Not just the Holidays but everyday

B’midbar (Numbers) 29:1-6

‘In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you are to have a holy convocation; do not do any kind of ordinary work; it is a day of blowing the shofar for you. Prepare a burnt offering to make a fragrant aroma for ADONAI—one young bull, one ram and seven male lambs in their first year and without defect— with their grain offering, consisting of fine flour mixed with olive oil—six quarts for the bull, four quarts for the ram, and two quarts for each of the seven lambs— also one male goat as a sin offering to make atonement for you. This is to be in addition to the burnt offering for Rosh-Hodesh with its grain offering, the regular burnt offering with its grain offering, and their drink offerings, according to the rule for them; this will be a fragrant aroma, an offering made by fire to ADONAI.

This is the direction for the Feast of Trumpets, Yom Teruah. There are directions for what is to be sacrificed on the alter and how to celebrate this feast day, but there is something else too. This feast day falls on the first of the month when the sacrifice for the new month is to be made and we are commanded to keep this as well. As members of a congregation we cannot just celebrate the feast days, those few dates on a calendar and say we are in unity with each other we must also observe the daily, weekly and monthly meetings. It is our daily walk with God that sets us apart, not if we just show up on Passover and Channukah. Lord let me remember everyday to spend time with You so that You are with me in all things, from the Feast of celebrations to driving to work. I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Face to Face

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.

Today in this moment as I read and pray, I find some new revelation from ADONAI that speaks to my spirit.  Yet there will be a time when I will stand before Him face to face, to know fully His power, justice and prayerfully, by trusting in the sacrifice of Yeshua, His mercy because in that moment He will reveal everything about me I thought was so secret I could not even admit it to myself.  Only then as Sha’ul wrote will I fully know ADONAI as He has always known me.  Lord let me keep looking in that mirror for Your correction so I will be worthy of standing before You and called a good and faithful servant.  I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

God’s Grace is the light at the end of the tunnel

Numbers 22:34-35

Bil’am said to the angel of ADONAI, “I have sinned. I didn’t know that you were standing on the road to block me. Now, therefore, if what I am doing displeases you, I will go back.” But the angel of ADONAI said to Bil’am, “No, go on with the men; but you are to say only what I tell you to say.” So Bil’am went along with the princes of Balak.

This is the way of sin, Bil’am was caught in his selfishness and wanted an easy way out of the situation. Yet his selfishness, his sin, had already let him accept the gifts of the princes and he was on the road to meet the king. So he had to face the results of his bad choices before coming to confession before ADONAI. All of us have to face the results of the bad choices we make under sin. It is the grace that God gives us if we cling to our trust in Him that lets us face those results with a witness and testimony that can be shared with others. Lord let me stand firmly on Your love as I admit my own failings and face the consequences for them. I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Keep Trusting

Mark 5:35-36

While he was still speaking, people from the synagogue official’s house came, saying, “Your daughter has died. Why bother the rabbi any longer?” Ignoring what they had said, Yeshua told the synagogue official, “Don’t be afraid, just keep trusting.”

No matter the worry or terror that confronts us in the moment, such as this official losing his daughter, we as believers are to keep trusting in our salvation which is Yeshua.  It is only in that trust that we can be preserved as David wrote in the 23 Psalm “Even if I pass through death-dark ravines, I will fear no disaster; for you are with me; your rod and staff reassure me.”  I myself have seen such times of darkness and even in that moment rebelled against ADONAI only to wrapped in His love and guided back to trust by His rod and staff.  Lord all I can ask is that You strengthen my trust so I cannot even think of not trusting in the moment of my despair.  I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Relationship

Tehillim (Psalms) 29:1-2

A psalm of David:

Give ADONAI his due, you who are godly;

give ADONAI his due of glory and strength;

give ADONAI the glory due his name;

worship ADONAI in holy splendor.

