Good Morning Thursday...
Father Thank You for this NEW day. Please guide us throughout our day, showing us Your TRUTH, MERCY, and MYSTERIES. Let us use Your amazing REVELATION for Your Glory and Purposes TODAY. In YESHUA, JESUS CHRIST’s Name we pray. Amen. A big thank you to our Brother, Pat Higgins, and berean.org for today’s devotion. "Now the Bereans were more noble-minded than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined The Scriptures every day to see if these teachings were true." Acts 17:11 - Some Berean Encouragement: Don’t Trade Your Future For The Now “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,” 2 Corinthians 4:17 To help us endure hardship, Paul gives us a valuable mindset when he says our suffering “is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.” To see our afflictions as light (Matthew 11:30), we must recognize the value of our calling. We would do well to consider its benefits often. As Paul indicates, the understanding that there is “a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” is a necessary component to seeing our trials in this life in comparison as a light affliction, a recognition that enables one to endure to the end. Therefore, it is vital to know that the price we pay now is miniscule compared to the reward that awaits us. Note the power of that vision: These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them. (Hebrews 11:13-16) Having this vision in their lives as a daily reality enabled the heroes of faith to endure to the end. In modern jargon, they did a cost/benefit analysis and concluded that the benefits made the costs insignificant. Christ and Paul made the same analysis, concluding that their burdens and afflictions were light costs compared to what the benefits of eternity held for them. In Romans 8:18, even with the weight of his trials, Paul again emphasizes that they are infinitesimal costs, so trivial that they are insignificant compared to the mindboggling benefits that await us: “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” In the King James Version, the first part of Proverbs 29:18 reads, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” For “perish” a better translation is that they “cast off restraint.” Without a vision they lack restraint, leading to disobedience. This results in a people who will not endure to the end, whose fate, then, is to perish. Without a vision of the future that is as tangible to us as the present, we will walk by sight, only seeing the now, rather than by faith seeing as real a true vision of the future. Without that vision, we risk trading the future for the now (Galatians 6:9; II Thessalonians 2:15), a poor bargain indeed.
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Good Morning Wednesday...
FATHER thank You for this NEW DAY. We ask that you cover us with YOUR MIGHTY HAND. Let us understand YOUR MIGHTY WILL so that we may see YOUR INFINITE GLORY. We ask this in YOUR PERFECT SON YESHUA, JESUS CHRIST's NAME. Amen. - He Is... (Part 21) Our Father Is God. He Wants Us To Know Who He Is. He Shows His Character, Wisdom, Omnipotence, Power, Mercy, Justice, Omniscience, and Glory All Through His Word... Just For Us. His Greatest Gift...He Sent His Son So We Could Get To Know Him Better. He Let Him Be Sacrificed So We Would Know How Much He Loves Us. He Is A King. He Is The Creator. He Is Our Reason For Being. Today, let's go through The Bible and see just who He Says He Is. When He Tells Us Who He Is we can grow, understand Him more clearly, draw closer, and try to imitate Him and His Perfect Character better. As we go through Scripture, searching out His Character and Names, I encourage you to let Him Speak to you. Listen to The God of All Creation, Our Heavenly Father, talk to you and tell you exactly what He Wants To Do For you. Let's jump right in and listen to Him Tell Us Who...HE IS. “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that HE IS, and that HE IS a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6 Our Father's Nature Never Changes. HE IS, WAS, AND WILL ALWAYS BE. He Is Who He Is. That's what He Told Moses. I Am Who I Am. That's what His Name means, YAHWEH, I Am Who I Am. His Name Means...HE IS! He Has Come! He Is... Yeshua, Jesus, Salvation “And she shall give birth to a Son, and you shall call His Name יהושע (YESHUA, JESUS, SALVATION) for He shall save His people from their sins.” Mattithyahu (Matthew) 1:21 TS2009 “And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for HE WILL SAVE HIS PEOPLE FROM THEIR SINS.” Matthew 1:21 NKJV He Is... The Only Begotten Son, Which Is In The Bosom of The Father; “No one has seen God at any time. THE ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, WHO IS IN THE BOSOM OF THE FATHER, He has declared Him.” John 1:18 NKJV “No man hath seene God at any time: THAT ONELY BEGOTTEN SONNE, WHICH IS IN THE BOSOME OF THE FATHER, He hath declared Him.” John 1:18 GNV He Is... The Lamb of God; “The next day, he saw Yeshua coming to him, and said, “Behold, THE LAMB OF GOD, who takes away the sin of the world!” Yochanan 1:29 WMB He Is... My Teacher; “This man came to Him at night and said to Him, “RABBI, we know that YOU ARE A TEACHER WHO HAS COME FROM GOD, for no one is able to perform these signs that you are performing unless God were with him.” John 3:2 LEB He Is... The Gift of God; “For God so Loved the world, that HE GAVE HIS ONLY SON, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal Life.” John 3:16 ESV “Jesus answered her, “If you knew THE GIFT OF GOD, and Who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you LIVING WATER.” John 4:10 ESV He Is... Messiah; “The woman said, “I know that MESSIAH” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” Then JESUS DECLARED, “I, the one speaking to you—I AM HE.” John 4:25-26 NIV He Is... The Bread of God, The Bread of Life; “For THE BREAD OF GOD is He who comes down out of heaven, and gives Life to the world.” Then they said to Him, “Lord, always give us this bread.” Jesus replied to them, “ I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE. The one who comes to Me will never be hungry, and the one who believes in Me [as Savior] will never be thirsty [for that one will be sustained spiritually].” John 6:33-35 AMP To Be Continued... God Bless each and every one of you on the other side of this screen. May each and everyone of you have have a He Is..., Yeshua, Life-Filled Day! Good Morning Tuesday...
