Category Archives: Suffering / Adversity

Consequences of Sin, Fear / Reverence for God, Grace / Forgiveness, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Loving / Kind, Obeying God, Offering Sacrifices, Repenting from Sin, Salvation, Seeking God, Sin, Thankfulness, Traditions / Holidays

Atonement: Getting Right With God

All of us should set aside time to consider atonement for our sins. Leviticus 16 describes animal sacrifice and ceremonial laws which were relevant to God’s people prior to the death of Christ. There is much focus on atonement, even ending with instructions to take a day each year to do no work just to reflect on atonement.

We all sin, even believers. The more we are sanctified by the Holy Spirit, the less we sin perhaps but none the less any sin is punishable by death. That is inherently a reminder built into the animal sacrifices. The penalty for sin is death. Prior to Christ’s death on the cross, animals were substituted for us and ceremonially paid the price for our sin for us to get atonement. Notice there is much detail in regards to approaching God. It is not just slaughtering an animal. There is a process to be followed in coming into God’s presence. We are to be cleansed and purified as we come into His presence.

Now, Jesus Christ has paid the price for our sin with His blood, shed on the cross. Through His sacrifice, our debt for sin is paid. We need not sacrifice animals. His sacrifice was sufficient. However, we do well to set aside time to reflect on atonement, which is simply the reparation for a wrong… the price to be paid for our sin. We should thankfully accept the gift God has offered us in Christ Jesus. Turn from our sins… our wrong attitudes and actions. Let us seek after God to do things His way… asking forgiveness for our wrong doing and wrong thinking.

Leviticus 16

Law of Atonement

      1Now the LORD spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they had approached the presence of the LORD and died. 2The LORD said to Moses:
“Tell your brother Aaron that he shall not enter at any time into the holy place inside the veil, before the mercy seat which is on the ark, or he will die; for I will appear in the cloud over the mercy seat. 3“Aaron shall enter the holy place with this: with a bull for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering. 4“He shall put on the holy linen tunic, and the linen undergarments shall be next to his body, and he shall be girded with the linen sash and attired with the linen turban (these are holy garments). Then he shall bathe his body in water and put them on. 5“He shall take from the congregation of the sons of Israel two male goats for a sin offering and one ram for a burnt offering. 6“Then Aaron shall offer the bull for the sin offering which is for himself, that he may make atonement for himself and for his household. 7“He shall take the two goats and present them before the LORD at the doorway of the tent of meeting. 8“Aaron shall cast lots for the two goats, one lot for the LORD and the other lot for the scapegoat. 9“Then Aaron shall offer the goat on which the lot for the LORD fell, and make it a sin offering. 10“But the goat on which the lot for the scapegoat fell shall be presented alive before the LORD, to make atonement upon it, to send it into the wilderness as the scapegoat.

      11“Then Aaron shall offer the bull of the sin offering which is for himself and make atonement for himself and for his household, and he shall slaughter the bull of the sin offering which is for himself. 12“He shall take a firepan full of coals of fire from upon the altar before the LORD and two handfuls of finely ground sweet incense, and bring it inside the veil. 13“He shall put the incense on the fire before the LORD, that the cloud of incense may cover the mercy seat that is on the ark of the testimony, otherwise he will die. 14“Moreover, he shall take some of the blood of the bull and sprinkle it with his finger on the mercy seat on the east side; also in front of the mercy seat he shall sprinkle some of the blood with his finger seven times.

      15“Then he shall slaughter the goat of the sin offering which is for the people, and bring its blood inside the veil and do with its blood as he did with the blood of the bull, and sprinkle it on the mercy seat and in front of the mercy seat. 16“He shall make atonement for the holy place, because of the impurities of the sons of Israel and because of their transgressions in regard to all their sins; and thus he shall do for the tent of meeting which abides with them in the midst of their impurities. 17“When he goes in to make atonement in the holy place, no one shall be in the tent of meeting until he comes out, that he may make atonement for himself and for his household and for all the assembly of Israel. 18“Then he shall go out to the altar that is before the LORD and make atonement for it, and shall take some of the blood of the bull and of the blood of the goat and put it on the horns of the altar on all sides. 19“With his finger he shall sprinkle some of the blood on it seven times and cleanse it, and from the impurities of the sons of Israel consecrate it.

