Category Archives: Loving / Kind

Faith / Trusting God, Father / Yahweh, Help / Serve Others, Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Learning To Pray Effectively, Loving / Kind, Obeying God

To Whom Should We Turn in Grief?

2 Comments

We all experience pain and grief. Where do we turn in these times? Who may let us down and who will never let us down? Looking to Yeshua, we see that when he was “grieved to the point of death” He turned in prayer to the Father and He asked for support from His closest friends. His friends wanted to help Him. They tried to support Him, but though “the spirit is willing”, “the flesh is weak”.  The Father, however, is always available and wanting to listen to our prayers.

Mark 14:32-42

Jesus in Gethsemane

      32They came to a place named Gethsemane; and He said to His disciples, “Sit here until I have prayed.” 33And He took with Him Peter and James and John, and began to be very distressed and troubled. 34And He said to them, “My soul is deeply grieved to the point of death; remain here and keep watch.” 35And He went a little beyond them, and fell to the ground and began to pray that if it were possible, the hour might pass Him by. 36And He was saying, “Abba! Father! All things are possible for You; remove this cup from Me; yet not what I will, but what You will.” 37And He came and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour? 38“Keep watching and praying that you may not come into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 39Again He went away and prayed, saying the same words. 40And again He came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy; and they did not know what to answer Him. 41And He came the third time, and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? It is enough; the hour has come; behold, the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42“Get up, let us be going; behold, the one who betrays Me is at hand!”

Yeshua knew He was going to be taken into custody, beaten, and crucified. He knew why and when. He knew what it would feel like. He even knew that His friends would fall away and deny Him and He would be alone. No wonder He was grieved to the point of death. He was honest enough in His relationship with the Father to come before Him and ask for the suffering to be removed, but faithful and obedient enough to trust the Father to decide and to obey.

Let us seek to follow Yeshua’s example as we experience difficulty. It is hard to imagine what we could face that could be worse than what He faced on our behalf. Pray for help from the Father. Share openly and honestly with Him your feelings and emotions. Pray for His will to be done and then accept it.

Sometimes we find ourselves in the position of supporting someone who is going through difficulty, as the disciples found themselves in as Yeshua prayed. Truly pray for the Father to help. Sometimes we need His help even to just be the support that our friends and family need. Yes, our flesh is weak. Pray for strength and endurance.

As a final thought, some say it is wrong to pray “if it be Your will…” when bringing our supplications and requests before the Father. They say it is double minded and lacking faith, that instead we should essentially demand our way and expect it when coming before the LORD. We can see from today’s scripture that this logic is flat out wrong. Yeshua prayed for the father’s will over His own. It was not weak in faith or double minded. It was being submitted to the Father.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please help me be submitted to You fully, even when Your plans are not my plans. Please help me comfort those who are in need and guide them to You. Please help me to turn to You when I am in difficulty and trust You completely. Amen. 

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

—-

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Compassionate, Guide, Loving / Kind

Follow God, Serve Others

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

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

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

Mark 14:22-31

The Lord’s Supper

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

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

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

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

All Knowing, Compassionate, Grace / Forgiveness, Holy, Loving / Kind, Merciful, Prophecy, Thankfulness

Jesus Was A Willing Sacrifice

As I read through certain passages in scripture, I am boldly and plainly reminded that Yeshua knew what was to happen and willingly submitted to the Father in sacrificing Himself to pay for our sins. A good way to internalize this a bit more personally is to say to yourself, “Jesus died for MY sins.”

Don’t rush past this thought, dwell on it. Jesus knew what was going to happen before it happened. He was not surprised or trapped or “caught”. He already knew exactly what was to happen. He willingly took the place of the Passover lamb, sacrificed for MY sins… and yours.

