Tag Archives: Salvation

Who Can Receive the Message of Salvation?

Posted by D.L.Fuller on

The Hook

To be born again, you must first die. The missionary can try to fix that up with whip cream and cherries and chocolate chips, but it will always be a bitter truth to those not fed up with their current life. If you love this current world, you will be offended by the cross. To be clear, you will be offended by anyone telling you that you have to sacrifice your life on the cross. Most people will say Christ sacrificing His life on the cross was a beautiful act of love, but when they are asked to take up their own cross to follow Him, they are offended. They know that taking up their own cross means they will have to stop fornicating and living lustfully, stop getting drunk, stop cheating and lying, stop hating their brothers and sisters. In other words, stop living in sin. I know some people will be offended at even reading this. They are offended because their stony hearts have not yet been broken by the love demonstrated from GOD through Christ. The scripture says in 1st John 2:15-16,

“15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.”

The refusal to surrender your life testifies to the fact that you do not yet love and trust GOD. That is verse 15 of the scripture cited above. You are still doing life your way, instead of putting your life in His hands. This is the reality that I had to face when I was resisting the cross. I had to come to terms with the reality that I was unwilling to surrender the things which were giving me pleasure and making me feel secure, for a chance at receiving the promise of something better in obedience to GOD. To even seriously ponder this proposition, you must know the feeling of a soul starting to buckle from weightiness of life in this world. To make that swap, you have to be convinced of two things; that Yeshua is GOD, and that He really does love you. If you are missing either of these elements in your belief toward GOD, its guaranteed that you have not taken up the cross and totally surrendered your life to GOD.  Hebrews 11: 6 states,

“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”

Those who do not believe the Almighty Creator of all things, in the face of Yeshua the Christ, think they have more options than what are truly available. No greater love has ever been shown greater than the testimony of GOD’s love through the witness of Christ, and until you truly know that, you will always hold on to your self-life. I or know other person, can convince someone to surrender their life to GOD. That point in a person’s existence is orchestrated by GOD, where they will know who it is that is posing the question, “Will you trust me with your life?” Those that have accepted the offer from GOD and want so badly for others to have the same benefits, can only share His love as best they can, and testify to the benefits and terms of the amazing opportunity.

The message of GOD’s Salvation can’t be shared like a bad car salesman trying to get a contract signed by concealing all the cost. Christ new His target market,

28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. (Matthew 11:28-29)

When the rescue beacon of GOD’s voice finally reached my stony heart, it was shattered at the awareness of how I had dishonored and disrespected Him, and how I had rejected His love in counting Him unworthy of my trust, and at the depth of my injustice at refusing to suffer, in the face of the enormous cost that this salvation was being made offered. All of that, and He continued to pursue me, understanding that He alone had what my heart truly longed for and needed. In light of this, my self-life was wrecked into splinters, like a shipped washed into a mountain side by humungous waves. From that day forward, I have been compelled to surrender all.

The Gospel of Christ doesn’t need augmenting for the 21st century, or for any period in time. The cost of Salvation will always be same, His life in exchange for your death. The proselyte can be of good cheer, because resurrection life is real, and it is far more satisfying!

Understanding The Salvation of GOD

Posted by D.L.Fuller on

People in conversation sometimes make the mistake of thinking they are talking about the same thing. This happens frequently when there is a conversation about biblical things, because there are so many doctrines floating around about the tenets of Christian faith. I have found that few people have a biblical understanding of Salvation, so I have written at length here to try and shed more light on it. A conversation I was privy to recently dealt with the topic: “Once you have confessed that you believe the testimony of Christ, and accept Him as your savior, does your salvation hinge on any actions of your own or is that final.” I see a lot in this topic, just from the view point of the question, which suggest a lack of understanding about what Salvation really is. From outside the veil of the spirit, Salvation is seen mainly as deliverance from eternal judgement in hell. While that is a benefit of Salvation, it isn’t the primary objective of Salvation. Unfortunately, blanket forgiveness fire insurance has become the main hook used by many ministers for the reason to accept Salvation through Christ. A message like that appeals a lot to a guilt-ridden congregation the morning after Saturday night. The Bible promises that the truth will make you free, not feel good. The freedom that comes from adhering to truth makes you feel outstanding! Through the revelation of the Spirit, one comes to understand the main goal of salvation is to reconcile man to GOD, for He is Life. The words of Christ are recorded in John 17:3,

“And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.”

