As written in Mark 8:15, Then He charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod…..
As written in Matthew 16:6, Then Jesus said to them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.
Did you notice the difference in the sayings of Jesus? We know all scripture is inspired by the Holy Spirit. He does not make any mistakes. The remaining text is the same in both Gospels…. So why the discrepancy or maybe not?
And they reasoned among themselves, saying, it is because we have taken no bread. But Jesus, being aware of it, said to them, o you of little faith, why do you reason among yourselves because you have brought no bread? Do you not yet understand, or remember the five loaves of the five thousand and how many baskets you took up? Nor the seven loaves of the four thousand and how many large baskets you took up?
How is it you do not understand that I did not speak to you concerning the bread? But to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
Then they understood that He did not tell them to beware of the leaven of the bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
The Gospel of Mark states:And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have no bread. But Jesus, being aware of it, said to them, Why do you reason because you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive no understand? Is your heart still hardened? Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear? And do you not remember?
When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments did you take up? They said to Him, Twelve. Also, when I broke the seven for the four thousand how many large baskets full of fragments did you take up? And they said, Seven.
So He said to them, How is it you do not understand?
Do we understand today what to beware of or take heed? God has very strict instructions regarding the bread that represents Himself. When Israel left Egypt, they were not to put any leaven or yeast in their bread, but they were to have the bread!
Then in the instructions that Moses received regarding placing the shewbread in the Holy Place. This shewbread was placed on a table and was to be prepared with fine flour and no yeast or leaven ….. We know to get fine flour, the wheat has to be grounded or beaten until it almost looks like dust! The bread has always been the symbol of the Lord’s Presence among us.
He was with Israel in the great Exodus and then in times of the Tabernacle within the camps of Israel…. God’s Presence is our Bread….. but He is holy and pure- as to the pure Bread of the Living Word- our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Scriptures often refer to God giving us the finest wheat. God Almighty did in giving us His Son. God has always been pointing us towards His Son, the True Bread of Heaven— no yeast, no leaven- no deceit. He is the Spotless Lamb of God.
He is among His people today- outside and inside by His Spirit… Praise Him! So what did the Pharisees and Sadducees and Herod have regarding leaven in the mind of the Lord?
Yeast makes the dough rise, right? When I made bread- once-, I saw this dough become huge…. The yeast makes the dough rise with air….. Was Jesus referring to the teaching as hot air of the Pharisees and Sadducees ? Well, if they did not speak from the pure Word of God, Jesus must of been referring to their teaching was of their own words. When we get inflated we speak with allot of hot air….Our opinions and our culture and our imaginations make our doctrine….. Very much inflated in ourselves can lead us astray….. This is pride….God hates pride.
God wants our thoughts and actions and Words to be His- origin Heaven. Our Words and life as we are born again from above, should be from above…. Our Words should have their origin in God. Not ourselves. We never started with our own origin. We were made from God’s intention…. and we live and move and breath by Him…. We should also show our life now from Him alone.
In one confrontation of our Lord with the Pharisees, He spoke in John 8:37-47, I know that you are Abraham’s descendants, but you seek to kill Me, because My Word has no place in you. I speak what I have seen with My Father, and you do what you have seen with your father.
They answered and said to Him, Abraham is our father. Jesus said to them, If you were Abraham’s children you would do the works of Abraham. But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this.
You do the deeds of your father. Then they said to Him, We were not born of fornication; we have one Father- God.
If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me.
Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My Word. You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and a father of it. Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell you the truth, why do you not believe Me? He who is of God hears God’s Words;therefore you do not hear Me, because you are not of God.
Paul also warned us to beware of ones who want to draw us after them and not the Lord…. The Lord Jesus Christ is the Head of the body…. We, all who believe, are the body…. There is no elite member above any others…. We are one with the Lord and the Lord being the Head of all. He warned us of not calling any father or teacher…. for we have One, our God, as our Father and His Spirit as Teacher, and our King Lord Jesus Christ.