      20“When he finishes atoning for the holy place and the tent of meeting and the altar, he shall offer the live goat. 21“Then Aaron shall lay both of his hands on the head of the live goat, and confess over it all the iniquities of the sons of Israel and all their transgressions in regard to all their sins; and he shall lay them on the head of the goat and send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a man who stands in readiness. 22“The goat shall bear on itself all their iniquities to a solitary land; and he shall release the goat in the wilderness.

      23“Then Aaron shall come into the tent of meeting and take off the linen garments which he put on when he went into the holy place, and shall leave them there. 24“He shall bathe his body with water in a holy place and put on his clothes, and come forth and offer his burnt offering and the burnt offering of the people and make atonement for himself and for the people. 25“Then he shall offer up in smoke the fat of the sin offering on the altar. 26“The one who released the goat as the scapegoat shall wash his clothes and bathe his body with water; then afterward he shall come into the camp. 27“But the bull of the sin offering and the goat of the sin offering, whose blood was brought in to make atonement in the holy place, shall be taken outside the camp, and they shall burn their hides, their flesh, and their refuse in the fire. 28“Then the one who burns them shall wash his clothes and bathe his body with water, then afterward he shall come into the camp.

An Annual Atonement

     29“This shall be a permanent statute for you: in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall humble your souls and not do any work, whether the native, or the alien who sojourns among you; 30for it is on this day that atonement shall be made for you to cleanse you; you will be clean from all your sins before the LORD. 31“It is to be a sabbath of solemn rest for you, that you may humble your souls; it is a permanent statute. 32“So the priest who is anointed and ordained to serve as priest in his father’s place shall make atonement: he shall thus put on the linen garments, the holy garments, 33and make atonement for the holy sanctuary, and he shall make atonement for the tent of meeting and for the altar. He shall also make atonement for the priests and for all the people of the assembly. 34“Now you shall have this as a permanent statute, to make atonement for the sons of Israel for all their sins once every year.” And just as the LORD had commanded Moses, so he did.

My family and I have started setting aside a day of Sabbath rest once a year consistent with God’s instructions at the close of this chapter in scripture. It serves well as a reminder to be humble and remember our sin and be thankful as we accept God’s gift of forgiveness through Christ. So, too, it reminds us that we continue to sin and should come before God humbly and thankfully, asking for His help to more fully commit our lives to Him and His ways… letting go of our own sinful and selfish desires. I encourage you to do the same.

If you are interested to participate in the day of Atonement, it usually comes in late Sep or early Oct. Because man changed the calendar we mostly find it confusing to follow these Biblically commanded days. There are many Jewish websites which try to maintain the Jewish calendar in the same way as Moses and the Israelites did in the past. You can search for day of atonement and probably find some websites to help you. Else you can search “Jewish holidays”. Do not be discouraged, just because the world labels them this way… and you are Christian. The facts are that God did not change the calendar, man did. They are not Jewish holidays… they are Jehovah’s holy days. The exact day is less important than the act of setting aside time to spend with our Father reflecting and praying regarding atonement for our sin and continuing our journey to repent from sin and become more like 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.

Adultery / Sex Outside Marriage, Consequences of Sin, Temptation/Tempting

Neither Follow Nor Be The Harlot

Many fall prey to the seductive ways of the harlot and families are wrecked, lives are destroyed. It promises excitement and pleasure, but delivers crushing blows to our walk with God and to those in our lives around us. Those who would hold to wisdom turn and run from adultery or immorality. Those without self control may be drawn into its trap.

Let there be no rationalizing. Adultery (and sex outside marriage of any kind) is wrong and is destructive. There are no exceptions. Note how even in Proverbs 7, there is a reference to the harlot making her peace offerings. Today as well, some will claim the name of Christ and then rebel against Him through adultery and immorality.

