Seek Wisdom over feelings

Shof’tim (Judges) 9:3-5

His mother’s brothers spoke to all the men of Sh’khem and said all this about him, so that they followed their feelings and supported Avimelekh, arguing, “After all, he’s our brother.” They also gave him seventy pieces of silver from the temple of Ba’al-B’rit; and he used these to pay good-for-nothing thugs to follow him. He went back to his father’s house in ‘Ofrah and killed his brothers the sons of Yeruba’al, all seventy of them, on a single rock, except for Yotam Yeruba’al’s youngest son, who stayed alive because he hid himself.

When we put our own feelings, our selfish desires, before wisdom it will always end badly. The men of Sh’khem, where the very tabernacle of ADONAI stood had turned to their own selfish means and desires that they were even worshiping in a temple not of their making. Instead of turning to God to find who would judge justly, they were swayed by their own greed and the speech of Aavimelekh and by his first act as ruler commits fratricide. The murder of seventy brothers all because the men of Sh’khem were swayed by their feelings and not looking to the direction of ADONAI. Lord all my life, I have been driven by the storm of my feelings, let me feel Your Shalom so I may sleep securely in Your arms and hear only Your voice leading me in the days ahead. I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Avoid self-made idols

Shof’tim (Judges) 8:22-27

The men of Isra’el said to Gid’on: “Rule over us, you, your son and your grandson, because you saved us from the power of Midyan. Gid’on replied, “Neither I nor my son will rule over you; ADONAI will rule over you.” Then he added, “But I have this request to make of you, that each of you would give me the earrings from the booty you have taken.” For the enemy soldiers had worn gold earrings, like all the other tribes descended from Yishma’el. They replied, “We’re glad to give them to you.” They spread out a robe, and each man threw in the earrings from his booty. The gold earrings he requested weighed more than forty-two pounds; and this doesn’t include the crescents, pendants and purple cloth worn by the kings of Midyan and the chains around their camels’ necks. Out of these things Gid’on made a ritual vest, which he located in his city, ‘Ofrah. But all Isra’el turned it into an idol there, and it thus became a snare to Gid’on and his family.

Gid’on a savior of Isra’el, knew ADONAI was the one true God and leader of the people still without consulting God he sought to make a ritual vest of gold even though he was of the tribe if Manasseh and not a Levite. Over time the tradition, the ritual that involved the vest, became more important than the God it was meant to honor. It is when we do things without God’s guidance in our lives that we easily slip into our worldly ways and make idols out of things that for what ever good intent it was developed, without ADONAI’s blessing becomes the very snare that destroys us. Lord let me always lift You first in all things so that everyone knows I honor You. I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Till then

1 Corinthians 13:12

For now we see obscurely in a mirror,
but then it will be face to face.
Now I know partly; then I will know fully,
just as God has fully known me.

Even now I long for the moment when I will fully know God’s love for me and awash in that emotion have full love for God and born anew in a sinless body. Lord don’t let me stray from the victory of that day! I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Serve faithfully

1 Corinthians 12:22-26

On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be less important turn out to be all the more necessary; and upon body parts which we consider less dignified we bestow greater dignity; and the parts that aren’t attractive are the ones we make as attractive as we can, while our attractive parts have no need for such treatment. Indeed, God has put the body together in such a way that he gives greater dignity to the parts that lack it, So that there will be no disagreements within the body, but rather all the parts will be equally concerned for all the others. Thus if one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it; and if one part is honored, all the parts share its happiness.

There is no one in the body of believers that does not have a purpose inside the body. Each of us are called to serve and serve faithfully. It doesn’t matter where we serve, if we do it well, even if it is taking out the trash after service, then we bring honor to ADONAI and the body also. But united in trust and purpose like this means we carry each other’s burdens when times are oppressive and a struggle. It is the seeing through of these times that strengthens us just as an athlete strengthen his body through weight training by tearing the muscle so it can grow and become stronger. It is these times that are the crucible, the refining that makes us pure before God. Lord let me continue to praise You in the hard times and let me rejoice in the good. Keep Your hand upon me and lead me where You would have me serve. I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Make it personal

Y’hoshua (Joshua) 24:31

Isra’el served ADONAI throughout Y’hoshua’s lifetime and throughout the lifetimes of the leaders who outlived Y’hoshua and had known all the deeds that ADONAI had done on behalf of Isra’el.

