Good Morning Tuesday...
Father, please help us to SHOW GRACE to others today. Let our words BE KIND and our actions BE HELPFUL. Please help us to not respond selfishly instead, allow us to RESPOND WITH LOVE. ABBA, during this time of Elul, and everyday, we ask you to HELP US to SEE our SINs, REPENT from them, CONFESS them, AND BE CLEANSED by Your Mighty Right Hand. IN YESHUA, JESUS CHRIST’S GLORIOUS AND MIGHTY NAME we ask these things Father. AMEN! - The 40 Days of Elul (Day 24): A Servant’s Wisdom and The Source Part 46 Wisdom: “Whatever is to make us better and happy, God has placed either openly before us or close to us.” - Seneca The Source AKA The Word This Wisdom Came From: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. This one was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and apart from him not one thing came into being that has come into being. In him was life, and the life was the light of humanity. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.” John 1:1-5 LEB “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 NKJV “So do not fear, for I AM with you; do not be dismayed, for I AM Your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My Righteous Right Hand.” Isaiah 41:10 NIV “Yeshua came to them and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Go and make disciples of all nations, immersing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I commanded you. Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.” Matthew 28:18-20 WMBBE “For since the creation of the world God’s Invisible Qualities, His Eternal Power and Divine Nature, have been clearly seen, being understood from His Workmanship, so that men are without excuse.” Romans 1:20 BSB Prayer: Dear Father God, Thank You for Your Word and Your Love. Thank You for The Truth and Your Everlasting Word of Teaching. Thank You for making Your Word, Your Salvation, and Your Truth available to us, Your Children, so that we don’t ever have to question Your Love for us. There is none like Your Word O’ Father because their is none like You. There is none so Wise, faithful, Loving, kind, merciful, and Holy like You Father. Thank You for always being there for us, for teaching us in The Way we should go, and giving us Your PEACE Through Yeshua Ha’Mashiach, Jesus Christ Our King. Help us to take Your Word which is ever before us and plant it in our hearts and minds. Help us to believe Your Word for our protection, safety, PEACE of mind, and for Wisdom. Show us Father what it means to Love You with all our heart, soul, mind ,and strength, for we want to be shaped and fashioned by You. Finally Father, help us to put Your Word into practice and to draw closer to You, so that You may make us a Holy People, full of Your Wonderful Word and full of Your Wonderful Love. 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. Show us Your Ways Father... Show us Your Love and show us Your Teachings that bring Life to those who follow them. 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 Love and 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 Extra Thoughts During Elul: “If, however, there is a needy person among you, one of your kinsmen in any of your settlements in the land that the The Eternal your God is giving you, do not harden your heart and shut your hand against your needy kinsman. Rather, you must open your hand and lend him sufficient for whatever he needs.” – Deuteronomy 15:7-8 Giving even a small amount of tzedakah forces us to recognize the extent of poverty in the world, awakens our compassion toward others, and helps us see our wealth as God’s loan to us, rather than as a tribute to our own worth. – Jacobs, There Shall Be No Needy Something To Think About: As you reflect on the past year, can you think of particular times in which you have you opened your heart and hand to others? Have you held back from extending help to those in need? Have you made a habit of generosity? If so, how? If not, what would that look like? “Give, and it will be given to you, a good measure—pressed down, shaken, overflowing—they will pour out into your lap. For with the measure by which you measure out, it will be measured out to you in return.”” Luke 6:38 LEB “I am my Beloved’s, and my Beloved is mine. He feeds His Flock among the lilies.” Song of Solomon 6:3
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Good Morning Monday...
Father thank You for this NEW DAY! As we rise to meet this new day, please let us be filled with Your Spirit. Wherever we go, let us SPREAD LOVE, JOY, PEACE, GOODNESS, and FAITHFULNESS. Let us desire to become more like You and to worship You IN ALL WE DO. Help us desire these things so much more than the sin that entices us. ABBA, during this time of Elul, and everyday, we ask you to HELP US to SEE our SINs, REPENT from them, CONFESS them, AND BE CLEANSED by Your Mighty Right Hand. Lead us away from false prophets, strengthen us to endure trials, and lead us toward Your Narrow Gate. In praise, we pray IN YESHUA, JESUS CHRIST's Name. Amen! - The 40 Days of Elul (Day 23): A Prayer During Elul. Meeting With God Our Father. “For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law (Instructions) of The LORD (YHWH, Yahweh), and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel.” Ezra 7:10 When we pray, we are quite literally having a meeting with God Our Father. During our meeting we get to speak with The Almighty Creator of All Things, who can fulfill every need we have. What a privilege! Yeshua, Jesus Christ Our Savior, Is ALWAYS Near To Us. May we meet with Him today and grow nearer to His Love and Peace, Which Surpasses All Understanding. Let us pray: Dear Almighty God Our Father In Heaven and Our Ever Faithful Lord and Savior, Yeshua, Jesus Christ, Help us to be like Your Servant Ezra. Help us to prepare our hearts to seek You and Teach others of Your Statutes and Ordinances, for we know You Bring Life. Plant Your Word deep inside us with fertile hearts and let it grow like the mustard seed You spoke of in Your Timeless Parable. Teach us to know You and write Your Word on our hearts and in our minds. Help us to internalize You and obey You with joy. Help us to make You a priority in our lives and help us to treat others as You would. Help us to repent, to turn back to You, from wherever we have drifted and from whatever may have led us astray. Let us be known by You. Teach us to value what You value and to allow Your Word to become our greatest standard, by which we measure everything. Help us to take the good things from You in our lives and to dispose of the bad things we have brought in our lives from this fallen world. Help us to judge righteously by Your Standard. Thank You For Never Changing and Always Being Our Rock. Show us how to point to You as Your Scriptures Do. Help us to show others and speak of all that You have done for us, this world, and every living and breathing creature which you made. Please lead us to others that we can share and teach Your Word to, and also those whom we can learn from and edify. You Are So Vast And Wonderful. Sometimes it is easy to talk about You Father, and sometimes it can be tough to know where to start. Sometimes we may not feel qualified, and sometimes we get in our own way, please help us become stronger, more consistent, and confident in these areas. We know people are starving for You and it seems the world around us knows very little about Your Word. We are Your Servants... send us where we are needed and reveal to us who and when to perform The Great Commission, our great honor, and the important task of volunteering and sharing You. Your Life, Teachings, and Love Are A Lamp To Our Feet, Lighting Our Paths. Help us to share Your Amazing Love Story And The Truth of You, The One True, Living, Almighty, And Loving God, Who Never Leaves Us Or Forsakes His People, with this world that So Desperately Needs You. We Love Your Story, We Love Your Guidance, And We Love You. We pray these things to You Father in Your Mighty Son's Name, Yeshua, Jesus Christ Our King. Amen. More Manna From Heaven AKA The Word of Truth: “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7 “Behold, the days are coming, says The LORD (Yahweh), when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah— not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says The LORD (Yahweh). But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says The LORD (Yahweh): I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know The LORD (Yahweh),’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says The LORD (Yahweh). For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.” Jeremiah 31:31-34 “Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies. Test all things; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.” I Thessalonians 5:19-22 “For I am The LORD (YHWH, Yahweh), I do not change; Therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob.” Malachi 3:6 “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” Hebrews 13:8 Extra Thoughts For Elul: Being Content: ‘Who is rich? He who is satisfied with his lot.” – Ethics of the Fathers Who seeks more than he needs, hinders himself from enjoying what he has. Seek what you need and give up what you need not. For in giving up what you don’t need, you’ll learn what you really do need.” – Mivhar Hapeninim (11th Cent. Spain) Something to Ponder On: Do you find it easy or challenging to be content with what you have? If it is a challenge, what emotions or circumstances do you think affect your general level of contentedness? Is there anything you might “give up” in order to better learn what you really need? “Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:11-13 “I am my Beloved’s, and my Beloved is mine. He feeds His Flock among the lilies.” Song of Solomon 6:3 The 40 Days of Elul (Day 22): Persecution, Blessing, and Christian Character. (Matthew 5:10-12)9/18/2022 Good Morning Sunday...
Father Thank You for this NEW DAY. We have GRATEFUL HEARTS for all You Do. Thank You for the extraordinary gifts in our lives and the EXTRAORDINARY LOVE you share with us in YOUR WORD FATHER. ABBA, during this time of Elul, and everyday, we ask you to HELP US to SEE our SINs, REPENT from them, CONFESS them, AND BE CLEANSED by Your Mighty Right Hand. Lead us away from false prophets, strengthen us to endure trials, and lead us toward Your Narrow Gate. In praise, we pray IN YESHUA, JESUS CHRIST's Name. Amen! A Big Thank You to our late Brother, John Ritenbaugh, and berean.org for today's devotion. God Bless my Brothers and Sisters and have a Blessed 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 - The 40 Days of Elul (Day 22):A Berean Breakdown: Persecution, Blessing, and Christian Character (Matthew 5:10-12) (10) Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, For theirs is The Kingdom of Heaven. (11) "Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. (12) Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Matthew 5:10-12 NKJV It may seem strange that Jesus passes so quickly from peacemaking in the previous beatitude to persecution—from the work of reconciliation to the experience of hostility. But we come to learn from life's experiences following conversion that, however hard we try to live peacefully or to make peace through reconciliation, some refuse to live at peace with us. Indeed, as this beatitude shows, some take the initiative to oppose, revile, and slander us. We must live with and adjust to the fact that persecution is simply the clash between two irreconcilable value systems. God has called us, selected us, to represent Him in patiently enduring and even overcoming persecution as part of our witness and preparation for His Kingdom. God is not without sympathy for the difficulties these challenges pose for us, but He calls us blessed, counseling us to "rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is [our] reward in heaven" for successfully overcoming persecution. We should realize we do not earn The Reward because we are doing only what we are supposed to do (Luke 17:7-10 (reference below)). But God freely gives the reward; He promises it as His Gift. We are to face persecution remembering "that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us" (Romans 8:18 (full reference below)) . When it comes upon us, we should not retaliate like the world, sulk like a child, lick our wounds like a dog in self-pity, or simply grin and bear it like a masochistic Stoic. Our Savior tells us to rejoice in it because it proves the authenticity of our faith, puts us into a noble succession of towering figures of faith who have preceded us, and guarantees us great reward in The Kingdom. It may also put us into the company of many martyrs exalted in God's Word. Above all, persecution for His sake brings us into fellowship with the sufferings of our Savior. Our Love for Christ should be so great that we rejoice that it has come upon us on His account. If He suffered so much to give us this awesome future, why should we not gladly suffer a little for Him? Persecution is a blessing in disguise designed to bring out the best of Christian character. From it we frequently become aware of weaknesses in our character. Persecution's pressures are humbling. They make us understand that our spiritual infirmities are so great that we cannot stand for a single hour unless Christ upholds us. How true are His Words, "Without Me you can do nothing" (John 15:5 (reference below)). Persecution can also keep us from certain sins because it makes us more vividly aware of the impossibility of friendship with the world. Seeing we cannot have both the world and The Kingdom, it can help us set our resolve to live righteously. "And not only that," the apostle Paul writes in Romans 5:3-4 (reference below), "but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope." At first glance, persecution seems contradictory to The Way and purpose of God. Though we certainly do not wish it upon anyone, and though we sincerely hope we do not have to face it, we can understand in the broad overview that, because of the enmity of satan, it is inevitable. And in reality, it is a disguised blessing, designed to complete our preparation for God's Kingdom. The Word of Truth, The Word of God (Reference Scriptures): “And which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and sit down to eat’? But will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare something for my supper, and gird yourself and serve me till I have eaten and drunk, and afterward you will eat and drink’? Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I think not. So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.” Luke 17:7-10 “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14:27 “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God.” Romans 8:18-19 “I Am The Vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” John 15:5 “And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by The Holy Spirit who was given to us.” Romans 5:3-5 Extra Thoughts For Elul: Faith demands patience in the face of a future that we cannot see and the determination to make good things happen. If we could know the future with certainty, we would not need faith. But because we cannot know, we have to trust in The Power greater than ours to guide us. . . . Faith demands that we engage in a delicate dance of both relinquishing control to an authority above us and acting within our full human capacity to realize our Divine Purpose in Christ while living this Life. On Feast of Trumpets (Rosh HaShana) we celebrate God’s Kingship by acknowledging God’s authority. We recommit ourselves to being faithful servants of The One True King. A faithful servant does not wait for a better future but, in partnership, creates one.” – Brown, Daily Inspiration for the Days of Awe Something to Ponder On: Think about the events of the past year. To what extent have you been able to relinquish control to an authority above or beyond you? To what extent have you acted within your capacity to realize what God demands of you? Which of these is harder? How do these two aspects of faith affect one another in your life? “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except by God, and those that exist are put in place by God.” Romans 13:1 “I am my Beloved’s, and my Beloved is mine. He feeds His Flock among the lilies.” Song of Solomon 6:3 Good Morning Sabbath...
