Yeshua - JESUS...The Messiah

Have you ever just been waiting with such anxiety for something/ someone special to arrive like a grandma, a friend, a graduation, a date, a wedding day or a special birthday, etc...  This particular person or thing fills your heart with joy just by thinking about them.  That's the history of THE MESSIAH. 

  HE was promised by God to a nation, Israel, who was often always being held captive by another nation and they were just tired of being in bondage.  After they were delivered from slavery in Egypt, the Israelites were led by Moses towards the Land God had promised them since Adam their forefather.  They were so used to being in bondage that when God offered them a new way of life they refused and reverted to their traditions of worshiping idols.  Nevertheless, God continually delivered them from their enemies.  HE wanted to be their King, but they wanted to be like the other nations around them with a physical king.  

 

God's intent....

 

All along, God made man to rule the earth while they were being submitted to HIS rulership.  They didn't understand that.  They didn't know how.  Constantly they failed. That's why The Almighty God had to send Jesus - 'The Messiah' who would give them 'The Governor' - The Holy Spirit to teach them how to. After Moses died, Joshua led them into the "Promise Land'.   God gave them Saul their first human king, and then David.  David was a King who loved and honored God so much that God destroyed all of their enemies and gave them extended peace and wealth.  Finally they enjoyed freedom, peace and wealth all at the same time.  David was a man after God's own heart.  1 Samuel 13; Acts 13 But then sometime after David's death they went back to idol worshiping.  Once again they were taken into captivity because of their disobedience. Over and over again they got caught in a cycle of bondage. They dreamt of a freedom which was growing vague in their memories.  Once upon a time they used to be rich and prosperous and peaceful and happy.  They wanted to experience that again - to be at peace with a leader, someone who had their best interest at heart, in their own town. Zechariah 9 

 

God loves all people, everyone of HIS creation....

 

But there's a flipside to this same MESSIAH.  HE didn't just come to save a 'Chosen Nation' - the Jews.  God decided to deliver them once and for all and from every enemy that could ever attack them in the future.  HE decided to destroy the source of their opposition - the devil.  There are two 'realms' in the earth: the physical and the spiritual.  The spiritual realm is more powerful and real than the physical.   Also there are two kingdoms in the earth: the kingdom of this world which is governed by the devil, and the Kingdom of God (heaven on earth) which is governed by God's children.  

 

When Jesus came to the earth HE brought with HIM from heaven the power and authority of the Kingdom of God for the people of God.  Once HE established this Kingdom ' the rest was history'.  Jesus brought the dominion of the spiritual realm into the physical realm. HE destroyed the devil's kingdom and left man in charge of his freedom under the supervision of The Holy Spirit. Isaiah 9 God in HIS Great Love extended that invitation to the Gentiles - whosoever will.  HE didn't just resolve to save HIS people from their existing enemies but to remove all enemies from their experience once and for all even though they did not deserve it.  They rejected HIM.  But true love is inspite of, not because of.   It is a choice in advance.  It's like a mother's love for her newborn baby.

 

John 3: 16

 

For God so loved the world that HE sent HIS only begotten son. That whosoever believeth in HIM shall be saved.

 

Also, God's intent was to reconnect man to HIS presence.  Adam and Eve used to walk with God.

John 14:3 

And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also  

God - Elohim has given each of us a chance to live a life so fulfilling, yet so undeserving based on HIS sacrifices, not ours.  Who does that?  Who intercepts your judgement for his? Who dies for his enemies? Who bequeaths to the ungrateful?  Who gives up his best to a stranger who does not have enough to pay for it?  Philippians 2 Which King invites a peasant to live in HIS castle at HIS expense?   This is the true essence of THE MESSIAH.  HE has chosen to love us and to give us the privilege to be in an individually intimate relationship with a generous and all powerful King.   

Isaiah 53

Who has believed our message
    and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
2 He grew up before him like a tender shoot,
    and like a root out of dry ground.
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
    nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.
3 He was despised and rejected by mankind,
    a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.
Like one from whom people hide their faces
    he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.

4 Surely he took up our pain
    and bore our suffering,
yet we considered him punished by God,
    stricken by him, and afflicted.
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions,
    he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
    and by his wounds we are healed.
6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
    each of us has turned to our own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
    the iniquity of us all.

7 He was oppressed and afflicted,
    yet he did not open his mouth;
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
    and as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
    so he did not open his mouth.
8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away.
    Yet who of his generation protested?
For he was cut off from the land of the living;
    for the transgression of my people he was punished.
9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked,
    and with the rich in his death,
though he had done no violence,
    nor was any deceit in his mouth.

10 Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer,
    and though the Lord makes his life an offering for sin,
he will see his offspring and prolong his days,
    and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand.
11 After he has suffered,
    he will see the light of life and be satisfied;
by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many,
    and he will bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore I will give him a portion among the great,
    and he will divide the spoils with the strong,
because he poured out his life unto death,
    and was numbered with the transgressors.
For he bore the sin of many,
    and made intercession for the transgressors.

