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Concordance.
Contact larryv
The
Letters:
# 1. Faith,
Discipleship &
Spiritual
Warfare.
# 2. Prayer,
Judgmentalism
& Forgiveness.
# 3.
The
Ekklesia
(Church) -vs-
Religion.
# 4. Elohim,
His
Love &
His
Discipline.
# 5. Spiritual
Gifts, Humility
& Elohim's
Power.
# 6. The
Holy Spirit
and Elohim's
Word.
# 7.
Reconciliation
& Sin - The
curse and our
need.
# 8.
Reconciliation
& Sin - The
consequence
of the curse.
# 9.
Reconciliation
& Sin - Sin's
cure.
#10.
Reconciliation
& Sin - Our
Choice.
#11.
Discipleship.
#12.
Works of Faith.
#13. The
Gifts of The
Holy Spirit
- and a Test.
#14.
The Sign Gifts.
#15. The
Support Gifts.
#16. The
Service Gifts.
#17. Living
as Disciples.
#18.
The Snatching
(Rapture) &
Tribulation.
#19.
Prophesy & a
Closing.
#20.
Beware the
false prophets
and teachers.
#21.
The Signs
of Messiah's
Return.
#22. Oneness
&
The Trinity,
and the Names
of Elohim!
#23.
Understanding
Righteousness,
While
Acknowledging
The enemy.
Simple Poems.
About the
Author.
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My Dear Seeker;
It seems as if a long time has passed since we've exchanged letters, yet I know
only a short period has gone by since I last
heard from you. Such is my anticipation! I was delighted to receive your
latest note, however, and was encouraged once again by your response. It
appears that your search for the truth is progressing in our Father's grace, and I notice
a new peacefulness in the presentation of your arguments and questions. I think I like
it! Your questions are as insightful as ever though, and The Holy Spirit
is
indeed a worthy topic. I only hope I can do Him justice. As always, I insist that you compare everything I present to you with
the Word of Elohim... My thoughts are irrelevant, His truth must prevail!
So then, about The Holy Spirit, let me begin by
saying that many religious institutions deny the existence, relevance or
even Deity of this Third Person of the Trinity. His being, importance
and position within the Trinity, however, is enormous, and every seeker
of the truth needs to know about the Helper sent to, "guide...in
all truth" (John 16:13). This is important, because knowledge of
Him is not only for the defense of our faith and victory in
the spiritual battle, but for our daily communion with Elohim as well.
Although books have been written about The Holy Spirit, I want to offer
a Scriptural introduction to Him that is brief, yet relevant to everyday
life. Through this introduction, I hope you will see that from the first
chapter of the Book of Genesis, to the last chapter of the Book of
Revelation, The Holy Spirit is presented in an indelible portrait of
unity with the Father and Son. And in all love, revelation and
regeneration, His existence, relevance and Deity is proven.
Every adjective used to describe El the Father and El the Son, must
also be used to describe El The Holy Spirit, because Their
essence is identical. The personalities, duties and responsibilities
within the Trinity may be different, but it is that essence, which
originated in The Father, and which is possessed by all Three Members of the
Trinity, which in fact makes them Elohim... They are individual personalities,
but the essence of each is identical, which is what makes them ONE. Adjectives like loving, joyful, peaceful,
patient, compassionate, truthful, merciful, gracious and powerful,
describe the very essence of Elohim, and again, it is Their essence which makes Them One.
In an earlier letter I said that even though Elohim desires for us to
grow up,
"in all ways into Him" (Ephesians 4:15), we each possess
and retain our own personality. In order to grow "into Him" we
surrender our will to Him, and strive to take on those adjectives which
describe His essence, but we are not meant
to be clones. We are not machines. Just as the personalities of our children are different
from us, our personalities differ from our Heavenly Father. Amazingly,
however, it is in surrendering our will to Elohim now though, that our individual
personalities will find eternal life (Matthew 10:39). We must never loose sight of the fact that we are here to glorify
our Father in heaven through YEHOWAH.
In surrendering ourselves to Him in this life, however, He is able to live
through us. As we take up our cross daily, He is able to take up
residency within our hearts, and just as the essence of Elohim is
collective, we too, as Elohim's children, will ultimately possess that
collective essence. The leadership provided us in this life by The Holy Spirit, will
reflect the totality of El the Father and El the Son, because just as
They are love, so is He. Just as They are truth, so is He, and so shall
we be, if we remain faithful and obedient to our call.
Unity with Elohim, and among ourselves, as YEHOWAH
prayed for in John 17,
comes when we submit our lives un to Elohim. And the Word found in Galatians
5:16-26 points toward The Spirit filled life, and shows a portion of
what is attainable by us - now! While there is much to learn about living
as disciples, it is natural that once we find YEHOWAH
in our hearts,
that we would begin to put the
worldly aside, and put on that which is of YEHOWAH. The power, majesty and
dominion of Elohim are ours, not only in the future kingdom, but now,
because eternal life really does begin the moment we accept YEHOWAH
as Master
and Messiah! The Holy Spirit is our instructor and guide in the
comprehension of these things though, and if we
faithfully submit and earnestly desire to grow "into Him", He
will insure that we
will attain the unity, power and authority that YEHOWAH
prayed would be
ours.
Upon a confession of faith in YEHOWAH
as personal Messiah and Master, or at the
time of ones immersion baptism, or
upon a laying on of hands by disciples already filled with The Holy Spirit, a
promise made by YEHOWAH is fulfilled, and The Holy Spirit is given to the
newly born child of Elohim. The ability to comprehend Scripture is greatly
increased once He is received (John 16:1-15), adding significantly to The Holy Spirit's importance in our life. Without the Helper however, we are
incapable of knowing the mysteries of Elohim, and without this knowledge we
are helpless in the war against the enemies of Elohim. Without The Holy Spirit in our lives we are incapable of fighting the spiritual battle
that is raging about us, against us and for our very souls. With Him, though, we
can know all mysteries, as He reveals them to us, and we will have His
power and authority for use in the glorification of His name. And, with
Him in our lives, we can "Put on the full Armor of Elohim"
(Ephesians 6:10-18). As you
read your Bible, and come to an area that you do not understand,
ask Elohim for guidance. Ask the Holy Spirit to instruct you as you continue
your studies. He will provide the understanding [tc]
you faithfully seek. Although Elohim can grant an outpouring of wisdom,
knowledge or understanding, it is our responsibility to pray for these
attributes as well; it is our responsibility to study His Word. The Holy Spirit will impart the abilities as
required, and as we are able to receive them.
