Community

Romans 1:11-13

For I long to see you, so that I might share with you some spiritual gift that can make you stronger— or, to put it another way, so that by my being with you, we might, through the faith we share, encourage one another. Brothers, I want you to know that although I have been prevented from visiting you until now, I have often planned to do so, in order that I might have some fruit among you, just as I have among the other Gentiles.

Community gives encouragement and support in the world we must witness to. While it is our trust alone in the sacrifice of Yeshua that establishes our salvation, it is sharing this trust with like minded believers in a congregation that gives us the support and encouragement to face the world we live in day after day. We should be like Sha’ul and have a desire to share and uplift one another so that everyone can stand strong in their trust in ADONAI. Lord let be supportive of all believers in my life. Let me witness truly to those that don’t know You, so they too might share in Your righteousness. I ask this all in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Keep Working

2 Thessalonians 3:10-13

For even when we were with you, we gave you this command: if someone won’t work, he shouldn’t eat! We hear that some of you are leading a life of idleness—not busy working, just busybodies! We command such people—and in union with the Lord Yeshua the Messiah we urge them—to settle down, get to work, and earn their own living. And you brothers who are doing what is good, don’t slack off!

Sha’ul is telling us there is work to be done and none of us can afford to do nothing and let others carry our burden.  How can the Word of ADONAI be given to the world if we only honor it for a couple of hours on Shabbat and like taking a tallit off at the door as we are exiting, leave all our righteousness there until we put it back on again the next week.  Without the Ruach and the righteousness the indwelling of God’s spirit brings we become nothing more than those meddling mamzers who wish to see other people in more pain than themselves through the gossip they proclaim.  But sticking to the work and seeing to God’s purpose in our lives will let us pursue goodness in our lives and witness the love of ADONAI to all.  Lord I get tired and whine about the work that sits before me.  Forgive me for being more like Yonah and less like Moshe.  Encourage me so that I may too one day see Your face.  I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Endure with each other

1 Thessalonians 3:1-4

So when we could no longer stand it, we agreed to be left in Athens alone and sent Timothy, our brother and God’s fellow worker for the Good News of the Messiah, to make you solid and encourage you in your trust; so that none of you would let these persecutions unsettle him. For you yourselves know that these are bound to come to us; even when we were with you, we kept telling you in advance that we were about to be persecuted; and indeed it has happened, as you know.

For many years we have heard that the body of believers will be persecuted.  From the prophetic writings of John in Revelation to modern day prophets, to the rise of Antifa and the church of Satan the land is ripe with anger and strife.  But just as Sha’ul sent Timothy to edify and strengthen the congregation in Thessalonica so to ADONAI sends people in our lives to see us through so we might also finish the race Sha’ul describes and be welcomed as a good and faithful servant.  Lord preserve all who have circumcised their hearts and accepted You as God of their lives.  Keep me faithful and let me like Timothy to those around me.  I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Trust

Tehillim (Psalm) 125:1

A song of ascents:

Those who trust in ADONAI

are like Mount Tziyon,

which cannot be moved

but remains forever.

It is our trust in ADONAI that allows us to supernaturally accept the sacrifice of Yeshua and ensure an eternal life of joy. Praise God for giving us the will to follow His Word! Amen.

Thy Word

Mattityahu (Matthew) 24:1-2

As Yeshua left the Temple and was going away, his talmidim came and called his attention to its buildings. But he answered them, “You see all these? Yes! I tell you, they will be totally destroyed—not a single stone will be left standing!”

There is nothing that we as mankind can create that stands up to God’s Word. The Word spoke all creation into existence and walked with Adam in the garden, gave itself to Moshe to govern the people, inspired the prophets to speak truth to the world, and finally gave form to itself in the body of Yeshua to be sacrificed and remove all sin from the earth. Nothing man has created through engineering or science can ever equal that. ADONAI Echad, Lord You are complete in all that You do. Nothing can compare to the complexities of Your creation. Lord I praise You this morning for how great You are. Lord please bless us as we move through our lives to serve You. I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Ignorance

Mattityahu (Matthew) 22:29

Yeshua answered them, “The reason you go astray is that you are ignorant both of the Tanakh and of the power of God.

