Begin At The Beginning

There have been times for all of us when we have had really good days. And likely there have been times when we have had days that have not been so good. This morning when the alarm went off. I thought it was an hour earlier than it actually was. As I struggled to sit upright with sleep in my eyes and head, a thought came to me to say something positive. I began to say out loud to myself, “Today is going to be great!” As I continued to mutter that to myself, the exclamation point became more of a reality in my tone of voice. I began to think about what lies in front of me. There were recent small turning points that Yahuah (Lord) had put in our paths. As I thought more about this, grappling with coming awake, it occurred to me that this is the very practice encouraged in scripture.

Ephesians 5:19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;
21 Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

For some time I have prayed every morning for people I know that are covered up in debt. While they did get themselves in that position, they had help. Credit card companies, banks, and so on – they all played a role of enslavement. I have been praying that our Father would crush the works of these slave masters, grinding it to powder. One of these people revealed to me that yesterday they received a notice from a local court that a proceeding for one of the debts was being dismissed by the court! Praise Yahuah! The people in question do have a plan in place to pay off the debt, but they needed more time than the creditors were willing to give them. But our God has intervened on their behalf! And all of this comes from the prayers from me and others for these people to get free from the slavery of debt.

It begins at the beginning. Even as we swing our feet out of bed in the morning, we need to be praising our Father for all He has and will do. We need to believe that He is and that He is on our side. We need to speak to ourselves in a positive way to know that He does love us, He does provide for us, and He is in the process of delivering us.

Prayer
Father, we exalt You. You are our King. It is Your kingdom we seek here on the earth. Bless the name Yahuah (Lord)! Send us today Your overwhelming provision. Give us grace. Forgive us our sins. Help us to overcome evil in our lives. Heal up our hearts and our minds. Deliver us from the evil that is stealing and has stolen what You alone provided. Give us today the victory over this evil, crush it, grind it to powder, and scatter it in the whirlwind. Rise up Yahuah! Come save us, Your people, from the thief and destroyer now! Help us. We need You now! They are stealing from us. Come with Your strong hand and outstretched arm and drive the thief and destroyer away with thundering, crushing blows! Let there be the sound of victory and rejoicing in the camps of the house of Yahuah (Lord)! We ask all these things in the name of our Messiah Yeshuah (Jesus). Amen.

Challenges Build Our Faith

When we experience difficulties in life, it is those very challenges that cause us to be built up in the faith. From those challenges we can choose to learn God’s ways of trusting and believing in Him. Or we can choose to not trust and believe and only see what He is doing.

Psalms 103:7 He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel.

Moses chose faith over what He could see, even the wealth and riches of Egypt. In so choosing, He was able to know God’s ways, the ways of faith.

Hebrews 11:24 By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter;
25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;
26 Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.
27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.
28 Through faith he kept the Passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he that destroyed the firstborn should touch them.
29 By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land: which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned.

The ways of our Father, Yahuah (Lord), are the ways of faith through believing in Him and trusting that He is on our side.

Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Today, for those of us that may be experiencing challenges in our lives, there is a path that leads to our being built up. It is the way of believing in God and trusting Him to deliver us, even with the enemy close at our rear guard and the may waters of troubles unparted in front of us. He will make that way.

Prayer
Father, we exalt You. You alone are our King. We praise the name Yahuah! Send us today, now, Your overwhelming abundant blessing of provision. Let it overflow our ability to contain it. Forgive us our sins. We are a frail people, we ask that You heal us up. Those with chest conditions, let them be cleared up. Those with lung cancer, cause it to be diminished and disappear. Those with ankle and foot bone problems be strengthened. Strengthen the hearts of Your Children Father. Deliver us from the debtors that would steal from us what You alone have provided. Let the works of them and the enemy be ground to powder and scattered in the whirlwind that all men might know that You alone are Yahuah (Lord) our Elohim (God). We ask all these things in the name of our Messiah Yeshuah (Jesus). Amen.

Working Toward A Goal

Here this morning I am sitting thinking about what we are here to do. Each one of us has a unique calling. It is amazing that our Father can keep track of it all, is it not? But the good thig is, He can and He does.

Today, I want to offer something simple. If we can focus on Paul’s advice, we can continue to build ourselves and other up in the faith.

Philippians 3:12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.
13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Prayer
Father, we exalt You. You are King. Bless the name Yahuah! Send us today Your overwhelming provision. Forgive us our sins. Heal us and deliver us, while it is called today Father. We ask all these things in the name of our Messiah Yehuah (Jesus). Amen.

Daily In Prayer

This morning as I pondered how we are to serve our Messiah, I pondered a few scriptures the Father recently gave me in answer to a prayer about what to do in life.

