Category Archives: Discerning / Judging

Discerning / Judging, Humility, Study the Word, Wise

Do Not Redefine God, Rather Redefine Your Understanding of Him

Today’s message is brief, but important. Take a few minutes to reflect on it prayerfully. Some will simply say, “this is obvious”, and that is great. Others may really need the reminder as they experience difficult situations in which they may feel a bit lost.

When we find scripture that is confusing or seems contradictory based on our current understanding, we have a few choices.

  1. Ignore the confusion and keep going about focusing on what we do understand.
  2. Redefine God and His word to fit into our current understanding.
  3. Let His word challenge and redefine our understanding so we can grow further, even if it makes us uncomfortable.

Option 1 may actually be ok sometimes, if the point at question is fairly minor. However, we should acknowledge that we may be missing an opportunity the Spirit is trying to use to help us grow in our understanding of God.

Option 2 is never the right choice, and few ever choose it intentionally. They do not say, “let me redefine God”. Rather, they allow themselves to interpret scripture very liberally and stretch beyond what it actually says. Often, they can lean into false teaching that is so prevalent in churches today to back up what they believe. We should be very careful to test our understanding against other scripture, not just against what our pastor says. Many pastors are teaching flat out bad doctrine, typically mixed with a lot of truth as well, which makes it seem believable.  Many do not realize they are teaching bad doctrine. They are simply lost in the cultural understanding or God rather than the Biblical one.

An example of this may be when God tells the Israelites to take the promised land and take no prisoners. Many may struggle with understanding the context and instead of searching out true understanding, push away from God and the Bible as if their own understanding is the source of truth.

Consider this article on BibleProject.com, Joshua: Judgment or Cruelty? Conquering the Promised Land | BibleProject™

Of course, option 3 is best. Allow yourself to admit you don’t fully understand something. Then, if it is troubling you, put in time and effort to study and pray to seek an answer. However, start with the following premise: God is perfect and just. The Bible is the most accurate source of instruction from God to His people on how to live. My understanding and that of culture and churches around me is often flawed. If I am not redefining my understanding of God based on His revelation and His word, I am not learning.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please help Your people to remain humble in our understanding of You so that we would be ready to learn as You reveal new things to us rather than clinging to what we think we already know and redefining You and Your word to fit our current view. Lead us to redefine our understanding of You based on Your word and not to redefine You and what Your word means based on our current views. 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.

Compassion, Compassionate, Consequences of Sin, Discerning / Judging, Discipline / Guidance From God, Grace / Forgiveness, Grace / Patience, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Merciful, Mercy

The Kindness of God Leads to Repentance

None of us are so holy and righteous that we will avoid facing judgment. We will all face judgment before Yahweh. But for His grace in extending the offer of salvation through Yeshua, and our decision to accept it and submit to Yahweh we all would go to hell. All are judged guilty of not living up to our Father’s holy and perfect standard. No matter how much we study and learn or how much we pray… we must caution ourselves against thinking that we have all the answers and those who are different are all fools worthy of condemnation. We are all worthy of condemnation. We all need our Father’s grace and mercy.

Romans 2:1-16

The Impartiality of God

      1Therefore you have no excuse, everyone of you who passes judgment, for in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. 2And we know that the judgment of God rightly falls upon those who practice such things. 3But do you suppose this, O man, when you pass judgment on those who practice such things and do the same yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God? 4Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? 5But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, 6who WILL RENDER TO EACH PERSON ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS: 7to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life; 8but to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation. 9There will be tribulation and distress for every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek, 10but glory and honor and peace to everyone who does good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 11For there is no partiality with God.

      12For all who have sinned without the Law will also perish without the Law, and all who have sinned under the Law will be judged by the Law; 13for it is not the hearers of the Law who are just before God, but the doers of the Law will be justified. 14For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves, 15in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them, 16on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus.

Paul calls out that all people, following the law or not, cannot be justified without Yeshua. You either sin without the Law or sin under the Law. Yahweh is impartial and will judge both consistently. It is not through the Law that we are saved, but through Yeshua.

It is very interesting though, to consider that Paul is not speaking against the Law. In fact, the opposite is true! He even points out in verses 14-15 that some who do not have the Law, still after submitting to Yahweh through Yeshua instinctively act in accordance with the Law as if it is written on their hearts. He is pointing out that in fact, it is good and righteous to be a doer of the Law. Recognize this is after the death and resurrection of Yeshua. The Law still correctly characterizes how we should live!

While we are called to “judge”, or discern, right from wrong and rebuke wrong and do right… we should be careful not to focus on judging the salvation of others based on compliance to the Law. We should be attentive to focusing on our own relationship with and obedience to Yahweh. Show grace and mercy to others who strive wholeheartedly after Yahweh, without endorsing or accepting wrong behavior and attitudes.

Do not forsake the Law, as Paul still indicates it is a guide that can help us, even if some may start to instinctively live out the Law to some degree without hearing it taught as the Law.

We also cannot let it escape our notice that our actions matter. They are a reflection of our heart and our striving to submit to Yahweh, or not.

