Category Archives: Guide

Blessed, Guide, Idols / False Gods, Obeying God, Protector / Deliverer, Rebuke Wrong Behavior, Repenting from Sin, Seeking God, Submitted / Servant, Teachable

Hezekiah Did Good Before the LORD, with All His Heart, and Prospered

In 2 Chronicles 29-30, we read about Hezekiah leading the people to turn back to Yahweh and His ways, including reinstating worship and Passover for all Israel. Hezekiah had a heart for Yahweh and did what was good before the LORD.

In 2 Chronicles 31, we read about his continuing actions to lead the people closer to the LORD. We can learn from his example. It is not enough to return to worship the LORD, that is good but also incomplete. We must also turn away from other bad things like idols in our lives.  We may not face physical idols. In some cases, it may be continuing in the way of culture around us, like celebrating cultural holidays that Yah does not endorse. It could be continuing to engage in cultural activity in our daily lives like what movies and shows we watch and what games we play. It could be abusing alcohol or drugs or engaging in inappropriate sexual activity. There are things we need to turn away from in order to follow the LORD more fully!

2 Chronicles 31

Idols Are Destroyed

      1Now when all this was finished, all Israel who were present went out to the cities of Judah, broke the pillars in pieces, cut down the Asherim and pulled down the high places and the altars throughout all Judah and Benjamin, as well as in Ephraim and Manasseh, until they had destroyed them all. Then all the sons of Israel returned to their cities, each to his possession.

      2And Hezekiah appointed the divisions of the priests and the Levites by their divisions, each according to his service, both the priests and the Levites, for burnt offerings and for peace offerings, to minister and to give thanks and to praise in the gates of the camp of the LORD.

Reforms Continued

      3He also appointed the king’s portion of his goods for the burnt offerings, namely, for the morning and evening burnt offerings, and the burnt offerings for the sabbaths and for the new moons and for the fixed festivals, as it is written in the law of the LORD. 4Also he commanded the people who lived in Jerusalem to give the portion due to the priests and the Levites, that they might devote themselves to the law of the LORD. 5As soon as the order spread, the sons of Israel provided in abundance the first fruits of grain, new wine, oil, honey and of all the produce of the field; and they brought in abundantly the tithe of all. 6The sons of Israel and Judah who lived in the cities of Judah also brought in the tithe of oxen and sheep, and the tithe of sacred gifts which were consecrated to the LORD their God, and placed them in heaps. 7In the third month they began to make the heaps, and finished them by the seventh month. 8When Hezekiah and the rulers came and saw the heaps, they blessed the LORD and His people Israel. 9Then Hezekiah questioned the priests and the Levites concerning the heaps. 10Azariah the chief priest of the house of Zadok said to him, “Since the contributions began to be brought into the house of the LORD, we have had enough to eat with plenty left over, for the LORD has blessed His people, and this great quantity is left over.”

      11Then Hezekiah commanded them to prepare rooms in the house of the LORD, and they prepared them. 12They faithfully brought in the contributions and the tithes and the consecrated things; and Conaniah the Levite was the officer in charge of them and his brother Shimei was second. 13Jehiel, Azaziah, Nahath, Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad, Eliel, Ismachiah, Mahath and Benaiah were overseers under the authority of Conaniah and Shimei his brother by the appointment of King Hezekiah, and Azariah was the chief officer of the house of God. 14Kore the son of Imnah the Levite, the keeper of the eastern gate, was over the freewill offerings of God, to apportion the contributions for the LORD and the most holy things. 15Under his authority were Eden, Miniamin, Jeshua, Shemaiah, Amariah and Shecaniah in the cities of the priests, to distribute faithfully their portions to their brothers by divisions, whether great or small, 16without regard to their genealogical enrollment, to the males from thirty years old and upward—everyone who entered the house of the LORD for his daily obligations—for their work in their duties according to their divisions; 17as well as the priests who were enrolled genealogically according to their fathers’ households, and the Levites from twenty years old and upwards, by their duties and their divisions. 18The genealogical enrollment included all their little children, their wives, their sons and their daughters, for the whole assembly, for they consecrated themselves faithfully in holiness. 19Also for the sons of Aaron the priests who were in the pasture lands of their cities, or in each and every city, there were men who were designated by name to distribute portions to every male among the priests and to everyone genealogically enrolled among the Levites.

      20Thus Hezekiah did throughout all Judah; and he did what was good, right and true before the LORD his God. 21Every work which he began in the service of the house of God in law and in commandment, seeking his God, he did with all his heart and prospered.

We see in this example that the people destroy idols, turning away from things that were not of Yah. They embrace Yah’s ways, including giving generously. Yah blesses the people financially as they turn back to Him and His ways. It may not always be that way financially but drawing nearer to Yahweh is truly a reward in itself.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please open my eyes to anything in my life that I need to turn away (e.g. not Your ways) from or need to return to (e.g. Your ways) and give me clarity and courage to make changes like Hezekiah. Please open the eyes of Your people and raise up leaders like Hezekiah to lead us in the restoration of Your ways and out of the common Christianity observed today which is so mixed and blended between Your ways and the ways of man. Help Your people to be set apart and holy for Your purposes. Amen.  