The presence of The Holy Spirit is evidenced in the lives of Elohim's children
in numerous ways, but the most recognizable confirmation of
His presence should be through His fruit; especially His love (and our
love for one another). Other
evidences include the acquisition of discipline,
which we have already discussed, and the spiritual
gifts, which He immediately imparts. All these then, working within us,
grow in ever increasing abundance, thereby making the disciples of YEHOWAH
distinguishable in the world.
Sadly, I have taught classes where people have walked out of the room at
the mere mention of The Holy Spirit. And I have seen
folks literally run
at any hint of the gifts being discussed! Many professing 'Christians' are
sincerely petrified about receiving Him into their lives, because of the
false teachings, false practices and false dogma that have permeated the religious
institutions. Unwilling to know The Holy Spirit though, and therefore
unwilling to be known by Him, many of these souls are lost in a maze.
Although they may sincerely desire to please Elohim, they are blind, and
unable to comprehend why Elohim is not working in or through their lives.
My prayer, therefore, is that you will know Him, and be at peace with
Him.
Additionally, many 'Christians' are frustrated because
our natural man and our spiritual man are in constant opposition. While
our spirit desires to glorify Elohim, we are incapable of accomplishing
this without The Holy Spirit. Denying The Holy Spirit access to our life
denies Elohim His glory. And denying Elohim His glory, denies our own life
purpose, which produces our frustration. There is hope, however,
and tremendous gratification, because Elohim's love prevails when we submit
to Him.
 Genesis 1:2 tells us that
The Holy Spirit was involved in the creation, and from Numbers 11:16-17
we know He was the indwelling power and authority given to Moses
and the elders assisting him - in judging the tribes of Israel. This same
power and authority is ours today, because the same The Holy Spirit
is
our gift from Elohim today, given as a deposit/pledge (Ephesians 1:14), for fellowship (2 Corinthians 13:14). He is to be prayerfully
sought and openly received (Acts 2:38, 8:14-17), but also know,
we can resist Him, not allowing Him to function through us
(Acts 7:51).
Psalms 51:10-13, teaches that
the Old Covenant Prophets were aware of their need for The Holy Spirit
in their lives, in order to effectively fulfill their
duties. We need to acknowledge this same truth, because He is our indwelling
helper (1 Corinthians 3:16; John 14:26), comforter (Acts 9:21), director (Acts
16:6), teacher (1 Corinthians 2:13), intercessor (Romans 8:26), witness
(Acts 5: 32), provider of power (Romans 15:13), revealer of knowledge, understanding
and wisdom (Acts 4:8; 1 Corinthians 2:6-12), Spirit of prophecy (Acts
1:16-18), bearer of love (Romans 5:5), giver of life (Romans 8:11), distributor
of gifts (1 Corinthians 12:1-11) and producer of fruit (Galatians 5:
22-23). But we must also know that we can grieve Him (Ephesians
4:30), lie to Him, and improperly test Him (Acts 5:3-9).
His presence and identification
with the children of Elohim is foretold and verified (Yehel 2:28-29;
Revelation 1:10-20; Zechariyeh 4:1-6). And just as He is acknowledged
as the One who inspired the prophets (Zechariyeh 7:12; 2 Peter 1:21),
He is our Bible teacher and inspiration today (1 Corinthians 2:12-13). It is He, the
indwelling representative of the Father and Son, who leads the children of
Elohim on level ground (Psalms 143:10), calling and sending them
out for work (Acts 13:4). And it is He who speaks to the prophets
and teachers today (Acts 13:2). But we are commanded not to quench
Him (1 Thessalonians 5:19).
He is the washer, regenerator
and renewer (Titus 3:5), as well as the ever present,
"Convictor of the world concerning sin, righteousness and
judgment" (John 16:7-11). But He can be sinned against and spoken
against in such a
way that is unpardonable (Matthew 12:31-32).
These verses are being provided so you can study the Holy Spirit's all
encompassing mission, but in understanding His mission, be
certain of Him with regard to one thing: He works in and through the
lives of the believer, to the glory of our Heavenly Father thru YEHOWAH
ha Mashiach. He will never do
anything to detract from Elohim's majesty, dominion or glory, and He will
never endorse an act that violates the Law of Elohim. He will not act
on your behalf only for the purpose of your personal gain or glorification,
but He will establish, comfort, teach, enable and abide within you, and
bless you and bear fruit in and through you, for the glory of our Master,
Messiah and King. He will work miracles in
your life, but you must also know that you have a free
will, with regard to your work with Him, and whether He can work
with you.
We must never forget though, that our enemy has the
capacity to appear as a spirit of light (2 Corinthians 11:13-15). Which
means that we are
responsible to test the spirits for
authenticity. And we have been provided the means to do so (1 John 4:1-6;
1 Corinthians 12:3). The effectiveness of these tests is proven,
and The Holy Spirit will always pass every test. Conversely, the devils of
destruction always fail. Understand, however, that confessing YEHOWAH, as
Messiah, is more than merely wording a phrase - it is a lifestyle
confession of faith. Is YEHOWAH ha Mashiach confessed as having come in the
flesh or not? Is YEHOWAH ha Mashiach reverently confessed as Master, or is He
cursed?
Every spiritually relevant thought must be brought captive to the Word
of Elohim, and if a revelation defies Scripture, it then defies YEHOWAH. If it
magnifies the Word of Elohim though, then it magnifies and glorifies our
Elohim in heaven.
If YEHOWAH is confessed and glorified, the revelation is worthy of note,
and can be shared. If not, the thought must be rebuked as false. The Holy Spirit
is given to assist us in this process.
