Good Morning Sunday...
Father thank You for this AMAZING DAY. Please fill us with Your Spirit and help us to be a LIGHT. Endow us with Your PEACE and WISDOM, so we may bring LIFE to this world. In YESHUA, JESUS CHRIST’s Name we pray. Amen! - It Is Not What You Know. It's Who You Know. Who do you spend more time with than anyone? I will give you a hint: You look at them in the mirror everyday. That's right, You, ourselves. Since we spend more time with ourselves than anyone else, it would follow that, as people, we are pretty interested in ourselves. So, how happy are you with yourself? Do you like you? Would you rather be someone else? Can you be honest about your strengths and weaknesses? The world is filled, from the beginning, with counterfeit or copied wisdom claimed by man that came first from God's Word. For instance, "great minds" from the past are credited with famous sayings such as "know thyself" or "the unexamined life is not worth living." These two particular quotes are accredited to Socrates, but all one needs to do is look in The Bible and you will find this Wisdom throughout God's Word. It goes without saying, The Bible was here long before Socrates. Let's take a look at a just a couple of verses from the Bible that stated this first: “Now therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts: “Consider your ways!” Haggai 1:5 NKJV “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” I Peter 5:8 NKJV We could keep going, but you see that Our Father tells us to "consider our ways" and "be sober" in these two "witness" verses. What He is saying is know yourself, consider, and be realistic or "sober" minded about your weaknesses and strengths. If you want to "resist the devil" you need to know yourself, so you can spot when the enemy is trying to tempt you. The point? Knowing ourselves is pretty important to living out a productive, meaningful, and fruitful life. That is good to know, but let's take that one step further. God Is Our Creator. He Knows Us Better Than Even We Do! So why wouldn't we get to know God Our Father, who knows us better than we do, and can show us "the real us" better than even we can "see?" Our Father has provided to us a Way, Truth, and Life from His Word and His Son Yeshua, Jesus Christ, to get to know Him better everyday! If we get to know HIM better, we can know ourselves better than we ever thought, and we can know our true and perfect reason to our being here on this earth. As we will read in scripture today, two things that help immensely are "Keep it simple" and "Come as a child." Do you want to know yourself better? Do you want to know your life's purpose? Do you want a meaningful, productive, and fruitful life? If you do there is a very simple answer, so simple in fact it "confounds the wise." Get to know Our Father and His Son Yeshua, Jesus Christ, The Creator of Heaven and Earth, and each of us can begin down the path of a meaningful, productive, and very fruitful life! Can I get a witness?! Yes! Here Are 8!: The Word of God: “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 1:18 KJV “for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:21 WMB “But seek first God’s Kingdom and his righteousness; and all these things will be given to you as well.” Matthew 6:33 WMB “and said, “Most certainly I tell you, unless you turn and become as little children, you will in no way enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. Whoever therefore humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.” Matthew 18:3-4 WMB “In that same hour Yeshua rejoiced in the Holy Spirit, and said, “I thank you, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for so it was well-pleasing in your sight.”” Luke 10:21 WMB “Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the FOOLISH THINGS of the world to CONFOUND THE WISE; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 1:25-31 KJV “For our boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience that we conducted ourselves in the world in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God, and more abundantly toward you. For we are not writing any other things to you than what you read or understand. Now I trust you will understand, even to the end (as also you have understood us in part), that we are your boast as you also are ours, in the day of the Lord Jesus.” II Corinthians 1:12-14 NKJV “But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for first excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.” Philippians 3:7-11
0 Comments
Good Morning Sabbath...
