Keep the body Holy

Y’hoshua (Joshua) 7:1

But the people of Isra’el misappropriated some of the goods set aside to be destroyed; for ‘Akhan, the son of Karmi, the son of Zavdi, the son of Zerach, of the tribe of Y’hudah, took some of the things reserved for destruction. In consequence, the anger of ADONAI blazed up against the people of Isra’el.

The sin of one man affected the whole community and would bring death to several others before the sin was revealed.  Everything we as believers do affects the whole body, any misstep not only are we judged for but now everyone that we have damaged our witness too will judge every believer by the same measure.  Sha’ul even challenges the congregation in Corinth for doing the same thing tolerating sin inside the congregation and damaging their and his witness to the rest of the world.  ‘Akhan’s sin could only be satisfied by his death, because there must be blood for sin, we thankfully have the blood of Yeshua to answer for our sin, but when we accept His forgiveness we must also accept His instruction to “go and sin no more.”  Lord without You to lead me I would be nothing more than a hodgepodge of selfish sin and self-destruction.  Keep me focused on Your will in my life so I don’t get distracted like ‘Akhan and bring embarrassment to Your people.  I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Refinement

Revelation 15:8

Then the sanctuary was filled with smoke from God’s Sh’khinah, that is, from his power; and no one could enter the sanctuary until the seven plagues of the seven angels had accomplished their purpose.

There is no entrance to the presence of ADONAI until we are put through the crucible to remove dross, the undesirable waste of our lives, just as these last plagues would remove those who will not turn to God for their salvation. Lord let me understand and receive thankfully the correction and refinement that You give to my life. I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

The enemy cannot win

Acts 18:32-41

Meanwhile, some were shouting one thing and others something else, because the assembly was in complete confusion, and the great majority didn’t even know why they were there. Some of the crowd explained the situation to Alexander, whom the Jews had pushed to the front. So Alexander motioned for silence, hoping to make a defense speech to the people. But as soon as they recognized that he was a Jew, they began bellowing in unison, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” and they kept it up for about two hours.
At last, the city clerk was able to quiet the crowd. “Men of Ephesus!” he said, “Is there anyone who doesn’t know that the city of Ephesus is the guardian of the temple of the great Artemis, and of the sacred stone which fell from the sky? Since this is beyond dispute, you had better calm down and not do anything rash. For you have brought these men here who have neither robbed the temple nor insulted your goddess. So if Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen have a complaint against anyone, the courts are open and the judges are there—let them bring charges and counter-charges. But if there is something more you want, it will have to be settled in a lawful assembly. For we are in danger of being accused of rioting on account of what has happened today. There is no justification for it; and if we are asked, we will be unable to give any reasonable explanation for this disorderly gathering.” And with these words, he dismissed the assembly.

Any attack on righteousness will collapse upon itself. Demetrius sought to bring about a day of rage and destroy Sha’ul and the followers of the Way only to bring complete confusion to the city and condemnation from the governing officials. Nothing can stop the hand of ADONAI from reaching the hearts of the people that have turned to Him. Lord let me stand firm in the face of such mindless attacks and hold on to Your strength to see through the storm. I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Be Steadfast

Nechemyah (Nehemiah) 6:5-9

The fifth time, with the same purpose, Sanvalat sent his servant to me with an open letter in his hand, in which was written: “It is reported among the nations, and Geshem says it too, that you and the Judeans are planning a revolt, that this is why you are rebuilding the wall, and that you intend to be their king,” and similar words; “moreover, that you have also appointed prophets to proclaim about you in Yerushalayim, ‘There is a king in Y’hudah!’ A report along these lines is now going to be made to the king. Come now, therefore, and let’s discuss this.” I sent him this answer; “Nothing like what you are saying is being done. You’re making it all up in your head.” They were all just trying to scare us, thinking, “This will sap their strength and keep them from working.” But now, [God,] increase my strength!

When people who seek to destroy our trust in God come about to drag us into their despair, we must be like Nechemyah and stay focused and true to the task that ADONAI has assigned to us to complete. It is our trust in God that will fight the battle for us as long as we stay focused on the His will in our lives. Lord let me see You move powerfully in my life and let me recognize it so as to build my trust and not waiver but be as dedicated to my calling as Nechemyah was to his. I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Speak life for our children

Luke 1:76-80

You, child, will be called a prophet of Ha’Elyon; you will go before the Lord to prepare his way by spreading the knowledge among his people that deliverance comes by having sins forgiven through our God’s most tender mercy, which causes the Sunrise to visit us from Heaven, to shine on those in darkness, living in the shadow of death, and to guide our feet into the paths of peace.” The child grew and became strong in spirit, and he lived in the wilderness until the time came for him to appear in public to Isra’el.This was Z’kharyah’s blessing over his son Yochanan the Immerser at his birth.