6who WILL RENDER TO EACH PERSON ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS: 7to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life; 8but to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation. 9There will be tribulation and distress for every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek, 10but glory and honor and peace to everyone who does good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 11For there is no partiality with God.

Behaviors and attitudes matter. Obeying the law matters as a reflection of our submission to and love for Yahweh. We cannot simply say “I believe in Yeshua”, go to church once a week, and live like a pagan and expect that to be pleasing to Yahweh.

13for it is not the hearers of the Law who are just before God, but the doers of the Law will be justified.

Those who wholeheartedly submit to Christ as Savior and Lord will reflect that in their actions. If we say to ourselves, “We believe in Christ”, but do not obey Him… we must challenge ourselves to test if we really mean it.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, thank You for Your Law that guides us. Thank You for the entirety of Your holy word in scriptures. Help us to live out according to Your instructions and not according to the instructions of man, which are often corrupted. Open the eyes of Your people to better understand how to passionately live for You in Your way! Help us to accept salvation as a gift through Yeshua with gratitude, but also truly repent and turn from our sins. Help us show grace and mercy to others as we receive it from You. Amen.

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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.

Children, Discerning / Judging, Parenting, Purposeful / Intentional, Wise

Make Learning About God Fun!

The world continuously bombards our children with messages that are not consistent with a Christian world view – whether online websites, apps, videos or music. However, there are some very creative Christians that have put their talents to work honoring God by creating wonderful material that is consistent with what we hear from Jesus. You and your kids can honor God and have fun doing it!

What your children are exposed to does matter. Don’t settle for programming and entertainment that mocks or ignores our Lord. Instead seek out material which trains up our children in the way they should go. Please take some time to explore the resource links we have included here and share with those you think may benefit from it. There is some great stuff to get you started. If you are like me, once you know this kind of stuff is out there, you will go look for it on your own and find much more than what I have listed here.

Check out the Kid Zone section in Resources on our website, www.HearingFromJesus.org. Click the specific links below to dive right into the Kid Zone.

Kid Zone

Proverbs 22:6

6Train up a child in the way he should go,
Even when he is old he will not depart from it.

Do you have recommendations that honor God? Please share your input through our Contact Us page.

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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.

Church / Body of Christ, Discerning / Judging, Holy / Set Apart, Is the Old Testament Relevant Today?, Obeying God, Purposeful / Intentional, Rebuke Wrong Behavior, Repenting from Sin, Seeking God, Study the Word, Teachable

Beware How Easily We Stray from God’s Ways

We see this trend throughout human history among Yahweh’s people. They fall away from Him, a remnant survives, He calls them back together, they repent and return to His ways… for a while. Then they cycle starts over again. Sometimes the intervals vary in terms of how much time before the people go astray. Often the repentance and falling away are tied to the influence of a king or leader. The people seldom seem to stay on the right path without a strong leader. We should keep our guard up. We are subject to the same human nature. If we lose focus, we will drift away from God and blend with the ways of others. When we are talking about the elements of worshipping and following God in His way, blending with anything else is not good.

In Nehemiah, we see the elapsed time is about 12 years from Nehemiah 10, where Israel sealed the covenant around 444 BC, and Nehemiah 13, where Nehemiah returns to restore the law around 432 B.C. (For more on Bible timelines, consider this resource on BibleHub.com… Bible Timeline (biblehub.com))

Nehemiah 13

Foreigners Excluded

      1On that day they read aloud from the book of Moses in the hearing of the people; and there was found written in it that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever enter the assembly of God, 2because they did not meet the sons of Israel with bread and water, but hired Balaam against them to curse them. However, our God turned the curse into a blessing. 3So when they heard the law, they excluded all foreigners from Israel.

Tobiah Expelled and the Temple Cleansed

      4Now prior to this, Eliashib the priest, who was appointed over the chambers of the house of our God, being related to Tobiah, 5had prepared a large room for him, where formerly they put the grain offerings, the frankincense, the utensils and the tithes of grain, wine and oil prescribed for the Levites, the singers and the gatekeepers, and the contributions for the priests. 6But during all this time I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I had gone to the king. After some time, however, I asked leave from the king, 7and I came to Jerusalem and learned about the evil that Eliashib had done for Tobiah, by preparing a room for him in the courts of the house of God. 8It was very displeasing to me, so I threw all of Tobiah’s household goods out of the room. 9Then I gave an order and they cleansed the rooms; and I returned there the utensils of the house of God with the grain offerings and the frankincense.

Tithes Restored

      10I also discovered that the portions of the Levites had not been given them, so that the Levites and the singers who performed the service had gone away, each to his own field. 11So I reprimanded the officials and said, “Why is the house of God forsaken?” Then I gathered them together and restored them to their posts. 12All Judah then brought the tithe of the grain, wine and oil into the storehouses. 13In charge of the storehouses I appointed Shelemiah the priest, Zadok the scribe, and Pedaiah of the Levites, and in addition to them was Hanan the son of Zaccur, the son of Mattaniah; for they were considered reliable, and it was their task to distribute to their kinsmen. 14Remember me for this, O my God, and do not blot out my loyal deeds which I have performed for the house of my God and its services.

