Moses said, “But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it.” (Deuteronomy 30:14 (KJV)

Apostle Paul said, “But what does it say? ” THE WORD IS NEAR YOU, in your mouth and in your heart”– that is, the word of faith which we are preaching,” (Romans 10:8 (KJV, NASB) 

“As early as 150 years after the birth of Yeshua, Justin Martyr wrote to Trypho the Jew, telling him, “You can be a Jew or a Christian, but you can’t be both.” Page 198 A Rabbi looks at the Last Days, by Jonathan Bernis, Chosen books a division of Baker Publishing. 

I know many of you (not all) do not believe Jesus (the Jew) was the Messiah. Of all you may have read about Jesus, was He one to call for extermination? No just the opposite. In history, you have been exterminated by those filled with hatred. They claimed to be Christians but we now know it was a manipulating political scam to involve the citizens who did “call themselves” Christians. We know now, sheep are easily led. They chose a new shepherd, forsaking Christ. Never-the-less, “the final solution” became policy, to exterminate all Jews. This was not Christ. It is ironic that Jesus brought the true “Final Solution” that it would save us and exterminate the bad guys and it began by allowing Himself to be “exterminated.” In some ways a shadow of you in the future, like sheep, the Jewish people “allowed” themselves to be exterminated, UNDER DURESS of course.

You gave us King David, he gave us Mary (the mother of Jesus) Mary gave us Jesus, He dies a silent Lamb, for mankind, for the Jew first then the gentiles. WWII, much of the world identifies with Jesus but by an anti-Christ spirit Jewish people are sacrificed. The world rises up against their murderers, and God’s final prophetic piece is in place. The creation of the State of Israel, the ONE THING that had to happen for the world to eventually see the actual coming of the Messiah, the reason behind why her enemies reject her existence and right to exist. It was written. It will be. More was written.

Because some of you and your ancient relatives have rejected Christ, your knowledge of Him is limited. He is rejected out-right. This in the hearts of your people makes the misunderstanding of Him possible. Many Christians have honored you and compelled our nation to support Israel for biblical as well as strategic reasons. We are not stupid. We want God’s blessing. Only in recent years have anti-Christ policies been allowed in America. Democracy has its weak points. This saddens followers of Christ but it is a SIGN that we must admit to as we ready ourselves for a time worse than the holocaust. It has been foretold by the prophets as well as by Christ. It will happen. It is happening. That is what this book is about. It is a direct appeal to you our beloved fellow believers in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

It is written, your Messiah will live (be enthroned) forever. What human can live forever? Forever is offered to us ONLY under the covering of a resurrected life. The temporary (living) status of Jesus of Nazareth was intended to instruct us toward our goal of resurrected life and to satisfy the Mosaic Law for sin, all types of sin.

Jesus, the Jew, showed us enduring love, the character of the kingdom of God, and the mercy hidden in the Law, that a substitute (for us) was acceptable and after that God would reciprocate based on what WE did, as WE were taught. Reconciliation by grace and forgiveness was, to Him, of paramount importance as you even recognize today in your feasts and honored days.

Jesus did not change the Law. He submitted to it in our place and focused us on the encompassing two points of the Law, simplifying our goal so we could actually achieve it. Love God and love your neighbor as your self. He quotes Moses.

As God’s ultimate goal, His resurrection empowered and gave total credibility to His message. Centuries later, my Jewish friends, Daniel the Prophet is opening his book. Will insight bring everlasting life? See chapter 12.

Have only we gentiles been allowed to find what only God can reveal? May it never be! Not to exalt ourselves but to exalt His grace, we have found a way to face a near future, a future God has ordained, so as to have an eternal future God has created for His own. It is distressing but there is truth behind the truth. The proof and credibility of our revelation in Christ, is love! Your Judeo-Christian brothers love you and your nation Israel. The anti-Christ movements hate Israel. Do you really want to identify with them? In fact, Israel, your time has come! You have had your season of wandering in the desert of belief versus unbelief. Definite and prophetic threats are at your doorstep. Your Jewish Messiah has asked “Will I find faith in the earth when I return.” (Luke 18:8 KJV) He (a Jew) was standing in your nation when He asked that. What is written? “To the Jews first….”

