Category Archives: Joy / Happiness / Rejoicing

Compassionate, Faith / Trusting God, Guide, Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Joy / Happiness / Rejoicing, Loving / Kind, Obeying God, Parables, Peace / Rest, Protector / Deliverer, Scripture (e.g. Bible)

Jesus Is The Door and The Good Shepherd

The teaching of Yeshua continues to set many free from the power of sin and death while at the same time causes many more to argue that it is nonsense, or in the case of John 10, that it is from a man who is “demon-possessed”. The truth is that He is the good shepherd. He lays down His life for His sheep. Satan is real. He is the enemy. He knows He can not win, but He wants to steal, kill, and destroy… separating people from relationship with YHWH.

What a blessing to have a good shepherd to protect us. Let us seek to listen to and obey His voice. A good practice is to confirm that whatever you think He is telling you is consistent with the written word of YHWH in the Bible. Many are misled by their own feelings and perhaps even deception by demons. Yeshua’s voice will line up with scripture just as His life on earth and His teachings did.

John 10:1-21

Parable of the Good Shepherd

      1“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbs up some other way, he is a thief and a robber.2“But he who enters by the door is a shepherd of the sheep. 3“To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4“When he puts forth all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5“A stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6This figure of speech Jesus spoke to them, but they did not understand what those things were which He had been saying to them.

      7So Jesus said to them again, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8“All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. 9“I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. 10“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.

      11“I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. 12“He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13“He flees because he is a hired hand and is not concerned about the sheep. 14“I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me, 15even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. 16“I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd. 17“For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it again. 18“No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father.”

      19A division occurred again among the Jews because of these words. 20Many of them were saying, “He has a demon and is insane. Why do you listen to Him?” 21Others were saying, “These are not the sayings of one demon-possessed. A demon cannot open the eyes of the blind, can he?”

Do not be dismayed that many will reject His word. Many actually say they accept it, but it is in name only. They change the word and make up their own interpretations to live by. They change God to their image instead of changing themselves to His. However, let us rejoice in our good shepherd. He protects us. He makes a way for us to be forgiven. Ask Him for ears to hear and eyes to see the world clearly as if through His eyes and ears. Study scripture yourself. Do not rely solely on a pastor or parent or friend. True teaching lines up with the written word. Pray that He helps you to hear His voice clearly and obey. In this we will find true joy and peace regardless of circumstances that may happen around us.

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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.

Evidence in Scripture, Faith / Trusting God, Joy / Happiness / Rejoicing, Praise / Worship / Glorify God

The Death And Resurrection of Christ Were Real

Many have doubts about the death and resurrection of Christ. Do not be discouraged. Rather pray for the Lord to open they eyes of your heart to see His greatness. Ask Him to open your mind to understand scripture. Ask Him simply to strengthen your faith and help you in any unbelief. Then also seek and study the historical facts, which bear out the death and resurrection.

Even the disciples at first had doubts at the resurrection of Christ. Christ “opened their minds to understand the Scriptures” regarding the suffering, death and resurrection of Christ for repentance and forgiveness of sins.  He offered to show His hands and feet, marked by nails from the crucifixion. He ate to show them He was not simply a spirit, but once again in the flesh as man.

Why did the disciples have such doubts? They saw Him die. It was horrible and there was no way He could have survived it. If these men were making this up and writing fiction rather than fact, they would have made themselves look smarter and more faithful rather than doubting. They wrote what happened, even if it may have been less than flattering about them. All but one of the disciples was executed for faith in Christ. The other was exiled to an island. Surely these men would have renounced Christ if they were not absolutely sure that Christ had died and risen from the grave. They would not each die to carry on a fraud that would not even benefit them.

Luke 24:36-53

Other Appearances

     36While they were telling these things, He Himself stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be to you.” 37But they were startled and frightened and thought that they were seeing a spirit. 38And He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39“See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; touch Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” 40And when He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet. 41While they still could not believe it because of their joy and amazement, He said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” 42They gave Him a piece of a broiled fish; 43and He took it and ate it before them.

