Receiving and Walking in Peace
07/07/18 (04/23) Video Broadcast
The study topic for
today's broadcast is
receiving and
walking in peace.
And if you don't know the
peace that passes all
understanding, if you've
never given your life to
the Messiah Yahushua.
If you've never made the
decision, that you're
going to make him your
king, your ruler: the one
through whom you received
salvation, the one through
whom you receive an
example of how to live.
It's very easy to enter
into a relationship with
our heavenly father
through the Messiah
Yahushua, all you need to
do is to turn away from
what you know is wrong and
what you know he says is
wrong.
And be willing to turn
your heart toward
following after
righteousness and turn
your heart toward trusting
in the Messiah Yahushua
for taking away all of
your guilt, taking away
all your sin.
Every single one of us is
guilty, none of us will
escape judgment, there's
no amount of good behavior
that could ever possibly
make up for your bad
behavior.
And we are all guilty and
we all have fallen short
and we all need a Savior
to bear our guilt for us.
He doesn't want you
bearing part and him
bearing part,
he wants at all.
If you want to give it to
him he's willing to take
it for you.
And if you've never done
that take a moment here
right now if you want
during the study today, if
you want some time to give
your life over to him, let
him take the reins because
you're not wise enough to
lead your own life, you
don't know the future he
knows the future, you
don't even know yourself
as well as he knows you,
and so I implore you if
you haven't already give
your life over to him.
And he will make you
clean, he will make you
new, a new creation
in Messiah Yahushua.
And the thing that you
will receive as a promise
is peace; we cannot be at
peace until we are first
at peace with our maker.
The world will promise
you peace but they can't
deliver.
What is peace?
Yahweh's goal is to
bring peace to us, it's
imperative we try to
understand what it means
and what he's promising.
In the Hebrew, the word
peace is Shalom. It has
more to it than just not being at war with someone, it has more to do than not being at variance or enmity with another person or with Elohim. And to have Yahweh's peace is to be complete, to be sound, to have tranquillity about us, contentment about us because we are in a covenant relationship and we are at peace with the Creator of the universe, nothing can compare.
Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament says: "The general meaning behind the root Shalom is of completion and fulfillment of entering into a state of wholeness and unity a restored relationship." That's what we need, every single one of us needs, a restored relationship. Shalom means the absence of strife and approximately 50 to 60 usages, completeness, wholeness, harmony, fulfillment is closer to the meaning. Implicit and shalom is the idea of unimpaired relationships with others and fulfillment in one's undertakings. How would you like to have that? If you don't have it already scripture talks about ways to achieve that and to receive that. It is more about receiving than achieving and so many of the fruits of the spirit are that way, it's more about receiving than it is achieving. And whether we're willing to receive it and completely lay down our will, lay down our lives. So we're talking today about receiving and walking in peace, peace is a completion and fulfillment, entering to a state of wholeness and unity, restored relationship. So it's more than just peace, the word shalom has an expanded meaning and our Savior Messiah Yahushua commonly called Jesus says in John chapter 16:32-33 says; Indeed, the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. These things I have spoken to you, that in me you may have peace (shalom). In the world you will have tribulation (that is a promise right there, he just said it's gonna happen okay, get used to it): but be of good cheer;
I have overcome the world.
So we're going to have difficulty but we know who already overcame it 2000 years ago and we can take comfort in that. He's already won the victory and through him we have the victory, even in tribulation we have that victory, in him we have shalom, we have peace
that's a promise. Well the world chases things that do not bring peace, we know it's only through him that we're able to actually experience it and receive it. The world will seek to entangle us with its turmoil, with its political struggles, with its tribulations but this world is not where our
peace comes from. And if we're trying to get our piece from things going on in this world today we're gonna be very disappointed, shalom if you're seeking it and you're seeking in all the wrong places, you're not
going to find it. You know I once did some ministry in Toledo, Ohio
and I was ministering with until a bunch of men who you know obviously were not believers.
And I was in a motel room that night and one guy knocked on my door and he says I have one question for you we're all wondering, he says how do you get your peace?
And I said well when you're at peace with your maker, when you're at peace with the one who created you that's step number one. And he marveled at those who possess that peace, shalom can only be something a believer really can possess, they can try to find it but until we're at peace with our heavenly father there is no order in our life, there is no shalom in our life and you know what you can't find true peace with another person until you both are at peace with our father in heaven, unless we are both in submission to him in our hearts. We may have differences of opinion on what his will is, we may have differences understanding of what he expects of us but we still can be at peace with one another because we are yielded to him in our hearts. The Torah, the law of Yahweh reads...if you read it in Deuteronomy 28:66, Yahweh describes what it's like to have no peace, he says Deuteronomy 28:66; your life shall hang in doubt before you; you shall fear day and night, and have no assurance of life: In the morning you shall say, O that it were evening! And at evening you shall say, O that it were morning! Because of the fear which terrifies your heart, and because of the sight of which your eyes see.
Obviously you picture a person with no shalom in their life, this is the natural result of our disobedience to our father in heaven, this is a natural result of walking away from faith and stepping in to fear instead.
When we choose not to fear, when we choose to walk in faith, we can be going through the most difficult circumstances and still find shalom.
Daniel chapter 10 verse 19; angel said to David, O man greatly beloved, fear not: peace be unto you, be strong, yes, be strong. So when he spoke to me, I was strengthened, and said, Let my Master speak; for you have strengthened me. John 14:27; Yahushua says, (shalom) peace I leave with you, my shalom I give to you: not as the world gives, do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. We see that fear takes away our shalom doesn't it? And the world tries to give you some kind of semblance of peace but it's only the Messiah's peace that's going to give us the peace we're looking for. Jeremiah 30 verse 4 says; now these are the words that the YAHWEH spoke concerning Israel and Judah. For thus says YAHWEH; we have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace. Ask now, and see whether a man is ever in labor with child? So why do I see every man with his hands on his loins, like a woman in labor, and all faces turned pale? Alas! For that day is great, so that none is like it: and it is the time of Jacob's trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.
In times of trouble and difficulty we can still be in hot pursuit and obtain the peace of Yahweh. Psalm 34 verse 13 says; keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking deceit. Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it. Seek it, desire it, pray for it and obtain it.
The eyes of Yahweh are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their cry. The face of Yahweh is against those who do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. The righteous cry out, and Yahweh hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles.
2 Timothy 2:22 says; flee also youthful lusts: but pursue righteousness, pursue faith, pursue charity, pursue shalom, with those who call on
Master out of a pure heart. But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing they generate strife. That's the opposite of shalom, that's the opposite of peace, war: And the servant of the
Master must not quarrel; but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition; if Elohim perhaps will grant them repentance so that they may know the truth. And that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will. We don't involve ourselves in quarrels, in fighting, in arguing, in carnal dissensions, even with those in opposition we know who the enemy is. The enemy is actually Satan the devil, that's who he has taken them captive and we do battle against him. We're battling ultimately against him even in the hearts of other people. And we do so together with those who call on our heavenly father Yahweh with a pure heart.
And Yahweh promises he will give us that shalom, he will give us strength, Yahweh will give strength to his people, Yahweh will bless people with shalom, that is a great blessing. How do we obtain it? How can we obtain that shalom? How can we obtain that peace?
Again it has to do with receiving it more so than achieving it, this lay down your will, lay down
your life, yield it completely totally, 100 percent to Yahweh our father in heaven.
And let your sins be placed on the Messiah Yahushua don't carry any of it, he wants it all. When you yield yourself to him you mewed your members to him when you are willing to lay down your own desires, your own paths, your own carnal ways, and yield yourself to him and you're willing to put your trust in him and you keep your mind focused on him, he will give you that perfect peace you're looking for. Isaiah 26 verse 3 is a promise; you will keep him in perfect shalom (peace), whose mind is stayed on
you: because he trusts you. Trust in Yahweh for ever: for in Yah, Yahweh is everlasting strength. That's how the Hebrew reads, Yah, Yahweh is everlasting strength, so sometimes we pray for strength and we should pray for strength. And that's great and we need to pray for strength,
but that strength comes out of a restored relationship, that strength comes from keeping our mind focused on the heavenly father. You think about Peter and when Peter was walking on the water because Yahushua called him out in the water. And as long as his mind and his attention were focused on the Messiah who was ahead calling him forward, he was fine. But the minute he began to look at the wind and the waves around him what happened? He began to sink and so we have to keep our focus on Yahushua the Messiah, we have to keep our attention focused on him and let our minds be set on things
above where Messiah is; and not on things on the earth. Don't look down just keep looking up, keep looking up toward our Savior and you will receive that perfect peace. Look at things from an eternal perspective not just in some earthly perspective, look at things from an eternal perspective and put your
trust in him, keep your mind focused on him, on him not on the famine around you, not on the tribulations around you, focus on him and his will for you and his promises and your relationship with him. Take time with him in prayer every single day and reading the word and in prayer every single day. Psalm chapter 4 verse 5; offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in Yahweh. There are many who say, who will show us any good? YAHWEH, lift up the light of your countenance upon us. You have put gladness in my heart, more than in the season that their grain and wine increased. I will both lie down in peace, and sleep: for you alone, Yahweh, make me dwell in safety.
