Winds Of Change

This is the first day of 2016. Many of us are accustomed to making plans for a new and different year. This year, as it became the new year, I saw the 2016 show up for the first time. There was something very different about the image of the year, the actual numbers. It was as if our Father was telling me this will be a year of blessings and work. One of the very noteworthy things for me about this experience is I have never had it before in my life – ever. It is moments like this that tell me our Father is planning something special for me and for us. As I write this I know there will be some that say, this is the same thing I hear every year from people. Some will look at their circumstances and be discouraged. But there will be some that grab hold to it and believe, trusting God will change their life this year. That is me, and for those of you reading this that feel as I do, here are some scriptures that encourage me.

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
2 For by it the elders obtained a good report.
3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
4 By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.
5 By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.
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.

If we can believe that the scriptures are true, almost closing our eyes and repeating over and over, “I do believe. I do believe!”, then it is possible for us to actually expect the good and not the evil. It is such belief that compels me forward at times. That understanding we obtain in those moments is the invisible “stuff”, the substance of real faith. If we will then not only believe in God, but trust that He is on our side and will take care of us, we will have those things we ask of Him. I plan to take some time today to get this into my own life. Let’s all make this year one in which the kingdom is made well known around the world!

Prayer
Father, we exalt You. You are our King! We long for Your kingdom here. We long for Your presence. Praise the name Yahuah! Send us now, today, Your overwhelming blessing of provision. Forgive us our sins. Heal us up inside, and deliver us from the thief. Smote the works of evil, and restore unto Your people one hundred times one hundred fold, and hundreds of hundred, that we might spread the word of Your kingdom throughout the world. We ask these things in the name of our Messiah Yeshuah (Jesus). Amen.

Messiah Born

Since 1870, here in the United States, this day has been set aside to celebrate the birth of Yeshuah, called Jesus by many, the only begotten of the Father. He is Messiah to those of us that choose to believe in Him. He is our Brother, and our Friend. I do not want to belabor the point, but to those who seek truth, there is something to know. Yeshuah (Jesus) said something very important to us about truth.

John 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

So from His words we can know the truth. It is important to remember that when He said this, the only written “Word” was the Hebrew scrolls. There were also those that were around when He spoke. When He spoke, He spoke about these same Hebrew scrolls. And what did He say about them?

Matthew 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

It would appear from Yeshuah’s (Jesus’) own words that it is the Law and the Prophets, and keeping them, that is the light to shine before all men. We see this further expressed by Yeshuah (Jesus) himself.

Matthew 7:12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.

What we call “The Golden Rule” is actually the Law and the Prophets. Yeshuah (Jesus) Himself said so. He also said none of that passes away until all is fulfilled. We know it is not yet fulfilled because Yeshuah (Jesus) has not yet returned. Therefore, according to Yeshuah (Jesus), keeping the Law is shining our light before men and treating others as we want to be treated.

Back to my beginning point. It does make me happy that so many want to show respect to our Messiah by celebrating His birth. But if I would want others to celebrate my birthday on my birthday, then would I not show them the same respect. We know for many reasons that December 25th is not the birthday of the Messiah, not the least of which is this calendar did not exist then and the Jewish people have a different calendar. More importantly, our Father left a trail in the scriptures for those that would be diligent to actually find the day that the Messiah was born. It is a day that was celebrated according to the Law by the Jewish people long before Yeshuah (Jesus) was ever born. It is a part of the mystery of the gospel that our Father locked in the heavens since the foundation of the world. For thaose that might want to discover the mystery, I will here leave a big clue. Those that the Father wants to have find out will search out the rest. It was on the 15th of Tishri (a Jewish calendar month and High Holy Day).

In the meantime, it is my prayer that we all hold the truth higher than any belief of man. That is what Yeshuah (Jesus) said everywhere He went. It is the only way to find freedom for once and for all.

John 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Prayer
Father, we exalt You. You are King. Thank You for Your Son, our Messiah, that came and died that we might live. We bless the name Yahuah. Send us today Your overwhelming blessing. Forgive us our sins. Heal us up from the inside that we might promote Your kingdom. Deliver us from the thief that has come to steal and destroy, and even now is so doing. Rise up my King! Crush this evil work! Restore one hundred times one hundred fold, and hundreds of hundreds, to Your people now. We ask all these things in the name of our Messiah Yeshuah (Jesus). Amen.

