Book of Galatians, Chapter 5

 Chapter 5

Christ Has Set Us Free

1 For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.

2 Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you. 3 I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. 4 You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace. 5 For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.

7 You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? 8 This persuasion is not from him who calls you. 9 A little leaven leavens the whole lump. 10 I have confidence in the Lord that you will take no other view, and the one who is troubling you will bear the penalty, whoever he is. 11 But if I, brothers, still preach circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been removed. 12 I wish those who unsettle you would emasculate themselves!

13 For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.

Keep in Step with the Spirit

16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentlenesses, self-control; against such things, there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

The Five Steps of an Anointed Life, Calling

 Calling 

Let us pray.

“Oh Heavenly Father, Lord God, please be with us as we gather in Your name to read Your Word and to learn and grow in Spirit. Allow Your Word to nourish our spirits and take firm hold within us, so that we may become fertile soil and bring forth a mighty harvest for You and for the Kingdom's sake. Please, Father, give us eyes to see, ears to hear, and a spirit to understand what You want us to know. In Yeshua’s name, Amen!”

Here are the five steps of an anointed life.

As we have already discussed, God foreknows you before you are even in the womb. Then? He predestined a plan and a purpose for you and your life. This brings us to today. Now, every man and woman who is born goes through these two steps. This is another reason that abortion is so evil. Then there comes step three. 

Calling

You are not here by accident or happenstance. God created you. God has a purpose and a plan for every one of us. This is where you come in. God calls you.

Ever hear someone say, "I found Jesus." Or, "They found Jesus."? That is a lie. Perhaps a misunderstanding, or misspeak, but a lie nonetheless. You cannot find Jesus. You do not know where to look. Unless God calls you out, you are part of the world. You belong to the world. There is nothing you can do. The truth is, most have no desire to change anything. They do not even know there is a better way. It is only when God calls you out or leads you away that you can "find Jesus." It is only when God leads you that you can be saved. Yeshua, or Jesus as translated, even plainly told us this.

"No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. It is written in the Prophets, 'And they will all be taught by God.' Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me-- not that anyone has seen the Father except he who is from God; he has seen the Father. Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life." John 6:44-47

Have you ever felt that little pull from nowhere? That quiet and subtle urge? It’s the reason you find yourself stopping on the channels when you see TV preachers. Or when you’re browsing in a bookstore and spot a Bible. It even happens during a conversation with someone who regularly attends church, making you think about joining them, just for one Sunday. Just to see what it’s all about. That doesn’t make you weird, right? Just one Sunday?

That is the Holy Spirit. That is God. He is calling you out. He wants you to get to know the Truth about Him, Yeshua, the Holy Spirit, and His plan and purpose for your life. He is calling you out to be His Child.

"For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!" The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs--heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him." Romans 8:14-17

He promises that if you say “Yes” and come out from among them, if you accept His call and come out of the world, He will change you.

"And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in my statutes and keep my rules and obey them. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God. But as for those whose heart goes after their detestable things and their abominations, I will bring their deeds upon their own heads, declares the Lord GOD." Ezekiel 11:19-21

Paul tells Timothy that it is solely for God's purpose that He calls us out. It is solely for God's plans that he chooses those He does.

"Who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began," 2 Timothy 1:9

Why do you believe you understand the truth? Why do you accept that a man was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, suffered and was murdered, and was hung on a cross, only to rise from the dead on the third day? To many, this seems foolish and impossible. Yet you know it is the absolute and undeniable truth.

Why do you believe it? Are you dumb? Are you smarter than they? Are you more inclined to believe in the supernatural? Nope. You believe, because you were called.

"For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men." 1 Corinthians 1:22-25

Why do we not get it until God calls us out?

"Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word”

A little bit later, Yeshua said this

“Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God." John 8:43 / 47

You see, God loves you. He formed you. He set up a plan and purpose for your life. Now God calls you to accept it. Now it is up to you. Ever think of it this way? The simplicity of life. A one-word answer to a question, by one man. Yeshua said, "Follow me?" Yes, or No?

Again, if you say "No," the ground is not going to open up and suck you down to the pits of Hell. You will not get struck by lightning. At least I do not think you will. {Pause} You will feel no different than you did before. You may even live the rest of your life in peace and comfort, with lots of money in the bank.

However, when the time comes, and the time will come, that you pass on from here, you will stand before Jesus, and He will say to you.

"I never knew you: depart from me, you that work iniquity." Matthew 7:23

If you say "Yes," THAT is when the Spirit of Adoption comes. That is when your name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life. That is when you become a child of God. As a child, you have a role to play in the Kingdom.

Yeshua made this statement.

When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said this to His disciples. 

“The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” Matthew 9:35-38

He said this as well.

“For many are called, but few are chosen.” Matthew 22:14

You need to understand what this truly means. If God calls you out of the world and to Himself, He is adopting you into His Family. He becomes your “Abba Father.” I know, I know some have an issue with this. Abba Father simply means Daddy. God, the Creator of the universe, calls you out to be His child, and He wants to be your “Daddy.” This is why we read things like this in Romans 8:28

“And we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”

Remember, our Lord gave us the “Great Commission.”

“And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." Matthew 28:18-20

When you become a child of God, you enter into a process of learning, following, and becoming more like Yeshua the Christ. We are to be a sower of the seed, a teller of truth, and a walker in the way. We should be a shining example of the love of God. Not simply appearing as the rest of the world. Of the lost.

Next time we will be discussing the fourth step, and that is Justification. A time of preparation. A time of learning and growing. This is an important step that, sadly, many try to skip. More on that next time. However, you are now a child of God. It is not a one-time prayer, and all is a good thing. It is a life-changing, relationship-building, wisdom-growing life. It is forever. Even if perhaps you do not feel worthy.