What an inspiration of divine commission and purpose. From the very moment of his birth his father spoke into him a life of service to ADONAI. Not only that he kept Yochanan separate from worldliness until it was time for his commission from God to start. Oh God why couldn’t have I seen this example before, we as a nation thrust our children too quickly in acting as adults before they understand the consequences of these actions. God and my children forgive me for not sheltering you more fully from the slings and arrows of this sinful world until you were ready to face them with Ha’Elyon’s favor. Lord how can I recapture failings of the past to correct them in Your eyes save through the trusting the sacrifice of Yeshua. Let me cling to Your mercy, I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Stand in the gap

Yechezk’el (Ezekiel) 22:6-12

“‘The leaders of Isra’el in you all use their power in order to shed blood. In you, they make light of fathers and mothers, they oppress foreigners, they wrong orphans and widows. You treat my holy things with contempt, you profane my shabbats. In you, people gossip to the point of inciting bloodshed; in you are those who go to eat on the mountains; in you, they commit lewd acts; in you, they commit incest; in you, they force themselves on women during their menstrual impurity. In you, one commits an abomination with his neighbor’s wife; another commits some lewd act defiling his daughter-in-law; still another humbles his sister, his own father’s daughter. In you, people take bribes to shed blood; you demand and accept interest on loans; in greed you make profits off your neighbors by extorting them; and you have forgotten me, ‘says Adonai ELOHIM.

As long as we as believers allow our leaders to act like this we will suffer as a nation. It has been 20 years since 9/11 which was the wakeup call from ADONAI that He has removed His hedge of protection from our country. How many military defeats, political embarrassments, wildfires, droughts, hurricanes, riots, murder, and legalized sin do we have to endure before we as a nation turn back to God. We must stand in the gap united in our trust in ADONAI and pray that He heals our land or settle for the destruction we have brought on ourselves by our inaction. Lord I cry out for my nation and my people, heal us and let us return to You. I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Words and Actions, not just words

Yirmeyahu (Jerimiah) 34:13-20

“Here is what ADONAI the God of Isra’el says: ‘When I brought your ancestors out of the land of Egypt, where they lived as slaves, I made this covenant with them: “At the end of seven years every one of you is to set free his brother Hebrew who has been sold to you and has served you six years. You are to let him go free from you.” But your ancestors did not listen to me or pay any attention. Now you repented, you did what is right from my viewpoint when each of you proclaimed freedom to his fellow; and you made a covenant before me in the house bearing my name. But then you changed your minds. You profaned my name when each of you took back his male and female slaves, whom you had set free to live as they wished, and brought them back into subjection as your slaves.’ Therefore here is what ADONAI says: ‘You did not heed me and proclaim freedom, each to his brother and each to his neighbor; so now I proclaim for you a freedom, ‘says ADONAI, ‘for sword, plague and famine. I will make you an object of horror to all the kingdoms on earth. As for the men who violated my covenant by not living up to the conditions of the covenant which they made in my presence when they cut the calf in two and passed between its parts— the leaders of Y’hudah, the leaders of Yerushalayim, the officials, the cohanim and all the people of the land who passed between the parts of the calf; I will hand them over to their enemies, hand them over to those who seek their lives; and their corpses will become food for birds in the air and wild animals.”

As believers we cannot stand before God and promise to act in a certain way and fail to do so afterwards.  By doing so we allow sin to cling to us and ADONAI will remove Himself letting pain and strife become the watchword of our life.  That is just what the people of Judah did and in their sinfulness lost Yerushalayim for 70 years.  We are to speak honestly and contritely before God and let Him shape the condition of our hearts so that He can write His Torah, His Word on us through the Ruach HaKodesh.  Lord forgive me for the harshness of my judgmental spirit and keep me searching after Your Word.  I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

Leadership

Yochanan (John) 13:13-15

You call me ‘Rabbi’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because I am. Now if I, the Lord and Rabbi, have washed your feet, you also should wash each other’s feet. For I have set you an example, so that you may do as I have done to you.

Leadership as defined by Yeshua is not a position of control and power but one of stewardship and service. The titles He bears, the Good Shepherd, Wonderful Counselor, speak to the care that He has for the bride, the body of believers. We must follow in His example and look to any authority given to us as an opportunity to serve others and show the love of God to our fellow man. For it is by our love in servant leadership they will know us for children of the Most High God. Lord let my service fit Your desire just as Yeshua served You faithfully in all things. I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.

United

Acts 5:12-14

Meanwhile, through the emissaries many signs and miracles continued to be done among the people. United in mind and purpose, the believers met in Shlomo’s Colonnade; and no one else dared to join them. Nevertheless, the people continued to regard them highly; and throngs of believers were added to the Lord, both men and women.

It is when the body of believers are united in mind and purpose that the Ruach and move and the miracles of ADONAI invade our lives. There is comfort, there is fellowship, there is safety because the godless can only confront us when there is division in our camp. Lord let me stand with Your saints and always praise Your Holy Name. Keep me in Your will so that Your Ruach can move freely in this time. I ask this all in Yeshua’s name, amen.

True Forgiveness

Tehillim (Psalms) 130:1b-4

ADONAI, I call to you from the depths;

hear my cry, Adonai!

Let your ears pay attention

to the sound of my pleading.

Yah, if you kept a record of sins,

who, Adonai, could stand?

But with you there is forgiveness,

so that you will be feared.

From the moment I stepped openly into the selfishness of my heart and sinfully put myself before God in my life till the time I understood my failure in my obedience to ADONAI, there has not been enough time in my life to earn my way back into His loving grace. Only by His forgiveness through the blood shed by Yeshua could that part of my life be blotted out and my name remain in the Lamb’s book of Life. Lord what can I do but like David praise Your holy name! Let Your ears hear my thankfulness for Your forgiveness as well. I ask this in Yeshua’s name, amen.