Good Morning Friday ...
Father thank You for this NEW day. Please continue to fill our HEARTs & MINDs with your LOVE & TRUTH. Father, TRANSFORM our ordinary day into an extraordinary day TODAY! In YESHUA, JESUS CHRIST’s Name we pray. Amen! - We Must Keep Our Eyes On The Prize... The Prize Is Yeshua (Jesus) We have wonderful examples of Faith to inspire us in our daily journey everywhere in The Word... But we must Keep Our Eyes On Yeshua, Jesus Christ. Sometimes it can be an easy thing to get discouraged when we encounter trouble. We are all susceptible to carrying around "baggage" that will slow us down. With so much going on in the world, and our lives, we can quickly be distracted, taking our eyes off Our Savior, and focusing on our problems. We have to be careful of this because that is precisely the enemies's plan. The evil one knows Our King, Jesus, is The One that is going to usher us into a better place, and the ol lawless one doesn’t like this. We must all be careful and remember: We have a Wonderfully Awesome Father. And Our Father Will Correct us and Discipline us to get us "back on track." Our Father and Yeshua, Jesus Christ, Love Us and Want The Very Best For us. Everyone who has had a good earthly father knows that they were not afraid to discipline us... and neither is Our Heavenly Father. The Way Back To God Our Father Is Always Yeshua, Jesus Christ. Knowing this, it is very important to remember: no matter how wonderful Our Father's stories about any of His Servants, the reason for all these stories is to point us to The One, Yeshua, Jesus Christ. He is The Finisher Of Our Faith, Our Intercessor, The Judge, The Perfect Example, and So Much More. When things seem to be tough, when Our Merciful Father is correcting us, when we get distracted... We Need Only Look To Jesus Christ Our Savior and Protector. The Scriptures tell us "seek and you shall find," "ask and you shall receive," and "knock" because Yeshua, Jesus Christ Our King... waits at the door to lead us to the next adventure. May we all remember to keep our eyes on the prize, and let us make no mistake about it... Yeshua, Jesus Christ Our Savior, Is The Prize. Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, if there is anything taking our focus off of You, please correct us and help us to focus back on You. A gentle rebuke from You is so much better than what this cruel world will give us. Please give us all a heart to listen to You, to hear what You are saying, and to always look to Our Savior and Your Perfect Example For Us. Father give us ears to hear, eyes to see, and a heart to obey. Thank You, we Love You, and bless You forever. In Yeshua, Jesus Christ The King's Name we pray. Amen. Fuel For The Soul: “All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify. Let no one seek his own, but each one the other’s well-being.” I Corinthians 10:23-24 “My son, do not despise the chastening of The LORD (YHWH, Yahweh) Nor detest His correction; For whom The LORD loves He corrects, Just as a father the son in whom he delights.” Proverbs 3:11-12 “If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live?” Hebrews 12:7-9 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 7:7-12
0 Comments
Good Morning Thursday...
Father Thank You for another BLESSED DAY. Thank You for Your ETERNAL PROMISES. Thank You for giving us so many reasons to REJOICE IN the HOPE that is Your Son YESHUA, JESUS CHRIST. Praise You and Bless You in Yeshua, Jesus Christ’s Name. Amen! - What Are The Prophets Saying? (Job) There are so many times I have found myself discouraged, confused, or frustrated, and wasn't sure where to turn in The Bible and find an answer to my woes. Almost without exception, wherever I turned in The Word to find my answer, whether I started in The Gospel or Genesis, I usually ended up at The Prophets. The prophets have not only a wealth of prophecy, amazing stories of triumph, encouragement, and wonderful messages for us all as a Christian Family, but they also contain a wealth of messages for each and everyone of us personally. This is literally The Almighty Father Speaking To Us! Just as Jesus Himself Spoke, so too did The Prophets Speak His Word.🔥 Our Father and Yeshua, Jesus Christ, so loved us that He never stopped sending loyal servants, again and again, to give all of us together, and individually, messages, over and over. Remember the Parable of the Vineyard Owner (Matt 21:33-46)? The Master sent His Servants, which the people beat or killed (Prophets), then The Master Sends His Son (Yeshua, Jesus) thinking the people renting his land will be more amiable... they weren't. In fact, they killed Him thinking that they would receive "the inheritance." Does this story sound familiar or what?! Our Savior Was, Is, and Always Will Be The Smartest Person Of All Time. For this reason...these parables, and The Word of God Spoken Through The Prophets, should be carefully studied. Within this Ancient Wise Parable that Yeshua Spoke, we find The Prophets of God ( The Servants) came before He (The Master) Sent His Son. With that in mind, let us take a look today at what Job, A Prophet of Yahweh (YHWH or God), God Himself, and Our Savior, were trying to relay to "all of us" and "each of us" in today's Scriptures. Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, we humbly come before you today to receive Your Word and Your Message. As we read passages from Your Servant Job, please open our hearts and minds to what you are trying to tell us as a group, and what you are saying to us individually. You are Mighty Father and we know You Have Sent To Us, In Your Word, Messages of Encouragement, Discipline, Reconciliation, Salvation, and Love for Your Children. We thank You! Let us come before You today as Your Children and enjoy Our Daily Bread With You, Abba. We Love You And Praise You Father. In Yeshua, Jesus Christ’s Mighty Name We Pray. Amen! The Word of God: The Book of Job, A Prophet of God Almighty, Yahweh, and The Savior of The World, Yeshua Jesus Christ: “In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil.” Job 1:1 NIV “When these celebrations ended—sometimes after several days—Job would purify his children. He would get up early in the morning and offer a burnt offering for each of them. For Job said to himself, “Perhaps my children have sinned and have cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular practice.” Job 1:5 NLT “Yahweh said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? For there is no one like him in the earth, a blameless and an upright man, one who fears God, and turns away from evil. He still maintains his integrity, although you incited me against him, to ruin him without cause.” Job 2:3 WEB “So Yahweh said to Satan, “All right, he is in your power. Only spare his life.” So Satan went out from Yahweh’s presence, and he inflicted Job with loathsome skin sores from the sole of his foot up to the crown of his head. So he took for himself a potsherd with which to scrape himself, and he sat in the midst of the ashes. Then his wife said to him, “Are you still persisting in your blamelessness? Curse God and die.” So he said to her, “You speak like one of the foolish women speaks. Indeed, should we receive the good from God, but not receive the evil?” In all this, Job did not sin with his lips.” Job 2:6-10 LEB “For affliction comes not forth from the dust, neither does trouble spring forth out of the ground. But man is born to trouble as the sparks and the flames fly upward. As for me, I would seek God and inquire of and require Him, and to God would I commit my cause– Who does great things and unsearchable, marvelous things without number, Who gives rain upon the earth and sends waters upon the fields, So that He sets on high those who are lowly, and those who mourn He lifts to safety.” Job 5:6-11 AMPC “He who withholds kindness from a friend forsakes the fear of The Almighty.” Job 6:14 ESV “Who among all these does not know That the hand of The LORD (YHWH, Yahweh) has done this, In whose Hand is The Life of every living thing, And The Breath of all mankind? Does not the ear test words And the mouth taste its food? Wisdom is with aged men, And with length of days, understanding. “With Him are wisdom and strength, He has counsel and understanding. If He breaks a thing down, it cannot be rebuilt; If He imprisons a man, there can be no release. If He withholds the waters, they dry up; If He sends them out, they overwhelm the earth. With Him are strength and prudence. The deceived and the deceiver are His.” Job 12:9-16 NKJV “all the while my spirit is in me, and The Breath of God is in my nostrils, my lips will not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter deceit. God forbid that I should justify you. Until I die I will not put away my integrity from me. My righteousness I hold fast and will not let it go; my heart will not reproach me as long as I live.” Job 27:3-6 MEV “Then יהוה (Yahweh, God) answered Iyoḇ (Job) out of the whirlwind, and said, “Who is this who darkens counsel by words without knowledge? Now gird up your loins like a man, and I ask you, and you answer Me. Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if you have understanding. Who set its measurements, if you know? Or who stretched the line upon it? Upon what were its foundations sunk? Or who laid its corner-stone, when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of Elohim shouted for joy?” Iyoḇ (Job) 38:1-7 TS2009 “Then out of the storm The LORD (Yahweh) spoke to Job once again. Stand up straight now, and answer my questions. Are you trying to prove that I am unjust — to put me in the wrong and yourself in the right? Are you as strong as I am? Can your voice thunder as loud as mine? If so, stand up in your honour and pride; clothe yourself with majesty and glory. Look at those who are proud; pour out your anger and humble them. Yes, look at them and bring them down; crush the wicked where they stand. Bury them all in the ground; bind them in the world of the dead. Then I will be the first to praise you and admit that you won the victory yourself.” Job 40:6-14 GNBDK “I know that You can do all things, And that no thought or purpose of Yours can be restrained. [You said to me] ‘Who is this that darkens and obscures counsel [by words] without knowledge?’ Therefore [I now see] I have [rashly] uttered that which I did not understand, Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. ‘Hear, please, and I will speak; I will ask You, and You instruct [and answer] me.’ I had heard of You [only] by the hearing of the ear, But now my [spiritual] eye sees You. Therefore I retract [my words and hate myself] And I repent in dust and ashes.” Job 42:2-6 AMP “After Job had prayed for his friends, The Lord (YHWH, Yahweh) restored his prosperity and doubled his previous possessions. All his brothers, sisters, and former acquaintances came to his house and dined with him in his house. They sympathized with him and comforted him concerning all the adversity The Lord (YHWH, Yahweh) had brought on him. Each one gave him a qesitah and a gold earring. So The Lord (YHWH, Yahweh) blessed the last part of Job’s life more than the first. He owned 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 yoke of oxen, and 1,000 female donkeys. He also had seven sons and three daughters. He named his first daughter Jemimah, his second Keziah, and his third Keren-happuch. No women as beautiful as Job’s daughters could be found in all the land, and their father granted them an inheritance with their brothers. Job lived 140 years after this and saw his children and their children to the fourth generation. Then Job died, old and full of days.” Job 42:10-17 HCSB Good Morning Wednesday...
