All posts by John (HFJ Director)

Give Thanks To The Lord For He Is Good!

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His lovingkindness is everlasting.

Psalm 107

BOOK 5

The LORD Delivers Men from Manifold Troubles.

      1Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

      2Let the redeemed of the LORD say so,
Whom He has redeemed from the hand of the adversary

      3And gathered from the lands,
From the east and from the west,
From the north and from the south.

      4They wandered in the wilderness in a desert region;
They did not find a way to an inhabited city.

      5They were hungry and thirsty;
Their soul fainted within them.

      6Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble;
He delivered them out of their distresses.

      7He led them also by a straight way,
To go to an inhabited city.

      8Let them give thanks to the LORD for His lovingkindness,
And for His wonders to the sons of men!

      9For He has satisfied the thirsty soul,
And the hungry soul He has filled with what is good.

      10There were those who dwelt in darkness and in the shadow of death,
Prisoners in misery and chains,

      11Because they had rebelled against the words of God
And spurned the counsel of the Most High.

      12Therefore He humbled their heart with labor;
They stumbled and there was none to help.

      13Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble;
He saved them out of their distresses.

      14He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death
And broke their bands apart.

      15Let them give thanks to the LORD for His lovingkindness,
And for His wonders to the sons of men!

      16For He has shattered gates of bronze
And cut bars of iron asunder.

      17Fools, because of their rebellious way,
And because of their iniquities, were afflicted.

      18Their soul abhorred all kinds of food,
And they drew near to the gates of death.

      19Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble;
He saved them out of their distresses.

      20He sent His word and healed them,
And delivered them from their destructions.

      21Let them give thanks to the LORD for His lovingkindness,
And for His wonders to the sons of men!

      22Let them also offer sacrifices of thanksgiving,
And tell of His works with joyful singing.

      23Those who go down to the sea in ships,
Who do business on great waters;

      24They have seen the works of the LORD,
And His wonders in the deep.

      25For He spoke and raised up a stormy wind,
Which lifted up the waves of the sea.

      26They rose up to the heavens, they went down to the depths;
Their soul melted away in their misery.

      27They reeled and staggered like a drunken man,
And were at their wits’ end.

      28Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble,
And He brought them out of their distresses.

      29He caused the storm to be still,
So that the waves of the sea were hushed.

      30Then they were glad because they were quiet,
So He guided them to their desired haven.

      31Let them give thanks to the LORD for His lovingkindness,
And for His wonders to the sons of men!

      32Let them extol Him also in the congregation of the people,
And praise Him at the seat of the elders.

      33He changes rivers into a wilderness
And springs of water into a thirsty ground;

      34A fruitful land into a salt waste,
Because of the wickedness of those who dwell in it.

      35He changes a wilderness into a pool of water
And a dry land into springs of water;

      36And there He makes the hungry to dwell,
So that they may establish an inhabited city,

      37And sow fields and plant vineyards,
And gather a fruitful harvest.

      38Also He blesses them and they multiply greatly,
And He does not let their cattle decrease.

      39When they are diminished and bowed down
Through oppression, misery and sorrow,

      40He pours contempt upon princes
And makes them wander in a pathless waste.

      41But He sets the needy securely on high away from affliction,
And makes his families like a flock.

      42The upright see it and are glad;
But all unrighteousness shuts its mouth.

      43Who is wise? Let him give heed to these things,
And consider the lovingkindnesses of the LORD.

Indeed, reflect on how YHWH has delivered you in your life as well as how He has delivered those recorded in Biblical history. Perhaps, also, you can reflect on times of difficulty that perhaps He brought on you or allowed in response to your rejection of Him and His word. He is loving and kind and gracious to those who seek Him and cry out to Him for deliverance.

Let us give Him thanks and praise!

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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.

Blending With False Religions Is Not A Virtue

The message I am about to share will be upsetting to many and many will speak against it. Many are influenced by our worldly culture and not clear on what YHWH has actually said.