It is impossible for the carnal mind to know GOD, so man needed to be born again of the Spirit of GOD. This is what is explained in 1 Corinthians 2:11-12,

“For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.”

Now put that with John 1: 10-13,

“He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”

So, the Salvation of Christ gives us power, through rebirth of the spirit, to receive the knowledge and spirit of GOD (Holy Seed) whereby we are transformed and bear righteous fruit. This rebirth makes it possible for us to have intimate fellowship with GOD…Sweet reconciliation. Forgiveness of sins through the blood of Christ makes this new life possible. The blood of the Holy Lamb sanctifies us on the altar, enabling us to be received by GOD and consumed by His Holy Spirit. Without the blood of Christ, we would be considered unclean and rejected. GOD grants us free will through the light of the gospel to confess our sins and to acknowledge our need for the blood of Christ. It is our choice whether to surrender ourselves into His care. Only those that take up the altar of their cross and receive the sprinkling blood are candidates for the rebirth, also called resurrection life. Those accepting salvation merely to avoid suffering, pause at the requirements of new life. Those truly seeking rest for their souls, having the old man shattered from the fall upon the gracious Rock of Salvation, count all things behind as dung, for the opportunity to know more intimately that heart which is filled with immeasurable grace and everlasting love.

Those who have partook of the offering of salvation, are free to make the daily decision to sacrifice carnal life in order to obey the will of the spirit unto life. This is the teaching of the Apostles Paul in Romans 12:1-2,

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

The act of presenting your body a living sacrifice is not a one-time act. Daily, we must determine to live spiritually, in obedience to the Word and Spirit of GOD. The orientation of this carnal world compels us to act without conscience on impulse. We have to govern these bodies by the power of the spirit, or we may be driven back to the wallowing in the mire, the uncleanliness of living in darkness, the ways of death. Be mindful of the fact that we arrive at that place by choice, not chance. It is when we grieve the spirit by ignoring the gentle guidance, when we stop giving in to the call of GOD to fellowship in prayer, meditation, and study. It is when we allow ourselves to get bitter in the desert from the strict diet of manna and pure waters from heaven, because our flesh misses the sweet meats and drinks of Egypt’s oppression. After being delivered from Egypt, all those that escaped were later destroyed in the wilderness, never to reach the promised land. The only exceptions were Joshua and Caleb. The wilderness symbolizes the journey after Salvation. The ultimate goal of the deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt was for them to inherit the promised land. Here is the question at hand, did the Israelites which died in the wilderness lose their salvation. They were delivered from Egypt and they ate the bread of heaven, but they never would surrender their lives in trust to GOD, so they perished before reaching their destination. This is the equivalent of a person today confessing Christ as Savior, but afterwards despising the sufferings required by the cross to inherit new life, therefore turning back to the ways of the flesh and becoming reprobate. This is 1st Corinthians 9:24-27,

“Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.”

The Apostle Paul is speaking here about staying faithful unto the end of your journey, so that Salvation can complete its work. The word castaway in these verses comes from a Greek word which means, rejected, unapproved, or reprobate. The goal of salvation is to have you partake of the life which is in GOD through unity with Him, but if you don’t value Him enough to go through the hardships required to connect with Him, how can salvation finish its work in you. Here are a few scriptures that speak to this:

“Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.” (1st Peter 4:1-2)

“Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.” (2 Timothy 2:3)

“Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.” (Hebrews 10:35-39)

All these scriptures speak of Salvation as a journey we must persevere through until we obtain the promise of new life. By faith, you have it when you ask for it, but it still must be worked out to fruition. It is the misunderstanding and the erroneous teaching of this next scripture that perpetuates the misguided question…Can you lose your salvation?

 “But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” (Romans 10:8-10)

Look at the meaning of the words used here in Roman 10:10 which explains the process of Salvation:

“For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”

We see here that we believe “unto” righteousness, and we confess “unto” salvation. “Unto” is a function word to indicate movement or an action or condition suggestive of a movement toward a place, person, or thing reached. (Merriam Webster) So belief in our heart moves us until we reach righteousness, and confession moves us until we reach salvation. How does one know when they have reached the destination? This is a very personal thing which does manifest itself in a public way. Just like whenever you reach somewhere you are destined to, when you begin to see what you were told would be there, you have arrived. As I shared earlier, the destination of Salvation is knowing GOD. GOD reveals His nature to us by word and spirit. When we begin to see is nature arise in us, it is the evidence that we have gotten to know Him. Study the bible and you will see that often the scriptures say a man knew his wife and then they produced a child. The child is the evident fruit of their union. Those who except the Salvation of Christ are called His bride, and those that go on to know Him bare His fruit. Here are the words of Christ affirming what I am saying here in John15:3-6,

“Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.”

