http://www.charismanews.com/opinion/53618-jonathan-cahn-hanukkah-foreshadows-the-end-times
Friday, December 4, 2015
Sunday, November 1, 2015
Knowing the Season
This is a good teaching concerning the timing of the Lord's return and the signs of the times.
http://www.dailycrow.com/nobody-knows-the-day-or-hour-misconception/
http://www.dailycrow.com/nobody-knows-the-day-or-hour-misconception/
Thursday, September 10, 2015
A Key to Receiving God's Blessing and Avoiding His Curse
A Key to Receiving God’s Blessings and Avoiding His Curse
From: Why Care about Israel? By Sandra Teplinsky
[Gen 12:2 NLT] 2 I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others.
[Gen 12:3 NLT] 3 I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you."
This covenant promise was given to Abraham and his descendants through Isaac and Jacob. In Romans 9 Paul calls the Jews his brother and sisters. Paul tells us that the people of Israel are God’s adopted children. God revealed his glory to them. He made covenants with them and gave them his law. He gave them the privilege of worshiping and serving Him and receiving His wonderful promises (Romans 9:3-11). Paul goes on to tell us that not all that are born into the nation of Israel are truly member of God’s people but only the children of the promise born through Isaac. The people of Israel through Isaac and Jacob are special to God because He chose them and He loves them.
The promise God gave Abraham and his descendants through Isaac and Jacob was that He would make them into a great nation, bless them, make them famous, and to make them a blessing to others. The Hebrew word for blessing is barakb from the root barakb. Literally it means to kneel before, honor, prefer, enrich, and serve. Indeed God did lay down His glory and come down to earth as a man, the man Jesus; God, who “knelt down” before mankind as He gave His life for us.
So, because of God’s covenant promise to Abraham He will bless Israel, and all those who also bless Israel. This promise was and is not contingent upon or dependant on Israel’s sin or condition. It is an unconditional promise. Here is the key to receiving God’s blessings, we must bless (kneel before, honor, prefer, enrich, and serve) Israel. The New Covenant confirms this unconditional promise, the promise to bless Israel and all those that do bless Israel (Heb. 6:13-17).
The story of Ruth is a prophetic picture of this unconditional promise to bless Israel (Jews) and to bless gentiles that bless (honor and serve) Jews. Consider Naomi (Pleasant) as Israel married to Elimechech (My God Is King) as God, forced to leave Israel due to a famine in the land. They have two sons, Mahlon (Sickly) and Chetion (Wasting Away) reflecting the condition of Israel at the time. Elimechech and her sons die leaving Naomi with only her two gentile daughters-in-law, Orpah (Back of Neck or stiffed neck) and Ruth ( Friend). Naomi returns to Israel and only Ruth goes with her saying, “your people shall be my people” (Ruth 1:16-17). Because of hardships, Naomi becomes bitter and changes her name to Mara (Bitter) but Ruth still clings to her. Here we see the true Church (Ruth) clinging and remaining a true friend to Mara (Israel). Mara then asks Ruth to go and glean the fields for her that they have something to eat. Here we see Ruth (the true Church) blessing (kneeling for Mara and serving her). Then comes Boaz (Strength Is In Him) into the picture representing Jesus the Messiah. Boaz redeems Ruth as she kneels before Boaz. Boaz claims Ruth as His Bride (Ruth 4:11) and together they have a baby Obed (Servant). Mara is so blessed that her heart is healed and she changes her name back to Naomi The picture here is Christ redeeming gentiles as they bless or serve Israel. The child of Boaz and Ruth (spiritual offspring) so blesses Mara (Israel) that she once again becomes Pleasant. What a picture of the true Church blessing Israel changing the Jewish hearts and restoring Israel to “The Pleasant Land”.
In the New Testament, Jesus blessed the Roman centurion because the centurion blessed Israel. In like manner, Jesus will bless the gentiles that bless Israel. On the other hand, those that curse Israel will be cursed. This promise of blessing and cursing is true for Abraham’s spiritual children as well as for Israel. Through Jesus those of the true Church are adopted into God’s family, the children of promise (Rom 8:14, 23). Those that bless the true Church will be blessed (Luke 7:4-5). Those that curse the true Church will be cursed.
To understand what it means to be cursed by God we need to understand the Hebrew word for curse. The word use when directed at Israel means to impose a barrier, ban, paralysis, to treat lightly, to make little, or to judge (a judgment). We might paraphrase Gen.12:3 as: The one who treats you (Israel) lightly, who stops you as you fulfill your calling or makes you little, I must curse. The word used when God says He must curse those that curse Israel means: a prayer or invocation for harm or injury to come upon one (IMPRECATION), something that is cursed or accursed, evil or misfortune that comes as if in response to imprecation or as retribution, or a cause of great harm or misfortune (TORMENT). Consider the story of Abimelech in Gen. 20:1-18. Or the story of Jacob in Egypt, the Moabites (Neh 13_1-2), Haman in Esther 3, 5, and 7, the Roman Empire, Islam, the Crusaders, and Germany as they all in one way or another cursed Israel and the Jews. All received the curse from God.
