Let Good Manners Dictate

This morning with the warm spring sun shining through the forest and my window, warming my face, I thought about thanking God for this day. As I pondered being thankful, I wondered how often would it be good to say thanks to God for what He has done for me and my family. One of David’s psalms had a partial answer.

Psalms 61:1 Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer.
2 From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
3 For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy.
4 I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the covert of thy wings. Selah.
5 For thou, O God, hast heard my vows: thou hast given me the heritage of those that fear thy name.
6 Thou wilt prolong the king’s life: and his years as many generations.
7 He shall abide before God for ever: O prepare mercy and truth, which may preserve him.
8 So will I sing praise unto thy name for ever, that I may daily perform my vows.

Here I saw several things. When David got to his greatest frustration or deepest depression, he called upon God. God was always there to shelter him. In verse five we see an interesting thing. Apparently there is a heritage that belongs to those that fear His name. The next verse says it is long life, preserved by mercy and truth. David’s response to it all was for ever praise, and daily time with God.

At first I thought this would be my answer, that daily saying thanks would do. But then I thought about what I was taught as a child. When someone gives you something or does something nice for you, you should say thank you. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that God is doing things for me throughout the day. In fact, God gives me life and breath, and mercy and truth continually. Literally it would be good to thank Him any time, all the time. Just like for ever praise I should be for ever thanking Him for all He is, has, and will do for me and my family. If I sing that, it becomes forever praise.

It is my hope that I can be mindful of God often enough to be thanking Him throughout the day. Sometimes I just get too caught up in the things that I think are important. Today I am going to make an effort for at least one day to say thank you many, many times throughout the day. It will be interesting to see the result.

Care to try this with me today?

Prayer
Father, we praise and thank You, and exalt You as the Most High God. You alone are our strength and defense. Keep Your wings over us that we might be covered from the storms of life. Drive away our enemies, and let them know that we are Yours. Please forgive us when we wonder off, and reel us in to Your arms with mercy and truth. Send today Your healing, Your deliverance, and Your provision in such a mighty way that all men will know it is You alone. In Jesus’ (Yeshua’s) name. Amen.

The Challenge To Winning

A friend sent me an email today. It spoke of revival in our area. It reminded me of a scripture my wife shared with me yesterday.

James 5:8 Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.

It can be hard for me to wait, to be patient. I always want things to happen quickly. The truth is God does things according to His plan and timing. That can be difficult for those of us that just want to get to the time when our Messiah returns. I know this is true for me. But why is this such a challenge for us? Another scripture comes to mind.

Romans 8:22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

Even Paul longed for the day when we would no more be driven by human nature at that time when Jesus returns. We want the corruption in the earth to end. It is a desire within us that I believe God gives to all believers. WE will get there. We must be patient.

Prayer
Father, we exalt You. You are our King. We await the return of our Messiah. Please forgive us the things we do not in alignment with who You are. Please send us today healing, deliverance, and provision not according to what we deserve, but according to You great grace and just as You did for the children of Israel. In Jesus’ (Yeshua’s) name. Amen.

Unleavened Bread

Many years ago the children of Israel had been slaves in bondage in Egypt. When Moses returned from the wilderness God had told him to go to the Pharaoh to tell him to let them go keep a feast in the wilderness. When he refused God did signs and wonders to show that He was God. Finally, there was the Passover where the children of Israel killed the lamb, putting the blood on the doorposts, and ate the lamb with unleavened bread. That night God judged the Egyptians, killing the firstborn, and judged the gods of Egypt, but passed over any household marked with the blood of the lamb. Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron in the night and told them they could leave. The next day during the day they prepared to leave by borrowing valuables from the Egyptians, and they left on their journey.

Exodus 12:37 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.
39 And they baked unleavened cakes of the dough which they brought forth out of Egypt, for it was not leavened; because they were thrust out of Egypt, and could not tarry, neither had they prepared for themselves any victual.
40 Now the sojourning of the children of Israel, who dwelt in Egypt, was four hundred and thirty years.
41 And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, even the selfsame day it came to pass, that all the hosts of the Lord went out from the land of Egypt.

They left in a hurry, as those that have read the story know. They ate unleavened bread because they did not have time to prepare anything for themselves. They would eat unleavened bread for seven days as God had directed. There were 600,000 men, plus the children and the women of the children of Israel that left. But there were more than this that left that day.