Mark 14:12-21

The Last Passover

      12On the first day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb was being sacrificed, His disciples said to Him, “Where do You want us to go and prepare for You to eat the Passover?” 13And He sent two of His disciples and said to them, “Go into the city, and a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him; 14and wherever he enters, say to the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher says, “Where is My guest room in which I may eat the Passover with My disciples?”’ 15“And he himself will show you a large upper room furnished and ready; prepare for us there.” 16The disciples went out and came to the city, and found it just as He had told them; and they prepared the Passover.

      17When it was evening He came with the twelve. 18As they were reclining at the table and eating, Jesus said, “Truly I say to you that one of you will betray Me—one who is eating with Me.” 19They began to be grieved and to say to Him one by one, “Surely not I?” 20And He said to them, “It is one of the twelve, one who dips with Me in the bowl. 21“For the Son of Man is to go just as it is written of Him; but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born.”

Knowing that Jesus willingly suffered and died on MY behalf, and yours… should I not come before Him humbly and thankfully to accept this offer of forgiveness by grace through faith? We each must decide. If someone offered you a new car, would you be thankful or would you reject them and keep doing your own thing? So too we must each decide if we will come before Jesus humbly and ask forgiveness for our sins, turning from them and turning our actions and behaviors and attitudes to the ways of Jehovah, that we see modeled in the life of Jesus. Will we choose to accept the gift of salvation, of forgiveness, from the punishment and judgment we have justly earned?

Take care, however, as you can not simply call on the name of Jesus to save you and then continue to go about ignoring or rejecting everything He taught and lived as example. You must truly accept Him as Lord, which will be reflected in how your life changes to reflect His ways instead of your own.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, thank You for Yeshua. Thank You for grace and forgiveness. Please forgive my sin and help me to repent and live wholeheartedly for You, according to Your ways snd not the ways of man or the flesh. You are worthy of praise! Amen.

 Shalom.

Devotion by John in service to Christ

—-

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

All Powerful / King of All, Fear / Reverence for God, Joy / Happiness / Rejoicing, Loving / Kind, Thankfulness, Worthy of Fear / Reverence

Celebrating and Rejoicing In Our Father

What a celebration it must have been! Solomon had finished praying over the completion of the temple, fire came from heaven to consume the burnt offerings and sacrifices, the Shekinah glory of God came into the temple where the priests could not even enter, and people worshipped and gave praise the Yahweh. Then as we continue with verse 4 below, we see more sacrifices and an extended feast of celebration.

I would love to see this kind of enthusiasm in our culture today to celebrate our God. I know we are not always celebrating something as grand as the temple, but wow!

2 Chronicles 7:4-10

Sacrifices Offered

      4Then the king and all the people offered sacrifice before the LORD. 5King Solomon offered a sacrifice of 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep. Thus the king and all the people dedicated the house of God. 6The priests stood at their posts, and the Levites also, with the instruments of music to the LORD, which King David had made for giving praise to the LORD—“for His lovingkindness is everlasting”—whenever he gave praise by their means, while the priests on the other side blew trumpets; and all Israel was standing.

      7Then Solomon consecrated the middle of the court that was before the house of the LORD, for there he offered the burnt offerings and the fat of the peace offerings because the bronze altar which Solomon had made was not able to contain the burnt offering, the grain offering and the fat.

The Feast of Dedication

      8So Solomon observed the feast at that time for seven days, and all Israel with him, a very great assembly who came from the entrance of Hamath to the brook of Egypt. 9On the eighth day they held a solemn assembly, for the dedication of the altar they observed seven days and the feast seven days. 10Then on the twenty-third day of the seventh month he sent the people to their tents, rejoicing and happy of heart because of the goodness that the LORD had shown to David and to Solomon and to His people Israel.

I think for each of us we may want to consider how we foster a sense of enthusiasm, praise, worship, thanksgiving, etc. in our own lives and in our communities focused on honoring and glorifying our Father. Ask Him to help. Discuss it with other believers. Consider celebrating the Moedim, or appointed times of our Creator (CELEBRATING GOD’S HOLY DAYS (MOEDIM)) as a starting point.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, thank You for all You do and have done for us! You and You alone are God. There is none like You. Your lovingkindness is without equal. Please help me to celebrate You and not take You for granted. Amen. 

 Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

—-

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

 

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

You Are Not Far From The Kingdom Of God

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

Leave it to Jesus to bring about such a summary:

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

Mark 12:28-34

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

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

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

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

I invite you to pray with me:

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

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

—-

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.

His Ways Are Not Our Ways, Love, Loving / Kind, Seeking God, Submitted / Servant, Through Prophets

Seek to Love and Honor God

I really appreciate the example David demonstrates in his relationship with the Father. He is not just looking for his own power and comfort. David also wants to honor the LORD.  Yahweh, knowing David’s heart to please and honor Him, wants to honor David as well. David accepts the blessing and honor from Yahweh and thanks Him with humility.

What a great roadmap for us to follow. Of course, sometimes the LORD may accept our offer to do something to honor Him, and then we should do it.  Worth mentioning is the fact that David sought the LORD through Nathan the prophet in order to see if he should proceed with what he thought would honor God. When the LORD said “no”, David accepted that answer.  I see this as another example where the LORD is pleased based on David’s heart, not his accomplishments.

1 Chronicles 17

God’s Covenant with David

      1And it came about, when David dwelt in his house, that David said to Nathan the prophet, “Behold, I am dwelling in a house of cedar, but the ark of the covenant of the LORD is under

curtains.” 2Then Nathan said to David, “Do all that is in your heart, for God is with you.”

      3It came about the same night that the word of God came to Nathan, saying, 4“Go and tell David My servant, ‘Thus says the LORD, “You shall not build a house for Me to dwell in; 5for I have not dwelt in a house since the day that I brought up Israel to this day, but I have gone from tent to tent and from one dwelling place to another. 6“In all places where I have walked with all Israel, have I spoken a word with any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd My people, saying, ‘Why have you not built for Me a house of cedar?’”’ 7“Now, therefore, thus shall you say to My servant David, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, “I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, to be leader over My people Israel. 8“I have been with you wherever you have gone, and have cut off all your enemies from before you; and I will make you a name like the name of the great ones who are in the earth. 9“I will appoint a place for My people Israel, and will plant them, so that they may dwell in their own place and not be moved again; and the wicked will not waste them anymore as formerly, 10even from the day that I commanded judges to be over My people Israel. And I will subdue all your enemies.
Moreover, I tell you that the LORD will build a house for you. 11“When your days are fulfilled that you must go to be with your fathers, that I will set up one of your descendants after you, who will be of your sons; and I will establish his kingdom. 12“He shall build for Me a house, and I will establish his throne forever. 13“I will be his father and he shall be My son; and I will not take My lovingkindness away from him, as I took it from him who was before you. 14“But I will settle him in My house and in My kingdom forever, and his throne shall be established forever.”’” 15According to all these words and according to all this vision, so Nathan spoke to David.

David’s Prayer in Response

      16Then David the king went in and sat before the LORD and said, “Who am I, O LORD God, and what is my house that You have brought me this far? 17“This was a small thing in Your eyes, O God; but You have spoken of Your servant’s house for a great while to come, and have regarded me according to the standard of a man of high degree, O LORD God. 18“What more can David still say to You concerning the honor bestowed on Your servant? For You know Your servant. 19“O LORD, for Your servant’s sake, and according to Your own heart, You have wrought all this greatness, to make known all these great things. 20“O LORD, there is none like You, nor is there any God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears. 21“And what one nation in the earth is like Your people Israel, whom God went to redeem for Himself as a people, to make You a name by great and terrible things, in driving out nations from before Your people, whom You redeemed out of Egypt? 22“For Your people Israel You made Your own people forever, and You, O LORD, became their God.

