Exhortation and encouragement.
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“My soul faints with longing for your salvation, but I have put my hope in your word” (Psalm 119:81, NIV).
When you place Hashem’s Word above everything else, you will experience all of the benefits of salvation—healing, deliverance, peace and prosperity in every area of your life. -
"Behold, I am coming soon, and I shall bring My wages and rewards with Me, to repay and render to each one just what his own actions and his own work merit" (Revelations 22:12, AMP).
Yeshua has personally promised to reward you for living a life that is sold out for Him. Believers who live according to the standard of Hashem's Word can expect a wonderful future. -
"My eyes are ever toward the Lord, for He will pluck my feet out of the net" (Psalm 25:15, AMP).
Many times we fall into traps that will overwhelm us emotionally if we lose focus of Hashem and His Word. We can be assured that as we keep our minds on Hashem, He will always give us the wisdom we need to escape the traps of the enemy. -
Psalm 136:3, 13
O give thanks to the Lord of lords: for his mercy endureth for ever. . . .To him which divided the Red sea into parts: for his mercy endureth for ever.
Tracey sat thinking about her troubles. Her mother kept telling her to pray about them, but she didn't know whether that would do any good or not. She wanted to believe, but it seemed a little far-fetched to think praying would really do anything. She wasn't even sure that her prayers got through.
Doubt is a killer. It kills faith. Our God is the God who freed the Hebrew people from captivity in Egypt. He parted the waters and let the chosen people through before washing away the Egyptian army. If God could handle the trials of an entire people, then He can handle what we lift up to Him. Give thanks to the Lord, and trust Him with your every though. His mercy does endure forever. -
Psalm 137 : 1, 2
By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion. We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof.
Why fight it? The committee had tried to get more funds to help the aged for three years, and nothing ever got done. Almost everyone on the committee was so discouraged that they wanted to quit. What good did it do to keep hitting your head against a brick wall? No one was willing to listen to their proposals.
We all come up against situations where there just doesn't seem to be any good solution. The Hebrew people grew discouraged in their trek to the promised land. They hung up their harps and stopped singing, for the joy and enthusiasm had left them. Their answer was God. He lifted their spirits and filled their hearts with joy. He became their reason for going on, and He can become our reason, too. When we are discouraged, we need to turn to God. He will lift us up and give us the courage we need to continue. -
FIVE HINDRANCES
By Neil Anderson
James 1:25
One who looks intently at the perfect law . . . not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man shall be blessed in what he does
While God has given us an infallible guide to life--His Word--the truth he wants us to follow for our freedom can be obscured by our bias and selfish indulgence. In the twentieth-century Western church, I see at least five major hindrances which affect our understanding and application of the Word of God.
First, there is a tendency to make doctrine an end in itself. Christian maturity is not understanding the principles of the Bible; Christian maturity is character. If what we come to accept as truth doesn't affect our love for God and man, something is radically wrong (1 Timothy 1:5). "Knowledge makes arrogant, but love edifies" (1 Corinthians 8:1).
Second, we can learn a lot about God from Scripture and not know Him at all. Before his conversion, Paul knew the law, but he didn't recognize God in Christ when he saw Him. We're not asked to fall in love with doctrine. We're asked to fall in love with the Lord Jesus Christ.
Third, we often encourage memorizing Scripture instead of thinking scripturally. Our model should be, "The Word became flesh, and dwelt among us" (John 1:14). We are to incarnate the Word of God. We are to have our lives transformed by it, and our minds renewed by it.
Fourth, we often hear the Word and then don't do it. The will of God is thwarted by educating people beyond their obedience. Jesus taught: "If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them" (John 13:17).
