Frightening in the Flesh; Exciting in the Spirit

Thank God for Jesus/Yeshua! Can you who know the Father and the Son imagine today what it would be like not to know Him, who has given us the Holy Spirit so that we can be certain?! I am certain, that just as He did for me and for you, He will find those who are truly seeking, but not really realizing it themselves, truth and righteousness that is only to be found in the Messiah who is Jesus/Yeshua/Yasua…. And for those who have professed Him in the course of their lives, but have, for whatever reason or excuse, not abided in Him, but have chosen to fall away from the truth of God’s word, there must be a terrifying realization that they are siding with His enemies. May God have mercy on those among them who have been deceived and taken captive by the devil to do his will, and rescue them from the fire. 

We are surely in a time of sifting, having to make choices of destiny that before were still enough in the gray area, but now are coming more into being black and white separately. By the grace and mercies of God we are saved, and will overcome by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of our testimony of who Jesus Christ/Yeshua the Messiah actually is. The time is shortening, and recent events and prophecy are converging to bring about all that must take place between now and the great and terrible Day of YHVH/the LORD. I confess that in my flesh it is frightening, but in my spirit it is exciting; and I pray that the Lord will do what He has to do in me, in my wife, in our children and theirs, in the members of our congregation Yeshua’s Inheritance, in the Body of Messiah — that we will be useful and usable for His honor and glory as things move along.

Today is the 290th day, 41+ weeks, ~9 1/2 months of the terrible war against Hamas in Gaza in Israel’s Southwest, and of almost daily rocket fire in the north of Israel from Hezbollah in Lebanon, and of Iran in the East’s efforts through both of those proxies, plus through the Houthis in Yemen from the South. Israel is surrounded all around by those intent on harming and destroying her, and even of taking her land for themselves. The Houthis sent a drone that got through Israeli intelligence and attacked Tel Aviv near the US Embassy, killing an Israeli asleep in his bed in the middle of the night, and injured others. 

When Israel retaliated a couple of days later, destroying a major base for carrying out their terror activities from Yemen, the Houthis and Hezbollah, both accused Israel of escalating the conflict and that Israel would pay a heavy price. Even the US and the EU told Israel that they are escalating a possible wider war, rather than warning the Houthis, Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Iranians that they must stop their dangerous aggression against Israel. As I have written before, as well as many others, the Scriptures are full of references to this. 

It is a spiritual battle first of all, being played out on the ground through those who choose sides by their own spiritual “bent”. The only remedy for anyone is repentance and belief in the gospel, and that the one true God, YHVH, would give those who do so a new heart and a new Spirit — HIS Spirit — that recognizes and accepts His sovereignty and will to accomplish all of His purposes for this Creation and for His choices along the way to accomplishing them. God calls out from every tribe, tongue, nation, and people group a people for Himself, whose primary identity and allegiance becomes in Messiah/Christ and to God our Father, and not in whatever camp or natural setting — whether cultural, religious, or political — we have been of before being born-again by the Holy Spirit from Above. Our spiritual unity is found in our common faith and salvation in Jesus Christ (by whatever honorable name He is called in one’s language), and not in our patriotism to our country of residence or citizenship, or to a particular political party, since our politics may be at odds with each other, and our nations may be at war with another, whose redeemed by the Lord also are challenged by bearing Messiah’s reproach outside their camp. 

The moral dilemma remains regarding Israel’s prosecution of the war(s), especially as it regards the hostages and their families: is the main priority victory over the enemy as far as humanly possible, that they are defeated and surrender, regardless of the price; or is the release of all the hostages — alive and dead — the priority regardless of the price. Even among the hostage’s families there is not unity regarding this existential issue. Also among the soldiers and their families who have been killed during this war, or permanently injured physically and/or psychologically. 

I am reminded of these verses from the end of chapter 5 and the beginning of chapter 6 in Hosea: “I will return again to My place [Yeshua’s ascension back to Heaven] until they [the Jewish people/Israel] acknowledge their offense/guilt. Then they will seek My face; in their affliction they will earnestly seek Me.”

“Come, and let us return to YHVH; for He has torn, but He will heal us; He has stricken, but He will bind us up. After two days [two thousand years] He will revive us; on the third day He will raise us up, that we may live in His sight. Let us know, let us pursue the knowledge of YHVH. His going forth is established as the morning; He will come to us like the rain, like the latter and former rain to the Earth.”

What is taking place in America (the US) now is, again, frightening to the flesh, and I can not say exciting in my spirit. The US is going down fast, no matter who will be the next president. I am not sure that it has ever happened before, but whenever there is a “regime” change after a presidential and congressional election — of one party taking over from another party — it presents a very vulnerable 2 1/2 months for the country should an enemy seek to exploit that time of uncertainty and question of “who is in charge”. But there is still some sense of order. Now, however, we are in an unprecedented situation of a presiding President, eligible for running for another term of office, who has resigned (and even forced to), due primarily to lack of cognitive ability to function in that position. (Lyndon Johnson resigned for a different reason.) The current VP is a dreadful prospect for becoming the President, even for an interim period. 

We now have more than three months until the election, and then the 2 1/2 following. The US is in a very vulnerable state, and I am not a prophet to say what will transpire. We need to keep our hearts pure and trusting in our sovereign Lord Jesus Christ, who has all authority in heaven and on Earth to carry out the Father’s will in His righteousness. Prime Minister Netanyahu will be speaking to the full Congress on Wed, and I pray that he would speak with wisdom, discretion, and prudence. It is important for the Jewish people, for the State of Israel, for Christians, for Iran and antisemites, for others who ought to hear and weigh his words and tone.