Monthly Archives: February 2013

There is much spoken of in ‘teaching circles’ in regards to the comparison
between the ‘first & Second exodus’.  1 Cor 10:11 says we are to learn and benefit
from the example of the first. Yet Yeshua compares the ‘coming of the Son of Man’
to the ‘days of Noah and righteous Lot’ . There are many parallels we can see in
these two events . . . global vs regional judgement, among others. But one glaring observation is the difference in the degree of preparation ( or lack thereof ) for what was to come. Both survived . . . both by the Grace of God.  One did exactly as directed by Father  . . . the other ‘got out’ by the ‘skin of his teeth’ with the shirt on his back . . .and lost family in the process. One was preparing for others as well as for his family in addition to those that would come after. Lot wasn’t even prepared for himself, let alone his own family. One prepared for what was to come, under the leadership of the Spirit of God, and the other was in the wrong place at the wrong time. And when Lot was directed to ‘go to the hills’, he chose the city instead.
And we all know how that turned out. 

In the last two days we have read two articles reflecting on the concept of ‘getting off the grid’ and ‘going to a safe place’ and ‘hiding out with your beans, bullets and salt.’ These articles are telling us that you can’t be a ‘light’ and ‘hide’ or ‘head for the hills’ at the same time . . . that doing these things shows that you are focused on personal preservation and not focused on being ‘light and salt’.

So, what do you do with those believers that Abba has called to get a place ready for His people to have a safe refuge when the hard times come?
How do we speak to folks about the greatness of our God when we, as his
children, are standing at the back of the government bread line with our hands
stuck out like everybody else ?
     I recently heard a teaching that stated we can either be a servant or a survivor.
Is it not possible to be both ? What do you do with Noah or Joseph ?
What were they ? Servants or survivors ?  Shame on Noah . . . taking his beans and salt     ( and I’m sure he had a weapon or two ) and high-tailin’ it into that boat and hiding. He should have been standing out in the rain handing out rafts and tracts.  How dare him put back food and provisions in that boat for the animals and any people that might come. Didn’t anybody tell him that doing that showed a lack of faith ? But wait a minute . . . I forgot . . . Noah was doing exactly what GOD directed him to do. I wonder how a similar act would be perceived by the leadership of today ?  Remember – Yeshua said ” . . . as in the days of Noah . . .”  Do I sound angry ? Good . . . I am . . . I’m tired of being painted with that ‘broad brush’ that covers everyone that mentions ‘getting prepared’.

WE AGREE . . . there is no one safe geographical spot on the map that is ‘SAFE’. Not Costa Rica, not Australia, not New Zealand or Greenland . . . not even ISRAEL . . .unless our Father has sent you there. And that is the key. The ONLY safe place is in the Palm of His Hand, in the center of HIS will for you. He can make you invisible to the enemy in the middle of the battle or keep you safe in the middle of the wilderness. But only if that is where you are supposed to be.

Servants or survivors . . .Beans and bullets or Salt and Light . . . Is that the only options ? There IS a third category . . .
     There are those that Abba has called to prepare places of transition for the
‘birth pangs’ period until we get to go HOME . . . safe places, covered by the Father,
guarded by his angels, prepared for His people that will be led to these havens by HIs SPIRIT.
      These people have given of themselves, their resources, finances, blood, sweat, tears and prayers ( ALL provided by our loving Father ) to the doing of the work
of our Father. To lump these in with the ones that are ‘planning to take the country
back after the smoke clears and the dust settles’ is demeaning to the calling of the
LORD and hurtful to those that sh’ma this calling.
     You are correct. There IS a sifting coming . . . and in some places and respects  it is already here. The organized church is NOT, for the most part, dealing with this fact. And, as a rule, it is sorely lacking in the messianic / hebrew roots camp as well. When was the last time someone heard a teaching concerning the period of time that Satan will be given power to wear down the saints ? Are the sheep prepared for this time physically ?  Spiritually ? Emotionally ?
Sadly, for the most part, the answer is NO . . . And we, the leadership, will stand and
give an account for our failure to prepare the people for what is coming on the earth.
Father forgive us . . . B’shem Yeshua – Jerry

So then, what is ‘Peace’ ? Well, when the Apostle Paul states “HE Himself (Yeshua) is our Peace” – Eph. 2:14 – he ( Paul ) is not speaking of a sense or time of calm, quiet and ‘warm & fuzzy’. He is making a reference to a Torah principle . . . the ‘Shelem’.

The ‘shelem’ is the ‘Peace Offering’. The first time we actually recognize it in Scripture it is as the ‘Passover Lamb’. Paul makes reference to the concept of the need for the ‘Shelem’ in his wording in Ephesians 2 when he speaks of a division between the nations and Israel . . . a division that was not meant to be. Israel was to be a light to the nations, to take Salvation to the ends of the earth. But a man-made division entered in.

But here’s the principle of ‘Shelem’.  Here’s the picture . . .you’ve got two individuals or entities that are separated. Something has caused a breach in the relationship. The ‘shelem’ is that which ‘heals the breach’ . . . It ( HE ) reconciles the two that are separated by standing in the gap, repairing the break and making the two become one again.  Romans 5:10 “For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.”  Yeshua is our Peace – the Shelem – that which reconciles us to the Father, as well as to one another . ..   OK . . . got it.

So, what’s all that got to do with ‘breakin’ eggs to make the Peace Omelet.’   Well,remember the reference we made to the Prophets being the ‘peacemakers’ in Matthew 5 ?  In our next little snippet we will take a look at that thought and how ‘peace and division’ go hand in hand . . . until tomorrow – Shalom – Peace . . .

As far back as I can remember we have heard, read, sung, and preached  this phrase –  ‘pray for peace’.  So what’s that all about, anyway ?

King David admonishes us to ‘pray for the peace of Jerusalem’ . Yeshua is the Sar Shalom – the Prince of Peace. He tells us that the ‘peacemakers are blessed’ . . . The Apostle Paul reminds us that Yeshua IS our ‘Peace’ . . . And yet King David was a man of war and blood  ( 1Chron 28:3 ) , Paul was constantly in a ‘tussle’ with somebody,  and Yeshua said ” I bring a sword . . .”  ( Matt 10:34 ).   And what about the ‘peacemakers’ ? Did you catch the fact that ‘they’ – the Peacemakers – are compared to the Prophets ? And there is a BIG difference between ‘peacemakers’ and ‘peacekeepers’ . . . And HE called us to be which one ?  I find it ironic that one of the most famous weapons ever produced by COLT was the ‘Peacemaker’ . Maybe they understood something that we have yet to figure out. NO, I’m not speaking of ‘taking up arms’, but it DOES have to do with ‘taking a stance’ . . .

     PEACE is more than merely the absence of conflict. Peace – Shalom – is the picture of wholeness, completeness, ‘one-ness’ . . . everything being the way it is intended to be. So, what is all this talk of ‘Peace’ in the Scripture by those that are constantly involved in conflict ? Ever heard the phrase   ‘if you’re gonna make an omelet, you gotta break some eggs’ ?  Well, let’s look at this concept of ‘Peace’ from hopefully a different and little deeper perspective . . . ( to be continued )   Blessings –