Edition 75

This ministry has a distinct kingdom, Messianic vision, identifying with God’s call and plan for the Jewish people and the church. My position is pre-trib! Personally: I was saved in 1976 while working as a war correspondent, journalist, photographer, artist and environmentalist. My calling is to share these great end-time dramas, to stand as a watchman and above all, to glorify my God.

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►Next Edition, Lord willing: "Defending the Rapture."

•Live "Breaking News" tickers - click the button top left, or Here.

”America has finally decided the Bible is not illegal!” (Jerusalem Post) The US, in a historic move has declared that it will not use the term “settlements” anymore, legalising and legitimising Jewish control over Judea and Samaria.
Ironically, the UN passed a resolution yesterday with 154 nations voting in favour of the Temple Mount falling under full Muslim control, rejecting Israel’s ownership.
Israel attacks numerous Syrian targets near Damascus in response to Syria / Iran rocket attacks on Israel - all shot down by Israel's Iron Dome (20th Nov.) Israel says will now respond to every attack. "Its a new day."
One in four Europeans now hold Anti-Semitic views (new poll 21st Novemeber)

These will change on Sundays or as the Lord leads.

The following verses apply well to the mass media:

Job 9:4 “Who has hardened his heart against Him and prospered?”

Isaiah 43:13 “...I work and who can reverse it?”

Philippians 1:9 “I pray that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and all discernment...”

Jeremiah 7:28 “You shall say to them, ‘This is a nation that does not obey the voice of the Lord their God, nor receive correction. Truth has perished and been cut off from their mouth.”

Shabbat (Sabbath) begins on Fridays at 6pm and ends on Saturdays at 6pm. The purpose is to help the church and Israel become reconciled in Messiah and to identify the rift, and the needed restoration. There is much in the church that needs to change before it can be fully reconciled with the Jew. Likewise, changes in Jewish thinking are also needed.

22^ndNovember 2019

Shabbat Shalom to all!

The remnant church:

Be careful of cutting yourself off and becoming an independent island. We must know where we fit in and where we don’t, but don’t use this difference as a weapon. Don’t cause division. If the truth is in you and causes division, so be it. This must humble you and not fill you with pride.

Knowing these things may save your faith or at least strengthen it, in these particular troublesome times of doctrinal heresy, error and deception.

We all want to be right and not wrong, but be careful of weaponising your right with a wrong attitude of self-exaltation.

The remnant church is not a new separate entity. It is not a defined new organisation, institution, or denomination. It is a loose term for a grouping or collection of like-minded believers in love with the full truth of God and His word.

The biggest characterising mark of the remnant believer is his fear of the Lord.

Part of the end-time reality is that there will be a remnant of true believers in the midst of a fallen, false, counterfeit church of the masses. If you know that, and how to identify the counterfeit church, and the true remnant church, you are already on solid ground.

The remnant precedent is biblically set in relation to Israel. Is it any surprise that there is a remnant within the church as well?

Here, in the verses below we see this incredible remnant pattern for Israel:

Jeremiah 23:3 “I will gather the remnant of My flock out of all countries where I have driven them and bring them back to their folds and they shall be fruitful and increase.”

Isaiah 37:31-32 “The remnant of those who escaped out of Judah, shall again take root downward and bear fruit upward. For out of Jerusalem will go a remnant...the zeal of the Lord shall do this.”

Micah 7:18 “Who is a God like You, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression of the remnant of His heritage?”

“All Israel will be saved? (Romans 11:26) It is “all” who make up the remnant!

Now, have a look at the two verses below and note well what the remnant of Israel will be doing in these end-times. They are the ones who God will use as His battle axe! (Jeremiah 51:20)

Micah 5:7-8 “Then the remnant of Jacob (Israel) shall be in the midst of many peoples, like dew from the Lord, like showers on the grass...and the remnant shall be among the Gentiles, like a lion among the beasts of the forest, who both treads down and tears in pieces...All Your enemies shall be cut off.”

Zephaniah 2:9 “Moab (Jordan / Palestinians today) shall be like Sodom, and the people of Ammon like Gomorrah...The residue of My people shall plunder them, and the remnant of My people shall possess them.”

These verses above (and many more) make it abundantly clear that God’s special chosen people are not every last Jew but a remnant amongst them. This pattern is repeated in the dispensation of the church.

We see clearly in the messages to seven churches, and other scriptures that a great number of churches are condemned by God. Only a small minority in the church are without any condemnation. (Don’t argue with me about that word “condemnation” – Read the ltetters to the seven churches)

The Prophetic Scroll will continue to draw attention to the remnant church. There is much more to come on the subject.

