Because Of Mercy

There are many reasons for us to be thankful to our Father. Many reasons there are to cause us to sit in awe and reverence, as if before a King that has extended the scepter and spared our life. And it may not be unusual for us to sit and wonder why we are pardoned. Daniel spoke of these things.

Daniel 9:4 And I prayed unto the Lord my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments;

Here Daniel speaks of the type of mercy that is kindness. There is much said in scriptures about kindness. Abraham had this kindness, while Jacob had truth.

Micah 7:20 Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old.

While both of these are in the inheritance we receive, kindness is important. But there is another mercy that Daniel speaks about. It is this mercy that permiates our Father’s forgiveness for transgressing His commands. Daniel recognized this as well.

Daniel 9:18 O my God, incline thine ear, and hear; open thine eyes, and behold our desolations, and the city which is called by thy name: for we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies.
19 O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God: for thy city and thy people are called by thy name.

This mercy is best described as an eternal compassion. We are forgiven not because we are righteous, for we are not. But our Father Yahuah (Lord) is compassionate toward mankind. Because Daniel knew this, he knew he could call upon Yahuah to remember that mercy, and act on it to preserve His name, sparing the people. And not just pardoning them, but restoring them.

When we pray, let us call out to our Father for the mercy of kindness and the mercy of compassion. He will uphold His name, Yahuah.

Prayer
Father, we exalt You. You alone are our King! Praise the name Yahuah! Let Your will be with us here. Send Your overwhelming provision. Forgive us our transgressions, and help us all to forgive those that have transgressed against us. Cleanse our hearts and minds. Heal us from the inside. Restore unto Your people all that has been taken or held back in any way, and the more besides. We ask all these things in the name of our Messiah Yeshuah (Jesus). Amen.

Really Good News

God is on our side. I could stop there, but as I meditate this morning on our Father and all He has done for just me and my family, I feel blessed above imagining. For many, certainly for me, it can be easy to be swayed away from the simplicity of this truth. But I know that we can count on our Father, always, at all times, to be working for our good.

Romans 8:25 But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.
26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

In the challenging moments it is tempting to struggle. But if we “let go and lete God” and admit we are powerless of ourselves to change anything, we can be at peace. We can overcome the challenges that face us, usually in our minds, struggling for belief. And He will help us there as well.

Mark 9:23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.
24 And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.
25 When Jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, Thou dumb and deaf spirit, I charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him.
26 And the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him: and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, He is dead.
27 But Jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up; and he arose.
28 And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privately, Why could not we cast him out?
29 And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.

Today, let us rejoice in the good news.

Nahun 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 rejoice and be thankful to our Father, for He is on our side!

Prayer
Father, we exalt You. You alone are our King! Praise the name Yahuah! Let Your will be manifest among us here as it is in the heavens. Send us today Your overwhelming provision. Forgive us our transgressions, and help us all to forgive those that have transgressed against us. Restore unto Your people all good things – relationships, prosperity in goods and spirit, healing – that have been taken from us or held back in any way, and the more besides. Let it be said this day, O King, that You alone rose up and did these things. We ask all these things in the name of our Messiah Yeshuah (Jesus). Amen.

The Need For Change

Our lives as believers start with change. We change from the darkness to the kingdom of light when we confess our sins and ask Jesus (Yeshuah) to come into our heart and be our Messiah.

Matthew 10:32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.

1 John 4:15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.

Once we have begun, we must continue to follow Him. We will become more like Him, day by day. This is the transformation that takes place for us, daily, ass we seek our Father and His ways.

John 14:23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

Let us commit ourselves to following after our Father to keep His commandments.

Prayer
Father, we exalt You. You alone are our King. Praise the name Yahuah! For You, Father, are our King alone. Let Your will be in this earth. Send us today Your overwhelming blessing and provision that it might overflow to those around us. Forgive us our transgressions, and help us all to forgive those that have transgressed against us. We need help to be more like You. We need to forgive and forget, just as You do. Blot out our transgressions. Restore our hearts and minds, healing us from the inside out. Deliver us from the evil that would beset us and destroy us. Restore unto Your people all that has been taken or held back by the enemy, and the more besides. We ask all these things in the name of our Messiah Yeshuah (Jesus). Amen.

What Matters Most

The scriptures are fairly clear about what happens when something is valuable to us.

Matthew 6:19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

What captures your thoughts? What do you find yourself dwelling upon? In this scripture, Yeshuah (Jesus) was warning to not seek for men to think us spiritual, but rather to keep that between us and the Father. The result is His open reward. David found out about this once through transgression.

Psalms 51:1 Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.
4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.
5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.
6 Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.