Sometimes we suffer from insomnia because of the troubles of this world are so overwhelming.
But Yahweh is willing to give us the rest and the sleep that we need. I can think of a few times in my life where I could not sleep because of the turmoil that was going on around me, I couldn't get my mind off of it, I couldn't get my mind removed from the situation I was in. Oh, I could have but I just wasn't and it was fear, it was fear that was keeping me up and both
times the 2 times I can remember, what delivered me from fear was I play the guitar and I just got
up my guitar and I was off by myself in some room somewhere. And just start playing the guitar and singing and praising and thanking him, and listening intently to the words of our father in heaven. Most of the songs I sang are actually out of scripture and I could literally feel all the
fears melt away. I could literally feel all the stress melt away and the peace of Yahweh come back, the peace I normally live in came back because my mind at that point became focused on our heavenly father, in his word, in his promises, in the things that he says, in the things I know I've experienced. So often my own personal experience has brought me
shalom, the things that I've experienced have backed up the word so many times, and it's been amazing and just a remembrance of the many times he delivered me. And he delivered me again even out of those difficult he delivered me. And so I went back to the word really because the words of men bring fear, the words and ideas and concepts of men bring fear, but Yahweh's word brings faith and so I went back to really just opening and reading scripture and studying and the joy that comes with that. Maybe that's why it says in Psalm 119 verse 65; great peace have those who love your Torah (your law): and nothing causes them to stumble. So true, so very true, so when we love his word we choose to make we just choose to love Yahweh's law. And because we love it we read it, because we love it we're interested in what he has to say to us. And because we love it, we want to walk it out and that is the pathway to peace, that's the pathway to being at peace in all circumstances because you know what you're supposed to do. So many times I didn't have peace, I didn't know what I'm supposed to do and I go back to the scriptures and I find comfort in knowing what I'm supposed to do.
Getting some kind of direction and because then I know once I know what I'm supposed to do, no matter what happens if I walked this out I'm in the right way, even if the whole world's falling down around me, if I walk this out right here I know I am the end for me will be peace, the end for me will be something positive coming out of it. And what I've experienced over and over in my walk with him is I finally have someone I can believe. So many people get counsel, so many people have ideas of what you wanna do, they need no better counselor than Yahushua HaMashiach, Yahushua the Messiah our Savior, wonderful counselor, prince of peace.
Proverbs 3:13; happy is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gains understanding. For her proceeds are better than she profits of silver, and her gain than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies: and all the things you may desire cannot compare with her. Length of days is in her right hand; her left hand riches and honor. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are shalom. We can know Yahweh's wisdom at that path is the path of shalom, it doesn't mean you'll be shalom with people that don't follow him, you're not going to be at peace with people who don't follow him, but you know when you're at peace with him and that's all that really matters.
Isaiah 48 verse 17; thus says Yahweh, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am Yahweh your Mighty One who teaches you to profit, who leads you in the way you should go. O that you had heeded my commandments! Then had your peace would have been like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea. It's when we depart from the path that we find ourselves in inner turmoil.
And so once we know the right way that we should go, it has a way of bringing us that shalom that we're looking for and that we so often need.
Because he's far far far wiser than you are, he's far far wiser than I am, forget it I'm just pointing him, he's the one that's got the wisdom here and I'm pointing to him. Now you might be going through some trial or tribulation and don't look like you got peace in your life, but really even in the trials and tribulations he'll give it to you. There's so much comfort in knowing when you're walking in the way he's telling you to walk, you just know the end result will be something good because; mark the blameless man, observe the upright: the future of that man is peace. That's the truth right there Psalm 37:37, because we know, we've read the end of the book, we know what happens to those who follow after him, right? We're well aware pathways of peace right, thus says Yahweh your redeemer again; he leads you in the way you should go, that's when we stray from that wisdom that we find ourselves in trouble.
But we have a way of reconciliation in the same way that knowledge of righteousness from his teaching, his commandments, his law brings us peace, Yahushua HaMashiach, Yahushua the Messiah who is the living word brings us peace.
If we consider all the turmoil and strife the world glorifies indeed that is good news. How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who proclaims shalom; who
brings glad tidings of good things, who proclaims salvation; who says to Zion, Your Elohim reigns!
John the Baptist prepared the way, guiding the feet of his followers into the way of peace; his father actually prophesied about John the Baptist, Zechariah said, you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest, for you will go before face of Master to prepare his ways. To give knowledge of salvation to his people by the remission of their sins. Through the tender mercy of our Elohim; with which the Dayspring from on high has visited us. To give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. For Yahushua it was said for unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Messiah the Master. And this will be a sign to you; you will find a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising Elohim, and saying, Glory to Elohim in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. With Yahushua we can believe that his mercy is ever upon us and that we have received forgiveness of sin and we don't have to bear the weight of guilt. If you're bearing guilt in your life you're not going to have peace, if you are running from guilt and you're not even realizing you're carrying it but because you're running from it, you're still not going to have peace. You might think you have it, you might think you believe it his forgiveness but somehow, somewhere you're still carrying it.
Some may feel as though well I've heard this many times in my life of ministering to people; people ask do you think maybe I've committed the unpardonable sin? And they lack shalom within their life and their life hangs in doubt before them as Deuteronomy 28 so clearly said; but if such a one would only turn back to Yahweh again and start walking in righteousness seeking Yahweh's cleansing, seeking his strength. You see we have a promise, we have a promise, 1 John 1:9; If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Now let me say this, you would have no desire whatsoever to confess your sins, you would have no concern whatsoever whether he was faithful and just to forgive you if you have committed the unpardonable sin, because no one can come to Messiah unless the father draws him. No one can receive him apart from the Holy Spirit coming down and calling you forward to receive him, no one can even have a desire for the things of Yahweh apart from Yahweh's Holy Spirit working in their life. And so if you have blasphemed the Holy Spirit you have no concern whether you have committed the unpardonable sin because the spirit wouldn't convict you that you may have or that you I should say the spirit wouldn't convict you to the extent that you're concerned about it and that you would feel guilty. Those who have committed the unpardonable sin have no desire whatsoever to follow after Elohim. Those who have committed the unpardonable sin have no desire to repent or receive Messiah at all because the father won't draw them because it's only through the spirit that he does. So if you're concerned about it it's a good sign. Now it's a matter of you receiving it through confession of your sins, through the Messiah Yahushua's righteousness being placed on you, through that confession cleansing you from all unrighteousness. Think about that, cleansing you from all unrighteousness, told a story yesterday I once was doing a baptism and when I do a baptism; we're going to actually do a baptism tomorrow up in Hartville, a couple baptisms maybe more.
And the woman had at one time in her life had an abortion and what I often do before baptism is ask
if they have anything you want to talk to Yahweh about, any areas of repentance, anything they want to confess, they can say it quietly in their mind or out loud, I leave it up to them. But, we do that just before a baptism and she did and she confessed abortion, and she started weeping over it and lamenting over what she had done.
So I said as I always do, do you believe in the Messiah Yahushua and that through faith in him repentance in baptism, in his name we see for admission of sins. And she said yes, and I put her down the water, raised her back up again shout HalleluYah as I often do and she started walking toward the shore and the spirit stopped me and says you got to talk to her. So I turned around and said, sister, sister, listen, and I said come here and look, we're at a river and the river was flowing fairly swiftly, not real swift to somewhat, it says right there all your sins being washed down the river, every single one of them. And she looked at me and it's just her eyes lit up and she gasped and she shouted for joy and she hugged me, she just like she got it, it's all washed away. Because he will cleanse you from all unrighteousness in the same way, in the same exact way that you believe in the beginning he created the heavens and the earth, believe this, too. If you're cleansed from all unrighteousness you're every bit as pure and clean and perfect as
Yahushua himself, who had no unrighteousness in him.
Believe it there's a reason why they call it amazing grace. For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward those who fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. As a father pities his children, so Yahweh pities those who fear him. For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust. So never underestimate Yahweh's mercy really, I had a brother who called me one time, he was really struggling over things that he had done. I said if your son had done very very terrible things to you, but one day he comes to you and says
dad I have totally messed up, I am at your mercy, I ask forgiveness, he's crying, he's weeping, he's clearly distraught over the way he had treated you as a father. But he humbles himself he says I want to have a restored relationship with you, let's say teenage boy, would you go sorry buddy get out of here,
scream, and get out of my house? Or would you say yes son of course I forgive you, I love you? And suppose you forgave him and then he kept coming to you again and again say O will you please forgive me for this terrible thing that I did, over time you like son drop it, I forgive you right, you don't have to keep asking over and over again right, I already told you I forgive you.
