is so much more than we’ve understood . . . and now you can know!
What if the most beautiful story of all time, the birth of Jesus Christ, was even more beautiful than you ever imagined? Let us look once again at the clear night of His birth and see the Truth and the Majesty . . . we were never told . . .
LUKE 2:1-7 KJV – (Bold Emphasis Mine)
1And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. 2 (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) 3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Beth-lehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. 6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. 7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
THE STAR OF BETHLEHEM
Why is Bethlehem so critical to the story?
We think we know . . .
Both Joseph and Mary were of the bloodline of the House of David and from the town of Bethlehem, giving Jesus the legal and biological right to be seated on the Throne of David.
And although that’s true and important, there’s more . . .
Jacob, the father of the 12 Tribes of Israel, who literally wrestled all night with the angel of the Lord for a blessing, lived in Bethlehem and buried Rachel, his beloved wife, there.
RACHEL’S TOMB OUTSIDE BETHLEHEM
David, the greatest King of Israel and the man after God’s own heart, was born, tended Sheep and anointed King in Bethlehem. Oftentimes, Bethlehem is called, the City of David.
DAVID ON HIS THRONE IN BETHLEHEM
Messiah was prophesied to be born in Bethlehem.
BETHLEHEM
Bethlehem is a frenzied madhouse . . . all those of the City of David have come for taxation by order of Caesar Augustus. The crowds pack the roads throughout Israel and there is no room found anywhere for Mary and Joseph in the inns. The roads and cities are full of travelers. The registration is not only for the City of David, but all Israel. Jerusalem is only 3 miles away from Bethlehem and . . . the crowds are immense.
NO ROOM AT THE INN
Why this night . . . Why register everyone now?
The God of Creation moved all heaven and earth as well as the heart of a pagan king to assure prophecy would be fulfilled. Not only fulfilled, but resoundingly so, with lasting memories of where and when this birth occurred. Bethlehem, in Hebrew means the House of Bread . . . and this is the birthplace of Jesus . . . The Bread of life.
THE ANGEL APPEARS
Luke 2:8-9 KJV – (Bold Emphasis Mine)
8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
GABRIEL . . . THE PROCLAMATION!
This angel is no white robed little girl with a gold, garland-covered coat hanger formed into a halo over her head. There are no donkeys braying or cattle lowing. There are no wise men and no gifts . . . not this night.
The pageants of our lives have so reduced the spectacle of grandeur and confused the story, we have conditioned our minds to the normality of the event, we have lost Our Incredulity, Our Wonder and Our Awe.
Let us look again and see if it is possible to . . .
RETURN TO TRUTH AND MAJESTY
Luke 2:10a KJV – (Bold Emphasis Mine)
And the angel said unto them, Fear not:
The Angel of the Lord is a supernatural being of immense height and size. We know this from descriptions of other angelic encounters in Scripture. The first thing any angel speaks is always . . . Fear Not.
Clearly, angels appear . . . fearsome. Think about it, how would you react? You are sitting in a starlit field minding sheep with only the light of a small campfire, no sound save the bleating of the sheep when suddenly . . .
GABRIEL . . . THE OFFICIAL DIVINE MESSENGER
An angel of the Lord appears. The Shekinah Glory reflected from his attendance on God is so bright they cannot look at him directly. This divine being has arrived from the very Throne Room of God Almighty with a message . . . for shepherds.
Response . . . they are sore afraid . . . greatly fearful. Why fear? Angels not only appear out of nowhere and look awesome, they also have a pretty gnarly reputation!
Consider . . .
One Angel appears and 185,000 Assyrians are slain.
Two Angels appear and Sodom and Gomorrah, with all the cities and people of the plains are destroyed.
“Fear Not” . . . is much easier said than done . . . especially when you know your history!
Luke 2:10b-11 KJV – (Bold and Underline emphasis Mine)
“ . . . for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.”
Excellent, the angel brings good tidings of great joy and the shepherds begin to relax.
Most of us relax at this point as well, for we have heard the story from childhood and know exactly what happens next. But, do we really, or have we muddled it? What else did the angel say?
THIS SHALL BE A SIGN
Luke 2:12 – (Bold and Underline Emphasis Mine)
“And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddlingclothes, lying in a manger.”
There it is . . . a sign. There is no mention of a star, no directions of where to go or what they should look for other than . . . a baby.
There are no wise men in this story. Only the shepherds were directed to see Jesus the night he was born. Those wise men with their gifts will not arrive until many months later, when Jesus is almost 2 years old. Did the Star of Bethlehem appear that night? Yes, it did, but neither the Shepherds nor the angels mention it.
Luke 2:13-14 KJV – (Bold emphasis Mine)
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 14Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, Good will toward men.
The astonished Shepherds suddenly see not just a single angel, but a multitude . . .thousands . . . as they sing . . .