God has fought for you before and is willing to do so again. This time the Messiah you were looking for is returning to rescue His own; the Jews who seek and find Him ahead of time and the rest of us also. You can not allow the darkness to distract you from God’s exit strategy. Run to the call of the Shofar!  Eternal life and the millennium wait for those who stand firm and see the glory of God.

If the Messiah were called a “Heavenite” would you not then call yourselves “Heavenites?” and no longer Jews?  Would that eradicate your heritage? No. It would simply point to your association with the Messiah. Justin Martyr was wrong. You were meant to be both associated with the Messiah and your heritage.

The coming times will demand our understanding. Preparing ourselves and others now is paramount.

This post, is a quote from chapter 8.1 of Exit Strategy We initiate the return of Christ.

In the guardianship of Christ,

Michael

    Exit Strategy

   We initiate the return of Christ!  (The E-book)

Barnes and Noble, Amazon Kindle, Kobo, many others and around the world. $2.99

I mentioned in a previous post, an appeal I made to God because I needed encouragement.

He directed me to the story of Gideon in Judges 6 by asking me, “What was Gideon doing when the angel of the Lord came to him?”

Frankly I did not recall. I looked it up.

Judges 6:11 (KJV)
“And there came an angel of the LORD, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites.”

Gideon was trying to hide the harvested wheat from the Midianites. Threshing it in the wine press is another point.

I realized my encouragement and calling was to guard the harvested wheat by hiding it from the enemies of our souls. If you have asked Jesus to be Lord and Savior, you have become the wheat. Gideon knew the wheat could still be captured by the enemy. Jesus knows the same thing and declares how they will be captured.

“Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold. ¹³  “But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.” Matthew 24:12-13 (NASB)

Our defense is in maintaining the enduring love Christ has sown into our hearts and watered by His Word of instruction and encouragement. He has shown us the Way. Will we walk in it?

There is no doubt as things unfold we will feel as though we are being threshed like wheat, tossed into the air of circumstances. It is so, that the chaff of our lives can be blown away, so that that which can be shaken from our hearts will be. It is so the goodness of our selves will remain; that which He has made possible, that which He is the author of, that which is Him as it has become firmly us.

The winepress speaks to where our ability to hide from all the attacks of the enemy originates. The Garden of Gethsemane was the winepress for Jesus. Everything about His existence as the Son of Man that could be shaken, was blown away in His words to Father God.

”O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.” Matthew 26:39 (KJV)

Our spirit man and our soul is what must be protected. Our flesh will not inherit the kingdom of God. Submitting to God’s will is our defense and our hiding place. Jesus showed us the Way to His protection. Yes, His Way will shake us as we discipline ourselves to walk as He walked. As He points to it, we must let the wind of the Holy Spirit blow the chaff away. If we do not let go of those things, we will be blown away with the chaff. The chaff will act like a sail, carrying us off to the fire.

Our being shaken will also shake others!

As we exhibit the disciplines of the Lord others will see that it is possible for them to also. This will be us leading others into a righteousness (see Daniel 12) that many of us as simple believers have not achieved and yet are called to achieve. Following Him and everything that means, is what is required of us.

Recently the Lord has instructed me to get under my Tallit (Prayer shawl) first thing in the morning, read scripture and pray for a minimum of 15 minutes each. No phones no distractions. I ask Him where He would like me to read?

Today it was Zephaniah, a book I seldom read.

^“ Gather yourselves together, yes, gather, O nation without shame,
²  Before the decree takes effect— The day passes like the chaff— Before the burning anger of the LORD comes upon you, Before the day of the LORD’S anger comes upon you.
³  Seek the LORD, All you humble of the earth Who have carried out His ordinances; Seek righteousness, seek humility. Perhaps you will be hidden In the day of the LORD’S anger.”             Zephaniah 2:1-3 (NASB) 

Before you say to yourself “That’s Old Testament,” let me ask you this, “Have you seen this happen yet or is it yet to happen?