      23“Now, O LORD, let the word that You have spoken concerning Your servant and concerning his house be established forever, and do as You have spoken. 24“Let Your name be established and magnified forever, saying, ‘The LORD of hosts is the God of Israel, even a God to Israel; and the house of David Your servant is established before You.’ 25“For You, O my God, have revealed to Your servant that You will build for him a house; therefore Your servant has found courage to pray before You. 26“Now, O LORD, You are God, and have promised this good thing to Your servant. 27“And now it has pleased You to bless the house of Your servant, that it may continue forever before You; for You, O LORD, have blessed, and it is blessed forever.”

It is good to seek the LORD in how we can honor Him. We should listen to His reply, whether “yes” or “no”. If our heart is truly toward pleasing the LORD, then He will know it and be pleased with us.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please give me a heart that wants to honor and glorify You above any of my personal desires or plans. Guide me in how I should please You. Help me to hear Your voice. Thank You for getting involved in our lives and allowing me into personal relationship with You. Amen.

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

 

Compassion, Compassionate, Healer, Kindness / Gentleness, Loving / Kind, Slow to Anger, Teachable

Do Not Grieve Yeshua With the Hardness of Your Heart

Sometimes we can get very focused on certain ways of dong things. We can be sure we are right. In fact, we may be so sure we are right, that we lose track of what is most important. We may miss Yeshua working through or in someone we do not expect. We may look past miracles or the opportunity to help someone, because we are so focused on following the rules.

In fact, if the rules in question are Yahweh’s commands, we may indeed be right to want to follow them. However, we still need to take care that we don’t get so focused on someone obeying the rules that we let our hearts grow hard and miss out on something that may be even more important. Mark 3 records an example we should pay attention to. Think beyond the miracle and beyond the perspective of the man who is healed. Focus for today on Yeshua’s anger at the hardness of their hearts in focusing more on “getting” Yeshua and less on a man being healed.

Mark 3:1-6

Jesus Heals on the Sabbath

      1He entered again into a synagogue; and a man was there whose hand was withered. 2They were watching Him to see if He would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse Him. 3He said to the man with the withered hand, “Get up and come forward!” 4And He said to them, “Is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the Sabbath, to save a life or to kill?” But they kept silent. 5After looking around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored. 6The Pharisees went out and immediately began conspiring with the Herodians against Him, as to how they might destroy Him.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please help me have a love of obeying Your commands, but also help me to keep focused on loving others and helping them. Let not my heart grow hard. Help me to be loving and kind.  Amen. 

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

—-

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Am I on the path?, Compassionate, Demons, Healer, Help / Serve Others, Learning To Pray Effectively, Loving / Kind

Yeshua Made Time With the Father a Priority

Yeshua set an example for us in so many different ways. We do well to search them out in scripture and ask the Spirit to enlighten us and guide us in understanding and applying it in our lives.

How often might we say we want to have time to pray or study the word, but then we get busy and don’t follow through, or not as much as we know we should? There is an excellent example in Mark 1, where Yeshua was having a busy evening. Many ill and demon possessed people were brought to Him as sun set, ending Shabbat. It is written that the whole city had gathered at the door.

Mark 1:32-39

  32When evening came, after the sun had set, they began bringing to Him all who were ill and those who were demon-possessed. 33And the whole city had gathered at the door. 34And He healed many who were ill with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and He was not permitting the demons to speak, because they knew who He was.

      35In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there. 36Simon and his companions searched for Him; 37they found Him, and said to Him, “Everyone is looking for You.” 38He said to them, “Let us go somewhere else to the towns nearby, so that I may preach there also; for that is what I came for.” 39And He went into their synagogues throughout all Galilee, preaching and casting out the demons.

We do not need much imagination to realize it was a busy evening for Yeshua. In fact, even in the morning people were still looking for Him. In the midst of this busy time, and busy with very meaningful time spent healing people and casting out demons, Yeshua woke up early, while it was still dark, to go to a secluded place and pray.

