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Christ Our Peace Offering! By Pastor Bill Taylor A publication of My Father's House, inc. Volume 7/Issue 18b Prophecy: Many in the world today are trembling for fear of the financial calamity that has already begun and is upon them. And I tell you that indeed there will be severe financial calamity in these end times. And many will be shaken and ruined and fall. But I tell you My people that I have reserved, even as I spoke concerning Cyrus, My anointed one, who was foretold and called forth to be an agent in the rebuilding of My temple, that I would open before Him the double doors and give Him the treasures of darkness, and I tell you My people that I have reserved treasures of darkness for My anointed today. And have I not said that I know before you ask that you have need? And what does it mean that I have treasures of darkness except I have things reserved, that I have blinded the eyes of the carnal, the worldly, the false church; I have things that they cannot see, that they cannot find, they cannot take, for I have kept them hidden, and reserved to be given to My people – My anointed in their time of need. For indeed I will provide and indeed I say to you do not fear, for the things, which must happen, must come. They are not My wrath towards you. For towards you who love My Name, I have tender feelings, and I have reserved all that you would need to be victorious in these times, saith the Lord. So trust in Me and stay close to Me and I will open your eyes to the things others don’t see and provide for you in ways that others could not conceive. And you will glorify Me and I will be glorified in you, saith the Lord. (Prophecy delivered at “My Father’s House”) “This is the law of the sacrifice of peace offerings which he shall offer to the LORD:” (Lev7:11) “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,” (Rom5:1) Under the Old Covenant God gave the people a “peace offering” that was to be a type and shadow of something Christ offers God’s people under the New Covenant. For He Himself is our peace. (Eph2:14) Jesus is the New Covenant peace offering; “But the person who eats the flesh of the sacrifice of the peace offering that belongs to the LORD, while he is unclean, that person shall be cut off from his people.” (Lev7:20) Christ’s sacrifice has made peace between God and men. The peace offering is offered before the Lord in the Tabernacle and its blood sprinkled around the altar and its fat burned on the altar as an offering to the Lord. And then the flesh is to be eaten by those who offer it. But any person who eats the flesh of the sacrifice of the peace offering, that belongs to the Lord, while he is unclean, that person will be cut off from his people. (vs20) More over the person who touches any unclean thing and who eats the flesh of the sacrifice of the peace offering that belongs to the Lord that person shall be cut off from his people. (vs21) Now one of the significant things regarding this peace offering and concerning Jesus is, it is very plain here that to have peace with God you cannot partake of the peace offering while you are unclean. “I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.” “As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me.” (Jn6:51,57) So that in the sense of your participation in Jesus’ peace offering you are eating into the reality that Jesus is our peace. And we partake of Jesus’ peace as we eat into Him. Numerous scriptures show that He is the peace offering. Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you, not as the world gives do I give to you but let not your heart be troubled and let it not be afraid. (Jn14:27) These things I’ve spoken to you that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer for I have overcome the world. (Jn16:33) Now Jesus is giving us His peace and we are receiving His peace by eating into Him, which is symbolic for receiving what is in Him; the Spirit, the truth and the word that is in Him into us. But notice again that it says that you cannot receive His peace, you cannot participate in this peace offering, or eat of it unless you are clean. And that if you try to do this while being unclean or even while associating with what is unclean (Lev7:21) you will be cut off from the people and that means you will be destroyed, not saved. And what the Spirit is saying concerning this today is much of what calls itself Christianity around us is so twisted and perverted and apostatized from true Christianity, and yet they are trying to eat into Christ as being their peace offering while they haven’t been cleansed, and while they continue to live in a carnal, worldly, or sinful way. And that’s not going to be permitted by God. There is no peace to the wicked. (Isa48:22) And you can’t continue in a state of unsanctification and carnality and then say that Jesus is your peace and try to eat of Him, which means trying to take unto yourself the scriptures that indicate He is peace to true believers and such as that and then claim His offering applies to you and think you have peace with God. You don’t have peace with God unless you have been cleansed. Concerning this Jesus says, You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. (Jn15:3) Because