Posted by: dhkrause | June 23, 2013

Praising God for All He Has Done

Psalm 92 declares, “It is good to praise Yahweh!” (The name, Yahweh, is the most popular way of pronouncing “YHVH”, the Hebrew name for God in the original language of the Bible.) The Psalm goes on to describe great reasons to praise Him: for His name (for who He is), for His love and faithfulness, for His righteousness, and for all He has done.

Psalm 92
Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
1 It is good to praise Yahweh,
to sing praise to Your name, Most High,
2 to declare Your faithful love in the morning
and Your faithfulness at night,
3 with a ten-stringed harp and the music of a lyre.
4 For You have made me rejoice, O Yahweh,
by what You have done; I will shout for joy
because of the works of Your hands.
5 How magnificent are Your works, O Yahweh,
how profound Your thoughts!

10 You have lifted up my horn like that of a wild ox;
You have anointed me with oil.

12 The righteous thrive like a palm tree
and grow like a cedar tree in Lebanon.
13 Planted in the house of Yahweh,
they thrive in the courts of our God.
14 They will still bear fruit in old age, healthy and green,
15 to declare: “Yahweh is just; He is my rock,
and there is no unrighteousness in Him.”

Along with praise we have thankfulness for all He has done. First of all, He made us, and we are His, as Psalm 100 triumphantly declares:

1 Shout triumphantly to the Lord, all the earth.
2 Serve the Lord with gladness;
come before Him with joyful songs.
3 Acknowledge that Yahweh is God.
He made us, and we are His —
His people, the sheep of His pasture.
4 Enter His gates with thanksgiving
and His courts with praise.
Give thanks to Him and praise His name.
5 For Yahweh is good, and His love is eternal;
His faithfulness endures through all generations.

Secondly, and most amazingly, Yahweh reveals that He has created all things in order to have a people who are His own, walking with Him in an eternal relationship of love:

Isaiah 51
15 For I am Yahweh your God
who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar—
His name is Yahweh of Hosts.
16 I have put My words in your mouth,
and covered you in the shadow of My hand,
in order to stretch out the heavens, to found the earth,
and to say to Zion, “You are My people.”

This is a love relationship to be experienced by each individual of faith. For example, Job speaks of his personal relationship with his Redeemer:

Job 19
25 But I know my living Redeemer,
and He will stand on the dust at last.
26 Even after my skin has been destroyed,
yet I will see God in my flesh.

In Luke 4, Yeshua, Jesus, declares his mission as the Redeemer prophesied in Isaiah 61:

Luke 4
18 The Spirit of Yahweh is on Me,
because He has anointed Me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom to the captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to set free the oppressed,
19 to proclaim the year of Yahweh’s favor.
20 He then rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. And the eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fixed on Him.
21 He began by saying to them, “Today as you listen, this Scripture has been fulfilled.”

In this passage, Yeshua, Jesus, is reading from Isaiah 61, which continues:

2 to proclaim the year of Yahweh’s favor,
and the day of our God’s vengeance;
to comfort all who mourn,
3 to provide for those who mourn in Zion;
to give them a crown of beauty instead of ashes,
festive oil instead of mourning,
and splendid clothes instead of despair.
And they will be called righteous trees,
planted by Yahweh to glorify Him.

He did not continue with “and the day of our God’s vengeance” because this part of Isaiah’s prophecy refers to the future time when Yeshua will return to judge the earth, as described in Hebrews 9:

27 And just as it is appointed for people to die once—and after this, judgment—
28 so also the Messiah, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him.

We have great reasons to praise and thank God – especially for Creation, and for Redemption through Yeshua, Jesus, who declares in John 3:16,

“For God loved the world in this way:
He gave His One and Only Son,
so that everyone who believes in Him
will not perish but have eternal life.”