Hope For Today And Tomorrow

When we pray, we ask our Father for something. It can be spiritual or physical from our perspective. But the answer is always spiritual first, then physical. How do we know that? Because our Father, God, is Spirit, and the answer starts with Him.

John 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

For we all seek Him in truth, and we seek Him in spirit. Everything begins in the Spirit, and then it appears in the physical. We must remember to soften our hearts, to settle ourselves spiritually, that our spirit will cry our to Him, for He is Spirit. When we harden our hearts, we are looking at things from the physical. But faith is based on the spiritual, hope in things not seen.

Hebrews 11:1Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Today, let’s seek Him in spirit.

Prayer
Father, we exalt You. You are King. To see Your kingdom is a very great desire of ours, and be with You. We love You. Send us Your abundant provision today. Forgive us our sins. Heal us and deliver us from the evil that is stealing from us. Grind the evil to powder. Come quickly to deliver Your people, Father. We ask all these things in the name of our Messiah Yeshuah (Jesus). Amen.

Helping Others

Today I helped an widow with a plumbing leak in her basement. Recently a plumber had visited her and overcharged her for some work. He also left behind a leaky main inlet valve. I started this writing Friday, but it is now two days later before I actually get to post it. I am trying to understand when to say I can help and when I cannot. But it seems scriptures have already answered that one for me.

Prverbs 3:27 Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it.
28 Say not unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again, and to morrow I will give; when thou hast it by thee.

I shall continue to help when asked and have the ability to so do. May God grant us all wisdom to know when to act.

Prayer
Father, we exalt You. You are King. We praise the name Yahuah. Let Your kingdom reign. Send us today Your overwheling blessing. Heal us and deliver us. In Yeshuah’s (Jesus’) name. Amen.

Finishing Touches

Many of us have created something in our lifetime that was done in stages. Perhaps it was a cake that needed a name and candles for the birthday party. Perhaps is was just cleaning up the car and getting the last of the dirt from the crevices near the floor. Or it could be those few weeds in the cracks of the sidewalk that everyone will notice now that the lawn has been mowed so neatly. We all would admit most of the work was done, yet those finishing touches would make it look perfect. In many cases, however, only those of us working on it would really notice. Others who saw our handiwork would readily accept it the way it was at that moment. That is how our Father sees us. He does not see all the blemishes and mistakes. He sees us through the loving eyes of a Father that knows the work will be finished because He is finishing it.

1 Samuel 16:7 But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.

In this case, Samuel was to anoint one of Jesse’s sons as chosen of God. Jesse brought all of his sons that were of great stature, older, and warriors. At the end, he brought David.

1 Samuel 16:11 And Samuel said unto Jesse, Are here all thy children? And he said, There remaineth yet the youngest, and, behold, he keepeth the sheep. And Samuel said unto Jesse, Send and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither.
12 And he sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and withal of a beautiful countenance, and goodly to look to. And the Lord said, Arise, anoint him: for this is he.
13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.

God sees the heart. It was many years after this that David did some pretty horrible things. Yet when he finally repented, God forgave Him. And it was this fallen and restored David that eventually gave birth to Solomon from whom the lineage of our Messiah would come.

We may see our faults. God sees past them. He calls on us to turn back to Him, and He will turn to us. Always, He sees us as a finished work, working with us and on us to get us there.

Isaiah 46:9 Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me,
10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:

Prayer
Father, we exalt You. You are our King. Bless the name Yahuah, for You see not as we see. You declare and see the end from the beginning. Let Your kingdom and Your will be here as it is in heaven. Send us Your overwhelming provision today. Heal us from the inside. Deliver us from the evil that destroys Your work in our lives. Deliver us from the evil that has stolen, is stealing, and continues to steal what You have provided for us. We need You in our lives desperately. We need You to rise up and defend us. Come now my King. Destroy the enemy and restore one hundred times one hundredfold. We ask these things in the name of our Messiah Yeshuah (Jesus). Amen.

Surrounded By Glory

Today I woke early after the holiday. My family is all tucked in bed sleeping warmly. I am preparing for the day, starting with reading scriptures. We have a weekly reading schedule we follow, and this week includes a psalm.