Yahweh in heaven is telling me the same thing, it's over, my sin, your sin it is far from you as the east is from the west and as a father pities his children he pities those who fear him. There is power, power, wonder working power in the blood of Lamb, he can cleanse you so clean, you will be as if you never sinned once because he cleanses you from all unrighteousness, that's
power especially for people like me. Romans chapter 5 verse 1 says; therefore having been justified by faith (not by your works, you can't make up for what you've done wrong); we have peace (shalom) with Elohim through our Master Yahushua Messiah. Through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of Elohim.
But you have to have that faith and believe he forgives you, by faith believe it, receive it, Yahushua the Messiah, he didn't die for the perfect ones he died for sinners like you and me.
And so that shalom will come when you know and you're assured your father in heaven loves you and forgives you and rejoices over you.
And you can rejoice in that hope, you are not in a state of hopelessness; you have a reason to live because he lives. You can rejoice and then hope in that grace and
receive that peace you've been looking for all your life. And you don't have to keep asking him over and over to forgive you, you don't, just like that father wouldn't expect his son, well have you asked me forgiveness today for what happened back when...? He wouldn't do that to his son, nobody would do that to his, I hope not. Now you haven't asked me recently whether you know I forgive you so I'll make you ask me again, it doesn't work that way.
Shalom will come when we're at peace with our father and we share this peace with others. We share that and that's why we're called peacemakers, blessed are the peacemakers right: they shall be called the children of Yahweh right. Blessed are the peacemakers, Matthew 5:9; sons of Elohim when we bring Yahushua to the nations we are to our families and everyone we know we are peacemakers, we're bringing peace between Yahweh and others and therefore between others and us. Sin causes separation and division between man and his Creator, sin causes separation and division between man and man.
Were it not for sin all would be at peace with one another, all would be at peace with our maker, sin is the problem. Yahushua brings peace because he resolves sin, but if we reject him there will be no peace. Now I say this but at the same time I also know that
putting our faith in the Messiah Yahushua and being at peace with him will mean that we won't necessarily be at peace with those who don't serve him, we will at variance with them. And so in that sense he brings division, we're at one time on the wrong side, but when we choose Yahweh's side and others don't, we're both serving
2 different masters who are at war with one another and should be. And so it doesn't mean that your life will never contain any kind of opposition or difficulty. We have this flesh right here that needs to die and
it's at war with the spirit of Yahweh dwelling in it. And it's only when we regard ourselves as dead that we will be in complete harmony and peace within ourselves.
And even in those difficulties we can have shalom, even in the opposition, even in all that we can still have the peace of Elohim ruling and reigning in our hearts. Colossians 3:14; above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of Elohim rule in your hearts, to which you are also called in one body; and be thankful.
Sometimes our fears and trials, test our faith to getting us in the way of keeping that peace that we need, but if we have faith in Yahweh and we walk in his ways we can know that peace we set our mind on spiritual things not on things of the world, for to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace, Romans 8:6. Because the carnal mind is enmity against Elohim: for it is not subject to the law of Elohim, nor indeed can be. And if we're focused on sin we'll be carnally
minded and lose the peace we need. The world wants us to focus on sin because a sin is the world's focus, the news is often one story after another of why you should fear.
They're selling fear, 60 minutes, 2020, dateline,
all those shows they are selling fear. A lot of the breaking news stories they're selling fear or they're selling carnality.
But the good news of Yahushua is a story of why we should not fear, the good news of Yahushua the Messiah is a story of peace and why we don't have to fear those who kill the body.
So many times I've had difficulty but I step back and look at the big picture, what is this life really, what is it? It's just a vapor that appears for a time right and vanishes away. I mean just a little tiny speck of dust that you can barely even see compared to the universe.
Eternity I mean what is this life compared to eternity? And why do we get caught up in who says what here? Because in 6 trillion years it ain't gonna matter what people thought you in 2018, isn't going to matter. So we got to keep our eyes on the big picture, a heavenly perspective having that spiritual mind
that's saying you know what the future of the entire planet ultimately is everyone being subject to the law of Elohim.
So I'm going to do that now because it's the future that's... When Yahweh's will is finally done on the earth as it is in heaven, yes there will be people. Isaiah 66:23 keeping the feasts and the Sabbath and Zechariah 14 is a feast tabernacle yes we subject ourselves to the law of Elohim because that's our future and that's Yahweh's will. And so we do it and we choose to be subject to it, we don't believe the law of Yahweh has been taken away. We're subject to it because we don't want to have the carnal mind, we want to have the spiritual mind. Ironically we get accused of being carnally minded because we keep the law which doesn't make any sense biblically. But we're willing to love Yahweh's law and thereby obtain that shalom and there are wonderful things in store for us. There are wonderful things, wonderful promises in store for us when we're willing to do so.
Colossians 33:1 says; If then you were raised with Messiah; you get that right there? You're already raised with him, that's what it says. Do you believe that? Do you believe you already risen with him?
I think it's part of a problem a lot of times you don't realize where you're at. You're already seated with him. And it's no longer you who live now, its Messiah living in you and a life which you now live, you live by faith in the son of Yahweh who loved you and gave himself for you. The problem is we're trying to live our own life, trying to be somebody, right? You already are somebody. Otherwise Yahushua wouldn't have died for you. So if you're raised with him seek those things which are above where Messiah is seated at the right hand of Elohim. Set your mind on things above don't be staring at those waves Peter, don't be staring at those waves
brother, don't be staring at those waves sister.
Keep your mind on things above not on things on the earth, after all you already died. And the life you got is all hidden with Messiah and Elohim, I tell you what if you practice this right here, if you take what's being said right here, in these 3 verses you put this in to motion in your life, you will not lack shalom, you will not, you will have peace.
Because we look to the future, we're forward thinkers here; some people accuse me of O you're always looking in the past, everything's about the past. You're looking in the old books and the old laws and all those things, all about, no no sorry that's your future. Because this is his will and when Yahushua returns that's going to be the rule of the land and so I'm looking at his promises and you say I'm looking backward really I'm looking forward.
And atheists accuse us of all kind terrible things, O looking at the musings of ancient goat herders, no we are not, we're looking at the word of the creator of the universe who chose to love us. If he didn't love us he wouldn't have given us any kind of instruction on what to do with ourselves. But it's obvious to me he created us, just look around at your life, look around at life in general obviously he did create us, he created everything. Someone I mean someone is running the show I mean who set all these laws in motion? Who created the laws of the universe? And before there was anything there was information, some laws had to be written on how the universe will be governed, how things are going to be, all the mathematics involved in it, all the laws of physics involved in it, I mean come on there is a creator okay. Now that creator is not going to leave us without some good idea of how to live especially when he creates of the free will. And so his word has been revealed, has stood the test of time and we look to it and put our faith in it and when we do, we do find the place we're looking for just like he says. And we look toward that one day there will be a new heaven and a new earth in which righteousness dwells, see that's what's going to happen all the righteous laws, righteousness will dwell.
Therefore beloved, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by him in peace, without spot, and blameless.
Well we're gonna get to that point is if you put your trust in Messiah Yahushua and choose to turn away from unrighteousness and turn toward righteousness.
That's the only way it's going to happen,
righteousness and peace go hand in hand see.
When we walk in our lives are in line with his ways, peace is the natural result, it's when we depart from his ways that we start to lose our peace.
So be diligent to be found by him in peace when he returns he wants to find you in complete peace, without spot and blameless, that means we pursue righteousness.
And where ever we have failed in our efforts to walk in righteousness we have a Savior who takes away all of our marks and all of our spots and makes this blameless. Isn't that a beautiful story? And he sends us his spirit, love, joy, shalom
peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness, self-control against these there's is no law. And those who are Messiah's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. That means the flesh my friend is dead and now the
holy spirit of Yahweh is alive and flowing through us in ways that produce these kinds of fruits.
Isn't his word awesome? I think it's pretty awesome, 1 Corinthians 14:33; Elohim is not the author of confusion, but of peace. You walk into a house wherein Messiah is not on the throne, you'll find contention, you'll find arguments, you'll find the noise of the worldly TV fell pouring out its filth, flowing through the household, heavy rock and worldly music flowing
through the speakers, people mocking sin, people drinking the drink, maybe even doing drugs. They're looking in all the wrong places for peace and all they got is a world of confusion, disorder.
And Yahweh wants to take that away, all the noise and confusion and give us hope and give us peace.
Where we're at peace with one another because we're willing to be at peace with him. Where we have peace with ourselves and so we don't need all these other things to try to fill us.
Now may the master of peace himself give you peace always in every way, the master be with you all, the Elohim of peace be with you all Amein. The wicked is like the troubled sea, Isaiah 57:21 when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. There is no peace, says my Elohim, for the wicked.
