GODS'/YHWHS' PRIORITIES
CHAPTER 6
ANGELS ON ASSIGNMENT
On a recent visit, Gabriel had me write down seven things he referred to as "YHWH's
Priorities." Seven is YHWH's perfect number! I have reviewed these truths, fed on
them, and mulled over them many times because they have been made so alive and real to me,
and are in agreement with and supported completely by the Word of GOD/YHWH.
FIRST PRIORITY: THE BLOOD OF JESUS/YESHUA
HaMASHIACH
Every message the angel
brought has pointed to the sacrifice of Jesus/Yeshua HaMashiach. His blood is
important, because the demands of justice have been satisfied, the wrath of
YHWH appeased, and the records of iniquity erased through the shedding of
that blood.
Why would YHWH's wrath have to
be appeased? He had to find an object to strike because the sin of this
world violated his perfect righteousness. The shedding of the blood of Yeshua/ Jesus diverted the stroke of
YHWH's hand from us, and Jesus/Yeshua HaMashiach
paid the demands of YHWH's judgment for our sins.
When Jesus/Yeshua HaMashiach went into heaven, he sprinkled his blood over all of the things which were there. The
book which contained all of the records of our iniquities, our failings, and
our faults, plus our inability to perform, was sprinkled.
The book of the old covenant listed YHWH's demands, but in the new book he puts his laws into our hearts.
It is no longer "Thou shalt not," but "I want to!" This
beautiful truth Gabriel brought dealt with the perfect and complete
sacrifice of Jesus/Yeshua HaMashiach, not our struggle with daily problems.
Many believers know that the record of the things between them and YHWH is straightened out, but they worry about the things
between man and man. Gabriel told me that YHWH has even erased these from this book.
In the first covenant, he said
he would remember all sin and iniquity. In the second covenant he said he
would remember them no more because they have been blotted out by the blood
of Jesus/Yeshua HaMashiach. He tasted death for every man and woman to liberate them
from the bondage and penalty of sin (Heb. 2:9).
The blood of Jesus/Yeshua HaMashiach has
been considered insignificant by many people. Some have even made the
statement that the blood was of no more effect when spilled during the
crucifixion than when it was flowing through his body in daily life; but
YHWH
said that the blood of Jesus/Yeshua HaMashiach was so important that not one drop was
wasted. It is the only blood that has ever been referred to as
incorruptible. This was YHWH's plan. In Hebrews 12:24, the writer states,
"There it is, the blood that covered sin"' Forever throughout
eternity, the blood has a place!
SECOND PRIORITY: FELLOWSHIP AND COMMUNION WITH
YHWH
He wants us to be able to have rich and wonderful
communion with him. He is accomplishing this through his Word and by his Spirit.
YHWH wants
to fellowship with you! He wants you to enjoy an awareness of his presence everyday!
YHWH not only wants believers to come closer to him; he
wants those who are far away from him to come, too. He said that if you would call to him
from wherever you are, from the very farthest point in all creation, he would remove all
the distance between you and him.
YHWH WANTS you. He is not
looking for reasons to disown you, but he is looking for reasons to help you
and to bring you closer to himself. "Though your sins be as scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall
be as wool" (Isa. 1:18).
THIRD PRIORITY: JESUS/YESHUA HaMASHIACH
IS ALIVE
Jesus/Yeshua HaMashiach is alive! Death
has been conquered! Even though we may experience death as far as this
physical life is concerned, this isn't the real death. The death of the
soul, the real death, has been conquered!
When Mashiach tasted the second death, he actually
experienced the judgment of YHWH upon sin. He didn't taste physical death for us, because
we still have to die, but he wants us to know that we don't have to worry about the second
death because he has already taken care of that for all who are putting their trust in
him.
The angel reminded me of how
complete YHWH's plan is, and gave the reference of Acts 2:24 where he
referred to Jesus/Yeshua HaMashiach saying it was impossible for death to hold him. Why
was it impossible? Because it was already recorded in heaven that he came
out of death and hell. Because it was in YHWH's Plan, it was impossible that
hell could hold him. Satan was defeated!
