“Help me to trust”

Mattityahu (Matthew) 17:14-18

As they came up to the crowd, a man approached Yeshua, kneeled down in front of him, and said, “Sir, have mercy on my son, because he is an epileptic and has such terrible fits that he often falls into the fire or into the water. I brought him to your talmidim, but they couldn’t heal him.” Yeshua answered, “Perverted people, without any trust! How long will I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring him here to me!” Yeshua rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, so that from that moment he was healed.

Every morning I wake up and I am this father, not that I have some overwhelming need for my children, but that I realize my trust is still not enough by itself. I need ADONAI in my life to support me in everything I do and don’t do. I have to confess myself every night in the things I failed to do. Mark tells us the father confesses, “I trust, help me to trust,” and it is the same for me, I trust but I must look to God to build more trust. Lord, You know the days that I face, and the weakness in my own heart bind me to You in trust so I will never stray from You. I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Safe in His Hands

Tehillim (Psalms) 139:1-6

For the leader. A psalm of David:
ADONAI, you have probed me, and you know me.
You know when I sit and when I stand up,
you discern my inclinations from afar,
you scrutinize my daily activities.
You are so familiar with all my ways
that before I speak even a word, ADONAI,
you know all about it already.
You have hemmed me in both behind and in front
and laid your hand on me.
Such wonderful knowledge is beyond me,
far too high for me to reach.

Oh to be like David and know with such intimacy the enveloping of ADONAI in our lives. To often I let my own selfish concerns overwhelm me and I forget who is truly sovereign in all things. Lord forgive me of my hubris and instill in me a heart like David’s. I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Yom Hashoah, a day of remembrance

I have no words to share other than this video memory of one who survived.

https://fb.watch/cG9pAwTNgw/

Search the Word yourself

Mattityahu (Matthew) 14:1-2

Around that time, Herod, the regional governor, heard of the fame of Yeshua and said to his attendants, “This must be Yochanan the Immerser. He has been raised from the dead; that is why these miraculous powers are at work in him.”

This is the problem with institutionalized religion. Instead of searching the Word for himself Herod made a leap in reasoning and declared that Yeshua was Yochanan the Immerser raised from the dead. And since He was the potentate placed in position to rule for Rome people accepted this view without question, just as people accept false doctrine of leaders because they would rather be told than study the Word themselves. This foundation of lies and self-serving desire led to Herod not recognizing when Salvation for all stood before him. He failed to see God’s gift for his lack of knowledge of the Word. Lord cut away the selfishness of my heart and circumcise me so that Your Word is the only light for my path. I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Give kindness in sorrow, not seek advantage

Sh’mu’el Bet (2 Samuel) 1:1-10

Sha’ul had died, and David had been two days in Ziklag after returning from the slaughter of the ‘Amaleki. On the third day, there came a man from Sha’ul’s camp with his clothes torn and earth on his head. He approached David, fell to the ground and prostrated himself. David said to him, “Where are you coming from?” “I escaped from the camp of Isra’el,” he replied. “Tell me, please, how did things go?” asked David. “The people have fled the battle,” he answered, “and many of them are wounded or dead. Sha’ul and Y’honatan his son are dead too.” David asked the young man who had told him this, “How do you know that Sha’ul and Y’honatan his son are dead?” The young man who had told him said, “I happened to be on Mount Gilboa when I saw Sha’ul leaning on his spear. The chariots and cavalry were bearing down on him. He looked behind him, saw me and called to me. I answered, ‘Here I am.’ He said to me, ‘Who are you?’ and I answered, ‘I’m an ‘Amaleki’ He said to me, ‘I’m in agony, and I’m going to die, but I’m still alive. So please, stand next to me; and kill me.’ So I stood next to him and killed him, because I was sure he was so badly wounded that he couldn’t live. I took the crown that was on his head and the bracelet on his arm and have brought them here to my lord.”

This young man was from the Amaleki, a people that Sha’ul had he obeyed God would have been removed from the earth. A people that had plagued the nation of Isra’el since the departure of Egypt and would continue to persecute Isra’el at least through the time of Ester, a people who knew ADONAI as descendants of Esav but intentionally chose to continue to sin against Him. Seeking only to promote himself in a time of tragedy he lies to David on how Sha’ul died in the desire to gain reward. His greed and selfish ambition will bring his own death and it is the same for us. There may be advantage in someone else tragedy but we as believers are not to manipulate it. We are to comfort, we are to support, and we are to heal so that the ones we are caring for will come to see God. Lord let me be open to the suffering around me and willing to allow Your healing hand work in their lives. I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Ignore the Nay-sayers

Sh’mu’el Alef (1 Samuel) 30:21-24

David came to where the two hundred men were who had been too exhausted to follow him, whom they had let stay at Vadi B’sor. They came out to meet David and the people with him. When David approached them he greeted them. But some of the men who had gone with David were evil men, scoundrels; and they said, “They didn’t go with us, so we’re not giving them any of the property we’ve recovered. Each man can take his wife and children and leave.” Then David said, “No, my brothers, don’t do this with the goods ADONAI has given us. He protected us, and he handed the raiding party over to us. Anyhow, no one agrees with you about this. No, the share of someone who stays with the equipment will be the same as the share of someone who goes out and fights—they will share equally.”