Father, thank You for this NEW SABBATH 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, MERCY, that you WAIT FOR US, and You STRENGTHEN US. We come to You today, choosing to walk in YOUR PRESENCE AND LIGHT. IN YESHUA, JESUS CHRIST’s Name we pray. AMEN! - The 40 Days of Elul (Day 21): Having A Thankful Heart “My cup overflows with your blessings” Psalm 23:5 Being mindful, giving praise, and being thankful in the midst of a trial isn’t always easy. When we discipline ourselves into responding this way though, we are winning a serious spiritual battle. Thanking Our Father in Heaven and Yeshua, Jesus Christ, even when life is difficult, this is when we are defeating our enemy. Isn’t this what Our Savior did in The Garden of Gethsemane before His crucifixion? It is. This is The Perfect Example of having a thankful heart in the midst of an excruciatingly difficult situation. When we act in this manner, our enemy hits a “brick wall,” and we are successfully defending against the “spiritual hosts of wickedness” we read about in Ephesians 6:12. Let’s take a look: “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Ephesians 6:12 KJV Part of “being more like Christ” is learning to be thankful for all the blessings in our lives, no matter the situation. Our Father in Heaven takes great joy if, in the middle of a great trial, we can be thankful, reverent, and acknowledge Him as sovereign. This is a prime example of looking at our lives from an eternal standpoint. We have a treasure set before us and the reality of eternal life and eternal glory are priceless. We won’t always have to deal with trials and one day there will be no pain (Revelation 21:4), but until then, may the reality that is possible because of Our Savior Yeshua, Jesus Christ, and Yahweh, Our Father In Heaven, be enough to keep us encouraged and HAVING A THANKFUL HEART. A Prayer to Have a Thankful Heart: Father YHWH (Yahweh), please teach and discipline us to be able to offer you a thankful heart amidst all our trials and our blessings. In our daily experiences it can be easy to have our minds drift onto worldly things, emotions, and people. Help us instead to focus on You Father. We long to bring you a fragrance in our actions that is pleasing to You. Help us to break the power of the enemy and defeat him through our thankfulness to You, even during our trials. Father, enlarge in all of us a “heart of flesh” and break away our “hearts of stone.” Transform our minds to have an attitude of thanks, praise, and discipline with our present circumstances, and the new ones we will face this week. Let’s all take a moment to thank Our Father for any difficult areas we may be dealing with in our lives. Yeshua, Jesus Christ, Our King... we want to be more like You. You obeyed Our Father with zero complaints. You took upon Yourself our chains, which You did not have to do, so we may be freed of our chains and the sin that entices us. Please be with us and convict us when we complain, compare, minimize, or focus on the negative instead of You and Our Father in Heaven. We know that You are Truth, and Truth dwells in a thankful heart. Yeshua, dwell in our hearts today and forever more, so we can show others what HAVING A THANKFUL HEART is all about. “I will thank Yahweh according to his righteousness, and I will sing praise to The Name of Yahweh, The Most High. Yahweh, our LORD, how majestic is Your Name in all the earth, who put Your Splendor above the heavens.” Psalms 7:17-8:1 In Yeshua, Jesus Christ's Name, Amen. Our Father in Heaven and Our Savior bless each and every one of you on the other side of this screen... Mightily! Have a great week everyone. Love you all.😎🙌🔥 Extra Thoughts For Elul: The Hebrew word “yirah” connotes three different experiences combined: fear, awe, and reverence. There are situations in which it is possible to feel fear and reverence and awe in one single, combined inner experience. Imagine, for example, standing at the very lip of a grand valley, looking down into the vast, deep, and magnificent landscape. Wouldn’t you feel dread at the sheer drop into the yawning abyss, dumbfounding astonishment at the beauty of the vast and colorful scene, and maybe also awareness of the divine majesty that permeates this magnificent world? Certain situations or experiences call forth awe without any effort at all. Witness a whale breaching or an eagle soaring, hear a baby’s first cry or look upon a magnificent sunset, and the heart responds and connects. Those “free samples” of awe take no effort, but if we want to train the heart to open to awe, we must undertake some practice. It needs to be clear, though, that cultivating the capacity to experience awe requires not that you seek out the spectacular, but rather that you endeavor to find the spectacular in everything. – Alan Morinis, With Heart in Mind Something to think about during Elul: Have you experienced a “free sample” of yirah during the past year? What effect did it have on you? How attuned are you to “the spectacular Our Father and Savior Provides in everything”? Are there specific times or places in which you are more likely to notice the everyday miracles around you? What do you imagine would happen if you made a practice of noticing The Awesome Power of Our Divine Heavenly Father and Savior even in everyday situations? “There is none like you, O Yahweh, You Are Great and Your Name Is Great In Might.” Jeremiah 10:6 “I am my Beloved’s, and my Beloved is mine. He feeds His Flock among the lilies.” Song of Solomon 6:3 The 40 Days of Elul (Day 20): How To Begin To Heal Our Souls And Forgive. Love Is The Key.9/16/2022 Good Morning Friday...