He did not take the day off to rest, but rather got up to go and preach throughout Galilee. It is also interesting that He did not stay to help everyone who came to Him from the one location before leaving. He knew that He had come to preach across many towns, not just one or a few. He did not stay and heal every person. They were still looking for Him.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, thank You for sending Yeshua as an example for us as well as a Savior. Thank You for the written word and Your Spirit to lead and guide us. Help me to see others through Your eyes, with compassion and patience. Help me to put Your work and Your purpose ahead of my own comfort and rest. Encourage me to make time to pray and spend time with You rather than to make excuses why I can not. There is nothing I am doing that is more important that what Yeshua did when He was here in the flesh for a short, three year ministry. Amen. 

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

—-

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Grace / Forgiveness, Loving / Kind, Miracles, Miracles

Many Signs and Wonders Accompanied Yeshua’s Death and Resurrection

Clearly He was the son of God. Darkness fell on the land when it should normally be light. Yeshua yielded up His spirit, meaning that His physical body died. The temple veil was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and rocks were split. There were a lot of very unusual events taking place around the time of Yeshua’s death. YHWH was trying to get people’s attention once more to highlight Yeshua as Messiah. One last series of miracles in regards to Yeshua’s earthly ministry.

Matthew 27:45-56

      45Now from the sixth hour darkness fell upon all the land until the ninth hour. 46About the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “ELI, ELI, LAMA SABACHTHANI?” that is, “MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?” 47And some of those who were standing there, when they heard it, began saying, “This man is calling for Elijah.” 48Immediately one of them ran, and taking a sponge, he filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and gave Him a drink. 49But the rest of them said, “Let us see whether Elijah will come to save Him.” 50And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. 51And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth shook and the rocks were split. 52The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; 53and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection they entered the holy city and appeared to many. 54Now the centurion, and those who were with him keeping guard over Jesus, when they saw the earthquake and the things that were happening, became very frightened and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!”

      55Many women were there looking on from a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee while ministering to Him. 56Among them was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.

As we reflect on the many miracles taking place to mark the passing of Messiah in His earthly body, I will highlight one selection of verses I have never heard anyone speak on or write on to further develop. I haver certainly never heard them in a church service. (I am sure someone has developed or studied this somewhere.)

52The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; 53and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection they entered the holy city and appeared to many.

Many tombs were opened up as the earth shook when Yeshua died and then were raised from the dead after Yeshua was resurrected several days later. They appeared to many people in the city. As there is no record of them being taken away to heave, I presume they went on to live out their lives until they died again.

Even the roman soldiers, who did not believe in YHWH recognized that this was worthy of notice as they declared, “Truly, this was the Son of God!” Let’s challenge ourselves never to take this momentous event for granted. Our God came in the person of Yeshua to live and die for us. When He walked among us and when He died there were many powerful signs and wonders to declare it such that even the pagans recognized it to some degree. May we never forget or fail to recognize the significance of what happened. May it never get boring or dull for us. May it always be fresh and fill us with perhaps both sorrow and joy.

I invite you to pray with me.

Father, please help us never to grow cold to the many miracles that You provided to help us understand the significance of what happened when Yeshua was crucified and died. Let us never take it for granted or lose the amazement at what happened. Let our love for You and our enthusiasm for Your miracles not grow cold. Amen

 Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

—-

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

All Powerful / King of All, Blessed, Curse, Faithful, Justice / Judgment, Loving / Kind, Protector / Deliverer, Provider, Strong in Our Weakness, Worthy of Fear / Reverence

Our Relationship With YHWH Should Be a Clear Focal Point in Our Lives

We don’t need to be familiar with the concept of the birthright of the firstborn in order to understand from Biblical history that those who live in opposition to the LORD can lose what would otherwise be rightfully theirs. We need not understand all the battles and locations in 1 Chronicles 5 to understand that the LORD may bring victory to those who trust in Him. Likewise, we can learn from the historical record that those who act treacherously against YHWH and pursue other gods may bring about His wrath, and it may have lasting implications for generations and across a nation. It is not just an impact on a single person who has sinned.

