Winnowing

Yechezk’el (Ezekiel) 14:12-23

The word of ADONAI came to me: “Human being, when a land sins against me by dealing treacherously with me, so that I stretch out my hand over it and break off its food supply, sending it famine and eliminating both its humans and its animals; even if these three men were in it—Noach, Dani’el and Iyov—they would by their righteousness save only themselves,” says Adonai ELOHIM.

“If I unleash wild beasts on the land, and they kill its children and desolate it, so that no one can pass through because of the animals; even if these three men were in it, as I live,” says Adonai ELOHIM, “they would save neither sons nor daughters; only they themselves would be saved, and the land would remain barren.

“Or if I bring the sword down on that land, saying, ‘Let the sword pass through the land, ‘so that I eliminate both its humans and its animals; even if these three men were in it, as I live,” says Adonai ELOHIM, “they would save neither sons nor daughters; only they themselves would be saved.

“Or if I bring a plague into that land and pour out my fury on it in bloodshed, so that I eliminate both its humans and its animals; even if Noach, Dani’el and Iyov were in it, as I live,” says Adonai ELOHIM, “they would save neither a son nor a daughter; they would save only themselves by their righteousness.”

For here is what Adonai ELOHIM says: “Even if I inflict my four dreadful judgments on Yerushalayim—sword, famine, wild animals and plagues—to eliminate both its humans and its animals; there will still be left a remnant in it to be brought out, including both sons and daughters. When they come out to you, and you see their way of life and how they act, then you will be consoled over the calamity I have brought upon Yerushalayim, over everything I have done to it. Yes, they will console you when you see their way of life and how they act; and you will understand that it was not without good reason that I did what I did in [Yerushalayim],” says Adonai ELOHIM.

I believe like the nation of Judah that Yechezk’el was being commanded to speak to we are in a time of winnowing, separating the wheat from the chaff.  I believe as God spoke we will all be judged for our actions no matter who intercedes for us but in the end after passing through this crucible we will see the body of believers restored and living with God in shalom.  Lord let Your Messiah come even now and set us free of the worries and strife of today.  I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Trust in the Rock

Yechezk’el (Ezekiel) 11:16-21

Therefore, say that Adonai ELOHIM says this: ‘True, I removed them far away among the nations and scattered them among the countries; nevertheless, I have been a little sanctuary for them in the countries to which they have gone.’ Therefore, say that Adonai ELOHIM says this: ‘”I will gather you from the peoples and collect you from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give the land of Isra’el to you.” Then they will go there and remove all its loathsome things and disgusting practices, and I will give them unity of heart.” I will put a new spirit among you.” I will remove from their bodies the hearts of stone and give them hearts of flesh; so that they will live by my regulations, obey my rulings and act by them. Then they will be my people, and I will be their God.  But as for those whose hearts go after the heart of their loathsome things and disgusting practices, I will bring [the consequences of] their ways on their own heads, ‘says Adonai ELOHIM.”

It is this example that we must cling to in the days ahead.  Just as ADONAI preserved a remnant of the people of Isra’el then so will he preserve us who trust in Him through the acceptance of Yeshua’s sacrifice until that day that we are called up to live with Him in the land of our promise, forever.  No matter the struggles around us when we submit ourselves to the sanctuary of the Rock of our salvation in God nothing can keep us from Him.  Yet it is our hearts we must guard because if we let anything else become more important then ADONAI in His wisdom will abandon us to our desire and in the end our damnation.  Lord as you give the body of believers this shaking, strengthen me and hold me because I can do nothing without You.  Provoke the hearts of everyone who trust in You to cry out and let the whole world know there is a God in Yerushalayim the salvation of all Isra’el and to all the nations that trust in Him.  I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Seek the source

Ezekiel 4: 16-17

Then he said to me, “Son of man, I will break the staff of bread in Jerusalem. They will eat bread by weight, in anxiety, and they will drink water by measure, in horror. On account of their lack of bread and water they will be appalled at one another and waste away in their iniquity.

Even as God broke out against Jerusalem for their sins, the people continued to be worried about the physical and not the spiritual. Not all bad things that happen to us are because of our sin but Adonai let me recognize when you correct me in the physical so that I can repent in the spiritual. I ask this in Yeshua’s name. amen.

New Name

Revelations 2:17

Those who have ears, let them hear what the Spirit is saying to the Messianic communities. To him winning the victory I will give some of the hidden man. I will also give him a white stone, on which is written a new name that nobody knows except the one receiving it.”‘

There will come a time when all my insecurities and faults and frailties will be taken away and I will be given a new name, a new identity based on the trust in Yeshua’s sacrifice and the restitution it brings before ADONAI.  What a blessed day that will be!  Lord God praise Your holy name, thank You for Your gift of salvation and communion forever, Amen.

Start with God

Tehillim (Psalms) 143:8

Make me hear of your love in the morning,

because I rely on you.

Make me know the way I should walk,

because I entrust myself to you.

How can I hear of God’s love for me unless I take time to search His Word and pray.  It is placing ADONAI first in the order of my day that gives me a path to walk for everything following that, so that His Word truly is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.  Lord never let me tire of following Your Word.  I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Help each other

3 Yochanan (John) 1:5-8

Dear friend, you are faithful in all the work you are doing for the brothers, even when they are strangers to you. They have testified to your love in front of the congregation. You will be doing well if you send them on their way in a manner worthy of God, since it was for the sake of HaShem that they went out without accepting anything from the Goyim. It is we, therefore, who should support such people; so that we may share in their work for the truth.

