There Is Always Possibility

How often in life have we come up against a challenge that seems REALLY big, and we have thought, “That’s just impossible” and then, somehow over time, it is overcome? When we face these challenges they always seem to big on the front side. But once they have been laid to rest, we do not see them in that same light. We see that they can be in fact set in perspective. And often in my case, those things that have been laid to rest were done so by the power of God. Looking back I can see Him moving doing wondrous things to make these events occur in a way that cause me to succeed. The challenge for me, and perhaps for those that read this message, is to be able to have that perspective up front. How can we get that perspective. The scriptures provide us with some insight here.

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.

The response of our Messiah was not rebuke for the struggle. The response here to the truth of crying out about difficulty in believing was for Him to set the person free from the evil spirits. And He repeated this saying later.

Mark 10:26 And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, Who then can be saved?
27 And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.

Here Messiah was referring to the difficulty for the wealthy to be saved. The difficulty was that the person in question trusted in his riches, and not in Messiah. We see again that if we will trust, all things are possible.

Today, if you are strugggling with an overwhelming task, remember, all things are possible. Cry out to God, and He will help you to believe.

Prayer
Father, we exalt You. You alone are our King. We love You. We need Your kingdom here. We need Your presence with us. We want to believe. Praise the name Yahuah (Lord)! Send us today Your abundant provision. We ask You forgive us for our sins. Heal up our hearts. Deliver us from the evil that is in this world, that steals from us, and is trying to destroy us and our families. Help us to serve You every day. We ask all these things in the name of our Messiah Yeshuah (Jesus). Amen.

Holding On To Us

Here in the Midwest we are beginning to experience the changing of seasons. The leaves are turning. There is always the chance to wake up to a crisp white frost covered lawn. And there is a certain nip in the air as we see the daylight hours dwindle and the night time hours lengthen. For some, these are times of great fun as sports seasons cause some to rejoice. For some, it can bring a certain fear that there could be trouble ahead. For all, especially the latter, it is good to know that our Father longs to hold us close. He longs to hold on to us. Like most parents when we sense our children needing to feel close, our Father Yahuah pulls us close to Him.

Psalms 145:18 The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.
19 He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them.

And again, in another place we are under the feathers of His wings.

Psalms 91:1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.
3 Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.
4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

Our Messiah Yeshuah (Jesus) spoke of this last point, in speaking over the city Jerusalem.

Luke 13:34 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not!

In this latter case we see that it is possible to turn away from God’s help and protection. But if we will receive our Messiah when He comes to us, He will gather us and protect us. That is His real desire for us.

Prayer
Father, we exalt You. You alone are worthy of our praise. We praise the name Yahuah! Let Your kingdom reign in this earth. Send us today Your overwhelming provision. Let us be a sign for good to the whole world that You alone are King, You alone are God. Forgive us our sins. Heal up our hearts and minds. Help us to put the bad of the past behind us. Deliver us from the darkness that tries to overwhelm us. Crush the works of the enemy that tries to steal what You alone have provided. You are our only hope. We put our trust in You. We ask all these things in the name of our Messiah Yeshuah (Jesus). Amen.

Worthy Of Our Time

Our Messiah is worth our time, right? That may seem like a question with an obvious answer. But at least for me, it is very easy to be caught up in the everyday routine of life in a way that prevents me from taking time to spend with our Messiah Yeshuah (Jesus). The Sabbath especially can be one of those times. If I am not careful, I can forget to put Him first.

Granted, the Father did do other things before He rested on the Sabbath. But then, on the Sabbath, he stopped doing those things and rested.

Genesis 1:1 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.
2And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.

It is interesting what the scriptures say next. God did not just rest on the seventh day. He did a priestly thing.

Genesis 1:3 And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.

God pronounced a blessed the seventh day. That word in Hebrew means to kneel down. So, why would He kneel down? To spend time with His new kids, Adam and Eve, I suggest. He also sanctified it. That means He set that day apart from the other days. God took time to be with His family.