Sabbath Restored

      15In those days I saw in Judah some who were treading wine presses on the sabbath, and bringing in sacks of grain and loading them on donkeys, as well as wine, grapes, figs and all kinds of loads, and they brought them into Jerusalem on the sabbath day. So I admonished them on the day they sold food. 16Also men of Tyre were living there who imported fish and all kinds of merchandise, and sold them to the sons of Judah on the sabbath, even in Jerusalem. 17Then I reprimanded the nobles of Judah and said to them, “What is this evil thing you are doing, by profaning the sabbath day? 18“Did not your fathers do the same, so that our God brought on us and on this city all this trouble? Yet you are adding to the wrath on Israel by profaning the sabbath.”

      19It came about that just as it grew dark at the gates of Jerusalem before the sabbath, I commanded that the doors should be shut and that they should not open them until after the sabbath. Then I stationed some of my servants at the gates so that no load would enter on the sabbath day. 20Once or twice the traders and merchants of every kind of merchandise spent the night outside Jerusalem. 21Then I warned them and said to them, “Why do you spend the night in front of the wall? If you do so again, I will use force against you.” From that time on they did not come on the sabbath. 22And I commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves and come as gatekeepers to sanctify the sabbath day. For this also remember me, O my God, and have compassion on me according to the greatness of Your lovingkindness.

Mixed Marriages Forbidden

      23In those days I also saw that the Jews had married women from Ashdod, Ammon and Moab. 24As for their children, half spoke in the language of Ashdod, and none of them was able to speak the language of Judah, but the language of his own people. 25So I contended with them and cursed them and struck some of them and pulled out their hair, and made them swear by God, “You shall not give your daughters to their sons, nor take of their daughters for your sons or for yourselves. 26“Did not Solomon king of Israel sin regarding these things? Yet among the many nations there was no king like him, and he was loved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel; nevertheless the foreign women caused even him to sin. 27“Do we then hear about you that you have committed all this great evil by acting unfaithfully against our God by marrying foreign women?” 28Even one of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was a son-in-law of Sanballat the Horonite, so I drove him away from me. 29Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood and the covenant of the priesthood and the Levites.

      30Thus I purified them from everything foreign and appointed duties for the priests and the Levites, each in his task, 31and I arranged for the supply of wood at appointed times and for the first fruits. Remember me, O my God, for good.

This scripture can serve as a vivid reminder as to how quickly we can be corrupted and led away from God’s ways. To be sure, our culture today is far from many of the ways of God. Normally, when I say this, many Christians agree and consider I am talking about those who are really turning from God or reject Him entirely. That is certainly true, but like the Bible, I am focusing on God’s people. The statement still applies across the church. It is not limited just to those churches that have continued to evolve and change away from God’s word while still calling upon His name. Some of this is obvious with issues like abortion or gay marriage, because it has changed in a quick time period and directly contradicts the word of God.

However, many more elements of how we live have been corrupted over time. To name a few:

  • celebrating pagan holidays like Easter and Christmas
  • not celebrating God’s appointed times like Passover and Tabernacles
  • not observing Sabbath as a day of rest (e.g. such as avoiding commerce/business)
  •  observing Sabbath on Sunday instead of the 7th day as it is commanded and as Yeshua did and Yah’s people throughout the Biblical history
  • not observing the dietary instructions laid out in God’s word

I could go on.  Each of the topics above have strong Biblical arguments that we have strayed from God’s ways incorrectly. It happened over time and long ago. Roman emperor drove the Jews out of Jerusalem and turned the church over to the Gentiles. There was intentional blending of God’s ways with that of Roman gods to manipulate the people and run the kingdom. There was later a history of the Catholic church blending with pagan celebrations and traditions to assimilate people rather than remaining set apart and holding to a rigid standard based on God’s word.

This is often hard to hear and many want to reject it, but take care not to decide what God wants based on how your culture is living and what they are accepting. Do not base your understanding of God’s ways only on “my pastor said” or “my family tradition is”. You see God’s people getting off track all the time in scripture on this basis. In the example with Nehemiah today, it took 12 years or less!

Be on guard! Seek out the truth of God’s word and be willing to test everything against scripture. I am sure a lot of folks did not want to hear Nehemiah’s message. It was disruptive and uncomfortable. It brought people back closer to Yah’s ways!

Read more about Understanding the Law – What Does It Mean Today?

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please raise up strong, righteous leaders like Nehemiah. Stir the people to listen and follow their lead to return to Your ways. Help each of us be willing to challenge what we have grown to accept in regard to living Your way. Open our eyes and our hearts to be willing to seek and study and turn from things which may even be dear to us, but are not Your ways. Thank You for Your written word and for the Spirit. Let the Spirit guide us in our understanding but help us to test based on the written scripture. 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 Powerful / King of All, Courage / Fear, Diligent / Hard Worker, Discerning / Judging, Faith / Trusting God, Protector / Deliverer, Provider, Purposeful / Intentional, Wise

Proceed with Caution: Adversaries Ahead

It is interesting to try to even understand the motivation of those who came against Nehemiah. Why were they so bound and determined to try to stop what he was doing in rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem? Sometimes people come against us and we really can’t discern what is in it for them. They seem content just to disrupt any work being undertaken for the LORD and His glory. They want to intimidate God’s people to stop. They are willing to deceive and outright lie. They are willing to threaten and try to rally others against God’s work and God’s people.

