Category Archives: Faith / Trusting God

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To Whom Much is Given, Much is Expected

The day of judgment will come for each of us. It is only a question of when. If we die before Yeshua returns, then we may face it individually. Ultimately we will also face a second judgment after He reigns for a thousand years (Revelation 20:11-15).

Let us learn a lesson from Yeshua’s teaching in Matthew 11 as it applies to us personally as individuals. No matter how many sin along side us or accept corruption and live apart from Yahweh and Yeshua, we will face judgment individually.

Matthew 11:20-24

The Unrepenting Cities

      20Then He began to denounce the cities in which most of His miracles were done, because they did not repent. 21“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles had occurred in Tyre and Sidon which occurred in you, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22“Nevertheless I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you. 23“And you, Capernaum, will not be exalted to heaven, will you? You will descend to Hades; for if the miracles had occurred in Sodom which occurred in you, it would have remained to this day. 24“Nevertheless I say to you that it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for you.”

When Yeshua calls out the cities, He is really calling out the collection of individuals which have chosen a like path. If there were a righteous person there, they will not be judged as part of a city, though they may suffer in this life being a part of it, as the behaviors of those around us influence our lives as well.

There is not one level of suffering and separation for all, or this teaching of Yeshua would really not make sense. If it will be more tolerable for some than for others, then there are distinctions in the suffering, just as elsewhere in scripture we see distinctions in the rewards.

It is worthy to note why the distinction is made. It is not simply that one city was more wicked than another. There is a different nuance that is important. One city received more miracles, more evidence of Yeshua as Messiah and still rejected Him. Thus the judgment will be more harsh. Think about this personally. As Father blesses individuals and deepens in relationship with us, He expects more from us. Similarly, for those that reject Him, it is worse if they had more opportunity to know Him and still rejected Him.

If you know the LORD, He expects more from you than from those who do not. To those whom much is given much is expected.

Luke 12:47-48

47“And that slave who knew his master’s will and did not get ready or act in accord with his will, will receive many lashes, 48but the one who did not know it, and committed deeds worthy of a flogging, will receive but few. From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more.

Do not grow complacent, comparing yourself to others in their walk with the Father (or absence of it). Look to the Father, look to the example of Yeshua and the standards laid out for us in the Torah, the writings of the prophets, and the example documented of the earthly ministry and life of Yeshua and His disciples.  Let this be our standard… and it is high. Keep pursuing it.

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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.

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Why Would Yahweh Comes to Ahab’s Defense?

Ahab was a wicked king over Israel. We read about it throughout several chapters in 1 Kings preceding 1 Kings 20. It is interesting that when war was upon Israel, the LORD granted them victory anyway. Why did He do that?

1 Kings 20

War with Aram

      1Now Ben-hadad king of Aram gathered all his army, and there were thirty-two kings with him, and horses and chariots. And he went up and besieged Samaria and fought against it. 2Then he sent messengers to the city to Ahab king of Israel and said to him, “Thus says Ben-hadad, 3‘Your silver and your gold are mine; your most beautiful wives and children are also mine.’” 4The king of Israel replied, “It is according to your word, my lord, O king; I am yours, and all that I have.” 5Then the messengers returned and said, “Thus says Ben-hadad, ‘Surely, I sent to you saying, “You shall give me your silver and your gold and your wives and your children,” 6but about this time tomorrow I will send my servants to you, and they will search your house and the houses of your servants; and whatever is desirable in your eyes, they will take in their hand and carry away.’”

      7Then the king of Israel called all the elders of the land and said, “Please observe and see how this man is looking for trouble; for he sent to me for my wives and my children and my silver and my gold, and I did not refuse him.” 8All the elders and all the people said to him, “Do not listen or consent.” 9So he said to the messengers of Ben-hadad, “Tell my lord the king, ‘All that you sent for to your servant at the first I will do, but this thing I cannot do.’” And the messengers departed and brought him word again. 10Ben-hadad sent to him and said, “May the gods do so to me and more also, if the dust of Samaria will suffice for handfuls for all the people who follow me.” 11Then the king of Israel replied, “Tell him, ‘Let not him who girds on his armor boast like him who takes it off.’” 12When Ben-hadad heard this message, as he was drinking with the kings in the temporary shelters, he said to his servants, “Station yourselves.” So they stationed themselves against the city.

Ahab Victorious

      13Now behold, a prophet approached Ahab king of Israel and said, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Have you seen all this great multitude? Behold, I will deliver them into your hand today, and you shall know that I am the LORD.’” 14Ahab said, “By whom?” So he said, “Thus says the LORD, ‘By the young men of the rulers of the provinces.’” Then he said, “Who shall begin the battle?” And he answered, “You.” 15Then he mustered the young men of the rulers of the provinces, and there were 232; and after them he mustered all the people, even all the sons of Israel, 7,000.

