All posts by John (HFJ Director)

Love, Marriage, Seeking God, Song of Solomon

Long for Your Spouse and for God

I find Song of Solomon 8 a bit hard to fully digest and understand at first. I believe it is at once showing us a passionate and virtuous love between bride and groom and also an allegory for our love for Christ as the true body of Christ.

It begins with an innocence that seems to wish that her love had not the trappings of being king, so that she could love him more privately and without anyone despising her.

It includes some additional allegories, one in verse 8 about the younger daughter who may soon be of courting age.  The story highlights that should the girl be virtuous and avoid men’s advances, she will be honored. Should she be weak and susceptible to temptation, then they will try to protect her. This can also apply to us in a spiritual sense in our relationship with Yeshua. Let us not commit spiritual sin by participating with other false beliefs or false gods. Let us be pure and set aside for our Lord.

Another allegory begins later in verse 11 concerning vineyards. It would appear a reference perhaps to our being good stewards to all our Lord provides to us to manage in this life. All that we have belongs to Him. Let us use it well and consistently with His desires and instructions. Let us not be greedy and driven only by our own desires.

At the close, we see again how she can hardly wait for her love to come. Oh that we should be so anxious for our Lord to come and be with us… that we should put that focus in our prayer, Bible study, and worship time as priority above other daily activities.

Song of Solomon 8

The Lovers Speak

    1“Oh that you were like a brother to me
Who nursed at my mother’s breasts.
If I found you outdoors, I would kiss you;
No one would despise me, either.

      2“I would lead you and bring you
Into the house of my mother, who used to instruct me;
I would give you spiced wine to drink from the juice of my pomegranates.

      3“Let his left hand be under my head
And his right hand embrace me.”

      4“I want you to swear, O daughters of Jerusalem,
Do not arouse or awaken my love
Until she pleases.”

      5“Who is this coming up from the wilderness
Leaning on her beloved?”

“Beneath the apple tree I awakened you;
There your mother was in labor with you,
There she was in labor and gave you birth.

      6“Put me like a seal over your heart,
Like a seal on your arm.
For love is as strong as death,
Jealousy is as severe as Sheol;
Its flashes are flashes of fire,
The very flame of the LORD.

      7“Many waters cannot quench love,
Nor will rivers overflow it;
If a man were to give all the riches of his house for love,
It would be utterly despised.”

      8“We have a little sister,
And she has no breasts;
What shall we do for our sister
On the day when she is spoken for?

      9“If she is a wall,
We will build on her a battlement of silver;
But if she is a door,
We will barricade her with planks of cedar.”

      10“I was a wall, and my breasts were like towers;
Then I became in his eyes as one who finds peace.

      11“Solomon had a vineyard at Baal-hamon;
He entrusted the vineyard to caretakers.
Each one was to bring a thousand shekels of silver for its fruit.

      12“My very own vineyard is at my disposal;
The thousand shekels are for you, Solomon,
And two hundred are for those who take care of its fruit.”

      13“O you who sit in the gardens,
My companions are listening for your voice—
Let me hear it!”

      14“Hurry, my beloved,
And be like a gazelle or a young stag
On the mountains of spices.”

Ask the Lord to help you want more of Him… more worship, more prayer time, more Bible study. Ask Him to make it a desire of your heart and not just another task to be done each day. Let it be exciting to us as if waiting on the one we love to come to see us.

At the same time, for those of us who are married, let us also ask Him to help us continue to long for our spouse in this way that we should cherish our time together and not take it for granted. It is also important that we lead our hearts in how we think about and long for our spouse! Focus on what is good and what is exciting about them.

—-

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Joy / Happiness / Rejoicing, Love, Praise / Worship / Glorify God, Psalms

Love And Honor To The King of Kings

Often we may consider our Lord, Jesus Christ, in academic terms. We can acknowledge who He is, what He is like, and what He asks of us… but do we truly look upon Him with love and admiration? Psalm 45 provides a moving view of our Messiah… before He came to walk among us! The Psalmist looks forward to the coming of Messiah with joy and praise, love and admiration.

Psalm 45

For the choir director; according to the Shoshannim. A Maskil of the sons of Korah. A Song of Love.

      1My heart overflows with a good theme;
I address my verses to the King;
My tongue is the pen of a ready writer.