I don't say these things in judgment, I don't say these things in arrogance, I'm just reading the word of Elohim it's the truth. Because the wicked don't choose to be united with our father in heaven they can't have it, I say these things because I want us to see the difference, I want us to live out that difference, Yahushua says shalom I live with you, peace I live with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world gives, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
He went away as he was killed, he was crucified, he was brutally brutally tortured and murdered to death. But then all the disciples are gathered here in this room and the doors were shut they were afraid. They're walking in fear and all of a sudden Yahushua came and stood in the midst of them because they were gathered for fear of the Jews, and said to them Shalom Aleichem.
Now you imagine that moment just try to imagine that, that is a very common greeting among Israelite people and they would say it also it was a way of saying goodbye as well. But peace be with you, Shalom Aleichem and there he is the one they followed for 3 years. Wow. So Shalom be with you and because he lives we have that promise of shalom. That shalom will be with you and that's a beautiful promise, that's something we can count on. That's something we can receive, it's something we can give to each other.
And no matter what the trials may be, no matter what the difficulties might come our way, as a young lady is saying today it is well with our soul. Even if we die it is well with our soul, it is and
we have no reason to fear, we have no reason to be
troubled. Does that mean we'll never have a moment of difficulty?
No even Yahushua himself at one time he sweats with great drops of blood on the ground or drops of drops that fell like blood on the ground. And so it doesn't mean we'll never have a moment of great difficulty. But at the same time what finally brought him back was this, nevertheless not my will but you will be done. And as I said we will not always be at peace with those around us because they don't know the way of peace. But we can pursue it with all and seek holiness, we
should pursue it. Always, always, always pursue shalom and be aware
of the one thing that can take us out of a state of shalom and that is fear. But Elohim has not given us that spirit of fear, he's given us power, he's given us love, he's given us a sound mind. When you have a thought that takes away your shalom and causes you to be in dread of something,
I have found almost every single time that fear does not ever come to pass; it is the spirit of fear trying to take away your peace. And so the best thing to do is reject that in the name of Yahushua especially if there's nothing you can even do to affect the outcome. And we take those things to Yahweh all right, well there's the gloom and doom report, the gloom and doom thought, what do I do with this thought? This gloom and doom thought what I do with it?
Take it to prayer, never forget to be thankful, never forget the joy of salvation he has given you and can rejoice in him no matter what. No matter what happens to you, you can rejoice in him. Let your gentleness be known to all men. The master at hand. Be anxious for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your
requests be made known to Elohim. Here's a process, we choose not to fear we're not gonna fear anything but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, with a thankful heart that causes us to rejoice and have joy because you know what, until you're thankful you're not gonna be rejoicing over anything, you just not gonna be rejoicing of anything I should say. So you just have to learn to count your blessings and be thankful. Because the reality is the only thing we really deserve is to be judged in the lake of fire really, so whatever blessings we get out of Yahweh's love and the way he values us is pretty amazing. And we can thank him for it, so just in your
prayers when you're having a time of difficulty start thanking him for things, that's what he says to do here in scripture. Thank him for things, let your requests be made known; you tell me what you're needing, Yahweh this is going on right now my life I don't know what to do about it but you do so direct my paths.
And some say well I'm not sure about what path he wants me to take, if you're not sure he's not going to judge you for whatever decision you make, well sometimes you just need to wait on him to give you a clear direction. But even Abraham made mistakes, here's a man who talked directly with Elohim, received the promise directly for a son and Abraham scratching his head, Hagar maybe. And he made a mistake, and Yahweh appeared to him in
bolt of lightning and says I will strike you down now for making a mistake? No, now there were consequences for that mistake but he did not walk away from Abraham okay. So Yahweh is not a mean ogre waiting for you to mess up just so he can toss you aside, he's very patient, he's very gentle. He expects us to be gentle because he's gentle. So you make your requests known to him, you let him know what you need or want and through that faith
peace will come. The peace of Elohim which surpasses all understanding will actually guard your heart and guard your mind through the Messiah Yahushua. Wouldn't it be nice to have someone guarding our heart and mind all the time? That peace will guard your heart and your mind against thoughts of fear, against the spirit of fear, against the things that are trying to tear you down from you know the enemy tried to speak to us. There's no need to toss and turn at night, we
don't have to be like the heathen who make vain repetitions thinking somehow it's in our hands as to how many times we pray for it, really if you pray the right words, you think O I didn't say this way and so Yahweh didn't understand me correctly and so therefore you know I need to say the prayer in this way and then he'll understand me and then I'll get what I want. It doesn't work that way, he knows what you need before you even ask him, he really does.
You think you got to do it your way because Yahweh's isn't working, sorry it is, it just ain't happening in your timetable that's all. It's working, it's just not working the way you what; guess what you're not Elohim so don't try to take his spot and say I'm done waiting, I'm gonna take care of this myself and go back to your old ways which always leads to problems.
Only Yahweh's peace is a peace that passes all understanding, you can't even really describe it, I can't even describe what his peace is like, except
really I'm not worried about anything down, I just not really worry about anything.
Because ultimately everything's in his hands
and so all I wanna do, the only thing I'm really concerned about is that I do things his way you know, if I want to worry about something I guess that's what I'm concerned about the most. I want to do something his way, the way he wants me to do it because that's what can... If all things that in life that would concern me I just want to do things his way, and that's what fills most of my thoughts. So, yeah, that's okay if you're gonna be concerned about something but let's suppose you don't do something his way, you made a mistake don't beat yourself up over it, again you confess it and he is faithful and just to cleanse you, pour... Just is imagine a shower coming on, you got this dirt on your face or something on your shoulder or something. He's faithful and just, put the shower head over you, okay it's all washed off now. Isn't that just a wonderful thought? Because you really care to do his will, because you're putting your trust in Messiah Yahushua.
Don't be deceived by the peace that the world gives, destruction and misery are in their way. the way of peace they had not known, there's no fear of Elohim before their eyes. Some people turn to money, to drugs, to drinking, fleshly pleasures, other people for their peace.
You know drinking and drugs is like okay I'm going to do, I'll be like the little puppy or little dog that he's scared to death and so puts his head underneath the couch, and the rest of the body is all sticking out. Only what he is doing is just not seeing it, he is in not any less danger by putting his head or a little girl putting her head under a pillow or whatever. That doesn't make you any more safe, the problems are still out there. So you don't put your trust in alternatives, put your trust in Yahweh. When people say, peace and safety; then sudden destruction comes upon them. Because their way they have peace that they're seeking isn't going to bring it.
So we look to the eternal one, he brings us that peace and safety that we need. Are you willing to do so? Are you willing to stop worrying about your life? I mean what is your life? It's just a vapor that appears for a little time and vanishes away. You don't even know what's going to happen tomorrow, you can't even control either, you might think you can, but Yahweh is ultimately in control. So what you gonna do? Can you let it go? You gonna put your hands in your life and you'll hope on the one called wonderful and the wisest
counselor you could possibly ever receive, the mighty Elohim, everlasting father, the prince of peace. Who are you gonna put your trust in?
That's a choice you have to make for yourself, I have to make for myself.
I say Yahweh is the most powerful being in the universe, there's no one else more worthy of our trust.
The priestly blessing of Numbers chapter 6, you ever study that priestly blessing and I understand really what's talking about, like this plan of salvation Yahweh has for us?
Number 6:27 says, Yahweh bless you, and keep you.
Yahweh makes his face shine upon you, be gracious to you. The Hebrew word for bless means to bow the knee, so the picture I have here is the Messiah Yahushua on his knees washing the feet of the disciples. Every time Yahweh does something for us he is serving us, he is to say he's blessing you to say he's serving you and he wants to serve you because he loves, he can't be anything other than loving because he is love. And he preserves you, it says Yahweh make his face shine upon you, there's a scripture in the new testament which says that, the glory of the face of Yahushua HaMashiach is honest and the glory since Messiah lives in us therefore that glory of Messiah is shining through and his face is shining upon us and it's just beautiful reflection of Yahweh's image. And give you that grace through Messiah Yahushua
the brightness of Yahweh is glory in the face of Yahushua Messiah so that grace bless you, keep you, because his face shine upon you, be gracious to you. Lift up his countenance to you in a joyful, to give you that joy and give you that peace.
Yahweh bless you, and keep you. Yahweh make his face shine upon you, be gracious to you. Yahweh lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace. And when he gives you that grace and he gives you
that joy, that blessing of grace, that blessing of joy, that blessing of acceptance, we're at peace with him then you get shalom.
And that's the only way forward and then he says,
those who bless Israel in this manner; will put my name on the children of Israel; and I will bless them. And we see in Revelation 14 says; his name is written on our foreheads, name of him Yahweh, the name of the son Yahushua is literally written on our foreheads. It's because we receive that blessing, the only question is whether we're willing to receive it and walk in it and share it?