The Holy Spirit will reveal the will of our Father to us in such a way that
confirmation is obtainable (primarily through the Word of Elohim), and this
confirmation is essential to the law of
testimony and witness (Deuteronomy 19:15; Matthew 18:16). The
assembly of the Ekklesia is important to this matter also, because we
frequently receive confirmation through other believers. It is also
acceptable to verify a direct revelation from Elohim, as did Gideon, by
placing a fleece before the Master (Judges 6 & 7). Elohim was not angry with Gideon when he
lay down the fleece - twice - and He will not be angry with us if our
search is sincere. We have been commanded to test the spirits,
and because Elohim commands this testing, He will not be angered
when we obediently seek His confirmation.
Testing the spirits must also be applied when dealing with people, but
with people it is possible to witness the fruit of The Holy Spirit, or see
the discipline of Elohim in the life of the person. Together, these tests
unite into a fortified barrier, providing every disciple a method of
discernment - both spiritual and personal. While we discern in love,
however, we must, nevertheless, discern at every level.
As we consider these things,
it is relevant to note that communication [tc]
with Elohim occurs through His Word, by dreams / visions [tc],
by angelic visitation or through direct communication. The method of
revelation, as you can see, is significantly diverse. Our method of
testing though, remains gloriously constant. I think we are to have
peace in this knowledge, because if we remain alert, we will not be
deceived.
I had occasion recently to debate a pastor over his denomination's stand
on the use of the gift of tongues.
It is their belief that speaking in tongues is the proof
of the baptism of The Holy Spirit. They contend that without this
ability, The Holy Spirit is not present in the life of the believer. Although
I occasionally pray in tongues, which supposedly verifies my spiritual
baptism in their sight, I refute the teaching that this gift must be
evidenced in every Disciple.
1 Corinthians 12:27-30 clearly teaches that we are individually members
of the body of Messiah, and each is gifted differently. This is
strenuously upheld in Romans 12:4-8, 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 and Ephesians
4. I contend that any teaching which demands we all " speak in
tongues" is an unscriptural and satanically inspired approach to the Word
of Elohim. Why? Because it attempts to:
Dictate to
The Holy Spirit which of the gifts He must give to Elohim's children.
Magnify in importance
one gift over another.
Destroy the faith of any who
have not received this particular ability.
Force those who are not gifted
with tongues to fake their experience, thereby cheapening whatever
relationship they may have with Elohim, in order for them to
fellowship within an institution.
As I prayed in preparation of the debate, to insure that my
understanding was accurate and my approach was in the love of our
Messiah, I
heard an extremely soothing voice pray deep within my soul. Beginning in
a chorus of praise un to YEHOWAH, the words turned to an emotional prayer in
tongues that I was unable to interpret. The prayer concluded in
English, as I heard, "do not fret, I am here. Do not be swayed, you
know what I have given you. Have peace in your heart and be certain of
your gifts. More is coming. Use what you have to glorify YEHOWAH. Praise
Elohim!" In the quiet of His presence, I had peace.
That is one
way Elohim speaks to His children.
About twenty years ago I was in a
restaurant in a Denver suburb, when a young lady, perhaps in her early
twenties, burst into the building proclaiming, "Repent for the
kingdom of heaven is at hand." She got very specific about the date
and time when a flood was supposed to engulf Denver, and upon completion
of her message she ran from the building and down the street. The event
never occurred.
Due to the crush of the restaurant, I was unable to catch
her. My spirit cried out to her, however, because she needed to be
discipled. She needed to know Satan was attacking her; to discourage her,
and to turn her love cold. The deceiver was causing her to prophesy falsely
in his attempt to make her doubt even the salvation provided for her by
our Messiah. Her zeal [tc]
for YEHOWAH was obvious, as was her courage and love, but her
mannerisms defied the peace of Elohim, which would accompany such a
prophetic message. My heart ached for her, because this child of Elohim was going
to approach the time of her prophecy with much prayer and fasting, but
she was headed for a spiritual calamity. When nothing happened that day,
she would become disillusioned, and perhaps even turn from following her
Master. I prayed for an outpouring of the grace of Elohim upon her, knowing
only He could save her from Satan's grasp. Her message was false; even
though she believed in her heart she was right. She sincerely wanted to
proclaim Elohim's word, but her frantic actions defied everything that Scripture has told us about
The Holy Spirit - Who would have inspired
such a prophecy. She did not have the peace of Elohim, because she did not
test the spirits; and Satan had a foothold in her life.
Another example of The Holy Spirit's
communication happened as I began preparing for these letters. Although
I have compiled extensive notes during my years of teaching about YEHOWAH,
I wanted to construct a topical concordance to furnish with each letter.
My desire was to impart an understanding for the Word of Elohim in such a
way that you could quickly substantiate the data being presented,
thereby expediting the results of your search. My goal was simple: Help
you find the truth quickly, so you could begin to live the truth. After praying, I began a study of the
New Covenant, often
looking at the original Greek, in order to gain the knowledge [tc]
I desired. While it was labor intensive, it was also an amazingly
fruitful endeavor. Nevertheless, it was in the Old Covenant that The Holy Spirit
really spoke to me.
Prior to this trip through the Old Covenant, certain areas of the Word
of Elohim held little meaning to me. For example, to this day, I have no
comprehension for the revelation of the Temple given in Ezekiel 40-48. I
have prayed to understand this part of Elohim's Word, but I have no idea
what the Author is talking about, cannot for the life of me envision
what the Temple looks like, and am genuinely confused by the dimensions
and placement of gates, walls and rooms. I do not know why this vision
is given, but I trust Elohim to enlighten me when it is important for me to
know. (What
I do know though, is that the Holy of Holies in the center of the Temple in heaven is an inverted pyramid
– which just goes to show the lengths that Satan will go to, to
distort the truth).
Likewise, portions of Isaiyeh, Jeremiyeh
and Ezekiel are exceptionally interesting and loaded with quotable
passages, but some of their work has eluded me as well. I have a grasp
for much of the end time prophetic writings, as the Master has allowed,
but this particular reading was different. As I read through Isaiyeh, I
was impressed by the way the prophet used the names of Jacob and
Israel [tc].
Although both names refer to the same historical person, the spiritual
implication of their use appeared different, and not meant to be
interchangeable. Unless the historical person was being discussed, it
appeared that Elohim desired for us to understand a difference in the use
of the names: Jacob and Israel. I prayed, and I continued reading!
