Standing in support of Israel, Jews, and believers in all the nations, in the name of Jesus (Yeshua). Sharing biblical truth, encouragement, news and prophecy.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Rabbi Jonathan Bernis Conference - Jewish Voice Ministries
Volunteers - Steve & Laurie Martin, Indira & Edgar Persad
Jewsih Voice Ministries' "A Rabbi Looks at the Last Days"
- Indian Land, SC June 18, 2011
Conference booklet
Israel & Angela Smith - worship leaders
of Jewish Voice Ministries
Jonathan Bernis - President, Jewish Voice Ministries
Jonathan Bernis and Walid Shoebat
Walid Shoebat - author and speaker
Jonathan Bernis and Dr. Larry Bates
Friday, June 17, 2011
Ahava Love Letter - "Wait"
Dear family of friends,
This wasn’t quite what I had imagined. Was this the way it was supposed to turn out? I hadn’t thought so.
Sitting out here, hot, dry and thirsty, watching these creatures wasn’t what I had envisioned the way it would turn out. What about all those words received earlier? Why the sudden change from glory to glum? Whatever happened to the spectacular events that I had determined would be the outcome? After all, wasn’t that the way it was supposed to be?
I sat on the rock. Pondering. Wondering. Asking “what if” over and over again.
Not even a lone bird broke one streak of the summer sun beating down on this forsaken bit of earth. Seemed like this was going to be it. Not at all what I had expected. Or planned for.
As these thoughts rambled over and over again through my head, they also drifted back to what was reality just a few years ago. Second in line to the top man. Ready to use all my training to lead as I knew things should be. Prepared for the hour when everything was right for that stepping out and “do it” moment.
But it didn’t happen that way. My heart saw one thing. My eyes told another. I did what I thought was in my heart to do, and now this.
Sometimes I wonder if this was what Moses thought while sitting there, watching sheep. There isn’t much a shepherd can do out in a desert. Can you imagine, sitting there some 10-12 hours a day, day in and day out, with not much other stimuli going on around you. They must have been long, lonely days. Plenty of time to think such thoughts.
He probably kept beating himself mentally, asking where did he miss it. How did it turn out this way? What was to be seemed that it would not ever become.
What was God saying in all this? What was the purpose now, if not to be the leader of his people, the one to deliver them from their troubles? Why had he blown it, so it appeared?
Desert times are separation times. When there is nothing else that can be done, or ones to turn to for answers, we are meant to wait it out and hope for the best. We are given the opportunity to put our faith and trust into Someone beyond ourselves, our own abilities, our own understanding. We are asked to wait.
Moses didn’t know the end result of his waiting. He couldn’t imagine what the Lord was doing in his heart and spirit during this seemingly wasted time. Forty years of wasted time it looked like. He didn’t see the end result.
But as they say, our time is not His time. I am glad His time is eternity. He knows the end after the beginning.
Ahava to my family of friends,
Steve Martin
Founder/President
Love For His People, Inc. truly appreciates your generous support. Please consider sending a charitable gift to help us bless Messianic Jews in Israel. Our website http://www.loveforhispeople.com/ lists the opportunities available. You can send checks to the address below. Todah rabah! (Hebrew - Thank you very much.)
©2011 Steve Martin Love For His People, Inc. P.O. Box 470035 Charlotte, NC 28247-0035
E-mail: ahavaloveletters@gmail.com
Facebook pages: Steve Martin and Love For His People
Twitter: martinlighthous, LovingHisPeople and ahavaloveletter
Love For His People, Inc. is a charitable, not-for-profit USA organization. Fed. ID#27-1633858. Tax deductible contributions receive a receipt for each donation.
Ahava Love Letter #27 Date: June 21, in the year of our Lord 2011
"Believed (Emunah)" - Dr. Bill Duerfeldt
אמונה Emunah (pronounced: ee-moo-nah’)
One of the most quoted verses about Abraham is Genesis 15:6 – “Then he (Abraham) believed (emunah) the LORD, and it was reckoned unto him as righteousness.” The meaning of this key Scripture – that our salvation rests upon faith, apart from works – is one of the cornerstones of the Judeo-Christian faith. Indeed, Rabbi Sha’ul of Tarsus (the Apostle Paul) quoted this Scripture twice (Romans 4:3 and Galatians 3:6), and James, the brother of Yeshua, refers to it in his epistle as well (James 2:23).
It is important to note, however, that the central word in this passage – “believed” – has a slightly different connotation in Hebrew than it does in English. In English [and also in Greek (pistis)] the primary meaning of “believe” is: “to concur with a factual statement, or to agree with the truth of an idea”.