This is Yeshua’s personal invitation in Matthew 11:

28 “Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
29 All of you, take up My yoke and learn from Me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for yourselves.
30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

David Krause, dhkrause@neteze.com, https://compellinglove.net/

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Posted in compelling love, Creator, Hebrews 9, Isaiah 51, Isaiah 61, Job 19, John 3, living Redeemer, Luke 4, Matthew 11, praising God, praising Yahweh, Psalm 100, Psalm 92, Redeemer, Uncategorized, Yahweh's favor, Yeshua | Tags:

Posted by: dhkrause | June 11, 2013

God’s Love and Faithfulness

David declares in Psalm 103:11, “For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His faithful love toward those who fear Him.” In the person of the Messiah, God reveals his faithful love for Israel, for the nations, and for every individual in the community of believers. Psalm 92 extols God’s love and faithfulness for his people who faithfully follow Him:

Psalm 92 Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
1 It is good to praise Yahweh,
to sing praise to Your name, Most High,
2 to declare Your faithful love in the morning
and Your faithfulness at night,
3 with a ten-stringed harp and the music of a lyre.
4 For You have made me rejoice, Lord, by what You have done;
I will shout for joy because of the works of Your hands.
5 How magnificent are Your works, Lord, how profound Your thoughts!

Psalm 94 describes God’s faithful love that supports and comforts us, bringing us joy.

16 Who stands up for me against the wicked?
Who takes a stand for me against evildoers?
17 If the Lord had not been my helper,
I would soon rest in the silence of death.
18 If I say, “My foot is slipping,”
Your faithful love will support me, Lord.
19 When I am filled with cares,
Your comfort brings me joy. (Psalm 94:16-19)

In Isaiah 49, God confirms His faithful love for Israel, and his calling for her to be a light to the nations.

5 And now, says the Lord,
who formed me from the womb to be His Servant,
to bring Jacob back to Him
so that Israel might be gathered to Him;
for I am honored in the sight of the Lord,
and my God is my strength—
6 He says,
“It is not enough for you to be My Servant
raising up the tribes of Jacob
and restoring the protected ones of Israel.
I will also make you a light for the nations,
to be My salvation to the ends of the earth.”
7 This is what the Lord,
the Redeemer of Israel, his Holy One, says
to one who is despised,
to one abhorred by people,
to a servant of rulers:
“Kings will see and stand up,
and princes will bow down,
because of the Lord, who is faithful,
the Holy One of Israel—and He has chosen you.” (Isaiah 49:5-7)

In Malachi 1:11, he reconfirms this calling: “For My name will be great among the nations, from the rising of the sun to its setting. Incense and pure offerings will be presented in My name in every place because My name will be great among the nations,” says Yahweh of Hosts.

We are seeing these prophecies being fulfilled in our time, and are looking forward to their complete fulfillment through the second coming of the Messiah. In his first coming, Yeshua, Jesus, fulfilled prophecies regarding his atoning death and resurrection, such as these in Isaiah 53 and Psalm 16:

We all went astray like sheep; we all have turned to our own way;
and the Lord has punished Him for the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:6)

9 Therefore my heart is glad and my spirit rejoices; my body also rests securely. 10 For You will not abandon me to Sheol;
You will not allow Your Faithful One to see decay. (Psalm 16:9-10)

In John 3:16, Yeshua, Jesus, describes God’s gift of eternal life by faith in the redeeming death and resurrection of his Son:

“For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

In John 10, Yeshua, Jesus, describes his mission to secure salvation for the believers in Israel and for those in every nation:

10 A thief comes only to steal and to kill and to destroy. I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.

14 “I am the good shepherd. I know My own sheep, and they know Me, 15 as the Father knows Me, and I know the Father. I lay down My life for the sheep. 16 But I have other sheep that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will listen to My voice. Then there will be one flock, one shepherd. 17 This is why the Father loves Me, because I am laying down My life so I may take it up again. 18 No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down on My own. I have the right to lay it down, and I have the right to take it up again. I have received this command from My Father.” (John 10:10, 14-18)

In John 17, just before laying down his life as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29), Yeshua, Jesus, prays for all who would believe in him through the message of his disciples:

21 May they all be one,
as You, Father, are in Me and I am in You.
May they also be one in Us,
so the world may believe You sent Me.
22 I have given them the glory You have given Me.
May they be one as We are one.
23 I am in them and You are in Me.
May they be made completely one,
so the world may know You have sent Me
and have loved them as You have loved Me.
24 Father, I desire those You have given Me to be with Me where I am. Then they will see My glory, which You have given Me
because You loved Me before the world’s foundation.
25 Righteous Father! The world has not known You.
However, I have known You,
and these have known that You sent Me.
26 I made Your name known to them and will make it known,
so the love You have loved Me with
may be in them and I may be in them. (John 17:21-26)