Proverbs 7

The Wiles of the Harlot

     1My son, keep my words
And treasure my commandments within you.

      2Keep my commandments and live,
And my teaching as the apple of your eye.

      3Bind them on your fingers;
Write them on the tablet of your heart.

      4Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,”
And call understanding your intimate friend;

      5That they may keep you from an adulteress,
From the foreigner who flatters with her words.

      6For at the window of my house
I looked out through my lattice,

      7And I saw among the naive,
And discerned among the youths
A young man lacking sense,

      8Passing through the street near her corner;
And he takes the way to her house,

      9In the twilight, in the evening,
In the middle of the night and in the darkness.

      10And behold, a woman comes to meet him,
Dressed as a harlot and cunning of heart.

      11She is boisterous and rebellious,
Her feet do not remain at home;

      12She is now in the streets, now in the squares,
And lurks by every corner.

      13So she seizes him and kisses him
And with a brazen face she says to him:

      14“I was due to offer peace offerings;
Today I have paid my vows.

      15“Therefore I have come out to meet you,
To seek your presence earnestly, and I have found you.

      16“I have spread my couch with coverings,
With colored linens of Egypt.

      17“I have sprinkled my bed
With myrrh, aloes and cinnamon.

      18“Come, let us drink our fill of love until morning;
Let us delight ourselves with caresses.

      19“For my husband is not at home,
He has gone on a long journey;

      20He has taken a bag of money with him,
At the full moon he will come home.”

      21With her many persuasions she entices him;
With her flattering lips she seduces him.

      22Suddenly he follows her
As an ox goes to the slaughter,
Or as one in fetters to the discipline of a fool,

      23Until an arrow pierces through his liver;
As a bird hastens to the snare,
So he does not know that it will cost him his life.

      24Now therefore, my sons, listen to me,
And pay attention to the words of my mouth.

      25Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways,
Do not stray into her paths.

      26For many are the victims she has cast down,
And numerous are all her slain.

      27Her house is the way to Sheol,
Descending to the chambers of death.

Turn and flee from temptation as Joseph did in Genesis 39.

11Now it happened one day that he went into the house to do his work, and none of the men of the household was there inside. 12She caught him by his garment, saying, “Lie with me!” And he left his garment in her hand and fled, and went outside.

Do not do as Eve did in Genesis 3 when tempted in the garden, lingering to look upon the forbidden fruit and talking about it with the serpent.

    1Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, “Indeed, has God said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’?” 2The woman said to the serpent, “From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; 3but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.’” 4The serpent said to the woman, “You surely will not die! 5“For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate.

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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.

Adultery / Sex Outside Marriage, Consequences of Sin, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Marriage, Temptation/Tempting

Immorality Devastates Individuals and Families

Immorality is destructive. It may seem tempting to some at times, but leads to destruction. Take heed God’s warning, or just look at the destruction it has ravaged in the families in our culture around us. Broken families ending in divorce, children out of wedlock by different parents,  deception and lack of intimacy with your family even for those who don’t “get caught”.

It is far better to observe discretion and flee temptation.

Proverbs 5

Pitfalls of Immorality

      1My son, give attention to my wisdom,
Incline your ear to my understanding;

      2That you may observe discretion
And your lips may reserve knowledge.

      3For the lips of an adulteress drip honey
And smoother than oil is her speech;

      4But in the end she is bitter as wormwood,
Sharp as a two-edged sword.

      5Her feet go down to death,
Her steps take hold of Sheol.

      6She does not ponder the path of life;
Her ways are unstable, she does not know it.

      7Now then, my sons, listen to me
And do not depart from the words of my mouth.

      8Keep your way far from her
And do not go near the door of her house,

      9Or you will give your vigor to others
And your years to the cruel one;

      10And strangers will be filled with your strength
And your hard-earned goods will go to the house of an alien;

      11And you groan at your final end,
When your flesh and your body are consumed;

      12And you say, “How I have hated instruction!
And my heart spurned reproof!

      13“I have not listened to the voice of my teachers,
Nor inclined my ear to my instructors!