A MULTITUDE OF ANGELS APPEAR
This night is memorable for many reasons, not the least of which is the spectacular visitation of thousands of angels singing to shepherds in a field. But, there are other events afoot to ensure this night is forever fixed in the memory and history of the world . . . this glorious night and the baby it brings will never be forgotten . . . Our Father in Heaven has made certain of it!
WHERE DO THEY GO AND HOW DID THEY KNOW?
People from all over Israel are packed to the rafters in and around Bethlehem, even sleeping in stables, yet the shepherds know exactly where they are to go based on “the sign” given them by the Angel Messenger?
A BABY WRAPPED IN SWADDLING CLOTHES, LYING IN A MANGER
Luke 2:12 KJV – (Bold and Underline Emphasis Mine)
“And this shall bea sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.”
They were given only three clues – baby, swaddling clothes and a manger. How could they know? What does it mean, this sign?
Luke 2:15-16 KJV – (Bold and Underline Emphasis Mine)
15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Beth-lehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
There was no discussion and no necessity to piece the puzzle together. Let us go now! They Knew Instantly, Assuredly and went WITH HASTE!
Why these shepherds? Why a field near Bethlehem? And, how in the world are they expected to find one little “babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger” in the madhouse of this night?
There is clearly more to these Shepherds than we have understood. How are we to understand their knowledge?
It’s Bethlehem and the sheep . . .
BETHLEHEM AND ITS SHEPHERDS
Bethlehem is perfect for grazing and guarding sheep, just as it was in Jacob and David’s day. But, this is no ordinary flock and these are not run-of-the-mill shepherds. Like David – the Shepherd Priests of this field tend the flock of the Temple. These lambs are destined to temporarily remove the sin of the people of Israel, for they are special lambs, especially chosen and cared for by Shepherd Priests of the Temple for they are the sacrificial lambs.
THE TOWER AT MIGDAL EDER
THE TOWER OF THE FLOCK . . . MIGDAL EDER
Migdal Eder, the Tower of the Flock, was constructed long before in the fields outside of Bethlehem. It is a circular tower with a 2nd floor from which the shepherds watch over the sheep. The 1st floor has only one unique purpose, it is ceremonially cleansed and sanctified by the Levitical priests as a birthing chamber. It is made ritually pure and reserved for the lambs of sacrifice placed in the sanctified manger.
When the Mother, the ewe, is about to give birth in the field, she is brought into the chamber and attended by a shepherd priest. Once the lamb is born, it is wrapped in swaddling clothes, torn from the garments of the priest, and placed in the manger to protect it from damage by trampling or thrashing. There can be no spot or blemish on these lambs. For only a spotless lamb can take away sins, even temporarily.
The men in the field before the angels are specially trained as shepherd priests, like David before them . . .
They are trained in Torah and the priestly rites, dedicated to the service of the Temple and its sheep. They know the prophecy of Messiah’s birth is not only specific to Bethlehem, but Micah testified it would happen at Migdal Eder.
MICAH 4:8 NAS 1977 – (Bold, Underline and Parenthesis Emphasis Mine)
“And as for you, tower of the flock, Hill of the daughter of Zion, To you it will come— Even the former dominion will come (Messiah), The kingdom of the daughter of Jerusalem.”
The angels knew exactly where and to whom they should go to proclaim the good news. They knew exactly what they were to say . . . for God had instructed these shepherds their whole life . . . for this night!
Couple the prophecy with their training and . . .
These shepherds on this brilliant night need no further instruction. The sign was to them as clear as though it were emblazoned in pictures across the sky.
They understood instantly, Messiah would be birthed where all sacrificial lambs for Israel enter the world. They hurried to the ceremonial birthing chamber in the base of the Tower of the Flock . . . and . . . Just as the angel had announced . . .
MESSIAH – SWADDLED IN STRIPS TORN FROM PRIESTLY ROBES
THE SIGN AS PROMISED!
They found the babe, wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger . . . newly arrived in this world, without spot or blemish, the final, permanent sacrifice for the sins of all mankind. This is no lamb of the animal variety . . . but the Son of God, born to a Virgin!
Luke 2:17-20 KJV – (Bold Emphasis Mine)
17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.
And we say with the multitude of angels . . .
Glory to God in the Highest . . . Peace on Earth . . . Good Will Toward Men!
THIS NIGHT IS ONLY THE BEGINNING
So often, at Christmas time, we stop at the birth of Jesus on a starry night. Yet the true miracle only begins there . . .
JOHN THE BAPTIST knew the story . . .
JOHN 1:29 ESV – (Bold Emphasis Mine)
29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”
And now we know . . .
THE LAMB OF GOD TOOK AWAY THE SIN OF THE WORLD!
The time of Tribulation approaching is called Jacob’s Trouble. It is a time when Israel will be besieged by her enemies and Jerusalem will become a cup of tremblingfor the whole world.
At this time . . . Our High Priest, will return to remove those who believe in His sacrifice for their sins in an event called The Rapture . . . or the Catching Away.