“For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of him, you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord." 1 Corinthians 26-31

Are you called? Are you adopted into the Family of God?

Say this Prayer. Right now. Wherever you may be. Say it in your own words, and do not doubt in your heart. God will hear you. He will send the Spirit of Life to you. Let us pray.

"Oh, heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Yeshua's sacrifice for me. I believed He rose from the dead. I repent of my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Yeshua, Amen!"

That's it. It is that simple. Now go tell someone what you have just done. "That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Yeshua, and shalt believe in your heart that God hath raised him from the dead, You shall be saved." Romans 10:9. You need to find a Church that God leads you to and be baptized the way Jesus said to be. You are now a Child of God. A New Creature. You "have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him."Colossians 3:10

The email, if you wish to contact me, is truthbygod1@gmail.com

May the comfort of the Holy Ghost and the peace of our Lord Yeshua be with you all. May God bless and be with you, always.

Until next time, be blessed, be a blessing, and Yeshua is Lord!

Book of Galatians, Chapter 4

 Chapter 4

Sons and Heirs

1 I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no different from a slave, though he is the owner of everything, 2 he is under guardians and managers until the date set by his father. 3 In the same way we also, when we were children, were enslaved to the elementary principles of the world. 4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. 6 And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.

Paul's Concern for the Galatians

8 Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods. 9 But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more? 10 You observe days and months and seasons and years! 11 I am afraid I may have labored over you in vain.

12 Brothers, I entreat you, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You did me no wrong. 13 You know it was because of a bodily ailment that I preached the gospel to you at first, 14 and though my condition was a trial to you, you did not scorn or despise me, but received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus. 15 What then has become of your blessedness? For I testify to you that, if possible, you would have gouged out your eyes and given them to me. 16 Have I then become your enemy by telling you the truth? 17 They make much of you but for no good purpose. They want to shut you out, that you may make much of them. 18 It is always good to be made much of for a good purpose, and not only when I am present with you, 19 my little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you! 20 I wish I could be present with you now and change my tone, for I am perplexed about you.

Example of Hagar and Sarah

21 Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not listen to the law? 22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave woman and one by a free woman. 23 But the son of the slave was born according to the flesh, while the son of the free woman was born through promise. 24 Now this may be interpreted allegorically: these women are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery; she is Hagar. 25 Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia; she corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. 26 But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother. 27 For it is written,

“Rejoice, O barren one who does not bear;

    break forth and cry aloud, you who are not in labor!

For the children of the desolate one will be more

    than those of the one who has a husband.”

28 Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise. 29 But just as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so also it is now. 30 But what does the Scripture say? “Cast out the slave woman and her son, for the son of the slave woman shall not inherit with the son of the free woman.” 31 So, brothers, we are not children of the slave but of the free woman.

The Five Steps of an Anointed Life, Predestination

 Predestination

Welcome, today. Let us pray. 

“Oh Heavenly Father, Lord God, please be with us as we gather in your name to read your Word and to learn and grow in Spirit. Please allow your Word to feed our spirit and take a firm hold in our spirit so that we may be fertile soil to bring forth a mighty harvest for you and the Kingdom's sake. Please, Father, give us eyes to see, and ears to hear, with a spirit to understand what you want us to know. In Yeshua’s name, Amen!”

We are currently discussing the five steps of an anointed life. You can find them here in Romans 8

“For those whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.” Romans 8:29-30

The first three steps are part of everyone’s life.

Foreknowledge- God foreknows you before you are even conceived.
Predestination - God sets up a plan and a purpose for you and your life.
Calling - God calls you out of the world and to Himself.

That is where you come in. Then, if you say “Yes,” then you have two more steps.

Justification - God takes time to prepare you and form you into the child of God He wants you to be.
Glorification - In the end, He will save you, bring you through death into life, and give you rewards for your faithfulness and obedience.

If you say "No," you cease to heed the call. You can live your life on earth however you choose, but in the end? Well, it may not end well for you. I'm sorry, but that's simply the truth. Let's not get ahead of ourselves; we are only on step two.

Predestination.

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” Jeremiah 1:5

This is not just Jeremiah. This is you, me, everyone, whoever has been born. Turn to Acts 17:26

“And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is not far from each one of us, for

'In him, we live and move and have our being';
as even some of your poets have said,
"'For we are indeed his offspring.'” Act 17:26-28

God determined the optimal time and place for you to exist in His creation. He placed you here with a purpose already set. It is important to understand that you are not an accident. God created you exactly as He intended. He established a purpose and a plan for you and your life to serve in His Kingdom. If you have your Bible, please turn to Ephesians 1 and start at verse 3.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love, he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.” Ephesians 1:3-6

There is a reason God created you the way He did, when He did, and where He did. You are part of God's plan to serve a specific purpose.

“In Him, we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he outlined in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.” Ephesians 1:7-10

Look how Yeshua, or Jesus as translated, says it to us.

“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.” John 15:16

You did not “find Jesus.” You did not “find God.” You would not even know where to look. You would not even know that you needed to look if God did not draw you out. If God did not call you. More on this step next time. Read that again if you have to. “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you.”

Back to Ephesians 1. Verse 11

“In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. Ephesians 1:11-14

It is all about Him. We read this in John 1

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made.” John 1:1-3

Yeshua was there in the beginning, and “All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made.” That includes you. Me. All of us. Look how Paul puts it in his second letter to Timothy.

“Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he can guard until that day what has been entrusted to me.” 2 Timothy 1:8-12

Read that part again. I do not want you to lose sight of this truth. “who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel,” This is all of us. Yes. We are not all called to be Preachers or Apostles. However, we all do have a plan and a purpose.

“The LORD has made everything for its purpose,
even the wicked for the day of trouble.” Proverbs 16:4

Turn to Colossians 3. Start at verse 8

“But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.”