Father thank You for this NEW day. You have blessed us with another WONDERFUL day to see your WISDOM and TRUTH. May we use this day to show this dark world Your Fruit, Your Light, and Your Glory TODAY. In YESHUA, JESUS CHRIST’s Name we pray. Amen! - Words Are Good, But THE WORD... Is The Best Today, let's look at the timeless Word of Our Messiah. Being that He is The Smartest, Wisest, Most Heavenly Man to ever walk the face of the earth, it is good to remind ourselves that the focus should be on Him, and what He is saying to us. Each day we go through different subjects, mysteries, and treasures from The Bible, but the words written by man shall never compare with those written or spoken by God Almighty Himself. Our Father gave us a most excellent gift in being able to communicate with words, analyze things, and explain to one another what Life is all about and Our Father's Mysteries, but our words shall always be but a whisper in the wind that dissipates momentarily. For us, Words Are Good, But THE WORD... Is The Best. May we all allow Our Savior to speak to us today. May His Infinite Wisdom be branded on our hearts. May All who read these words find comfort in knowing.... God Our Father and His Son Jesus Christ Have Things Under Control. Yahweh Yeshua Ha'Mashiach Bless, Keep, Shine His Face On, Be Gracious To, Lift His Countenance Upon, and Bring Shalom (Divine Peace/Completeness) To Each and Every One Of You On The Other Side of This Screen. Prayer: Dear Father God, please wash us of our sins. Make us clean and ready to receive Your Word. Open our hearts and minds as we read through Your Word today and each day moving forward. Let Your Word, The Word of Your Son, Our Perfect Savior, touch us in a new way. Speak to us in THE WAY only You can. Continue to change us and mold us into Your Servants who reflect You, and Your Son, each day as we go out into the world. We thank You for the many blessings You have bestowed upon us Father. We Praise You for Your Glory, Revelation, and Mercy. We Bless Your Name for Bringing Salvation (Yeshua) to any who choose to receive Him. And we Love You with an unbreakable Love that comes from You Alone. Glory to You Forever. We pray all these things in The Name of Your Son, Your Word, and Our Messiah On High, Yeshua Ha'Mashiach, Jesus Christ The King. Amen. Fuel For The Soul, Wisdom, Life, Love, Bread, Water, The Word of God: “I Am The True Vine, and My Father Is The Vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in The Vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. “I Am The Vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. “As The Father Loved Me, I also have Loved you; abide in My Love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My Love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. This is My commandment, that you Love one another as I have Loved you. Greater Love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s Life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask The Father in My Name He may give you. These things I command you, that you Love one another. “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My Word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for My Name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. He who hates Me hates My Father also. If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father. But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, ‘They hated Me without a cause.’ “But when The Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from The Father, The Spirit of Truth Who Proceeds from The Father, He will testify of Me. And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning.” John 15:1-27 Good Morning Monday...
Father thank You for this new day. As You Walk with us today, please keep us focused on YOUR TRUTH. Please continue to fill OUR HEARTS & MINDS with YOUR PEACE and straighten the paths before us. In YESHUA, Jesus Christ's Glorious Name we pray. Amen - Wisdom: A Solid Foundation - The Foundation of THE ROCK Ever stepped on a ant bed? Here in Louisiana you can have a bad day by stepping in an ant bed, especially if you don't realize you are in one. Have you ever looked at an ant bed after you have stepped on it though? What do the ants do? They immediately begin running around and start rebuilding their home. The ants are disciplined, intentional, and have one goal. I think we can learn something from theses ants. Let's see what God's Word has to say about ants: “Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise, Which, having no captain, Overseer or ruler, Provides her supplies in the summer, And gathers her food in the harvest. How long will you slumber, O sluggard? When will you rise from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to sleep— So shall your poverty come on you like a prowler, And your need like an armed man.” Proverbs 6:6-11 “There are four things which are little on the earth, But they are exceedingly wise: The ants are a people not strong, Yet they prepare their food in the summer;” Proverbs 30:24-25 So, we are supposed to take note of the ants. They have qualities that Our Father endowed them with that are good. They gather, they prepare, they aren't strong, yet they are wise. Notice it says the ants "are a people." Here again we see a message pointing us towards certain habits, a lifestyle, and a maturity to press on in the "building of our house." None of us want a house built on sand, right? Of course not, so we need to be like the ant. We need perseverance, discipline, wisdom, and healthy habits. A strong beginning each day with Our Father