Written by: Johnny Israel
“Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the Name of the Lord our God.” Psalms 20:7
I dare say we can all agree that we are living in perilous times. America and the free nations are engaged in a Holy War of radical Muslims bent on destruction, murder, and mayhem. At the same time, America’s Constitutional civil rights are being battered, beaten down, and morphed into a meaningless historic piece of lambskin purely as window dressing. While the government operates under a veil of secrecy to build an information database on all Americans under the guise of fighting world terrorism, the world is rapidly moving toward a one-world government, commonly known as ‘The New World Order.’
At a time when nations are rapidly stockpiling an arsenal of weapons, preparing for Armageddon, Christians are facing a serious challenge to their faith, righteousness, and commitment to Christ. The world is in a weapons race for laser guided nuclear bombs, mega bombs, sophisticated hand held nuclear weaponry, bombs that implode above ground, bombs that explode deep within the earth. We have chemical bombs, dirty bombs, poison gas bombs; every kind of sophisticated weapon of might and power to destroy man.
Governments strive on might and power. The stronger controls the weaker. A nation with sophisticated arsenals holds a secure position of power. Those without sophisticated weaponry are subservient to those that have. It is the law of nature: The strong rules the weak.
God’s law operates on a completely different forum. “Not by power, nor by might, but by My Spirit says the Lord.” While men use physical means to obtain power, God’s power is born of the Holy Spirit. Government power seeks to control men. God’s Spirit seeks men to empower with the authority of His Word. This is where real power lies. Worldly power is founded on fear. The greater government power, the more fearful their enemies are. God’s power is founded on love. “For God so loved the world He sent His only Son…” Love sent Christ into the world to bare our sins on the Cross-, and it was love that raised Christ from the dead, and seated Him at the right hand of the Father. Brother, that is power.
Dictators seek power over men. The Holy Spirit seeks out men to empower with the Word. Government power enslaves men to serve them. Christ has become servant to all men. Dictators hold their subjects in bondage for one purpose only: control. Christians are free servants, empowered to heal, cast out demons, raise the dead, share the Good News, and to preach the Gospel.
The scope of power relies on where you put your trust. Is your trust in Government power, or is it in the Almighty, the Supreme Powerful One? The Bible tells us there is power in the Name above every name: Jesus Christ. At His Name every knee shall bow, every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord of Lords, and King of Kings. As for me, I place my trust in the Name of Jesus, the ultimate source of power.
Monday, May 15, 2006
Tuesday, May 02, 2006
The Messianic Seed
Written by: Johnny Israel
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then are you Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. (Gal. 3:28-29)
The term Messianic Jew is universally defined as a person of Jewish ancestry that has received Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Christians often refer to Messianic Jews as “completed Jews.” And for some strange reason, Christians have the belief that Messianic Jews hold a more sacred position in God’s heart than other members in the Body of Christ. They are wrong.
Let us address the term completed Jew. According to the above-stated scripture passage, Paul the Apostle says there is neither Jew nor Greek (gentile)… for you are all one in Christ. What a profound statement. God does not see Jew or Gentile in the Body of Christ. He sees one body… Christ’s Body. Recently, I heard a preacher say that God favors Messianic Jews because of their Abrahamic bloodline. He gave no scriptural reference to back up his theory. There is only one DNA that governs favorable passage into God’s Chamber Room: Christ’s blood.