We are no longer of this world. You have heard the saying before, “in the world, not of it.” This is us. We are in the world, but we are no longer of the world. At least we should not be.

“Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.”

We should, as children of God

“Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.”

Remember, Yeshua gave us a new command.

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this, everyone will know that you are my disciples if you love one another.” John13:34-35

Back to Colossians 3 verse 14

“And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.”

Not just a day a week. But ALWAYS. Daily. Be thankful for everything from life to life everlasting and all things in between.

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Colossians 3:8-17

Now that God has created you. He predestined you. The next step is where you come in. He calls you. This is what we will discuss next time.

For today. I will assume you said “Yes.” You said this prayer.

“Oh, heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Yeshua's sacrifice for me. I believed He rose from the dead. I repent of my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Yeshua, Amen!"

And you have indeed

"have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him."Colossians 3:10

Then the most common question is, “How do I know? How do I know what God’s plan and purpose is in my life?” All believers are called to the purpose of loving God and loving others.

Prayerfully reflect on how your love for God, as well as your love for others in your home or the world, can grow and be expressed more fully in words and actions. All believers are called to the purpose of making disciples. Yeshua told His disciples,

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20

Consider how the attitudes, words, and actions others see in you are a witness to the new life available to them through the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. All believers also have the purpose to grow in Christlikeness and bear fruit to God’s glory. Yeshua said this.

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me, you can do nothing. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” John 15:5,8

Are you bearing little or no fruit? Are you seeking God’s direction and power to begin to grow and act according to His will? Have you even tried to ask Him? Read His Word? Grow? Now, having said all that, there is also a general purpose specific to you and your daily life. All of us, as children of God, must intentionally focus on fulfilling God’s will in various areas of our daily lives. This is a general purpose for all believers, but the path you take to reach it will be specific to you, your family, and your life situation.

We often overlook how our daily choices, tasks, and interactions can glorify God, benefit our interests, or seem insignificant. The state of our spirit, heart, and mind not only affects our influence on others but also shapes their perception of God. Various aspects of our lives can impact our ability to reach our goals and fulfill God’s purposes for us in different ways.

Pray. Spend time with God. Read this {Holding up the Bible}. Spend time with God. Be quiet. Slow down. Listen. Seek. Ask. Knock. God is waiting for you. He is ready to love, teach, nurture, and care for your every need.

One last point here. Be honest with yourself. Do you already know? Seriously, do you already know what God wants from you and your life? Do it. If God truly is calling you for a specific plan or purpose, and He is, then why would He not tell you? Chances are, He already has.

Until next time, be blessed, be a blessing, and Yeshua is Lord!

Book of Galatians, Chapter 3

 Chapter 3

By Faith, or by Works of the Law?

1 O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. 2 Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? 3 Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? 4 Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? 5 Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith— 6 just as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”?

7 Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. 8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.” 9 So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.

The Righteous Shall Live by Faith

10 For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” 11 Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.” 12 But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.” 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— 14 so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.

The Law and the Promise

15 To give a human example, brothers: even with a man-made covenant, no one annuls it or adds to it once it has been ratified. 16 Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offsprings,” referring to many, but referring to one, “And to your offspring,” who is Christ. 17 This is what I mean: the law, which came 430 years afterward, does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God, to make the promise void. 18 For if the inheritance comes by the law, it no longer comes by promise; but God gave it to Abraham by a promise.

19 Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary. 20 Now an intermediary implies more than one, but God is one.

21 Is the law then contrary to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could give life, then righteousness would indeed be by the law. 22 But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.

23 Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed. 24 So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, so that we might be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, 26 for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise.

The Five Steps of an Anointed Life, Foreknowledge

 God foreknows you before you are conceived

Good morning. Welcome, today. I want you to be sure of this one thing. You are not an accident. You are not a happenstance. You are fearfully and wonderfully made. To be fearfully and wonderfully made includes everyone from life to life everlasting as human beings who bear the image of God. 

Each of us began as an idea in God’s mind at some moment outside of time. He formulated this idea, and as we see in Psalm 139, He even wrote this idea down. He liked this idea—the idea that was you. God then uniquely designed you by and according to God’s will.

Turn if you will to Psalm 139. Starting at verse 13

“For you formed my inward parts;
You knitted me together in my mother's womb.

I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.

My frame was not hidden from you,
when I was being made in secret,
intricately woven in the depths of the earth.

Your eyes saw my unformed substance;
In your book, you wrote every one of them,
the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.

How precious to me are your thoughts,
O God! How vast is the sum of them!” Psalm 139:13-17

This is what we will be discussing today. Let us pray. "Heavily Father, we give you all the Praise and glory for all things, both here in this world and in this time, and the time that is to come. Thank you, Father, for allowing us to know Your secrets and Your ways for us through Your Word. As we enter into and study your Word today, we pray for eyes to see, ears to hear, and a spirit to receive and understand your Truth and revelations. We ask this in Your Holy name, Amen!"

Before your earthly daddy and mommy even met, Got knew you. Look what He tells Jeremiah.

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” Jeremiah 1:5

Now we will get into the whole predestination thing next time. But this is not just Jeremiah. This is you, me, everyone, whoever has been born. Turn to Acts 17:26

“And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is not far from each one of us, for

"'In him, we live and move and have our being';
as even some of your own poets have said,
"'For we are indeed his offspring.'” Act 17:26-28

He determined the optimal time and place for you to exist in His creation. He placed you here with a purpose already prepared. Again, we will get into that more next time, but it is important to know that you are not an accident.

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” Ephesians 2:10

God had an idea of who and what you should be. He wrote down your purpose and plan in His book, and then you were fashioned exactly the way He chose. Are you blonde? You have brown hair. You are 6’7" or 4’11". Every aspect of you was planned. Yes, that includes whether you are male or female. God does not make mistakes. Yeshua, or Jesus, as translated, told us that even our very hairs are numbered.

“Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.” Luke 12:7

Go back to Psalm 139 for a few.

"I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.

“My frame was not hidden from you,
when I was being made in secret,
intricately woven in the depths of the earth.

Your eyes saw my unformed substance;
In your book, you wrote every one of them,
the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.”

God has a plan, and you are in it. You are His creation. If you have accepted Yeshua, then you are His child as well. If this is true, you are off to a great start. Now get to know your Father and your God.

“Fearfully made” suggests there is a mysterious and awe-inspiring aspect to the process of bringing an individual into existence. Each of us is created in God's image and uniquely designed to fulfill the specific purpose that God has planned for us. David was in awe of this reality.

“How precious to me are your thoughts,
O God! How vast is the sum of them!

If I were to count them, they are more than the sand.
I awake, and I am still with you.”

David is in absolute awe, and we should be too, that the Creator of the entire universe cared so much about every one of us, that He created us the way He did. Isaiah puts it this way.

“But now, O LORD, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand.” Isaiah 64:8

If you choose to listen to the world. They will tell you lies. They will tell you that a man can be a woman. People can choose what they want to be on any given day. The World will tell you that Homosexuality is ok and healthy. They will tell you that abortion is not the murder of the most innocent, but simply a medical procedure to “correct an error.”

The world often claims that we are all here by accident or coincidence, disregarding the fact that a purely evolutionary perspective without God is scientifically and physically impossible. They assert that there is nothing after our time on earth and that death is final. This belief leads many to live life solely for their pleasure, arguing that we should make the most of our only life.

Sadly, this is not the case. Sadly, these folks will find out too late that there is so much more. The word tells us this.

“For it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.” Romans 14:11

Also here.

“So that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:10-11

Whenever I’m asked, “What if you are wrong? What if there is no God?” My answer is always the same. “If there is no God, what did I lose? I try to be a good person and do good work for others, and then I lie down and die. If there is nothing, then what? I simply cease to exist. However, what if you are wrong? What will you do when you find yourself standing before the living God? I would rather believe in God and come to nothing than believe in nothing and come to God. As it is written,

“It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” Hebrews 10:31

Why? Because then it is too late. Then your time has come, and He will not be open to your apologies or excuses. Yeshua said that on that day, there will be great distress.

“While the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Matthew 8:12

We will be looking into this passage in depth.

“For those whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.” Rom 8:29-30

So here are the five steps of an anointed life.

As we discussed today, God foreknows you before you are even in the womb. Then?

Predestination
Calling
Justification
Glorification

You are not here by accident or happenstance. God created you. Join us next time as we discuss step two, predestination. God has a purpose and a plan for every one of us. Do you know what His plan is for you?

Have you been adopted? If not, say this Prayer. Right now. Wherever you may be, say it in your own words, and do not doubt in your heart. God will hear you. He will send the Spirit of Life to you. Let us pray.

"Oh, heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Yeshua's sacrifice for me. I believed He rose from the dead. I repent of my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Yeshua, Amen!"

That's it. It is that simple. Now go tell someone what you have just done. "That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in your heart that God hath raised him from the dead, You shall be saved." Romans 10:9. You need to find a Church that God leads you to and be baptized the way Jesus said to be. You are now a Child of God. A New Creature. You "have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him."Colossians 3:10

The email, if you wish to contact me, is truthbygod1@gmail.com

May the comfort of the Holy Ghost and the peace of our Lord Yeshua, be with you all. May God bless and be with you always.

Until next time, be blessed, be a blessing, and Yeshua is Lord!

Book of Galatians, Chapter 2

 Chapter 2

Paul Accepted by the Apostles

2 Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me. 2 I went up because of a revelation and set before them (though privately before those who seemed influential) the gospel that I proclaim among the Gentiles, in order to make sure I was not running or had not run in vain. 3 But even Titus, who was with me, was not forced to be circumcised, though he was a Greek. 4 Yet because of false brothers secretly brought in—who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery— 5 to them we did not yield in submission even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you. 6 And from those who seemed to be influential (what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality)—those, I say, who seemed influential added nothing to me. 7 On the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been entrusted with the gospel to the circumcised 8 (for he who worked through Peter for his apostolic ministry to the circumcised worked also through me for mine to the Gentiles), 9 and when James and Cephas and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given to me, they gave the right hand of fellowship to Barnabas and me, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. 10 Only, they asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do.

Paul Opposes Peter

11 But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. 12 For before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party. 13 And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. 14 But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, “If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?”

Justified by Faith

15 We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; 16 yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.

17 But if, in our endeavor to be justified in Christ, we too were found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not! 18 For if I rebuild what I tore down, I prove myself to be a transgressor. 19 For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21 I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.

All Things Are Temporal 5

 Your life on earth

We will wrap up our current series, “All Things Are Temporal," today with this.

Your life on earth? Temporal

It is shorter than you might expect. This will be our topic of discussion today. Let us pray.

"Father, Lord God, we come before You today to give You praise, glory, and thanksgiving for all things. We wish to enter into Your Word today not just to read it, but also to absorb it. We pray that it nourishes our spirit as the food You bless us with nourishes our bodies. Please, Father, grant us eyes to see, ears to hear, and a spirit to receive Your truth and revelation. In Yeshua's name, amen."

Our life is so very short here on earth. The Word declares it is but a vapor, a mist—something that is here one second and gone the next. You may think you have a long time. Let's say you are blessed with a long life here on earth—75 years. Now, picture 100 years. In that time, you were born, raised, became an adult, married, and had kids; they had kids. And you have now been gone for 25 years.

