Reward

Revelations 22:12

“Pay attention!” [says Yeshua,] “I am coming soon, and my rewards are with me to give to each person according to what he has done.

 

I cannot help but to read this verse and go back to my Navy days. One of the forms of correction a commanding officer had was non-judicial punishment a kind of local court the Captain could call together to address small infractions that could be corrected with the proper kind of reward he would issue at the end of testimony. What was not so well known in the Navy is that the Captain could call together the same group to reward a sailor for doing something above and beyond, his reward forever recorded in that sailor’s personnel file. We must all pay attention to our thoughts and actions because our living savior Yeshua has promised us to reward us for our actions just as those Captains did in my sailing days. Lord thank You for making Your word plain and understandable for me. Amen.

Lessons

Revelations 18:19-20

And they threw dust on their heads as they wept and mourned, saying,

“Oh no! The great city!

The abundance of her wealth

made all the ship owners rich!

In a single hour she is ruined!”

Rejoice over her, heaven!

Rejoice, people of God,

emissaries and prophets!

For in judging her, God has vindicated you.

 

It breaks my heart to see those who cling to sin fall from the grace of God.  Even now I have friends who think their apostasy is true faith when it directly conflicts with the words Yeshua spoke and are recorded throughout the gospels.  Yet even as we as believers see this destruction we are told to rejoice because in the judgements of ADONAI that we see we have warning and testimony to turn from sin and seek salvation through Yeshua.  Lord let me learn more of You, so I can cling to You more closely no matter the circumstances that surround me.  I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Persevere

Revelations 7:13-15

One of the elders asked me, “These people dressed in white robes—who are they, and where are they from?” “Sir,” I answered, “you know.” Then he told me, “These are the people who have come out of the Great Persecution. They have washed their robes and made them white with the blood of the Lamb.  That is why they are before God’s throne.

“Day and night they serve him in his Temple;

and the One who sits on the throne

will put his Sh’khinah upon them.

 

Something that is near to my heart, as Sha’ul wrote Timothy if we persevere in our trust, we will serve ADONAI forever.  I cannot imagine a greater time than serving in the presence of God.  Lord let me stay focused on You forever.  I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Communion

Revelation 3:20

Here, I’m standing at the door, knocking. If someone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he will eat with me.

 

Communion with ADONAI only starts when we invite Him into our hearts so that He can circumcise us into new beings.  God through Yeshua’s sacrifice is continually trying to be one with us but we must invite Him in.  It takes action and investment on our part to open the door and eat the sacrificial meal with God, only then will be truly saved.  Lord let me always hold the doors of my heart open to Your salvation and teaching.  I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

His Word

Psalms 119:105-112

Your word is a lamp for my foot

and light on my path.

I have sworn an oath and confirmed it,

that I will observe your righteous rulings.

I am very much distressed;

ADONAI, give me life, in keeping with your word.

Please accept my mouth’s voluntary offerings, ADONAI;

and teach me your rulings.

I am continually taking my life in my hands,

yet I haven’t forgotten your Torah.

The wicked have set a trap for me,

yet I haven’t strayed from your precepts.

I take your instruction as a permanent heritage,

because it is the joy of my heart.

I have resolved to obey your laws

forever, at every step.

 

This passage is the very definition of my walk with ADONAI.  It is His Word, His Torah made flesh in Yeshua Ha Mashiach that has brought salvation to all of us.  I have given my life over to being obedient to His Word, yet even today in my maturity there are many times my selfishness comes through and I must atone for the sin in my heart.  And though the world may try to draw me into the false doctrine of the rebellious it is God’s Word that keeps me from that trap.  My salvation is in God’s Word forever and forever amen.  Lord thank You for caring for not just me but all humanity to let us have life and more abundantly in Your Word.  Amen.

Obedience is the Mark

1 John 2:3-6

The way we can be sure we know him is if we are obeying his commands.  Anyone who says, “I know him,” but isn’t obeying his commands is a liar—the truth is not in him.  But if someone keeps doing what he says, then truly love for God has been brought to its goal in him. This is how we are sure that we are united with him.  A person who claims to be continuing in union with him ought to conduct his life the way he did.

