Passover - April 14, 2014

Scripture: Matthew 3-4

7 But when Yochanan saw many of the P’rushimand Tz’dukim coming to be immersed by him, he said to them, “You snakes! Who warned you to escape the coming punishment? 8 If you have really turned from your sins to God, produce fruit that will prove it! 9 And don’t suppose you can comfort yourselves by saying, ‘Avraham is our father’! For I tell you that God can raise up for Avraham sons from these stones! 10 Already the axe is at the root of the trees, ready to strike; every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown in the fire! - Matthew 3 CJB

Message:

A good tree is known by it's fruits.

Observation/Promise:

During Passover, GOD comes upon the earth to judge the living both the righteous and wicked. The wicked are confident in themselves, but the righteous are humble before HIM.

We can all be judged by the fruits we produce. As followers of GOD we ought to be producing fruits of discipleship, love, of kindness, generosity and all that the Spirit of GOD manifests within a human being. When our words proclaim that Jesus is Lord, but our actions do otherwise from the things He has commanded us to do, then we bear fruits of hypocrisy and pretension. 

Application/Command:

We ought to judge ourselves and seek GOD's heart to correct whatever we may be doing that is not pleasing to Him. Just as David prayed in Psalms 139
23 Examine me, God, and know my heart; test me, and know my thoughts.
24 See if there is in me any hurtful way, and lead me along the eternal way.

We ought to be humble before the Lord not putting any confidence in our efforts, good works or charity and alms to the poor for this will not save us from the debt and penalty of our sins. Only the Son of GOD can Save us from the debt of our sins, for He has paid the wages for us, and was chastised for the penalty of our wrongdoings, if we receive GOD's gift of salvation which is Yeshua to be our Lord and Savior. Let Passover be remembered that GOD has given His Son Yeshua unto us so that we are protected from the judgement and GOD's judegment passes over us. 

The Judgements of GOD - Feb 28, 2014

Scripture: Malachi
1 “Look! I am sending my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. Then the Lord you are seeking will suddenly come to his Temple. The messenger of the covenant, whom you look for so eagerly, is surely coming,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
2 “But who will be able to endure it when he comes? Who will be able to stand and face him when he appears? For he will be like a blazing fire that refines metal, or like a strong soap that bleaches clothes.3 He will sit like a refiner of silver, burning away the dross. He will purify the Levites, refining them like gold and silver, so that they may once again offer acceptable sacrifices to the Lord. 4 Then once more the Lord will accept the offerings brought to him by the people of Judah and Jerusalem, as he did in the past.
6 “I am the Lord, and I do not change. That is why you descendants of Jacob are not already destroyed.7 Ever since the days of your ancestors, you have scorned my decrees and failed to obey them. Now return to me, and I will return to you,” says the Lordof Heaven’s Armies. - Malachi 3
1 The Lord of Heaven’s Armies says, “The day of judgment is coming, burning like a furnace. On that day the arrogant and the wicked will be burned up like straw. They will be consumed—roots, branches, and all.
2 “But for you who fear my name, the Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in his wings. And you will go free, leaping with joy like calves let out to pasture. 3 On the day when I act, you will tread upon the wicked as if they were dust under your feet,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. - Malachi 4
Message:
The Lord is a just GOD and His righteousness He will show through His judgements.

Observation/Promise:
The Lord has already spoken His prophecies to His people and the judgements that is coming to take place in the Philippines. There's wickedness everywhere, and hearing about them make me cry out, O Lord have mercy and judge the wicked for your righteousness sake. He is already judging His own house first, those that believe in Him and we are filled with trouble from every side. But the Lord will preserve and protect His children, to those that love Him and fear His Holy Name, difficult it may be right now but they will be healed by the righteousness of GOD, there is hope and restoration even though we have to go through the fiery fires of trial, when the judgement comes, for the children of GOD, it is like the Lord refining us like metal, or silver burning away the impurities from us. But for the wicked, what a terrible day it will be, for they will be gone without hope, without a future. But if they decide to repent with their hearts, they will live and find hope in the GOD of our Salvation.

Command/Application:
When the day of judgement comes and you are in the fires of trial, Look up, for your salvation is near. Hold on to the Lord and make sure never to fall away. Submit yourself to the refining of GOD and let your heart be sober before Him. Ask for His forgiveness all the time and trust in His Sovereign power. The day of the Lord is upon us, but those who fear the Lord they will become better than they were before. 

His Forever

O God, You have cast us off; You have broken us down; You have been displeased; Oh, restore us again! You have shown Your people hard things; You have made us drink the wine of confusion. You have given a banner to those who fear You, That it may be displayed because of the truth. Selah That Your beloved may be delivered, Save with Your right hand, and hear me. Who will bring me to the strong city? Who will lead me to Edom? Is it not You, O God, who cast us off? And You, O God, who did not go out with our armies? Give us help from trouble, For the help of man is useless. Through God we will do valiantly, For it is He who shall tread down our enemies.
- Pslam 60


There are times in life when it seems like God has left us to ourselves in our sorrows and to failure. Has God really left our side??? Has He? For if He did so then He would have been lying when He promised never to leave or forsake us. But God could not go against His promise neither can He act against Himself and His character.