Father thank You for this NEW DAY, NEW BREATH, and NEW BEGINNING to walk in Your Ways. Help us to see others as You See Father and help us to spread Your Love TODAY. In Yeshua, Jesus Christ Name, We Praise You, Bless You, and ask for these things. Amen! - Live... Today! When we don’t have a relationship with Yahweh Yeshua Ha’Mashiach, God Our Father and Our Savior Jesus Christ, death can be a very scary thing. There is uncertainty, fear of the unknown, and fear about what could be beyond death. This is a byproduct of being uncertain about our relationship with Our Father, The Creator of All Things. The old adage goes: “The only thing certain in life are death and taxes.” It’s a lie. Just death. That’s truly the only certainty. It is inevitable. It comes to each and everyone of us here on earth, to most suddenly, and to all certainly. Death is how we know we are all on an equal playing field, no one escapes. Lets get a witness from The Word of God on this. “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” Hebrews 9:27 KJV So, all of this begs the question: Why do so many live unprepared for something we know all of us will deal with? The one thing we know we can be certain of on the subject of death, those who have accepted Yeshua, Jesus Christ, as there King and Savior, is that life becomes infinitely more enjoyable. Why? Because we are confident about where we are headed after we die. We no longer fear death, but instead our fear is rightly placed in The One who has real power... over death, life, and everything else in existence. Let’s get some witnesses, shall we? “Fear of Yahweh is the beginning of knowledge; wisdom and instruction, fools despise.” Proverbs 1:7 LEB “To me, the least of all the saints, was given this grace: to proclaim the good news of the fathomless riches of Christ to the Gentiles, and to enlighten everyone as to what is the administration of the mystery hidden from the ages by God, who created all things,” Ephesians 3:8-9 LEB “The God who made the world and everything in it is The Lord of Heaven and Earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. And He is not served by human hands, as if He needed anything. Rather, He Himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else.” Acts 17:24-25 NIV The “freedom” we all talk about as Christians so much, what are we getting freedom from? Well, many things, but a huge one we get freedom from is fear of death. Our Loving, Kind, and Merciful Father does not want us to fear death, but rather He Sent His Only Son To Us and wants to set us free of that fear. You know, “The Light Yoke.” He wants us to get to know Him so well that we understand death is just a transition, not an end. In fact, the meaning of the word “Hebrew” means “crossing over,” and that is just what we will be doing when we die... Crossing over to a new existence. And it is nice knowing that “existence”... is going to be way better than this one. When we die, it is not the end, but the beginning. The beginning of what you may ask? The beginning of going home. When we know what is going to happen to us when we die, it makes Living a lot more enjoyable. Can I Get A Witness?! Yes, here are three: “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of Power and of Love and of a Sound Mind” (Discipline or Self Control in other translations) 2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV “The fear of The LORD (YHWH, Yahweh) leads to life, And he who has it will abide in satisfaction; He will not be visited with evil.” Proverbs 19:23 NKJV “And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; but rather be afraid of Him who can destroy both soul and body in hell (Gehenna).” Matthew 10:28 AMPC “And you will know The Truth, and The Truth will set you free.” John 8:32 AMPC “For My yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” Matthew 11:30 NLT So, what is it that has you enslaved today? Fear of death, corona virus, persecution, rejection? Whatever it is you may be battling with today there is one thing you should know: YOU DON’T HAVE TO PUT UP WITH IT! Our Father came down and died for our sins so that we could live in our current world with Peace, Confidence, Faith, Hope, and Love. Yeshua Ha’Mashiach, Jesus Christ, died for us so that we could have a better Life. A Life where we could have confidence about where we are headed, in Life... and in death. There is real freedom in Living in and for Christ, and I encourage you to embrace it. If you haven’t accepted Yeshua, Jesus Christ, into your life, there is no better time than today. You don’t have to fear death, or any other worldly thing. That’s Good News, right? Accept Him today, not because you might die today, but so today... You Can Live, and Live More Abundantly. Make the choice to Live...Today! “If therefore The Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.” Yochanan (John) 8:36 WMB “The thief does not come, except to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have Life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” John 10:10 MEV Good Morning Tuesday...
