Good Morning Sabbath... (Counting of The Omer Day 33)
Father thank You for this NEW SABBATH DAY… The Day each week you have given us to REFILL OUR LAMPS, and EXPERIENCE Your PEACE. We ask for Your Shalom (Divine Peace/Completeness/Wholeness). May we abide in You. Please Father, give us this day Our Daily Bread. As we look at The Words of Your Son, please give us wisdom. We ask this so we may show Your Glory. IN YESHUA, JESUS CHRIST’s Name. AMEN! • Running It Back For The Sabbath: Our Teacher, Yeshua Ha’Mashiach, Jesus Christ, The Prince of Peace: He Gives Us Shalom. Shalom is a Hebrew Word that can be used as a greeting or to say goodbye. Shalom can be defined as : completeness, wholeness, or Divine Peace. I really like Divine Peace as the definition. Why Divine Peace you ask? Probably because this is the Peace that Jesus spoke to us. I can hear Yeshua now in His famous words in John 14:27: "Shalom (Divine Peace) I leave with you, My Shalom I give you." We know Yeshua had to possess Divine Peace to deal with not only us, but also to go through what he did for us. We click on the news today and we are accosted with stories of war, unrest, weapons of mass destruction, political turmoil, riots, and every other miserable thing this world wants to push on us. It seems that there is no Shalom, especially in the area of the Middle East, where we see constant unrest. The irony of that is, this is where Our Savior actually spoke about giving "His Peace." While Jesus did tell us these things were coming, wars, rumors of wars, ect, (Matt 24) it seems crazy that this is where the word "Shalom" is spoken more than anywhere in the world, Israel. If we take a look in John 12 we find Yeshua speaking with His Disciples. He tells them He is leaving, but that He Will Send Help. Jesus let us know, He Will Not Leave Us Alone. Who will He Send To Help? The Holy Spirit of course. Isn't it just awesome how Jesus "keeps it real," shows us the True Reality of this world, but doesn't leave us without hope. Our Savior warns His Disciples, and us, of all the coming unrest we will face when He leaves, but He also explains to us that The Holy Spirit will be given as a Helper, Comforter, and Teacher of Truth. When a person is approaching their time to leave this world they usually make a will. A document that puts things in place for the loved ones that will still be here on this earth. The will usually explains what the person leaves, to whom it will be given, and states their "will" about what they want carried out after death. We can clearly see Our Savior setting Himself apart from the world and showing Himself Holy In His Will. The King doesn't will to His Disciples, or us, "things" such as jewels, houses, or money, but instead He Gives Us the one thing the world can't... He gives us Shalom. In order to have any kind of quality of life in this world we need peace. Money, possessions, expensive vacations, cars, more friends, and the such cannot bring us this peace, as I am sure we have all found out. In fact, most of these "things" only bring more headaches. That is why Jesus Gives Us His Shalom, His Divine Peace. It is His To Give and He Gives It Freely and Abundantly. The "Divine" in that Divine Peace is Him. Only He Can Give It and that's why He Holds The Title... Prince of Peace🔥. He Give Us This Divine Peace because He knows we have to live in a chaotic and fallen world on our way to be with Him again. Yeshua, Christ Our King, in His Infinite Wisdom and Good, gave us what we need most in this world. He didn't give "things", but rather He Gives His Disciples and Us the One Thing He Knows We Need The Most... His Divine Peace. The same Peace that He showed, lived with, and operated in while He Walked The Face of This Earth. The world is desperately searching for peace, but the world will not find it unless it turns to Him. As believers, by way of His Will, we have been given rights to this peace..."the peace that surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:7.)" May we all claim this Divine Peace, this Shalom, today, and help spread it to others in this world, especially those desperately seeking it. Jesus had an infinite amount of good things he could have left us, but to His Disciples, to us, and to anyone willing to Follow Him, He didn't give jewels, possessions, or anything we have to worry about, He Gives Us the opposite, something far better... His Shalom... His Peace! Prayer: Yeshua, Jesus Christ Our King, Thank You for Your Wisdom. Thank You for Your Goodness. Thank You For Giving Us The One Thing You Knew We Would Need More Than Anything In This World, Your Shalom. We Thank You For Your Divine Peace and we ask You to help us show it to others in this fallen world. Thank You For Your Peace, Your Way, Your Life, and Your Truth. Bless Your Holy Name. Please help us to cleanse ourselves, take possession of our inheritance that You Have Willed us, remove the leaven (sin) from our lives, and Shine Your Light Throughout The Entire World. In Your Most Holy Name We Pray. Amen. Shabbat Shalom!