David Krause, dhkrause@neteze.com, https://compellinglove.net/, June 9, 2013

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Posted in atoning death, God's faithful love, God's love in you, Good Shepherd, Holy One of Israel, Isaiah 49, Isaiah 53, John 10, John 24, John 3:16, Lamb of God, light for the nations, Malachi 1, Psalm 103, Psalm 16, Psalm 92, Psalm 94, Resurrection, Uncategorized, Yeshua predicts resurrection

Posted by: dhkrause | May 27, 2013

Living in the Favor of God

In Psalm 90:17, Moses prays, “Let the favor of the Lord our God be on us; establish for us the work of our hands— establish the work of our hands!”  The Hebrew word for “favor” includes the meanings of kindness, beauty and grace.  The first use of this word in the Bible is in Genesis 6:8 which declares that Noah “found favor in the sight of the Lord.”  In Isaiah 54, God refers to the days of Noah in affirming his covenant of peace with Israel:

Future Glory for Israel
9 “For this is like the days of Noah to Me: when I swore that the waters of Noah would never flood the earth again, so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you or rebuke you. 10 Though the mountains move and the hills shake, My love will not be removed from you and My covenant of peace will not be shaken,” says your compassionate Lord.

Others found God’s favor at an early age, such as the boy Samuel, about whom it is said in 1 Samuel 2:26, “the boy Samuel grew in stature and in favor with the Lord and with men.”  Esther found favor with God and with the King, enabling her to help save her people from destruction.  David is another example, about whom God declared, “My servant David … kept My commands and followed Me with all of his heart, doing only what is right in My eyes.” (1 Kings 14:8)

The boy Jesus also found favor with God as described in Luke chapter 2:

The Family’s Return to Nazareth
39 When they had completed everything according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth.
40 The boy grew up and became strong, filled with wisdom, and God’s grace was on Him.
In His Father’s House
41 Every year His parents traveled to Jerusalem for the Passover Festival. 42 When He was 12 years old, they went up according to the custom of the festival. 43 After those days were over, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but His parents did not know it. 44 Assuming He was in the traveling party, they went a day’s journey. Then they began looking for Him among their relatives and friends. 45 When they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem to search for Him. 46 After three days, they found Him in the temple complex sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47 And all those who heard Him were astounded at His understanding and His answers. 48 When His parents saw Him, they were astonished, and His mother said to Him, “Son, why have You treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for You.”
49 “Why were you searching for Me?” He asked them. “Didn’t you know that I had to be in My Father’s house?” 50 But they did not understand what He said to them.
In Favor with God and with People
51 Then He went down with them and came to Nazareth and was obedient to them. His mother kept all these things in her heart.
52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and with people.
– Luke 2, Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

In Romans 2, Sha’ul (Paul) declares that God’s kindness is intended to lead us to repentance:

God’s Righteous Judgment
2 Therefore, any one of you who judges is without excuse. For when you judge another, you condemn yourself, since you, the judge, do the same things. 2 We know that God’s judgment on those who do such things is based on the truth. 3 Do you really think—anyone of you who judges those who do such things yet do the same—that you will escape God’s judgment? 4 Or do you despise the riches of His kindness, restraint, and patience, not recognizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?

Finding God’s favor begins with repentance and faith.  Peter declares in 2 Peter 3:9, “The Lord does not delay His promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance.”  In the keynote verse of the renewed covenant, Yeshua (Jesus) declares: “For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.” – John 3:16 (HCSB)

In Luke 15, Yeshua, Jesus, tells this story about a prodigal son to illustrate how God is ready to forgive and give favor to all who repent and believe:

The Parable of the Lost Son
11 He also said: “A man had two sons. 12 The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the estate I have coming to me.’ So he distributed the assets to them. 13 Not many days later, the younger son gathered together all he had and traveled to a distant country, where he squandered his estate in foolish living. 14 After he had spent everything, a severe famine struck that country, and he had nothing. 15 Then he went to work for one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to eat his fill from the carob pods the pigs were eating, but no one would give him any. 17 When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired hands have more than enough food, and here I am dying of hunger! 18 I’ll get up, go to my father, and say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. 19 I’m no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired hands.’ 20 So he got up and went to his father. But while the son was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran, threw his arms around his neck, and kissed him. 21 The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. I’m no longer worthy to be called your son.’
22 “But the father told his slaves, ‘Quick! Bring out the best robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Then bring the fattened calf and slaughter it, and let’s celebrate with a feast, 24 because this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!’ So they began to celebrate.