“Neither their silver nor their gold Will be able to deliver them On the day of the LORD’S wrath; And all the earth will be devoured In the fire of His jealousy, For He will make a complete end, Indeed a terrifying one, Of all the inhabitants of the earth.” Zephaniah 1:18 (NASB)

Wait a minute Michael, you said we might be hidden?” Yes, He did say that, after.

“Seek the LORD, All you humble of the earth Who have carried out His ordinances; Seek righteousness, seek humility. Perhaps you will be hidden In the day of the LORD’S anger.

Zephaniah 2:3 (NASB) 

The ordinances in our day are the Ways of the Lord. The righteousness we recognize is that which He taught us to walk in. Humbling ourselves is a prerequisite if we ever expect to walk in it, to be threshed ( or thrashed) if necessary and to become hidden from our enemy in the winepress of God’s love for us.

In the guardianship of Christ,

Michael

    Exit Strategy

   We initiate the return of Christ!  (The E-book)

Barnes and Noble, Amazon Kindle, Kobo, many others and around the world. $2.99

Through the abundance of grace I have needed and received, I have come to believe that the gift of righteousness is God’s real instrument of change. I was forgiven but forgiveness was just the beginning, forgiveness did not change me. Forgiveness put me in touch with Righteousness. Forgiveness, made it possible for me to change.

“…much more, those who receive the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness, they shall reign in life through Christ Jesus.”  (Romans 5:17 NAS)

Righteousness is the hyper-positive power of God. He is the Creator of the Universe. If He says you are…then you are!  If I immerse myself in His loving descriptive words of righteousness, I will become what He says. As I become what He says, I am no longer what I was. His Word is becoming flesh, as I am becoming His Word!

The Lord spoke to my heart several years ago, while in Pskov, Russia on a mission (teaching) trip. It was cold and snowing. We all had settled in for the night, going to our rooms early because we got up at 5:30 AM to go teach in the Bible College. To me, our early evening retreat meant “Word time.”

I really wanted to serve something fresh in a sermon I was going to preach the next Sunday, at a distant satellite church. Alexe’, the young pastor, was a previous graduate of the college where we were teaching. The service was to be held in their church. How cool. It was a former missile factory. Church was in the (Communist) political auditorium!

This particular night, as I sought inspiration, the Lord took me back to Romans 5:17, a favorite verse of mine. The core of the verse says, “much more those who receive the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness shall reign in life through Christ Jesus.”  I paused for a moment, God was getting my attention.

A realization came to me. Success in life and in eternity is dependent upon receiving BOTH the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness. I know what you are thinking. I was too. “We all receive His righteousness.” Do we or is it a separate item on God’s agenda? It is separate in the verse. It was only a moment later, as I contemplated this dual approach, that God spoke to my heart and said something very simple but to me profound. He said, “You are saved by grace but you are changed by the gift of righteousness.” Another thought came. “…those who receive…(will let)…the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness REIGN in life through Christ Jesus.”

Addressing the first inspiration I thought, many confessing Christians never seem to get far in the changing of their lives. They continue in struggles that are tied to their old man, they are not changing the way they had hoped they would, the way they were told they would. With sincere determination they go to church, believing for something to change, but with little or less than apparent results. The second thought explained why.

In that distant wonderful place, in the cold of night, with the windows frosted over and the wind whispering a high C through the cracks in the 1950’s wooden window frame, I was ensconced in an old armchair, my used and abused bible in my lap. I was joined by Catherine the Great, as she looked down from her picture on the wall. Maybe she was there to observe this pilgrim, a stranger in a strange land. Along with her kind but reserved gaze, I was warmed by the soft yellowish red glow of the simple shaded lamp by my side, but that was not all that warmed me.

That night, His presence by distraction or miracle had robbed the dark, blustery, cold and snowy Russian winter of its chill, warming my heart by the grace of His inspiration.

