From Generation to Generation

Mishlei (Proverbs) 17:6

Grandchildren are the crown of the aged,

 while the glory of children is their ancestors.

L’dor Va’dor, from generation to generation are the ties that hold us together as families.  When the love of ADONAI is present then the family is whole with many generations coming together for fellowship and giving praise to God.  The stories of past are passed on while the promise of new life is celebrated.  This is the community that God intended for all of us, a family group who at its center is His Word and Truth.  Lord let me pass on a love for Your Word to all who I would call family.  I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Praise God

Romans 11:36

For from him and through him

 and to him are all things.

 To him be the glory forever!

 Amen.

There is nothing that I have that is not from ADONAI.  There is nothing I have lived through that has not brought me closer to Him.  Everything I have in my life is through God and His mercy alone so how can I not like Sha’ul declare His mercy to the world and give glory to Him forever! Amen.

Speak Truth

Mishlei (Proverbs) 12:18-19

Idle talk can pierce like a sword,

 but the tongue of the wise can heal.

    Truthful words will stand forever,

 lying speech but a moment.

Gossip and misconceptions can destroy relationships and with todays social media explosion can reach so many more and be as devastating as a nuclear bomb before truth comes out.  Yet truth does always come out and that instant of destruction is but a time of refinement for the righteous and one more notch of regret for the wicked.  As we the body of believers make our way through all the stressors in our life let us always seek the path of truth and words that edify our families, communities and nation.  Lord let me speak to Your truth always and let it be the light of my path to You.  I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Rooted in the Word

Mishlei (Proverbs) 7:1-3

My son, keep my words,

 store up my commands with you.

  Obey my commands, and live;

 guard my teaching like the pupil of your eye.

  Bind them on your fingers;

 write them on the tablet of your heart.

While this is Shlomo writing to the reader, it might as well be ADONAI speaking to the body of believers.  It is by guarding His Word in our lives, obeying the directions He has given us and investing in that Word so we can be truly the light unto the world and show the Wisdom of the Creator this passage speaks to.  We must tie the scriptures to us so that every decision we make reflects the glory of ADONAI and the only way we can truly do that is to study the Word daily and write it on our hearts so it will ever light our way.  Lord help me to keep to Your Word.  I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Stay Faithful

Mishlei (Proverbs) 6:32-35

He who commits adultery lacks sense;

 he who does it destroys himself.

  He will get nothing but blows and contempt,

 and his disgrace will not be wiped away.

  For jealousy drives a man into a rage;

 he will show no mercy when he takes revenge;

  he will not accept compensation;

 he’ll refuse every bribe, no matter how large.

Anyone who commits adultery will destroy both families involved.  The betrayal of trust shatters the very core of relationships that can almost never be mended.  God, as Moshe wrote repeatedly in the Torah, is a jealous God, so is it not logical that any person or thing that would draw His bride away from Him, ADONAI would show no mercy for.  That in that day even if people say “’Lord, Lord! Didn’t we prophesy in your name? Didn’t we expel demons in your name? Didn’t we perform many miracles in your name?’” Yeshua will answer “’I never knew you! Get away from me, you workers of lawlessness!’” because God is jealous for us and He will show no mercy or accept compensation or bribe for anyone who would cause His bride to turn away from Him.  Yet there is mercy for anyone who gives up their adulterous relationship with sin and accepts the sacrifice of Yeshua, then on that trust of reconciliation that God has given us we can be made whole again with Him.  Lord thank You for Your salvation, amen.

Heed Wisdom

Mishlei (Proverbs) 3:19-20

ADONAI by wisdom founded the earth,

 by understanding he established the heavens,

  by his knowledge the deep [springs] burst open

 and the dew condenses from the sky.

God with all His power and Glory put thought into His creation.  We were created with purpose and granted the ability to pursue that purpose with understanding if we pursue wisdom.  The very bedrock of this understanding is life comes from ADONAI and a life everlasting comes through the wisdom of understanding and accepting the sacrifice of Yeshua, the foundation of wisdom Himself, to redeem us to stand in the presence of ADONAI.  Lord let me pursue every jot and tittle of Your Word and write it forever in my heart.  I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Hide nothing

Divrei-HaYamim Bet (2 Chronicles) 8:11

Shlomo brought up Pharaoh’s daughter from the City of David to the house he had built for her; because he said, “No wife of mine is going to live in the house of David king of Isra’el, since the [buildings] where the ark of ADONAI has been are holy.”

Shlomo knew at the beginning of his marriage that his wife, pharaoh’s daughter, would not respect ADONAI, so he built a place for her away from all that he held holy.  Isn’t that the way it is with us, we hold some secret sin away from everyone else just for our own selfish desire.  God doesn’t want us to visit Him on certain days, He wants a continual relationship where nothing is hidden away from Him and we are engaged in every moment together through the Ruach to let everyone know of His love.  Lord You continue to put me through the crucible, help me to get rid of all the dross in my life so I may fully connected to You.  I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Trust

Romans 4:16

The reason the promise is based on trusting is so that it may come as God’s free gift, a promise that can be relied on by all the seed, not only those who live within the framework of the Torah, but also those with the kind of trust Avraham had —Avraham avinu for all of us.

Salvation cannot be earned. There is no way we can by ourselves deny our own nature to the point that we can commune with ADONAI. But when we trust in the sacrifice that Yeshua made for us and accept the indwelling of the Ruach, then we have God’s free gift as Sha’ul writes, a promise that can be relied upon by all for we have God with us, aiding us and building ever stronger our trust in Him. Lord thank You for the grace You have given me in my days of foolishness. Invade me with Your Spirit and strengthen my trust daily as I look to You in all things. I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Begin with forgiveness

M’lakhim Alef (1 Kings) 8:30

Yes, listen to the plea of your servant, and also that of your people Isra’el when they pray toward this place. Hear in heaven where you live; and when you hear, forgive!

Our prayers must start with forgiveness.  How can we come before ADONAI and ask of anything if we have the dust of this world still settled on our shoulders?  If we do not take the time to clean our hearts and souls to come before God in praise and supplication, why would we think that He would take the time to hear our prayers?  Lord forgive me for my hubris in treating You like an atm with prayers of selfish demands.  Let my heart be changed by the power of the Ruach so that I cleansed of my selfishness and pray with the desire of Your will in all things.  I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

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. I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.