      2You are fairer than the sons of men;
Grace is poured upon Your lips;
Therefore God has blessed You forever.

      3Gird Your sword on Your thigh, O Mighty One,
In Your splendor and Your majesty!

      4And in Your majesty ride on victoriously,
For the cause of truth and meekness and righteousness;
Let Your right hand teach You awesome things.

      5Your arrows are sharp;
The peoples fall under You;
Your arrows are in the heart of the King’s enemies.

      6Your throne, O God, is forever and ever;
A scepter of uprightness is the scepter of Your kingdom.

      7You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness;
Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You
With the oil of joy above Your fellows.

      8All Your garments are fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia;
Out of ivory palaces stringed instruments have made You glad.

      9Kings’ daughters are among Your noble ladies;
At Your right hand stands the queen in gold from Ophir.

      10Listen, O daughter, give attention and incline your ear:
Forget your people and your father’s house;

      11Then the King will desire your beauty.
Because He is your Lord, bow down to Him.

      12The daughter of Tyre will come with a gift;
The rich among the people will seek your favor.

      13The King’s daughter is all glorious within;
Her clothing is interwoven with gold.

      14She will be led to the King in embroidered work;
The virgins, her companions who follow her,
Will be brought to You.

      15They will be led forth with gladness and rejoicing;
They will enter into the King’s palace.

      16In place of your fathers will be your sons;
You shall make them princes in all the earth.

      17I will cause Your name to be remembered in all generations;
Therefore the peoples will give You thanks forever and ever.

It took me awhile to digest this Psalm. It is a different, and beautiful, portrait of our Messiah, Jesus Christ. I do not often reflect on Him in this way. His word is a light unto our feet and this Psalm challenges me to consider Jesus from yet another perspective. He truly is King of Kings. Praise God for His holy word.

Guide, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, His Ways Are Not Our Ways, Seeking God, Study the Word, Teachable, Traditions / Holidays

In Yeshua We Have More Reason to Celebrate God’s Appointed Times

Most Christians today are taught that the appointed times, or Moedim, of Yahweh, are obsolete in Christ… that is if they are taught about them at all. What is interesting is that these same people cling tightly to man-made holidays like Christmas which were never called for biblically and are mixed and mingled with pagan beliefs over a long history in which the holidays evolved. Christ actually lived out the Moedim as an example for us. In Messiah, these are not made irrelevant but actually take on more meaning than before.

The Moedim help us remember what Yahweh has done for us. He is our Creator and Lord. He is all-powerful, all-knowing, and present at all times in all places. Still, He takes time to know each one of us and He loves each one of us as a father. They also point us forward to what is to come.

This time of year is an exciting time to learn about and celebrate the fall Moedim, Yom Teruah (Day of Trumpets), Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement), and Sukkot (aka Tabernacles or Festival of Booths).  I will not attempt to discuss all the details in this post, but I will point out at a high level some quick observations how these have more meaning to remind us what is coming.

The day of trumpets reminds us that Christ will return and we should prepare ourselves. Yom Kippur reminds us to make atonement, recognizing that we are sinners and need Christ to be reconciled with the Father. Sukkot celebrates the return of the King, that Yeshua will come back and He will dwell among us.

I will post more about each appointed time as we get closer, but I would encourage each of you to start studying now and commit to learn more and celebrate.

You may find yourself asking, “Why are appointed times so important to God? The church has not taught me to celebrate it.” God tells us why it is important to Him in an example pertaining to Passover.

Exodus 13:1-16

8“You shall tell your son on that day, saying, ‘It is because of what the LORD did for me when I came out of Egypt.’ 9“And it shall serve as a sign to you on your hand, and as a reminder on your forehead, that the law of the LORD may be in your mouth; for with a powerful hand the LORD brought you out of Egypt. 10“Therefore, you shall keep this ordinance at its appointed time from year to year.

and again…

14“And it shall be when your son asks you in time to come, saying, ‘What is this?’ then you shall say to him, ‘With a powerful hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, from the house of slavery. 15‘It came about, when Pharaoh was stubborn about letting us go, that the LORD killed every firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man and the firstborn of beast. Therefore, I sacrifice to the LORD the males, the first offspring of every womb, but every firstborn of my sons I redeem.’ 16“So it shall serve as a sign on your hand and as phylacteries on your forehead, for with a powerful hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt.”