And now, what about all the individuals, churches, and nations including the USA that are actively cursing Israel and Jews? God greatly blessed the USA for its support and blessing of Israel. But in 1993 the tide turned. The USA tried to force Israel to give up its land (God’s land) for peace. And to this day the USA is coercing Israel to give up its land for peace and greatly compromising its security as it befriends and supports the enemies of Israel. The USA and many other nations around the world are cursing Israel and the Jews. Anti-Semitism is a glaring mark of this cursing. What history teaches us, if we dare to listen, is that whole nations suffer on account of its leaders and the way they treat Israel. Whole nations have been, and will be cursed for cursing Israel and the Jews including the USA. But this also applies to individuals, families, and churches. Churches that bless Israel and the Jews will be blessed. Those that curse Israel and the Jews will be cursed.
Can the curse that is deservedly coming be reversed? Perhaps it can. The key, the secret to blessings will be humility. Repentance from the sin of anti-Semitism and obvious belittling, and cursing Israel is a must. We can also co-labor with indigenous churches and ministries that serve Israel and the Jews. Praying for Israel and the Jews and serving them will be blessing them, and blessing them will cause God to bless those blessing Israel once again. True believers are called to stand in the gap as intercessors for Israel and the Jews (Ezek 22:30). God’s promise to bless or curse, is tied inexorably to Israel and the Jews.
Why is this true? It is true because God loves Israel (Deut 7:6-8)! He chose them out from among all peoples (Ezek 16:13-19, 60; Hosea 3:1, 5:14-15, 2:16-23, 14:4-7; Jer 31:31-37). They are God’s chosen people and Israel is His land and the place of His throne on earth.
Why should we bless and serve Israel? Because Jesus will return there fulfilling prophecy and her land is holy and belongs to God. The Millennial Temple, Jesus’ throne on earth, will be built there. Because Jews are God’s people and He would have none of them perish. We bless them to be blessed (Rom 11:12). To be blessed by God individuals, families, churches, and nations must be a blessing to Israel according to the promise to Abraham and his descendants. To curse Israel or the Jews is to call down God’s curse. But most of all we are to love and bless Israel and the Jew because God unconditionally and uncompromisingly loves Israel. To really know God’s love and to really know Him is to love Israel as He does.
From: Why Care about Israel? By Sandra Teplinsky
[Gen 12:2 NLT] 2 I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others.
[Gen 12:3 NLT] 3 I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you."
This covenant promise was given to Abraham and his descendants through Isaac and Jacob. In Romans 9 Paul calls the Jews his brother and sisters. Paul tells us that the people of Israel are God’s adopted children. God revealed his glory to them. He made covenants with them and gave them his law. He gave them the privilege of worshiping and serving Him and receiving His wonderful promises (Romans 9:3-11). Paul goes on to tell us that not all that are born into the nation of Israel are truly member of God’s people but only the children of the promise born through Isaac. The people of Israel through Isaac and Jacob are special to God because He chose them and He loves them.
The promise God gave Abraham and his descendants through Isaac and Jacob was that He would make them into a great nation, bless them, make them famous, and to make them a blessing to others. The Hebrew word for blessing is barakb from the root barakb. Literally it means to kneel before, honor, prefer, enrich, and serve. Indeed God did lay down His glory and come down to earth as a man, the man Jesus; God, who “knelt down” before mankind as He gave His life for us.
So, because of God’s covenant promise to Abraham He will bless Israel, and all those who also bless Israel. This promise was and is not contingent upon or dependant on Israel’s sin or condition. It is an unconditional promise. Here is the key to receiving God’s blessings, we must bless (kneel before, honor, prefer, enrich, and serve) Israel. The New Covenant confirms this unconditional promise, the promise to bless Israel and all those that do bless Israel (Heb. 6:13-17).
The story of Ruth is a prophetic picture of this unconditional promise to bless Israel (Jews) and to bless gentiles that bless (honor and serve) Jews. Consider Naomi (Pleasant) as Israel married to Elimechech (My God Is King) as God, forced to leave Israel due to a famine in the land. They have two sons, Mahlon (Sickly) and Chetion (Wasting Away) reflecting the condition of Israel at the time. Elimechech and her sons die leaving Naomi with only her two gentile daughters-in-law, Orpah (Back of Neck or stiffed neck) and Ruth ( Friend). Naomi returns to Israel and only Ruth goes with her saying, “your people shall be my people” (Ruth 1:16-17). Because of hardships, Naomi becomes bitter and changes her name to Mara (Bitter) but Ruth still clings to her. Here we see the true Church (Ruth) clinging and remaining a true friend to Mara (Israel). Mara then asks Ruth to go and glean the fields for her that they have something to eat. Here we see Ruth (the true Church) blessing (kneeling for Mara and serving her). Then comes Boaz (Strength Is In Him) into the picture representing Jesus the Messiah. Boaz redeems Ruth as she kneels before Boaz. Boaz claims Ruth as His Bride (Ruth 4:11) and together they have a baby Obed (Servant). Mara is so blessed that her heart is healed and she changes her name back to Naomi The picture here is Christ redeeming gentiles as they bless or serve Israel. The child of Boaz and Ruth (spiritual offspring) so blesses Mara (Israel) that she once again becomes Pleasant. What a picture of the true Church blessing Israel changing the Jewish hearts and restoring Israel to “The Pleasant Land”.
