“When you Enter”(Ki Tavo) and becoming His special treasure

In this week’s readings in synagogues and even among many Hebraic roots groups, many will be reading Deuteronomy 26:1- through 29:9; and also Isaiah 60:1-22.  Those who believe in Yeshua will also be reading Luke 23:26-56.

I thought this weeks’ reading was particularly interesting.  This week’s reading is called “Ki Tavo” – the Hebrew for “When you enter” from Deut. 26:1. The Israelites must have been ready to enter the Promised Land after 40 years of testing and trials in the rough wilderness, even though their Creator was with them in the shadowing cloud and warm fire by night.  It was tough.  This week’s reading focuses on what is our JOY and expectation – that WE TOO are about to cross over, to enter into the Promises. I hope this blog will inspire you rekindle the hope of when WE enter into all his promises fully.

Aren’t you ready?  Haven’t you had enough of this world’s ways, the brutality, the terrorism of Al-Qaeda and ISIL and all the aches and pains of this life?  I am. Aren’t you ready for the reign of Yeshua (Jesus) the King over all the earth, instead of the politics, lies and corruption of our elected or self-appointed leaders around the world?  I am. 

Last week’s reading gave the many instructions about how we are to treat the poor, elderly and needy who come into our lives.  This week is about looking ahead to what is about to happen and being prepared in our lives and hearts for this crossing over into the kingdom of God on earth. I’m not saying that’s about to happen tomorrow or in the next few years even, but it’s certainly getting closer and I am praying “Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

Right now, there’s a lot happening on earth that is not the will of God, for this is Satan’s world—for a short time longer.  But the time is coming soon when the 7^th trumpet will sound and loud voices in heaven will proclaim at that time that “the kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ and HE shall reign forever and ever” (Revelation 11:15). I can’t wait!!  Hallelujah!  As we prepare for the holydays in the Fall we will be rehearsing all of this, so be watching for blogs and sermons on all of this coming up. 

This week’s Torah portion “Ki Tavo” – “when you Enter”  -- reminds me of the fact that very name “Hebrew” comes from the Hebrew word “Ivri” – which comes from the root I-V-R in Hebrew which means “to cross over”. Abraham had to come to a new land and cross over the Jordan River (the Yarden, in Hebrew). The Israelites, in taking the new land, had to CROSS OVER the Yarden River (Jordan River) – Joshua 3:15-17. John, the Voice in the Wilderness immersed people in this same RIVER – THE CROSSING OVER river, if you will (Mark 1:4-5). Think about the significance of that: he baptized in the river that means “the Crossing Over”.

I’ll have an entire blog on this sometime soon. But for now, we are all spiritual Hebrews, spiritual Israel, if we have accepted Yeshua as our King and Savior.  We are all crossing over and have crossed over from this world’s ways into THE Way of our King.  We have crossed over from death into life. It’s about the theme of this reading: “When you enter”, Ki Tavo – and all it means.

When we cross over to the NEW and living Way, there has to be an inward change. This 6^th month of Elul is the time of deep repentance, seeking after our God with fasting and prayer and a renewed commitment to really let Him change us, from the inside out. Thus we are circumcised in our hearts.  Conversion is an “inside job”, if you will.

When we accept Yeshua, our Abba in heaven applies and pays the ultimate price for you to become His special treasure. Yes, YOU. If you’re like me, we can often feel like we are a total failure spiritually as there are so many areas of our lives where we still need to change and overcome. So many areas where we still fall short of the mark. But in spite of all that, you have been bought with a price, and you are no longer your own.  The price paid for you:  the life of the Word of God, who was God, and was with God, and became flesh (John 1:1-3, 14), so he could pay your penalty for you and live again for you!  Though you fail, he does not. More on that later.

When you pay a lot for something that becomes a treasured possession to you.  You will guard it, keep it, protect it, and cherish it. The one true God paid the highest price for YOU. God in heaven sees YOU as his cherished possession, who has crossed over (IVR – Ivri – Hebrew) from this world to His Way.  That’s all in the reading for this sabbath. In our crossing over, we have proclaimed our commitment to live HIS way, follow His teachings, laws and commandments (Deut 26:15-17).