After David sinned, he became aware that it is the inward parts that needed help – his heart. He knew that he had let his heart take him away from the Father. And once he had sinned, that revelation was consuming him and troubling him greatly. He knew he could not change that as a man, and that only God could change that for him.

Psalms 51:7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
8 Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.
9 Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

David cried out to the Father to cleanse his heart and spirit. He wanted God to hide His face from his sin and blot it out. He finally learned that it was the presence of God and His Spirit that was what he treasured, and that his heart needed cleaning and renewal to get back to the right place. He needed help with treasuring God with his whole heart.

Psalms 51:11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.
13 Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.
14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.
15 O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.
16 For thou desirest not sacrifice; or else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

David realized that he was desparate for God. The worst thing that could happen would be for God to cast him away from His presence. He needed a broken and contrite heart. He also knew that if God would do this and restore him, then the good things of God would return to him and the nation he was king over.

Psalms 51:18 Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem.
19 Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar.

We know the end of the story. Yahuah (God) responded, and gave him a renewed heart and spirit. This is what our Father wants from us. He wants us to cry out to Him for a better heart, and to follow after Him. The good news for us is our Father longs to do this very thing for us.

Prayer
Father, we exalt You. You alone are our King. We need Your will here with us in this earth. Send us today Your overwhelming provision. Forgive us our transgressions, and help us to forgive those that have transgressed against us. We need Your help. We need you to not look on our transgressions, to blot them out. Create in us a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within us. Help us now to be Your people and walk in Your ways, that You might deliver us and provide for us and our nation. Restore right relationships between us. Restore all that is good that has been taken or held back in any way from Your people, and the more besides, that all men might know that You alone have done this. We ask all these things in the name of our Messiah Yeshuah (Jesus). Amen.

When We Can

We are always on the journey of our life with our Father. On this journey it can be easy to get causht up in the day-to-day. Often I have said to friends and family, let’s do thus and so when we can. But that time seems to slip away and it never gets here. This can also be true with the things we want to do for or with our Father. We have to find a way to live each day.

Luke 12:22 And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on.
23 The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment.
24 Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls?
25 And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit?
26 If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest?
27 Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
28 If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith?
29 And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind.
30 For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.
31 But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.
32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
33 Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth.
34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Let’s take this moment to think about and seek the kingdom, and the moments that we have with one another.

Prayer
Father, we exalt You. You alone are our King! Praise the name Yahuah! Let Your will be done in this earth. Send us now Your abundant provision. Forgive us our transgressions, and help us all to forgive those that have transgressed against us. Restore our hearts and minds, and chase away the evil. Restore all that has been taken or held back in any way from your people, that which is good. We ask all these things in the name of our Messiah Yeshuah (Jesus). Amen.

Psalms 43

1 Judge me, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation: O deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man.ungodly: or, unmercifulthe deceitful…: Heb. a man of deceit and iniquity
2 For thou art the God of my strength: why dost thou cast me off? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?
3 O send out thy light and thy truth: let them lead me; let them bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacles.
4 Then will I go unto the altar of God, unto God my exceeding joy: yea, upon the harp will I praise thee, O God my God.my exceeding…: Heb. the gladness of my joy
5 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.

Prayer
Father, we exalt You. Praise the name Yahuah! You alone are our King. Let Your will come to this earth. Send us Your overwhelming provision. Forgive us our trespasses, and help us all to forgive those that have trespassed against us. Heal our hearts and minds. Restore unto Your people all that has been taken or held back in any way, and the more besides. We ask all these things in the name of our Messiah Yeshuah (Jesus). Amen.

When The Time Comes

The children of Israel came to a moment in time when they had a chance to be free from the bondage of slavery. When that moment came, because of their slavery and the miracles they had seen, they were able to make and act upon the decision to go free.

Exodus 12:36 And the Lord gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they lent unto them such things as they required. And they spoiled the Egyptians.
37 And the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand on foot that were men, beside children.
38 And a mixed multitude went up also with them; and flocks, and herds, even very much cattle.a mixed…: Heb. a great mixture
49 One law shall be to him that is homeborn, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you.
50 Thus did all the children of Israel; as the Lord commanded Moses and Aaron, so did they.
51 And it came to pass the selfsame day, that the Lord did bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their armies.

Our deliverance from the darkness of a life without God is the same. If we will make the move when our time comes, we can be delivered from darkness and the transgression of the Law, which is sin.

Prayer
Father, we exalt You. You alone are our King! Praise the name Yahuah! Let Your will be done among us. Send us now Your overwhelming provision. Forgive us our trespasses, and help us all to forgive those that trespassed against us. Heal our hearts and minds. Restore unto Your people all that has been lost, stolen or held back in any way that is good. We ask all these things in the name of our Messiah Yeshuah (Jesus). Amen.