SO, Father Yahweh we thank you for your shalom, we thank you for your love, we thank you for many blessings you have given us there is no way we could ever possibly count. But we thank you, and we praise you, we thank you that you have given us and shown us the way of shalom the way of peace through Yahushua HaMashiach, through yielding ourselves and our members to you. We ask that you forgive us where we have failed to do so and cleanse us from all unrighteousness as your
word as promised. Fill us with you real ko Kadesh - your holy spirit that we might receive that love, I pray for someone
out there right now who needs that touch; touch them with your love.
Let them know they're loved, let them know the way of peace.
I pray that you'll grant it in the name of Yahushua, grant to all of us, fill us with your strength, your power that we might glorify you and
manifest your righteous image and walk as Yahushua walked.
That no matter what trials may try to set us back,
all the people of the world will know, there is an Elohim in Israel in you Yahweh are that Elohim.
And there is none like you in the earth or in heaven for truly yours is the kingdom and power and glory and majesty and all praise, honor and worship belongs to you, Yahweh Eloheinu, Yahweh our Mighty One, forever and ever in Yahushua's great name we pray and we praise you, Amein.
more to it than just not being at war with someone, it has more to do than not being at variance or enmity with another person or with Elohim. And to have Yahweh's peace is to be complete, to be sound, to have tranquillity about us, contentment about us because we are in a covenant relationship and we are at peace with the Creator of the universe, nothing can compare.
Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament says: "The general meaning behind the root Shalom is of completion and fulfillment of entering into a state of wholeness and unity a restored relationship." That's what we need, every single one of us needs, a restored relationship. Shalom means the absence of strife and approximately 50 to 60 usages, completeness, wholeness, harmony, fulfillment is closer to the meaning. Implicit and shalom is the idea of unimpaired relationships with others and fulfillment in one's undertakings. How would you like to have that? If you don't have it already scripture talks about ways to achieve that and to receive that. It is more about receiving than achieving and so many of the fruits of the spirit are that way, it's more about receiving than it is achieving. And whether we're willing to receive it and completely lay down our will, lay down our lives. So we're talking today about receiving and walking in peace, peace is a completion and fulfillment, entering to a state of wholeness and unity, restored relationship. So it's more than just peace, the word shalom has an expanded meaning and our Savior Messiah Yahushua commonly called Jesus says in John chapter 16:32-33 says; Indeed, the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. These things I have spoken to you, that in me you may have peace (shalom). In the world you will have tribulation (that is a promise right there, he just said it's gonna happen okay, get used to it): but be of good cheer;
I have overcome the world.
So we're going to have difficulty but we know who already overcame it 2000 years ago and we can take comfort in that. He's already won the victory and through him we have the victory, even in tribulation we have that victory, in him we have shalom, we have peace
that's a promise. Well the world chases things that do not bring peace, we know it's only through him that we're able to actually experience it and receive it. The world will seek to entangle us with its turmoil, with its political struggles, with its tribulations but this world is not where our
peace comes from. And if we're trying to get our piece from things going on in this world today we're gonna be very disappointed, shalom if you're seeking it and you're seeking in all the wrong places, you're not
going to find it. You know I once did some ministry in Toledo, Ohio
and I was ministering with until a bunch of men who you know obviously were not believers.
And I was in a motel room that night and one guy knocked on my door and he says I have one question for you we're all wondering, he says how do you get your peace?
And I said well when you're at peace with your maker, when you're at peace with the one who created you that's step number one. And he marveled at those who possess that peace, shalom can only be something a believer really can possess, they can try to find it but until we're at peace with our heavenly father there is no order in our life, there is no shalom in our life and you know what you can't find true peace with another person until you both are at peace with our father in heaven, unless we are both in submission to him in our hearts. We may have differences of opinion on what his will is, we may have differences understanding of what he expects of us but we still can be at peace with one another because we are yielded to him in our hearts. The Torah, the law of Yahweh reads...if you read it in Deuteronomy 28:66, Yahweh describes what it's like to have no peace, he says Deuteronomy 28:66; your life shall hang in doubt before you; you shall fear day and night, and have no assurance of life: In the morning you shall say, O that it were evening! And at evening you shall say, O that it were morning! Because of the fear which terrifies your heart, and because of the sight of which your eyes see.
Obviously you picture a person with no shalom in their life, this is the natural result of our disobedience to our father in heaven, this is a natural result of walking away from faith and stepping in to fear instead.
When we choose not to fear, when we choose to walk in faith, we can be going through the most difficult circumstances and still find shalom.
Daniel chapter 10 verse 19; angel said to David, O man greatly beloved, fear not: peace be unto you, be strong, yes, be strong. So when he spoke to me, I was strengthened, and said, Let my Master speak; for you have strengthened me. John 14:27; Yahushua says, (shalom) peace I leave with you, my shalom I give to you: not as the world gives, do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. We see that fear takes away our shalom doesn't it? And the world tries to give you some kind of semblance of peace but it's only the Messiah's peace that's going to give us the peace we're looking for. Jeremiah 30 verse 4 says; now these are the words that the YAHWEH spoke concerning Israel and Judah. For thus says YAHWEH; we have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace. Ask now, and see whether a man is ever in labor with child? So why do I see every man with his hands on his loins, like a woman in labor, and all faces turned pale? Alas! For that day is great, so that none is like it: and it is the time of Jacob's trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.
In times of trouble and difficulty we can still be in hot pursuit and obtain the peace of Yahweh. Psalm 34 verse 13 says; keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking deceit. Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it. Seek it, desire it, pray for it and obtain it.
The eyes of Yahweh are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their cry. The face of Yahweh is against those who do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. The righteous cry out, and Yahweh hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles.
2 Timothy 2:22 says; flee also youthful lusts: but pursue righteousness, pursue faith, pursue charity, pursue shalom, with those who call on
Master out of a pure heart. But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing they generate strife. That's the opposite of shalom, that's the opposite of peace, war: And the servant of the
Master must not quarrel; but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition; if Elohim perhaps will grant them repentance so that they may know the truth. And that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will. We don't involve ourselves in quarrels, in fighting, in arguing, in carnal dissensions, even with those in opposition we know who the enemy is. The enemy is actually Satan the devil, that's who he has taken them captive and we do battle against him. We're battling ultimately against him even in the hearts of other people. And we do so together with those who call on our heavenly father Yahweh with a pure heart.
And Yahweh promises he will give us that shalom, he will give us strength, Yahweh will give strength to his people, Yahweh will bless people with shalom, that is a great blessing. How do we obtain it? How can we obtain that shalom? How can we obtain that peace?
Again it has to do with receiving it more so than achieving it, this lay down your will, lay down
your life, yield it completely totally, 100 percent to Yahweh our father in heaven.
And let your sins be placed on the Messiah Yahushua don't carry any of it, he wants it all. When you yield yourself to him you mewed your members to him when you are willing to lay down your own desires, your own paths, your own carnal ways, and yield yourself to him and you're willing to put your trust in him and you keep your mind focused on him, he will give you that perfect peace you're looking for. Isaiah 26 verse 3 is a promise; you will keep him in perfect shalom (peace), whose mind is stayed on
you: because he trusts you. Trust in Yahweh for ever: for in Yah, Yahweh is everlasting strength. That's how the Hebrew reads, Yah, Yahweh is everlasting strength, so sometimes we pray for strength and we should pray for strength. And that's great and we need to pray for strength,
but that strength comes out of a restored relationship, that strength comes from keeping our mind focused on the heavenly father. You think about Peter and when Peter was walking on the water because Yahushua called him out in the water. And as long as his mind and his attention were focused on the Messiah who was ahead calling him forward, he was fine. But the minute he began to look at the wind and the waves around him what happened? He began to sink and so we have to keep our focus on Yahushua the Messiah, we have to keep our attention focused on him and let our minds be set on things
above where Messiah is; and not on things on the earth. Don't look down just keep looking up, keep looking up toward our Savior and you will receive that perfect peace. Look at things from an eternal perspective not just in some earthly perspective, look at things from an eternal perspective and put your
trust in him, keep your mind focused on him, on him not on the famine around you, not on the tribulations around you, focus on him and his will for you and his promises and your relationship with him. Take time with him in prayer every single day and reading the word and in prayer every single day. Psalm chapter 4 verse 5; offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in Yahweh. There are many who say, who will show us any good? YAHWEH, lift up the light of your countenance upon us. You have put gladness in my heart, more than in the season that their grain and wine increased. I will both lie down in peace, and sleep: for you alone, Yahweh, make me dwell in safety.
Sometimes we suffer from insomnia because of the troubles of this world are so overwhelming.