you have listened to My word as it says in, “For I have given them the word which you have given Me and they received them and known surely that I came forth from you.” (Jn17:8) “They were Yours. You gave them to Me and they have kept Your word” (vs6) “I have given them Your word and the world has hated them because they are not of this world just as I am not of this world. Sanctify them by Your truth, Your word is truth.” (vs14) And we can see then that Jesus shows Himself to be the Peace offering of His disciples when He says that “in Me you will have peace.” He is also showing us that His disciples are not participating in the peace offering in an unclean state, when He says, “you are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.” And it is plain that these are the people who have received His word and the word has cleansed them. And that’s why they can receive Him as their peace. And also concerning this Jesus says to Peter, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.” (Jn13:8) And from this we see that being “washed” is not an automatic thing. So many today think, “I have confessed Jesus as Lord so I must be washed.” But Peter knew Jesus as Lord and was still resisting the washing and Jesus had to tell him that if He didn’t let Him wash him he had no part with Him. “If I don’t wash you and if you don’t get cleansed here, then you will not participate in anything of Mine. Because anyone who tries to eat of God’s peace offering in an unclean state will die and you will not be permitted to participate in My peace offering if you are unclean.” And if you can’t participate in Christ’s peace offering – you won’t be a part of anything else God is offering. “You have no part in Me,” Jesus says, “if I don’t wash you.” And this applies to every believer today. And yet most so-called believers today aren’t being washed. They are not letting Jesus wash them. They are resisting the things He does to try to wash them. So they are not His church as in, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. (Eph5:26-27) If Jesus is to be your peace, then He has to be your peace offering. And if He is to be your peace offering then you must eat of Him. Because you have to eat into His peace. And you will not be permitted to eat into that peace unless you are clean. And to be cleansed you must first receive the cleansing words of Christ that turn you away from your sin and deliver you from your iniquities. And this requires you to allow Jesus to cleanse you through the washing of His word and whatever else He wants to do to wash you. And only if you have first received His “cleansing” words are you then able to receive His peace giving words. For unless you are being cleansed by His word there is no peace for you. So if you are not willing to take hold of His words to make you holy, don’t think you are going to be able to take hold of His word to give you peace! And concerning Jesus being our peace and having peace with God consider also that Jesus says, “In the world you will have tribulation but be of good cheer I have overcome the world.” (Jn16:33) So Christ is saying these things to His “cleansed believers” so that they may have peace even in the midst of tribulation. In other words, we are not delivered from trouble, per se, by our salvation but we are made, in a sense, immune to its effect. It doesn’t affect us like it affects unbelievers. In fact, in many cases, we may have more trouble than unbelievers do. But because of our faith in God, the trouble doesn’t have the damaging effect on us that the devil would wish; in fact, it has a positive and a good effect on us. So that – therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we also have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; perseverance approved character, and character hope. (Rom5:1-4) Now the interesting thing here is Paul starts out talking about peace and then by verse 3 he’s talking about us glorying in tribulation. So the peace that Christ has given us doesn’t mean we don’t suffer tribulations. And James says, “Count it all joy when you fall into various trials knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.” (Jas1:2-3) And Paul also admonishes us to stand in the evil day by putting on the armor of God which includes the proper foot wear, “having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace.” (Eph6:15) So Paul is saying we can stand in tribulations in an unshakeable position because of our relationship to God that we have peace with God, which does not mean you have peace with men. In fact, it is just the opposite. “These things I have spoken to you that you should not be made to stumble, they’ll put you out of the synagogue, and they will think that when they are killing you that they are doing God a service.” (Jn16:1-2) All these things they will do to you for My Name’s sake because they don’t know Him who sent Me; (Jn15:21) and “if the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.” (vs18) and, “they hated Me without a cause.” (vs25) Now because you have become a true Christian the world hates you and you will not have peace with the world. The world is at war with you. (vs19) But what you have is peace with God through Jesus Christ. And