Father God, thank you for this new day. Abba help us to have quiet, peaceful, and humble hearts. Teach us to be gentle, like You, with ourselves, so that we may be gentle with others. Teach us to be patient, like You, with ourselves, so we may be patient with others. Teach us kindness and gratitude, joy and humor, strength and forgiveness, trust and faith, openness, willingness, and surrender. We ask this in YESHUA, JESUS CHRIST’S NAME. AMEN! Last night during ministry the issue of forgiveness, “being right with God,” and being mindful of what we have been forgiven for was approached. This devotion, during The 40 Days of Elul no less, seemed very fitting. Ahava V’Shalom (Love and Peace) Mishpocha (Family) and have a wonderful Yeshua-Filled Forgiving weekend! - The 40 Days of Elul (Day 20): How To Begin To Heal Our Souls and Forgive. Love Is The Key. It can be a very challenging experience when someone sins against us. It seems that we all are born with a natural tendency to want to talk about that person and solicit sympathy for ourselves. But what does God's Word say about this? Let's check in: “And above all things have fervent Love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.” I Peter 4:8 NKJV “Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.” I Corinthians 13:4-10 NKJV “Hatred stirs up strife, But love covers all sins.” Proverbs 10:12 NKJV Love covers sin. Love sees past sin. Love shows Grace and Mercy, and it does this in The Light of Yeshua, Jesus Christ Our Savior Who Sacrificed Himself Because Of Our Sin Against Him. If Our Father Loves Us enough to send His One And Only Son to take care of our many sins, shouldn't we be more willing to look past someone else's sin knowing all the things in which we are forgiven through Yeshua, Jesus Our Savior? When we apply such godliness to our own lives and relationships it guards our deceitful hearts against gossip, and against the ever so subtle bitterness that can creep into our lives. May we all search our minds and hearts to see if we find anyone in whom we have reoccurring negative thoughts due to a bad experience. This may be difficult to ponder on, but we need only look at the sins we have committed against Our God and Father and have been forgiven through Yeshua Our Savior to understand How To Begin To Heal Our Souls and Forgive...With Love. Prayer: Dear Father God, help us to never lose sight of what we have been forgiven in Yeshua, Christ Jesus Our Savior. Please help open our hearts and minds to understand all that You do for us. With this understanding help us to grant others forgiveness and allow You To Heal And Lead Our Lives. We Praise You, Bless You, Love You, and Thank You. In Your Mighty Son Yeshua, Jesus Christ's Name We Pray. Amen. Extra Thoughts For Elul: A man should be watchful of his conduct. He should scrutinize and pass in review all his actions and habits to determine whether they are right or not, so that he may save his soul from the peril of destruction, and not grope about like a blind man. -- Moses Luzzato, The Path of the Upright (18th c., Italy) [The watchfulness to which Luzzato refers above] is being mindful of oneself and one’s relation to others at every moment. This is a necessary prerequisite to the practice of ethical development, whose goal is to become aware of the feelings, actions, and thoughts that constitute a person’s psyche. A person begins by developing this awareness after an event, then learns to do so closer and closer to the event, and eventually during the event itself or even before. One who develops awareness during or before an event has conquered the skill of watchfulness that [Luzzato] describes here. – Ira Stone, Commentary on Luzzato’s The Path of the Upright Mindfulness is a mode of careful attentiveness to the whole of one’s experience. It emphasizes telling The Truth, respecting one’s experience, responding rather than reacting, and gently returning one’s attention again and again to the initial intention of the practice. It involves an awareness of impermanence, and the interconnection of all that is and a deep appreciation of the fact that every act has an intention and a consequence. – Sheila Peltz Weinberg Extra thoughts during Elul: Are you able to act mindfully? When? When do you tend to act without thinking, or without pausing to realize that you have a choice in how to respond? As you look over the past year, do you see any destructive patterns or habits in your behavior, of which you would like to be more mindful going forward? Do you pray to Our Father about this, or do you have another godly practice of discipline that helps you cultivate mindfulness? “For if you forgive people their sins, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive people, neither will your Father forgive your sins.” Matthew 6:14-15 “Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, The LORD forgave you, so you must forgive others.” Colossians 3:13 “I am my Beloved’s, and my Beloved is mine. He feeds His Flock among the lilies.” Song of Solomon 6:3 Good Morning Thursday...