Shalom

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.

All Knowing, Blessed, Creation, Guide, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, His Ways Are Not Our Ways, Loving / Kind, Obeying God, Peace / Rest

Sabbath Observed Even During Busy Times

If there is any doubt that Yahweh is serious about Sabbath, let us take note how even the most foundational and important moments in all of time are paused for rest on the Sabbath. Most of us are very familiar with the creation story, in which Yahweh rested on the 7th day… Sabbath.

Genesis 2:1-3

      1Thus the heavens and the earth were completed, and all their hosts. 2By the seventh day God completed His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. 3Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.

Think about that for awhile. Even when creating everything, the Creator of the universe, and all that is in it, took time out to rest… not because He was tired, but to set an example to His people for all time that Sabbath and Sabbath rest is important. He did not rest on the first day of the week. He rested on the seventh day of the week. He has instructed us to do likewise.

Now let us jump forward in time several thousand years. A dramatic and defining moment for creation… the death and resurrection of Yeshua. All of history documented in the Old Testament points forward to it. All of history afterwards looks back on it for salvation and forgiveness. It is central in our ability to relate to our holy Father and come into His presence, in this life and after.

Yeshua died more quickly than most who perished from crucifixion. Yahweh timed it so that the scriptures would be fulfilled and the Romans would not break His legs to hasten His death. So too, the timing is such that Yeshua’s death precedes a Sabbath and His followers were able to provide a burial before the sun set to mark the beginning of Sabbath.

Then, everything in the chain of events takes a break for the duration of the Sabbath. Not until after Sabbath is over, does Yeshua rise from the now empty tomb and reveal Himself to His followers.

Mark 15:42-47

Jesus Is Buried

      42When evening had already come, because it was the preparation day, that is, the day before the Sabbath, 43Joseph of Arimathea came, a prominent member of the Council, who himself was waiting for the kingdom of God; and he gathered up courage and went in before Pilate, and asked for the body of Jesus. 44Pilate wondered if He was dead by this time, and summoning the centurion, he questioned him as to whether He was already dead. 45And ascertaining this from the centurion, he granted the body to Joseph. 46Joseph bought a linen cloth, took Him down, wrapped Him in the linen cloth and laid Him in a tomb which had been hewn out in the rock; and he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb. 47Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses were looking on to see where He was laid.

Let’s give credit to Joseph. He demonstrated courage to honor Yeshua by providing a burial rather than leaving Him to hang on the cross longer.

We should also take time to pray and think about the importance of Sabbath to our Father. In two of the most incredible moments in all history, time is taken to rest and honor the Sabbath. What could we possibly be doing in our weekly activities that would be more important than these events? If we choose to follow Yeshua, why would we choose not to obey the Father in regards to obeying the Sabbath?

On a personal note, since we started observing Sabbath as a day of rest, my family has found it very rewarding. It is so much beyond just obeying the Father, which is by itself very important. But in pursuing obedience I have found that I now have more time set aside for family and rest. It helps me to be a better husband and father throughout the week. What can I say? Yahweh has some great ideas! He knows how we are built and knows what is best for us to find peace and joy in this life. After all, He provides Sabbath for man, not man for Sabbath.

Mark 2:27

 27Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.

Join me in putting aside the Sabbath as a day of rest. It feels odd at first and you will likely find many excuses to stray. But if you stick with it long enough to form a new habit, it actually just fits perfectly even in busy times. Sometimes that is when we need it the most.

A small bonus assignment, for those who really want to follow after Christ in our Creator’s ways…  they rested on the 7th day of the week, not the first. If we wish to be consistent with the Creator’s calendar, we should observe Sabbath from Friday night at sundown to Saturday night at sundown. This is different from the commonly accepted Sunday timing in our society today. We should ask ourselves, can we find any clear scripture in the Bible that says to change from 7th day to 1st day of the week? (hint: The answer is “no”.) Does scripture give indication that the disciples continued to observe Sabbath on the 7th day after the death of Christ? (hint: The answer is “yes”.)

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please help me to have a curious and open mind, hungry to seek the truth of Your word even as study of Your word reveals truth to me that is different than what most around me believe. Help me to have courage to change where I should to follow Your ways instead of the ways accepted by men, including many churches. I follow You and Your word is the light unto my feet. I do not follow the ways of men.

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

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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.

Comforter, Courage / Fear, Devotions by John, Guide, Joy / Happiness / Rejoicing, Peace / Rest, Protector / Deliverer, Purposeful / Intentional, Seeking God

Storms Will Come. How Shall We React?

Storms will come in our lives, both literal and metaphorical. We need not guess about this nor doubt it. Serving Yeshua does not exempt us from this fact. Yeshua Himself warned us. One such scripture is in Matthew 7, where Yeshua speaks of storms coming to those who heard His words and acted on them.

