Measure of Time

Times and seasons, like a pendulum, come and go…. Ever ticking, ever changing, never standing still for anyone.  We think we have time to speak rashly. Matt. 12:36 “But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.”

What time we have is for a moment, and the measure changes.  Time has a measure, and with each moment there is an opening that is also measured.  Each word we speak is measured in Time.  Every thought has its measure.  All that exists, with its rhythm and allotment, is a progression that can be measured/reckoned with and in the framework of time.

The purpose of time is to measure.  To measure is to prepare, ergo, Time is a preparation for something.  Time is a judicial tool to measure what is, and what is to come within its own fabric.   All that is subject to time is to be judged by what it does with and in its season.  We as sons of Adam are subject to time for a judicial purpose.  We were created in time to be and do what can be measured. Rom. 14:12 “So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.”  The fact of having to give an account demonstrates the judicial nature of time itself.  And the measure of our lives in time is for the purpose of eternal life, to dwell forever in a city not made with human hands.

Dan. 5:27 “Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.”

Some may feel it doesn’t matter how one lives.  Many believe as long as they can say they believe in Jesus, all is well, it doesn’t matter how they live; it doesn’t matter what they do with their time.  I want to say, as long as we live in this arena of time and space, it matters what we do with our time.  If we give our lives to Yeshua, if we follow Him, if we give Him first place in our lives, this is measured in this life, and His blood is “accounted” to us as righteousness, not by works, but by a LIVING faith that can be measured in time. James 2:18, “Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.”  James was talking about a living faith that DOES something, and LIVES something that can actually be measured… and all things can be measured, even faith.

What we do in TIME matters.  As long as time lasts, we are accountable to it.  There is coming a day when time will be no more. The opportunity of time will be gone.  No longer will there be a measure on our lives.  No longer will there be openings in time for change.  What we have done will come to be adjudicated before a righteous judge.  It matters what we do now.  It matters how we live now.  It matters what we say, and how we live, and whether we live obedient to G-d or not.  Some may feel all they will need at the end of their time is a symbol that says they are saved.  Some may believe that belonging to an institution/church is enough to go on, and all is well at the great judgment seat at the end of time. I believe as the Apostle John believed,

1John 1:5-7 “This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.”

1John 5:1-4 “Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.

By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.

For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.”

These verses in the Apostle John’s epistle are measurable in our lives, and indeed are the rule of measure in this life.

Time is running out.  The days are passing by, faster and faster.  The pendulum of time and seasons does not stop for anyone.

Psa. 90:12 “So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.”

Let us live as though we will one day give an account for our life.  Do what you do as if it mattered.  Take every opening in time to let your light shine, as one who walks in the light, as He is in the light.  Live for G-d!

Many have gone before in their time and season and have finished their race, and run their course just as you and I are today.  They ran the race and were ‘accounted’ as overcomers.  The measure of their lives is mentioned for all time in the book of Hebrews, not to mention all those who have passed before us since the days of the Apostles. Hebrews chapter 11 is a must read, but I’ll only include one more verse from chapter 12.

Heb. 12:1 “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us”.

We have a unique opportunity in this day we live.  There has never been a day like these last days.  There has never been such an opportunity to live for G-d and be counted for Him on the earth as there is today.  We are called to be overcomers.  May this generation take up the mantle, and truly enter the race to WIN the prize of the high calling in Yeshua.  How our eyes would be opened to amazing truth if we applied our hearts and lives to this one thing.

Is Love Optional?

Is love optional?  Do we see the command to love our neighbor as something to take sort of serious, but not too serious?  Of course we consider the 10 commandments as very serious.  We don’t set up idols in our houses.  We don’t blaspheme. We don’t murder.  We don’t commit adultery.  We don’t steal, or lie.  Or, at least we can easily see that these are great sins, even if we don’t actually keep them all that well.  Sometimes we may tell a “white” lie… whatever that means.  Sometimes we may covet something that is not ours.  We possible tend to gossip, which in many cases is nothing less than bearing false witness.  But all in all, we all consider the 10 commandments to be pretty serious stuff.  Most will admit that G-d is serious about the 10 commandments, though they may not live as if they believe it.

“Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment.

And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” Matt 22:36-39 KJV

Many “Christians” today have seen the 10 commandments as being optional, for many years, many decades.  One can argue the fact that the breakdown of this country, the USA, and the breakdown of the family, is a direct result of the view that the commands of G-d are optional in living for Him.  This even sounds unbelievable, and strange, just typing it out, but its true.

The willingness to forsake the BASICS of the FOUNDATIONS of our faith, which is, keeping the commandments, obeying G-d, FOLLOWING Yeshua wherever He leads (“If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. John 15:10), DOING the Word, has left the Church powerless in this society.

Did Yeshua mean what He said?  Is the greatest commandment to LOVE G-d with all thy heart?  Should this be considered OPTIONAL?  No, of course not.  Did Yeshua mean what He said about the second greatest commandment? “Thou shalt LOVE thy neighbour as thyself.”?  Is this optional for us who follow Yeshua?  I don’t think it is, nor do I believe Yeshua thought it was. Yet….. is it not the case, that many of us use this command as possibly a suggestion rather than a command.  Is it not the case that many see this truly as ONE option, along with others that may fit in with any given feeling we may be experiencing at the moment?  Do we at times feel we KNOW BETTER than to love?

I guess the reason why to love my neighbor is so difficult at times is because of the nature of love.  Love is simply not a selfish act.  Doing an unselfish act is not pleasing to the self.  I LIVE for self so much of the time, that LOVE seems to get in the way at times.

“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.”  John 13:34 KJV

Love is a command.  Not just to love G-d, but to love one another.  The love of G-d is wrapped up in our love of one another.

“Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.”  Romans 13:8 KJV

To love as Yeshua loved is KEEPING the Torah.  If we are unable to see this, its not in the command that lies the fault, but in us. And a great fault it is, for Paul the Apostle wrote that this love is TAUGHT by G-d.  It is the Holy Spirit that teaches this, not man.  This is something we should not have to be taught by others, but to do.  It is not something that ever needs to come into question, (should we love, or should we not love?)  IT IS WRITTEN on our hearts by the Holy Ghost, His Law of Love.

“But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.”  1Thessalonians 4:9  KJV

“No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.”  1 John 4:12 KJV

G-d teaches us to keep His Word.  The Holy Spirit wants to bring us to the place of SEEING Yeshua as the living Word, and when we have our eyes on Yeshua, and follow Him as He followed His Father, we are led in paths of righteousness, being purified by KEEPING and DOING His good pleasure. “Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:” 1Peter 1:22

Is love optional for a Christian?  The answer of course is no.  Love is the strongest motive in the universe. Yeshua said, “If you love me, keep my commandments.”  Love is no less a command as having no other gods before YHWY.  Love is a serious matter to G-d.  It is in our love that we are KEEPERS of His commandments.

“And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.”

1 John 3:23 KJV

“If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.  And if I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.  And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I deliver my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.  Love is patient, love is kind, and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.  Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away.  For we know in part, and we prophecy in part; but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away.  When I was a child, I used to speak as a child, reason as a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things.  For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I shall know fully just as I also have been fully known.  But now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13 NAS

“If ye love me, keep my commandments.”  John 14:15

Yes L-rd.

No Limits

When in intercession, beware of the temptation to put limits on Almighty G-d. Unbelief is putting limits on G-d. Unbelief in seeing yourself as one who knows what G-d can do, and what He can’t do. Better to have this attitude, that there is nothing impossible with G-d.

We have all been aware of those who seem to be a hopeless cause. I have talked with many who claim they are beyond help, and feel it is impossible that G-d can change them. I admit I have been tempted at times to believe this for some, that they are hopeless. In my finite understanding it is indeed a hopeless cause, BUT G-D!

Moses, as he was striking the rock, thought that perhaps his own people were indeed hopeless. He GAVE UP on them AND the power of G-d, and out of anger, and actual unbelief, if even for a moment, struck out at what seemed to him as THEIR HOPELESSNESS to CHANGE. They, in Moses estimation, WOULD NEVER CHANGE. Even though G-d had said He would accomplish what He said He would accomplish through them, yet, Moses just finally decided even G-d would not be able to change, or do anything with this hopelessly rebellious people. It was enough of a failing on Moses part at not seeing the POWER of G-d, that it kept him from entering the promised land, after so long a journey, and so many incredible manifestations of G-ds power. Even Moses fell into the trap of putting a LIMITATION on G-d.