Let's do some math. How about 500 years? Do you know how old America is? It is 248 years old. That equates to approximately 3.31 people whose lives would total 75 years each. Currently, 341,138,802 people are living in America. According to world population statistics, there is one birth every 9 seconds and one death every 10 seconds.

Think about this. We die. Our loved ones mourn us. In a year or so, they feel better. In 5 years, “Wow, I can’t believe it’s been 5 years. 20 years pass, and we may end up being pictures on someone's wall that no one remembers. In 50, we are all but forgotten.

The Word declares that to God, who is outside of time, 1000 years are as a day.

“For a thousand years in your sight are but as yesterday when it is past, or as a watch in the night.” Psalm 90:4

We read this.

“But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” 2 Peter 3:8-9

If we could, just for the sake of this illustration, think of God in human terms. God wakes up in His morning. Has a coffee, you are born, live your life, your kids are born, live their lives, and then God has lunch. Most likely, before God has a 3 pm snack, you are all but forgotten by nearly all other humans. Dinner? Your grandkids are all but forgotten. In the span of one of God’s days, looking at it in this sense, there were approximately 13.3333 75-year generations and billions of people born and died, and life goes on.

“For everything, there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;

a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;

a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silent and a time to speak;

a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.” Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

Death is not something to be feared. Especially not for children of the Most High. Life on Earth is like everything else on Earth. Life on Earth is temporary. It lasts but a time, and then it is on to the next stage of existence. Death is as natural as birth. It is as natural as life itself. It will come for all living things. Read that one part again. “A time to be born, and a time to die.” In other words, death will come. There is an appointed time. We all must face our immortality in this temporal world. I truly believe that we fear this because of uncertainty. We fear what comes next. However, we do not have to. Why? Yeshua, or as translated, Jesus, tells us what comes next. Turn to John chapter 5, starting at verse 24

“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life.”

Say “whoever.” Say it again. “Whoever.” Who? ANYONE. EVERYONE. “Whoever.” What? “hears my word.” Whose word? Yeshua. Hears and believes. Has Faith in Christ, “has eternal life.” It is not exclusive. It is inclusive and open to all.

“He does not come into judgment but has passed from death to life. "Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to execute judgment because he is the Son of Man.”

Again, Yeshua, or Jesus, is saying that those who have faith in Him, there is no other way, will live forever in peace and love with God Himself. However?

“Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.” John 5:24-29

Again, we see the word “All.” All will hear. All will come out. Some will go to a resurrected life of love and peace, and those who reject God and His Truth will also be resurrected into eternal life. However, those who reject God and His truth will be resurrected into judgment.

Now I want you to close your eyes, clear your mind, and try to imagine, if you can, eternity. No end. Forever. Thousands of billions of years, and that would not even scratch the surface of time. Yes, EVERYONE will kneel before God.

“But I don’t believe.” Doesn’t matter. “I reject your God.” Doesn’t matter. “I believe in another god.” Doesn’t matter. “I am my god and I refuse to accept your Jesus or Yeshua, or whatever you want to call Him.” Doesn’t matter. Look here. Philippians 2:9-11

“Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

It does not matter in the least whether you accept Him or not. You will bow before Him. He will say one of two things. Turn to Matthew 25, starting at verse 31

"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations,”

Wait. Say it again. “All nations.” Everyone.

“and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left.”

It does not matter, in the slightest little bit, if you want to believe this or not. This will happen. We will all be on one or the other side of our Lord and Saviour, and He will say?

“Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”

This is the resurrection into life. However, continue reading. We are going to drop down to verse 41

"Then He will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.”

As a side note, notice the way this is phrased: "Eternal fire prepared for... who? The devil and his angels." Hell was never intended for humanity. A loving God does not send anyone to Hell; rather, we end up there because of our own choices. We have the option to accept or reject Yeshua, or Jesus, as God's plan for salvation. Therefore, God has no choice but to honor our decisions. Verse 46.

“And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

Jesus explains that we will all receive exactly what we deserve.

“For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done.“ Matthew 16:27

There are no excuses, and nothing will save you at that time. It is then too late. Look how he tells those on the left why.

“For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.' Then they also will answer, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?' Then he will answer them, saying, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.'” Matthew 25:42-45

People will also say, “You have to let us in. We are religious. We have done so many good works.” One of the scariest passages in the Bible. To me, anyway. Look here.

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.'” Matthew 7:21-23

Now I know. This does sound pretty rough. It should be scary to you if you are one of these “Christians in Name Only.” I said a prayer a while back, and I know God, but I’m living my own life. But God has to let me in, right? Once saved, always save, right? No. Jesus also just got done talking about fruit. In another passage, Jesus said this.

"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.“ Matthew 7:15-20

Do not be misled, Yeshua is not saying you must work your way to heaven. He is saying if someone comes to you in His name, look for the fruit. If they produce no fruit or bad fruit, then they are not “Good Trees” or true children of God.

If you look at your life and see no growth in faith or wisdom in God and His Word, nor do you see any fruit being produced, or worse yet, you look just like the world, then I would seriously suggest you pause and think about it, pray about it, be honest with yourself, and make whatever change you need to make.

Take a moment to reflect on this seriously. How much time do you truly have here on Earth? How do you want to spend that time? Do you want to be stuck in a routine where all you do is work and pay bills? Are you willing to work your entire life just to save for retirement, only to enjoy perhaps five to ten years of life after you stop working?

I submit to you, there is a far better way. Store up your treasures in Heaven and serve our Father. Get to know your Abba Father and His plan and purpose for you and your life. Just like everything else here on earth, your time here is temporal. Don’t waste it.

Are you a child of God? Does His Law apply to you? Have you been adopted? If not, say this Prayer. Right now. Wherever you may be, say it in your own words, and do not doubt in your heart. God will hear you. He will send the Spirit of Life to you. Let us pray.