The remnant is becoming easier to identify as the Christian masses follow each other the wrong way and the minority remnant get’s God’s green light to go forward.

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In many respects it is the minority remnant that is the pillar holding up the building.

There is a big sign playing out now in US politics. One party (Republicans) upholds the Bible and the principles of a nation under God, the other casts it down. One upholds biblically based laws and values. The other casts them down. “If you forsake the word / ways/ law of God you will praise the wicked.” (Proverbs 28:4) When you cast down the truth, “The land will mourn.” (Hosea 4:1-2)

The remnant church upholds our Lord and His word – all of it, rightly applied, as led by the Spirit of God. There is something unshakable, deeply imbedded in the hearts of the remnant believer. It is the exaltation and elevation of truth and its application.

The fall of modern man is succinctly plotted in 2 Timothy 3:1-5. (Please read it) But as we get to the last verse of this discourse we see the reason. “They have a form of godliness but deny its power - from such people turn away.” It is powerless false religion that leads to moral and ethical decay.

Note the terrible twins: “●a godly form” but “●deny its power.” Isn’t that the truth of the Spirit-less church today – the majority of them anyway?

We are in a fast deteriorating world. It is not static by any means! You need to have your heart anchored into the truth, by the Spirit, otherwise the coming storms will wreck you.

2 Timothy 3:13 “Evil men and imposters will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.”

The remnant are stable and strong. It’s good to know that if you find difficulty fitting in with much of the modern church, you are not alone. There are great many who are like you and with you.

I know that with most people, it is not at all from a position of rebellion, independence or pride. It is from a position of knowing and growing in the truth, while others grow in error and worldliness.

►Thankfully there are many congregations, and ministries which, even as a whole, are part of the remnant. God will always have His remnant at work in the kingdom.

Here is the remnant’s amazing book:

Note that this glorious “book of remembrance,” is exclusive. It’s only for the few who fear the Lord! (This is not the Lamb’s book of life of the Revelation. It is a special book of rewards for those who meet the conditions.)

Malachi 3:16-17 “Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another and the Lord listened and heard them. So a book of rembrance was written before Him, for those who fear the Lord and meditate on His name. They shall be mine, says the Lord of hosts, on the day that I make them My jewels, and I will spare them.”

Note that God eve drops on this remnant that fears Him as they speak and communicate with each other. And note the end result!

Do you think God notices what we are saying right here and communicating with each other? I think so!

Rest in the exciting truth my friends!

✡† Shalom...Joel.

Edition 75. April 23rd 2011

Israelitis, the disease

News items

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●Palestinian leaders have announced that they will declare an independent state within the borders of Israel in September. They say that they will seek UN backing for their new sovereign state. It's unlikely that the UN will oppose such a move.

●As reported in the previous edition, the Palestinians are calling for a new intifada against Israel. They started by using Facebook for this. Thankfully, Facebook took down the page, but the intifada will most probably go ahead.

●Egypt is actively increasing and improving ties with Iran. Saudi Arabia is now moving further away from away from relations with the US.

Almost like a giant jigsaw puzzle the pieces are falling into place one at a time, preparing for the rapid unfolding of Bible prophecy in our generation.

Israelitis, the disease

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The disease Israelitis is rampant. It is damaging but It has a cure.

Definition:

This is simply the error of going overboard on issues relating to Israel, Jerusalem and the Jews. Unfortunately many people have a tendency to go into one of two ditches on either side of the road. The one ditch is to ignore or neglect the Israel issue. The other is to go overboard and get unbalanced.

Both extremes are dangerous error with serious consequences.

When many people discover all the amazing wonderful truths about Israel from a prophetic point of view in the scriptures, they get very excited. Many also get very angry that they've been deceived by erroneous church doctrine of neglect on this subject for so long.

Many have good intentions to start with and want to obey the scriptures, but land up in this excess. Soon the balance gets out of sync with the Spirit of God and the same devil that leads people into neglect or replacement theology, now leads them into the ditch of excess on the other side of the road.

All sorts of odd things have been happening with people infected with Israelitis, from men arriving in Jerusalem and claiming to be one of the two witnesses to gross error. This does nothing to influence the Jews with the gospel.

Jews, can detect when people are authentic in their concern and presentation of the truth.

John 16:13 "When He the Spirit of truth has come He will lead you into all truth...and show you things to come." This verse speaks of the fact that we will be led safely along God's path for us without going into excess if we allow ourselves to be led by the Spirit of God.