      44Now He said to them, “These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, 46and He said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, 47and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48“You are witnesses of these things. 49“And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”

The Ascension

      50And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them. 51While He was blessing them, He parted from them and was carried up into heaven. 52And they, after worshiping Him, returned to Jerusalem with great joy, 53and were continually in the temple praising God.

The disciples knew the resurrection was real and that if the resurrection is real, then Yeshua was indeed Christ, the Messiah. They lived and died for Him even after He had ascended to heaven. They worshipped Him with great joy.

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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.

Generous, Giving, Guide, Help / Serve Others, Joy / Happiness / Rejoicing, Money / Finances / Wealth, Provider, Through Prophets

Give to the Levites From Your Inheritance

As YHWH was dividing up the land amongst His people, He made provision for the Levites along with the other tribes. Though their focus was to be on serving Him, they still needed to be provided for… and He did. It is interesting to note, but YHWH commanded the sons of Israel to give to the Levites from the inheritance of their possession. He could have given directly to the Levites as He did the other tribes, but He did not. The sons of Israel were commanded to give cities and pasture land from their property to the Levites.

Numbers 35:1-5

Cities for the Levites

     1Now the LORD spoke to Moses in the plains of Moab by the Jordan opposite Jericho, saying, 2“Command the sons of Israel that they give to the Levites from the inheritance of their possession cities to live in; and you shall give to the Levites pasture lands around the cities. 3“The cities shall be theirs to live in; and their pasture lands shall be for their cattle and for their herds and for all their beasts.

      4“The pasture lands of the cities which you shall give to the Levites shall extend from the wall of the city outward a thousand cubits around. 5“You shall also measure outside the city on the east side two thousand cubits, and on the south side two thousand cubits, and on the west side two thousand cubits, and on the north side two thousand cubits, with the city in the center. This shall become theirs as pasture lands for the cities.

YHWH still wants His people to support those He calls into full time ministry and service. Some of us will serve Him in business roles (e.g. Daniel, Moses, many of the people were farmers, etc.). However, some will be missionaries and pastors and Biblical teachers and these may need the support of the community of believers as a means for God to provide for them.

Do not let your own selfishness or greed stop you from making provision for those whom He calls to His service. Give joyfully. Give generously. It all belongs to Him anyway… He has just entrusted some of His things to us to manage and enjoy.

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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.

Evidence in Scripture, Faithful, Fear / Reverence for God, Grace / Forgiveness, Guide, Is the Old Testament Relevant Today?, Joy / Happiness / Rejoicing, Loving / Kind, Merciful, Purposeful / Intentional, Seeking God, Thankfulness

Review Your Journey With The Lord

Numbers 33 is perhaps an easy passage of scripture to quickly pass over on the thought that it is simply a recap of what we have already read. It does provide some historical evidence to the story to help demonstrate the reality that the Bible is not a “made up book” or a book of stories like Aesop’s Fables, but an actual historical account of YHWH’s relationship with His people. If simply making up a book of stories, who would bother to include detailed historical accounts such as this one?

More than that, I am struck by the feeling that YHWH is encouraging us to periodically look back at the journey we have traveled when we follow Him. Moses was reviewing a journey that was both physical / geographical and also spiritual as the people journeyed from slavery to freedom… from bondage to Egyptians to freedom to serve our Father and Creator.

For me, I can reflect on the journey the Lord has led me on over the past 20 years in particular. There were battles (not literal warfare), there were times of victory and defeat, there was a growing relationship between myself and my Father. There were changes in how I lived my life and what my priorities were. There were changes in how I spent my time and my money. There were changes in how my family lives our daily lives and how we celebrate holy days now according to YHWH’s instruction rather than traditions of men. There are changes in how we help and support others in the body of Christ more joyfully.

While we still have further to go with the Lord, it is good to reflect on how far we have come with Him and His patience and lovingkindness to lead us along the way as we learn and change with His help.

