Chapter 18: Your Crossroads - Your Choice

Shout it from the mountaintops with the shofar! Just as one follows the Law and celebrates the New Year, Rosh Hashanah, and the Fast Day, Yom Kippur, for the atonement for sins, one can celebrate a new birth by being born-again spiritually through Yeshua, declaring eternal victory and freedom from sin. 

Shout it from the valleys and ravines with echoes going on and on!  Shout from your rooftops the message of love and forgiveness and truth!  Yeshua Messiah is today, giving you a beckoning call to “Come, follow Me.” Stop now and say this prayer with all sincerity:  Open my heart Lord, I want to see You. Show me Your truth, Oh God, for I am willing to follow.  I want eyes to see You and ears to hear You, to heed Your truth and Yours alone. I ask for truth, I seek truth, and I knock for I know Your word says, "Keep asking, and it will be given to you; keep seeking, and you will find; keep knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who keeps asking receives; he who keeps seeking finds; and to him who keeps knocking, the door will be opened.”  Matthew 7:7-8

I turn in repentance to You, Oh God. Grant me understanding through faith to experience Your love for me.  Amen.

“Open The Eyes of My Heart, Lord”

performed by: Michael W. Smith

One must begin with an open, receptive mind and heart to receive the convicting power of God’s Holy Spirit, for He is the revealer of God’s truth.  Let us look at some often asked questions, not for critical information but for spiritual application, and we will answer these questions using God’s Holy Word.

A question about sin: What about the origin of sin? Sin began in the heart of the anointed cherub, who had the seal of perfection, was full of wisdom and beauty and blameless in his ways from the day he was created until unrighteousness was found in him.  Internally he was filled with violence, and he sinned; therefore his creator, Jehovah God cast him as profane from His Holy Mountain.  The heart of the anointed cherub became proud because of his beauty and he corrupted his wisdom by reason of his self-will. 

12 "How did you come to fall from the heavens, morning star, son of the dawn? How did you come to be cut to the ground, conqueror of nations? 13 You thought to yourself, 'I will scale the heavens; I will raise my throne above God's stars. I will sit on the Mount of Assembly far away in the north. 14 I will rise past the tops of the clouds, I will make myself like the Most High.'  Yesha-Yahu 14

Sin was displayed outwardly, but originated in the mind and heart.  Pride is the anti-God state of mind, for it is all about I, me, my and mine - the self-will, which rules one’s being.  It is because of pride that the devil became the devil, for pride produces selfishness, greed, anger, envy, hate, lust, sexual immorality, jealousy, and unfaithfulness; the list goes on. The one to fall from God’s Holy Mountain, the heavens, has many names: Satan, devil, deceiver, the lawless one, the dragon, the ancient serpent and the accuser just to name a few.

19 And it is perfectly evident what the old nature does. It expresses itself in sexual immorality, impurity and indecency; 20 involvement with the occult and with drugs; in feuding, fighting, becoming jealous and getting angry; in selfish ambition, factionalism, intrigue 21 and envy; in drunkenness, orgies and things like these. I warn you now as I have warned you before: those who do such things will have no share in the Kingdom of God!  Galatians 5

The account of Avram and Lot best illustrates how the old nature of selfish ways of the flesh, directed by the ancient serpent in the garden, can blind the eyes and deceive a person’s heart.  They come to the crossroads of life; they must choose one of two directions.

5 Lot, who was traveling with Avram, also had flocks, herds and tents. 6 But the land could not support their living together, because their possessions were too great for them to remain together. 7 Moreover, quarreling arose between Avram's and Lot's herdsmen. The Kena'ani and the P'rizi were then living in the land. 8 Avram said to Lot, "Please, let's not have quarreling between me and you, or between my herdsmen and yours, since we're kinsmen. 9 Isn't the whole land there in front of you? Please separate yourself from me - if you go to the left, I will go to the right; if you go to the right, I will go to the left." 10 Lot looked up and saw that the whole plain of the Yarden was well watered everywhere, (before ADONAI destroyed S'dom and 'Amora,) like the garden of ADONAI, like the land of Egypt in the direction of Tzo'ar. 11 So Lot chose all the plain of the Yarden for himself, and Lot traveled eastward; thus they separated themselves from each other. 12 Avram lived in the land of Kena'an; and Lot lived in the cities of the plain, setting up his tent near S'dom. 13 Now the men of S'dom were evil, committing great sins against ADONAI. B’resheet 13