On this Sabbath at least, let us take time to spend with our Father, Yahuah (Lord), and His Son our Messiah, Yeshuah (Jesus). Let us set that apart. And then each day, let us begin with praise and thanksgiving that we have been set apart by Him as His children.

Prayer
Father, we exalt You. You alone are our King. We need Your kingdom here, Father, to not just survive but to make a difference. Praise the name Yahuah! Send us today Your overwhelming provision. We need that now. Forgive us our sins. Heal us from the inside out. Deliver us from the evil that is destroying us and stealing from us. Hear the cries of Your people today Father Yahuah (Lord). Rise up and come to our rescue. Deliver us with a strong hand and an outstretched arm. We ask these things in the name of Messiah Yeshuah (Jesus). Amen.

The Winning Team

Recently in several business gatherings people brought up the results of the progression of the baseball teams toward the Pennant. It is always interesting to see how this change of subject in many meetings result in smiles, lifted countenances, and a sense of camaraderie, even if it is a gathering of strangers. Thinking about this observation this morning, it seemed like we should see that same experience more frequently than than the fall, and in one place specifically – wherever believers gather on a regular basis.

Let’s think about this for a moment. When these gatherings happen around baseball, the baseball believers do not consider the odds. They do not look at past track records. They do not consider current injuries or other obstacles their team faces. All they can see is the prize. Their love for their team and the fact that they are even in the running causes them to eagerly anticipate what that victory will feel like – they have hope. Their belief in their team winning, and their trust that they have and will apply the ability to win, is the substance behind that hope – faith.

We are on the ultimate winning team. Scriptures tell us, and God has confirmed it in His Spirit within me. The letter to the Hebrews addresses this.

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.

Here we see the connection between faith and what we expect. If we expect great things, then that is what our faith really is in – great things. If we expect the worst, then that is what our faith is in – the worst. This leads us to want to better understand what faith is.

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.

So here we see there are two named elements. The first is the reality of the possibility, which hear is God. The second is trust, that what we believe in will respond to us. Here, that means that God will reward us for seeking after Him. Even when your team is down by five in the bottom of the ninth, and there are two outs, and the pitcher is coming up to bat. We need to be that kind of a fan for our Father, Yahuah (Lord). We need to have that never give up attitude. How do we get that attitude? That will be addressed in greater detail later, but let me just say that it has to do with what we put in front of our eyes, what we say with our mouth, and what we listen to on a regular basis.

We are on the winning team. Always.

Prayer
Father, we exalt You. You alone are our King. It is Your kingdom that we long for here. We bless the name Yahuah. Send us Your overwhelming provision yet today. Forgive us our sins, even those that are only in our hearts and minds. Cleanse our hearts and minds, and heal us. Deliver us from the evil that is stealing from us. Restore that which has been stolen from us – make the enemy return it one hundred fold. Only You can do this. Only You provide for us. Only You are our deliverer. We ask all these things in the name of our Messiah Yeshuah (Jesus). Amen.

The Potter’s Hands

This morning began in the black chill before the dawn. Our older laying hens had run their course and it was time to take them to meet their end. If you have never had the opportunity to chase chickens around a chicken coop in the dark trying to load them into a makeshift pen in a van, you have not completely filled your bucket list! The 40 minute ride in the enclosed vehicle was also interesting, but it was dark so they stopped making noise. But it was aromatically easy to tell they were still there. I chose to listen to some praise and worship music and talk to our Father. It caused me to reflect on how we view our circumstances in life, and who we really our. A scripture came to mind.

Romans 9:20 Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?
21 Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?
22 What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction:
23 And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,
24 Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
25 As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved.
26 And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God.

Paul tells the Romans that God is in charge. He has made things to come to a certain conclusion. We can be thankful to out Father, because He has already destined us for peace, an eternal salvation, that begins the moment we turn to Him, confess our sin, and submit to Him as Yahuah (Lord) our King.

