Kings, Prophets, and You and Me

I want to confess something to you tonight...

I am constantly writing blogs. I write them every day in my head, it's just that most of them only make it that far...they never see the light of day, so of course they don't make it to blogger. :)

I've been doing some self reflecting about this...trying to figure out why I don't sit down and write every cool thing that I learn from the Word on a daily basis.

Truly, I'd love to do just that. But I don't. So the obvious question is "Why not?"

I think it's because what I've been studying the past 8 months or so has been so awe-inspiring to me; so new; so laden with the history of Israel, of which I am no expert, that quite honestly, I've had to have some time to really meditate upon what I've learned.

I simply mean I've had to chew on these truths I've been learning. I've had to have time to let them solidify in my heart.

Does that make sense at all?

I sure hope so, for your sakes. For my sake, I'm all good with it. :)

The major lessons for me in our study of "A Divided Heart, A Divided Nation" - (1Kings & 2nd Chronicles) were :

1. It's all about God being glorified. All of it. It has to be. Anything less from us is total    disobedience.

The temple - a place for God's glory to reside

Jerusalem - the city which God chose for Himself where His Name would dwell

King David - God's chosen man, for God's glory and God's purposes although he sinned grievously, he never once turned from serving the One True God, the God of Israel, to serving idols...never. He was repentant over his sin, and submitted to God's discipline all the while trusting in His mercy and lovingkindness.

Solomon - at first it seemed he started his reign well, but I'm not so sure I think so. At the time that he prayed his prayer for wisdom from God, he had already made a marriage alliance with Pharaoh to marry his daughter. This was total disobedience to God.

Yet, at times he really knocked it out of the park with his prayers. He prayed as someone who knew the Lord, and was genuine in his prayer to him, or so it seems.

Yet, his life did not imitate his prayers.

 

I'm still "chewing" on what I've learned about Solomon. Some would say he had a divided heart. I'm not sure that's possible. I love how one of the ladies in our group put it...."If you cut your heart in half, you die."

How did Solomon do with bringing God glory? Not so good...he worshiped false gods, built houses for the many gods that his 700+ wives served. Yes, he built the temple to God, but then he built other temples/high places to idols! And lots of them!

Rehoboam and Jeroboam are next in line. You see, after Solomon, the nation of Israel divided. 

There were definite consequences to disobeying the Word of the LORD.

There are still consequences to disobedience to the LORD Most High. We don't often hear about that in some of our churches these days, but it's the truth. 

God disciplines those whom He loves.

For our good, for our edification. 

What loving parent wouldn't discipline a disobedient child? If your child keeps putting his head in the oven so he can smell the cookies baking, repeatedly ignoring your instruction not to do that because he could get burned, aren't you going to discipline him at some point, for his best?

Think about this....a kid who is putting his head into a hot oven IS going to be disciplined one way or another....either by you, or by the oven. 

I have a friend who says that either she will discipline her children, or the world will. 

So it is with God. He loves us, and knows what's best for us, even if we don't agree. If we belong to Him, His plans are always to do good for us in the end. (Deut. 8)

What did I learn from Kings & Prophets?

It's all about God glorified. 

In Kings 

In fulfilled plans, like the temple being built 

In honored promises, like how there has always been and will always be a King on the throne of David. 

In Me- My daily question needs to be, "Lord, how to you want to be glorified in me today?

What is my job assignment for Your glory, Lord?"

In You - will you obey? Will you live for His glory in all things, and not for your desires?  

Will you begin your day tomorrow talking with the Lord, and telling Him,                

 

"I'm here Father, a ready ambassador of Christ Jesus...a minister of the reconciliation that you performed for mankind. Your bond-servant. What "field" do you want me to work today, Master?"

Can you tell that I'm still "chewing" ?

We'll talk about the first King of Judah and the next King of Israel, next.

And, we'll talk about the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, too!

Much Love ... 

Jes

Jon Voight - A Heart for Israel

Please - Sign Petition to Keep Jerusalem Undivided!

I PLEAD WITH you to go to the below blog and read the post for October 9th.

