Message to those who are weary, discouraged
May 31, 2012
"Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees."
In my prayer time this morning, I asked Yahushua what He would say to all of the people who are weary of this life. People who are discouraged and disappointed at how their lives have turned out, or how things have been going the last couple of years. To those who are confused and hurting, lonely and distracted by so many of the trials of this life, lukewarm at the warnings that have been coming from His many watchmen for some time now. He has this to say:
" I speak to you today of the leaven in your lives. What do you know of this leaven? Do you recognize what it is, where it has come from, and how you are allowing it to not only influence your lives but to mandate everything about it? It starts out so subtly, but grows ever stronger of a force over you. I speak of the many, many ways and things that have your attention, and therefore have taken your focus off of Me. Is it your work? The lifestyle you have created for yourself and your family? Think about this for a moment. How do you spend your time? What things are you following that have been mandated by men? What has become your priority? Technology is fascinating, but how much of your day is spent absorbed with it? You know of which I speak. This leaven becomes a poison, but a poison that destroys slowly most times, and completely. Satan has used this tool as a weapon of warfare against My saints because he knew it would bring the downfall of many. Distractions come in many forms, but the end result is always the same. A numbness, an indifference, a lukewarm attitude toward Me and the Kingdom that I have offered you freely. I ask you again, what do your eyes feast on? Your ears? Think of all the things in your life that have nothing to do with Me or My purpose here for you. They have made you idle and fruitless spiritually, and they are the reason you have become satiated with the things of this world and ignorant of the ways of My Kingdom. You experience depression, loneliness, bitterness, anger, unforgiveness, confusion, and finally, apathy. How could you ever know My voice? But I tell you once more, I have opened a way unto you that brings joy, peace, forgiveness, love, and contentment. The way is so very simple. All I ask is that you spend time with Me! I want to be Your help in times like these, I want to be the answer to all of your lifes' troubles and concerns. I want to be the One you run to and ask to just sit with you, talk with you, listen to you. I want to be Your everything! I want to hold you and tell you that you don't have to worry anymore, that all indeed will be well. I have that promise for you, if you would only embrace it and truly believe it with all of your heart and all of your soul. I am your Yeshua, and I love you more than anyone could! Come to Me, and allow the Kingdom to dwell inside of you, as this is how We created you to be, remember, in Our image. Read My Word, in it you will find everything you need to move forward, and rid yourself of the leaven that has made you feel so heavy and burdened. There are no strings attached, and the invitation is open to all! Please, don't wait any longer, come to Me now."YAHUSHUA
Matt 11: 29-30 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke [is] easy, and my burden is light.
John 10: 27-28 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any [man] pluck them out of my hand.
Luke 13: 24-30 Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are: Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all [ye] workers of iniquity. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you [yourselves] thrust out.And they shall come from the east, and [from] the west, and from the north, and [from] the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God. And, behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last.
Luke 17: 20-21 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.
Luke 18:17 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein.
Luke 21: 34-36 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and [so] that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
John 6:37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
A look now at what leaven is defined as in Peloubet's Bible Dictionary:
ordinary leaven consisted of a lump of old dough in a high state of fermentation, which was mixed into the mass of dough prepared for baking. The use of leaven was strictly forbidden in all offerings made to the Lord by fire. During the Passover, the Jews were commanded to put every particle of leaven from the house. The most prominent idea associated with leaven is connected with the corruption which it had undergone, and which it communicated to bread in the process of fermentation. Our Saviour speaks of this property of the leaven in the doctrine of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.
Paul speaks of it in the NT referring to the "old leaven" 1 Cor: 5:7. Another quality of leaven is it's secretly penetrating and diffusive power. Yeshua speaks of it as illustrating the growth of the kingdom of Heaven in the individual heart and in the world at large whether for the good, or for the bad: because (1) its source is from without; (2) it is secret in its operation; (3) it spreads by contact of particle with particle; (4) is is widely diffusive (only one particle is needed to change the whole amount); (5) it does not act like water in that it changes what it comes in contact with into its own nature, with a propagating power.
Luke 12: 1 In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.
Matt: 16:6 Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.
Matt: 24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if [it were] possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
Matt 24: 4-5 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if [it were] possible, they shall deceive the very elect. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
Mark 13: 5-6 And Jesus answering them began to say, Take heed lest any [man] deceive you: For many shall come in my name, saying, I am [Christ]; and shall deceive many.
A brief look now at who the Pharisees and Sadduccees were:
In Hebrew, the Pharisees were "perushim", the seperated ones. They were founded in the period before the Macabean War as a protest against Hellenistic influence during the time of Christ. They were excessively strict, formulating detailed rules and observances, they bent their energies to a strict keeping of the law, using political means for its preservation when it seemed to them wise. While it was the aim of Yeshua to call men to the law of God itself as the supreme guide of life, the Pharisees, upon the pretence of maintaining it intact, multiplied minute precepts and distinctions to such and extent that the whole life of the Israelite was hemmed in and burdened on every side by instructions and "traditions". distractions of any kind to keep them from understanding who God really was
The Sadducees were a type of sacerdotal aristocracy. They seem to have originated from the sons of Zadock or the Zadokites. Zadok was a priest in favor of Solomon, and the higher priests belong to this sect. They were very wealthy and had a powerful influence at the time of Christ as well. They denied the resurrection, personal immortality, and future retribution. They also denied the existence of angels or spirits. They upheld the freedom of the will to such an extent that they repudiated Divine Providence. They were a very strong influence in the Sanhedrin with Herod as well.
leaven in bread fermenting |
God bless all of you.