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 Name we pray. Amen! I wanted a special way of Honoring Our Father In Heaven on our earthly “Father’s Day,” so I thought this was a great series to begin now. Happy Father’s Day to all you dads out there. May you all continue to grow in wisdom, knowledge, and Truth as you each raise your children, prayerfully, growing them in Our Father In Heaven’s Character and Word. It is a fact that many of today’s problems stem from absent fathers, so to those of you who are not absent, may Yahweh Yeshua Ha’Mashiach, God Our Father and His Son Yeshua, Jesus Christ, Bless You... Mightily! And to those who may be absent and read this, we all pray collectively that you will return to your sons and daughters, instilling in them the wisdom you have gained in your absence. Shalom (Divine Peace/Completeness) everyone! Enjoy! :-) - Defending The Faith Part 1: 3 Divine Facts About The Holy Bible “Dear friends, I had been eagerly planning to write to you about the salvation we all share. But now I find that I must write about something else, urging you to defend the faith that God has entrusted once for all time to his holy people.” Jude 1:3 The world is filled with naysayers that will speak against The Bible, but none with thorough examination and honest study will continue to speak against it... because the evidence is irrefutable. Many a men have been converted once they honestly examined the text and the evidence contained therein. Herschel Hobbs, one man who extensively studied The Bible, stated it well when he said: “The Bible contains Truth found nowhere else. Human reason may discover certain truths about God. But the revealed Truth of The Bible exceeds these so as to defy comparison. One may exhaust the meaning of the contents of other books, but not that of the Bible.” – Herschel Hobbs Today we live in a world absolutely filled with misinformation and even the word “misinformation” is used to misinform people in headlines now each day. It is indeed disgusting what is happening in our world currently, but we as believers know that “all these things must come to pass.” With all the naysayers, deception, and people who are ignorant of this Holy Text, and seem to always be ready to attack, this series is meant for those who will “defend (or contend (other translations)) for The Faith.” Personally, I know each week I am confronted with people challenging The Bible’s Authority, so Our Father has made sure to arm me with Truth, especially when going into “enemy territory.” This series is meant to arm and equip ourselves with Truth, to have our “Sword of The Spirit,” which is The Word of God, ready at all times. Over the next few days we will take a look at some quick facts that any believer can “pull out” and “defend their faith” when attacked, ridiculed, or challenged about The Bible’s authenticity. I pray that each of you is edified, strengthened, and most importantly, your relationship with Our Father and Our Savior Yeshua is enhanced and grows more rich with this series. Let’s start with a few facts that we have gone over before, but that are always good to review. 1.) The Bible Is The Best Selling Book of All Time. I often open many conversations about God with this amazing fact. Put into perspective one begins to understand the immeasurable and unmatchable impact the Bible has had in the world. Here is the opening to conversations about God and The Bible that I use: If God wrote a book, what would that book be? Probably the best selling book in the history of the existence of man... it is. With more than 5 billion copies sold, it dwarfs any other text written on the face of the earth. No other book has even reached a billion copies sold. Gideon's International alone distributes more than a 100 Bibles every minute. 2.) It is the most accurate and proven historical document on the face of the earth. When one begins to understand that historical books are deemed credible by the number of copies that can be verified, the historical accuracy of them, and the corroboration of the different copies found across the world, it begins to be clear that there is definitely something "Divine" about This Book. The Bible has more than 5,000 copies that have been verified, corroborated, and are historically accurate. Again, this dwarfs any other historical book or antiquity writing by far. The next closest historical document has only about 200 verified copies across the world and throughout history. This single fact had a larger impact on my conversion than almost any other. I was never taught this, you don't hear about this in history class (the question is why), and I had never heard anyone talk about this important information. A truly amazing and indisputable fact about The Word of God. 3.) The Bible continues to be proven accurate with archeological evidence to this very day. Archaeology has confirmed the historical accuracy of the Bible. It has verified many