We are FREE

Random quotes from facebook that I connect with: If you had a terrible, terminal illness and a doctor treated you with a cure that totally and permanently eradicated that disease from your body, it would seem foolish if you kept talking about how sick you are and how this disease is going to kill you, and how worried you are about it. Someone who cared would say to you "You're cured of that, and you're immune now, you can't catch it again! Move on, think about something else- get on with living!!". What if the disease was "sin" and the doctor was Jesus and the cure was the cross? This is the foolishness that is holding millions of cured ex-sinners in bondage and fear. Time to move on. The work has been done, the cure has been effective and permanent. -------- When Jesus cried out from the cross, “Tetelestai", It is finished!” (John 19:30). That is the very Greek word that was written across loan agreements and criminal indictments when the terms were completed, “Paid in full!” The price has been “paid in full” for the redemption and restoration of ALL humanity. This is the universal redemption of mankind. ALL humanity is redeemed in Christ. -------- Redemption believed is Salvation received ALL men are objectively and universally elected, represented, redeemed and forgiven in and by the life and work of Christ, we proceed to note that ALL humanity is reconciled to (and with) God in Christ. The estrangement, alienation, and enmity between God and man brought on by the fall of mankind into sin has been settled and resolved by Jesus having taken the consequences of our sin in death. The book of Romans

Emotional Healing

an effective modality of emotional healing is EFT. Check out this video: http://thetappingsolution.com/2013VideoSeries/

The End of the Age - Olivet Discourse Matthew 24

I hope you take the time to watch these two brilliantly done you tube videos regarding the Olivet Discourse. Are we waiting for the world to burn up or has the end of the age already happened? https://www.facebook.com/v/10100593608385831 http://youtu.be/p_bjqqEhv7k

Jesus versus Religion – Mark 3

I had to smile when I read the first set of verses in Mark chapter 3. Jesus entered into the synagogue and encountered a man with a withered hand. The religious Pharisees, rulers, the leaders were waiting to see what Jesus would do because it was the Sabbath day. Everyone knew that ‘working’ on the Sabbath day was a “no no,” even worthy of death. Jesus asked, “Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath day, or to do evil? To save life, or to kill?” The Pharisees were silent. Jesus looked around WITH ANGER. The Scripture says He was grieved due to the hardness/blindness of their hearts. What would make someone so calloused to not care about a crippled man? Why would a community of people be more concerned about a rule rather than the health and well being of one of their acquaintances? Imagine the suffering of the man who didn’t measure up: The taunts he heard, the ridicule from religious leaders. The blind man story in John 9 tells how they believed that someone’s sin caused the deformity. “Sinner,” they determined about the deformed man. Can you imagine the moment when Jesus said to the man with the deformed hand, “Stretch forth your hand!” Jesus knew that His act of mercy would bring about judgment from the leaders. He acted in mercy anyway. The man’s hand was restored to wholeness. Now, most people would rejoice, would they not? “Whoo Hoo. An amazing miracle just happened at the synagogue!!” But these law-abiding self righteous, pious, judgmental, prideful people were steaming mad. They went behind closed doors with other conspirators devising ways to DESTROY Him. Not just get rid of, but destroy. Destroy is a powerful word. It means to demolish, to ruin, to abolish, or end something, to defeat in a crushing way. They wanted to destroy Someone who broke the rules they cherished. They were disconnected from all that Jesus offered… unconditional love and mercy, wisdom and understanding, grace and peace to all those who sit in darkness. I guess the Pharisees didn’t think they were in darkness, nor did they see themselves as blind. But Jesus could see their hearts and called them blind guides, hypocrites, saying to them, “Woe to you,” in Matthew 23. Jesus WALKED AWAY from them. He wasn’t going to be around this crowd. He wasn’t welcome, and He also knew they didn’t have ears to hear or eyes to see Him for Who He was/is - God in the flesh. Because of their own self righteousness, they missed the most Amazing gift that ever blessed this planet. He WALKED AWAY from them. He withdrew with His disciples as they celebrated the miracle. The disciples most likely asking Him … “How do you heal like that, Jesus? So awesome!” He and His friends retreated to somewhere safe and did the work that He was called to do. He healed the sick, released captives, and fed the poor. This is the message of God’s heart. Love. Restoration. Wholeness. Healing. Peace. Compassion. Tenderness. Opposition of the oppressors. Jesus came not to condemn the world, but to save it. Jesus demonstrated the essence of the New Covenant. Mercy and love triumphs over any law or rule. Due to the cross, resurrection, ascension, and filling of the temple (corporate body of believers) with His own Spirit, the Old Covenant law vanished, making way for the New Covenant law of love to reign forever in our hearts. Amen.