Understanding had come to me. God had answered my prayer. It was His wisdom that, when shared with His anointing, would offer amazing opportunity for change to many Followers.

“…much more those who receive…”

It now seemed clear to me why Christians all over the world were not changing, why some were to varying extent and why some were not at all. Many had only received grace, one half of what was required for their lives to truly change and that grace only on a limited scale. Neither grace nor righteousness were reigning in their lives…or mine?

We read “You are saved by grace through faith…” (Ephesians 2:8 NAS) Paul makes no mention of righteousness? Could it be because grace must have its way with us first, that righteousness comes as a result of grace?

“That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 5:21 NAS) In many cases we have received grace but we have not granted grace, creating the problem of unrighteousness, fearfully common but unrealized by many of us.

We receive what we give. The Beatitudes, given at the Sermon on the Mount, confirm this in Matthew 5 and Luke 6. Knowing this, God plants the seed of grace freely, in reconciling forgiveness, with the intent that we will grant it freely, thereby bearing fruit, presenting His Way to others.

Consider this. “For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him.” (Matthew 13:23 NAS)  Now we can understand this verse in light of grace. God, the Master, expects a return on His investment, even more, a duplication of His Son! For the grace He entrusted to us, He expects us to multiply it to many, many others, planting the seed of grace in their hearts with the hope of resulting righteousness, saving them as He saved us. In return we never lack grace abundant! Our salvation is sure by this Way.

We want to go to heaven but we do not understand the nature and the power of the gifts of Grace and Righteousness here in this life. Here prepares us for there! We were to have received both and they were to reign in our lives abundantly!

Do they reign?

As a Follower of Christ,  please share this. The coming times will demand our understanding. Preparing ourselves and others now is paramount.

This post, is a quote from chapter 7.1 of Exit Strategy We initiate the return of Christ.

In the guardianship of Christ,

Michael

    Exit Strategy

   We initiate the return of Christ!  (The E-book)

Barnes and Noble, Amazon Kindle, Kobo, many others and around the world. $2.99

Like anyone, Christians, caught up in and clinging to offenses, are looking back. Christ warned us about that. Offenses are always in the past. The second after they happen, they are behind us. God’s understanding is meant to put them behind us, with no regard for them any longer. The power to do that is in grace reigning over the situation. Looking back renders us unfit for the kingdom of God. “…but Jesus said to him, “No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:62 NAS)

Distracted in the offense, in our need to verbalize our (negative) observations, we are backing up to the edge of a chasm, forgetting who we are supposed to be, who we claimed to be. We MUST turn around in our understanding, before we plunge headlong into the bottomless crevasse of lost love, an icy dead love, void of endurance, seething with offense and a self defined righteousness that rationalizes our ungodly thoughts, words and actions. Like a hell-bound “express” train, the words of our mouth are laying down rails. They are setting the course of our lives. “And the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell.”  (James 3:6 NAS)

This can happen to any unprepared human but Christ has given His friends a warning and a defense. If we learn from history, we remember what God said to Cain. “Sin is crouching at your door seeking to devour you but you must master it.” It is as much up to us, as it was to Cain. We know how Cain and mankind, the seed of his impaired judgment, ended up going for a swim!

We must endure this outrageous world by dismissing it with compassion and pity, praying for “them” from a heart of sorrowful remorse, recognizing their plight. When we hear their anger subside and their anguished cries for help begin, we will understand. We must appeal to God, as those also once astray, asking Him for their forgiveness because of their ignorance. This will be the enduring sacred heart of a kingdom citizen.

As a kingdom citizen please share this.

The coming times will demand our understanding. Preparing ourselves and others now is paramount.

This post, is a quote from chapter 5.3 of Exit Strategy We initiate the return of Christ.

In the guardianship of Christ,

Michael

    Exit Strategy

   We initiate the return of Christ!  (The E-book)

Barnes and Noble, Amazon Kindle, Kobo, many others and around the world. $2.99

This is a statement describing Jesus.