ancient sites, civilizations, and biblical characters whose existence was questioned by the academic world and often dismissed as myths. Biblical archaeology has silenced many critics as new discoveries completely and thoroughly support the facts of the Bible. Esteemed archaeologist Nelson Glueck writes, "As a matter of fact, however, it may be clearly stated categorically that no archeological discovery has ever controverted a single biblical reference. Scores of archeological findings have been made which confirm in clear outline or exact detail historical statements in the Bible." One of the most recent archeological finds is the discovery of a myriad of artifacts in The City of David located in the city of Jerusalem, Israel. With more archeological confirmations each day, testimony of Biblical and non-biblical texts, and passed down oral history, it is strongly believed and the evidence points to The Holy Temple having been in The City of David and not where the current Temple Mount is located. Nonetheless, the archeological finds in The City of David are proving The Bible True once again. These are just 3 of the innumerable, amazing, and life changing facts about The Bible, or as us believers like to call it, The Word of God. With just these 3 facts I think we should all take a moment to reconsider our trust in The Bible, and I believe the whole world should as well. There are many verses in The Bible that speak on this and I would like to share just 3 that I think are appropriate to end with in this first part of our devotion series “Defending The Faith” : The Bible Is Alive: “For The Word of God is Living and Powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His Sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.” Hebrews 4:12-13 NKJV The Bible Demolishes All Arguments Against It: “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,” II Corinthians 10:4-5 NKJV The Bible Is A Message From God Almighty Himself, Not The Will of Man: “Yes, we have the prophetic Word made very certain. You will do well to pay attention to it as to a light shining in a dark, murky place, until the Day dawns and the Morning Star rises in your hearts. First of all, understand this: no prophecy of Scripture is to be interpreted by an individual on his own; for never has a prophecy come as a result of human willing — on the contrary, people moved by the Ruach Ha'Kodesh (Holy Spirit) spoke a message from God.” 2 Peter 1:19-21 CJB
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Good Morning Sabbath...
Father thank You for this new day. Thank You for the air that fills our lungs. Thank You for giving us rest and rejuvenation. We ask forgiveness for our trespasses against You, and we ask for help forgiving others who have trespassed against us. Creat in us a clean heart Dear Father. In Yeshua, Jesus Christ's Name. Amen. - The Sabbath Gift: Physically, Spontaneously, and Enjoyably Resting “Come with Me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” (Mark 6:31) We can all easily agree that rest has a strong physical property to it. We have taken a look at the spiritual aspect of rest before, so today let’s take a little time to look at the physical aspect of rest. In the verse above from Mark 6:31 we see Yeshua (Jesus) taking His disciples away for a spontaneous Sabbath. Our Savior knew the demands being placed on His Chosen were wearing them out not just spiritually, but physically. Yeshua (Jesus) was ensuring that the many demands being laid on them could be escaped for a while, until they were rested, filled, and prepared to return to the life of service they had chosen. With that said, it is important to think about rest today in the physical aspect, but we definitely don't want to confuse it with just doing nothing. Physical rest, while sometimes might be just relaxing and doing nothing, it also can merely be approaching an activity or day in a different and new way. It is a proven Biblical, scientific, and medical fact that rest performed, as Biblically defined, has much medical value and cannot be ignored. What happens if we do not physically rest? That's right, we burn out. In the Biblical pattern of "a day," "morning and evening (Genesis 1:5)," and our weekly cycle, Our Father and Jesus built into Life a physical rest that was to be the normal, acceptable path to recovering our strength and spirit. It is a regular, repeating pattern, but that doesn't mean the activities we do are always the same. Our Good God knew we all needed a change of pace sometimes. We have to reduce the busyness, stress, and anxiety created from the world we live in. Yeshua, Jesus Christ, understood this better than anyone and sought not only to show His Disciples this, but also us... That's why it is in His Word. Rest shouldn't always be about just stopping everything and doing nothing, although sometimes this is needed as well, but rather doing things in a new way, at a completely different pace. This