In Philippians 3:16, Paul exhorts, “we should live up to whatever truth we have attained.”  He concludes, “20 our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. 21 He will transform the body of our humble condition into the likeness of His glorious body, by the power that enables Him to subject everything to Himself.”

We are released to live in God’s favor by the sacrifice Yeshua made for us: “…God proves His own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us!” – Romans 5:8

David Krause, dhkrause@neteze.com, https://compellinglove.net/

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Posted in boy Jesus, covenant of peace, eternal life, faith, Father's house, Favor of God, living in the Favor of God, renewed covenant, repentance, Uncategorized, Yeshua | Tags:

Posted by: dhkrause | May 21, 2013

The Spirit’s Law of Life

Romans 8 describes “the Spirit’s law of life” for those who are in union with Yeshua the Messiah, Jesus Christ. The Spirit’s law of life sets us free from the law of sin and death. By the power of the Spirit who lives in us, we can consistently obey God’s instructions, His Torah, better than we ever could before. This is part of the renewed covenant He has made with us through the death, resurrection and ascension of His Son.

Romans 8
Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
1 Therefore, no condemnation now exists for those in Christ Jesus, 2 because the Spirit’s law of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.

Yeshua, Jesus, fulfills the law, and helps his followers to do likewise. He declares in Matthew 5:17-18, “Don’t assume that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For I assure you: Until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or one stroke of a letter will pass from the law until all things are accomplished.”

Romans 8 continues:

3 What the law could not do since it was limited by the flesh, God did. He condemned sin in the flesh by sending His own Son in flesh like ours under sin’s domain, and as a sin offering, 4 in order that the law’s requirement would be accomplished in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who live according to the flesh think about the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, about the things of the Spirit. 6 For the mind-set of the flesh is death, but the mind-set of the Spirit is life and peace. 7 For the mind-set of the flesh is hostile to God because it does not submit itself to God’s law, for it is unable to do so. 8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 You, however, are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God lives in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. 10 Now if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, then He who raised Christ from the dead will also bring your mortal bodies to life through His Spirit who lives in you.
The Holy Spirit’s Ministries
12 So then, brothers, we are not obligated to the flesh to live according to the flesh, 13 for if you live according to the flesh, you are going to die. But if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 All those led by God’s Spirit are God’s sons. 15 For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father!” 16 The Spirit Himself testifies together with our spirit that we are God’s children, 17 and if children, also heirs—heirs of God and coheirs with Christ—seeing that we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.
From Groans to Glory
18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is going to be revealed to us.

For believers in Jesus, Yeshua, the Day of Pentecost includes a celebration of the giving of the Spirit on Mount Zion after his death, resurrection and ascension. Historically, Pentecost – also known as “Shavuot” or the “Feast of Weeks” – is one of the three major feasts of the Lord (YHVH): Passover and Unleavened Bread, Pentecost and Tabernacles. It is described in Leviticus 23:

The Feast of Weeks
Leviticus 23 (NKJV)
15 ‘And you shall count for yourselves from the day after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering: seven Sabbaths shall be completed. 16 Count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath; then you shall offer a new grain offering to the Lord. 17 You shall bring from your dwellings two wave loaves of two-tenths of an ephah. They shall be of fine flour; they shall be baked with leaven. They are the firstfruits to the Lord.

The Feast of Weeks, Shavuot, celebrates the giving of the commandments on Mount Sinai, and the receiving the first fruits of the land. Orthodox Jews read the Word all night long, especially the Book of Ruth, which is a picture of the Messiah as the Redeemer of the whole earth. Ruth, who was from the country of Moab, told Naomi her mother-in-law, “Entreat me not to leave you, Or to turn back from following after you; For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, And your God, my God.” (Ruth 1:16) God’s plan for redemption of the whole earth is also seen in Habakkuk 2:14: “For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.”

These are the key parallels between the giving of the Law at Mount Sinai and the giving of the Spirit at Mount Zion:

Sinai - Zion

Hebrew 8:6 declares that the Messiah has come as the “Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises.” This is referring to the declaration of Jeremiah 31:33, repeated in Hebrews 8:10 and 10:16, “… this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.”