The beautiful story of what
Jesus/Yeshua HaMashiach did is told in Hebrews 2:9-15 (TLB): "but we do see
Jesus/Yeshua HaMashiach
- who for awhile was a little lower than the angels - crowned now by YHWH
with glory and honor because he suffered death for us. Yes, because of
YHWH's
great kindness, Jesus/Yeshua HaMashiach tasted death for everyone in all the world. And
it was right and proper that YHWH, who made everything for his own glory,
should allow Jesus/Yeshua HaMashiach to suffer, for in doing this he was bringing vast
multitudes of YHWH's people to heaven; for his suffering made Jesus/Yeshua
HaMashiach a
perfect Leader, one fit to bring them into their salvation.
"We who have been made
holy by Jesus/Yeshua HaMashiach, now have the same Father he has. That is why
Jesus/Yeshua HaMashiach
is not ashamed to call us his brothers. For he says in the book of Psalms,
'I will talk to my brothers about YHWH my Father, and together we will sing
his praises.' At another time he said, 'I will put my trust in YHWH along
with my brothers.' And at still another time, 'See, here am I and the
children YHWH gave me.'
"Since we, YHWH's children, are human
beings - made of flesh and blood - he became flesh and blood too by being born in human
form; for only as a human being could he die and in dying break the power of the devil who
had the power of death. Only in that way could he deliver those who through fear of death
have been living all their lives as slaves to constant dread."
When the people who had put
Jesus/Yeshua HaMashiach to death saw him living in those who belonged to him, instead
of having only one Jesus/Yeshua HaMashiach to contend with, they had many! In fact, all
of those who served him were reflecting his power and his life! The best way
to let people know that he is alive today is to let them see you reflecting
his life as he lives in. you!
FOURTH PRIORITY:
THE PROMISE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT/RUACH HaKODESH
YHWH plans ahead! He didn't suddenly stumble upon the,
idea of giving power to his children! This great promise was planned before the earth was
created and we were informed of it in his prophecy, the Bible, long before the day of
Pentecost arrived. It was a priority part of his total plan for the redemption of his
people.
He wanted to make each and
every one of us conformed to the image of his Son, so that as we view him
(YHWH), we are transformed into the same image from glory to glory! In order
to do what Jesus/Yeshua HaMashiach did on earth, we must have the same power he had! In
order to be like Jesus/Yeshua HaMashiach, we must have YHWH's Holy Spirit/Ruach
HaKodesh!
There are many people today who rule this
out, and there are some who say, "If it is true that an angel gave this message to
you, he wouldn't be talking about the Holy Spirit/Ruach HaKodesh because that is a controversial subject,
and an angel would certainly stay on neutral ground." Gabriel didn't even comment as
to whether or not it was controversial. He just stated a fact that this was high priority
with YHWH today!
FIFTH PRIORITY:
GO TELL THE WORLD
The fifth priority was
enlarged upon one day when Gabriel was talking with me in my assembly/church office.
He paced back and forth as he talked. It was the first time I had ever seen
a severe look on his face. He said YHWH was concerned that people would hear
his message and be aroused to the truth, and then go back to sleep. One of
the top priorities of YHWH is that we GO TELL THE WORLD! Jesus/Yeshua
HaMashiach said,
go ye into all the world and carry this Good News:
YHWH says, "You can come to me now!"
"The barriers are down!"
"You have been reconciled by the death of my
Son!"
This is the message of redemption we are to carry to all
the world! He has given us his plan. He has filled us with his Holy Spirit/Ruach
HaKodesh. He says,
"Go ye." Now he has sent forth SPECIAL FORCES of ANGELS to move men toward YHWH!
It is important to YHWH that people hear and know that he is not letting any STONE go
unturned.