Numbers 33:1-49

Review of the Journey from Egypt to Jordan

     1These are the journeys of the sons of Israel, by which they came out from the land of Egypt by their armies, under the leadership of Moses and Aaron. 2Moses recorded their starting places according to their journeys by the command of the LORD, and these are their journeys according to their starting places. 3They journeyed from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the next day after the Passover the sons of Israel started out boldly in the sight of all the Egyptians, 4while the Egyptians were burying all their firstborn whom the LORD had struck down among them. The LORD had also executed judgments on their gods.

      5Then the sons of Israel journeyed from Rameses and camped in Succoth. 6They journeyed from Succoth and camped in Etham, which is on the edge of the wilderness. 7They journeyed from Etham and turned back to Pi-hahiroth, which faces Baal-zephon, and they camped before Migdol. 8They journeyed from before Hahiroth and passed through the midst of the sea into the wilderness; and they went three days’ journey in the wilderness of Etham and camped at Marah. 9They journeyed from Marah and came to Elim; and in Elim there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees, and they camped there. 10They journeyed from Elim and camped by the Red Sea. 11They journeyed from the Red Sea and camped in the wilderness of Sin. 12They journeyed from the wilderness of Sin and camped at Dophkah. 13They journeyed from Dophkah and camped at Alush. 14They journeyed from Alush and camped at Rephidim; now it was there that the people had no water to drink. 15They journeyed from Rephidim and camped in the wilderness of Sinai. 16They journeyed from the wilderness of Sinai and camped at Kibroth-hattaavah.

      17They journeyed from Kibroth-hattaavah and camped at Hazeroth. 18They journeyed from Hazeroth and camped at Rithmah. 19They journeyed from Rithmah and camped at Rimmon-perez. 20They journeyed from Rimmon-perez and camped at Libnah. 21They journeyed from Libnah and camped at Rissah. 22They journeyed from Rissah and camped in Kehelathah. 23They journeyed from Kehelathah and camped at Mount Shepher. 24They journeyed from Mount Shepher and camped at Haradah. 25They journeyed from Haradah and camped at Makheloth. 26They journeyed from Makheloth and camped at Tahath. 27They journeyed from Tahath and camped at Terah. 28They journeyed from Terah and camped at Mithkah. 29They journeyed from Mithkah and camped at Hashmonah. 30They journeyed from Hashmonah and camped at Moseroth. 31They journeyed from Moseroth and camped at Bene-jaakan. 32They journeyed from Bene-jaakan and camped at Hor-haggidgad. 33They journeyed from Hor-haggidgad and camped at Jotbathah. 34They journeyed from Jotbathah and camped at Abronah. 35They journeyed from Abronah and camped at Ezion-geber. 36They journeyed from Ezion-geber and camped in the wilderness of Zin, that is, Kadesh. 37They journeyed from Kadesh and camped at Mount Hor, at the edge of the land of Edom.

      38Then Aaron the priest went up to Mount Hor at the command of the LORD, and died there in the fortieth year after the sons of Israel had come from the land of Egypt, on the first day in the fifth month. 39Aaron was one hundred twenty-three years old when he died on Mount Hor.

      40Now the Canaanite, the king of Arad who lived in the Negev in the land of Canaan, heard of the coming of the sons of Israel.

      41Then they journeyed from Mount Hor and camped at Zalmonah. 42They journeyed from Zalmonah and camped at Punon. 43They journeyed from Punon and camped at Oboth. 44They journeyed from Oboth and camped at Iye-abarim, at the border of Moab. 45They journeyed from Iyim and camped at Dibon-gad. 46They journeyed from Dibon-gad and camped at Almon-diblathaim. 47They journeyed from Almon-diblathaim and camped in the mountains of Abarim, before Nebo. 48They journeyed from the mountains of Abarim and camped in the plains of Moab by the Jordan opposite Jericho. 49They camped by the Jordan, from Beth-jeshimoth as far as Abel-shittim in the plains of Moab.

Take time to reflect on the your journey with YHWH. You may even want to write it down in a journal. Don’t rush it. Set aside time to prayerfully and reflectively go through it. Share it with someone you trust. Give thanks to Him for leading you and waiting on your progress. Ask Him what changes you need to continue to make and ask Him for His grace to help you make those changes. Continue the journey to grow closer to the Lord.