Father thank You for this new day. Thank You for giving us Brothers and Sisters to share in this wonderful journey back to You. Please use us to help the hurting, the sick, the fatherless, and the weak. Help us to show Your Love in this dark world, because we know Love covers a multitude of sins. In Yeshua, Jesus Christ Name. Amen. -A Word Filled Diet & Strong Faith Romans 10:17 states: “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Romans 10:17 For us to completely comprehend this verse we, who have been born again, must understand that Faith was implanted in us by Our Father when we were saved. Faith should be a part of us. It should run through the Life in our veins and is in fact part of our spiritual DNA now. Faith is something that Our Father has already given to us after our conversion. Let's get a witness from God's Word on that.: “For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.” Romans 12:3 So, God Our Father has given "each one a measure of faith." Now, it is up to each and every one of us to develop that Faith and do something with it. We must first develop that Faith by "hearing The Word of God." The Bible, God's Word, IS our spiritual food. If we understand Mathew 18:18 we can begin to understand that we must feed upon our spiritual food and our Faith will be strengthened. Lets take a look at Matthew 18:18: “Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Matthew 18:18 We must "bind" The Word to ourselves here and it will be "bound" to us in heaven. If we "loose" that word here on earth, it will be "loosed" to our Brothers and Sisters in heaven as well. God's Word is our food, if we feed upon it... our Faith will be strengthened. Let's get a few witnesses here: “Therefore you shall lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.” Deuteronomy 11:18 “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14 “And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” Matthew 26:26 Take a look at cross fit trainers or body builders who are constantly working out to build muscle and endurance. You will find a common thread when you ask them about their performance. Diet. Every intense physical training athlete will tell you, you must have the right kind of diet to build the muscles in your body up. A protein heavy diet is most common among muscle builders. These athletes, in a very faithful manner, eat tuna, drink protein shakes, and add various other protein rich products to there diet. These athletes consume this protein, digest it, and it is the ingredient that helps them build muscle and train their bodies for performance. As each of us consume God's Word and take time to digest it properly, God's Truth becomes The Ingredient that builds our Faith. When we eat “The Bread of Life” we also begin to have optimal performance of our minds, growing our Faith even more. God's Word is the food of Faith. It is apparent, therefore, when a person struggles with Faith, it is a matter of diet. Feeding on the wrong things can be counterproductive for our faith, just as a diet of cookies and candy bars would be counterproductive for an athlete. Our Faith comes, even if we don't see it at first, by feeding upon God's Word. Brothers and Sisters, if any of us is struggling with our faith, we must change our diet. God's Word is the perfect food for Faith. “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.” Hebrews 4:12 May all of us start feeding on God's Word Today! “Now when Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, pleading with Him, saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented.” And Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.” The centurion answered and said, “Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it. ” When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!” Matthew 8:5-10 God Bless Everybody and have a Great God-Filled Day! Good Morning Monday.......
Thank You Father for this NEW DAY! Help us to live aware, to choose wisely, to stay close to You, and anchored in Your Truth! Thank You for your Great Love and Mercy, thank You that You Wait For Us, and You Strengthen Us. We come to You today, choosing to walk in Your Presence and Light. In Yeshua, Jesus Christ’s Name. Amen! - God Our Father’s Word, God Our Father’s Will. God Our Father’s Will for our lives has reason and purpose. It is through The Word of God where we can find meaning and principles discerning God's Will. Today, let’s review these 8 Bible verses to gain a better understanding. God Bless every one and have a Great God’s Will-Filled week! The Word of God: “For I know the plans that I am planning concerning you,’ declares Yahweh, ‘plans for prosperity and not for harm, to give to you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11 LEB “This is good and acceptable before God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” 1 Timothy 2:3-4 LEB “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” I Thessalonians 5:16-18 NKJV “For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor,” I Thessalonians 4:3-4 NKJV “The God of shalom brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep, our Lord Yeshua, by the blood of an eternal covenant. May that God equip you with every good thing you need to do his will; and may he do in us whatever pleases him, through Yeshua the Messiah. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.” Hebrews 13:20-21 CJB “Then to everyone he said, “If anyone wants to come after me, let him say ‘No’ to himself, take up his execution-stake daily and keep following me.” Luke (Luk) 9:23 CJB “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” Psalm 119:105 NIV “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” James 1:5 NIV Good Morning Sunday...
Father thank You for this NEW DAY. We THANK YOU for continuing YOUR GOOD WORKS yesterday, today, and forevermore. May we continually thank You for Your Salvation YESHUA, JESUS Christ, and being OUR GOD!!! A big Thank You to timefortruth.com for today’s wonderful devotion. In a world full of those who have turned from Our Father it is nice to know: Even though, as believers, we may be scattered throughout the world, and though it may seem like there are few of us comparatively to those going in the wrong direction ... we still are many. 😎🙌🔥 “Then Jacob said to Joseph, “El-Shaddai (God Almighty) appeared to me in Luz, in the land of Canaan, and blessed me, and said to me, ‘Behold, I will make you fruitful and make you numerous, and will make you a company of nations. And I will give this land to your offspring after you as an everlasting possession.” Genesis 48:3-4 “After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” Revelation 7:9-10 - God Our Father, El Shaddai (God Almighty), Is Faithful To Finish What He Started INTERESTING QUOTE : "Nobody seriously believes the universe was made by God without being persuaded that He takes care of His works." - John Calvin DAILY READING : Isaiah 64-66 TEXT : Isaiah 66:9 "Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth? saith The Lord: shall I cause to bring forth, and shut the womb? saith thy God." TRUTH FOR TODAY : God Our Father, El Shaddai (God Almighty), Is Faithful To Finish What He Started In the beginning of Chapter 66 we find God calling out for the true worshipers, those that worship Him in Spirit and in Truth, and standing strongly against those that worship him only outwardly in form. He says "He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog's neck; he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered swine's blood; he that burneth incense, as if he blessed an idol (Isaiah 66:3)." But God Himself ordained the sacrificial system - the killing of ox and goats. And it was God who instituted offerings and incense. How can He now say that the things He Himself ordained are equivalent with sin and uncleanness? Because those who were doing them were only doing them outwardly. There was no repentance or contrition in these acts. It was just a ritual - a formula. "And if I just follow this formula", they thought, "then I'll be accepted by God, not matter if my inner position is one of humility