Fifth, like the Pharisees, we tend to neglect the commandment of God and hold to the traditions of men (Mark 7:8 ). I believe this is one of the most serious problems affecting our churches today. Many seminary graduates are called as "new wine" (zealous to serve God according to the truth of His Word) to "old wineskin" churches (rooted in the traditions of men), and the results are disastrous for both. -
THE WAY OF ESCAPE
By Neil Anderson
1 Corinthians 10:13
No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it
First Corinthians 10:13 is the shining good news in the midst of our fears and concerns about temptation. Where is the escape hatch that Paul is talking about here? In the same place temptation is introduced: in your mind. Every temptation is first a thought introduced to your mind by your own carnality or by the tempter himself. If you ruminate on that thought and consider it an option, you will eventually act on it, and that's sin. The first step for escaping temptation is to apprehend every thought as soon as it steps through the doorway of your mind.
Once you have halted a penetrating thought, the next step is to evaluate it on the basis of Paul's eightfold criterion for what we should think about in Philippians 4:8. Ask yourself, "Does this thought line up with God's truth? Is it suggesting that I do something honorable? Right? Pure? If this thought becomes action, will the outcome be lovely and contribute to excellence in my life? Will other believers approve of my actions? Is it something for which I can praise God?" If the answer to any of those questions is no, dismiss that thought immediately. Don't have anything more to do with it. If it keeps coming back, keep saying no. When you learn to respond to tempting thoughts by stopping them at the door of your mind, evaluating them on the basis of God's Word, and dismissing those which fail the test, you have found the way of escape that God's Word promises.
In contrast, if a thought enters your mind and it passes the Philippians 4:8 test of truth, honor, righteousness, etc., "let your mind dwell on these things" (verse 8 ) and "practice these things" (verse 9). "And the God of peace shall be with you" (verse 9), which is an infinitely better result than the pain and turmoil which follows when we yield to tempting thoughts and become involved in sinful behavior. -
A Blessing From God
Numbers 6:24-26
24. The LORD bless thee, and keep thee:
25. The LORD make His face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:
26. The LORD lift up His countenance upon thee, and give thee peace. (KJV)
In verses 22 and 23, God tells Moses to tell Aaron and his sons to bless His people. It is clear from the text that this is a blessing to be spoken to GodÂ’s children. Most translations are rendered the way the blessing would have been spoken to the people as is the case with the King James translation above. I have decided to take some artistic license and translate the passage as though God were speaking directly to us. I chose this approach with the hope that the message from God to you would be conveyed in a more personal manner. It is my hope that you will be blessed by these wonderful words of love from God to you.
I want to lay you down so that you can rest and be refreshed. In that time, I will touch and caress you. I will give you everything you need and prepare you for what is ahead.
I will keep watch over you and keep you from harm. I will cause the good to grow in you and pluck away the bad. I will groom and rearrange that which is in you and cause it to flourish.
I will cheer you up and gladden your heart. I will cause my light to shine through you. I will fill you with wisdom and kindle a fire in you.
I will turn my face towards you. You are pleasing in my sight. I will show you tenderness, favor and love before my face.
I will show you kindness and will be delicate towards you. I will show you generosity, mercy and compassion because I desire you from the depths of my soul.
I will lift you out of your pit and deliver you from the things that hold you prisoner. I will draw you to Me and cast My eyes on you. I will show you love and desire. I will cradle you in my arms. I will bear your punishment and pardon you of your sins. I will take you for my bride.
I will establish a foundation in you. I will place My name on your heart, and your body will be My temple. You are a treasure to Me. You are always on My heart and mind.
I will draw you near to Me. I will encourage you when you are afraid. I will assure you that there is nothing to fear because I am with you. You and all that concerns you will be at peace because I am your friend.
May you truly experience His blessings,
Robert Allon -
Our Personal Accountability
Romans 14:12
So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God
God holds us accountable for our words, actions, and thoughts. In Psalm 139, David writes: "O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up; You understand my thought from afar. You scrutinize my path and my lying down, and are intimately acquainted with all my ways" (vv. 1-3).
There is a mystery to GodÂ’s love that our human minds cannot understand fully, and that is this: God knows all about us, and yet He loves us. He knows our inner thoughts and how we flash with anger when someone hurts us. He sees how we become jealous, resentful, and critical of others.
