Moses tells us in Genesis 32 how Jacob was afraid to return to the promised land. Jacob had completed 20 years of service to Laban and was returning with his wives and children. But if you recall, Jacob had left 20 years earlier because of his brother Esau. Jacob had received both Esau’s birthright and blessing. Some would argue that the blessing was stolen by his deception of Isaac, but the fact remains that Jacob had them and Esau was angry – angry enough to threaten him with his life. Now, Jacob was returning and Esau was coming to meet him with 400 hundred armed men.
Chess is a classic game of strategy and tactics. Ancient warriors from knights to kings have used the game to sharpen their skills for armed conflict. Modern strategists also use elements of the game to understand the nature of conflict. Most of you, like myself, are but mere pawns in the bigger game of chess played in the world.
A gambit is a particular chess move with great strategy. Webster defines a gambit as an opening move in chess where a pawn or other piece is sacrificed to get an advantage or position. A Queen’s Gambit game is where the Queen’s pawn is advanced two spaces, unprotected, allowing the opponent to take the pawn, while the first player gets some other advantage. Simply said, it makes the other player play the gambit game.
When the Antichrist (antimessiah) comes to power, most of us will never see or deal with him directly. More likely, we will see and read news reports of his efforts, but most of us will not deal with him face to face. This is not much consolation, however, because we will have to deal with something else concerning the Antichrist that is even more insidious and dangerous. In fact, we are having to deal with that problem right now even before he comes to power. What problem are we dealing with that is more dangerous than the person of the antichrist? You have heard of it before but maybe you did not understand how dangerous it is. It is called the Spirit of the Antichrist and it is splitting Messianic congregations and scattering brethren today.
When I was seven years old, in the second grade at Lincoln elementary school, a special art teacher came to my class. Her name was Mrs. Sheets. In a few moments, you will understand why I remember her name almost 50 years later. Instead of pulling out our crayons or water color paints, we were given a large piece of paper and led out of the classroom with our pencils.
They will pull their kids from school. They will use their prized vacation time or endure the loss of pay. They will load their vehicles with their grubby and rugged clothing. They will lock their houses and have friends collect the mail. They will drag a trailer or carry a tent traveling a great distance to get there. They will enter into a camp with only a few restrooms far from the comforts of their home. They will expose themselves to more than a week of crisp fall mornings and use the shivers to wake-up. They will sit huddled in the cool evenings and let smoke from a campfire cure them. They will endure the hot sun of the afternoon and the suddenness of a thunderstorm at any time of day or night.
So, let’s say you are having a reasonable conversation with someone when they suddenly tell you that the grass is blue and the sky is green. You, of course, chuckle to yourself and offer the immediate correction only to be rebuffed as well. How would you explain to your friend that somehow he has the colors backwards? How would you help correct someone who has been told and believes the opposite is true? This is the same dilemma that many of us face when we speak with our Christian friends and family about the Torah, the commandments of God, or the Messianic movement’s teaching.
All students of the Bible have heard the story of Jacob and his four wives. Jacob labored seven years for Rachel only to be tricked into marrying her sister Leah. From this beginning, Jacob ended up marrying Leah and her handmaid Zilpah, Rachel and her handmaid Bilhah. From these mothers, twelve sons and a daughter were born. The basic story is given to us in Genesis. When Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers, God used Joseph to preserve Jacob’s family by raising him up as the Viceroy of Egypt. Jacob’s family moved to Egypt and from there a great nation was born. From twelve sons, twelve tribes were formed to become the nation of Israel. But that is where the fun begins.
Yeshua’s ministry was filled with inspired teaching, new sight for the blind, healing for the lame, cleansing for lepers, and hope for the poor. It also had something else – great conflict. In the midst of doing so much good, there were those who were opposed to all the good being done. Was it Satan incarnate who was so adamantly opposed? Was it evil forces filled with hatred that opposed Yeshua as He went about doing good? No. For the most part, it was the religious people, specifically it was the religious leaders who were pledged and committed to the good of the community and the people. Within this group were Sadducees, scribes, priests, and the elders of the land, but it was the Pharisees that gave Yeshua the most grief.
The World believes that an independent Palestinian state sitting side-by-side with the state of Israel is the path to peace. The United States, the chief broker for peace in the Middle East, is now supporting this idea backed by the United Nations.
Critics of this idea claim that the issues are more fundamental. They argue that you can not negotiate with terrorism. They have concluded that Arafat is a terrorist and agree with the government of Israel that the Palestinian terrorist network must be dismantled before peace negotiations can begin. Those opposed say that Arafat is the leader of the Palestinians and that we must deal with him. Who is right?
I was told a long time ago a very interesting fact concerning our bodies as humans. Every molecule in your body changes every seven years. Simply said, you are not the same person you were seven years earlier. The same can be said for this ministry.
Seven years ago, Lion and Lamb Ministries began. As I look back and consider our beginning, there are many changes that have taken place. Many of the people who worked with us and had a part then are no longer with us. Some physically passed away and others lost heart; and, like the Messianic Movement itself, we have had our "messy" moments. But one thing has remained consistent and faithful. The Lord has been with us all the way.
Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread comes in late March and early April of 2002. The eve of the 14th of Nisan will occur on the evening of March 26. However, most Jewish homes will gather on the evening of March 27, observe the seder meal and continue to eat only unleavened bread through April 4. During this season, public seders will also occur in churches and messianic assemblies.
The name of God is a very important subject to believers. Some believers, particularly in the Messianic Movement, have emphasized the importance of God’s name to an almost critical level. By critical level, they have taught that a failure to pronounce God’s name in their specified Hebrew sounding way constitutes everything from a flaw in one’s spiritual walk to a failure to know God and His salvation. Let’s agree on one point right from the beginning. God’s name is important. He has made it important. Knowing the name of God and honoring His name are extremely important spiritual matters for all believers. God, Himself, has given commandment not to take His name in vain. Therefore, we should do that which brings honor and glory to His name. But, there is more. God is manifesting Himself in His name.
My maternal grandmother was a saint. She was the lady who taught me how to pray. She provided me with my first Bible. She took me to church for the first time. I worshiped God the first time with her. She was beyond faithful. She went to church every Sunday morning and evening, including the Wednesday night prayer time. No matter what the function, if the church doors were unlocked, she was there. Kind of drove the rest of the family nuts, but bless her heart, she was a devoted woman. I could tell you much more about her, but we need to address a very important question about our faith.