The appointed times are not just for Jewish people who don’t believe in Christ as Messiah. They take on even more meaning through Messiah and help us draw nearer to the Lord. We could have a longer discussion on how to celebrate today, but for today I am really focused on encouraging you to read and study more, to embrace God’s holy days and learn more about them. God said we should, and he has great ideas. Once we make the decision to do it, then we take the next step and begin to study how… that is the journey my family and I are on today. We find joy in seeking to better understand our relationship with YHWH through studying and celebrating his appointed times.

Do take care that you don’t celebrate the Moedim because it is “required”. As the temple and the priests are not available, we can not celebrate in a fully biblical manner. Rather, let us use this as an opportunity simply to glorify Yahweh, grow our relationship with Him, and delight in Him.

Here are a few resources where you can learn more about the Moedim, the Creator’s calendar (often called the “Jewish” calendar), and given this time of year, Yom Teruah, Yom Kippurim, and Sukkot in particular.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please lead me in understanding and embracing Your ways. open my eyes to the wonderful ways of Your law and to Your appointed times. Let me not rely on the teaching of man or traditions of my family in prior generations, but rather on Your word. Lead others to celebrate Your appointed times across our country and let it draw us closer to You. Amen. 

Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? Are you living today filled with the peace and joy of truly knowing and following Jesus Christ? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Blessed, Curse, Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Obeying God

Obedience or Disobedience (to God), Which Will You Choose?

God is pleased when we obey Him. He is not pleased when He repeatedly sends messengers that are ignored or rejected. He wants us as His people to obey His instructions and draw near to Him.

There are consequences both for obedience and for disobedience. Which will you choose?

Jeremiah 35

The Rechabites’ Obedience

      1The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, saying, 2“Go to the house of the Rechabites and speak to them, and bring them into the house of the LORD, into one of the chambers, and give them wine to drink.” 3Then I took Jaazaniah the son of Jeremiah, son of Habazziniah, and his brothers and all his sons and the whole house of the Rechabites, 4and I brought them into the house of the LORD, into the chamber of the sons of Hanan the son of Igdaliah, the man of God, which was near the chamber of the officials, which was above the chamber of Maaseiah the son of Shallum, the doorkeeper. 5Then I set before the men of the house of the Rechabites pitchers full of wine and cups; and I said to them, “Drink wine!” 6But they said, “We will not drink wine, for Jonadab the son of Rechab, our father, commanded us, saying, ‘You shall not drink wine, you or your sons, forever. 7‘You shall not build a house, and you shall not sow seed and you shall not plant a vineyard or own one; but in tents you shall dwell all your days, that you may live many days in the land where you sojourn.’ 8“We have obeyed the voice of Jonadab the son of Rechab, our father, in all that he commanded us, not to drink wine all our days, we, our wives, our sons or our daughters, 9nor to build ourselves houses to dwell in; and we do not have vineyard or field or seed. 10“We have only dwelt in tents, and have obeyed and have done according to all that Jonadab our father commanded us. 11“But when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against the land, we said, ‘Come and let us go to Jerusalem before the army of the Chaldeans and before the army of the Arameans.’ So we have dwelt in Jerusalem.”

Judah Rebuked

      12Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, saying, 13“Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘Go and say to the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, “Will you not receive instruction by listening to My words?” declares the LORD. 14“The words of Jonadab the son of Rechab, which he commanded his sons not to drink wine, are observed. So they do not drink wine to this day, for they have obeyed their father’s command. But I have spoken to you again and again; yet you have not listened to Me. 15“Also I have sent to you all My servants the prophets, sending them again and again, saying: ‘Turn now every man from his evil way and amend your deeds, and do not go after other gods to worship them. Then you will dwell in the land which I have given to you and to your forefathers; but you have not inclined your ear or listened to Me. 16‘Indeed, the sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab have observed the command of their father which he commanded them, but this people has not listened to Me.’”’ 17“Therefore thus says the LORD, the God of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘Behold, I am bringing on Judah and on all the inhabitants of Jerusalem all the disaster that I have pronounced against them; because I spoke to them but they did not listen, and I have called them but they did not answer.’”

      18Then Jeremiah said to the house of the Rechabites, “Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘Because you have obeyed the command of Jonadab your father, kept all his commands and done according to all that he commanded you; 19therefore thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, “Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not lack a man to stand before Me always.”’”