      16They went out at noon, while Ben-hadad was drinking himself drunk in the temporary shelters with the thirty-two kings who helped him. 17The young men of the rulers of the provinces went out first; and Ben-hadad sent out and they told him, saying, “Men have come out from Samaria.” 18Then he said, “If they have come out for peace, take them alive; or if they have come out for war, take them alive.”

      19So these went out from the city, the young men of the rulers of the provinces, and the army which followed them. 20They killed each his man; and the Arameans fled and Israel pursued them, and Ben-hadad king of Aram escaped on a horse with horsemen. 21The king of Israel went out and struck the horses and chariots, and killed the Arameans with a great slaughter.

      22Then the prophet came near to the king of Israel and said to him, “Go, strengthen yourself and observe and see what you have to do; for at the turn of the year the king of Aram will come up against you.”

      23Now the servants of the king of Aram said to him, “Their gods are gods of the mountains, therefore they were stronger than we; but rather let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we will be stronger than they. 24“Do this thing: remove the kings, each from his place, and put captains in their place, 25and muster an army like the army that you have lost, horse for horse, and chariot for chariot. Then we will fight against them in the plain, and surely we will be stronger than they.” And he listened to their voice and did so.

Another Aramean War

      26At the turn of the year, Ben-hadad mustered the Arameans and went up to Aphek to fight against Israel. 27The sons of Israel were mustered and were provisioned and went to meet them; and the sons of Israel camped before them like two little flocks of goats, but the Arameans filled the country. 28Then a man of God came near and spoke to the king of Israel and said, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Because the Arameans have said, “The LORD is a god of the mountains, but He is not a god of the valleys,” therefore I will give all this great multitude into your hand, and you shall know that I am the LORD.’” 29So they camped one over against the other seven days. And on the seventh day the battle was joined, and the sons of Israel killed of the Arameans 100,000 foot soldiers in one day. 30But the rest fled to Aphek into the city, and the wall fell on 27,000 men who were left. And Ben-hadad fled and came into the city into an inner chamber.

      31His servants said to him, “Behold now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings, please let us put sackcloth on our loins and ropes on our heads, and go out to the king of Israel; perhaps he will save your life.” 32So they girded sackcloth on their loins and put ropes on their heads, and came to the king of Israel and said, “Your servant Ben-hadad says, ‘Please let me live.’” And he said, “Is he still alive? He is my brother.” 33Now the men took this as an omen, and quickly catching his word said, “Your brother Ben-hadad.” Then he said, “Go, bring him.” Then Ben-hadad came out to him, and he took him up into the chariot. 34Ben-hadad said to him, “The cities which my father took from your father I will restore, and you shall make streets for yourself in Damascus, as my father made in Samaria.” Ahab said, “And I will let you go with this covenant.” So he made a covenant with him and let him go.

      35Now a certain man of the sons of the prophets said to another by the word of the LORD, “Please strike me.” But the man refused to strike him. 36Then he said to him, “Because you have not listened to the voice of the LORD, behold, as soon as you have departed from me, a lion will kill you.” And as soon as he had departed from him a lion found him and killed him. 37Then he found another man and said, “Please strike me.” And the man struck him, wounding him. 38So the prophet departed and waited for the king by the way, and disguised himself with a bandage over his eyes. 39As the king passed by, he cried to the king and said, “Your servant went out into the midst of the battle; and behold, a man turned aside and brought a man to me and said, ‘Guard this man; if for any reason he is missing, then your life shall be for his life, or else you shall pay a talent of silver.’ 40“While your servant was busy here and there, he was gone.” And the king of Israel said to him, “So shall your judgment be; you yourself have decided it.” 41Then he hastily took the bandage away from his eyes, and the king of Israel recognized him that he was of the prophets. 42He said to him, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Because you have let go out of your hand the man whom I had devoted to destruction, therefore your life shall go for his life, and your people for his people.’” 43So the king of Israel went to his house sullen and vexed, and came to Samaria.

The LORD gave victory to the people of Israel for His own glory and honor. He wanted Ahab to know that He was the LORD. Consider the following verses:

    13Now behold, a prophet approached Ahab king of Israel and said, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Have you seen all this great multitude? Behold, I will deliver them into your hand today, and you shall know that I am the LORD.’”

28Then a man of God came near and spoke to the king of Israel and said, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Because the Arameans have said, “The LORD is a god of the mountains, but He is not a god of the valleys,” therefore I will give all this great multitude into your hand, and you shall know that I am the LORD.’