Matthew 7:24-27

The Two Foundations

      24“Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25“And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. 26“Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27“The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great was its fall.”

There have certainly been a lot of storms across our nation recently. There has been a lot of divisiveness, especially driven by politicians seeking power rather than truth. There has been the issue of sickness amplified by government intrusion into personal liberties. Many are losing their jobs and concerned for their health. There are consistently events like hurricanes or wild fires that physically threaten many. Many are persecuted in varying levels across the globe for their faith in Yeshua. What are we to do?

Matthew 14 gives us a clear picture. We are to call out to Yeshua, listen for His instruction, trust in Him even when there is a storm around us. We are to draw closer to Him, even if it feels risky, like getting out of the boat. Perhaps most important, we are to focus on Yeshua rather than the storm around us.

Matthew 14:22-33

Jesus Walks on the Water

      22Immediately He made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side, while He sent the crowds away. 23After He had sent the crowds away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray; and when it was evening, He was there alone. 24But the boat was already a long distance from the land, battered by the waves; for the wind was contrary. 25And in the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea. 26When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out in fear. 27But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.”

      28Peter said to Him, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” 29And He said, “Come!” And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” 31Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32When they got into the boat, the wind stopped. 33And those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, “You are certainly God’s Son!”

I encourage each of you to prayerfully reflect on how you are reacting to the storms around you. I found that I was focusing too much on the wind and waves, the stresses and worries around me. I was not focused enough on Yeshua and trusting Him. Yes I was seeking Him, but like Peter I kept getting distracted by the storm. I was not experiencing the joy and peace that I can have in Christ.

One last encouraging thought, always remember that Yeshua is more powerful than the storms, no matter what storms you face.

Matthew 8:23-27

     23When He got into the boat, His disciples followed Him. 24And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being covered with the waves; but Jesus Himself was asleep. 25And they came to Him and woke Him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing!” 26He said to them, “Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?” Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it became perfectly calm. 27The men were amazed, and said, “What kind of a man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?”

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please help me to seek you always, especially in a storm. Help me to keep my focus on You and Your power rather than being distracted by the wind and waves of the storms around me. Amen.

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

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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.

Compassionate, Guide, Loving / Kind

Follow God, Serve Others

The longer I follow after Yeshua, and the more I seek Him, the more deeply I am moved emotionally as I read certain passages in scripture rather than just reading them academically.  Jesus sat and ate with His disciples during the Passover associated with what we now refer to as “The Lord’s Supper” or “The Last Supper”. He knew His body would be broken and His blood spilled… and very soon. He wanted, not to be alone to seek pleasure in these final moments, but rather to help prepare His closest friends for what was to come next. He sang a hymn with them! Never a complaint or gripe about what was coming.

He cared enough to warn them ahead of time even of what their reactions would be… to deny Him. He was not chastising them. He was preparing them. He did not say to them “Do not deny me”, but rather only that they would deny Him.

What a true picture of strength and greatness our Lord remains! To the end, willingly pursuing the Father’s plans and seeking to help others to prepare to endure what was coming. He was not focused only on Himself and the impact to Him.

Mark 14:22-31

The Lord’s Supper

      22While they were eating, He took some bread, and after a blessing He broke it, and gave it to them, and said, “Take it; this is My body.” 23And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, and they all drank from it. 24And He said to them, “This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. 25“Truly I say to you, I will never again drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”

      26After singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

      27And Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away, because it is written, ‘I WILL STRIKE DOWN THE SHEPHERD, AND THE SHEEP SHALL BE SCATTERED.’ 28“But after I have been raised, I will go ahead of you to Galilee.” 29But Peter said to Him, “Even though all may fall away, yet I will not.” 30And Jesus said to him, “Truly I say to you, that this very night, before a rooster crows twice, you yourself will deny Me three times.” 31But Peter kept saying insistently, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” And they all were saying the same thing also.

Let us seek to follow Yeshua’s example. Let us look to the Father for guidance and reassurance and look for how we can serve and help others even when we are facing troubling times. Let us remember that Yeshua died for each of us. But He has risen again! He is Lord!

Guide, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Is the Old Testament Relevant Today?, Love, Loving / Kind, Seeking God, Study the Word

You Are Not Far From The Kingdom Of God

How can we sum up the whole of the law and the prophets concisely? How can we pull together a high level mission statement we can all get our minds around that is the foundation for all of God’s instruction?

Leave it to Jesus to bring about such a summary:

  • There is one God. We shall love Him above all else.
  • Love others as we love ourselves.

Mark 12:28-34

    28One of the scribes came and heard them arguing, and recognizing that He had answered them well, asked Him, “What commandment is the foremost of all?” 29Jesus answered, “The foremost is, ‘HEAR, O ISRAEL! THE LORD OUR GOD IS ONE LORD; 30AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.’ 31“The second is this, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” 32The scribe said to Him, “Right, Teacher; You have truly stated that HE IS ONE, AND THERE IS NO ONE ELSE BESIDES HIM; 33AND TO LOVE HIM WITH ALL THE HEART AND WITH ALL THE UNDERSTANDING AND WITH ALL THE STRENGTH, AND TO LOVE ONE’S NEIGHBOR AS HIMSELF, is much more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 34When Jesus saw that he had answered intelligently, He said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” After that, no one would venture to ask Him any more questions.