We must compare the words we hear and speak to the Words of God. They must line up. They must point us to the Lord. When we are finished hearing, shouldn’t we know we can reach out and touch the Lord….. The Words that we hear should bring us closer and nearer to Him…. The Words should increase our understanding and wisdom. His Words should ooze with His peace even if it comes with conviction.In righteousness, there is peace. In Christ, we have peace…. In ourselves, well, no peace for the wicked as written…..
Paul also instructed us as in the last days, there will be ears that only want to be tickled…. The hearts will only hear the words that are inflated and lead to us being greater in riches, importance on this earth…..The ears want only food that feeds the flesh, that teaching is leavened. The true flock of God will only hunger for the True Pure Bread of Heaven…..We hear the Words of God and we live the Words of God and we speak the Words of God….. He is our Origin.
When the Lord returns or we return to Him, we want Him to say, hey I do not know what house you are from…. depart from My Presence. Of course not, but we must pursue the Presence of God. His Living Word being etched in our minds and hearts….. Then we live it out through the paths He has chosen for us to climb. So when all is said and done, the Lord will say, hey, I know you….. Come and enjoy the Presence of Lord……He knows where He is welcome and dwells in this land.
The True Bread from heaven is the Lord Jesus Christ, the Living Word….He is written before our eyes in the Bible. We also have His Holy Spirit confirming the Word with all signs and wonders… The Holy Spirit always points to the Lord, the Word of God spoken to His children.
Paul referred to watch out for who we hang with because a little leaven leavens the whole loaf….in Galatians.
When we live with the discernment of the Spirit of God, we can detect a lying spirit. Now if our hearts are earnestly seeking the Lord, we can detect the lies. The Spirit of God will quicken us as well as we know what the written Truth is in the Word…… However, if our heart is seeking after the lateral things of this world or to be somebody, well, the tickling will become a normal feed to our flesh. We will miss the warning of the Lord- take heed!
Now, why does the Lord tell us to take heed on the leaven of King Herod….. What does the Pharisees and Sadducees have in common with King Herod?…. Both sets were rulers- One was in the “church” and the other the”state”. The three of these are leaders of people. They can intimidate and oppress by their position of authority. Very common in that day….. What about this day?
The Lord Jesus Christ is King and Priest…. He was negating their position of authority. Jesus Christ came. He is the Way. He is the Word of Guidance. He has been made to us righteousness, wisdom and sanctification as written in Romans.
The Lord is allowing us to realize He is the Total Authority, King of all kings and Lord of all lords. He gives us Testimony on all His Words. All His Word are True because the Words He spoke and speaks today still come from our Heavenly Father…. The Pure Word from Heaven. No leaven, no deceit, He after all, is the sinless Lamb of God…. Every knee is to bow before our King Jesus Christ.
There is no other authority in heaven or in the earth, but the Lord Jesus- the Living Word of God……We can bow to the Lord today and live our life in accordance with His will or we can bow to the King Herod’s and Pharisees because they tickle our ears and entice our flesh with great treats. However, we will face the King of All.
The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the judgment of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they then gold, yea than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them Your servant is warned and in keeping them there is great reward, ( Psalm 19:7-11).
There were three different temptations that Jesus Christ triumphed over the flesh and Satan in the wilderness….. The first one was to feed His flesh rather putting the Word first… Our Lord stepped all over the temptation of Satan. He answered the temptation:It is written, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God, ( Matthew 4:4).
The second temptation was to tempt the Lord to allow God to be His Servant and to keep Him from any suffering in His soul….He also stamped out this temptation like a horse stamping on a snake: It is written again, you shall not tempt the Lord, your God, (Matthew 4:7). The Lord knew what He would be doing, laying down His life….. He knew He had to suffer and so did Satan.
The third temptation was to bow to get false riches, importance……. pride of life…. to be another King Herod…. Satan was appealing to pride if there was any found in our Lord….. The Lord kicked the walls down upon Satan’s kingdom with His reply and stance: Away with you, Satan! For it is written, You shall worship the Lord your God and Him only shall you serve, ( Matthew 4:10).