 

This is the true mark of a believer, obedience to ADONAI’s commands.  Our trust should drive us to live our lives just as Yeshua lived with no exception.  How do we know what commands to follow, by studying the same word Yeshua and the Talmidim studied, the Torah and the Prophets.  So that we are never the people who fall away for lack of knowledge of the Word.  Lord let my heart be open to everything You would write on it.  I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Ignore the petty

John 21:20-22

Kefa turned and saw the talmid Yeshua especially loved following behind, the one who had leaned against him at the supper and had asked, “Who is the one who is betraying you?”  On seeing him, Kefa said to Yeshua, “Lord, what about him?”  Yeshua said to him, “If I want him to stay on until I come, what is it to you? You, follow me!”

 

Just before these verses Yeshua had challenged Kefa on his commitment and told him how he would die.  Instead of focusing on his commission, Kefa did what I have done many times “well what about the other guy” why does he get a better deal than me.  ADONAI calls all of us to serve but not all of us to do the same thing.  Sha’ul explains the body of believers can’t all be an eye, or all be a ear, some have to be hands and feet and arms and legs and so on.  Petty jealousies can tear down a congregation just as fast as slanderous gossip.  As believers we should focus on what we are called to do and help our fellow believers in what they are called to do.  Lord let me always look to Your service and Your desires for me instead of pining for the commission of others.  I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Trust, Hear, Move

John 18:10-11

Then Shim’on Kefa, who had a sword, drew it and struck the slave of the cohen hagadol, cutting off his right ear; the slave’s name was Melekh.  Yeshua said to Kefa, “Put your sword back in its scabbard! This is the cup the Father has given me; am I not to drink it?”

 

I read this and see myself in Kefa.  Thoughtless action to resolve a time of great stress.  When there is a movement of ADONAI and I try to shape it to my own understanding and power instead of with discipline (meekness) and patience listening, follow the leadership of the Ruach HaKodesh since Yeshua himself stated the Spirit can only speak truth so that we as a nation of trust will act as one.  As Shlomo wrote there is a time for all things, but only in God’s time will all things be revealed.  Lord let me hear Your Word more fully as You send the Counselor to lead me in these days.  I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Judge by the Word

John 12:47-50

If anyone hears what I am saying and does not observe it, I don’t judge him; for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world.  Those who reject me and don’t accept what I say have a judge—the word which I have spoken will judge them on the Last Day.  For I have not spoken on my own initiative, but the Father who sent me has given me a command, namely, what to say and how to say it.  And I know that his command is eternal life. So what I say is simply what the Father has told me to say.”

 

We are not to just be hearers of the Word but doers, why because ADONAI said so.  It is His Word, His Promise, His covenant with us that will judges us.  Did we keep up to what He asked of us?  Or instead did we ignore what He said and pursued our own selfish desires so as to separate us from God, replacing His glory for our own self-indulgence.  It is not the actions of Yeshua that judge us, or the testimony of other believers that give light to God’s Word, but our own actions once we acknowledge the Word in our lives and choose to follow or ignore.  Lord forgive me for a lifetime of selfishness and let me cling to the sacrifice of Yeshua, joining in and fully participating so I might stand holy before You.  Keep me in Your will so I can be worthy of Your service.  I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Work

John 9:4

As long as it is day, we must keep doing the work of the One who sent me; the night is coming, when no one can work.

 

This was Yeshua’s answer to the talmidim before healing the man blind from birth.  To me it speaks as long as we are in this life, we have a duty to work for the Kingdom of God daily.  There was I man I knew who was so strong in his trust who in his last days as disease ate his physical body continued to witness to the hospital staff that was attending him.  That is the level of commitment I seek to achieve, that no matter what pain or impediment placed before me I continue to witness to the power and glory of ADONAI and salvation through Yeshua, because as long as we are here in the days of life in this world, we must keep doing the work of God.  Lord let me have the strength I need to always witness for You.  I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.