In the New Testament, Jesus blessed the Roman centurion because the centurion blessed Israel. In like manner, Jesus will bless the gentiles that bless Israel. On the other hand, those that curse Israel will be cursed. This promise of blessing and cursing is true for Abraham’s spiritual children as well as for Israel. Through Jesus those of the true Church are adopted into God’s family, the children of promise (Rom 8:14, 23). Those that bless the true Church will be blessed (Luke 7:4-5). Those that curse the true Church will be cursed.
To understand what it means to be cursed by God we need to understand the Hebrew word for curse. The word use when directed at Israel means to impose a barrier, ban, paralysis, to treat lightly, to make little, or to judge (a judgment). We might paraphrase Gen.12:3 as: The one who treats you (Israel) lightly, who stops you as you fulfill your calling or makes you little, I must curse. The word used when God says He must curse those that curse Israel means: a prayer or invocation for harm or injury to come upon one (IMPRECATION), something that is cursed or accursed, evil or misfortune that comes as if in response to imprecation or as retribution, or a cause of great harm or misfortune (TORMENT). Consider the story of Abimelech in Gen. 20:1-18. Or the story of Jacob in Egypt, the Moabites (Neh 13_1-2), Haman in Esther 3, 5, and 7, the Roman Empire, Islam, the Crusaders, and Germany as they all in one way or another cursed Israel and the Jews. All received the curse from God.
And now, what about all the individuals, churches, and nations including the USA that are actively cursing Israel and Jews? God greatly blessed the USA for its support and blessing of Israel. But in 1993 the tide turned. The USA tried to force Israel to give up its land (God’s land) for peace. And to this day the USA is coercing Israel to give up its land for peace and greatly compromising its security as it befriends and supports the enemies of Israel. The USA and many other nations around the world are cursing Israel and the Jews. Anti-Semitism is a glaring mark of this cursing. What history teaches us, if we dare to listen, is that whole nations suffer on account of its leaders and the way they treat Israel. Whole nations have been, and will be cursed for cursing Israel and the Jews including the USA. But this also applies to individuals, families, and churches. Churches that bless Israel and the Jews will be blessed. Those that curse Israel and the Jews will be cursed.
Can the curse that is deservedly coming be reversed? Perhaps it can. The key, the secret to blessings will be humility. Repentance from the sin of anti-Semitism and obvious belittling, and cursing Israel is a must. We can also co-labor with indigenous churches and ministries that serve Israel and the Jews. Praying for Israel and the Jews and serving them will be blessing them, and blessing them will cause God to bless those blessing Israel once again. True believers are called to stand in the gap as intercessors for Israel and the Jews (Ezek 22:30). God’s promise to bless or curse, is tied inexorably to Israel and the Jews.
Why is this true? It is true because God loves Israel (Deut 7:6-8)! He chose them out from among all peoples (Ezek 16:13-19, 60; Hosea 3:1, 5:14-15, 2:16-23, 14:4-7; Jer 31:31-37). They are God’s chosen people and Israel is His land and the place of His throne on earth.
Why should we bless and serve Israel? Because Jesus will return there fulfilling prophecy and her land is holy and belongs to God. The Millennial Temple, Jesus’ throne on earth, will be built there. Because Jews are God’s people and He would have none of them perish. We bless them to be blessed (Rom 11:12). To be blessed by God individuals, families, churches, and nations must be a blessing to Israel according to the promise to Abraham and his descendants. To curse Israel or the Jews is to call down God’s curse. But most of all we are to love and bless Israel and the Jew because God unconditionally and uncompromisingly loves Israel. To really know God’s love and to really know Him is to love Israel as He does.
Tuesday, August 25, 2015
Saturday, July 18, 2015
Revelation: The Road to New Jerusalem Full Text Study
View from my dropbox:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/yj7a6i82c00iq5i/The%20Road%20to%20New%20Jerusalem%20Rev%201%2061408.pdf?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/yj7a6i82c00iq5i/The%20Road%20to%20New%20Jerusalem%20Rev%201%2061408.pdf?dl=0
Tuesday, June 23, 2015
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