God's Chosen People And Their Land

Genesis 12:1-3 says, "The Lord had said to Abraham, 'leave your country your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.'"

These three vereses in Genesis 12 are the foundational and probably the most important prophetic messages on how Jehovah God chose the Jewish People for a very specific mission on His behalf. Our message this week will start to examine these verses line by line.

Abraham lived in a city called Ur close to the border with Persia that is current day Iran. God instructed Abraham to leave his family and go to an unknown land. Abraham obeyed! This is the first time God spoke to mankind since He spoke to Adam and Eve.

The remainder of Genesis 12:1-3 show Jehovah God explaining how He will bring about the formation of the Jewish People and Israel. God starts by saying to Abraham that He will "Make You A Great Nation." This does not mean that Abraham will become a nation but his descendants who became the Jewish people. This can also be interpreted that this prophesied great nation could refer to the physical land of Israel.

God goes on to say "He Will Bless" the Jewish People. This is a detailed study in itself but we will start by sharing that through the Jewish People came the actual Word Of God, the Prophets, the Patriarchs and Jesus Himself. Hallelujah!

Furthermore, Jehovah God has blessed the Jewish People in that for three thousand years they have followed the same Holy Word of God despite severe persecution. They have turned swamps into cities and deserts into farms all over Israel. Today the land of Israel is a prosperous and generous nation. Bless His Holy Name! There is so much more to Jehovah God's prophetic message of Genesis 12:1-3 which we will continue in next week's message. Stay Tuned!

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

Frank    

God's Chosen People And Their Land

The Jewish people are a group chosen by Jehovah God to "Repair The World" or to work toward a better world for all people. Israel was chosen by God to be a light to the nations, a living example of peace, justice and harmony. This week's message is the start of a series explaining how God chose the Jewish people including how God gave the land of Israel to the Jewish people.

Jehovah God speaks to Abraham in Genesis 17:6-8 saying, "I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you and kings will come from you. I will establish My Covenant as an everlasting Covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. The whole land of Canaan, where you now reside as a foreigner, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God." These three verses are just one example of over twenty which clearly describe God choosing the Jewish people as His Covenant People and giving them the land of Israel.

What is a Covenant? A Covenant is a binding agreement between two parties never to be broken by either party. We will examine the Covenant established by God with the Jewish people and find that God keeps His promises! Bless His Holy Name!

Before we start this important series of messages, we need to declare boldly Jehovah God loves all people whom He created. He desires for all people to come to Him  as their Lord and Savior through the broken body and shed blood of Jesus Christ His Son and His Resurrection. Nothing is more important in a person's life than to make this decision!

Our purpose in these messages is to illustrate God has a specific mission for the Jewish people and their land. This is why all worldly events revolve around Jerusalem. Stay Tuned!

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

Frank 

The Book Of Joel

Joel 3:14-16 says, "For The Day Of The Lord is near . . . The sun and moon will be darkened, and the stars no longer shine. The Lord will roar from Zion and thunder from Jerusalem."

As we have studied the Book of Joel we have learned that Jehovah God refers to a number of different Days Of The Lord. When God judged His People Israel with a swarm of locusts, He called it a dreadful Day Of The Lord. Then in Joel 3:28 Gods says, "I will pour out My Spirit on all people" on The Day Of The Lord.

The Day Of The Lord mentioned in Joel 3:14-16 concludes the Book of Joel and describes the end of the current world in which we live. Verse 16 says, "The Lord will roar from Zion." This is describing Jesus Christ coming to earth to rule and reign. 

Zechariah 14:1-3,9 says, "A Day Of The Lord is coming . . . I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem to fight against it . . . then The Lord will go out and fight against those nations, as He fights in the day of battle. On That Day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, East of Jerusalem . . . The Lord will be King over the whole earth. On That Day, there will be one Lord, and His name the only name." The Thousand Year Rule And Reign Of Jesus Christ From Jerusalem Will Have Been Established! Hallelujah!

Also, on this Day Of The Lord, Jesus will stand on the Mount of Olives and the Jewish people will recognize Him as their Savior and Messiah. Zechariah 12:10 says, "They will look on Me, the one they have pierced and they will mourn for Him." On This Day Of The Lord, "All Of Israel Will Be Saved!" {Romans 11:26}

Are you ready for Jesus to come back to earth? Do you know Him as your Lord and Savior? His return could be closer than we know. If Jesus is not your Savior, please pray this prayer with me: Jesus, I know I am a sinner, please forgive me of all of my sins, I know You died on the cross for me, please come into my life as my Savior and grant me eternal life. Help me to lead a life pleasing to You. Amen and Amen!

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

Frank 

The Book Of Joel

We have been studying The Book Of Joel for a number of weeks and have learned three truths from The Words Of God Himself:

He Will Judge His Own People

They Should Respond With Fasting, Repentance

 And Prayer Individually And Corporately

God Prophesied A Day Of The Lord Is Coming

 When He Will Pour Out His Spirit On All People

Joel 3:1,2 suddenly and dramatically illustrates Jehovah God will turn His judgement against the nations of the world, "In those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, I will gather all nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. There I will enter into judgement against them concerning my inheritance, my people Israel, for they scattered my people among the nations and divided up my land." At the same time of God's Judgement, He will bring deliverance to Israel and restore their fortunes. Bless His Holy Name!