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Good Morning Friday (Counting of The Omer Day 32)...
Father, Your Commandments are a Lamp to our feet. 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’s, Jesus Christ’s, Name we pray. Amen. Good morning Brothers and Sisters. The last couple of days we have been looking at Romans 8, and we asked ourselves 8 questions. This servant prays these these questions and Scriptures have been thought provoking and edifying. Our Father Willing, we will conclude with “Those In Christ Jesus… Part 3” tomorrow. Today, let’s take a look at The Brother of The King in this revised edition of “Our Messiah’s Awakened Brother: James” for more thought provoking questions and Scriptures. I pray it blesses, edifies, and helps to bring each and everyone who reads this closer to Our King and Messiah Yeshua, Jesus Christ, and Our All-Powerful, Kind, and Merciful Father In Heaven. God Bless You All, have a blessed Sabbath, and God-Filled weekend! Sincerely, Servant of Yeshua 7 - Our Messiah’s Awakened Brother: James (Revised and Updated) Can you imagine the insight The Brother of Yeshua, Jesus Christ, would have into The Word of God? Growing up near God Himself, do you think that would be helpful in Life? It’s difficult to imagine that it wouldn’t be. Think about all the years of Yeshua’s (Jesus’s) Life that we never hear or read about. Well, His Brother would have been able to witness, First Hand (Pun Intended), all those years while Our Messiah was growing up. We read very early in The Gospel about how Our Savior was “wowing” the elders and teachers at the Temple, and He was only 12! Let's take a look: “Now so it was that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers. So when they saw Him, they were amazed; And He said to them, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?” And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.” Luke 2:46-49, 52 NKJV We all know that Yeshua, Our King, has a special way of showing His Greatness. How amazing would it have been to see The Young Messiah teaching even the most learned of the people of Israel, and as a child? Now, we can only imagine that James was able to witness quite a few of these mind blowing moments as they grew up together. While it seems James didn't always follow His Brother Jesus, it also is apparent that he eventually figured out The Truth. When I ponder on these times when Our Savior was growing up, I have to believe maybe we get a picture in the story of Joseph of how Jesus's Brothers may have taken Him at first. Let's take a look: “But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him. And his brothers said to him, “Shall you indeed reign over us? Or shall you indeed have dominion over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.” Genesis 37:4, 8 NKJV Now, God's Word doesn't tell us that this happened with Yeshua in exactly the same way, but we do know that His Brothers did, at one point, think He was “crazy” and try to “take charge of Him.” (Mark 3:21) (How funny right? Take charge of The King, and God). What we do know though is that Joseph is a picture or “shadow” of Our Master and Messiah Yeshua, Jesus Christ. We also know that Yeshua had special favor (Grace) from Our Father In Heaven, after all… He Is One (James 2:19, John 10:30). We also know that He was amazing even as a 12 year old boy. I would have to think, human nature being what it is, that our Messiah’s siblings would have seen all these things and been just a little bit jealous, to say the least. We never read about James in The Gospel. Where was he? We don't know, and that might be something we don't find out until Our Savior Returns and tells us Himself. What we do know though is this; James became a mighty servant of Our Father and that Our Father used James to write some of the most helpful and pithy parts of The Bible. While James may have only penned 5 chapters, they are packed with Wisdom, Knowledge, Instruction, Correction, Insight, and Understanding. Today as we look at The Word of God as penned by James, let’s all take a few moments and think about how differently he must have felt after learning The Truth about his Brother. All those years he spent with Our Savior growing up, perhaps very often not comprehending what was happening, and then waking up after Our Savior and King was resurrected. As we can “hear” when we are reading The Book of James, it was a mighty act that Our Father Produced In James. James went on to be not only a leader in Jerusalem and the first century Church, but also was able to give a very unique perspective and amazing insight to The Word of God, having watched Yeshua, The Word of God, grow up. Just think of all the things that probably flooded his mind from childhood once he understood who Yeshua is, was, and will be. Imagine all the lessons he heard, but did not hear… The miracles he saw, but did not see. Then, "in the twinkling of an eye" he woke up, and all those lessons, parables, words of wisdom, and loving corrections must have become more exciting than he could have ever imagined. One can only liken this experience to the moment Saul the persecutor turned into Paul The Disciple, and as Paul himself tells us… it was a “Newness of Life (Romans 6:4, Ephesians 4:22-24).” When we are dealing with our families on the subject of God's Word and The Truth, sometimes these conversations are more difficult than we would like. The Word of God let's us know that Our Father Has Perfect Timing, and many of us have experienced this powerfully in our lives. As we move forward on this amazing journey of “Abundant Life (John 10:10)” that Our Savior and King has given