The God Of Israel - Part 6

We are continuing our series of messages about the sovereignty and greatness of Jehovah God on behalf of His People Israel. In Chapters 44 and 45 of Isaiah, Jehovah God says at least eleven times that "He Is God And There Are No Other Gods Besides Him." Every message in God's Book is vitally important but when He says something more than once we should pay attention! Our message this week will illustrate these proclamations by the God of Israel and of all peoples.

Let us start with Isaiah 44:6,8 saying, "This is what The Lord says - Israel's King and Redeemer, The Lord Almighty: I am the first and I am the last; apart from Me there is no God . . . Is there any God besides Me? No, there is no other Rock; I know not one." Jehovah God is clearly professing that He is the one and only true God. Hallelujah! 

Isaiah 45 continues these Godly exhortations with God saying twice in verses 5 and 6, "I am The Lord, there is no other God." Then in Isaiah 45:11 God addresses those who question whether He is The God of Israel, "This is what The Lord says - The Holy One Of Israel and its Maker; concerning things to come, do you question Me about My children, or give Me orders about the work of My hands?" Jehovah God is stating that He Is The Creator Of Israel!

In closing, Isaiah 45:22 declares, "Turn to Me and be saved, all you ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other." God is still declaring that He is God and there is no other. As a result, verse 23 then says, "Before Me every knee will bow; by Me every tongue will swear." This has a direct correlation with Philippians 2:9-11 which says:

Therefore God Exalted Him To The Highest Place

And Gave Him The Name That Is Above Every Name,

That At The Name Of Jesus Every Knee Should Bow,

In Heaven And On Earth And Under The Earth,

And Every Tongue Confess That Jesus Christ Is Lord,

To The Glory Of God The Father.

May The Lord Bless You And Keep You This Day And Every Day,

Frank  

The God Of Israel - Part 5

This week we are continuing our series of messages about Jehovah God - The God Of Israel. The references for these messages are Isaiah 41-48 that illustrates the sovereignty and greatness of God past, present and future concerning His people Israel.

Looking at the first five verses of Isaiah 44 please note they are entitled "Israel The Chosen." Isaiah 44:1-2 says, "But now listen, O Jacob, My servant, Israel, whom I have chosen. This is what The Lord says - He who made you, who formed you in the womb, and who will help you; Do not be afraid, O Jacob, My servant, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen." 

How important is it for us to understand that Israel is God's Chosen People? It is extremely important especially in the days and times in which we live. Remember in our message last week we shared there are presently "False Teachers and False Prophets" in the church. Currently there are those who teach that the Church has replaced Israel resulting in Jehovah God rejecting His People Israel. This is known as Replacement Theology.

Replacement Theology cannot be any further from the Truth Of God's Word. Romans Chapter 11 mentions clearly three times that Jehovah God has not rejected His People Israel:

Vs. 1  "I ask then, Did God reject His people? By no means!"

Vs. 2  "God did not reject His people, whom He foreknew."

Vs. 11 "Again I ask, did they stumble so as to fall 

beyond recovery? Not at all!"

Isaiah 44:3 says, "I will pour out My Spirit on your offspring, and my blessings on your descendants." Jehovah God is going to pour out His Spirit on Jacob's descendants - Israel. When will this happen? To a degree this is already happening. There are more Messianic churches in Israel and around the world than ever before. Bless His Holy Name!

I also believe that Isaiah 44:3 ties in with Joel 2:28 where God says, "And afterward, I will pour out My Spirit on all people." This Godly proclamation applies to all peoples. However, notice Joel 2:32 says, "And everyone who calls on the name of The Lord will be saved; for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be deliverance." Israel is involved in this pouring out of God's Spirit.

What is the result of God pouring out His Spirit in Israel? Joel 3:17 says, "Then you will know that I, The Lord your God, dwell in Zion, My Holy Hill. Jerusalem will be Holy; never again will foreigners invade her." 

Amen, Amen and Amen!

May The Lord Bless You And Keep You This Day And Every Day,

Frank  

Resolutions Versus Commitments

As we enter a new calendar year, many people set what is known as New Year's Resolutions. They think back over the past year and come to the conclusion there are areas of their lives they seek to improve upon in the new year. Setting New Year's Resolutions is an honorable approach, however, it has been proven that the vast majority of resolutions are broken within a short period of time.