In marriage, a man and a woman become one flesh. You know the physicality of that. The process of a person knowing GOD occurs when through faith, they allow the Word of GOD to penetrate their heart, and they keep it until it matures to new life which issues out of them. It takes time to truly get to know someone. Child baring is a process GOD has given us to understand salvation. In context of marriage, the way GOD intended, it is clear. Through perversion, Satan is attempting to destroy the practice of sex and marriage as originally designed. His goal is to perpetuate his deceptions and to destroy a context for understanding GOD’s plan of salvation, like what I am sharing in this writing.

To know someone, you must spend time together and go through things together. Salvation happens as we get to know GOD. Yeshua didn’t ask the disciples to repeat some words after Him which they couldn’t even understand. He told them to come and follow Him. He tells us to take up our cross and follow Him daily. He is saying, “come get to know me, my thoughts, my words, and my ways.” The journey of salvation is where we get to know Him. Our Father tells us that they which seek Him must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. The gospel of Christ as often taught today, is void of the true reward of salvation, the promise that we can have the life of GOD abounding in us through knowing Him. Salvation is most often presented as a way to escape Hell, but unless this teaching deals with the process which displaces the Hell we carry in us, from our fallen lineage as children of the devil, it is powerless.

The popular understanding of Salvation in our society today is divorced from resurrection living. This skew comes from a love of the world and the things which are in it. GOD can deliver us from Egypt, but can we let go of Egypt? A love for this world, and an attachment to the things of carnal life, is a stronghold keeping many from their cross. Look for a moment at Galatians 14:6,

“But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.”

Everything that is to fulfill us lies on the other side of the cross. Remember the words of our Savior,

“Then said Jesus unto his disciples, if any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matthew 16:24-25)

Looking at the truth in the word, and understanding free will, can a man decide that he is no longer going to deny himself, and can he also decide that he no longer wants to follow Christ the Savior? If a man does choose to turn away, how will that impact his days from then on and into eternity? Does a man’s salvation hinge on his decisions after saying a confession…. absolutely. Here is the important thing though, if his belief is sincere, then his confession will be true. It follows then that he will embrace the cross in gratefulness and love for the Savior, while hanging onto the hope of eternal glory, and then finish the journey to the end. Take a look at Hebrew 6:1-12,

“Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,

2 Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.

3 And this will we do, if God permit.

4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,

5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,

6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.

7 For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God:

8 But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned.

9 But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.

10 For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.

11 And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end:

12 That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.”

I hope I have clarified what I meant when I said earlier that the question of “Can we lose our salvation?” is misguided. In context of what I am sharing here, I hope it gives new understanding to what salvation is and how we are actually saved from death. Does it make since to ask, if I don’t finish the race will I still get crowned, or if the marriage is not consummated is the bride and groom still one? Run the race to the end and get your crown, believe me, it’s been rigged for you to win. Consummate the marriage and bear the fruit of his seed and no questions need be asked.

I want to end on this note…There is no part of Salvation that we earn or merit of ourselves, it is a gift GOD’s grace. Now that He has graciously put us on the path of life, and is leading in the way, we have to follow Him, one day at a time, one step at a time, by the power He has given us.

 

When Solving for Your Future

Posted by D.L.Fuller on

 

New Math

The anointing of GOD is greater than the person it works through. Don’t miss your blessing by quantifying a person without considering the power of “Y”.  The equation above illustrates that a person to the power of YAHWEH has infinite possibilities. If you haven’t learned to factor in the power of Y , you will get the wrong solution. I completed a training recently on how to recognize and correct unconscious bias. I really enjoyed it. There has been a lot of studies done to validate the reality of biases operating below people’s consciousness, which can impair their ability to process evident facts. One way to put this is that people will often see what they expect to see. If they expect to see nothing that is what they will see, even if something is present. Likewise, if they expect to see something, they will see it even if nothing is there. If you do not believe someone is capable of something, you could be placing yourself in a place unconsciously that will cause you to miss the manifestation of that which you doubt. When Christ went to Nazareth, not many people were healed or set free, because the people of His country only saw Him as a carpenter’s son. The explanation Yeshua gave is seen in Matthew 13:57,

“And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house.”