So, even in the dark in a van full of aromatic chickens at 55 miles per hour, one can be thankful that Yahuah (Lord) has a plan, and He is making things happen. Thank You, Father!

Prayer
Father, we exalt You. You alone are the King! It is Your reign and kingdom we seek. Praise the name Yahuah! Send us today Your overwhelming provision. Forgive us our sins. Help us to be free from sin. Heal our hearts and cleanse us. Deliver us from those that would steal what You alone have given to us. Crush their works today, Yahuah (Lord). We ask these things in the name of our Messiah Yeshuah (Lord). Amen.

Marching Into Battle

Have you ever watched war movies and thought to yourself, “Why would they line up in straight lines and shoot at each other?” When I see movies about the Revolutionary War here in America, it makes me think of that. It looks like a 100 man duel. War is not a good thing for the most part, in my opinion. But if one is going to fight, why not fight to win? It just always seemed odd to me. As I was pondering this point this morning, it occurred to me that there is something about marching into battle, or even this lining up in lines, that we can learn. It would take a certain discipline, a certain trust in someone or something, to be willing to do such a thing. There are stories like this in scripture.

2 Chronicles 20:12 O our God, wilt thou not judge them? for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee.
13 And all Judah stood before the Lord, with their little ones, their wives, and their children.
14 Then upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, came the Spirit of the Lord in the midst of the congregation;
15 And he said, Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the Lord unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God’s.
16 To morrow go ye down against them: behold, they come up by the cliff of Ziz; and ye shall find them at the end of the brook, before the wilderness of Jeruel.
17 Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the Lord with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them: for the Lord will be with you.

Here the Judah was in trouble. They were about to be overrun. They gathered together as a nation and cried out to Yahuah. A prophet stood up and said just go and march out in front of the enemy and watch God win the battle for you. So here was there response.

2 Chronicles 20:20 And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.
21 And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the Lord, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the Lord; for his mercy endureth for ever.
22 And when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten.

The king, Jehoshaphat, believed God, as did the people. They believed the prophet, and they did prosper. The king put the singers to march out front. I suspect those would be motivated singers at that point. The sang, “Praise Yahuah (Lord); for His mercy endures forever.” The result was Yahuah (Lord) set His forces to lie in wait, to ambush, the enemy. Imagine being them, seeing tiny Judah come marching out against you, and they put all of the singers in front, singing. They were doing nothing to defend themselves. As you draw your weapons thinking it will be like shooting fish in a barrel, out jumps 20 foot tall beings with swords of light, and they cut down everything in their path! All because they had the discipline to believe Yahuah (Lord) and to believe His prophets.

Today, if the enemy seems to be trying to overwhelm You, pray to our Father and ask Him for direction, and then do what He says to do. March into battle singing, “Praise Yahuah; for His mercy endures forever.” Watch as He sets His angels to destroy the enemy and his works in your life!

Praise Yahuah; for His mercy endures forever!

Prayer
Father, we exalt You. You alone are King. We need Your kingdom here. Praise Yahuah (Lord); for His mercy endures forever! Send us today Your overwhelming provision. Forgive us for our sins. We are a frail people, but we want to learn and do Your ways. Heal us up on the inside. Cleanse us. Deliver us from the enemy that is stealing from us now. Set ambushers to destroy those works! Let all men know that You alone have done this, and that You alone are King, that You alone are God. We ask 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.

How God Sees Us

Our Father looks at us like any loving father looks at his children, only more so. What I mean is this, He is the perfect Father, therefore He has perfect love toward His children. He sees our beauty and overlooks our faults. What we think are our imperfections He sees as uniquenesses. I am not speaking of sin of course, but those things like a raspy off key voice, a big nos, big ears (I have all of these), all of these and more to Him make us beautiful. How can we know this? Because He had it written down in His live letter to us. You may have read it – it’s called the Bible. Here is just one scripture that proves what I say.

Psalms 96:6 Honour and majesty are before him: strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.

Today, WE individually and collectively are His sanctuary, His temple. Paul tells us that.