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

Controlling Thoughts, Faith / Trusting God, Father / Yahweh, Forgive Others / Seek Forgiveness, Holy Spirit / Ruach HaKodesh, Joy / Happiness / Rejoicing, Peace / Rest, Purposeful / Intentional, Worry/Anxiety

Overcoming Anxiety and Worry

Anxiety and worry can consume people, even those who are trying to follow Christ. The devil wants to steal, kill and destroy. He targets relationships, including that between you and your Father in heaven. Anxiety and worry are one tactic he uses.

He can even take our good intention to obey God and repent from sins and try to turn us in knots of guilt about every potential mistake we make. If he is effective in this guilt, he can separate us from God as we may become more distant due to our feeling of unworthiness and stress associated with constantly not “being good enough”.

If we let him, Satan can lead us to worry about our concerns of daily living and how we will accomplish what we feel we need to in life, whether it is the basics of food and shelter or more aspirational hopes and dreams. We may start to worry so much and soon find that we are assuming we must accomplish everything of our own power and we lose sight of trusting the Lord and His power. In many cases, the goals we set out to achieve are not even the Lord’s but only our own. If we are pursuing His will in our lives we can be sure He will provide the power and the path to accomplish it.

With the Lord’s help, we can resist Satan effectively.

When dealing with anxiety and worry it is important to pray for the Lord’s help and come before Him humbly. Seek His guidance in scripture.

Philippians 4:4-20

      4Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! 5Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. 6Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

      8Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. 9The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

God’s Provisions

     10But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned before, but you lacked opportunity. 11Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. 12I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. 13I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. 14Nevertheless, you have done well to share with me in my affliction.

      15You yourselves also know, Philippians, that at the first preaching of the gospel, after I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving but you alone; 16for even in Thessalonica you sent a gift more than once for my needs. 17Not that I seek the gift itself, but I seek for the profit which increases to your account. 18But I have received everything in full and have an abundance; I am amply supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you have sent, a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God. 19And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. 20Now to our God and Father be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

Don’t let Satan steal your joy! Rejoice in the Lord!

The Lord is near. 6Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

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

Bitterness / Resentment, Complaining, Contentment, Discipline / Correction, Discipline / Guidance From God, Faith / Trusting God, Fear / Reverence for God, Joy / Happiness / Rejoicing, Obeying God, Praise / Worship / Glorify God, Thankfulness, Through Prophets

Accept All Things That Come From The Lord With Joy and Without Grumbling

What a tremendous moment for Zacharias and Elizabeth… the birth of John. Zacharias was unable to speak for months, tongue tied by the Lord. Now with the birth of his son, and his final step of obedience to the Lord in naming his son John, he is able to speak again. He had quite a lot to say.

Was he grumbling and complaining about “being punished” for making a mistake when the angel told him about John? Was he saying it was “unfair” what happened to him. Certainly not! Zacharias took the sign as confirmation of all the angel had said and burst forth with confidence to prophecy over his son. I get the picture in my head that he was positively joyful in celebrating this moment and in serving the Lord.

Any of us may receive some difficulty at the hands of the Lord, as Zacharias did. Are we ready to receive it as correction or guidance from a loving Father? or are we so focused on ourselves that any inconvenience or difficulty makes us angry and impatient for it to be removed?

Luke 1:57-80

John Is Born

     57Now the time had come for Elizabeth to give birth, and she gave birth to a son. 58Her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had displayed His great mercy toward her; and they were rejoicing with her.

      59And it happened that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to call him Zacharias, after his father. 60But his mother answered and said, “No indeed; but he shall be called John.” 61And they said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by that name.” 62And they made signs to his father, as to what he wanted him called. 63And he asked for a tablet and wrote as follows, “His name is John.” And they were all astonished. 64And at once his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he began to speak in praise of God. 65Fear came on all those living around them; and all these matters were being talked about in all the hill country of Judea. 66All who heard them kept them in mind, saying, “What then will this child turn out to be?” For the hand of the Lord was certainly with him.