We each have a choice to make about how completely we will submit to and pursue God and live according to His ways. Often we may not realize it, but there is farther He wants us to go in obeying Him. Keep a humble heart and a willing mind and a teachable spirit. Study His word and apply it in your life. Ask God to show you where there is more for you to do in pursuing Him.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Consequences of Sin, Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Holy / Set Apart, Justice / Judgment, Purposeful / Intentional, Repenting from Sin, Share the Good News, Worthy of Fear / Reverence

We Are Called to Be Salt and Light; Do Not Cause Others to Stumble

We are called by our Lord, Yeshua (Jesus in Hebrew), to be both salt and light. Salt helps preserve food and adds flavor to it, makes it more enjoyable. Light allows us to see well and avoid traps and missteps. We are to be both of these things when we choose to submit to and model our lives after Yeshua.

Matthew 5:13-16

     13“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men.

      14“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; 15nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16“Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

If we, as disciples of Yeshua, fail to be salt and light, we have little or no purpose in this world. Our lives should reflect His teaching and His truth. We should lead others to Him by our example and our words. If we fail, and lead others astray, especially the children who are dependent on adults for so much, it is bad not only for those children, but for those who led them astray. God will hold us accountable for our influence on others, whether leading them to Him, or away from Him. We best pay attention and get it right.

Mark 9:42-50

     42“Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe to stumble, it would be better for him if, with a heavy millstone hung around his neck, he had been cast into the sea. 43“If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life crippled, than, having your two hands, to go into hell, into the unquenchable fire, 44[where THEIR WORM DOES NOT DIE, AND THE FIRE IS NOT QUENCHED.] 45“If your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame, than, having your two feet, to be cast into hell, 46[where THEIR WORM DOES NOT DIE, AND THE FIRE IS NOT QUENCHED.] 47“If your eye causes you to stumble, throw it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, than, having two eyes, to be cast into hell, 48where THEIR WORM DOES NOT DIE, AND THE FIRE IS NOT QUENCHED.

      49“For everyone will be salted with fire. 50“Salt is good; but if the salt becomes unsalty, with what will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”

We are also warned in Mark 9 the importance of avoiding sin. Yeshua provides some dire sounding examples that probably shock most of us when we read them… better to cut off a hand, cut off a foot, poke out an eye… than to be cast into hell. This is not to say we should physically mutilate ourselves, but rather makes a serious point. Hell is a very bad place and it is forever once you are there. It is better to turn away from anything that leads you to sin and disobey God, even if it makes our life in this world more difficult or even downright harsh. This life is temporary. Do what you need to in order to stay away from sin and avoid leading others to sin.

Be the salt and the light to the world. There are eternal consequences for how we choose to live our lives… whether in obedience and faith or rejection and rebellion toward our heavenly Father. Choose wisely and then do not make excuses, for God will not listen to excuses when we face Him in judgment. We are either with Him wholeheartedly or we are against Him. There is no middle ground.

Revelation 3:15-16

      15‘I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. 16‘So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Marriage

Stay Passionate About One Another in Marriage

Song of Solomon demonstrates a very clear passionate form of love to be shared between a husband and wife. They appreciate physical beauty and this is good. Many today try to downplay the value of physical beauty, but we should take care neither to overplay or ignore its importance. Try to see past the specific metaphors. They may not make sense to us in our culture and time today, but you can clearly tell that the couple is passionate about one another.  If there is one lesson to take in this regard, perhaps it is a powerful reminder that the Bible was written for us, but not to us. It was written to a Jewish culture of several thousand years ago. To fully understand as YHWH intended, we must seek to understand not just the translated words, but also the cultural significance to the audience at the time it was written.

Song of Solomon 7

Admiration by the Bridegroom

     1“How beautiful are your feet in sandals,
O prince’s daughter!
The curves of your hips are like jewels,
The work of the hands of an artist.

      2“Your navel is like a round goblet
Which never lacks mixed wine;
Your belly is like a heap of wheat
Fenced about with lilies.

      3“Your two breasts are like two fawns,
Twins of a gazelle.

      4“Your neck is like a tower of ivory,
Your eyes like the pools in Heshbon
By the gate of Bath-rabbim;
Your nose is like the tower of Lebanon,
Which faces toward Damascus.