Father thank You for this NEW day. Your Day. We ask that You OPEN our HEARTS and MINDS to YOUR infinite GRACE, WISDOM, and PEACE, so WE may SERVE You in the manner most PLEASING to YOU. IN Your Mighty Son YESHUA, JESUS CHRIST's name we pray. Amen. - Here’s The Question: When We Pick Up The Phone, Will We Recognize His Voice? Yesterday we asked a few questions of ourselves: How much time have we spent with God lately? When is the last time we got down on our hands and knees and prayed? Do we find it sufficient to seek others for The Word of God or are we "digging in" ourselves and experiencing the fullness of Our Father? These are all good questions to ask ourselves. The answers will surely vary between us, but what do we do once we have made the decision and commitment to spend more time with Our Father? The next step after deciding to "set apart" time with Our Father is learning how to listen to Him and how to "hear" Him. This is important because Yeshua, Jesus Our Savior, tells us that if we are His... we will know when He is speaking to us, and we will listen. Let's take a look: “And when He brings out His own sheep, He goes before them; and the sheep follow Him, for they know His Voice. 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.” (emphasis ours throughout) John 10:4, 10-11 Our Savior, Our Good Shepherd, Our King, Our Father, and Our God, tell us that We Will Know His Voice If We Are His, and that He Is The One Who Gives LIFE, ABUNDANT LIFE, To His Sheep. That is a mighty comforting Scripture. Our Savior is telling us that if we are spending time with Him, getting to know Him, and letting Him guide us, we will clearly recognize Him when He Calls, because we will "know His Voice." Have you ever heard a song on the radio or playing somewhere and, by just a line or two of the lyrics, you can recognize who is singing the song? It is the same with Our Father and Our Savior. If we have been listening to Him, we will know His Voice. This begs the next question: How do we learn to listen to God Our Father and Our Savior Yeshua, Jesus Christ? In John 10 Yeshua states pretty clearly there will be others who call, but they are not seeking to give us Life, but rather kill us, steal from us, and destroy us. This makes knowing His Voice even more important. The enemy is calling also... and that is a phone call we don't want to answer. Learning to listen to God isn't difficult, we just have to be equipped with the right tools. Let's take some time to go over three things that we can do to get familiar with "hearing" The Good Shepherd Speak To Us. 1.) The first tool we want to use to discipline ourselves and "hear" what God is telling us is to set apart a regular time and place. Sabbath is a perfect time for this, and in fact, that is what The Sabbath was made for. We etch out time in our busy schedules where we can spend time with Him... just Him and us. Claim that time for God. Give this time to Him. Now that we have taken time and given it to God, make sure in that time you say what you want to God, then listen closely and see what He has to say to you. We have to speak to God. We have to make requests. We have to seek Him. This is what He says will happen if we do: “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.” Matthew 7:7-8 2.) The second tool we use is The Bible, The Word of God. When we open The Word of God it is very important to pray first, asking God to help us understand what He Is Telling Us. We can study a little at a time or a lot, but without The Help Of The Good Shepherd, it can be difficult to understand sometimes. Read until there is a verse that "touches" you. Next write it down, think about it, and let The Word of God Work In Your Heart. Again, make sure you pray, for God Lets Us Know When He Was Talking To Peter, that HE IS THE ONE WHO REVEALS, no man can do this for us...ONLY OUR FATHER. Let's take a look: “Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father Who Is In Heaven.” Matthew 16:17-19 3.) The third tool we will need is a heart conditioned, or disciplined, to listen. It is an amazing thing to go through our day and actually see The Word of God Coming To Life Right Before Our Eyes. This is how we know we have a listening heart. If we want to be like Our Savior and walk as He Walked with Our Father, we must spend time listening to Him. Don't rush this, but rather listen until you receive your lesson for the day. Once you have received your lesson from Him, apply it. If it seems confusing on how to listen and "hear" from God, it doesn't have to be, because He Tells Us: “So then Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by The Word of God.” Romans 10:17 So how do we condition or discipline ourselves to listen and "hear" The Word of God? By spending time in The Bible, The Word of God. May we all take time to grow our relationship with Our Father and Our Savior. No matter where we are in our relationship with The Good Shepherd and Our Father In Heaven, we always have the opportunity to draw closer. May we all take the time, which belongs to Our Father anyway, spend that time with Him, feed on His Word, and listen to Him. No man can take His Place and no man can give you a fulfilling relationship with Him through anything they say. We must turn to Him Who Is Above All And Diligently Seek Him. If we do, He Tells Us: “Evil men do not understand justice, But those who seek The LORD (YHWH, Yahweh) understand all.” Proverbs 28:5 “Glory in His Holy Name; Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek The LORD (YHWH, Yahweh)! Seek The LORD (Yahweh) and His Strength; Seek His Face evermore!” Psalms 105:3-4 “Glory in His Holy Name; Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek The LORD (YHWH)!” I Chronicles 16:10 “CALL TO ME, and I WILL ANSWER YOU, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know." Jeremiah 33:3 May Our Father Bless Each and Everyone Of You On The Other Side Of This Screen. Have a Wonderful Father and Son-Filled Sabbath! Shabbat Shalom (Sabbath Peace) everybody! Good Morning Friday...