But even in confusion, sorrows and short comings  Gods faithfulness will never cease to be. Even when we are in our lowest times, God has a purpose for allowing us to fail and experience a time of weakness so we may realize what we truly are - imperfect. That we may look to and depend on who He really is. That we may understand how much we need Him and never take for granted what He has done and will continue to do. So that our hearts will learn to rejoice and trust the Lord God Almighty no matter what circumstances we maybe having at anytime, just one thing remains for certain - we are His forever.

True Wisdom

23 This is what the Lord says:
“Don’t let the wise boast in their wisdom,
or the powerful boast in their power,
or the rich boast in their riches.
24 But those who wish to boast should boast in this alone:
that they truly know me and understand that I am the Lord
who demonstrates unfailing love
and who brings justice and righteousness to the earth,
and that I delight in these things.
I, the Lord, have spoken!

- Jeremiah 9

Where does the wisdom of the wise come from? or who even created wisdom in itself? 1 Corinthians 1:30 says God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; he made us pure and holy, and he freed us from sin. Yeshua is wisdom Himself! So if wisdom is GOD and all the power of the universe has come from GOD, why should anyone boast as if it came from them? If GOD has given you wisdom, power or riches, is that any reason for your heart to be puffed up and become proud? 

But if we should boast, we can only boast in one thing, that we know the LORD. To know GOD is a lifetime process, there is so much to understand who He is, and how He loves is never failing. He never gives up on us until we completely shut off our hearts from Him. He is the great GOD who executes justice without anyone's consent and bring righteousness to this world of wickedness. That is who He is, His very heart and character enjoys doing the things He does. He loves without failing, He justifies whatever has been wronged and He is holy and righteous in all His ways. His ways are far different from Human ways that is why it takes forever to know who GOD is. For those who make it a point each day to seek, know and understand the LORD GOD, they will be amazed as they see HIM for who He is. True wisdom comes from this: the more you know and seek the Lord, the more you gain wisdom.

Look to HIM

I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me.
He freed me from all my fears.
5 Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy;
no shadow of shame will darken their faces.
6 In my desperation I prayed, and the Lord listened;
he saved me from all my troubles.
7 For the angel of the Lord is a guard;
he surrounds and defends all who fear him.
- Psalm 35

The GOD of David, is the One he writes about in his books of psalms. David is one of the greatest Kings that ever lived in Israel and he was great not because of his own strength and effort. He was great because the LORD His GOD has made him to be great. David seemed invincible to his enemies not because he was a mighty warrior, but because he called out to GOD every time his enemies are attacking him. He relied so much on GOD, he made the LORD GOD of Israel his security and his greatest ally. GOD was his friend, defender, and everything he ever needed to be the greatest king that he is now.

David testifies in his psalm that those who look to him for help will not be disappointed. People can count on GOD, this is what David is saying, those who rely on GOD will not regret anything, they will so happy, they won't have anything to be sad about because GOD will always answer and HE will always save those that cry out to HIM. What trouble is too hard for GOD? If GOD had rescued David from the troubles of being a King and leader of a Nation, how much more easier it would be for Him to rescue a regular person's troubles in life. When you make GOD your refuge, He will protect you, defend you until you have a radiant smile on your face because the LORD wraps His arms around those who lean on HIM.

The Voice of the LORD

13 After they had gone, an angel of Adonai appeared to Yosef in a dream and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and escape to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you to leave. For Herod is going to look for the child in order to kill him.”
19 After Herod’s death, an angel of Adonai appeared in a dream to Yosef in Egypt 20 and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and go to Eretz-Yisra’el, for those who wanted to kill the child are dead.”

- Matthe 2:13,19-20

It is wonderful when you are walking with GOD because GOD will never leave you or anyone of His children to perish not just eternally but even here on earth. GOD's will for everyone of us is always to prosper, to live abundantly, to be healthy and with every good thing you can possibly think of, GOD wants this for us. If we are in the center of GOD's will we are protected by GOD through the Instruction of HIS voice. Just as it was in the life of Jospeh and Mary, Abraham, Moses and all those that heeded to the voice of GOD, so it is today to anyone who is seeking and willing to walk with GOD. The LORD always has a word for us each season, and everyday HE always has something to say to our Souls.

A fresh revelation of GOD's word is needed everyday. When we read HIS word, no matter how many times we have finished reading the entire Bible, there is always a new thing that we get or learn from it. Most especially during important seasons in our lives where GOD specifically instructs us to move or do something. Like for example in Joseph's life, GOD always spoke to Joseph through his dreams and these instructions are not just minimal ones that can be ignored or brushed aside but they are critical insturctions and his very well being and life of his family is being threatened if they do not obey immediately. It is important to attune our ears to the voice of the LORD, to align our Spirit's with HIS word because not all of us may be dreamers like Joseph but the Bible is where we can approve the good and perfect will of GOD for our lives.