or pride." In other words, this people was near to Him with their lips, but their heart was far from God. Oddly enough it was these false worshipers who were against the true worshipers. And in this chapter God is promising the true worshipers that there will be deliverance from the oppression. But in verse 9 God also addresses a fear about this deliverance. A fear I think many of us have wrestled with from time to time when it comes to God intervening on our behalf.? That fear is ... when? And if we dig deeper I believe that fear really is...”is it really going to happen?” Is God really going to deliver me? Is He really going to provide for me? Will He really keep the promises He says He will - and if so, then...when? God addresses this issue and says "Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth...shall I cause to bring forth, and shut the womb?" What He wants to know is if we really think He's going to start this great work, and then just abandon it. Do we really think that at the apex of it all God is going to have enough, and quit? There is a verse written by Paul in the New Testament that I think resounds the sentiment God is conveying in this verse: "Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:” Philippians 1:6 I love how Paul starts out this verse. He doesn't start out saying he has a "pretty good feeling" about this.? He's not saying that he hopes it all ends up ok or that the evidence is leaning in this direction. No, he says he is confident. Completely persuaded without a doubt in his mind - this is something that he knows in his soul is a fact. And what is that? That He which started the work in us (God Our Father, El Shaddai (God Almighty) will be faithful to complete it. I venture to guess that if I asked any of you, "why are you a Christian", there are some answers I most likely won't hear. From those who are truly born again you probably won't hear answers like : "Because I thought it was the right thing to do" "Because I've always been a good person anyway" "Because I looked over the evidence and it just made sense to" For the born again, when confronted with the reasoning of why they are a Christian but their neighbor isn't, I venture to guess you'll get one of two answers : "I don't know" "The Grace of God" We may not be able to explain to you why we are born again and our neighbor isn't, but this much we do know - it's not our doing. We didn't start this. It wasn't because we are smarter than others, or better than others - it wasn't something that came from us. We love Him because He first loved us.? God initiated this. God is the one that began this work in us,? God is the author of this “New Life” in us. And Paul tells us in Phil 1:6 that he is absolutely convinced that the God who started this work in us is going to see it through. He will not abandon us. There is a similar verse found in Hebrews, who some assume Paul to be the author of as well. In Hebrews Chapter 11 we have what some call the "Hall of Faith" as the author of Hebrews lists those who lived by faith. Just following that chapter we have these verses : "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus The Author and Finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the Right Hand of The Throne of God.” Hebrews 12:1-2 In these verses the writer of Hebrews refers to Jesus as the Author and Finisher of our faith. He lets us know that Christ not only started this work in us by His grace, but is also going to be there to complete it. One thing about these verses I'd like to point out - In reading about the "great cloud of witnesses" that surround us - I always took it to mean that these heroes of faith where watching us and cheering us on. Like we were in a coliseum and it was our turn to fight and those that had gone on before us where in the stands witnessing us fighting and encouraging us on. I always thought they were witnessing "us". I don't see this verse that way any longer - that the "great cloud of witnesses" is a pantheon of "watchers" cheering us on. What they are witnessing was not our journey, but rather God's faithfulness.? This is a cloud of people who witnessed God being faithful to them as they put their faith in Him. I believe what the author of Hebrews is saying is not "let us run well because there are a bunch of people who made it before us who are watching". But I believe he is saying we should be encouraged to run well and not faint because there are so many people who have gone before us who can witness and testify to the faithfulness and steadfast love of God. So what is it you are facing this day? Are you wrestling with a sin that you are wondering if you will ever get the victory over? Are you going through a hard time where it feels like the darkness and depression around you is so thick that it is suffocating you and you are losing hope that you will ever see even a stream of light from the end of the tunnel? Are you trying to grow in a certain area of your Christian walk and just can't seem to get to where you want to be? Don't be discouraged - God hasn't left you alone. He hasn't started this work in you and then walked off to leave you to yourself. He has promised to see us through, and so though we may not know the answer to "when", we can have confidence that it will happen. Good Morning Sabbath...
Thank You Father for this NEW DAY! Today,“(we will) trust in You Father with all (our) hearts and lean not on (our) own understanding; in all (our) ways (we will) acknowledge (You), and (You) shall direct (our) paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6). May we choose to follow our faith today! In Yeshua, Jesus Christ's Name. Amen! - An Exercise In Connecting With God Our Father - Finding Peace #6 Step 1 - Prayer (Begin With Focus And Openness Towards God) Prayer: Dear Father God, please connect with us here as we seek in Your Word. Help us to find Your Peace. Be with us. Thank You. In Yeshua, Jesus's Name we pray. Amen Step 2 - Read Read the Scripture slowly. Be aware of any interesting words, phrases, or sentences. Read over The Scripture a second Time. Read: “Turn from evil and do good. Seek peace and pursue it. The eyes of Yahweh are toward the righteous, and his ears toward their cry for help. The face of Yahweh is against evildoers, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. They cry out and Yahweh hears and delivers them from all of their troubles. Yahweh is near to those who are heartbroken and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Many are the distresses of the righteous, but Yahweh delivers him out of them all. He protects all his bones; not one of them is broken. Evil will slay the wicked, and those who hate the righteous will incur guilt. Yahweh redeems the life of his servants, and none who take refuge in him will incur guilt.” Psalms 34:14-22 LEB “Depart from evil and do good; Seek peace and pursue it. The eyes of The LORD are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their cry. The face of The LORD is against those who do evil, To cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. The righteous cry out, and The LORD hears, And delivers them out of all their troubles. The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But The LORD delivers him out of them all. He guards all his bones; Not one of them is broken. Evil shall slay the wicked, And those who hate the righteous shall be condemned. The LORD redeems the soul of His servants, And none of those who trust in Him shall be condemned.” Psalms 34:14-22 NKJV Step 3 - Reflect Reflect on what stands out to you as you read. What is God trying to tell you? Step 4 - Respond Respond to The Word you just read. Talk to Your Father about how you feel. Tell Him what is on your mind. Tell him what is on your heart. As you go through your day today keep your eyes open to what you read, what you uncovered, or what you spoke to God about. You may find Him showing up in places you didn't expect. God Bless Everyone. May The God Of All Good Things Give each and everyone of you PEACE! Happy Sabbath and Shabbat Shalom! Good Morning Friday.......
