Good News!

If Christmas doesn't do anything else, it should at the very basic level remind us of the Good News.  Not just the Biblical account of Yahushua's birth or geneo (beginning), but of the Good News that he himself preached.  In the synagogue He read the following scroll of the prophet Isaiah and finished saying this prophecy is now fulfilled in your hearing:

“The Spirit of THE LORD YAHUWAH is upon me, and because of this He has anointed me to preach The Good News to the poor; He has sent me to heal broken hearts and to proclaim liberty to captives, vision to the blind, and to restore the crushed with forgiveness,”  Luke 4:18

No human authority, government or earthy power could stop this fulfillment and it was executed with precision and completeness during Yahushua's three year ministry.  See the Jews in the first century were looking for a powerful king who would immediately free them from oppressive Roman rule.  The only problem is in their quest for political liberation, they failed to recognize their present spiritual slavery to sin and evil.  This was the Messiah's primary mission, to preach the Good News of salvation to both the materially and more importantly spiritually bankrupt of the House of Israel.

So while the Good News or Gospel is certainly about the Lord Messiah, it also is his message to his spiritual brothers and then to us.  As the apostle Paul summed it up:

“I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile” Romans 1:16  

Now that is the power of God.  The message of salvation delivered through the one whom it would ultimately be advanced.  First the Jews were told and then it was spread to the Gentiles.  

But glory, honor, and peace, to every man that works good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:  Romans 2:10

We just can't hold that sort of good news in!  We've got to tell it because it is a once in a lifetime opportunity to become right with God through the saving power of Christ's finished work and blood.  When he said, "It is accomplished", he had done all that the Father had asked of him.  Like our Master, we can be faithful too and proclaim the good and acceptable year of the LORD while there is still time.  It won't go on forever.  So yes, rejoice this Christmas as it calls to mind the loving act of our Heavenly Father and His obedient son.  It still holds out the gift of salvation and the promise of everlasting life to those who believe.

Be Our Strength

O Yahuwah, favour us, for thee we have waited, Be their arm, in the mornings, Yea, our salvation in time of adversity. Isaiah 33:2

I read this in my YouVersion Bible Reading this morning and was so moved by the poetry of this verse that I had to share it with you.  I read "Be their arm in the mornings", I though of the word "army" and to arm oneself.  The main sense is that Yah was being called upon to be the strength of a nation in adverse times.  Isaiah the prophet wrote these words and you can hear him praying both for his people and the success of those fighting men of Israel.

This is such a blessing to know that our God is indeed a strong tower where the righteous run in and are saved:

A tower of strength is the name of Yahuwah, Into it the righteous runneth, and is set on high.  Proverbs 18:10

Imagine a place to run to, really a name and the authority it bears that allows the righteous to run in and be set up high and away from those seeking our harm.  Yahushua is our righteousness due to what he accomplished for us on the cross.  So through Messiah our sins are obliterated and we are now the righteousness of God:

“For HE HATH MADE HIM TO BE SIN FOR US, WHO KNEW NO SIN; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (2nd Corinthians 5:21)

I've had the sublime joy of running to Yah as my tower of refuge many times when I was hard pressed and in trouble.  I made a request like Moshe and had a vision where I asked to be placed in the cleft of a high rock.  I could then see Yah pass by but with his hand covering me.  This was so I could see His glory pass by but also it was a place of immense peace and safety.

"I have put My words in your mouth and have covered you with the shadow of My hand, to establish the heavens, to found the earth, and to say to Zion, 'You are My people."  Isaiah 51:16

So I have been able to stand against adversities and troubling storms of life by placing my full trust and confidence in the everlasting arms of Yahuwah my Salvation.  You can too as He is only a prayer away.

PRAYER: Oh Yah, how great and mighty is the power of your set apart name!  I also know that there is no other name given under heaven by which we must be saved.  That is Your Son Yahuwah and your name is truly in him.  Thank you Father for Your divine strength and power through Christ when mine so often fails.

Amen. 

Thankful No Matter What

I can remember working with a wonderful scientist, Dr. Lester Weintraub, who always said, "Could have been worse!" when describing something unpleasant that just happened to him.

Really, he had the right attitude of gratitude when I think back.

"Let the peace of the Messiah also rule in your hearts, to which you were called in one body, and be thankful". Colossians 3:15

First you see the peace ruling in one's heart as we are part of the ONE Body of Christ.  Yahushua taught about obtaining that peace by not being overly concerned with what we will drink or eat or put on.  This excessive worry is given to those whose hearts are ruled by  anxiety and therefore LACK such peace.

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?  Matthew 6:25

He places things in the proper order of importance.  You are alive right now which shows Yah's divine providence.  Many people in the world did not live to see this new day.   Young, old, rich and poor did not wake up this morning.  So if God cares to allow you another day of life, will He not also provide the sustenance needed to maintain it?  Likewise our bodies are fearfully made, miracles of creation.  So what are clothes as compared to the beauty and complexity of the human form?

We really need to consider these things because this will lead to greater trust and faith in Yah's ability to take care of us.  So...