"Oh, heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Yeshua's sacrifice for me. I believed He rose from the dead. I repent my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Yeshua, Amen!"

That's it. It is that simple. Now go tell someone what you have just done. "That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in your heart that God hath raised him from the dead, You shall be saved." Romans 10:9. You need to find a Church that God leads you to and be baptized the way Jesus said to be. You are now a Child of God. A New Creature. You "have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him."Colossians 3:10

The email, if you wish to contact me, is truthbygod1@gmail.com

May the comfort of the Holy Ghost and the peace of our Lord Yeshua be with you all. May God bless and be with you always.

Until next time, be blessed, be a blessing, and Yeshua is Lord!

Book of Galatians, Chapter 1

 Chapter 1 

Greeting

1 Paul, an apostle—not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead— 2 and all the brothers who are with me,

To the churches of Galatia:

3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, 4 who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, 5 to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

No Other Gospel

6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7 not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.

10 For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.

Paul Called by God

11 For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man's gospel. 12 For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. 13 For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it. 14 And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers. 15 But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace, 16 was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone; 17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.

18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and remained with him fifteen days. 19 But I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord's brother. 20 (In what I am writing to you, before God, I do not lie!) 21 Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. 22 And I was still unknown in person to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. 23 They only were hearing it said, “He who used to persecute us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.” 24 And they glorified God because of me.

Happy Resurrection Day 2025

 Happy Easter 2025

Happy Easter! First? Is there anything wrong with Easter Egg Hunts? Nope. Is there anything wrong with Easter Bunnies and Easter Baskets for the little ones? Again, nope. There is nothing wrong with these fun family traditions, as long as, with all this, you instill the truth of what Easter is actually all about. We celebrate Easter to celebrate Yeshua, or Jesus, as translated, coming to earth, and although He could have called down angels to wipe out those who were trying to kill Him, He allowed them to kill Him. Not just kill Him, but torture and humiliate and nail Him to a cross. He allowed this, well, look here what He told Peter in the garden when they came to take Him. 

"Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place. All who take the sword will perish by the sword. Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?” Matthew 26:52-56

Which scriptures? Isaiah 53 is a good one to start.

"Who has believed what he has heard from us?
And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
For he grew up before him like a young plant,
and like a root out of the dry ground;
he had no form or majesty that we should look at him,
and no beauty that we should desire him.
He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief;
and as one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Surely he has borne our grief
and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
smitten by God, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his wounds, we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have turned—everyone—to his own way;
and the LORD has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.

He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,
yet he opened not his mouth;
like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,
and like a sheep that before its shearers are silent,
so he opened not his mouth.

By oppression and judgment he was taken away;
and as for his generation, who considered
that he was cut off out of the land of the living,
stricken for the transgression of my people?
And they made his grave with the wicked
and with a rich man in his death,
although he had done no violence,
and there was no deceit in his mouth.

Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him;
he has put him to grief;
when his soul makes an offering for guilt,
he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days;
the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.

Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied;
by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant,
make many to be accounted righteous,
and he shall bear their iniquities.

Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many,
and he shall divide the spoil with the strong,
because he poured out his soul to death
and was numbered with the transgressors;
yet he bore the sin of many,
and makes intercession for the transgressors."

Why? Why would God lay down His Godhood, come to earth, live as one of us, and allow His creation to do all we did to Him?

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16

And

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men.

He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them he gave power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." John 1:1-4, 10-14

Yeshua came into the world, healed the sick, raised the dead, and gave sight to the blind. Then, He fulfilled His main purpose of coming. He was killed for our Sins. He went to the cross to pay the price for all sin and shed His blood for us all. He did so for YOU.

If you allow His blood to be your blood, His payment for all sin to be your payment for your sin, and His death to be your death, you will have everlasting peace and happiness with Him. Easter is the day we have set aside to remember what happened.

"But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.” And they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb, they told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles, but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home marveling at what had happened.

That very day, two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. And he said to them, “What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?” And they stood still, looking sad. Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” And he said to them, “What things?” And they said to him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.” And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, but they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.” So he went in to stay with them. When he was at the table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread.

As they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace to you!” But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit. And he said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones, as you see that I have.” And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. And while they still disbelieved for joy and were marveling, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate before them.

Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses to these things. And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.” Luke 24

This is what Easter is all about. The greatest gift you will ever receive. The gift of forgiveness and salvation. The gift of eternal life. He did all these things and suffered all things so that you can enter Heaven. So that you will not die, but have everlasting life. He paid the ultimate price so you do not have to. The greatest and final sacrifice, ever.

Do you know Jesus? The real Yeshua? Say this prayer. Right now. Wherever you may be. Say it in your own words, and do not doubt in your heart. God will hear you. He will send the Spirit of Life to you. Let us pray.

"Oh, heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Yeshua's sacrifice for me. I believed He rose from the dead. I repent of my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Jesus, Amen!"

That's it. It really is that simple. Now go tell someone what you have just done. "That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in your heart that God hath raised him from the dead, You shall be saved." Romans 10:9. You need to find a Church that God leads you to and be baptized the way Jesus said to be. You are now a Child of God. A New Creature. You "have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him."Colossians 3:10

May the comfort of the Holy Ghost and the peace of our Lord Yeshua be with you all. May God bless and be with you, always.

Until next time, be blessed, be a blessing, and Yeshua is Lord!

Book of Galatians Introduction

 Introduction

Hello, everyone! Welcome today. If you have been with us for the past 31 weeks, you've just completed a thorough study of the Book of 1 Samuel. Congratulations! What’s next? We will now return to the New Testament to explore a shorter, yet equally important, study of the Book of Galatians.