Let Nehemiah serve as a solid reminder that we must keep our heads and be courageous. We must seek discernment and act wisely in our response. Do not believe everything you hear or trust everyone who reaches out.

Nehemiah 6

The Enemy’s Plot

      1Now when it was reported to Sanballat, Tobiah, to Geshem the Arab and to the rest of our enemies that I had rebuilt the wall, and that no breach remained in it, although at that time I had not set up the doors in the gates, 2then Sanballat and Geshem sent a message to me, saying, “Come, let us meet together at Chephirim in the plain of Ono.” But they were planning to harm me. 3So I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?” 4They sent messages to me four times in this manner, and I answered them in the same way. 5Then Sanballat sent his servant to me in the same manner a fifth time with an open letter in his hand. 6In it was written, “It is reported among the nations, and Gashmu says, that you and the Jews are planning to rebel; therefore you are rebuilding the wall. And you are to be their king, according to these reports. 7“You have also appointed prophets to proclaim in Jerusalem concerning you, ‘A king is in Judah!’ And now it will be reported to the king according to these reports. So come now, let us take counsel together.” 8Then I sent a message to him saying, “Such things as you are saying have not been done, but you are inventing them in your own mind.” 9For all of them were trying to frighten us, thinking, “They will become discouraged with the work and it will not be done.” But now, O God, strengthen my hands.

      10When I entered the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel, who was confined at home, he said, “Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill you, and they are coming to kill you at night.” 11But I said, “Should a man like me flee? And could one such as I go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in.” 12Then I perceived that surely God had not sent him, but he uttered his prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. 13He was hired for this reason, that I might become frightened and act accordingly and sin, so that they might have an evil report in order that they could reproach me. 14Remember, O my God, Tobiah and Sanballat according to these works of theirs, and also Noadiah the prophetess and the rest of the prophets who were trying to frighten me.

The Wall Is Finished

      15So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of the month Elul, in fifty-two days. 16When all our enemies heard of it, and all the nations surrounding us saw it, they lost their confidence; for they recognized that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God. 17Also in those days many letters went from the nobles of Judah to Tobiah, and Tobiah’s letters came to them. 18For many in Judah were bound by oath to him because he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah the son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah. 19Moreover, they were speaking about his good deeds in my presence and reported my words to him. Then Tobiah sent letters to frighten me.

As you seek to obey God’s written word and any specific guidance He gives you for your life, be wary that some may and likely will come against you. You may not even understand their motivation, but you will need to be wise and courageous none the less. Seek God and seek the fellowship and help from others who are standing with you for God’s work. Watch carefully not to be tricked into compromising your obedience to God as you respond to them.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please lead and guide your people to come together to accomplish Your will. Raise up righteous leaders like Nehemiah to lead with courage and wisdom. Protect us from those who would come against us and against You.  Let the success we experience in accomplishing Your will bring glory and honor to You rather than us. 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.

Discerning / Judging, Encouragement, Forgive Others / Seek Forgiveness, Help / Serve Others, Share the Good News

Surely It Can’t Be True That He Is Preaching Christ

Sometimes it is those who were most convinced to oppose Yeshua HaMashiach (the Messiah) and persecute His followers that have the opportunity to become the greatest disciples. Saul had such enthusiasm to persecute disciples of Yeshua that even the apostles avoided him. They were hesitant to even take a chance to meet him. Give Barnabas his due credit for bringing Saul to the apostles. He saw the change in Saul and was able to bring a new believer with great potential as a disciple to connect with the other leading followers of Yeshua.

Saul, of course, is a wonder to watch in this scripture as well. Once Yeshua opened his eyes to the truth, he realized he already knew all that he needed to in order to prove that Yeshua was the Messiah! Saul had just not allowed himself to honestly consider the evidence of Yeshua as Messiah before his encounter with Yeshua on the road to Damascus. Now, in reflection, Saul clearly sees and can prove to others that Yeshua was Messiah all along!

Acts 9:19b-31

Saul Begins to Preach Christ

       Now for several days he was with the disciples who were at Damascus, 20and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.” 21All those hearing him continued to be amazed, and were saying, “Is this not he who in Jerusalem destroyed those who called on this name, and who had come here for the purpose of bringing them bound before the chief priests?” 22But Saul kept increasing in strength and confounding the Jews who lived at Damascus by proving that this Jesus is the Christ.

      23When many days had elapsed, the Jews plotted together to do away with him, 24but their plot became known to Saul. They were also watching the gates day and night so that they might put him to death; 25but his disciples took him by night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a large basket.