us, may we all realize, although sometimes dealing with those closest to us can be frustrating, God Our Father Is At Work. God's Timing is not our timing, and at just the right moment, Our Merciful, Kind, and Loving Father Will Wake them up. His Timing... Is Perfect. May we all behold The Word of God as written in The Book of James, and know that God is doing something special with our loved ones, especially when they see us following His Way. While we may not hear The Gospel or see The Gospel in their lives, sometimes God Is Doing Something Wonderful and Amazing that we just can not see... yet. Just as we don't read any stories about James in The Gospel, but we do eventually see him become a great servant of Our Father, God may be working in our loved ones lives in The Same Way, His Way… The Way. Behold Israel, here is but a small piece of the Wisdom, Knowledge, Insight, and Understanding from The Book Of James, as written in Our Father's Word: “So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.” James 1:19-20 NKJV “You believe that there is One God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!” James 2:19 NKJV “But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.” James 2:20-26 NKJV “But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of The Lord, and He will lift you up.” James 4:6-10 NKJV “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of The Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and The Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit. Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from The Truth, and someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.” James 5:13-20 Good Morning Thursday (Counting of The Omer Day 31)...
Father thank You for this NEW day. As You walk with us today, keep us focused on Your TRUTH, help us to truly consider what You have done for us through Yeshua, and continue to fill our HEARTS & MINDS with Your PEACE… so there may be no room for fear or doubt. IN YESHUA, JESUS CHRIST’s Mighty Name we pray. Amen!
Good morning Brothers and Sisters! Unfortunately, the tech problem is not yet solved, BUT… fortunately today’s devotion will go out. Yesterday we took a look at Romans 8:1 and asked a few questions: 1:) What does it mean to be “In Christ Jesus?” 2:) What does it mean to be “In The Spirit?” 3:) Is Romans 8:1 the same in The Bible App’s Picture Verses? 4:) Why would it be different? And finally 5:) How do other translations render it? Did you notice anything while answering these questions? Though the different translations may only change the verse slightly, or omit a word or two, it can greatly change what a verse may mean to us and how we perceive said verse. For this reason, it is always prudent when we are studying our Bibles that we compare, contrast, and “search out a matter,”… after all, searching out a matter is what Our Father In Heaven tells us is “the honour of kings (Proverbs 25:2).” Today, let’s ask the same questions as yesterday, but let’s also take it just a little further. As we read today, let these questions build on yesterday’s. 1:) How do you interpret these verses? And 2:) What did The Author actually intend it to mean? Finally, 3:) Can we know what The Author actually means and how do we find that out? Our Father Willing, we will take another look at Romans 8 together tomorrow. Today, let’s read Romans 8:1-8 in the Complete Jewish Bible translation. If The Bible was written in Hebrew, and The Complete Jewish Bible was transliterated to English by native speaking Hebrew people, there should be some great benefits to that translation, right? Let’s take a look and see. Have a wonderful day my Brothers and Sisters. May The Grace, Peace, and Love of God Our Father In Heaven, El Olam (The Everlasting God), and our King and Savior Yeshua, Jesus Christ, be upon you all! The Word of God: “Therefore, there is no longer any condemnation awaiting those who are in union with the Messiah Yeshua. Why? Because the Torah of the Spirit, which produces this life in union with Messiah Yeshua, has set me free from the “Torah” of sin and death. For what the Torah could not do by itself, because it lacked the power to make the old nature cooperate, God did by sending his own Son as a human being with a nature like our own sinful one [but without sin]. God did this in order to deal with sin, and in so doing he executed the punishment against sin in human nature, so that the just requirement of the Torah might be fulfilled in us who do not run our lives according to what our old nature wants but according to what the Spirit wants. For those who identify with their old nature set their minds on the things of the old nature, but those who identify with the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. Having one’s mind controlled by the old nature is death, but having one’s mind controlled by the Spirit is life and shalom. For the mind controlled by the old nature is hostile to God, because it does not submit itself to God’s Torah — indeed, it cannot. Thus, those who identify with their old nature cannot please God.” Romans 8:1-8 CJB “It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: But the honour of kings is to search out a matter.” Proverbs 25:2 KJV “Keep reminding people of this, and charge them solemnly before The Lord not to engage in word-battles. They accomplish nothing useful and are a catastrophe for the hearers! Do all you can to present yourself to God as someone worthy of His Approval, as a worker with no need to be ashamed, because he deals straightforwardly with The Word of the Truth.” 2 Timothy (2 Ti) 2:14-15 CJB Good Morning Wednesday (Counting of The Omer Day 30)...