 

Romans 8:1 

 

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 

 

HE doesn't condemn us based on our past; but HE forgives us and embraces us inspite of our flaws.   Who does that?  Are you flawed today, broken even?  Do you need acceptance, peace, and protection? Are you being held captive physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually? Turn to God.  Accept HIS love.  HE is a deliverer, your deliverer! THE MESSIAH came to give you life and life more abundantly.  Only HE can free you from any and every bondage you face today in your life.  HE restores control, your control of your life and destiny according to God's original plan for your life.

Galatians 5:1 

It is for freedom that HE has set us free.  Stand firm then, and do not let yourself be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. 

Wherever you fall short - let HIM fill you up. Let HIM empower you with HIS Holy Spirit who teaches you how to live in HIS freedom!  

           TESTIMONY:  Two Israeli Jews explain the gospel in Jerusalem like you've never heard before!!!

WORSHIP:  Jesus The Lion and the Lamb

Let HIM free you because that's why HE came!

IN THE VALLEY….trust GOD!

In the valley - TRUST GOD!

Did Noah feel that way in the ark?

...like God, when is this rain going to stop, we’re seasick and the ark smells horrible with all this animal dung. Or Joseph in prison for crimes he didn’t commit. He went joyfully to serve his brothers and look at where he ended up, in prison? How long was it from the pit to the throne room? How did Jesus feel in Gethesemane, his friends deserting him; his long road to the cross? Did it make HIM want to die more though HE knew the outcome. How unbearable it must have been, the agony, the nakedness in the streets, the accusations, the shame of being hung on a cross. For sure God had deserted HIM because HE acknowledged it on the cross.
HE said, “my God why have YOU forsaken me?”
But what did it do to HIM? Does knowing the outcome make it any painless?

Jeremiah 29: 11-13

“For I know the plans I have for you saith the Lord.
Plans to prosper you and not to harm you.
Plans to give you a hope and a future….”

"MY HOPE in JESUS is like an hard boiled egg. I may crack on the outside, but I'm still solid on the inside"... Stephen Furtick

In HIS presence....

Valleys are often long and meandering with no favorable end in sight. Often times when I come to a crossroads, when I hit a speed bump I try to pull the brake handle all the way up and begin to sniff. Like a rescue dog I sniff for solace. Most times it’s the place that I feel most comfortable - at HIS feet, most times. I sniff for worship. I close my eyes and let worship music pour over my soul like alcohol in a flesh wound it soothes. It doesn’t always bring an answer, just a peace and a transition from the focus on the thing that’s trying to drive me crazy at that time, to focus on The Almighty God. 

I don’t always feel for it. But because I’ve proven that it works on multiple occasions. Even when I’m not in the mood for it I find The Word on my phone and fall asleep listening to it. Or I find worship music on youtube and do the same. That’s my drug. It’s true. For me, all roads lead to worship. It always makes all things better, even if it’s just in that moment. When it doesn’t make sense I leave it in God’s hand, I mean at HIS feet. It doesn’t matter what I’ve done or failed to do. It doesn’t matter what I’m guilty of. I’ve trained myself to sniff. Something about God’s presence is very calm, safe, uncondemning and empowering.

Isaiah 26:3

God will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on THEE!

 

HE gives us power....

 

The thing about the valley is that there's no place too low that the presence of God doesn't reside.  It doesn't matter how we feel, HE gives us keys to unlock any and every door that keeps us 'boxed in'.  HIS word says, whatsoever we bind on earth is bound in heaven, and whatsoever we loose on earth is loose in heaven.  Matthew 16 Absolutely nothing can/ should keep us in entrapment.  Like David we need to seek God.  Even when he sinned he acknowledged that: "against thee only have I sinned".   The rules of engagement in the Kingdom of God are different from the rules of engagement in the earthly kingdom of darkness i.e. the devil.  We are not familiar with God's ways.  We are not familiar with God's government. 

 

The Almighty God lives in heaven. HIS ways are higher than our ways and HIS thoughts the same. We cannot comprehend how to escape and or manipulate our environs without God's intervention.   Since Jesus overcame every tactic of the devil, we too can do the same, but not in our own strength.  We need help. When we seek God's help HE sends HIS Holy Spirit to guide us so that we can be successful in achieving and sustaining productive results.  1 Corinthians 10 We were created to win.  Because when we win we reflect God's glory. When we win it looks good on HIM.  God never looses. HE'S always in control.  We have to trust God's methods.  HE only has our best interest at heart.  It is HIS great pleasure to give us the Kingdom. Luke 12.

 

 James 4:8

Draw nigh unto God and HE will draw nigh unto thee!

 

TESTIMONY:  Nahum’s Story - Pain Turned to Purpose (Full Testimony) | 2018 Youth Summit

WORSHIP: Hills and Valleys

                                    

HE knows what HE'S doing....TRUST GOD!