and Savior can begin this process. Not only does this mature our relationship with God Our Father, but this also helps put us on a wise path of walking with our Merciful, Kind, and Amazing Messiah. Wise people seek wisdom. God's word tells us: “The wise woman builds her house, But the foolish pulls it down with her hands. He who walks in his uprightness fears The LORD (YHWH, Yahweh), But he who is perverse in his ways despises Him. In the mouth of a fool is a rod of pride, But the lips of the wise will preserve them.” Proverbs 14:1-3 This is a powerful verse. Remember a woman in scripture is symbolism for The Church, The Body of Christ. This proverb no doubt reminds us of Matthew 7 and what Yeshua, Jesus Our Savior, speaks. Let's take a look: “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on The Rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on The Rock. “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall.” Matthew 7:24-27 Like the ants, we see Our Savior here explaining how the "wise man" labored, was obedient, and was disciplined, the foolish man... not so much. We must “hear” the instructions of Our God and obey. Jesus tells us that the wise man not only “hears” what He is teaching, but very importantly “does ” what He commands. We must do what God’s Word tells us or we are like the foolish. Storms came and the wise man's house stood solid, the foolish man... not so much. Each day we are preparing for something, building something, whether we know it or not. Each and everyone of us has a choice to be foolish or be wise. We have a choice to follow our "upward call" or follow our carnal desires. We can choose to be content with our current circumstances, just doing the same old thing, and our present relationship with Our Father, or to feed that relationship, deepen it, build on it, become wiser, gain more discipline, and become more obedient, growing in Him each day. Our Father desires us. He wants us to grow, build, learn, and gain in likeness to His Son and Perfect Example. Once we make Him The Foundation of our house, our temple, we can begin to construct that sturdy house, gain wisdom, grow in obedience, and learn disciplines that help us draw closer to The Almighty. May we all begin today remembering to give God Our Father our best, to be merciful to others, and to be gracious to ourselves by not gaining in "the world," but rather gaining in God Almighty with wisdom, discipline, and obedience. Each small step taken, each discipline gained, each piece of wisdom learned takes us a little bit closer to being like the wise ant. The enemy may have stepped on our proverbial ant bed, but God, Our Merciful Father, is allowing us to rebuild it before the storm comes. God's Word tells us to take note of the ant and "consider her ways." May we all be diligent as we rebuild this "ant bed" together. May we all strive to be wise, disciplined, diligent, and obedient towards Our Father and Savior. If we can start, grow, and persevere in this....There is no storm that can move our house. There is no storm that can move Our Savior, Our God, and Our Rock of Salvation. Let's rebuild our ant bed with... The Foundation of The Rock. God Bless Each and Every One of you on the other side of this screen. I pray you all have a Great, Rock-Built-Foundation-Filled day. Extra Fuel For The Soul... The Word of God: “Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you. Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind.” Philippians 3:12-16 “For God has not given us a spirit of cowardice, but of power and Love and self-discipline.” 2 Timothy 1:7 Good Morning Sunday...
Father thank You for this NEW day. As You walk with us today, keep us focused on Your TRUTHS, and continue helping us TO REPENT & LIVE. RENEW our HEARTS & MINDS WITH Your PEACE. The PEACE that comes FROM us turning back to you. In YESHUA, JESUS CHRIST's Name. Amen! - God Our Father Knows... Exactly What We Need Our Father knows exactly what we need; Him. That's the reason He came. Only He can fix what we have broken. It is so amazing how Our Father knows everything. Not only does He know everything about us, down to every thought and hair on our heads, but He also knows everything about all things He has created, or...everything. Our Father knows us much better than we know ourselves. Because of Our Father's supreme and infinite knowledge, wisdom, and understanding, He Knows... Exactly What We Need. Before my being fully "awakened" by The Grace of The One True and Living God and His Son Yeshua, Jesus Christ, I was instilled by my mother with a knowledge of God Almighty (El Shaddai) and a thirst for things that would grow my faith. Somehow I knew God Existed, I just didn't understand His True Revelation Through His Son Yeshua, Jesus Christ. Nonetheless, I searched often for clues as to what this life was all about. I would write down Bible Verses that stuck out to me and that Our Father had placed on my path. Throughout the years I collected quite a few nifty sayings and quotes from Biblical Teachers, Servants of God, and various daily devotions. In this lifelong and continuous search there are a few of these quotes, sayings, and nuggets of wisdom that stuck with me. Today, I would like to share one of those pieces of wisdom Our Father sent my way, with you. It caught my eyes years ago sitting on a double-sided flip-book daily devotion calendar which sat on our kitchen window seal. With some slight modifications, it went a little something like this: "If our need had been information, Our Father would have sent us an educator. If our need had been technology, Our