“That I May Know Him and the Power of His Resurrection”

- Philippians 3:10 -

The following is a written transcript of the spoken message including the many Scriptural references

Yahshua (Jesus),“was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you who through Him are believers in Yahveh, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.” (1Peter 1:20-21) Messiah’s incomparable miraculous resurrection occurred on divine schedule, fulfilling the Feast of Firstfruits on Yahveh God’s biblical calendar. He was buried, and He rose again the third day according to Scriptures… (1 Corinthians 15:4) Yahshua (Jesus) is “the firstfruits” of those to rise from the dead (1Corinthians 15:23) promising resurrection and eternal life to a righteous redeemed remnant cleansed of their sins in His atoning blood and filled with His Holy Spirit. As it is written, there will be a resurrection of all souls,“many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt [death].” (Daniel 12:2) The reality is, the same power that raised Yahshua (Jesus) the “firstfruit” from the dead will raise His blood washed, redeemed, “born again” children up to everlasting life in the glory of His presence and righteous Kingdom. (John 3:3) “Having been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.” (Romans 5:9) The everlasting contempt is the deserved “wages of sin—which is eternal death”, in the never ending fires of hell, separated from Yahshua (Jesus) forever. (Romans 6:23, Revelation 20:14-15) Those who are resurrected through the blood of the Lamb and the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit will not taste “the second death”. (Revelation 21:8) “For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons and daughters of God.” (Romans 8:14) The second death is for those who were not “born again” and therefore they are condemned by their sins that were never repented for or cleansed away. (John 3:3) They never “put to death the deeds of their flesh” to follow Yahshua and will spend eternity tormented in the fires reserved for all sinners who rejected “the blood” of the Passover Lamb and His great salvation. (Romans 8:13, Ephesians 1:7) 

Yahshua (Jesus) came to save us from ourselves, every one of us are born with a fallen sin nature and are objects of Yahveh’s wrath. (Romans 5:12) Only those who are “born again” and are dead to the flesh, because they are living in the Spirit in Yahshua, will escape the wrath. (John 3:3) This is why our Savior said, “Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.” (Luke 21:36) We must “put to death the flesh”, having our “lives hidden in Messiah” so that we are not under these forthcoming judgments. (Romans 8:13, Colossians 3:3) Yahshua (Jesus) proclaimed to all: “Whoever wants to follow Me must deny themselves and take up their cross daily. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for Me will save it.” (see Luke 9:23-25) Unless we are “crucified to the world”, “denying ourselves daily”, and “picking up our crucifixion stake" we can’t follow Yahshua into His Father’s Kingdom. (Galatians 6:14, Luke 9:23) We will still be objects of Yahveh’s wrath because we are still living in our inherited flesh sin nature. (see Romans 5:6) That is why many will confess Him as Lord but He will respond, “I never knew you.” (See Matthew 7:21-23) As Yahshua (Jesus) says to the compromised, hypocritical, religious, “you confess Me with your lips but your hearts are far from Me.” (Matthew 15:8) Their hearts are far from Him because they never put to death their flesh and are continually lusting and panting for more and more things of this temporary world. (Galatians 5:17) They are trying to save their lives and have a half-hearted hypocritical form of religion endorsed by multitudes. They are deceived to think they are going to heaven, when in reality they have not “counted the cost” and paid the price as Yahshua did to be crucified for us and we for Him. (Luke 14:28-29) The denial of ourselves is the spiritual crucifixion process that our Savior and the apostles referred to.

We are not literally on the crucifixion stake, but spiritually we are constantly denying, rejecting, and repenting for our unruly self and its continual sin nature. Then Yahshua (Jesus) covers us in His blood saying, “go and sin no more”. (John 5:14) We need to keep looking to Messiah’s blood on the holy heavenly altar for the forgiveness of our ever present self sin nature, because as His beloved, we long to do what pleases Him without any sin or selfish desire separating us from the oneness we have been redeemed to have together. That is what “working out our salvation” and “fighting the good fight of faith” is all about. (Philippians 2:12, 1 Timothy 6:12) It is part of the walk and no one is exempt, because we are all living with an unregenerate sin nature. Those who are “born again” with Yahshua’s “indwelling Holy Spirit” have the power and the grace to overcome that sin nature that destined us to God’s wrath and Hell. (John3:3, Romans 5:6, 8:9) We have the power “to be more than conquerors” over our rebellious self nature that can only produce deadly fruit. (Romans 8:37) Praise be to Yahshua (Jesus) for His blood that covers us from all repented sins and gives us the power to live in the Spirit as we continually “put to death the deeds of the flesh!” (Romans 8:13) As it is written, “those who are Messiah’s [Christ’s] have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires [worldly distractions and preoccupations ].” (Galatians 5:24) 