I believe this is truly by the grace and patience of our Father that He continued to give such opportunity to Ahab. But even after these chances, Ahab chooses again the wrong path before the LORD. He compromises and makes a treaty with the Beh-hadad, when the LORD already gave him victory. I believe this reflects what is still a lack of faith in Ahab for the LORD. He keeps wanting to do things his own way instead of fully submitting to and relying on Yahweh.

God had set aside Ben-hadad for destruction. Ahab missed that and did things his own way.  Further, when the prophet who is sent to rebuke him confronts him with a parallel situation, Ahab basically has no mercy. He says the man has decided his own judgment, to be killed for letting a prisoner go. Then we see another example of the forgiveness we have for others being the same standard by which we are judged. The prophet declares that because Ahab took this position, it shall stand likewise as his own punishment. Ahab just can’t seem to get things right and that is because he does not have a submitted relationship with the LORD. He is always doing things his own way.  Never do we see Ahab come before the LORD asking forgiveness, even when he is confronted by the prophet directly. It seems obvious that Ahab must have believed in God, witnessing the victory, and not striking down prophets who come against him. However he does not appear to have submitted to the LORD.

There is a lot to learn from this scripture. God will defend His name and reveal Himself to His people. He wants to be in relationship with us, even after we mess up and disobey. We should seek His help and do things His way. There is nothing which God can not make happen, no matter what the odds may seem to be that stack against us. When we mess up, be humble, repent, and ask forgiveness. Ahab never did.

One more observation I have not called out yet, but will not develop fully here. Verses 35-36 may be troubling to some of us. A man refused to strike a prophet and was killed by a lion as a result. Ouch. It sounds harsh for sure. We can make a lot of rationalizations about why the man may not have wanted to strike the prophet, but ultimately the LORD arranged for the lion to kill the man and thus reinforced that his action was wrong to not obey the prophet. I take this one to be one of obedience to the LORD and His servants, especially if the prophet was well known and recognized. We do see a clue that this may have been the case as Ahab recognizes him. That is the whole point of getting struck and going in disguise in the first place.

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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.

Courage / Fear, Faith / Trusting God, Money / Finances / Wealth, Share the Good News

What Did Yeshua Tell His Disciples Before Sending Them Out?

What did Yeshua tell His disciples before sending them out? Some of this is directed specifically at the 12, and not everyone, and some of it applies to all of us still today.

Matthew 10:1-15

The Twelve Disciples; Instructions for Service

      1Jesus summoned His twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every kind of disease and every kind of sickness.

      2Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; and James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; 3Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed Him.

      5These twelve Jesus sent out after instructing them: “Do not go in the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter any city of the Samaritans; 6but rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7“And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ 8“Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give. 9“Do not acquire gold, or silver, or copper for your money belts, 10or a bag for your journey, or even two coats, or sandals, or a staff; for the worker is worthy of his support. 11“And whatever city or village you enter, inquire who is worthy in it, and stay at his house until you leave that city. 12“As you enter the house, give it your greeting. 13“If the house is worthy, give it your blessing of peace. But if it is not worthy, take back your blessing of peace. 14“Whoever does not receive you, nor heed your words, as you go out of that house or that city, shake the dust off your feet. 15“Truly I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city.

Clearly Yeshua has authority over unclean spirits and healing the sick. Take note these are two different afflictions. The are mentioned separately. In this scripture, He gave authority over this to the twelve, not to all followers for all times.

Yeshua instructed the twelve to only go to the lost sheep of Israel and not to the Gentiles. We receive instruction further on in the Bible where we are told to go to all the nations, so for us, we know to go to everyone (Matthew 28:19). Yeshua went first to the lost sheep of Israel. When the message was rejected there, he went out to others (Matthew 22:1-14).

There was clear instruction to give freely what you have received from God freely. They were not supposed to charge for healing and casting out demons. They were instructed not to acquire wealth on this mission. However there is also a note that they should not bring extra provisions as the “worker is worthy of his support”. There was an expectation that the people being brought the good news would support them as messengers from Yahweh.  This one is interesting to split how to apply today generally vs. specifically to the twelve. I think it is clear those with healing power are not to charge others for it and make money off it. It also seems reasonable to accept basic support from those to whom you are preaching the message of the gospel. Of course, we know from elsewhere in scripture that Paul did not accept money to support him (at least not in Corinth) while on his missionary journeys (1 Corinthians 9:8-14). Paul reinforces that the LORD said that one who proclaims the gospel can make their living from doing so, but also chose not to personally because he thought it would hinder the gospel, perhaps specific to the situation in Corinth. I think this applies to us today as well as to the twelve. However, the emphasis is that they should not get wealthy by healing. It also implies to me that there is an expectation that one who preaches the gospel is not accumulating great wealth by doing so, but simply making a living… and some may choose even to “self fund” by having a day job as similar to Paul.

