Light from the Word

The Cry of the Soul

What rain is for the soil,

Tears are for the soul,

Washing the anguish within

Awakening the feeling of hope.

For who can understand

The depth pain of the soul?

At the dawn arrival

Shining brightly the sun’s rays,

Bringing healing to a new day,

Nature cries to its Creator

On its last breath between life and death.

The world’s colors turn to gray

It’s winter dominating; all die.

Silencing the stormy wind

Sobs is the song of the troubled heart,

One after another, bringing console of relief

With bent knees, bent mind.

Holding to Him I cry, Lord!

The valley is deep and dark

No light to guide the blind eyes.

Far, far away songs of birds I hear

Faintly, yet assuring with a whisper of hope

Spring in color, dancing to the tunes,

Even butterflies waiving their wings

Kissing the flowers in bloom

The sun smiles

At the morning arrival!

Weeping may endure for a night

But joy comes in the morning (Ps. 30:5b)

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A Father That Would Not Give Up

The parable of the Prodigal Son is an inspirational story to many of us, who never knew our fathers. It gives us a feeling of security desiring deeply in our soul a father such as this one from the parable our Lord YAHSHUA told to the disciples. The love of this father covers the story with hope. Hope not seen through the earthly fathers today for their lack of commitment to their children. The perfect love expressed in this story, gives us the certainty that this Father is no one else but our heavenly Father. Just as the young son of the parable, we all have left Him for the love of the world. “Our heavenly Father is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and plenteous in mercy and loving kindness; He will not always chide or be contending, neither will He keep His anger forever or hold a grudge; He has not dealt with us after our iniquities; as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.” (Ps. 103: 8-12) The prohibited fruit eaten by our forefathers represent the world and its temptations. Our Creator gave instructions how to live, but we fell into the world’s temptation, ignoring His instructions. In spite of it, He provided a plan of redemption to save us from His judgment.

As the young man of the story, little do we know what waits for us at the end of our adventure into the world’s life style. Our heavenly Father knowing all, never gives up on us. He still waits for those who continue in the world. Even though having all we need, we find it not to be enough to satisfy our fleshy desires. We want more having to do with all that is in the world- the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. These do not come from the father, but are from the world (I John 2:16). The young man from the story lived to satisfy the flesh. He followed his desires without measuring the consequences they brought him. He left home with a packet full of money, hoping to satisfy his dreams. Not too long, he was surrendered with friends to waste his inheritance with him; life was fun for a while until all was gone, and his friends with it. Realizing where he had arrived to, he had a change of heart. He had been shaken up from his sleep to the reality, when he found himself sharing pigs’ food, due to a famine in the land. That distant land was no longer a place he longed for, to satisfy his fleshly desires, but a place that had nothing to offer him, but hogs’ food. Submerged in that reality, he made a decision that changed his life. He realized that the hog’s carob pods he was feeding self were not what he intended and purposed for his life. Then he came to himself and said, “How many hired servants of my father have enough food, but I am perishing here of hunger! I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to Him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants” (Luke 15:11-24).

The father who never gave up on his son, as a matter of fact, while he was still a long way off, saw him and was moved with pity and tenderness and he ran and embraced and kissed him (vs.20). There was no discussion in that atmosphere, there was no why. Only forgiveness with the reward of receiving him back as his son with all its privileges. He was dressed with the best robe, and given him a ring, and sandals; they celebrated his return with the [wheat-fattened calf]. Because, he said, this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found! And they began to revel and feast and make merry (vs. 22-24). YAHSHUA said, even so, I tell you, there is joy among and in the presence of the angels of God over one wicked person who repents. (Luke 15:10).

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In Betrayal, in Denial- A crown of Thorns; In the Crown of Thorns – Crucifixion

“Betrayal in a relationship is a breach of trust that violates expectations, commitments, or emotional safety, causing deep hurt and a sense of abandonment.”