YHWH is not tolerant and accepting of the worship of other gods. He does not tolerate us worshiping Him according to our own ways, but rather according to the ways He determines. He does not want us to simply worship Him with offerings associated with the holy places or practices of false religions. He does not want us to blend with other worship practices. He wants us to be pure and focused on Him and His ways.  We are to do as He commands, not as we desire or what is easiest for us.

Deuteronomy 12:1-14

Laws of the Sanctuary

      1“These are the statutes and the judgments which you shall carefully observe in the land which the LORD, the God of your fathers, has given you to possess as long as you live on the earth. 2“You shall utterly destroy all the places where the nations whom you shall dispossess serve their gods, on the high mountains and on the hills and under every green tree. 3“You shall tear down their altars and smash their sacred pillars and burn their Asherim with fire, and you shall cut down the engraved images of their gods and obliterate their name from that place. 4“You shall not act like this toward the LORD your God. 5“But you shall seek the LORD at the place which the LORD your God will choose from all your tribes, to establish His name there for His dwelling, and there you shall come. 6“There you shall bring your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, the contribution of your hand, your votive offerings, your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herd and of your flock. 7“There also you and your households shall eat before the LORD your God, and rejoice in all your undertakings in which the LORD your God has blessed you.

      8“You shall not do at all what we are doing here today, every man doing whatever is right in his own eyes; 9for you have not as yet come to the resting place and the inheritance which the LORD your God is giving you. 10“When you cross the Jordan and live in the land which the LORD your God is giving you to inherit, and He gives you rest from all your enemies around you so that you live in security, 11then it shall come about that the place in which the LORD your God will choose for His name to dwell, there you shall bring all that I command you: your burnt offerings and your sacrifices, your tithes and the contribution of your hand, and all your choice votive offerings which you will vow to the LORD12“And you shall rejoice before the LORD your God, you and your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, and the Levite who is within your gates, since he has no portion or inheritance with you.

      13“Be careful that you do not offer your burnt offerings in every cultic place you see, 14but in the place which the LORD chooses in one of your tribes, there you shall offer your burnt offerings, and there you shall do all that I command you.

      15“However, you may slaughter and eat meat within any of your gates, whatever you desire, according to the blessing of the LORD your God which He has given you; the unclean and the clean may eat of it, as of the gazelle and the deer. 16“Only you shall not eat the blood; you are to pour it out on the ground like water. 17“You are not allowed to eat within your gates the tithe of your grain or new wine or oil, or the firstborn of your herd or flock, or any of your votive offerings which you vow, or your freewill offerings, or the contribution of your hand. 18“But you shall eat them before the LORD your God in the place which the LORD your God will choose, you and your son and daughter, and your male and female servants, and the Levite who is within your gates; and you shall rejoice before the LORD your God in all your undertakings. 19“Be careful that you do not forsake the Levite as long as you live in your land.

      20“When the LORD your God extends your border as He has promised you, and you say, ‘I will eat meat,’ because you desire to eat meat, then you may eat meat, whatever you desire. 21“If the place which the LORD your God chooses to put His name is too far from you, then you may slaughter of your herd and flock which the LORD has given you, as I have commanded you; and you may eat within your gates whatever you desire. 22“Just as a gazelle or a deer is eaten, so you will eat it; the unclean and the clean alike may eat of it. 23“Only be sure not to eat the blood, for the blood is the life, and you shall not eat the life with the flesh. 24“You shall not eat it; you shall pour it out on the ground like water. 25“You shall not eat it, so that it may be well with you and your sons after you, for you will be doing what is right in the sight of the LORD26“Only your holy things which you may have and your votive offerings, you shall take and go to the place which the LORD chooses. 27“And you shall offer your burnt offerings, the flesh and the blood, on the altar of the LORD your God; and the blood of your sacrifices shall be poured out on the altar of the LORD your God, and you shall eat the flesh.

