Throwback Thursday Post from 2018. In the past three years Messianic Judaism has grown more and more, praise God. There is a wonderful Messianic Jewish organization in Israel called One For Israel, feel free to check them out. https://www.oneforisrael.org/
There seems to be a new debate on whether or not Christians should celebrate Hanukkah or other Jewish Holidays. I personally am fascinated by the celebrations from the Old Testament and Judaism. Jesus of course followed the traditions of His heritage.
The Gospel of John even mentions Jesus entering the temple for the “Festival of Dedication”, which is Hanukkah.
1-Rabbi Johnathan Cahn. This is a wonderful YouTube Channel from the Messianic Rabbi Johnathan Cahn. You can hear selections from his services, informative videos and announcements. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjsoQpzk-XQOt4YM6nzq_-Q
2-The Remnant Radio. A theology based broadcast that tackles all different types of topics in order to get a better understanding of the Bible. They encourage discussions on Biblical topics many disagree over. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC31RZ-b3D1w452JLuzLVl4Q
4-Behold Israel. The YouTube channel of Amir Tsarfati. He is an Messiah believing Jew from Israel. He posts Bible discussion Q&A’s, sermons, teachings and updates from the Middle East. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCa3C7WpFobavsDJdkKUtodw
5-AoC Network. A channel that divulges deep into Biblical Study, they use clips from movies and shows for the background as they talk about Biblical topics. They have a lot of fascinating videos. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQsYAEW0n3tGsRfMVfIRzRw
6-The Bible Project. This is easily one of the best YouTube channels. They’re a crowd funded channel that posts animated videos explaining the Bible as it was intended to be read. I can’t explain enough how much I love this channel. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVfwlh9XpX2Y_tQfjeln9QA
7-Dr. Michael S Heiser. Author of the Unseen Realm, Dr. Heiser is known for his Biblical studies that go right to what the Bible tells us based on the authors who wrote it. He focuses on the text and explains the context of the Bible. He is also known for the “Naked Bible Podcast”. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbXnk65DI454GQmc3PeEqQQ
8-ONE FOR ISRAEL Ministry. A Messianic channel whose goal is to spread the Gospel and the truth about who Yeshua/Jesus is to the people of Israel. The channel features messages that explain the Gospel, the importance of Israel, exposes the flaws of Rabbinic Judaism that relies on man and not God. Also hear wonderful testimonies of those who come to know Yeshua/Jesus as their Messiah. https://www.youtube.com/c/ONEFORISRAEL/videos
9-Steven Bancarz and Reasons for Jesus. A channel by former New Age writer Steven Bancarz. He focuses on apologetics and exposing New Age religious practices. Listen to his testimony video. It is moving.
10-Superbook! The last one is a fun one. This of course is for kids and children at heart (ME!). These are cartoons based on the Bible for children. They also have shows that talk about topics that can help children get a Biblical world view. https://www.youtube.com/c/SuperbookTV/videos
These are some of my go to channels. Feel free to post yours in the comment section.
Atheist don’t believe in God of course, however if you ask them if there was a Hell would they go to it after they die, it is very rare to hear them say, “yes”. Usually the answer is “no” and filled with many reasons as to why they wouldn’t and most importantly that they believe themselves to be a “good person”.
Well the truth is being a “good person” doesn’t make you good, we all allow others to suffer around us and we constantly do the wrong thing. We may all strive to be a good version of a person but we can’t say that we are overall “good”. That alone goes to God.
Only He is righteous and good.
We can only be righteous through Him.
We are all sinners.
*Psalm 53 1-3 says, “The fool has said in his heart,
“There is no God.”
They are corrupt, and have done abominable iniquity; There is none who does good.
2 God looks down from heaven upon the children of men,
To see if there are any who understand, who seek God. 3 Every one of them has turned aside;
They have together become corrupt; There is none who does good,
No, not one.”
Now this of course relates to David’s time and to Israel but we can also use this as guidance to the world we live in today. We all struggle to do the right thing and many times have our own motives. Can we truly say that we do “good” or at least as “good” as we should?
We as Christians know we are sinners and we must humble ourselves to the Lord. We recognize God is so merciful to us all despite the lack of mercy we on this earth show to each other. Religious or not we all can do better.
When we do make mistakes there is usually an earthly consequence, we could go to jail, ruin a relationship, lose a job or even smaller consequences like just make someone upset or lose out on something you wanted to enjoy. The type of consequence doesn’t matter, the main focus is that there is consequences.