What a wonderful summary. If we do these things in the way that God’s word instructs us, we are not far from the kingdom of God.

Take care, however. While the summary is a great tool to bring with us, we should also dig deep in study and prayer to fully understand God’s word for how to love Him and how to love others. Love does not mean we just stay happy with everyone no matter what they do… and neither does God. Love means we care deeply to help others understand what is best for them and that means establishing boundaries and clear sense of right and wrong. Not everything is ok and accepting all behavior is not demonstrating God’s love.

Will you make the investment to understand how to love God and love others? Will you live it beyond just words and let it direct your path in life? Let us challenge each other to go deeper into God’s word and live it out as a way of testifying to others about Him!

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please help me understand how You define loving You and loving others. Help me to live that out in a way that is pleasing to You and brings glory to You. Help me to live joyfully and gratefully. Amen. 

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

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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.

Guide, His Timing Not Ours, His Ways Are Not Our Ways, Joy / Happiness / Rejoicing, Purposeful / Intentional, Submitted / Servant

Focus on God’s Plans Rather Than Our Own

No matter how great the man, even if he is a man after God’s own heart and a mighty leader, he is here for a limited time. Only the LORD is unchanging and eternal.  In Him, we should put our trust rather than mortal men. Similarly, we should not put our whole focus into our own pursuits but rather the pursuits of God.

Psalm 146:3-4

3Do not trust in noblemen, in mortal man, in whom there is no salvation. 4His spirit departs, he returns to the earth; on that very day his plans perish.

David made a very deliberate effort to prepare Solomon to be king and prepare the nation to accept him. David made significant preparations for the mission God had chosen for Solomon, to build a temple. David put his focus and efforts toward glorifying God and put himself secondary. He did not get prideful when he was told not to build the temple himself. He did not hold on to power until he died. He prepared his son and handed over the keys to the kingdom to help ensure the work of God on the temple would continue.

1 Chronicles 29:22b-30

Solomon Again Made King

       And they made Solomon the son of David king a second time, and they anointed him as ruler for the LORD and Zadok as priest. 23Then Solomon sat on the throne of the LORD as king instead of David his father; and he prospered, and all Israel obeyed him. 24All the officials, the mighty men, and also all the sons of King David pledged allegiance to King Solomon. 25The LORD highly exalted Solomon in the sight of all Israel, and bestowed on him royal majesty which had not been on any king before him in Israel.

      26Now David the son of Jesse reigned over all Israel. 27The period which he reigned over Israel was forty years; he reigned in Hebron seven years and in Jerusalem thirty-three years.

Death of David

      28Then he died in a ripe old age, full of days, riches and honor; and his son Solomon reigned in his place. 29Now the acts of King David, from first to last, are written in the chronicles of Samuel the seer, in the chronicles of Nathan the prophet and in the chronicles of Gad the seer, 30with all his reign, his power, and the circumstances which came on him, on Israel, and on all the kingdoms of the lands.

I see at least two parallels for many of us.

  • Do we put our focus and efforts into the plans of God, or the plans of men (including our own)?
  • Are we preparing others to continue God’s work after we are gone?

I would encourage each of us to prayerfully reflect on these questions and ask the Spirit to enlighten us as to any changes that should be made in our lives.

Father, please help me to be unselfish and focused on Your plans rather than the plans of men or even my own plans. Your plans are different than mine, but Yours are the ones that will endure and have lasting value. Your plans will bring glory to Your name rather than my own. Help me to truly prepare my children to follow You and whatever plans You have for them. Help me to act now to prepare them for those plans as You reveal them to us. Amen. 

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

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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.

Courage / Fear, Faithful, Guide, His Timing Not Ours, His Ways Are Not Our Ways, Purposeful / Intentional, Seeking God, Submitted / Servant

Know, Love, and Serve the LORD for His Glory

David’s address about the temple in 1 Chronicles 28 is full of meaning. Though David was told he would not be the one to build the temple, which he wanted to build, he worked diligently to prepare the plans, his son and the people so that all was ready to go for Solomon. We should all seek to have such a productive response when God does not grant us the things we ask for or desire.