1 Corinthians 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

Since we are the sanctuary, and the sanctuary is in the temple, then our Father Yahuah (Lord) sees strength and beauty in us when He looks at us. And in truth, that is how we were made. We were made in His image. The fall tarnished that. The lives we have led tarnished that. But the good news is, God already washed that all away when we asked and continue to ask for forgiveness. When that is washed away, what is left is something that resembles God, with strength and beauty. That is what God sees when He looks at us.

Prayer
Father, we exalt You. You alone are worthy to be King. You are our King. We want Your kingdom here.Praise the name Yahuah! Send us today a very different day, Yahuah (Lord). Let today be that day when You manifest Your greatness when You manifest an overwhelming provision. Forgive us our sins, Father. And we thank You for all of the strength You have given us to overcome temptation to sin. Continue to heal our hearts and our minds, for they have been infected with doubt and unbelief for many years. We need the ointment of Your Holy Spirit to sooth those wounds and heal them. Deliver us from the enemy that even now steals from Your people while they sleep, and the more so when they are awake. Crush the works of the enemy Yahuah (Lord). Rise up and grind it to powder, and scatter it in a whirlwind. Come now Yahuah with a strong hand and an outstretched arm to deliver Your people Yahuah (Lord). We ask all these things in the name of Messiah Yeshuah (Jesus). Amen.

He Is For Us

Last night I heard a speaker talk about a number of topics, and one of those was commitment. The speaker did an excellent job of telling stories that made his points. But the idea of commitment has stuck with me maybe more than anything he said. In thinking about life this morning, I began to think about how we as believers make a commitment to God and what that means. It is important that we each take a look at ourselves and our lives and see just where we are at in relation to God. We need to realize we are lost without Him, that we have to call out to Him to forgive our sins, that we have to ask to have Messiah Yeshuah (Jesus) to be our Lord and Savior, and give Him control. That does take a commitment, and that commitment is important. However, the most comforting commitment in our relationship with God perhaps is His commitment to us.

Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

We are human. Our commitment to our Father Yahuah (Lord) will likely waver from time to time. But God is not human, and He never changes. His commitment is Rock solid. He goes with us, He does not fail us, and He does not forsake us. Our God never fails.

Prayer
Father, we exalt You. You alone are our King. We praise the name Yahuah! Let Your kingdom reign in the earth. Send us today Your overwhelming provision. Forgive us our sins. Many of Your people are broken. Many of Your people are being destroyed. Many are having what You provided stolen from them, Father. This ought not be so, Yahuah (Lord). Heal Your people today Father. Take away the oppression, and let us all see more of the truth of Your commands. Deliver us with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. We need Your help Yahuah (Lord). Please hear our cry to You, and rise up to deliver us from our enemies, crushing their works to dust. We ask all these things in the name of our Messiah Yeshuah (Jesus). Amen.

Rest From The Wrestling

We can rest knowing that our Father watches over us. We need to know this because wse are fighting all the time only in a spiritual plane against an unseen enemy.

Ephesians 6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Our enemy never rests. But we can rest knowing God is watching over us.

Psalms 3:3 But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.
4 I cried unto the Lord with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah.
5 I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the Lord sustained me.
6 I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about.

On the Sabbath, we can know that our Father will watch over us to keep us safe. He will spend time with us and we with Him. When we are with Him, we are in that secret place.

Psalms 91:1 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.
3 Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.
4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.
5 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;
6 Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.
7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.

Therefore, let us enjoy Yahuah (Lord) our Father on our Sabbath day of rest.

Prayer
Father, we exalt You. You are our King. We love You, and we love Your kingdom – let it reign. We praise the name Yahuah! Send us today Your overwhelming provision. Help us to be free from sin. Forgive us for our sins. Heal up our minds and hearts. Deliver us from the evil that is around us and is stealing what You alone have provided. Rise up, O King, and deliver Your people with a strong hand and an outstretched arm. We ask these things in the name of our Messiah Yeshua (Jesus). Amen.