Father Thank You for this NEW Day. Please grant us TRUTH, WISDOM, DISCERNMENT, UNDERSTANDING, and KNOWLEDGE. Father we ask this so that we will not be conformed to this world, but TRANSFORMED by the renewing of our MINDS. In YESHUA, JESUS CHRIST'S Name. Amen. Well, I am humbled for sure. There is a lot happening in our world right now and prophecy is unfolding before our eyes. Most everyone’s lives have been turned in directions we probably didn’t think we would be heading in these days, and while some serious stress can be involved, it is quite exciting. Due to some humbling surprises, the conclusion to our series “Pride & Destruction. Humility & Honor.” will have to wait. I ask for your understanding in this. And... I believe whole heartedly, it is for good reason. If you are upset about this, it is worth remembering... God Is Calling You... Have a HEART 😊. Enjoy todays devotion My Brothers and Sisters, and May The Spirit, Peace, and Grace of Yahweh Yeshua Ha’Mashiach be upon you all. - God Is Calling You... Have A H.E.A.R.T. While looking for articles about "getting more out of God's Word," I recently ran across a wonderful acronym for this very thing. While many people may do a good job of getting into God's Word, they don't necessarily do a good job of letting God's Word get into them. This exercise could help. The acronym is HEART and each letter stands for a discipline that is important when studying The Word of Truth. It is important , because it keeps us humble communing with, examining, analyzing, remembering, and thinking about El Olam (The Everlasting God), Our Father. Let's take a look: H is for Hear - Listen to sermons, teachings, or testimony. Hear what Our Father is doing. Revisit old sermons you haven't heard in a long time and. see if you hear anything different. E is for Examine - Read The Word A is for Analyze - Study The Word R is for Remember - God's Word states that we need to. “remember" many times in The Bible. Memorize some Scripture. T is for Think - Think about The Word H - Hear E - Examine A - Analyze R - Remember T - Think It was explained to me that the first four letters represented the first four fingers of our hand, how they are helpful and necessary to get a balanced understanding of God's Word. The last letter is your thumb. Think about trying to pick up a Bible without a thumb. It would be pretty difficult. Finally, it was explained that truly spending time thinking about and memorizing God's Word allows us to apply it in a more rich way throughout our daily lives. This acronym reminded me very much of one my mother taught growing up, so it resonated inside my HEART. I pray it does the same for all of us. Remember, next time you want to “get more” when studying Our Father’s Word... Just have a HEART. God Bless everybody! May The Peace of Our Father and His Son Our Savior rest upon you today... and everyday. Have a wonderful Holy Word of God HEART-Filled weekend! 🙌🔥🍞 The Word of God: James 1:25 has all 5 of the HEART METHODS in it. “But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.” James 1:25 “Then the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied.” Acts 9:31 “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,” Romans 5:1 “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” Romans 8:31-32 “Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another.” Romans 14:19 Good Morning Thursday...