In Hebrew, the word אמונה (emunah) does mean to believe, but it carries with it a much broader implication. Let’s look at two Scriptures in the Tanakh which use the word “emunah”; Scriptures that illustrate the broader Hebrew meaning of this word. In Exodus 17 we read that Moses was required to lift his hands to assure that Israel prevailed in the battle against the Amalekites. The last sentence of verse 12 reads: “Thus his hands were “steady” until the sun set. The word “steady” in this passage of Scripture is the word “enumah”.
Likewise, the word אמונה is also used to describe one of God’s primary characteristics. In Deuteronomy 7:9 it says: “Therefore know that the LORD your God is God. He is the “faithful” God, keeping His covenant of love to a thousand generations…”. Here again, the word translated “faithful” is “emunah”.
In my opinion, one of the greatest aspersions that the “Church” has cast upon the Name and the character of God, is the doctrine of Replacement Theology. This doctrine, so rampant in the “Church” today, claims that since the majority of Jews have rejected Yeshua as the Messiah, therefore God has rejected them. In replacing the Jews, God supposedly has transferred His covenant from Israel to the “Church”. Although this doctrine is accepted and preached by the Roman Catholic Church, the Greek and Eastern Orthodox Churches, and the majority of Protestant denominations, it is totally contrary to the Scriptures in both the Tanakh and the Brit Chadeshah.
For example, God speaks of His covenant with Israel three hundred and thirteen times in the Tanakh, and in sixteen of those instances He reminds Israel that His covenant is an “everlasting covenant”! (My dictionary says “everlasting” means “continuing indefinitely; lasting forever”.) Moreover, the Apostle Paul himself asks the rhetorical question, “Has God cast away His people?” and then answers emphatically, “Certainly not!” (Romans 11:1). Second Timothy 2:13 makes the same point – “Even if we are faithless, He is faithful. He cannot deny Himself.”
Finally, consider this -- If Replacement Theology is correct, then what gives the Christian Church the assurance that God will not “change His mind” once again and cast the “Church” aside as He supposedly did to Israel? Indeed, the doctrine of Replacement Theology is such a smear on the integrity of the God of Israel, that in my mind it is tantamount to blasphemy of His Holy Name.
Of all the characteristics of God (mercy, lovingkindness, compassion, and the others) it is God’s “emunah” that, to me, stands out above the rest. “Emunah”, in the Hebraic sense, is much more than agreement to a set of facts or circumstances; more than simply a mental assent to something. It implies “steadfastness” and “faithfulness” toward the object of our belief. This is how God acts toward us, and how He wants us to act toward Him and toward others. As James points out in James 2:19 -- even Satan believes the truth about Yeshua. But mere believing will not save him. Satan believes, but he does not have emunah toward the LORD.
What God saw in Abraham, and what He is seeking in us, is not simple “belief”. What He is seeking is אמונה. He is looking for a steadfast faithfulness in us. It is a faithfulness that is not dependent upon the circumstances that confront us moment to moment, but rather a faithfulness which is grounded and anchored on the Rock of our Salvation – Yeshua HaMashiach – Jesus the Messiah.
May אמונה be found in all of us – and may God “reckon it unto us as righteousness”.
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One of the most quoted verses about Abraham is Genesis 15:6 – “Then he (Abraham) believed (emunah) the LORD, and it was reckoned unto him as righteousness.” The meaning of this key Scripture – that our salvation rests upon faith, apart from works – is one of the cornerstones of the Judeo-Christian faith. Indeed, Rabbi Sha’ul of Tarsus (the Apostle Paul) quoted this Scripture twice (Romans 4:3 and Galatians 3:6), and James, the brother of Yeshua, refers to it in his epistle as well (James 2:23).
It is important to note, however, that the central word in this passage – “believed” – has a slightly different connotation in Hebrew than it does in English. In English [and also in Greek (pistis)] the primary meaning of “believe” is: “to concur with a factual statement, or to agree with the truth of an idea”.
In Hebrew, the word אמונה (emunah) does mean to believe, but it carries with it a much broader implication. Let’s look at two Scriptures in the Tanakh which use the word “emunah”; Scriptures that illustrate the broader Hebrew meaning of this word. In Exodus 17 we read that Moses was required to lift his hands to assure that Israel prevailed in the battle against the Amalekites. The last sentence of verse 12 reads: “Thus his hands were “steady” until the sun set. The word “steady” in this passage of Scripture is the word “enumah”.
Likewise, the word אמונה is also used to describe one of God’s primary characteristics. In Deuteronomy 7:9 it says: “Therefore know that the LORD your God is God. He is the “faithful” God, keeping His covenant of love to a thousand generations…”. Here again, the word translated “faithful” is “emunah”.