Betrayal causes pain in the soul of man like that of a sword piercing deeply through the body. The soul seemly is affected for a long time, causing the body to suffer diseases lodged in the anguish of the soul. The Lord experienced the worst betrayal the world can offer. “…He who eats My bread with Me has raised up his heel against Me.” After YAHSHUA said these things, He was troubled in spirit and said, I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, one o you will be false to Me and betray Me” (john 13:21). Judas was called the “Son of perdition.” (John 17:12). In His priestly prayer YHASHUA referred to him as the “son of perdition.” He prayed: “While I was with them, I kept and preserved them in Your name. Those You have given Me I guarded and protected, and not one of them has perished or is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.” John 6:70-71 YAHSHUA said, Did I not choose you the twelve? And yet one of you is a devil. He was speaking of Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, for he was about to betray Him. He was one of the twelve. In Psalm 41:9 King David experienced betrayal in a prophetic way concerning the Lord YAHSHUA’S experience: “Even my own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, who ate of my bread, has lifted up his heel against me.” We see the same language applied by our Lord many years later, fulfilling the prophecy. When our forefathers sinned, the Lord God pronounced judgment for them and the serpent, saying, And I will put enmity between you (the serpent) and the woman, and between your offspring (serpent) and her Offspring; He (YAHSHUA) will bruise and tread your head underfoot and you will lie in wait and bruise His heel (Gen. 3:15). Before Jacob’s death he prophesized of his children, in particular of the tribe of Dan saying, “Dan shall judge his people as one of the tribes of Israel. He shall be a serpent by the way, a horned snake in the path, that bites at the horse’s heels, so that is rider falls backward…” (Gen 49:16-17). This prophecy was fulfilled in YAHSHUA at the cross, when He disarmed the principalities and powers that were ranged against us and made a bold display and public example of them in triumphing over them in Him and in in it (the cross). Judas then served as the son of the devil, when he bruised the Lord’s heel by betraying Him.

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O Send Out Your Light and Your Truth, Let Them Lead Me (Psalm 43:3)

In the midst of a society filled with lies and deceit, this prayer serves us well to make it our own in times when we only have to turn to television to notice the fakeness the world of news and TV, and every electronic garget offer us. False and shallow Bible prosperity teachings have misled the masses to the road of no return. This is a society covered with tattoos, covering whom they truly are. As they dress in black, expressing their dark beliefs. Children reared without the love and biblical instructions to guide them in the direction God instructed in the Bible, as it says, “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” (Prov. 22:6). Today’s generation carries a degree of insecurity lodging in their soul. They are all part of high tech. They are a mute society, with no communication outside themselves from the time they awake to the time they close their eyes to sleep. The Bible warns us not to believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. (I John 4:1). According to John, the spirit of the antichrist is already in the world. His spirit permeates and guides those who follow him. It’s time for Christians to wake up and take action against Satan to protect ourselves and our children. We have been given the full armor of God to fight with, for our wrestling is not with flesh and blood, but against the despotisms, against the powers, against the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spirit forces of wickedness in the heavenly sphere (Eph. 6)

Light serves to show the way, as the lamp is to guide our steps. YAHSHUA declares: “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father except by Me” (John 14:6). When darkness permeates the church, the truth is clouded with confusion and none embraces it. It is precisely in the midst of this confused society that we fervently must pray: “O Send Your Light and Your Truth, let them lead Me.” God has sent the Light and the Truth. YAHSHUA said, “I am the Light of the world. He who follows Me will not be walking in the dark, but will have the Light which is Life” (John 8:12).

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Joshua, a Filthy Priest

Then [the guiding angel] showed me Joshua the high priest (clothed with filthy garments) and was standing before standing before the Angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at Joshua’s right hand to be his adversary and to accuse him (Zech. 3). The position of a priest or High Priest was one of great spiritual responsibility toward the people. He acted as a mediator between God and the people; the High Priest was the only person to enter the Holy of Holies to make atonement for the nation’s sin. He was the spiritual leader of Israel; he led the worship and maintained as custodian of Law, upheld and taught the Law, making sure that the people followed the commandments. Not everyone took the position of High Priest, for it was a hereditary position, from the tribe of Levi. This tribe was set apart to serve God in the way of the temple and the spiritual wellbeing of the people. It was a unique tribe, for it was set apart to serve God. Levi was the third son of Jacob and Leah (Gen.29:34).