Zacharias’s Prophecy

     67And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying:

      68“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
For He has visited us and accomplished redemption for His people,

      69And has raised up a horn of salvation for us
In the house of David His servant—

      70As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from of old—

      71Salvation FROM OUR ENEMIES,
And FROM THE HAND OF ALL WHO HATE US;

      72To show mercy toward our fathers,
And to remember His holy covenant,

      73The oath which He swore to Abraham our father,

      74To grant us that we, being rescued from the hand of our enemies,
Might serve Him without fear,

      75In holiness and righteousness before Him all our days.

      76“And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;
For you will go on BEFORE THE LORD TO PREPARE HIS WAYS;

      77To give to His people the knowledge of salvation
By the forgiveness of their sins,

      78Because of the tender mercy of our God,
With which the Sunrise from on high will visit us,

      79TO SHINE UPON THOSE WHO SIT IN DARKNESS AND THE SHADOW OF DEATH,
To guide our feet into the way of peace.”

      80And the child continued to grow and to become strong in spirit, and he lived in the deserts until the day of his public appearance to Israel.

When each of us receives discipline or guidance from the Lord by way of difficult circumstances, let us pray for the Spirit to help guide us in our response… that we would be filled with joy nonetheless and focus on our Lord and His desires and that He loves us enough to discipline us as His children. Let us accept all things from the Lord with joy and without grumbling.

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

Abortion, All Powerful / King of All, Blessed, Courage / Fear, Faith / Trusting God, Free Will, His Ways Are Not Our Ways, Holy Spirit / Ruach HaKodesh, Joy / Happiness / Rejoicing, Obeying God, Praise / Worship / Glorify God, Thankfulness

Be A Joyful Servant of the Lord

Mary is an intriguing figure. Some make statues of her and pray to her, and this is clearly wrong. She is not God. Only God answers prayers. However, we should take care that we don’t dismiss her too quickly just because of how people have put too much emphasis on her. She is, in fact, a wonderful example of a servant of the Lord who submitted her life and her plans to the Lord, even when it was disruptive to her life and could have resulted in breaking up her engagement to Joseph and possibly disgracing her in the community and with her parents. This was a big deal in the culture at that time for an unwed girl to become pregnant. Only those to whom God revealed the truth would believe that she was made pregnant by the Holy Spirit and not her own indiscretion.

We can see how she is filled with joy and counts herself blessed over the situation as she visits Elizabeth during her pregnancy. Isn’t it wonderful that the Lord provided Mary with Elizabeth, who was also made pregnant with God’s help… though in a different way in that God “opened her womb” and allowed her husband to make her pregnant. She had previously been barren.

Let us also not miss that God provides us with a very clear example of the baby in Elizabeth’s womb being very much alive and responsive to the outside world… before birth. Some just can’t seem to grasp that obvious biological concept that babies are humans from the moment of conception and should be treated as such. Abortion is abominable.

Luke 1:39-56

Mary Visits Elizabeth

     39Now at this time Mary arose and went in a hurry to the hill country, to a city of Judah, 40and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. 41When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42And she cried out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43“And how has it happened to me, that the mother of my Lord would come to me? 44“For behold, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy. 45“And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord.”

The Magnificat

     46And Mary said:
“My soul exalts the Lord,

      47And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.

      48“For He has had regard for the humble state of His bondslave;
For behold, from this time on all generations will count me blessed.

      49“For the Mighty One has done great things for me;
And holy is His name.

      50“AND HIS MERCY IS UPON GENERATION AFTER GENERATION
TOWARD THOSE WHO FEAR HIM.

      51“He has done mighty deeds with His arm;
He has scattered those who were proud in the thoughts of their heart.

      52“He has brought down rulers from their thrones,
And has exalted those who were humble.

      53“HE HAS FILLED THE HUNGRY WITH GOOD THINGS;
And sent away the rich empty-handed.

      54“He has given help to Israel His servant,
In remembrance of His mercy,

      55As He spoke to our fathers,
To Abraham and his descendants forever.”

      56And Mary stayed with her about three months, and then returned to her home.