1 Thessalonians 14:16-17 KJV – (Bold and Underline Emphasis Mine)
16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
WE SHALL BE CHANGED
1 Corinthians 15:52 KJV – (Bold and Underline Emphasis Mine)
52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality
Once those who have trusted in Jesus for remission of their sins have been removed in The Rapture, God will shift his focus to Israel, the unsaved and the sin and injustice of this world. Only then will He reveal his end time identity as The Lion of the Tribe of Judah. He will cleanse the world of sin and evil, all Israel will be saved and He will take his rightful place on the Throne of David as the King of the World.
THE MILLENNIUM BEGINS
Triumphantly, in that day, He will tend the sheep of the world, the faithful of Christ. The heartache of all who love and honor Jesus will be healed. No more tears will flow from Migdal Eder for no more lambs will die. The Shepherd of the World will reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords . . . Forevermore . . . Amen!
With our new awareness of theBirth of Jesus – may we respond – to the Truth, the Majesty . . . with INCREDULITY . . . with AWE . . . with WONDER . . . And a renewed awareness of His Miraculous Birth . . . and the reality of Our Salvation!
Perhaps you might read this aloud to little children and re-awaken their delight and wonder in the real Story of Jesus’ birth!
Thanks for taking time for me . . .
BLESSINGS,
Sherry Driskell Griffin
P. S. If this was a Blessing to you . . . be a Blessing and pass it along!
Do you wonder if God really speaks to mankind today? Have you often heard another speak of “having a Word from the Lord” or “being guided by the Spirit” and asked yourself why He hasn’t “spoken” to you?
The good news is . . . we’ve all asked ourselves those same questions at different points in our journey. The answer is a resounding . . . Yes! God has spoken to His people throughout the Church Age and continues to do so today.
For those of us who grew up in a denominational setting other than Full Gospel, we did not have the instruction in hearing from God we might have had. There are numerous examples in both the Old and New Testament of God speaking to his people. We must first examine a passage and then look at some very practical ways to “tune our senses” to hear from God.
One of the most memorable examples, for me, has been God speaking to Samuel for the first time in 1 Samuel 3:1-14, NET Bible:
The Call of Samuel
3:1 Now the boy Samuel continued serving the Lord under Eli’s supervision. Word from the Lord was rare in those days; revelatory visions were infrequent.
3:2 Eli’s eyes had begun to fail, so that he was unable to see well. At that time he was lying down in his place, 3:3 and the lamp of God had not yet been extinguished. Samuel was lying down in the temple of the Lord as well; the ark of God was also there. 3:4 The Lord called to Samuel, and he replied, “Here I am!” 3:5 Then he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But Eli said, “I didn’t call you. Go back and lie down.” So he went back and lay down. 3:6 The Lord again called, “Samuel!” So Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But Eli said, “I didn’t call you, my son. Go back and lie down.”
3:7 Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord; the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him. 3:8 Then the Lord called Samuel a third time. So he got up and went to Eli and said, “Here I am, for you called me!” Eli then realized that it was the Lord who was calling the boy. 3:9 So Eli said to Samuel, “Go back and lie down. When he calls you, say, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” So Samuel went back and lay down in his place.
3:10 Then the Lord came and stood nearby, calling as he had previously done, “Samuel! Samuel!” Samuel replied, “Speak, for your servant is listening!” 3:11 The Lord said to Samuel, “Look! I am about to do something in Israel; when anyone hears about it, both of his ears will tingle. 3:12 On that day I will carry out against Eli everything that I spoke about his house—from start to finish! 3:13 You should tell him that I am about to judge his house forever because of the sin that he knew about. For his sons were cursing God, and he did not rebuke them. 3:14 Therefore I swore an oath to the house of Eli, ‘The sin of the house of Eli can never be forgiven by sacrifice or by grain offering.’ ”
We know from the recounting, Samuel heard an “audible voice” of God speaking to him. Since, he had not been instructed nor heard from the Lord previously he assumed the voice was Eli’s and went to inquire. Finally, Eli understood the Lord was speaking to Samuel and instructed him to reply to the Lord – “Speak, for your servant is listening!” We are not given to understand whether Samuel also saw the Lord, as in a vision, or simply heard an audible voice.
Although the Holy Spirit was not poured out on all flesh during the Old Testament period, it was given to individual Prophets in great measure and Samuel was certainly one of these. Since most of us are not called as Prophets, our hearing from the Lord is generally quite different than that experienced by Samuel, but still very powerful.
I usually hear from God in one of three very different ways. From the most often to the least in my own experience –
Quickening of the Word – While reading scripture, hearing the lyrics to a spiritual song based on the Word of God or reading a study about God. The Words seem to “come alive” with a new and deeper meaning.
Holy Spirit moves the Words from my head to my heart. They are no longer simply intellectually understood, they become “part of me” or experientially my own with shadows and nuances or colors of meaning I had not previously grasped.