Father would have sent us a scientist. If our need had been money, Our Father would have sent us an economist. If our need had been pleasure, Our Father would have sent us an entertainer. But our greatest need was forgiveness, So OUR FATHER, GOD ALMIGHTY, SENT US A SAVIOR." What a reason to rejoice, and what a reason to be thankful! Glory be to God, Our Father In Heaven, for His Mercy, for His Perfect Judgement, for His Love of us, and for His Perfect and Holy Son in whom we are saved! I can't remember the name of the calendar or the person who wrote this quote, unfortunately, so I can't give them any credit, but I can give Our Father the credit for inspiring someone to share a profound truth... a profound truth that can only be revealed by God Himself and His Son, THE REDEEMER of us all. While I do believe that Yeshua, Jesus Christ, is all those other things in the quote as well, such as: an educator and scientist, A Savior was indeed our greatest need. Thank You Father... Thank You Yeshua! Bless Your Holy Name Forever and Thank You For Leading Us To You...Even Before We Realized You Were Calling Us! Thank You For Knowing!...Exactly What We Need. 😃🙌🔥 The Word of Truth: “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ Died For Us. Much more then, having now been justified by His Blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His Life. And not only that, but we also Rejoice In God Through Our Lord Jesus Christ, Through Whom We Have Now Received The Reconciliation.” Romans 5:8-11 “You are My witnesses, says The Lord (Yahweh), and My Servant Whom I Have Chosen, that you may Know Me, Believe Me and Remain Steadfast to Me, and Understand That I AM HE. Before Me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after Me. I, even I, am The Lord (Yahweh), and Besides Me There Is No Savior. I have declared [the future] and have saved [the nation in times of danger], and I have shown [that I Am God]–when there was no strange and alien god among you; therefore you are My witnesses, says The Lord (Yahweh), that I Am God. Yes, from the time of the first existence of day and from this day forth I AM HE; and there is no one who can deliver out of My Hand. I will work, and who can hinder or reverse it?” Isaiah 43:10-13 “Listen to Me, O Jacob, and Israel, My called [ones]: I AM HE; I Am The First, I Also Am The Last. [Isa. 41:4.]” Isaiah 48:12 “Now I tell you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe that I AM HE.” John 13:19 “And we have seen and testify that The Father has sent The Son as Savior of the world.” I John 4:14 “They remembered that God was their ROCK, The Most High God, their REDEEMER.” Psalms 78:35 “But as for me, I know that my REDEEMER Lives. In the end, He Will Stand Upon The Earth.” Job 19:25 Good Morning Sabbath...
Father Thank You for this NEW Day. Thank You for Your REVELATION. Thank You for Your Gift of Life, which IS OURS IN Your Son YESHUA, JESUS CHRIST. We praise You, we worship You, and we pray to You in Yeshua, Jesus Christ’s Name. AMEIN! - An Exercise In Connecting With Our Father - Joy #1 Step 1 - Prayer (Begin With Focus And Openness Towards God) Prayer: Dear Father God, please connect with us here as we seek in Your Word. Help us to show our Joy in You. Help us to find Your Peace. Be with us. Thank You. In Yeshua, Jesus's Name we pray. Amen Step 2 - Read Read the Scripture slowly. Be aware of any interesting words, phrases, or sentences. Read over The Scripture a second Time. Read: “So they read distinctly from The Book, in The Law (Instructions) of God; and they gave the sense, and helped them to understand the reading. And Nehemiah, who was the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to The LORD (YHWH, Yahweh) your God; do not mourn nor weep.” For all the people wept, when they heard the words of The Law (Instructions). Then he said to them, “Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the JOY of The LORD (YHWH, Yahweh) is your strength.” So the Levites quieted all the people, saying, “Be still, for the day is holy; do not be grieved.” And all the people went their way to eat and drink, to send portions and REJOICE greatly, because they understood the words that were declared to them.” Nehemiah 8:8-12 “We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father, knowing, beloved brethren, your election by God. For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in The Holy Spirit and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake. And you became followers of us and of The Lord, having received The Word in much affliction, with JOY of The Holy Spirit, so that you became examples to all in Macedonia and Achaia who believe.” I Thessalonians 1:2-7 “Behold, this is the JOY of His way, And out of the earth others will grow. Behold, God will not cast away the blameless, Nor will He uphold the evildoers. He will yet fill your mouth with LAUGHING, And your lips with REJOICING.” Job 8:19-21 “Praise The LORD (Yahweh)! Praise, O servants of The LORD (Yahweh), Praise the name of The LORD (Yahweh)!” Psalms 113:1 Step 3 - Reflect Reflect on what stands out to you as you read. What is God trying to tell you? Step 4 - Respond Respond to The Word you just read. Talk to Your Father about how you feel. Tell Him what is on your mind. Tell him what is on your heart. As you go through your day today keep your eyes open to what you read, what you uncovered, or what you spoke to God about. You may find Him showing up in places you didn't expect. God Bless Everyone. May The God Of All Good Things Give each and everyone of you JOY and PEACE. Good Morning Friday ...