The Spirit’s Law of life sets us free to live as Yeshua promises in John 10:10, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”

David Krause, dhkrause@neteze.com, http://compellinglove.net, 5/12/2o13

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Posted in 1 Peter, abundant life, Book of Ruth, chosen generation, compelling love, Feast of Weeks, fulfilled the law, glory of the Lord, glory of YHVH, Habakkuk, Holy nation, Jesus, John 10:10, Kingdom of Priests, law of sin and death, laws written on hearts, Leviticus 23, Messiah, Messianic, Pentecost, renewed covenant, Romans 8, royal priesthood, set free, Shavuot, Sinai, Spirit's law of life, tablets of stone, Tsiyon, Uncategorized, Yeshua, Zion | Tags: , , ,

Posted by: dhkrause | April 29, 2013

Righteousness, Peace and Joy

Righteousness, peace and joy result from doing what YHWH tells us to do, as Paul declares in Romans 14:17, “for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” Jesus summarized this saying, “If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.” (John 13:17)

When we do his commands, we have the blessings of his peace and joy, and of His love that casts out fear, as he declares in John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

Love, joy and peace abide together when we are led by the Holy Spirit, as Paul describes in Galatians 5, “22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.”

When we put God first, we position ourselves to receive peace and joy. Jesus gave us this set of priorities in Matthew 6:33: “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” Peace and joy are the constant companions of those who walk with God:

Proverbs 12:20 Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil,
But counselors of peace have joy.

Isaiah 55:12
“For you shall go out with joy,
And be led out with peace;
The mountains and the hills
Shall break forth into singing before you,
And all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

Romans 15:13
Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

True peace and joy are founded upon faith in God and obedience to His word. Without faith it is impossible to please God: “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:6)

Faith in the Messiah God has sent is the key to fulfilling His calling for our lives. Jesus (Yeshua) bore our sorrows, and brought salvation and peace by his atoning life and death as described in Isaiah 53:

3 He is despised and rejected by men,
A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.
And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him;
He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.
4 Surely He has borne our griefs
And carried our sorrows;
Yet we esteemed Him stricken,
Smitten by God, and afflicted.
5 But He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
And by His stripes we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray;
We have turned, every one, to his own way;
And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

Describing this sacrifice he was about to make, and its significance for all who believe, Jesus declared, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)

We live out our faith and love by obeying God’s commandments as 1 John 5 describes:

1 Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.

Through faith we have peace with God, and his love is poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us:

Romans 5
1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; 4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

We find rest for our souls by accepting this invitation of Jesus:

28 “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

When we accept this invitation to receive and walk with him, we become new creations as described in 2 Corinthians 5:17: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” We have the victory by fixing our eyes upon Jesus and what he has done for us:

Hebrews 12:1-2
1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

At the end of this road are joy and peace, and eternal glory far outweighing any afflictions we may now experience:

“16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, 18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. (2 Corinthians 4: 16-18)

David Krause, dhkrause@neteze.com, 4/28/13

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Posted in access by faith, affliction, cast out fear, commandments not burdensome, easy yoke, endured the cross, faith, God of hope, God so loved, grace, Holy Spirit, kingdom of God, looking unto Jesus, love, Messiah, new creation, obedience, only begotten Son, peace joy, peace with God, Righteousness, throne of God, tribulation, Uncategorized, victory in Jesus | Tags: ,

Posted by: dhkrause | April 27, 2013

Faith that Prevails

By keeping our eyes on the Lord (YHVH) and trusting in Him to lead and sustain us, we will be victorious in the challenges we face, and eternally fruitful in our lives. Joseph’s triumph in the midst of continual adversity is a wonderful example of overcoming faith. His jealous brothers sold him into slavery, but he kept his eyes on the Lord, eventually rising to be second in command under the Pharaoh of Egypt. After the death of Jacob his father, his brothers came to plead for mercy. He told them:

But as for you, you thought evil against me; but God meant it for good, to do as he has done this day, to save many lives. (Genesis 50:20)

Like Joseph, David learned to praise God in the midst of every circumstance. He found his strength and joy in the Lord in the face of immense adversity.

Psalm 57
1 Be merciful to me, O God (Elohim), be merciful to me!
For my soul trusts in You;
And in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge,
Until these calamities have passed by.

5 Be exalted, O God (Elohim), above the heavens;
Let Your glory be above all the earth.

In Psalm 28, David declares that the Lord (YHVH) is his strength and his shield, and his heart leaps for joy as he remembers the goodness of God.  He then prays that the Lord will be the shepherd of His people carrying them forever.