Lastly, we see that where the messengers are not received, they are to move on. This applies still to us today. We are not to simply stay at one place trying to force people to convert. Generally speaking we are to shake the dust from our sandals and move on to the next village, which may receive us. Many can get consumed trying to force a single “conversion” of someone. However, their efforts may be more effective if they moved on to others who are prepared to receive the message. Of course, if Yahweh directs you to stay in one tough situation where the message is directed, then do so.

Please do not overlook the faith and courage that was required of the twelve as they went out and took nothing extra and trusted in the instructions of the LORD to guide and in the people who received them to provide. Imagine yourself in that position to get a better feeling for what they experienced.

Prayerfully reflect on the instructions Yeshua gave His disciples before sending them out and write down some key ways in which it affects you in your life. Ask the Father to help you in how to apply it to your life today.

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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.

 

Faith / Trusting God, Obeying God, Seeking God, Speaking, Submitted / Servant, Through Prophets

When You Feel Totally Alone, You Can Still Turn to Our Heavenly Father

The chapters preceding 1 Kings 19 and the earlier verses in 1 Kings 19 record a dramatic journey for Elijah. He is zealous for Yahweh when others have turned away to serve false gods.

We quickly see that when we feel totally alone, we can find comfort in our heavenly Father.

1 Kings 19:9-21

Elijah at Horeb

      9Then he came there to a cave and lodged there; and behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and He said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 10He said, “I have been very zealous for the LORD, the God of hosts; for the sons of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars and killed Your prophets with the sword. And I alone am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.”

      11So He said, “Go forth and stand on the mountain before the LORD.” And behold, the LORD was passing by! And a great and strong wind was rending the mountains and breaking in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. 12After the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of a gentle blowing. 13When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave. And behold, a voice came to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 14Then he said, “I have been very zealous for the LORD, the God of hosts; for the sons of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars and killed Your prophets with the sword. And I alone am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.”

      15The LORD said to him, “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus, and when you have arrived, you shall anoint Hazael king over Aram; 16and Jehu the son of Nimshi you shall anoint king over Israel; and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah you shall anoint as prophet in your place. 17“It shall come about, the one who escapes from the sword of Hazael, Jehu shall put to death, and the one who escapes from the sword of Jehu, Elisha shall put to death. 18“Yet I will leave 7,000 in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal and every mouth that has not kissed him.”

      19So he departed from there and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, while he was plowing with twelve pairs of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth. And Elijah passed over to him and threw his mantle on him. 20He left the oxen and ran after Elijah and said, “Please let me kiss my father and my mother, then I will follow you.” And he said to him, “Go back again, for what have I done to you?” 21So he returned from following him, and took the pair of oxen and sacrificed them and boiled their flesh with the implements of the oxen, and gave it to the people and they ate. Then he arose and followed Elijah and ministered to him.

This scripture is rich with content. I love how the LORD comforts and supports Elijah in His time of difficulty, even as the LORD redirects him away from hiding out and gives him some marching orders. When Elijah feels totally alone, the LORD mentions that there are 7000 others who have not bowed to Baal. That’s not many out of all Israel, but Elijah is not alone!

There is a dramatic presentation for us to help us remember that at times if we are to hear from Yahweh, we must be quiet and still before Him and listen closely. There will be powerful distractions, but we need to focus and be still to hear from Him.

I think we can all be encouraged also to see that even a great prophet like Elijah sometimes did not know what to do and had to wait upon the LORD for guidance. Maybe this can be encouraging to us when we think we should have all the answers and we do not. Let us turn to and trust the LORD.

I also tend to get discouraged when I witness so much mixing and mingling of bad teaching with God’s word among those in the church today. It is really not that different than the days of Elijah. I am encouraged that the more and more we may feel alone as true followers submitted to Yeshua, that there is more of a remnant out there and they will be preserved. I am encouraged that the LORD may bring someone like Elijah to lead the people back to Him.

We should all be praying for the LORD to send workers for the harvest, to send messengers and teachers to lead His people back to Him. We should be praying for all who are called by His name to repent from their wicked ways and return to Him, that He would heal our land.

Do not overlook that to hear from the LORD we need to be still and know that He is God.

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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.

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Having Faith Does Not Mean You Will Never Face Fear or Feel Overwhelmed

Just because Elijah served Yahweh and did so in a powerful way as a prophet, does not mean he never experienced fear or felt overwhelmed. Faith does not always cancel out fear or makes us feel like we can handle everything that comes at us.