I encourage you to pray for the Spirit to fill you with joy as you serve the Lord, even as He asks you to do something you feel is very hard. Check yourself if you find yourself complaining about how hard something is that He wants you to do. Trust in Him. He is able. Joyfully and willingly embrace what He calls you to do. If you are submitted and obedient, He will work through you with His power to accomplish what He calls you to do.

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

Church / Body of Christ, Contentment, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Joy / Happiness / Rejoicing, Obeying God, Provider

God Calls Each of Us To A Mission and Provides What We Need

Jehovah makes it clear that He set aside Aaron and his sons to serve as priests and set aside the other Levites to a different role in support of God’s holy place and services. Each had specific roles and was not to do the role of the other. It strikes me as a good reminder that even today He calls us as believers to different tasks or missions. We are not all skilled in the same way and we are not all called to the same mission. Let us be content with what He calls us to do and let us be joyfully obedient… beyond content. Do not covet the calling of another, but support them if called to do so. What great ministry or church would succeed with only the one pastor or evangelist? God calls some to support those He puts in the lead. It is a worthy calling.

I am also reminded that He provides for those He calls. He did not call the priests and Levites to full time service and then also expect them to provide their own food or care for their own land. They are provided for by God and they need not get distracted with working their own land to survive, which would significantly divide their attention.

Truly all we have belongs to the Lord, but He calls each of us to give of our first fruits and best fruits for His kingdom. Even those who are called to His full time service are still instructed to tithe. The attitude of giving our first and best to the Lord is a great way to focus on Him as our Lord and provider and avoid getting distracted thinking only of ourselves.

Numbers 18

Duties of Levites

     1So the LORD said to Aaron, “You and your sons and your father’s household with you shall bear the guilt in connection with the sanctuary, and you and your sons with you shall bear the guilt in connection with your priesthood. 2“But bring with you also your brothers, the tribe of Levi, the tribe of your father, that they may be joined with you and serve you, while you and your sons with you are before the tent of the testimony. 3“And they shall thus attend to your obligation and the obligation of all the tent, but they shall not come near to the furnishings of the sanctuary and the altar, or both they and you will die. 4“They shall be joined with you and attend to the obligations of the tent of meeting, for all the service of the tent; but an outsider may not come near you. 5“So you shall attend to the obligations of the sanctuary and the obligations of the altar, so that there will no longer be wrath on the sons of Israel. 6“Behold, I Myself have taken your fellow Levites from among the sons of Israel; they are a gift to you, dedicated to the LORD, to perform the service for the tent of meeting. 7“But you and your sons with you shall attend to your priesthood for everything concerning the altar and inside the veil, and you are to perform service. I am giving you the priesthood as a bestowed service, but the outsider who comes near shall be put to death.”

The Priests’ Portion

     8Then the LORD spoke to Aaron, “Now behold, I Myself have given you charge of My offerings, even all the holy gifts of the sons of Israel I have given them to you as a portion and to your sons as a perpetual allotment. 9“This shall be yours from the most holy gifts reserved from the fire; every offering of theirs, even every grain offering and every sin offering and every guilt offering, which they shall render to Me, shall be most holy for you and for your sons. 10“As the most holy gifts you shall eat it; every male shall eat it. It shall be holy to you. 11“This also is yours, the offering of their gift, even all the wave offerings of the sons of Israel; I have given them to you and to your sons and daughters with you as a perpetual allotment. Everyone of your household who is clean may eat it. 12“All the best of the fresh oil and all the best of the fresh wine and of the grain, the first fruits of those which they give to the LORD, I give them to you. 13“The first ripe fruits of all that is in their land, which they bring to the LORD, shall be yours; everyone of your household who is clean may eat it. 14“Every devoted thing in Israel shall be yours. 15“Every first issue of the womb of all flesh, whether man or animal, which they offer to the LORD, shall be yours; nevertheless the firstborn of man you shall surely redeem, and the firstborn of unclean animals you shall redeem. 16“As to their redemption price, from a month old you shall redeem them, by your valuation, five shekels in silver, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, which is twenty gerahs. 17“But the firstborn of an ox or the firstborn of a sheep or the firstborn of a goat, you shall not redeem; they are holy. You shall sprinkle their blood on the altar and shall offer up their fat in smoke as an offering by fire, for a soothing aroma to the LORD. 18“Their meat shall be yours; it shall be yours like the breast of a wave offering and like the right thigh. 19“All the offerings of the holy gifts, which the sons of Israel offer to the LORD, I have given to you and your sons and your daughters with you, as a perpetual allotment. It is an everlasting covenant of salt before the LORD to you and your descendants with you.” 20Then the LORD said to Aaron, “You shall have no inheritance in their land nor own any portion among them; I am your portion and your inheritance among the sons of Israel.