In my opinion, one of the greatest aspersions that the “Church” has cast upon the Name and the character of God, is the doctrine of Replacement Theology. This doctrine, so rampant in the “Church” today, claims that since the majority of Jews have rejected Yeshua as the Messiah, therefore God has rejected them. In replacing the Jews, God supposedly has transferred His covenant from Israel to the “Church”. Although this doctrine is accepted and preached by the Roman Catholic Church, the Greek and Eastern Orthodox Churches, and the majority of Protestant denominations, it is totally contrary to the Scriptures in both the Tanakh and the Brit Chadeshah.
For example, God speaks of His covenant with Israel three hundred and thirteen times in the Tanakh, and in sixteen of those instances He reminds Israel that His covenant is an “everlasting covenant”! (My dictionary says “everlasting” means “continuing indefinitely; lasting forever”.) Moreover, the Apostle Paul himself asks the rhetorical question, “Has God cast away His people?” and then answers emphatically, “Certainly not!” (Romans 11:1). Second Timothy 2:13 makes the same point – “Even if we are faithless, He is faithful. He cannot deny Himself.”
Finally, consider this -- If Replacement Theology is correct, then what gives the Christian Church the assurance that God will not “change His mind” once again and cast the “Church” aside as He supposedly did to Israel? Indeed, the doctrine of Replacement Theology is such a smear on the integrity of the God of Israel, that in my mind it is tantamount to blasphemy of His Holy Name.
Of all the characteristics of God (mercy, lovingkindness, compassion, and the others) it is God’s “emunah” that, to me, stands out above the rest. “Emunah”, in the Hebraic sense, is much more than agreement to a set of facts or circumstances; more than simply a mental assent to something. It implies “steadfastness” and “faithfulness” toward the object of our belief. This is how God acts toward us, and how He wants us to act toward Him and toward others. As James points out in James 2:19 -- even Satan believes the truth about Yeshua. But mere believing will not save him. Satan believes, but he does not have emunah toward the LORD.
What God saw in Abraham, and what He is seeking in us, is not simple “belief”. What He is seeking is אמונה. He is looking for a steadfast faithfulness in us. It is a faithfulness that is not dependent upon the circumstances that confront us moment to moment, but rather a faithfulness which is grounded and anchored on the Rock of our Salvation – Yeshua HaMashiach – Jesus the Messiah.
May אמונה be found in all of us – and may God “reckon it unto us as righteousness”.
Dr. Bill Duerfeldt
Asheville, North Carolina
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Friday, June 3, 2011
Shavu'ot - Dr. Bill Duerfeldt
Shavu’ot
Let’s look at Leviticus 23:1-4.
“And the LORD spoke unto Moses saying, Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, These are My appointed feasts, the appointed times which you shall proclaim as holy assemblies. These are My feasts…These are the LORD’s appointed feasts, the sacred assemblies which you are to proclaim at their appointed times.”
Notice the emphasis: These are the Feasts of the Lord. These are not “Jewish Feasts”. God says: ‘These are My Feasts’.
The NAS says “These are the Lord’s appointed Times” which is a very good translation, because the Hebrew word here is “mo’a’dim” which literally means “an appointed meeting” or “an appointment”. I’m a physician. My patients made appointments to see me. When one makes an appointment with one’s doctor there are certain expectations? First, one expects the doctor to be there and secondly, the doctor expects the patient to be there too. Right? Well, these mo’a’dim are like that. Essentially God is saying: “I’m making an appointment with you. At these appointed times of the year I – God – am going to show up and I expect you to be there too.”
I’m dating myself, I know, but I’m reminded of a line in the movie “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” (1977). Richard Dreyfus, in the movie, is constantly repeating: “This is important. This means something.” My comment about these scriptures is this: This is important. This means something. We Gentile Christians have been saying: Oh, that’s Old Testament stuff; we don’t need to do that. And that’s true: we don’t “need” to. God doesn’t love us any less. But He has been faithfully showing up for His feasts for over three thousand years and we Gentiles are missing out on all the blessings and all the joy. This is important. This means something. J
Of the Feasts of Lord, three are especially important:
- Pesach (Passover);
- Shavu’ot (Pentecost);
- Succot (Tabernacles).
- These three feasts are also called “Pilgrim Feasts”, because every able-bodied Jewish male was to make a pilgrimage to
Jerusalem
This past April we celebrated Passover and Resurrection Sunday. Now we have entered the season of Shavu’ot or Pentecost.
Shavu’ot comes from the Hebrew word Sheva which means Seven, and so Shavu’ot means weeks. The full name is Hag Shavu’ot (the Festival of Weeks) and is the second great Feast of the Lord on the Jewish calendar.