      26When he came to Jerusalem, he was trying to associate with the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple. 27But Barnabas took hold of him and brought him to the apostles and described to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had talked to him, and how at Damascus he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus. 28And he was with them, moving about freely in Jerusalem, speaking out boldly in the name of the Lord. 29And he was talking and arguing with the Hellenistic Jews; but they were attempting to put him to death. 30But when the brethren learned of it, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus.

      31So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria enjoyed peace, being built up; and going on in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it continued to increase.

Keep your eyes open for those you least expect to follow Yeshua! You may have a wonderful opportunity to encourage and support them in their new-found faith, as Barnabas was able to help Saul. We must always at least be open to the possibility of even the enemies of Yeshua repenting and turning to become followers themselves.  Take care, though, to use wisdom and discernment. Barnabas did not blindly accept Saul on a word alone, but based on the fruit of Saul’s life demonstrated by his risking his own life to preach the truth.

What an opportunity! Pray God would prepare you for such a time when the world and even many disciples of Yeshua would tell you to keep your distance… and God wants you to draw near to that person.

Perhaps, instead, as you read this you identify more with Saul… persecuting disciples of Yeshua and rebelling against and rejecting Yeshua? Be encouraged… if Yeshua can forgive Saul and make him a chosen instrument for Yahweh to use in spreading the gospel, He can do so for you as well! Turn from your wrong behaviors and thoughts. Ask forgiveness of Yeshua. Submit to and follow Him in your life, even when it is tough… like Saul, when he started preaching the gospel even to the point of receiving persecution himself. Also, seek out mature followers of Yeshua and celebrate for they are your new brothers and sisters!

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please help me to have discernment towards those who claim to follow Yeshua. Help me to encourage and support those who have genuinely turned away from opposing You and are now supporting You. Help all Your people to pull together as a body and support one another in faith and in action. Help us have clarity for who is genuine and who is fraud. 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.

Angels, Discerning / Judging, Holy Spirit / Ruach HaKodesh, Obeying God

God Does Indeed Create Divine Appointments

Have you ever experienced an encounter with someone that left you amazed at the significance and relevance of the timing of a “chance” meeting? Perhaps you had been praying about a specific topic and “accidentally” bumped into someone who had information that was very helpful in leading you to an answer? Perhaps you were able to provide encouragement and prayer to someone who really needed it at just the right time… or receive it personally from someone else!

Whatever the topic, as followers of Yeshua we should recognize that these “chance” encounters may actually be divine appointments, arranged by God to help His people accomplish His will. The world, and often even many Christians, will tell us God does not work this way, as if He is too busy or concerned with greater matters than the lives of His children! That also assumes that God has limits in what He can handle. He does not! God loves all His children and wants to be involved in our lives. He told us He would help us!

John 14:16

      16“I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; 17that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.

Let us explore a Biblical example of such a divine appointment from Acts 8.

Acts 8:25-40

An Ethiopian Receives Christ

      25So, when they had solemnly testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they started back to Jerusalem, and were preaching the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans.

      26But an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip saying, “Get up and go south to the road that descends from Jerusalem to Gaza.” (This is a desert road.) 27So he got up and went; and there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure; and he had come to Jerusalem to worship, 28and he was returning and sitting in his chariot, and was reading the prophet Isaiah. 29Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go up and join this chariot.” 30Philip ran up and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?” 31And he said, “Well, how could I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.

32Now the passage of Scripture which he was reading was this:
“HE WAS LED AS A SHEEP TO SLAUGHTER;
AND AS A LAMB BEFORE ITS SHEARER IS SILENT,
SO HE DOES NOT OPEN HIS MOUTH.

      33“IN HUMILIATION HIS JUDGMENT WAS TAKEN AWAY;
WHO WILL RELATE HIS GENERATION?
FOR HIS LIFE IS REMOVED FROM THE EARTH.”

34The eunuch answered Philip and said, “Please tell me, of whom does the prophet say this? Of himself or of someone else?” 35Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning from this Scripture he preached Jesus to him. 36As they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch said, “Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?” 37[And Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”] 38And he ordered the chariot to stop; and they both went down into the water, Philip as well as the eunuch, and he baptized him. 39When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; and the eunuch no longer saw him, but went on his way rejoicing. 40But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he kept preaching the gospel to all the cities until he came to Caesarea.

Surely Philip would never have thought on his own to go to a desert road at just the right time a particular Ethiopian official was going by on a chariot reading scripture! God sent an angel as messenger to guide Philip and he responded immediately, without second guessing or delaying. He made the appointment on time and accomplished God’s will! We can only speculate how God used the conversion of that Ethiopian official to follow Yeshua to affect others and further God’s kingdom. What we know for sure is that if Philip did not obey and follow God’s instructions, which may have seemed foolish to him at the time, then he would have missed God’s appointment for him.