When I began reading Chapter 48 of Isaiyeh, The Holy Spirit opened my
eyes to His Word in ways that I had never before seen. What I finally saw was that Jacob was the patriarchs
name before he wrestled with Elohim - before he repented. If you study the
person of Jacob, you will find that among other things, he was a thief (he stole his brother's
birth-right), a deceiver (he cheated his father-in-law in the way he
handled the flocks), and a liar (he constantly told people that his wife
was his sister to protect himself). In the original language, the name
Jacob means SUPPLANTER, and a supplanter is one who takes the place of
another through scheming and treachery. Prophetically, Jacob is the spiritual
equivalent and symbol of the false and deceptive religious institutions;
the unrepentant supplanter.
Israel, on the other hand, is the name given un to Jacob after his
repentance, and this name - in many Prophetically spiritual
applications - speaks of the repentant EKKLESIA, the body of
our Messiah.
The significance of this revelation is immense (At least to me). The Old Covenant has taken on a new dimension, because a spiritual passage
was opened to me. While not every use of the names Jacob or Israel can
be interpreted as false religion - vs - true discipleship or true faith, because each
passage of Scripture must be read and understood in context, the
primary key is in the historical application; in its relationship to the
actual person.
Now, in a very interesting book entitled, "The
United States and Britain in Prophecy", a much maligned (and
occasionally erroneous) author, Herbert W. Armstrong, unravels a
tremendous mystery of the Prophetic Word, and shows quite clearly that
Britain and the United States are not only discussed in Prophecy, but
that much of the end time Prophetic Word evolves around these two
nations: Britain being spoken of as the Tribe of Ephraim and the United
States spoken of as the Tribe of Manasseh, and together these two
nations represent the lost tribes of Israel. (See Genesis 48 and
49).
Regardless of what we may think of Armstrong's dictatorial approach to
'Christianity', or his erroneous position on salvation, we must
nevertheless respect the fact that The Holy Spirit moves mysteriously in
this world, and that this writing by Armstrong may very well be an
inspired interpretation of a "Mystery" of the Prophetic Word.
Jeremiyeh is known as the weeping prophet, because of the nature of his
prophecy, the faithlessness of the people he prophesied to, and because
of the times in which he lived. Yet, Jeremiyeh's prophecy evoked little emotion
from me personally in the past. As I studied Jeremiyeh this time though,
I was unable to complete a chapter without falling on my face before Elohim
in tears, for the faithlessness of ISRAEL. Jeremiyeh knew the condition
of the people of Elohim during his day, and the destruction that was to
befall them because they had turned from Elohim. What The Holy Spirit was
showing me in my reading, however, was the condition and faithlessness
of Israel, the EKKLESIA - TODAY
- and the suffering that is going to befall
it because of its faithlessness.
Elohim speaks to His children today. It is our responsibility to
test the spirits, and rebuke the evil. Revelation is pouring
forth and we must listen.
Another point to remember, is that
The Holy Spirit is not going to stray from the Word
of Elohim in any new revelation, ever! New revelation will enlighten
and enhance what is written, but He will never distort, deny, defy or
contradict
what has already been given. Elohim does not change, and neither does His
Word. Throughout Scripture, we are commanded to remember what has
already been done, so we can compare it to what we see today (Psalms
105). And
those who KNOW the truth must recognize and deal with every deviation
from His Word. We are
commanded to abide in His Word [tc],
so we will not be deceived, and so we can rebuke the false teachers
based on that Word (John 8:31). His Word is tested, and,
"He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him" (Proverbs
30:5ENB), and these
warnings are not new revelations, but old truths which have long been
ignored. The Holy Spirit is our Teacher, and we must turn to Him in
trust, faith and obedience.
I realize how difficult it is to submit to Someone you don't really know
or trust yet. So I wanted to remind you that your submission is a free-will
choice, to be made by you alone. The Holy Spirit is a Gentleman though. He will
never intrude, and He will never force Himself upon us. The Holy Spirit is also organized and orderly. It is important, therefore, that as we
walk with Him, and as we approach Elohim in prayer, that we maintain an
organized and orderly manner. He is not interested in needless
repetition, but He does desire the fullness of our hearts. If we seek
His guidance before we pray, He will assist us and intercede with our
Father on our behalf (Romans 8:26-27). If we submit, He will come.
Assemblies led by The Holy Spirit will also be organized in a purposeful
manner. This does not eliminate gala celebrations, but ensures that Elohim is the focus of those celebrations. I have been in gatherings where
someone is asked to pray, and during the prayer, everybody else talks in
tongues or simply injects "amen's" or
"halleluyeh's", throughout the prayer. Spiritually, it was
impossible to add an "Amen" at the end of the prayer, because
I was unable to hear what was prayed for or said, "in the name of YEHOWAH". If you do not understand what is being prayed for or sought
from Elohim, DO NOT add your amen. Satan will use our prayers against us
whenever an opportunity is presented, and we must guard against these
attacks. Nonetheless, Spirit led assemblies are purposeful.
As for the unpardonable sin [tc],
Scripture clearly tells us what it is, even though many have difficulty
acknowledging Elohim's truth today. In Matthew 12:22-32, a situation and
subsequent teaching reveal the offense that is unpardonable:
YEHOWAH, in the power of The Holy Spirit, healed a demon-possessed man who
was blind and dumb. The Pharisees, not wanting to acknowledge the
presence of Elohim, credited Beelzebul, the ruler of devils, with the
healing. That is the unpardonable sin! To blaspheme means to: 1. Harm
the reputation of. 2. Speak of irreverently. 3. Make inferior. 4.
Slander.
By crediting Beelzebul with the healing, the Pharisees violated
everything we know blasphemy to be. And blasphemy is not restricted to
miracles, either. The Word of Elohim says, "whoever speaks against
The Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven them, either in this age or in the
age to come" (Matthew 12:32ENB). See also Luke 12:8-10.