kind of rest is where we aren't governed by a clock, schedules, or any other anxiety invoking world tool, but rather by enjoyment. I still recall the first Sabbaths celebrated with my church family. It was new, a change, and the rest I received there, because of Our Father and my Brothers and Sisters that shared His Love, was amazing! I left there each week filled with rest, and the hours upon hours we spent there went by in the blink of an eye. The True Blessing and Gift From God is that this still happens each time! What do we do there? We physically rest and study our Bibles. It is restful and enjoyable. A change of pace can be an amazing gift from God. I would suggest to anyone that every now and then, you just have to "mix it up" a little. Maybe it is having a bite to eat that is already prepared, when normally you cook each night. Maybe it is having your coffee that you normally drink at home over at a Brother or Sister’s house. Maybe it is a visit to the park, a picnic, or just a slow, enjoyable stroll through nature. All of these examples probably mean a little effort, but they may just make a big difference. Changing up our regular routines and practices with a conscientious focus on rest can definitely restore us if we are feeling bogged down. Referring back to the beginning verse, Mark 6:31, the verse says "because so many people were coming and going that they didn't even have time to eat." No time to eat!... now that is busy. Haven’t all of us worked so hard we missed eating before? Our Savior saw this with His Disciples, And Us, and knew it was time to rest. Maybe it is time for us to rest as well... and maybe it doesn't look like what we would normally think of as rest. Late breakfast instead of early breakfast, prayer at the river instead of in our rooms, a walk in the morning instead of the daily news, calling a Brother or Sister we know is struggling instead of our normally scheduled movie time, or maybe a quiet, restful meal and Bible Study with other Brothers and Sisters. This week, may we all try to be intentional and spontaneous about our rest. Who knows?... we may just enjoy it. I have a strong feeling the disciples had a restful blast with Jesus that day when they retreated for a Sabbath Rest and... Our Father gives us the opportunity to do the same. If we do intentionally try this spontaneous rest it can rejuvenate our spirits, minds, and Purpose In Christ. The purpose and reason for this spontaneous rest is to save you, not the world. It is the same reason Our Father made The Sabbath... for Time With Him, other Brothers and Sisters, rest, and rejuvenation. I pray you accept His Rest today. Besides, doesn't a healthy, well rested, and rejuvenated you, give us as believers, the ability, energy, and Fire of God to better help this quickly falling world we are trying to help save? Remember, we can't show The Light of Yeshua, Jesus Christ, if we are too tired to speak the gospel or serve our neighbors. We must always Shine His Light and be very careful that our Shining Light... doesn’t become just a tired flicker. After all, we must remember, this physical, spontaneous, and enjoyable rest... is A GIFT. Let's pray on this... Dear Father, You Are So Wise and Intelligent. You know us better than anyone, and you knew we needed rest from the beginning. Thank you for giving us Your Sabbath. Thank you for showing us in Your Word and Through Jesus Christ the lessons You Teach Us in Your Gospel about rest. Father, help us to realize our rest is In You. Lead us to something new and spontaneous where we can rest and enjoy the moment. We ask you to be there with us in this spontaneous rest and these enjoyable moments, because we know that With You, All Our Moments Are More Enjoyable. Thank You for Being a Kind, Loving, Merciful, and Teaching Father. We Love You So Much. We Thank You, We Praise You, We Bless You, and We Pray all these things in The Name Above All Names, Yeshua, Jesus Christ Our Lord and Savior. Amen. “Then one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him. And He went to the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to eat. And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil. Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, “This Man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner.” And Jesus answered and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” So he said, “Teacher, say it.” “There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?” Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.” And He said to him, “You have rightly judged.” Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil. Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.” Then He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” And those who sat at the table with Him began to say to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” Then He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.” Luke 7:36-50 Good Morning Friday...