Father thank You for this NEW day. As You walk with us today, keep us focused on Your TRUTHS, and continue to fill our HEARTS & MINDS with Your PEACE. Use us to share Your Unending Bin of Flour and Jar of Oil with those in need. We ask this in Yeshua, Jesus Christ's Name. Amen.
Good morning Brothers and Sisters! Unfortunately, this servant is having major malfunctions with his phone, computer, and tech. With that said, going to try and get it fixed today, but please bear with me over the next few days. Long-suffering is part of the course, right? :-). Thank you in advance for your patience while this problem is getting worked out. It is possible that i don’t have a phone for a day or so, so please don’t be alarmed if tomorrow’s devotion comes tomorrow evening, or even if you don’t receive one until the following day. With that out of the way, today let’s take a look at the “Verse of The Day” from The Bible App. Everyone is encouraged to go read the whole chapter. Let us today ponder on The True Meaning of “In Christ Jesus,” and “In The Spirit.” I know for myself, this was not taught growing up in my former church. Also, let’s take a close look at the picture verses from The Bible App that go along with this verse, and let’s ask a few questions: 1.) Is this verse the same on the picture verses? 2.) Why would it be different? And 3.) How do other translations render it? Bible Study is among the most important things for us as followers and believers of Our King and Savior Yeshua Ha’Mashiach, Jesus Christ. Understanding Our Father’s Word and “properly handling The Word of Truth” (2Timothy 2:15) is very important. Remember, His Name Is… The Word of God. Jesus is The One Who Saves Us, and His Name Is THE WORD OF GOD. Selah (a godly, mindful pause). Our Father Willing, we will expound more on this tomorrow, but again… serious tech issues, so please bear with me. Love you all, have a wonderful day, and may Our Father and Savior Bless Each And Every One of You On The Other Side of This Screen… MIGHTILY! The Word of God: “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to The Spirit.” Romans 8:1 NKJV “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Messiah Yeshua, who don’t walk according to the flesh, but according to The Spirit.” Romans 8:1 WMB “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,” Romans 8:1 NIV “Therefore, there is no longer any condemnation awaiting those who are in union with The Messiah Yeshua.” Romans (Rom) 8:1 CJB “Give diligence to present yourself approved by God, a workman who doesn’t need to be ashamed, properly handling The Word of Truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15 WEB “Keep reminding people of this, and charge them solemnly before The Lord not to engage in word-battles. They accomplish nothing useful and are a catastrophe for the hearers! Do all you can to present yourself to God as someone worthy of His Approval, as a worker with no need to be ashamed, because he deals straightforwardly with The Word of the Truth.” 2 Timothy (2 Ti) 2:14-15 CJB Good Morning Tuesday (Counting of The Omer Day 29)...
