Off and on for sometime now, I have been asking myself, “Do I really know how I will respond upon dire persecution and even death for the sake of my faith in Yahusha (Jesus), my King?” I want to believe that I am at that place with Him, fully faithful and obedient even unto death. But in all honestly, do I know this for sure? I’ve seriously meditated upon this and asked the Father to please show me anything that may be within my soul that would cause me to doubt or stumble. I would never want to be in the position of wavering faith at a time when it was required of me. Many of you have probably also asked this question as I have, with fear and trembling.
I think about Peter when he said to Yahusha, “Lord, why cannot I follow thee now? I will lay down my life for thy sake.” (John 13:37) He knew Christ intimately and he loved Him, so much that he was completely confident he was ready to die for Him. Then there was Yahusha’s response… “Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice.” (John 13:38) And we all know what happened shortly after… Peter denied his Messiah three times. I try to imagine the sorrow and regret that Peter must have felt afterwards, and I cannot bare it. Peter’s story is eye-opening, and it causes us to pause and look inward, hard. Peter saw and touched the very Savior that we cannot. He heard His voice and witnessed His power and love first hand, but yet he was not ready to give up all for Him, as he thought he was. Yahusha even warned him that he would be tested and even that He had prayed for him that his faith would stand through it! And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. Luke 22:31-32 This testing and experience was absolute necessary for Peter; it helped to make him who he became… one who was to strengthen his brethren as Yahusha had told him and one who would ultimately die a martyred life for His Savior. (John 21:18-19) In another example, not quite as extreme as above, Peter was again faced with his unknown lack of faith. Peter was zealous for Yahusha and often showed this with his words and actions. In Matthew 14:22-23, we see that he and the others saw Yahusha walking on the sea towards them in the midst of a strong wind. In Peter’s excitement, He responded to Yahusha by jumping out of the boat attempting to walk on water to reach Him. Peter’s initial childlike faith propelled him from the boat to go and meet the Messiah miraculously! However, as soon as he saw the “boisterous” wind, he became afraid and down into the water he went. All it took was a second of fear and doubt – just a small amount and the miracle collapsed. Another sobering realization! Even Peter’s ancestors repeatedly fought with unbelief and disobedience. After having witnessed the greatest deliverance of all time (from the great bondage of Egypt) and then becoming the only chosen people of the Most High God, His precious possession, they failed the testing that followed. Just like Peter, they saw the miracles and they witnessed His power personally; but they murmured and doubted over and over during their time in the wilderness, even to the point of provoking the Father. Here again, this testing was necessary to train them and prepare them and to ultimately see who would remain faithful. I wonder if they had any idea they would fail the test, or did they think they were fully prepared to stand? Another good example with a much better ending is the story of Job. Job lost everything – and this included all of his substance and all ten of his children! Shortly after this, he became very sick in his body as he was covered with horrible boils from the top of his head to the soles of his feet. He endured absolute torment directly from the hand of the enemy. (Job 1 & 2) This went on for years, also in the midst of his family deserting him and his friends blaming him. This righteous man ultimately passed the test and was not only fully restored by the Father, but his end was greater than his beginning, having 10 more children and living 170 more years! It appears this was one of the worst trials and testing recorded in the Bible, and this man remained faithful! Job’s responses of faith were greater than most minds can imagine: What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips. Job 2:10 But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold. My foot hath held his steps, his way have I kept, and not declined. Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food. Job 23:1-12 Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him. Job 13:15 As we ponder the stories of the ancients of the Bible, we can sometimes become a bit “entitled” thinking that this will not happen to us. But as blood-bought children of the Most High God, it is of 100% assurance that we will be tested in some way. We are told more than once that this will happen, and we are told why it must happen. In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ… 1 Peter 1:6-7 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. James 1:2-4 As we sit in the midst of a time of insecurity and uncertainty in our world unlike nothing most of us have ever experienced, it is possible that our testing has begun or will shortly come. We must realize this and accept that it is a necessary part of our walk, and then expect it and welcome it. Our loving Father will use this to prepare us so that we may stand in our faith in any given situation, even unto death. The simple truth of the scriptures is that we must be willing to suffer for the One who died for us (and sometimes we need to practice)! And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. Luke 14:27 Although we may suffer, we know that suffering for the sake of Christ is the highest honor possible! And this short little writing is simply a reminder. I wish to encourage all of us who humbly wonder and seek and ask if we are truly ready! When we do this, we are on the right track! And we know our Father is pleased to hear this cry from His children and will always respond! Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139:23-24 In closing, let’s pray to stand fervently in faith, without wavering and without fear, regardless of what is going on around us. His perfect love for us – the love that purchased us with the agony and sting of death – will equip us and keep us! We simply must believe. Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it. 1 Thessalonians 5:24 And as you go through your own journey of trials and testing, whatever they may be, keep close to your heart these encouraging words of our brother Paul… For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. Romans 8:18
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The world has sought through it's mainstream "wisdom" and abilities to paint a picture of our Savior for all to see. This picture does no justice and is profoundly flawed, not to mention its blatant disregard for the first commandment. In the deep humbling of our souls and spirits, may we seek to see Yahusha's (Jesus) true and real image, as the Father has clearly provided for us in His word -- this is the image the Father wants us to examine carefully. This is the image that brings knowledge and wisdom to the saving of the soul. Although we know that our Savior has won the victory -- that He has overcome and is now sitting at the right hand of the Father, and He is in glory -- we must remember the image of His humbling, of His breaking, and of His surrender. This very image will remind us of our true call, as we continually follow Him, walking as He walked and enduring as He endured to the very end. Isaiah 53 shows us this beautiful but tragic image so perfectly. Both the KJV and Septuagint** versions so poetically and perfectly describe our King, our Lamb, our Savior.
In truth, and according to God's word, Yahusha (Jesus) took on every single woe of man, from the beginning of His life until the end. He did this in His physical body, in His soul, and in His spirit. He set aside His deity and His glory to take on the image of sinful man in its fullness -- and He did it all for the JOY that was set before Him (Hebrews 12:2)! He took on every grief from rejection, abandonment, ridicule, mocking, etc.
We see here from the word of our Father that Yahusha took on every woe, every pain, every grief, every disease, every rejection, and every sin. This wasn't just at the tree when He was crucified, or in the congregation of the Roman soldiers where He was severely and ruthlessly beaten and scourged, or even when He was spit upon and His beard torn off His face... this was also His life (noting that Isaiah 52:14 tells us that during His passion, His image was so marred and disfigured that He was unrecognizable as a man)!! He experienced it ALL for our sakes - ALL OF IT! In summary... As taken from the writings of Charles Spurgeon, it is best said like this: My Son, the pure and perfect, will stand in your place and be accounted guilty. And you, the guilty, will stand in my Son's place and be accounted righteous! He took our place, so that we might take His place; He took our sin, so that we might take His righteousness. So the next time you see the world flash an image of our Savior in front of your eyes, immediately remember the true image that our Father has given to us***... and cry, moan, repent, and rejoice!!!! And yes, also remember that He HAS overcome, for it is His overcoming that gives us ours!! His image then and His glory now are our ONLY hope! All honor, glory, praise, adoration, and thanksgiving belongs to Him and Him alone! Notes from references above:
** The Septuagint is a version of the Bible that represents the earliest version of the Old Testament scriptures, which is the translation executed at Alexandria in the third century before the Christian era. (taken from the Introduction of the Brenton Septuagint) *** Please remember that the enemy of our souls has control of the mainstream flow. Be careful believing anything that comes from this, especially the image of Christ. We are told in the first commandment (Exodus 20:4) not to make any graven image or any likeness of anything that is in Heaven above or that is in the earth beneath or that is in the water under the earth. The question is... why is the world feeding us an image?? |
Special NoteThese writings are written in love and a spirit of servitude. They are not designed to judge but make us think. We are all sinners in need of saving, and we all need encouragement and absolute truth to endure on the narrow road to sanctification and ultimately eternal life. Categories
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