The Book of Galatians is a powerful letter written by the Apostle Paul to several early Christian churches in the region of Galatia. Its central theme focuses on the doctrine of justification by faith in Yeshua, or Jesus, as translated, The Christ, rather than by adhering to the works of the Mosaic Law. Here’s a breakdown of its key aspects.

Justification by Faith:

Paul strongly emphasizes that salvation comes through faith in Jesus Christ alone, not through following the Jewish Law.

He claims that trying to achieve salvation through the law undermines God's grace and the completeness of Christ's sacrifice.

Defense of Paul's Apostleship:

Paul defends his authority as an apostle, asserting that he received his gospel directly from Jesus Christ.

He addresses challenges to his authority from those who were trying to lead the Galatian Christians astray.

Freedom in Christ:

Paul highlights the freedom that Christians have in Christ, liberating them from the bondage of legalism.

This freedom is not a license for sinful behavior, but an opportunity to live by the power of the Holy Spirit.

The Role of the Law:

Paul explains the purpose of the Mosaic Law, stating that it served as a "guardian" to lead people to Christ.

He clarifies that the Law was not intended to be a means of salvation, but rather a way to reveal sin and point to the need for a Savior.

Living by the Spirit:

Paul contrasts living by the flesh with living by the Spirit, emphasizing the importance of yielding to the Holy Spirit's guidance.

He describes the "fruit of the Spirit" (love, joy, peace, etc.) as evidence of a life transformed by God's grace.

In chapters 1-2, Paul defends his apostleship by establishing his authority and explaining how he received the gospel.

In chapters 3-4, Paul teaches justification by faith: Paul presents his theological arguments, emphasizing that salvation is through faith in Christ, not by works of the law.

In chapters 5-6, Paul instructs the Galatians on how to live out their freedom in Christ, emphasizing the importance of love and the fruit of the Spirit.

Historical Context:

The Galatian churches were under pressure from "Judaizers," who insisted that Gentile Christians must be circumcised and adhere to the Mosaic Law. In response, Paul wrote this letter to challenge their teachings and reaffirm the true gospel. Galatians is a passionate defense of the gospel of grace, emphasizing that salvation is a gift from God, received through faith in Jesus Christ.

Join us next week, and we will start our chapter-by-chapter study of the Book of Galatians. Just like those churches in Galatia, we will do good to learn what Paul says and follow what has become a powerful book in the New Testament.

May the comfort of the Holy Ghost and the peace of our Lord Yeshua be with you all. May God bless you and be with you always.

Until next time, be blessed, be a blessing, and Yeshua is Lord!

All Things are Temporal, 4

 Time

Time. Yes, time is incredibly precious. It's often taken for granted, and most of the time, we don't even think about it. I want you to close your eyes. Clear your mind. Breathe. Count: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Now, open your eyes. That moment in time is gone. Those 5 seconds have come and gone and will never be repeated. Ever. They are gone for good. The past. History. Soon to be forgotten.

Now, picture 75 years. Your life. Those 5 seconds are just a tiny fraction — like 5 seconds out of one minute, or one hour, day, week, month, or year of those 75 years. You probably won’t even miss it. Those 5 seconds. But should you?

The truth is that we go through our days at the speed of life. We get caught up in routines and habits, becoming slaves to our bills and jobs. As we transition from the carefree enjoyment of childhood to the responsibilities of adulthood, we often find ourselves merely existing rather than truly living. Looking back, the sun shone brighter and the grass was greener when we inhabited a world filled with wonder and possibilities.

There are 24 hours in a day, and most people work between 8 and 10 hours daily. Typically, they work five days a week. But what happens to the rest of that time? You might feel like you don’t have enough time to pray, read the Bible, or even attend church more than just the Sunday morning service. On Friday nights, you likely want to relax and enjoy time with friends after a long workweek. On Wednesdays, you may feel too tired to go to church to study the Bible.

"The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the Lord blows on it; surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever." Isaiah 40:7-8

Remember those 5 seconds? Somewhere around the world, someone was praying. Someone was crying. Someone was laughing. Someone was being born, and someone was dying.

Let us pray. "Oh Heavenly Father, we give you all the praise and glory for all of your beautiful creation. That includes us. We thank you, Father, for our very lives, yet rather, for life everlasting. We thank you for adopting us into your family and giving us the ability to learn your will and ways for us and our lives. As we enter into this topic of time, we pray You guide us, teach us, and show us what You want us to see and learn. We ask and pray in your holy name, amen." 

I previously used Sally as an example. Some people find her strange. Why is that? She attends church every time the doors are open and stands outside Planned Parenthood. Do you know what she does on Friday nights? She goes to the inner city—yeah, the "downtown" area—and hands out sandwiches to the homeless. I've even heard that she talks to young girls in the neighborhood, trying to teach them how to be ladies or something similar. So, why do some people think she's so strange?

Why aren't more of us like Sally? What you might not know about her is that she has chosen to tithe her time as well as her finances. What does that mean? It means she decided that if God requires only ten percent of her money, then why shouldn't we also devote ten percent of our time? Since there are 24 hours in a day, she has decided to give 2 hours and 40 minutes of her time to God each day. I know that might seem like a lot.

She prays for part of that time. She reads the Word for part of that time. She goes out and does her Father's work part of the time. I know, it seems like a lot. What about that little time-sucking device in your hand? Not only social media, but how about your Fitbit app? That or those games you play? How much screen time do you use daily? How long is that show on TV? How long is your lunch hour at work? What time do you wake up in the morning? Hobbies? Gym? Where do you invest your time?

“Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.

Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.” James 4:13-17

Our lives are incredibly short here on Earth. The Word declares it’s just a vapor, a mist—something that’s here one minute and gone the next. You might think you have a long time. Let's say you’re blessed with a long life here of 75 years or more. Now, picture 100 years. During that time, you were born, raised, became an adult, married, and had kids; they had kids, and now you have been gone for 25 years.