Father thank You for this NEW day. As You walk with us today, keep us focused on Your TRUTHS, and continue to fill our HEARTS & MINDS with Your PEACE. Use us to share Your Unending Bin of Flour and Jar of Oil with those in need. We ask this in Yeshua, Jesus Christ's Name. Amen. • The Word Of God Almighty: The Unending Bin Of Flour And Jar Of Oil We believers have such a Wonderful Gift in The Word of God. Our Savior spoke about food His disciples did not know about yet. He told all at The Great Festival, "if anyone thirsts, come to me and drink." Our God, Our Savior, The Word of God, was pointing us in a direction with these words, and in fact were pointing us in the same direction with All Of His Words...in His Word. We have in Yeshua, Jesus Christ, The Word Of God, An Unending Bin of Flour and Jar of Oil. We have a Well to drink from in which, if we drink, we will never be thirsty again. We have The Bringer Of Rain, The River Of Life, And The Manna That Came Down From Heaven In Our Hearts and Minds. We have an Almighty God Who Loves Us and Can Supply All Our Needs. This is why we worship, praise, and cry out blessings to His Name. He Is A Mighty God... and He Knows Just What We Need to Live, and to Live More Abundantly. With this Ultimate Resource That God Has Given Us We Are Renewed and our Light has been turned on. What Light you may ask? The Light of God. Our Savior is aptly named The Light of The World. Once He, Yeshua, is "turned on" inside of us we are to shine to the whole world. As we take a look in 1Kings 17 today and read about Elijah letting the Light of God Shine, may we all think about what he is doing. He is sharing The Word of God. He is letting God use him to bring Hope to a widow and an orphan. Elijah knows The Unending Bin of Flour, The River of Life, The Oil of Joy, and he is sharing it with the downtrodden, hurting, and hungry. There are many in our world that are hurting, sick, hungry, parched, imprisoned and they have never been introduced properly to The One True And Living God. Maybe you know someone in this category. If so, why not share the Unending Bin Of Flour and Jar of Oil With Them? The Word of God Is Powerful, it changes lives, and it saves. Elijah was just a man, but he knew he worked for An Almighty God. We all have the opportunity to be an Elijah somewhere and to someone. Take an extra look today as you go through your day and see if you can spot someone who looks "thirsty." If you do, give em a Drink. Remember this short piece of Scripture and try your best to be a bringer of Hope as Elijah was. All it really takes is sharing The Word Of God - The Unending Bin of Flour and Jar of Oil. Water, Bread, Life, Salvation, and Love aka The Word of God aka The Unending Bin of Flour and Jar of Oil: “And Elijah the Tishbite, of the inhabitants of Gilead, said to Ahab, “ As The LORD (YHWH, Yahweh) God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, except at my word.” Then the word of The LORD (YHWH, Yahweh) came to him, saying, “Get away from here and turn eastward, and hide by the Brook Cherith, which flows into the Jordan. And it will be that you shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.” So he went and did according to the word of The LORD (YHWH, Yahweh), for he went and stayed by the Brook Cherith, which flows into the Jordan. The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening; and he drank from the brook. And it happened after a while that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land. Then the word of The LORD (YHWH, Yahweh) came to him, saying, “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. See, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you.” So he arose and went to Zarephath. And when he came to the gate of the city, indeed a widow was there gathering sticks. And he called to her and said, “Please bring me a little water in a cup, that I may drink.” And as she was going to get it, he called to her and said, “Please bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.” So she said, “As The LORD (YHWH, Yahweh) your God lives, I do not have bread, only a handful of flour in a bin, and a little oil in a jar; and see, I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it, and die.” And Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go and do as you have said, but make me a small cake from it first, and bring it to me; and afterward make some for yourself and your son. For thus says The LORD (YHWH, Yahweh) God of Israel: ‘The bin of flour shall not be used up, nor shall the jar of oil run dry, until the day The LORD (YHWH, Yahweh) sends rain on the earth.’ ” So she went away and did according to the word of Elijah; and she and he and her household ate for many days. The bin of flour was not used up, nor did the jar of oil run dry, according to The Word of The LORD (YHWH, Yahweh) which He spoke by Elijah.” I Kings 17:1-16 A big thank you to Sister April for inspiring this devotion. Thank you for sharing The Word of God, The Unending Bin of Flour and Jar of Oil, with all those you meet. I pray you are well and that Our Father ans Savior’s Blessing is upon you wherever you are. :-) Good Morning Monday (Counting of The Omer Day 28)...