1 ADONAI appeared to Avraham by the oaks of Mamre as he sat at the entrance to the tent during the heat of the day. 2 He raised his eyes and looked, and there in front of him stood three men. On seeing them, he ran from the tent door to meet them, prostrated himself on the ground, 3 and said, "My lord, if I have found favor in your sight, please don't leave your servant. 4 Please let me send for some water, so that you can wash your feet; then rest under the tree, 5 and I will bring a piece of bread. Now that you have come to your servant, refresh yourselves before going on.  "Very well," they replied, "do what you have said." 20 ADONAI said, "The outcry against S'dom and 'Amora is so great and their sin so serious 21 that I will now go down and see whether their deeds warrant the outcry that has reached me; if not, I will know." 22 The two men turned away from there and went toward S'dom, but Avraham remained standing before ADONAI. B’resheet 18

1 The two angels came to S'dom that evening, when Lot was sitting at the gate of S'dom. Lot saw them, got up to greet them and prostrated himself on the ground. 2 He said, "Here now, my lords, please come over to your servant's house. Spend the night, wash your feet, get up early, and go on your way. "No," they answered, "we'll stay in the square." 3 But he kept pressing them; so they went home with him; and he made them a meal, baking matzah for their supper, which they ate. 4 But before they could go to bed, the men of the city surrounded the house -young and old, everyone from every neighborhood of S'dom. 5 They called Lot and said to him, "Where are the men who came to stay with you tonight? Bring them out to us! We want to have sex with them!" 6 Lot went out to them and stood in the doorway, closing the door behind him, 7 and said, "Please, my brothers, don't do such a wicked thing. 8 Look here; I have two daughters who are virgins. Please, let me bring them out to you, and you can do with them what seems good to you; but don't do anything to these men, since they are guests in my house." 9 "Stand back!" they replied. "This guy came to live here, and now he's decided to play judge. For that we'll deal worse with you than with them!" Then they crowded in on Lot, in order to get close enough to break down the door. 10 But the men inside reached out their hands, brought Lot into the house to them and shut the door. 11 Then they struck the men at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great, so that they couldn't find the doorway. 12 The men said to Lot, "Do you have any people here besides yourself? Whomever you have in the city - son-in-law, your sons, your daughters - bring them out of this place 13 because we are going to destroy it. ADONAI has become aware of the great outcry against them, and ADONAI has sent us to destroy it." 15 When morning came, the angels told Lot to hurry. "Get up," they said, "and take your wife and your two daughters who are here; otherwise you will be swept away in the punishment of the city." 23 By the time Lot had come to Tzo'ar, the sun had risen over the land. 24 Then ADONAI caused sulfur and fire to rain down upon S'dom and 'Amora from ADONAI out of the sky. 25 He overthrew those cities, the entire plain, all the inhabitants of the cities and everything growing in the ground. 27 Avraham got up early in the morning, went to the place where he had stood before ADONAI, 28 and looked out toward S'dom and 'Amora, scanning the entire plain. There before him the smoke was rising from the land like smoke from a furnace! 29 But when God destroyed the cities of the plain, he remembered Avraham and sent Lot out, away from the destruction, when he overthrew the cities in which Lot lived.  B’resheet 19

Sin is a folly to deceive you, a force to destroy you, and a fact to condemn you.  Sin is the revolting act of disobedience against the perfect will of God for your life.  The first recorded sin of man took place in the perfect Garden of Eden.  

Click on this link to review Chapter 1: Come Let Us Reason Together to read this account in Genesis.