Father thank You for this NEW day. We ask that you OPEN our HEARTS and MINDS to YOUR infinite GRACE, WISDOM, and PEACE, so WE may SERVE You in the manner most PLEASING to YOU. IN Your Mighty Son YESHUA, JESUS CHRIST's name we pray. Amen. - The Almighty Creator Of Heaven And Earth Is Calling... It's For You. How much quiet time have we spent with God lately? Most of us live busy lives. Most of us are going here and there from the time we wake up, constantly going to and fro. Maybe we have tried to make some quiet time with God, but just haven't been successful. This last year has been particularly difficult for many and time is precious to us. It is true that we make time for the things we Love though, right? So why not make time for Our Heavenly Father? After all, He Is Our Creator, King, Parent, Protector, Helper, Savior, Redeemer, and... The One from Whom All Good Things Come. Let’s be honest. When was the last time you got down on your hands and knees and spent time in prayer, or found a quiet place alone and read The Bible? You may ask the question back: "Isn't that why we pay preachers? Isn't this why we read Christian Books or listen to Christian Podcasts?" If these are questions that go through our mind... we may be getting a thrift store, used, second hand kind of relationship with The God of All Creation, Our Father. Here is another question: Do you spend time thinking and planning where you would like to go for vacation? How about this: Do you spend time thinking and planning what you want to eat? What about romance, do you spend time thinking about another and planning for the future? We wouldn't let someone tell us where or how to handle each of these things, would we? So why would we want someone else to tell us about Our Father, God, The Creator of All Things? Why wouldn't we go to Him ourselves? There are certain things no one can do for us. We make time for the things important to us. If your spiritual Life feels flat, lacking, or you just don't "feel" the presence of God in your Life... maybe you need to get to know Him better and spend some extra time with Him. After all, how can you get to know someone without spending time with them? The answer is, you can't. You can read notes, files, and others' assessments of someone, but it is never the same as "knowing" them. It takes spending time with Our Father In Heaven to truly get to know Him. When God asks for your attention, would you send someone in your place to speak with Him? God doesn't want you to blow Him off. If you invited someone over for dinner or to spend time together, they said yes, and then they sent their aunt or cousin over in their place, how would you feel? Our Father doesn't want a "stand-in," He Wants Us Personally. Our Father In Heaven Has Invited Us On A Vacation. He Has Invited Us To Feel His Loving And Merciful Nature Upon Us. He Has Invited Us To Have Shalom, His Divine Peace. In fact, He Has Invited Us To Dine With Him And Feast At His Table! How exciting is that?! If we but spend a little time self-disciplining ourselves to make time for God, He Will Show Us Things More Incredible Than We Could Ever Imagine. With just a little bit of training, our time with God Our Father can be the greatest part of our day. May we all spend some time thinking about the questions above today and we will revisit this subject again tomorrow as we close out our week. Remember, God Loves Us, Wants To Spend Time With Us, And Has Invited Us To Spend Time With Him. Our spiritual phones are ringing and God Our Father Is On The Line. Will we answer that call? God Bless Everybody and have a Yahweh Rapha (The God Who Heals) - Filled Day! The Word of God: “Yeshua answered him, “If someone loves me, he will keep my word; and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.” Yochanan (John) 14:23 “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.” Revelation 3:19-21 “Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away. “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is.” Mark 13:30-33 “Now acquaint yourself with Him, and be at peace; Thereby good will come to you. Receive, please, instruction from His mouth, And lay up His words in your heart. If you return to the Almighty, you will be built up; You will remove iniquity far from your tents.” Job 22:21-23 “‘Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’” Jeremiah 33:3 Good Morning Thursday...