Father thank You for this NEW day! Help us to see YOU. Help us be WITH You. Help us to walk in Your LIGHT. Help us to experience the Love of Your Son YESHUA, JESUS CHRIST. Bless You Abba. In Yeshua, Jesus Christ Name, AMEN! A big thank you to berean.org and our late Brother, John W. Ritenbaugh, for today’s devotion. This one will make you think! "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 - A Berean Breakdown: The Riddle of Ecclesiastes 7 Solved “I have seen everything in my days of vanity: There is a just man who perishes in his righteousness, And there is a wicked man who prolongs life in his wickedness. Do not be overly righteous, Nor be overly wise: Why should you destroy yourself? Do not be overly wicked, Nor be foolish: Why should you die before your time? It is good that you grasp this, And also not remove your hand from the other; For he who fears God will escape them all. Wisdom strengthens the wise More than ten rulers of the city. For there is not a just man on earth who does good And does not sin. Also do not take to heart everything people say, Lest you hear your servant cursing you. For many times, also, your own heart has known That even you have cursed others.” Ecclesiastes 7:15-22 Ecclesiastes 7:16-22 can help to solve the riddle of verse 15. To begin with, “Do not be overly righteousness” does not warn against aiming for excellence in obedience to God. Rather, it is a further caution not to find fault with God for allowing situations like those in verse 15 to exist, for such circumstances hold vital teaching for those directly involved. Thus, this passage is first an appeal for humility, a caution against arrogant self-righteousness that guides a person to assert that he “knows it all,” that he fully grasps what is going on, and that his judgment is correct. The wisdom Solomon teaches here is that the goodness of the righteous must be accompanied by humility. Without the presence of humility, a person's goodness and righteousness run the risk of producing intellectual and moral pride. This can be learned from the bad experiences of others whose examples are given in Scripture. The Pharisees became involved in such moral pride hundreds of years later. Jesus charged them with hypocrisy. In their self-righteousness, they were calling God into account because they believed His law was not enough. The Pharisees added their self-righteousness to God's written law by means of the spoken or oral law, a set of rules framed by the minds of men through the centuries. What a lack of humility! Their trashing of the written law was not wisdom, as Mark 7:6-9 shows. Blinded by their proud self-righteousness, they could not see that, in their blind attempts to make up for what they perceived as God's deficiencies and the people's failures, they were adding despair to people's lives. Their judgment severely lacked a proper sense of proportion about what God requires. An interesting sidelight is that the Bible shows that most Pharisees appear to have been well off. According to Jesus' judgment, they were far from righteous, so they actually fit the description of prosperous evil people given in Ecclesiastes 7:15. But what the Pharisees were involved in is not the real lesson for a converted person, as the Pharisees were unconverted. Psalm 73:1-17 vividly describes the emotional and spiritual involvement of a person caught in a paradoxical situation. This psalm depicts a righteous man for a time severely misjudging the reality of his situation until God reveals the truth. Any of us could be guilty of the same. The wicked appear to prosper only if we, in our judgment, consider only what appears on the surface. What God reveals to the psalmist is that these people may appear to gain the whole world, but in reality, they are losing something of far greater value. The psalmist grasps this through prayer and meditation, and his emotional and spiritual state return to an even keel through God's revelation. At one point, through a bad attitude toward God fueled by his envy of the worldly, the psalmist appears to have been rapidly sliding into despair and perhaps “right out of the church.” This presents a grave danger in such a paradoxical situation. Assuming the psalmist was a converted man, what would have happened to him if he had not done the right thing and appealed to God, or if he appealed, but God did not respond as quickly as he expected? What if the trial had gone on and on without relief? From the psalmist's own testimony, as he went into the sanctuary, he was at the point that his feet had almost slipped. However, an answer on recognizing the issue appears within the psalm. Despite his envious attitude, the psalmist did not stop praying to God for understanding and relief. God has the answers. When involved in such a scenario, we have in reality only three alternatives: One, we can continue as is, faithfully enduring with much prayer and steadfast submission to God's will. Two, we can give up in despair and leave the church. Three, we can strive all the harder to impress God by becoming super-righteous to attract His attention and receive blessings for our righteousness, relieving the stress. Solomon is addressing the third alternative in these eight verses. Good Morning Sunday (Counting of The Omer Day 27)…
