Category Archives: Joy / Happiness / Rejoicing

Blessed, Faith / Trusting God, Joy / Happiness / Rejoicing, Love, Praise / Worship / Glorify God, Psalms

How Blessed Is He Whose Sin Is Covered!

How natural is it for a child to try to deny that they have done wrong? They are focused solely on avoiding correction and discipline and it that approach can get in the way of learning and growing. As a child, I once wrote on the back dash of our family car in orange crayon. When it was discovered by my parents and they asked about it… I denied it was me. I had written my name. Needless to say they figured it out easily. I had compounded my mistakes by adding lying to the original drawing on the dashboard.

As foolish as this sounds, it is much like that when we try to hide our sins from God. He already knows what we did. It is just as foolish to rationalize to God (and ourselves) to justify our wrong actions. He already knows our motives.

Just like a loving father, He wants us to repent for our wrong actions, ask forgiveness and turn about to start doing the right things. He wants us to be brought back to right relationship with Him. God already made a way for us to be forgiven! We just need to accept the offer of forgiveness by grace through faith that God extends to us through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered!

Psalm 32

Blessedness of Forgiveness and of Trust in God.

     1How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,
Whose sin is covered!

      2How blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity,
And in whose spirit there is no deceit!

      3When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away
Through my groaning all day long.

      4For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me;
My vitality was drained away as with the fever heat of summer.

Selah.

      5I acknowledged my sin to You,
And my iniquity I did not hide;
I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD”;
And You forgave the guilt of my sin.

Selah.

      6Therefore, let everyone who is godly pray to You in a time when You may be found;
Surely in a flood of great waters they will not reach him.

      7You are my hiding place; You preserve me from trouble;
You surround me with songs of deliverance.

Selah.

      8I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go;
I will counsel you with My eye upon you.

      9Do not be as the horse or as the mule which have no understanding,
Whose trappings include bit and bridle to hold them in check,
Otherwise they will not come near to you.

      10Many are the sorrows of the wicked,
But he who trusts in the LORD, lovingkindness shall surround him.

      11Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you righteous ones;
And shout for joy, all you who are upright in heart.

Rejoice indeed all who are upright in heart! Our loving Father made a way to forgive us and allow us to remain in close relationship with Him. We do not need to live forever under the guilt of the wrong things we have done and the wrong motivations we have felt. We turn away from wrong, ask forgiveness and start doing things God’s way. Jesus came to set us free from our own sin!

Reflect on your life and consider some of the mistakes you have made. Praise God that all of those have already been forgiven if you have turned from that wrong behavior, asked Jesus to forgive you, and started doing things God’s way. You no longer carry that guilt. Jesus carried it for you… to the cross.

Are there areas in which you have not yet turned away from wrong behavior and asked forgiveness… where you have not yet started doing things God’s way? Come humbly before God right now. Do not wait for later today or tomorrow.

—-

Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Faith / Trusting God, Healer, Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Joy / Happiness / Rejoicing, Miracles, Miracles, Share the Good News, Thankfulness

Uncontainable Joy: Proclaiming the Power of Jesus

Those who truly know the power of Jesus can hardly contain themselves from telling others. They proclaim it joyfully and boldly. We should be careful not to get so comfortable in our walk with Him that we become complacent in living our lives and not proclaiming Him to others. Take note how it is often new believers, or those who truly were lost or ill and have been physically saved as well as spiritually saved that have an uncontainable enthusiasm about Jesus. Mark 1 provides a great example… even though Jesus instructed him not to tell others, the man could not contain his joy and amazement. He proclaimed Jesus joyfully everywhere he went. Many heard and came to seek Jesus.

Mark 1:40-45

    40And a leper came to Jesus, beseeching Him and falling on his knees before Him, and saying, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” 41Moved with compassion, Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.” 42Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed. 43And He sternly warned him and immediately sent him away, 44and He said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” 45But he went out and began to proclaim it freely and to spread the news around, to such an extent that Jesus could no longer publicly enter a city, but stayed out in unpopulated areas; and they were coming to Him from everywhere.

We could have an interesting discussion on why Jesus asked this man not to tell others, but none the less, let us take time to understand what joy and thankfulness filled this man after being healed. He could not contain himself.