1 Chronicles 28

David’s Address about the Temple

      1Now David assembled at Jerusalem all the officials of Israel, the princes of the tribes, and the commanders of the divisions that served the king, and the commanders of thousands, and the commanders of hundreds, and the overseers of all the property and livestock belonging to the king and his sons, with the officials and the mighty men, even all the valiant men. 2Then King David rose to his feet and said, “Listen to me, my brethren and my people; I had intended to build a permanent home for the ark of the covenant of the LORD and for the footstool of our God. So I had made preparations to build it. 3“But God said to me, ‘You shall not build a house for My name because you are a man of war and have shed blood.’ 4“Yet, the LORD, the God of Israel, chose me from all the house of my father to be king over Israel forever. For He has chosen Judah to be a leader; and in the house of Judah, my father’s house, and among the sons of my father He took pleasure in me to make me king over all Israel. 5“Of all my sons (for the LORD has given me many sons), He has chosen my son Solomon to sit on the throne of the kingdom of the LORD over Israel. 6“He said to me, ‘Your son Solomon is the one who shall build My house and My courts; for I have chosen him to be a son to Me, and I will be a father to him. 7‘I will establish his kingdom forever if he resolutely performs My commandments and My ordinances, as is done now.’ 8“So now, in the sight of all Israel, the assembly of the LORD, and in the hearing of our God, observe and seek after all the commandments of the LORD your God so that you may possess the good land and bequeath it to your sons after you forever.

      9“As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a whole heart and a willing mind; for the LORD searches all hearts, and understands every intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever. 10“Consider now, for the LORD has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary; be courageous and act.”

      11Then David gave to his son Solomon the plan of the porch of the temple, its buildings, its storehouses, its upper rooms, its inner rooms and the room for the mercy seat; 12and the plan of all that he had in mind, for the courts of the house of the LORD, and for all the surrounding rooms, for the storehouses of the house of God and for the storehouses of the dedicated things; 13also for the divisions of the priests and the Levites and for all the work of the service of the house of the LORD and for all the utensils of service in the house of the LORD; 14for the golden utensils, the weight of gold for all utensils for every kind of service; for the silver utensils, the weight of silver for all utensils for every kind of service; 15and the weight of gold for the golden lampstands and their golden lamps, with the weight of each lampstand and its lamps; and the weight of silver for the silver lampstands, with the weight of each lampstand and its lamps according to the use of each lampstand; 16and the gold by weight for the tables of showbread, for each table; and silver for the silver tables; 17and the forks, the basins, and the pitchers of pure gold; and for the golden bowls with the weight for each bowl; and for the silver bowls with the weight for each bowl; 18and for the altar of incense refined gold by weight; and gold for the model of the chariot, even the cherubim that spread out their wings and covered the ark of the covenant of the LORD.

      19“All this,” said David, “the LORD made me understand in writing by His hand upon me, all the details of this pattern.”

      20Then David said to his son Solomon, “Be strong and courageous, and act; do not fear nor be dismayed, for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you nor forsake you until all the work for the service of the house of the LORD is finished. 21“Now behold, there are the divisions of the priests and the Levites for all the service of the house of God, and every willing man of any skill will be with you in all the work for all kinds of service. The officials also and all the people will be entirely at your command.”

For David, it was all about God and God’s glory, not about himself. I ask God to help me to be more like this in my attitude.  I want to come back over a few verses for emphasis.

      9“As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a whole heart and a willing mind; for the LORD searches all hearts, and understands every intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever. 10“Consider now, for the LORD has chosen you to build a house for the sanctuary; be courageous and act.”

This is guidance we should all follow, no matter what He calls us to do:

  • Know God and serve Him with whole heart and willing mind. The LORD knows and cares about our intentions and attitude. He cares about “why” we do something, and not just “what” we do.
  • If you seek Him, He will let you find Him. Do not expect full revelation of God from one brief encounter. To seek Him is an active and ongoing action in our lives. It takes time to build relationship with anyone, and God is no exception.
  • If you forsake Him, He will reject you.
  • Whatever God calls each of us to do, be courageous and act. We must take action and in many cases it will require some courage. Do not expect what He asks you to do to be easy.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please help myself and all Your people to know and serve You with our whole heart and willing mind. Help us be hungry to seek You and to find You. Thank You for revealing Yourself to us. Let us not forsake You, either when times are good or bad. Give us courage to act and fulfill whatever You call us to do. Amen. 

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

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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.

Guide, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Traditions / Holidays

Remember the Sabbath

Sabbath can be a very interesting topic to study within the Bible. YHWH had a lot to say to his people about Sabbath. In fact, a seventh day rest is recorded from the beginning with the example of YHWH as he completed creation. We can also perhaps see where Sabbath rest foreshadows the rest we find in Yeshua as Messiah for it is through him and his death and resurrection that we are saved. We need not try to be made righteous through our works, though our works should still be righteous. We can also see the foreshadowing of the rest we find when we die and go to be with the LORD and also when the LORD returns for the second time and begins his millennial reign on Earth. Further, Sabbath is a part of the holy days of YHWH set out in Leviticus 23 and was intended to be part of our relationship with him and intended to help us.

Sabbath is rich in meaning, but unfortunately today most Christians act as if Sabbath is obsolete and has no meaning. I have seen it disappear in my lifetime. Where businesses were shut down for Sabbath in the past, albeit on Sunday, now most are open. People no longer rest but rather remain very busy on basically every day of the week. People go about their agenda in their way. They have lost the Sabbath.