      28“Be careful to listen to all these words which I command you, so that it may be well with you and your sons after you forever, for you will be doing what is good and right in the sight of the LORD your God.

      29“When the LORD your God cuts off before you the nations which you are going in to dispossess, and you dispossess them and dwell in their land,30beware that you are not ensnared to follow them, after they are destroyed before you, and that you do not inquire after their gods, saying, ‘How do these nations serve their gods, that I also may do likewise?’ 31“You shall not behave thus toward the LORD your God, for every abominable act which the LORD hates they have done for their gods; for they even burn their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods.

      32“Whatever I command you, you shall be careful to do; you shall not add to nor take away from it.

Let us take seriously YHWH’s instruction for us to worship Him according to His ways and in His places. Let us not blend with and accept other beliefs. Remain set apart and holy for His purposes.

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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.

Grace To You And Peace From God Our Father

What a wonderful way to greet brothers and sisters in Christ. Paul opens his letter to the Colossians with welcoming words in which he tells them he is thankful to God for them and is actively praying for them. Even if we disagree with a fellow brother or sister in Christ on some issues, what a wonderful approach to take. Begin with prayer for them, then engage them with encouragement for what they are doing well, then perhaps later challenge them on areas of obedience in their walk with Christ. This is much more effective than the approach many take today… not praying for them, skipping over what is good, and focusing immediately on what we think they may be doing wrong.

 Colossians 1:1-12

Thankfulness for Spiritual Attainments

     1Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,

      2To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ who are at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father.

      3We give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, 4since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love which you have for all the saints; 5because of the hope laid up for you in heaven, of which you previously heard in the word of truth, the gospel 6which has come to you, just as in all the world also it is constantly bearing fruit and increasing, even as it has been doing in you also since the day you heard of it and understood the grace of God in truth; 7just as you learned it from Epaphras, our beloved fellow bond-servant, who is a faithful servant of Christ on our behalf, 8and he also informed us of your love in the Spirit.

      9For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously 12giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light.

It is good for us to pray for one another in this way. Pray that those who follow Christ would be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that they will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously giving thanks to the Father.

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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.

We Are Not Accepted “As We Are”, But Rather Called To Change And Obey

People today, even many pastors, proclaim that God accepts you as you are. This is correct only in that no matter who you are or what you have done, if you come before Him with repentant heart seeking forgiveness and to submit to the Lord wholeheartedly… then He accepts you where you are and expects you to continue to know, love, serve, and obey Him more and more as your relationship with Him continues to grow. Nowhere does scripture indicate that we are to continue in our sin while claiming God accepts us that way. Scripture indicates the opposite. We are to repent, change our ways, obey Him where previously we followed only our own desires of the flesh. When we submit to Him truly, we change. We do not remain how we are, in sin. Jesus and the prophets all teach for us to repent, not remain how we are. Jesus started that message at the beginning of His ministry and continued that message throughout His ministry.

Matthew 4:17

   17From that time Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

To make a point, I encourage you to count how many times in  Deuteronomy 11 it mentions the importance of obeying God’s commands or commandments. Look carefully at the rewards for obedience and contrast that with curse of disobedience. This certainly does not sound like a God who accepts us no matter what we do and how we act. Quiet the opposite. He expects us to obey as our way of showing love and respect for Him. When we do, He then provides, protects, blesses, etc. It is a covenant where both sides agree to certain actions. We are to put God first, above all things, including ourselves and our sinful desires.

Deuteronomy 11

Rewards of Obedience

     1“You shall therefore love the LORD your God, and always keep His charge, His statutes, His ordinances, and His commandments. 2“Know this day that I am not speaking with your sons who have not known and who have not seen the discipline of the LORD your God—His greatness, His mighty hand and His outstretched arm, 3and His signs and His works which He did in the midst of Egypt to Pharaoh the king of Egypt and to all his land; 4and what He did to Egypt’s army, to its horses and its chariots, when He made the water of the Red Sea to engulf them while they were pursuing you, and the LORD completely destroyed them; 5and what He did to you in the wilderness until you came to this place; 6and what He did to Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, the son of Reuben, when the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them, their households, their tents, and every living thing that followed them, among all Israel— 7but your own eyes have seen all the great work of the LORD which He did.