12 Here is how it works: it was through one individual, Adam, that sin entered the world, and through sin, death; and in this way death passed through to the whole human race, inasmuch as everyone sinned. Romans 5

17 For if, because of the offence of one man, Adam, death ruled through that one man; how much more will those receiving the overflowing grace, that is, the gift of being considered righteous, rule in life through the one man, Yeshua the Messiah! 18 In other words, just as it was through one offence of Adam that all people came under condemnation, so also it is through one righteous act of Yeshua the Messiah, that all people who follow Him will be considered righteous. 19 For just as through the disobedience of the one man, Adam, many were made sinners, so also through the obedience and righteousness of the other man, Yeshua Messiah, many will be made righteous. Romans 5

2 "Hear, heaven! Listen, earth! For ADONAI is speaking. "I raised and brought up children, but they rebelled against me. 3 An ox knows its owner and a donkey its master's stall, but Isra'el does not know, my people do not reflect. 4 "Oh, sinful nation, a people weighed down by iniquity, descendants of evildoers, immoral children! They have abandoned ADONAI, spurned the Holy One of Isra'el, turned their backs on Him! 5 "Where should I strike you next, as you persist in rebelling? The whole head is sick, the whole heart diseased. 6 From the sole of the foot to the head there is nothing healthy, only wounds, bruises and festering sores that haven't been dressed or bandaged or softened up with oil.  Isaiah 1

For those who are hurting physically and spiritually, Yeshua delivers a parable to return to Him for He is waiting.

11 Again Yeshua said, "A man had two sons. 12 The younger of them said to his father, `Father, give me the share of the estate that will be mine.' So the father divided the property between them. 13 As soon as he could convert his share into cash, the younger son left home and went off to a distant country, where he squandered his money in wild and reckless living. 14 But after he had spent it all, a severe famine arose throughout that country, and he began to feel the pinch. 15 "So he went and attached himself to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to fill his stomach with the carob pods the pigs were eating, but no one gave him any. 17 "At last he came to his senses and said, “Any number of my father's hired workers have food to spare; and here I am, starving to death! 18 I'm going to get up and go back to my father and say to him, "Father, I have sinned against Heaven and against you; 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired workers."  20 So he got up and started back to his father. "But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was moved with compassion. He ran and threw his arms around him and kissed him warmly. 21 His son said to him, `Father, I have sinned against Heaven and against you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son -- 22 but his father said to his slaves, “Quick, bring out a robe, the best one, and put it on him; and put a ring on his finger and shoes on his feet; 23 and bring the calf that has been fattened up, and kill it. Let's eat and have a celebration! 24 For this son of mine was dead, but now he's alive again! He was lost, but now he has been found!” And they began celebrating. Luke 15

Return to Father God, your creator, by faith, believing in His Son, Yeshua, and you who are lost, will be born-again and become a part of the family of God. 

18 "Come now," says ADONAI, "let's talk this over together. Even if your sins are like scarlet, they will be white as snow; even if they are red as crimson, they will be like wool. 19 If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good of the land; 20 but if you refuse and rebel, you will be eaten by the sword"; for the mouth of ADONAI has spoken. 27 Tziyon will be redeemed by justice; and those in her who repent, by righteousness. 28 "Rebels and sinners together will be broken and those who abandon ADONAI be consumed.  31 The strong will be like tinder and [the idol's] maker like a spark; both will burn together, and no one will put them out."  Isaiah 1

The next important question is: What is God’s remedy for sin?  The ultimate sacrifice was made by His Son, Yeshua, not born of the seed of man, but of His Father God’s Holy Spirit.  He is referred to as the Holy One of Israel.

The Holy Scriptures speak for themselves: 

God’s Only Way of Salvation

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16

In the beginning was the Word (Yeshua), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:1,14

Yeshua said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. John 14:6

For Yeshua also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit. 1 Peter 3:18

For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Yeshua died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures. 1 Corinthians 15:3-4

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Yeshua Messiah, Christ our Lord. Romans 6:23

Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord Yeshua. Acts 3:19

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. Ephesians 2:8-9        

You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe and tremble! James 2:19

That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Yeshua Messiah and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Romans 10:9-10

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9

Therefore whosoever confesses Me (Yeshua) before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. 33 But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven. Matthew 10:32-33

Then Peter said to them, Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Yeshua Messiah for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:38

Yeshua said, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind and love your neighbors as yourself.” Luke 10:27

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. Romans 15:13

Rejoicing shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth! Luke 15:7

For those of you have chosen Yeshua as your personal Savior and Lord you have made the most important decision of your life!  This is called being born again, not a physical rebirth, but a spiritual rebirth. You now have a new life in Yeshua Messiah and the Holy Spirit is now lives in your heart to guide and direct you in all things.  You have become a child of God because Yeshua, God’s only Son, shed His blood to forgive your sins - past, present and future.  He gave you the most awesome gift - everlasting life! The Holy Bible, the living Word of God, provides you with assurance of eternal life for the Bible will separate man from sin or sin will separate man from the Bible. Your Word, O God, have I hid in my heart, that I may not sin against You. Psalm 119:11