Yahshua (Jesus) said, "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die.” (John 11:25-26). Apostle Paul in speaking to those who have faith in the Passover Lamb’s cleansing blood, encourages us with these words, “Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep [die], but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, … the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.” (1Corinthians 15:52) It is also written, “If you confess with your mouth Yahshua is Yahveh (see Footnote 1&2), and believe in your heart that Yahveh raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.” (Romans 10:9-10) These Scriptures are just the beginning steps of faith in our walk following Yahshua (Jesus) into His eternal Kingdom. We must be “born again” and directed by Yahshua’s (Jesus’s) indwelling Spirit to those places that are alive in the flesh that we need to proactively deny, crucify, and make no provision for, because the flesh is an enemy to the Holy Spirit. (Galatians 5:24-26, Romans 8:13, 13:14) “For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other,…” (Galatians 5:17) 

This is the daily battle we are in and we must “die daily” to our flesh. (1 Corinthians 15:31) When the flesh rises up we need to look at it saying, “you are my enemy and you cannot live because you are subject to wrath and you are not pulling me down to the pit of Hell. I am rebuking and denying and resisting your rulership, because I am under the power of the Holy Spirit. But if we continue to casually and sloppily live a counterfeit walk, not following Yahshua (Jesus) because we are not denying ourselves, then we are denying Him and our self life remains an object of His wrath, and our confession of faith was meaningless, nothing has changed except we are defaming Yahshua (Jesus) by calling ourselves believers. That is why Messiah continually proclaimed this shocking reality that so many will call Him Lord but will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven. (see Matthew 7:21-23, 25:11-13, Luke 13:25-27) 

The Holy Spirit directs us to grow up as a “born again” “new creation” who is “conformed to the image of God’s Son.” (Romans 8:29) This can only be done by those who are truly “born again,” it is not by works”, it is by the power of the Spirit that we can identify and “put to death the deeds of the flesh” because they separate us from our Holy God and beloved Savior. (see Ephesians 2:9, Romans 8:13) So many people are deceived to feel that good works, as righteous as they appear, are a substitute for true holiness that can only be produced by the Holy Spirit living within the “born again” redeemed. (John 3:3) Only that which is done by the Holy Spirit in and through our crucified life is what testifies as a fruit of the Spirit, rather than a work of the flesh. (see Galatians 5:22-23) The ruler of the flesh is Satan himself, lying to us and patting us on the back when we do good works.  Yahshua (Jesus) came to save us from ourselves, the inherited self sin nature resembles Satan. It can only produce sin, it can never produce righteousness. As Yahveh said, “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) Even our most righteous thoughts, attitudes, and works, as humanitarian, kind, and loving as they can be, are “like filthy rags” in His sight. As it is written, “all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags.” (Isaiah 64:6) Only those who are born again through the repenting of their sins and through faith in the atoning blood will have the gift of the Holy Spirit, who Yahshua (Jesus) sends to those who truly want to walk with Him. (Acts 5:32) He gives us “the Helper”, His Spirit of grace, power, and truth, His very identity and DNA, to live inside His born again children. (John 14:26) “His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness.” (2 Peter 1:3) 

The Holy Spirit gives us authority in Yahshua’s (Jesus’s) name to continue where He left off, in the destruction of the work of the devil in and through our self nature, which is the number one enemy always in opposition to the Spirit of Yahshua (Jesus). (1 John 3:8) We have to be alert and vigilant always watching our self nature and how the enemy can stir it up, because as human beings born in sin, we are always drifting, swerving, and wanting to go back to the old self nature. We have got to be on guard against it so that nothing keeps Yahshua (Jesus) from being magnified in our lives. Yahveh alone is to be exalted and have His way, good pleasure, and perfect will done by His Spirit in and through us. This produces righteous fruit, fruit that lasts eternally. (see John 15:16) All man’s efforts, as good as they are, will never stand up at the judgment seat. They will attest to the fact that the self was never put to death. 

Sadly, most people are not knowledgeable of the true walk and just skip to waiting for the rapture, as they live their lives in the flesh, continuing on in the same unregenerate state that they were delivered out of. It is one thing to go to church, it is another thing to go to the cross and die there daily. (Luke 14:27) Never the twains meet for so many casual, compromised professing believers and this includes pastors, preachers, and teachers who do not live or preach the necessity that Yahshua (Jesus) said was foundational for anyone who truly wants to follow Him. Messiah always pointed to the crucifixion stake. (John 12:32) As Apostle Paul said, “For I determined to know nothing among you except Yahshua Messiah [Jesus Christ], and Him crucified.” (1 Corinthians 2:2) The churches are filled from pulpit to pew, and yet preaching to embrace the crucifixion stake and being crucified to the world, is barely ever taught as the foundational and not optional part for anyone who truly wants to follow Yahshua (Jesus) into His righteous Kingdom. This is where the bottomless pit opens and swallows up so many professing believers in deception, because they were not taught of the self denied, crucified life. They do not know that “friendship with the world makes them an enemy to Yahveh”. (See James 4:4) They continue living in their flesh, with their desires for the world, praying for their God and Savior to bless them more abundantly with temporary worldly gains, rather than asking for the grace and power of the Spirit to help them deny the flesh with its insatiable worldly pulls so that they can grow up into a more intimate and closer relationship with Yahshua (Jesus). It is written, “all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever.” (1 John 2:16-17)