The End of Sin

“Seventy weeks are determined upon your people, and upon your holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sin, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy,” Daniel 9:24 What does “the End of Sin” mean? It is a prophecy given about God’s people – a specific time when sin was to end and everlasting righteousness would be brought in. The New Covenant described in Hebrews 8:8-13 tells that God “will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more,” Verse 12. Has this already happened or are we still waiting for our redemption and reconciliation? Let’s see what Scripture says. At Jesus’ birth, the angels pronounced, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to ALL people. For unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a SAVIOR, which is Christ the Lord… Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, and good will towards men,” Luke 2:10-14. “And she shall bring forth a son, and you shall call his name Jesus; for He shall save His people from their sin,” Matthew 1:21. John the Baptist proclaimed, “Behold the Lamb of God, which takes away the sin of the world.” John 1:9 The book of Hebrews states: “For then must He often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the (end of the world ) hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself,” Hebrews 9:26. “But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood He entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” Hebrews 9:11-14 “Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first (covenant), that he may establish the second (covenant). By the which we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: But this man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; from henceforth expecting till His enemies be made His footstool. For by one offering He hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified,” Hebrews 10:9-14. (His enemies, the unbelieving Jewish nation, Satan, were destroyed in 70 AD. The Judgment of those people took place then – Read Matthew 21:33-45; Romans 16:20). There is no more judgment. John says, “And you know that He was manifested (appeared) to take away our sins…” I John 3:5. “And He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world,” I John 2:2. “…Our Savior Jesus Christ, Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works…” Titus 2:13 & 14 We are Released from the Old Covenant Law: “Whosoever commits sin, transgresses also the Law; for sin is the transgression of the Law,” I John 3:4. “For if they which are of the Law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect. But the law works wrath; for where is no Law, there is no transgression,” Romans 4:14 & 15. “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ….For until the Law, sin was in the world; but sin is not imputed when there is no Law,” Romans 5:1 and 13. “For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under the Law, but under grace…. Being then made free from sin, you become the servants of righteousness… but now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, you have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life,” Romans 6:14, 18 and 22. “Wherefore my brethren, you also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ, that you should be married to another, even to Him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God… but now we are delivered from the Law,” Romans 7:4 & 6. “For the law of the spirit of life, in Christ Jesus, has made me free from the law of sin and death,” Romans 8:2. “But Israel which followed after the Law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. Wherefore? Because they sought it, not by faith; but as it were by the works of the Law; for they stumbled at the stumbling stone. .. for they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to everyone that believes,” Romans 9:31 & 32; 10:3 & 4. “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the Law, being made a curse for us…” Galatians 3:13 “For if that which is done away (Law written in stone), was glorious, much more that which remains (the Law of the Spirit of God written in the heart) is glorious”~ II Corinthians 3:7-11. Jesus came not to condemn (“For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved,” John 3:17). So, if there is no longer any law, then there remains no longer any condemnation (Romans 8:1). God reconciled the world to Himself “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away, behold all things are become new. And all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ, and has given to us the Word of reconciliation. To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them, and has committed unto us the word of reconciliation….For He has made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him,” II Corinthians 5:17-21. The law of the New Covenant: The Law of love “Owe no man anything; but to love one another; for he that loves another has fulfilled the Law. For this, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not kill, you shall not steal, you shall not bear false witness, you shall not covet, and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, you shall love your neighbor as yourself. Love works no ill to his neighbor, therefore love is the fulfilling of the law,” Romans 13:8-10. “So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free. Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage…. For brethren, you have been called unto liberty, only use not liberty for an occasion for the flesh, but by love, serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” Galatians 4:31; 5:1, 13 & 14. “And this is His commandment, that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as He gave us commandment,” I John 3:23. Christ IN US: “Whosoever abides in Him, sins not.” I John 3:6 “Christ IN you, the hope of glory,” Colossians 1:27. “But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of God, he is none of His. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life, because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead, dwell in you; He that raised up Christ from the dead, shall also quicken your mortal bodies, by His Spirit that dwells in you…. For if you live after the flesh, ye shall die; but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live,” Romans 8:9-13. “Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is IN you…” I Corinthians 6:19. Daniel 9:24 has been fulfilled. We are free from sin. Christ IN US is our righteousness, our perfection, our sanctification and our life. Now we are free to love.

