Know Truth

Acts 7:1

The cohen hagadol asked, “Are these accusations true?”

This question bothers me, the Cohen Hagadol, the High Priest, the center of Jewishness in Yerushalayim who sits in the seat of Moshe has to ask is this true. Reading the gospels, we already know that he is corrupt, simply because he along with most of the Sanhedrin had traded their theological authority for political power yet he should be able to recognize truth, especially when in the previous chapter the Ruach so filled Stephan that his face shown like an angel. This priest knows the Word of God because he uses it for his own gain, but if he knows the Word and yet still uses it for his own selfish needs, he is no better than the adversary itself when it challenged Yeshua in the wilderness quoting the Word out of context for its own benefit. So maybe he doesn’t know truth when it is staring him back in the face. Maybe he needs conformation so that he can feel good that he stood with wide and worldly crowd seeking to make themselves feel better by tearing down someone who is actually doing good, shaming them for not doing it themselves for their own aggrandizement, and yet not understanding Stephan does it out of compassion and calling not for fame or fortune. And because they cannot understand the motive of the service, they must destroy it so there is no confusion on who is the better person. Maybe this is why the cohen hagadol must ask “are these accusations true?” Then I look at myself in my time today and am I any better, do I seek to hamper others as they serve God just because I am jealous of the way God is using them because they are willing to serve. Do I give credence to false accusations because it fits my world view? Lord I pray I do not, but I fear I may have. Forgive me for a judging spirit when You are the only judge in our lives. I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

How to deal with divison

Acts 6:1-4

Around this time, when the number of talmidim was growing, the Greek-speaking Jews began complaining against those who spoke Hebrew that their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution. So the Twelve called a general meeting of the talmidim and said, “It isn’t appropriate that we should neglect the Word of God in order to serve tables. Brothers, choose seven men from among yourselves who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will appoint them to be in charge of this important matter, but we ourselves will give our full attention to praying and to serving the Word.”

Two things are going on here.  First people where starting divisions on at thing, this time whether a person spoke Hebrew or not, and were using that division to show favoritism to one and not to another.  But instead of splitting into two different sects as we seem to do today, the leaders, the Talmidim of Yeshua, called it for what it was, a distraction and addressed it with delegating to honest men the congregation could trust.  This second thing is the example we should be following set by the Talmidim, examine the problem in the body, look to men of God that has already proved their devotion and delegate so that Word of God can continue to flow out to the people as the living water it is.  There would be a lot less divisions if we as a body acted like this.  Lord let us follow this example and bring Your people together unity and not focus on our differences to split us apart.  I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Vision without trust

Sh’mot (Exodus) 24:9-11

Moshe, Aharon, Nadav, Avihu and seventy of the leaders went up; and they saw the God of Isra’el. Under his feet was something like a sapphire stone pavement as clear as the sky itself. He did not reach out his hand against these notables of Isra’el; on the contrary, they saw God, even as they were eating and drinking.

Today I do not have deep insight or understanding of this scripture.  In fact I have read through the Bible at least 12 times now and I am just noticing these verses for the first time.  What I do know is during our Pesach service in the congregation I attend I had this very vision that the elders shared with Moshe and Aharon.  For me it was a moment of love and refreshing for the year we suffered through after returning from my father’s funeral and strengthening for this year ahead.  These 74 men saw the presence of ADONAI supernaturally and only 2 Moshe and Aharon, were collected up to God.  Nadav and Avihu died presenting strange fire to ADONAI while the other 70 died in the desert for their lack of trust in God.  Having a vision from God does not ensure salvation.  Acting on that vision and following God with trust does.  Lord let me keep to the direction You have led me so I may to hear You say “come to your rest my good and faithful servant.”  I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

He will guard us forever

Tehillim (Psalms) 12:8

You, ADONAI, protect us;
guard us forever from this generation

Yesterday being the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp and reading over half of adults don’t know what the Shoah is or how it happened; Seeing government trying to justify when someone just make believes and changes their gender while at the same time criminalizes free worship of God in this nation; Watching families fall apart in what always boils down to selfish aggrandizement of at least one of the parents; I am thankful that in all this chaos of this generation, God will protect His own. There is always a land of Goshen for His people who are called by His name as long as we humble ourselves and pray. Lord let all of Your body of believers stay focused on You. I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

We have lost the promise

Sh’mot (Exodus) 20:12

“Honor your father and mother, so that you may live long in the land which ADONAI your God is giving you.”

For the first time in the history of our nation here in the United States the life expectancy of our population fell instead of rising. We are now dying two to three years faster than the previous year. I believe it is a result of the falling away from God and His Word that we are receiving the reward for our failure. Daily there are stories on how the young despise the old and are the worse for it. Life hack videos and tic tocks have replaced seeking wisdom from our elders. And as for the people of my generation those of us born to the baby boomers we have as a group abandoned a majority of our parental rights and responsibilities to the state instead of speaking life into our children so they have come to ignore us when we do try to teach them. We have as a nation bought into the humanist “it takes a village” to raise child and removed any responsibility of the parents to the point that a six year old here in Virginia can shoot a teacher and no one is held responsible. This command of God is the one with a promise and it is a promise that is missing in America today. Lord forgive me for those times that I rebelled against my parents and mend any contention with my children where I failed as a father and exasperated them instead of raise them up to serve You. Help me in the days ahead to show them all the love I have for them comes from You first in the order You desired for our families. I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

No Fear Under God

Sh’mot (Exodus) 14:13-14

Moshe answered the people, “Stop being so fearful! Remain steady, and you will see how ADONAI is going to save you. He will do it today—today you have seen the Egyptians, but you will never see them again! ADONAI will do battle for you. Just calm yourselves down!”