There will always be nay-sayers in any congregation. People who are still focused on themselves and not what God wants for them in their lives. We should respond to them as David did, lifting up everyone who serves in what ever capacity to keep the community together. It is by our leadership in such situations that those still focused on themselves might come to realign their focus on ADONAI. Lord let me be wise as David and recognize the service of everyone working to expand Your kingdom in this place. I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Be Upright in all work

Sh’mu’el Alef (1 Samuel) 29:6-11

So Akhish summoned David and said to him, “As ADONAI lives, you have been upright; and I myself would be more than pleased to have you go on campaign with me; because I haven’t found anything wrong with you between the day you arrived and now. However, the chiefs don’t trust you. Therefore, now, go on back; and go in peace, so as not to do what appears bad to the chiefs of the P’lishtim. David said to Akhish, “But what have I done? What have you found in your servant during the time I’ve been with you that disqualifies me from going and fighting against the enemies of my lord the king?” Akhish answered David, “I know that you are as good, from my point of view, as an angel of God. Nevertheless, the chiefs of the P’lishtim have said, ‘He is not to go up with us to the battlefield.’ So get up early in the morning with the servants of your lord who came with you; and as soon as you are up and it gets light, leave.” David got up early in the morning, he and his men, to leave and go back into the land of the P’lishtim; while the P’lishtim continued up to Yizre’el.

David up until this time never stood against God’s anointed in the person of Sha’ul. Having submitted himself and his men to the P’lishtim chief Akhish for protection, David was being obedient when ADONAI intervened and had David and his men removed from the battlespace before the battle so that David would not have to face against Sha’ul and return home to Ziklag in time to rescue his and his followers families from the ‘Amaleki raiders. God preserved and granted David favor because David’s heart never strayed from the path God set him on. It can be the same for us, we can be faithful in our service to people who don’t know God as long as we remain faithful and trusting in the path God has laid out for us. Lord let me be as wise and as strong of trust as David in these days that are coming. Let all my service reflect Your glory to all me so that no one doubts who I truly serve. I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Serve well

Divrei-HaYamim Alef (1 Chronicles) 9:28-33

Some of [the L’vi’im] were in charge of the articles used for the service; they had to keep records of them when bringing them in and out. Others were in charge of the equipment, the holy utensils, the fine flour, the wine, the olive oil, the frankincense and the spices. Some of the sons of the cohanim mixed together the ingredients for the perfumes. Mattityah, one of the L’vi’im, who was the firstborn of Shalum the Korchi, was permanently in charge of baking operations. Some of their kinsmen, from the descendants of the K’hati, were in charge of preparing the showbread every Shabbat. Also there were the singers, heads of fathers’ clans among the L’vi’im. They lived in the accommodations and were free from other kinds of service, for they were employed in their own work day and night.

All are called to serve ADONAI but not all are called to the same service. Here just out of the priestly tribe of L’vi’im we have some in charge of the items in the temple, record keeping, stores, compounding perfumes, baking, serving, and singing. No one man did all these things but each according to his talents served where they could be the most effective for God. I often struggle with seeing others serving where I think I could be effective, but in those times of struggle, jealousy really, it is because I am not trusting in the value where God has placed me to serve. Each of us are called to a mission that, if we truly trust ADONAI, only we can fill in that moment. Lord help me to see Your hand in all things. I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Haters gonna Hate

Matthew 9:32-38

As they were going, a man controlled by a demon and unable to speak was brought to Yeshua. After the demon was expelled the man who had been mute spoke, and the crowds were amazed.” Nothing like this has ever been seen in Isra’el,” they said. But the P’rushim said, “It is through the ruler of the demons that he expels demons.”
Yeshua went about all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Good News of the Kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and weakness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were harried and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his talmidim, “The harvest is rich, but the workers are few. Pray that the Lord of the harvest will send out workers to gather in his harvest.”

Yeshua had just performed one of the miracles that marked Him as the Messiah, restoring a mute so he could speak but even with this evidence before them the P’rushim denied Yeshua’s sovereignty and even went so far as to accuse him of being an agent for the adversary. If Yeshua had to tolerate such men, how can we as believers expect any better. How are we to deal with such men, by going about God’s business for us, following the narrow path and tending to those who are seeking salvation, just as Yeshua did going to all the towns and villages. Lord let me move forward each day in Your guidance and power no matter the nay-sayers that are seek to deter me. I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Act as God wants, not people

Sh’mu’el Alef (1 Samuel) 24:4-7

Near some sheep pens along the way was a cave, and Sha’ul went inside to relieve himself. It happened that David and his men were sitting in the recesses at the back of the cave; and David’s men said to him, “Look! The day has come that Adonai told you about when he said to you, ‘I will turn your enemy over to you, and you will do to him whatever seems good to you.’” Then David stole over unobserved and cut off the corner of Sha’ul’s cloak. But after doing this, David felt remorse over cutting Sha’ul’s garment. He said to his men, “Adonai forbid that I should do such a thing to my lord, Adonai’s anointed, as raise my hand against him! After all, he is Adonai’s anointed.”

Just because God places us in positions it doesn’t mean we have to act as others expect us to. David’s men wanted him to slay Saul, but David understood it would be wrong to harm someone anointed by God. Lord help me to discern when and what action to take in the times ahead, Amen.