We have got to be all in Yahshua (Jesus) and all out of the world, out of the self, and all of the things the self loves in the world. If we deny our old self nature we put it in its proper place under the dominion of the Holy Spirit. It is a continual putting to death its persistent rearing up of its ugly head. That denial means our self life is being crucified to the stake, dying — dead, so that Yahshua is the One living in and through us producing the fruits of the Spirit. Our Savior died in our place so that we could die to our flesh and live in the Spirit. “For by grace we have been saved through faith; and this is not of ourselves, it is the gift of God…” (Ephesians 2:8) It is the indwelling Holy Spirit that gives us the grace to “put to death the deeds of the flesh”. (Romans 8:13) It is written, “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all people, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously, and in a godly manner in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Messiah Yahshua [Christ Jesus], who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, eager for good deeds [righteous deeds in the Spirit].” (Titus 2:11-14)  

So, self pleasing, self serving, self seeking professing believers are an enemy to the true gospel message of Yahshua’s very own mandate of what is required for anyone who truly wants to follow Him out of the flesh, out of the world, and into His righteous Kingdom. (Matthew 16:24, Luke 9:23, Romans 6:11, James 4:4) The crucified life is the essential missing element from the gospel message that has produced and allowed a counterfeit gospel, a counterfeit Jesus, and counterfeit professing believers in God. (see 2 Corinthians 11:4) The unchanging fact as Yahshua (Jesus) stated is, “… unless you are supernaturally born again, as a new creation you cannot see the kingdom of God.” (see John 3:3, 2 Corinthians 5:17) You cannot be born again except through Yahshua’s (Jesus’s) seed living in you, causing you to “put to death the deeds of the flesh” as the enemy to the cross, an “enemy to your Spirit”, and the enemy to the oneness you can have with Him. (Romans 8:13, Galatians 5:17) We are going to have to reckon with the true holy Messiah and the real price it costs to follow Him. We are either “all in” or we are going to be “all out”. The only way to be “all in” is to be crucified to ourselves, to the world, and the world to us. (See Romans 6:11, Galatians 6:14) If not, we are going to have part of our heart in the world, living for the self, and we can confess Yahshua (Jesus) all we want, but our hearts will be far away from Him and we are going to be “all out” because He will not recognize us. (See Matthew 7:23, Luke 13:25, Matthew 15:8-9) But His children that are truly “born again”, it is no longer they who are living, they're dead, they have been crucified with Messiah, they consider themselves dead to sin, but alive to God in Messiah Yahshua [Jesus].” (See Galatians 2:20, Romans 6:11) They are the ones who can truly say, “I have been crucified with Messiah [Christ]; and it is no longer I who live, but Messiah lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.” (Galatians 2:20) “… If we died with Messiah, we believe that we will also live with Him.” (Romans 6:8) 

We have got to “count the cost”, it will cost us everything. (see Luke 14:26-33, Matthew 19:29) It costs Yahshua (Jesus) everything. Those who are born again, living in and by the power of the Holy Spirit, are dying daily to their sinful flesh nature and its enticing gravitational pull. We are all born as enemies and our inherited self nature that rules in and through us is the object of God’s wrath. If we do not live a crucified self denying life we will continue to be objects of wrath because nothing changed other than we have an outer form of religion as Paul said, denying the power of the Holy Spirit’s rulership over our crucified surrendered obedient lives. (see 2 Timothy 3:5) As it is written, “Now I say this, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood [the inherited sinful self nature] cannot inherit the kingdom of God…” (1 Corinthians 15:50) Only the redeemed “born again", “called and chosen and faithful” small remnant, amongst the multitudes of professing believers, will have resurrected eternal holy bodies. (John 3:3, Revelation 17:14) Yahshua (Jesus) made this very clear, stating it over and over again, in parables and proclamations that many will want to enter His Kingdom, and think they are, but will be turned away because their hearts were double minded, superficial, hypocritical, self pleasing, and world loving. (Matthew 7:14,21-23, James 1:6-8, 4:4) They were never truly “born again” and transformed into the likeness of Yahshua (Jesus), bearing His imperishable seed, which qualifies and leads to the new bodies that can live in the presence of our eternal King and His righteous Kingdom forever. (see John 3:3, 2 Corinthians 3:18, 1 Peter 1:23)

FOOTNOTES

The NIV Study Bible (Grand Rapids: The Zondervan Corporation, 1985), p. 1750. Footnote for 1Corinthians 12:3: “...Jesus is Lord...The Greek word for ‘Lord’ here is used in the Greek translation of the OT (the Septuagint) to translate the Hebrew name Yahweh (‘the Lord’).” 

