Earlier this week, we came across a couple of Mormons who seemed to be out evangelizing. We greeted them on the street and asked them, “Who is Jesus?” They said, “The Son of God.” Then was asked, “Is He God?” They said, “Yes, He Is.” We said, “Praise God, Amen. God bless you.” Perhaps we could have asked them a few more questions before we left (e.g., 1 Corinthians 12:3, Romans 10:9).

On Friday morning, we received a visit from a pair of Jehovah’s witnesses which turned into a battle of swords. They claimed to have knowledge from God. So, we tested them (or, rather, the spirit that they represent), asking, “Who is Jesus?” They said, “The Son of God.” We asked, “Is He God?” They responded to the effect, “No, He is not God.” At that moment, we clearly understood the spirit that we were dealing with (1 John 4:2-3).

Upon reflection, some aspects of the interaction were quite amazing. For example, we read Isaiah 9:6 out of our NKJV translation and out of their translation. Both translations refer to Yeshua as “Mighty God.” Yet, they were not convinced, since, if I recall correctly, the Word did not say, “Almighty God.” We insisted that there is only One God. They, however, retorted that the Word mentions many gods.

They also asked a very long question that basically required us to prove to them that the Trinity exists. When we mentioned that we had studied the book of Genesis in Hebrew with an Israeli friend in New Zealand and confirmed the plurality of God in it (that is, God talking “amongst Himself” — e.g., Genesis 1:26, Genesis 3:22-23), they did not seem interested, even when we said to set aside the concept of God as three in one and just consider the fact that God is clearly one (e.g., Deuteronomy 6:4, Deuteronomy 31:6) and yet talks to Himself as if He were more than one (e.g., Genesis 11:5-7).

Throughout the interaction, we tried to get them to turn to John 12:41 (where John tells about how Isaiah spoke of Yeshua’s glory) and then compare that to Isaiah 6 in their Bible (where Isaiah retells the same instance, referring to Yehovah’s glory). However, they never obliged but, rather, showed various verses that refer to Yeshua as the Son of God, including one in Revelation. Shortly after which they gave up, at which point we asked them what makes the Jesus who they believe in worthy to save them.

They said that He (their, apparently exclusively human, Jesus) is a sort of second, perfect Adam who makes up for the first, fallen Adam and also, somehow, atones for all of our sins. Then we mentioned the fact that Yehovah is our Salvation is mentioned throughout God’s Word (e.g., Exodus 15:1-3, 2 Samuel 22:47, Psalm 27:1, Psalm 118:13-15, Isaiah 12:1-3), that in Hebrews 1:8 (in the original text and in every other translation but theirs) God the Father refers to Yeshua (God the Son) as God, Himself. We also mentioned that in Revelation Yeshua refers to Himself as the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End (Revelation 1:8,11, Revelation 21:6, Revelation 22:13), etc. However, they remained unconvinced.

When they left, we offered to pray for them, but they did not want us to do so, since they said that we do not pray to the same God as they do. They said that they pray to God directly, not through Jesus. Then we shook hands, and they left. (We prayed for them, anyway. :-))

After the interaction, we went to God and asked Him to reveal the Truth of Himself to us and to them. If, by some chance, we are deceived about the fact that Yeshua is God or anything else, we wanted God to reveal that to us. Then we wondered if the Bible ever mentions people praying to Yeshua. Many verses came to us, including John 14:6, but no “smoking gun,” so to speak.

Then we prayed and searched the Word. Guess what we found? Acts 7:59-60.

Clearly, Yeshua warned of deception in the days after His temporary departure (e.g., Luke 21:8). Thus, we need to ensure that we are not deceived. The best way to do that is to stay close to God and to be living on His Word and constantly praying to Him (Ephesians 6:17-20). If we fill our hearts with too much pride about how wise we are and how much we know, we are potentially setting ourselves up to be deceived. Therefore, it is best to stand our ground against the devil (James 4:1-101 Peter 5:5-11) and take all of our doubts to God, the Provider of all true knowledge and wisdom (e.g., James 1:2-8).

Also, to be close to God, we have to go against the tide that this world is caught up in. That is, we should be lovers of God over pleasure. We should be holy, loving, thankful, kind, self-controlled, humble people who fear and earnestly try to obey God (2 Timothy 3). Thus, as much as possible, try to sacrifice yourself and your desires for others, and try to take everything, all of your decisions, your concerns, your desires, etc. to God, and seek His guidance and help with each and every aspect of your life. (An example of what can happen when one lives for one’s self was illustrated by Yeshua in Luke 16:19-31.)

The Seed that Gives Life

Consider Matthew 25. Yeshua begins by talking about ten virgins, five foolish and five wise, who wait for His return. The five foolish virgins do not have enough oil to light their lamps upon His return. Possibly (probably) the oil represents the Holy Spirit which sanctifies true believers in Yeshua (e.g., 2 Thessalonians 2:13-141 Corinthians 6:11), and the foolish virgins might have diminished His presence in their lives via quenching (i.e., disobeying) Him continually (e.g., 1 Thessalonians 5:19-22).

Then Yeshua talks about three servants who He leaves behind to manage some investments for Him while He is away. Upon His return, two of the servants have multiplied His investments while one, wicked servant, merely returns what Yeshua had given to Him. Perhaps the wicked servant merely accepted Yeshua yet failed to do the will of God in his life — e.g., not manifesting God’s love to others — and merely presented himself to Yeshua upon Yeshua’s return?