My family and I rediscovered the Sabbath in recent years and have started setting it aside as a day of rest. It is a significant change and may even seem inconvenient at times as you adjust, but it is genuinely worthwhile to pursue. It is important to YHWH and he created it for our benefit rather than his own.

We can, and perhaps should, have robust discussion about how to celebrate Sabbath today, but let us take time today to simply review some of what YHWH has said and demonstrated about Sabbath. Once we help to establish the importance of it, I encourage each of you to continue studying Sabbath and seeking to begin living it in your own lives. Keep growing and learning on this subject. There is much that has been lost for which we should endeavor to recover.

A good and simple place to start as you read through scripture is to recognize that the main theme is that his people should not work and should not cause others to work on Sabbath. It is to be kept as a sign of our covenant with him and he created it for us. It is interesting that I can not find instruction specifically to go to synagogue or temple (or church) on Sabbath day, however it was clearly an accepted custom that even Yeshua demonstrated.

YHWH set an example for us from the very beginning as part of creation to observe a day of rest on the seventh day, after our work has been done.

Gen 2:1-2       1Thus the heavens and the earth were completed, and all their hosts. 2By the seventh day God completed His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done.

Did YHWH say anything about when his people should stop celebrating Sabbath?

Exod 31:16-27 16‘So the sons of Israel shall observe the sabbath, to celebrate the sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant.’ 17“It is a sign between Me and the sons of Israel forever; for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, but on the seventh day He ceased from labor, and was refreshed.”

YHWH gave guidance to his people to work in the first six days and rest on the seventh, which is consistent with his example during creation. (The seventh day would be Saturday by our current calendar.) He also instructed us not to cause others to work.

Exod 20:8-22    8“Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9“Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10but the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God; in it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter, your male or your female servant or your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you. 11“For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day and made it holy.

Leviticus 23:3    3‘For six days work may be done, but on the seventh day there is a sabbath of complete rest, a holy convocation. You shall not do any work; it is a sabbath to the LORD in all your dwellings.

YHWH intended us to recognize Sabbath even during pressure to get work done or accomplish an important task (like handling Yeshua’s body after he was crucified).

Exod 34:21    21“You shall work six days, but on the seventh day you shall rest; even during plowing time and harvest you shall rest.

Luke 23:54-56     54It was the preparation day, and the Sabbath was about to begin. 55Now the women who had come with Him out of Galilee followed, and saw the tomb and how His body was laid. 56Then they returned and prepared spices and perfumes. And on the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.

YHWH intended the rest to be more than just not doing the work for which we get paid. One can have quite an engaging dialog in defining “work”, recognizing that some of the literal activity which YHWH specifically called out in scripture could arguably not really feel like work in today’s environment / technology. (e.g. lighting a fire, etc.) He also specified not buying things offered for sale on Sabbath

Nehemiah 10:31 31As for the peoples of the land who bring wares or any grain on the sabbath day to sell, we will not buy from them on the sabbath or a holy day; and we will forego the crops the seventh year and the exaction of every debt.

When does Sabbath begin?

Leviticus 23:32 32“It is to be a sabbath of complete rest to you, and you shall humble your souls; on the ninth of the month at evening, from evening until evening you shall keep your sabbath.”

This would be consistent with the Hebrew calendar observed by God’s people in Biblical times, where a day started with sundown and ended with sundown. In today’s calendar, this would be Friday night at sundown through Sat night at sundown. (Learn more at Hebrew4Christians.com or 119Ministries.com.)

Is Sabbath casual or important to YHWH? You can probably already tell it is important based on how much YHWH had to say about it to his people and the fact that he set the example during creation.

Exod 20:8    8“Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy

Ezekiel 20:20 20‘Sanctify My sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between Me and you, that you may know that I am the LORD your God.’

Deuteronomy 5:12    12‘Observe the sabbath day to keep it holy, as the LORD your God commanded you.

Exodus 31:13      12The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 13“But as for you, speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘You shall surely observe My sabbaths; for this is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the LORD who sanctifies you. 14‘Therefore you are to observe the sabbath, for it is holy to you. Everyone who profanes it shall surely be put to death; for whoever does any work on it, that person shall be cut off from among his people. Tell the Israelites, “Surely you must observe my Sabbaths, for this will be a sign between me and you for the generations to come, so that you may know that I am the LORD who sanctifies you.

Why is Sabbath important to YHWH?

Exod 31:17 17“It is a sign between Me and the sons of Israel forever; for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, but on the seventh day He ceased from labor, and was refreshed.”

What example did Yeshua set for proper observance of the Sabbath?

Luke 4:16  16And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; and as was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath, and stood up to read.

Matthew 12:9-15

      9Departing from there, He went into their synagogue. 10And a man was there whose hand was withered. And they questioned Jesus, asking, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”—so that they might accuse Him. 11And He said to them, “What man is there among you who has a sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will he not take hold of it and lift it out? 12“How much more valuable then is a man than a sheep! So then, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” 13Then He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand!” He stretched it out, and it was restored to normal, like the other. 14But the Pharisees went out and conspired against Him, as to how they might destroy Him.