      14“I was almost in utter ruin
In the midst of the assembly and congregation.”

      15Drink water from your own cistern
And fresh water from your own well.

      16Should your springs be dispersed abroad,
Streams of water in the streets?

      17Let them be yours alone
And not for strangers with you.

      18Let your fountain be blessed,
And rejoice in the wife of your youth.

      19As a loving hind and a graceful doe,
Let her breasts satisfy you at all times;
Be exhilarated always with her love.

      20For why should you, my son, be exhilarated with an adulteress
And embrace the bosom of a foreigner?

      21For the ways of a man are before the eyes of the LORD,
And He watches all his paths.

      22His own iniquities will capture the wicked,
And he will be held with the cords of his sin.

      23He will die for lack of instruction,
And in the greatness of his folly he will go astray.

Do not be one who “will die for lack of instruction, and in the greatness of his folly he will go astray.” The consequences are devastating to families and individuals.

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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.

Consequences of Sin, Discipline / Correction, Greed, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Love, Loving / Kind, Lying / Deceiving, Money / Finances / Wealth, Offering Sacrifices, Rebuke Wrong Behavior, Repenting from Sin

Reconcile with Both God and Man When You Sin

As followers of Christ, many of us have been brought up and taught as children to focus almost exclusively on the New Testament rather than the proper approach of building a foundation on the Old Testament and then continuing to build on it with the New Testament. They are two parts of the same relationship and commitment between Jehovah and His people. They are not two unrelated agreements. Because many of us don’t have a strong foundation in properly understanding the content and context of the Old Testament, it can sometimes be difficult to apply it. We started with the New Testament (the end of the history), and now we are trying to figure out the Old Testament (the beginning of the history). We go about it in reverse order and without the benefit of fully understanding the language and culture of the Old Testament people.

A good tool to remember that can really help motivate you to continue studying the Old Testament passages and looking for applicability in your life is the following wisdom provided by our Lord, Yeshua, Himself. All the law and the teaching of the prophets are summarized as loving God and loving one another.

Matthew 22:35-40

35One of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, 36“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37And He said to him, “ ‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’ 38“This is the great and foremost commandment. 39“The second is like it, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ 40“On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”

The chapters that precede Leviticus 6 discuss various offerings to be made as part of reconciling to God for our sin or guilt. Leviticus 6 reminds of the need to also reconcile with people whom we have sinned against. It also provides a very tangible incentive discourage the actions described that come about from greed or coveting and represent sin against God and fellow man.

Leviticus 6:1-7

Guilt Offering

      1Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2“When a person sins and acts unfaithfully against the LORD, and deceives his companion in regard to a deposit or a security entrusted to him, or through robbery, or if he has extorted from his companion, 3or has found what was lost and lied about it and sworn falsely, so that he sins in regard to any one of the things a man may do; 4then it shall be, when he sins and becomes guilty, that he shall restore what he took by robbery or what he got by extortion, or the deposit which was entrusted to him or the lost thing which he found, 5or anything about which he swore falsely; he shall make restitution for it in full and add to it one-fifth more. He shall give it to the one to whom it belongs on the day he presents his guilt offering. 6“Then he shall bring to the priest his guilt offering to the LORD, a ram without defect from the flock, according to your valuation, for a guilt offering, 7and the priest shall make atonement for him before the LORD, and he will be forgiven for any one of the things which he may have done to incur guilt.”

As the Holy Spirit reveals to us our sin, we must seek to reconcile ourselves with our heavenly Father to be sure, but also seek to reconcile ourselves with those whom we have sinned against.

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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.

Depression / Discouragement, Hope, Persecution / Glorifying God, Repenting from Sin, Salvation, Suffering / Adversity, Worry/Anxiety

A Living Hope No Matter What We Face

As followers of Christ, we have much to find comfort in, even while we experience grief in this world. We will have hard times. It is nothing new for believers to be scattered amongst pagan countries and cultures. Though we have essentially a pagan and not a Christian nation even in the USA now, there is still much freedom to worship Christ without the type of persecution that His followers have had to experience throughout history… still experience in many other nations around the world even today.