FATHER thank You for this NEW DAY. We ask that you cover us with YOUR MIGHTY HAND. Let us understand YOUR MIGHTY WILL, so that we may see YOUR INFINITE GLORY. We ask this in YOUR PERFECT SON YESHUA, JESUS CHRIST's NAME. Amen. - He Is... (Part 27) Our Father Is God. He Wants Us To Know Who He Is. He Shows His Character, Wisdom, Omnipotence, Power, Mercy, Justice, Omniscience, and Glory All Through His Word... Just For Us. His Greatest Gift...He Sent His Son So We Could Get To Know Him Better. He Let Him Be Sacrificed So We Would Know How Much He Loves Us. He Is A King. He Is The Creator. He Is Our Reason For Being. Today, let's go through The Bible and see just who He Says He Is. When He Tells Us Who He Is we can grow, understand Him more clearly, draw closer, and try to imitate Him and His Perfect Character better. As we go through Scripture, searching out His Character and Names, I encourage you to let Him Speak to you. Listen to The God of All Creation, Our Heavenly Father, talk to you and tell you exactly what He Wants To Do For you. Let's jump right in and listen to Him Tell Us Who...HE IS. “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that HE IS, and that HE IS a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6 Our Father's Nature Never Changes. HE IS, WAS, AND WILL ALWAYS BE. He Is Who He Is. That's what He Told Moses. I Am Who I Am. That's what His Name means, YAHWEH, I Am Who I Am. His Name Means...HE IS! He Has Come! He Is... Yeshua, Jesus, Salvation “And she shall give birth to a Son, and you shall call His Name יהושע (YESHUA, JESUS, SALVATION) for He shall save His people from their sins.” Mattithyahu (Matthew) 1:21 TS2009 “And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His Name JESUS, for HE WILL SAVE HIS PEOPLE FROM THEIR SINS.” Matthew 1:21 NKJV He Is... The Deliverer ; “And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “THE DELIVERER will come out of Zion, And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; For this is MY COVENANT with them, When I TAKE AWAY THEIR SINS.” Romans 11:26-27 NKJV He Is... LORD Both of The Dead & The Living; “For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be LORD BOTH OF THE DEAD AND OF THE LIVING. Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God;” Romans 14:8-10 ESV He Is... The Minister of The Circumcision; “Now I say that JESUS CHRIST was a MINISTER OF THE CIRCUMCISION FOR THE TRUTH OF GOD, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers: and that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, And sing unto thy name.” Romans 15:8-9 KJV He Is... Our Wisdom, Our Righteousness, Our Sanctification, Our Redemption; “But from Him you are in CHRIST JESUS, WHO BECAME WISDOM to us FROM GOD, and RIGHTEOUSNESS and SANCTIFICATION AND REDEMPTION, so that, just as it is written, “The one who boasts, let him boast in The Lord.” 1 Corinthians 1:30-31 LEB He Is... The Foundation; “For no one can lay any FOUNDATION other than THE ONE already laid, which is YESHUA THE MESSIAH. ” 1 Corinthians (1 Co) 3:11 CJB He Is... Our Passover; “Purge out the old yeast, that you may be a new lump, even as you are unleavened. For indeed MESSIAH, OUR PASSOVER, HAS BEEN SACRIFICED IN OUR PLACE.” 1 Corinthians 5:7 WMB To Be Continued... God Bless each and every one of you on the other side of this screen. May each and everyone of you have have a He Is..., Yeshua, Life-Filled Day! Good Morning Thursday...
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 14 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:
“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 Wednesday...