We see in verse 38 that a mixed multitude also left with them. Who were these people? They were people that had seen the signs and wonders, and believed in the God of Moses. They saw how the Egyptians suffered, but the children of Israel were protected by their God. They wanted to be on His side with the children of Israel. Can you imagine what it would take to leave your homeland and families to go into the wilderness with another people? Truly, the signs and wonders convinced them who God was. They wanted that protection too. They were so convinced that they left their own beliefs and gods behind for a chance to be a part of what God was doing.

Today, we eat unleavened bread for seven days to remember this journey. We want to have that same blessing, that same experience. We too can have the God of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob on our side, if we will leave all behind to follow Him.

Prayer
Father, we praise and exalt You as the Most High God. Thank You for what You did many years ago for the children of Israel, delivering them from the Egyptians when You saw the blood of the lamb on their doorways. Thank You for what You do for us today when You see the blood of the Lamb, our Messiah Yeshua (Jesus) on our hearts, the doorway to our soul and spirit. Thank You for sending Him to die for us that we might live. Please forgive us when we fail to walk in Your ways and when we doubt You. Please send today that same wealth of our enemies for our journey with You, beginning today. Please send the same deliverance, and heal us. In Yeshua’s (Jesus’) name. Amen.

Waking Up To A New Life

When the children of Israel kept the first Passover in Egypt, they had an expectation that God would do what He said. They knew that there would be judgment against all those that did not have the sign of the blood on the doorway. They expected that God would cause them to be set free. But they had been in bondage for hundreds of years. What was freedom like? What did that mean? Let’s look at the story to find out.

Exodus 12:25 And it shall come to pass, when ye be come to the land which the Lord will give you, according as he hath promised, that ye shall keep this service.
26 And it shall come to pass, when your children shall say unto you, What mean ye by this service?
27 That ye shall say, It is the sacrifice of the Lord’s passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses. And the people bowed the head and worshipped.
28 And the children of Israel went away, and did as the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron, so did they.
29 And it came to pass, that at midnight the Lord smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle.
30 And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt; for there was not a house where there was not one dead.
31 And he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, Rise up, and get you forth from among my people, both ye and the children of Israel; and go, serve the Lord, as ye have said.
32 Also take your flocks and your herds, as ye have said, and be gone; and bless me also.
33 And the Egyptians were urgent upon the people, that they might send them out of the land in haste; for they said, We be all dead men.
34 And the people took their dough before it was leavened, their kneadingtroughs being bound up in their clothes upon their shoulders.
35 And the children of Israel did according to the word of Moses; and they borrowed of the Egyptians jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment:
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.

They woke up to hearing that they were set free. It was necessary to pack up in a hurry. No time to let the bread rise for today’s cooking. And they were to borrow treasures from the Egyptians. Then they left.

They went to be beat up slaves. They woke up and in less than a day they were free wealthy people. This many years later, that is what today is. The day time of Passover when God provides miraculous blessings, freedom, and deliverance.

God is in the business of miracles.

Prayer
Father, we exalt You. You are our Freedom. You set us free from bondage, just as You did to the children of Israel many long years ago. Thank You for forgiving us for fear and doubt. We ask today that You continue this great work. Do Your miracles Father. Send Your deliverance, healing, and miraculous prosperity today Father. In Yeshua’s (Jesus’) name. Amen.

Comfort In God Coming

Today during the day on the Hebrew calendar is Nissan 13. In the time of Moses, Today was the day the children of Israel in bondage in Egypt were waiting for the perhaps the greatest of the miracles. Tonight at twilight it becomes Passover, and for those of us that believe it was at twilight on Nissan 14 that it happened, tonight would be the time when God went through Egypt killing the firstborn of all that did not have the blood of the lamb on their doorway, and judging the false gods.

Exodus 12:3 Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house:
4 And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb.
5 Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats:
6 And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening.
7 And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it.
8 And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it.
9 Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof.
10 And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and that which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire.
11 And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the Lord’s passover.
12 For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the Lord.

God was executing judgement. He was setting things right. He was doing something that would cause the Pharaoh to let the people go. And they were to have blood on the two side posts and the upper door post, the doorway, the opening to their house. When they passed through this blood and wen inside and stayed inside all night, they would be safe. They were eat it in haste, with their loins girded and their sandals on their feet. This meant they were preparing to travel.

Exodus 12:13 And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.
14 And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the Lord throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever.

They were to keep this as a memorial, a sign for ever, that the Lord passed over them when they were marked with the blood of the lamb. It is easy for us as believers when we keep the Passover to see the connection to the sacrifice of our Messiah, Yeshua (Jesus). But they did not have this. What they did have is the nine plagues that came before this. They had to trust God that He would do what He said He would do. They had to trust that God would kill the firstborn in Egypt, and also judge the false gods, and not kill them. That is a great deal of trust. We will continue with this story tomorrow.