The nation of Isra’el only stayed faithful to ADONAI while those men who had personally see the miracles of God were alive. It is the personal relationship between us and God that preserves us in our trust in Him. If we are not praying and studying His Word daily how can a personal relationship exist between us and God. Without that personal relationship wont we start to wander away from truth and like sheep just look for what makes us happy in the moment, not caring that the wolves of sin and death are just around the corner. Lord I journal and pray but I need more of You in my life. Fill me Lord so that I am so full of Your blessing that it runs over to the people around me. I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Flee Gossip

Y’hoshua (Joshua) 22:10-12

When the descendants of Re’uven, the descendants of Gad and the half-tribe arrived in the area of the land of Kena’an near the Yarden, they built an altar there by the Yarden, a large, impressive altar. The people of Isra’el heard of it and said, “Look! The descendants of Re’uven, the descendants of Gad and the half-tribe of M’nasheh have built an altar by the frontier of the land of Kena’an, in the area by the Yarden, on the side that belongs to the people of Isra’el.”
When the people of Isra’el heard of it, the entire community of Isra’el gathered together in Shiloh to wage war against them.

Just as the nation of Isra’el that remained at Shiloh jumped to conclusions, still today we continue to have this problem. Instead of asking the source what they are doing we make declarations that have no basis in fact or string together unrelated facts to create a missive that fits our current narrative. With the advent of social media this has grown worse not better and all this gossip does nothing more than to destroy the witness of the body of believers. Sha’ul tells us not to be an obstacle to anyone seeking God, yet how can we keep from being a roadblock when we are too busy gossiping and judging each other without knowing what is truly going on. Lord keep me away from snap judgements and hold me securely with You. Let Your light shine in all that I do and let all my actions be for You. I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Move!

Y’hoshua (Joshua) 18:1-3

The entire community of the people of Isra’el assembled themselves together at Shiloh and set up the tent of meeting there, after the land had been subdued before them. There still remained among the people of Isra’el seven tribes that had not yet received their inheritance. Y’hoshua said to the people of Isra’el, “How long will you delay going in to take possession of the land which ADONAI the God of your ancestors has given you?

When commanded by ADONAI we as believers cannot wait. Five years had passed, and seven tribes still remained to claim the land promised to the descendants of Avraham. Rather than step out in trust before God they clung to the coattails of Y’hoshua to the point he must chastise them for not moving forward on what they are supposed to do. How many of us have been called by God to serve in some part and stay kneeling at the altar begging for inspiration when have already been told to move? Lord forgive me in my laziness and provoke me to cry out Your name so the whole world knows You are the answer to everything. I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Knowledge vs Wisdom

1 Corinthians 8:8-12

Now food will not improve our relationship with God—we will be neither poorer if we abstain nor richer if we eat. However watch out that your mastery of the situation does not become a stumbling block to the weak. You have this “knowledge”; but suppose someone with a weak conscience sees you sitting, eating a meal in the temple of an idol. Won’t he be built up wrongly to eat this food which has been sacrificed to idols? Thus by your “knowledge” this weak person is destroyed, this brother for whom the Messiah died; and so, when you sin against the brothers by wounding their conscience when it is weak, you are sinning against the Messiah!

There is a saying that knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit and wisdom is knowing not to put it in a fruit salad. That is what Sha’ul is writing about here. As believers we know there is only one God and everything else is false but if our actions can be misconstrued for any reason, we should not do them. Anything that we do that can be perceived as sinful will damage our testimony so we must simply avoid them for the love of others so that they can come also to the full knowledge of ADONAI. Lord let me be a willing servant and step away from anything that might cause others to stumble and fail to know You. I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Wait, it’s worth it.

Y’hoshua (Joshua) 14:13-14

Y’hoshua blessed him and gave Hevron to Kalev the son of Y’funeh as his inheritance. So Hevron became the inheritance of Kalev the son of Y’funeh the K’nizi, as it is to this day; because he followed ADONAI the God of Isra’el completely.

Adonai promised Hevron to Kalev 45 years earlier and never once did Kalev forget that promise but waited patiently until God’s timing was fulfilled. We have seemed to have lost this part of our lives with all the “smart” accessories we have if we can’t get it immediately we reject it and move on. I believe God wants us to dwell on Him and his promises just as a young girl dreams of her wedding day, with longing and excitement so there is true reward when that moment finally comes. Lord help me to wait on You. Forgive my want of immediate gratification but let me rejoice in the waiting as well. I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Seek God first in all things

Y’hoshua (Joshua) 9:14-16

The men sampled some of their food but didn’t seek the advice of ADONAI, so Y’hoshua made peace with them and made a covenant with them to spare their lives, and the leading officials of the community swore to them. But three days later, after they had made the covenant with them, they heard that they were their neighbors, that they lived there with them.

Making decisions without consulting ADONAI in our lives leads to unequal yoking with people driven by selfish sin. Y’hoshua was commanded by ADONAI to drive out the Hivi instead he makes a covenant with them that allows a sinful nation to lead the children of Israel into idolatry. The same happens today as believers make compromises with sinful groups without first seeking God. Lord keep me focused on You and lead me through the minefield of a compromised life. I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.