      5“Your head crowns you like Carmel,
And the flowing locks of your head are like purple threads;
The king is captivated by your tresses.

      6“How beautiful and how delightful you are,
My love, with all your charms!

      7“Your stature is like a palm tree,
And your breasts are like its clusters.

      8“I said, ‘I will climb the palm tree,
I will take hold of its fruit stalks.’
Oh, may your breasts be like clusters of the vine,
And the fragrance of your breath like apples,

      9And your mouth like the best wine!”

“It goes down smoothly for my beloved,
Flowing gently through the lips of those who fall asleep.

The Union of Love

     10“I am my beloved’s,
And his desire is for me.

      11“Come, my beloved, let us go out into the country,
Let us spend the night in the villages.

      12“Let us rise early and go to the vineyards;
Let us see whether the vine has budded
And its blossoms have opened,
And whether the pomegranates have bloomed.
There I will give you my love.

      13“The mandrakes have given forth fragrance;
And over our doors are all choice fruits,
Both new and old,
Which I have saved up for you, my beloved.

A husband and wife should embrace being passionate about one another. Strive not to drift to being just friendly roommates. Continue to seek to know, love, and serve one another with passion. This is God’s intention for us in marriage.

—-

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Hearing from God, Seeking God, Suffering / Adversity

Continue Seeking God, Even When You Don’t Hear His Voice

It is good that we study the Bible and teach our children about what God has done for His people in the past. Understanding God’s relationship with His people and the amazing things He has done throughout time is a great encouragement when we encounter difficult times or struggles that we do not understand. It helps to build our faith and trust in Him. It can encourage us to continue seeking Him even when we feel He is not answering or we don’t hear His voice.

Psalm 44

Former Deliverances and Present Troubles.

For the choir director. A Maskil of the sons of Korah.

      1O God, we have heard with our ears,
Our fathers have told us
The work that You did in their days,
In the days of old.

      2You with Your own hand drove out the nations;
Then You planted them;
You afflicted the peoples,
Then You spread them abroad.

      3For by their own sword they did not possess the land,
And their own arm did not save them,
But Your right hand and Your arm and the light of Your presence,
For You favored them.

      4You are my King, O God;
Command victories for Jacob.

      5Through You we will push back our adversaries;
Through Your name we will trample down those who rise up against us.

      6For I will not trust in my bow,
Nor will my sword save me.

      7But You have saved us from our adversaries,
And You have put to shame those who hate us.

      8In God we have boasted all day long,
And we will give thanks to Your name forever.

Selah.

      9Yet You have rejected us and brought us to dishonor,
And do not go out with our armies.

      10You cause us to turn back from the adversary;
And those who hate us have taken spoil for themselves.

      11You give us as sheep to be eaten
And have scattered us among the nations.

      12You sell Your people cheaply,
And have not profited by their sale.

      13You make us a reproach to our neighbors,
A scoffing and a derision to those around us.

      14You make us a byword among the nations,
A laughingstock among the peoples.

      15All day long my dishonor is before me
And my humiliation has overwhelmed me,

      16Because of the voice of him who reproaches and reviles,
Because of the presence of the enemy and the avenger.

      17All this has come upon us, but we have not forgotten You,
And we have not dealt falsely with Your covenant.

      18Our heart has not turned back,
And our steps have not deviated from Your way,

      19Yet You have crushed us in a place of jackals
And covered us with the shadow of death.

      20If we had forgotten the name of our God
Or extended our hands to a strange god,

      21Would not God find this out?
For He knows the secrets of the heart.

      22But for Your sake we are killed all day long;
We are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.

      23Arouse Yourself, why do You sleep, O Lord?
Awake, do not reject us forever.

      24Why do You hide Your face
And forget our affliction and our oppression?

      25For our soul has sunk down into the dust;
Our body cleaves to the earth.

      26Rise up, be our help,
And redeem us for the sake of Your lovingkindness.