In contrast with the position of a High Priest, Joshua was clothed with filthy garments and was standing before the Angel of the Lord. “Is not this [returned captive Joshua] a brand plucked out of the fire?” (Zech. 3). Does the term “filthy garment” imply spiritual as well as physical? If his life style called the attention of Satan himself, it could imply spiritual. Joshua was before God to be accused by the devil, the accuser of our soul. But the Lord spoke to those who stood before Him, saying, “Take away the filthy garments from him. I caused your iniquity to pass from you, and I will clothe you with rich apparel.” And I [Zechariah] said, “Let them put a clean turban on his head, so they put a turban on his head and clothed him with rich garments.” And the Angel of the Lord stood by and protested and affirmed to Joshua saying, “Thus says the Lord of hosts: If you will walk in My ways and keep my charge, then also you shall rule My house and have charge of My courts and I will give you access [to My presence] and places to walk among these who stand here” (Zech. 3).

The Lord is compassionate and gracious and ready to forgive. He did not condemn Joshua, but forgave him and dressed him with a holy garment and warned him. Joshua was warned not to continue in his sinful life, but to return to God and his responsibilities before Him. When yet sinners, YAHSHUA did not stand condemning us, He cleansed us with His blood and imputed in us His righteousness, making us His redeemed children. We however, have a cross to bear in order to follow Him. The prodigal son’s father did the same to him when he returned home. He removed the world’s smell from him as he confessed his sins repenting, his father said to the bond servants, “Bring quickly the best robe and put it on him; and give him a ring for his hand and sandals for his feet; and bring out that [wheat-fattened calf and kill it’ and let us revel and feast and be happy and make merry because this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found! And they began to revel and feast and make merry” (Luke 15:11-24). The prodigal son was reinstated into his family without condemnation. The best garment was offered him; a ring and shoes. Celebration came after to welcome him home. Sealed forever into his family with the ring, symbolic of the Holy Spirit’s ring guaranteeing our salvation when we become His children. The old is gone, the new has come. “Therefore, if any person is in Christ he is a new creation; the old has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come” (II Co. 5:17). A person can be a pastor or a Sunday School teacher and yet not be part of the family of God; but condemned and lost. A person who professes faith in YAHSHUA and yet continues living a sinful life, has not yet been born again. Joshua, had the position of a priest, responsible for the spiritual life of the nation, and yet lost in sin and at the mercy of Satan’s accusations. But the Lord told those who stood before Him, saying, “Take away the filthy garments from him. And He said to Joshua, I have caused your iniquity to pass from you, and I will clothe you with rich apparel; He said, If you will walk in My ways and keep My charge, then also you shall rule My house and have charge of My courts and I will give you access [to My presence] and places to walk among these who stand here” (Zech. 3).

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Nations in Trouble

“The Lord was grieved in heart” (Gen. 6:6b). That was not the fact that He didn’t know the outcome of His creation; that was not the case of surprise. But it was the case of men’s evil heart and intension continually. The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every imagination and intention of all human thinking was only evil continually, and the Lord regretted that He had made man on the earth and He was grieved in heart. So, the Lord said,” I will destroy blot out and wipe away mankind, whom I have and created from the face of the earth- not only man, [but] the beasts and the creeping things and the birds of the air- for it grieves Me and makes Me regretful that I have made them. But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord” (Gen. 6). YAHSHUA declared in His prophetic utterance, saying, “And as it was in the days of Noah, so, will it be in the time of the Son of Man. [People] ate, they drank, they married, they were given in marriage, right up to the day when Noah went into the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. Ao also as it was in the days of Lot, [People] ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; but on the [very] day that Lot went out of Sodom, it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed [them] all. That is the way it will be on the day that the Son of Man is revealed.” (Luke 17: 26-30).