Let me suggest a better approach and one honorable to Jehovah God. As followers of the one True God, I am sure a desire of your heart is to live a life pleasing to God but we all fail to a certain degree. Instead of setting New Year's Resolutions, we can set new commitments or reset old commitments to our God in all areas of our lives to honor Him.

 Our Message This First Week Of The New Year Will Suggest

 Three Important Commitments We Can Make To Jehovah God.

Kathie Lee Gifford, a well known television personality and a powerful woman of God, has shared about a recent encounter she had with her God. Kathie said God showed her Matthew 6:33 which says, "But seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well." Then Jehovah God said to Kathie, "Seek me first thing in the morning." This startled Kathie as she already had to leave for work at 6:00 AM. As a result, Kathie started getting up at 4:00 AM in order to spend one hour with Jehovah God to start each day. "Morning by morning, O Lord, You hear my voice; morning by morning I lay my request before You and wait in expectation." Psalm 5:3.

In Genesis 12:3 Jehovah God says to Abraham, "I will bless those who bless you" meaning He will bless those who bless Israel and the Jewish people. I have learned over the last twenty years to bless Israel, not to be blessed in response, but to honor God knowing this is important to Him and I have indeed been blessed. I can recommend a worldwide ministry called Bridges For Peace which ministers to Jewish people who have moved back to Israel. Most are very poor. Bridges For Peace helps them by feeding them, finding shelter, finding employment and teaching them Hebrew. If you would like to be a blessing please consider supporting this ministry, the web site is Bridgesforpeace.com

Lastly, are you sure you are attending God's chosen church for you? Numerous times in the Word of God we learn there will be "false teachers and false prophets" during end times. Does your church teach that receiving Jesus Christ as one's Lord and Savior is the Only Way to salvation? Does your church teach that the Bible is the only True Word from the only True God? Does your church Bless Israel? 

My prayer as we start this new year is we all set commitments to Jehovah God which will draw us closer to Him than ever before.

May The Lord Bless You And Keep You This Day And Every Day,

Frank   

"Shall Call His Name Immanuel"

Isaiah 7:14 says, "Therefore The Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel." What a wonderful blessing for all peoples is this short prophetic verse that foretells the virgin birth of the Son of God. Jehovah God proclaims He shall be called Immanuel which means "God With Us." Our message this Christmas Week will unwrap the miraculous event of the birth of this little baby in a manager.

Last week, I heard a message of a Messianic Jewish Rabbi discussing the birth of the Son of God with a group of Orthodox Jewish young people. The Rabbi was using Old Testament Scriptures to prove Jesus was their Messiah. At first, they were doubting him but were listening carefully. The Rabbi referred to two sections of God's Word - Isaiah 7:14 and Isaiah 9:6.

Isaiah 7:14 says The Lord Himself will give you a sign. Jehovah God desires for all peoples to understand clearly what is happening with the birth of this precious baby in Bethlehem. He says this baby shall be called "Immanuel" which means God With Us. Jehovah God is proclaiming this baby will be His Son coming to earth to be the Savior of all and the Jewish Messiah! Jesus in effect is "God With Us." God coming to earth in the likeness of man.

Isaiah 9:6 says, "For unto us a Child Is Born, 

unto us a Son Is Given; and the government 

will be upon His shoulder. 

And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,

 Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." 

God is showing all peoples that His Son will be

 part of the Triune God - Father, Son and Holy Spirit. 

This verse also says, "The government will be upon His shoulder." 

This is a powerful prophetic word proclaiming

 that Jesus will rule and reign over all worldly

 governments and kings during His Millennial Reign.

In closing, there is a precious Christmas worship song called "Mary Did You Know." One of the verses says, "Mary did you know when you kiss the face of your baby you are kissing the face of God." God Is With Us At All Times And In Every Situation. Hallelujah!

Have A Most Blessed Christmas Season,

Frank        

The God Of Israel - Part 4

Isaiah 43:1-3 says, "But now, this is what The Lord says - He who created you, O Jacob, He who formed you, O Israel; fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am The Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior."

We are continuing our  series of messages from Isaiah 41-48 which highlights the Sovereignty And Greatness of Jehovah God on behalf of His people Israel. Isaiah 43:1 shows God reminding His Covenant People that He created them, He called them to be His Chosen People, He called them by name and He will protect them.