Psalm 28
6 Blessed be the Lord (YHVH),
Because He has heard the voice of my supplications!
7 The Lord is my strength and my shield;
My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped;
Therefore my heart greatly rejoices,
And with my song I will praise Him.
8 The Lord (YHVH) is their strength,
And He is the saving refuge of His anointed.
9 Save Your people, and bless Your inheritance;
Shepherd them also, and bear them up forever.

To know the Lord (YHVH) as our shepherd is surely a blessing He desires for every believer. David describes this relationship in Psalm 23.

Psalm 23
1 The LORD (YHVH) is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. 5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD (YHVH) for ever.

The Apostle Paul (Shaul) like David kept his eyes on the Lord (Elohim), winning the victory by walking in His love.

Romans 8
28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 37 … in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

John declares that through faith in the Messiah God has sent, and by keeping his commands, we too win the victory and overcome the world.

1 John 5
1 Whoever believes that Jesus (Yeshua) is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. 4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 5 Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus (Yeshua) is the Son of God?

Faith is the victory that overcomes the world! Yeshua (Jesus) desires this victory for every believer, and he seeks for a deep companionship with his people day by day. Those who keep the faith will sit with Yeshua on his throne, just as he overcame and sat down with the Father on his throne.

Revelation 3
19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. 21 To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. 22 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

Trusting in God and in the Messiah He has sent leads to everlasting life. Yeshua (Jesus) declares in John 3:16,

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Victory is secure for those who believe in the Savior God has sent, and live in a deep and humble partnership with him, walking in his love. This is Yeshua’s invitation to every believer to enter into this kind of personal and intimate friendship with him:

Matthew 11
28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Psalm 97 has these promises for those who love the Lord and hate evil:

Psalm 97
“10 You who love the Lord (YHVH), hate evil! He preserves the souls of His saints; He delivers them out of the hand of the wicked.11 Light is sown for the righteous, And gladness for the upright in heart.12 Rejoice in the Lord (YHVH), you righteous, And give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name.”

David Krause, dhkrause@neteze.com, https://compellinglove.net/, 4/20/2013

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Posted in come to Jesus, compelling love, Elohim, faith is the victory, faith that prevails, Good Shepherd, hate evil, intimate fellowship, Uncategorized, walking in love, Yeshua, YHVH | Tags:

Posted by: dhkrause | April 1, 2013

The Resurrection and the Life

The Bible records that Jesus (Yeshua) was crucified, buried, and rose again after three days fulfilling numerous Messianic prophecies. In Psalm 16, we see David predicting that the Messiah, “Your Holy One” would not see corruption:

7 I will bless the Lord who has given me counsel; My heart also instructs me in the night seasons. 8 I have set the Lord always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved. 9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope. 10 For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. 11 You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. (NKJV)

Yeshua’s resurrection was the “firstfruits” of the resurrection of the righteous, as described in the end time prophecy of Daniel 12:

1 “At that time Michael shall stand up,
The great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people;
And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, even to that time. And at that time your people shall be delivered, every one who is found written in the book. 2 And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt. 3 Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament, And those who turn many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever.

In Psalm 110, David records this conversation between the Father and the Son of God hinting that the Messiah will be the one to fulfill the above prophecy of Daniel: “The Lord said to my Lord, ‘Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool.’”

Yeshua also fulfilled “the sign of Jonah”. The account of Jonah being three days in the belly of a fish and then emerging alive is a prophetic picture of the death and resurrection of the Messiah. In Matthew 12, Jesus predicted that like Jonah he would be “three days and three nights in the heart of the earth”, before being resurrected:

Matthew 12 (NKJV) 38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered, saying, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.” 39 But He answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 41 The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here. 42 The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here.

Chuck Missler in his book, ‘Hidden Treasures in the Biblical Text’ (p. 17) notes that the meanings of the Hebrew names in the genealogy from Adam to Noah (spanning 16 centuries) spell out the following sentence:

Adam (Man) Seth (Appointed) Enosh (Mortal) Kenan (Sorrow)
Mahalalel (The Blessed God) Jared (Shall Come Down)
Enoch (Teaching) Methuselah (His death shall bring)
Lamech (The Despairing) Noah (Rest, or comfort)

“Man is appointed mortal sorrow; (but) the Blessed God shall come down teaching (that) His death shall bring (the) despairing rest.”