“Ah, Lord God! Thou hast made the heaven and the earth by Thy great power; there is nothing too hard for Thee. Behold, I am the Lord: is there anything too hard for me?” Jeremiah 32: 17, 27

I have faced times in my life where all seemed hopeless. I saw my circumstances, and weighed out my abilities, and resources against my needs, and became doubtful, and the feeling of hopelessness overtook me. I have faced times when, although I knew G-d had led me to a certain place, yet I faced opposition, and rejection, and by looking at their faces I became unsure, and doubtful. I have come to the place now, in my life, of seeing failure, not as an act of not being able to do a certain thing, but the failure has always been centered in my unbelief. To hang on to faith is the opposite of unbelief.

Just hanging on to a faith in something isn’t the secret to overcoming. Hanging on to G-d is the secret. Seeing HIM, and believing HIM is the secret. BELIEVING that there is NO LIMIT to what He can do. And that He will always DO what He SAYS He will DO.

Job says in Job 13:15 “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him:”

This I believe is the secret, not that we KNOW something, but that He IS. Not that we KNOW what He can or cannot do, but that HE IS. If we know this, that He IS, then we can trust that He is able. Job said, even being brought down to the grave, even though I am losing my very life, HE IS! And I can trust Him, because of this fact.

Yeshua was brought down to the grave. First, as he was led out into the wilderness for 40 days and nights. For any of us who feels we have a calling on our lives, and yet, try to preserve ourselves in some way because we are “special”, take another look at Yeshua. What we will see is that there is no limit to the power of G-d. Yeshua knew why He had come to earth, yet, He was willing to be led by the Spirit as far as the Spirit would lead Him. In this case, 40 days and nights in the wilderness with no sustenance. He knew that His Father was able…. NO MATTER THE CIRCUMSTANCES. If Yeshua had failed in this early time of testing, how would He have been able to endure the Cross?

“Though he slay me”… This has been a difficult thing to contemplate for me for many years. My natural response is to try to preserve my life, and have thought the prudent thing was to do so. I have since come to see that all else but total unlimited belief in the power of G-d is an act of unbelief. Even if death is immanent, I am to remain in unlimited belief in an all powerful, all knowing G-d who IS.

Where Moses failed in his unbelief, that G-d might not be able to change this people, that He may not be able to do with His people what He said He wanted to do, that He may not be ABLE to do it, that they are just TOO unworthy, Yeshua, on the other hand, BELIEVED even to death on the Cross, that His Father WOULD RAISE HIM UP. He believed EVEN to death that His triumph would be OUR triumph, and His BLOOD would be POWER to the washing away of our sins. G-d is able to make a sinner CLEAN. He is able!!!

Although THE VERY ONES WHO SOUGHT TO KILL HIM where those who CLAIMED Moses, Yeshua STILL believed, He STILL had His Hope in the UNLIMITED power of His Father, G-d.
This is very unlike what Moses felt as he struck the rock. It is amazing to see the incredible BELIEF revealed in the Son of G-d, a man as you and I. He had no limits in His intercession, and He has no limits NOW.

We can ASK, we can PRAY, we can MAKE OUR REQUESTS KNOWN, to a G-d who has no limits. Yeshua PROVED this as He gave up His own life. HE PROVED the UNLIMITED Power, and PROVED we, you and I, can trust in this power in our own lives. The PROOF is in the fact that HE LIVES!!!

If you are in need today for believing faith, consider Yeshua, the author and finisher of our faith. His faith, as He walked the earth as you and I now do, was in the UNLIMITED power of the Almighty Father G-d, who can CHANGE the hopelessness of this life into something BRAND NEW. It is YESHUA alone that makes us worthy, and able to enter in to the presence of Almighty G-d to make our requests known. Have FAITH! NO LIMITS!

I am so thankful for Jesus.

Blessings In Yeshua,