The Still Small Voice of Holy Spirit – In these instances, a new awareness comes fully formed with understanding which I had previously not considered or understood in this way. The “Word” seems to appear from in my mind and heart from nowhere and is profound. It is very clear, unquestionably not from my own mind or thinking and without ambiguity.
Oftentimes, the Still Small Voice I hear is upon first waking before my own thoughts reach the clamor stage while my Spirit is still at rest. Many times, these are what I term “Flash Visions”. I have found them to be remarkably complete and often I am able to see and understand the entire subject in mere moments with pictures and color illustrations. The Blog Post entitled The River of Life is an example. Although extremely detailed, this came upon waking and was fully understood in what felt like mere seconds.
At other times the Creation itself, animals, trees, flowers or even weather calls something to my attention I had not considered previously. In these cases, typically the revelation is slower in forming with the understanding more gradually being revealed to me and linked to the Word of God. The “trigger” seems to serve as a springboard to either recall an event or see it in a new light.
The Voice of the Lord – A voice, though not audible, speaks to my mind and understanding and is concise, to the point and absolutely clear. This “voice” comes as speech understood by my mind, rather than the “knowing” of Holy Spirit given awareness. These are typically brief, succinct and with no back and forth conversation, so to speak.
In no way is this meant to be a complete listing or categorization of how God speaks to everyone. Each individual is unique in our make-up and our gifting. Many have dreams, others have detailed “open visions” where they see the things of the spirit rather than the natural world while even others experience “closed visions” where the natural world seems to recede and the vision takes precedence. In my book entitled Through the Eyes of a Child I describe my experience of the Baptism of Holy Spirit where I was given a Closed Vision offering my Father up into Heaven.
The key point is this – never seek to put God in a box and assume His communication with you and others must always be the same. Further, never assume God is not speaking, realize you are likely not listening because you’ve not been encouraged to do so or even told its possible. I assure you it is possible and, more importantly, the Lord desires to communicate with His children today just as He’s always done.
One signpost to keep in mind always and you will not be deceived. The Word of God is the final text against which all other communication must be measured. If a Word or understanding is in opposition to Scripture – you’ve misunderstood. God’s full and complete truth is revealed in Scripture. We may gain deeper understanding, but not new truth.
Holy Spirit will always point to and magnify Jesus Christ and the Revealed Word as we see it in Scripture.
One final word of caution – be certain you are seeking God alone. Fellowship and communion with Him in and through His Word should be your goal – not simply a “supernatural” experience. I have never prayed for visions, dreams, Words from God or an “experience”. I have sought God and allowed Him to choose the mechanism He deems right for me. In large measure, His preferred method of communication for me is His Word . . . and with time and experience the Still Small Voice of Holy Spirit becomes more easily recognized. Visions, Dreams and other more supernatural manifestations are solely at God’s discretion . . . and we should all expect and be grateful for He knows what we can handle and when!
Simply Seek God. . . He will find you and He will speak to you when and how He chooses! Just Listen!
Thanks for taking time for me . . .
BLESSINGS,
Sherry Driskell Griffin
P. S. If this was a Blessing to you . . . be a Blessing and pass it along!
We live in a day where technology reigns supreme. The ease with which ideas can be exchanged is a marvel to those who treasure knowledge, but what is the cost?
Information overload is a peril, selectivity in sources is imperative and discernment is necessary to sort truth from fiction and good intent from malice. Make no mistake – information has been weaponized. Words as weapons have been used by the military for centuries and it is called Propaganda. Now, propaganda has been mainstreamed as news, advertising, political jargon and social justice blackmail.
PURE WATER CREATES THE JEWEL . . . OUR LIFE!
Words are simply words, but whether for good or evil, they are powerful and we must be responsible to use them to persuade, never coerce, to build up and not tear down. Never is this more important than when we are privileged to speak the Word of God. When we speak to others on behalf of Christ we are responsible for conveying the Pure Water of the Word of God. The Word of God is the Water with which the Believer is Cleansed.
Ephesians 5:26-27 KJV (Bold and Underline Emphasis Mine)
26 That he (Jesus by His Holy Spirit) might sanctify and cleanse it(His Body – the Church)with the washing of water by the word, 27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
CLEANSING WATER OF LIFE FROM THE WORD!
Two things are important for us to take away from this passage.
First, Jesus, by His Holy Spirit, is doing the sanctifying and cleansing. Believers cannot sanctify themselves, for we are still constrained by the sinful flesh in which we live. When we come to Faith in Christ, our Spirit is Born Again – the 2nd Birth, but our flesh, our body in this world remains burdened by the sin nature. We cannot attend church enough, give enough or serve enough to sanctify ourselves for those are “works” of the flesh. They may be good, they may be uplifting and helpful to our fellow man yet they remain works. The cleansing and sanctifying of the Believer is the responsibility of the Holy Spirit and cooperating and actively participating is the part of the Believer.
HOLY SPIRIT IS THE AGENT OF TRANSFORMATION!