There are numerous events in God's Word where God protected His people when they were pursued by enemies. The crossing of the Red Sea and the Jordan River are prime examples. Additionally, the book of Joshua shows Jehovah God directing His people to defeat their enemies as they entered the Holy Land. Jehovah God's Word is true and valid and He keeps all of His promises!

Isaiah 43:5,6 says, "Do not be afraid, for I am with you, I will bring your children from the East and gather you from the West. I will say to the North, 'give them up!' and to the South, 'do not hold them back.' Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth." This is a past, present and future message. Jehovah God is bringing His Chosen People back to Israel from all over the world and this process has been happening for many years. It is currently happening and will continue into the future. There are over 700 verses in God's Word predicting this event and it is so important to God that some Bible scholars believe all of the Jewish people will be back in Israel before Jesus returns to earth. Hallelujah!

As we celebrate this season of the birth of our Savior, we proclaim as the angels did over Bethlehem;

"Glory To God In The Highest And On Earth

 Peace To Men On Whom His Favor Rests"

Merry Christmas And May The Lord Bless You And Keep You This Day,

Frank      

The God Of Israel - Part 3

This is the third message centering on Isaiah 41-48 illustrating the sovereignty and greatness of Jehovah God on behalf of His people Israel. Isaiah 42:1 says, "Here is My servant, whom I uphold, My chosen one in whom I delight; I will put My Spirit on him and he will bring justice to the nations." This verse raises the question as to who is "My servant and My chosen?" Isaiah 41:8 uses the exact same wording when talking about Israel.

Our message this week will answer the question - does Isaiah 42:1-9 describe Israel or their coming Messiah? I believe they refer prophetically to Jesus Christ, True Son Of The One True God And The True Messiah Of Israel.

Let me explain! Isaiah 42:1,4 mentions that The Servant will bring justice to the earth. This certainly is not happening now except to a very limited degree. However, true justice throughout the world will only happen when Jesus returns to earth and rules and reigns from Jerusalem. Revelation 19:11 says, "With Justice He Judges." Bless His Holy Name!

Additionally, Isaiah 42:6 says, "I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles." Notice Jehovah God will cause His servant to be a covenant for the people. Hebrews 10:9-10 explains that when Jesus died on the cross, "He sets aside the first to establish the second. And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." He came to establish a new Blood Covenant replacing the old Blood Covenant making all people holy as they accept Him as their Lord and Savior.

Lastly, Isaiah 42:7 says, "To open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison." This reference is about a servant who will open blind eyes and free prisoners. Only the love and power of Jesus Christ can accomplice these miracles. In Luke 4:18 Jesus was in the Synagogue in Galilee and quoted Isaiah 42:7. Then He said, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing." Jesus Is The Servant Of Isaiah 42:1-9. Hallelujah!

May The Lord Bless You And Keep You This Day And Every Day,

Frank     

    

The God Of Israel - Part 2

Last week we started a series of messages from Isaiah 41 - 48 which describes the sovereignty and majesty of Jehovah God as the God of Israel. We learned God chose the Jewish people to share His love throughout the world and that He will defeat Israel's enemies in the process.

Our message this week will center on Jehovah God providing for the poor and needy in Israel by transforming the swamp and desert of Israel into farmland and cities. Isaiah 41:17, 18, 20 says, "The poor and needy search for water, but there is none; their tongues are parched with thirst. But I The Lord will answer them; I, The God of Israel, will not forsake them. I will make rivers flow on barren heights, and springs within the valleys. I will turn the desert into pools of water, and the parched ground into springs . . . So that people may see and know, may consider and understand, that the hand of The Lord has done this, that the Holy One of Israel has created it."

Again, we can look at Jehovah God keeping these promises in the past and the present. There was a time when the land of Israel was barren wasteland. Today, Israel is prosperous and generous. The desert and swampland has become beautiful cities and farmland that are the envy of the world. Fruit produced in Israel is in demand and their irrigation techniques are taught in other desert countries. Jehovah God Keeps Every Promise!

Why does God do this? Ezekiel 36:28-30 says, "You will live in the land I gave your forefathers; you will be my people, and I will be your God . . . I will call for the grain and make it plentiful and will not bring famine upon you. I will increase the fruit of the trees and the crops of the fields."

Jehovah God Provides For His Chosen People So

 That They Will Know That He Is Their God! 

What A mighty God We Serve!

May The Lord Bless You And Keep You This Day And Every Day,

Frank