      8“You shall therefore keep every commandment which I am commanding you today, so that you may be strong and go in and possess the land into which you are about to cross to possess it; 9so that you may prolong your days on the land which the LORD swore to your fathers to give to them and to their descendants, a land flowing with milk and honey. 10“For the land, into which you are entering to possess it, is not like the land of Egypt from which you came, where you used to sow your seed and water it with your foot like a vegetable garden. 11“But the land into which you are about to cross to possess it, a land of hills and valleys, drinks water from the rain of heaven, 12a land for which the LORD your God cares; the eyes of the LORD your God are always on it, from the beginning even to the end of the year.

      13“It shall come about, if you listen obediently to my commandments which I am commanding you today, to love the LORD your God and to serve Him with all your heart and all your soul, 14that He will give the rain for your land in its season, the early and late rain, that you may gather in your grain and your new wine and your oil. 15“He will give grass in your fields for your cattle, and you will eat and be satisfied. 16“Beware that your hearts are not deceived, and that you do not turn away and serve other gods and worship them. 17“Or the anger of the LORD will be kindled against you, and He will shut up the heavens so that there will be no rain and the ground will not yield its fruit; and you will perish quickly from the good land which the LORD is giving you.

      18“You shall therefore impress these words of mine on your heart and on your soul; and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. 19“You shall teach them to your sons, talking of them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road and when you lie down and when you rise up. 20“You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates, 21so that your days and the days of your sons may be multiplied on the land which the LORD swore to your fathers to give them, as long as the heavens remain above the earth. 22“For if you are careful to keep all this commandment which I am commanding you to do, to love the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and hold fast to Him, 23then the LORD will drive out all these nations from before you, and you will dispossess nations greater and mightier than you. 24“Every place on which the sole of your foot treads shall be yours; your border will be from the wilderness to Lebanon, and from the river, the river Euphrates, as far as the western sea. 25“No man will be able to stand before you; the LORD your God will lay the dread of you and the fear of you on all the land on which you set foot, as He has spoken to you.

      26“See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse: 27the blessing, if you listen to the commandments of the LORD your God, which I am commanding you today; 28and the curse, if you do not listen to the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside from the way which I am commanding you today, by following other gods which you have not known.

      29“It shall come about, when the LORD your God brings you into the land where you are entering to possess it, that you shall place the blessing on Mount Gerizim and the curse on Mount Ebal. 30“Are they not across the Jordan, west of the way toward the sunset, in the land of the Canaanites who live in the Arabah, opposite Gilgal, beside the oaks of Moreh? 31“For you are about to cross the Jordan to go in to possess the land which the LORD your God is giving you, and you shall possess it and live in it, 32and you shall be careful to do all the statutes and the judgments which I am setting before you today.

Reject the lie that God accepts everyone as they are. That is used wildly out of context in many cases to imply that we need not change to come into proper relationship with God. Many believe and teach this even from the pulpit and Satan laughs. He has once again twisted scripture effectively, as he did to trick Eve in the garden.

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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.

Our Rebelliousness And The Lord’s Deliverances

It is easy for us to read Psalm 106 and think something like… “How could the Israelites be so foolish?”, but if we are honest with ourselves we will recognize that to some extent most of us live our lives the same way. We praise the Lord and draw near to Him at times, only to fade awhile later, distracted by what the world says it right. It is very hard to remain focused on YHWH constantly. I believe it is impossible without His Spirit helping us.

Fortunately, YHWH has much grace. Though He holds us accountable for our sin and rebellion, so too He forgives as we repent wholeheartedly because of His lovingkindness.  What a wonderful Father. Ask Him to lead you in your life and seek Him. Seek to know Him and obey Him, rather than living according to the world’s ways.