Whether we experience grief from persecution, from the difficulties of living amongst pagan peoples, loss of a loved one, or from other personal situations and trials… we can be comforted, encouraged and find hope in God’s offer and promise of salvation.

1 Peter 1

A Living Hope, and a Sure Salvation

      1Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,
To those who reside as aliens, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who are chosen 2according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood: May grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure.

      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.

      10As to this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you made careful searches and inquiries, 11seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow. 12It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you, in these things which now have been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things into which angels long to look.

      13Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, 15but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; 16because it is written, “YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY.”

      17If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth; 18knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, 19but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. 20For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you 21who through Him are believers in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

      22Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart, 23for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God.

24For,
“ALL FLESH IS LIKE GRASS,
AND ALL ITS GLORY LIKE THE FLOWER OF GRASS.
THE GRASS WITHERS,
AND THE FLOWER FALLS OFF,

      25BUT THE WORD OF THE LORD ENDURES FOREVER.”
And this is the word which was preached to you.

The grief and pain of this world only lasts for a time. But we are called to action to prepare and to take hold of the offer of salvation. It will not just be given to us if we ignore or dismiss Christ. Taking Christ as Lord of our life should be reflected in changes to how we live. Less of our own selfish, sinful nature… more of Him.

      13Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, 15but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; 16because it is written, “YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY.”

     17If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth;

      22Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart, 23for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God.

The things of the flesh will fall away, but the word of the Lord endures forever.

Faith / Trusting God, Father / Yahweh, Peace / Rest, Protector / Deliverer, Righteousness / Serving God, Salvation, Spiritual Warfare, Suffering / Adversity

There Is A Battle… If You Don’t Prepare, You Lose

In Ephesians 6:10-18 Paul provides us important guidance about the reality of spiritual warfare.  Too often Christians dismiss spiritual warfare and focus only on the things we can see and touch. This leaves us vulnerable to Satan’s attacks. If we do not recognize the true enemy, we will struggle to win against him.

      10Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. 11Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. 12For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. 14Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,  15and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

      18With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, 19and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, 20for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

Some key points upon which to reflect:

  • Our strength comes from the Lord, not ourselves
  • The devil is real and he has strategies he uses to lie, cheat and destroy. He will use more than one strategy against us.
  • Warfare does not always take place in physical world, sometimes it is in the spiritual world. Don’t believe me? Read the book of Job.
  • Just putting on one or two pieces of the armor of God is not enough, we need to put on all of them.
  • Prayer and a relationship with Jesus is necessary! Jesus tells us to pray daily and to pray specifically to not let us yield to temptation, and to be rescued from the evil one. Matthew 6:9-13
  • We are to stay alert and pray for others in addition to ourselves. Pray for those preach the gospel that they would preach boldly!

Let’s explore what it really means to put on the full armor of God.

Truth can simply be defined as the real facts about something.  Surprisingly the world today proposes that truth is relative when it comes to God or how we live… “True for you but not for me”, etc. This is no more accurate than saying “If I do not believe in gravity, I will not fall off a ladder.” Gravity is true whether or not I believe in or accept it. God lovingly and in great detail shares truth in the Bible and reveals it in the world around us. There is absolute truth.

Righteousness is characterized by living consistently with God’s standards of morality, justice, virtue, etc. As God’s standard is Himself, it is a lofty bar. We will never achieve it to perfection but He is the standard and reference point none the less. We should keep our eyes on Jesus and keep changing to be more like Him.

The peace that comes from knowing the good news is not a promise that we will avoid conflicts and trials, but rather an affirmation that when we have relationship with Jesus Christ we know He is with us in this life and that we have eternal life on the other side of this world. We can have peace through the mightiest storms.

Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see. Hebrews 11:1. In this context Paul reminds us that we must trust in God even when we are under attack by Satan. Just because we can not recognize how God is working in the situation does not mean that He is not there. We can be confident He is with us.