The LORD said to Moses, “From the day after Shabbat, the day you brought the sheaf of the wave offering, count off seven full weeks. Count off fifty days up to the day after the seventh Shabbat, and then present an offering of new grain to the LORD. On that same day you are to proclaim a sacred assembly and do no regular work. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, wherever you live.”
Shavu’ot, therefore, is not tied to a particular calendar date as are Pesach and Sukkot, but rather occurs exactly 50 days after Pesach. In English, we call the festival Pentecost, from the Greek word meaning “fifty days”. One may ask, “Why do we need to count the days from Pesach to Shavu’ot? Why didn’t God just say that the feast was on such and such a date as He did with Pesach, Sukkot, Yom Kippur and the others?” The rabbis have several answers, but one of my favorites is this – God wanted us to always look back at Pesach – to reflect on the fact that He obtained our freedom from Egypt, and, through the Messiah’s death, burial and resurrection, He also redeemed us from the consequences of sin. To fully and correctly celebrate Shavu’ot, therefore, we must always begin with Pesach!
Agriculturally, this holiday commemorates the time when the first fruits are harvested in Israel
The Jewish rabbis and sages tell us that the Torah (the five books of Moses) was given from God to Moses on Mt. Sinai
And, of course, Shavu’ot was when the Ruach HaKodesh was first poured out upon all the early Believers. More on that in a moment.
Other Shavu’ot customs include the idea that Shavu’ot was the marriage between God and the Jewish people. As a bride counts down the days until her wedding, so we (the Bride of Messiah) count down the days between Passover and Pentecost as we are united with God through the baptism in the Holy Spirit. Also, some Messianic Jewish Believers in Yeshua consider the tongues of fire that covered the heads of the disciples at Pentecost, was like a chuppah or wedding canopy that God Himself placed over the Believers who were first baptized in the Holy Spirit.
Another custom is the reading of the book of Ruth. It was during the Spring harvest that Ruth was gleaning in the field of Boaz and met her “kinsman redeemer”. Also, it was Ruth (a gentile) who identified herself with the Jewish people. She said to her Jewish mother-in-law, Naomi -- "Don't ask me to leave you and turn back. I will go wherever you go and I will live wherever you live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God.” God honored Ruth’s commitment to the Jews, and she became the grandmother of King David, and through David, an ancestor of our Messiah Yeshua.
Another Jewish tradition on Shavu’ot is to decorate the home and place of worship with greenery, and to eat dairy and sweets, to remind us that Israel is a land flowing with milk and honey. My favorite is a cherry cheesecake!!
Finally, because the Torah was given on Shavu’ot, it is customary for the Jews to stay up all night studying the Torah, and then praying at dawn on the first morning of Shavu’ot. To this very day the Jews continue to gather in the synagogues throughout the world for this ritual.
In Yeshua’s day, if they were in Jerusalem, they gathered in the Temple, which was called “HaBy’eet” – The House, i.e., The House of the Lord. In fact, today, in Israel, the Temple Mount, where the “Dome of the Rock” now sits, is still called in Hebrew -- Har HaBay’eet, “The Mountain of The House.”
You may recall that Yeshua Himself referred to The Temple in this way. At age 12 when Mary and Joseph found Him in the Temple, He asked – “Why did you look for Me? Did you not know that I had to be in HaBy’eet Avi?” -- The House of My Father? (Luke 2:49).
Let’s look at Acts 2:1-4. Dr. Luke writes: “And when the morning of Shavu’ot had fully come they [the disciples] were all together in one place.” (Why were they all together? What were they doing? There is no question in my mind about it. As was the custom then, and continues today, they were praying and they were studying Torah.) “And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting…and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance.” (Acts 2:1-4). How remarkable that both the Torah and the Ruach HaKodesh (the Holy Spirit) were given to men by God on exactly the same day – Shavu’ot!
There is a long standing tradition that this event occurred in the Upper Room, but is that what the Scriptures actually say? Notice the words “the house”, and remember that Luke is writing primarily to Jewish Believers. To the Jewish reader and to Jewish ears, The House (HaBy’eet) is always synonymous with The Temple.
I believe that Luke is telling us that the disciples had been up all night studying Torah in The Temple and then praying at dawn as was – and is – the Jewish custom to this day. It was during these morning Temple Jerusalem
On this Festival of First Fruits – Shavu’ot -- may He who is the giver of every good and perfect gift grant to all of us a life full of “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” -- the “Fruits of the Spirit” (Galatians 5:22-23). Hag Semeach! (Happy Holiday!)
Dr. Bill Duerfeldt
Asheville, N.C.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
israel today Magazine
Netanyahu on Jerusalem Day: This city is ours!