"Saved"

performed by the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir

God’s love for you cannot be measured.  He is always there for you in any situation.  You can talk to Him 24/7 for He is never too busy to listen. This is only the beginning; you are a new creation in Yeshua Messiah!  You have much to experience in your new walk with Yeshua. The next chapter is so amazing as you begin to treasure God’s gifts to you as a new believer!!!  

Yeshua set the example of baptism as an outward testimony of what you believe in your heart.  To review this account, click this link Chapter 9: Behold the Lamb of God.

WELCOME TO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN AND

THE FAMILY OF GOD!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This portion of the message is for those who still doubt the truth because of the deceiver. You are holding back as he puts doubts in your mind:  I am not good enough – What will others think – I can’t be saved in the condition I am in – I am not sure where to begin – I need to put this decision off until tomorrow...

If the knowledge found in all the books of law, science and math were archived by the mind without the experience of knowing God as one’s Father, accepting Yeshua as one’s Savior and Lord, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit within one’s very heart and soul, this knowledge would be for naught. For in the end, the mind and the body exist in the darkness of hell just as the person who lives in darkness in life because he has not chosen the way provided by Yeshua Messiah.  If heaven is not your destination, you have chosen darkness. The soul of each and every man lives forever either in heaven or hell.  This decision is your personal choice and must be made by you for no one can choose for you.  You can do everything by the book, but if you do not humble yourself before God, repent and accept Yeshua Messiah as Savior, you will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven. God has provided salvation to you through his Son, Yeshua. It is your personal decision to choose or refuse God’s Son.

If you have chosen the wrong direction at your crossroads, as Lot did, there is still time to repent and turn to Yeshua. In all humility, ask for forgiveness and by faith believing, follow His path that leads to eternal life by way of the cross.

Hebrews 4:7  "Today, if you hear God's voice, don't harden your hearts." Today is the day of salvation.  No one knows what tomorrow will bring. Your decision must be made Today, for the past is gone and tomorrow is promised to no one. It can only be done Today.

"Just As I Am"
performed by David Phelps

"Amazing Grace (My Chains are Gone)"
Written and performed by Chris Tomlin

Chapter 17: The Power Within

"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth."   Acts 1:8

 The third Person of the Trinity has arrived.  The Apostles’ wait is over!  The almighty power of God unites the Apostles with His Almighty Power, the Holy Spirit.  The Mind of God, the Body of Yeshua, and now, the Holy Spirit comes to live within believers.

Acts 22:2-4
2 Suddenly there came a sound from Heaven like the roar of a mighty rushing, violent wind, and He filled the whole house where the Apostles were sitting. 3 Then they saw what looked like tongues of Fire, which separated and came to rest on each one of them. 4 The were all filled with the Ruach HaKodesh and began to talk in different languages, as the Holy Spirit enabled them to speak. 

Take note of the words in verse 3, each referring again to the fact that being born again (salvation) is a personal one-on-one relationship with Almighty Jehovah God through believing in His Son, Yeshua.

The first representation we see of the Holy Spirit is a mighty rushing, violent Wind.  The wind speaks of the immeasurable depth of the mighty regenerating power of the Holy Spirit.

John 3:4-8

4 Nakdimon said to him, "How can a grown man be `born'? Can he go back into his mother's womb and be born a second time?" 5 Yeshua answered, "Yes, indeed, I tell you that unless a person is born from water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God. 6 What is born from the flesh is flesh, and what is born from the Spirit is spirit. 7 Stop being amazed at my telling you that you must be born again from above!

8 The wind blows where it wants to, and you hear its sound, but you don't know where it comes from or where it's going. That's how it is with everyone who has been born of the Spirit."  

Book of Acts

The second representation of the Holy Spirit is Tongues of Fire.  The spiritual meaning speaks of the Holy Spirit as the consuming and purifying power in the life of the believer.