Salvation is deliverance from sin and its consequences, which is death. It is not enough to know or acknowledge Jesus Christ. Even Satan and his demons due that. By asking and accepting Jesus into our  lives and repenting from our sinful ways we receive salvation through grace.

The sword of the spirit, or word of God, is what Jesus Himself used to defeat Satan when He was tempted in the wilderness. Matthew 4:1-11. We must know the word of God before the attack comes just as a soldier must train and be prepared before he goes to battle.

To be effective we must understand and use all of this equipment daily. It ceases to become “something we do” and becomes “how we do everything” in our lives.

Remember to heed Paul’s warning and guidance for prayer. The battle is not ours alone, but the Lord’s!

      18With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,

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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.

Faith / Trusting God, Father / Yahweh, Joy / Happiness / Rejoicing, Money / Finances / Wealth, Peace / Rest, Praise / Worship / Glorify God, Thankfulness, Worry/Anxiety

Can Worry Add Even An Hour To Your Life?

It is easy and natural to worry. We can worry about our family, our jobs, our children’s performance in school or extra curricular activities. We can worry about our favorite sports teams winning or losing. We can worry about what we will be doing next week. There are lots of reasons we can choose to worry.

But what does Jehovah have to say about worry? Actually, He has a lot to say. One such verse to explore is short and to the point.

Philippians 4:4-9

      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.

I do want to make a point that there is a difference between “worry” about something and taking action to address a situation that needs you to do something. I need not “worry” about my future finances when I walk with Jehovah, but He expects me to plan wisely, consistent with His word, and to exercise self control and manage my affairs well. Let us be careful to avoid the mistake of saying “not to worry” means we ignore the situation. This would be wrong and lead to many troubles.

Rejoicing always sounds tough for most of us… but just because it is different than what we expect, does not mean that it is wrong. Often, what we have become accustomed to is wrong and we need to seek God’s way in the Bible and change our ways. Paul was more than just talk on “rejoice always”. He rejoiced even under persecution such as when he was beaten and put in prison. He rejoiced in the sovereignty and love of the Lord Jesus!

Be thankful for what we have in Christ and what He has already provided us even as we come before Jehovah to ask for our needs or requests.

When we focus on what is good, honorable, right, pure, lovely… we can truly learn, with the help of the Holy Spirit, to be anxious for nothing.

I leave you with a common expression you may have heard before for consideration and reflection.

“And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?”

Do you know who said this first? It was Jesus, as documented in Matthew 6:27.

May the grace and peace of our Lord, Jesus Christ, be with you.

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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.

Compassionate, Encouragement, Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Loneliness, Loving / Kind, Peace / Rest, Seeking God, Strong in Our Weakness, Worry/Anxiety

Come To Me, All Who Are Weary and Heavy-Laden

Yeshua (Hebrew name for Jesus) came to be among us for our benefit, not for His. He lived to show us how we should live. He took on Himself the punishment for our sin and died to pay for our transgressions. He rose again, overcoming the grave, and is now with the Father. Nothing is beyond His power. He still loves those who follow after Him. He welcomes those who are weary and heavy-laden. He offers us rest.

Matthew 11:28-30

      28“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. 29“Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. 30“For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Notice that Yeshua speaks about rest for our souls. He does not mean that we can be lazy and physically do very little. This has never been the intent. We can find peace and rest for our souls through Jesus Christ.

Many read this scripture and misunderstand because they do not understand farming. I misunderstood for years. When Jesus says to take His yoke upon us, He is not asking us to pull a burden for Him. Quite the opposite. A yoke is a tool that enables more than one animal to work together to pull the load. He offers for us to put on His yoke so that He will help us with our burdens! When He is helping us, the burden is light, despite all of our difficulties. The yoke  does not remove the work or burden. It allows someone else to help you do the work or shoulder the burden.

Take care not to overlook that we must come to Him. He will not force Himself on us. It must be a conscious choice on our part to seek Him. We will still have to deal with all the troubles that life has to offer, but when we share Yeshua’s yoke, He helps us bear the load. We can find peace and rest for our souls no matter what we are dealing with.