The Father had just done mighty miracles through Elijah on Mount Carmel as documented in 1 Kings 18. During these events, he executed the 450 prophets of Baal, a false god whom Jezebel favored. This was after he hid for three years from the king during a drought brought on by Yahweh due to the wickedness of Ahab.  He had a tough couple years, and it seemed it was going to continue.

1 Kings 19:1-8

Elijah Flees from Jezebel

      1Now Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. 2Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So may the gods do to me and even more, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time.” 3And he was afraid and arose and ran for his life and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there. 4But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree; and he requested for himself that he might die, and said, “It is enough; now, O LORD, take my life, for I am not better than my fathers.” 5He lay down and slept under a juniper tree; and behold, there was an angel touching him, and he said to him, “Arise, eat.” 6Then he looked and behold, there was at his head a bread cake baked on hot stones, and a jar of water. So he ate and drank and lay down again. 7The angel of the LORD came again a second time and touched him and said, “Arise, eat, because the journey is too great for you.” 8So he arose and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mountain of God.

I find it interesting that Ahab would not kill Elijah, but would allow Jezebel to do so. Perhaps killing a prophet of Yahweh was one step to far even for him. We see the same in the beginning of 1 Kings 18, where it documents that Jezebel was killing the prophets of Yahweh, not Ahab. We also see Jezebel send the message saying “…so may the gods do to me…”. She was clearly lost in idols and false gods and zealous to destroy the things of the one true God.

So after all that Elijah has been through, having been part of the wonderous miracle of Yahweh on Mount Carmel, now he is filled with fear again and on the run. He is worn out and has had enough. He comes before the Father and asks to die. Our loving Father meets him in that place and provides for him and cares for him to revive and strengthen him. Don’t miss that it appears that these meals provided by Yahweh seem to have carried Elijah over the next 40 days on his journey to Mount Horeb. Supernatural to be sure.

Our Father knows what He asks of us. He knows what we experience for Him. He is able to sustain us and help us in any situation. Let us always turn to Him for our strength and courage and endurance.

I am reminded of Isaiah 40:29-31.

      29He gives strength to the weary,
And to him who lacks might He increases power.

      30Though youths grow weary and tired,
And vigorous young men stumble badly,

      31Yet those who wait for the LORD
Will gain new strength;
They will mount up with wings like eagles,
They will run and not get tired,
They will walk and not become weary.

And I am also reminded of how the LORD was with Joshua. The book of Joshua refers to God’s instruction for him to be strong and courageous four times in chapter 1 alone.

Do not think the LORD is not with you because you may feel scared. Do not think the LORD is with you because you are tired. Wait on the LORD and He will provide strength and endurance.

As a parting side note, that may make some uncomfortable… Yahweh gives every appearance with being pleased and supportive of the execution of the prophets of Baal. He did not consider it murder. They were misleading the people to follow after false gods and away from Him. In a way, it was like a war for the people of Israel.  Yet, Jezebel will not fair well in her pursuit to murder Elijah. It goes without saying, however, that we need be very careful in trying to apply such observations in our lives today. I do not recommend anyone take it upon themselves to kill others unless it is in self defense and you are fearing for your life or someone else’s.

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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.

Courage / Fear, Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Faith / Trusting God, False Prophets / Teachers, Idols / False Gods, Miracles, Praise / Worship / Glorify God, Submitted / Servant, Through Prophets

The Faith of a Prophet – Elijah on Mount Caramel

The record of Elijah challenging the priests of Baal on Mount Carmel is a classic contrast of those who put their faith in false gods and those who put their faith in Yahweh. You see ultimately both side by side, played out in front of the people of Israel.

Those who trust in Baal are humiliated as Baal and all false gods have no power. By stark contrast, however, we see Yahweh deliver in spectacular fashion. He does not do so for Elijah’s glory, but for His own.

1 Kings 18:20-46

God or Baal on Mount Carmel

      20So Ahab sent a message among all the sons of Israel and brought the prophets together at Mount Carmel. 21Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you hesitate between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” But the people did not answer him a word. 22Then Elijah said to the people, “I alone am left a prophet of the LORD, but Baal’s prophets are 450 men. 23“Now let them give us two oxen; and let them choose one ox for themselves and cut it up, and place it on the wood, but put no fire under it; and I will prepare the other ox and lay it on the wood, and I will not put a fire under it. 24“Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the LORD, and the God who answers by fire, He is God.” And all the people said, “That is a good idea.”