Footnote Philippians 2:11 “Jesus Christ is Lord. He is God (Yahweh of the OT). Obviously this cannot mean personal Lord and Master of one’s life, since those ‘under the earth’ (v. 10) could not acknowledge this.” Ryrie Study Bible (Chicago: Moody Press, 1995), p. 1890. 

The following is a written transcript of the spoken message including the many Scriptural references

It is important to understand that Easter, the world and Christianity’s commemoration of Yahshua’s (Jesus’s) resurrection, was the man made traditional replacement nullifying the reality and value of the celebration of the biblical Feast of Firstfruits. (Leviticus 23:15-17) Sadly, the name Easter and its modern celebration are derived from an unholy root incorporating portions of pagan worship and pagan gods. There is a controversy as to what the name of that pagan god is, many say it is Ishtar, the fertility goddess − celebrations include the Easter bunny and Easter eggs, but in reality, “the devil, the ancient serpent laid eggs of deception.” The Bible says, “They hatch vipers’ eggs and spin a spider’s web; He who eats of their eggs dies, …” (Isaiah 59:5) Satan laid “viper's eggs” that hatched into so much deception, drawing multitudes of believers away from “the narrow holy path” following the true Jewish Messiah, and the true gospel message. (see Isaiah 59:5, Matthew 7:14) 

The celebration of Easter is a worldly celebrated event of Easter colors, Easter bunnies, Easter eggs, and childish desires that have nothing to do with the crucifixion of the flesh and all of its worldly desires in order that we are crucified spiritual “new creations” who will be resurrected as Yahshua (Jesus) our firstfruit was after His crucifixion. (2 Corinthians 5:17, 1 Corinthians 15:20) Easter’s carnal frivolity is an insult to the true Yahshua (Jesus) and the holy biblical day of resurrection. With one swipe of the hand, this man made tradition not only replaced the truth that the resurrection was the fulfillment of the Feast of Firstfruits; it also dramatically diminished and stripped away the powerful reality of beholding our sacrificial Passover Lamb and the requirement for us to take very seriously our daily walk. The Feast of Unleavened Bread is symbolic of the spiritual walk of denying ourselves by daily removing all leaven, the sinful flesh and its continual desires, from our life. As Apostle Paul said, “I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Messiah Yahshua [Christ Jesus] my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them mere rubbish, so that I may gain Messiah,…that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; if somehow I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.” (Philippians 3:8,10,11)

Churches have become seeker friendly for self seeking, self pleasing, self centered, worldly believers who believe that God will give them their best and most blessed life here on earth until the rapture comes and takes them to an even better life. For them Easter is a perfect worldly holiday, but don’t call it Firstfruits or Resurrection Day, call it Easter Bunny day. Call it fun for the kids and family day, but don’t call it Resurrection Day if you yourself are not willing to pick up your cross daily, deny your flesh moment by moment, and put it to death so that you can follow the One who gave His life on the crucifixion stake. Yahshua (Jesus) was the first fruit to be resurrected, His promise of resurrection is only to the remnant who follow in His footsteps through a crucified life. Yahshua (Jesus) specified how few would be able to enter His kingdom saying, “narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” (see Matthew 7:14, 16:24)  

He who is the author of truth has not changed, “He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” (John 16:13) “Heaven and Earth will pass away but His Word will last forever.” (Matthew 24:35) The Almighty never authorized any changes to what He proclaimed in His written word or biblical calendar. (Matthew 24:35) Only the enemy, since the Garden of Eden, has put it into man's thoughts to question the validity and authority of God's Word, to doubt it, and to change it to suit one's own desires for what they crave of the things of this “world ruled by Satan". (see Genesis 3:1, John 14:30) Anyone who dares to change or add to His word, as Yahveh said, “will be proven a liar” and liars will not enter His kingdom. (see Proverbs 30:6, Revelation 21:8, 22:15 ) The devil, “the ancient serpent” himself has been changing Yahveh’s Word and will continually perpetuate lies to the end of this age. As it is written, “the serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, deceives the whole world.” (Revelation 12:9) The restoration of paradise lost to sin, which is the Kingdom of Heaven, will be barred as the Garden of Eden was to anyone who is unauthorized, because they walk in the byproduct of believing “the father of lies”, which causes rebellion against Yahveh God's truth. (John 8:44) “The truth sets us free”, it opens our eyes, it opens our ears, it opens the prison doors that keep us in bondage to Satan’s deception, and promises resurrection power to be raised from the dead. (John 8:32, see Isaiah 42:7)