The fact that God loves so freely should stir a desire within us to draw closer to the Lord. David wrote: "Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there be any hurtful way in me . . ." (v. 24). Will you pray this prayer with David, and ask the Lord to reveal anything in your life that is displeasing to Him?
Godly friends are a rich source of accountability. They can help us discern pure motives and right actions, thoughts, and feelings. Be willing to accept this type of accountability from a committed Christian friend. When you do, you will find your spiritual walk with Christ has deepened, and you will gain fresh insight into your own life and habits.
Dr. Charles Stanley -
When Our Needs Are Our Fault
Luke 15:11-32
We saw earlier this week that some needs are universal—common to all people. Today, let’s focus on something else: those times of great need when we are to blame.
Consider the Prodigal Son. This young man seemed to have everything he could possibly want. He lived in a beautiful home, had plenty of food, and was from a wealthy and popular family. But, he unwisely set his eye on the one thing he didnÂ’t have: prestige. He wanted to be his own man and get out from shadow of both his father and, especially, his older brother. Despite having the finest things in life, he wanted out.
The result? This young man had a wonderful time, but only for a short while. He desired the joys that went along with success. But, he paid absolutely no attention to the responsibilities wealth required. As a result, he drove himself into a world of pain and need unlike any he had ever experienced. And, he had no one to blame but himself. Hurting, hungry, and alone, the Prodigal knew full well how and where his needs would be met. Then, accepting the blame, he turned his eye toward his father and began the long journey home.
When we are hurting, we often try to find someone else to blame. It can be heartbreaking to discover the fault is actually our own. In those moments, can you, like the Prodigal Son, swallow your pride and turn back toward your Father? If you do, youÂ’ll find HeÂ’s already running out to meet you, ready to supply your needs again.
Dr. Charles Stanley -
Our Basic Needs
Psalm 107:9
for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.
Every individual is a beautiful and unique creation, complete with needs and desires specific to his or her own life. Some needs, however, are “universal.” That is, all people experience them their lives.
The first is a sense of belonging. Everyone feels the need to “fit in” somewhere. The joy you feel when surrounded by intimate friends and family is powerful evidence of this truth. The discomfort associated with moving to a job or home where no one knows you also reveals how powerful this need is in our lives.
Another universal need is a sense of worth. It’s important for all of us to be able to say, “I matter.” Yet, many people are not convinced this is true. They’re overcome by a horribly disfigured self-image that’s stealing the joy of the Lord from their lives.
A third universal need is a sense of competence. We need to know for certain that we can accomplish what God puts before us. A lack of confidence in His power and provision in our lives can be devastating.
God responded to every one of these universal needs at the cross. We belong because our heavenly Father called us into His holy family. We have worth because Jesus paid such a great price for our salvation. And, we are competent because God has sent His Holy Spirit to indwell and empower us. A breakdown in any one of these areas will have a tremendous impact on your spiritual growth.
Are you struggling with any of these universal needs? If so, lay them before the Lord today. Then, trust Him to make you the complete person He created you to be.
Dr. Charles Stanley -
The Needs of Christian Wives—New Study Finds Church-going Couples Less Likely to Divorce
"This idea that Christians are just as likely to divorce as secular folks is not correct, if we factor church attendance into our thinking."
Stan Guthrie/TN (Nov 14th, 2006)
The following are excerpts from an interview in Christianity Today with sociologist W. Bradford Wilcox of the University of Virginia, who co-authored a new study — What's Love Got to Do with It? Equality, Equity, Commitment, and Women's Marital Quality — with fellow sociologist Steven L. Nock, based on the findings of the National Survey of Families and Households. The interviewer is Stan Guthrie, a Christianity Today senior associate editor. To read this encouraging and fascinating interview in its entirety, and find links to the study, click on the source below.
Guthrie: Why did you choose to look at happiness?
Wilcox: About two-thirds of all divorces in the United States are, at least officially, initiated by women. One of the key factors [they cite] is the emotional quality of their relationships....
Guthrie: How do Evangelical women fare in all this?