I have a friend who is an unbeliever. Upon learning of my being 'born-again' - of my acceptance of
YEHOWAH into my life, this friend went
into a tirade against YEHOWAH that was so uncharacteristic of his
personality that I was left speechless. He called YEHOWAH
names that even
in my faithless years, I would never have uttered. I know his outburst
is pardonable though; YEHOWAH said so! If his rage had been directed at
the Person of The Holy Spirit, however, I believe that his sin would be
unforgivable. He would be eternally dead. The Word of Elohim tells us,
"All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven mankind, but
blasphemy against The Holy Spirit shall not be forgiven" (Matthew
12:31ENB). The fact
that this sin against The Holy Spirit is unpardonable, however, should
tell us something about His existence, His relevance and His Deity, because
The Holy Spirit
is Elohim, with the Father and the Son.
In addition to understanding the Holy
Spirit of Elohim, I am compelled to discuss what I believe is true about the
Word of Elohim [tc],
because we are told that it is The Holy Spirit Who inspired the authors
of the Bible (2 Timothy 3:16), and it is He who leads us today in
comprehending His Word.
In contrast to the new theological teachings of our day, which promote
relativism in relation to life and the Bible, Elohim says that society
finds favor or disfavor with Him, by adherence to His standards; by
upholding His truth (Genesis 19; Isaiyeh 58-59 and Jeremiyeh 11:1-17).
While adherence to Elohim's truth is important to humanity in general, it
is monumental for the Disciple who desires to live a life pleasing un to
Elohim. This applies particularly to end time Disciples though, because only a
faithful walk with Elohim will sustain us throughout the tribulations of
life.
Before attempting to discuss spiritual disciplines,
therefore, it is important that we first agree that Elohim has communicated
His truth [tc]
to mankind. And along with His truth, we need to agree that He has also
revealed His will.
Before anything else, we must KNOW that objective and absolute
truth
exists, and we must acknowledge that contained within His truth
comes the very purpose and method for life.
As we enter a bookstore, the overhead signs direct us to various
sections: fiction, western, cooking, religion, etc. When we arrive at
those sections though, we find a variety of topics available from which
to choose. The cooking section is replete with culinary styles from
around the world, and differences can be found within like ethnic styles based upon region and methodology. Fortunately, our individual
tastes are such that we can always find something we like.
Unfortunately, the " religion" section is no different.
Unlike cookbooks though, the religion section has a standard - a ruler to
which every offering must be upheld. This standard places a burden on
the writer and the reader, which all too often is ignored, because it
deals with accountability. And because we have ignored the standard,
writers take liberty with Elohim's recipe, and readers, hearing a
misconception frequently enough, accept the error as truth. YEHOWAH
prayed
that His disciples would be sanctified in the truth, and then said of Elohim's
Word, "Thy Word is truth" (John 17:17). This statement
about the Word of Elohim, made by Elohim, cannot be found in any other writing
in the world, and should have tremendous significance for us.
Elsewhere, Scripture says, "The words of YEHOWAH are pure words; as
silver tried in a furnace of earth, refined seven times"
(Psalms 12:6ENB). New Age Relativism speaks toward situational ethics,
cultural diversity and humanism; toward the belief that humanity is capable
of good, in and of themselves, and that there is no absolute moral truth.
The Word of Elohim, on the other hand, speaks of humanity's natural tendency
toward evil; speaks of objective and absolute moral and ethical truth;
and speaks of societal and cultural restraint and conformity - within
the freedom of faith in YEHOWAH ha Mashiach. If the words of
YEHOWAH are pure,
as silver tried in a furnace, then this must have significance for us as
well, and those
who seek Him must uphold everything to His standard. Every
spiritual teaching MUST BE up held to the standard established in
Scripture. And if it fails to meet that standard, it must be disregarded.
In Proverbs 2, Elohim expresses His desire that we receive His sayings,
treasure His commandments, attend to wisdom, cry for discernment and
lift our heart to understanding, seeking her as silver... "Then you
will understand the fear of YEHOWAH, and find the knowledge of Elohim" (Proverbs
2:5ENB). In Isaiyeh 40:6-8, Elohim adds that mankind is
like the grass which withers and burns when His breath blows upon it,
but that His Word "Stands forever". True to form, however,
mankind, including the religious institutions, are placing humanity over
the Word of Elohim, and our current societal morass is the result. Compared
to Elohim, humanity is absolutely insignificant, yet the theological
teachings of our age have placed mankind over Elohim and His Word
(Humanism). We
manipulate His teachings to suit our purposes, misapplying or ignoring
His standards, because the "times have changed", and we wonder
why we do not really know Elohim today.
As we read the daily paper and watch the evening news, it is
obvious that evil exists in the world. Yet as we examine ourselves,
whether we acknowledge sin or not, most of mankind sincerely believes
that " we are good". Evil exists, but we are all
good! Bells should be ringing. Humanism [tc]
teaches that mankind is capable of good, while conversely teaching that
the evil in humanity is a product of upbringing, genetic error or
circumstance. This not only contradicts the Word of Elohim, it stands in
open rebellion against His Word. Elohim says, "Surely, there is not
a just person upon earth, that does good and never sins" (Ecclesiastes
7:20ENB). In acknowledging
the existence of good and evil, we must also acknowledge that they stand
in opposition to one another (antithesis). Good and evil cannot co-exist
peacefully. If we accept these facts, we can then turn back to the Word
of Elohim and realize that evil wishes to discredit good. If seeking an understanding
of Elohim produces a discernment of the fear
(reverence)
[tc]
of YEHOWAH,
and discovery of the knowledge of Elohim, then evil will do whatever it
can to distort the gaining of that understanding - thereby prohibiting us from finding any
revelation of good. We are called to overcome though, and
overcome we will with the Comforter and Helper abiding within, and with
unwavering faith in YEHOWAH!
And evil has done such a good job of distorting the truth, and
stopping the world from gaining a deeper understanding of Elohim's Word, that
we do not even know the proper Names to
use as we speak unto our Father and/or Messiah. In speaking of The Holy
Spirit, for instance, His more formal Hebrew "name", if you will,
would be Ruach ha Qodesh, and if that name were visibly set throughout the Old
Covenant the Trinity would be much more visible. Within The Exalted Name Bible™,
however, and throughout The Letters of Faith, I have tried to capitalize the
leading "The", in the hope that by presenting Him in that way,
"The Holy Spirit", would receive the notice and recognition which He
deserves. I do discuss His Hebrew name in the ENB, but I made a promise in the
opening page of that work, that I was not trying to "Hebrewize"
Scripture. Making Scripture more difficult to read and/or remember would
defeat the purpose of that work, and after much prayer, it was decided that
presenting Him as "The Holy Spirit" was the best route possible.