Believers take the reference to Messianic Jew out of context. Technically, there is no such thing as a Messianic Jew. It is a term today’s Christians use to identify Christian Jews. The scripture forbids selective profiling in granting favor to one member of the body over another. The Word says, “God is not a respecter of person.” In fact, Paul the Apostle says boldly, “If you belong to Christ, then are you Abraham’s seed…” All Christians have inherited rights of Abraham through Christ; it is through Jesus Christ that we receive the Covenant promise of the Spirit through faith. (Gal. 3:13) There is only one Blood Covenant that bond Messianic Jews and Christians alike. For you are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. (Gal. 3:26)
If Abraham’s DNA was the key to Covenant then Christ would not have had to shed His blood on the Cross. God’s Covenant to Abraham was a Covenant of faith, promised to him and his descendents after him. The Abraham Covenant required animal blood sacrificed on the holy alters for the forgiveness of sin. It was a temporary means to salvation. However, Abraham’s Covenant became moot at the Cross. At the time Jesus’ blood was poured out on the Cross, the Abrahamic Covenant was fulfilled. A new Covenant was ratified on the Cross. Christ did not do away with the old Covenant, but fulfilled it; thereby giving way to a better, more complete Covenant. This New Covenant guarantees all men access to God the Father through Christ Jesus. The blood of bulls, goats, and lambs that were offered for the sins of the people are no longer required. The Bible says, “Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood, Christ entered once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.” (Hebrew 9:13)
Therefore, it is not the children of Israel that God favors, but those who are purchased by the blood of Christ. While God will protect a remnant of Israel, Israel no longer holds the key to salvation. Descendants of Israel have a natural bloodline to Abraham. They are Abraham’s physical seed. But the promise to Abraham was not physical, but rather spiritual. Abraham’s Covenant was temporal (subject to change). Change it did on the Cross. Messianic Jews, in God’s eye, are Christians, not Jewish Christians. All Christians have equal standing with their Heavenly Father through Christ Jesus. Every believer, Jew or gentile, is birth by the spiritual loins of Abraham through faith in Christ Jesus. “If you belong to Christ, then are you Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” Whatever your ethnic or cultural history, as a believer, you have unmerited favor with your Heavenly Father through Christ Jesus our Lord.
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then are you Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. (Gal. 3:28-29)
The term Messianic Jew is universally defined as a person of Jewish ancestry that has received Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Christians often refer to Messianic Jews as “completed Jews.” And for some strange reason, Christians have the belief that Messianic Jews hold a more sacred position in God’s heart than other members in the Body of Christ. They are wrong.
Let us address the term completed Jew. According to the above-stated scripture passage, Paul the Apostle says there is neither Jew nor Greek (gentile)… for you are all one in Christ. What a profound statement. God does not see Jew or Gentile in the Body of Christ. He sees one body… Christ’s Body. Recently, I heard a preacher say that God favors Messianic Jews because of their Abrahamic bloodline. He gave no scriptural reference to back up his theory. There is only one DNA that governs favorable passage into God’s Chamber Room: Christ’s blood.
Believers take the reference to Messianic Jew out of context. Technically, there is no such thing as a Messianic Jew. It is a term today’s Christians use to identify Christian Jews. The scripture forbids selective profiling in granting favor to one member of the body over another. The Word says, “God is not a respecter of person.” In fact, Paul the Apostle says boldly, “If you belong to Christ, then are you Abraham’s seed…” All Christians have inherited rights of Abraham through Christ; it is through Jesus Christ that we receive the Covenant promise of the Spirit through faith. (Gal. 3:13) There is only one Blood Covenant that bond Messianic Jews and Christians alike. For you are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. (Gal. 3:26)
If Abraham’s DNA was the key to Covenant then Christ would not have had to shed His blood on the Cross. God’s Covenant to Abraham was a Covenant of faith, promised to him and his descendents after him. The Abraham Covenant required animal blood sacrificed on the holy alters for the forgiveness of sin. It was a temporary means to salvation. However, Abraham’s Covenant became moot at the Cross. At the time Jesus’ blood was poured out on the Cross, the Abrahamic Covenant was fulfilled. A new Covenant was ratified on the Cross. Christ did not do away with the old Covenant, but fulfilled it; thereby giving way to a better, more complete Covenant. This New Covenant guarantees all men access to God the Father through Christ Jesus. The blood of bulls, goats, and lambs that were offered for the sins of the people are no longer required. The Bible says, “Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood, Christ entered once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.” (Hebrew 9:13)
Therefore, it is not the children of Israel that God favors, but those who are purchased by the blood of Christ. While God will protect a remnant of Israel, Israel no longer holds the key to salvation. Descendants of Israel have a natural bloodline to Abraham. They are Abraham’s physical seed. But the promise to Abraham was not physical, but rather spiritual. Abraham’s Covenant was temporal (subject to change). Change it did on the Cross. Messianic Jews, in God’s eye, are Christians, not Jewish Christians. All Christians have equal standing with their Heavenly Father through Christ Jesus. Every believer, Jew or gentile, is birth by the spiritual loins of Abraham through faith in Christ Jesus. “If you belong to Christ, then are you Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” Whatever your ethnic or cultural history, as a believer, you have unmerited favor with your Heavenly Father through Christ Jesus our Lord.
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