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, so there's no room for fear or doubt. In Yeshua, Jesus Christ’s Name. Amen. - Giant Slayers: Our Choices Now Matter Later Today we take a look at King David. But before he was King David, The Giant Slayer, The Super Hero of Israel, or The Most Celebrated Man In The Land He was... just a shepherd boy. It was during his time as a youth when he first became "on fire" for God, learned God's Ways, practiced with his sling, and protected the family flock. Now, David, which means "Beloved," (whose beloved do you think he was?🔥) spent much time in solitude during his youth. His family was obviously following Our Father, but it is clear in the scripture that it was in his youthful solitude, caring for the flock, that he became truly acquainted with The One True God. David being a foreshadowed picture of Our Messiah in The Scriptures, we see some similarities about discovery and a relationship with Our Father while in solitude. Let's turn to The Gospel and get a couple of witnesses: Speaking of Yeshua, Jesus Christ, Luke states: “So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed.” Luke 5:16 “And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there.” Matthew 14:23 When David was young, tending the flock, and by himself, he could have shrugged his responsibilities, not practiced his sling, or turned away from his prayer life... but he didn't. David might have been a young man, but it was in these young years of solitude, prayer, and practice that God built Davids foundation of faithfulness that would last a lifetime. David was a prime example of "a living sacrifice" (Romans 12:1). Not only was he being refined by the discipline of God, but he was being trained to fight giants for God. Let's listen to David's own words explaining to Saul he can beat the giant that defies the armies of The Living God: “And Saul said to David, “You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.” But David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep his father’s sheep, and when a lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock, I went out after it and struck it, and delivered the lamb from its mouth; and when it arose against me, I caught it by its beard, and struck and killed it. Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of The Living God.” I Samuel 17:33-36 Young David was a model follower of The Living God. He was in a constant cycle of prayer, praise, and the offering of his abilities to God Our Father. Because of this, God used David and guided his abilities and character. David did the hard work that was necessary for protecting the family flock (Picture of Messiah🔥). These were the times when no one heard of David, but also these were the times where David's character was being refined day by day. Long before young David faced a giant with his sling and five smooth stones, he was being trained by God Himself. The courage he showed in the face of a giant, before all of Israel and the Philistines, was cultivated in the wilderness. With training, solitude, and one on one time with God, David was fashioned into a righteous giant slayer... just as we can be. The Way we choose to handle even small challenges or tests has an immense impact on how we will behave when bigger trials are presented in our lives. For example: You are at your local grocery store. You are married. You have an encounter with a person who isn't your spouse and is in fact someone else's spouse. There is obvious attraction between you both. Desire is aroused. This is the moment of temptation. The way you decide to handle this situation can have everlasting affects. Not only will you be choosing what is right or wrong, but you will also be showing what is most valuable to you. Will you affirm your life-long commitment and vows? Will you fold to immediate carnal desires? This immediately brings to mind the words of Our Savior: “He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much. Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in what is another man’s, who will give you what is your own?” Luke 16:10-12 A choice must be made. A moment of trial. This trial has not created your convictions, but it will clearly show them. All will be able to see what matters most to you. Young David triumphantly won his battle with Goliath and would one day be made King. The bigger question for David and for us is: will we win the battle within ourselves? All the choices we make matter. When we are faced with temptation we are forced to make theses choices. When we consider temptation it is necessary that we look at it, not as a collection of individual events, but instead as a character, spirit, and person shaping process. May we all spend time in solitude with Our Father so that when we face our "giant"... we slay it. Because of Him and through Him, in those moments, we can become... “The Giant Slayer.” We just need to remember: “Our Choices Now, Matter Later.” What else comes with spending copious amounts of time with Our Father, in solitude, giving thanks, asking in prayer, and having one on one time with The Living God? “and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:7 NKJV Prayer: Dear Father, train us, mold us, and fashion our character so that we may be physical and spiritual giant slayers. Raise us up as your children who make good choices... righteous choices. Please give us courage to look into the face of the things that most people are afraid of and then let us conquer these things and show Your Goodness in our lives. Temptation is everywhere Abba, and we need you to train us in the wilderness to face temptation righteously. Train our children. Train our loved ones. Train our Brothers and Sisters. We love You, we thank You, bless You, and Praise Your Holy Name. We ask these things in The True Giant and Temptation Slayer's Name Yeshua, Jesus Christ. Amen. Good Morning Tuesday...