because you have peace with God “having your feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace,” (Eph6:15) you will have a supernatural God given stability in the midst of the tribulation. Because you see what happens to most people when they get into tribulation is they become very unsure of what is going on, why it is happening, what the outcome of it will be. And they become very doubtful about whether God is for them or against them. And of course the devil will always try to tell you that God is doing this to you and that He is against you. (Isa36:10) And if you believe that then you are certain to lose because who can fight against God and win. If God be for us who can be against us. (Rom8:31) But the opposite is if God is against us what can ever be for us. And so in a situation when people get into tribulation and they doubt God, and they begin to think, “I have offended God and He is against me, He is punishing me!” then they have lost the battle before they start. They are out of faith! Isaiah says, “All your children shall be taught by the Lord and great shall be the peace of your children.” (Isa54:13) Once again we see the relationship of being taught by the Lord to peace and understand that being taught by the Lord includes being cleansed by the washing of the water of the word of the Lord. “You are clean because of the Word which I have spoken to you.” (Jn15:3) “In righteousness you shall be established” and to be established means you will be stabilized. “You will be far from oppression for you shall not fear.” (Isa54:14) Oppression being when the devil and the world try to use force to cause you to do their will. God frowns on oppression very, very strongly. There is great judgment in store for people who rely on oppression to get their way. Such are not God’s people. “Because you rely on oppression then this is going to be to you like a breach in the wall in which the breaking will come suddenly.” (Isa30:12-13) But the righteous shall be far from oppression for you shall not fear. (Isa54:14) We are not given the spirit of fear. (2Tim1:7) We don’t fear what man can do to us. (Heb13:6) We don’t sow oppression and we don’t reap it and we have the sure knowledge that God is at peace with us. So because we have peace with God, tribulation and the fear of man doesn’t affect us because we can tell what the outcome of this battle is going to be. “Indeed they shall surely assemble but not because of Me.” (Isa54:15a) And so the person, who is taught of God, has a relationship where he knows he is in right standing with the Lord. You have the faith that Jesus is indeed cleansing you and God is conforming you to Christ’s image. You are allowing Christ to sanctify you, then when the enemy comes you know that it isn’t God coming against you. And you know it is the devil that is opposing God’s will and it is not God punishing you or judging you. And so God says, “Whoever assembles against you shall fall for your sake.” (vs15b) So you already know the outcome, even before the battle starts. “No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue that rises against you in judgment you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord.” (vs17) So by allowing God to teach us, we are being established in peace because the peace is not with man it is with God. (Rom5:1) When man attacks you know it is not God behind that attack. And we know that God is for us and not against us. (Rom8:31) And we know that God will work all things together for good. (vs28) So we can glory in the tribulation (Rom5:3) or count it all joy when you fall into various trials. (Jas1:2) Because if God is allowing an attack upon us, it is not because He is mad at us, but He is actually benefiting us and will protect us. Then the reason He is allowing that attack will turn out to be for our good. And we know that and we have faith for that and we can see the tribulation is going to produce patience, and it will cause us to be more close to God and more Christ like and we will not be defeated by this attack, but we will see God defeat our enemies for us. And not only will He defeat our enemies, but He will actually make us more like Jesus while we are experiencing this trial. So the attack works for good, and we can rejoice in it. And that is a very important part in our faith and in understanding and recognizing where real Christianity is. Because in times when there are no problems, every believer seems to think they are at peace with God. But when trouble starts, many so-called believers quickly turn away from God and apostatize. The reason that happens is such “believers” have built their house or their idea that they are established, and in good standing with God, on sand. They have not truly been doers of God’s word. And their house is not built on a proper foundation. So when the storm comes or the tribulation comes their house doesn’t stand, even though during the nice weather everything seemed okay. And we saw that happen with Ms. L., didn’t we? She quotes scriptures, seems to be really interested in listening to Bible teaching and all of that and she thinks she is in good standing with God and she’s a good Christian and she is at peace with God – until the attack came. And then she went