Understanding Ezekiel 37 - the Old and New Covenant

Ezekiel’s text is bolded. Other Scripture is in regular script and it interprets and gives understanding as to what this chapter means. “The hand of the Lord was upon me, and carried me out in the Spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones, and caused me to pass by them round about, and behold, there were very many in the open valley, and loe, they were very dry.” Vs 1 & 2 “There is none that do good, God looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God. Every one of them is gone back, they are altogether become filthy; there is not that doth good, no not one….There were they in great fear, where no fear was; for God hath scattered the bones of him that encampeth against thee, thou hast put them to shame, because God hath despised thee. Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion; when God bringeth back the captivity of His people, Jacob will rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.” Psalm 53:1-6; see Romans 3:10-23 and “For the wages of sin is death…” Romans 6:23 “Our bones are scattered at the graves mouth…” Psalm 141:7 “And I will lay the dead carcasses of the children of Israel before their idols, and I will scatter your bones round about your altars. In all your dwelling places the cities shall be laid waste… desolate…yet will I leave a remnant, that He may have some, that shall escape the sword among the nations, when ye shall be scattered throughout the countries.” Ezekiel 6:5-8 Of the Pharisees, He said, “Woe unto you scribed and Pharisees, hypocrites, for ye are like the whited sepulchers, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.” Matthew 23:27 “And you … who were dead in trespasses and sins….even when we were dead in sins…” Ephesians 2:1,5 “And you being dead in your trespasses…” Colossians 2:13 “And He said unto me, Son of Man, can these bones live? And I answered, ‘O Lord God, Thou knowest.’ Again He said unto me, ‘Prophecy upon these bones, and say unto them; ‘O ye dry bones, hear the Word of the Lord.’ Thus saith the Lord God unto these bones, ‘Behold, I will cause breath to enter into you, and ye shall live.’” Vs 3-5 “Therefore, whosoever heareth these sayings of Mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a Rock.” Matthew 7:24 “And these are they which are sown on good ground, such as hear the Word, and receive it and bring forth fruit…”. Mark 4:20 “He that is of God, heareth God’s Words.” John 8:47 “Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of the Lord.” Romans 10:17 “Verily, verily I say unto you, he that heareth My Word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. Verily, verily I say unto you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and they that hear, shall live.” John 5:24 & 25 “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” Genesis 2:7 (“And so it is written; the first man Adam was made a living soul, and the last Adam was made a quickening Spirit.” I Corinthians 15:45-49) “And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and saith unto them, ‘Receive ye the Holy Ghost.’” John 20:22 “And I will lay sinew upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live, and ye shall know that I am the Lord.’ So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone. And when I beheld, loe, the sinews and the flesh came upon them, and the skin covered them above; but there was not breath in them.” Vs 6-8 “We are thy bone and thy flesh” the people said to David (the type of Christ) in II Samuel 5:1 , a foreshadowing of the elect being of His body and flesh and bone. “For we are members of His body, of His flesh, and of his bones.” Ephesians 5:30 “Now ye are the Body of Christ.” I Corinthians 12:27 “…The Church, which is His body, the fullness of Him that filleth all in all.” Ephesians 1:22 & 23 “Then said He unto me, ‘Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, Son of man, and say to the wind, thus saith the Lord God; come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live. So I prophesied as He commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army. Then He said unto me, Son of Man, these bones are the whole house of Israel.” Vs 9-11 “The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound there of, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth; so is everyone that is born of the Spirit.” John 3:8 “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, there were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing Mighty Wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting, and there appeared unto them cloven tongues, like as a fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven…. This is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel, and It shall come to pass in the last days (saith God) I will pour out of My Spirit upon all flesh….” Acts 2:1-5, 16 & 17 “For we know, that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” II Corinthians 5:1 “But Christ as a son over his own house, whose house we are, if we hold fast the confidence, and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.” Hebrews 3:6 “Now therefore ye are no more strangers or foreigners; but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God, and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom all the building fitly framed together, groweth unto an holy temple of the Lord; in whom you also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.” Ephesians 2:19-22 “Ye also as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifice, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.” I Peter 2:4-10 “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.” Galatians 6:16 “For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly, neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Jew which is one inwardly, and circumcision is, that of the heart, in the Spirit, and not in the letter, whose praise is not of men, but of God.” Romans 2:28 & 29 “Behold, they say; our bones are dried, and our hope is lost, we are cut off for our parts. Therefore prophesy and say unto them, thus saith the Lord God, ‘Behold, O My people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves, O My people, and brought you up out of your graves, and shall put My Spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land; then shall ye know that I the Lord have spoken it, and performed it,’ saith the Lord.” Vs 11-14 “And thou Bethlehem in the land of Judah, art not the least among the Princes of Judah; for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule My people Israel.” Matthew 2:6 “As He saith also in Hosea, ‘I will call them My people, which were not My people,; and her, beloved, which was not beloved.’ And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, ‘Ye are not My people,” there shall they be called the children of the Living God.” Romans 9:25& 26 “…Come out of her, My people…” Revelation 18:4 “Marvel not at this; for the day is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice.” John 5:28 “And the graves were opened, and many bodies of saints which slept, arose, and came out of the graves after His resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.” Matthew 27:52 & 53 “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” I Corinthians 15:55 “Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages, and from generations, but NOW is made manifest to His saints, to whom God would make know what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the gentiles, which is CHRIST IN YOU, the hope of glory.” Colossians 1:26 & 27 “But ye are not in the flesh, but in the spirit, if so be that the spirit of God DWELL IN YOU. Now if any man have not the spirit of Christ, he is none of His. And if Christ BE IN YOU, the body is dead because of sin; but the spirit is life, because of righteousness. But if the spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead, DWELL IN YOU; He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies, by His spirit that DWELLETH IN YOU.” Romans 8:9-11 “Know ye not that ye are the Temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?” I Corinthians 3:16 “What, know ye not that your body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost which is IN you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?” I Corinthians 6:19 “If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and His love is perfected in us.” I John 4:12 “The Kingdom of heaven cometh not with observation. Neither shall they say, ‘Lo here, or lo there;’ for behold, the Kingdom of God is within you.” Luke 17:20 & 21 “…Christ, Who is our life…” and “For in Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in Him…” Colossians 3:4, 2:9 & 10 Now according to Acts 10:39 (“And we are witnesses of all things which He did both in the LAND of the JEWS, and in Jerusalem, whom they slew and hanged on a tree.”) and the books of Ezra and Nehemiah, they Jews were back in their land, one of the promises given to the nation of Israel. They came back to the land after the exile – and Ezra and Nehemiah built the new temple there. So, if the land of Israel was the PROMISE of the inheritance to Abraham and His Seed, why did the true disciples and apostles SELL THEIR LAND in Acts? “For as many as were possessors of lands, or houses, sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold. And laid them down at the apostles’ feet… having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it al the apostles’ feet.” Acts 4:34-37; (Ananias and Sapphira sold their land and lied about the price… Acts 5:1-10). The land is a spiritual metaphor of the inheritance. “By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac, and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise.” Hebrews 11:9 The fulfillment of the promised land have to do with inheritance. “For if the inheritance be of the Law, it is no more of promise; but God gave it to Abraham by promise.” Galatians 3:18 “And now brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among them which are sanctified.” Acts 20:32 Paul was sent, “To open their eyes, and to turn them from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.” Acts 26:18 “That in the dispensation of the fullness of times, He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth, even in Him; in Whom also we have obtained an inheritance…in Whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance…and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints”. Ephesians 1:10-14; 18 “For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ, and of God.” Ephesians 5:5 “Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light; Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the Kingdom of His dear Son.” Colossians 1:12& 13 “Knowing, that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance; for ye serve the Lord Christ.” Colossians 3:24 “And for this cause He is the mediator of the New Testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called, might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.” Hebrews 9:15 “By faith Abraham when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed, and he went out not knowing whither he went. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise. For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God…these all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly; wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He hath prepared for them a city.” Hebrews 11:8-16 (New Jerusalem, Zion – the New Covenant). “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to His abundant mercy, hath begotten us again unto a lively hope, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time.” I Peter 1:3-5 “Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you, will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” Philippians 1:6 “The Word of the Lord came again unto me, saying, ‘Moreover thou son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it, For Judah and for the children of Israel his companions; then take another stick, and write upon it; for Joseph the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions. And join them one to another into ONE stick, and they shall become one in thine hand. And when the children of Thy people shall speak unto Thee, saying; wilt Thou not show us what Thou meanest by these? Say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his fellows, and will put them with him, even with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in mine hand. And the sticks whereon thou writest shall be in thine hand before their eyes.” Vs 15-20 As touched on before, God fulfilled His promise to Abraham of giving his descendents the land of Canaan. The book of Joshua tells how the Israelites crossed the Jordan River and by the hand of God, conquered the land. Each tribe was parceled lots of land. Acts 13:19 see also Joshua 14 It is interesting to note… only the remnant went into the Promised Land. Joshua and Caleb and their families, along with the people under the age of 20, were the only ones allowed to go into the Promised Land. Only those who believed were brought into His rest, as the unbelievers fell in the wilderness. Hebrews 3:12- 4:3 The remnant of faith. This is not the first time that God established His precedent for the remnant. Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord and only he and his family (8 people out of hundreds of thousands) were saved. The rest were drowned in the terrible flood. After Solomon’s reign, the kingdom of Israel was divided into the Northern and Southern tribes – Israel and Judah. Israel and Judah rebelled and each was taken into captivity. The remnant from both Israel and Judah was allowed to go back to the land and live during the time of Ezra and Nehemiah. “For now for a little space grace hath been showed from the Lord our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a nail in His Holy place, that our God may lighten our eyes, and give us a little reviving in our bondage…. Our God hath not forsaken, but that extended mercy unto us…to set up the house of our God.” Ezra 9:8 & 9 (So Ezekiel prophesied that the two kingdoms would return as one. It happened around 50 years later. As you read Ezra, you will see that there is reference to the people from Judah as well as Israel. They came together as one. And as we have seen, they were one also at the time that Christ came. Jesus fulfills the spiritual prophesy of the two sticks coming together. Jacob and his sons are significant because it is through 2 of “lines” (flesh and Spirit), we have our Messiah. Through Joseph and Ephraim and his fathers Jacob, Isaac and Abraham, Jesus is born from above as the Seed of Abraham. And through the tribe of Judah, specifically David, Jesus is their offspring in the flesh, born of the seed of a woman. Jesus came to earth fully man and fully God. Both spiritual seed and physical seed of Jesus are prophesied in Genesis 49. The prophesy concerning Judah (“The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a Law Giver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be…” verse 10). The prophesy concerning Joseph (“…By the hands of the mighty God of Jacob; from thence is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel, even by the God of Thy father Who shall help Thee, and by the Almighty, Who shall bless Thee with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lieth under, blessings of the breasts and of the womb. The blessings of Thy Father have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors; unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills, they shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of Him that was separate from his brethren…” verses 24-26). “God was manifest in the flesh…” I Timothy 3:16 “And say unto them, ‘Thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen whither they have gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land. And I will make them ONE nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel, and One KING shall be king to them all; and they shall no more be two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all. Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgression; but I will save them out of all their dwelling places, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them; so shall they be My people, and I will be their God. And David My servant shall be King over them, and they all one Shepherd; they shall also walk in My judgments, and observe My statutes, and do them. And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob My servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt, and they shall dwell therein, even they and their children, and their children’s children for ever, and My servant David shall be their Prince forever.” Vs 21-25 As mentioned previously, the remnant from both Israel and Judah came back into the land around 50 years after Ezekiel prophesied. Israel was no longer a divided kingdom, but one. Spiritually speaking, God’s children are gathered together as ONE in Him as the temple veil is torn in two and He has broken down all barriers. “That in the dispensation of the fullness of times, He might gather together in ONE all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth, even in Him; in Whom also we have obtained an inheritance…in Whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance…” Ephesians 1:10 – 14 “Caiaphas ...prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation; and not for that nation only, but that also He should gather together in ONE, the children of God that were scattered abroad.” John 11:49-52 “For He is our peace, Who hath made both ONE, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us...” Ephesians 2:14 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female; for ye are all ONE in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:28; see also John 17:20-23 “And the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of his father David. And He shall reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there shall be no end.” Luke 1:32 & 33 “And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they shall hear My voice; and there shall be ONE fold, and ONE Shepherd.” John 10:16 “KING OF KINGS, LORD OF LORDS…” Revelation 19:16 “And the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin…If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” I John 7 & 9 “I will put My laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts…” Hebrews 8:10 “Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them, it shall be an everlasting covenant with them, and I will place them and multiply them, and will set My Sanctuary in the midst of them forevermore. My Tabernacle also shall be with them; yea, I will be their God, and they shall be My people. And the heathen shall know that I the Lord do sanctify Israel, when My Sanctuary shall be in their midst of them forevermore.” Vs 26-28 “For unto us a child is born…the Prince of peace.” Isaiah 9:6 “And I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause the evil beasts to cease out of the land; and they shall dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods.” Ezekiel 34:25 “For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed, but My kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of My peace be removed, saith the Lord, that hath mercy on thee.” Isaiah 54:10 “For He is our peace, Who hath made both one…”. Ephesians 2:14 “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you...These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace…”. John 14:27; 16:33 “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Romans 5:1 “(Having made peace through the blood of his cross) by Him to reconcile all things unto Himself…” Colossians 1:20 “Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant.” Hebrews 13:20 “For ye are the Temple of the living God, as God hath said, ‘I will dwell in them, and walk in them, and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.’” II Corinthians 6:16 & 17 “… And will be their God, and they shall be My people.” Hebrews 8:10 “Behold the Tabernacle of God with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, their God.” Revelation 21:3 “For both He that sanctifieth, and they who are sanctified, are all of one; for which cause He is not ashamed to call them brethren.” Hebrews 2:11 “But ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” I Corinthians 6:11 “Wherefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood…” Hebrews 13:12 “…To them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called.” Jude 1 “Behold, the Tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God.” Revelation 21:3 Embracing the freedom and rest in the New Covenant - the law of love written on the hearts of those who believe! Amen!