1 Chronicles 5

Genealogy from Reuben

      1Now the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel (for he was the firstborn, but because he defiled his father’s bed, his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph the son of Israel; so that he is not enrolled in the genealogy according to the birthright. 2Though Judah prevailed over his brothers, and from him came the leader, yet the birthright belonged to Joseph), 3the sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel were Hanoch and Pallu, Hezron and Carmi. 4The sons of Joel were Shemaiah his son, Gog his son, Shimei his son, 5Micah his son, Reaiah his son, Baal his son, 6Beerah his son, whom Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria carried away into exile; he was leader of the Reubenites. 7His kinsmen by their families, in the genealogy of their generations, were Jeiel the chief, then Zechariah 8and Bela the son of Azaz, the son of Shema, the son of Joel, who lived in Aroer, even to Nebo and Baal-meon. 9To the east he settled as far as the entrance of the wilderness from the river Euphrates, because their cattle had increased in the land of Gilead. 10In the days of Saul they made war with the Hagrites, who fell by their hand, so that they occupied their tents throughout all the land east of Gilead.

      11Now the sons of Gad lived opposite them in the land of Bashan as far as Salecah. 12Joel was the chief and Shapham the second, then Janai and Shaphat in Bashan. 13Their kinsmen of their fathers’ households were Michael, Meshullam, Sheba, Jorai, Jacan, Zia and Eber, seven. 14These were the sons of Abihail, the son of Huri, the son of Jaroah, the son of Gilead, the son of Michael, the son of Jeshishai, the son of Jahdo, the son of Buz; 15Ahi the son of Abdiel, the son of Guni, was head of their fathers’ households. 16They lived in Gilead, in Bashan and in its towns, and in all the pasture lands of Sharon, as far as their borders. 17All of these were enrolled in the genealogies in the days of Jotham king of Judah and in the days of Jeroboam king of Israel.

      18The sons of Reuben and the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh, consisting of valiant men, men who bore shield and sword and shot with bow and were skillful in battle, were 44,760, who went to war. 19They made war against the Hagrites, Jetur, Naphish and Nodab. 20They were helped against them, and the Hagrites and all who were with them were given into their hand; for they cried out to God in the battle, and He answered their prayers because they trusted in Him. 21They took away their cattle: their 50,000 camels, 250,000 sheep, 2,000 donkeys; and 100,000 men. 22For many fell slain, because the war was of God. And they settled in their place until the exile.

      23Now the sons of the half-tribe of Manasseh lived in the land; from Bashan to Baal-hermon and Senir and Mount Hermon they were numerous. 24These were the heads of their fathers’ households, even Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah and Jahdiel, mighty men of valor, famous men, heads of their fathers’ households.

      25But they acted treacherously against the God of their fathers and played the harlot after the gods of the peoples of the land, whom God had destroyed before them. 26So the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul, king of Assyria, even the spirit of Tilgath-pilneser king of Assyria, and he carried them away into exile, namely the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh, and brought them to Halah, Habor, Hara and to the river of Gozan, to this day.

Think about how your actions may affect how God blesses you, your family, your nation because of your righteousness. Reflect also on how your unrighteousness may impact the same in a very bad way by bringing about YHWH’s wrath and punishment. Truly our relationship with our Creator should be the most central and important things we spend time on to try to get that right. Let us seek Him in study of the Bible, worship, prayer, and rejoicing. Let us bring thanks before Him and take quiet time to listen to what He may wish to tell us. Let us honor Him in how we live.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please draw me in to right relationship with You. Help me to focus on You first, above all else. Let me not be distracted by the earthly things around me. Please bring Your blessings upon me, my family, and my nation so that Your name would be glorified. Amen. 

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

—-

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.