But what about spiritual consequences? We know the wages of sin is death** but what about after death? How can you make up for all your collective sins, mistakes and bad things you have done?
Well God made a plan for us all to be redeemed, it was through the Son, Jesus Christ. He died so our sins could be forgiven and we could have eternal life with the Lord. But you have to accept Jesus’s sacrifice as your atonement for your own sins.
If you don’t than you will have to take on the spiritual consequences.
So to the Christians out there that is why we must spread the Gospel to the world and pray that people’s hearts our opened to God.
I know sometimes it can be hard to talk to others about faith especially when you are attacked or mocked or ridiculed. I saw a picture that really inspired me it stated, “Atheism is a temporary condition” then pointed out every knee shall bow. We know this from scripture.
In Philippians 2:10-11 it says, “10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” ***
So my Christian brothers and sisters have confidence in faith and be bold and spreading the Gospel because in the end God wins and we will spend eternity with Him. And since we all strive to be “good people” then we as Christians need to follow God’s will and be a part of His salvation plan by helping those around us learn about the Lord so hopefully they can be saved as well.
Passover ended last week but today I am going to post the story of Passover and a wonderful video from Amir Tsarfati about Jesus’ connection to the Passover.
Have a Blessed Week,
Chris
Exodus 12New King James Version (NKJV)
The Passover Instituted
12 Now the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, 2 “This month shall be your beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year to you. 3 Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying: ‘On the tenth of this month every man shall take for himself a lamb, according to the house of his father, a lamb for a household. 4 And if the household is too small for the lamb, let him and his neighbor next to his house take it according to the number of the persons; according to each man’s need you shall make your count for the lamb. 5 Your lamb shall be without[a] blemish, a male [b]of the first year. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats. 6 Now you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month. Then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it at twilight. 7 And they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses where they eat it. 8 Then they shall eat the flesh on that night; roasted in fire, with unleavened bread and with bitter herbs they shall eat it. 9 Do not eat it raw, nor boiled at all with water, but roasted in fire—its head with its legs and its entrails. 10 You shall let none of it remain until morning, and what remains of it until morning you shall burn with fire. 11 And thus you shall eat it: [c]with a belt on your waist, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. So you shall eat it in haste. It is the Lord’s Passover.
12 ‘For I will pass through the land of Egypt on that night, and will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the Lord. 13 Now the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.
14 ‘So this day shall be to you a memorial; and you shall keep it as a feast to the Lord throughout your generations. You shall keep it as a feast by an everlasting ordinance. 15 Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. On the first day you shall remove leaven from your houses. For whoever eats leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that [d]person shall be [e]cut off from Israel. 16 On the first day there shall be a holy convocation, and on the seventh day there shall be a holy convocation for you. No manner of work shall be done on them; but that which everyone must eat—that only may be prepared by you. 17 So you shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread, for on this same day I will have brought your [f]armies out of the land of Egypt. Therefore you shall observe this day throughout your generations as an everlasting ordinance. 18 In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at evening, you shall eat unleavened bread, until the twenty-first day of the month at evening. 19 For seven days no leaven shall be found in your houses, since whoever eats what is leavened, that same person shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he is a stranger or a native of the land. 20 You shall eat nothing leavened; in all your dwellings you shall eat unleavened bread.’ ”
21 Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel and said to them, “Pick out and take lambs for yourselves according to your families, and kill the Passover lamb.22 And you shall take a bunch of hyssop, dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and strike the lintel and the two doorposts with the blood that is in the basin. And none of you shall go out of the door of his house until morning. 23 For the Lord will pass through to strike the Egyptians; and when He sees the blood on the [g]lintel and on the two doorposts, the Lord will pass over the door and not allow the destroyer to come into your houses to strike you.24 And you shall observe this thing as an ordinance for you and your sons forever. 25 It will come to pass when you come to the land which the Lord will give you, just as He promised, that you shall keep this service. 26 And it shall be, when your children say to you, ‘What do you mean by this service?’ 27 that you shall say, ‘It is the Passover sacrifice of the Lord, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt when He struck the Egyptians and delivered our households.’ ” So the people bowed their heads and worshiped. 28 Then the children of Israel went away and did so; just as the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did.
The Tenth Plague: Death of the Firstborn
29 And it came to pass at midnight that the Lord struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was[h]in the dungeon, and all the firstborn of livestock. 30 So Pharaoh rose in the night, he, all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was not a house where there was not one dead.