Prayerfully reflect on your own life. Do you still have that enthusiasm that the man did in Mark 1? Do you tell others everywhere you go? Do you tell anyone whom you meet that is not already in church or close to you? If you did tell others, is your life different in such a way as to reflect that you follow Jesus?

Let us pray that God would help us to proclaim Him boldly and never loose our enthusiasm to tell others how our lives have been changed because of Jesus. Let us change our lives to reflect love and obedience in following Jesus. Let us be a light to those who do not yet know Him!

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. 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.

Joy / Happiness / Rejoicing, Learning To Pray Effectively, Praise / Worship / Glorify God, Psalms, Thankfulness

Be Glad in God’s Strength and Rejoice in His Salvation!

King David praises God for deliverance in Psalm 21. David opens up by proclaiming how even a king is dependent on God for salvation and finds joy in this! So many powerful people try to find salvation in money or earthly power… only a righteous man recognizes submission to God and reliance on His power, even when he has the power of a king. How much greater is God’s power for those of us who have eyes to see and ears to hear!

Psalm 21

     1O LORD, in Your strength the king will be glad,
And in Your salvation how greatly he will rejoice!

      2You have given him his heart’s desire,
And You have not withheld the request of his lips.

Selah.

      3For You meet him with the blessings of good things;
You set a crown of fine gold on his head.

      4He asked life of You,
You gave it to him,
Length of days forever and ever.

      5His glory is great through Your salvation,
Splendor and majesty You place upon him.

      6For You make him most blessed forever;
You make him joyful with gladness in Your presence.

      7For the king trusts in the LORD,
And through the lovingkindness of the Most High he will not be shaken.

      8Your hand will find out all your enemies;
Your right hand will find out those who hate you.

      9You will make them as a fiery oven in the time of your anger;
The LORD will swallow them up in His wrath,
And fire will devour them.

      10Their offspring You will destroy from the earth,
And their descendants from among the sons of men.

      11Though they intended evil against You
And devised a plot,
They will not succeed.

      12For You will make them turn their back;
You will aim with Your bowstrings at their faces.

      13Be exalted, O LORD, in Your strength;
We will sing and praise Your power.

David recognizes that even a king needs God. He is not deceived by worldly power to thinking that a king does not need God.

If this is true for a king in this world, than how much more so for the rest of us who have no such power or influence!

No matter what troubles or danger we face, God is sufficient to help us overcome it. We find true life and purpose in serving God. With God, we overcome death itself.

All we have in this world will be taken away from us… guaranteed. If not during our lives, then it is taken or lost when we die. We take nothing with us. Few things matter when we die…

  • Will we spend eternity in Heaven with God or in Hell, separated from God?
  • Have we lived for God and helped others to find genuine relationship with Him?
  • Will He tell us “Well done, good and faithful servant” or “Be gone, I knew you not”?

These are the questions that demand answers. God is gracious in that you have your entire life to prepare, but that opportunity ends when you die and few of us know when that will happen, so the matter is urgent.  Once you die it is too late to change the answers. All that is left is to accept the consequences… you will either have absolute joy or sorrow and suffering.

The good news is that each of us gets to choose! No one else chooses for us. The invitation is open to all.

God shows His love for us in this life and in the offer for eternal life through accepting Jesus as Lord. He became man, suffered, died, was buried and rose again so that we could be forgiven of the bad behaviors, thoughts, and actions in our lives and be reconciled to God. Have you turned away from your sin and asked God for forgiveness through Jesus Christ? Have you accepted Jesus as your savior?

Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. 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.

Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, His Ways Are Not Our Ways, Is the Old Testament Relevant Today?, Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Joy / Happiness / Rejoicing, Study the Word, Teachable, Traditions / Holidays

In Yeshua, We Have More Reason to Celebrate Passover

It is important to remember what YHWH has done for us. He is our Creator and Lord. He is all powerful, all knowing, and present at all times in all places. Still, He takes time to know each one of us and He loves each one of us as a father.

