The Pain before

Acts 7:17-19

“As the time drew near for the fulfillment of the promise God had made to Avraham, the number of our people in Egypt increased greatly, until there arose another king over Egypt who had no knowledge of Yosef.  With cruel cunning this man forced our fathers to put their newborn babies outside their homes, so that they would not survive.

 

Before any great move of ADONAI there is a time of persecution.  From the time of the nation growing from the patriarchs in Egypt, as Stephen quoted to the Sanhedrin to the persecution of the nation state of Israel, to the political attacks on trusting believers throughout the world, there is pain in the culling.  Yet if we as believers stay true to our trust just as Yosef when he was falsely imprisoned, salvation will come.  In fact, it was this very attack on Stephen that spread the believers out of Jerusalem and through all of Judea and Samaria and after that the world.  Lord as we live in this time of wickedness and sin, as Your Word says like the days of Noah, please preserve Your people as You did Noah and his family.  Let all who trust in You be lifted up into Your salvation forever.  I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Gossip

Acts 6:8-12

Now Stephen, full of grace and power, performed great miracles and signs among the people.  But opposition arose from members of the Synagogue of the Freed Slaves (as it was called), composed of Cyrenians, Alexandrians and people from Cilicia and the province of Asia. They argued with Stephen, but they could not stand up against his wisdom or the Spirit by which he spoke.

So they secretly persuaded some men to allege, “We heard him speak blasphemously against Moshe and against God.”  They stirred up the people, as well as the elders and the Torah-teachers; so they came and arrested him and led him before the Sanhedrin.

 

Gossip is the weapon of the enemy against believers.  We see it’s power today in the way social media can warp the truth with a camera angle and a few words of hatred.  As believers we must always stand for truth.  Don’t tolerate damaging stories told behind others backs but confront the tellers and seek the truth in what is being said.  Hold everyone to the standard we hold ourselves before ADONAI when we confess our sins to Him.  Lord let me always lift up Your people, to speak well and truthfully in all things so that Your body is unified in worshiping You.  I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Unstoppable

Acts 5:17-22

But the cohen hagadol and his associates, who were members of the party of the Tz’dukim, were filled with jealousy.  They arrested the emissaries and put them in the public jail.  But during the night, an angel of ADONAI opened the doors of the prison, led them out and said, “Go, stand in the Temple court and keep telling the people all about this new life!”  After hearing that, they entered the Temple area about dawn and began to teach.

 

If something is of ADONAI there is no stopping it.  It is the power of the Ruach HaKodesh that moves it to fruition and there is no power which can oppose it.  That does not mean that there will not be hardship that we experience in this world, as in this example the emissaries were thrown into prison and later on in the chapter flogged and beaten for their trust in God.  Yet they persevered in their commission and brought the Word of ADONAI to the world outside of Israel.  So too we must be like minded in our service to God.  Lord let me be humble in my service but strong to accomplishment.  Let nothing You set me to do go unfinished but Your glory shine for all the world to see.  I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Truth

Psalm 12:7-9

The words of ADONAI are pure words,

silver in a melting-pot set in the earth,

refined and purified seven times over.

You, ADONAI, protect us;

guard us forever from this generation—

the wicked strut about everywhere

when vileness is held in general esteem.

 

As I see the things that are being done today and called “normal”, 11-year-old boy dressed in drag posing with naked men, an open and established “church of satan”, racial violence and more I am drawn to these verses.  It is only ADONAI’s words that are pure, refined seven times over to the holiest of all.  It is in His Word that I will find by salvation and protection from all this insanity around me.  Though sin itself is regarded as normal, I will be protected, guarded from such foolishness because of His righteousness and salvation through Yeshua.  Lord I have such stresses in my life that seek to overwhelm me.  Lord hold me and support me so I might always stand in the pureness of Your Word which is light to my path.  I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Wheels within Wheels

Acts 3:25-26

“You are the sons of the prophets; and you are included in the covenant which God made with our fathers when he said to Avraham, ‘By your seed will all the families of the earth be blessed.’  So it is to you first that God has sent his servant whom he has raised up, so that he might bless you by turning each one of you from your evil ways.”

 

“To the Jew first,” is not just an idea from Sha’ul in his letters but understood by all the Talmidim.  Salvation was shown to nation of Israel first through the Torah so that by their example all the world would reconcile to ADONAI, while at the same time laying the principles from the beginning of creation the redemption through the sacrifice of Yeshua.  Lord how can I even write of the wonders of the works of Your hands.  I am overwhelmed by the care You have for us even in our sin.  Lord let me see You more clearly, lift the veil from my eyes and give me the desire daily to have Your Word written on my heart.  I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Community

Acts 2: 46-47

Continuing faithfully and with singleness of purpose to meet in the Temple courts daily, and breaking bread in their several homes, they shared their food in joy and simplicity of heart, praising God and having the respect of all the people. And day after day the Lord kept adding to them those who were being saved.