God's Judgement against the nations of the world will be against any nation that has brought harm to Israel. The name Jehoshaphat actually means "The Lord Judges." God repeats this propheric word again in Joel 3:12, "Let the nations be roused; let them advance into the Valley of Jehoshaphat, for there I will sit to judge all the nations on every side."

God's Covenant People - We need to listen to our God and obey! It is time for all of us to pray for the leaders of our countries. 1Timothy 2:1-2 says, "I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intersession and thanksgiving be made for everyone - for kings and all those in authority."

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

Frank

Book Of Joel

Joel 2:28 - "I will pour out My Spirit on  all people." This is one of the most encouraging and uplifting verses in the Word of God. At the same time, it can be misunderstood. As a result, our message this week will examine in detail the phrase "The Day Of The Lord" described in Joel 2:28-32.

The phrase "The Day Of The Lord" in the early sections of Joel 1 and 2 prophesy judgement by God: 

Joel 1:15 - What a dreadful day! For The Day Of The Lord is near

Joel 2:1 Let all who live in the land tremble, For The Day Of The Lord is coming 

Joel 2:11 The Day Of The Lord is great; It is dreadful 

Then suddenly in Joel 2:28-32 a mighty move of Jehovah God is prophesied by God Himself. He says He will pour out His Spirit on all people! How can this happen? I believe the answer is basic - It Is God Being God! Proverbs 3:5 says, "Trust in The Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding." We can always trust in and believe The Word of God.

When will God pour out His Spirit  upon all people? In reality, Jehovah God does this on a regular basis when a person receives Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior and also when God changes the lives of thousands of people instantly in a revival type meeting. Bless His Holy Name!

However, the timing of this particular "Pouring Out Of God's Spirit" will occur during the Tribulation Period. Joel 2:31 describes darkness and the moon turning to blood. This is a Tribulation Period event. Also, Jehovah God will send His two witnesses to Jerusalem and will send out 144 thousand witnesses throughout the world.

The result is the Last Great Revial as described in Joel 2:32, "And everyone who calls on the name of The Lord will be saved; for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be deliverance." AMEN, AMEN, AMEM!

May The Lord Bless You This Day And Every Day,

Frank     

The Book Of Joel

The past two messages in the Book of Joel has taught us:

There are times of God's Judgement

Our response as His people is to fast, repent and pray

Jehovah God is slow to anger and does not desire to judge

This weeks message will illustrate how God responds when His people fast, repent and pray. Two times in Chapter two of Joel, God directs the leaders to gather the people to a Sacred Assembly and then Blow The Trumprt In Zion. He is clear and direct about His people taking actions to repent of their sins and  correct their ways.

When God's People obey after a judgement, how does our Heavenly Father respond? Joel 2:18 says, "Then The Lord will be jealous for His land and take pity on His People." Jehovah God loves His People and the land of Israel and He responds with love and care. In Chapter one His judgement was to destroy the land and its grain. However, Joel 2:18 says He is sending new grain . . . to satisfy His People fully. It is also vitalty important for us to note in verse 18 God will "Never again will I make you an object of scorn to the nations." He uses this same wording three times in Chapter two because God does not want His Chosen People to be put to shame anymore.

The Book of Joel was written over 2,000 years ago. Do these words of Jehovah God apply today on behalf of the Jewish People? YES! Anti-Semitism world wide is believed to be at a similar level to the time of the Holocaust. Worshipers in two Synagogues were shot and killed recently in the United States. This past weekend 700 rockets were fired into Southern Israel from Gaza.

God's People - Jews and Christians - Are still being put to shame. How do we respond? 

Blow The Trumpet (Shofar)

Call A Sacred Assembly

Declare A Holy Fast

Return To The Lord In Repentance And Continual Prayer

May 8th Is Independence Day In Israel, As Israel Was Founded 71 Years Ago. Bless His Holy Name!

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

Frank

   

The Book Of Joel

Last week's message was the first in a series from the Book of Joel. We learned that at times Jehovah God has judged His people when they were disobedient. Joel 1 is referred to as "A Time For Repentance" after the land was destroyed by locusts. We also learned how we as God's people should respond during and after a time of God's judgement.

Our message this week will concentrate on what is called "The Day Of The Lord." The judgement of God in the form of swarming locusts in Chapter one was called The Day Of The Lord in verse 15. Joel 2:1 also says, "Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on My holy hill. Let all who live in the land tremble, for the Day Of The Lord is coming." 

As in last week's message the question for all of God's people is how should they respond after they have experienced a time of God's judgement or they have been warned of a coming time of judgement. Joel 2:12 instructs all of us to "Even now," declares The Lord, "return to me with all your heart, with fasting, weeping and mourning."

Again we should start with a time of fasting and repentance. Sound familiar? This is the same message from Jehovah God as in chapter one. When God repeats a message in His Word we need to pay attention. We live in a time when God is looking for those who are truly His as His believers and followers.

In closing, some encouraging words from our compassionate God. Joel 2:13 says, "Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to The Lord, your God, for He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and He relents from sending calamity." Jehovah God is slow to anger, abounding in love and He does not desire to bring judgement. It is up to us to obey and to draw near to God more than ever before.

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

Frank