Isaiah 53 likewise describes the Messiah’s atoning sacrifice for God’s people:

4 Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows;
Yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.
5 But He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
And by His stripes we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray;
We have turned, every one, to his own way;
And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

Jesus described this supreme sacrifice in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

In John 10, Jesus described his mission as the Good Shepherd and also predicted his sacrificial death and resurrection:

John 10 (NKJV)
14 I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. 15 As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.
17 “Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. 18 No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.”

In John 11, Jesus declared, “I am the resurrection and the life”, just before raising his friend Lazarus who had been dead for four days.

23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”
24 Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”
25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. 26 And whoever lives [in that day] and believes in Me shall never die.”

In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul teaches that the Messiah’s resurrection is the “firstfruits” of those who belong to him:

20 … the fact is that the Messiah has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have died. 21 For since death came through a man, also the resurrection of the dead has come through a man.
22 For just as in connection with Adam all die, so in connection with the Messiah all will be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: the Messiah is the firstfruits; then those who belong to the Messiah, at the time of his coming; 24 then the culmination, when he hands over the Kingdom to God the Father, after having put an end to every rulership, yes, to every authority and power. (CJB)

Even now, those who believe in Jesus (Yeshua) are new creations in him:

Therefore, if anyone is united with the Messiah, he is a new creation — the old has passed; look, what has come is fresh and new! – 2 Cor. 5:17 – Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)

David Krause, dhkrause@neteze.com, https://compellinglove.net/, 3/31/13

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Posted by: dhkrause | March 19, 2013

True Worshipers of God Alone

The first of the Ten Commandments is, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”  Jesus referred to this commandment in his final rebuff to the devil in the wilderness: “For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’”

Matthew 4 (NKJV)
1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. 3 Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”
4 But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’”
5 Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, 6 and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written:
‘He shall give His angels charge over you,’ and,
‘In their hands they shall bear you up,
Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’”
7 Jesus said to him, “It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’”
8 Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.”
10 Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’”
11 Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him.

In his conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well, Jesus describes the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.

John 4 (NIV)
23 “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”

Throughout the Bible, God’s consistent message to worshipers is, “Worship Me alone, or worship Me not at all.”  In Psalm 29 for example, David calls God’s people to give themselves completely to the Lord, and to “worship Him in the beauty of holiness.”  When we give Him our all, He blesses us with strength and “shalom” (peace and wholeness).

Psalm 29 (NKJV)
1 Give unto the Lord, O you mighty ones,
Give unto the Lord glory and strength.
2 Give unto the Lord the glory due to His name;
Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.

11 The Lord will give strength to His people;
The Lord will bless His people with peace [shalom].

If we allow unclean things to enter our minds and hearts, we are then worshiping and serving the god of this world rather than the true and living God.  A true worshiper is one who has “clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to an idol”, as described by David in Psalm 24.

Psalm 24 (NKJV)
3 Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord?
Or who may stand in His holy place?
4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol,
Nor sworn deceitfully.
5 He shall receive blessing from the Lord,
And righteousness from the God of his salvation.
6 This is Jacob, the generation of those who seek Him,
Who seek Your face. Selah
7 Lift up your heads, O you gates!

Being a true worshiper therefore requires standing guard at the gates to our minds and souls, our eyes and ears, refusing entry to any unclean thing.  Along with this, Paul urges the brethren to make their requests known to God and to meditate on things which are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report, and of praiseworthy virtue.  Then the God of peace will be with us.

Philippians 4 (NKJV)
1Therefore, my beloved and longed-for brethren, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, beloved.

4 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!
5 Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. 9 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.

In John 8, Jesus uses an analogy to teach about living in freedom from sin.

John 8 (NKJV)
12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”

31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
33 They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will be made free’?”
34 Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. 35 And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. 36 Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.”

This is God’s heart for us, that we would be consistently true worshipers of Him alone, walking in the light as He is in the light.

1 John 1 (NKJV)
5 This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

David Krause, dhkrause@neteze.com, 3/16/13

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Posted in First Commandment, No other gods, Ten Commandments, true worshippers, Uncategorized, worship God alone, worship in spirit and truth | Tags:

Posted by: dhkrause | January 21, 2013

The Bride of Christ

In Hosea 2:19-20, the LORD (Yehovah’) declares His betrothal and promise to the believing remnant of Israel: “I will betroth you to Me forever; Yes, I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and justice, in lovingkindness and mercy; I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness, And you shall know the LORD (Yehovah’).