If we are truly doing God’s work then God in His faithfulness to us will support it fully. When we as fellow believers come across someone working to further the knowledge of God’s Word to others we should support them without hesitation so that we to can be partners in the spreading of God’s Word. Lord let me be trusting enough to always support Your emissaries. I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Heed God’s Word

Yirmeyahu (Jeremiah) 38:17-23Then Yirmeyahu said to Tzidkiyahu, “Here is what ADONAI-Tzva’ot, the God of Isra’el, says: ‘If you will go out and surrender to the king of Bavel’s officers, then you will stay alive—this city will not be burned down; and you and your family will live. But if you will not go out to the king of Bavel’s officers, then this city will be handed over to the Kasdim; they will burn it to the ground; and you will not escape from them.'” Tzidkiyahu the king said to Yirmeyahu, “I am afraid of the Judeans who deserted to the Kasdim. The Kasdim might hand me over to them, and they would mistreat me.” Yirmeyahu answered, “They won’t hand you over. I beg you, listen to the voice of ADONAI concerning what I’m telling you about; then it will go well with you, and you will live. But if you refuse to surrender, then this is the word ADONAI has shown me: all the women remaining in the king of Y’hudah’s palace will be brought out to the king of Bavel’s officers, and those women will taunt you:’Your own close friends misled youand took advantage of you.Now that your feet are stuck in the mud,they have abandoned you.’They will bring all your women and children out to the Kasdim, and you will not escape from them. Rather, you will be captured by the king of Bavel, and you will cause this city to be burned to the ground.”Tzidkiyahu lost everything, his home, his wives, his children and his sight because he refused to acknowledge ADONAI as sovereign in his life. Even though he had been warned multiple times what would happen he still selfishly and foolishly believed he could outmaneuver God for fear of what other people would think of him. We as believers cannot be distracted by the thoughts of those around us for what good does it do anyone to stand with a crowd of selfish sinners, each looking after their own desires and ignoring the needs around them. To deny God’s leadership is to see families broken, fortunes lost, and a sinful self-focus that leaves one blind to the joys that ADONAI in His mercy has placed around us. Lord goad me and disrupt me as Yirmeyahu did king Tzidkiyahu so that I do not stray from Your path in these days ahead that You have given me to live through. I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Trust, it is that simple

1 John 5:3-4

For loving God means obeying his commands. Moreover, his commands are not burdensome, because everything which has God as its Father overcomes the world. And this is what victoriously overcomes the world: our trust.

It is simply our trust in ADONAI and expressing that trust by doing what He has commanded us to do that defeats the sin in our lives and lets us be that witnessing light to the whole world. There is no other grand plan or secret handshake that one must do to be redeemed through the sacrifice of the Yeshua. Simply trust and obey as the old hymn says. Lord look down and strengthen me in my trust in Your caring for me so that I might show other how mightily You move in my life. I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Test the Word

Yirmeyahu (Jeremiah) 32:6-8

Yirmeyahu said, “This word of ADONAI came to me:  ‘Hanam’el, the son of your uncle Shalum, will approach you and say, “Buy my field at ‘Anatot; you have next-of-kin’s right to redeem it; so buy it.”‘”  AS ADONAI had said, my cousin Hanam’el came to me in the guards’ quarters and said, “Please buy my field at ‘Anatot, in the territory of Binyamin; because you will inherit it, and you have next-of-kin’s right to redeem it, so buy it for yourself.” Then I was certain that this was ADONAI’s word.

Even though Yirmeyahu had heard from ADONAI repeatedly he still waited and tested the word that he heard to make sure it came from God.  Just as we believers are warned by Yochanan in 1 John 4:1-3 “Dear friends, don’t trust every spirit. On the contrary, test the spirits to see whether they are from God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.  Here is how you recognize the Spirit of God: every spirit which acknowledges that Yeshua the Messiah came as a human being is from God,  and every spirit which does not acknowledge Yeshua is not from God—in fact, this is the spirit of the Anti-Messiah. You have heard that he is coming. Well, he’s here now, in the world already!”  We must be sure we hear from God in these times when so many whether intentioned or not are using every platform they can to distract everyone from ADONAI!  Take the time every day to sit and be still and know that He Is God.  Lord do not let me get lost in the rush of the day but to look to You in all things so that my feet stay on the lighted path of Your love.  I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Obedience to ADONAI

1 Yochanan (1 John) 3:23-24

This is his command: that we are to trust in the person and power of his Son Yeshua the Messiah and to keep loving one another, just as he commanded us. Those who obey his commands remain united with him and he with them.

Obedience to ADONAI is the bedrock of our trust in Him. Without obedience there can be no trust and no salvation. Instead we will become like Isra’el during the time of Judges when each person did what was right in their own eyes, not caring what we should do for one another and in that selfishness lead to destruction. It is only by daily submitting to His will in our lives can have the strength to love each other as we are commanded to do. Lord let always first come to You for the refreshing to face the day ahead. Let my mind and my heart be set on Your ways so that my soul can rejoice with You. I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.