Our Father Who Art In Heaven, please take Your day and use us, Your humble servants, for Your Good and Perfect Will. Father give us the Grace and Peace Only found in You and in Your Son Jesus Christ, Our King and Messiah. We ask this in Yeshua, Jesus Christ Name. Amen. Tomorrow we will close out our “Pride & Destruction. Humility & Honor.” series. Today, let’s take a look at “Salt & Light” with The Bereans. If we are practicing being “The Salt and Light” of God Almighty... we will be practicing humility and honor, so in many ways this goes right along with our current series. I would encourage all who are seeking God to do as the bereans and “examine the scriptures” “to see if these teachings are true,” for if we do, by Our Father’s natural order, we will be more humble, kind, compassionate, and loving, for it is “The Word That Does The Work.” When we allow God’s Word to do His Work, we are indeed being, becoming, and advancing as...His Salt and Light. A big big thank you to berean.org and the late John O. Reid (1930-2016) for today’s devotion. John, who in his passing, still leaves salt and light upon this world. Our Father Yah Bless each and every one of you on the other side of this screen. Have a Great God-filled, salt and light-filled day! “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 Bible Study: Salt 🧂 and Light 💡 "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house." Matthew 5:13-15 Our Savior Jesus Christ tells us in Matthew 5:13-14 that we are the "salt of the earth" and the "light of the world"—we who are also the weak and the foolish of this world (I Corinthians 1:27). Mentally, when we hear such praises from God, some of us look both ways and behind, and say, "He must be talking about someone else." We struggle to overcome, and we feel we are always "a day late and a dollar short." Though we wish with all our heart that we were more like God, His image in us seems all the more elusive. But Jesus did not lie in saying these things. As salt gives food a rich, pleasant taste, we are those who are to give a good flavor to the lives of those we encounter. There should be something in our conduct that shows the fruit of the life to which God has called us. He goes on to say that, if we are not "radiating with flavor"—reflecting the teachings of God in our lives—what use are we, especially to God Himself? Salt without flavor has no use, and it can even be detrimental to the things it comes in contact with. Maybe its best use is to be put on icy roads, to be ground under the tires of vehicles and then washed away. In Christ's other metaphor, light illuminates what was once dark; it reveals things that were hidden. Though we may be poor, considered old and over the hill, uneducated and obscure, when we live our lives as He instructs, we are a brilliant beacon to this tired and confused world. Our lives can shine a spotlight on the solutions to many common problems experienced by our friends and neighbors. Jesus points out that we should not hide our light under a basket (verse 15), but live it in the open for all to see. We can set a proper example of the abundant way to live. We should give everyone we meet the light of our loving concern, the light of our honesty, the light of joy and peace, the light of godly family relations, the light of good work habits, and all the other rays of light contained in God's way. In doing this, we will initially bring attention upon ourselves, and this may at times become uncomfortable. Righteousness has an uncanny tendency to bring out the worst in carnal human beings. Ultimately, however, we will glorify God the Father and His Son by it, promoting the cause of the Kingdom of God. Good Morning Wednesday...
Father, thank You for this NEW day. We ask that you OPEN our HEARTS and MINDS to Your Word and implant in us Your Goodness. As we walk with You today, gently remind us of Your Presence in our lives. Please watch over our loved ones, Your People Israel, and TRANSFORM our lives TODAY! In Your Son and Our Mighty Savior’s Name, Yeshua, Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen. - Pride & Description. Humility & Honor. Part 2 - 28 Manifestations of Pride. Today, lets take a look at twenty-eight manifestations of pride in our current world. As we read through some of the manifestations of pride, let us all evaluate our own hearts and minds to see if the enemy is luring us into a “fall.” Remember, it is much easier to avoid a “snare” when you see it far ahead of you. Have a wonderful day everyone and may the Peace and Grace of God Our Father, and Our King and Savior Yeshua, Jesus Christ, be upon you all. Manifestations of Pride (Taken From: “From Pride To Humility” Focus Publishers 2000): 1.) Complaining against or passing judgment on God: A proud person in a difficult situation thinks, “Look what God has done to me after all I have done for Him." It is possible we do this passively, in the form of apathy as well. Reference:Numbers 14:1-4, 9, 11; Romans 9:20 2.) A lack of gratitude in general: Proud people usually think they deserve what is good. They are entitled. The result is, they see no reason to be thankful for what they receive. As a matter of fact, they may even complain because they think they deserve better. They tend to be critical, complainers, and are discontent. The proud person is not in the practice of being thankful toward God or others. Reference: 2 Chronicles 32:25; Rom 1:21 3.) Anger: A proud person is often an angry person. One’s anger can include outburst of anger, withdrawing, pouting, or frustration. Another word for anger is moodiness. An angry look has been called “silent murder.” People are often afraid of you (walk on “eggshells” around you). A person most often becomes angry because his or her “rights” or expectations are not being met. Reference: Matthew 20:1-16 4.) Seeing yourself as better than others: A proud person is usually on top looking down on others. He might compare others to himself in his strengths and overlook his weaknesses. He gets easily disgusted and has little tolerance for differences. Reference: Luke 7:36-50 5.) Having an inflated view of your importance, gifts, and abilities: Many proud people have a very wrong perception of themselves. They are a legend (or Cinderella) in their own mind, but what they really need is a loving dose of reality. They need to hear, “What do you have that God didn’t give you?" Reference: 1 Corinthians 4:7 6.) Being focused on the lack of your gifts and abilities: Some proud people may not come across proud at all because they are always down on themselves. This is still evidence of pride because one is focused on self and wants self to be elevated or significant. Having a “woe is me” attitude is self-pity, which is pride. Reference: 1 Corinthians 12:14-25 7.) Perfectionism: People who strive for everything to be perfect often do so for recognition. They