The Exodus
31 Then he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, “Rise, go out from among my people, both you and the children of Israel. And go, serve the Lord as you have said. 32 Also take your flocks and your herds, as you have said, and be gone; and bless me also.”
33 And the Egyptians urged the people, that they might send them out of the land in haste. For they said, “We shall all be dead.” 34 So the people took their dough before it was leavened, having their kneading bowls bound up in their clothes on their shoulders. 35 Now the children of Israel had done according to the word of Moses, and they had asked from the Egyptians articles of silver, articles of gold, and clothing. 36 And the Lord had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they granted them what they requested. Thus they plundered the Egyptians.
37 Then the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides children. 38 A mixed multitude went up with them also, and flocks and herds—a great deal of livestock. 39 And they baked unleavened cakes of the dough which they had brought out of Egypt; for it was not leavened, because they were driven out of Egypt and could not wait, nor had they prepared provisions for themselves.
40 Now the [i]sojourn of the children of Israel who lived in [j]Egypt was four hundred and thirty years. 41 And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years—on that very same day—it came to pass that all the armies of the Lord went out from the land of Egypt. 42 It is a [k]night of solemn observance to the Lord for bringing them out of the land of Egypt. This is that night of the Lord, a solemn observance for all the children of Israel throughout their generations.
Passover Regulations
43 And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “This is the ordinance of the Passover: No foreigner shall eat it. 44 But every man’s servant who is bought for money, when you have circumcised him, then he may eat it. 45 A sojourner and a hired servant shall not eat it. 46 In one house it shall be eaten; you shall not carry any of the flesh outside the house, nor shall you break one of its bones. 47 All the congregation of Israel shall keep it. 48 And when a stranger [l]dwells with you and wants to keep the Passover to the Lord, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as a native of the land. For no uncircumcised person shall eat it. 49 One law shall be for the native-born and for the stranger who dwells among you.”
50 Thus all the children of Israel did; as the Lord commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did. 51 And it came to pass, on that very same day, that the Lord brought the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt according to their armies.
I watched a video once of a group of Atheists tricking Christians to attempt to “open their eyes” to show how horrible God is. In reality the goal really seemed to just humilate these people and gain viewership in order to make money.
The trick was they told the unsuspecting Christians to read a verse from the Koran but in reality it was a verse from the Bible.
The wanted to show God in a horrible light. Many in the video were shocked by the truth.
I was very angry with the Atheists but then I realized God will take care of them. They’re just being foolish.
Forgive them Father for they don’t know what they’re doing.
Truth is shame on those Christians. They didn’t know the Word.
Shame on me. At the time I was just as ignorant as them if not more. I still have so much to learn.
And shame on me for even watching the video and giving them more views.
We must know the Word and understand it.
They were just taking selected verses out of context to manipulate scripture.
But aren’t us Christians guilty of that too? How often do we take a verse out of the Bible and run with it to fit an argument or belief? How often do you see a person take one verse and speculate on it to justify their own actions or beliefs?
You have to read the entire Bible. The whole Word and pray to understand it.
When someone tells me God is judgmental, cruel and unfair. I point out how he waited hundreds of years to punish nations who were immersed in sin. And all they needed to do was repent and He would have relented.
Try breaking one law and just tell the police that you’re sorry and see what happens. After you’re in jail, the same people that call God judgmental, cruel and unfair would tell you that you got what you deserved.
That’s just one example.
The Word of God is your armor, don’t leave yourself vunerable.
Remember satan quoted scripture to Jesus in the desert. Even the enemy knows the Word of God.
Are you up to the challenge to live in the Word? It won’t be easy. Many are so focused on changing others but reading the Bible might force you to change your own view points. Your views may differ from God’s.
Get in the Word and see what happens.
If you not only know God’s word but follow it, your life will be so fulfilled.
Have a blessed week,
Chris.
This week I am not writing much in my blog post but instead choosing to let the Word of God speak. This post is geared towards Jews who have not read or have been told to ignore Isaiah 53 and also anyone else who has not accept Jesus as the Messiah.
Read this and tell me if anyone comes to mind
“Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? 2 He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. 3 He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.
4 Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. 6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
7 He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. 8 By oppression[a] and judgment he was taken away. Yet who of his generation protested? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was punished.[b] 9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.
10 Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the Lord makes[c] his life an offering for sin, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand. 11 After he has suffered, he will see the light of life[d] and be satisfied[e]; by his knowledge[f] my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore I will give him a portion among the great,[g] and he will divide the spoils with the strong,[h] because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.”
