The Parables of Jesus

 Look at and consider the parables and ask the Spirit of God if these statements are true.  

1)  Like a good joke the parables have a punch line, one main point that the Messiah is trying to get across.  We must not get lost in analyzing the details.

2)  Most of the parables are warnings to the lost, that there is coming a day of judgment, wake up, repent, turn while there is still time.

3)  The parables are spoken in the context of the overall perspective of Scripture, which is, we live in "this evil age" our actions here matter only as they are related to the Kingdom to come, money, power, fame are useless if not used for the purpose of the Kingdom, the Day of the Lord is coming when the God of Israel will set all things right, destroying those who actively oppose His Kingdom, following the Day of the Lord, the Kingdom of God takes full control of the earth with the Messiah ruling from Jerusalem.

Messiah's Community - a history

 Awhile back I thought it would be good to look at the history of the "church", the mostly gentile attempt, to have an organized following of God on the earth.  Well after listening to another persons attempt to do that, I honestly didn't see any fruit in it, so I kind of turned the whole thing upside down, started off from a place that acknowledges that "church" is a horrible translation of the Greek word ecclesia.  Ecclesia is basically just gathering so a rioting mob is called ecclesia, the people gathered around Moses in the wilderness are ecclesia and the followers of the Jewish sect are an ecclesia, the difference being who or what is the central focus and reason for the gathering so the very best translation of ecclesia when it is referencing the disciples of Yeshua is Messiah's community.  With that lead in this is what I posted in my facebook group Love Truth.

  First of all "ecclesia" should not be translated church and the idea that something new started on Pentecost (a Jewish holiday, being celebrated, by Jews, in Jerusalem) is patently ridiculous. God in His amazing faithfulness and sovereign plan has preserved a remnant of people, called out ones, whose focus, purpose and life is given over to the glory of God. He called out Abraham from among the nations, He pushed the promise through to Isaac and then to Jacob and through Jacob's sons who grew into the nation of Israel. His ultimate plan on the Day of the Lord is to bring in every living descendant of Jacob as a nation. This will demonstrate both His power and His faithfulness as they believe in and trust the One whom they had pierced, as a nation, born in one day! So he has had called out ones all along the way prior to Yeshua they were almost all descendants of Jacob or rare gentiles brought in to preserve the line of Jacob so that Yeshua could come from the tribe of Judah as prophesied. The Hebrew word for these called out ones is Kahal and it is the equivalent of ecclesia. So properly translated in our day "church" would be dropped and we would be known as Messiah's community. This translation would place us, grafted into Messiah's already existing plan for Israel. This translation would press humility upon gentiles who have an annoying tendency to build things and put their own name on them, which is what the appellation "church" has become. (other examples, King James Bible, Assembly of God, Church of God, Joe Blow ministries, etc) So the history of Messiah's community is, God at great price to Himself has reached into humanity and called out, chosen, to work through certain vessels who are convinced of their own deadness and inadequacy. At any point where power or prestige in this evil age has been obtained the glory of God has been compromised by the glory of man and the true remnant has had to withdraw and form something smaller and weaker than what they left. That smaller weaker gathering is Messiah's community and they are known by their love and by the fact that though they are in this evil age, they are not a part of the world system. The actual history is a repetitive picture of small groups through out the earth who shun power in this evil age, and long for the return of the King, the restoration of His throne and His people Israel. And today, Messiah's Community is one day closer to welcoming Messiah onto this earth!

Staying Present in the Process

 I see the value in assessments, personality tests, lists of evil spirits and what they cause.  May they always be used for His glory, healing and drawing people closer to the King.

I think they are tools to be used and I am grateful for the understanding and relief that they bring.

In my observation they are part of the process of healing, growing and changing.  They are not usually, the answer, the ultimate solution.

Having others in your life who promise to stay faithfully, present and supportive throughout the process is the one thing that matters more than all else.  Triggers, bad days, unexpected moments of grief that blindside a person, all these require another human being who cares, listens, and keeps on showing up over a long period of time.  

Healing comes in slow increments and that is very much okay.  When we are in a hurry to see others healed, we should probably examine if there is not a lack of love, driving us to just push the person to "get over it."

Romans/Gospel Summary

 Set out with a friend to simplify the Book of Romans and Paul's excellent presentation of the gospel.  This is the result, longer than I had hoped for and probably just a first draft.

1) God's perspective is there are three categories of people on the earth, those who are disciples of the Messiah, unbelieving Jews, and unbelieving gentiles.