Wednesday, June 01, 2011 | Ryan Jones
As Israel marked the 44th anniversary of the reunification of Jerusalem on Wednesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted that Israel would never allow the city to be again divided. "Forty-four years ago, IDF soldiers realized the prophets' vision and returned Jerusalem to its proper place," Netanyahu said, referring to the liberation of the eastern half of Jerusalem during the 1967 Six Day War.
Speaking at Jerusalem's Merkaz Harav Yeshiva, which has long been at the forefront of religious Zionism, Netanyahu continued: "Jerusalem will never be divided. There's nothing more holy to us than Jerusalem, we'll protect Jerusalem, it's unity, and we'll build and develop it."
US President Barack Obama and other Western leaders have been pushing hard to restart Israeli-Palestinian peace talks based on Arab demands that Israel return to its pre-1967 borders.
For its part, the Palestinian leadership insists it will never sign a peace deal with Israel that does not include the full surrender of the eastern half of Jerusalem, including the Temple Mount. But a Jerusalem Day poll revealed that a strong majority of Israelis remain firmly behind Netanyahu's policies, and do not agree to divide Jerusalem even as part of a comprehensive peace agreement.
Conducted by the Geocartography Knowledge Group on behalf of Israel's Channel One News, the survey showed that 66 percent of Israelis oppose handing over any part of Jerusalem to the Palestinian Authority. A 23 percent minority said they would be willing to surrender Jerusalem's Arab neighborhoods, a compromise the Palestinian Authority has already rejected.
An even larger 73 percent majority opposed placing Jerusalem's holy sites under international control, a proposal that first came up during former US President Bill Clinton's oversight of the peace process.
Rather than talk about how to divide Jerusalem, 67 percent of Israelis want to simply get on with building up and developing the city as the capital of Israel.
Speaking at Jerusalem's Merkaz Harav Yeshiva, which has long been at the forefront of religious Zionism, Netanyahu continued: "Jerusalem will never be divided. There's nothing more holy to us than Jerusalem, we'll protect Jerusalem, it's unity, and we'll build and develop it."
US President Barack Obama and other Western leaders have been pushing hard to restart Israeli-Palestinian peace talks based on Arab demands that Israel return to its pre-1967 borders.
For its part, the Palestinian leadership insists it will never sign a peace deal with Israel that does not include the full surrender of the eastern half of Jerusalem, including the Temple Mount. But a Jerusalem Day poll revealed that a strong majority of Israelis remain firmly behind Netanyahu's policies, and do not agree to divide Jerusalem even as part of a comprehensive peace agreement.
Conducted by the Geocartography Knowledge Group on behalf of Israel's Channel One News, the survey showed that 66 percent of Israelis oppose handing over any part of Jerusalem to the Palestinian Authority. A 23 percent minority said they would be willing to surrender Jerusalem's Arab neighborhoods, a compromise the Palestinian Authority has already rejected.
An even larger 73 percent majority opposed placing Jerusalem's holy sites under international control, a proposal that first came up during former US President Bill Clinton's oversight of the peace process.
Rather than talk about how to divide Jerusalem, 67 percent of Israelis want to simply get on with building up and developing the city as the capital of Israel.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Monday, May 23, 2011
Friday, May 20, 2011
Ahava Love Letter - "Fell...But Helped Back Up"
Ahava Love Letter
"Fell...But Helped Back Up"
Dear family of friends,
Falling off a camel hurts. Especially with glasses on, and then hitting a blacktop surface. I know. I did it.
Seven years ago this month I had the joy of being on the Christian Friends of Israel tour. As a board member for many years, we each took turns going on the annual event, usually in May. On this particular “Meet The People” trip in 2004, when the bus stopped near Beersheva in the Negev Desert, I didn’t pass up the chance to get on the back of a camel. Now I have a story to tell my grandkids. I can even smile more about it these years later.
Upon picking myself up, and after getting cleaned up a bit, with soap and some other medication to help the healing process more quickly, I was able to get back on the bus and move on. Pride had been dampened somewhat, but the extra attention wasn’t bad. Next time I will work on my dismount a bit better. Or at least I’ll know that when his head goes down for the landing that I better hang onto something more than just the back of his neck. Maybe his tail?!
The one thing I did appreciate about the whole fallen event though was the help I was given. The “nurse” in the group did her best to do her thing and bandage me up. That was nice. To be in a place where there are others around who do give of themselves to help another in time of need.
My heart goes out to those who don’t have that person, or a people, surrounding them, after a fall. A spiritual fall I mean. Often it seems when a brother or sister trips up or goes astray, the ones they need the most may be the ones who they see the least later. How tragic that can be in our Christian family. It shouldn’t be that way.
In these coming dark days before us, the works of our common enemy will heat up. The devil, as a roaring lion, will further seek to destroy the reputations and characters of believers in Jesus, sometimes using those we thought we could trust the most. Especially at that time, we must be prepared to speak the truth in support of each other.