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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.

Consequences of Sin, Encouragement, Faith / Trusting God, Obeying God, Persecution / Glorifying God, Sin, Suffering / Adversity

Lay Aside Sin and Run With Endurance

This world is filled with sin and distraction. It can be difficult to lay aside so many things which seem important, but only promise to entangle us and keep us from living the life God intends for us. Just as a runner in a race does not carry with him extra baggage, so too we must lay aside that which would weigh us down. Let us fix our eyes on the example of Jesus Christ and do as He did. Let us seek and follow God’s will for our lives no matter how difficult. We do so for the glory of God. Though the race we run is difficult in this life, the reward is substantial and we will not be disappointed when we stand before God after we finish our journey in this life.

Hebrews 12:1-3

Jesus, the Example

      1Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

      3For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

We will have many trials and face much hostility. Let us consider Jesus and what He endured for us so that we will not grow weary. Sin of all kinds will distract and draw our attention. Be on guard and seek after the things of God. Do not be led astray by greed or coveting, by idolatry or lust or gossip or so many more.  Fear of persecution or being mocked may discourage some of us. Sometimes it is sloth or gluttony or drunkenness that lay forth a trap. Jesus endured temptation for these things and more, as fully man and fully God. He resisted the devil and turned away from temptation with the word of God as His guide. He ran the race in a focused manner with great endurance and accomplished all God had for planned for Him.

What is holding you back from living fully devoted for God in your life? We only live once… don’t miss running the race well. Pray today for God’s help to guide you and help you break free.

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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.

Consequences of Sin, Father / Yahweh, Holy, Justice / Judgment, Repenting from Sin

Sin Separates Us From God

Sin separates us from God. This theme is repeated consistently throughout the Bible. When we choose to sin, we create distance between us and our loving Father in heaven. We may still seek Him, but He is a holy God and will not tolerate being close to sin. We must repent and turn back to Him asking forgiveness.  Even so, there are still consequences we may experience because of our choice to sin.

In Exodus 33, God removes Himself from amongst the people after they chose to turn away from God’s instruction and worship a golden calf while Moses was with God on Mt Sinai.

Exodus 33:1-11

The Journey Resumed

      1Then the LORD spoke to Moses, “Depart, go up from here, you and the people whom you have brought up from the land of Egypt, to the land of which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, ‘To your descendants I will give it.’ 2“I will send an angel before you and I will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Hivite and the Jebusite. 3“Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey; for I will not go up in your midst, because you are an obstinate people, and I might destroy you on the way.”

      4When the people heard this sad word, they went into mourning, and none of them put on his ornaments. 5For the LORD had said to Moses, “Say to the sons of Israel, ‘You are an obstinate people; should I go up in your midst for one moment, I would destroy you. Now therefore, put off your ornaments from you, that I may know what I shall do with you.’” 6So the sons of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments, from Mount Horeb onward.

      7Now Moses used to take the tent and pitch it outside the camp, a good distance from the camp, and he called it the tent of meeting. And everyone who sought the LORD would go out to the tent of meeting which was outside the camp. 8And it came about, whenever Moses went out to the tent, that all the people would arise and stand, each at the entrance of his tent, and gaze after Moses until he entered the tent. 9Whenever Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the entrance of the tent; and the LORD would speak with Moses. 10When all the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance of the tent, all the people would arise and worship, each at the entrance of his tent. 11Thus the LORD used to speak to Moses face to face, just as a man speaks to his friend. When Moses returned to the camp, his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, would not depart from the tent.

God did not reject or pull away from the righteous, such as Moses or Joshua. He was still present with them. However, even though the people now mourned for their mistakes, there were still consequences. God continued to keep His promise to the people to deliver them to the promised land, but now the people had to keep a distance from God, even while God approached Moses and Joshua.

How do I apply this in my life today? Consider that when we choose to sin we create separation from God. Even if or when we repent and seek forgiveness, we may still experience real consequences that affect our life. We should strive to draw near to God and not rely on His grace or forgiveness as an excuse to go on sinning.

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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.