There are going to be troubling times ahead to the point that it will seem like the host of Egypt has us pinned against the sea.  Yet as believers we must never give into fear because we do not fight alone but with the hand of ADONAI before us, our strong tower as David wrote in the psalms.  In Him is our refuge and strength and with Him the power of armies we will never comprehend until we stand in worship with Him and all the angles in heaven.  How can we be assured of that?  Just as Moshe told the people “He said, “If you will listen intently to the voice of ADONAI your God, do what he considers right, pay attention to his mitzvot and observe his laws, I will not afflict you with any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians; because I am ADONAI your healer (15:26).”  Lord thank you for giving me a heart to be bold for You in this time and season.  Encourage me to stay focused on You so I do not loose heart in the days ahead.  I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Prayer, it is what we need

Acts 1:14

These all devoted themselves single-mindedly to prayer, along with some women, including Miryam (Yeshua’s mother), and his brothers.

When we pray we are to be single-minded in that action. For me I find I have to take 5 to 10 minutes just to get rid of the worries of the day so I can focus on what the Ruach HaKodesh is steering me to. It is a hard thing and takes time that in this ultra-busy, ultra-connected world and seems to be becoming a lost art. Lord let me set aside the time to hear Your voice and feel Your Spirit fill me so I can face the times ahead. I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Light in the darkness

Sh’mot (Exodus) 9:1-4, 21-23

Then ADONAI said to Moshe, “Go to Pharaoh, and tell him, ‘Here is what ADONAI, the God of the Hebrews, says: “Let my people go, so that they can worship me. If you refuse to let them go and persist in holding on to them, the hand of ADONAI is on your livestock in the field—on the horses, donkeys, camels, cattle and flocks—and will make them suffer a devastating illness. But ADONAI will distinguish between Egypt’s and Isra’el’s livestock—nothing belonging to the people of Isra’el will die.”‘”

ADONAI said to Moshe, “Reach out your hand toward the sky, and there will be darkness over the land of Egypt, darkness so thick it can be felt!” Moshe reached out his hand toward the sky, and there was a thick darkness in the entire land of Egypt for three days. People couldn’t see each other, and no one went anywhere for three days. But all the people of Isra’el had light in their homes.

Troubled times are upon us, and like Isra’el it is our trust in ADONAI that will keep us safe in the chaos around us.  When these times reach the full disaster that is coming and our world is plunged into the darkness of its sinful nature, but in our homes as believers in Yeshua, it will be our trust in God that in such darkness our light from Him through the Ruach that will shine brightly as witness to the world.  Lord let me and my house be worthy to be such a lighthouse to let others come safely to You.  I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Character

Luke 20:20-25, 50-53

Pilate appealed to them again, because he wanted to release Yeshua. But they yelled, “Put him to death on the stake! Put him to death on the stake!” A third time he asked them, “But what has this man done wrong? I haven’t found any reason to put him to death. So I’m going to have him flogged and set free.” But they went on yelling insistently, demanding that he be executed on the stake; and their shouting prevailed. Pilate decided to grant their demand; he released the man who had been thrown in prison for insurrection and murder, the one they had asked for; and Yeshua he surrendered to their will.

There was a man named Yosef, a member of the Sanhedrin. He was a good man, a tzaddik; and he had not been in agreement with either the Sanhedrin’s motivation or their action. He came from the town of Ramatayim, a town of the Judeans; and he looked forward to the Kingdom of God. This man approached Pilate and asked for Yeshua’s body. He took it down, wrapped it in a linen sheet, and placed it in a tomb cut into the rock, that had never been used.

Two men from this chapter of Luke that had very different reactions to Yeshua. Pilot who had the power and authority of the Emperor and could not be overruled, believed in Yeshua for who he was gave into the sinful screeching of the mob rather that risk what the mob could do in the flesh and not his immortal soul. Then there is Yosef, who even as a member of the ruling class that was threatened by Yeshua’s true authority, stood apart trusting in Yeshua and sought to keep with Torah and bury him before sundown. While I like to see myself as Yosef, I know too many times I have acted like Pilot. Lord forgive me of failures of character, strengthen my heart and soul so I have the courage to stand like Yosef at the darkest times. I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Forget our weakness, Trust His Strength

Sh’mot (Exodus) 4:1

Moshe replied, “But I’m certain they won’t believe me, and they won’t listen to what I say, because they’ll say, ‘ADONAI did not appear to you.'”

Five times Moshe questions ADONAI’s decision to use him to deliver the host of Isra’el.  Five times Moshe derides himself as not able, not believable, not powerful, not eloquent, and finally gets to the truth that he doesn’t want to leave the comfort of how he is living in that moment, “God isn’t there someone else who can do it?”  Stepping out in trust on the paths that ADONAI TZ’VAOT the Lord of Host wants us to follow is frightening.  It means leaving behind comfort and familiarity for the unknown and work daily, hourly even.  Moshe was so comfortable as a shepherd in Midyan that he forgot the covenant of the circumcision with his own son.  Is there someone else who could do what we are called to do?  Yes, God’s plans will not go unfinished, but He didn’t call someone else He called us, old, young, broken, broke, but each of us obedient to His calling.  It is in that obedience when we are filled by the Ruach and like wings of eagles we are refreshed and empowered to preserve to the next challenge.  Lord never let my own failings and worries get in the way of Your commission on my life.  Let me serve you as faithfully as Moshe, even with his doubts, that You still spoke to him face to face.  I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.