Deuteronomy 6:8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.

This scripture speaks of keeping Yahuah’s (Lord’s) commands in our thoughts and actions. It is His commands that are a lamp to see where we are going and keep us moving in the right paths.

Matthew 10:6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

Messiah Yeshuah (Jesus) sent His disciples to the lost sheep of the house of Israel first. Our first ministry is to each others as believers, I think, to help each other stay on right paths.

Hebrews 5:7 Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;

Our Messiah cried out in tears and reverence to the Father for deliverance from the attack in the garden. Even though He had the power to deliver Himself, He called out to the Father in strong prayer.

Hebrews 9:6 Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God.

Here Paul tells us that the priests other than the high priest went to do their service daily, just as we are to be in our temples daily.

From these scriptures it appears to me that we have a ministry. A portion of that ministry is to be in our bodies, our temples, and daily pray with intensity. We are to pray for ourselves and others the scriptures, praying God’s commands and promises over our fellow believers. We are to minister daily to the body of believers. We are to serve the living God in this way, building up our fellow believers and ourselves daily. This is a portion of our reasonable service.

Prayer
Father, we exalt You. You alone are the One True King. We need Your kingdom, Father. Praise the name Yahuah! Send us today Your overwhelming blessing of provision such that we cannot store it, and it overflows to those around us. We seek your forgiveness for our sins. We seek cleansing of our hearts and minds. We ask that You heal up our hearts and minds. We ask that You deliver us from those that have stolen and are stealing from us, the evil that is in this world, the thief. Restore unto us tenfold, even one hundredfold what has been taken. Do not leave Your people broken, sick, and in poverty. Come quickly with a strong hand and an outstretched arm to deliver Your people, to deliver us, today. We ask all these things in the name of Messiah Yeshuah (Jesus). Amen.

We Are Family

Over the last few days some of my fellow believers and I have been discussing via email different concepts in the scriptures. It reminded me of the times that I have heard of believers breaking off fellowship with each other over some belief where they differ. Somehow this just does not seem right. There should be a way that we can disagree and still be in fellowship with each other. But then, it also reminds me that our fellowship today is not like the fellowship after our Messiah Yeshuah (Jesus) ascended.

Acts 2:36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
40 And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.
41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
43 And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.
44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common;
45 And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.
46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,
47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

Here we see that they went to the synagogue daily. They prayed and ate together daily. They sold their possessions and paid off each others’ debts. So I guess, maybe we have yet to enter into real fellowship, likely because of fear of being hurt. It is my prayer that such a revival would come again and land here in our country.

Prayer
Father, we exalt You. You are our King. We want Your kingdom here. Bless the name Yahuah! Send us today Your overwhelming provision. Forgive us our sins. Heal up our hearts and minds. Help us to forgive one another and love one another. Let Yoru Spirit move among us that we might give our lives to each other. We ask these things in the name of our Messiah Yeshuah (Jesus). Amen.

Day Upon Day

There are many patterns in the universe in which we live. Our Father created these patterns for us as signs and to follow.

Genesis 1:14 And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:
15 And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so.
16 And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.

Each day follows the day before. Tomorrow is built upon today. One is built upon the other. We are built in our spiritual life in this same way. One thing is built upon another. We build each other up, over time, by the things coming out of our mouths.

Ephesians 5:19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;
21 Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

Today, let us build one another up in Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs that we may all be better as each our of each day passes.

Prayer
Father, we exalt You. You alone are our King. It is Your kingdom we long to serve inside. We need to find our way to Your paths. We need Your word to light the way. We praise the name Yahuah! We need You and we need Your provision. Please send us Your overwhelming provision today, Father, so much that it is more than we can hold and it flows out to others. Let us find favor in Your sight and in the sight of man. Forgive us our sins. Heal our hearts and minds. Come quickly to deliver us from the evil that is stealing from us what You alone have provided. We need You. We are desperate for You. We ask all these things in the name of our Messiah, Yeshuah (Jesus). Amen.

Step Forward Today

When we were children in school and there was an activity in which some of us needed to participate, they asked for volunteers. I can remember many times standing in lines and those that would volunteer were asked to step forward. There were times when we did and time when we did not step forward. Today, we can have that same tendency to step forward for the things of God, or not. He calls to us to raise ourselves and each other up.

1 Thessalonians 5:9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.
11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

Yahuah (Lord) is always there for us as our loving Father. He ever watches over us to care for us. He calls us to follow Him. He calls to us to walk in His ways. Today, when You see someone, offer encouragement. Be positive. Have a clean mind and heart and speak clear truth.