Secondly, Holy Spirit is making this transformation in Believers over time by Washing them with the Water of the Word. We read and study the Word in order to renew the mind and Holy Spirit makes the Word come alive so we can see and understand beyond mental ascent. By the power of the Holy Spirit, the Word is transformed from Knowledge (mental ascent) to Wisdom (the knowing of the Spirit and Heart).
How do we cooperate with Holy Spirit? We first release our hold on any unsound doctrine, denominational bias or religious theory and seek Truth – the Pure Water of the Word. We spend time in Scripture and in prayer asking for discernment, for understanding and the courage to walk in Truth.
Knowledge becomes Wisdomwhen it moves from our head to our heart. Only when the transfer occurs do we truly benefit others. We are all ministers of the gospel, our commission from Christ. We must take the responsibility to make certain the Word we convey remains as pure as humanly possible.
THERE IS PURITY AND BEAUTY IN WISDOM!
Must we wait until the sanctification process is completed and our minds have been completely renewed before we can assist others? Certainly not – for the process will never be completed on this earth. We are all a work in progress. Our primary responsibility is simply to convey the Pure Water we have been given – nothing more, nothing less. As we grow in Christ, our capacity to grow even more increases. The most learned of our scholars only possesses a thimble size portion of the knowledge of God.
The effective use of knowledge to direct another’s thinking while conveying accurate information is Persuasion. Language, when properly used, allows us to exercise the art of persuasion. We can only persuade someone to a point of view which we, ourselves have gained as wisdom from Holy Spirit.
NOT EVERYTHING IS ALWAYS AS IT SEEMS!
Manipulation is the distortion of knowledge to achieve a desired result through deceit or trickery, by the addition of untruths, the twisting of events or a faulty narrative. The knowledge of man can even skew the Word of God, this is why Jesus warned us . . .
Matthew 10:16 KJV
Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
What was Jesus telling us? Be as wise as a serpent – run and hide under a rock, if necessary or, when cornered – stand and fight. Be smart, yet conversely, do no harm to another. Let your Words be His Words. Think of the temptation in the wilderness and how Jesus’ responded to Satan’s taunting and bribery. He did not argue, he did not threaten or seek to compromise. He spoke EXACTLY the PURE WORD OF GOD and then the Son of God was quiet. He neither added to nor took away from the Word. He said it and stood on it.
NOT EVERY BATTLE IS WORTH FIGHTING!
We must always be careful when discussions near controversy. Don’t compromise, but back away! Stand firm, stand forcefully and in complete alignment with the Word. If you fail to do so, you will ignore the admonition of Mark Twain.
“Never argue with a fool, onlookers may be unable to tell the difference.”
The ability to set forth competing ideas and factually propound the strengths of your position while highlighting the weaknesses of the opposition is persuasion, not argument. In times and schools past, this was referred to as debate, in the Christian world this is known as Apologetics. Research, logic, reasoning and a persuasive presentation of one’s conclusion was a skill prized by teachers, businesses, institutions and society as a whole.
In our propaganda controlled world today, we are given a 30 second soundbite of someone else’s analysis of an event or even a 30 minute sermon outlining “what the writers intended to say.” But let’s consider, what if the analysis or even the pastor is wrong? What if you are being given an intentionally biased or inaccurate view of what was written? Have you equipped yourself to discern the difference and are you willing to make your own evaluation and stand behind it? This skill is necessary to prevail in the age of disinformation. Those who use knowledge as a weapon must serve as instruction by their example to us in what we must never become. The end does not justify the means – a distortion of facts to win a point of debate, even on behalf of Christ, is still a lie.
THE HEART OF GOD IS DISPLAYED IN HIS CREATION!
Begin to understand and see the heart of God . . . then you will be able to discern the heart of men. Is every wrong interpretation or misunderstood passage put forth by others intended to harm or mislead? Perhaps in the secular media, but not always in the church. People repeat what they have been taught and simply assume it to be true and accurate. When we present these conclusions as our own we take personal responsibility and must research it for ourselves before mindlessly repeating erroneous information. Holding fast the “denominational line” limits your growth in Christ and fails to prepare you to effectively witness. Some will have questions you will be unable to answer if the knowledge is not your own. The fear of being uninformed will limit your willingness to share and defend the faith with confidence and accuracy.
We must first state our position succinctly, then be prepared to articulate how we reached our conclusion. We can learn to artfully voice our position and be truly persuasive. God made it simple and therefore it is profound!
Know what you believe.
Know why you believe it.
Speak the Truth of the Living Word with Love.
The self-sacrificing love displayed on a Roman Cross for you and I is termed Agape Love. To Agape Love someone is to place their needs above your own. You may have been given a glib wit and ability to talk circles around others to make them look silly, even when their point is sound. Don’t misuse your ability and thereby abuse others to display your cleverness or skills. Agape love engages the heart first – then the wit and brain.
THE HEART OF PURE LOVE . . . AGAPE!