As you keep the Passover, the same promises are delivered to us by God. When we keep it we declare God to be the Most High God. We declare His deliverance in our homes and lands, and for our families. Remember this tonight, and be prepared for the journey!

Prayer
Father, we praise and exalt You as the Most High God. You alone are King. You deliver us from our enemies. You destroyed our enemy when they took credit for killing Your Son, Jesus. Send again that great judgement and deliverance to our homes and our nation. Let what we do extend to our families not with us. Send Your healing and provision as well. In Yeshua’s (Jesus’) name. Amen.

Time With A Friend

Have you ever spent time with a friend and it turned into a memory that you think of and smile? It may have been in childhood or possibly just last week. If we stop and think about our life, it really is about memories of times spent doing something, and it is better to think of the good times. In fact these memories often get us through the tougher times. The memories with friends are like that. This morning that reminded me that we believers have a good Friend.

James 2:23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.

As I studied these scriptures this morning I came to a better understanding of what was meant. James was talking about the importance of what we do with our faith. They are tied together.

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.
19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?

James acknowledged that Abraham was counted righteous because he believed God when God told him he would have heirs more than the stars in heaven.

Genesis 15:5 And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.
6 And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness.

Friends know each others ways. They know how they will act. A true friend can be trusted. When Abraham acted on his faith, ready to offer up Issac, he became God’s Friend. That is a part of what life is about for us as believers. God wants us to know His ways and be His friend. We are saved by faith, but we are being trained to trust God like Abraham. God wants to be our Friend, too. And God is there helping us to make it, to cheer us on, at all times. He believes in us!

Prayer
Father, we praise and exalt You as the Most High King. Please forgive us when we struggle to trust You and walk in Your ways. We ask today that You guide us. Please send today the strength we need to be Your people. Please send today Your healing, deliverance, and provision. Please show Yourself strong on our behalf today. In Jesus’ (Yeshua’s) name. Amen.

Sincerity And Truth

As we approach the time of Passover when our Messiah died for us, I am reminded of scriptures that tell the story and of those that tell us what to do about it. It can be a challenge to stay on God’s path. It can be a challenge to say and do the right things. But our God always is there as a loving Father, giving us insights about right and wrong, and encouraging us to choose what is right. Sometimes He uses the scriptures to do this. Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians is an example of this.

1 Corinthians 5:7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:
8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

Here Paul is saying that Jesus is our Passover lamb, our sacrifice for sin. Therefore when we keep the Passover this year and every year, it is good to get the leaven out of our midst and keep the Passover in sincerity and truth. In this case he was speaking about sexual sin. Later he describes a wide variety of sins that we need to get out of our midst. Ultimately it is a good time for us to get all sin out of our life and reflect on the price He paid that we might be reunited with God.

Prayer
Father, we exalt You as the Most High. Thank You for all You do. As we approach Passover, please help us to remember that You have delivered us from bondage. We thank You for that. Forgive us for the leaven in our lives, and help us to get rid of it. Please send today Your healing, deliverance, and provision. In Jesus’ (Yeshua’s) name. Amen.

Thankful Heart

It seems easy to thank God when things go our way. We should do this for we believers know that God is on our side. For me, I can struggle when things do not go my way, or the way I think they should go. Let me share an example.

Last night I had to take a trip that was more than two hours one way to my destination. The purpose of the journey was to meet with someone face to face to discuss business, and they set up the meeting. I arrived early, they arrived late. It was a somewhat social gathering so others spent time talking with me, and the people I was to meet showed up and were told I was there. I continued to speak with the person I had met, talking with him about how his daughter was born premature. After a couple hours I looked up and the people I was there to meet had left with out so much as a hello. I eventually left and was upset, calling my business partner and telling him what had occurred. I was upset about being treated badly all the way home. This morning God began to speak to me about a thankful heart. It seems David got this right.

Psalms 138:1 I will praise thee with my whole heart: before the gods will I sing praise unto thee.
2 I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.
3 In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul.
4 All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O Lord, when they hear the words of thy mouth.
5 Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the Lord: for great is the glory of the Lord.
6 Though the Lord be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off.
7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me.
8 The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O Lord, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands.