But Yahweh is willing to give us the rest and the sleep that we need. I can think of a few times in my life where I could not sleep because of the turmoil that was going on around me, I couldn't get my mind off of it, I couldn't get my mind removed from the situation I was in. Oh, I could have but I just wasn't and it was fear, it was fear that was keeping me up and both
times the 2 times I can remember, what delivered me from fear was I play the guitar and I just got
up my guitar and I was off by myself in some room somewhere. And just start playing the guitar and singing and praising and thanking him, and listening intently to the words of our father in heaven. Most of the songs I sang are actually out of scripture and I could literally feel all the
fears melt away. I could literally feel all the stress melt away and the peace of Yahweh come back, the peace I normally live in came back because my mind at that point became focused on our heavenly father, in his word, in his promises, in the things that he says, in the things I know I've experienced. So often my own personal experience has brought me
shalom, the things that I've experienced have backed up the word so many times, and it's been amazing and just a remembrance of the many times he delivered me. And he delivered me again even out of those difficult he delivered me. And so I went back to the word really because the words of men bring fear, the words and ideas and concepts of men bring fear, but Yahweh's word brings faith and so I went back to really just opening and reading scripture and studying and the joy that comes with that. Maybe that's why it says in Psalm 119 verse 65; great peace have those who love your Torah (your law): and nothing causes them to stumble. So true, so very true, so when we love his word we choose to make we just choose to love Yahweh's law. And because we love it we read it, because we love it we're interested in what he has to say to us. And because we love it, we want to walk it out and that is the pathway to peace, that's the pathway to being at peace in all circumstances because you know what you're supposed to do. So many times I didn't have peace, I didn't know what I'm supposed to do and I go back to the scriptures and I find comfort in knowing what I'm supposed to do.
Getting some kind of direction and because then I know once I know what I'm supposed to do, no matter what happens if I walked this out I'm in the right way, even if the whole world's falling down around me, if I walk this out right here I know I am the end for me will be peace, the end for me will be something positive coming out of it. And what I've experienced over and over in my walk with him is I finally have someone I can believe. So many people get counsel, so many people have ideas of what you wanna do, they need no better counselor than Yahushua HaMashiach, Yahushua the Messiah our Savior, wonderful counselor, prince of peace.
Proverbs 3:13; happy is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gains understanding. For her proceeds are better than she profits of silver, and her gain than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies: and all the things you may desire cannot compare with her. Length of days is in her right hand; her left hand riches and honor. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are shalom. We can know Yahweh's wisdom at that path is the path of shalom, it doesn't mean you'll be shalom with people that don't follow him, you're not going to be at peace with people who don't follow him, but you know when you're at peace with him and that's all that really matters.
Isaiah 48 verse 17; thus says Yahweh, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am Yahweh your Mighty One who teaches you to profit, who leads you in the way you should go. O that you had heeded my commandments! Then had your peace would have been like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea. It's when we depart from the path that we find ourselves in inner turmoil.
And so once we know the right way that we should go, it has a way of bringing us that shalom that we're looking for and that we so often need.
Because he's far far far wiser than you are, he's far far wiser than I am, forget it I'm just pointing him, he's the one that's got the wisdom here and I'm pointing to him. Now you might be going through some trial or tribulation and don't look like you got peace in your life, but really even in the trials and tribulations he'll give it to you. There's so much comfort in knowing when you're walking in the way he's telling you to walk, you just know the end result will be something good because; mark the blameless man, observe the upright: the future of that man is peace. That's the truth right there Psalm 37:37, because we know, we've read the end of the book, we know what happens to those who follow after him, right? We're well aware pathways of peace right, thus says Yahweh your redeemer again; he leads you in the way you should go, that's when we stray from that wisdom that we find ourselves in trouble.
But we have a way of reconciliation in the same way that knowledge of righteousness from his teaching, his commandments, his law brings us peace, Yahushua HaMashiach, Yahushua the Messiah who is the living word brings us peace.
If we consider all the turmoil and strife the world glorifies indeed that is good news. How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who proclaims shalom; who
brings glad tidings of good things, who proclaims salvation; who says to Zion, Your Elohim reigns!
John the Baptist prepared the way, guiding the feet of his followers into the way of peace; his father actually prophesied about John the Baptist, Zechariah said, you, child, will be called the prophet of the Highest, for you will go before face of Master to prepare his ways. To give knowledge of salvation to his people by the remission of their sins. Through the tender mercy of our Elohim; with which the Dayspring from on high has visited us. To give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. For Yahushua it was said for unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Messiah the Master. And this will be a sign to you; you will find a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising Elohim, and saying, Glory to Elohim in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. With Yahushua we can believe that his mercy is ever upon us and that we have received forgiveness of sin and we don't have to bear the weight of guilt. If you're bearing guilt in your life you're not going to have peace, if you are running from guilt and you're not even realizing you're carrying it but because you're running from it, you're still not going to have peace. You might think you have it, you might think you believe it his forgiveness but somehow, somewhere you're still carrying it.
Some may feel as though well I've heard this many times in my life of ministering to people; people ask do you think maybe I've committed the unpardonable sin? And they lack shalom within their life and their life hangs in doubt before them as Deuteronomy 28 so clearly said; but if such a one would only turn back to Yahweh again and start walking in righteousness seeking Yahweh's cleansing, seeking his strength. You see we have a promise, we have a promise, 1 John 1:9; If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Now let me say this, you would have no desire whatsoever to confess your sins, you would have no concern whatsoever whether he was faithful and just to forgive you if you have committed the unpardonable sin, because no one can come to Messiah unless the father draws him. No one can receive him apart from the Holy Spirit coming down and calling you forward to receive him, no one can even have a desire for the things of Yahweh apart from Yahweh's Holy Spirit working in their life. And so if you have blasphemed the Holy Spirit you have no concern whether you have committed the unpardonable sin because the spirit wouldn't convict you that you may have or that you I should say the spirit wouldn't convict you to the extent that you're concerned about it and that you would feel guilty. Those who have committed the unpardonable sin have no desire whatsoever to follow after Elohim. Those who have committed the unpardonable sin have no desire to repent or receive Messiah at all because the father won't draw them because it's only through the spirit that he does. So if you're concerned about it it's a good sign. Now it's a matter of you receiving it through confession of your sins, through the Messiah Yahushua's righteousness being placed on you, through that confession cleansing you from all unrighteousness. Think about that, cleansing you from all unrighteousness, told a story yesterday I once was doing a baptism and when I do a baptism; we're going to actually do a baptism tomorrow up in Hartville, a couple baptisms maybe more.
And the woman had at one time in her life had an abortion and what I often do before baptism is ask
if they have anything you want to talk to Yahweh about, any areas of repentance, anything they want to confess, they can say it quietly in their mind or out loud, I leave it up to them. But, we do that just before a baptism and she did and she confessed abortion, and she started weeping over it and lamenting over what she had done.
So I said as I always do, do you believe in the Messiah Yahushua and that through faith in him repentance in baptism, in his name we see for admission of sins. And she said yes, and I put her down the water, raised her back up again shout HalleluYah as I often do and she started walking toward the shore and the spirit stopped me and says you got to talk to her. So I turned around and said, sister, sister, listen, and I said come here and look, we're at a river and the river was flowing fairly swiftly, not real swift to somewhat, it says right there all your sins being washed down the river, every single one of them. And she looked at me and it's just her eyes lit up and she gasped and she shouted for joy and she hugged me, she just like she got it, it's all washed away. Because he will cleanse you from all unrighteousness in the same way, in the same exact way that you believe in the beginning he created the heavens and the earth, believe this, too. If you're cleansed from all unrighteousness you're every bit as pure and clean and perfect as
Yahushua himself, who had no unrighteousness in him.
Believe it there's a reason why they call it amazing grace. For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward those who fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. As a father pities his children, so Yahweh pities those who fear him. For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust. So never underestimate Yahweh's mercy really, I had a brother who called me one time, he was really struggling over things that he had done. I said if your son had done very very terrible things to you, but one day he comes to you and says
dad I have totally messed up, I am at your mercy, I ask forgiveness, he's crying, he's weeping, he's clearly distraught over the way he had treated you as a father. But he humbles himself he says I want to have a restored relationship with you, let's say teenage boy, would you go sorry buddy get out of here,
scream, and get out of my house? Or would you say yes son of course I forgive you, I love you? And suppose you forgave him and then he kept coming to you again and again say O will you please forgive me for this terrible thing that I did, over time you like son drop it, I forgive you right, you don't have to keep asking over and over again right, I already told you I forgive you.
Yahweh in heaven is telling me the same thing, it's over, my sin, your sin it is far from you as the east is from the west and as a father pities his children he pities those who fear him. There is power, power, wonder working power in the blood of Lamb, he can cleanse you so clean, you will be as if you never sinned once because he cleanses you from all unrighteousness, that's
power especially for people like me. Romans chapter 5 verse 1 says; therefore having been justified by faith (not by your works, you can't make up for what you've done wrong); we have peace (shalom) with Elohim through our Master Yahushua Messiah. Through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of Elohim.
But you have to have that faith and believe he forgives you, by faith believe it, receive it, Yahushua the Messiah, he didn't die for the perfect ones he died for sinners like you and me.
And so that shalom will come when you know and you're assured your father in heaven loves you and forgives you and rejoices over you.