Psalms 8:1 O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens.
2 Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.
3 When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;
4 What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
5 For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.
6 Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:
7 All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field;
8 The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.
9 O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!

This type of Hebrew scripture that begins and ends the same have a message embedded in their structure. The message is the middle, with each of the other verses being a reflection of their counterpart on the other side of the middle. Here, the middle verse contains some interesting nuggets.

Psalms 8:5 For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.

It says in Hebrew that Yahuah (LORD) our Master (Lord) has made us a little lower than the angels (gods), and has surrounded (crowned) us with riches (glory) and splendor and majesty (honor). My experience in the physical has not always been so. In recent times it has been far more challenging than that. However, scriptures are true. Therefore we know that we can ask our Father Yahuah (Lord) for the riches and majesty, and know that they are coming to us and will appear. God does not lie, and what goes out of His mouth comes to pass. We are His mouthpiece and we are to say what He says, just as Yeshuah (Jesus) did.

John 12:49 For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.
5 0 And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.

We should pray for glory and honor to surround us, just as David said we were made to be. If we already are, then we should pray that it stays and that Yahuah (Lord) shows to us how to spread that to others.

Prayer
Father, we exalt You. You alone are our King. We want Your kingdom around us here. Praise the name Yahuah! Send us today Your overwhelming blessing, pressed down, shaken together, and running over such that it overflows to those around us. Forgive us our sins. Heal up our inner hurts that we might stand strong for You and defend the weak and lowly of heart. Deliver us from the thief that is taking our lives through stealing our money, our finances, our goods, and enslaving us daily, as it has for years. Rise up, O Mighty King Yahuah! Rise up to crush these evil works! Your people cry unto You, do You not hear? Rise up and show Your strength on behalf of Your people. Deliver us while it is called today Father. Deliver us today. We ask these things in the name of our Messiah Yeshuah (Jesus). Amen.

To Be Meek

This morning I was listening to live worship on the web, and it was such a blessing. Yesterday in speaking to a gentleman that does missions work in China I discovered that there is still much controlled to prevent the population from meeting together to seek God or to praise and worship. We are most fortunate to have the freedom to do these things to honor our Father, Yahuah (Lord). A scripture came to mind as I was thinking about this and preparing these thoughts.

Matthew 5:5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

The word meek here means gentleness of spirit. I have often heard that is also means to be teachable, although I did not find that definition today. It seems to refer to one that trusts in the Father for their deliverance. As our Messiah Yeshuah (Jesus) continues to speak, we see the tie back into scriptures.

Matthew 5:14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Yeshuah (Jesus) tells us we, the meek, are meant to be a light on a hill. We are yet another sign that there is but One God that created all and established all. God gave us the law and the prophets, and they will be with us to the end. When Yeshuah (Jesus) said he was here to fulfill the law it was not to put an end to it but to live it. How can we know this?

Perhaps you have heard the golden rule, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” That is actually a paraphrase of something Yeshuah (Jesus) said. Actually, it followed what is being said here. We separate it by chapters and verses, but when it was said, He was just continuing to speak. In light of the verses quoted above, listen to what He said later in His sermon.

Matthew 7:12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.

Yeshuah (Jesus) was saying that to fulfill the law and the prophets meant to treat others as you want them to treat you. That is what the law and the prophets really is. Clearly, this still applies to us today.

Prayer
Father, we exalt You. You alone are our King. Let it be here as it is with You. Bless the name Yahuah! Send us Your overwhelming provision. Forgive us our sins. Heal up our bodies, with aches and pains, that we might lift our hands and voices in praise to Your name. Deliver us Father, from the evil that steals from us. So much has been taken. Turn the tide in the direction of the truth of Your blessings and provision for Your people. Restore one hundred times one hundred fold today Father. You are Truth and Light. You alone are worthy to be praised. Rise up and deliver Your people today, Yahuah (Lord). We ask all these things in the name of our Messiah Yeshuah (Jesus). Amen.

Letting Our Hearts Sing

We are created in a certain way by our creator. In that certain way lies all that we are and all that we are meant to be. We are created in His image. When we think of ourselves as limited or small, perhaps it would be good to remember we are created in His image. How small is that? Quite large, actually.