Father thank You for this NEW day. Strengthen us to walk in what you have already prepared. Show us which way to go and guide us with Your Wisdom along the way. In Yeshua, Jesus Christ's Name. Amen. A Big Thank You to our late Brother, John W. Ritenbaugh, and berean.org for today's devotion. Gotta love those Bereans! This one touched me too much not to share. Love you all! 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: Walk It Out "Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." - Romans 6:4 NKJV Romans 6:4 restates the reason for our being admitted into God's presence: Our altered standing before God enables us to walk in newness of life so we can be conformed to the image of His Son. Walking requires effort, the expending of energy, to arrive at a desired destination. Are any works involved in the salvation process? "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them" (Ephesians 2:10). These works most assuredly do not earn salvation, but at the same time, God requires them. In fact, this verse says we are being created for the very purpose of doing them! Such works are covered within the general term "walk." Besides requiring effort, walking implies a destination, a goal. When a person walks, he is moving purposefully to accomplish something regardless of whether it is to flip a light switch, shop at a store, get some exercise, or go to work or school. God requires that we "walk in newness of life." It is our God-appointed goal in life and the reason He invites us into His presence. Our lives cannot consist of aimless drifting; we are headed somewhere, even as Israel's goal was the Promised Land. I Peter 1:13-19 highlights what we must do: Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy." And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one's work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your sojourning here in fear; knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot." -1Peter 1:13-19 NKJV Christianity is a way involving far more walking than talking. It requires effort, and most scriptures imply that the walking is voluntary. It must be this way because, most of the time when we walk, it is because we have made a voluntary decision to move from one point to another. In God's purpose, it is the only way to make the mind, nature, and character of Christ truly ours. The last, brief phrase of Romans 6:4 contains a great deal about life's overriding purpose. In a broad sense, it is what life after conversion is all about. It is awakening to the reality of our spiritual slavery and responsibilities through God's calling, followed by a change of mind toward Him and a spiritual death, burial, and resurrection so we might walk in conformity to Christ into God's Kingdom. God allows the sacrifice of Christ to take the place of the claim He has on us to restore us to fellowship with Him, which is absolutely essential in providing us the strength, motivation, and gifts—whatever it takes—to complete the walk successfully. Mankind has never enjoyed this; it has not had contact with God since He cut humanity off by putting Adam and Eve out of the Garden of Eden. This walking in newness of life is how going on to perfection is accomplished (Hebrews 6:1). God alters our standing with Him legally, graciously, and with generosity and kindness so we can fellowship with Him through prayer, Bible study, fasting, meditation, and obedience. God's spiritual creation requires our participation. It cannot be impressed upon us; we must consciously make decisions to take that walk. Good Morning Monday...
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! - Connecting The Jots - God’s Beloved Is Revealed! Part 21 This devotion is dedicated to The One And Only Yeshua, Jesus Christ, The King. Bless Our Father For His Infinite Wisdom Which Is Manifest In Our Savior. He Is The One Who Connects All The Jots...Period. I heard a saying one day that just amazed me. It was so simple, profound, and "on the mark" that it was absolutely seared into my mind from the time I heard it. It goes something like this: The New Testament Is In The Old Testament Concealed; The Old Testament Is In The New Testament Revealed. What a profound, "spot on" statement made with an amazing, short, succinct sentence! Today, let’s put this “pearl of wisdom” to the test and see how Our Father and Savior...Connect The Jots. Parallel Verses From The Old Concealed and The New Revealed (Mark): 77.) “On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.” Mark 11:15-17 NIV “these I will bring to My Holy Mountain and give them joy in My House of Prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on My Altar; for My House will be called a house of prayer for all nations.” Isaiah 56:7 NIV “Has this house, which bears My Name, become a den of robbers to you? But I have been watching! declares The Lord (YHWH, Yahweh).” Jeremiah 7:11 NIV 78.) “He began to speak to them in parables. “A man planted a vineyard, put a hedge around it, dug a wine press, and built a tower. Then he leased it to tenant farmers and left on a journey.” Mark 12:1 NABRE “Now let me sing of my friend, my beloved’s song about his