One day Gabriel said that these heavenly beings
were on every hill, every tree, and even in the holes of the ground,
searching out men and women who are trying to hide from YHWH! They are out
there doing what we cannot do! We are so limited, but they are NOT. YHWH is
saying by this, "I want them to know I care, and I want them to come to me."
There are many who have
their eyes on sin instead of YHWH - constantly reminding others of the
terrible condition of the world and the blackness of sin. That is not on
YHWH's priority list at all. He wants men to know that there is a TOTAL
escape from that horrible bondage of sin. People already know how evil sin
is. When they are bound and entangled by it, they certainly don't want to
hear it from others. YHWH said that he did not send his Son into the world to
condemn the world, but to open the door of escape. He said his purpose is to
make us "SON" conscious instead. of "sin" conscious. He
wants us to see Jesus/Yeshua HaMashiach lifted up so he can draw all men unto himself!
People have come to me who have had
tremendous burdens on their heart and have felt the nudging, the drawing, the pulling of
YHWH's angels, as well as the Spirit of the L-rd speaking to their heart. There was such a
hunger for YHWH that they have gone from assembly/church to assembly/church and instead of finding YHWH, they
have heard messages on how terrible things are. The wickedness of the world was pointed
out to them, but they still left with an emptiness in their hearts and lives!
One man came into my office asking if
there was help anywhere. He said, "This is the fifth assembly/church I have come to. I have to
find YHWH."
"You have come to the right spot
here." I didn't even ask him what his sin was. I just said, "When you feel my
hands on your head, I want you to say the name of Jesus just as loud as you can! He has
been nudging you, he has been waiting for you to call." That man shouted one word,
"Jesus!" and the L-rd heard him and instantly life came into him!
SIXTH PRIORITY: ATONEMENT OF JESUS/YESHUA
HaMASHIACH IS EVERLASTING
People need to be reminded
of this priority constantly. The work Jesus/Yeshua HaMashiach did for them IS AN
EVERLASTING WORK! It isn't something that he did and then forgot about. It
is something that is intended to help us, to carry us right through to
heaven. It is the message of atonement, a message of new beginnings. Gabriel
told me it was of high priority that people know and understand the
sacrifice of Jesus/Yeshua HaMashiach, and that the blessings of atonement are a
continuing thing. Every day that we live we can experience these blessings
in our SPIRIT, SOUL and BODY.
All of our needs are covered
in the atonement. With his covering over us, YHWH can see us and accept us.
Without the atonement, Gabriel said, we could not be accepted. Because
people are in bondage to fear, it is important to YHWH that people know that
before he made the earth, he planned that they would be covered by his
atonement. This is why he said in Eph. 1:4: "Long ago, even before he
made the world, YHWH chose us to be his very own, through what Mashiach would
do for us; he decided then to make us holy in his eyes, without a single
fault - we who STAND BEFORE HIM covered with his love" (TLB).
YHWH talks about this in the twenty-fourth
and twenty-fifth verse of Jude, "Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling,
and to present you faultless before the presence of HIS glory with exceeding joy .."
The atonement covers, cleanses, and removes the guilt. We cannot please YHWH or really
serve him if we are constantly living in fear that YHWH has some hidden sin to bring
against us. He wants us to know that our lives are covered when our FAITH and our TRUST
are in HIM!
The reason this is of such high priority
with YHWH is that people cannot really serve him without genuine assurance that their
position in him is safe. Knowing this is REAL security!
YHWH is letting people know that he will
not let them go without a struggle, but he also wants us to know that there ARE two things
which will pull us out from under the covering. One is REBELLION and the other is
IDOLATRY. Outside of that rebellious spirit and idolatry, the things which happen in
the normal course of life will not separate you from the love of YHWH, or from the
beautiful protection of this covering. You can live for him in relaxed happiness, knowing
that he is on the job! When angels speak, they cannot speak for themselves, but they are
echoing a message from YHWH's heart that he wants you to know you are safe!