Father thank You for this NEW day. Please continue to fill our HEARTs & MINDs with your LOVE & TRUTH and TRANSFORM our ordinary day into an extraordinary day TODAY! In Yeshua, Jesus Christ’s Name we pray. Amen. - Love Them, Bless Them, Forgive Them. “Love Your Enemies, Bless Those Who Curse You.” Without a doubt, this sounds completely counterintuitive to what we learn growing up in this world. Nonetheless, God Said It for a reason. Loving, blessing, and praying for those who wrong us has serious spiritual healing tied to it. If we can let Our Father and Savior teach us this kind of discipline, I have no doubt we would be so filled with peace and contentment that forgiveness would come with much less difficulty. Just think about Our Brothers, The Apostles, singing, praying for, and converting their captors into God-Fearing, God-Loving people. We really have nothing to offer God Our Father except our obedience. Our Father doesn't need our help being God, so why would we think we know better than Him? Bottom line is: If Our Father Commands Us To Do Something, It Is For Our Good... not to help Him. Since this is the case, even when what we have learned from the world is counterintuitive, we should "be like a child" and have faith in Our Father... Faith That He Knows Best. Our God and Savior want us to "Have Life, and have it More Abundantly" and He Knows, because He Made The Rules, that forgiveness, loving, blessing, and praying for those who don't agree with us or hate us will bring us Life. Every commandment of God Our Father is tied to this "abundant Life" that Our Savior Spoke of and He Knows... because He Followed Them All, and Perfectly. It may be difficult, it may feel counterintuitive, but forgiveness and doing good to those who curse you is a discipline Our Father Is Trying To Show Will Bless Us... If We But Follow Him. Remember, God Loves You, God Longs For You, and God wants us to have His Peace with us here, while we suffer our fallen state, in this small part of eternity. In beginning the process of forgiveness Our Father’s Word Tells Us To: A.) Don't keep a record of things someone has done wrong to you B.) Pray for those who persecute you rather than plotting against them C.) Don't harbor hate in your heart for someone, hate the wrong action and our fallen state as humans. D.) Don't focus on what that person did to you, but rather focus on what Yeshua, Jesus Christ, and God Our Father Have Done For Us. Closing Thought: It may seem like an outrageous thing for us to “Forgive Them, Love Them, and Bless Them” who seek to, or have done something to persecute us, but Our Messiah Yeshua, Jesus Christ Died For Them Also. If The King of The Whole World and The Only Perfect Person To Walk The Face Of This Earth Thinks They Are Worth Forgiving.... Aren't They? The Word of God: “But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away. “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” Matthew 5:39-48 “Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.” Revelation 3:11 “Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me.” Matthew 18:2-5 “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.” John 10:9-11 Good Morning Thursday.......
Thank You Father for this NEW DAY! Help us to live aware, to CHOOSE wisely, to stay close to You, and anchored in Your TRUTH! Thank You for Your Great LOVE AND MERCY, thank You that You Wait For Us, and You Strengthen Us. We come to You TODAY, choosing to walk in Your Presence and Light. In YESHUA, JESUS CHRIST’s Name. Amen! - The Darkness And The Light: The Mystery of The Two You(s) Part 3 The last couple of days we have been going over "The Two You(s)" and how God's Word seems to be "calling attention" for us two different lifestyles. Sinful or pure, Good or bad, Shepherd or Murderer. A first born who is suppose to receive The Inheritance, or a Second Born Who Does Receive The Inheritance. Here is yet another connection I had a wonderful Brother In Christ point out to me last year during The Feast of Trumpets. The earth (dust or man) looks the same during the night as it does the day. The difference is one of Light. There is Light during the day so we "can see," or the absence of That Light at night, darkness, and an "inability to see." That's us! That's "The Two You(s)" that we all go through, and Our Father Has Been Telling Us This Story Since The First Page Of His Word! Why is there always "evening then morning" in creation? Maybe it is because Our Father was "calling our attention" to the fact that we, His Children, are born in darkness or "sin" and then "reborn" into His Son, Light, Truth, and The Way To Life! In all the contrasts we have gone over the last few days we see a through-line, A Consistency Only Found In God's Word, a Truth, and a Mystery of God Revealed. Two sons, the first brings death and The Second Brings Life. The man in darkness, blind to see what is before him, or The Man Of Light Who Sees All That Is Before Him. These my Brothers and Sisters are...The Two You(s). The you born in darkness and the You Born In Christ The Light. The first adam brings death into the world and The Second Adam Brings Life. The killer and The Shepherd. We see this again and again in Scripture. Whether first adam or Second Adam, Cain or Able, Ishmael or Isaac, Esau or Jacob, or the earthly born you and The Heavenly Reborn You, we are being given a "clue" what our journey here, in this life, is all about. Abraham having Ishmael is a great example for us in this foreshadowing of our lives and the two you(s). Abraham tried to create God's Fulfillment for him on his own. He created a problem by acting hastily and not waiting for The Son That God Had Promised. Abraham let Sarai talk him into conceiving Ishmael and this immediately became a problem in Abraham's family. He tried to do it on his own. Think about our own lives in this. When