Thursday, June 30, 2011

G-d's calendar: 28th day, 3rd month, year 5771

Jeremiah 31:6
For there shall be a day, that the watchmen upon the mount Ephraim shall cry, Arise ye, and let us go up to Zion unto YHWH our G-d.

II Corinthians 3:18
But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of YHWH.

We as believers should delight in the opportunity to be with our Lord and our G-d. Actually, all humans do strive and desire to be with whomever and whatever is important to them. Both of these Scriptures bring to mind the prophets and apostles, who when faced with even death, had come to realize, the physical was temporal, it was the spiritual that was and is of value.

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

G-d's calendar: 26th day, 3rd month, year 5771

Proverbs 16:7
When a man's ways please YHWH, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.

Romans 12:18
If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.

Doesn't look like Paul rewrote as much of Scripture as we have been led to believe. If we are going to please G-d, Old and New Testaments tell us we will be peaceable people. Y'hshuwah demonstrated it, time and time again. We know in the Garden of Gethsemane, Messiah rebuked Peter for his violence toward the soldier that came to arrest Him. So what do we do? Whether it's Old or New Testament, as always, G-d's Word is consistent and we have not been called or instructed to be physically forceful or verbally aggressive. The Words of Y'hshuwah the Messiah are clear. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of G-d.
Matthew 5:9

Monday, June 27, 2011

G-d's calendar: 25th day, 3rd month, year 5771

Isaiah 48:17
Thus saith YHWH, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am YHWH thy G-d which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go.

John 14:6
Y'hshuwah saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Y'hshuwah is the Messiah and the perfect Passover sacrificial Lamb. He cam to bring us to YHWH G-d, our Redeemer. The Holy One of Israel wants us to call Him, Father, if only we will trust His Instruction for our direction.

Thursday, June 23, 2011

G-d's calendar: 22nd day, 3rd month, year 5771

Psalm 23:1
A Psalm of David. YHWH is my shepherd; I shall not want.

John 10:4
And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.

I wrote this devotion a few years back and as I wrote it I was looking out the window at my sheep and envisioned G-d looking at His. Our sheep had very different personalities and my desire as their shepherd is to pet each of them and give them special treats, but not all are willing to receive what I offer. Let me tell you about the old ewe first. She watches everything and disrupts everything if she's not in control. The young ewe goes "straight up" any and every time anyone gets near her.
The young ram cautiously got acquainted, began eating out of my hand, likes me to pet his head and back, but once we got all that established, he began to meet me at the gate to demand the treats! Then we have the lambs who were cautiously trusting of their shepherd. I use the term cautiously, because they watched the older sheep set bad examples. As I considered all this, I can see myself before G-d, in all of their behavior. Now, as their shepherd, I fed and sheltered them regardless of their reaction and desire to be close to me, but I called them by name, they knew my voice, and the ones that desired to be close to me, received a greater reward.

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

G-d's calendar: 19th day, 3rd month, year 5771

Job 19:25,27
For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:
Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.

John 16:33
These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

By Y'hshuwah's death on the cross, G-d redeemed the world. And G-d raised Him up from the tomb giving him power over death. The day is coming when we shall see, on this earth, the fullness of the glory of G-d, in Messiah Y'hshuwah.

Friday, June 17, 2011

G-d's calendar: 15th day, 3rd month, year 5771

Leviticus 26:12
And I will walk among you, and will be your G-d, and ye shall be my people.

II Corinthians 7:1
Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of G-d.

This New Testament passage explains it perfectly. We do not earn salvation by strict observance of G-d's Law. Salvation is a gift of mercy and grace through Y'hshuwah. Obedience to G-d's Law is simply a matter of reverence and respect to Him, by His people.

Thursday, June 16, 2011

G-d's calendar: 14th day, 3rd month, year 5771

Psalm 29:3,4
The voice of YHWH is upon the waters: the G-d of glory thundereth: YHWH is upon many waters. The voice of YHWH is powerful; the voice of YHWH is full of majesty.

John 12:28-30
Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again. The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to him. Y'hshuwah answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes.

What a wonderful thing to know and to share with a child through the next thunderstorm. It truly alleviates fear of the unseen noises to let a child know, it is sound made by G-d. And it opens their ears and hearts to His inexplicable majesty. Rather than making up a story to explain the sound, I taught my grandchildren to say, "Yes Father, we hear you."

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

G-d's calendar: 13th day, 3rd month, year 5771

Genesis 50:20
But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but G-d meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.

John 10:10
The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

These Scriptures come to mind when plans get "upended." I'm not going to give the enemy credit, but rather I'm going to choose to look to G-d's plan in the midst of the unforeseen. Clearly from these two Scriptures, we can see not everyone has our best interest at heart, but if we belong to G-d, HE not only brings us through, but uses us to help others. G-d used Joseph in a mighty way to save many from starvation and when Y'hshuwah offers abundance, it's an overflow we are to share.