16 so Yochanan answered them all, "I am immersing you in water, but He who is coming is more powerful than I – I am not worthy to untie His sandals! He will immerse you in the Ruach HaKodesh and in fire.   (Luke 3)     

One of this writer's most loved passages from the Word is found in Yesha ‘Yahu (Isaiah) 6:1-8. Most Holy God, may we see your holiness and our condition and bow before You in deepest repentance and humility.

  

1 In the year of King 'Uziyahu's death I saw Adonai sitting on a high, lofty throne! The hem of His robe filled the temple. 2 S'rafim stood over Him, each with six wings - two for covering His face, two for covering his feet and two for flying. 3 They were crying out to each other, "More holy than the holiest holiness is ADONAI-Tzva'ot! The whole earth is filled with His glory!" 4 The doorposts shook at the sound of their shouting, and the house was filled with smoke. 5 Then I said, "Woe to me! I [too] am doomed! Because I, a man with unclean lips, living among a people with unclean lips, have seen with my own eyes the King, ADONAI-Tzva'ot!" 6 One of the s'rafim flew to me with a glowing coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 He touched my mouth with it and said, "Here! This has touched your lips. Your iniquity is gone, your sin is atoned for." 8 Then I heard the voice of Adonai saying, "Whom should I send? Who will go for us?" I answered, "I'm here, send me!" (Isaiah 6:1-8)

5 Now there were staying in Yerushalayim, God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd gathered; they were confused, because each one heard the believers speaking in his own language. 7 Totally amazed, they asked, "How is this possible? Aren't all these people who are speaking from the Galil? 8 How is it that we hear them speaking in our native languages?

14 Then Kefa stood up with the Eleven and raised his voice to address them: "You Judeans, and all of you staying here in Yerushalayim! Let me tell you what this means! Listen carefully to me! 15 "These people aren't drunk, as you suppose - it's only nine in the morning. 16 No, this is what was spoken about through the prophet Yo'el: 17 'ADONAI says: "In the Last Days, I will pour out from my Spirit upon everyone. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions; your old men will dream dreams. 18 Even on my slaves, both men and women, will I pour out from my Spirit in those days; and they will prophesy. 19 I will perform miracles in the sky above and signs on the earth below, blood, fire and thick smoke. 20 The sun will become dark and the moon blood before the great and fearful Day of ADONAI comes. 21 And then, whoever calls on the name of ADONAI will be saved."  (Acts 2)

In verse 17, ADONAI refers to the Last Days.  When does this time period take place?  In Hebrews 1:1-4 we read:

1 In days gone by, God spoke in many and varied ways to our forefathers through the prophets. 2 But now, in the acharit-hayamim, Last Days, He has spoken to us through his Son, to whom He has given ownership of everything and through whom He created the universe. 3 This Son is the radiance of the Sh'khinah, the very expression of God's essence, upholding all that exists by His powerful Word; and after Yeshua had, through Himself, made purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of HaG'dulah BaM'romim. 4 So He has become much better than angels, and the name God has given Him is superior to theirs.

Remember when Yeshua was with His Apostles He foretold of this Power from His Father God that was to be poured out from above in the Last Days, being His Holy Spirit.  This is Deity, God of all gods, expressed in His Trinity, three in One!

  

44 Yeshua said to them, "This is what I meant when I was still with you and told you that everything written about me in the Torah of Moshe, the Prophets and the Psalms had to be fulfilled." 45 Then he opened their minds, so that they could understand the Tanakh, 46 telling them, "Here is what it says: the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day; 47 and in His name repentance leading to forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed to people from all nations, starting with Yerushalayim. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 Now I am sending forth upon you what my Father promised, so stay here in the city until you have been equipped with power from above." (Luke 24: 44-49)

33 "Moreover, Yeshua has been exalted to the right hand of God; has received from the Father what He promised, namely, the Ruach HaKodesh; and has poured out this gift, which you are both seeing and hearing. 34 For David did not ascend into heaven. But he says, 35 'ADONAI said to my Lord, "Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet."' 36 Therefore, let the whole house of Isra'el know beyond doubt that God has made Yeshua both Lord and Messiah - this Yeshua, whom you executed on a stake!" 37 On hearing this, they were pierced to the heart; and they said to Kefa and the other emissaries, "Brothers, what should we do?" 38 Kefa answered them, "Turn from sin and turn to God, and each of you be immersed on the authority of Yeshua the Messiah into forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Ruach HaKodesh! 39 For the promise is for you, for your children, and for those far away - as many as ADONAI our God may call!" 40 He pressed his case with many other arguments and kept pleading with them, "Save yourselves from this perverse generation!" 41 So those who accepted what he said were immersed, and there were added to the group that day about three thousand people. (Acts 2)