Are you facing a difficult situation in your life? Are you calling out for help from God but not understanding His answer? or wondering if He is answering at all? Call out to Him openly and humbly. Remember the times He has heard and answered the prayer of His people or even specific situations He has been present in your life in the past. Let these previous examples encourage you that He hears your prayer and can respond. We can trust Him, even if we do not understand His answer or why it seems He is not answering yet. Continue seeking Him in humble prayer and asking for His help.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Church / Body of Christ, Grace / Patience, Humility, Miracles

He Who Is Not Against Us, Is For Us

As followers of Yeshua (Hebrew for Jesus) we can often get caught up in differences of understanding of doctrine to the point where we fight amongst ourselves. In pursuing important discussions about the true doctrine and teaching of Jesus we can be at risk of dividing the body of Christ, rather than uniting it. We can take an important lesson from Christ in how we address these situations.

Mark 9:38-41

      38John said to Him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we tried to prevent him because he was not following us.” 39But Jesus said, “Do not hinder him, for there is no one who will perform a miracle in My name, and be able soon afterward to speak evil of Me. 40“For he who is not against us is for us. 41“For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because of your name as followers of Christ, truly I say to you, he will not lose his reward.

It is important to study, discuss, debate and actually follow the correct teaching of Jesus. We should appropriately rebuke those who identify as followers of Christ but practice or teach wrong doctrine. However, let us remember that those who genuinely call upon Jesus as Lord, even if they do not understand doctrine the same way that we do, are not our enemies. We should help one another as a body of Christ, working together. The true enemy is Satan, and he seeks to divide us so that we can be overcome by evil in the world.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

All Knowing, Compassionate, Faith / Trusting God, Help / Serve Others, Slow to Anger, Submitted / Servant

Let’s Be Honest With God; He Already Knows Anyway

How often do we try to put our best face forward to God, to look our best, but then fail to express our deeper doubts or concerns or questions? While this is very normal in a human relationship, it can keep us from truly getting close to God. Besides, He already knows what we are thinking, so why don’t we just be honest with God about all of our concerns and questions?

Mark 9:33-37

    33They came to Capernaum; and when He was in the house, He began to question them, “What were you discussing on the way?” 34But they kept silent, for on the way they had discussed with one another which of them was the greatest. 35Sitting down, He called the twelve and said to them, “If anyone wants to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.” 36Taking a child, He set him before them, and taking him in His arms, He said to them, 37“Whoever receives one child like this in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me does not receive Me, but Him who sent Me.”

The disciples struggled at times like we do.  They made similar mistakes and had similar issues to overcome in their walk with Jesus. There were times when they did not feel comfortable answering His questions or asking their own… as if He did not already know. In today’s scripture we see an example of how gracefully Jesus addresses the situation. He first invites them to talk, then He just addresses the subject of the conversation they did not want to admit to Him they were having.

We should not overlook the particular here, as it is very significant. Greatness in the kingdom of God is not the same as greatness in the eyes of men. To be great for God means being servant of all. Further, to receive God we are not to do so with reservations and caveats, but as a little child does, wholeheartedly and without doubts. What a powerful message. Jesus did not want to miss the teaching opportunity with His disciples.

Let’s be honest with God. Share our concerns and questions and even doubts openly with Him and ask for His help. He already knows anyway. Let’s invite Him to help us.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

His Ways Are Not Our Ways, Learning To Pray Effectively, Seeking God

Ask God for Clarity and Understanding

Jesus tried to prepare His disciples for what was to come, in particular as the time for His death and resurrection drew nearer. However, perhaps because he taught so often in parables, the disciples did not understand. What is more interesting to consider, is that they were afraid to ask Him. He certainly never hurt any of them, so it was not fear of physical harm. Perhaps it was fear of being embarrassed or letting Jesus down. Most of us can relate to this fairly well.

Mark 9:30-32

      30From there they went out and began to go through Galilee, and He did not want anyone to know about it. 31For He was teaching His disciples and telling them, “The Son of Man is to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill Him; and when He has been killed, He will rise three days later.” 32But they did not understand this statement, and they were afraid to ask Him.

I find it quite often that I am seeking God, and yet not entirely clear on the specific direction for certain situations or decisions. My encouragement to each of you is to ask Him in situations like those. The Lord already knows when we don’t understand, so go ahead and ask Him for clarity in prayer. We should also take heed for when He sends an answer, lest we be biased in looking for the answer we want and miss the answer He is giving. Sometimes it really is that obvious and simple and we make it complicated… like the disciples as they heard Jesus tell them He would suffer and die, but they kept looking for some other meaning.

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Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.