Psalm 106

Israel’s Rebelliousness and the LORD’S Deliverances.

1Praise the LORD!
Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good;
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

      2Who can speak of the mighty deeds of the LORD,
Or can show forth all His praise?

      3How blessed are those who keep justice,
Who practice righteousness at all times!

      4Remember me, O LORD, in Your favor toward Your people;
Visit me with Your salvation,

      5That I may see the prosperity of Your chosen ones,
That I may rejoice in the gladness of Your nation,
That I may glory with Your inheritance.

      6We have sinned like our fathers,
We have committed iniquity, we have behaved wickedly.

      7Our fathers in Egypt did not understand Your wonders;
They did not remember Your abundant kindnesses,
But rebelled by the sea, at the Red Sea.

      8Nevertheless He saved them for the sake of His name,
That He might make His power known.

      9Thus He rebuked the Red Sea and it dried up,
And He led them through the deeps, as through the wilderness.

      10So He saved them from the hand of the one who hated them,
And redeemed them from the hand of the enemy.

      11The waters covered their adversaries;
Not one of them was left.

      12Then they believed His words;
They sang His praise.

      13They quickly forgot His works;
They did not wait for His counsel,

      14But craved intensely in the wilderness,
And tempted God in the desert.

      15So He gave them their request,
But sent a wasting disease among them.

      16When they became envious of Moses in the camp,
And of Aaron, the holy one of the LORD,

      17The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan,
And engulfed the company of Abiram.

      18And a fire blazed up in their company;
The flame consumed the wicked.

      19They made a calf in Horeb
And worshiped a molten image.

      20Thus they exchanged their glory
For the image of an ox that eats grass.

      21They forgot God their Savior,
Who had done great things in Egypt,

      22Wonders in the land of Ham
And awesome things by the Red Sea.

      23Therefore He said that He would destroy them,
Had not Moses His chosen one stood in the breach before Him,
To turn away His wrath from destroying them.

      24Then they despised the pleasant land;
They did not believe in His word,

      25But grumbled in their tents;
They did not listen to the voice of the LORD.

      26Therefore He swore to them
That He would cast them down in the wilderness,

      27And that He would cast their seed among the nations
And scatter them in the lands.

      28They joined themselves also to Baal-peor,
And ate sacrifices offered to the dead.

      29Thus they provoked Him to anger with their deeds,
And the plague broke out among them.

      30Then Phinehas stood up and interposed,
And so the plague was stayed.

      31And it was reckoned to him for righteousness,
To all generations forever.

      32They also provoked Him to wrath at the waters of Meribah,
So that it went hard with Moses on their account;

      33Because they were rebellious against His Spirit,
He spoke rashly with his lips.

      34They did not destroy the peoples,
As the LORD commanded them,

      35But they mingled with the nations
And learned their practices,

      36And served their idols,
Which became a snare to them.

      37They even sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the demons,

      38And shed innocent blood,
The blood of their sons and their daughters,
Whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan;
And the land was polluted with the blood.

      39Thus they became unclean in their practices,
And played the harlot in their deeds.

      40Therefore the anger of the LORD was kindled against His people
And He abhorred His inheritance.

      41Then He gave them into the hand of the nations,
And those who hated them ruled over them.

      42Their enemies also oppressed them,
And they were subdued under their power.

      43Many times He would deliver them;
They, however, were rebellious in their counsel,
And so sank down in their iniquity.

      44Nevertheless He looked upon their distress
When He heard their cry;

      45And He remembered His covenant for their sake,
And relented according to the greatness of His lovingkindness.

      46He also made them objects of compassion
In the presence of all their captors.

      47Save us, O LORD our God,
And gather us from among the nations,
To give thanks to Your holy name
And glory in Your praise.

      48Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel,
From everlasting even to everlasting.
And let all the people say, “Amen.”
Praise the LORD!