Beauty of the Rain

After such hot temperatures, the cool rainy weather has been a relief. As I left my apartment, I was not deterred from walking as I experienced the refreshing light drizzle. About half way into my hour walk, it started to rain steady. I had no choice but to be in the rain. Instead of fighting it or having the “Oh man, I’d better hurry home” attitude, I embraced it. The verse in Ezekiel 34:26 ran through my mind; God promised showers of blessing in His covenant of peace through Christ. I reflected on the incredibleness of peace, peace with God. Being present, in the moment, embracing the circumstance of rain, it was what it was. Once focused on the now, I was able to experience the sights, the sounds, and the emotions. The birds were chasing each other and chirping. One squawked at me as I passed its nesting tree. One laid dead on the road. In sadness, I wondered how its mate and new babies were going to handle its loss. The leaves and grass were enjoying the sustenance. I had a sense that God was saying to me, “See all I have created. Notice. Notice -- realize how much I love you. I love you. Because I love you, you can let go and you can trust Me.” In this stillness, I connected with God as I was reminded to be content in my now. I realize again, I have no control over life, circumstances, and the actions of others. But I can choose to engage, feel, grieve, participate, love, and enjoy the many many blessings. I don’t have to know my future; I have spent so much wasted time worrying about. I have the gift of today and I am embracing it. I choose life.