What about 500 years? Do you know how old America is? 248 years old. That is 3.3066 people’s lives that lived to 75. Right now, 341,138,802 people are living. According to world population stats, one birth every 9 seconds. One death every 10 seconds.

In the Apocrypha Book, the Wisdom of Solomon, we read this.

“For we are born at all adventure: and we shall be hereafter as though we had never been: for the breath in our nostrils is as smoke, and a little spark in the moving of our heart: Which being extinguished, our body shall be turned into ashes, and our spirit shall vanish as the soft air, And our name shall be forgotten in time, and no man shall have our works in remembrance, and our life shall pass away as the trace of a cloud, and shall be dispersed as a mist, that is driven away with the beams of the sun, and overcome with the heat thereof. For our time is a very shadow that passeth away; and after our end, there is no returning: for it is fast sealed, so that no man cometh again.”

I know some of you may have a problem with using this supposed passage from King Solomon. However, keep in mind that Martin Luther said, "Apocrypha—that is, books which are not regarded as equal to the holy Scriptures, and yet are profitable and good to read" (King James Version Defended, page 98).

Think about this. We die. Our loved ones mourn us. In a year or so, they feel better. In 5 years, “Wow, I can’t believe it’s been 5 years. 20, we may be pictures on someone's wall that no one remembers. In 50, we are all but forgotten.

The Word declares that to God, who is outside of time, 1000 years are as a day.

“For a thousand years in your sight are but as yesterday when it is past, or as a watch in the night.” Psalm 90:4

We read this.

“But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” 2 Peter 3:8-9

If we could, just for the sake of this illustration, think of God in human terms. God wakes up. He has a coffee, you are born, live your life, your kids are born, live their lives, and then God has lunch. Most likely, before God has a 3 pm snack, you are all but forgotten by nearly all other humans. Dinner? Your grandkids are all but forgotten. In the span of one of God’s days, looking at it in this sense, there were approximately 13.3333 75-year generations and billions of people born and died, and life goes on.

Now I want you to close your eyes, clear your mind, and try to imagine, if you can, eternity. No end. Forever. Thousands of billions of years, and that would not even scratch the surface of time.

“But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.”

This will happen. This time is coming. Some people do not like to believe it, but it is reality.

“Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn!”

Nothing will survive this. Nothing.

“But according to his promise, we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.” 2 Peter 3:10-13

What is it that you may be wasting your time on? What are you working for? What are you doing with this precious commodity that God has granted to you?

I want you to think about this seriously. What would you do today if you knew it was your last day on earth? Would you be concerned about who posted what on social media? Would you worry about who gets voted off your show? Would it be worth it to spend your last day making another dollar? How would you change what you do and how you live? Would you?

I'm not trying to be confrontational. I'm genuinely asking. If you add up the hours in a week, you get 168 hours. That's roughly 16.8 hours per week if you're considering ten percent of that time. Is giving God that time too much to ask? Do you find yourself rushing through your prayers, spending just a minute praying but an hour on your phone? There are even apps available that can track your screen time. Do you take time to read the Bible?

I'm not saying you must give God ten percent of your time every day. I'm simply asking, why not? I suggest aiming for a good goal, like spending a minimum of 15 minutes in prayer each day, another 15 to 30 minutes in the Word, and perhaps 15 more minutes doing something kind for others. Let’s aim to start with one hour a day and build from there.

One hour is not a long time. If you read more than one chapter in the Bible, you could easily meet that reading goal. Take time to talk to God about life itself. Thank Him for your life, from birth to everlasting life, and all the moments in between. Share your hopes and dreams with Him. Ask Him what He wants you to do about various situations. If you run out of things to say, try this: remain quiet. Listen. Seriously listen. God might be trying to tell you something.

Why does Sally look so strange? Why will you start looking strange to others? You little weirdo. It is simple. It is because they can't see you. They can't see a child of God, serving God, and storing up treasures in heaven. It doesn't make any sense to them. It makes no sense to those who are not of God, or to those who are looking at you in a worldly sense.

"For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God." Romans 8:7-8

Be strange. Reduce your time in the world, and increase your time with God. Today may not be your last day on this earth, but then again? You never know. Yeshua, or Jesus as translated, tells us to occupy until He returns. But He stresses the importance of doing so while watching for Him. One last one for today.

"Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks.

Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at the table, and he will come and serve them he comes in the second watch, or the third, and finds them awake, blessed are those servants but know this, that if the master of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have left his house to be broken into. You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” Luke 12:35-40

Invest your time wisely. Spend time with God. If this is an area you need to work on, then do so. Get up a little earlier. Stay up a little later. Set aside at least one hour a day to start training yourself to invest your time wisely. Spend more time in prayer, reading the Word, and doing your Father's business.

Is He your Father? Are you His child? Have you been adopted? If not, say this Prayer. Right now. Wherever you may be, say it in your own words, and do not doubt in your heart. God will hear you. He will send the Spirit of Life to you. Let us pray.

"Oh, heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Yeshua's sacrifice for me. I believed He rose from the dead. I repent of my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Yeshua, Amen!"

That's it. It is that simple. Now go tell someone what you have just done. "That if you shall confess with your mouth the Lord Yeshua, and shalt believe in your heart that God hath raised him from the dead, You shall be saved." Romans 10:9. You need to find a Church that God leads you to and be baptized the way Jesus said to be. You are now a Child of God. A New Creature. You "have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him."Colossians 3:10

The email, if you wish to contact me, is truthbygod1@gmail.com

May the comfort of the Holy Ghost and the peace of our Lord Yeshua be with you all. May God bless and be with you always.

Until next time, be blessed, be a blessing, and Yeshua is Lord!