Father thank You for this NEW day. As You walk with us today, keep us focused on Your TRUTHs. Father, continue to fill our HEARTS & MINDS with Your PEACE. Finally, please Father, help to walk with you in a manner that eliminates all fear and doubt. Abba, Bless Your Holy Name FOREVER. In YESHUA, JESUS CHRIST’s Name we pray. Amen! - Helping To Make This Fallen World A Better Place Radical change. Those two words sum up our education system during the twentieth century. What our children learn in school and how they learn it are demonstrably different from 50 years ago. If you don't think that much has changed, think about the fact that many schools nowadays don't use books, but rather tablets, computers, and wifi. While 50 years ago schools may have had problems, they didn't have social media, social distancing, pornography, school shootings, fake news, statism, unwarranted gender issues, transgenderism being pushed, false teachings, and a plethora of other problems to handle and have anxiety about. The school system has become a spiritual mine field for our children and there is no doubt this generation may be the most targeted generation in history, facing problems most of us couldn't even imagine when we were growing up. What's even scarier? It's getting worse by the day. When we have an honest conversation about the school systems and society in general, it is not difficult to point out the extreme decline of developed morality, the learned difference between right and wrong. So how do we fix these ills in society? We can't... But Our Father Can. In fact He Gave Us The Most Important Set Of Instructions Ever Known To Mankind, His Commandments, Statutes, And Ordinances. Our Father's Instructions (The Torah) and Our Savior's Teachings (The Gospel) Have Everything We Need In This Life To Learn, Grow, and Discipline Our Children In The Correct Way...THE WAY. I would challenge anyone to find a better, more moral, loving, merciful, and just set of instructions to raise children and see wonderful results. I can promise you, you won't find any. If we want to teach our children how to live successful lives, teaching them right and wrong along with how to Love God and their fellow man, we should be teaching them The Instructions from The Word of God. Start with "The Greatest Two Commands," then the Big Ten Commandments, then on through the rest of The Word of God. The Bible is full of Life, correction, "Power, Love, and Self-Discipline. “ Have we taught our children to know the commandments? We can be certain Our Father In Heaven made sure His Son, Our King & Messiah, learned them, and He turned out Perfect. If we haven’t taught our children to know them, why not begin today? One thing that can be assured if we all did, we would be changing society for the better in an era of moral decline. If we indeed all began teaching our children Our Heavenly Father's Instructions, I have no doubt that we would indeed be.... Helping To Make This Fallen World A Better Place. The Word of God, God Instructions, The Cure For Our Ills: “Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6 “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.” Psalms 32:8 “Now therefore, listen to me, my children, For blessed are those who keep my ways. Hear instruction and be wise, And do not disdain it. Blessed is the man who listens to me, Watching daily at my gates, Waiting at the posts of my doors. For whoever finds me finds life, And obtains favor from the LORD; But he who sins against me wrongs his own soul; All those who hate me love death.” Proverbs 8:32-36 “For God has not given us a spirit of cowardice, but of power and love and self-discipline.” 2 Timothy 1:7 “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” Deuteronomy 6:6-9 “And you shall teach them to your children by talking about them when you sit in your house and when you travel on the road and when you lie down and when you get up.” Deuteronomy 11:19 “Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” Jesus said to him, “ ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 22:35-40 Good Morning Wednesday...
Thank You Father for the blessing of this NEW day. Please continue to fill our HEARTS & MINDS with Your TRUTH & LOVE so we stay focused on YOUR WISDOM TODAY. In YESHUA, JESUS CHRIST’s Name we pray. Amen! - Some Light & Life For Your Day “This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God Is Light and in Him is no darkness at all.” I John 1:5 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16 “that they may know that you alone, whose name is Yahweh, are the Most High over all the earth.” Psalms 83:18 “Haven’t I commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Don’t be afraid. Don’t be dismayed, for Yahweh your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9 “Yeshua answered him, “You don’t understand yet what I am doing, but in time you will understand.” John 13:7 “Use all the armor and weaponry that God provides, so that you will be able to stand against the deceptive tactics of the Adversary.” Ephesians 6:11 “This Yeshua is the stone rejected by you builders which has become the cornerstone. There is salvation in no one else! For there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by whom we must be saved!” Acts of Emissaries of Yeshua (Act) 4:11-12 “Those who do not Love, do not know God; because God Is Love.” 1 John 4:8 Also we have come to know and trust the Love that God has for us. God Is Love; and those who remain in this Love remain united with God, and God remains united with them.” 1 John 4:16 “But the Lord is worthy of trust; he will make you firm and guard you from the Evil One.” 2 Thessalonians 3:3 “Even a fool is counted wise when he holds his peace; When he shuts his lips, he is considered perceptive.” Proverbs 17:28 “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.” Galatians 2:20-21 Good Morning Tuesday...
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 we pray. Amen! - An Exercise In Connecting With God Our Father: Joy #4 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 Faith. Help us to find Your Peace and JOY. 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: “This is the day The LORD has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it. Save now, I pray, O LORD; O LORD, I pray, send now prosperity. Blessed is he who comes in the name of The LORD! We have blessed you from the house of The LORD. God is The LORD, And He has given us light; Bind the sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar. You are my God, and I will praise You; You are my God, I will exalt You. Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.” Psalms 118:24-29 “But we, brethren, having been taken away from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavored more eagerly to see your face with great desire. Therefore we wanted to come to you—even I, Paul, time and again—but Satan hindered us. For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming? For you are our glory and joy.” I Thessalonians 2:17-20 “But know that the LORD has set apart for Himself him who is godly; The LORD will hear when I call to Him. Be angry, and do not sin. Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still. Selah Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, And put your trust in the LORD. There are many who say, “Who will show us any good?” LORD, lift up the light of Your countenance upon us. You have put gladness in my heart, More than in the season that their grain and wine increased. I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; For You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.” Psalms 4:3-8 “The LORD has done great things for us, And we are glad. Bring back our captivity, O LORD, As the streams in the South. Those who sow in tears Shall reap in joy. He who continually goes forth weeping, Bearing seed for sowing, Shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, Bringing his sheaves with him.” Psalms 126:3-6 “A merry heart does good, like medicine, But a broken spirit dries the bones.” Proverbs 17:22 “Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you. Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.” John 16:22, 24 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 My Brothers and Sisters. May The God Of All Good Things Give each and every one of you on the other side of this screen PEACE and JOY! Good Morning Monday...