Psalms 147:1 Praise ye the Lord: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely.
2 The Lord doth build up Jerusalem: he gathereth together the outcasts of Israel.
3 He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.
4 He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names.
5 Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite.
6 The Lord lifteth up the meek: he casteth the wicked down to the ground.
7 Sing unto the Lord with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God:
8 Who covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains.

When we think of the awesome possibilities that are at His disposal, we can rejoice in knowing we are made in His image. He has set us in this place to rule the earth. He prepares the world for us.

Psalms 8:1O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens.
2 Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.
3 When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;
4 What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
5 For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.
6 Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:
7 All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field;
8 The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.
9 O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!

His name, Yahuah (Lord), is excellent in all the earth!

Prayer
Father, we exalt You. You are the One King. Let Your kingdom reign. Bless and praise the name Yahuah! Send us today Your overwhelming provision. Forgive us our sins. Heal our hearts. Deliver us from the tormentors that attempt to steal from us. They are round about us. We resist them Father. We ask that You make them flee as You say in Your scriptures. We need You today. We need Your mighty deliverance. We ask this in the name of our Messiah Yeshuah (Jesus). Amen.

Resilience

Bu definition when we think of resilience we think of something that bounces back. I think of the old TV add, “takes a licking and keeps on ticking” for example. It is the ability to comeback after impact, after some negative event. Here is what that means in the faith, or at least what it means to me. No matter what, I will always turn to my Father, trustin Him to get me through somehow.

Job 13:15 Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.

There are many interpretations about Job. Setting that aside, I take this statement to show his commitment to follow the Father in the face of very bad times. And how can we do this? In part at least, we have to have a correct mindset.

Philippians 4:11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.
12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

We have to learn to be content, but still striving to move on. Here we see Paul was content, knowing that he could do all through the Messiah. Part of that all could be a comeback from the difficult to the less difficult. Another part of this is to have our speech line up with scripture, and not with the latest negative thing we have heard somewhere.

Let’s be resilient for God!

Prayer
Father, we exalt You. You are King. We love You and Your kingdom. Praise the name Yahuah! Send us today Your overwhelming blessing. Forgive us our sins. Heal us up inside, that we might heal outside. Deliver us from those that have and are stealing from us. Rise up, and come with a strong hand and outstretched arm to destroy the work of those that are taking from your people. We ask these things in the name of our Messiah Yeshuah (Jesus). Amen.

Becoming Men And Women Of God

There is or can be a clash between our logical mind and our spiritual being when we think of becoming the men and women of God that He intends. Even now as I am trying to write this here, the words suffer as if we are trying to place square pegs in round holes. The struggle comes in part from the difference between the way mankind sees things and the way Yahuah (Lord) sees things. Our lives, at least based on the logical conditioning we have been subjected to in growing up, are subject to time. We measure everything based on the structured metered out approach of time. But God is not like us.

Isaiah 46:9 Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me,
10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:

We see here that God has told us He is different. He sees and declares the end from the beginning. To truly enjoy what He has provided, we must learn to do the same. The good news is, we were created to be able to do that very thing.

Genesis 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

We have access to being that image. We have access to emulating God. The challenges in life that we stumble through are the result of the fall of man in the Garden. However, our Messiah Yeshuah (Jesus) changed that for us, if we will repent, seek forgiveness of our sins, and follow Him. Just like the old masterpieces that need restoration and preservation, our image is restored through the work of our life lived out in accordance with the scriptures.

So, from the perspective of God, He sees the people we will be, and calls us that already. From our perspective, if we can teach ourselves to view things as He does, we can be transformed daily into the image He has ale=ways meant for us to be.

Prayer
Father, we exalt You. You alone are our Messiah. You alone are our King. We praise and exalt Your name, Yahuah (Lord). We call to You to bring Your kingdom here. Send us today Your overwhelming provision. Forgive us our sins. Help us to become the men and women of God You mean for us to be. Heal our hearts and minds. Deliver us today from those that want to steal from us what You alone have provided. Destroy the works of the thief. Restore one hundred fold that which has already been taken from Your people Father. Come Yahuah (Lord), rise up and deliver Your people. We ask all these things in the name of our Messiah Yeshuah (Jesus). Amen.