The Walls of Jericho

(Joshua 6: I-21)

Walls are a means of protection, and privacy. In the early days they served well in big cities as Jericho, to mark boundaries, as we read here in the first verse of Joshua chapter one. Now Jericho was tightly closed because of the Israelites; no one went out or came in. They sought protection behind their walls, as usually they did, but this time, there would be no wall that would withstand the power of the Almighty God behind Israel’s strength!  Israel’s reputation had reached their ears concerning the places and kings Israel had destroyed. According to Rahab, the people were trembling with fear of them. She said, I know that the Lord has given you the land and that your terror is fallen upon us and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you, for we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were on the side of the Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed. When we heard it, our hearts melted, neither did spirit or courage remain any more in any man because of you, for the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath (Joshua 1:9-11).

After days of marching around the city, as God commanded Israel to do, the walls of Jericho came down and Israel conquered the city. They were to march around the enclosure, all the men of war going around the city once, for six days, seven priests were to bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams’ horn and on the seventh day they were to march around the enclosure seven times, and the priests were to blow the trumpets, when at the long blast of the trumpets, the people were to shout with a great shout and the wall would fall down (vs. 3-5). The battle to conquer Jericho belonged to the Prince of the Lord’s host. But Israel had to fight against it physically. The victory was certain and powerful. The people had no chance to fight Israel and so, no one escaped besides Rahab and her family, as it was promised her. Conquered in 1599 years B.C., Jericho was visited by the Lord YAHSHUA many years later, this time not as the Prince of the Lord’s host, but as a Savior, bringing salvation to a short Jewish man, called Zacchaeus and his family. YAHSHUA proclaimed, Today, salvation came to this household, since Zacchaeus too is a son of Abraham; for the Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost (Luke 19:1-10). Zacchaeus’ wall came down when he admitted his sinful condition to the Lord. Salvation came to him and to his family as a result.

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Be Still… and The Winds Calmed Down

(Matthews 8:23-27)

YAHSHUA, after teaching the famous sermon on the mount, came down with a multitude of people following Him. From that crowd, a leper shows up and begs Him to be healed, as he prostrating himself and worshiping Him said, “If You are willing, You are able to cleanse me” … YAHSHUA then responded, I am willing and healed him. His day begun reaching out to a spiritually hungry and thirsty crowd. These were as if sheep without a shepherd. They always seemed to know where to find YAHSHUA. It was as if they had an appointment with Him. That day was no different. On His way to Capernaum, a Centurion came up to Him begging Him to heal his servant. He expressed the anguish of his servant by saying, Lord, my servant boy is lying at the house paralyzed and distressed with intense pain (Matt. 8:5-6). This Roman Centurion, without out a doubt, had heard about Him and now came to Him believing Him. It only took the first step for him to receive the result of his faith. In fact, YAHSHUA marveled at his faith and as a result, his servant was healed. Entering Peter’s house, He found Peter’s wife sick with a fever. He touched her hand and the fever left her. After that, many who were under the power of demons came to Him; He drove out the spirits with a word and restored to health all who were sick. The Word of God concludes, Thus He fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah, He Himself took our weaknesses and infirmities and bore away our diseases (vs.14-17). Those were very busy days for Messiah YAHSHUA. Compelled by love, compassion, He healed diseases- all kinds of diseases, He freed many from the power of demons.  Those were physical, emotional, and spiritual storms people brought to Him. None who came to Him left emptied handed or disappointed. Out of His fullness, as John said, they had received one grace after another and spiritual blessing upon spiritual blessing and even favor upon favor and gift upon gift (John 1:16).

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Awake My Soul

Awake my soul from slumber

To the glory of YAHWEH

Displayed every moment

Around and about you

Awake to the hour

Nearing when to Him

You must give an account

Surround yourself with truth

Of the everlasting covenant

And know His faithfulness

Shown to you by His grace

A thing you do not deserve

Lift up your hands to Him

And utter words of gratitude

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Truth, What is It?