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. Shine Your Light in us, through us, and over us. May we make a difference in this world, for Your Glory and Purposes TODAY! In Yeshua, Jesus Christ’s Name we pray. Amen. - The Doctor Is In The House There are quite a few things that can turn someone from the direction of being a believer, but maybe none more than hypocrisy. There are many objections by others "in the world," but this one seems to "take the cake." How many times have you heard: "Christians are just a bunch of hypocrites and I don't want to be a part of it?" The Truth? They are right. The Church is chock full of hypocrites. But think about this: What better place for a hypocrite to be than church? Our Savior didn't come for the righteous, but sinners. A sinner, or a hypocrite, has to be able to find a place to "get better" and what better place than spending time with The Body of Christ. The Church should be somewhat of an "intensive care unit," or ICU, for sinners who recognize they need help and are ready to repent. Heck, even if they aren't ready to repent, being around The Body of Christ may change that, especially when they "see" The Light of The World. Hypocrite or just plain old sinner, around The Church is the best place to be for recovery. I have mentioned this before, but many times I have heard, "I am gonna get myself right and then I will start going to church?" That's silly. It is the equivalent of saying "I am going to get really strong and bowed up and then I will start going to the gym." It just doesn't make sense. May we all be encouraged to, instead of listening to anyone blaming Yeshua, Jesus Christ, for the shortcomings of any of His followers, challenging those same people to put Yeshua, Jesus Christ Our Savior, to the test in God's Word. Introduce them to The Physician. Challenge them to find even one hint of hypocrisy in Him. They will not find it present. If they but look in Scripture, they will find The Most Genuine, Honest, Non-Contradicting, Wisest, Most Intelligent, and Loving Person Who Has Ever Lived. We as believers have "Battle Tools" for anyone who would question what Bible Believing Christians are following and none are more powerful than The Way, The Truth, and The Life, Our Savior, The Great Physician, & The Epitome of Righteousness. May we all point people in His direction no matter the objections of "the world." So, next time we meet someone who is spiritually sick, unbelieving, skeptical, or who objects to The Bible being our source of Truth, we don’t need to try and heal them right then and there, remember, we are sick too, all we need to do is let them know THE DOCTOR IS IN THE HOUSE, and then... show them The Way to His Door. Who knows, maybe next time we see that person they will be hanging out with “the hypocrites” :-). El Shaddai's (God Almighty's) Infinite, Eternal, and Perfect Word: “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.” Hebrews 4:15 “So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” John 8:7 “For there is not a just man on earth who does good And does not sin.” Ecclesiastes 7:20 “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and The Truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He Is Faithful and Just To Forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His Word is not in us.” I John 1:8-10 “And their scribes and the Pharisees complained against His Disciples, saying, “Why do You eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” Jesus answered and said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” Luke 5:30-32 “Jesus said to him, “I am The Way, The Truth, and The Life. No one comes to The Father except through ME.” John 14:6 “The Name of The LORD (YHWH) Is A Strong Tower; The righteous run to it and are safe.” Proverbs 18:10 “The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have Divine Power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete.” 2 Corinthians 10:4-6 “For The Word of God Is Living and Active, and sharper than any Two-Edged Sword, piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and is able to discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12 “He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a Sharp Two-Edged Sword, and His Countenance was like the sun shining in its strength.” Revelation 1:16 “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you.” Matthew 6:14 “Therefore be imitators of God as Dear Children.” Ephesians 5:1 Good Morning Sunday...