Could it be?  Could it be that this is the same Kefa that denied Yeshua three times the night of His trial before He was crucified? Yes, one and the same. But oh, what a difference the power of the Holy Spirit makes! Kefa now has the awesome power of God’s Holy Spirit to speak through him as teacher, counselor and comforter in any and all things.  The result of God’s Holy Spirit speaking through Kefa resulted in three thousand people added to the Kingdom of God!  The miraculous power of the Holy Spirit revealed both their sinful condition and their need of salvation.  

This is the gospel message:

1. The Holy Spirit draws and convicts one of sin and separation from God. It is described as “piercing the heart.”

2. One realizes they are lost, without direction, no hope and in need of The Savior, Yeshua.

3. The next step, “Brothers, what shall I (we) do? Willing to follow the direction of the Holy Spirit.

4. (38) Kefa answered them, "Turn from sin, turn to God, and each of you be immersed on the authority of Yeshua the Messiah into forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Ruach HaKodesh!  (Acts 2)

5. Praise God for salvation through His Son Yeshua. For the Holy Spirit now takes residency within my heart and soul 24/7 to be my resident teacher, guide and comforter – my all in all! Born again and bound for the Kingdom of Heaven!

11 For who knows the inner workings of a person except the person's own spirit inside him? So, too, no one knows the inner workings of God except God's Holy Spirit. 12 Now we have not received the spirit of the world but the Holy Spirit of God, so that we might understand the things God has so freely given us. 13 These are the things we are talking about when we avoid the manner of speaking that human wisdom would dictate and instead use a manner of speaking taught by the Holy Spirit, by which we explain things of the Spirit to people who have the Spirit. 14 Now the natural man does not receive the things from the Spirit of God - to him they are nonsense! Moreover, he is unable to grasp them, because they are evaluated through the Holy Spirit.  (1 Corinthians 2)

The third representation we see of the Holy Spirit is Water. 

2 The earth was unformed and void, darkness was on the face of the deep, and the Spirit of God hovered over the surface of the water.  (Genesis 1)

This scripture shows that the Holy Spirit was with Jehovah God in the beginning of the creation of earth.  All Powerful!

37 Now on the last day of the festival, Hoshana Rabbah, Yeshua stood and cried out, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink! 38 Whoever puts his trust in me, as the Scripture says, rivers of living water will flow from his inmost being!" 39 (Now He said this about the Holy Spirit, whom those who trusted in Him were to receive later – the Holy Spirit had not yet been given, because Yeshua had not yet been glorified.)   (John 7)

Here is an awesome example of the cleansing power of the spiritual water of God’s Holy Spirit. 

24 For I will take you from among the nations, gather you from all the countries, and return you to your own soil. 25 Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your uncleanness and from all your idols. 26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit inside you; I will take the stony heart out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 I will put my Spirit inside you and cause you to live by My laws, respect My rulings and obey them. 28 You will live in the land I gave to your ancestors. You will be My people, and I will be your

God. (Ezekiel 36)

The spiritual water speaks of the power of the Holy Spirit to fill the believer to overflowing with the fruit of the Spirit.

22 But the fruit of the Holy Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 humility, self-control. Nothing in the Torah stands against such things. (Galatians 5)

God is love.  The Holy Spirit is love.  With the Holy Spirit living within the believer, this inward love is expressed outwardly by joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility and self control: Joy is love’s strength, Peace is love’s security, Patience is love’s endurance, Kindness is love’s conduct, Goodness is love’s character, Faithfulness is love’s confidence, Humility is love’s gentleness, and Self-control is love’s victory! God’s amazing love!!

“Against such things there is no law.” Nothing in the Torah stands against such things.  When the believer is obedient to the will of the Holy Spirit, one needs no law to live a righteous life.