If we truly worship ADONAI just as David did then there must be interaction between us.  We cannot just use ADONAI like an ATM withdrawing blessings as need to get through this life, we need to build a relationship with God so that we give as good as we get.  How do we do that with tithing, prayer, study of the word and coming together as a congregation to praise and worship Him.  Lord let me be mindful and active of the glory and honor You are due and give it freely and in joy of Your covenant with me and all who trust in You.  I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

How are you focused

B’midbar (Numbers) 14:20-24

ADONAI answered, “I have forgiven, as you have asked. But as sure as I live, and that the whole earth is filled with the glory of ADONAI, none of the people who saw my glory and the signs I did in Egypt and in the desert, yet tested me these ten times and did not listen to my voice, will see the land I swore to their ancestors! None of those who treated me with contempt will see it. But my servant Kalev, because he had a different Spirit with him and has fully followed me—him I will bring into the land he entered, and it will belong to his descendants.

Every one of us has seen the glory of ADONAI fill the whole earth. Not one of us can deny that just as the nation of Isra’el could deny that after being liberated from Egypt. And yet most will only show contempt for God in all that He has done for us while only the select few will be of the house of Kalev, ready to face the giants and stand firmly in the full reward of ADONAI. The difference is our spirit, those with contempt focus inwardly only upon themselves, and those like Kalev focus outwardly on how to better serve God and the people around them. Lord let me be a Kalev and follow You with unwavering loyalty so just like David even though I walk through the valley of death I will fear no evil for You have already won the battle ahead. I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Preserved in the Word

Psalm 90:14-15

Fill us at daybreak with your love,
so that we can sing for joy as long as we live.
Let our joy last as long as the time you made us suffer,
for as many years as we experienced trouble.

I have been and continue to be in a season of pruning, as Adonai removes things from my life that I clinged to more than Him. My preservation in this time has been His Word, as Moshe wrote all those years ago “fill us at daybreak with Your love.” Without godly friends encouraging me to study the Word everyday and journal I do not know if I would be who I am now, let alone where I am. I know without the Word despair and grief can grind you into nothingness. So Praise God and let our joy last longer than our sorrow, I ask this in Yeshua’s mighty name, amen.

God first then the rest of the day

Mark 1:35-38

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Yeshua got up, left, went away to a lonely spot and stayed there praying. But Shim’on and those with him went after him; and when they found him, they said, “Everybody is looking for you.” He answered, “Let’s go somewhere else—to the other villages around here. I have to proclaim the message there too—in fact this is why I came out.”

We are to be like Yeshua and take the first moments of our waking day and commune with ADONAI. Yeshua said many times over He only did what He saw the Father do and only spoke what He heard the Father speak, yet how can we hear God if we do not make time for Him. Soon enough the worries of the day will come like Shim’on looking for us and if we have failed to spend time with ADONAI how easily will it be to forget that we are to proclaim the power of God in our lives just as Yeshua did. Lord thank You for this example of taking time with You for how could I get through the day without knowing Your love in my life. Hold me up Lord and let me be a reflection of Your love for others. I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

There is provision in the Will of God

Acts 28:7-10

Nearby were lands belonging to the governor of the island, whose name was Publius. He received us in a friendly manner and put us up for three days. Now it so happened that Publius’ father was lying in bed, sick with fever attacks and dysentery. Sha’ul went in to him, prayed, placed his hands on him and healed him. After this happened, the rest of those on the island who had ailments came and were healed. They heaped honors on us; and when the time came for us to sail, they provided the supplies we needed.

Even after surviving weeks in a hurricane, a shipwreck, and being bit by a snake, Sha’ul continued to do what ADONAI called him to do, performing supernatural healings while teaching the Word of the Lord.  In being faithful to his calling ADONAI made sure he was well provisioned for all his worldly needs.  It is the same for us, when we live in God’s will His banner covers us and keeps us safe in His fold.  Lord let me live in Your will and Your will alone, keep me from wandering like a foolish sheep but hold me through the days ahead.  I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

God’s discipline sees us through

Tehillim (Psalms) 23:4

Even if I pass through death-dark ravines,

I will fear no disaster; for you are with me;

your rod and staff reassure me.

As believers ADONAI is with us even in our darkest trials.  It is the discipline that He instills upon us that can see us through these soul crushing times and like Sha’ul caught up in the hurricane lead everyone around us to a place of safety by keeping to ADONAI’s direction.  Lord, I need Your leadership constantly in my life.  Keep me close and lead me through these troubling times to Your good pastures.  I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.