something doesn't go right or we question things such as: Why can't I find my happiness? Why don't I make more money? Why don't more people like me? Or, Why can't I have the job of my dreams? When these questions pop up, our problem, like Abraham with Ishmael, is we try to "force it," "do it ourselves," and don't turn to Our Father In Heaven and His Son for the answer. We all get desires in our heart and then try to acquire these desires on our own instead of waiting for, well,...more. This is when we are choosing the wrong "You" and like Ishmael born to Abraham, we give birth to rebellion, sin, murder, and ultimately death in search of our own selfish desires. We all have desires. We are born with some of these desires planted by God Himself in us, and everyone has them. We have these desires for a reason. And indeed, we all have a desire that we don't recognize in our first state of being or the first "You." A strong desire that can only be satisfied by entering into a relationship with Our Father and His Son. In fact, God's Word Tells Us: “Delight yourself also in The LORD (YHWH, Yahweh), And He shall give you the desires of your heart.” Psalms 37:4 You see, Our Father will give us "the desires of our heart." Not the desire to buy a big house or a new car, but a desire to do...more. A desire to do the things that bring us joy. The problem is many people don't seek after and find the "reason" for that. They don't do it for others. They do it for themselves. We have all done this, and it is a perfect example of us choosing the first "You" or being the "first born us" who will not receive The Inheritance with Our Savior. The first born, according to the Hebrew Faith, was suppose to get the inheritance, but in all these examples (and their are still many more), we see The Second Born Is the One To Receive The Inheritance. It is here that we first see something... more. Is it possible Our Father Wasn't Talking About A Physical First Born Son (first you) That Is Suppose To Receive His Inheritance? But rather A Spiritually Re-Born Son In Christ (Second or Last Adam) Who Is To Receive His Inheritance? One could even make a case that the first adam or fallen man (first you), wasn't the first born of God Our Father at all. Yeshua Himself Tells The Pharisees "you are of your father the devil. (John 8:44)" This obviously shows us they were acting in a "first adam" (first you), murdering, or "fallen manner." Is it possible we are first controlled by our worldly desires and God Is Not Our Father During This Time? Is It possible that maybe when we are reborn, that is when He Becomes Our Father and we are then His Spiritually First-Born sons and daughters? Definitely something worth meditating on. In conclusion, we see God Our Father Giving Us Hints and Clues In His Word About "The Two You(s)." We are all born into this earthly world, and we can all be Reborn Into Him. It is a choice each and every one of us has to make. A decision between "Blessings and Curses," "Life and Death." We must seek to find, ask to receive, and knock to have the door opened (Matthew 7:7). If we do this, "ask, seek, and knock," Our Father and Yeshua, Jesus Christ Our Savior, WILL Open The Mysteries of The Word To Us. I just don't know if this is possible for the first us, the first "you," or the physical first born. It may only be accessible, In His Fullness, by The Spiritually Reborn, the second us, or the second "you." This gives yet another brand new meaning to The Scripture: “But many who are first will be last, and the last first.” Matthew 19:30 May we all seek God Our Father, His Word, and Our Savior so that we may know the correct "you" to choose as we learn and grow in this life. May we all ask God Our Father, His Word, and Our Savior so that we may receive the correct "desires of our heart." And may we all knock on "The Door" that God Our Father, His Word, and Our Savior will open to "The New You"... The Correct You... and the You who will inherit The Kingdom of God with Yeshua Our King When He Returns. Father, we ask all these things in The Mighty Name Of Your Son Yeshua, Jesus Christ, The Light of all Men, and The Last Adam. Amen. God Bless Everybody and have a "Second You" Great God-Filled Day! Extra Fuel For The Soul AKA The Second You Sustainer AKA The Word of God: The First You: “Yet the LORD has not given you a heart to perceive and eyes to see and ears to hear, to this very day.” Deuteronomy 29:4 “Just as it is written: “God has given them a spirit of stupor, Eyes that they should not see And ears that they should not hear, To this very day.” Romans 11:8 The Second You: “Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live; And I will make an everlasting covenant with you— The sure mercies of David.” Isaiah 55:3 “And the man said to me, “Son of man, look with your eyes and hear with your ears, and fix your mind on everything I show you; for you were brought here so that I might show them to you. Declare to the house of Israel everything you see.” Ezekiel 40:4 “For the eyes of The LORD are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their prayers; But The Face of The LORD is against those who do evil.” I Peter 3:12 Yeshua Our Messiah Speaking To The Second You: “And He said to them, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” Mark 4:9 God Our Father Explaining The Two You(s) To Israel...To Us: “I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; that you may love The LORD (YHWH, Yahweh) your God, that you may obey His Voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your Life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land which The LORD (YHWH, Yahweh) swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.” Deuteronomy 30:19-20 “For those blessed by Him shall inherit the earth, But those cursed by Him shall be cut off.” Psalms 37:22 Good Morning Wednesday....