to pieces. She joins with the unbelievers against the believers because of her personal fear and she falls away (Mt13:21) because God knows she has always been only a hearer and not a doer. God knows that she has never taken to heart the things He was trying to teach her in order to cleanse her. And you know what, she knows it too. She knows she is not right with God. And that’s why when the attack comes she’s shaken by it. Because she knows she hasn’t been doing what she ought to have been doing. And her heart condemns her. (1Jn3:20) And this is the way it is with myriads of so-called christians around us whose hearts condemn them. Because they know they haven’t been cleansed. They know that they are just listening to lying doctrines that tell them they have peace with God when in fact Jesus is not Lord to them, and they do not hear His voice, and they are not being taught by Him according to His true word. He wouldn’t be able to say to them, “you are already cleansed by the word I have spoken to you” nor could they witness to the fact that they are being washed in the water of the word, or their behavior is being made Christ like, or their interests are being made spiritual and not worldly. They would not be able to in any way affirm any of these things are going on. All they do is sit there and say “I am saved because I have faith in Christ” while they continue in what is obviously a worldly carnal life. For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame-- who set their minds on earthly things. (Phil 3:18-19) And there is no peace to them. “There is no peace,” says the LORD, “for the wicked.” (Isa48:22) And they don’t partake of God’s peace. God’s peace is for the people who are taught by God, who allow Jesus to conform them to His image. His peace is for the people who are cleansed and truly eating of Christ, not for the people who are just abusing His name for their own purposes. It is an amazing thing to me how many people read their Bible and look at all these scriptures, for example; in the world you will have tribulation (Jn16:33) We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God. (Acts14:22) All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. (2Tim3:12) Scripture after scripture indicates that the world will love its own. (Jn15:19) If they obeyed My word, they’ll obey your word. (vs20) If it hates Me, then it will hate you. (vs18) Jesus says, “The disciple is not above His master. If they called Me Beelzebub, what will they call you?” (Mt10:25) Over and over Christ has warned and warned and warned us. They will think they are doing God a service when they kill you. (Jn16:2) Every indication that God gives us is that real Christians will be persecuted. You’ll receive 100 fold with persecutions. (Mk10:30) Real Christianity, real Christians are persecuted. And then you see these myriads of people who claim to be believers who read these same verses and they look at what happens to real believers in the Bible and they have some kind of a mental block that they think that was for then but it doesn’t happen anymore. And then when persecutions come for the word’s sake (Mt13:14-15) they go to pieces because even though they have had so many warnings in the scripture they had no real expectation that they would ever be persecuted for their faith. They read the Bible but – they have ears to hear, yet they don’t hear! (Mt13:14-15) And in spite of all the lessons in the Bible about it, when persecutions come to them they completely lose any sense of having any relationship with God. They don’t know why it is happening. They have no joy in it. (Mt5:12) They panic, they shudder, they turn away from God and turn against the true brethren. And everything around them seems to fall to pieces. Because they have read the Bible, but they didn’t read it as though it were written to them. They read it as though it is a curiosity and they can look upon what may have happened to others but “it has no relationship to me; that won’t happen to me.” Well such people don’t love the truth. They think their Christianity is going to protect them from trouble but in reality Christianity is often the cause of much of the trouble we true Christians have with this world. But be of good cheer. A real Christian is not moved by the troubles of this world because he doesn’t live here. His heart is in heaven. Because he has a real faith in Christ, he has overcome the world. (Jn16:33) He has died to it and been raised above it. (Col 2:12) What the world does, is not that important. We have been raised to a higher life, a higher future. (Col 3:1-4) So the world can’t get you down. (1Jn3:4-5) And so what do the scriptures actually say concerning tribulation and real Christianity? Paul says we glory in tribulation, (Rom5:3) Jesus commands that we rejoice in tribulation. (Mt5:12) James says, “to count it all joy in tribulations.” (Jas1:2) And that is the mark of a Christian who has been justified by faith in Christ. (Rom5:1-3) How very, very different is that attitude from what you see in a whole lot of people today who claim to be Christians? And yet what does the scripture say? This is real Christianity: when you can rejoice that you are counted worthy to suffer for His Name’s