And you can rejoice in that hope, you are not in a state of hopelessness; you have a reason to live because he lives. You can rejoice and then hope in that grace and
receive that peace you've been looking for all your life. And you don't have to keep asking him over and over to forgive you, you don't, just like that father wouldn't expect his son, well have you asked me forgiveness today for what happened back when...? He wouldn't do that to his son, nobody would do that to his, I hope not. Now you haven't asked me recently whether you know I forgive you so I'll make you ask me again, it doesn't work that way.
Shalom will come when we're at peace with our father and we share this peace with others. We share that and that's why we're called peacemakers, blessed are the peacemakers right: they shall be called the children of Yahweh right. Blessed are the peacemakers, Matthew 5:9; sons of Elohim when we bring Yahushua to the nations we are to our families and everyone we know we are peacemakers, we're bringing peace between Yahweh and others and therefore between others and us. Sin causes separation and division between man and his Creator, sin causes separation and division between man and man.
Were it not for sin all would be at peace with one another, all would be at peace with our maker, sin is the problem. Yahushua brings peace because he resolves sin, but if we reject him there will be no peace. Now I say this but at the same time I also know that
putting our faith in the Messiah Yahushua and being at peace with him will mean that we won't necessarily be at peace with those who don't serve him, we will at variance with them. And so in that sense he brings division, we're at one time on the wrong side, but when we choose Yahweh's side and others don't, we're both serving
2 different masters who are at war with one another and should be. And so it doesn't mean that your life will never contain any kind of opposition or difficulty. We have this flesh right here that needs to die and
it's at war with the spirit of Yahweh dwelling in it. And it's only when we regard ourselves as dead that we will be in complete harmony and peace within ourselves.
And even in those difficulties we can have shalom, even in the opposition, even in all that we can still have the peace of Elohim ruling and reigning in our hearts. Colossians 3:14; above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of Elohim rule in your hearts, to which you are also called in one body; and be thankful.
Sometimes our fears and trials, test our faith to getting us in the way of keeping that peace that we need, but if we have faith in Yahweh and we walk in his ways we can know that peace we set our mind on spiritual things not on things of the world, for to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace, Romans 8:6. Because the carnal mind is enmity against Elohim: for it is not subject to the law of Elohim, nor indeed can be. And if we're focused on sin we'll be carnally
minded and lose the peace we need. The world wants us to focus on sin because a sin is the world's focus, the news is often one story after another of why you should fear.
They're selling fear, 60 minutes, 2020, dateline,
all those shows they are selling fear. A lot of the breaking news stories they're selling fear or they're selling carnality.
But the good news of Yahushua is a story of why we should not fear, the good news of Yahushua the Messiah is a story of peace and why we don't have to fear those who kill the body.
So many times I've had difficulty but I step back and look at the big picture, what is this life really, what is it? It's just a vapor that appears for a time right and vanishes away. I mean just a little tiny speck of dust that you can barely even see compared to the universe.
Eternity I mean what is this life compared to eternity? And why do we get caught up in who says what here? Because in 6 trillion years it ain't gonna matter what people thought you in 2018, isn't going to matter. So we got to keep our eyes on the big picture, a heavenly perspective having that spiritual mind
that's saying you know what the future of the entire planet ultimately is everyone being subject to the law of Elohim.
So I'm going to do that now because it's the future that's... When Yahweh's will is finally done on the earth as it is in heaven, yes there will be people. Isaiah 66:23 keeping the feasts and the Sabbath and Zechariah 14 is a feast tabernacle yes we subject ourselves to the law of Elohim because that's our future and that's Yahweh's will. And so we do it and we choose to be subject to it, we don't believe the law of Yahweh has been taken away. We're subject to it because we don't want to have the carnal mind, we want to have the spiritual mind. Ironically we get accused of being carnally minded because we keep the law which doesn't make any sense biblically. But we're willing to love Yahweh's law and thereby obtain that shalom and there are wonderful things in store for us. There are wonderful things, wonderful promises in store for us when we're willing to do so.
Colossians 33:1 says; If then you were raised with Messiah; you get that right there? You're already raised with him, that's what it says. Do you believe that? Do you believe you already risen with him?
I think it's part of a problem a lot of times you don't realize where you're at. You're already seated with him. And it's no longer you who live now, its Messiah living in you and a life which you now live, you live by faith in the son of Yahweh who loved you and gave himself for you. The problem is we're trying to live our own life, trying to be somebody, right? You already are somebody. Otherwise Yahushua wouldn't have died for you. So if you're raised with him seek those things which are above where Messiah is seated at the right hand of Elohim. Set your mind on things above don't be staring at those waves Peter, don't be staring at those waves
brother, don't be staring at those waves sister.
Keep your mind on things above not on things on the earth, after all you already died. And the life you got is all hidden with Messiah and Elohim, I tell you what if you practice this right here, if you take what's being said right here, in these 3 verses you put this in to motion in your life, you will not lack shalom, you will not, you will have peace.
Because we look to the future, we're forward thinkers here; some people accuse me of O you're always looking in the past, everything's about the past. You're looking in the old books and the old laws and all those things, all about, no no sorry that's your future. Because this is his will and when Yahushua returns that's going to be the rule of the land and so I'm looking at his promises and you say I'm looking backward really I'm looking forward.
And atheists accuse us of all kind terrible things, O looking at the musings of ancient goat herders, no we are not, we're looking at the word of the creator of the universe who chose to love us. If he didn't love us he wouldn't have given us any kind of instruction on what to do with ourselves. But it's obvious to me he created us, just look around at your life, look around at life in general obviously he did create us, he created everything. Someone I mean someone is running the show I mean who set all these laws in motion? Who created the laws of the universe? And before there was anything there was information, some laws had to be written on how the universe will be governed, how things are going to be, all the mathematics involved in it, all the laws of physics involved in it, I mean come on there is a creator okay. Now that creator is not going to leave us without some good idea of how to live especially when he creates of the free will. And so his word has been revealed, has stood the test of time and we look to it and put our faith in it and when we do, we do find the place we're looking for just like he says. And we look toward that one day there will be a new heaven and a new earth in which righteousness dwells, see that's what's going to happen all the righteous laws, righteousness will dwell.
Therefore beloved, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by him in peace, without spot, and blameless.
Well we're gonna get to that point is if you put your trust in Messiah Yahushua and choose to turn away from unrighteousness and turn toward righteousness.
That's the only way it's going to happen,
righteousness and peace go hand in hand see.
When we walk in our lives are in line with his ways, peace is the natural result, it's when we depart from his ways that we start to lose our peace.
So be diligent to be found by him in peace when he returns he wants to find you in complete peace, without spot and blameless, that means we pursue righteousness.
And where ever we have failed in our efforts to walk in righteousness we have a Savior who takes away all of our marks and all of our spots and makes this blameless. Isn't that a beautiful story? And he sends us his spirit, love, joy, shalom
peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness, self-control against these there's is no law. And those who are Messiah's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. That means the flesh my friend is dead and now the
holy spirit of Yahweh is alive and flowing through us in ways that produce these kinds of fruits.
Isn't his word awesome? I think it's pretty awesome, 1 Corinthians 14:33; Elohim is not the author of confusion, but of peace. You walk into a house wherein Messiah is not on the throne, you'll find contention, you'll find arguments, you'll find the noise of the worldly TV fell pouring out its filth, flowing through the household, heavy rock and worldly music flowing
through the speakers, people mocking sin, people drinking the drink, maybe even doing drugs. They're looking in all the wrong places for peace and all they got is a world of confusion, disorder.
And Yahweh wants to take that away, all the noise and confusion and give us hope and give us peace.
Where we're at peace with one another because we're willing to be at peace with him. Where we have peace with ourselves and so we don't need all these other things to try to fill us.
Now may the master of peace himself give you peace always in every way, the master be with you all, the Elohim of peace be with you all Amein. The wicked is like the troubled sea, Isaiah 57:21 when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. There is no peace, says my Elohim, for the wicked.
I don't say these things in judgment, I don't say these things in arrogance, I'm just reading the word of Elohim it's the truth. Because the wicked don't choose to be united with our father in heaven they can't have it, I say these things because I want us to see the difference, I want us to live out that difference, Yahushua says shalom I live with you, peace I live with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world gives, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
He went away as he was killed, he was crucified, he was brutally brutally tortured and murdered to death. But then all the disciples are gathered here in this room and the doors were shut they were afraid. They're walking in fear and all of a sudden Yahushua came and stood in the midst of them because they were gathered for fear of the Jews, and said to them Shalom Aleichem.
Now you imagine that moment just try to imagine that, that is a very common greeting among Israelite people and they would say it also it was a way of saying goodbye as well. But peace be with you, Shalom Aleichem and there he is the one they followed for 3 years. Wow. So Shalom be with you and because he lives we have that promise of shalom. That shalom will be with you and that's a beautiful promise, that's something we can count on. That's something we can receive, it's something we can give to each other.