      21“To the sons of Levi, behold, I have given all the tithe in Israel for an inheritance, in return for their service which they perform, the service of the tent of meeting. 22“The sons of Israel shall not come near the tent of meeting again, or they will bear sin and die. 23“Only the Levites shall perform the service of the tent of meeting, and they shall bear their iniquity; it shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations, and among the sons of Israel they shall have no inheritance. 24“For the tithe of the sons of Israel, which they offer as an offering to the LORD, I have given to the Levites for an inheritance; therefore I have said concerning them, ‘They shall have no inheritance among the sons of Israel.’”

      25Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 26“Moreover, you shall speak to the Levites and say to them, ‘When you take from the sons of Israel the tithe which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then you shall present an offering from it to the LORD, a tithe of the tithe. 27‘Your offering shall be reckoned to you as the grain from the threshing floor or the full produce from the wine vat. 28‘So you shall also present an offering to the LORD from your tithes, which you receive from the sons of Israel; and from it you shall give the LORD’S offering to Aaron the priest. 29‘Out of all your gifts you shall present every offering due to the LORD, from all the best of them, the sacred part from them.’ 30“You shall say to them, ‘When you have offered from it the best of it, then the rest shall be reckoned to the Levites as the product of the threshing floor, and as the product of the wine vat. 31‘You may eat it anywhere, you and your households, for it is your compensation in return for your service in the tent of meeting. 32‘You will bear no sin by reason of it when you have offered the best of it. But you shall not profane the sacred gifts of the sons of Israel, or you will die.’”

Let us embrace joyfully that which we are called to do. Each of us may have different roles but the whole body of Christ, working together, is useful to glorifying the Lord, which is our purpose and calling overall.

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

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Be Doers of the Word Rather Than Just Hearers

James has excellent advice for us throughout his letter in the Bible. One such example is a firm reminder to not just be a “hearer” of the word of God, but rather a “doer”. God does not just want us to listen and tell others about Him. He wants us to repent and turn toward Him as well. That means admitting the wickedness and sin in our life and turning away from it in thought and action so we can turn toward Him and live according to His way.

James 1:19-27

   19This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; 20for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God. 21Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls. 22But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. 23For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; 24for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. 25But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.

  26If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man’s religion is worthless. 27Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

Let us take care not to rationalize and accept wrong behavior, saying to ourselves things such as “I am not as bad as that person” or “God doesn’t mind a little gossip, it’s not like that person can hear me”. We must turn away not only from the obvious “major” sin in our life but even from the “lesser” offenses.  It is not enough to not attack someone physically, but rather we should not attack them with our words either. Further, it is not enough to just avoid doing bad things. We are called to go out and show love to others, such as helping orphans and widows in distress. Do not wait for special occasions to help others, but rather seek to do so throughout your daily activities. We are called also to take care not to be corrupted or stained by the world … not to adopt and accept the practices and values of the world.

Pray for God’s help for you to live for Him fully and joyfully!

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

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The Source of Our Inexpressible Joy

As believers, we truly have a glorious hope which can provide joy within us, even through difficult times. In day to day living, I find it easy to lose sight of that hope and that joy which comes from it. Of course we all need the Spirit to live fully in the joy of the Lord through this life.

1 Peter 1:3-9

     3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, 7so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 8and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, 9obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.

I am asking the Lord to fill me with this joy and to help me remember this glorious hope as I go throughout my day to day living… so that even the hard times would not smother the joy within. I encourage you to pray for the same in your life.

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