sake. “So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name.” (Acts5:41) And after being unjustly beaten and imprisoned; But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. (Acts16:25) “I am exceedingly joyful in all our tribulations.” (2Cor7:4) And Jesus says, “Rejoice, be exceedingly glad when men revile you, persecute you, cast out your name as evil because of My Name’s sake.” (Lk6:22-23) So one of the very important signs of a true faith is where men have a real Christianity, they are rejoicing in tribulations. They are counting it joy to suffer for the name of Jesus and for the word of His truth. For where the believers are truly justified by faith they have peace with God (Rom5:1) and they know that even though in the world they will have tribulation, they can be of good cheer for Christ has overcome the world – and greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world and this is the victory that overcomes the world – even our faith. (1Jn5:4) And Christ dwells in our hearts through faith. (Eph3:17) So to the real Christian tribulations do not shake us, but they are an opportunity to demonstrate the Christ that is in us. An opportunity to show that we are “approved in Christ.” (Rom16:10) So we glory in tribulation. We glory that Jesus counts us worthy that we should go through such things. Knowing in every situation that God isn’t against me. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. (Rom8:31,35,37) Knowing that God is proving me that I may be counted worthy of His kingdom. so that we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure, which is manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer; (2Thes1:4-5) This is God loving me and demonstrating that He counts me worthy to suffer with Him and for Him, so that my reward in heaven is going to be great – and I would be fitted to associate with the martyrs, the saints and the prophets who’ve gone before me. “Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Mt5:12) I know that God is not mad at me. I have peace with God through Christ. And God knows that I am praying for Christ to wash me, and letting Him wash me, and cleanse me. And I’m asking Christ to teach me, and letting Him teach me. God is not mad at me. It is the devil and it is the world that are mad at me. Because I have left them behind and come out from among them and become separated unto God. They are mad at me but God is at peace with me. And God is going to glorify me. Because I have eaten of the peace offering. I have eaten of Christ. I have eaten of His word. And God has cleansed me so I can eat of His peace offering. And now I am participating in the peace offering. Jesus has made peace for me with God and I am participating in that peace. I am eating of Christ. I am eating of His word and His Spirit and His experience. And I have peace with God and I know what the ending is going to be. And no matter what the situation is now, I know it is not going to be bad for me. It is going to be good. God is working all things together for my good. Blessed be His name. Amen. Prophecy: Great calamity am I bringing in this time on My enemies saith the Lord. But to My lambs, to those who cling to Me, not one thing will harm you, for as you cling to Me I will enfold My wings around you. Trust in Me and I will be your Goshen. Nothing will touch you of the great calamity, saith the Lord. But those who have made themselves My enemies, to those who have set themselves opposed to the people I have set up, great calamity is coming in this time and in this hour. I am bringing upon you wrath, saith the Lord. For I was a little angry, but you have made Me furious. For you would not turn at a little rebuke, but you have been obstinate in all your ways. Since your forehead is set like flint, I tell you that I have made Myself like diamond, and I am coming against you with a mighty fierce power. And I am bringing you down. For you have set yourself against Me and so I have set Myself against you. But to My little lambs – fear not for I will watch over you and you will be safe when the calamity comes. For those who trust in Me and those who hide themselves in Me they will find that I am their shelter in the strong storm, saith the Lord. Prophecy: Indeed, I am teaching you to hear My voice and to know My voice, that I may lead you and guide you and keep you from the dangers. And even as it has been spoken in the prophets, you shall hear a voice behind you saying this is the way, walk ye in it. So am I speaking now to you – “this is the way, walk ye in it.” And do you think it is possible that someone who hears and obeys My voice can be led into a place of destruction or failure? I tell you no. For I am your safety. Hearing Me, knowing My voice is what will keep you in the times of trial that are coming upon all the earth. For you I give feet, like hinds feet. You will leap from mountaintop to mountaintop, from hill to hill, through valley to hill. And you will be kept safe because I will speak to you, where to go and when to go, when to stay and when to move. You will always be kept – through you hearing My voice, I will keep you, saith the Lord. (Prophecies delivered at “My Father’s House”)
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