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. - Whose Wisdom Are You Depending On? Feeling Froggy? Don’t Jump! I am sure we can all remember a time when we felt something was a “perfect” idea, it just felt so right, but then, once completed, it was clearly a disaster. Know why it failed? Because our feelings deceive us. Our feelings are liars and their lies come straight from our deceptive hearts. Let’s check in with Our Father’s Word: “The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?” Jeremiah 17:9 What happens when we trust a deceitful heart? Ephesians tells us: “This I say, therefore, and testify in The Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.” Ephesians 4:17-19 For anyone who would think “ I have never done that (done something that “felt good” and it was wrong”),” think about this: Have you ever said “what was I thinking!?” Or maybe you can remember that “first love” who you swore you would marry? Are you still together? Remembering when our feelings got us in trouble, for others, might manifest reminiscing to songs like “what was I thinking?” or “How can it be wrong when it feels so right? (I bet he found out)” As I type this out that last song title reads like a joke. Why? Because... are you kidding me? There are tons of things that “feel” great but are very wrong! Eating too much, oversleeping, procrastinating, or how about the time we injured ourselves doing something we probably knew we couldn’t do. Here’s one more example: The job that just “felt” perfect, and then 3 months in, you are trying to get out of it and thinking “How did I get myself into this mess?” Well, I will tell you. You trusted your “feelings” and not your “ transformed mind.” Again, our feelings are liars, don’t trust them without lengthy scrutiny with your mind. A hasty decision that “feels” right and seems harmless can leave us bent... and it sometimes it can take years to straighten us back out. While we can have a “transformed mind” after conversion and discipline ourselves (with Our Father’s Word) to trust the “right feelings” from a “new heart,” no one is born this way. We can only be “reborn” into this new understanding. Yeshua, Jesus Christ Our Savior, is The One who brings us to this place of owning a “transformed mind” and a “new heart.” Let’s let Paul finish what he was writing from Our Father in verses 20 through 24 of Ephesians 4: “But you have not so learned Christ, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as The Truth is in Jesus: that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.” Ephesians 4:20-24 If we want less failure, dead ends, and strife in our lives, all we need do is “hear” what Our Father tells us in Proverbs 3: “Trust Yahweh with all your heart; do not lean toward your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will straighten your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear Yahweh and retreat from evil. There shall be healing for your flesh, and refreshment for your body. Honor Yahweh from your substance, and from the firstfruits of all that will come to you, and your barns shall be full of plenty, and your vats shall burst with new wine.” Proverbs 3:5-10 Do we really want The Blessing of God Our Father in our lives? If the answer is yes, then we have to dive into Our Father’s Word. We have to depend on Him and not our own wisdom. Don’t “listen to your gut,” don’t “listen to your heart,” and for goodness sake, don’t just take a pastor, preacher, or teacher’s “word” for it that something is “right.” Trust in Our Father Yahweh, trust in Yeshua, Jesus Christ, The Word of God. How can you trust Him if you don’t know Him? And how can you know Him unless you spend time with Him? Prayer, talking to God Our Father, reading His Word, and honestly seeking Him is the only thing that can give us discernment in right and wrong, and it can mean the difference between disaster or delight. If we truly want discernment, wisdom, Truth, understanding, knowledge, and the Blessing of Our Father... read God’s Word for yourself. Before you read, follow the instruction Jesus Christ’s Brother writes for us through Our Father’s Holy Spirit: “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.” James 1:5-8 Our Father doesn’t want us following ourselves, our hearts, our guts, or other people. Our Father doesn’t want us making dumb mistakes that make our lives harder. Our Father doesn’t want us going through failure after failure, constantly making decisions with our fleshly emotions making us give into “knee jerk” bad choices. Our Father wants to bless us, educate us, give us abundant lives, and He wants us to succeed. If we want Our Father and Our Saviors Blessing, it is imperative we seek His Wisdom. If we want His Wisdom, we absolutely have to get into His Word. Remember, we aren’t waiting on Him... He is waiting on us to... “Ask, seek, and knock (Matthew 7:7).” In conclusion, it is important for us to call to mind, especially when we get into a high pressure situation, “Whose Wisdom Are We Depending On?” The next time we get into ANY situation and we “feel” like we should do something... or “our gut tells us” to do something... or we think we should “go with our heart” to make a decision... if these things come to our mind... and we are “Feeling Froggy”.... Don’t Jump! In these moments, call to mind Yeshua, Jesus Christ, The Word of God, and receive The Blessing of God Our Father! God Bless my Brothers and Sisters and may Our Father In Heaven Bless you with wisdom... The Wisdom of His Word! 😎🙌🔥 Good Morning Sabbath...