      25So Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose one ox for yourselves and prepare it first for you are many, and call on the name of your god, but put no fire under it.” 26Then they took the ox which was given them and they prepared it and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon saying, “O Baal, answer us.” But there was no voice and no one answered. And they leaped about the altar which they made. 27It came about at noon, that Elijah mocked them and said, “Call out with a loud voice, for he is a god; either he is occupied or gone aside, or is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and needs to be awakened.” 28So they cried with a loud voice and cut themselves according to their custom with swords and lances until the blood gushed out on them. 29When midday was past, they raved until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice; but there was no voice, no one answered, and no one paid attention.

      30Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” So all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD which had been torn down. 31Elijah took twelve stones according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD had come, saying, “Israel shall be your name.” 32So with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD, and he made a trench around the altar, large enough to hold two measures of seed. 33Then he arranged the wood and cut the ox in pieces and laid it on the wood. 34And he said, “Fill four pitchers with water and pour it on the burnt offering and on the wood.” And he said, “Do it a second time,” and they did it a second time. And he said, “Do it a third time,” and they did it a third time. 35The water flowed around the altar and he also filled the trench with water.

Elijah’s Prayer

      36At the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, Elijah the prophet came near and said, “O LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, today let it be known that You are God in Israel and that I am Your servant and I have done all these things at Your word. 37“Answer me, O LORD, answer me, that this people may know that You, O LORD, are God, and that You have turned their heart back again.” 38Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. 39When all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, “The LORD, He is God; the LORD, He is God.” 40Then Elijah said to them, “Seize the prophets of Baal; do not let one of them escape.” So they seized them; and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there.

      41Now Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of the roar of a heavy shower.” 42So Ahab went up to eat and drink. But Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he crouched down on the earth and put his face between his knees. 43He said to his servant, “Go up now, look toward the sea.” So he went up and looked and said, “There is nothing.” And he said, “Go back” seven times. 44It came about at the seventh time, that he said, “Behold, a cloud as small as a man’s hand is coming up from the sea.” And he said, “Go up, say to Ahab, ‘Prepare your chariot and go down, so that the heavy shower does not stop you.’” 45In a little while the sky grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy shower. And Ahab rode and went to Jezreel. 46Then the hand of the LORD was on Elijah, and he girded up his loins and outran Ahab to Jezreel.

If we dig a little deeper we quickly see the depth of Elijah’s faith. He went to a wicked king who blamed him for the drought, rather than accepting that it was the king’s own sin that brought it on. He comes before the people of Israel to confront 450 priests of Baal. He is clearly outnumbered. He has such strong faith that he intentionally lets them go first and then makes his own challenge seemingly more difficult by pouring water over everything. Reflect for a moment on the strength of his faith.

Elijah was focused on Yahweh, not himself. He did not do this for his own glory, but for Yahweh. In the end, Elijah’s faith and courage to stand firmly and openly for the LORD brought glory to God and led many people back to Him.

Reflect personally on where in our lives we can make a public stand for our Father, for His glory and to bring others back to Him. It likely will not always be as dramatic as Elijah on Mount Carmel, but there are many opportunities where we can stand up for the LORD or remain quiet and fade into the background, avoiding putting the focus on Him. Ask our Father to help you stand firmly for Him and for His glory!

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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.

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Faith to be Healed; Faith to Spread the Good News

Even when confronted with miracles, such as dramatic healing or casting out of demons, we must still choose to believe. One can always come up with a reason to disbelieve, no matter the evidence in front of them. Verse 34 is an example of this in Matthew 9.

Matthew 9:18-38

Miracles of Healing

      18While He was saying these things to them, a synagogue official came and bowed down before Him, and said, “My daughter has just died; but come and lay Your hand on her, and she will live.” 19Jesus got up and began to follow him, and so did His disciples.

      20And a woman who had been suffering from a hemorrhage for twelve years, came up behind Him and touched the fringe of His cloak; 21for she was saying to herself, “If I only touch His garment, I will get well.” 22But Jesus turning and seeing her said, “Daughter, take courage; your faith has made you well.” At once the woman was made well.

      23When Jesus came into the official’s house, and saw the flute-players and the crowd in noisy disorder, 24He said, “Leave; for the girl has not died, but is asleep.” And they began laughing at Him. 25But when the crowd had been sent out, He entered and took her by the hand, and the girl got up. 26This news spread throughout all that land.

      27As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed Him, crying out, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!” 28When He entered the house, the blind men came up to Him, and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to Him, “Yes, Lord.” 29Then He touched their eyes, saying, “It shall be done to you according to your faith.” 30And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them: “See that no one knows about this!” 31But they went out and spread the news about Him throughout all that land.

      32As they were going out, a mute, demon-possessed man was brought to Him. 33After the demon was cast out, the mute man spoke; and the crowds were amazed, and were saying, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.” 34But the Pharisees were saying, “He casts out the demons by the ruler of the demons.”

