Do unto

Romans 12:9-13

9 Don’t let love be a mere outward show. Recoil from what is evil, and cling to what is good. 10 Love each other devotedly and with brotherly love; and set examples for each other in showing respect. 11 Don’t be lazy when hard work is needed, but serve the Lord with spiritual fervor. 12 Rejoice in your hope, be patient in your troubles, and continue steadfastly in prayer. 13 Share what you have with God’s people, and practice hospitality.

Today I am echoing what others have said before, if the body of believers is to be effective in this world then we have to change how we treat each other. Why would non-believers want to join us if they are going to be treated as they already are by others. Until they see us actually love one another, care for each other’s needs, and support each other as Sha”ul tells us in Romans there will be no change in the uselessness of the greater body of believers. God please save us from ourselves.

Danger of replacing the Word

Romans 10:1-3

10 Brothers, my heart’s deepest desire and my prayer to God for Isra’el is for their salvation; 2 for I can testify to their zeal for God. But it is not based on correct understanding; 3 for, since they are unaware of God’s way of making people righteous and instead seek to set up their own, they have not submitted themselves to God’s way of making people righteous.

There is nothing new under the sun, be it the nation of Israel or supersessionist churches who think they replace Israel, when people start making up their own rules for salvation there is only death. There is only one way to salvation, trust in the sacrifice of Yeshua, and there is only one God honored by that, Adonai.

Wisdom

Proverbs 3:13-18

13 Happy the person who finds wisdom,
the person who acquires understanding;
14 for her profit exceeds that of silver,
gaining her is better than gold,
15 she is more precious than pearls —
nothing you want can compare with her.
16 Long life is in her right hand,
riches and honor in her left.
17 Her ways are pleasant ways,
and all her paths are peace.
18 She is a tree of life to those who grasp her;
whoever holds fast to her will be made happy.

Wisdom is simply this grasping Adonai’s Word and trusting in the sacrifice of Yeshua. When we do that all manner of blessings come into our lives. Lord you have blessed me with love, a wealth of children, and friends who have become family. Continue to write Your Word in my heart so that I may grow closer to you. Amen.

Trust

Romans 6:23

23 For what one earns from sin is death; but eternal life is what one receives as a free gift from God, in union with the Messiah Yeshua, our Lord.

We have earned our death before our righteous God, yet if we trust Him and the pardon He inbodied in Yeshua, then we will have life forever. Lord as the man said to Yeshua, “I trust, help me to trust.” Strengthen me for the days ahead so that I might be the example you would have me be. Amen.

The Crucible

Romans 5:1-5

5 So, since we have come to be considered righteous by God because of our trust, let us continue to have shalom with God through our Lord, Yeshua the Messiah. 2 Also through him and on the ground of our trust, we have gained access to this grace in which we stand; so let us boast about the hope of experiencing God’s glory. 3 But not only that, let us also boast in our troubles; because we know that trouble produces endurance, 4 endurance produces character, and character produces hope; 5 and this hope does not let us down, because God’s love for us has already been poured out in our hearts through the Ruach HaKodesh who has been given to us.

To know God, really know Him not know of Him, produces peace in our lives. It is that peace that lets us as believers to use the difficulties of this life to bring us closer to God, and in that give stronger witness to His love.

Actions

Romans 2:13

13 For it is not merely the hearers of Torah whom God considers righteous; rather, it is the doers of what Torah says who will be made righteous in God’s sight.

It is not enough to listen to God’s Word and say He is Lord. There must be action to demonstrate that Adonai rules in your everyday life. Actions give definition to your words, liar or doer. Lord hold me to this standard so that Your light shines to this world that I am in.

Trust

Romans 1:16-17

16 For I am not ashamed of the Good News, since it is God’s powerful means of bringing salvation to everyone who keeps on trusting, to the Jew especially, but equally to the Gentile. 17 For in it is revealed how God makes people righteous in his sight; and from beginning to end it is through trust — as the Tanakh puts it, “But the person who is righteous will live his life by trust.”

Trusting in Adonai in all things is what sets us apart as believers and His children. God strengthen my trust.

Giving

1 Chronicles 29:9

9 The people were filled with joy, because they had given willingly — wholeheartedly they had given willingly to Adonai; and David the king too was completely filled with joy,

This is the secret to giving, do it willingly. In this case the joy the people felt contributing to the construction of the temple caused King David to bless the nation. By giving willingly Adonai fills our lives with joy allowing us to witness to others.

Seek

1 Chronicles 28:9

9 “As for you, Shlomo my son, know the God of your father. Serve him wholeheartedly and with desire in your being; for Adonai searches all hearts and understands all the inclinations of people’s thoughts. If you seek him, he will let himself be found by you; but if you abandon him, he will reject you forever.

Though David was challenging his son Shlomo (Solomon) to always trust and search after Adonai, it is the same for us. If we seek after Him, He will come to us, if we ignor Him, He will abandon us to death.

Commanded

1 Thessalonians 2:3-4

3 For the appeal we make does not flow from error or from impure motives, neither do we try to trick people. 4 Instead, since God has tested us and found us fit to be entrusted with Good News, this is how we speak: not to win favor with people but with God, who tests our hearts.

Witnessing to others is not about saving souls, even though that can be a result. It is about obeying and pleasing God. Adonai Tza’vaot, the Lord of Host commands us to share His Word, it is the Ruach HaKodesh, the Holy Spirit that convicts. How can we as believers keep silent if we truely want to please God?