Father Thank You for another BLESSED DAY. Thank You for Your Sabbath. Thank You for Your ETERNAL PROMISES. Thank You for giving us so many reasons to REJOICE IN the HOPE that is Your Son YESHUA, JESUS CHRIST. Praise You and Bless You in Yeshua, Jesus Christ’s Name. Amen! - What Are The Prophets Saying? (Isaiah) There are so many times I have found myself discouraged, confused, or frustrated, and wasn't sure where to turn in The Bible and find an answer to my woes. Almost without exception, wherever I turned in The Word to find my answer, whether I started in The Gospel or Genesis, I usually ended up at The Prophets. The prophets have not only a wealth of prophecy, amazing stories of triumph, encouragement, and wonderful messages for us all as a Christian Family, but they also contain a wealth of messages for each and everyone of us personally. This is literally The Almighty Father Speaking To Us! Just as Jesus Himself Spoke, so too did The Prophets Speak His Word.🔥 Our Father and Yeshua, Jesus Christ, so loved us that He never stopped sending loyal servants, again and again, to give all of us together, and individually, messages, over and over. Remember the Parable of the Vineyard Owner (Matt 21:33-46)? The Master sent His Servants, which the people beat or killed (Prophets), then The Master Sends His Son (Yeshua, Jesus) thinking the people renting his land will be more amiable... they weren't. In fact, they killed Him thinking that they would receive "the inheritance." Does this story sound familiar or what?! Our Savior Was, Is, and Always Will Be The Smartest Person Of All Time. For this reason...these parables, and The Word of God Spoken Through The Prophets, should be carefully studied. Within this Ancient Wise Parable that Yeshua Spoke, we find The Prophets of God ( The Servants) came before He (The Master) Sent His Son. With that in mind, let us take a look today at what Isaiah, A Prophet of Yahweh (YHWH or God), God Himself, and Our Savior, were trying to relay to "all of us" and "each of us" in today's Scriptures. Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, we humbly come before you today to receive Your Word and Your Message. As we read passages from Your Servant Isaiah, please open our hearts and minds to what you are trying to tell us as a group, and what you are saying to us individually. You are Mighty Father and we know You Have Sent To Us, In Your Word, Messages of Encouragement, Discipline, Reconciliation, Salvation, and Love for Your Children. We thank You! Let us come before You today as Your Children and enjoy Our Daily Bread With You, Abba. We Love You And Praise You Father. In Yeshua, Jesus Christ’s Mighty Name We Pray. Amen! The Word of God: The Book of Isaiah, A Prophet of God Almighty, Yahweh, and The Savior of The World, Yeshua Jesus Christ: “For a child has been born for us; a son has been given to us. And the dominion will be on His shoulder, and His Name is called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His dominion will grow continually, and to peace there will be no end on the throne of David and over His kingdom, to establish it and sustain it with justice and righteousness now and forever. The zeal of Yahweh of Hosts will do this.” Isaiah 9:6-7 LEB “And Yahweh continued to speak to Ahaz, saying, “Ask for a sign for yourself from Yahweh God; make it deep as Sheol or make it high as above.” But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, and I will not put Yahweh to the test.” Isaiah 7:10-12 LEB “Surely He took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered Him punished by God, stricken by Him, and afflicted. But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on Him, and by His wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and The Lord (YHWH, Yahweh) has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” Isaiah 53:4-6 NIV “In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw The Lord (YHWH, Yahweh), high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above Him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is The Lord Almighty (Yahweh Almighty, El Shaddai); the whole earth is full of His Glory.” At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.” Isaiah 6:1-4 NIV “For we have all become like one who is unclean [ceremonially, like a leper], and all our righteousness (our best deeds of rightness and justice) is like filthy rags or a polluted garment; we all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away [far from God's favor, hurrying us toward destruction]. [Lev. 13:45, 46.] And no one calls on Your Name and awakens and bestirs himself to take and keep hold of You; for You have hidden Your Face from us and have delivered us into the [consuming] power of our iniquities. [Rom. 1:21-24.] Yet, O Lord (Yahweh), You are Our Father; we are the clay, and You Our Potter, and we all are the work of Your Hand. Do not be exceedingly angry, O Lord (Yahweh), or [seriously] remember iniquity forever. Behold, consider, we beseech You, we are all Your people.” Isaiah 64:6-9 AMPC “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My Ways, says The Lord (Yahweh). For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My Ways higher than your ways and My Thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain and snow come down from the heavens, and return not there again, but water the earth and make it bring forth and sprout, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, [II Cor. 9:10.] So shall My Word be that goes forth out of My Mouth: it shall not return to Me void [without producing any effect, useless], but it shall accomplish that which I please and purpose, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.” Isaiah 55:8-11 AMPC “Listen to Me, you who pursue righteousness, you who seek The Lord (YHWH): look to The Rock from which you were hewn, and to the quarry from which you were dug.” Isaiah 51:1 ESV “Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth; for The Lord (Yahweh) has spoken: "Children have I reared and brought up, but they have rebelled against Me. The ox knows its owner, and the donkey its master's crib, but Israel does not know, My people do not understand." Ah, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, offspring of evildoers, children who deal corruptly! They have forsaken The Lord (Yahweh), they have despised The Holy One of Israel (Yeshua), they are utterly estranged. Why will you still be struck down? Why will you continue to rebel? The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.” Isaiah 1:2-5 ESV “Come now, and let us reason together,” says Yahweh: “Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow. Though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land; but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured with the sword; for the Mouth of Yahweh has spoken it.” Isaiah 1:18-20 WEB Good Morning Friday...