1 I exhort you, therefore, brothers, in view of God's mercies, to offer yourselves as living sacrifices, holy and set apart for God. This will please Him for it is your spiritual "Temple worship." 2 In other words, do not let yourselves be conformed to the standards of the 'olam hazeh (pattern of this world). Instead, keep letting yourselves be transformed by the renewing of your minds; then you will be able to know and approve what God’s will is - His good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12)

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace, as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.  If these are present in your life, you know the power of a yielded life that lifts you above circumstances.  If one is weak in this area, yield to God’s Holy Spirit and allow Him to live His life through you by faith. 

The fourth representation is the Dove as recorded in Matthew at the baptism of Yeshua by John.  The pure-white dove, with its gentle and peaceful nature, is often used as a peace emblem. 

16 As soon as Yeshua had been immersed, He came up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, He saw the Spirit of God coming down upon Him like a dove, 17 and a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love;

I am well pleased with him."  (Matthew 3)  This shows the Trinity in one verse: God, Son and Holy Spirit.

The fifth representation of the Holy Spirit is Oil. 

Oil was used in biblical times for the anointing of Kings and officials for service. Oil speaks of the power of the Holy Spirit to anoint for service. Psalm 23, as written by King David, is such a psalm and in it he gives all praise and glory to the Lord.

1 A psalm of David: ADONAI is my shepherd; I lack nothing. 2 He has me lie down in grassy pastures, he leads me by quiet water, 3 he restores my inner person. He guides me in right paths for the sake of his own name. 4 Even if I pass through death-dark ravines, I will fear no disaster; for you are with me; your rod and staff reassure me. 5 You prepare a table for me, even as my enemies watch; you anoint my head with oil from an overflowing cup. 6 Goodness and grace will pursue me every day of my life; and I will live in the house of ADONAI for years and years to come. (Psalm 23)

The perfect example of the anointing of oil is found in Hebrews: 1:8-9, when God, the One Jehovah Father God, calls His Son, God: 

8 But about His Son, Yeshua, God says, "Your throne, O God,(Yeshua, now reigns as the King of kings) will last forever and ever; You rule Your Kingdom with a scepter of equity; 9 You, Yeshua My Son, have loved righteousness and hated wickedness. Therefore, O God, Your Father God has anointed You, Yeshua with the oil of joy in preference to Your companions." The Trinity shown once again!

The sixth representation is the Seal, which speaks of the power of the Holy Spirit, showing the security of the believer as a finished eternal transaction. Destination: The Kingdom of Heaven!

In summary, the six representations; the all powerful wind, the all purifying fire, the all cleansing and filling pure water, the true perfect peace, the all anointing oil for service, and the eternal security of being sealed, symbolize the spiritual power of the Holy Spirit.

The presence of the Holy Spirit is found throughout the entire Word of God, the Book, the Bible, the Holy Bible, which is complete Truth and authored by God’s Holy Spirit, the same resident teacher that is within the heart of the believer!  

The following passage explains:   

13 However, when the Spirit of Truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative but will say only what He hears. He will also announce to you the events of the future. 14 He will glorify me (Yeshua), because He will receive from what is mine and announce it to you. 15 Everything the Father has is mine; this is why I said that he receives from what is mine and will announce it to you. (John 16)    {The Trinity}

21 For never has a prophecy come as a result of human will - on the contrary, people moved by the Ruach HaKodesh spoke the message from God.  (2 Peter 1)

16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is valuable for teaching the truth, convicting of sin, correcting faults and training in right living; 17 thus anyone who belongs to God may be fully equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3)  

To the one who does not know Yeshua Messiah, it is the work of the Holy Spirit to reveal the truth that they must be born again, through exposure of hearing, reading or seeing the witness of believers through their attitudes and actions.  The Holy Spirit convicts and draws one to the truth of the gospel message.  At this point they know they are lost without hope and are separated from God because of their sin.

To those who have become believers, each has received God’s gift of the Holy Spirit!  He is all power, all knowledge and is eternal, without boundaries. He is the Spirit of Truth, Teacher and Translator of God’s Word to the believers’ heart.  He is Comforter and can carry any size load given to the believer!  His power is given to the believer for witnessing and testimony of Yeshua Messiah as Savior and Lord.  God’s Holy Spirit conceived the virgin by an overshadowing of His power and the Holy Child shall be called the Son of God.  The Holy Spirit was also there in Yeshua’s resurrection. 