And this also speaks toward the problem we see today in
the various "Common Versions" of the very Word of Elohim that we are
discussing. No single translation is pure, to be sure! Some, however, like the
(NIV - the New International
Version) are not worth the paper they are printed
on. (Please do not write to tell me how much you disagree with this
statement). Instead, open a concordance, a Bible Word Study
Dictionary and either the (ENB - Exalted Name Bible™),
the (NASB - New American Standard Bible) or the (NKJ
- New King James) versions of the Bible, and do some
comparing. Compare words, sentences, paragraph's and complete
passages, and see how the NIV has eliminated or completely changed the
"Word of Elohim". Furthermore, as you compare these different
"translations", investigate further by delving into the
concordances and Word Study Dictionaries, and as you investigate these
matters, ask yourself why so much has been eliminated from the NIV...
Simply put, Good and evil cannot co-exist. Evil will do everything
possible to discredit Good, and inasmuch as only Good (Truth) is found in the Word
of Elohim, evil has done everything possible to discredit that very
Word. It is my belief that the NIV is one of his primary tools today!
As I said though, no one translation is pure! The NASB
and NKJ have problems
too, which is why we need every available tool
to search out and discern the Truth to be found in Scripture. The
original inspired writings of the Word of Elohim are inerrant. Sadly,
those manuscripts are not available to the general public today, and we must rely
heavily up
on the translation work of those who have come before us. Elohim says, "The
word of Elohim is living, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword;
piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, and of the joints and
marrow, and able to discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart" (Hebrews
4:12ENB).
The reality and application of this passage is in the fact that as we dwell
in Elohim's Word [tc],
pouring over and studying every word, passage and verse, His Word permeates and
percolates throughout our thoughts and heart. The intensity of His Word
living within us increases as the duration of our study increases.
Minute by minute, hour by hour, and day by day, the intensity of our
study proportionately increases the livelihood of His Word within us.
Perhaps it was because of the intense nature of my study time,
especially during those years when I was out of work, or perhaps it was
because of my tenacity, which some call stubbornness, which just would not
permit me to stop laboring over The Exalted Name Bible™
until it was completed, or for whatever reason He might have had, my eyes were
opened to something that so disturbed me, that I labored for nine (9) years in
an effort to Scribe His Word, utilizing and exalting His Name; as best I
could... And I sincerely believe that the ENB offers an intimacy with our
Creator that just does not exist in any other translation. And it is just that
intimacy that Satan does not want us to have.
The enemy will do everything possible to distract us
from studying the Word of Elohim. And, in many cases he has successfully implanted
the notion that Elohim's Word is too
difficult to grasp, too insignificant in today's culture, and too
irrelevant in light of its historical and/ or cosmic errancy (whether those
errors actually exist or not). These are all significant issues that must affect our thinking. These are also significant matters when we
discuss The Holy Spirit, because in the denial of The Holy Spirit, the
world finds it increasingly impossible
to grasp precisely what Elohim is telling us.
[The "Available tool" link will take you to
the bottom of this page, where a free downloadable program is available
online, to assist in your in-depth study of Scripture... Although the ENB
is not available at e-Sword, it is not difficult to have two windows opened,
so both can be viewed, and so that study becomes considerably easier].
Humanity is clambering to hear the diviners of our age, without
regard for the message, the source, or the accuracy of the word being
proclaimed. At the same time though, the warnings issued by Elohim through
His prophets are being ignored. The ancient cry, "Thus says YEHOWAH", has little meaning today, in spite of the fact that whenever
His prophets uttered those words, truth followed.
The absolute significance (for us today) behind the words uttered by the Old Covenant prophets,
however, is that they were given short-term, mid-term and long-range
prophesies. The accuracy of their short and mid-term messages must
significantly impact our thinking with regard to their long-range
predictions, because those long-range predictions speak of today.
Ironically, those prophesies include numerous references toward the
attitude of humanity, in regard to the Word of Elohim, in the end time period;
predictions that are being wholeheartedly upheld by every false
practitioner of our day.
Our dilemma stems from the
fact that false ministers have proclaimed a message of accommodation,
while ignoring the warning to keep the sheep and the goats separate. Relativism
and accommodation teach that sinful lifestyles are not really sinful, error
is always forgivable and Elohim loves the sinner. But they ignore Elohim's
commands that sinful lifestyles are to be confessed, error is to be
shunned, and repentance and obedience
are essential
to maintaining His love. Evidence of this dilemma lies in the anarchy now
confronting society. Elohim declared His truth, warning humanity what would
happen if His commands were not upheld, and fulfillment of His prophetic
message abounds today. As disciples of YEHOWAH today,
however, we stand at the precipice of the
return of our Messiah, knowing that the Ekklesia is, at this moment, literally losing the
spiritual battle, and is therefore totally unprepared for the
fullness of those battles yet to come. In our infidelity, many within the Ekklesia no longer accept
the Word of Elohim as truth.
Believing the inerrancy [tc]
of the Word of Elohim, historically, cosmically and
spiritually, however, is fundamental to understanding Elohim's purpose and
plan. Every deviation from His absolute truth diverts humanity from the
deliverance offered through YEHOWAH the Messiah. This is true, because evil
cannot tolerate or accommodate the inerrancy of the Word of Elohim, and
attempts to defile it whenever possible. Many Christians readily tolerate
Scripturally deviant teachings, and the unbelief and apostasy witnessed
today is its product. As seekers, however, we must remember that,
"Every word of Eloah is tested" (Proverbs 30:5). Sadly though,
humanity, including many within the Ekklesia, has failed Elohim in not testing every word
of man against His standard. Justice is no longer administered, because
we do not comprehend Elohim's justice. Morality is no longer taught,
because we deny Elohim's morals. Love is thought to mean sex, when in
reality, "Elohim is love" (1
John 4:16). And the list goes on!
