Yom Shi-shi, Sivan 20, 6002 – June 16, 2017
Making A Difference, Making A Change
What we experience in life comes from one source ultimately, and that one source is God. He created everything, therefore He is ultimately behind all that happens. That being said, our choices matter. There is a clear path He wants us to follow. That path will lead to life everlasting with Him. However, there are other paths we can take that are not His path that He has set for us. These other paths lead us away from Him. Pretty much everything we do is done by choice. We are free to make our own choices. These choices are made, moment by moment. Each choice either keeps us on His path, or moves us away from His path. Enough wrong choices and we begin to lose our way, the way toward Him, our Father. But He is always there, waiting for us to make a choice to return. And when we choose to return, He receives us with open arms, not regarding our bad choices.
Luke 15:11 And he said, A certain man had two sons:
12 And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.
13 And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.
14 And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.
15 And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.
16 And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.
17 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,
19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.
20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.
21 And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.
22 But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:
23 And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:
24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.
25 Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing.
26 And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.
27 And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.
28 And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and entreated him.
29 And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:
30 But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.
31 And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.
32 It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.
The story of the prodigal son is a great one to show us that our Father rejoices when we turn to Him. He does not remember the wrongs one we confess and repent. He does not keep a record of the wrongs we have done.
Psalms 130:3 If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?
4 But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.
5 I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.
Instead, we see from the story, we receive a robe of righteousness, a ring fit for someone that is to be married, and the feet shod with the good news that the Father is on our side. The righteousness is as if we had always been with Him, keeping His commands. The ring is a signet of the kingdom. Then there are the shoes, which are King’s shoes to walk His path and declare we are His child. And the shoes are the keeping of the feasts that He has prepared for us.
Nahum 1:15 Behold upon the mountains the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace! O Judah, keep thy solemn feasts, perform thy vows: for the wicked shall no more pass through thee; he is utterly cut off.
Today, let us all choose to walk His path, and to return when we are on different paths. He will receive us with open arms. We will keep a feast with Him.
Prayer
Father, we exalt You. You alone are our King! Praise the name Yahuah! Let Your will be done here as it is in the heavens. Send us today Your overwhelming provision such that it overflows to those around us. Forgive us our trespasses and transgressions, and help us all to forgive those that have trespassed and transgressed against us. We need Your help to forgive. Cleanse our hearts and minds. Wipe away memories of the evil such that we are like You, and have not even the slightest thought of these from the past. Deliver us, and renew Your Spirit within us. Restore the joy of Yeshuah, our salvation. Then we will teach many Your ways. We ask this same blessing for all those that have trespassed against us, or that we have harmed in any way. Let us unite in the unity of family, Father, Your family. Restore seven fold all that the enemy has taken or held back in any way, and the more besides. Give us the power to get wealth, and greatly fan that flame, that those that see us know that You alone have done this. We ask all these things in the name of our Messiah Yeshuah (Jesus). Amen.