“YOU HAVE LOVED RIGHTEOUSNESS AND HATED LAWLESSNESS; THEREFORE GOD, YOUR GOD, HAS ANOINTED YOU WITH THE OIL OF GLADNESS ABOVE YOUR COMPANIONS.”  Hebrews 1:9 (NASB)

It actually begins this way.
”But of the Son He says, “YOUR THRONE, O GOD, IS FOREVER AND EVER, AND THE RIGHTEOUS SCEPTER IS THE SCEPTER OF HIS KINGDOM.” Hebrews 1:8 (NASB)

I have a simple question. What is the opposite of lawlessness?

Could it be lawfulness?

What law? So many believe we are not under the Law. How about the Law of the Spirit of Life as Paul referred to in Romans 8:2. “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.” Here we see one law superseding another as it “saves us” by its content. We just have to learn and apply its content.

Jesus the Christ hates lawlessness and God anointed Him because of it.

Is it acceptable to equate lawfulness with righteousness? The Word is pointing to that as that conclusion is expressed (under the anointing of the Holy Spirit) by the writer.

The Word compares the two, righteousness and lawlessness as choices that can and will be made, commending Jesus for choosing wisely. The phrase could easily have said “You have loved lawfulness and hated lawlessness.” So why didn’t it?

Does loving “righteousness” sound better than “You kept the law?” Does it sound more achievable? Do love and righteousness walk together?

Consider this. God used the term “Righteous” because it defines the kingdom. “THE RIGHTEOUS SCEPTER IS THE SCEPTER OF HIS KINGDOM.” The Scepter is the emblem of authority held by the King. As the king wields the authority given Him, He is to and will do so in righteousness with a resulting joy in His kingdom.

“When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan.” Proverbs 29:2 (NKJV)

If we expect to enter eternal life, to rule and reign with Jesus, then our righteousness is our absolute goal. We however, if walking in lawlessness, lawlessness by opposition to, by blatant rejection of, a teaching or the teachings, the righteous teachings of Jesus, teachings from the Father directly, we foretell our own eternal demise. There will be no lawlessness in heaven. No anger. No unforgiveness. Why? They all equal lawlessness or unrighteousness.

Conclusion: There are laws to follow now. They are depicted in the teachings of Christ and His disciples. Jesus refers to them as commands.
“If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.”  John 14:15 (NASB)

After all, He is a (the) King. He has a kingdom. We are expecting to live there. Jesus is telling us how that can be possible. He is not suggesting how. He has told us the Way. It is up to us to choose. Our possibilities begin with our grace driven reconciliation to God through the death of His Son. Because we asked Jesus to be Lord, once reconciled, we have a responsibility to be obedient to Christ and His commandments. John 3:36 NKJV or NASB, Romans 5:10 NKJV, NASB

“Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things [that which He taught and showed us] , you will never stumble; ¹¹  for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you.” [Future tense] 2 Peter 1:2-11 (NASB) [*] added for clarity. [A quote from my last post Peter, Paul, amen, joy.]

Here is the reward, while still here, if we fervently choose to embrace righteousness His Way. Our old self dies off and YOUR GOD HAS ANOINTED YOU WITH THE OIL OF GLADNESS above your companions.”

Gladness sounds great! “… above your companions?”  It sounds like a good reason for them to look up! They will look up to you and you will faithfully point them to the One who taught you righteousness.

We are under law. The first was satisfied so that the second could be established. If you still question this then answer this question.

Can anyone come to God except through Jesus? If there ever was a law, that is one for sure. The One who rules and reigns forever LOVES righteousness and HATES lawlessness.

All that is required of you is that you put your heart in it. The heart reborn, that has been given all things pertaining to life and Godliness.

“… seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge [what He taught and showed us] of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.” 2 Peter 1:3 (NASB)

Imagine the Lord’s disappointment when we have it but do not apply it. He loves us.

The coming times demand our understanding. Preparing now is paramount.

In the guardianship of Christ,

Michael

    Exit Strategy

   We initiate the return of Christ!  (The E-book)

Barnes and Noble, Amazon Kindle, Kobo, many others and around the world. $ 2.99