Ten Commands or Ten Suggestions?

21 05 2026

Today at sundown is the Biblical feast of Shavuot/Pentecost. Jews celebrate receiving the Ten Commandments and Christians celebrate it as Pentecost. Both are the work of God. One is external and the other is internal. Do you remember this sermon topic, in the above title, warning us to take the ten commandments seriously?

Then we realized how hard it is to “keep the law.” Our problem is our own sinful rebellious nature. It is in our DNA. We really don’t want to keep the law of God. What if I told you that God planned a solution for our dilemma? The external commands were written on stone by the finger of Yehovah God, but the internal law is written on our hearts by the Holy Spirit of God. Both are from God. The Law was given to teach us about our inability to keep the law. It makes clear to us that we cannot make it without the Messiah. When God writes His law on our hearts we change from rebellious failure to actually desiring to follow Him. Our heart changes from obligation to alignment with His will. It makes all the difference. The Law is “our tutor that brings us to Christ/Messiah.”

“Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law. But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed. Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.” Galatians 3:21-24

“clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart.“ 2 Corinthians 3:3

“For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law (for not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified; for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness,” Romans 2:12-15

So, you see that we can keep the ten commandments by aligning our hearts with His Holy Spirit and believing in the Messiah.

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!

Les Lawrence, a voice of Christian Zionists (Read more)

Watch my video prophecy podcast on YouTube HERE.


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Categories : Israel Commentary

Welcome Holy Spirit

12 06 2024

Dry Bones Shavuot 2024

Today is Shavuot holiday in Israel. Christians celebrate it as Pentecost and relate the timing of the promise of the Father which is the fulness of the Holy Spirit. The Jewish Shavuot celebrates the giving of the law or Torah to Moses on Mt. Sinai. Christian Zionists celebrate both, and understand the importance of both. One gave us the written word of Yehovah God; and the other gave us  the living voice of God by His Spirit.

“When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” 

“Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear. Acts 2:1-4,33

The Bible is the written standard for our faith and beliefs, but we need the active Holy Spirit for our daily walk with God. It changes from only academic teaching to relational guidance. Every inclination of the Spirit must be examined by Scripture. But the good news is that we have more than the dry letter of the Word, we have a relationship with the One who gave the written words.

“Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.”  2 Corinthians 3:5-6

Please pray for the peace of Jerusalem and for the Holy Spirit to be poured out on every heart. Also, please continue to pray for Netanyahu’s arms to be held up for complete victory over Hamas.

Les Lawrence, a voice of Christian Zionists             (Read more)


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What is Shavuot?

25 05 2023

Fifty days after Passover is the Biblical Feast of Shavuot, or Weeks. It starts at sundown tonight 5-25-23. Three times a year Israel gathers to Jerusalem according to Leviticus 23 to observe the feasts of Yehovah. “It was originally an agricultural festival, marking the beginning of the wheat harvest. During the Temple period, the first fruits of the harvest were brought to the Temple, and two loaves of bread made from the new wheat were offered.” This feast is lessor know but has great importance and Biblical meaning. The Jews believe it was the time when God gave Moses the Ten Commandments. Christians celebrate it as Pentecost which also means “fiftieth day.” The Holy Spirit was poured on the early Jewish believers as described in the second chapter of Acts. This was the first fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy.

​“And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; ​​Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, ​​Your old men shall dream dreams, ​​Your young men shall see visions. ​And also on My menservants and on My maidservants ​​I will pour out My Spirit in those days.”  Joel 2:28-29

Both of these shared events (Shavuot and Pentecost) are fulfilled for believers. The Commandments engraved in stone represent the written word. The gift of the Holy Spirit represents the power and presence of God in our lives. The Holy Spirit provided to us  is the only way we can walk in His word. Notice both word and Spirit are included in this next verse.

“In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.”  Ephesians 1:13-14

We trusted YEHOVAH GOD after we heard the WORD of truth. Then we were sealed with the promised HOLY SPIRIT. We now can recognize Father, Son, and Holy Spirit coming together to allow us access to the presence of God the Father in the very throne room of heaven.  Jesus is the living Word and the Holy Spirit is the Seal of our relationship. These three working in perfect unity usher us into intimacy with Yehovah God. Hallelujah! Thank you Jesus!

We celebrate Shavuot/Pentecost beginning at sundown tonight in the Jewish calendar and this Sunday in the Christian calendar.

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem, wisdom for Prime Minister Netanyahu, and for rain in season.

Les Lawrence, a voice of Christian Zionists                       (Read more)

Why  do I use God’s literal covenant Name: Yehovah? Here is a link to the explanation in my book: The Hebrew God Who Has No Name. And here is a link to a great visual from my friend Keith Johnson.


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Happy Pentecost/Shavuot 2020

29 05 2020

Dry Bones Shavuot 2020

Today Jews celebrate Shavuot, which is celebrated by Christians as Pentecost this Sunday. What is the meaning of this holiday? Jews observe it to honor the giving of the Torah and Ten Commandments on Mt. Sinai. Written by the hand of Yehovah, Moses introduced them to the people. The laws became the basic legal code of modern civilization in the Western world. Shavuot means weeks. Seven weeks were counted from Passover to the wheat harvest in Israel, followed by a Sabbath rest. Shavuot is also called “first fruits” because of the first harvest.

Christians use the Greek word Pentecost, which means fifty days after Passover. Recorded in Acts 2, it was the day that the Holy Spirit was poured out in fulfillment of Joel 2:28-32. Christians consider the 3,000 Jews filled with the Holy Spirit that day as the “first fruit” of the church.