      35Jesus was going through all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness.

      36Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd. 37Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. 38“Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.”

The Pharisees in verse 34 rationalize away miracles as they witness them. They had decided already that Yeshua was not from Yahweh, and thus came up with ways to explain away the evidence in front of them. It is likewise with many today. There are many who though they have eyes do not see, though they have ears, do not hear. (Refer to Ezekiel 12:2 and Mark 8:14-21.)

Creation itself declares His glory, but people explain it away with fanciful notions that everything in this complex universe came out of nothing without a creative force behind it. My lawn can not even organize itself and stay looking nice without my mowing and caring for it. How then can the world do so in all its detail and complexity?

Take care not to explain away miracles that Yahweh does around you. Allow yourself to test them and test that the message associated with them is consistent with Yahweh’s instructions and character in the written scriptures. Then allow yourself to believe in what you witness.  There is more evidence for a divine Creator than for evolution and everything from nothing. It is not a blind faith.

I find verse 30 and 31 to be very intriguing. Why did Yeshua not want them to tell others? Was it good or bad that they did? What I can tell you is that they were obviously overwhelmed by what they experienced and could not help themselves but to tell others about Yeshua. I would hope all of us (myself included) would become a bit more like them in that we would boldly and joyfully share what Yeshua has done in our lives and point others to Him.

Challenge yourself to point at least one person a week toward Yeshua. Keep a journal of how you share and what comes of it. We may or may not know the impact we have on others, but we know we are called to share the gospel of Christ with others.

Read more – The Great Commission – Make Disciples of all the Nations

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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.

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Yahweh Provides for Those He Calls

Our Father may ask us to do difficult things. Sometimes it may seem hard to obey. If He calls us to do something, He will provide. There may be hardships associated with our experience, but so too will there be blessings when we walk with our Father. We can see this in the case of both Elijah and the widow in 1 Kings 17. Sometimes He may actually be answering our prayers when He challenges us to do something we think is really hard. This is the case of the widow.

1 Kings 17

Elijah Predicts Drought

      1Now Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the settlers of Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the LORD, the God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, surely there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word.” 2The word of the LORD came to him, saying, 3“Go away from here and turn eastward, and hide yourself by the brook Cherith, which is east of the Jordan. 4“It shall be that you will drink of the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to provide for you there.” 5So he went and did according to the word of the LORD, for he went and lived by the brook Cherith, which is east of the Jordan. 6The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he would drink from the brook. 7It happened after a while that the brook dried up, because there was no rain in the land.

      8Then the word of the LORD came to him, saying, 9“Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and stay there; behold, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you.” 10So he arose and went to Zarephath, and when he came to the gate of the city, behold, a widow was there gathering sticks; and he called to her and said, “Please get me a little water in a jar, that I may drink.” 11As she was going to get it, he called to her and said, “Please bring me a piece of bread in your hand.” 12But she said, “As the LORD your God lives, I have no bread, only a handful of flour in the bowl and a little oil in the jar; and behold, I am gathering a few sticks that I may go in and prepare for me and my son, that we may eat it and die.” 13Then Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go, do as you have said, but make me a little bread cake from it first and bring it out to me, and afterward you may make one for yourself and for your son. 14“For thus says the LORD God of Israel, ‘The bowl of flour shall not be exhausted, nor shall the jar of oil be empty, until the day that the LORD sends rain on the face of the earth.’” 15So she went and did according to the word of Elijah, and she and he and her household ate for many days. 16The bowl of flour was not exhausted nor did the jar of oil become empty, according to the word of the LORD which He spoke through Elijah.

Elijah Raises the Widow’s Son

      17Now it came about after these things that the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, became sick; and his sickness was so severe that there was no breath left in him. 18So she said to Elijah, “What do I have to do with you, O man of God? You have come to me to bring my iniquity to remembrance and to put my son to death!” 19He said to her, “Give me your son.” Then he took him from her bosom and carried him up to the upper room where he was living, and laid him on his own bed. 20He called to the LORD and said, “O LORD my God, have You also brought calamity to the widow with whom I am staying, by causing her son to die?” 21Then he stretched himself upon the child three times, and called to the LORD and said, “O LORD my God, I pray You, let this child’s life return to him.” 22The LORD heard the voice of Elijah, and the life of the child returned to him and he revived. 23Elijah took the child and brought him down from the upper room into the house and gave him to his mother; and Elijah said, “See, your son is alive.” 24Then the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the LORD in your mouth is truth.”

Another perspective worth highlighting is that Yahweh knew the widow would lose her son. He provided a connection to Elijah even before it happened, but it only worked out because she obeyed the Father in taking care of Elijah.