Father thank You for this NEW and WONDERFUL day. Thank You for revealing Your MYSTERIES to Your Son, Your Prophets, and us, Your Children. We thank You for ALLOWING us to enhance our WISDOM and UNDERSTANDING as we study Your Word AND GREAT REVELATION. Speak to us TODAY Father. Bless You and Your Holy Name. In Yeshua, Jesus Christ’s Name we pray. Amen! - A Servant’s Wisdom & The Source Part 37 Wisdom: “It isn’t the load that weighs us down — it’s The Way we carry it. ” - Unknown The Source AKA The Word This Wisdom Came From: “And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” II Corinthians 12:9 NKJV “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I Am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”” Matthew 11:28-30 NKJV “For I, The LORD (YHVH , Yahweh) Your God, will hold your right hand, Saying to you, ‘Fear not, I will help you.’” Isaiah 41:13 NKJV “Fear not, for I Am with you; Be not dismayed, for I Am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My Righteous Right Hand.” Isaiah 41:10 NKJV “teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I Am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.” Matthew 28:20 NKJV “And Haggai the messenger of Yahweh spoke to the people with the message of Yahweh, saying, “ ‘I Am with you’ declares Yahweh.” Haggai 1:13 LEB “I have said these things to you so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have affliction, but have courage! I have conquered the world.” John 16:33 LEB Prayer: • Dear Father God, Thank You for Your Word. Thank You for The Truth. Thank you for the wisdom, the protection, and the sanctification that You have poured out to us, Your Children, through Your Word. There is none like Your Word O’ Father, none so faithful, Loving, kind, merciful, and Holy. You put yourself last, for us, Bless Your Holy Name. Thank You for always being there for us and offering us Your Light Yoke Through Yeshua. Help us to have a hunger for Your Word and for The Truth, so we may grow wise, serve as Yeshua served, and not bear the weight of this life in the wrong way. Help us to believe Your Word for our protection, safety, and peace of mind. Finally Father, help us to put Your Word into practice, so that You may make us a Holy People. Let us never stop working towards Your Goal. Help us to understand all the ways You want us to prosper as we journey through this temporary life and move towards Your Eternal Life. Without You and Your Word, without Your Truth, The Truth, we have nothing. With You, Your Word, and Your Truth, we have everything. Show us Your Ways Father... Show us Your Love. Show us how to be last, serve others, and not exalt ourselves, but take the form of servants to You and our fellow Brothers and Sisters. May We Bless You with Our Mouths, May we Glorify You with our thoughts, May we Love You with our actions, and May We Always Rely On Your Constant Faithfulness In Your Word, for We Know You Are True. Finally Father, may we not bear the weight of our burdens in a manner that causes us to stumble. Show us how to carry the right weight, and properly. Thank You Father... for everything. In Our King Yeshua’s Name, Jesus Christ, we pray these things to You Father. Amen! “For The Word of The Lord (YHVH, Yahweh) is right; and all His Work is done in faithfulness.” Psalm 33:4 AMPC “Listen to counsel, receive instruction, and accept correction, That you may be wise in the time to come.” Proverbs 19:20 AMP “But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:14-17 NIV Good Morning Sabbath (Counting of The Omer Day 26)…
Father Thank You for this NEW DAY. Help us to be Your LIGHTs in this dark world. Help us to show the kindness, compassion, mercy, and LOVE that You Have Shown Us Through Your Son YESHUA, JESUS CHRIST. We ask this in His Name, The Name Above All Names, Yeshua, Jesus Christ Our Savior. Amen!
Good morning, Happy Sabbath, and Shabbat Shalom Brothers and Sisters! May each one of you on the other side of this screen have a peaceful, blessed, and fruitful Sabbath Day. Enjoy the picture verses, share them with someone you Love, and may Yahweh Yeshua Ha’Mashiach Bless each and everyone of you… MIGHTILY! Good Morning Friday (Counting of The Omer Day 25)…
Thank YOU FATHER for this New day, please continue to clear our hearts and minds of anything that KEEPs US from TRUSTING YOU today. IN YESHUA, JESUS CHRIST’s Name we pray. AMEN! With such a great response to yesterday’s devotion, let’s continue with the second part. A Big Thank You to Brother Larry Good and Life.church for today’s devotion. Ahava V’Shalom (Love and Peace) Everyone! ⁃ Words to Live By - Live By The Word Fear is powerful. It can protect you from unseen dangers, or it can paralyze you. It can give you Life, or it can rob you of Life. That last kind of fear—that’s the one I know all too well. I lived most of my Life afraid of what would happen if people saw me as a failure. I hid my weaknesses, cut off relationships, and missed opportunities. All because I was afraid of failing. Can you relate? Have you ever been derailed by your emotions? Life doesn’t have to be that way. There’s another force that’s even more powerful than fear, and it’s words. The words you hear and choose to believe have the power to shape the course of your Life. The story of your Life will be told with the words you choose to believe every day. And that’s what changed for me. I took my pastor’s “Words to Live By” challenge, and God used it to transform me. My Life–and my emotions–were transformed as my thoughts changed. And my thoughts changed when the words I was telling myself changed. Every morning I would speak out loud, “I belong to God. He created me to accomplish His purpose and His plan. I will be pleased with His work in my Life because He is pleased with His work in my Life.” Those words are based in Scripture, and they renewed me. I discovered that when I didn’t meet people’s expectations, I was okay because God created me to fulfill His plan, not theirs. And in those moments when fear kept me from being vulnerable, I learned that God was actively at work in my Life in a way that pleased Him. Who I was as a follower of Jesus pleased the heart