Satan’s age old strategy is to take the truth and taint it with his many pagan rooted lies to cunningly draw people's worship away from the One True God. Yahveh had warned Israel, and that warning is also to all Gentile believers who are joined together in worship of the Most High Living God through faith in His Son, the Jewish Messiah. He proclaimed, “take heed to yourself… that you do not inquire after their [pagan] gods, saying, ‘How did these nations serve their gods? I also will do likewise.’ You must not worship Yahveh your God in their way,…” (see Deuteronomy 12:30-32) The Holy One of Israel implored His people to remain at a great distance from the practices of the pagan nations around them. He admonished them to respond even to rumors regarding the unholy practices of the Gentiles entering the holy camp and worship of Yahveh. He continues to emphasize that all who seek righteousness “shall investigate and search out and inquire thoroughly” regarding any inkling of such forbidden compromises and “if it is true and the matter established that this abomination has been done among you [the mixing of pagan practices with the Almighty’s holy requirements]”, then all that was impure was to be “utterly destroyed” and given up as a sacrificial offering to Yahveh, who had placed these things under His sovereign ban, never to be touched again. (Deuteronomy 13:14,15) 

Let's look at a brief history of the “ancient serpent’s” trail as he introduced pagan rooted changes to the Almighty’s biblical calendar regarding the holy Feasts of Passover, Unleavened Bread, and Firstfruits. 

The emperor Constantine who ruled from AD 306-337, was an avid sun worshipper. With a superficial attitude toward the Holy Scriptures, he conveniently fused parts of popular pagan worship of his empire with biblical truth and the Almighty’s divinely appointed biblical calendar. Many Christian doctrines evolved from this unholy fusion. We read in the Multimedia Encyclopedia… “Early Christians observed Easter on the same day as Passover (14-15 Nisan, a date governed by a lunar calendar, the biblical calendar). In the 2nd century, the Christian celebration was transferred to the Sunday following Passover the 14-15 Nisan. … The Council of Nicaea Changes the Date of Easter, 325 AD … At this meeting the question concerning the most holy day of Easter was discussed, and it was resolved by the united judgment … that this feast ought to be kept by all and in every place on one and the same day [Sunday]. … it appeared an unworthy thing that in the celebration of this most holy feast we should follow the practice of the Jews, … For we have it in our power, if we abandon their [biblical] custom, that we can prolong the due observance of this [man-made] ordinance [on the day of the worship of the Sun-Sunday] for future ages, …… Let us then have nothing in common with this detestable Jewish crowd; for we have received from our Savior a different way” (a way in place of and instead of the true Messiah (Christ). (See Footnote 1) These seeds of antisemitism is the seed of an anti messiah (antichrist) spirit that has been coming against the true Jewish Messiah all the way back to Constantine’s edicts perched on antisemitic pagan roots. This shows that Constantine and the many to follow, were anti-Semitic in nature and replaced the Jewish root of the pure Messianic faith with unholy pagan roots to distance and remove it from any affiliation with the God of Israel and the Jewishness of Yahshua the true Messiah. 

Yahveh God’s biblical calendar is based on the moon, a lunar calendar. The third day after Passover when Yahshua was resurrected as the first fruit to rise from the dead, would vary from year to year. We must remember Messiah’s words, “For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” (Matthew 12:40) The early messianic believers determined their date for the celebration of the resurrection of Yahshua (Jesus) appropriately by the date of the biblical Passover and the following Feast of Firstfruits. The progression away from pure biblical truth including the Almighty’s biblical calendar continued to dilute and infuse Christianity with more and more man-made pagan rooted customs, doctrines and traditions. By the time of the dark centuries of the Middle Ages (AD 476 to the beginning of the 14th century) the Scripture was not accessible to the majority of believers. When the Bible became available during the Reformation, the infallible authority of the Word of Yahveh was contested by the religious leaders of that day. They reinforced what Constantine had decreed. These leaders blatantly declared that tradition stood above Scripture and insisted that the authority of the church was not bound to the authority of the Scriptures. Thus the failure to observe Yahveh the Most High’s biblical calendar and mandates as He had commanded was openly stated to have been by the church’s own authority and not by the command of Messiah. 