      15But Jesus, aware of this, withdrew from there. Many followed Him, and He healed them all,

John 9:13-14   13They brought to the Pharisees the man who was formerly blind. 14Now it was a Sabbath on the day when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes.

Mark 2:23-28       23And it happened that He was passing through the grainfields on the Sabbath, and His disciples began to make their way along while picking the heads of grain. 24The Pharisees were saying to Him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” 25And He said to them, “Have you never read what David did when he was in need and he and his companions became hungry; 26how he entered the house of God in the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the consecrated bread, which is not lawful for anyone to eat except the priests, and he also gave it to those who were with him?” 27Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. 28“So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”

In order to make the Sabbath day a day of physical rest, we must prepare ahead of time. The sixth day was referred to as the day of preparation.

Exodus 16:5 5“On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather daily.”

Exodus 16:22-26       22Now on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for each one. When all the leaders of the congregation came and told Moses, 23then he said to them, “This is what the LORD meant: Tomorrow is a sabbath observance, a holy sabbath to the LORD. Bake what you will bake and boil what you will boil, and all that is left over put aside to be kept until morning.” 24So they put it aside until morning, as Moses had ordered, and it did not become foul nor was there any worm in it. 25Moses said, “Eat it today, for today is a sabbath to the LORD; today you will not find it in the field. 26“Six days you shall gather it, but on the seventh day, the sabbath, there will be none.”

Mark 15:42-43   42When evening had already come, because it was the preparation day, that is, the day before the Sabbath, 43Joseph of Arimathea came, a prominent member of the Council, who himself was waiting for the kingdom of God; and he gathered up courage and went in before Pilate, and asked for the body of Jesus.

Luke 23:54-56     54It was the preparation day, and the Sabbath was about to begin. 55Now the women who had come with Him out of Galilee followed, and saw the tomb and how His body was laid. 56Then they returned and prepared spices and perfumes. And on the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.

For whose benefit is the Sabbath? Man or God?

Mark 2:27   27Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.

We should prayerfully reflect on what the Lord has to say about Sabbath and how we should observe it still today. Invest time to continue studying and begin trying to adjust your lifestyle to incorporate Sabbath. Don’t be overwhelmed trying to “get it all right” and do so overnight. Instead, allow yourself to learn and apply and then continue to learn more and apply that and so on.

I am convinced the Lord is pleased when his people pursue living according to his instruction by pursuing something in our lives as important as Sabbath.

Some additional resources to consider:

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please help me to embrace Your concept of Sabbath joyfully. Give me the courage to turn away from the world’s ways and toward Yours. Thank You for creating Sabbath for us! Amen. 

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

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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.

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.

Guide, Help / Serve Others, Submitted / Servant

Support Others in Their Work For Yahweh

At the LORD’s discretion, we may not always be called to do what we want to do in His service. It may have nothing to do with whether or not He is pleased with us. He chooses different people  for different missions. We are to be content or even joyful in fulfilling what He calls us to do. If He calls us into a helping role in some cases, where we wanted to lead, we should take caution not to rebel or resist, but rather support actively. This is the example that David sets when Yahweh selects Solomon to build the temple rather than David. He did not simply step aside and leave it all to Solomon. He worked hard to prepare everything so Solomon would be set up for success when it was time. David’s greatness was not diminished by the fact that he played a helping role to Solomon in the work of the LORD. I think it was rather the opposite. He showed his focus was on bringing glory to God and not just to himself.

1 Chronicles 22

David Prepares for Temple Building

      1Then David said, “This is the house of the LORD God, and this is the altar of burnt offering for Israel.”

      2So David gave orders to gather the foreigners who were in the land of Israel, and he set stonecutters to hew out stones to build the house of God. 3David prepared large quantities of iron to make the nails for the doors of the gates and for the clamps, and more bronze than could be weighed; 4and timbers of cedar logs beyond number, for the Sidonians and Tyrians brought large quantities of cedar timber to David. 5David said, “My son Solomon is young and inexperienced, and the house that is to be built for the LORD shall be exceedingly magnificent, famous and glorious throughout all lands. Therefore now I will make preparation for it.” So David made ample preparations before his death.