People in your own family, as well as those who have known you for many years can often miss your transformation; the work of the Holy Spirit transforming you from glory to glory. Friends and family can miss benefitting from the supernatural call on your life as the anointing works through you. What is worst, you can fall short of your calling in life due to doubting yourself, and what GOD can do through you.  Matthew 19:26 basically says that for a man to transform himself is impossible, but with GOD all things are possible.

Several years back, I can remember feeling very challenged as I reflected on my life, searching for the substance to carry me to callings beyond the horizon.  Being raised by a second-generation single, black, teenage mother, comes with a lot of challenges in America. We are talking government assistance, pay check to pay check, eviction notice apartment living. That is to say nothing of the missing affirmations a young man needs from his father as he faces the responsibilities of manhood. Kudos to my mom for her courage and determination. It is good to know where you have come from as long as you don’t allow it to dictate your future. I love the scripture that proclaims that now that you are born again “BEHOLD, ALL THINGS HAVE BECOME NEW!” (The emphasis is all mine). Here is the scripture from 1st Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

Don’t allow the narrative of your life to be set in the vision of the blind; those who do not yet see by faith. “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrew 11:1. As you calculate the next steps in your life, remember the equation of faith and factor in the power of “Y”.

The Power of Your True Heritage

Posted by D.L.Fuller on

9781641114097-Cover-DustJacket.indd

My first book has been released to the world. I know that I was called to write this book, and the hand of the Lord is in it. It’s entitled, “True Heritage: Recovering From Spiritual Identity Theft”. Many fading traditions, around the family, have been based on biblical principles in order to lay a foundation for understanding eternal truths about our relationship to GOD the Father. The traditions are fading due to an epidemic of confusion, masquerading as liberty, progress and positivity, infecting the general public, as well as the church community. The result has been a disconnect with GOD, in whose image we are all made. Many of the churches in our community today offer an understanding of GOD based on modern societal views, when the church should be correcting society based on GOD’s eternal views. To have a clear understanding of who we are meant to be, we must first have a clear view of the GOD in whose image we are made. This book has been manifested to assist with the restoration of the family of GOD, and the brightness of His true glory. The book can be purchased at many online outlets and stores around the world. I am including a link to Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/true-heritage-d-l-fuller/1132715728?ean=9781641114097

https://www.amazon.com/True-Heritage-Recovering-Spiritual-Identity/dp/1641114576

What Does Real Freedom Look Like?

Posted by D.L.Fuller on

Fake Freedom

In the Black Community, there is sometimes teasing about one’s worthiness to carry the Black Card. The meaning has strayed from its true roots in the struggle for Civil Rights.  One of the chants often heard by protesters during Civil Rights rallies was “A PEOPLE…UNITED…WILL NEVER BE DEFEATED!!” To be a proud Black Card carrying American meant that you were identified with the struggle, and no matter what it cost you individually, you were going to stand in solidarity with the persecuted Black race, until they all overcame. The Black folk that broke ranks to avoid persecution or took a bribe to be silenced were considered sell outs, so their Black Cards were revoked. By bribe, I’m not talking about a few hundred dollars, people often had to choose between a job to feed their families and risking their lives or taking a stand against injustices in the community. Nowadays, references of a Black Card are thrown around by the children and grandchildren of those early activist in relation to mere cultural taboos like; if you didn’t watch the NAACP awards, if you are unfamiliar with some trending Black icon, or if you don’t fit into any of the branded stereotypes like having great rhythm, being athletic, or understanding the latest slang terms. Truth is, if the Black Card was still enforced by the old standard, millions would be considered “sell outs” today because the efforts used to break up the solidarity in the Black Community has been enormously successful.

I have done volunteer work at a transition home for men recovering from chronic homelessness and addiction for over a decade. I have also served as Chairman of the organization, and over the time I have worked there, the predominant supporters have been White churches and the White community. Why is that significant…Because over that same period and from its beginning, Black men have made up 99% of the clients receiving service. Where is the support from the Black community? I told a group of black men about the organization once after a round of golf and invited them to come down to the organization to offer some support and encouragement. Their response, to summarize, “they got themselves into that mess and they need to get themselves out.” Also, “if we made it through with hard work, so can they.” The lack of empathy and understanding shown by these men was somewhat disappointing. I say only somewhat because I understand the origin of the disconnect. These men have souls wounded by the shame and disgrace of four centuries of enslavement, followed by decades of systematic oppression. Their wounded souls have not received the proper care or attention because of a lack of self-awareness in the light of truth. The cigars, expensive liquor, and constant posturing is nothing more than the jangling chains of the enslaved proclaiming, “See, I’m a man too!”. Proverbs 3:31 says, “Envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways.” I say they are still enslaved because they have a mindset shaped by their oppressor. You are owned by whomever manufactures your treasure. The reason those golfers can’t see the value in those homeless men is because they lack the treasures from which the golfers themselves draw their own value.