It is written, “there is no lie in the truth.” Daniel was shown that the anti- messiah (antichrist) spirit would be at work long before the conclusion of the age changing Yahveh God’s appointed calendar. The angel Gabriel prophetically showed Daniel that the enemy would “attempt to change the sacred seasons and the law;” (Daniel 7:25) “Satan, called the ruler of this world” by Yahshua, made the world’s calendar based no longer on a lunar calendar but a solar calendar. (John 12:31) He changed the biblical holy days into worldly flesh pleasing holidays that the people of the world and most Christians share together. They may have put different spiritual meanings on them, but nevertheless they share the same unholy calendar dates as they participate and perpetuate this satanically inspired hybrid mixture. Let the world have their Easter but let Yahveh’s redeemed children, which are the born again righteous remnant, have Resurrection! It is written, “How can you say, ‘We are wise, and the [word of God] is with us’? Look, the false pen of the scribe certainly works falsehood.” (Jeremiah 8:8)

In previous years the biblical Feast of Firstfruits celebrating Yahshua (Jesus) the Jewish Messiah’s glorious resurrection was in the order of His death as the Passover Lamb followed by His resurrection from the dead. This year 2024, by man's design and Satan's influence of deception, the celebration of resurrection day, called Easter by the pagan world and celebrated in full array by unsaved worldly people, was moved to 23 days before Passover and resurrection day. Let’s reason together, it is as clear as the nose on our face, you cannot have a resurrection preceding the death. This is upside down and backwards and is a tell-tale sign that those who love the truth should be awakened to the reality that this is a work of the enemy. All these centuries Satan has been behind this arbitrary and devised plan of man, to keep Resurrection Day distanced from Yahveh’s biblical calendar. The progressive movement is literally Satan’s deceptive, enticing, successful agenda causing man to progress further and further away from the God of creation, the God of the Bible who is the Holy One of Israel, and His written word. 

Anyone who follows the truth, according to biblical precepts in obedience to our God and Savior’s word, are following Yahshua (Jesus) who fulfilled all the biblical feasts to the exact day and hour. Yahveh the Creator of Heaven and Earth says, “These are MY feasts. MY appointed times…” (see Leviticus 23:2,3) In essence, Satan, the ruler of this world is saying, “No, they are going to be MY appointed times. I am in charge, I gained authority over this world to “deceive the people”, and they are MY appointed holidays to deceive God’s children so that they will follow me without even knowing it.” (John 12:31, 2 Corinthians 4:4, Revelation 12:9) The enemy has done a masterful job of deceiving Christians all these centuries when they believed, perpetuated, and brought forth an inheritance of lies of this “hybrid Christianity”, passing it on from generation to generation. Now, at the end of the age Yahveh’s words through the prophet Jeremiah ring loud and clear, he declared, “The Gentiles shall come to [Yahveh] from the ends of the earth and say, “Surely our fathers have inherited lies, worthlessness and unprofitable things.” (Jeremiah 16:19) These lies are easily perpetuated because so many believers do not have a “love for the truth”, do not know the full counsel of the word of God through the Old and New Testaments, and are easily deceived as Paul warned, by “Satan who masquerades as an angel of light … and his servants who disguise themselves as servants [and preachers] of righteousness.” (see 2 Corinthians 11:14-15) 

The lack of the “love of the truth” and the lack of "the fear and reverential awe of our Holy God and Savior” is the primary reason why so many believers have inherited and perpetuated falsehood. (see 2 Thessalonians 2:10, Proverbs 1:7) The Most High God said, “MY people perish for the lack of knowledge [the lack of the knowledge of the truth].” (Hosea 4:6) But even worse than that, as expounded by Apostle Paul, “God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie.” (2 Thessalonians 2:10-12) They get their Easter bunnies, they get their Christmas trees, they get their Santa Clauses, but they don’t get the true Yahshua (Jesus). We've been lied to, and if we don't have a love for the truth, we are going to continue to believe a lie, walk in a lie, and Yahveh will give us over to thorough and total delusion. Many have been deceived and are deceiving themselves and others, but they are not deceiving Yahveh. Yahshua (Jesus) warns us all, “Watch out, take heed, that no one deceives you!” (Matthew 24:4) 

So many will stay in the world enjoying the world’s holidays, acting like the world, living like the world, but they are rejecting truth for error. They are choosing their flesh instead of the crucifixion stake. They are not choosing to have their lives hidden spiritually in Yahshua (Jesus) and to become one with Him in eternal bonds of love that lead to uncompromised truth. They are in a superficial form of religion that denies the power of the Holy Spirit. It is full blown apostasy. (see 2 Timothy 3:5, 4:3-4, 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3) As Apostle Paul warned, the great falling away was coming with “Satan masquerading as an angel of light”, “preaching another Yahshua (Jesus)”, “another gospel”, with seducing spirits distorting and bringing forth counterfeit “doctrines of demons”. (see 2 Thessalonians 2:2-9, 2 Corinthians 11:4,14, Acts 20:30, 1 Timothy 4:1) Grievously, this is the prophesied apostasy of many churches. It is a self endorsing world loving bless me club, rather than a place that the crucifixion stake where Yahshua’s blood poured out for us is magnified and exalted as the centerpiece with the necessity that we be crucified to this life and world to share in His sufferings. As it is written, “For to you it has been granted for Messiah’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer on His behalf.” (Philippians 1:29) So we have two different gospel messages. One is the counterfeit and the other the true gospel. Apostle Paul warned, “Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.” (Acts 20:30-31) Paul prophetically saw these “seducing spirits” and “doctrines of demons” coming from Satan to draw away disciples from the truth. (see 1 Timothy 4:1) 