11 And if the Spirit of the One who raised Yeshua from the dead is living in you, then the One who raised the Messiah Yeshua from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit living in you. (Romans 8)

The Holy Spirit convicts the believer of unforgiven sin in their life which breaks the fellowship with Father God, but never the relationship. (1 John 1:9)  9 ‘If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and He will forgive us our sins and cleans us from all unrighteousness.’  

The power of God’s Holy Spirit is the only means by which a believer can mature into the likeness of Yeshua the Christ. This is an ongoing process called sanctification. 

How great is our God! What love the creator God has for each of us to send His Son, Yeshua to provide any who choose to follow Him, the free gift of eternal life.  Then He sends His Holy Spirit as a gift to live within the heart and soul of each believer to become more like Yeshua Messiah the Christ. God’s Holy Spirit gives me the power to say no to sin.  The choices I make - make me.     

"Holy Spirit Rain Down"
performed by Hillsong

Israel: The Birth of a Nation 14 May 1948

Yesha'yahu's Prophecy Fulfilled

22 "Therefore tell the house of Isra'el that Adonai ELOHIM says this: 'I am not going to do this for your sake, house of Isra'el, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have been profaning among the nations where you went. 23 I will set apart my great name to be regarded as holy, since it has been profaned in the nations - you profaned it among them. The nations will know that I am ADONAI,' says Adonai ELOHIM, 'when, before their eyes, I am set apart through you to be regarded as holy. 24 For I will take you from among the nations, gather you from all the countries, and return you to your own soil. 25 Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your uncleanness and from all your idols. 26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit inside you; I will take the stony heart out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 I will put my Spirit inside you and cause you to live by my laws, respect my rulings and obey them. 28 You will live in the land I gave to your ancestors. You will be my people, and I will be your God.  Ezekiel 36

11 Then he said to me, "Human being! These bones are the whole house of Isra'el; and they are saying, 'Our bones have dried up, our hope is gone, and we are completely cut off.' 12 Therefore prophesy; say to them that Adonai ELOHIM says, 'My people! I will open your graves and make you get up out of your graves, and I will bring you into the land of Isra'el. 13 Then you will know that I am ADONAI - when I have opened your graves and made you get up out of your graves, my people!14 I will put my Spirit in you; and you will be alive. Then I will place you in your own land; and you will know that I, ADONAI, have spoken, and that I have done it,' says ADONAI." 15 The word of ADONAI came to me: 16 "You, human being, take one stick and write on it, 'For Y'hudah and those joined with him [among] the people of Isra'el.' Next, take another stick and write on it, 'For Yosef, the stick of Efrayim, and all the house of Isra'el who are joined with him.' 17 Finally, bring them together into a single stick, so that they become one in your hand. 18 When your people ask you what all this means, 19 tell them that Adonai ELOHIM says this: 'I will take the stick of Yosef, which is in the hand of Efrayim, together with the tribes of Isra'el who are joined with him, and put them together with the stick of Y'hudah and make them a single stick, so that they become one in my hand.' 20 The sticks on which you write are to be in your hand as they watch.21 Then say to them that Adonai ELOHIM says: 'I will take the people of Isra'el from among the nations where they have gone and gather them from every side and bring them back to their own land. 22 I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Isra'el; and one king will be king for all of them. They will no longer be two nations, and they will never again be divided into two kingdoms. 23 "'They will never again defile themselves with their idols, their detestable things, or any of their transgressions; but I will save them from all the places where they have been living and sinning; and I will cleanse them, so that they will be my people, and I will be their God.
26 I will make a covenant of peace with them, an everlasting covenant. I will give to them, increase their numbers, and set my sanctuary among them forever. 27 My home will be with them; I will be their God, and they will be my people. 28 The nations will know that I am ADONAI, who sets Isra'el apart as holy, when my sanctuary is with them forever.'" Ezekiel 37

   Declaration of Establishment 

  of State of Israel 14 May 1948

Israel...God's Chosen People!

 Shepherd My People 
performed by Gary Kaplan

Israel Forever Chosen

"God of this City" 
performed by Chris Tomlin