Prayer
Father, we exalt You. You are King. We praise the name Yahuah! Send us Your kingdom today. Give us now Your overwhelming provision. Forgive us our sins. Heal us up. Deliver us from those that would steal all that You have provided. Come quickly. We ask all these things in the name of Yeshuah (Jesus) our Messiah. Amen.

Say Something Good

When I was just a youngster in my parents home, they always said, “If you can’t say something good don’t say anything at all.” Well, I almost agree. Definitely do not say anything negative. But for us as believers, we really need to go the extra mile on this one. We have the power to be a positive force on the planet, a force for good. You may be wondering how that can be, especially if you are facing various physical, emotional, or material needs as some of us are. According to scripture, that power lies within our speaking.

Deuteronomy 30:9 And the Lord thy God will make thee plenteous in every work of thine hand, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy land, for good: for the Lord will again rejoice over thee for good, as he rejoiced over thy fathers:
10 If thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which are written in this book of the law, and if thou turn unto the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul.
11 For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off.
12 It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?
13 Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it?
14 But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it.

Moses was telling us that the pattern Yahuah (Lord) set up for us is to speak what God would speak and that in so doing we would be empowered to do His will. We know that His will from these very passages is to be blessed such that the kingdom of God moves forward. Therefore, we have the power to do good by saying His will and His words and then acting on what we are say (His will and His words).

In the end, we have to decide to trust in God.

Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Today, let’s not just avoid being negative. Let’s say what our Father would say, and then step into the sea…

Prayer
Father, we exalt You. You are our King. Today, perhaps more than other days, we need Your kingdom to manifest itself here on this earth. We praise the name Yahuah! May You be magnified in our presence! Send us today Your overwhelming blessing, and fill our barns to overflowing. Forgive us ouor sins. Heal our hearts. deliver us from those that are now and have been stealing from us what You alone have provided. We need You to come with a strong hand and an outstretched arm. Please help us today. We ask these things in the name of Messiah Yeshuah (Jesus). Amen.

Lift One Another Up

Last night and this morning I became aware that there are times I become negative and frustrated by the actions of others. This is not good. We are each responsible to God for ourselves. There are more than enough things for me to work on in life without my focusing on what others need to do. I want to be more like Yeshuah (Jesus), and I am sure all the people that I am speaking about want to as well. Instead of being negative, it is important to lift others up. It is important to help people feel that God really does love them and care about them. We each have such a mission in life, I believe, from what Paul said.

Romans 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
18 For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.
19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.

We need to be at peace with our brothers and sisters in the Messiah. There will be days ahead where we will need each other very much. Let us today sing praises to Yahuah and glorify Him, that we may be found worthy to build one another up.

Prayer
Father, we exalt You. You alone are our King. We desperately need Your kingdom on earth. We bless Your holy name Yahuah! Send us today Your overwhelming provision such it is more than we can hold and it overflows to others. Forgive us our sins, for we are frail and weak. Heal up and strengthen our hearts. Deliver us with a strong hand and outstretched arm from those that are stealing from us. Deliver us today Father. We ask all these things in the name of the Messiah Yeshuah (Jesus). Amen.

Keep Moving Forward

All of us can likely think of moments when we had particularly good days serving our Father. We remember those with a smile. We also can likely remember times when we went the wrong way and God lovingly brought us back on track. This too is very good. But for many of us, most days are just, well, days like any other. Most days are filled with routines of work, preparing food and shelter, and some rest. These can be challenging days if we feel that we are not really getting anything accomplished. I guess my point here is the word “feel” that I used.

It is good for us to control our thoughts, or program our brains if you will, to focus on what is good. Paul gave this very message to the Philippians.

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

If we take control of our thoughts, we control much of what we experience. This is because much of our experience is based on our interpretation of what is going on around us, not the facts themselves. We tend to apply meaning to various events, whether they be the words and actions of others, or just events that happen. But again, that is in our minds and we can control that reaction and thought process.

2 Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

If we will take time to think on Yahuah (Lord) and talk with Him and praise Him, we can change the lens we look at life through to one that makes life look better. We can see that every day, even if it is like the day before, we will see spending time with Yahuah (Lord) actually advances us and His kingdom. With this perspective we know we are not standing still.

Prayer
Father, we exalt You. You are our King. It is Your kingdom that we long to see. Praise the name Yahuah! Send us today Your overwhelming provision such that it overflows to those around us. We need You and your forgiveness for our sins. So many of us wonder at how long we must wait for Yeshuah’s (Jesus’) return. Please heal our hearts and minds. Rise up and deliver Your people with a strong hand and outstretched arm from those that would steal from your people what You have provided. How long will You let them plunder the goods of Your people Father? You say that You store up the world’s wealth for Your people Father. Please release it to Your people today Father. We ask all these things in the name of Messiah Yeshuah (Jesus). Amen.