This is the condition of the world today. Too many of us have become ignorant of the Word of God and fail to keep His mitzvah’s, His rules for governing our lives. We have forgotten that “Charity starts at home,” which isn’t in the bible but encompasses the second greatest command to love our neighbor as ourselves, means we are to be personally involved with helping others not just pay some tax to support welfare directives or donate a dollar to charity of the moment. It is these personal involvements that are commanded in the Word that create community within the body of believers, but instead as a people we have allowed traditions and precedents become divisive religions that keep us apart. Lord let me keep my heart open to You and Your Word. Let it be written there fully so I can shine for Your glory to the world. I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Covenant

Mattityahu (Matthew) 19:3-9

Some P’rushim came and tried to trap him by asking, “Is it permitted for a man to divorce his wife on any ground whatever?” He replied, “Haven’t you read that at the beginning the Creator made them male and female, and that he said, ‘For this reason a man should leave his father and mother and be united with his wife, and the two are to become one flesh’? Thus they are no longer two, but one. So then, no one should split apart what God has joined together.”

They said to him, “Then why did Moshe give the commandment that a man should hand his wife a get and divorce her?” He answered, “Moshe allowed you to divorce your wives because your hearts are so hardened. But this is not how it was at the beginning. Now what I say to you is that whoever divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery!”

Why are we still trying to treat a covenant that is holy, something that is sealed by ADONAI to create a new being between two people, as something common and legalistic like the P’rushim in this passage or a contract created by man.  While the individuals each bring something that is unique to them in this union it blessing of God that binds it into something greater that it’s parts, just as when we are bound with Yeshua when we trust in His sacrifice and accept the indwelling of the Ruach. Lord let us recognize Your covenants and see them for the holy duties they are.  I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

By our deeds

Matthew 16:27

For the Son of Man is about to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then ‘He will repay everyone according to his deeds.

While Yeshua was explaining to his talmidim what was going to happen soon, we as believers must focus on how Yeshua is going to repay those who believe. It is by our deeds not our lips that we are known as believers and it is by our deeds that Yeshua will repay us in the time after this. Adonai, thank You for Your Word Yeshua and the infilling of the Ruach ha Kodesh. Thank You for giving me the desire not just to tell people about what I believe but to put actions to my words. Thank You for the spurring on to help others by letting so many help me and my family in the past. I praise Your holy name, Amen and Amen

Woe to the dismissive hearts

Mattityahu (Matthew) 11:20-24

Then Yeshua began to denounce the towns in which he had done most of his miracles, because the people had not turned from their sins to God. “Woe to you, Korazin! Woe to you, Beit-Tzaidah! Why, if the miracles done in you had been done in Tzor and Tzidon, they would long ago have put on sackcloth and ashes as evidence that they had changed their ways. But I tell you it will be more bearable for Tzor and Tzidon than for you on the Day of Judgment! And you, K’far-Nachum, will you be exalted to heaven? No, you will be brought down to Sh’ol!For if the miracles done in you had been done in S’dom, it would still be in existence today. But I tell you that on the Day of Judgment it will be more bearable for the land of S’dom than for you!”

I read this today and my heart sinks for our world.  How easily could this measure be applied to all the cities of the world.  I have seen miracles great and small and yet I have not seen a great outpouring of love for ADONAI and a returning to seeking His Word.  And I know I am just as guilty as the rest spending the majority of my life more concerned on how I appeared to the world and not before God.  Lord forgive me for wrapping the judgements of this world around me like a coat suppressing the light of Your love that You put in my heart.  Give me the boldness of Yeshua to keep to the path of Your Word in all things.  I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Fulfilling Torah

Mattityahu (Matthew) 8:1-4

After Yeshua had come down from the hill, large crowds followed him. Then a man afflicted with tzara’at came, kneeled down in front of him and said, “Sir, if you are willing, you can make me clean.” Yeshua reached out his hand, touched him and said, “I am willing! Be cleansed!” And at once he was cleansed from his tzara’at. Then Yeshua said to him, “See that you tell no one; but as a testimony to the people, go and let the cohen examine you, and offer the sacrifice that Moshe commanded.”

As with almost every healing Mattityahu records Yeshua tell the person to go and keep the Words of Torah and let the cohen examine and give a sacrifice as directed. All this as a testament that Yeshua came to fulfill Torah and not to supersede it. As with what Yeshua told Yochannan when he was immersed “Let it be this way now, because we should do everything righteousness requires.” He never operated outside of Torah, the Words the ADONAI wrote on His very heart, so even Ha’Satan could not fool him. Knowing Torah tells us how to honor ADONAI and treat each other with loving kindness and Yeshua in His mercy embodied all of this so we would have the perfect example to follow. Lord, almost every day I ask that You write on my heart. I know I am still bothered by my selfishness and worldly ways, continue to hold me to the fire so that I may truly serve You. I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.