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There's nothing new about Israelitis. Let's have a look at the first appearance of it in the church.

Acts 15:5 "Some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up saying, "It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses." This discourse goes on to say that the church leadership had declared that the Gentile believers need not be compelled to adhere to anything more than abstaining from idolatry, things strangled, from blood and sexual immorality.

The book of Galatians is all about the contrast between law, grace and faith. Essentially salvation is based on faith alone and not on the works of the law. We should not be brought under the works of the law in terms of salvation. It is the Judaisers who always want to bring people under the law.

Consider these very important verses of scripture. You may be surprised!

Colossians 2:16-17 "Therefore let no one judge you in food or in drink or regarding a festival or a new moon or Sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ."

Romans 14:2-3 "For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables. Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him."

Romans 14:5-6 One person esteems one day above another, another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes the day observes it to the Lord and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not."

Romans 14:14 "I know and am convinced by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of itself; but to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. Yet if your brother is grieved because of your food, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy with your food the one for who Christ died."

1Corinthians 10:23-24 "All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful; all things are lawful for me but all things do not edify. Let no one seek his own, but each one the other's well being. Eat whatever is sold in the meat market." (The only exception is food offered to idols, in verse 28)

1Corinthians 6:12 "All things are lawful for me...but I will not be brought under the power of any."

1Timothy 4:3-5..."Commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving, by those who believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving; for it is sanctified by the word of God."

Galatians 4:9-10 "But now after you have known God, or rather are known by Him, how is it that you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements, to which you desire again to be in bondage? You observe days months seasons and years. I am afraid for you, lest I have laboured in vain."

Galatians 5:1 "Stand fast in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with the yoke of legalism (bondage)"

These verses are amazing indeed and offer deep insight into the issue of legalism.

Some believe that certain foods may not be eaten and days must be observed. Others believe that we don't need to in a legalistic sense. The issue is not to bring the other into bondage. Don't condemn them.

Now what about this: John14:15 "If you love Me keep My commandments."

It really is a tremendous thing to obey our Lord and His word, but we must distinguish between doing things as a result of an inner prompting by the Spirit of God or by doing things in a legalistic manner.

Keeping God's law or word relating to the Sabbath or Passover or the other feasts is not a legalistic requirement for salvation, BUT it brings a big blessing!!! Be careful of throwing the baby out with the bathwater! Keeping laws can't save you but it can bless you abundantly.

Yeshua / Jesus did not do away with the law as revealed in many scriptures. Matthew 5:15-17 is a case in point. He did not come to nullify the law but to fulfil it. So in Christ we have the law fulfilled.

Yeshua / Jesus, Paul and the apostles kept Sabbath and the feats, but not in the manner the Pharisees wanted them to.

Interestingly our Lord and saviour broke the Sabbath law from the point of view of the legalistic Pharisees. He kept Shabbat, but not in the way the Pharisees had decreed. In other words, all the man made do's and don'ts need not be obeyed.

Here's a good way of looking at the overall situation. It really is a blessing to identify with the Saturday Sabbath, the feasts of the Lord, Passover and the like. Do it as a celebration to our Lord. Do it with the Biblical Hebraic flavour. Do it as an issue of identification. But don't get trapped in legalism.

Where to draw the line:

It may seem quite obvious to draw the line at devil worship! You may say; "Of course we wouldn't have anything to do with that."

Yes we need to be careful of legalism, but we also need to be careful of the many traditions which are rooted in the occult.

It is very important to reject the Satanic, occult pagan practises of the church such as Easter, Christmas and the other convocations and traditions born in Babylon and brought into the church by the Catholic church and adopted by the Protestant church.

It's also very important to remember that the way you set up your worship, or institution has huge consequences for the Jews. Our job as revealed in the scriptures, is to "make the Jew jealous". The gospel must go to the "Jew first and then the Gentile". There are other similar portions of scripture. The reason that it's important for salvation to go to the Jew is because the Second coming is completely associated with the salvation of the Jew.

Much was brought into the early church to keep the Jews out.

Be careful throwing out the Sabbath and the feats. There are a number of verses indicating plainly that the Sabbath, and feast of tabernacles will be kept in the millennium age or dispensation.

"We observe Sunday instead of Saturday because the Catholic Church, in the Council of Laodicea (A. D. 336), transferred the solemnity from Saturday to Sunday."- "The Convert's Catechism of Catholic Doctrine,"

Satan tried many times to stamp out the Jews, because he knew that the Messiah would come though the Jews. It's the same thing now. He knows that the salvation of the Jews will see the return of the Lord. So again he tries to prevent this. Unfortunately Satan has used the church very successfully to create an institution foreign and hostile to the Jew.