And no matter what the trials may be, no matter what the difficulties might come our way, as a young lady is saying today it is well with our soul. Even if we die it is well with our soul, it is and
we have no reason to fear, we have no reason to be
troubled. Does that mean we'll never have a moment of difficulty?
No even Yahushua himself at one time he sweats with great drops of blood on the ground or drops of drops that fell like blood on the ground. And so it doesn't mean we'll never have a moment of great difficulty. But at the same time what finally brought him back was this, nevertheless not my will but you will be done. And as I said we will not always be at peace with those around us because they don't know the way of peace. But we can pursue it with all and seek holiness, we
should pursue it. Always, always, always pursue shalom and be aware
of the one thing that can take us out of a state of shalom and that is fear. But Elohim has not given us that spirit of fear, he's given us power, he's given us love, he's given us a sound mind. When you have a thought that takes away your shalom and causes you to be in dread of something,
I have found almost every single time that fear does not ever come to pass; it is the spirit of fear trying to take away your peace. And so the best thing to do is reject that in the name of Yahushua especially if there's nothing you can even do to affect the outcome. And we take those things to Yahweh all right, well there's the gloom and doom report, the gloom and doom thought, what do I do with this thought? This gloom and doom thought what I do with it?
Take it to prayer, never forget to be thankful, never forget the joy of salvation he has given you and can rejoice in him no matter what. No matter what happens to you, you can rejoice in him. Let your gentleness be known to all men. The master at hand. Be anxious for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your
requests be made known to Elohim. Here's a process, we choose not to fear we're not gonna fear anything but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, with a thankful heart that causes us to rejoice and have joy because you know what, until you're thankful you're not gonna be rejoicing over anything, you just not gonna be rejoicing of anything I should say. So you just have to learn to count your blessings and be thankful. Because the reality is the only thing we really deserve is to be judged in the lake of fire really, so whatever blessings we get out of Yahweh's love and the way he values us is pretty amazing. And we can thank him for it, so just in your
prayers when you're having a time of difficulty start thanking him for things, that's what he says to do here in scripture. Thank him for things, let your requests be made known; you tell me what you're needing, Yahweh this is going on right now my life I don't know what to do about it but you do so direct my paths.
And some say well I'm not sure about what path he wants me to take, if you're not sure he's not going to judge you for whatever decision you make, well sometimes you just need to wait on him to give you a clear direction. But even Abraham made mistakes, here's a man who talked directly with Elohim, received the promise directly for a son and Abraham scratching his head, Hagar maybe. And he made a mistake, and Yahweh appeared to him in
bolt of lightning and says I will strike you down now for making a mistake? No, now there were consequences for that mistake but he did not walk away from Abraham okay. So Yahweh is not a mean ogre waiting for you to mess up just so he can toss you aside, he's very patient, he's very gentle. He expects us to be gentle because he's gentle. So you make your requests known to him, you let him know what you need or want and through that faith
peace will come. The peace of Elohim which surpasses all understanding will actually guard your heart and guard your mind through the Messiah Yahushua. Wouldn't it be nice to have someone guarding our heart and mind all the time? That peace will guard your heart and your mind against thoughts of fear, against the spirit of fear, against the things that are trying to tear you down from you know the enemy tried to speak to us. There's no need to toss and turn at night, we
don't have to be like the heathen who make vain repetitions thinking somehow it's in our hands as to how many times we pray for it, really if you pray the right words, you think O I didn't say this way and so Yahweh didn't understand me correctly and so therefore you know I need to say the prayer in this way and then he'll understand me and then I'll get what I want. It doesn't work that way, he knows what you need before you even ask him, he really does.
You think you got to do it your way because Yahweh's isn't working, sorry it is, it just ain't happening in your timetable that's all. It's working, it's just not working the way you what; guess what you're not Elohim so don't try to take his spot and say I'm done waiting, I'm gonna take care of this myself and go back to your old ways which always leads to problems.
Only Yahweh's peace is a peace that passes all understanding, you can't even really describe it, I can't even describe what his peace is like, except
really I'm not worried about anything down, I just not really worry about anything.
Because ultimately everything's in his hands
and so all I wanna do, the only thing I'm really concerned about is that I do things his way you know, if I want to worry about something I guess that's what I'm concerned about the most. I want to do something his way, the way he wants me to do it because that's what can... If all things that in life that would concern me I just want to do things his way, and that's what fills most of my thoughts. So, yeah, that's okay if you're gonna be concerned about something but let's suppose you don't do something his way, you made a mistake don't beat yourself up over it, again you confess it and he is faithful and just to cleanse you, pour... Just is imagine a shower coming on, you got this dirt on your face or something on your shoulder or something. He's faithful and just, put the shower head over you, okay it's all washed off now. Isn't that just a wonderful thought? Because you really care to do his will, because you're putting your trust in Messiah Yahushua.
Don't be deceived by the peace that the world gives, destruction and misery are in their way. the way of peace they had not known, there's no fear of Elohim before their eyes. Some people turn to money, to drugs, to drinking, fleshly pleasures, other people for their peace.
You know drinking and drugs is like okay I'm going to do, I'll be like the little puppy or little dog that he's scared to death and so puts his head underneath the couch, and the rest of the body is all sticking out. Only what he is doing is just not seeing it, he is in not any less danger by putting his head or a little girl putting her head under a pillow or whatever. That doesn't make you any more safe, the problems are still out there. So you don't put your trust in alternatives, put your trust in Yahweh. When people say, peace and safety; then sudden destruction comes upon them. Because their way they have peace that they're seeking isn't going to bring it.
So we look to the eternal one, he brings us that peace and safety that we need. Are you willing to do so? Are you willing to stop worrying about your life? I mean what is your life? It's just a vapor that appears for a little time and vanishes away. You don't even know what's going to happen tomorrow, you can't even control either, you might think you can, but Yahweh is ultimately in control. So what you gonna do? Can you let it go? You gonna put your hands in your life and you'll hope on the one called wonderful and the wisest
counselor you could possibly ever receive, the mighty Elohim, everlasting father, the prince of peace. Who are you gonna put your trust in?
That's a choice you have to make for yourself, I have to make for myself.
I say Yahweh is the most powerful being in the universe, there's no one else more worthy of our trust.
The priestly blessing of Numbers chapter 6, you ever study that priestly blessing and I understand really what's talking about, like this plan of salvation Yahweh has for us?
Number 6:27 says, Yahweh bless you, and keep you.
Yahweh makes his face shine upon you, be gracious to you. The Hebrew word for bless means to bow the knee, so the picture I have here is the Messiah Yahushua on his knees washing the feet of the disciples. Every time Yahweh does something for us he is serving us, he is to say he's blessing you to say he's serving you and he wants to serve you because he loves, he can't be anything other than loving because he is love. And he preserves you, it says Yahweh make his face shine upon you, there's a scripture in the new testament which says that, the glory of the face of Yahushua HaMashiach is honest and the glory since Messiah lives in us therefore that glory of Messiah is shining through and his face is shining upon us and it's just beautiful reflection of Yahweh's image. And give you that grace through Messiah Yahushua
the brightness of Yahweh is glory in the face of Yahushua Messiah so that grace bless you, keep you, because his face shine upon you, be gracious to you. Lift up his countenance to you in a joyful, to give you that joy and give you that peace.
Yahweh bless you, and keep you. Yahweh make his face shine upon you, be gracious to you. Yahweh lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace. And when he gives you that grace and he gives you
that joy, that blessing of grace, that blessing of joy, that blessing of acceptance, we're at peace with him then you get shalom.
And that's the only way forward and then he says,
those who bless Israel in this manner; will put my name on the children of Israel; and I will bless them. And we see in Revelation 14 says; his name is written on our foreheads, name of him Yahweh, the name of the son Yahushua is literally written on our foreheads. It's because we receive that blessing, the only question is whether we're willing to receive it and walk in it and share it?
SO, Father Yahweh we thank you for your shalom, we thank you for your love, we thank you for many blessings you have given us there is no way we could ever possibly count. But we thank you, and we praise you, we thank you that you have given us and shown us the way of shalom the way of peace through Yahushua HaMashiach, through yielding ourselves and our members to you. We ask that you forgive us where we have failed to do so and cleanse us from all unrighteousness as your
word as promised. Fill us with you real ko Kadesh - your holy spirit that we might receive that love, I pray for someone
out there right now who needs that touch; touch them with your love.
Let them know they're loved, let them know the way of peace.
I pray that you'll grant it in the name of Yahushua, grant to all of us, fill us with your strength, your power that we might glorify you and
manifest your righteous image and walk as Yahushua walked.
That no matter what trials may try to set us back,
all the people of the world will know, there is an Elohim in Israel in you Yahweh are that Elohim.
And there is none like you in the earth or in heaven for truly yours is the kingdom and power and glory and majesty and all praise, honor and worship belongs to you, Yahweh Eloheinu, Yahweh our Mighty One, forever and ever in Yahushua's great name we pray and we praise you, Amein.