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.

Live a holy life

1 Thessalonians 4:7

For God did not call us to live an unclean life but a holy one. Therefore, whoever rejects this teaching is rejecting not a man but God, indeed, the One who gives you the Ruach HaKodesh, which is his.

Sha’ul did not teach anything that wasn’t backed up in scripture, which he sums up here, live a holy life and see heaven or choose not to and die, forever. We either live for ADONAI or reject him and die. Lord let my choice to live for You be more than words but actions as bold as Y’hoshua and Kalev. I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Community

1 Thessalonians 1:1

From: Sha’ul, Sila and Timothy
To: The Messianic Community of the Thessalonians, united with God the Father and the Lord Yeshua the Messiah:
Grace to you and shalom.

In order to help increase our trust, to experience ADONAI’s grace and shalom, we must be united with others who share that trust. It is by being united in a community that we are edified, just as Sha’ul was by the congregation in Thessalonica, hearing the testimonies of trust that believers experience every day. It is in that sharing that shows us the hand of God’s grace in our lives and brings peace to having to live in a time of chaos and upheaval. Lord let me keep reaching out to others and listen to their testimonies of You. I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Operate in the spirit of excellence

Mattityahu (Mathew) 26:7-12

A woman who had an alabaster jar filled with very expensive perfume approached Yeshua while he was eating and began pouring it on his head. When the talmidim saw it, they became very angry. “Why this waste?” they asked. “This could have been sold for a lot of money and given to the poor.” But Yeshua, aware of what was going on, said to them, “Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing for me. The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me. She poured this perfume on me to prepare my body for burial. Yes! I tell you that throughout the whole world, wherever this Good News is proclaimed, what she has done will be told in her memory.”

This unnamed woman operated in a spirit of excellence. Taking her very best and honoring her Messiah, she held nothing back, even while some around here ridiculed her for being wasteful. It is the same for us today, we are to serve the Lord with everything we have and to the very best of our abilities. Yes, there will be some who can’t understand our drive and they will ridicule us, but we must stay true to the calling that ADONAI has put on our lives not their opinions. We must serve everyone as if we are serving the Messiah personally and God will reward our faithfulness, just as this woman was honored. Lord let everything I do be done to honor You the best way that I am able. I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Our Fruit

Mattityahu (Mathew) 25:34-40

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you whom my Father has blessed, take your inheritance, the Kingdom prepared for you from the founding of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you made me your guest, I needed clothes and you provided them, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ Then the people who have done what God wants will reply, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and make you our guest, or needing clothes and provide them? When did we see you sick or in prison, and visit you?’ The King will say to them, ‘Yes! I tell you that whenever you did these things for one of the least important of these brothers of mine, you did them for me!’

It is not how well we know the Word, but how well we apply the Word in our lives, our actions as our fruit from the spirit within us that will determine if we have truly accepted the sacrifice of Yeshua and participated in its cleansing power. A selflessness that can only come from the infilling of the Ruach HaKodesh once we place ADONAI as the Lord of our lives. Abba let my service be honorable and holy to You. I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Be Ready

Mattityahu (Matthew) 21:18-19

The next morning, on his way back to the city, he felt hungry. Spotting a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. So he said to it, “May you never again bear fruit!” and immediately the fig tree dried up.

For years that fig tree stood in all it’s glory with it’s bright green leaves but never gave fruit when it was required. It was in that moment when it was required to give fruit for Yeshua and failed that it lost everything. How much more will it be for us if we fail to execute what we are called for by ADONAI when our time comes. Lord, please find me a willing and able servant. I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Pick a side

Mattityahu (Matthew) 19:16-22

A man approached Yeshua and said, “Rabbi, what good thing should I do in order to have eternal life?” He said to him, “Why are you asking me about good? There is One who is good! But if you want to obtain eternal life, observe the mitzvot.” The man asked him, “Which ones?” and Yeshua said, “Don’t murder, don’t commit adultery, don’t steal, don’t give false testimony honor father and mother and love your neighbor as yourself.” The young man said to him, “I have kept all these; where do I still fall short?” Yeshua said to him, “If you are serious about reaching the goal, go and sell your possessions, give to the poor, and you will have riches in heaven. Then come, follow me!” But when the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he was wealthy.

How long have I been like this man, honorable enough to make a showing at keeping God’s Word but selfish enough to want to keep my worldly comforts. It is only these last twelve years I have truly struggled after God’s purpose in my life and I still fall short, but I am closer than I was yesterday. I believe we are in a time when half measures will no longer do, but only a full commitment to the service of ADONAI will see us through. Lord let me be as faithful as the 150 who waited on You in that upper room, let me have the boldness of a Y’hoshua or Elisha, and the tenacity of Sha’ul to finish the race even if I am imprisoned for it. I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Remove selfishness, Trust God

Mattityahu (Matthew) 16:21-23

From that time on, Yeshua began making it clear to his talmidim that he had to go to Yerushalayim and endure much suffering at the hands of the elders, the head cohanim and the Torah-teachers; and that he had to be put to death; but that on the third day, he had to be raised to life. Kefa took him aside and began rebuking him, “Heaven be merciful, Lord! By no means will this happen to you!” But Yeshua turned his back on Kefa, saying, “Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle in my path, because your thinking is from a human perspective, not from God’s perspective!”

How many times have I been Kefa, trying to force ADONAI into a box that makes sense to me but having absolutely nothing to do with what God desires. Lord forgive me for my hubris in thinking I should be leading when in fact I must follow more closely to Your Word. Help me in the days ahead to be true to You. I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Recognize judgement and turn back to God

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.

Lessons in the commission

Mattityahu (Matthew) 10:1-4

Yeshua called his twelve talmidim and gave them authority to drive out unclean spirits and to heal every kind of disease and weakness. These are the names of the twelve emissaries:
First, Shim’on, called Kefa, and Andrew his brother, Ya’akov Ben-Zavdai and Yochanan his brother, Philip and Bar-Talmai, T’oma and Mattityahu the tax-collector, Ya’akov Bar-Halfai and Taddai, Shim’on the Zealot, and Y’hudah from K’riot, who betrayed him.

Lots of stuff in these commissions that Yeshua placed on his talmidim. Sending them out two by two so there will be accountability among themselves. Keeping the brothers in family groups promoting stronger bonds of connection while serving in the supernatural. Placing the most zealous with weakest link Y’hudah from K’riot, to balance out that group. Anointing the betrayer to serve even when Yeshua knew the flaws of his character because in that moment with Shim’on as his partner he would be accountable. Any one point would be worthy of study but today I see only a warning, that the one who would betray Yeshua served faithfully in healing people, spreading the word and liberating others from their demons. Yet for all these supernatural events happening to him and around him, Y’hudah from K’riot could not let go of his base selfishness and that selfishness ultimately led to his final death. Lord let Your Ruach scrub me clean and leave only my trust in You. Clear out all my selfishness in the temple of my heart so that like the temple building in King Hizkiyahu’s time my heart will be dedicated only to Your service. Let no one who knows me say I did not show them Your glory in my life and Your love for them. I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.