SEVENTH PRIORITY:
THE RETURN OF JESUS/YESHUA HaMASHIACH
YHWH is telling us to prepare
ourselves for that great day! For those whose names are written in the
Lamb's Book of Life, it will be glory! For those whose names are not there,
it will be doom forever. The choice is ours today, and that choice is simply
to choose to serve Jesus/Yeshua HaMashiach or to follow Satan into his eternal
damnation.
Look at the contrasting results of our choices:
". . . suddenly two
white-robed men (angels of YHWH) were standing there among them, and said,
'Men of Galilee, why are you standing here staring at the sky? Yeshua
HaMashiach
has gone away to heaven, and some day, just as he went, he
will return! ' " (Acts 1: 9-11 TLB).","And may the L-rd
make your love to grow and overflow to each other and to everyone else, just
as our love does toward you. This will result in your hearts being made
strong, sinless and holy by YHWH our Father, so that you may stand before him
guiltless on that day when our L-rd Jesus/Yeshua HaMashiach returns
with all those who belong to him" (I Thes. 3:12-13 TLB).
"And I saw a great
white throne and the one who sat upon it, from whose face the earth and sky
fled away, but they found no place to hide. I saw the dead, great and small,
standing before YHWH; and The Books were opened, including the Book of Life.
And the dead were judged according to the things written in The Books, each
according to the deeds he had done. The oceans surrendered the bodies buried
in them; and the earth and the underworld gave up the dead in them. Each was
judged according to his deeds. And Death and Hell were thrown into the Lake
of Fire. This is the Second Death - the Lake of Fire. And if anyone's name was not found recorded in the Book of
Life, he was thrown into the Lake of Fire" (Rev. 20:1 1 -1 5 TLB).
"In a vision he took me
to a towering mountain peak and from there I watched that wondrous city, the
holy Jerusalem, DESCENDING out of the skies from YHWH. It was filled with the
glory of YHWH, and flashed and glowed like a precious gem, crystal clear like
jasper" (Rev. 21:10-11 TLB).
"No temple COULD BE SEEN IN THE CITY,
for the L-rd YHWH Almighty and the Lamb are worshiped in it
everywhere. And the city has no need of sun or moon to light it, for the
GLORY of YHWH and of the LAMB illuminate it. Its
LIGHT will LIGHT the nations
of the earth, and the rulers of the world will come and bring their glory to
it. Its gates never close; they stay open all day long - and there is no
night! And the glory and honor of all the nations shall be brought into it.
Nothing evil will be permitted in it - no one immoral or dishonest - but only those
whose names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life" (Rev.
21:22-27 TLB).
For those who choose him,
the return of Yeshua HaMashiach is the priority YHWH is looking forward to with
such excitement that the angels of heaven are rejoicing with him about it.
When Gabriel had finished telling me this
message of YHWH's top priorities, he said that they are so much a part of
YHWH's PLAN that
he had them all spelled out even before he made the world.
He directed me to the twenty-third
chapter of Leviticus, where YHWH gave Moses plans for the tabernacle, a miniature model of
his total plan. Then, to my amazement, he related every one of these priorities for us
today, to the seven festivals YHWH had given to Israel long ago!
I marveled at YHWH's recorded plans in the
Old Testament which direct us to his plans for this day in which we live.
1stPRIORITY: THE BLOOD OF JESUS/YESHUA
HaMASHIACH
FESTIVAL: THE PASSOVER OF
THE L-RD
This feast was a
"type" of the death of Mashiach, his sacrifice, and the blood of
Jesus/Yeshua HaMashiach that was so precious before YHWH. It was written before
YHWH ever
made the earth.
The BLOODLINE of YHWH and
his FAMILY is the blood of Jesus/Yeshua HaMashiach, the thread of YHWH's redemption
story throughout the entire Bible, HIS PLAN1! The delivery of the children
of Israel was made possible when blood was sprinkled on the lintel and the
side panels for a covering so that the destroyer would pass over the homes
and not kill the firstborn of each family. Our great Passover was provided
when Jesus/Yeshua HaMashiach sprinkled his blood over the books in heaven to provide a
covering for our sins so that we could be acceptable to YHWH and be a part of
his eternal family.