Reflect on the lovingkindness of the Lord. Even in discipline He shows love, just as a parent does for their children.  I discipline my children whom I love. Barring something unusual, I do not discipline someone else’s children, whom I don’t know.

Ask YHWH to lead you in your life and seek Him. Do not be afraid to call out humbly in desperation for mercy and help… even if you have sinned and fallen away more than once. He is a merciful God, filled with lovingkindness. Seek to know Him and obey Him, rather than living according to the world’s ways. Do this and you will find peace and joy in this life and the life to come.

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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.

What Does The Lord Require From You?

An interesting point in scripture for those of us who want to know what the Lord expects from His people.

Deuteronomy 10:12-22

      12“Now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require from you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and love Him, and to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, 13and to keep the LORD’S commandments and His statutes which I am commanding you today for your good? 14“Behold, to the LORD your God belong heaven and the highest heavens, the earth and all that is in it. 15“Yet on your fathers did the LORD set His affection to love them, and He chose their descendants after them, even you above all peoples, as it is this day. 16“So circumcise your heart, and stiffen your neck no longer. 17“For the LORD your God is the God of gods and the Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God who does not show partiality nor take a bribe. 18“He executes justice for the orphan and the widow, and shows His love for the alien by giving him food and clothing. 19“So show your love for the alien, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt. 20“You shall fear the LORD your God; you shall serve Him and cling to Him, and you shall swear by His name. 21“He is your praise and He is your God, who has done these great and awesome things for you which your eyes have seen. 22“Your fathers went down to Egypt seventy persons in all, and now the LORD your God has made you as numerous as the stars of heaven.

We often look at God’s instructions as punishment or keeping us from “having a good time” or “being free”. Perhaps children feel this way as well about some rules that parents make for them. However, any good and rational parent will immediately recognize there are instructions and boundaries we need to put on our children for their own good, not just for the good of the parent (e.g. don’t play in the street, don’t stick something in the electrical socket, etc.). What is more, good parents expect obedience from their children… the rules should be followed and the parents need to be respected. It is the same for us with God as our loving Father.

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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.

On The Mountain For Forty Days

A simple message for today, but a very important one.

When we take time to focus on our Father in heaven, He will hear us and our relationship with Him will grow. Like every other relationship, the more time and effort we invest in knowing the other person and being with them and respecting what is important to them… the closer we will get with them.

You would not expect to spend 5 minutes a day with your spouse and have a good relationship or your children. Why do so many assume this is enough for God? You would not see your wife or children only once a week for an hour on Sundays. Why do we think this is ok for God?

Moses is one of several great examples documented in the Bible for us. He had many responsibilities in leading the people. However, He put God first and took significant amount of time to go and listen and speak with God.  He respected and obeyed God’s instructions above his own desires.  He was close to God and God was close to Him as a result. God listened to Him and guided Him.  Moses was able to clearly understand God, without doubts or uncertainty.

Deuteronomy 10:10-11

  10“I, moreover, stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights like the first time, and the LORD listened to me that time also; the LORD was not willing to destroy you. 11“Then the LORD said to me, ‘Arise, proceed on your journey ahead of the people, that they may go in and possess the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.’

I clearly have more room to grow in this area, but I am moving in the right direction over time to grow closer to YHWH, by His grace and patience. We each should take time to pray for His help and reflect on our lives. We must decide if we are going to do what it takes to invest in our relationship with the almighty Creator of the universe, or not. To defer a decision on this for later is still a decision. To ignore God or put Him as a low priority behind work or even family is also a choice not to put Him first.  We either are or are not in a growing relationship with our Creator. There is no middle ground.

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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.

Receive Your Inheritance

It is often tempting for us to judge how much our loving Father has blessed us by counting up how much money or land we have. Further, it is very easy to view the mission or work that He may call us to as a burden or chore that distracts from what we want to do, especially if it prevents us from earning as much money as we otherwise could.