Grievously, many professing believers will stand at the gates of heaven saying, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name? And He will say ,“I do not know you or where you come from.” (Matthew 7:21-23, Luke 13:25) “You didn’t know Me personally or intimately, you did not follow Me on the narrow path. You did not want to count the cost to find out what pleases Me, much less walk carrying your crucifixion stake. You tried to save your life instead of dying daily to your flesh so that you could live in the Spirit as one with Me, growing up bearing My identity, and glorifying My Father through your crucified life. You did not do the will of My Father to bring Him praise, honor, and glory by your words, deeds, and actions.” (Author’s paraphrase - See Matthew 7:14, Luke 14:28,29, Ephesians 5:10, Matthew 16:24, Galatians 5:25, Romans 8:29) Yahshua (Jesus) asks us, “Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? “The wrath of God is coming upon the children of disobedience…” (Colossians 3:6) To repeat Messiah came to save us from ourselves and the coming wrath of God.  Pray that you will be able to escape the judgments that are coming, because it will no longer be you who lives in your flesh nature but your life will be hidden in Yahshua (Jesus) ruled by His loving Spirit over your redeemed crucified life.

Footnote

1. J. Gelb and R. M. Whiting, Multimedia Encyclopedia, ver. 1 (New York: Grolier Electronic Publishing, 1992), s.v. “Easter.”  

The following is a written transcript of the spoken message including the many Scriptural references

If we do not deny ourselves, we deny Yahshua (Jesus). If we allow ourselves to live we have saved our lives down here but lost the opportunity for eternal life that is only available to those who have been “crucified to the world and the world to them”. (Mark 8:35, Galatians 6:14) The self sin nature is the object of Yahveh’s wrath because it sins continually by nature against Him. The Big “I” has to be put to death and the Great I AM, the God, Ruler, and Creator of the Universe is the only I that is to be exalted. Every other I and every other puny human being that exalts itself against the Great I AM and His biblical commandments, precepts, and mandates is an enemy to the cross of Yahshua (Jesus). Messiah’s sacrificial death made the way for us to be “born again”, cleansed us of our repented sins, and filled with His Spirit so that we could die to the big self and its I will — I want nature, in order to gain life eternal. When the Big I is dead there is no more “me” who wants the glory, it belongs only to Him who alone is the great I AM. I AM rules over the “little puny god” of I will. (see Psalm 82:6-7) The I will’s are the offspring of Satan’s mentality. (see Isaiah 14:14-15) Yahveh God says, “I AM — you are not.” Therefore deny the self that insists on ruling over your life. If you are truly born again, your life is not your own, therefore glorify the Almighty by the Holy Spirit’s power and grace working in and through you. (see 1 Corinthians 6:19-20) Choose you this day who you will serve, who you will please. Whose will are you seeking to obey? Is it your flesh and all of its self pleasing worldly desires? Or will you deny and crucify your self by surrendering your life to the One who surrendered and gave His life to forgive your sins, fill you with His Spirit, and deliver you from the wrath of God that falls on all who live and die in their self nature? 

The greatest issue at the core of our walk is, do we “love Yahveh our God with all of our heart, mind, soul and strength” and do we have a love for the truth? (Matthew 22:37-40, 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12) If we have a love for the truth that means that we love Yahshua (Jesus) because He is the truth. He is “the way and the truth and the life and no one comes to the Father except through Him” and by following in His footsteps. (See John 14:6, 1 John 2:6) The most important element of all of the holy biblical feast days is the crucifixion stake on which the Passover Lamb died, and His precious blood poured out of His veins for the forgiveness of our sins. Only those who have victory through faith in Yahshua’s (Jesus’s) atoning blood and have His Holy Spirit living in them are going to be living a “crucified life to the world and the world to them”. (Galatians 6:14) Then the Almighty’s written word, including the biblical calendar and holy days that are a portrait of Yahshua (Jesus) giving us a road map to follow in our spiritual walk, will become a very blessed part of our lives, but it is secondary compared to the crucifixion stake. To repeat, that is why Paul said, “I determine to know nothing but Messiah and Him crucified.” (1 Corinthians 2:2) 