Wash, Rinse, Repeat

Years ago this was the slogan for a shampoo that was released to the marketplace. This morning as I was contemplating how we as believers are called to serve our Father and can miss the mark, I remembered this phrase. All men will fail to do the good things they are meant to do – all men sin.

2 Chronicles 6:36 If they sin against thee, (for there is no man which sinneth not,) and thou be angry with them, and deliver them over before their enemies, and they carry them away captives unto a land far off or near;they carry them away captives: Heb. they that take them captives carry them away
37 Yet if they bethink themselves in the land whither they are carried captive, and turn and pray unto thee in the land of their captivity, saying, We have sinned, we have done amiss, and have dealt wickedly;bethink…: Heb. bring back to their heart
38 If they return to thee with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their captivity, whither they have carried them captives, and pray toward their land, which thou gavest unto their fathers, and toward the city which thou hast chosen, and toward the house which I have built for thy name:
39 Then hear thou from the heavens, even from thy dwelling place, their prayer and their supplications, and maintain their cause, and forgive thy people which have sinned against thee.cause: or, right

We see here that Solomon, the wisest man that ever lived, acknowledged that all men sin. Knowing this, he asked our Father, before they sinned, to hear the people when they repent and forgive. This was God’s response.

2 Chronicles 7:12 And the Lord appeared to Solomon by night, and said unto him, I have heard thy prayer, and have chosen this place to myself for an house of sacrifice.
13 If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people;
14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

It can be easy to be very self condemning when we sin, thinking we should know better. We should and we do. But we are human, and as humans if we will turn to God humbly, asking for forgiveness, He will forgive us, heal us, and raise us up.

Prayer
Father, we exalt You. You alone are King. Praise the name Yahuah! Thank you for being You, and not like us. Send Your will here among us. Send us today Your overwhelming provision, such that it overflows to those around us. Forgive us our trespasses, and help us all to forgive those that have trespassed against us. Cleanse and heal our hearts and minds. We cry out to You, Father, to restore relationships among us. We ask that You restore unto Your people all that has been lost, stolen, or held back in any way from Your people that which was good. Rise up, O King, and move today. We ask all these things in the name of our Messiah Yeshuah (Jesus). Amen.

Being At Peace

This morning as I consider all of life, it seems very good for us to be at peace. Scriptures speak of this.

Hebrwes 12:14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;

We see that if we do not seek peace, a root of bitterness can spring up. This bitterness can be deadly to our spiritual life. We are meant to have a peace within us that comes to us from the Father. This is more than a calmness. It is a completeness that includes peace of mind, wellness of body, prosperity, and more – all things that our Father longs to provide for us.

Psalms 29:11 The LORD will give strength unto his people; the LORD will bless his people with peace.

We honor our Father, Yahuah (Lord), and praise His name. In so doing we move closer to Him and away from criticizing and complaining to and about others. Let us all be at peace.

Prayer
Father, we exalt You. You alone are our King. Praise the name Yahuah! Let Your kingdom and Your will be among us. Send us today Your overwhelming provision. Forgive us our trespasses, and help us all to forgive those that have trespassed against us. We need Your healing among the brethren, and then among all people, Father. Help us to love one another just as our Messiah Yeshuah (Jesus) has loved us. Let our memories and our hearts and our minds be washed clean. Let us be restored to one another in the bond of peace. We ask all these things now in the name of our Messiah Yeshuah (Jesus). Amen.

We Receive Gifts

Sometimes it is good for us to remember how much our Father has already done for us. He never leaves us alone. Even when we try to not pay attention, He waits patiently. In the end He always reaches out to us. Some of the greatest gifts we can receive are the people in our lives. These people in our lives are there because our Father has placed them there more often than not. For me, one of the greatest gifts I have received is my wife. She is very wonderful. God speaks of this in the scriptures.

Proverbs 31:10 Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.
11 The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.
12 She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.

None of us are perfect. We should not honor a person because they are perfect, but rather because they are a child of our God and King! We need to remember that we are called to live our lives for Him, and that He alone will provide for us all we need, including the people in our lives that will be a blessing to us in the end.

Prayer
Father, we exalt You. You alone are our King! Praise the name Yahuah! Let us learn to be Your lights in this earth. Send us now Your provision. Forgive us our transgressions, and help us to forgive those that have transgressed against us. Heal our hearts and minds. Restore Your people and our relationships. We need Your help, and we thank You for the gifts that You have provided. We ask that You help us to find unity. We ask all these things in the name of our Messiah Yeshuah (Jesus). Amen.