The Jews were once before in Babylonian captivity, why would they again want to come into an institution characterised by Babylonian paganism?

I know testimonies of many Jews feeling very welcome and comfortable coming into a Messianic fellowship. I also know of many who would spit before walking into a normal church.

The church is by and large a big mess today, but we must understand that it is still the body of Messiah. We need to help it, pray for its restoration and transformation back to the way it was supposed to be.

We don't need to go overboard on these Israel issues, but we do need to get rid of the Satanic elements in the church.

You see, it's all about identification. Unfortunately the traditional church is more identified with Rome and Babylon than Jerusalem and Israel.

Some people go overboard in terms of names. Many with the disease of Israelitis say that you can't use the name Jesus. The name Jesus is an acronym. As long as we are talking about our Jewish Messiah, the one who was crucified and rose again, then we are on the same page. The Bible uses many other acronyms and types for our Lord. I prefer the name Yeshua which means (Yah) God our salvation (shua).

How to diagnose Israelitis:

Those with this disease are easy to spot. They are bound in legalism. Legalism always manifest in judgementalism. People become very judgemental when you don't keep their set of rules or tradition.

In Christ we have been set free from legalism. Yes we still need to obey the rules of society and the rules of the scriptures, but not to make some angry God smile on you. If the Spirit of the living God is in your heart, He will lead you to obey His truth. But it will be from within your heart and not some external set of laws.

The truth is neither neglect of the Israel issues nor in excess. The truth is revealed in the Abrahamic expression of faith, which is to the Jew and the Gentile.

Many Gentile believers who've been trapped all their lives in the bondage of Roman flavoured Christianity, when they discover the wonderful truths in the Bible about Israel and the Jews, they tend to go into the ditch of excess with tunnel vision. Some of them have gone so overboard that they're an embarrassment.

People with Israelitis run around looking for a Jew to convert. "Ah, a Jew, a Jew they say and smother him with "love". But they're actually scaring the poor guy off.

There is of course a much more dangerous issue in the church today and that is replacement theology and the complete rejection of all the prophetic word relating to Israel, Jerusalem and the Jew neglect of Israel. This evil theology replaces Israel with the church in essence, but that's another subject.

The answer:

glassesflags

The answer is simply to be led by the Spirit of God. "He will lead us into all truth." This "truth" must balance with the entirety of the scriptures and not just a few sections of it.

If we are seeing through the glasses of full Biblical truth, we'll see and have eyes for both the Jew and the Gentile.

The Abrahamic expression of truth and faith is where the full truth is. Abraham was the father of Isaac and Jacob, whose name was changed to Israel. Israel and the Jewish people was line that gave birth to our Messiah.

But Abraham was also the father of many Gentile nations. In fact he was also the father the father of the Arab nations.

We must see and understand that there are sections of scripture, covenants and prophecies that relate distinctly to the Israel, Jerusalem, the Jew, the Arab and the Gentile nations at large. Its only in Christ that we all become one.

The Abrahamic expression is removed from the occult, pagan practises and identity of the church and embraces the Biblical convocations, traditions and practices.

The Abrahamic expression of faith is the true Messianic movement.

It is always worth going God's way...it is blessed and has His favour on it.

Summary:
We all have a tendency to fall into excess or neglect and get out of sync with our great God and saviour. we need to be on our guard especially in this day.

We must understand that we are heading into perilous times, where a great number will become deceived and fall away. We are also heading into the most exciting times of world history.

Don't give yourself blindly to your leader. Submission is fine, but not without question on these big issues. Truth can withstand being questioned quite easily.

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Acts 5:38-39 "Leave these people alone for if this plan or this work is of men it will come to nothing; but if it is of God, you cannot overthow it."

Acts 17:11 "These received the word with readiness and searched the scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so."

Isaiah 40:1 "Comfort yes comfort My people says your God. Speak comfort to Jerusalem..."

Heaven or hell:

Old gentile man with your funny hat...your traditions can't and won't save you. You need to obey the scriptures and be born again. If so, your future is one of great glory. In fact words can't fully describe the glory that is laid up for those who love our Lord and saviour.

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Old Jewish rabbi, no amount of study will save you. No amount of law-keeping will save you. You can set your yourself apart from others in your appearance, but are you born of the Spirit of the living God? If not hell will welcome you at your coming.

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Here is a painting by Rembrandt done in 1654. It's titled "Old Jewish man."

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Kind regards and many blessings...Shalom and grow in grace!

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