Please click the link found within and sign the petition to keep Jerusalem undivided. Please!

Jerusalem, along with all of Israel, is land that was promised to the Israelites from God Himself, way back in Genesis...in God's covenant with Abram.

As you study through prophecy of the Old Testament, you will see over and over again that God reconfims His covenant with His chosen people, the Jews. The land is a HUGE part of God's covenant with her.

After WWII, God led His people back to the land that He had given them. It's inconceivable that they would surrender control, even partial control, of Jerusalem to their enemies. They've already done that with the Gaza strip, and what has it benefitted them?

There are times in Scripture when God's people made covenants based in fear, with enemy nations, and they were dismal failures.

Yet, the covenants that God made with His beloved people will never fail.

Covenants based in fear are worthless. A covenant of faith in God...perfect.

Please, I beg you, please go and sign this petition. Show our President and the UN that we will stand with Israel, and for her.

Remember the tragedies of WWII? Remember the horrors that happened because those who could didn't stand up and protect Israel soon enough? Think of the lives that could have been saved had we, and the other allied forces had acted on her behalf more quickly.

While you're there, please sign the one about the Temple Mount too.

In Yeshua,
Jes

HERE'S THE LINK:
http://joelrosenberg.blogspot.com/

Messianic Judaism, a Brief Look at Jews Who Profess Yeshua as Messiah

I just finished reading a book that I just know will be on my
"Lifetime Top 5" list forever.

It's called, "Your People Shall Be My People" by Don Finto, former pastor of Belmont Church of Christ in Nashville, TN.

As I was reading his book, there were several times that I just put it down and hit my knees and confessed before God the sins of the generations before me, against the Jewish people.

You see, my family origin is primarily German. Anti-semitic jokes were the norm in my home growing up. It was nothing to say we had
"Jewed someone down" when we got a good deal on something.

I remember too, this attitude that the Jews were just hard-hearted and a lost cause because they had rejected Jesus.

How sad to see that today, with new eyes and a new heart. How sad that those who were teaching me didn't know their history very well.

The first century church was made up of Jewish people! The Jews came to Christ first..then the Gentiles later. Acts 10 shows us that the Jews were actually surprised to find that the Gospel, the Messiah was also for the Gentiles!

It wasn't until some Gentiles were baptized in the Holy Spirit, that the Jews realized it was ok for them to receive water baptism too!

When I was growing up, there was almost an attitude of pity toward the Jews for how blind they were.

Just writing this breaks my heart today!

If the Gospel was first for the Jew and then for the Gentile, why in the world aren't we reaching out to Jewish people in love and introducing them IN LOVE to THEIR Messiah?!

I'm not talking about beating them over the head...the LORD knows that they've had GENERATIONS of persecution in the name of Jesus. ( Tragic, as this was never God's intention..just an example of what happens when man doesn't observe the FULL counsel of God's Word enough to know what GOD'S plans are..and instead man depends upon his own fautly plans.)

I'm talking about in love, showing a Jewish person from Scripture how Yeshua fulfilled all of the prophesies made about the Messiah. To do this, we must know and realize the importance of the Old Testament, and not be blinded into thinking that we are just "New Testament" believers.

Jesus didn't first show up in the New Testament..He first showed up in the Old Testament!

Well, to summarize...reading Don Finto's book truly pierced my heart. I told Shane last weekend that I would move to Israel in a minute and live to love on God's chosen people...and to break bread daily with fellow believers in Yeshua.

This was HUGE for me, because I've never even wanted to go on a tour of Israel!

Then, someone sent me this news footage from an Israeli station today. It's really amazing.

We need to remember to be praying for our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, in Israel...and for those whom they will share the good news of Messiah with, to have hearts open to hear and consider what the truth of Scripture really is.

Enjoy the footage. Link is below.

In Him,
Jesica

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6244392868781886952

The Believer's Responsibility for the Body and for The Word

Galatians 1:10 For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.

How are you living out your life as a minister of reconciliation? Are you aware of the fact that God says in His Word that this is your job description?