In the past thirty years, The Holy Spirit has shown me Elohim's truth
through His Word, and has allowed me to compare His reality against the
backdrop of our declining 'Christian' nation. And as we consider the last
ninety years of American history, we can see morality being discarded as
humanism came to the forefront. We have witnessed the disintegration of
the family and the slaughter of nearly Sixty
Million unborn babies in
our abortion mills. We have observed
the decline in understanding and comprehension of the Word of Elohim, as
well as its rejection by mankind, and are now
watching anarchy and financial collapse dawn. The spirit of the "Opposer" rules the land, yet we remain entrenched in a mind-set of
acquiring worldly goods. Additionally, the martyrdom of the disciples of
YEHOWAH is happening
throughout the world today, as Prophecy becomes a reality. In light of
these revelations, the Word of Elohim is found to be inerrant, and
everything Elohim has said to us in His Word has either come true, or is
about to come true - literally, objectively and absolutely.
As I consider my walk with YEHOWAH, I can also attest to His
truthfulness on a personal basis. I have experienced tribulation and
persecution because of my faith, but He has never abandoned me or tested
me beyond what I was able to endure. I have sought guidance, direction,
wisdom, understanding, insight and knowledge from Him in many areas, and
although His response may be slow in coming (by my estimation), He has
never failed to enlighten me when my search was sincere. I have poked
and prodded, challenged and rebelled, searched, and at times even
ignored the Word that I so dearly love, and His Holy Spirit has graciously
instructed and revitalized me at every step. I have sinned and been
forgiven, prayed and been answered, sought and found, and Elohim has never
lied to me. His Word says He cannot lie, and every seeker must know this
fact.
I have also been disciplined!
The reality for anyone seeking to know Elohim,
or know about Elohim, therefore, lies in accepting His truthfulness [tc].
Sincere seekers of Elohim need only ask Him to reveal Himself, and then
study His Word, the Bible, to find that revelation. In accepting that it
is impossible for Him to lie, we can read His Word in the assurance that
truth will always be found (Hebrews 6:18; 1 John 2:21). And, it is a simple
matter to test His Word for accuracy. Where humanism is self-serving, hu
manity magnifying and inward looking, the Word of Elohim always glorifies and
magnifies Elohim. He speaks of repentance from sin, while promoting hope,
love, peace and deliverance. He speaks of reconciliation through, and
obedience un to YEHOWAH, or eternal destruction for those who deny
Him. Every deviation from His Word, and every false teaching that is allowed to
permeate the ranks of the EKKLESIA, or civilization, causes doubt to
surface, thereby blurring our ability to see Elohim's truthfulness.
Somehow, we must return to the fullness of His Word, and we must shun the
deviates. Somehow, we must learn obedience once again!
The Word of Elohim says, "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and
you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For everyone that asks
receives; and those that seek find; and to those who knock, it will be opened" (Luke
11:9-10ENB). Believing Elohim to be true, therefore, is
fundamental to living and abiding in His Word, and in this most base of
all commands, Elohim desires that we ask and seek for His truth; to seek for His
revelation. If we can only believe that Elohim cannot lie, His Word remains
an open door to reverence, deliverance and personal fulfillment. I know
that you are discovering the truth of these matters, but I am
compelled to present this reminder for your benefit.
As we acknowledge the existence of good, we must also
acknowledge the existence of evil. If evil can be heard on every street
corner, down every alley, and through every form of entertainment, a
place must also be found where good can be heard. The only certain place
is in the inerrant Word of Elohim. And, as I have already stated, it is from
this belief in His Word that I offer the topical
concordance with every one of my letters, and urge you to compare
these teachings, against His Holy Word, for accuracy and correctness. Without
the standard of Elohim's Word, our faith remains diluted, and we will not
be prepared for the harvest to come.
Forgive me for repeating some of what we have already discussed, my
friend.
I wholeheartedly believe that The Holy Spirit is directing your search
for the Truth, and I wanted to make certain that you knew not only where
that Truth was to be found, but to also feel at peace with the Comforter
Who was guiding you.
May the peace and knowledge of Elohim be yours abundantly through Messiah
YEHOWAH, and may your search result in your finding the perfect truth.
I remain faithfully yours in YEHOWAH ha Mashiach, our Triumphant King.
larry vosen
For an absolutely wonderful - and
FREE - Bible Study Tool,
follow the link below and download
e-Sword.
With over sixteen downloadable Bible Versions,
plus concordances,
commentaries,
dictionaries, graphic programs
and much, much more, E-Sword is a
goldmine.
E-SWORD.NET
I receive absolutely NOTHING if you
visit this site or use this tool. I am recommending it simply
because I BELIEVE what I have said in this letter is
the absolute truth. I believe that we must search the Word of Elohim as if we were
searching for Gold, Silver, precious stones or something of greater value,
because we are - We are searching for Your Eternal Life!
Topical concordance:
Communication,
as found in the New Covenant:
New Covenant:
Matthew 1:20-23, 2:12-13,19-22, 10:27*, 28:2-7; Luke 11:23; Acts
5:17-20, (B) 8:26, 29, 9:3-6,10-16, 10:1-23, 13:2, 16:7,9-10,
18:9-10, 23:11, 27:24; Revelation (all) see 1:9 ff.
Dreams:
Old Covenant: Genesis 40:8, 41:16, 41:32; Daniel 2:17-30.
Holy Spirit, The:
Old Covenant: Genesis 1:2; Exodus 20:1-7; Numbers 11:16-17; Deuteronomy
6:4-5, 19:15; 2 Chronicles 15:1-2; Psalms 51:10-13, 105, 143:10; Proverbs
30:5; Isaiyeh 63; Yehel 2:28-29; Jonah 3; Zechariyeh 4:1-6, 7:12.
New Covenant: Matthew 3:16-17, 12:22-32,43-45, 18:16, 28:18-20; Luke
11:13, 12:8-10, 24:49; John 14:16-18,26, 15:26-17, 16:1-17,
17(all), 20:22; Acts 1:4-8,16-18, 2:2-13,38, 4:8, 5:3-9,32, 6:1-6,
7:51, 8:14-17,21, 9:31, 10:44-47, 13:2,52, 15:8, 16:6, 19:1-7; Romans 5:5, 8:11,26-27, 10:9-10, 12(all), 15:13;
1 Corinthians 2:6-13, 3:16,
6:19, 12:1-11,27-30; 2 Corinthians 1:22, 11:13-15, 13:14; Galatians 3:2, 5:16-26;
Ephesians 1:13-14, 4(all), 6:17; Philippians 1:19, 2:12; 1 Thessalonians
5:19; Titus 3:5; Hebrews 2:4, 6:4-6, 9:8,14, 10:15-17,26-31, 11:1; 1
Peter
1:10-12; 2 Peter 1:21; 1 John 3:24, 4:1-3,7; Revelation 1:10-20.