 

We have lost this singleness of purpose the early believers have shared.  We have allowed our trust in ADONAI to be split into sects along lines that most times do not have any relevance in the kingdom of Heaven.  We must turn back again to a community continuing in trust, meeting daily to encourage that trust and caring for each other by tending to outstanding needs.  We must return to a time of praising and worshiping ADONAI in all we do so that once again all the people can see God in our lives and know the respect of trusting in the Lord.  Abba please let Your call to Your people be heard and bring us back from our wanderings to You.  I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Pesach/Yeshua

Exodus 12:43-49

ADONAI said to Moshe and Aharon, “This is the regulation for the Pesach lamb: no foreigner is to eat it.  But if anyone has a slave he bought for money, when you have circumcised him, he may eat it.  Neither a traveler nor a hired servant may eat it.  It is to be eaten in one house. You are not to take any of the meat outside the house, and you are not to break any of its bones.  The whole community of Isra’el is to keep it.  If a foreigner staying with you wants to observe ADONAI’s Pesach, all his males must be circumcised. Then he may take part and observe it; he will be like a citizen of the land. But no uncircumcised person is to eat it.  The same teaching is to apply equally to the citizen and to the foreigner living among you.”

 

These are some of the regulations that are for Pesach (Passover), which includes who may participate in this feast.  This is one of the things that is to set us apart as believers and if we are to join in then we must be like the believers at the time of the first Pesach.  Trusting after seeing the plagues brought down on Pharaoh and Egypt and acting on that trust by putting ourselves under the blood that gives salvation, so “ADONAI will pass over the door and will not allow the Slaughterer to enter your houses and kill you.”  All of this is setting the example of Yeshua, the first and only son of God, who in the garden prayed and shed his blood in those prayers so that we may have it painted on the doorpost and lintels of our hearts. Then sacrificed fully and completely in one day without any of his bones being broken.  It is through Pesach and that community of believers (for it was a mixed community that left Egypt) that ADONAI showed us how he would redeem the world to Him, through sacrifice and trust.  Lord strengthen our trust for we live in a world gone mad, who sacrifice their children for convenience and try to destroy what You create.  Lord let me stand for the restoration of Your people so the might always celebrate Your feast as You intended.  I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Flee Compromise

Exodus 10:10-11, 24

Pharaoh said to them, “ADONAI certainly will be with you if I ever let you go with your children! It’s clear that you are up to no good.  Nothing doing! Just the men among you may go and worship ADONAI. That’s what you want, isn’t it?” And they were driven out of Pharaoh’s presence.

Pharaoh summoned Moshe and said, “Go, worship ADONAI; only leave your flocks and herds behind—your children may go with you.”

 

Sin in our lives seeks only one thing, to compromise us before ADONAI.  As Moshe confronted Pharaoh to let the nation of Isra’el to go worship ADONAI, Pharaoh repeatedly sought compromises that would force the children of Isra’el to continue to be enslaved to him.  So, it is the same with us, we can confess and proclaim the Word of God but if we harbor one compromised portion of our life to the selfishness of sin we are still in bondage.  As believers we must have no toleration for compromise but submit our whole being body, mind and soul, just as the whole nation of Isra’el was called, to worship and follow ADONAI.  Lord continue to refine me as You refined the people in Egypt so that they finally followed You to a new life in the land.  Lord let Your Ruach remove anything that keeps me from You, so I have no idols I have created in me but only a willingness to serve You without compromise.  I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Stay True

Luke 23:24-25

Pilate decided to grant their demand; he released the man who had been thrown in prison for insurrection and murder, the one they had asked for; and Yeshua he surrendered to their will.

 

There is nothing new under the sun.  Just like then our political leaders would give in to the loudest voices and release a murderer so they could kill the salvation of the nations, Yeshua HaMashiach.  As believers we must stand in the truth that we serve a greater kingdom and not give up our trust in ADONAI for the convenience of a screaming mob but by our testimonies bear witness to the salvation ADONAI has given us through the Word.  Abba let me serve you with the vigor of Pinchas.  Strengthen me so I can be bold in standing against hate in this world.  I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen

Signs

Luke 21:25-26

“There will appear signs in the sun, moon and stars; and on earth, nations will be in anxiety and bewilderment at the sound and surge of the sea, as people faint with fear at the prospect of what is overtaking the world; for the powers in heaven will be shaken.

 

This is us today!  From the Super Wolf Blood Moon last night back to the Revelation 12 in September of 2017 there has been astronomical signs that someone is coming.  The earth shakes with violence, “hills skipping as young goats on the mountains” unexplained fish kills, fires in a state that by their politics have more concern for sin than God.  In our own nation people of faith and trust in God must go before the highest court in the land to defend their belief.  How can this happen in a country that has separation of the state from one’s religion?  Yet Yeshua told us all this must happen to herald His return to the land and his people.  This is the time that as people who trust in ADONAI, we must stay the course and hold true to His Word as embodied by Yeshua HaMashiach.  Lord keep me in the palm of Your hand, the cleft of the rock of Your salvation so that I might stand holy and redeemed to serve You.  I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.