of God. And if God was pleased with me, then I could be honest about my Life. These truths gave me peace and inspired me to grow. That’s the power of words. There is Truth that can set you free if you know it and choose to believe it. What emotions are keeping you from living the Life you want to live? What words and thoughts do they flow out of? What would happen if you found The Truth from God’s Word to fight those lies? I pray that you do, and that you discover the fullness of Life that Jesus came to give you. —(Insert name), Mastering Fear of Failure Through the Power of Words Pray: God, I’ve learned that my thoughts can create a scar in my mind or they can blaze a trail to You. I’ve decided to memorize Your Word so I can have it ready to fight my negative self-talk. I’ve learned I don’t have to believe every thought; I can preach Your Word to myself; I can stay consistent with You; and I can wage war against the strongholds in my mind. Most of all, God, I want to master the way I view myself and my Life by speaking Your Truth until I believe it… Until I live it. I want to daily be transformed by You as You renew my mind. Thank You for lovingly teaching me all these things and for helping me in this battle. The Word of God Our Father In Heaven: Know that Yahweh, He Is God; He made us and we are His. We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter His gates with thanksgiving, His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him; bless His Name. For Yahweh Is Good; His Loyal Love is forever, and His Faithfulness is from generation to generation. Psalms 100:3-5 LEB “But now thus says Yahweh, He who created you, Jacob, and He who formed you, Israel: “You must not fear, for I have redeemed you. I have called you by your name; you are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and through the rivers, they shall not flow over you. When you walk through fire, you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not scorch you.” Isaiah 43:1-2 LEB “Everyone who believes that Jesus is The Christ has been fathered by God, and everyone who loves The Father also loves the child fathered by Him. By this we know that we Love the children of God: whenever we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God: that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome, because everyone who is fathered by God conquers the world. And this is the victory which has conquered the world: our faith.” 1 John 5:1-4 LEB Good Morning Thursday (Counting of The Omer Day 24)…
Father thank You for this NEW DAY! As we RISE to meet this new day, please let us be filled with Your Spirit. Wherever we go, let us SPREAD LOVE, JOY, PEACE, GOODNESS, AND FAITHFULNESS. Let us desire to become more like You and to worship You IN ALL WE DO. Help us desire these things so much more than the sin that tries to ensnare us. IN YESHUA, JESUS CHRIST's NAME we pray. AMEN! A Big Thank You to Brother Larry Good and Life.church for today’s devotion. Love you guys. You really Hit The Mark on this one! Grace and Peace to The Body of Christ! :-) ⁃ Back To The Beginning… In The Beginning Was The Word You may have heard that words have power. In fact, in the book of John, chapter 1, Jesus is referred to as “The Word.” It says that the Word was with God and was God. Why did God choose to use this particular language to describe Himself? Perhaps one facet of it is because, like God, words can make, change, and renew life. I am living proof. Some four years ago, my life was in complete chaos. Feeling far from God, confused, and alone—I took the step to attend a LifeGroup. One night at group, our leader began to talk about engaging with God’s Word. This wasn’t wholly unfamiliar to me. I used to be a Bible study junkie. I liked the Bible. But engaging with it? Letting it renew my mind? Reading my Bible had become a once-a-week box to check off. I honestly had no idea what engaging with it would even look like. This leader challenged each of us to read the Bible using the YouVersion Bible App every day for 30 days. In the beginning was The Word. In those first 30 days, I found Bible Plans for literally anything and everything going on in my life and in my heart. In Hebrews 4, God’s Word is described as “living and active … like a two-edged sword that penetrates to the very core of our being where soul and spirit, bone and marrow meet! It interprets and reveals the true thoughts and secret motives of our hearts.” At a time when I felt powerless to change, I began to take in God’s Word, and that created a powerful change in me from the inside out. What began to happen is what the Apostle Paul described in Romans 12:2. God transformed me into a new person by changing the way I thought so I could learn God’s will for me. That seemingly small decision to take the challenge to read the Bible for 30 days has been going strong for more than four years now. It is how I begin my day, and in certain seasons, how I end it, too. Maybe you’re like me and want to see real and powerful change in yourself and your life. I invite you to begin your own 30-Day reading challenge. It’s as easy as waking up every day and opening up the Bible App. Then do that the next day, and the day after that. —Your Name, Mastering Transformation Through Consistency with God’s Word Pray: God, I want The Truth of Romans 12:2 to take hold in my mind. Help me become consistent with letting You renew me. I’m sorry for all the times I’ve made excuses for why I couldn’t find time to be with You and to read Your Word. I choose to start fresh. Strengthen my desire to seek You, learn from You, memorize Your Words, and allow You to transform my mind. |
SERVANT OF YESHUA 7
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