David had a thankful heart toward God, singing praise to God in front of the opposing forces. We likely all agree this is a good thing. But why would he choose to do this? I believe David had learned the basic truth that praising God and singing praises to God in the face of adversity was his weapon for victory. It showed He trusted God more than what he saw in front of him, more than what he experienced. He knew that God was working in it all, and through praise he could obtain the actual victory.

I want to be like that, don’t you? The next time I feel offended or in some way cast down, I will praise God with a thankful heart and watch the victory come!

Prayer
Father, we thank You and exalt You as the Most High. Thank You for Your blessings in our life. Thank You for showing up in all circumstances to deliver us. Thank You for giving us healing. Thank You for providing for us. Please forgive us when we surrender our hearts to bitter thoughts. Please send all these blessings today that all men might see that You alone are God. In Jesus’ (Yeshua’s) name. Amen.

Living Is The Battle

Believers, all believers, are in battle everyday. God created the heavens and the earth for us and to spend time with us. When man elevated the serpent by trusting him more than God, our battle began. When the enemy claimed responsibility for Jesus death, little did he know that the tide was turned, and now he was destroyed. As believers we become evidence that he has lost because to be Christian is to be Christ-like and we are the reminder that he lost.

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.

Jesus said we are the light of the world. When we follow God, walk in His ways, and keep His commandments (the good works) men will glorify God. This is the battle. The enemy still tries to deceive us to get us to stop. He will try to tell us it is too hard. But we can take heart in knowing he is a liar and that this is a lie.

Matthew 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

When we feel the pressure of the battle for life, that is the time to call out to God. Jesus said He will give us rest, and He does not lie. He said His yoke is easy and His burden is light. When we yoke ourselves up with the Messiah, He takes the weight and defeats the enemy. He will not let the enemy defeat us. With Jesus, we win the battle, every time, forever!

Prayer
Father, we praise and exalt You. You are the King of the universe. Forgive us when we miss the mark. Lift us up and help us to walk in Your ways. Let us shine before men that they may glorify You. Help us to see that Jesus (Yeshua) is with us in this battle, and that the victory is already ours. Without You we cannot do this, with You we can do anything. Please send us today Your deliverance, healing, and provision in a mighty and profound way that all men might know that You alone are God. In Jesus’ (Yeshua’s) name. Amen.

Evil Is Deceived

A friend of mine and I were talking about the scriptures and noted that praising God was often tied to defeat of our enemies. There is a pattern in the scriptures that shows God watching our for His people and becoming upset with evil and evil people when they attempt to do harm to believers.

Psalms 11:1 In the Lord put I my trust: how say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain?
2 For, lo, the wicked bend their bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string, that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart.
3 If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?
4 The Lord is in his holy temple, the Lord’s throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men.
5 The Lord trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth.
6 Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup.
7 For the righteous Lord loveth righteousness; his countenance doth behold the upright.

Here we see the psalmist is being told to be afraid and run away, but his response is he trusts in God. He goes on to say that God is watching and will rain fire on those that try to attack His people.

Psalms 10:2 The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor: let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined.
3 For the wicked boasteth of his heart’s desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the Lord abhorreth.
4 The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.
5 His ways are always grievous; thy judgments are far above out of his sight: as for all his enemies, he puffeth at them.
6 He hath said in his heart, I shall not be moved: for I shall never be in adversity.
7 His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud: under his tongue is mischief and vanity.

Here the psalmist describes what he sees those that are evil doing. They are full of pride and boast about everything but God. They do not think of God, believing instead that God is not watching. But evil is wrong. We read on to see their end.

Psalms 10:11 He hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten: he hideth his face; he will never see it.
12 Arise, O Lord; O God, lift up thine hand: forget not the humble.
13 Wherefore doth the wicked contemn God? he hath said in his heart, Thou wilt not require it.
14 Thou hast seen it; for thou beholdest mischief and spite, to requite it with thy hand: the poor committeth himself unto thee; thou art the helper of the fatherless.
15 Break thou the arm of the wicked and the evil man: seek out his wickedness till thou find none.
16 The Lord is King for ever and ever: the heathen are perished out of his land.
17 Lord, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear:
18 To judge the fatherless and the oppressed, that the man of the earth may no more oppress.

In the end, God destroys those that are evil and oppress His people. God will cause His people to hear. He will judge the earth for the fatherless and oppressed.

Prayer
Father, we exalt You and rejoice in Your presence! You alone are the Great King. You alone judge the earth with righteousness. You alone are worthy of our praise. Please be with us today and forgive us our iniquities. Please watch over your people and send us Your healing, deliverance, and prosperity. In Jesus’ (Yeshua’s) name. Amen.