Wilcox: Based on my earlier research, Evangelical women tend to be happier in their marriages than other women, particularly when both the wife and the husband attend church on a regular basis. This idea that Christians are just as likely to divorce as secular folks is not correct if we factor church attendance into our thinking. Churchgoing Evangelical Protestants, churchgoing Catholics, and churchgoing mainline Protestants are all significantly less likely to divorce.... It is true that people who say they've had a born-again experience are about as likely to divorce as people who are completely secular. But if you look at this through the lens of church attendance, you see a very different story.
Guthrie: What makes married women happy?
Wilcox: The biggest predictor of women's happiness is their husband's emotional engagement. The extent to which he is affectionate, to which he is empathetic, to which he is basically tuned into his wife, this is the most important factor in predicting the wife's happiness. This basically drowns out every other factor in our models...If the wife had to choose between having a husband who is taking half the housework and having a husband who is really making a conscious, deliberate effort to focus emotionally on his wife, the emotional focus is much more likely to be a paramount concern.
Guthrie: What are some other key predictors?
Wilcox: Women who have more traditional gender attitudes are significantly happier in their marriages...Having a husband who earns the lion's share of the income makes the average woman happier in her marriage. If the husband earns more than 66 percent of the income, the wife is more likely to report that she's happy with her marriage, and she's also more likely to report that she spends quality time with her husband. (Wilcox also notes sharing weekly church attendance by couples is as significant to woman as a husband's ability to provide for the family.)
From christianity today. -
Psalm 138:1
I will praise thee with my whole heart: before the gods will I sing praise unto thee.
Linda had the chance to sing before a huge audience. Due to an audition at her college, she had chosen to appear on a well-known television show. All her friends made suggestions about what she should sing, but Linda had ideas of her own. Her grandmother had always loved the song "Amazing Grace" and told Linda that she should always look for ways to let people know what she believed. This was a chance to do just that. Linda would sing her heart out; for her grandmother, and for the Lord.
Perhaps singing is not your talent, but each of us can find ways to proclaim the power of christ in our lives. If God is really important in our lives, we should be excited to let the whole world know how we feel. Praise God with your whole heart, and sing forth His glory always. -
THE SIGNIFICANT DOMINION
Genesis 1:26
Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth
In the original creation, Adam didn't search for significance; he was significant. He was given rule over all His creatures. Was Satan on the scene at creation? Yes. Was he the god of this world at that time? Not at all. Who had the dominion in the garden? Under the authority of God, Adam did, that is until Satan usurped his dominion when Adam and Eve fell. That's when Satan became the god of this world.
Do you realize that the significant dominion Adam exercised before the Fall has been restored to you as a Christian? That's part of your inheritance in Christ. Satan has no authority over you, even though he will try to deceive you into believing that he has. Because of your position in Christ, you have authority over him. You are seated with Christ in the heavenlies (Ephesians 2:6).
First John 3:8 says, "The Son of God appeared for this purpose, that He might destroy the works of the devil." The whole plan of God is to restore fallen humanity and establish the kingdom of God where Satan now reigns. This work of God is not just for our personal victory but for all of creation. "For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will also be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God" (Romans 8:19-21).
By Neil Anderson -
INFLUENCING YOUR CHILD'S LIFE
Proverbs 19:18
Discipline your son while there is hope
An average child begins to struggle with his identity and seek his independence as he approaches the age of 12. The permissive parent starts to panic when the child assumes his own identity and starts pulling away. Fearing the worst, the parent becomes authoritarian by tightening the screws of discipline and restricting the child's activities. A power struggle ensues with predictable results. The child bolts and the parent calls for advice.
The problem of the rebellious, stubborn, disobedient child was easily resolved in the Old Testament: The child was stoned by the men of the city (Deuteronomy 21:18-21). Sometimes we wish discipline were that simple! Yet this passage helps us understand that even decent parents who try to be good disciplinarians sometimes have stubborn and rebellious children. Why? Because you aren't the only influence in your child's life. And by the time he enters school you may no longer even be the predominant influence. During the formative years from birth to five, you have your greatest influence. Your most important task during that period (especially around ages two and three) is to break the child's will without breaking his spirit. It is then that you must establish boundaries of behavior that are progressively expanded until the child is on his own.