The first of YHWH's
priorities which Gabriel gave me was about the BLOOD of Jesus/Yeshua
HaMashiach, and
the first on the list of the seven annual special days of the L-rd was the
PASSOVER OF THE L-rd!
2nd PRIORITY: FELLOWSHIP AND COMMUNION
WITH YHWH
FESTIVAL: THE FESTIVAL OF UNLEAVENED BREAD
This festival was to be
celebrated beginning the day following the Passover. When Jesus/Yeshua
HaMashiach
provided deliverance from sin by his blood, YHWH immediately provided a
covering for our sins; not a condoning of sin, but a provision so we could
be accepted by him.
Leaven is a type of sin, and at the
festival they were to eat unleavened bread, representing sin pardoned. Under the new
covenant, leavened bread was used because YHWH provided justification. Instead of SIN,
FAULT and FAILURE, YHWH sees, through the covering he provided, HOLINESS, BLAMELESSNESS and
PERFECTION. Those who choose REBELLION and IDOLATRY voluntarily move out from under his
COVERING. Those who choose obedience instead of rebellion voluntarily stay under his
covering because they choose to love and serve YHWH above SELF and above the DESIRE to sin.
"For by that one offering he made
forever perfect in the sight of YHWH all those whom he is making holy.
"And the Holy Spirit/Ruach
HaKodesh
testifies that this is so, for he has said, 'This is the agreement I will
make with the people of Israel, though they broke their first agreement: I
will write my laws into their minds so that they will always know my will,
and I will put my laws in their hearts so that they will want to obey them.'
And then he adds, 'I will never again remember their sins and lawless deeds'
" (Heb. 10:14-17 TLB).
3rd PRIORITY: JESUS/YESHUA HaMASHIACH IS ALIVE!
FESTIVAL: THE FESTIVAL OF FIRST FRUITS
Gabriel said this festival
represents the resurrection of JESUS/YESHUA HaMASHIACH and his life. Not only is he
alive, but it is already written down in YHWH's book that we who are his will
follow after him in the great resurrection. It's in YHWH's big heart!
4th PRIORITY: THE PROMISE OF THE HOLY
SPIRIT/RUACH HaKODESH
FESTIVAL: THE FESTIVAL OF PENTECOST
The coming of the Holy Spirit/Ruach HaKodesh at Pentecost is not
something that was a little afterthought in YHWH's mind. He had this all
planned before he made the earth. The word Pentecost" simply means fifty. It
was fifty days after the Passover. When he told the disciples to tarry in
Jerusalem, it wasn't just a coincidence; it was YHWH's plan unfolding, and
exactly fifty days after the Passover, something new and powerful happened'
At the Feast of the Passover, they were
as individual stalks of wheat before the L-rd. When the disciples were all assembled
together in one place in Jerusalem, they were individuals. There was no blend. It was not
a assembly/church yet.
Concerning the feast of Pentecost, YHWH
was saying, "Take the grain, grind it into flour, and turn it into bread. Put some
leaven in it because the assembly/church will never be without sin or evil in it." YHWH has it
covered, but on the underside of the covering where you live, sin often crops UP.
He covers his assembly/church, even
though sin (leaven) is present; by his Spirit and the power of the
life-blood of Jesus/Yeshua HaMashiach, he cleanses it! By this he was saying, "I
want you to grind the wheat and turn it into flour and make some loaves of
bread. Make a strong unit which is called my body of believers, instead of
having individual, separate believers. My body is going to come together by
the power of the Holy Spirit/Ruach HaKodesh. It's going to be blended as one. It is not, as
some people think, a perfect body; so put the leaven in because it has to represent the assembly/church as
it is."
I'm not excusing sin; I'm just glad that
YHWH made provision for us in spite of it, because his plan was to take care of ALL things.