One of the signs that you are truly free is that you have learned to see your innate value as a being created in the image of GOD without any relation to the trappings of this present world system. This will also enable you to see the value in others regardless of their social status or current circumstances. You will even find that you have a burden for those who are suffering as a result of not knowing their true value. Christ stated that His main interest was to liberate the captives, and to give sight to the blind, and to mend the broken hearted. These are the world’s castaways. One of my oldest friends is a master mechanic. He owns and operates his own repair shop. Once he saw an old rusted out car in a ladie’s yard and offered to buy it. She sold it to him for a meager price. After he finished restoring this car that the previous owner had pretty much discarded, and which hundreds of people had driven by every day without interest, it was published in a calendar for winning first place in a car show. When he showed the restored car to the former owner, she was so astonished that she actually cried. This is the same response I have seen repeatedly from family members of the graduates that complete the program from the outreach ministry I mentioned earlier. We have to develop the vision to see the potential in every human, based on the power of GOD. When your heart is closed off from the true light of GOD, it is easier to see the value in an old car that’s been neglected, than a human that’s been broken by this world.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s dream was inspired by the word of GOD. We will all be free at last when we learn to see and value one another as one human family. When we learn to stand against oppression and injustice with everyone carrying a human card, then things will really change. The race card will then be much less significant. This will only happen when our minds are renewed by the word of GOD. This is what the scripture means when it says in John 8:36, “Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.”

Where are you in HisStory?

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Crowns

History is defined as a record of significant events ordered in units of time (Merriam Webster). Time is the lab for an experiment put on by YAHWEH. According to Merriam Webster, an experiment is a procedure carried out under controlled conditions to illustrate a known law. During the time of your sojourn here on earth, YAHWEH is trying to teach you some important universal laws pertaining to life. There are precautions throughout the bible regarding time. We are encouraged not to be idle, and to make the most of every moment.

time capture

This experiment in time is built around one main character, and it is not you. It is Yeshua, The Word of YAHWEH. The Holy One that came down from heaven in the flesh, and was sacrificed, and raised again from the dead, and ascended on high with the power of life and death. The whole bible is a testimony of YAHWEH’s faithfulness and love, centered around the person of Yeshua. When I ask where are you in HisStory, I am really asking, where are you in your understanding and knowledge of who He is in relation to you. Just to be clear, your understanding of Yeshua has nothing to do with who He is, because He is self-existent, but it has everything to do with who you are and the life you live, both now and forever.

If you are reading this, you are in one of three places in HisStory. YAHWEH made it simple for us. He gives us important information repetitively, in different forms and formats. The three locations are repeated in different formats and are specifically related to our time here on Earth. We are either in Egypt, the Wilderness, or the Promised Land.

Egypt is the place where we are dominated by an Evil ruler, and our lives are spent fulfilling and expressing his dark and evil will. The physical example of the evil ruler is Pharaoh of Egypt, following the death of Joseph. The actual spiritual oppressor in the world is Satan, as indicated in 2 Corinthians 4:4, and Revelations 12:9. When in the bondage of Egypt, your life revolves around clay, the dust of the earth, symbolic of carnal living. You are a slave to sin.

hebrew-slaves

The wilderness is a place away from Egypt, and beyond the dominion of the wicked ruler. It is where the opportunity is placed before us to pursue the life YAHWEH intended for us to live. A life in communion with Him. On the other hand, it is where we could decide to build our own kingdom, and refuse to be under any authority, and forsake our heritage as the people of YAHWEH, and live as a ruin of Egypt, unwilling to be cleansed of its clay. The physical example of the wilderness is the vast Wilderness of Sin referred to in Exodus 16:1. The spiritual Wilderness of Sin is in our soul, consisting of our heart and mind. It is the place that produces our perception and our actions.