Monday, June 13, 2011

G-d's calendar: 11th day, 3rd month, year 5771

Leviticus 26:12
And I will walk among you, and will be your G-d, and ye shall be my people.

II Corinthians 6:16-18
And what agreement hath the temple of G-d with idols? for ye are the temple of the living G-d; as G-d hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith YHWH, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith YHWH Shaddai.

The New Testament passage explains the Old Testament passage perfectly. We do not earn salvation, but strict observance of G-d's law. Salvation is a gift of mercy and grace through G-d's choice in Messiah. Obedience to G-d's Law is simply the way G-d's people show their love to Him.

Friday, June 10, 2011

G-d's calendar: 8th day, 3rd month, year 5771

Exodus 19:20
And YHWH came down upon mount Sinai, on the top of the mount: and YHWH called Moses up to the top of the mount; and Moses went up.

Acts 2:1
And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

This Sunday will mark the anniversary of the event in both of these Scriptures. A visitation of YHWH to mortal man. In Exodus, the Instructions were given to Moses atop the mountain. In Acts, power was given to those in the upper room. As believers celebrate the giving of Torah and the power of G-d to obey Torah, we will celebrate the fact, that we indeed can be witnesses unto Y'hshuwah. We can have the power to walk in the same Instructions and lifestyle that He walked in.

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

G-d's calendar: 6th day, 3rd month, year 5771

Leviticus 13:9
When the plague of leprosy is in a man, then he shall be brought unto the priest;

James 5:14,15
Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of Y'hshuwah: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and YHWH shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.

Our beliefs and opinions should be based upon facts, rather than maintaining the opinion that our beliefs define the facts. Both of these passages were written by the brothers of high priests. Moses, the brother of Aaron, G-d's first earthly high priest, and James, the brother of Y'hshuwah, our everlasting High Priest. Both passages clearly indicate illness is a matter to be taken to G-d and trusted to Him!

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

G-d's calendar: 5th day, 3rd month, year 5771

Zechariah 14:8
And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be.

John 4:10
And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of G-d and of the Lamb.

This is one of G-d's promises that is yet to be seen fulfilled, but it has begun. Scripture very clearly tells us at Calvary, blood and water flowed from the side of Y'hshuwah. He had already identified himself to be the way to the source of Living Water. He is everlasting. His work was finished that day. The victory G-d brought through him was evident three day later and he gave the apostle specific instruction that the message - the Good News was to "flow" first in Jerusalem and ultimately beyond the sees that surrounded Israel. I believe the literal and complete fulfillment is soon!

Monday, June 6, 2011

G-d's calendar: 4th day, 3rd month, year 5771

Isaiah 44:3
For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring:

John 4:10
Y'hshuwah answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of G-d, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.

G-d's promise spoken in Isaiah, introduced Himself here in John. Y'hshuwah is the Living Water - G-d used him to wash sins away, satisfy those that thirst for righteousness and He continues . . . He will flow into a drought stricken, hopeless heart, and refresh to overflowing and will continue to flow through that life and onto all those that life touches and through those that are open to His ways. As you can see in this illustration, Living Water is never in short supply or in need of reserving or restricting. The supply is everlasting.

Friday, June 3, 2011

G-d's calendar: 1st day, 3rd month, year 5771

Judges 7:2
And YHWH said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me.

II Corinthians 3:5
Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of G-d;

There is one example after another in Scripture in which victory or healing or deliverance came through no explicable reason except G-d. He works that way, still today. I am so grateful that He has blessed my life with example after example of His power and might. I hear so many sad, half done deals that people try to weave G-d into the results, but He doesn't work that way. When He's using people, He receives the glory and the results are glorious. He requires only faith and obedience and accepts praise and thanksgiving!

Thursday, June 2, 2011

G-d's calendar: 30th day, 2nd month, year 5771

Ezekiel 48:35
It was round about eighteen thousand measures: and the name of the city from that day shall be, YHWH is there.

Revelation 22:5
And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for YHWH G-d giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.

The presence of YHWH G-d! Both of these passages prophesy of the time of the new heaven and new earth and there is no barrier between heaven and Jerusalem. G-d's light, the light of the world; will illuminate all. We will eternally be in the light of the presence of G-d, but that can begin now in our individual lives.

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

G-d' Calendar: 29th day, 2nd month, year 5771

Ezekiel 36:27
And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.

Acts 8:16
(For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Y'hshuwah.)

This is pretty clear. To follow Messiah we need the presence of G-d's Spirit in our life. If we truly have His Spirit, we'll keep His laws and decrees. It's that simple. If a person believes salvation grants us exemption from the laws and decrees of G-d, that person has chosen to believe a lie.