Please sustain us

Yechezk’el (Ezekiel) 14:13-20

“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.”

There comes a point in a nation’s apostasy that ADONAI will no longer tolerate the idol worship. In that time even the most righteous of men cannot stand in the gap and intercede for the rest of the nation. Lord I fear I am living in such days. Sustain those who cling to Your salvation through Yeshua HaMashiach. I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Say no to toleration

Yechezk’el (Ezekiel) 8:14-18

He brought me to the entrance of the north gate to ADONAI’s house; and there before me were women weeping for Tammuz. “Human being,” he asked me, “have you seen this? You will see practices even more disgusting than these.” He brought me into the inner courtyard of ADONAI’s house; and there, at the entrance to the temple of ADONAI, between the porch and the altar, were about twenty-five men with their backs toward the temple of ADONAI and their faces toward the east; and they were worshipping the sun toward the east. He asked me, “Human being, have you seen this? Does the house of Y’hudah consider it a casual matter that they commit the disgusting practices they are committing here, thus filling the land with violence, provoking me still more? Look! They are even putting the branch to their nose! Therefore I will act in fury, my eye will not spare, I will have no pity. Even if they cry loudly right in my ears, I will not listen to them.”

Toleration brings destruction. As believers we are to hold ourselves separate from the worldly, sinful practices of others. In Yechezk’el’s time idol worship was so prevalent that the population practiced it right at the footstool of God. How can God not be offended when we worship ourselves over Him? Right now, our country is in the same position as Isra’el was, we know who God is and the blessings He has brought on us, but we tolerate abominations in the selfish idea that we are being wise and inclusive and superior. It is the sin of our own national aggrandizement that will in the end bring the sword, famine, and diaspora until we turn back to God once more. Lord forgive us for our hubris and let us seek You only. I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Discipline is love

Revelation 3:19

As for me, I rebuke and discipline everyone I love; so exert yourselves and turn from your sins!

Correction is not hatred or punishment but necessary so we can grow as believers. It is how we respond to correction that shows our maturity of trust in ADONAI. If we learned from our parents when they taught us not to touch a hot stove how much more should we respond to God when he shows us the sin our lives to avoid. Lord, You have removed much from me and I have much more to remove of my selfish, sinful ways. Let me understand Your discipline and more forward with rejoicing as I a learn to follow You more closely. I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Hometown, Hardwork

Yeckzek’el (Ezekiel) 3:4-9

“Human being,” he said to me, “go to the house of Isra’el, and speak my words to them. For you are not being sent to a people with a difficult language and unintelligible speech, but to the house of Isra’el— not to many peoples with difficult languages and unintelligible speech, whose words you can’t understand when you hear them. Without doubt, if I sent you to them, they would listen to you. But the house of Isra’el will not be willing to listen to you, because they aren’t willing to listen to me; since all the house of Isra’el are obstinate and hardhearted. However, I am making you as defiant and obstinate as they are. Yes, I am making your resoluteness harder than flint, as hard as a diamond. So don’t be afraid of them or depressed by how they look at you, because they are a rebellious house.”

Like Yeckzek’el most of us are not called to missionaries to the nations but we have a harder course to follow, to witness to those around us. Witnessing to the people who know your every fault and failure, witnessing to people who have seen you loose your cool over the littlest of things and gloss over what should have been a major life event. Yeshua himself said a prophet is never accepted in his own hometown, yet if we truly trust in ADONAI and follow Yeshua’s example, we will keep returning with our resolution set harder than diamond till all that God has put in our path know of His love and salvation. Lord let me live up to example of Yeckzek’el and never forget to let everyone You place around me the salvation of Your Word. I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Begin the Day!

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 one another

Yochanan Gimel (3 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 trust enough to always support Your emissaries. I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Discernment

Yirmeyahu (Jeremiah) 39:15-18

This word of ADONAI came to Yirmeyahu while he was imprisoned in the guards’ quarters: “Go and tell ‘Eved-Melekh the Ethiopian that ADONAI-Tzva’ot, the God of Isra’el, says: ‘”I am about to fulfill my words about this city for disaster, not for good; when the day arrives, they will come true before your eyes. But at that time I will rescue you,” says ADONAI, “and I will not hand you over to the men you fear. Yes, I will keep you safe; you will not fall by the sword, but you will escape with your life, because you have put your trust in me,” says ADONAI.'”

The ”king’s slave” an Ethiopian through his actions in preserving Yirmeyahu’s life when others tried to kill him was saved by the hand of God when Kasdim sacked Yerushalayim. Not a Hebrew by birth, not a citizen of high standing, but a slave and servant to the king who could understand the times and who deserved justice by ADONAI’s judgement. Lord let me be so discerning in the days ahead. I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Waiting with anticipation

Yirmeyahu (Jeremiah) 33:15-16

When those days come, at that time,
I will cause to spring up for David
a Branch of Righteousness.
He will do what is just and right in the land.
When those days come, Y’hudah will be saved,
Yerushalayim will live in safety,
and the name given to her will be
ADONAI Tzidkenu [ADONAI our Righteousness].”

Though I know the watchman says soon but not yet, Lord when will you fulfill Your Word? Raise up Your Branch of Righteousness and restore us to Your direction ADONAI! Let justice and safety return with Your reign Lord. Let us see the day of rejoicing! I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

All in

Yochanan Alef (1 John) 4:9=11

Here is how God showed his love among us: God sent his only Son into the world, so that through him we might have life. Here is what love is: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the kapparah for our sins.
Beloved friends, if this is how God loved us, we likewise ought to love one another.

This thought nags at me. How can I, a mere man ever get to the point where sacrificing the very essence of creation so that which is all ready created can be rectified back to me. This is the love that ADONAI displayed through Yeshua and the love that we as believers are called to display. Lord the power of this statement is frightening, steady my soul. I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Wholehearted

Yirmeyahu (Jeremiah) 29:12-13

When you call to me and pray to me, I will listen to you. When you seek me, you will find me, provided you seek for me wholeheartedly;

There is one thing ADONAI requires of us when we seek Him. We are to do so wholeheartedly, there can be no half measures. It is only when we completely trust in Him that the Ruach can invade our souls and work the supernatural miracles that are the hallmark of God’s blessing on our lives. Lord remove every doubt, every speck of worldly dust that clings to me so there is no impediment to Your infilling of my life. I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.