When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. Acts 2:1-4

But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words. For these are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 

“​And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, that I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; ​​Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, ​​Your young men shall see visions, ​​Your old men shall dream dreams. ​​And on My menservants and on My maidservants ​​I will pour out My Spirit in those days; ​​And they shall prophesy. ​​I will show wonders in heaven above ​​And signs in the earth beneath: ​​Blood and fire and vapor of smoke. ​​The sun shall be turned into darkness, ​​And the moon into blood, ​​Before the coming of the great and awesome day of Yehovah. ​​And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of Yehovah shall be saved. Acts 2:14-21

We pray that there is a new outpouring of the Holy Spirit in these days of great trials in the whole world. May it be the beginning of the great last days harvest of souls for the Kingdom of Yeshua, the Messiah.

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem and pray for seasonal rains.

Les Lawrence, Voice of Christian Zionists

Here is an internet event with Lance Wallnau, you may like this Sunday night…


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What is Shavuot?

18 05 2018

Dry Bones Shavuot 2018Christians celebrate Pentecost Sunday this week. Do you know why? Yes, it is the anniversary of the Holy Spirit outpouring in Acts 2. But why did that great event occur on that day in the First Century? Most Christians are ignorant of the roots of Pentecost, but what about Shavuot?

Do you know that the first syllable “pente” means fifty? So what? Well actually, it is very important. The Acts 2 event was precisely 50 days after Passover. After the resurrection, Jesus told His disciples to wait in the upper room in Jerusalem for the Holy Spirit power.

“And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven.” Luke 24:49 NLT

But what about Shavuot? Jews also celebrate the same day (although they start at sundown Saturday). Shavuot literally means “weeks”, and refers to the seven weeks after Passover (49 days) leading on Day 50 to the great Biblical Feast of Weeks found in Leviticus 23:15-22. Jews believe that date is when Yehovah God gave Moses the Ten Commandments and the Torah. It is timed to celebrated the first fruits of the wheat harvest.

An interesting difference from Passover is the bread eaten. For Passover it must be unleavened bread. For Shavuot it must be leavened bread. Why is this? Christians understand the amazing symbolism. Unleavened bread speaks of Yeshua who was unleavened by sin. But Pentecost/Shavuot uses leavened bread which speaks of the leavening of sin in His people; that is washed away by the blood of the Lamb/Messiah Yeshua. This is accomplished by the Holy Spirit leavening the whole lump with grace and forgiveness for the individual believer and for the entire body of Messiah believers.

Finally, for this Feast, Jews read and reflect on the deeply moving Book of Ruth, which is the Biblical story of love and covenant.

But Ruth said: ​​“Entreat me not to leave you, or to turn back from following after you; ​​For wherever you go, I will go; and wherever you lodge, I will lodge; ​​Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God. ​​Where you die, I will die, and there will I be buried. Yehovah do so to me, and more also, if anything but death parts you and me.” Ruth 1:16-17

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

Les Lawrence, Voice of Christian Zionists                  (Read more)

 

 

 

 

 


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Two-State/One-State?

22 05 2015

Netanyahu pondersI had a very good question yesterday on my YouTube video page about PM Netanyahu supporting the two-state plan for Middle East peace. His position certainly contradicts the Biblical promise that the whole land belongs to Israel. My answer may surprise you. I believe Prime Minister Netanyahu stakes his claim to the middle ground knowing that the Palestinians will never agree to recognize Israel as a Jewish state. Here is his statement:

“I don’t support a one-state solution – I don’t believe that’s a solution at all,” said the Israeli leader. “I support the vision of two states for two peoples – a demilitarized Palestinian state that recognizes the Jewish state.” Israel Today

You tell me. Do you believe the Palestinians will ever accept that simple statement? Absolutely not. Those two bold and underlined words are fatal to any agreement. Therefore Netanyahu gets credit for trying and the failure is on Abbas and the Palestinians. Abbas still claims he is also for two states when speaking to the West, yet his real position is clear when speaking in Arabic. Here is proof of my point.

For Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, the idea of a “greater Palestine” – that would stretch from “the river to the sea” – is now an official policy….In a series of videos and images discovered and released by Palestinian Media Watch (PMW), the PA’s official propaganda ministry has made clear that when the PA says “Palestinian state,” it means not just Ramallah and Jenin, but also Tel Aviv, Haifa, and Beersheva. Israel National News

However, there is a third option. The Bible is clear that God will judge the nations for dividing His land (which they have already done).

I will also gather all nations, and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; and I will enter into judgment with them there on account of My people, My heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations; they have also divided up My land. Joel 3:2

So, the third option is actually the first and only Biblical plan, the prophetic promised “one-state” solution. The land was given by God to Israel. There will not be two states. God will ultimately settle the issue. More and more Israelis now realize this truth. Even the new Deputy Foreign minister of Israel is calling for the government to use the Torah (the Bible) to lay claim to God’s promised land for the Jews:

Hotovely2Hotovely Tells Foreign Ministry to Quote Torah to the World Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely (Likud) told Israeli envoys onThursday to reference the Torah in presenting the historical rights of theJewish people to the entire land of Israel while representing the state.

We must keep praying for God’s will to be followed by the leaders and the people of Israel and especially for Jews who are still exiled in the nations.

We bless Israel this weekend as they celebrate Shavuot (Pentecost) and the giving of the Torah . Shavuot begins at sundown Saturday through sundown Monday. Reading the Book of Ruth with family over a joyous meal is the way they observe this holiday. (Click here for my audio teaching on the feasts).

Les Lawrence, Voice of Christian Zionists     (READ MORE)

 


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