Humanism; revealed
and contrasted against the Word of Elohim:
Old Covenant: Deuteronomy 18:9-14; Psalms 12, 66:5-7, 74; Proverbs
30:12; Ecclesiastes (all); Jeremiyeh 36; Hosea 4; Malachi 3:6.
New Covenant: John 1:1,14, 3:16, 6:28-29, 15:6, 15-16(all); Acts
4:12; 1 Corinthians 1:18-21; 2 Corinthians 11:3-4,13; Ephesians 2:8-9, 6:16;
1 Thessalonians 5:21; 1 Timothy 4:1,
6:3-13; 2 Timothy 3:1-5; Hebrews 4:12, 6:17-18; James 1:9-11, 2:1-7, 3:14-18,
4:1-5,5(all); 2 Peter 1:20-21, 2:1-19; 1 John 4:1-3, 5:11-13; Jude 1:3; Revelation
12:9.
Israel and
Jacob:
Old Covenant: Isaiyeh (all); Ezekiel (all); Jeremiyeh (all). + Throughout the
prophets
Knowledge;
(Especially as entrusted to His believers, the Church):
Old Covenant: Exodus 4:15; 1 Kings 3:10-14; Job 28:12-28; Psalms
8:1-2, 16:5-7,
25:4-15, 27:11, 32:8-9, 71:17, 90:11-12, 111:10, 119, 143:10,
147; Proverbs (all), 1:1-7, 1:22-23, 3:1-26, 6:23-24, 8:12-21; Ecclesiastes
1:18, 7(all), 10:4; Isaiyeh 8:16-18, 30:20; Jeremiyeh 22:15-16, 30:24; Daniel
1:17-20, 2:21; Hosea 4(all), 6:6, 14:9; Amos 3:7; Malachi 2:7.
New Covenant: Matthew 13:11-12; Luke 7:35, 8:18; John 3:11-12, 8:31-32,
16:13-15, 7:17-18; Acts 2:14-40, 3:12-26, 4:8-13; Romans 15:4; 1 Corinthians
1:18-31, 2:12-16; Galatians 1:11-12; Ephesians 3:8-11, 3:19; Philippians
3:15; Colossians 1:9-12, 1:25-27, 2:2-3; 2 Timothy 1:13-14, 2:7, 3:14-15;
James 1:5-6; 1 Peter 2:16; 2 Peter 1:2, 3:14-18; 1 John (all), 2:27, 5:20; Revelation (all),
17:8.
Reverence:
Old Covenant: Psalms (all); Proverbs (all); Isaiyeh 45:9.
New Covenant: 1Peter 1:17-19.
Scripture - the Word
of Elohim:
Old Covenant: Deuteronomy 8:3; Psalms 12:6, 105, 119; Proverbs (all), 2:1-5, 4, 8:17, 30:5.
New Covenant: John 8:31, 14:23-24, 15:11, 17:17, 20:31; Acts
18:28; 1 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Timothy 2:15, 3:14-16; Hebrews 4:12; James
1:21; 1 Peter 1:23; 2 Peter 1:12-21; 1 John 1:4, 2:26,
5:13.
Scripture - the importance of Memorization:
Old Covenant: Job 22:21-30; Psalms 119; Proverbs (all), 2:1-5, 22:17-21;
Jeremiyeh 15:16, 36(all).
New Covenant: Matthew 4:4-10; John 15:7-11; Acts 8:35; Colossians
3:16; 2 Timothy 2:15.
Scripture - the
importance of Reading:
Old Covenant: Psalms 19:7-14, 77, 78, 106, 119; Proverbs (all), 2:1-5;
Isaiyeh 45:19, 55; Jeremiyeh 7:23.
New Covenant: Mark 13:29, 13:33-35; John 5:39-47, 8:31-32; Acts
17:11; Romans 15:4; Philippians 3:1,
3:15; Colossians 1:5, 1:25-26; 1 Thessalonians 2:13, 5:21; 1 Timothy 4:6, 4:13;
2 Timothy
3:14-16; Hebrews 9:28; 1 Peter 2:1-3; 2 Peter 1:12-21, 3:1-2; Revelation
1:3.
Sin, Unpardonable:
New Covenant: Matthew 12:22-32; Luke 12:8-10.
Truth:
Old Covenant: 1 Kings 8:56; Psalms 31:5, 86:11-13, 89:14, 111, 117, 119, 145:17-21;
Isaiyeh 45:19; Jeremiyeh 23:28.
New Covenant: Luke 1:4, John 3:2, 3:21, 3:33, 4:22-24, 8:31-32, 8:44, 14:16-17,
16:13-14, 17:17, 18:37-38; 2 Corinthians 13:8; Colossians 1:5; 2 Timothy 3:8-9; Hebrews
6:17-20; 1 Peter 1:22; 1 John (all); 2 John 1:4; 3 John 1:3-6; Revelation
3:7.
Understanding:
Old Covenant: Job 12:12, 28:28; Psalms 119(all); Proverbs (all) see, 1:1-7, 2(all).
New Covenant: Colossians 2:2; 1 Timothy 6:3-12; 2 Timothy 2:7; Hebrews
11:3; James 1:5-6, 3:13-18.
Zeal:
Old Covenant: 2 Samuel 21:2; Psalms 119(all); Ecclesiastes 9:6;
Isaiyeh
26:10-11, 59:17.
New Covenant: John 2:17; Romans 10:2; 2 Corinthians 7:7-11.
.
Copyright © 1991-2011, Central Point, OR
All Rights Reserved Worldwide
All Scripture quotations are taken from The
Exalted Name Bible™; Copyright © 2010-2011,
Lawrence T.
Vosen. Used with permission.
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