A close look at Deuteronomy 10 reminds us that the Lord sees it differently. YHWH is just. He set apart a portion of inheritance for each tribe of Israel. All but one tribe received land as inheritance. Levi received no land, but rather their inheritance was in their relationship to the Lord…specifically in relationship to serving the Lord. Keep in mind also that the Lord chooses what inheritance to give to which of His children. The children do not choose their inheritance, only whether or not to receive it and with what attitude.

How many of us today would receive the Lord as our inheritance as  cheerfully as we would receive land and money?

Deuteronomy 10:6-9

   6(Now the sons of Israel set out from Beeroth Bene-jaakan to Moserah. There Aaron died and there he was buried and Eleazar his son ministered as priest in his place. 7From there they set out to Gudgodah, and from Gudgodah to Jotbathah, a land of brooks of water. 8At that time the LORD set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the ark of the covenant of the LORD, to stand before the LORD to serve Him and to bless in His name until this day. 9Therefore, Levi does not have a portion or inheritance with his brothers; the LORD is his inheritance, just as the LORD your God spoke to him.)

It is a difficult question for many to answer for themselves. Would I, or will I, cheerfully accept a call to serve the Lord as blessing worth as much or more than financial blessings? Many receive such an inheritance today and go into missions, ministry, or other activity in service to the Lord. Often they make less money, but serve the Lord closely. The rest of us have the opportunity to support them financially, similar to how YHWH supported the Levites through the tithe from others.

Pray for the Spirit to guide you either in answering the call to serve the Lord or in helping others who do so. Keep in mind, even if we are not called to full time ministry or missions, we all still are called to serve Him where we are and be obedient to His instructions. We are to let our light shine before men.

Matthew 5:14-16

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

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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.

The 10 Commandments Matter To God and They Should Also Matter To Us

Many probably forget this, but when Moses came down off the mountain(Deuteronomy 9) with the 10 commandments the first time, he found the people sinning in rebellion to YHWH. He was so angry he broke the tablets with the 10 commandments on them. It was quite a dramatic scene. Once the situation was addressed, however, YHWH must have thought it was important because He told Moses to come back so He could provide a replacement set of the commandments.

Deuteronomy 10:1-5

The Tablets Rewritten

     1“At that time the LORD said to me, ‘Cut out for yourself two tablets of stone like the former ones, and come up to Me on the mountain, and make an ark of wood for yourself. 2‘I will write on the tablets the words that were on the former tablets which you shattered, and you shall put them in the ark.’ 3“So I made an ark of acacia wood and cut out two tablets of stone like the former ones, and went up on the mountain with the two tablets in my hand. 4“He wrote on the tablets, like the former writing, the Ten Commandments which the LORD had spoken to you on the mountain from the midst of the fire on the day of the assembly; and the LORD gave them to me. 5“Then I turned and came down from the mountain and put the tablets in the ark which I had made; and there they are, as the LORD commanded me.”

The commandments are important to our Father. They are not all inclusive of all instructions He has provided, but they are an important summary and for many a good starting place. They are not obsolete. Neither YHWH nor human nature nor sin have changed in thousands of years. YHWH’s instructions are there for our benefit, not His. We should honor and respect that which our Father has provided to help guide us.

Ask yourself… Do you know what the 10 commandments are? When is the last time you reviewed them and prayed over them for the Spirit to show you what changes you need to make in your life?

Ask also… What can we do to ensure that the commandments are honored throughout our country instead of constantly being under attack by atheists. Are we as Christians, fighting as hard to protect the ten commandments and instructions of God throughout our culture as the atheists are fighting to eliminate them? Pray for guidance on how you can get involved to help.

Praying for our nation is a great spot to start… for our nation to embrace YHWH and His ways rather than reject them. Pray for the plans of the wicked to be destroyed and the righteous to be lifted up and protected.

The 10 commandments matter to YHWH and they should also matter to 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.