Healing from injuries, after falling off a camel, can come quickly. But recovering from the hurtful darts and arrows thrown by other believers may take years to be forgiven and forgotten. We need to use our shields to guard one another as much as it is in our power to do it.
As in the natural in Israel, surrounding enemies continually shoot rockets of harm at them, aimed at their destruction. In the spiritual, we also are targets of weapons formed against us. May we not be found guilty of them coming from within our ranks.
We will need to support each other, even if we fall seven times. Getting back up and staying in the fight to the end with happen, if we are there for each other.
Ahava to all my family of friends,
Steve Martin
Founder/President
Love For His People, Inc. truly appreciates your generous support. Please consider sending a charitable gift to help us bless Messianic Jews in Israel. Our website http://www.loveforhispeople.com/ lists the opportunities available. You can send checks to the address below. Todah rabah! (Hebrew - Thank you very much.)
©2011 Steve Martin Love For His People, Inc. P.O. Box 470035 Charlotte, NC 28247-0035
E-mail: ahavaloveletters@gmail.com
Facebook pages: Steve Martin and Love For His People
Twitter: martinlighthous, LovingHisPeople and ahavaloveletter
Love For His People, Inc. is a charitable, not-for-profit USA organization. Fed. ID#27-1633858. Tax deductible contributions receive a receipt for each donation.
Monday, May 9, 2011
The Days Near - Morris Ruddick
THE DAYS NEAR
(c) Morris Ruddick
(c) Morris Ruddick
"The days are near when every vision will be fulfilled. For I the Lord will speak what I will and it will be fulfilled without delay. For the rebellious shall see that I will fulfill whatever I say, declares the Lord. When the people say the visions he sees are for many years from now, say to them, this is what the Lord says, 'none of My Words will be delayed any longer, whatever I say will be fulfilled.'" (Ezekiel 12:22)
A corner has been turned. We've entered times unlike any in recent days.
They might be summed with "the dark is getting darker and the light is getting lighter." Yet that description doesn't suffice. The times will increasingly reflect the "day of His power," while bearing an increase in the disruptions and uncertainty. These are times in which to straddle the fence will mean being shot at from both sides. It will be a time of miracles; as we also enter a time of judgment.
These times will be marked by the truth in Deuteronomy 30: "God has set before us life and death, blessing and cursing." It will be up to us to recognize, discern and make the right choices for life and blessing.
Daniel described these times as ones in which those who know their God will be strong and will do exploits. That means no double-mindedness. Your eye must be single.
"Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever." (Daniel 12:3)
However, it will not be enough to just have your eyes on the Lord. We must understand the times, His agendas and be about His business. Being about His business without compromise begins with walking in strategic holiness.
"In the time of the end, many shall be purified and refined, but the wicked shall do wickedly and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand." (Dan 12:10-12)
Passion and Blindness
The middle ground is becoming filled with snares: the love of the world, the pride of life, the lust of the flesh; soul dependencies that blind. Walking in God's calling will mean walking in His will; progressively and consistently. Walking in God's will mean walking in His timing. That will mean walking in His holiness and purpose.
Remember Saul. Saul was anointed king, but was ruled by the pride of life. He was driven by passions that spiritually blinded him. He never quite grasped God's purposes for him being king. At one juncture, Samuel summed up Saul's actions by saying that "rebellion is of the sin of witchcraft." His heart issues became snares that compounded into a misuse of the anointing, that Samuel judged as witchcraft.
Beware of the sin of Saul, of forcing issues and being unwilling to wait on God's timing. Wrong priorities will give rise to fear, anger, jealousy and a loss of control of one's own spirit. Without holiness, God's people will fall into erring in spirit and murmuring (Isaiah 29:24). Erring in spirit is losing touch with the realities. Jesus prophesied in Matthew 24 that the beginning of the time of the end would be accompanied by many being offended, betraying one another and hating one another, with the love of many growing cold.
"Those who know their God doing exploits" demands a walk of holiness. It is about walking in faith, KNOWING that the Lord is faithful in the accomplishment of His purposes and His Word. Holiness is about His righteousness being manifested in our thoughts, attitudes, words, decisions and actions. It's about operating with a sense of honor and a consistency in speaking truth in our own hearts, as described in Psalm 15. It's about entering into His flow and operating in oneness with Him.
Forcing issues will backfire. Unless it is the result of His Spirit, more of the same harder will fail. Holiness is what one seasoned mission practitioner over a century ago called the exchanged life. It is a life and poise of the soul summed up by the Psalmist as, "Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord."