Next Yeshua talks about the time when He will judge the nations, separating the righteous from the wicked. The difference between the two is that the righteous actually did something to obey Yeshua’s Law (which is love) in regards to others. The righteous tangibly comforted and tried to provide for some of the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of those around them, while the wicked lived for themselves.

Furthermore, in Matthew 7:13-14, Yeshua states that the way that leads to (eternal) life is difficult and that few find it (just after He restated the Law, in Matthew 7:12). Then, in Matthew 7:15-20, He says that you will know a false prophet by the bad fruit that he produces. (Thus, a true prophet of God can be expected to be observed trying to keep God’s Law — that is, producing good fruit.)

After that, in Matthew 7:21-23, He states that those who do the will of His Father will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, not those who merely call Him Lord. Here, He clearly states that He will not allow those who practice lawlessness to enter into His Kingdom, even if they call Him, “Lord.”

Yeshua seems to be stating that if you do not receive His seed (i.e., His Word) and allow it to grow within you and produce fruit, then you will die eternally (e.g., Matthew 13:1-9,18-23). However, we have each certainly seen and heard many, many teachers preach that if you pray a special prayer, you will not die. Ya know, back in the garden, before the fall of man, the serpent seemed to provide mankind with a similar message (Genesis 3).

Many seem to teach, in one way or another, that you do not have to keep God’s Law (which, again, is love for God and for others). You can live however you want to live. You can do whatever you want to do. You are saved, and you will go to heaven. Do you know that the so called “bible of satan” says that, “the whole of the law is do what thou will?” How is it that the teaching of some so called churches, today (possibly fairly near in time to the return of Yeshua), seems to be strikingly similar to the teachings of satan, himself?

Is it possible that the Words of Yeshua ring true, yet again? Is it possible to receive His Word and have it spring up in our lives and seem to flourish, only to have it choked out by the worries and cares of this life (Matthew 13:20-22)?

Is it possible for you to be saved without producing any of the fruits of salvation but, rather, producing the fruits of wickedness, by serving satan, himself (either directly or by proxy)?

Is it possible that we are, in some sense, right back in the garden, again, with the same choice — that is, to believe and follow God or satan?

Clearly, Yeshua paid for our sins, and clearly one of the thieves who was at His side when He was crucified is now with Him, because he trusted Yeshua, repented of his sins and asked Him to remember him (Luke 23:40-43). So, we cannot earn our way into Heaven, and we enter into Heaven based upon what Yeshua has done and based upon our relationship with Him (e.g., Matthew 7:21-23). However, Yeshua said that the Kingdom of God lives within us (Luke 17:20-21). Thus, is it possible for us to be members of the Kingdom of Heaven and, yet, live as members of the kingdom of satan?

Perhaps now is the time to take Yeshua at His Word and to stop what we are doing and renew our relationship with Him and truly start living a life with Him as our Lord. Perhaps now is the time to become a wise virgin and to ask Him for a renewal of His Holy Spirit within us and to obey and stop quenching the Holy Spirit when (if) He renews Him within us. Perhaps now is the time to “wise up” before the doors to the Kingdom are shut upon us for good?

Conclusion

Clearly, you cannot save yourself. You have no righteousness of your own that is acceptable to God (Isaiah 64:6 and Romans 3:10-11). You need God’s mercy — Yeshua’s atoning sacrifice — to pay for the penalty of your sins. However, have you really made Yeshua your Lord, or is that just a title that you call Him with no real meaning manifest in your life? Do you know Yeshua? More importantly, does Yeshua know you (Matthew 7:21-23)?

If Yeshua is your Lord and you are His good servant (that is, if you keep His Law — i.e., love Him above all and love others as yourself), then you can expect a reward (e.g., Matthew 24:45-47 and Matthew 25:20-23). However, unlike the “rewards versus salvation doctrine,” Yeshua clearly seems to state that if you do not keep His Law (that is, if you do not love others), you will be sent to a bad place (e.g., Matthew 24:48-51 and Matthew 25:24-30).

So, is Yeshua your Lord? Do you live your life for Him or for yourself and your comforts and your pleasures? Maybe today is the day to throw out your television, your video games, your pornography and your other addictions and to replace that wasted, lazy, selfish time with time spent diligently praying to God and studying and doing His Word?

Basically, our understanding is that one is saved by faith alone (e.g., Romans 10:1-13), but if one is saved, Yeshua should be his or her Lord (Master), and he or she who is saved should (with the Holy Spirit’s help) obey Him. If you are merely calling Him your Lord and not manifesting His love (that is His Law) to Him and to those around you, has His seed truly taken root within you?

Calls to Action

  • Come to God, Humble as a Little Child (Luke 18:17)

Marriage

Miscellaneous

Israel

Egypt

Iran

United States

  • Washington’s Vision: not only states how George Washington often sought God in prayer, to the benefit of the nation, but how apparently God revealed the future of the nation to him in a vision, back in 1777. The problem with trying to verify that it is an authentic prophecy of God is that it was published after the first two events that it purports to prophesy. Thus, if it is true, we will have to wait and see whether or not the third part of the vision comes to pass…

Have a great weekend.

God bless, and shalom,

Darwin and Ani