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  Philippians 4:6

Prayer:  Yahuwah Yireh, my Provider!  Thank you for sending your Son so that I may have my sins forgiven and the hope of everlasting life.  No matter what my circumstances, let me be thankful and rest in Your given peace.  In Yahushua's name, Amen.

 

Yahuwah Yireh, My Provider

¹⁴ He makes grass grow for the cattle,
   and plants for people to cultivate—
   bringing forth food from the earth:
¹⁵ wine that gladdens human hearts,
   oil to make their faces shine,
   and bread that sustains their hearts.  Psalm 104:14-15

I read this only this morning as part of my daily reading plan and though about Yah's going above and beyond filling our basic needs.  He not only cares for us but He also has great concern for the animals of His creation.  If the grass does not grow, even today, ranchers can not sustain their cattle.  The drought in Texas was so bad this past summer that many had to sell of a large part of their herds to keep them from dying.  If God withholds His provisions for them, they are dismayed,

²⁷ All creatures look to you
   to give them their food at the proper time.
²⁸ When you give it to them,
   they gather it up;
when you open your hand,
   they are satisfied with good things.
²⁹ When you hide your face,
   they are terrified;  

Many agricultural problems today are often caused by poor land stewardship or natural changes in weather and seasons.  Still it says ALL creatures look to You.  We depend on animals for meat and hides plus many other products.  If they suffer, we also suffer.

Yahuwah cares deeply for us.  Giving us water would suffice to keep us alive but notice He also offers us wine to gladden our hearts.  That shows God is also concerned with our enjoyment of life.  Rely on Him for even more than just our basic needs.  Whatever our lot, we should trust Yah to provide for us.  Paul summed it up this way:  

Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 1 Tim. 6:17

PRAYER:  O Yah, bless Your name forever!  Thank you for not only providing so richly for my temporal needs but also for giving us Your Son and life everlasting through him.

Authority

^"1 I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— ² for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. ³ This is good, and pleases God our Savior, ⁴ who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth." 1 Timothy 2 1-4

We often think one political party has the upper hand or the other is causing all the trouble but that may only be part of the whole picture.  When we look at Paul's instructions to Timothy, we see that he was in fact asking 1st century Christians to pray for a rather corrupt, oppressive government, that of the Roman Empire.  This same empire under the prodding of the Jews had put their leader to death.  Still Paul asks fellow believers in Yahushua Ha Messiach to pray for representatives of this brutal order?

This is because he knew that there is no authority except by God.  In other words, even today, the rulers are in their position because our Heavenly Father allows it.

¹ Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. ² Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.  Romans 13:1-2

Does this mean that God condones the evil and lawless things these governments do?  Certainly not but if we read further in Romans we'll see that God understands that the absence of authority is anarchy.  Can you imagine life with no structure or authority at all?  Believe me, you wouldn't want to live in a country like that but many of our fellow Christians abroad do.

⁴ For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. ⁵ Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience. Romans 13:4-5 

Even though the various governments are far from perfect, they do serve God's purpose in protecting the lives and property of its citizens.  With that protection, we are able to carry out peaceful lives as chaos would be the likely result of no government authority at all.  As far as it goes with us however, each Christian should consult their conscience in choosing godly people for political office. 

Free Will

Every once in a while God gives me an epiphany.  As imperfect humans, we often think that our Heavenly Father can and will do anything we ask, including change other people.

This is unrealistic because each of us has been given "free will" to choose to do good or evil.  It is the choice to do evil that causes others so much pain and suffering.  Still we are not pre-programmed robots.  God would not want us to love Him because we have to but because we choose to.

“I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants,"  Deuteronomy 30:19

This verse also tells us something else.  Contrary to the teachings of Calvin and other so called theological sages, predestination is not a Biblical teaching.  If certain people were predetermined to be saved and others not, why then would the Bible tell anyone to choose life in order that you may live?  Something is not adding up and when in doubt, I'd rather rely on the authority of God's words.

As much as we'd like to see positive world changes such as peace and brotherhood, the success of that is largely dependent with others.  Right now God is changing those who are willing to avail themselves of the precious blood and sin atoning sacrifice of the Lord Yahushua.   Each man, woman and child must step up and confess their sins and wish to be made over in Christ's image.  Some people will never do that, even when they see others who have been completely transformed by this holy process.  They would rather live for themselves and die in their sins because of pride and their love of decadent pleasures.  So we can only ask God for things He has under His authority.  God does not rule our wills.  We look forward to the day when the whole earth will be filled with those who willfully submit to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Encourage Someone

"I will bless Yahweh at all times, His praise shall continually be in my mouth." Psalm 34:1. Later on in David's Psalm of praise and exhalation he invites others to join him in worship by saying:

"Oh magnify Yahweh with me and let us exhalt His name together." Psalm 34:3

Although there was no specific mandate at the time for Israel to proselytize to the nations, it is obvious that David was calling on members of the covenant. How are we today? We are to speak to one another with Psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. This can be like giving one of Christ's believers a cool drink of water. We all need to be refreshed especially with the constant drone of economic woes, natural disasters and human tradgedy playing 24/7. Focusing on God's superlative goodness and power gives us confidence to work and walk victoriously knowing our labors are not in vain.

As the Proverb says, iron sharpens iron, so we can find others of like faith to encourage and be encouraged.