The bottom hook in each of the temptations to the Lord and now us, are we more important than obeying the Word of God at all costs? Or do we want only the Lord that fits our image? Let us wake up to the Truth, our God will not bow. We are the ones to move toward Him and bow to His ways. Then leave the worlds way in the dust.
There is only two kingdoms here on this earth according to the Lord. There is His Kingdom and Babylon’s…. We cannot partake of His and Babylon’s. We can only serve one master….
The Lord’s ways are enduring and pure. There is great peace in waking up in Him and going to sleep in the Lord. There is great peace knowing what ever happens, we are His…. We live by the Word and we die by the Word because He is worthy. He has shed His love abroad in us. See and taste how much He loves us…..
Oh, Heavenly Father, increase our love for You. Your love poured upon us is as warm oil covering us. May our obedience to Your Word show our devotion and love. You know and see all things. Nothing is hidden from Your sight, by the power of Your Holy Spirit, keep us in Your burning gaze. May all that remain be the image of Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, when we awaken to the fullness of Your Presence. Keep us strong in battle and humble at the movement of Your hand….
The Word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of thoughts and intents of the heart. There is no creature hidden from Your sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give an account, ( Hebrews 4:12-13).
The Lord spoke to us in Luke 16:10-15, He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much. Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? And if you have not faithful in what is another man’s who will give you what is your own?
No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.
Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they derided Him.
And He said to them, You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.
Pride has a huge appetite. It is never full or satisfied…. Evil is always before pride to get bigger within us. He wants company to live in misery in the lake of fire. The Lord hates pride, so it is well for our soul to take vengeance on any self or leaven rising…. for we are dying daily to the world…..We decrease as the Lord is increasing within. So at the time of our meet with the Lord, we are found spotless before Him. No mark of the world or it’s source- pride. Let us see His grand smile.
Come to Me, all of you. But alas, the filled will go away empty and the empty shall walk in fullness. Those who see will go away blind and those who are blind will have their sight as they walk in their beauty. Those who hear and know all, will go away deaf and dumb…those that are simple will walk in all knowledge and understanding of their Lord. Delight little ones, who are poor in spirit, I Am will fill you over and beyond what you can imagine. For I have called you MINE. Hear the Thunder of Your Lord…. See the Lightning of Your Mighty King. I Am is among you even today.
Today, you choose.
Rejoice, children, when the world casts you out. Rejoice, children, when you are not accepted by men’s standards. Rejoice, children, when they speak evil of you because you carry your cross daily. Rejoice, children, when you keep your eyes lowered to keep My face before you. Rejoice, children, when you are mourning for the coming day of My approaching. Rejoice, children, when My cause is the reason of your reproach. Rejoice, children, when your heart is seeking Me in a dry land.
Behold, you are received by the King of all. Behold, you chose the highest standard. You have gained Your Christ. Behold, Your ears hear My Words of love, truth and eternity dwells within. Behold, you will dance and spin before Me always. Behold, you that have fasted and mourned, rejoice…. You dwell in My fullness always. Behold, wipe the tears away. Alas, you sup with Me. Behold, child, you will never thirst or hunger. You are filled with the fullness of My Presence.
Those who seek after the world’s riches, will be filled now. But they will be empty later, for what they are filled with will perish in fire. Alas, there is reward for every soul on this earth. Take heed to what you are filled on.
Those who seek after the Kingdom of God will be filled now and remain growing in the fullness of My Presence forever.
Those who lay down all for their King are given all now and they sit to rule and reign with their King forever.
Everyone will receive what they seek after. All will be rewarded. Choose righteousness to live and reign with Me. Choose Truth to live by and shine as the noonday sun…..
Watch and listen! Can you hear the footsteps of Your Master, Your Friend approaching? Know He will want an account of the days given. Pray often to Me. Walk in My Word by My Spirit so you may be found spotless…. My children. My Bride!
Take Heed, I Am has called you to be True as I Am!Be pure as I AM… For I AM is within you, even today!
These people draw near to Me with their mouth. And honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men, ( Matthew 15:8-9).
Let not this scripture be found in our hearts by our Lord.
Selah!