I saw a post by another blogger, he wrote about how God’s love has conditions and how he feels sending anyone to hell is wrong when God can just forgive the person. I left him a comment but he did not approve that comment. I am posting my reply as my weekly blog post because I feel like I need to defend our Father in Heaven.
“I am 100% convinced God is justified in everything he does and I have no problem with his conditions.
He created a World, a paradise for us to live in and told us not to sin. The first humans chose to sin and listen to Satan rather than God. At that point God, could have said, “Okay, failed experiment, the end”. No instead he said, “I still love you but now you will die rather than live eternally. Life will become hard now”. Then people continued to sin, despite time after time God begging them to repent, patiently waiting for generations for repentance before finally bringing judgment on his people. After bringing judgment on Israel and Judah, He gave them ANOTHER chance. They still rebelled.
The Father then decided to send his son to Earth, who faced everything we go through, poverty, hunger, not having a place to live, betrayal, torture and death. All so people could be redeemed.The only condition is to accept the sacrifice and believe. Then you have to go out and show God’s love to the World.
The idea that people can go around unbelieving, not asking for forgiveness and still get into Heaven at the end of it all seems preposterous to me.
The truth is God wants to forgive EVERYONE, he just wants to be loved back.
God created a planet, gave us everything we need to live and asked for us to love him. We are in the process of destroying that planet, we rebel against God, people sin without repentance, many curse Him or say he doesn’t exist. Despite all these things he has promised he will make a whole new Earth and people want to get into it who haven’t even acknowledged him?
Looks like our conditions our far tougher than the Lords.”
Every wonder how the God in the Old Testament seemed so different?
I often struggled with this too but I prayed hard about it and what came to me from God was a full understanding of the story of God. It was the people who forced God’s hand. Remember God created the World as a perfect paradise. We chose to sin, we chose to not to listen and ruined it. He then gave us a small amount of rules. The people didn’t accept just those rules. He then gave Moses the law. Another example of God changing things for his people is, God wanted to be a King to his people but then they wanted their own King, so God allowed that. God continued to go along with what the people wanted, which deviated away from his original paradise plan. He knew eventually he would send his only son to redeem us but he had no trouble occasionally doing what his children on Earth asked even if he didn’t agree it.
He chose his people who were constantly under attack. He asked them to commit genocide because that was the nature of the Middle East, it still is that way to this day. It was God’s people vs. Everyone Else. They would have done the same thing to the Israelite’s but God chose to watch over them, he chose them. Many Pagan Cultures used the same strategy in War. God was adjusting things to fit the culture we created. He was watching out for them knowing they would be attacked. It was an attack them before they attack you mentality. Remember these people were doing evil in God’s eyes, he doesn’t harm the good.
God created the Universe, and humans committed atrocities every day, but we shake our fists at the Lord if he dares to strike unholy people who are harming good people. It’s kind of silly really. How many innocents die every day from the War in the Middle East currently?
There is actually a line from a show called “Supernatural” I watch, when a villain questions the star of the show Dean about God, he said something along the lines of, “It’s his Universe, it’s his rules”.
I think that sums it up well. God is not the problem here. I trust God because it’s his Universe that he created because he loved us. We have been bad Children to the most loving, forgiving Father imaginable. He gave us free will because he loved us. The answer to the question of the violent God in the Old Testament is simple, read the beginning. That was his vision, paradise, no war, no sin, no death just him and his children. It was only after our sins that things changed. And how does he reward us for our bad behavior? Accept Christ and you get eternal life. Wow, what an amazing God.
One of the hardest things to do is leave your worry behind. Through out the Bible God tells us to trust him and to not worry. Yet it is something we do on a day to day basis, our health, our family, our jobs, our money, even daily tasks. God doesn’t want you to do that, he wants you to trust in him.
I have very bad anxiety and struggle daily with this. In the past I’ve read books, online articles from doctors, had medicines suggested to me. But the best solution has always been to just take a deep breath and let the Holy Spirit flow through me. It gives me a sense of calm.
If satan tries to get into your head, quote scripture at him, just like Jesus did and then send him away. Focus on God in every moment, praise him always.
Read what God did for Israel, read about the miracles Jesus performed and hear people testify their own miracles still happening today. Your worries big or little will be handled by God.
Always remember that even if things don’t turn out exactly how you want them to, that this life time is a blink of an eye compared to eternity. Stay on the narrow path and trust in the Lord.
The Good Word 