2) God preserves a remnant by grace best identified as Messiah's community.  Jesus/Yeshua is the Messiah of Israel so gentile disciples are grafted in to the chosen people totally by the grace and mercy of God.

3) As a result of the fall of man no one comes to the Messiah of Israel unless the Father drags them.

4) Our connection to God is found at the death of all hope in our own righteousness.  We are trusting in the faithful God who calls non-existent things into existence, the God who gives resurrection life to the dead.

5) The massive accumulation of evil from the fall of man was all rolled on to the Messiah who freely, sacrificially gave His life to enable mercy for vessels of wrath.

6) Baptism/immersion in the Messiah is the death of our self-life and the resurrection Life of the Messiah in us is what comes up out of the water.  Having died to sin and come in to continuous fellowship with the Father by the Spirit we are become partakers of His righteousness and freedom.  

7)  All our efforts to follow rules simply reveal the truth of our own wretched condition and each time we fall off the grace train into works/performance we are brought back to - "Who will rescue me from this body of death?"

8) The free gift of the Messiah's righteousness and life connects us to the Spirit's very nature.  The Spirit prays through us, crushes fear, and makes us Sons of the Sovereign God who is working all things to manifest His Son for His glory.

9) The Father's heart is tied to the children of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  Most of them have stumbled over the rock of pursuing righteousness through works.  God preserves a remnant and reaches out to include gentiles.

10) God has voluntarily joined Himself to His chosen people - this stumbling was completely foreknown and foretold with the purpose of opening wide a gate of mercy for the gentiles.  These gentile lovers of the Messiah of Israel - inflamed with the heart of the Father are meant to provoke the chosen people to jealousy by the manifest glory of the the relationship that they are in with their God.

11) Wisdom has performed the most astounding intricate work of redemption of all time. The Father has placed a temporary blindness on most of the chosen people so that gentiles can be grafted in.  His severity is on display when natural branches are broken off.  His kindness and the glory of His name are on display when in faithfulness to His irrevocable promises He brings every living Jew into His Kingdom glory at His appearing.

12) The reality of the outstanding mercy that bestows on disciples the guarantee of the coming Kingdom - the Holy Spirit - propels us into unoffendable, joyous Lamb love.

13) Set free of this evil age - we do not set up even on stick to be used to make a kingdom now.  We rest, trust, and obey keeping all focus on the Kingdom to come, fulfilling the law through His love.

14) The Spirit will not let you look down on, put down or stumble your brother period!

15) As gentiles humility is our ultimate safe guard.  The Jews have carried the covenants, and the sonship and the partial blindness - all resulting in a benefit to the gentiles.  Now we can join the Lamb in His mission impossible  - the 100% conversion of the Jew. 

16) The whole unified glorious story was completely foretold by the God who declares the end from the beginning - now it is being made known to all nations for the obedience of faith. 

Ultimately each point will have many scriptures tied to it, for further study for those who want to go deeper.  It is just a jumping off point for conversation and gaining a wider perspective of the over all plan of God.  The goal is always the same to be more in awe and fall more in love with Him.

Faithful Prophet, Sovereign God, Unshakable Trust

 Jeremiah prophesied and during his lifetime the prophecies came true.  The prophecies centered around the sovereign God, disciplining His people for their sins through the hand of the Babylonian King.  So on the surface it would seem the King of Babylon had great power over the people of Israel, but the prophet made it clear God was the ultimate power in that situation.

Fast forward to the three young men, refusing to bow to the statue that the King of Babylon had set up.  

They had unshakable trust in the sovereign God who was ultimately in control and they had a belief in the resurrection and the Kingdom of God to come.  These beliefs empowered them to face the "power" of the King with God inspired confidence.

The coming time of great tribulation calls for true prophets, speaking the truth about these coming times and the ultimate power of God to rule over the events on earth.  Those who receive these prophets words will have the grace to walk through the fire with trust that no matter how it all works out in this evil age, there is a coming King and a coming Kingdom that will have the final say.

The returning King is the Messiah of Israel so that people and that land are key components in the true prophets proclamation.  

The scandal of gentile inclusion caused many Jews with a "traditional" understanding of their call to stumble.

The scandal of the Messiah of Israel still acting on covenant faithfulness to His chosen people and the land, is causing many "christians" with a "traditional" understanding of their call to stumble.

Oh God in Your mercy raise up a people who love truth!