When engaging in “discussion” with others remember your heart condition is more important than your head condition. Pray for and allow Holy Spirit to create a clean heart within you, then share with your heart, rather than only with your head. Their needs above your own . . . the Pure Water of the Word of God . . . offered with . . . Agape Love!
We teach others daily whether we realize it or not. Our example must not be a lesson in those things they should never do or how they must never behave or speak to another person. Be certain your behavior, both inside and out, exalts Christ and is the attitude another would choose to emulate. Be an active listener, not a hearer only. Debaters formulate their counterpoint and reply rather than listen. You will never learn actual truth if the only thoughts you hear are your own. Listen with an intent to hear when someone is speaking . . . really hear what they are saying!
Never be reluctant to read, study or consider an alternative point of view, for this is how you learn. You trust Jesus with your Salvation, trust Him, by the Holy Spirit to protect you from error when you are earnestly seeking truth. I have learned much from the wrong interpretations of others. Fear of error can be paralyzing. Pray specifically and Trust Christ and His Holy Spirit to guide, instruct and keep youin truth. Let the Holy Spirit whisper Truth into your heart as a gentle breeze.
THE WHISPER OF TRUTH . . . HOLY SPIRIT!
The “voice” of Holy Spirit is not audible, but a quiet assurance and peace within or a hesitation when you “sense” something isn’t quite right in what you see or hear. This is often referred to as a “check in your spirit”, a caution, an awareness to be alert for error. A Word or phrase may simply pop into your mind and, initially, you might think the thought is your own. Pause and consider, for often, it is the “voice” of Holy Spirit. The more you listen for His leading, the more certain you will become of His direction and presence.
The day you determine you have “arrived” and have The Word of God all figured out with complete doctrinal clarity is the day you cease to grow. Not only do you become tedious and uninteresting, you are a danger to yourself and others. Knowledge without Wisdom is lethal. A teacher, pastor or any man’s theory about God, even your own, is only borrowed until it becomes Wisdom. The truth or falsity of it will never reach your heart and doesn’t truly belong to you until you study the Scripture for yourself by the power of Holy Spirit.
THE SUFFERING SERVANT . . . WHO RETURNS AS KING OF KINGS!
To successfully defend the faith we must first define the gospel. Then we are able to internalize, personalize and join our hearts and minds to His truth by the power of His Spirit. The most important Truth – the Source of Living Water is the 3 points defined by Paul to the Corinthians. It is these 3 points which explain, define and confirm the Gospel of Jesus Christ. What must we believe in order to be saved?
1 Corinthians 15:1-4 KJV – (Bold, Underline and Parenthesis Mine)
1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. 3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that (1)Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 And that (2) he was buried, and that (3) he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
This is the first and most important tool in your toolbox for without the gospel men perish. Every other issue in scripture is important and yet peripheral to this simple, yet profound premise. When one is able to say – I Trust in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ for my salvation – It is Finished! This is the Wisdom of the Ages, the Pure Water of the Living God.
PURE WATER . . FROM THE WORD OF GOD!
As we learn the old and valuableskills of persuasion, let us continue to wash ourselves in the Water of the Word with a heart of love and concern for our Brothers and Sisters In Christ. We can be Trustworthy to handle the Pure Word by entering into the heart of Christ with a mind renewed by the power of the Holy Spirit. Then and only then are we able to grow in the Knowledge and Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and contribute by serving God’s people.
Thanks for taking time for me . . .
BLESSINGS,
Sherry Driskell Griffin
P. S. If this was a Blessing to you . . . be a Blessing and pass it along!
What Is A Rapture Watcher? A Rapture Watcher studies all the Signs on the Earth and In the Sky while listening to Holy Spirit, ready to warn the people of God to be prepared for the Imminent Arrival of Jesus Christ for His Church. This event is most commonly called The Rapture!
THE CROWN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
We are commanded in Scripture to Watch for Jesus’ return. This does not relieve us of the responsibility to occupy until He comes and spread the gospel. There is a Crown of Righteousness, a reward, for those who “love His appearing.”
2 Timothy 4:8 KJV – (Bold Emphasis Mine)
Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
Let us pray we are found worthy to receive the Crown of Righteousness given to all those who long for His Coming and Welcome His appearing.
AUTHORITY OF THE WATCHMEN
What is a Watchmen? The Watchmen is the sentry, the soldier standing guard to warn of impending events and danger from either the physical or supernatural worlds.
The Watchmen of ancient times were posted on the walls of the city to alert the inhabitants of anything approaching. Their job was to sound the alarm, not to determine what the approach signaled. The same cloud of dust on the horizon might announce an approaching caravan with its welcome goods or a menacing Army’s advance. The roiling cloud could just as easily be a dust storm. The responsibility of the Watchmen was to alert the camp of unusual activity. The penalty for failure to fulfill their responsibility was loss of their own life. The Watchmen could neither hasten the caravan, slow the enemy or stop the dust storm – their responsibility was to sound the alert . . . so the camp could make itself ready!