The LORD (Yehovah’) has betrothed himself to the believing remnant of Israel, which includes Gentiles grafted into Israel through faith and loving obedience to Yeshua the Messiah, Jesus Christ.  The redeemed who enter into this love relationship with The LORD (Yehovah’) through the Messiah are described as His wife.  The Father is preparing through the Holy Spirit this bride who will be His gift of love to his Son, and the bride is making herself ready!  (Revelation 19:7-8)

Teacher and Minister Carmella Gillons writes about Jesus, Yeshua, preparing a bride for himself:

“He is putting finishing touches on His bride.  Between now and the coming of Messiah, let us put out the call, the invitation to the wedding banquet:

 Revelation 22 (NKJV)
12 “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work.
14 Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city.
17 And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.

“Jesus wants us to know that all we have to focus on is a close intimate relationship with Him.  And through this love relationship His life will simply flow into ours and through us to others just exactly as the Father’s life and words and strength flowed through Jesus.  Not only that but all the fruit, all the power needed to enable us to live a holy life comes from Him.”

Jesus, Yeshua obeyed the Torah (God’s instructions given through Moses), and he said, “Follow me.”  Hebrew Roots teacher Jim Staley declares that those who follow Yeshua obeying the Torah by the Spirit are walking down the aisle to be part of Messiah’s Bride.

Yeshua’s bride includes people of Israelite ancestry and others who are grafted into Israel by faith in Him.  This is the believing remnant of Israel who believe in Yeshua the Messiah and implicitly obey him out of love.  Revelation 14:12 (CJB) describes this company, “This is when perseverance is needed on the part of God’s people, those who observe his commands and exercise Yeshua’s faithfulness.”

Jesus gave this parable of the Wedding Feast, showing different reactions people have to this invitation.  Many decline, even violently; others accept but do not prepare as he calls them to prepare, and end up not taking part:

Matthew 22 (NKJV)
1 And Jesus answered and spoke to them again by parables and said: 2 “The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son, 3 and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come. 4 Again, he sent out other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding.”’ 5 But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business. 6 And the rest seized his servants, treated them spitefully, and killed them. 7 But when the king heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. 8 Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. 9 Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.’ 10 So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests.

11 “But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. 12 So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

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

 One reason many are called but few are chosen is that so few do what they are called to do.  Jesus is calling us to abide with him and to walk as he walked; the two go together.

Jesus obeyed God’s instructions given to Moses and so should we, wherever possible!  A close relationship with him is only possible through loving obedience, as he declares in the following verses:

 “If you love me, keep my commands.”  (John 14:15 NIV)

“If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love.”
(John 15:10 NIV)

Jesus gave this parable to describe the importance of getting ready to meet the Lord as part of the bridal company when he returns:

Matthew 25 (NKJV)
The Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins
1 “Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3 Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5 But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.

6 “And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’ 7 Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ 10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.

11 “Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ 12 But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ 13 “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.

We have this assurance from Jude that Jesus, Yeshua is able to keep us from stumbling and to present us faultless before the Father’s throne:

Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to God our Savior, who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever.  Amen.  (Jude 24-25 NKJV)

David Krause, dhkrause@neteze.com

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Posted by: dhkrause | January 12, 2013

What Happens When Emotions Lead

Emotions are a wonderful part of who we are.
However, emotions are not good leaders.
They should not be allowed to take control and lead.
Strong emotions, if allowed to lead:
demand their own way,
defy God’s will,
override judgment,
pay no heed to decorum,
care nothing about impact to others, and
willfully ignore the larger picture.
Strong emotions, when allowed to lead,
fight against every restraint keeping them from their desired goal.
Following emotions leads to harm or disaster.
Emotions simply cannot be allowed to lead.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.”  (Proverbs 3:5-6)

“For this is the love of God,
that we keep His commandments.
And His commandments are not burdensome.”  (1 John 5:3)

You will find that His commandments are not burdensome when you quietly surrender to Him and implicitly obey His voice.

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Posted in commandments not burdensome, implicitly obey, surrender to God, Trusting God, Uncategorized, when emotions lead

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