Holiness will consistently walk in forgiveness and repentance. It is a heart so tender toward the Lord and His Word that when it recognizes a truth and realizes something is out of alignment, it immediately changes. It is a heart attitude with no grudges or bitterness. Bitterness cannot co-exist with holiness. It is the outgrowth of a heart that meditates on God's Word, with a priority expressed by the Psalmist as meditating on God's Word day and night. Holiness is a pure heart, free from the passions of the soul and unholy dependencies.
Holiness is a strength and unwavering trust in the Lord in the face of adversity. It is walking through the fire without the smell of smoke. It is a righteous heart that moves in oneness with the Lord and operates in His power. Operating in holiness stems from getting real while in His presence.
Strategic Holiness
There is a "strategic" dimension to holiness. It is a key part of the corner we've just turned. It pivots on the Issachar context, but with the twist that the BODY needs to understand the times and know what to do. Strategic holiness goes beyond the individual dimension of holiness as communities of believers interact to move in harmony with God's heart and big picture agendas. It is this "big picture" interaction that fuels a movement.
Joseph and Daniel were catalysts for strategic holiness. It didn't matter whether they were in prison, the lion's den or in the king's palace. Regardless of their circumstance or position, they knew Who they belonged to and they were about His business. They were stable, steadfast and faithful at each juncture. They knew their identity in the Lord and the sphere and authority with which they had been entrusted.
Joseph and Daniel each grasped and recognized the big picture of the Lord's purposes, along with their part in it. They operated with authority that only comes from time with Him. They were willing to pay the cost. They were not swayed by threats, pressures or what appeared as the outlook of things in the natural. Their orientation came from their time with the Lord. Their hearts were fixed, trusting in the Lord, as they embraced and followed through on the accomplishment of His "big-picture" agendas. They fearlessly took the initiative when they knew the timing was right to accomplish God's purposes in their spheres.
For the times we have entered, this strategic dimension will mean being connected. Lone rangers will face unnecessary hardships and deceptions. Rebellion, as in Saul's misfires will result in sad, untimely forfeitures of what may have been significant callings. Up until this point, the Body has been fragmented. Unity will no longer be something nice that is just talked about. It is going to be the foundation for survival.
There will be varieties of alliances and coalitions that serve God's purposes and provide anticipatory responses to the changes unfolding in today's world. This will include strategic alliances with modern-day Pharaohs and Cyruses: chosen, anointed non-believers with a heart for God and His people; who serve as gatekeepers of seats of power in this world. These alliances will be accompanied by a new wave of leadership that restores the balance between the operation of the kings and the priests.
Strategic holiness is a deep-seated knowing that God is in control. The Psalmist wrote: "Lord, You make me wiser than my enemies; I have more understanding than my teachers, for Your Words are my meditations. I understand more than the ancients, because of Your Word." (Psalm 119: 98-100) It was said of the Israelites in the king's court during the time of Daniel that they were ten times wiser than all the others in their position. These will be times in which a new level of wisdom will be seen operating among God's people.
Strategic holiness is a level of humility that acknowledges that we are called, gifted and anointed in His power. Yet, simultaneously like King David, it recognizes that we are "weak though anointed king" and cannot operate with any success in our own power. It is in knowing that "we can't, but He can" and that "through Him, all things are possible."
Strategic holiness is the honest emptying of ourselves before Him, that results in "he who rules his own spirit, being mightier than he who takes a city." (Proverbs 16:32) It is an emptying necessary to actuate the dynamic described by Daniel of "they that KNOW their God will be strong and will do exploits." This "strength and accomplishment of exploits" is not a matter of finesse, moxie or bluster. It is an outgrowth of the discipline that comes from giving first priority to time with Him and to genuinely knowing Him.
Strategic holiness is a proactive Spirit-led expression of God's dominion in the face of the world's rebellion. It is a growing holy alignment that flows in the authority that releases the supernatural for change and revival.
Judgment and Fulfillment
The days prophesied by Ezekiel (Ezek 12:22) in the opening scripture describe an incredible time of conflict as prophetic words are fulfilled without delay, despite the misguided passions of the rebellious, many of whom come from within the ranks of God's own.
The corner turned is into a path paved by strategic holiness. The trajectory of strategic holiness will trigger judgment. For the righteous who know their God, judgment is not to be feared. Judgment purifies. When resisted, it destroys. When yielded to, it facilitates. The coming judgment is the flip-side of an awesome outpouring of God's Spirit.
Judgment always reasserts God's authority. These will be times that reassert the Lord's dominion as the world is seduced by its passions; and as principalities work overtime to deceive, entice and harness the power of these passions from within God's elect, with misguided agendas intended to stymie the Lord's initiatives.
Yet, in the midst of the power struggles are those who will be strong and do exploits. It will be in the midst of the disruptions that God's people will shine like the brightness of the sky and in the process, lead many to righteousness. So, with the judgment will come fulfillment.