vineyard. My friend had a vineyard on a fertile hillside; He spaded it, cleared it of stones, and planted the choicest vines; Within it he built a watchtower, and hewed out a wine press. Then he waited for the crop of grapes, but it yielded rotten grapes.” Isaiah 5:1-2 NABRE 79.) “Have you not read this Scripture, ‘The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief corner-stone. ‘This was from יהוה (YHVH, Yahweh, God), and it is marvellous in our eyes’?” Marqos (Mark) 12:10-11 TS2009 “The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief corner-stone. This was from יהוה (YHVH, Yahweh, God), It is marvellous in our eyes.” Tehillim (Psalms) 118:22-23 TS2009 80.) “Teacher, Moses wrote to us, ‘If a man’s brother dies, and leaves a wife behind him, and leaves no children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up offspring for his brother.” Mark 12:19 WEB “If brothers dwell together, and one of them dies, and has no son, the wife of the dead shall not be married outside to a stranger. Her husband’s brother shall go in to her, and take her as his wife, and perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her.” Deuteronomy 25:5 WEB Our Father Is AMAZING. Bless Him, Praise Him, and Let Him Connect The Jots For You! “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it. “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered some of every kind, which, when it was full, they drew to shore; and they sat down and gathered the good into vessels, but threw the bad away. So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just, and cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.” Jesus said to them, “Have you understood all these things?” They said to Him, “Yes, Lord.” Matthew 13:45-51 Good Morning Sunday...
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 13 Wisdom: “Too often we conduct our lives cafeteria style - self service only!” - Anonymous The Source AKA The Word This Wisdom Came From: “Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:43-45 NIV “There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out. People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God. Indeed there are those who are last who will be first, and first who will be last.” Luke 13:28-30 NIV “So the last will be first, and the first will be last.” Matthew 20:16 NIV “Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.” Matthew 19:28-30 NIV “you will know The Truth, and The Truth will set you free.”” Yochanan (John) 8:32 CJB “This will be my third visit to you. “Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.” I already gave you a warning when I was with you the second time. I now repeat it while absent: On my return I will not spare those who sinned earlier or any of the others, since you are demanding proof that Christ is speaking through me. He is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful among you. For to be sure, he was crucified in weakness, yet he lives by God’s power. Likewise, we are weak in him, yet by God’s power we will live with him in our dealing with you. Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test? And I trust that you will discover that we have not failed the test.” 2 Corinthians 13:1-6 NIV 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. Help us to have a hunger for Your Word and for The Truth, so we may grow wise and serve as Yeshua served. Help us to believe Your Word for our protection and safety. 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. 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...
Father thank You for this NEW DAY. Thank you for giving us, OUR GOD, a PEACEFUL REST to those who abide in You. We cherish each day you give us and ask that you soften our hearts so that we may be prepared to ACCEPT THE GIFT You have given us of Your PEACE and REST. In YESHUA, JESUS CHRIST's Name we pray. Amen. - Purpose In Our Rest: The Sabbath “Come with Me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” (Mark 6:31) The sabbath or seventh day in the creation story of Genesis was about rest. Our Father stopped all His Work on this day and told us it was “Set-Apart (Holy),” spoke good of this day, and spoke good to this day. Even though Man and Woman were the height of His Masterful Work, God had given something special on this day and wanted Adam, Eve, and all of us to enter into this specialness. The special part about this day is that He invited our first parents, and now us, to enter into His Rest. The interesting fact is that there was something different about this day that wasn't spoken in the same way as the previous six. “And there was evening, and there was morning – the first day.” (Genesis 1:5, 8, 13, 19, 23, 31) The seventh day had no "morning and evening." Here we see that there doesn't seem to exist any formal conclusion to this seventh day. Could this be a clue? Is The Creator of All Things telling us that once we enter into His Rest... it is eternal? What we do know is this; God lifted up this day, set it apart (made it holy), and rested, not because He needs rest, but because He wanted to spend some special time with us, His Children. In the creation story, the seventh day of the week