Do you know that it also says that as a believer in Jesus Christ, that you are to be an ambassador for Christ?

Think about it...both of those truths tell us that our lives are not our own...wow! Scripture even says that too..we've been bought with a price ( the blood and flesh and life of Jesus Christ ), and it's NOT ABOUT US ANYMORE!

What does it mean to be a bond-servant?

It means that we are totally and completely to be at the will of God in all that we say and do.

Paul, in his letter to the Galatians, was SERIOUS about this!

He said that even if he himself, or an angel, should preach a gospel other than what they had heard originally, that they were to be accursed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

He included himself in that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

He is SERIOUS about the holiness of God's Word...and so is GOD!

God tells us in the Old Testament that He has exalted His Name with His Word.

Why do we feel, in the church, that we can't be bold in the Lord?

Why do we buy into the thought that we don't have to PROTECT God's Holy Word with our very lives?!

Why do we seek the favor of MAN instead of the favor of Almighty God?

Why do we work harder at protecting man than at protecting God's Word and His body?!

We have to realize that God hates that junk! He hates it! He will not put up with it!

He is Holy, and we are told to be holy as He is holy.

He would not tolerate someone twisting His Word to meet their own needs and their own glorification..and He does not want His church, His body, to tolerate it either.

Yes, we are to speak the truth in love. No doubt about that...but speak the truth must...and it won't always mean that the person who it's being spoken to walks away feeling all rosy inside!

Maybe they'll be mad.

Maybe they'll be hurt.

Maybe they'll be convicted.

The end result is not our business. God doesn't say, "Speak the truth in love unless someone is going to be offended. In that case, just coddle them instead."

He never says that, for to do so would be contrary to Who He is...and contrary to the truth that He GUARDS His GLORY..and that we, as His body, are supposed to do the same...to follow in His model.

In fact, let's look at that passage a little more closely, for it is WAY too often taken totally out of context, and used to serve one's selfish need instead of serving it's intended purpose.

Ephesians 4:14 As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming;
15 but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ,
16 from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.

So, look for yourself and see..what's the PURPOSE behind "speaking the truth in love"????????????????

That the whole body may grow up in all aspects into HIM who is the head, even Christ! For the growth of the body, for the building up of itself in love!

How can a body of believers truly grow up in all aspects into Christ, if we are not willing to speak the truth, relative to v.14 regarding "the winds of doctrine, the trickery of men, and craftiness in decietful scheming"?!

We must do so! We have an obligation to protect both the body of Christ and the Word of God.

If we need an example of what happens when a body of believers doesn't do this...we need only to read the Old Testament and see what happened to Israel and Judah.

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A child who hits their parent....

Did you know that the Old Testament says that a child who hit their mother or father must surely be put to death?

Wow! God was SERIOUS about not transgressing His Covenant!

We had to deal with this yesterday with our child.

It wasn't really a hit, it was more of a head slam.

So, for you who say our kids are perfect ( you know who you are!), can't say that anymore! ;)

Shane found that verse in the Old Testament and shared it with our son and then was able to explain to him about God's mercy through Jesus Christ and that it's only because of Jesus' coming and fulfilling the Old Covenant that we are able to walk in grace before God.

But, that God's grace is not to be used as opportunity to walk in sin, thereby profaning His covenant.

It was a great study for Caedmon to learn, and today I have a new son. His heart was broken before God...it had to come through his bottom, unfortunately for him.

But, he got it. And we were reminded once again how serious God is about His Word, and WHY he has precepts in place to help us govern our lives according to His righteousness and not our own.

(In my righteousness, I wanted to tear his head off! Good thing I have God's pattern to live by and not what is right in my own eyes.)

Aren't you glad we don't have to put our kids to death for doing something like that, anymore? The death for sin was paid once for all when the Messiah of Israel came and reconciled us all to God, and imparted His Righteousness to us, through His death. (Romans 6)

And, through His resurrection we have newness of life to walk in God's glory through Jesus! ( Romans 6 )


Thank you again, Lord Jesus! Thank you, Father!