Father Thank You for this NEW DAY. We have GRATEFUL HEARTS for all You Do. Thank You for the extraordinary gifts in our lives and the EXTRAORDINARY LOVE you share with us in YOUR WORD FATHER. Lead us away from false prophets, strengthen us to endure trials, and lead us toward YOUR NARROW GATE. In praise, we pray in YESHUA, JESUS CHRIST's Name. Amen! - The Psalms (Part 3) Have you ever felt like a failure? We all have, right? We have all had our struggles, personal conflicts, rejections, hard, unsuccessful work, and many other things that fight against our Christian Confidence. We want to be “Lights,” Flames of God Almighty (El Shaddai), but when we don’t feel good about ourselves, we can feel more like a flicker. Inevitably, we will all venture through a season when we don’t feel “sufficient” to be the people Our Father has called us to be. Inevitably we will all, at some point, feel like a failure, a reject, or just plain old insignificant. It is extremely important for us as believers in El Elyon (The God Most High) and Yeshua, Jesus Christ, in these moments, to hear The Beautiful Voice of Our Father In Heaven. Other voices, such as the enemy’s, will try to kick us while we are down and magnify the problem. This is why we discipline ourselves to always stay focused on The Truth AKA God’s Word, and if or when we have these moments... they are short lived. One of The Greatest Truths in God’s Word is how He tells us who we are, and how He feels about us. Psalm 139 is a wonderful place for us to hear this Truth. He tells us: 1.) I Know You 139:1-6 2.) I Am With You Always 139:7-12 3.) I Mindfully & Wonderfully Made You 139:13-16 4.) I Have A Plan For You 139:16-18 The point is this: You Matter To God Our Father More Than You Could Ever Even Imagine. Through His Servant David, Our Father wanted us to know just how important we are to Him. In Psalm 139 David penned some of the most beautiful and eternal Truth about who we are, and what El Elyon (The Most High God), Our Father, wanted us to know. Next time you are feeling insufficient, down, like a failure, or you are questioning yourself, turn to Psalm 139 and just listen to how much The God Of All Creation Loves You. Make no mistake, He Is... Speaking To You. Hear His Voice, Know That You Matter Very Much To Him, and realize that You Are Precious To The One Who Created You... Before You Were Even Knit Together In Your Mother’s Womb! Psalm 139: “O Yahweh, You have searched me, and You know me. You know my sitting down and my rising up. You understand my thought from afar. You search out my wandering and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word yet on my tongue, but behold, O Yahweh, You know it completely. You barricade me behind and in front, and set Your Hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me. It is set high; I cannot prevail against it. Where I can go from Your Spirit, or where can I flee from Your Presence? If I ascend to heaven, there You are, and if I make my bed in Sheol, look! There You are. If I lift up the wings of the dawn, and I alight on the far side of the sea, even there Your Hand would lead me, and Your Right Hand would hold me fast. And if I should say, “Surely darkness will cover me, and the light around me will be as night,” even the darkness is not too dark for You, and the night shines as the day— the darkness and the light are alike for You. Indeed You created my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb. I praise You, because I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are Your Works, and my soul knows it well. My frame was not hidden from You, when I was created secretly, and intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my embryo, and in Your Book they all were written— days fashioned for me when there was not one of them. And to me, how precious are Your Thoughts, O God; how vast is their sum. If I should count them, they would outnumber the sand. I awaken, and I am still with You. If only You would kill the wicked, O God— so get away from me, you bloodthirsty men— who speak against You deceitfully. Your enemies take Your Name in vain. Do I not hate those who hate You, O Yahweh? And do I not loathe those who rise up against You? I hate them with a complete hatred; they have become my enemies. Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. And see if there is in me the worship of false gods, and lead me in The Way Everlasting.” Psalms 139:1-24 |
SERVANT OF YESHUA 7
Archives
April 2023
|