As parents, we must help our children establish their relationship with God so they know what it means to be a child of God. Once they go off to school, you can't go with them, but God can and does. If we don't help them establish their identity in Christ, they will establish their identity in the world. If we don't give them an eternal purpose and meaning in life, they will establish a temporal purpose and meaning
By Neil Anderson -
FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION
Exodus 20:5
I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me
The fact that demonic strongholds can be passed on from one generation to the next is well-attested by those who counsel the afflicted. This is not to deny that many problems are transmitted genetically or acquired from an immoral atmosphere. All three conditions can predispose an individual to a particular sin.
When you tear down a satanic stronghold which has been established in your family, expect resistance. One of my seminary students sat stunned after praying through this issue. "I can't believe it," he exclaimed. "I had to hang onto my chair to keep from running out of the room during that last prayer."
"What's your family heritage?" I asked.
"My mother is a psychic, totally into New Age!"
The devil doesn't want to give up his territory and will try to interrupt you when you take authority over him.
A very mature and responsible couple approached me at a couples' retreat and expressed their frustration for not being able to resolve their conflicts. I learned that the woman's mother was into Christian Science and had expressed at her birth, "This is not my child!" I led this dear woman in renouncing any familiar spirits passed on intergenerationally. The change in her life was remarkable as she claimed her position in Christ.
If you suspect that a satanic stronghold was established in your family, pray the following prayer:
Lord, I ask You to point out any satanic strongholds that may have been established in my family. Give me Your courage to stand up to the resistance I will encounter.
By Neil Anderson -
Weapons of Warfare
Joel 3:10
Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruning hooks into spears.
In this third chapter of Joel, we hear the prophet describe a time yet to come. It will be a time of great harvest on the earth, and this verse describes the catalyst. A plowshare is an agricultural instrument used to till the soil. At this point in history, it was a tool that spoke of one's vocation. However, the prophet was speaking of a time yet to come. The prophet described the plowshare as an instrument that will be turned into a sword. The sword is often used in the Bible to describe God's Word. The only way a plowshare can be turned into a sword is for it to go through extreme heat, and then the blacksmith must beat that plowshare into shape. Heat and punishment of the metal turns that plowshare into an instrument of battle. God must do this in each of our lives in order for us to be useable as a worthy sword. We are all in a battle-a spiritual battle. Paul describes our battle as one against the principalities of the unseen world. I believe God is going to raise up many in the marketplace to use their plowshare as a weapon of righteousness in these last days. That weapon won't be used for destruction, but as a weapon of love. That weapon of love will yield a great harvest in our lifetime. But this is only part of the story.
God is also going to turn our pruning hooks into spears. A pruning hook is used in two ways. First, it is used to prune a tree for greater growth and productivity. It is also used to cut the fruit from taller trees in which one cannot reach the fruit. This fruit from our vocation is going to be cast forth like a spear, but even more as seed planted to bring the harvest of which Joel speaks. Fruit from our business life is often the financial rewards generated. God wants to use our finances and everything else for His purposes. We must use our vocations and the fruit that comes from them as seed to bring the great harvest that God is planning.
How are you using your plowshare and your pruning hook for God's glory today? Ask God to show you how He wants to use your skills, resources, and relationships to prepare for the great harvest He has planned. -
Unexplainable Power
John 3:11
I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony.
When is the last time God did something in your business life that can only be explained as God? Was it yesterday? Was it just last week? A month ago? A year ago? The answer to this question may mean several things. If it has been some time since you saw God's activity in such a way that you know it was His hand, you may not be trusting to a level that requires faith. You may not be risking enough for God to show Himself. The converts in the early Church changed the world they lived in because of what they saw and heard. It was the power of the gospel that changed lives, not what they learned from mere teaching. This power drew people to Christ. Things happened that could not be explained as anything other than the activity of God. Is that the kind of faith you are experiencing in your life? Many of us live a wholesome, moral life, but this activity is not seen by those we associate with as anything that cannot also be achieved by themselves. That is why many are not drawn to our lives. God's power is not evident. The Lord has been challenging me to trust Him at levels I have never trusted before. This level of trust has placed me in a vulnerable position. However, the blessing of this relationship is that I see the activity of God as never before, and those close to me see it as well. It builds their faith and draws others to investigate.