“For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old [self nature] was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, …” (Romans 6:5-6) The redeemed remnant’s greatest desire is to have intimate fellowship in the Spirit with Yahshua (Jesus) by becoming one with Him. They continually fight their flesh and everything of the world’s pulls that would separate them from their Holy Savior, their first and foremost love. (Revelation 2:4) Yahshua (Jesus) adamantly spoke these powerful and startling words, “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate [to lightly esteem in comparison to their love for Him] his own father, mother, wife, children, brothers, sisters, yes, and even his own life”, he cannot be My disciple.” (Luke 14:26) We need to hate the self nature and the life it demands because it is an enemy to Yahshua’s Spirit living in and through us. (Galatians 5:17) That is why it has to be denied as the enemy to the cross and the enemy to our eternal life. It is written, “Once the head of the house gets up and closes the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock on the door [again and again], saying, ‘Lord, open to us!’ then He will answer you, ‘I do not know where you are from [for you are not of My household].’ Depart from Me all you evildoers!’ In that place there will be weeping [in sorrow and pain] and grinding of teeth [in distress and anger] when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but yourselves being thrown out and driven away. And people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and they will sit down [and feast at the table] in the kingdom of God.” And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.” (Luke 13:25,27-30 AMP)

As we decrease He will increase, until there is only Yahshua (Jesus) exalted in and through our crucified lives. He must be the One who is living and manifesting in love and truth through our surrendered lives at any cost. We are to glorify Him in word and deed in the hopes that others will come to know Him, because there is nothing of our old flesh nature that is blocking the view of the resurrected, ruling, and reigning King of kings over our redeemed lives. Yahshua (Jesus) gave us “the Helper”, His Holy Spirit to help us recognize that the flesh and its deeds are an arch enemy to Yahshua and our walk with Him. Again, we must “fight the good fight of faith” to continually recognize and be vigilant to deny our flesh and “make no provision” for its incessant desires. (John 14:26, 1 Timothy 6:12, Romans 13:14) By His Spirit, Yahshua has made us “more than conquerors” over our flesh nature and the victory shout is, “WHERE, O DEATH IS YOUR VICTORY? WHERE, O DEATH, IS YOUR STING?” (Romans 8:37, 1 Corinthians 15:55) Messiah said that He conquered the last enemy, which is death. He suffered death, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone. (see 1 Corinthians 15:26) Those who are “born again” and “dead to their flesh” with their “lives hidden in Messiah”, live with faith filled joy and “the blessed hope”, knowing that “the same power that raised Yahshua (Jesus) from the dead is going to raise them up” when the last trumpet sounds. (John 3:3, Romans 6:10-11, Colossians 3:3, Titus 2:13, 1 Corinthians 15:52) Their mortal bodies will be clothed with imperishable immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” (1 Corinthians 15:54) They will be raised up to be together with their resurrected Savior in bonds of eternal love in His Kingdom of Heaven forever. Glory, Glory, HalleluYAH!

This inspirational original song conveys Yahshua’s heart cry to His beloved as He ascended to heaven. Although sad to say goodbye to them on earth, He rejoices that He is going to make a place for the redeemed resurrected remnant to be with Him forever in the Father’s Kingdom. Listen to our Savior’s encouraging words, “In My Father’s house are many mansions; … I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” John 14:2-3

Our Messiah YAHshua (Jesus) “died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him” (1 Thessalonians 5:10). Accordingly, none of us should take the great plan of salvation lightly because YAHshua suffered for us so that in his suffering we might one day face no suffering. He was persecuted so that the Almighty might accept us. Finally, he died for all that in so doing we might have eternal life. This great plan of salvation came through one man - Yahshua (Jesus) and because He was made to walk in the vessel of a man it was by no means an easy task for him to die on the stake at Calvary. As Yahshua (Jesus) said, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done … and being in anguish, He prayed more earnestly, and His sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground” (Luke 22:42-44).

This song captures the sadness and heartfelt anguish YAHshua (Jesus) felt when he was getting prepared to go to His crucifixion. In addition, it captures the underlying message that He told his disciples on the Mount of Olives when He spoke His glorious goodbye, proclaiming: “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20). Above all, the heart of this song is for all of us to understand just how great a sacrifice our Savior made so that we might have eternal life. His heart of love for his disciples and his people can never be fathomed by the human mind. Accordingly, the least we can do is hear his heart’s cry and embrace his call to love Him as He has loved us and to love others just as He has loved us. Indeed, “For YAHveh (God) so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Therefore my dear friend, remember that YAHshua (Jesus) died for all “so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf” (2 Corinthians 5:15). Accordingly, let us never take lightly our great salvation in YAHshua nor take lightly the persecution, death, and anguish of goodbye that He went through so that we might be saved. He loves us through the end of time - all glory, honor, praise, and dominion be His both now and forevermore!