The Intercessory Prayer of the Righteous Is Powerful

The intercessory prayer of the righteous is powerful. Let us remember to pray for one another not just in sickness and hard times but also when we sin. The people of Israel sinned against God multiple times through disobedience.  God was ready to destroy them. Moses interceded on their behalf. He was not part of this sin, but prayed to God for the people anyway. God had mercy on them, not because they deserved it, but because in part of the intercessory prayer of Moses.

Deuteronomy 9:7-29

7“Remember, do not forget how you provoked the LORD your God to wrath in the wilderness; from the day that you left the land of Egypt until you arrived at this place, you have been rebellious against the LORD. 8“Even at Horeb you provoked the LORD to wrath, and the LORD was so angry with you that He would have destroyed you. 9“When I went up to the mountain to receive the tablets of stone, the tablets of the covenant which the LORD had made with you, then I remained on the mountain forty days and nights; I neither ate bread nor drank water. 10“The LORD gave me the two tablets of stone written by the finger of God; and on them were all the words which the LORD had spoken with you at the mountain from the midst of the fire on the day of the assembly. 11“It came about at the end of forty days and nights that the LORD gave me the two tablets of stone, the tablets of the covenant. 12“Then the LORD said to me, ‘Arise, go down from here quickly, for your people whom you brought out of Egypt have acted corruptly. They have quickly turned aside from the way which I commanded them; they have made a molten image for themselves.’ 13“The LORD spoke further to me, saying, ‘I have seen this people, and indeed, it is a stubborn people. 14‘Let Me alone, that I may destroy them and blot out their name from under heaven; and I will make of you a nation mightier and greater than they.’

      15“So I turned and came down from the mountain while the mountain was burning with fire, and the two tablets of the covenant were in my two hands. 16“And I saw that you had indeed sinned against the LORD your God. You had made for yourselves a molten calf; you had turned aside quickly from the way which the LORD had commanded you. 17“I took hold of the two tablets and threw them from my hands and smashed them before your eyes. 18“I fell down before the LORD, as at the first, forty days and nights; I neither ate bread nor drank water, because of all your sin which you had committed in doing what was evil in the sight of the LORD to provoke Him to anger. 19“For I was afraid of the anger and hot displeasure with which the LORD was wrathful against you in order to destroy you, but the LORD listened to me that time also. 20“The LORD was angry enough with Aaron to destroy him; so I also prayed for Aaron at the same time. 21“I took your sinful thing, the calf which you had made, and burned it with fire and crushed it, grinding it very small until it was as fine as dust; and I threw its dust into the brook that came down from the mountain.

      22“Again at Taberah and at Massah and at Kibroth-hattaavah you provoked the LORD to wrath. 23“When the LORD sent you from Kadesh-barnea, saying, ‘Go up and possess the land which I have given you,’ then you rebelled against the command of the LORD your God; you neither believed Him nor listened to His voice. 24“You have been rebellious against the LORD from the day I knew you.

      25“So I fell down before the LORD the forty days and nights, which I did because the LORD had said He would destroy you. 26“I prayed to the LORD and said, ‘O Lord GOD, do not destroy Your people, even Your inheritance, whom You have redeemed through Your greatness, whom You have brought out of Egypt with a mighty hand. 27‘Remember Your servants, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; do not look at the stubbornness of this people or at their wickedness or their sin. 28‘Otherwise the land from which You brought us may say, “Because the LORD was not able to bring them into the land which He had promised them and because He hated them He has brought them out to slay them in the wilderness.” 29‘Yet they are Your people, even Your inheritance, whom You have brought out by Your great power and Your outstretched arm.’

Pray for one another… for mercy, forgiveness, a spirit of repentance when we sin. Notice that Moses did not excuse the sin or accept the sin of the people in order to rationalize asking for mercy. He strongly acknowledged the sin was wrong and without excuse and in need of repentance. However, he prayed for mercy anyway. Also note, the people were rebuked for their sin by Moses and he demanded a change in behavior. Intercessory prayer is not an excuse to keep sinning and assume we will receive mercy anyway. The sin must stop.

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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.