WATCH! REPORT! ASSESS! WARN!
Not all Watchmen see the same horizon – their strategic placement on the Wall affords each sentry a different vantage point. Only when all reports are viewed together, prayed through and discerned does a clearer picture emerge of what the camp might be facing. Yet with all the strategy and knowledge combined, what the camp is facing remains shrouded in mystery until the event occurs. The position of the Watchmen, both then and now, comes with great responsibility.
Ezekiel 33:6 ESV – (Bold and Underline Emphasis Mine)
But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, so that the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any one of them, that person is taken away in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at the watchman’s hand.
Isaiah 62:6 ESV – (Bold and Underline Emphasis Mine)
On your walls, O Jerusalem,I have set watchmen; all the day and all the night they shall never be silent.
Watchmen must be aware of both realms, the Visual (physical) and the Supernatural (spiritual or the unseen). Oftentimes, the duties combine in one individual, but not always. One sees physical signs on the earth & in the skies, while another sees the face and heart of God for His warning – the supernatural. Some Watchmen, hear the Word of the Lord by the Spirit and alert the people of warnings and admonitions from Father God. Other Watchmen are called to observe the human realm, the tactics of the enemy and the physical signs manifesting in the natural world. Their personal life and training has fitted them perfectly for the job assignment they have been given by Father God. “Before they were formed in their Mother’s womb He knew” . . . they were gifted by the Creator . . . for such a time as this!
Ezekiel 3:17-19 ESV – (Bold and Underline Emphasis Mine)
“Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me.
Every Believer is commanded in Scripture to Watch for the Return of Christ to “Catch Away” His Body, the Church. Some Believers are given the specific job assignment and burden as a Watchman by Holy Spirit. Some Watchmen have been given the gift of Prophecy, others the ability to discern the signs, while still others the gift of intercession to seek the face of the Lord in prayer for counsel to His people.
Amos 3:7 ESV – (Bold and Underline Emphasis Mine)
“For the Lord God does nothingwithout revealing his secretto his servants the prophets.
Paul was entrusted with the Mystery of The Rapture, the Harpazo, the Catching Away of the Church and many others. He instructed us, by the power of Holy Spirit, to Watch!Jesus Himself instructed Paul . . . and all Believers by extension . . . to Watch!
1 Thessalonians 5:4-6 KJV – (Bold and Underline Emphasis Mine)
4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. 5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. 6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
Luke details Jesus’ instructions to Watch and Pray to Escape the things which will come to pass! Pretribulation Believers have been rightly charged with desiring to escape the hard times of the Day of the Lord. Yes, we plead guilty and are commanded to do so. We want to escape the things which are coming on this world, the Day of the Lord – The Tribulation – the Wrath of God and the Lamb known as Jacob’s Trouble. This is not the period of the Body of Christ’ Trouble, but Jacob’s (Israel’s) Trouble.
Make no mistake I do not want to be here for the most horrific time in recorded history and neither do you. Jesus warned His Body to Watch and Pray for this escape, He doesn’t want us here either! How are we accounted worthy? In Christ . . . our Overcomer . . . the Head of the Body of Christ!
Luke 21:34-36 KJV – (Bold and Underline Emphasis Mine)
34And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.35For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
JACOB’S TROUBLE . . . THE WRATH OF GOD!
CHRISTIANS TOO OFTEN ATTACK THEIR OWN
Watchmen have been given a scriptural mandate. God calls them to do what they do. The worldly Church of Laodicea will denigrate their efforts, challenge their authority and seek to silence them. Many do not want to look at the truth of the soon return of Christ, for they are very comfortable living in Satan’s world. Comfortable in Satan’s world is a very dangerous place to be spiritually!
GOD FORETOLD THE MOCKERS AND SCOFFERS!
2 PETER 3:3-6 ESV – (Bold and Underline Emphasis Mine)
3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, 4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.5For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: 6 Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:
Do not place yourself in position to fulfill prophecy by being aScoffer and Mocker. Jesus will return for the Church, just as He promised, despite every protest being made to the contrary. When Watchers, who have dared to step out in faith at the risk of personal ridicule, warn . . . they free themselves from the blood guilt of those who fail to listen. The Watchmen’s hands will be clean as they stand before the BEMA. Can you say the same? Look Up . . . Warn . . . Show others the Way to Christ . . . His return is Nigh!
STUDY TO SHOW THYSELF APPROVED
I have not made videos, charts or taught prophecy seminars about any of the ever-increasing signs of the soon return of Jesus. I, like many of you, have been privileged to sit in the “cheap seats” and benefit from the work of others. I did not stake my personal and professional reputation on a heart-felt belief the revelation given was from God. However, many honorable men and women did. Did they get everything right? Absolutely not. HOWEVER, their admonitions and efforts caused me to seek the face of God, to study and learn more about scripture than ever before and I will be forever indebted to themfor their courage and their work.
THE WORD OF GOD . . . THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT!