We can expect parallels to the situation described in Isaac's life: "And there was famine in the land and the LORD appeared to Isaac and said: 'Dwell in this land, and I will be with you and bless you and perform the oath which I swore to Abraham your father.' Then Isaac sowed in that land, and reaped in the same year a hundredfold; and the LORD blessed him. So he began to prosper, and continued prospering until he became very prosperous." (Genesis 26:1-3, 12, 13)
These will be like the days of Joseph described by the Psalmist, "And He sent a man before them; Joseph; who was sold as a slave. They hurt his feet with fetters, he was laid in irons. Until the time that his word came to pass, the word of the LORD tested him." (Psalm 105:17-19) Joseph didn't waver at the cost required for Him to walk into the prophetic vision he received at a much younger age. There are many who have been called today as modern-day Josephs, who have been tested by the word of the Lord. For them, the time of fulfillment is at hand.
When the time came, after many years of hardship and faithfulness on Joseph's part, it all happened quickly and was summed up when Pharaoh said, "Can we find such a one as this, a man in whom is the Spirit of God? Inasmuch as God has shown you all this, there is no one as discerning and wise as you. You shall be over my house, and all my people shall be ruled according to your word." (Genesis 41: 38-40) What Pharaoh observed in Joseph was the result of Joseph walking in strategic holiness.
Revolutionary Change
The significance of the corner turned recognizes that we have entered a time in which the world is ruled by its passions.
Being ruled by your passions is a mode reflected by both blindness and power. It was this passion and blindness that Hitler manipulated as he rose to power. It is this blindness and passion that distorts truth and reality. It is this passion and blindness that propels the anti-Semitism growing around the globe. This same passion and blindness births events such as: 9/11, Israel's intifadas and a culture that exploits its young as homicide bombers. It is this passion and blindness that is at the core of the operation of the occult today.
The distinguishing characteristic of God's people, those described by Daniel as "those who are strong and do exploits," is that their passions do not dominate them. They are yielded to and ruled by the Spirit of God. These will be the "chosen," at the heart of God's change and restoration as we move toward the power shift of all ages described in Isaiah 60.
Numbers 11:25 reflects this type of revolutionary change. In a day in time, the leadership of Moses was multiplied when the Spirit of the Lord that had been solely upon Moses, came upon the 70 elders. This was a major paradigm shift for Israel at the time. From the Lord's stance, it was a strategic change tied to multiplying the holiness in the camp of Israel, as the Lord prepared His people for the next step in His purposes and agendas. It defines the nature of a move of God. Yet, moves of God in this last generation were only precursors of the multiplication of God's power than can be expected for the days before us.
We are facing a time of incredible, revolutionary change. The wicked are revolting against God, while God's people are progressively entering a holy alignment. Just as during the rise of Hitler, the blind and wicked are putting an "acceptable spin" to today's emerging, occult-driven activities. It flows from a world seduced and "blindly" ruled by its passions.
However, God is restoring His authority and dominion to those called into the fabric of society as His ambassadors. The anointing will open doors and grant favor in the midst of seats of power; within strange and difficult circumstances. The authority from the anointing will initiate timely events and unusual agendas releasing God's purposes. It is the mantle being entrusted to those with hearts aligned with His, who walk in strategic holiness.
"Have you entered the treasury of snow, or have you seen the storehouse of hail, which I have reserved for the time of trouble, for the day of battle and war?" Job 38:22-23
"The LORD has opened His armory, and has brought out the weapons of His indignation; for this is the work of the Lord God of hosts." Jeremiah 50:25
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Morris Ruddick has been a forerunner and spokesman for the call of God in the marketplace. He is author of "The Joseph-Daniel Calling;" "Gods Economy, Israel and the Nations;" "The Heart of a King;" and "Something More," which address the mobilization of business and governmental leaders called to impact their communities with God's blessings. They are available from Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com and other popular outlets.
Mr. Ruddick is also the founder of the Global Equippers Entrepreneurial Program, which imparts hope and equips economic community builders where God's light is dim in both the Western and non-Western world. To schedule a speaking engagement, sponsor a workshop, make a donation or to get more information on how you can help, contact Global Initiatives at 303.741.9000.
2011 Copyright Morris Ruddick - response@strategic-initiatives.org
Reproduction is prohibited unless permission is given by a SIGN advisor. Since 1996, the Strategic Intercession Global Network (SIGN) has mobilized prophetic intercessors committed to targeting strategic-level issues impacting the Body on a global basis. For previous posts or more information on SIGN, check: http://www.strategicintercession.org
Morris Ruddick
Global Initiative Foundation
www.strategic-initiatives.org
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