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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.

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Yeshua Heals and Casts out Demons

I do not have all the answers for when Yahweh will or will not heal someone. It can be a very emotional subject, of course, when someone prays for healing and does not receive it. At a simplistic level, we must trust Him as a Father. We come before Him and ask and then He will decide. Matthew 8 is one of many places in scripture that records the power and desire of Yeshua to heal, which is also to say the power of the Father to heal.

Matthew 8:14-17

Peter’s Mother-in-law and Many Others Healed

      14When Jesus came into Peter’s home, He saw his mother-in-law lying sick in bed with a fever. 15He touched her hand, and the fever left her; and she got up and waited on Him. 16When evening came, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed; and He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were ill. 17This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet: “HE HIMSELF TOOK OUR INFIRMITIES AND CARRIED AWAY OUR DISEASES.”

In this case healing was to fulfill prophecy and also to emphasize that Yeshua was Messiah. But our LORD can and still does heal. In most cases, individuals came to Yeshua to be healed. Coming in itself shows some amount of faith. They were seeking Him out. They asked, did not demand, that he would heal someone. Ultimately that is all we can do… to trust in Him, believe in Him, live submitted to Him, and bring our requests before Him without getting mad or losing faith if He chooses not to answer. In some ways, it is a deeper faith to trust Him even if we do not get that for which we are asking.

I should think we ought to also take note that there is a difference between illness and demon possessed. We largely dismiss the demon possession as an issue today, but why would we assume it is done away with? Is not Satan still coming against us? I believe as a society and even within the church we do not put enough focus on casting out demons being totally separate, though seemingly related by symptoms, from illness. Medicine will not kick out a demon. Ask the LORD to give you insight into this perspective. Maybe some need more prayer and less prescription medicine.

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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.

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Faith is Important in Approaching Messiah

Faith is important in approaching  Yeshua, our Messiah. Do we really believe He is Messiah? If so, how should that affect our live? In other words, what are we going to do about it? How will we live differently. Matthew 8 has two examples of people who came to Yeshua in faith, believing in His ability to heal. They believed in Messiah and as a result came to Him for healing. I am sure their faith was strengthened by this experience and I would propose that their lives were impacted by the healing and likely they continued to grow in faith.

Matthew 8:1-13

Jesus Cleanses a Leper; The Centurion’s Faith

      1When Jesus came down from the mountain, large crowds followed Him. 2And a leper came to Him and bowed down before Him, and said, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” 3Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 4And Jesus said to him, “See that you tell no one; but go, show yourself to the priest and present the offering that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”

      5And when Jesus entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, imploring Him, 6and saying, “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, fearfully tormented.” 7Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.” 8But the centurion said, “Lord, I am not worthy for You to come under my roof, but just say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9“For I also am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.” 10Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled and said to those who were following, “Truly I say to you, I have not found such great faith with anyone in Israel. 11“I say to you that many will come from east and west, and recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven; 12but the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” 13And Jesus said to the centurion, “Go; it shall be done for you as you have believed.” And the servant was healed that very moment.

There are a couple of things we should take care not to overlook in this passage.

  • Yeshua does miracles. He heals. In this case He healed those who came to Him, believing in Him with strong faith.
  • One was a gentile. Yeshua still healed for him based on his faith.
  • Yeshua, as is often the case, pointed the leper to go and present himself before the priest and make the appropriate offering. In other words, Yeshua did not replace or cast aside the law given through Moses by Yahweh. He pointed to it.
  • Yeshua highlights that Gentiles, who come in faith like the centurion did, will have a place in the kingdom of heaven. He also highlights that many of the Israelites will not, because they do not come to Him.

As a final thought, it is fine to ask Yahweh to help you with your faith. Do not be bashful. Do not try to do it on your own. Ask for His help.  Remember we are to have faith in Messiah and in the Father. It is not faith that they will give us everything we want or ask for as if they are a vending machine. The leper says, “Lord, if you are willing…”.

Some say that this is a weak prayer that Yahweh will not answer if we pray “if you are willing” because they say it is a sign of little faith. We find that not to be the case here with the leper. And who should it remind us of? How about Yeshua when He prayed to be spared the pain coming to Him?

Luke 22:41-43

41And He withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and began to pray, 42saying, “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.” 43Now an angel from heaven appeared to Him, strengthening Him

We can reasonably and firmly conclude that if Yeshua prayed “if you are willing”, and He has more faith than any man, than it is not a weak prayer or sign of little faith. We know in the case of Yeshua’s prayer in Luke 22, the answer was “no”. But even then, Yahweh sent an angel to help strengthen Him.

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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.