TSIYON NEWS

From Eliyahu

Consider this:  

 

I'm thinking about the death throws of a civilization, as we return to Acts at Tsiyon Academy this week. You might think nothing could be farther away from our Fast Track videos on Revelation than the book of Acts. If you thought that, you would have been mistaken. At the point we meet Paul in Acts 25, our focus at our online Tsiyon meeting tonight, he is about a decade away from the end of the Jewish civilization he had known all of his life. Revelation is also about the end of a civilization, this time our generation in which the world civilization as we have known it will come to an end. Yes, I am talking about the world civilization that is imploding all around us right now as we rapidly approach the End of the Age.

 

In saying that, I'm not saying that Paul's story, or our own story in Revelation, is about tragic endings. While the darkness that brings on the end of a world is definitely tragic, the real story is not. The real story is about an overcoming few who see the truth, act on the truth, and lead the godly to a higher place, a place of righteousness, true fraternity and blessed peace in right relationship with our Creator. Paul was such a man.

 

The story of Paul that we are picking up on tonight reveals by example what Revelation is talking about when it speaks of a 'bond-slave'. Only the bond-slaves of Messiah can lead the way through the end of a world, because they are serving Him, not the competing interests of the world, or even their own interests. They know that only Messiah can get us through this darkness in tact, and even more than that, make us overcomers, victorious examples of His excellence, as a shining light for others in the midst of the darkness of this world.

 

Paul was such a bond-slave of the Lord. Really, Paul's behavior as a bond-slave of Messiah typifies what the 144,000 bond-slaves of Revelation 7 are like, when they are sealed and made known in the midst of this world. That just happens to be where we are headed next week, as we delve deeply into Revelation 7. By taking in this Tsiyon Academy message about Paul this week, you will be well prepared to receive the Revelation 7 message about the 144,000 bond-slaves next week - a message that is so timely right now. It is a marvel how the Holy Spirit leads us into all truth!

One noteworthy quality of a bond-slave of Messiah, so evident in the life of Paul, is the willingness to accept whatever Messiah allows to come into the life of the bond-slave, and to make the most of that for Messiah's Kingdom. Indeed, Paul was great at that! His first thought was never for himself and his own welfare and concerns. Everything for him was about giving Messiah whatever Messiah wanted. This is the ground on which Paul's entire life and ministry was built - this determination to always put the will and goals of Messiah first, in every situation. This bond-slave thinking is why the work of Paul could not be burned up and destroyed, because Paul's work was Messiah's work, through Paul. That's why we are still talking about Paul, 2000 years later!

 

Paul always taught this same mindset he practiced to other believers. He wanted them - and us - to have that overcoming mindset that so characterized everything he did and said. Here is one example of that:

If then you were raised together with Messiah, seek the things that are above, where Messiah is, seated on the right hand of Elohim! Set your mind on the things that are above, not on the things that are on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Messiah in Elohim! When Messiah, our life, is revealed, then you will also be revealed with him in glory. Colossians 3:1-4

Paul exemplified those words. For Paul, it really was that simple.

 

It can be for you too.

 

Join us at our Tsiyon meeting online tonight at Tsiyon.Net at 8 PM, CST as we explore more about this extraordinary example of where we all must be headed in our own lives - as we overcome our way through the end of this Age.

 

Blessings and good health to you!

 

Eliyahu
Tsiyon.Org

 

PS - Next week: Join us for Revelation 7!