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. ABBA, during this time of Elul, and everyday, we ask you to HELP US to SEE our SINs, REPENT from them, CONFESS them, AND BE CLEANSED by Your Mighty Right Hand. IN YESHUA, JESUS CHRIST’S GLORIOUS AND MIGHTY NAME we ask these things Father. AMEN! - The 40 Days of Elul (Day 19): God Our Father Will Make His Face... Shine Upon You “The LORD (YHWH, Yahweh) make His Face shine upon you, And be gracious to you;” Numbers 6:25 The Scriptures are full of expressions and illustrations that point to God Our Father Being Not Only A Completely Divine Being, But Also A Person. This is something that might be easy to forget, after all, He Is The Creator Of All Things. His Word Speaks About His Face, Hands, Heart, Eyes, Among Other Parts Of The Body. If we observed Our Mighty God's Face I believe we could see His Expressions and They Would Quickly Tell Us His Judgements, Thoughts, and would be connotative of His Emotions. Our Father Desires A Relationship With Us. A relationship that involves fellowship, communion, and an exchange of intimacy. Just look at Yeshua, Jesus Christ, His Son and all the time spent in solitude with God Our Father, or Moses and the intimate relationship he had with Our Father. Think about it: Why did God Go To Such Lengths Pursuing Us and Sending His Only Son? He was opening THE WAY for us to have intimacy with Him! Our Father wants a two-way relationship with us. His Instructions, Commands, and Precepts Are Perfect and Yeshua, Jesus Christ, not only made these things clear for us, but also clarified all the confusion the corrupt pharisees had caused with them. God Almighty Gave Us THE WAY to sustain and foster an intimate and loving relationship with Him. Many places in The Bible, God's Word, we are encouraged to "Seek The Face" of God Our Father. Just take a look at the first and greatest commandment in Deuteronomy 6 and confirmed by Yeshua (Jesus) in Mark 12 : “Hear, O Israel: The LORD (YHWH, Yahweh) our God, The LORD (YHWH, Yahweh) is One! You shall love The LORD (YHWH, Yahweh) your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.” Deuteronomy 6:4-5 “Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, The LORD (YHWH, Yahweh) our God, The LORD (YHWH, Yahweh) is One. And you shall love The LORD (YHWH, Yahweh) your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment.” Mark 12:29-30 So we see from the very first commandment Our Heavenly Father is telling us He Desires to have a relationship, communion, and intimacy with His Children. Today as we go about our day, may we all accept and embrace the fact that The One True and Living God, Our Heavenly Father, The Almighty Creator of All Things wants us, Loves us, and desires to spend time with us! That is AMAZING! May we all turn to Him, obey, and choose Him so that He Makes "His Face Shine Upon You,"... Today! God Bless Every One! May His Face Shine Upon You Today! Extra Scriptures For Elul: The Word of God, The Word of Truth, and A Blessing For You: “The LORD (YHWH, Yahweh) bless you and keep you; The LORD (YHWH, Yahweh) make His Face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; The LORD (YHWH, Yahweh) lift up His Countenance upon you, And give you peace.” Numbers 6:24-26 “When You said, “Seek My face,” My heart said to You, “Your Face, LORD (YHWH, Yahweh), I will seek.” Do not hide Your Face from me; Do not turn Your servant away in anger; You have been my help; Do not leave me nor forsake me, O God of My Salvation. When my father and my mother forsake me, Then The LORD (YHWH, Yahweh) will take care of me.” Psalms 27:8-10 “I would have lost heart, unless I had believed That I would see the goodness of The LORD (YHWH, Yahweh) In the land of the living. Wait on The LORD (YHWH, Yahweh); Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on The LORD (YHWH, Yahweh)!” Psalms 27:13-14 “I am my Beloved’s, and my Beloved is mine. He feeds His Flock among the lilies.” Song of Solomon 6:3 Good Morning Wednesday...
Father God, thank you for this new day. Abba help us to have quiet, peaceful, and humble hearts. Teach us to be gentle, like You, with ourselves, so that we may be gentle with others. Teach us to be patient, like You, with ourselves, so we may be patient with others. Teach us kindness and gratitude, joy and humor, strength and forgiveness, trust and faith, openness, willingness, and surrender. We ask this in YESHUA, JESUS CHRIST’S NAME. AMEN! - The 40 Days of Elul (Day 18): God Our Father Will Keep You... Always “The LORD (YHVH or YAHWEH) Bless You and Keep You” Numbers 6:24 NKJV When we think of the word "Keep," most likely we draw on the meaning in terms of obeying and keeping the commandments, but really it more closely aligns with the definition of "guarding." In ancient days a shepherd would build a stone fence hedged with thorns around his sheep to protect them from predators and thieves. The Shepherd would use stones to fashion a wall and then thorns would be placed round-about the top protecting from predators such as wolves. What an awesome picture! The Shepherd uses a “crown of thorns” to protect the sheep!... That’s Right! The LORD, YHWH, Yahweh, or Our Heavenly Father, Kind and Loving, is giving us a message in The Scripture above. He is telling us that He Will Place A Hedge of Protection around us. He will hem us in with thorns so the enemy or any predators can't get to us. His “Crown of Thorns” is Powerful. This Priestly Blessing that the verse above is drawn from, or The Aaronic Blessing, is interwoven with the Divine Embrace of Our Heavenly Father. He uses His Blessing to instantly deliver us from the enemies attacks. Whether the enemy attacks us through others, spiritual oppression, or in some cases possession, Our Father's Blessing has the power to deliver us instantly. He is The Shepherd and when He Builds A Hedge... No one can penetrate it. Being in Our Father YHWH's Arms is compared to being in a "thorny hedge" of protection. The enemy and his demons can never and will never break the security of Our Father's Arms. When He uses His “Crown of Thorns,” just as Our Savior Yeshua, Jesus Christ, told us... "it is finished (John 19:30)." He Already Won and the enemy is already defeated. We are protected from all things. Why? Because when we choose to follow God, He Gladly, Lovingly, and Mercifully Accepts Us. We are His spiritual children because of what Yeshua Ha'Mashiach, Jesus Christ Our Savior did on The Cross. His Crown of Thorns hedges us in, because we know He has already defeated the enemy. Knowing this gives us the “mind of Christ,” and helps us properly deal with all things in a godly manner. Whether persecution, tribulation, spiritual oppression, or any other thing that may get thrown at us, Yahweh, Our Father In Heaven, Will... Keep You. HalleluYah! May we take this Blessing with us today and know that when we choose God, Our Savior, and His Ways, guarding His Commandments, He Will Guard Us As The Ultimate, Fearless Warrior-Shepherd That He Is. God Bless Everyone. Praying you all had a wonderful God-Filled week so far and it moves along into a wonderful God-Filled Weekend. Let us all remember to pray for the many affected, all over our country, and world, by the natural disasters. Fires, hurricanes, tornadoes, flooding, and sickness. We live in perilous times and we need each others prayers now more than ever. I Love you all, and today I leave you with The Word of God and A Blessing For You. Shalom (Peace, Wholeness)! The Word of God & A Blessing For You: Remember, this is the blessing that was spoken by the Levitical Priests over Israel. If you accept Yeshua, Jesus Christ, as your personal Master and Savior, you are Israel. And now... We Have A Much Greater High Priest, in The Order of Malchizedek, Yeshua, Jesus Christ Himself... Along with A Greater Covenant. So how much greater is our assurance?! If God be for us... Who can be against us! Praise God for His Mercies Are New Each Morning! 🙌 A Blessing For You: May Yahweh Bless You and Keep You; May Yahweh Make His Face Shine On You And Be Gracious to You; May Yahweh Lift His Countenance Upon You, And Give You Shalom (Peace)! ~ Numbers 6:24-26 Extra Scriptures For Elul: The Word of Yah: “The LORD (YHVH, Yahweh) bless you and keep you; The LORD (YHVH, Yahweh) make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; The LORD (YHVH, Yahweh) lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.” Numbers 6:24-26 NKJV “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? Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at The Right Hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from The Love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from The Love of God which is in Christ Jesus our LORD.” Romans 8:31-39 “I am my Beloved’s, and my Beloved is mine. He feeds His Flock among the lilies.” Song of Solomon 6:3 Good Morning Tuesday...