was in fact the first day for Adam and Eve. On this day God Almighty called them not to a simple day, but a state of being. He not only wanted them to be rejuvenated and rest, but to learn this "rest" and relationship with Him as a concept for life. I believe Our Father wanted us to gain many lessons, and maybe one of the most important lessons, here speaking about this day. One lesson is that this rest is not just a perk, but a necessity in our relationship with Him. He wants us to take our rest in Him and our relationship with Him wherever we go and whatever we do, always. Everyday and everywhere we go we can bring His Peace, Comfort, Care, Attention, Rest, and Love... but it starts with the Seventh Day and His Sabbath, just like our first parents Adam and Eve. It is good to look at this day not just as a day, but a lifestyle that is not just physical. This day is also holistic, touching our sprits, minds, and heart. This rest has the ability to move us from the inside out. This rest can have a major impact on our physicality, but it originates in our spirit and from Our Father's Spirit. In a world where everyone is moving so fast at a frantic pace, we need to realize that this day is not just a day, or an event, or a place, but it is Our Father and Savior Himself. When He is The King of Our Hearts, we indeed shall have rest. Prayer: Glorious and Kind Father, thank you so much for Your Provision, Your Sabbath, and Your Rest. We know You give us peace when we seek and obey You. We ask you today Father to help us with this rest and peace that You offer. Help us to receive this wonderful provision You have provided us, and help us to let You Reign In Our Hearts today and forevermore. We Love You, We Thank You, and We Praise Your Holy Name. We ask these things in Your Mighty Son Yeshua, Jesus Christ's Name. Amen. 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. - BELIEVE In The Word: Have Faith Our Father has an unbelievable and wonderful customized plan for each and every one of us. We are created in His Image, so of course He has a wonderful plan for us. We are children of The Covenant, the elect. The key to this wonderful plan is Belief. The problem is this: Along this crazy path we call life, sometimes we begin to believe the lies of the enemy instead of Our Heavenly Father. The enemy will lie to us about anything and everything to get us "off track" and away from Our Father’s Plan for our lives. The enemy will use whatever he can including, but not limited to: image, status, career, family, friends, living situation, our abilities, the future, the present, and the past. The enemy in fact will use anything he can to manipulate, darken, distort, and damage the lens we see through, and his influence is trying to lead us in a place that does not reflect the Light and Truth of Our Savior Yeshua, Jesus Christ The King. When we study The Word of God we have the ultimate weapon to spot the enemies lies. By revelation and Believing God's Word it is easy to not believe "the other guy," and we spot his tricks and lies quickly. When we allow Our Father's Word and plan for our lives to soak deep in our beliefs, we are always in a better place. We must let God's Word take precedent over all, no one and no thing can lead us safely to where Our Father is leading us... Only His Word. Belief and Faith, this is what we as believers must go by, not feelings or sight. We must trust in His Word with all we have and BELIEVE what Our Father tells is in His Word. His Word is True in everything concerning our lives, and God's Plan for our lives is True. Feeling insecure? Munch on some Living Bread, The Word of God, and you can be cured of that. Feeling angry and discontent? The cure? You got it, drink some Living Water, The Word of God. If we merely declare God Almighty’s Word concerning our lives and BELIEVE, the "fiery darts" from the enemy will never prevail against us. May we all today declare what God Our Father’s Word says about us, God's Plan for our lives, and say it out loud for the lying, deceptive enemy to hear. May none of us take any other suggestion other than The Creator of The Whole World's. Finally, may we all be greatly encouraged today knowing God Our Father ALWAYS comes through in His Word, Yeshua, Jesus Christ Our Savior.... HalleluYah! God Bless Everybody and may each and everyone of you be filled with The Peace of Our Father In Heaven on this, His Wonderful Day for us. Our Living Bread and Water aka The Word of God: “I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.” Psalms 139:14 “Do not remember the former things, Nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness And rivers in the desert.” Isaiah 43:18-19 “above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.” Ephesians 6:16 “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10 “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says The LORD (YHWH, Yahweh), thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11 “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13 “Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” Romans 8:37 |
SERVANT OF YESHUA 7
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