Sometimes the activity of God comes in unusual ways. God often sets up scenes that appear to be negative on the front end, but God has orchestrated these events for His glory.
Without Pharaoh's pursuit of Israel at the Red Sea, there is no miraculous deliverance.
Without Lazarus's death, there is no raising to life.
Without Goliath, there is no underdog story.
Without Peter stepping out of the boat, there is no miracle on the water.
Without Judas' betrayal, there is no resurrection.
God wants to show Himself in ways you and I cannot imagine. Let God demonstrate His power in your marketplace today. Then, you will see "all men drawn unto Me."
By Os Hillman -
When I was a son with my father, tender, the only one in the sight of my mother, he taught me and said to me, “Let your heart hold fast my words; keep my commandments, and live.”
--Proverbs 4:3-4
The book of Proverbs teaches us what wise families look like.
But sometimesÂ…in the crush of day-to-day lifeÂ…itÂ’s easy to just operate on autopilot and not engage with our families. Yet if we as parents arenÂ’t engaged with our kids, who will engage with them?
Your children will be influenced by someone. And wouldnÂ’t you rather it be you?
TodayÂ’s world is not an easy place to grow up. Our children are constantly exposed to outside influences that encourage them to grow up too fast. TheyÂ’re bombarded by images you would prefer they never see and pressures that are unbelievable.
And if you arenÂ’t there to show them the alternative, they will embrace the worldÂ’s values as their reality.
WhatÂ’s the best way to model Christ for your children? Know Him yourself. Spend time with your heavenly Father. Make it a priority. ThereÂ’s nothing more important.
Then you will be able to pass on the legacy of GodÂ’s love and grace, and youÂ’ll be able to show them that Christ is where theyÂ’ll find real contentment and peace.
Be a mom or dad that your child will one day call blessed!
Your kids will be influenced by someone, SO make that person you!
Jack Graham -
Precious treasure and oil are in a wise man's dwelling, but a foolish man devours it.
--Proverbs 21:20
In todayÂ’s verse, Solomon tells us that itÂ’s just plain foolish to spend everything you have.
Yet in America, thereÂ’s the constant pressure to spend, spend, spend! We have to have the big houseÂ…the newest carÂ…and the most expensive clothes. Our culture promotes and glorifies excessive spending.
And as a result, many AmericansÂ…and far too many ChristiansÂ…are swimming in a sea of debt.
Yet the Bible teaches that we are to save money and prepare for the future. We are to be wise in the management of our money and not live beyond what God has given us. ThatÂ’s why I would advise you to deal aggressively with excessive debt in your life.
And what does excessive debt look like? Excessive debt is any debt that grinds you down, any debt that creates pressure in your family, or any debt that keeps you from giving as God would have you give.
There are many Christians who canÂ’t begin to give what God would have them give because theyÂ’re so bound up in debt!
Each of us needs God as a partner in our finances. And today, I would challenge you to open your finances up to God if you havenÂ’t alreadyÂ…and ask Him to speak to you about how youÂ’re handling your money.
Do you have excessive debt? Then put a plan together today to begin to deal with it. Are you investing in the future of the kingdom? If not, begin to do so!
God expects us to manage our money wisely and not “devour” it.
Jadck Graham -
And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
--Philippians 4:19
Too many of us today are missing out on GodÂ’s blessings because our life is absorbed in trying to meet our own needs.
Rather than trusting God to meet our needs, too often we go out and buy what we think we needÂ…only to go into debt doing it! Then, saddled with that debt, we canÂ’t be a blessing to others.
