Listening Or Hearing

In reading in the book of Matthew today I saw things I never saw before. The word that is sewn is the word of the kingdom.

Matthew 13:2 And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.
3 And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;
4 And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:
5 Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:
6 And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.
7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:
8 But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.
9 Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?
11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.
13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:
15 For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.
17 For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.
18 Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.
19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.
20 But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;
21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.
22 He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.
23 But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

This is the parable of the sower that addresses the word of the kingdom being sewn on the hearts of man. Perhaps for the first time I understand this message. The gospel is not just about the Messiah. The gospel of the kingdom is what was preached by Yeshuah (Jesus). What is that? It is that God is the Creator. Our Father, Yahuah, is the Master of everything. He has laid out a way and a path to follow. If we call out to Him, He will reveal that path to us. Yes, the way has already been written. But our Father wants us to seek Him, not just the writings. He wants us to be His children.

Prayer
Father, we exalt You. You are the only True King. We need Your kingdom here. Praise and bless the name Yahuah. Send us today Your overwhelming provision. Forgive us our sins. Heal up the broken and dark places of our hearts. Deliver us from the evil that has and is stealing from us. We need You Dad. Please come help us. We ask all 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.

Thanksgiving 2015

Today as I rest from rising early to wrestle a twenty something pound bird rubbed in olive oil and dusted with heavenly spices filled with memories, I think of what I have to be thankful for today. There have been so many obstacles over recent years, it seems hard to believe things are as good as they are. We have a place to stay with a roof and walls that keep the elements out. We have heat, and water, and lights. There will be good foods on the table at the house we go to today. Family and friends will gather. There will be laughter, stories, and falling asleep after eating turkey. Memories will be made afresh. There many far worse off, and many far better off, and none of that matters. Our Father Yahuah (Lord) loves each and every one of us. His heart and His love is just that big that He can do that. Today I want to place a scripture here that when it is read, it inspires people to believe just one more time.

Psalms 105:1 O give thanks unto the Lord; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people.
2 Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him: talk ye of all his wondrous works.
3 Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord.
4 Seek the Lord, and his strength: seek his face evermore.
5 Remember his marvellous works that he hath done; his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth;
6 O ye seed of Abraham his servant, ye children of Jacob his chosen.
7 He is the Lord our God: his judgments are in all the earth.
8 He hath remembered his covenant for ever, the word which he commanded to a thousand generations.

Today, let our hearts sing with thanksgiving.

Prayer
Father, we exalt You. You alone are King. We look and see Your kingdom, and not the world around us. We praise the name Yahuah! Send us today Your overwhelming provision. Forgive us our sins. Heal up our hearts that hurt from days gone by. Heal our minds that we might think only on your scriptures. Deliver us from the evil that is round about us. So many have stolen so much from Your people and even now continue to steal from us. Rise up, my King, and deliver Your people! Come with a strong hand and an outstretched arm to destroy these evil works. Grind them to powder. Return one hundred time one hundred fold to Your people that which has been stolen. Come quickly, deliver us today. We ask these things in the name of our Messiah Yeshuah (Jesus). Amen.

Earnest Effort, Eager Expectation

Today as I was preparing to write I found my self wavering a bit over a prayer request I had made to God. When this happens for me it usually has something to do with timing. Things are not moving as fast as I want them to move. Impatience sets in, and with it doubt. In these times it helps me to remember to check a couple areas of my life. First is, am I making an earnest effort in the area in question. Have I prayed, read the scriptures, done any legwork that needs doing, etc. We are expected to take some action, make some earnest effort, to receive something from our Father. One action required is to ask.

James 4:2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.

Our actions need also line up with what we are asking. Our actions WILL always line up with what we truly believe.

James 2:17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

Finally, we need to eagerly expect what we have asked Yahuah (Lord) to provide. This is what the word hope means in the Greek – eager expectation.

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

So, if we will hope, and then act on our hope, we can achieve victory.

Prayer
Father, we exalt You. You alone are King. Bless the name Yahuah! Send us today Your overwhelming blessing. Forgive us our sins. Heal us and deliver us. We ask these things in the name of our Messiah Yeshuah (Jesus). Amen.

Media For Change

We are in a constant state of change. That does not mean that everything in our lives changes at all times. What it does mean is that those areas of our lives that do not line up with what is in scripture, that is subject to change. We are called upon to be more like our Messiah Yeshuah (Jesus). He only did what He saw the Father doing.

John 5:19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.

Here we see that Yeshuah (Jesus) only did what the Father did. These are detailed in scripture. God never changes, so what He does is what He has always done. Yeshuah does likewise.

Hebrews 13:7 Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation.
8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.

Therefore, those things that remain in us that do not align with scripture, we need to change. Likely we cannot do that alone. But if we cry out to Yahuah (Lord), He will change us from the inside out.

Psalms 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
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.

Today, let’s call out to the Father for help in changing that media within us that needs changing – our hearts and minds. He will help us.

Prayer
Father, we exalt You. You alone are worthy of all praise. Praise the name Yahuah! Let Your kingdom reign in the earth! Send us today Your overwhelming provision. Forgive us our sins. Heal up our hearts and minds. Deliver us from the evil that has stolen and is stealing from us. Destroy this work and return what has been stolen one hundred times one hundred fold. Come quickly Yahuah. We ask all these things in the name of our Messiah Yeshuah (Jesus). Amen.

We Must Persevere

If we stay the course, we win. It seems that all of us as believers have obstacles in life to overcome. It is important that we keep working toward the victory in these things. We must not allow ourselves to get so tired from our efforts that we stop.