Be sure to click on “Continue reading” – to the right to learn more about our spiritual crossing over and living with the confidence and hope of being His special treasure. 

And wewill be changing, if we let Yeshua (Jesus) live in us again the way he did the first time he lived on earth. He will live in us the way he always did: obediently. Paul spoke of “Until Christ is formed in you” – Galatians 4:19.  He will change us. Finally at the last trump, our remaining corruption will be changed to incorruption (1 Cor. 15:50-54). Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God (1 Cor.15:50).  So we have to be rid of our carnal, fleshly nature which we still have – even though now we also have the divine nature, which wars against the fleshly nature  (2 Peter 1:4; Galatians 5:15-17). That’s why we feel conflicted. That’s why we feel so often like we’re failing – because the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak (Matthew 26:41).

Like Paul, I have no confidence in the flesh (Philippians 3:3).  I want to cross over – FULLY – into the kingdom of God here on earth. Yet even now, in Christ, we are already IN HIM seated at God’s right hand (Ephesians 1:3-5).  So one day God will change us to spirit and the flesh with all its failings will be forever a thing of the past.  Halleluyah!  That’s when we fully CROSS OVER. Or, as the theme of the reading for today is titled: “when you enter”,  “ki tavo” – Deut 26:1. 

The second coming of Messiah will soon be a reality. Keep this hope and promise alive in your heart. And in your heart, now, be entering and crossing over into the new kingdom. See it as a reality. Dream about it. Live that way. Speak that way. Demonstrate that way. When you fail, repent deeply and get back into the Walk again. Make it what you think about, what you speak of, and what you live for – as you go about your daily business. 

Father in heaven sees you covered by Yeshua as you accept the righteousness of God by faith and by faith let Christ in you by His spirit change you and me. (Read Philippians 3:9-11 carefully; 2 Cor. 5:21; Romans 5:16-19). 

Then after proclaiming our allegiance to the Way of the living God, we read this in today’s reading:

Deuteronomy 26:18-19

“Also today YHWH has proclaimed you to be His special people, just as He promised you, that you should keep all His commandments, 19 and that He will set you high above all nations which He has made, in praise, in name, and in honor, and that you may be a holy people to YHWH your God, just as He has spoken."

Isaiah 60:15

 "Whereas you have been forsaken and hated, So that no one went through you,

I will make you an eternal excellence, a joy of many generations.”

We know today there is the “Israel of God” (Galatians 6:16), which is anyone who has been circumcised inwardly, in their hearts, and have opened their hearts to our Savior (Romans 2:28-29). God will still be watching out for physical Israel and the descendants of the 12 tribes, when they come repentantly to him in the future, but right now YOU can be His SPECIAL PEOPLE, whether you are Kenyan, Libyan in Christ, Russian who believes in Yeshua, Chinese who love Jesus, Puerto Rican, Japanese believer in the blood of the Lamb or American who has crossed over and wants to live a life obedient to Christ. You can be Israeli, British or Brazilian – and be the special people of God, in Christ. Hallelujah! 

You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a people of God’s own possession, called to proclaim the excellencies of our great God and Savior (1 Peter 2:9). 

You do not belong to a “church group” or denomination.  You belong to Christ if you have HIS spirit and if he has bought you with the price of His own blood. Look to HIM, not to human preachers and leaders so much. 

One thing I’m working on and recommend it to all: let’s stop looking back at our past failures and sins. Start looking up and forward. Our past should stay back there – past, wiped out, blotted out, forgiven and forgotten by God who covered it all in His Son’s blood because He loved you so much. So start believing Yeshua in you is cleaning up the House of God once more, whose House YOU are!  You are His House of Prayer, His holy temple, as you will hear more in the coming sermon.

One last thing: when we project defeat, despair, and failure and so on, over the failures of our flesh, people will see us that way too. But when we start to confidently walk as a new creation in Christ, confident in HIM and that HE will finish what He started in us – people will treat you with more dignity and confidence as well. (I preach to myself also.) HE is our glory. HE is our victory. HE is our promise. He is our hope. Praise HIM – our Eternal Savior and King and our Holy Father in Heaven.  Hallelu YAH!

Listen to the sermon I’m preparing about being Almighty God’s special temple, his house of prayer, his special possession. I should have it available soon.