Can you relate? Are you missing out on being a blessing?
Well, you can change that! Begin trusting God, wait on Him, and just see how He will supply what you need!
You’ll never experience the power of God to meet your needs if you don’t trust Him for what He can do. God’s strength, grace, and power are available to you. Like Paul said in Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”
Remember, God knows what you need even before you ask for it. When you pray, asking for GodÂ’s provision, you put yourself in the position to receive from God all He wants to give you. When you pray expectantly, you can pray confidently that you will receive from God what He desires to give you!
Today, I want to challenge you to elevate your expectations of God. Begin each day in worship and ask for GodÂ’s provision. Believe Him for great things in your life. When you do, you will begin to see how your life can indeed become a blessing to others.
trust god to meet your needsÂ…and see what he will do.
Jack Graham -
Simple Blessings
“And it will be, because you hear these judgments, and will keep and do them, that Adonai your God will keep to you the covenant and the kindness which He has sworn to your fathers. [He] will love you, and bless you, and multiply you, and will bless the fruit of your womb, and the fruit of your ground, your grain, and your new wine, and your oil, the increase of your oxen, and the wealth of your flock, in the land which He has sworn to your fathers to give to you.” D’varim (Deuteronomy) 7:12-13
The stipulations for the covenant that Adonai cut with Yis’rael are simple: listen to, keep and obey the ways of Adonai, and He will love you—that is, He will bless you and give you increase. As we grow and mature in our faith by hearing His judgments, keeping them and doing them, surely we can expect Adonai’s blessings to be poured out upon us. We need to realize, however, that those blessing may not be exactly what we expect.
When Adonai blesses us, it is not with adornments or other non-utilitarian embellishments. Being blessed does not mean that we have discretionary income, extravagant things, and everything we ever thought we wanted. For Adonai, blessing His people means giving them the essentials of life—and giving those things in great abundance. If we are to truly appreciate Adonai’s blessings, we would do well to shed the shackles of worldly trappings and other things that we had once mistakenly labeled as “important.”
Adonai’s promises are simple—He will bless the fruit of our bodies, the fruit of our ground, and the fruit of our labor. Make no mistake: there is great truth here. We cannot look at our ancestors of old and think that God chose to bless them with such simple things because they were simple people with simple needs. On the contrary, Adonai’s design for His holy ones in all generations was that we would be simple people with simple needs. Complexity of life is not from Him—it is a byproduct of our “civilized” living.
When we allow ourselves to get caught up in the self-made intricacies of life, our values and priorities become confused. Living according to the Scriptures enables us to be objective—to not embrace the values and priorities of the world, but of the Lord. We may live in a “civilized” society, but that does not negate the truth that Adonai has made us and called us to live as simple people, who are not caught up in the ways of the world. Let us allow the Lord to distance us from the unimportant things of life. It’s time to get back to the basics, where being blessed simply means that we have plenty of only what we need….
P R A Y E R
Adonai, purify me; separate me from the trappings of my life. Lord, show me the areas of my life that are truly unimportant—help me to distance myself from them, replacing them with the essentials of living a holy life for You. I bless You, Abba, Father, for loving me and giving me increase according to Your definition alone. I praise Your Name, Adonai, my perfect provider…. -
INTEGRITY
A Shabbat Letter from the Mikveh
By Bishop Dr. Dominiquae Bierman
“The integrity of the upright shall guide them” Proverbs 11:3a
Shabbat shalom dearly beloved:
Last Shabbat I wrote that this is a time of cleansing for the Bride of Y’shua; a time to pass through the Mikveh. A Mikveh is a ritual bath for purification. A bride needs to dip into the rain waters seven times. Prior to the dipping she has to go through a thorough cleansing she needs to be inspected by the women in charge to make sure that there are no traces of impurities, (not even under the finger nails!) In Israel there are no recognized weddings without a certificate of purity from the Mikveh. Y’shua is a Jewish Bridegroom and He will not be able to marry His Bride unless she goes through the cleansing “Mikveh” in the Waters of His Word.