Galatians 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

Paul gave us this caution. It is easy to give in, to give up, when times get hard. It can seem very hard to keep fighting. But one thing that has worked for me is to meditate on who God is each morning. His mercies are new every morning. If we remember that He is on our side and has already sent forth the victory, we can know that all we need do is persevere. He has already done the rest.

When I meditate on Yahuah (Lord) instead of thinking about who I am, it becomes easier to believe and then see. He is more than able to overcome any challenge in my life. I am not able to overcome many of these challenges on my own. We are made in His image. When we call out to Him, He responds. When we are “tuned in” to Him, we will resonate with Him and overcome.

Prayer
Father, we exalt You. You are our One True King. We love You and Your kingdom. Praise the name Yahuah! Send us today Your overwhelming blessing. Forgive us our sins. Heal our minds that we might have the strength of mind to overcome evil. Deliver us from the enemy that is stealing from us and has stolen from us repeatedly. Rise up Mighty King! Smite our enemy! Destroy the works of stealing. Restore to us one hundred times one hundred fold all that has been taken. We ask all these things in the name of our Messiah Yahuah (Jesus). Amen.

White Blanket

Overnight we had additional snowfall. There is a thick, fluffy, diamond filled white porcelain like blanket of snow covering the ground and trees this morning. The pine trees lining the driveway are bowing down to the snow under the weight of the new addition. It is a peaceful moment looking at this wonder of nature. Shortly my daughter and I are going out to play in the snow for a while. Snowmen and snowball fights are just another of the blessings available to us this time of year. We can draw a certain comfort from knowing that it is a part of a bigger plan. The comfort in the snow is reflected by the use of it as a means of comparison in scripture.

Isaiah 1:17 Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.
18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
19 If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:

Here Isaiah tells us that the purity we seek is a transformation from scarlet to white as snow. We can be comforted in knowing that if we seek Yahuah (Lord) to do His will and follow His ways, we will eat of the good of the land. We need only seek Him and His ways.

Prayer
Father, we exalt You. You alone are our King. We want to live in Your kingdom here in this earth. Praise the name Yahuah! Send us today Your overwhelming blessing. Forgive our sins. Heal us up inwardly that it may show outwardly. Deliver us from the oppressor that steals from us and has stolen from us. Restore one hundred fold all that has been taken and more. Rise up today, O King, and destroy the work that oppresses us. Take us from the ash heap. Help us to gain wealth to advance the kingdom. We ask all these things in the name of our Messiah Yeshuah (Jesus). Amen.

Creating A Future

Overnight we started to get the first snow of the season. Tiny white flakes fall from the blue-gray skies, with larger clumps accumulating and falling from the white outlined barren trees in the forest. Like tiny messages from the heavens, these reminders tell us that seasons change, and the the future continues to be created one day at a time, one moment at a time. And the pattern was set from the beginning.

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.

And so we have longer, warmer summer days, and colder, shorter winter ones. We have the dance of life when the trees and plants put forth their buds in the spring time, the glorious blooms and green grasses of summer, the artists’ pallette of colors in the fall, and the purity and stillness of the winter snowfall. We are blessed to know that no matter what happens, the future comes.

Psalms 89:34 My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.
35 Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David.
36 His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before me.
37 It shall be established for ever as the moon, and as a faithful witness in heaven. Selah.

So this morning was different for me. For the first time in my recent adult years, I was blessed to see the winter snow. It is given as a sign that God is still in charge, He has set in motion that which cannot be stopped, He has said He will give us life, and that more abundantly. He has set the day of rest for us to find our way into Yahuah’s (Lord’s) presence.

Prayer
Father, we exalt You. You alone are worthy of our praise. We long for Your kingdom. Praise the name Yahuah! Send us today Your overwhelming provision. Forgive us our sins. Heal us up that we might serve You. Deliver us from the enemy that steals and destroys. Our enemy has stolen from us so many things till we cannot get away from the burden left behind. Deliver us from this burden. Come with a strong hand and outstretched arm to destroy the works that enslave Your people. Come quickly. We ask all 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.

When Help Comes

It has always been interesting to me that we are sometimes surprised when the tide turns when we are in some type of struggle. We call to God for help. Then we are surprised when it arrives. There are also times when the battle rages long, and we refuse to surrender. We actually fight right into the point of victory and watch as that victory unfolds. For me, I have experienced both. Most recently I experienced the latter. While the battle still rages for us, we are experiencing some victories. We are looking forward to that total deliverance. I suspect that there are many in that situation. These victories do make me feel thanksgiving.

Psalms 118:1O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: because his mercy endureth for ever.

Our Father, Yahuah (Lord), makes us to be victorious.

Psalms 115:13 He will bless them that fear the Lord, both small and great.
14 The Lord shall increase you more and more, you and your children.
15 Ye are blessed of the Lord which made heaven and earth.
16 The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lord’s: but the earth hath he given to the children of men.
17 The dead praise not the Lord, neither any that go down into silence.
18 But we will bless the Lord from this time forth and for evermore. Praise the Lord.

He cares for us.

Prayer
Father, we exalt You. You alone are our King. We praise the name Yahuah! Let Your kingdom reign here. Send us today that Your overwhelming provision such that we cannot hold it all. Forgive us our sins. Heal up our minds and hearts that we can have Your understanding. Deliver us from the evil that steals from us even while we sleep. Crush the works of the thief that steals from Your people Father. Come with a strong hand and an outstretched arm. Smite the works of evil that are destroying Yoru people. We ask all these things in the name of Messiah Yeshuah (Jesus). Amen.