Thank You Father for this NEW DAY! Today,“(we will) trust in You Father with all (our) hearts and lean not on (our) own understanding; in all (our) ways (we will) acknowledge (You), and (You) shall direct (our) paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6). May we choose to follow our faith today! In Yeshua, Jesus Christ's Name. Amen! -The End Is Found In The Beginning: The Mystery Of The Two You(s) Part 2 Yesterday we looked at the examples of Adam and Yeshua, Cain and Abel, Ishmael and Issac, and Esau and Jacob. One brother or twin, the firstborn, became a murderer, and the younger a shepherd. We saw this pattern emerge, and it all points us back to the beginning with Adam (man), and the fall of Adam (man). What was needed to redeem Adam (man) from this "fall" and redeem Adam (man) from having become a murderer? He needed A Savior, A Redeemer, A Second or Last Adam, Yeshua, Jesus Christ. Let's take a look at The Scripture: “And so it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being.” The Last Adam became a Life-giving spirit.” I Corinthians 15:45 “The first man was of the earth, made of dust; The Second Man Is The Lord from heaven.” I Corinthians 15:47 “Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through One Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of Life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.” Romans 5:18-19 This clears up a lot of Paul's writings about "The One New Man," right? As believers and followers of Christ we are not to be "double-minded" or worldly, like the firstborn of the characters in our examples, but with “one mind” being a shepherd to those around us, like Yeshua or the “Second Adam.” We are not to be good and evil. We are to be with “one mind,” single-minded" in Yeshua Our Messiah, and with other believers, doing good, serving, and encouraging our fellow Brothers and Sisters, not leading them into sin and murdering them. Let’s get a witness or two on this: “Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of Love, if any fellowship of The Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same Love, being of One accord, of One mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.” Philippians 2:1-3 “that you may with One mind and One mouth glorify The God and Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ.” Romans 15:6 “I have inclined my heart to perform Your statutes Forever, to the very end. I hate the double-minded, But I love Your Law (Instructions). You are My Hiding place and My Shield; I hope in Your Word.” Psalms 119:112-114 Can you see The Mystery of The Two You(s) unfold? We are all "born into sin" and learn the "ways of the world," but after learning The Truth, given "ears to hear and eyes to see" we are "transformed" and "born again.” We then shed the "heavy yoke" of death in favor of Our Savior's "Light Yoke" of Life and Peace. This helps us to understand the "born again" passage that Nicodemus in The Bible didn't understand. Yeshua even told Nicodemus, you should know this, you are a teacher of My Father's Instructions to Israel! Let’s take a look: “Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” Nicodemus answered and said to Him, “How can these things be?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things?” John 3:7-10 Our Savior, God's Word, tells us we must be reborn. We are the first Adam when we are born into this world. We become The Second Adam when we choose The Truth, The Way, The Life, and are "reborn" through Yeshua, Jesus Christ, Our Messiah and Savior. "Adam" in The Scriptures, is not only a word meaning “man,” but also "mankind." If we reread the last paragraph with this in mind, we begin to see a very personal message for us, and a message for us together also as The Body of Christ, The Bride, Israel, better known as “The Church.” We are the “first” mankind upon arrival in this world, and the “second” mankind upon rebirth into The Kingdom of Our Father. Herein lies “The Mystery of The Two You(s).” Just as we are born in darkness, and then come to Our Father and Savior’s Light, so also was all of Israel born in darkness and needed redemption in Our Father and Savior’s Light. As stated, Adam means “man” and “mankind” in Scripture. What an unbelievably wonderful message to each of us, individually (man), as well as to us as a group (mankind). Our Father and His Son speaks to each of us Individually and each of us personally! Talk about a reason to celebrate! What A Wise, Kind, Merciful, and Loving Father we have! He Knew We Would Need "Group Teaching" As Well As "Personal Instruction." The Coolest Thing About That? He Came Down And Did The Teaching Himself! Talk about a MIGHTY GOD And A MIGHTY MAN! The old Indian proverb we looked at yesterday was clearly taken from The Bible... in fact, most stories are. The story about two wolves inside us, the "first man" adam-story (man-story), and the “second man” Jesus-Story (Salvation-Story), came from above, not Indians . Thankfully, God Our Father In Heaven, gives us His "Second Man" God-Story, or HIS-story, His Word, Yeshua, Salvation, Jesus Christ, along with His Proverbs, His Parables, His Foreshadowing, and His Grander Explanations To Life's Mysteries. In our lives, we will all have a choice at some point to choose which of the two "You(s)" we will be. As the Indian proverb asks:”which wolf will you feed?” We all have the choice to be a Shepherd to Our Brothers and Sisters, or a murderer. We can choose the world, or The Savior. Answering the question posed in the beginning of "Part 1" about "Isn't their somewhere in the middle?"... well, not really. I mean, there is, but this is what Our Savior tells us will happen to those who sit on the fence: “So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.” Revelation 3:16 That's Scary!... but True. Our God Is An All Consuming Fire... Hot. Cold is just a word to describe "absence of heat"... no fire. Will we be destined to be Hot like Our Father and be a Shepherd? Or cold like the enemy, with no fire or heat in him, dead, lifeless, destined to be a murderer, and die? The Good News, or Gospel, is that Yeshua, Jesus Christ, came as "The Second Man," or "Last Adam," to redeem and save us all from this horrible “first man” fate. If we want to get "hot" we need only seek God's Word, His Son Yeshua, Jesus The Christ. Once we grab ahold of the "Smoking Oven" and "Burning Torch," we can't help but to heat up! Join us tomorrow for Part 3 and the conclusion of "The Two You(s)." Love you all and God Bless! The Second Adam AKA The Smoking Oven and The Burning Torch AKA The Word of God: “And it came to pass, when the sun went down and it was dark, that behold, there appeared a smoking oven and a burning torch that passed between those pieces.” Genesis 15:17 Good Morning Tuesday.......
