TSIYON NEWS

What I'm going to say next should not be too much of a shock, but it might be for some people. Actually, your personal wants and desires are not God's overriding concern. He is a lot more concerned with HIS eternal purpose, and in you, so far as you fit into THAT. He's God and we aren't. It's what He wants that really matters. That doesn't mean you don't matter at all.

Our Father in Heaven loves us. Before we were ever here He created everything we need in advance. Its all here. The world He made is great, so long as we live in it the way He intended. Sadly, most of us care a lot more about what we want than about what He wants. We think we know what we want, but so often, even when we get what we thought we wanted, it doesn't bring us the lasting satisfaction we craved. You see, He made the world for us, but it is His world. It works according to the laws and principles that He established. That's why He gave us commandments. They are not a formula. They are more like a set of blueprints for a fulfilling life in His world. He put it this way in His Success Manual for us:

"I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse: therefore choose life, that you may live, you and your seed; to love YHWH your God, to obey his voice, and to cling to him; for he is your life, and the length of your days; that you may dwell in the land which YHWH swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them." Deuteronomy 30:19-20

Life, in this context, is not just existence. It's the quality of life our Father in Heaven has wanted for us from the start. It is life in His love, putting Him first, obeying Him and clinging to Him in everything we do. We have His commandments as a blueprint to follow - but we also have His Spirit to guide us in doing His will. You see, real happiness does not come from getting what we think we want - it comes from giving Him what He wants! I'm talking about "your spiritual service."  This is not the exception in His Kingdom - it is the norm. The thing is, you get to choose. Life is obeying Him. Death is doing what you want. It's up to you. (Romans 12:1+2)

When you choose life you get some amazing help. Yeshua is the pattern Son for all of the sons of God, who showed us the Way, who died for us, that we may have forgiveness when we mess up, and that we may have eternal life with Him when the time comes. That's salvation, but salvation is not an end in itself. Salvation is just the start of one's life serving Him.

"For we are his workmanship, created in Messiah Yeshua for good works, which God ordained beforehand that we would walk in them."  Ephesians 2:10

We are not saved BY good works. We are saved FOR good works - specific pre-ordained works of faith for the specific individual believer, especially designed FOR THAT INDIVIDUAL to bring forth fruit for the Kingdom. Performing these specific pre-ordained works of faith as led is synonymous with doing the Father's personal will for you. Some may ask, how is that done? How do I know what to do?

Yeshua tells us:"I am the vine. You are the branches. He who remains in me, and I in him, the same bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If a man doesn't remain in me, he is thrown out as a branch, and is withered; and they gather them, throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you remain in me, and my words remain in you, you will ask whatever you desire, and it will be done for you. In this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit; and so you will be my disciples. Even as the Father has loved me, I also have loved you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love; even as I have kept my Fathers commandments, and remain in his love." John 15:5-10

The verses above include a favorite 'proof text' for the prosperity gospel, namely "you will ask whatever you desire and it will be done for you."  However, this must be understood in the context of 'remaining in His love'. How do you do that? Yeshua says, "If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love."  In this context we see that the kind of prayer Yeshua is talking about here is offered up by obedient disciples. This is NOT a blank check for the disobedient or the selfish. He is our Leader, directing our steps in the will of the Father, so long as we will walk in those steps. There is empowerment to do that in the Holy Spirit, as we constantly seek His will in prayer.

Our theme for tonight will be: Messiah's Mighty Men Obey His Voice. Join our live Tsiyon panel discussion tonight, August 18, 2024, at Tsiyon.Net at 8 PM, Central. This is essential information for all of Messiah's true disciples. All are invited.