Father Thank You for this NEW DAY. Thank You for each NEW BREATH You Give Us. We ask You for DISCERNMENT with the things we may not be “seeing,” especially anger Father, so that we may grow closer to You, having COMPLETE LIVES and showing Your Glory. ABBA, during this time of Elul, and everyday, we ask you to HELP US to SEE our SINs, REPENT from them, CONFESS them, AND BE CLEANSED by Your Mighty Right Hand. IN YESHUA, JESUS CHRIST’S GLORIOUS AND MIGHTY NAME we ask these things Father. Amein! A Big Thank You to our late Brother, John Ritenbaugh, and berean.org for today’s devotion. Have you ever wanted to say something and can’t quit get the right words out? Then someone comes along and says what you are trying to say perfectly? It happened with this devotion! God Bless The Bereans! Have a wonderful Tuesday my Brothers and Sisters! - The 40 Days of Elul (Day 17): A Berean Breakdown: Repent From The Anger “A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, But he who is slow to anger and patient calms disputes.” Proverbs 15:18 AMP “A soft answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger.” Proverbs 15:1 “He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, And he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.” Proverbs 16:32 “The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger, And his glory is to overlook a transgression.” Proverbs 19:11 “Do not hasten in your spirit to be angry, For anger rests in the bosom of fools.” Ecclesiastes 7:9 “Rest in The LORD (YHWH, Yahweh), and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; Do not fret—it only causes harm.” Psalm 37:7-8 “The LORD (YHWH, Yahweh) is gracious and full of compassion, Slow to anger and great in mercy.” Psalm 145:8 “Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.” Ephesians 4:31 “But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth.” Colossians 3:8 “Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged”. Colossians 3:21 “He who sows iniquity will reap sorrow, And the rod of his anger will fail.” Proverbs 22:8 Hostility seems to be a hallmark of this church age in a similar way that road-rage is to the world. It is alright for us to be righteously indignant as long as we do not sin. There is a place for righteous indignation, but God does not permit much anger because it is difficult not to sin when we get angry. That kind of anger is a "mark of the beast." Frequently, hostility is simply a denial of reality. People do not have tempers born in them; angry tempers begin to be created in childhood. Parents allow tempers to burst forth, and each time it happens, it becomes easier—and the next time and the next and on and on until it is ingrained in the personality. Anger is nothing more than a passionate response to some sort of stimuli, and it is almost always a self-centered response. It usually begins when we believe that what should or should not have happened either did or did not, and conflict arises. We can believe, either strongly or weakly, it should or should not have happened. Therefore, anger can be either strong or weak or anywhere in between. The reality is this: What happened happened. How will anger help the problem? Satan believes that it does because he wants to control, to win, to compete, to devour, to get the upper hand, to triumph. Do we really need the anger to drive us to manipulate or to punish? Why not just start working on a solution without the anger, knowing full well that the anger will likely create sin and cause additional damage to the relationship? In a way, it is all very logical, but our feelings get in the way. Proverbs 14:12 says, "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death." The first clause can be paraphrased, "There is a way that man thinks things should be." This is where conflict arises: Two people see things differently. The question is, then, who is to say that it should be the way we see it? Things happen because laws are broken, and whatever we sow we reap. Sometimes we get caught in other peoples' ignorance and stupidity. This is a fact of everybody's life, even to God in the flesh. He got caught in the ignorance and stupidity of His fellow Israelites in Judea, and it cost Him His life—yet He did not get angry. What an example! What an example of control. "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus." How far did He go to make peace? To the death. Even when the other person was totally, absolutely, completely wrong, He did not go to war against him. The problem with anger arises when we turn our feelings and drives to set things right, as we see them, into absolute necessities. We feel it must be our way, but the reality is that others have the same rights from God that we have. Everyone has free moral agency. Anger arises because of the way we judge things: We apply the standard that we hold as being the right one. “By this EVERYONE WILL KNOW that you are MY DISCIPLES, if you LOVE ONE ANOTHER.” John 13:35 Extra Thoughts For Elul: Emet (Truth) Rebuke a wise person and he will love you. – Proverbs 9:18 One should not be ashamed to accept the truth from anyone. Even if one is the smallest of the small and completely spurned, still accept the truth from him, for a precious pearl, even in the hands of the small and despised, is still a precious pearl. – “The Gate of Truth” (Anonymous, 15th c., Germany) We are to offer our feedback to others only in a loving manner. Love is the secret ingredient that makes it possible to deliver criticism in a way that will allow it to be heard. . . . As for the feedback we receive, we need it, and mostly we dislike getting it. We need it because we are all masters of self-deception, and so only feedback from others gives us a more accurate reading of the state of our [ethical traits] as others experience them. And we hate getting it because we are not humble. When someone tells us about a shortcoming or a way in which we have missed the mark, the ego springs to the defense. That is no strategy for growth. – Alan Morinis, With Heart in Mind An Extra Thought For Elul: How open are you to hearing The Truth about how others perceive you or your work? What stops you from seeking out this kind of “Truth?” How often do you provide truly loving rebuke to others to bring them closer to Our Father In Heaven, and The Truth? “We tear down arguments and every presumption set up against The Knowledge of God; and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:5 “I am my Beloved’s, and my Beloved is mine. He feeds His Flock among the lilies.” Song of Solomon 6:3 Good Morning Monday…