“That He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.” Ephesians 5:26-27
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INTEGRITY Part2
Today we will address the issue of INTEGRITY and let the Word wash us clean.
Integrity according to the WebsterÂ’s New Collegiate Dictionary is:
An unimpaired condition Firm adherence to a code especially of moral or artistic value INCORRUPTIBILITY The quality or state of being COMPLETE or undivided HONESTY
In Psalms 15 we can see another description of INTEGRITY as a requirement to “dwell in the Holy Hill of Yahveh”- SPEAKING TRUTH IN THE HEART!!
“Yahveh, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your holy hill? He who walks uprightly, And works righteousness, And speaks the truth in his heart;” Psalms 15:1-2
Those that have a heart filled with TRUTH and they speak truth to themselves, they will be able to stay in Abba’s Presence. Those that “lie to themselves” they will not be able to dwell in His Presence. Inner lies will keep people from entering into and from remaining in the Presence of Yahveh. In other words “self deceived” people and liars will be in outer darkness away from His Love and Light. This can be a temporary condition until a person repents and turns; or it could be a permanent condition of banishment from His Presence, if a person persists in loving his/her lies more than God.
When we lie to ourselves, we actually love darkness rather than Light. People that lie to themselves are hiding like Adam did in the Garden of Eden. The outcome of his sin + his hiding, (lying to himself about his responsibility,) got him thrown out of the magnificent and luscious Garden of Eden! (Genesis 3)
People of integrity are FIRST HONEST WITH THEMSELVES and that is the rule of thumb! Integrity is not only about an “external air of honesty” or looking good on the outside by doing all “the right things religiously”; rather it is by being what I would call “brutally honest with myself”. Only then the external actions will be pleasing unto YAH (God).
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also.” Matthew 23:25-26
Y’shua rebuked the religious hypocrites that pretended to be clean, honest and moral but where full of self deception and filth inside. They did not “speak truth in their hearts” and could not dwell in Yah’s Presence. Y’shua called them BLIND. That is what self deception or speaking lies to ourselves does; it makes us BLIND. A person that has been blinded by inner lies and self deception will normally plead IGNORANCE when rebuked or confronted with their sin or their lack of integrity. They will normally say: “I can’t see it”. A counselor may ask “Do you see what I mean?” and they will plead ignorant and blind.
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INTEGRITY Part3
When we canÂ’t see our own sin, though others can; that means that we are suffering from lack of integrity, inner lies and self deception.
A person in that condition will be self defensive any time he/she is corrected and will provide a myriad of “stories” and “excuses” to justify their sinful condition rather than simply acknowledging their sin and repenting. A person like that cannot be trusted to lead or guide anyone in The Way; because they are blind. Blind people do not make good guides as they can make you fall into a ditch.
When the Pharisees where concerned about YÂ’shuaÂ’s disciples eating with unwashed hands, YÂ’shua told them,
“Not what goes into the mouth defiles a man; but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.” Matthew 15:11
And then they got offended and felt rebuked because he spoke truth to them. Self deceived, religious people will always get offended when TRUTH is spoken. You know why? Because truth is LIGHT. When the lights get turned onto a person that is accustomed to darkness and inner lies, it is very bothersome; so the reaction is to reject the light (the truth). The best way to do it is by getting offended and by justifying oneÂ’s own immoral condition.
Then His disciples came and said to Him, “Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?” But He answered and said, “Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch.” Matthew 15:12-14
People that insist in rejecting the light, being offended when corrected and making excuses for their inner and outer lies, will be eventually uprooted from His grace and Presence. They are just like weeds are to be uprooted from a good garden. Weeds are never planted by The Father but Trees of Righteousness are. Those are people that are honest with themselves and follow YÂ’shuaÂ’s lifestyle of faith and obedience. True Trees of Righteousness HATE lies and they are constantly concerned about pleasing and giving Glory to the Father ALONE. They are INCORRUPTIBLE! Those are people of integrity. Yah can trust them, and you can trust them, because they do not trust themselves but God ALONE!
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