We should take caution, however, in that we will typically not receive an angel for each mission God sends us on. He sent a helper in the Holy Spirit and it may often be through a prompting from the Holy Spirit, dwelling inside the believers, that we must listen and obey. Always confirm what you think you are hearing from God with the written word of God. God will never contradict Himself. He does not change over time. We must use discernment and wisdom to ensure we accept and guide our lives by God’s direction and not by responding to what may at times be a chance encounter or a trap laid by Satan and his forces of evil.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please lead and guide me clearly and help me have a spirit and courage to obey quickly. Please use me for whatever divine appointments serve Your purpose to bring honor and glory to You.  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.

Courage / Fear, Discerning / Judging, Purposeful / Intentional, Rebuke Wrong Behavior, Repenting from Sin, Wise

Blessed Be Those That Take Action on Yahweh’s Behalf to Confront the Wicked

Blessed be those who are courageous enough to stand up against wickedness and pursue the will of the LORD at personal risk. They do not stand in shadows and hide. They pray, but they plan and act as well to bring about what the LORD desires. They do not sit idly by waiting for others to take action without them. Two key figures to follow as we read include Johoshabeath and Jehoiada. Without these two, the wicked Athaliah would have remained leader over Judah, continuing to lead them away from Yahweh. Instead, they took action, well planned and coordinated action, to overthrow the wickedness and restore righteousness to the throne over Yah’s people.  We all have similar choices in our life, to take bold action for the LORD or to sit back and hope someone else does while we avoid personal risk.

2 Chronicles 22:10-12

      10Now when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she rose and destroyed all the royal offspring of the house of Judah. 11But Jehoshabeath the king’s daughter took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him from among the king’s sons who were being put to death, and placed him and his nurse in the bedroom. So Jehoshabeath, the daughter of King Jehoram, the wife of Jehoiada the priest (for she was the sister of Ahaziah), hid him from Athaliah so that she would not put him to death. 12He was hidden with them in the house of God six years while Athaliah reigned over the land.

2 Chronicles 23

Jehoiada Sets Joash on the Throne of Judah

      1Now in the seventh year Jehoiada strengthened himself, and took captains of hundreds: Azariah the son of Jeroham, Ishmael the son of Johanan, Azariah the son of Obed, Maaseiah the son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat the son of Zichri, and they entered into a covenant with him. 2They went throughout Judah and gathered the Levites from all the cities of Judah, and the heads of the fathers’ households of Israel, and they came to Jerusalem. 3Then all the assembly made a covenant with the king in the house of God. And Jehoiada said to them, “Behold, the king’s son shall reign, as the LORD has spoken concerning the sons of David. 4“This is the thing which you shall do: one third of you, of the priests and Levites who come in on the sabbath, shall be gatekeepers, 5and one third shall be at the king’s house, and a third at the Gate of the Foundation; and all the people shall be in the courts of the house of the LORD. 6“But let no one enter the house of the LORD except the priests and the ministering Levites; they may enter, for they are holy. And let all the people keep the charge of the LORD. 7“The Levites will surround the king, each man with his weapons in his hand; and whoever enters the house, let him be killed. Thus be with the king when he comes in and when he goes out.”

      8So the Levites and all Judah did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded. And each one of them took his men who were to come in on the sabbath, with those who were to go out on the sabbath, for Jehoiada the priest did not dismiss any of the divisions. 9Then Jehoiada the priest gave to the captains of hundreds the spears and the large and small shields which had been King David’s, which were in the house of God. 10He stationed all the people, each man with his weapon in his hand, from the right side of the house to the left side of the house, by the altar and by the house, around the king. 11Then they brought out the king’s son and put the crown on him, and gave him the testimony and made him king. And Jehoiada and his sons anointed him and said, “Long live the king!”

      12When Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and praising the king, she came into the house of the LORD to the people. 13She looked, and behold, the king was standing by his pillar at the entrance, and the captains and the trumpeters were beside the king. And all the people of the land rejoiced and blew trumpets, the singers with their musical instruments leading the praise. Then Athaliah tore her clothes and said, “Treason! Treason!” 14Jehoiada the priest brought out the captains of hundreds who were appointed over the army and said to them, “Bring her out between the ranks; and whoever follows her, put to death with the sword.” For the priest said, “Let her not be put to death in the house of the LORD.” 15So they seized her, and when she arrived at the entrance of the Horse Gate of the king’s house, they put her to death there.

Reforms Carried Out

      16Then Jehoiada made a covenant between himself and all the people and the king, that they would be the LORD’S people. 17And all the people went to the house of Baal and tore it down, and they broke in pieces his altars and his images, and killed Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. 18Moreover, Jehoiada placed the offices of the house of the LORD under the authority of the Levitical priests, whom David had assigned over the house of the LORD, to offer the burnt offerings of the LORD, as it is written in the law of Moses—with rejoicing and singing according to the order of David. 19He stationed the gatekeepers of the house of the LORD, so that no one would enter who was in any way unclean. 20He took the captains of hundreds, the nobles, the rulers of the people and all the people of the land, and brought the king down from the house of the LORD, and came through the upper gate to the king’s house. And they placed the king upon the royal throne. 21So all of the people of the land rejoiced and the city was quiet. For they had put Athaliah to death with the sword.