Father thank You for this NEW DAY! As we RISE to meet this new day, please let us be filled with Your Spirit. Wherever we go, let us SPREAD LOVE, JOY, PEACE, GOODNESS, and FAITHFULNESS. Let us desire to become more like You and to worship You IN ALL WE DO. Help us desire these things so much more than the sin that tries to ensnare us. ABBA, during this time of Elul, and everyday, we ask you to HELP US to SEE our SINs, REPENT from them, CONFESS them, AND BE CLEANSED by Your Mighty Right Hand. IN YESHUA, JESUS CHRIST’S GLORIOUS AND MIGHTY NAME we ask these things Father. AMEN! - The 40 Days of Elul (Day 16): There Is A Time: Repentance And Wisdom Solomon, son of David, servant of The Most High. Our Father used Solomon to give some very profound wisdom. God's Word tells us Solomon was the wisest man in the world, that his wisdom was unequaled. Ecclesiastes was written in the later part of Solomon The Wise's Life, so we can deduce that Solomon was most likely at his wisest while writing this book. Having made mistakes, gone astray, and then stating his folly and Repentance, Ecclesiastes was written with a unique perspective... one that we can gain much from. Today as we look at Ecclesiastes Chapter 3 Verses 1-15, may we understand there is "a time for every purpose under heaven." While we may be in “The 40 Days of Elul,” a time dedicated to repentance, may we also understand, anytime is a good time for repentance, to “turn back” to Our Father and Savior. We will make mistakes and we will learn. The most important thing in this process? Learning The Wisdom And Power of God Almighty, and turning back to Him when we have gone astray. Solomon was the wisest man on earth at the time and he still made many mistakes. I think it is sufficient to say, we will make mistakes also... many of them. Our Father gave us The Greatest Gift Ever In His Son and His Word. May we eat this Bread, turn back to Our Father, gain wisdom, and let Him nourish our souls. Prayer: Dear Father, please open our hearts and minds to accept the wisdom You have given us through Your Ruach Ha’Kodesh, Your Holy Spirit, and through Your Servant Solomon. Help us to turn back to You wherever we may have gone astray. Help us with patience, kindness, long suffering, grace, and Love. We know You have appointed all things, made The Only Way, and given us eternity. Help us to be "good and faithful servants" through The Truth, discernment, wisdom, understanding, and knowledge in which you have imparted in This Word, Your Word. Father, please help us to understand that for everything... there is a season. Being You Have Made " a time for everything," may we accept Your Will in whatever our circumstances and show Your Light, Love, and Wisdom to the world. We Love You, We Praise You, and We Thank You. It is in Your Son, Our King and Savior, Yeshua Ha'Mashiach, Jesus Christ's Name we pray. Amen Our Daily Bread AKA The Word of God: “To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven: A time to be born, And a time to die; A time to plant, And a time to pluck what is planted; A time to kill, And a time to heal; A time to break down, And a time to build up; A time to weep, And a time to laugh; A time to mourn, And a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, And a time to gather stones; A time to embrace, And a time to refrain from embracing; A time to gain, And a time to lose; A time to keep, And a time to throw away; A time to tear, And a time to sew; A time to keep silence, And a time to speak; A time to love, And a time to hate; A time of war, And a time of peace. What profit has the worker from that in which he labors? I have seen the God-given task with which the sons of men are to be occupied. He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end. I know that nothing is better for them than to rejoice, and to do good in their lives, and also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor—it is the gift of God. I know that whatever God does, It shall be forever. Nothing can be added to it, And nothing taken from it. God does it, that men should fear before Him. That which is has already been, And what is to be has already been; And God requires an account of what is past.” Ecclesiastes 3:1-15 NKJV A Daily Bread Bonus During Elul: With the wisdom we have gained, may we become "foolish" (in the worlds view), so that we become "really wise." For "the thoughts of the wise are worthless," God "traps the wise in their own cleverness," and "the wisdom of the world is nonsense as far as God is concerned." May none of us boast in ourselves or "human beings" because of the wisdom Our Father has imparted to us... it is His Alone. In Our Father's Wisdom, He Has Given Us All Things, for we belong to Yeshua, Jesus, and Yeshua Belongs To God. Blessed Be His Name Forever and ever Amen! “planter and waterer are the same. However, each will be rewarded according to his work. For we are God’s co-workers; you are God’s field, God’s building. Using the grace God gave me, I laid a foundation, like a skilled master-builder; and another man is building on it. But let each one be careful how he builds. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Yeshua (Jesus) The Messiah. Some will use gold, silver or precious stones in building on this foundation; while others will use wood, grass or straw. But each one’s work will be shown for what it is; the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire — the fire will test the quality of each one’s work. If the work someone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward; if it is burned up, he will have to bear the loss: he will still escape with his life, but it will be like escaping through a fire. Don’t you know that you people are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you? So if anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you yourselves are that temple. Let no one fool himself. If someone among you thinks he is wise (by this world’s standards), let him become “foolish,” so that he may become really wise. For the wisdom of this world is nonsense, as far as God is concerned; inasmuch as the Tanakh (Bible) says, “He traps the wise in their own cleverness,” and again, “ ADONAI (God, YHWH, YAHWEH) knows that the thoughts of the wise are worthless.” So let no one boast about human beings, for all things are yours — whether Sha’ul (Paul) or Apollos or Kefa (Peter) or the world or life or death or the present or the future: they all belong to you, and you belong to the Messiah, and the Messiah belongs to God.” 1 Corinthians (1 Co) 3:8-23 CJB “I am my Beloved’s, and my Beloved is mine. He feeds His Flock among the lilies.” Song of Solomon 6:3 Good Morning Sunday...