Nations are in big trouble today. Men have forgotten God as the Creator and have taken the time to worship their electronic gadgets every minute of the day. They are even marrying robots, AI and whatever pleases them. For certain YAHSHUA confirmed an end to the world’s evil when He comes to judge it. The early pains of the tribulation have begun, but many are too busy with the affairs of the world to notice it. By the time they will notice, it will be too late, when they will be under the control of the surveillance state. What does it mean for all of us? It means that every word, every action, people’s faces, everywhere we are via telephone and business transactions already have been recorded. As it is now, We are under the control of the surveillance state.

John Whitehead, founder of the Rutherford Institute, is an attorney and author who has written, debated and practiced widely in the area of constitutional law, human rights and popular culture. He has observed the following:

“The surveillance state reached a new level of sophistication and reach. Government agencies consolidated financial records, biometric identifiers, communications metadata, travel histories, and online behavior into centralized intelligence systems, often facilitated by private contractors. Artificial intelligence tools generated risk scores and predictive profiles, flagging individuals not for crimes committed, but for behaviors, associations, and speech deemed suspicious.”

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The Valley, a Place for Relationship with God

In the silence of a valley of suffering the mind brings circumstances we face with anxiety fear and worries. Long nights, as if there was no day around the corner, we submerge in the solicitude of our thoughts. A prayer is directed to God with questions without answers. Alone we remain in doubt, without faith to alleviate the pain, bringing hope for that moment in the valley. God’s promises sound clearly, but His voice overtaken by anxiety, we cannot hear. God, where are you? I then lift up my eyes and see Him suffering my pains in a horrible cross, body covered with blood disfigured beyond recognition. Then I realized, no, I am not alone, He is suffering with me here in this valley so deep. He Said, “the reproaches and abuses of those who reproached and abused you fell on Me” (Rom.15:4). There are many patriarchs that walked the valley of life before their deaths. I think Job, a righteous man, who loved God and walked in His ways, suffered the worst valley one would do. Job, lost everything, family riches, he was left with poor friendships, who served to accuse him. Body filled with sores, still did not curse His God, even when suggested by his wife. At the end of his ordeal, Job, when facing God, repenting, said, “I had heard of You [only] by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You; therefore, I loathe [my words] and abhor myself and repent in dust and ashes” (Job 42: 5-6).

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Come Away to Rest Awhile

And He sent them out to announce the kingdom of God and to bring healing (Luke 9). They were the first missionaries commissioned to announce the Kingdom of God. These Apostles were very privileged missionaries under the authority of God Himself. For them there were no worry of any king. Every need was supplied. They were empowered with God’s Spirit to heal and to exercise power over Satan and all demons. The will of YAHSHUA was going to be accomplished while they were announcing His kingdom. The purpose why they were chosen was for that purpose. Three years YAHSHUA trained them to do what He did, in the same power. It has never been God’s purpose that men should be lost because of ignorance; His purpose was for their salvation. This was the reason why He came down to earth, sacrifice His life through rejection and ultimately His death. A price we could never pay for our humanity and sinful life. So, YAHSHUA called together the twelve disciples and gave them power and authority over all demons and diseases (Luke 9:1). I am sure that the trip was hard and tiring since they did not have the conveniences we do enjoy in our days. Dusty roads for one. YAHSHUA commanded them not to take supplies for the road for they were already supplied with all they needed. There would be plenty of dust for them to shake out of their feet at the rejection of the message, as YAHSHUA told them to do.

Under the authority of God Himself, although He wasn’t there with them humanely speaking, the disciples took His authority and ran with it. Departing, they went about from village to village, preaching the Gospel and restoring the afflicted to health everywhere. Seeing the miracles, they became excited and reported to YAHSHUA all that they had done upon their return. However, YAHSHUA took them (along with Him) and withdrew into privacy near a town called Bethsaida (Luke 9:10). The disciples hadn’t witnessed YAHSHUA’S action behind the scenes of their spiritual warfare, as they confronted the enemies directed, they were not aware that YAHSHUA knew what was happening. His power was with them as well as His authority. Otherwise, they couldn’t have been successful.