Dear Father, thank You for this NEW day. Guide us as we make this day's JOURNEY. Lift us as we fall. Impart in us Your Wisdom. Reveal to us Your Mysteries. Show us Your LOVE, and HELP us to show Your Love to others. In Yeshua, Jesus Christ's Name we PRAY. Amen. - The Mystery Of The Two You(s) - Part 1 Have you ever noticed all the "sibling rivalry" and "twin action" going on in The Bible? There always seems to be a conflict , an opposing evil agenda, THE WAY of Our Father in Heaven, or the way of a person's own selfish, fallen nature. Why do you think this story and this symbolism repeats so often in God's Word? I would propose it is a "calling of attention" to something. A highlighted theme so to speak. Let's dig in and see what we can find. Do you remember hearing an old Indian proverb about two wolves' spirits that lived inside all of us? A "good" wolf and a "bad" wolf. The proverb ends with the question. Which wolf guides you? The answer: The one you feed. Now, I remember thinking when I heard this that it was a pretty good story, but why did they have to use two wolves? And why did it have to be only good and bad? Wasn't there a place in the middle? Something was missing, but back then I just couldn't place it. Well, now I know it was taken from The Bible. Heck, those Indians may indeed have been some of The Lost Tribes of Israel, so no wonder... but I digress. Not only do I now believe this Indian proverb is a derivative of The Bible, but it is also a "watered down" version to a more complex and thorough Truth In God's Word: The Two You(s). So, let's name a some of these "sibling rivalries" and "twin" allegories in The Bible: 1.) Adam & Yeshua, Jesus Christ 2.) Cain & Able 3.) Ishmael & Issac 4.) Esau & Jacob Now that we have identified some of these examples, let's take a closer look and see if we can find a pattern. 1.) 1st Adam and 2nd Adam (Adam and Jesus Christ) The first Adam brought death upon the world. He was the first to “toil” with the ground after he fell. Ultimately because of his decision to disobey God, he became a killer, a murderer, and sin entered the world. The second Adam, Yeshua, Jesus Christ, is The Good Shepherd. He takes care of His Flock. He Obeys Our Father In All Things, He Heals, Gives Truth, and Brings Life. 1st Adam = Murderer 2nd Adam = Shepherd 2.) Cain and Able Cain was "a tiller of the ground.” He “toiled” with the earth. He was worldly, jealous, and ultimately ended up killing his Brother Able. He was a murderer. Able was a Shepherd, he pleased God, and was murdered for his righteousness. Sound Familiar? Think about this statement: God Is Able. 🔥 Cain = Murderer Able = Shepherd 3.) Ishmael and Issac Ishmael was a hunter. Born in rebellion, disobedience to God's Promise, and out of wedlock. Not the "proper" or God-Sent Son, but instead, the son prophesied to be "against" his Brother and... a murderer. Isaac was the "Promised Son" in fulfillment of Our Father's Prophetic Word. The God-Sent Son. The Obedient Son. Obedient even in the face of death. Remember, he was willing to die as a sacrifice at his father’s request. Sound familiar? 🔥 Can you guess what his occupation was? You got it. Shepherd. Ishmael = Murderer Isaac = Shepherd 4.) Esau and Jacob Esau was a hunter, a man of war, a killer, warrior, and worldly. He was a “man of the field,” one who “toiled” in the earth, and... a murderer. Jacob dwelled in tents. Studied God's Word. And what do ya know...he was a shepherd. Esau = Murderer Jacob = Shepherd Well, a pattern definitely emerges and we see "the first born" is, in each case, a murderer, and "the second born" is, in each case, a Shepherd and The One In Whom The Inheritance Is Given. Can you see where this is going? I bet you can. Join us tomorrow as we dig further and continue to explore The Mystery of The Two You(s). God Bless Everybody and have a Great, Word of God-Filled Day! Extra Fuel For The Soul AKA The Word Of Yahweh, God, Our Father In Heaven: “And so it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.” I Corinthians 15:45 “Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, and said, “I have acquired a man from The LORD (Yahweh).” Then she bore again, this time his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.” Genesis 4:1-2 “So the boys grew. And Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field; but Jacob was a mild man, dwelling in tents.” Genesis 25:27 “Then He brought him outside and said, “Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.” And he believed in The LORD (Yahweh), and He accounted it to him for righteousness.” Genesis 15:5-6 “So Sarai said to Abram, “See now, The LORD (Yahweh) has restrained me from bearing children. Please, go in to my maid; perhaps I shall obtain children by her.” And Abram heeded the voice of Sarai.” Genesis 16:2 “So Hagar bore Abram a son; and Abram named his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael.” Genesis 16:15 “And He said, “I will certainly return to you according to the time of Life, and behold, Sarah your wife shall have a son.” Genesis 18:10 “And Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him—whom Sarah bore to him— Isaac.” Genesis 21:3 |
SERVANT OF YESHUA 7
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