In YHWH's great plan, the baptism with the
Holy Spirit/Ruach HaKodesh is available for all his children and is necessary to help us to be and do!
YHWH's Spirit must be in us,
and it cannot be quenched; the flow of the Holy Spirit/Ruach HaKodesh power must never be
held back. "Do not quench (suppress/subdue) the Holy Spirit/Ruach
HaKodesh"
(I Thes. 5:19 Amp).
The baptism with the
Holy Spirit/Ruach HaKodesh endues us with power to be like Jesus/Yeshua
HaMashiach!
It is a vital part of
YHWH's plan. You
cannot erase it! It's there! It is settled forever!
5th. PRIORITY: GO TELL THE WORLD
FESTIVAL: THE FESTIVAL OF TRUMPETS
After the day of Pentecost
was the Festival of the Trumpets where the people met to herald the sound,
and we too have the message to herald the Good News. Let's get out where
people don't know Jesus/Yeshua HaMashiach, be the voice of the trumpet, and carry the
Good News that Jesus/Yeshua HaMashiach saves! His work is done!
The news is good! You can
come now! Mashiach has defeated the devil! The battle is over, and we can go
out with the trumpets! That is what he meant when he said, "... ye
shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye
shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in
Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth" (Acts 1:8).
6th
PRIORITY: ATONEMENT OF JESUS/YESHUA HaMASHIACH IS EVERLASTING
FESTIVAL:
THE DAY OF ATONEMENT
The Festival of Atonement was a reminder
that Israel's probation had expired and that their covering must be renewed. It was the
time for the annual sacrifice for sin. It was a time when YHWH reviewed all the charges
against man each year and he stood hopeless and helpless before the all-seeing eye of
YHWH.
For this reason, man was
given certain guidelines based on complete obedience so that he would earn a
reprieve during this time of exposure. This annual offering for sin could
never make people perfect, but would give them another year of probation
(Lev. 23:27 and Lk. 1:8-12).
When we are born again and
YHWH's Holy Spirit/Ruach HaKodesh gives us new life from heaven, our probation does not just
expire, it is canceled; the covering is not just renewed, it is an
everlasting covering through the sacrifice of Jesus/Yeshua HaMashiach.
What about those who sin, who remove
themselves from under the covering of YHWH's protection? Just as YHWH provided a way under
the old law, he has a way for them today - and that way is repentance and a return to
fellowship since there is no other sacrifice, no other way!
"But if we confess our
sins to him, he can be depended on to forgive us and to cleanse us from
every wrong. (And it is perfectly proper for YHWH to do this for us because
Mashiach died to wash away our sins.)" (I John 1:9 TLB).
7th PRIORITY: THE RETURN OF
JESUS/YESHUA HaMASHIACH
FESTIVAL:
THE FESTIVAL OF TABERNACLES
The desire of YHWH is that we live with
him forever and forever. This festival was a totally joyous celebration. On the first day,
the people were to build the shelters out of boughs of fruit trees laden with fruit, palm
fronds, and the boughs of leafy trees, while rejoicing before the L-rd their
YHWH. These
were to be the shelters where YHWH would dwell with them.
Long ago YHWH said, "I want to take
you where I am. I want to live with you by my Spirit, and then I want to take you to live
with me forever." This wasn't something that happened or that was decided on by a
committee of theologians. He told Moses to institute this feast, because "I want to
tabernacle with you." You can't get away from the message of the return of
Mashiach and YHWH's taking us to live with him, because it is already established in heaven and it is
going to unfold exactly the way YHWH said it would!
We have the assurance that
we are covered through YHWH's grace and that he doesn't see our sin, our
fault or failure, but sees us exactly like Jesus/Yeshua HaMashiach - holy, faultless
and unreprovable in his SIGHT (Col. 1:22). We can rest in his finished work.
Our confidence in the completeness of his perfect plan will get others ready
for that great day when he returns to receive us unto himself.
This is the last
of the seven festivals given to Moses and this priority will bring to completion
YHWH's
great plan of redemption.
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