For each of us there will be times when we will experience or witness the wicked leading our community, company, organization or nation in a bad direction. Will we be timid and hide, hoping others will solve the problem? or will we be bold to take action and organize with others to help confront the wicked? Of course, we can pray, but we should also expect that Yah wants us to take action as well. This is true in the majority of biblical examples and we should take care that we don’t get into a mindset that all we do is pray about something and then ignore it while we assume Yah will use someone else to fix it. He may well have put you where you are for such a time as this!

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, thank You that we can approach You in prayer! Thank You also for a clear understanding of Your word and what You expect. Help me and all Your people to increase in this understanding and discernment. Help us to clearly see where we need to get involved in confronting wickedness and how we can make a difference to help bring restoration of Your ways. Please help us bond together as Your people to fight wickedness wherever it may be. 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.

Consequences of Sin, Discerning / Judging, Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Doubt / Lacking Faith, Purposeful / Intentional, Wickedness / Evil, Worldliness

Put Your Faith in Yahweh and His Ways Rather than in Men

It is easy to read 2 Chronicles about Ahaziah and his father Jehoram (king of Judah) who allied themselves with the wicked kings of Israel (Jehoram of Israel and Ahab before him) and think they were foolish for doing so. It seems obvious when reading the text where it is all laid out for us plainly.

We see over a few generations, the king of Judah turn away from Yahweh’s ways and turn toward the ways of wickedness of man. However, when we are living our own lives it may not seem quite so obvious. When summarizing decades of our life in a few paragraphs, it gets condensed and often very clear. However, when living it out, one decision at a time, it may be much more difficult to discern, especially when it is our own lives and the changes are usually gradual, not huge strides.

We can see in 2 Chronicles 22 that moving away from God’s ways and towards the wicked ways of men is really bad. Surely, we know that already, but this is a concise reminder. Keep your guard up for the more gradual slide in your own life that may take place if you start to compromise and align yourself with the wordly and the wicked rather than taking a stand to be different and holy, set apart for God’s purpose.

2 Chronicles 22

Ahaziah Succeeds Jehoram in Judah

      1Then the inhabitants of Jerusalem made Ahaziah, his youngest son, king in his place, for the band of men who came with the Arabs to the camp had slain all the older sons. So Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah began to reign. 2Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Athaliah, the granddaughter of Omri. 3He also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab, for his mother was his counselor to do wickedly. 4He did evil in the sight of the LORD like the house of Ahab, for they were his counselors after the death of his father, to his destruction.

Ahaziah Allies with Jehoram of Israel

      5He also walked according to their counsel, and went with Jehoram the son of Ahab king of Israel to wage war against Hazael king of Aram at Ramoth-gilead. But the Arameans wounded Joram. 6So he returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which they had inflicted on him at Ramah, when he fought against Hazael king of Aram. And Ahaziah, the son of Jehoram king of Judah, went down to see Jehoram the son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he was sick.

      7Now the destruction of Ahaziah was from God, in that he went to Joram. For when he came, he went out with Jehoram against Jehu the son of Nimshi, whom the LORD had anointed to cut off the house of Ahab.

Jehu Murders Princes of Judah

      8It came about when Jehu was executing judgment on the house of Ahab, he found the princes of Judah and the sons of Ahaziah’s brothers ministering to Ahaziah, and slew them. 9He also sought Ahaziah, and they caught him while he was hiding in Samaria; they brought him to Jehu, put him to death and buried him. For they said, “He is the son of Jehoshaphat, who sought the LORD with all his heart.” So there was no one of the house of Ahaziah to retain the power of the kingdom.

      10Now when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she rose and destroyed all the royal offspring of the house of Judah. 11But Jehoshabeath the king’s daughter took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him from among the king’s sons who were being put to death, and placed him and his nurse in the bedroom. So Jehoshabeath, the daughter of King Jehoram, the wife of Jehoiada the priest (for she was the sister of Ahaziah), hid him from Athaliah so that she would not put him to death. 12He was hidden with them in the house of God six years while Athaliah reigned over the land.

When we start moving away from the LORD’s ways, things get ugly. Once we remove a consistent standard of right and wrong, one that is objective and does not change over time, anything becomes permissible. It is not even just about God cursing us instead of blessing us. Consider in our scripture and what you see around you in life, how do people act and treat one another without God’s framework for right and wrong? It can quickly degrade. Some perceive anything as permissible in pursuit of power and glory and riches. How we live our own lives gets messy without the constant “north star” of God’s word leading us.

Most of us will not be king and will not be allying ourselves with other kings. However, whom to we partner with at work? at school? in our church? in our community? How do we handle family relationships with others who are far from God? Do we compromise how we live? or do we stand strong with the LORD in His ways even when others come against us or we feel like we stand alone?

Remember, when we stand with God, we are never alone! He is with us! I would rather stand by myself with God than stand apart from him with the company of men. (Again, this is easier to say than to live out, so do not be arrogant about it, but rather keep your eyes open and use discernment.)