Is there any truth left in this world one must follow? Or is it dead? What is really truth? Outside of its spiritual meaning, truth is conformity with facts and reality (Webster’s dictionary). Buy the truth and sell not; not only that, but also get discernment and judgment, instructions and understanding (Prov. 23:23). Where truth has fallen, falsehood, lies and dishonesty have taken its place. Paul warned us in II Thessalonians 2 that the coming of the lawless one is through the activity and working of Satan and will be attended by great power and with all sorts of miracles and signs and delusive marvels, and by unlimited seduction to evil and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they did not welcome the Truth but refused to love it that they might be saved. Therefore, God sends upon them a misleading influence, a working of error and a strong delusion to make them believe what is false (II Thess. 2:9-11).  We live in the days of errors, misleading, lies and confusion. These are days precursor of the tribulation time, when the devil will take control of this world through the antichrist. What we are experiencing right now is the introduction of Satan’s way of governing the world. Evil, seduction, errors. Many are believing and following the delusion, by believing lies and fighting the truth. The Prophet Isaiah writes about Israel’s spiritual condition in chapter 59: 12-15 which is also a picture of today’s world’s spiritual condition:  justice is turned away backward and righteousness stands far off; for truth has fallen in the street and uprightness cannot enter [the courts of justice]. Yes, truth is lacking, and he who departs from evil makes himself a prey. And the Lord saw it, and it displeased Him that there was no justice (Vs.14-15). The time will come when the Lord will not observe the growing evil in this world without judging it. He is longsuffering, not wanting that men should go to hell; He keeps waiting for them to have a change of heart. But it will not be forever. Right now, judgment is at the door.

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The Victory That Conquers the World

(1 John 5:4; Hebrews 11:1-3, 6; 4:14-16)

Everything having been regenerated of God overcomes the world, and this is the victory which overcomes the world, even our faith; who is the one overcoming the world except the one who believes that YAHSHUA is the Son of God (I John 5:4, 5)?

Faith is the victory that conquers the world; faith, even the size of a mustard seed, has the power to move the hardest mountain; faith is the most essential ingredient in the recipe for spiritual success, for it is generated from God and it is the foundation and pillar of our belief. When YAHSHUA imparted His Spirit to the believer, He imparted faith, because He is faith. The greater the faith that we have, the more of Him that we have. We can only have the fruit of His Spirit and experience the true joy, and peace through faith, the root of hope, and all that pertains to the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Faith is the seed of the Holy Spirit planted in our spirit, giving us spiritual life, so we can bear His fruit of righteousness, as in characteristics of joy, peace, love, patience, goodness, kindness, humility, self-control, faithfulness. Using the example of an apple, we see that although it is one fruit, it has many characteristics: it is sweet, or sour, small, or big, ripe or green; it is red or yellow, or green, but only when we eat it we can define its taste. Like all fruit that God created, it has the most important part to reproduce –seeds. The seeds are the life of a fruit; inside that tiny seed there are many possibilities of tall or short trees with many thousands of fruits. Faith is like the seed in a fruit, it is the life, the essence of our belief; the Spirit of Faith is the HOLY SPIRIT HIMSELF, giving life to whomsoever will, instructing the believer to bear fruit with the same characteristics of His fruit. We can only experience joy and peace, when we have experience Him in our spirit and soul.

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Under His Wings I Delight to Sit

God’s banner- the protecting and comforting covering over us is His love. Under His wings we find a place of refuge and strength as the storm  passes by, with faith, believing that He is preparing us a place; and someday, not far away, He will come for us with the loud cry of summons, with the voice of the Archangel and with the blast of His trumpet. (John 14:1-3; I Thessalonians 2:16). Under His wings, oh glorious feeling that is, being covered with His peace! The Lord has promised complete peace for those whose minds are set on Him with trust. In the midst of chaos and confusion, YAHSHUA’S promise is certain and comforting: Let not your hearts be troubled, believe in God believe also in Me….I am going to prepare a place for you, come back to fetch you, so that where I am you will be also.(John  14:1-3). The beauty of God’s love through YAHSHUA’S words fills our hearts with peace. Under His presence we find comfort and refuge in times of storm. Only by being close to Him will we be the recipient of His protection.  There is no better place to be than close to Him, as we read in Psalm 91:1: those who dwell in the secret place of the Most High, shall remain stable and fixed under the shadow of the Almighty.

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