As a matter of fact, we live in a world of spiritual warfare. Every day we must face temptations without being aware of it and often falling into it. The Apostle Paul writing to the Ephesians, brought to them the awareness of the need to be dressed with the complete armor of God at all times (Eph. 6) in order for us to wrestle against the forces of wickedness in the heavenly sphere. The disciples had YAHSHUA Himself, Who is the Word of God to fight with the helmet of salvation and the sword that the Spirit wields, which is the Word of God (Eph.6:17). It is good to remember while we are serving the Lord what we have available to us. We have authority, power and the full armor of God. YAHSHUA well knew the extent of the spiritual warfare they had fought and recommended them to take time in a secluded place to rest in His presence. As a good Shepherd, He offers us rest in green pastures: “The Lord is my Shepherd. I shall not lack. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside the still waters; He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.” Sanctification is available to us in the quiet time in His presence. There, we are blessed with “His goodness and mercy and love; they shall follow all the days of my life, and through the length of my life the house of the Lord shall be my dwelling place” (Ps. 23). YAHSHUA’S presence was promised to be with us all the days of our live. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. ²⁹Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matt. 11:28). Our Lord offers spiritual rest, free from religious demands. Our Lord offers us a life of love and a life of grace. We will experience Him this way when we take the first step to rest in His presence. His Word becomes reality to our heart and soul, permeating our being with peace. Peace is a restorer and an elevator of our soul to Him.

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Shake the Dust Off Your Feet

YAHSHUA was met with criticism and doubt, when He went to His town of Nazareth to teach in the synagogue. The people were astonished at His teaching, questioning His knowledge and wisdom and where did He come from. They knew Him to be the son of Mary, brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and a carpenter, but nothing else. While He was teaching, the people kept rejecting His knowledge and what He was saying. They didn’t know that there in their midst stood the SON OF GOD, the Author and Creator of all living things, including themselves. Their minds were plugged with doubt unable to see and understand Whom He was through many miracles. They missed all together that theirs was the privilege of having God incarnated living among them. As a result, they remained in their own estate of mind, missing the opportune time when God’s Son had come to bring peace, but that was now hidden from them. Their lack of faith did not allow YAHSHUA to perform one work of power, except laying of hands on a few sick people. Israel didn’t know Whom was that man among them for a while performing miracles. Their eyes were closed and their ears locked to YAHSHUA’S messages. The kingdom of God was near them, but they didn’t want it. So it was that when YAHSHUA sent His disciples to the missionary field, He warning them saying, … “As you going into the house, give you greetings and wish it well; then if indeed that house is deserving, let come upon it your peace. But if it is not deserving, let your peace return to you. And whoever will not receive and accept and welcome you nor listen to your message, you leave that house or town, shake the dust from your feet” (Matt. 10:12-13). Israel’s attitude of rejection toward the Savior continued to the end of His earthly life. The disciples were to shake the dust of their feet in response to the Israel’s rejection of YAHSHUA’S message.

Many years previously, the Prophet Isaiah asked the question, “Who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been disclosed?” (Isa. 53) John confirms in John 1:11-12: “He came to that which belonged to Him, and they who were His own did not receive Him and did not welcome Him. But to as many as did receive and welcome Him, He gave the authority to become the children of God, that is, to those who believe in His name.” The disciples were sent out with the Gospel message being instructed to go nowhere among the Gentiles and do not go into any town of the Samaritans; but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. “And as you go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand! Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give; take no gold nor silver nor copper money in your purses and do not take a provision bag or a wallet for a collection bag for your journey, nor two undergarments, nor sandals, nor a staff; for the workman deserves his support…And whoever will not receive and accept and welcome you nor listen to your message, as you leave that house or town, shake the dust from your feet. Truly I tell you, it shall be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town” (Matt. 10). This is a testimony against those who would not accept the message, with judgment coming against them. This act of shaking the dust from the feet is an expression of finality. Rejecting the truth is a way to perdition. Israel didn’t recognize their favorable time when YAHSHUA was on earth, rejecting His message and He Himself; many missed their salvation. Perls are not to be thrown to pigs, neither that which is holy to the dogs (Matt.7:6).

“Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” (Matt. 10:7) was the message given to the disciples to pass it on. The kingdom of heaven is YAHSHUA Himself, Who came from heaven, bringing salvation; it is the spiritual nature of God, not political or earthly kingdom; it is YAHSHUA fulfilling the law in its completion and given us eternal life with forgiven. A great number of Israelites were left behind in the desert, for not listening to the message of the Law. They were judged and never saw the Promised Land. It is the same idea today as yesterday. If we do not listen to the message of salvation, the dust of someone’s feet will be shaken out of their feet. The opportunity will not return for that person, ending up in hell.

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Israel in the Past, in the Present, and in the Future

The nation of Israel had a very unique history, unlikely that of all the other nations. Created by God, privileged with all the super natural events while taken to the Promised Land, promised to the patriarch Abraham, whom God chose to be their father. He was a man after the heart of God for his zeal for God. Born in the days of Noah, he lived in Noah’s house for a period of time, where he learned the ways of the Lord and served the Lord all the days of his life. He destroyed all his father’s gods out of zeal for God and was put in prison for a time. (The Book of Jasher) No, Abraham was not a worshipper of gods, contrary to what Christians think. He was influenced by Noah and his son to follow the true God. He took a strong stand against his father’s gods and made sure that they were destroyed. While in Haran, the Lord called Abraham to leave his country, his relatives and his father’s house, to the land that He was going to show him and the Lord said to him, And I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name famous and distinguished, and you will be a blessing; and I will bless those who bless you and curse him who curses or uses insolent language toward you; in you will all the families and kindred of the earth be blessed. And, Abraham departed, as the Lord had directed him… He was seventy-five years old when he left Haran. (Gen.12). From this man of faith and obedience, came the nation of Israel established by God Himself.

Four hundred years the descendants of Abraham lived in Egypt, as God told him. Subjected to the Egyptians’ demands and hard work, Israel suffered much until God called the man Moses to deliver them. It was a time of great deliverance, after God brought judgments upon the Egyptians for not let the people go. They were seventy people in all when they arrived in Egypt; four hundred years later they had multiplied to over a million people. Moses, who was adopted by the daughter of the king, was considered their son, but he chose to leave their life style to save his people. Starting, he killed an Egyptian for mistreating one of his brothers, and then fled to the land of Median, where God called him to save his people from slavery. That was forty years later after he had left Egypt. Afraid, he hesitated to answer to the call for his past hanged over his head. With the help of his brother Aaron, he went and miraculously he delivered the people. This was a new chapter in the lives of the people.

That was the beginning of their journey through the wilderness for forty years. It was there that God manifested His presence by miracles and wonders. To start with, He parted the Red Sea for them to cross it on dry land. It took all night for those people to arrive to the other side. He brought them out, on eagles’ wings safe and sound as He told them in Exodus 19:4: You have seen for yourselves what I did to Egypt and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself. All through the forty years they wandered through the desert, God provided a cloud in the day time to protect them from the heat of the sun and a pillar of fire in the night to provided them light. These were years of teaching them to be a nation different of all the rest. They were to be priests unto the Lord and light to the world around them as a testimony of their true God. On the third month of their journey, God descended to Mount Sinai to covenant with them. The mount was wrapped in smoke, for the Lord descended upon it in fire; its smoke ascended like that of a furnace and the whole mountain quaked greatly (Ex. 19:18). The seriousness of that event took the people by surprise and fear. They were facing the holiness of their God which was to compel them to keep His covenant with Him, so not to be judged.

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