The Promised Land is the place that we enter after we have accepted the covenant to live as YAHWEH’s people. In the Promised Land, we go about with the help of Yeshua, transforming everything in our lives into the Kingdom of YAHWEH; battling and casting down everything that resist His will. The physical Promised Land is the land of Canaan, on the other side of Jordan, depicted throughout Exodus chapter 3 as in verse 17. The spiritual promised land is our redeemed soul, consisting of our transformed mind and renewed heart. The process of taking this Promised Land is illustrated in 2nd Corinthians 10:3-6. Yahweh captured the physical Promised Land by using Joshua. The name “Joshua” is an English translation of the Hebrew name “Yeshua” and it means, “YAHWEH-Saves”. Since the New Testament was first translated into Greek, “Joshua” was translated into the Greek name “Ieasous”. “Jesus” is the English form of “Ieasous”. I prefer to use “Yeshua” when referring to my Savior, because it is a phonetic translation of the Hebrew original and it is a clear indication that He comes in the name of “YAHWEH”. I went through that just to show the link between the role of Joshua and Yeshua in HisStory. When you know this truth, it reveals repetition in HisStory and the harmony of the gospel.

So, given these descriptions, and being completely honest with yourself, you should be able to place yourself definitively in one of these three spaces. Though these are high level views of the three phases of our journey through earth-time, they are sufficient to establish everyone’s location. If after your reflection, you can identify your location, I want to offer counsel respective to each residence.

Egypt: Life in the flesh, the clay pits of Egypt, maybe all you know, but you were meant for so much more. There is sweeter and more abundant life waiting beyond the wilderness. The path through the wilderness may seem impossible, but the Heavenly Father will be with you every step of the way, just like He was with the children of Israel when they marched from Egypt. Egypt faced the wrath of YAHWEH and fell. Just as Pharaoh and his armies were drowned in the Red Sea, the blood of Christ has defeated Satan and his hordes. Accept the tender mercies of YAHWEH through the blood of the Passover lamb, and leave Egypt, or face the eventual wrath of YAHWEH as all those who oppose His Kingdom.

sinai-wilderness

The Wilderness: Learning to walk with YAHWEH in the spirit is hard on the flesh. If you stay focused on carnal things, your life will be just like living in a desert, there will never be enough to drink or eat. The conditions around you will never be enough. However, if while in the wilderness, you stop and ponder all the miracles YAHWEH has performed to keep you alive, you will see His goodness. This awareness of the glory of YAHWEH around you, will change your heart from being bitter to being grateful. You will be in awe of how He walks with you in the day and in the night. You will be blessed by the daily provisions for life that come from seemingly impossible places. This is where we accept the new covenant to become the people of YAHWEH. You will be born again from an Egyptian slave, to a child of YAHWEH’s Kingdom. Yahweh will invite you into His presence, and write His laws upon your heart, so that you can know His will and have sweet fellowship with His spirit. The journey through the wilderness is the cross we all must bear, in order to reach the Promised Land. Read 1 Corinthians 10 to understand the importance of focusing on YAHWEH through the wilderness.

Canaan Land

The Promised Land: The place where abundant life is possible. When you understand the effects of drought and famine, you know for a land to flow with milk and honey, life has to be abundant. The promised land is the Kingdom of YAHWEH, where there is righteousness, peace, and joy. It is a land filled with crops and vineyards we didn’t have to plant, and wells we didn’t have to dig. It is ours for the taking, the gift of YAHWEH to the people of His covenant. This is exactly what the life of Yeshua is to us. We get the benefits of His righteous life. We get to enjoy the spoils of battles that He has won. As the children of Israel followed Joshua to inherit the promised land, so do we follow Yeshua. Yeshua has rendered the enemies of our souls powerless. All we must do is accept His assessment of who the enemies are, then engage in battle, and cast them down. In the physical, the enemies were Hittites, Jebusites, and Canaanites and so on. In the spiritual, they are lust, greed, envy, hate, pride and so on. As we cast down these enemies in our souls, in their places comes righteousness, peace, and joy!

This time is all about Yeshua, not because you are not significant, but because you are! He loves you immensely, and desires for you to have life in abundance. Yeshua is the way, the Truth, and the Life, and He is exalted that all may find Him. During this experiment in time, it has been shown repetitively how corruption and death ensues when men forsake the laws of YAHWEH, and refuse to submit to His dominion. The faithfulness and goodness of YAHWEH has been shown repeatedly throughout HisStory. My sincere hope and prayer is that you find your place in the Promised land.