may do it so they can feel good about themselves. Whatever the reason, this behavior is very self-serving and proud. The basic problem is making things that are less important more important. Reference: Matthew 23:24-28 8.) Talking too much: Proud people who talk too much often do it because they think that what they have to say is more important than what anyone else has to say. When there are many words, sin in generally unavoidable. Reference: Proverbs 10:19 9.) Talking too much about yourself: A person who is proud may center on themselves in conversation. Sharing personal accomplishments and good personal qualities with others can be bragging or boasting. Reference: Proverbs 27:2; Galatians 6:3 10.) Seeking independence or control: Some proud people find it extremely difficult to work under someone else or to submit to an authority. They have to be their own boss. They might say, “I don’t need anyone” or “I don’t need accountability for my faith and doctrine.” They are often rigid, stubborn, headstrong, unapproachable, unwinsome and intimidating. They only have “yes” people around them – often afraid of honest feedback. They may also say, “It’s my way or not." Reference:1 Corinthians 1:10-13; Ephesians 5:21 11.) Being consumed with what others think: Some proud people are too concerned about the opinion of others. Many of their decisions are based on what others might think. Some are in a continual pursuit of gaining the approval and esteem of others. Focusing on what others think of you or trying to impress or just be on a peer level with others is being a man-pleaser rather than a God-pleaser. Reference: Galatians 1:10 12.) Being discouraged, devastated or angered by criticism: Proud people usually struggle a great deal with criticism. Such people cannot bear (or are perpetually discouraged) that they are not perfect or have weaknesses because they cannot accept who they really are. Reference: Proverbs 13:1 13.) Being unteachable and unapproachable: Many proud individuals think they know it all and act superior. They can’t seem to learn anything from someone else. They respect no one, are stubborn and headstrong. Reference: Proverbs 19:20; John 8:13-34 14.) Being sarcastic, hurtful, or degrading: Proud people can be very unkind people. Those who belittle other people usually want to raise themselves up above others. Very often this can be quite cleverly done through jesting. They may excuse themselves by saying, “That’s just the way I am. That’s my personality." Reference: Proverbs 12:18, 23 15.) A lack of service: Proud people may not serve because they are not thinking of others, or because they want to be coaxed to serve and don’t want to continue if there is no praise. Needing recognition is a sure sign of the wrong motives in service. Reference: Galatians 5:13; Ephesians 2:10 16.) A lack of compassion: A person who is proud is rarely concerned for others and their concerns. He cannot see beyond his own desires. Reference: Matthew 5:7; 18:23-35 17.) Being defensive or blame shifting: You will often hear a proud person say, “Are you saying it’s my fault?” or “Well, what about you?” He tries to explain away or justify his sin (or being wrong about anything). Reference: Genesis 3:12-13; Proverbs 12:1 18.) A lack of admitting when you are wrong: A proud person will make a great many excuses such as “I was tired” or “I was having a bad day.” Reference: Proverbs 10:17 19.) A lack of asking forgiveness: Proud people rarely admit their sin or ask for forgiveness of others. They either cannot see their sin because they are blinded by their pride, or they just can’t seem to humble themselves before someone else and ask forgiveness. Reference: Matthew 5:23-24 20.) Resisting authority or being disrespectful: A proud person may detest being told what to do. We might say he or she has a submission problem. What he or she actually has, however, is a pride problem. It is simply displaying itself in a lack of submission. Reference: 1 Peter 2:13-17 21.) Voicing preferences or opinions when not asked: A proud person might not be able to keep his preferences or opinions to himself. He will offer it when it is not asked for. These preferences are usually voiced without consideration for others. Reference: Philippians 2:1-4 22.) Minimizing your own sin and shortcomings: Proud people typically believe that their sin is no big deal. They think they have a little sin and others have a great deal of it. Reference: Matthew 7:3-5 23.) Maximizing others’ sin and shortcomings: To the proud person, other people are the problem. They may magnify or bring attention to the sin of others by gossiping about the other’s sin. Reference: Matthew 7:3-5; Luke 18:9-14 24.) Being impatient or irritable with others: A proud person might be angry with other people because they are concerned that their own schedule or plans are being ruined. They are often inflexible on preference issues (Ephesians 4:31-32). ____ Being jealous or envious. Often when they do not enjoy the same benefits, proud people have a hard time being glad for others’ successes or blessings. They are discontented when their lot is not as favorable as another’s. Reference: 1 Corinthians 13:4 25.) Using others: The proud person usually views others in terms of what those people can do for him and his interests. His focus is not on ministering to others. Everything is for him and about him. Reference: Matthew 7:12; Philippians 2:3-4). 26.) Being deceitful (pretending to be perfect) by covering up sins, faults, and mistakes: Some proud people will do just about anything in order for others not to find out negative things about them (Proverbs 11:3; 28:13) 27.) Using attention-getting tactics: Proud people may try to draw attention to themselves through dress, bizarre behavior, being rebellious, always talking about their problems, etc. Reference: 1 Peter 3:3-4 28.) Not having close relationship: Proud people often have no use for close relationships, thinking that the trouble outweighs the benefits. They may see themselves as so self-sufficient that they do not need other people. If they are into self-pity, they might be fearful and intimidated for intimacy in relationships Reference: Proverbs 18:1-2; Hebrews 10:24-25 Bonus Bread of Life AKA The Word of Yah: “Before destruction the heart of a man is haughty, And before honor is humility. He who answers a matter before he hears it, It is folly and shame to him.” Proverbs 18:12-13 NKJV “When pride comes [boiling up with an arrogant attitude of self-importance], then come dishonor and shame, But with the humble [the teachable who have been chiseled by trial and who have learned to walk humbly with God] there is wisdom and soundness of mind.” Proverbs 11:2 AMP “Jesus repeatedly ordered them, saying, “Watch out! Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.” Mark 8:15 AMP |
SERVANT OF YESHUA 7
Archives
April 2023
|