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please help lead and guide me. Let the Spirit dwell within me and give me wise council and discernment. Give me courage to stand for you even when if feels like I stand alone. Help me not to compromise what You teach even if it feels like I should do so to accomplish whatever goals I am working towards. Open the eyes of Your people around this nation and the world to see a clear distinction between worldliness or wickedness and godliness. 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.

 

 

Blessed, Courage / Fear, Discerning / Judging, Discipline / Correction, Government, Grace / Forgiveness, Humility, Is the Old Testament Relevant Today?, Merciful, Money / Finances / Wealth, Purposeful / Intentional, Rebuke Wrong Behavior, Repenting from Sin, Teachable

Accept Righteous Rebuke and Learn From It to Draw Nearer to the Father

As we read about Jehoshaphat today, think of the principles in terms of how they apply to your life today. Don’t get distracted by the specifics such as “he was king and you are not”. Look at his walk with God and with man and see how he prospered and stumbled.

Jehoshaphat started as King following a righteous example of David’s earlier days and Yahweh was with him and blessed him.

 2 Chronicles 17:3-6

 3The LORD was with Jehoshaphat because he followed the example of his father David’s earlier days and did not seek the Baals, 4but sought the God of his father, followed His commandments, and did not act as Israel did. 5So the LORD established the kingdom in his control, and all Judah brought tribute to Jehoshaphat, and he had great riches and honor. 6He took great pride in the ways of the LORD and again removed the high places and the Asherim from Judah.

Jehoshaphat chose to ally himself with a wicked king of Israel. This seems like perhaps a good decision at first as it helps keep the peace, but if you read along through all of 2 Chronicles, you see how that led to his then going to fight alongside the wicked king for his purposes.

2 Chronicles 18:1

 1Now Jehoshaphat had great riches and honor; and he allied himself by marriage with Ahab.

Even when Jehoshaphat asked for a prophet of God, he did not heed the word of God delivered. He was drawn into the earthly alliance instead of listening to God. If I make a quick metaphor… partnering wickedness with righteousness is a bit like making chocolate milk… things start to blend and get hard to separate afterwards. Reading 2 Chronicles 18 we can see the full record of how the battle went and also with the warning of the prophet. It did not go well.

Yahweh spared Jehoshaphat’s life in the battle as he cried out to Yahweh. It was gracious and merciful. However, we see two important follow ups in 2 Chronicles 19… the LORD rebukes Jehoshaphat and Jehoshaphat repents and applies his learning diligently to running his kingdom going forward.

2 Chronicles 19

Jehu Rebukes Jehoshaphat

      1Then Jehoshaphat the king of Judah returned in safety to his house in Jerusalem. 2Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him and said to King Jehoshaphat, “Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the LORD and so bring wrath on yourself from the LORD? 3“But there is some good in you, for you have removed the Asheroth from the land and you have set your heart to seek God.”

      4So Jehoshaphat lived in Jerusalem and went out again among the people from Beersheba to the hill country of Ephraim and brought them back to the LORD, the God of their fathers.

Reforms Instituted

      5He appointed judges in the land in all the fortified cities of Judah, city by city. 6He said to the judges, “Consider what you are doing, for you do not judge for man but for the LORD who is with you when you render judgment. 7“Now then let the fear of the LORD be upon you; be very careful what you do, for the LORD our God will have no part in unrighteousness or partiality or the taking of a bribe.”

      8In Jerusalem also Jehoshaphat appointed some of the Levites and priests, and some of the heads of the fathers’ households of Israel, for the judgment of the LORD and to judge disputes among the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 9Then he charged them saying, “Thus you shall do in the fear of the LORD, faithfully and wholeheartedly. 10“Whenever any dispute comes to you from your brethren who live in their cities, between blood and blood, between law and commandment, statutes and ordinances, you shall warn them so that they may not be guilty before the LORD, and wrath may not come on you and your brethren. Thus you shall do and you will not be guilty. 11“Behold, Amariah the chief priest will be over you in all that pertains to the LORD, and Zebadiah the son of Ishmael, the ruler of the house of Judah, in all that pertains to the king. Also the Levites shall be officers before you. Act resolutely, and the LORD be with the upright.”

Prayerfully reflect on how these principles apply in your life. It could be a business partnership or an employer for whom you work, rather than a wicked king, that draws you away from your righteous walk. Take caution and evaluate. Share what God brings to your mind with a trusted mentor, spouse, or friend. Get an external perspective, but be careful not to pick someone who just rationalizes what is “normal” in the world of business instead of what is right according to God’s word. Anchor in the Bible and test your circumstances, not anchor in “normal” ways of men and rationalize why it is ok to be different than biblical principle.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please lead and guide me with a humble spirit. Help me to seek You first and give me wisdom in any partnerships or alliances with the worldly or wicked. Help me instead partner with the righteous. Give me courage to pursue Your ways even when it seems to put me at risk on the surface in challenges I may face in my life. Thank You for grace, mercy, and forgiveness! Help me to repent of any wrong decisions I have made and bring trusted mentors and friends into my life that will challenge me to follow You more passionately and rebuke me appropriately when I need it. Help me have wisdom and courage to rebuke others when needed also.  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.