Father thank You for this NEW day. You have blessed us with another WONDERFUL day to see Your WISDOM,TRUTH, and LOVE. May we use this day to show this dark world Your Fruit, Your Light, Your Love, and Your Glory TODAY! ABBA, during this time of Elul, and everyday, we ask you to HELP US to SEE our SINs, REPENT from them, CONFESS them, AND BE CLEANSED by Your Mighty Right Hand. IN YESHUA, JESUS CHRIST’S GLORIOUS AND MIGHTY NAME we ask these things Father. AMEN! - The 40 Days of Elul (Day 15): Love… Accept Him, Then Give Him. The first thing we have to understand about Love: one must receive Love to be able to give Love. After all, how can you give Love if you have never known Love. In Ephesians 3:17-19 we see God giving us a clue through Paul's prayer as to where we can receive that Love first: “to know The Love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all The Fullness of God.” Ephesians 3:19 Here we see that knowing the Love of Yeshua, Jesus Christ, is beyond any knowledge we can attain anywhere in this world... it must come from Our Father Himself, through Our Savior. When His Love does come into our lives we will be filled with "all the fullness of God." Doesn't that sound amazing!? What is the fullness of God you may ask? Well, I think for this devotions purpose we would be wise to look at 1 John 4:8: "God Is Love." 1 John 4:16 If God Is Love, it would make sense that we must receive Him First if we are to give Love properly. For if we have not received Him Which Is Love, how could we possibly be loving others correctly? Even when we do love in the correct way but do not completely know God, we must understand that Love which we give ... is still from Him. Now, let's take a moment to think about this. Love from Our Father is not just something that we are to receive From Him, but also something to give in return freely... as He Has Told Us in 1 John we read: “And this is His commandment: that we should believe on The Name of His Son Jesus Christ and Love one another, as He gave us commandment.” I John 3:23 So the next questions that may be begged are: How can we be kind to those who are mean to us? How can we Love as Our Father Loves? Well, simply put, receive first and then give. But how do we receive God's Love? Take a look at Matthew 7:7-8: “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.” Matthew 7:7-8 I encourage you today if you are curious to know if you have received God's Love yet... ask. To those who know they have received His Love, Praise Abba Yah! Our Father is so Gracious and Kind, and if you ask, He will open you up to something new. Many people tell us to Love, but only God gives us the power to do so. If we do ask, Our Father tells us in James 1:5: “let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” James 1:5 As we wrap things up, let us take a moment today to inquire of God Our Father about His Love. If we do this we can and will come to a greater understanding of how to Love one another, as He Has Commanded. Remember, by following The Word, Yeshua, and His Instructions, we do have the power to Love Unconditionally, just as Our God and Savior Loves us. And lastly, know this, Your Father Loves You personally, powerfully, and passionately. His Love is Unfailing. Others have promised and failed, but God Our Father and Yeshua... He Never Fails. Receive His Love Today. Prayer: Dear Father God, we come to you humbly today and ask that You show us Your Love as Only You Can. During these 40 Days of Elul we seek to return closer to you and we know THE WAY IS LOVE. We know this because You Are Love. We all struggle at times loving our Brothers and Sisters. We ask you for patience and understanding in this, and that you help us to see each other, and all Your children, the way You do. We ask for this so that we may become like You and Your Son a little more everyday until Yeshua, Jesus Christ shows up and finishes Your Good Work. Your Kindness, Mercy, and Unfailing Love knows no bounds and we thank You for the many gifts You have given us. Help us to exhibit Your Character as we try to Love Others More. We ask these things in Your Mighty Son Yeshua, Jesus Christ's Name. Amen. Extra Thoughts For Elul: “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.” Psalms 34:14-15 LEB Prayer: Father God, guard our speech from evil and our lips from deception. Before those who slander us, help us hold our tongues, and give us the power to practice humility and Love. Speech is one of the defining features of humanity. It is a powerful tool that creates connections. “Have a great day!” or “Wonderful to see you!” It only takes a few words. At a deeper level, speech enables us to reveal our innermost feelings and our shared objectives. But speech can also be very destructive. In a moment of frustration or anger, we can wound someone to the quick; we can gossip or slander and ruin someone’s reputation. Sometimes, in a loving effort to be helpful, we say the wrong thing and make matters worse. And there is a strain of North American culture that equates honesty with criticism—“telling it like it is.” Often enough, silence may prove to be the holiest and most Loving response. “I hear you” may be what is needed. We don’t need to fix a friend’s problem or have all the answers. We don’t even need to share similar experiences unless it truly can help because… it is not about us. What is needed is for us to be there, fully present and supportive, sharing the perplexity or pain. Often our first responses are not the ones grounded in wisdom. When we do speak, we would do well to be aware of our objective. Is this the right moment to voice a criticism or make a suggestion? Perhaps what is called for are words of encouragement. And when we have the urge to speak badly of a third person we should refrain. Are we doing this in order to build a bond with our conversation partner at the expense of the third? There are more wholesome ways to build a rapport. Are we doing it out of anger? Anger will subside, but the words we’ve spoken cannot be recalled. In Truth, all three people, the speaker, the listener, and the person of subject may all be affected negatively by speaking badly of another. Therefore, sometimes it may just be better to remain silent. Something to think about: In what way do you struggle most in cultivating “careful speech”: In refraining from slander? In withholding unwanted advice? In interrupting others? Are there circumstances in which you tend to be careless in your speech? To whom might you owe an apology based on careless words? “So also the tongue is a small member of the body and boasts great things. Behold how small a fire sets ablaze how great a forest!” James 3:5 Remember, Yeshua, Jesus Christ Our King Said: “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples—if you have LOVE for one another.” John 13:35 “I am my Beloved’s, and my Beloved is mine. He feeds His Flock among the lilies.” Song of Solomon 6:3 |
SERVANT OF YESHUA 7
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