Solomon Charged with the Task

      6Then he called for his son Solomon, and charged him to build a house for the LORD God of Israel. 7David said to Solomon, “My son, I had intended to build a house to the name of the LORD my God. 8“But the word of the LORD came to me, saying, ‘You have shed much blood and have waged great wars; you shall not build a house to My name, because you have shed so much blood on the earth before Me. 9‘Behold, a son will be born to you, who shall be a man of rest; and I will give him rest from all his enemies on every side; for his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quiet to Israel in his days. 10‘He shall build a house for My name, and he shall be My son and I will be his father; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.’ 11“Now, my son, the LORD be with you that you may be successful, and build the house of the LORD your God just as He has spoken concerning you. 12“Only the LORD give you discretion and understanding, and give you charge over Israel, so that you may keep the law of the LORD your God. 13“Then you will prosper, if you are careful to observe the statutes and the ordinances which the LORD commanded Moses concerning Israel. Be strong and courageous, do not fear nor be dismayed. 14“Now behold, with great pains I have prepared for the house of the LORD 100,000 talents of gold and 1,000,000 talents of silver, and bronze and iron beyond weight, for they are in great quantity; also timber and stone I have prepared, and you may add to them. 15“Moreover, there are many workmen with you, stonecutters and masons of stone and carpenters, and all men who are skillful in every kind of work. 16“Of the gold, the silver and the bronze and the iron there is no limit. Arise and work, and may the LORD be with you.”

      17David also commanded all the leaders of Israel to help his son Solomon, saying, 18“Is not the LORD your God with you? And has He not given you rest on every side? For He has given the inhabitants of the land into my hand, and the land is subdued before the LORD and before His people. 19“Now set your heart and your soul to seek the LORD your God; arise, therefore, and build the sanctuary of the LORD God, so that you may bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD and the holy vessels of God into the house that is to be built for the name of the LORD.”

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please help me to serve you humbly and without too much focus on my self and my wants. Help me to do what You call me to do and do it joyfully and diligently. Let me not dwell or act in jealousy for what others are called to do in Your name. Help me to remember that my service is about You and not about me.  Amen. 

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

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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.

Guide, His Ways Are Not Our Ways, Purposeful / Intentional, Submitted / Servant

Whoever Has, to Him More Shall Be Given… Is That Fair?

By today’s culture, many likely read on the surface the following verse and think, “That is not fair.” More and more people are indoctrinated by the teaching of men with man’s concept of fair and somehow everyone is supposed to have equal outcomes.

Mark 4:25

25“For whoever has, to him more shall be given; and whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him.”

This same message is included in Luke 8:18 and Matthew 13:12 in the same context as Yeshua talks to His disciples about the parable of the sower.

There will never be equal outcomes because everyone is different and makes different choices. In fact, we are made intentionally different to serve the purposes of Yahweh (Romans 9) and for the purpose of functioning as the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12).

It is important to put aside man’s view of “fair” and listen to what Yahweh’s word actually says. Do not miss the context. Yeshua was speaking to the disciples about why He taught in parables.

Mark 4:10-12

10As soon as He was alone, [b]His followers, along with the twelve disciples, began asking Him about the parables. 11And He was saying to them, “To you has been given the mystery of the kingdom of God, but for those who are outside, everything comes in parables, 12so that WHILE SEEING THEY MAY SEE, AND NOT PERCEIVE, AND WHILE HEARING, THEY MAY HEAR, AND NOT UNDERSTAND, OTHERWISE THEY MIGHT RETURN AND IT WOULD BE FORGIVEN THEM.”

We may think it is unfair, but what we think does not define what is right. What the LORD says is right, is right, whether or not we understand it. Clearly the LORD is making a distinction about the level of knowledge of the kingdom of Yahweh that is being entrusted to the disciples vs. others who may come to hear what Yeshua was teaching. Some are given more insight and some very little.

To further clarify the bottom line of the message, it is helpful to review the parable of the talents in which Yeshua makes the same statement about those having more getting more and those having little, losing even what they have. The key is that those who are obedient in little things will be entrusted with much and will be given more. Those who can not be trusted with little things, will lose even what they have. This includes insights and wisdom about the kingdom, not just money.

Matthew 25:14-29

Parable of the Talents

      14“For it is just like a man about to go on a journey, who called his own slaves and entrusted his possessions to them. 15“To one he gave five talents, to another, two, and to another, one, each according to his own ability; and he went on his journey. 16“Immediately the one who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and gained five more talents. 17“In the same manner the one who had received the two talents gained two more. 18“But he who received the one talent went away, and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.

      19“Now after a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. 20“The one who had received the five talents came up and brought five more talents, saying, ‘Master, you entrusted five talents to me. See, I have gained five more talents.’ 21“His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’

      22“Also the one who had received the two talents came up and said, ‘Master, you entrusted two talents to me. See, I have gained two more talents.’ 23“His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’

      24“And the one also who had received the one talent came up and said, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you scattered no seed. 25‘And I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.’

      26“But his master answered and said to him, ‘You wicked, lazy slave, you knew that I reap where I did not sow and gather where I scattered no seed. 27‘Then you ought to have put my money in the bank, and on my arrival I would have received my money back with interest. 28‘Therefore take away the talent from him, and give it to the one who has the ten talents.’

      29“For to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away. 30“Throw out the worthless slave into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please guide me in Your wisdom. Please open my eyes to the truth of Your kingdom and how I should live. Help me to be trustworthy and obedient so that You would trust me with more. Let me never take for granted what You have given me so that I would lose it. Amen.

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

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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.