I have diligently studied Scripture for years and was forced to dig deeper, look harder and question the dogma of man I had been taught my entire life. I am a better person, a better Christian and more prepared to stand before Jesus by the Watchmen’s efforts. We have never seen this time in the Plan of God before with Signs screaming from the Land, Sea, Air above us and the Heavens!
Many who chastised the Watchmen were deeply involved in comments sections on the watchmen videos and blogs – encouraging and agreeing – while they looked forward excitedly to what they, too, believed could occur at any moment. Yet, when the Event did not occur as they had hoped, prayed and believed, they turned viciously on those with whom they had only moments before collaborated and been in agreement. This is shameful behavior which I pray will never be repeated again.
Good men and women, with a heart for their Savior may reach different conclusions, but all should be lauded for seeking to understand more clearly the Signs of the Times.
ANCIENT MIRRORS OFFERED DIM, OBSCURE REFLECTIONS OF REALITY!
1 Corinthians 13:12-13 ESV –(Bold and Underline Emphasis Mine)
12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.13 So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
We live and Watch in the NOW, where we see in a mirror dimly. Only in Hindsight, after the event has occurred, will we know fully as we are known and there will be no need to Watch! Let your heart, prayers and admonitions to those who are watching be anchored in generosity, forbearance and LOVE! Do we disagree if we see error? Certainly. How do we do it? Privately – with Love!
Thank you to the Watchmen who woke many to the Lord’s soon return. I am honored to stand with you as you seek to assemble the puzzle pieces of prophecy, realizing we all have feet made of clay. I pray we all learn from our mistakes, seek the Lord more diligently and attempt even more carefully to Rightly Divide the Scriptures.
2 Timothy 2:15 KJV – (Bold Emphasis Mine)
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
THE WATCHMEN OF THE CHURCH AGE
Those of us who have been watching with eager anticipation for the past 6-7 years and longer have seen the ever-increasing number of signs pointing to the imminent return of Christ. As exhilarating and soul nourishing as the signs have been, there is also a tendency, if one’s focus is only on The Rapture, to become weary, disenchanted and frustrated.
THE PEACE THAT PASSETH ALL UNDERSTANDING . . . INNER PEACE . . . SHALOM!
Holy Spirit has led me to an approach which has given me great Inner Peace . . . what the Scripture describes in Hebrew as Shalom. This Peace I now experience confirms the source is Holy Spirit. I watch as eagerly as before, yet with the realization, the upcoming “high watch” date may be either a Sign or the Event. It is unnecessary for me to know or speculate which it might be. Paul did not say to decide, he said we are to “Watch” and “Alert” others who may be unaware.
IN THE MEANTIME
The Word in my Spirit is to focus on spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ. The signs point only to Christ and His soon return. Be Ready and tell others . . . receive the Blood of Christ as payment for your sins by Believing in His Birth, Death, Burial and Resurrection!
THE CROSS IS EMPTY . . . HE IS RISEN INDEED!
There is no time remaining to bring strife and “argue for your pet doctrine or theory“. Everything is important . . . but none more so than Jesus and Salvation.
If you see those whom you believe are in error, state your points succinctly, with love. If you are led by Holy Spirit to confront the person directly, do so privately – go to them and attempt to understand what they are seeing and explain your viewpoint. If they do not heed your warning, pray for them, do not seek to harm or disparage. If the issue does not directly affect Salvation or could cause unbelievers to become confused or run from the strife – let it go! You’ve spoken or written your disagreement in love, now Walk Away . . . Praying!
Scripture tells us to be Salt to flavor the Body of Christ and Light to shine forth the Truth to the World . . . devastation and destruction is coming and it is our mandate to warn and point the way for our Brothers and Sisters . . . toone person only – Christ!
Matthew 5:13-14 ESV – (Bold and Underline Emphasis Mine)
13 “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.
Pick up your Sword, the Scriptures, and join with us to alert the world of the soon return of Jesus Christ for His Body, the Church.
We are in The End Times . . . Christ’ Return for His Body is Near . . . Read . . . Pass It Along . . . Watch . . . Spread the Word!
Thanks for taking time for me . . .
BLESSINGS,
Sherry Driskell Griffin
P. S. If this was a Blessing to you . . . be a Blessing and pass it along!
We know from the recounting, Samuel heard an “audible voice” of God speaking to him. Since, he had not been instructed nor heard from the Lord previously he assumed the voice was Eli’s and went to inquire. Finally, Eli understood the Lord was speaking to Samuel and instructed him to reply to the Lord – “Speak, for your servant is listening!” We are not given to understand whether Samuel also saw the Lord, as in a vision, or simply heard an audible voice. 
The key point is this – never seek to put God in a box and assume His communication with you and others must always be the same. Further, never assume God is not speaking, realize you are likely not listening because you’ve not been encouraged to do so or even told its possible. I assure you it is possible and, more importantly, the Lord desires to communicate with His children today just as He’s always done.
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