Sometimes He dwells on a certain instruction to emphasize it so that we pay attention and do not miss it. Celebrating Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread is one of those. As we read through Exodus 12, we experience God’s instruction about celebrating these as remembrance of God setting His people free from bondage in Egypt. Given how much the Christian church today distances itself from these appointed times of God, we may be tempted to think… “Ok, glad I am done with Exodus 12 and can get on with the story.” God however, is not done commanding and emphasizing to us that we should celebrate Passover and Feast of Unleavened bread in remembrance of His actions on behalf of His people. He comes back to it in Exodus 13 and again in Exodus 23. Spoiler alert… he comes back to it again and again… especially in Leviticus 23.

Exodus 13:1-16

Consecration of the Firstborn

1Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 2“Sanctify to Me every firstborn, the first offspring of every womb among the sons of Israel, both of man and beast; it belongs to Me.”

3Moses said to the people, “Remember this day in which you went out from Egypt, from the house of slavery; for by a powerful hand the LORD brought you out from this place. And nothing leavened shall be eaten. 4“On this day in the month of Abib, you are about to go forth. 5“It shall be when the LORD brings you to the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Hivite and the Jebusite, which He swore to your fathers to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey, that you shall observe this rite in this month. 6“For seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there shall be a feast to the LORD. 7“Unleavened bread shall be eaten throughout the seven days; and nothing leavened shall be seen among you, nor shall any leaven be seen among you in all your borders. 8“You shall tell your son on that day, saying, ‘It is because of what the LORD did for me when I came out of Egypt.’ 9“And it shall serve as a sign to you on your hand, and as a reminder on your forehead, that the law of the LORD may be in your mouth; for with a powerful hand the LORD brought you out of Egypt. 10“Therefore, you shall keep this ordinance at its appointed time from year to year.

11“Now when the LORD brings you to the land of the Canaanite, as He swore to you and to your fathers, and gives it to you, 12you shall devote to the LORD the first offspring of every womb, and the first offspring of every beast that you own; the males belong to the LORD. 13“But every first offspring of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb, but if you do not redeem it, then you shall break its neck; and every firstborn of man among your sons you shall redeem. 14“And it shall be when your son asks you in time to come, saying, ‘What is this?’ then you shall say to him, ‘With a powerful hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, from the house of slavery. 15‘It came about, when Pharaoh was stubborn about letting us go, that the LORD killed every firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man and the firstborn of beast. Therefore, I sacrifice to the LORD the males, the first offspring of every womb, but every firstborn of my sons I redeem.’ 16“So it shall serve as a sign on your hand and as phylacteries on your forehead, for with a powerful hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt.”

You may find yourself asking, “Why is this so important to God? The church has not taught me to celebrate it.” God tells us why it is important to Him.

8“You shall tell your son on that day, saying, ‘It is because of what the LORD did for me when I came out of Egypt.’ 9“And it shall serve as a sign to you on your hand, and as a reminder on your forehead, that the law of the LORD may be in your mouth; for with a powerful hand the LORD brought you out of Egypt. 10“Therefore, you shall keep this ordinance at its appointed time from year to year.

and again…

14“And it shall be when your son asks you in time to come, saying, ‘What is this?’ then you shall say to him, ‘With a powerful hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, from the house of slavery. 15‘It came about, when Pharaoh was stubborn about letting us go, that the LORD killed every firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man and the firstborn of beast. Therefore, I sacrifice to the LORD the males, the first offspring of every womb, but every firstborn of my sons I redeem.’ 16“So it shall serve as a sign on your hand and as phylacteries on your forehead, for with a powerful hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt.”

When our Father repeats something over and over again, we should recognize it is important. Our heavenly Father wants us to remember His love and power in setting His people free from bondage in Egypt. As followers of Messiah we can also recognize that in Messiah we now have yet another reason to celebrate Passover. Yeshua served as our Passover lamb, killed for our sin. The unleavened bread can remind us of getting sin out of our lives… making vivid a reminder that a little sin affects us a lot, like a little yeast affects the whole loaf of bread. We need to get all the sin out of our lives.

Passover is not just for Jewish people who don’t believe in Christ as Messiah. Passover has rich meaning and can help us draw nearer to the Lord. We could have a longer discussion on how to celebrate today, but for today I am really focused on encouraging you to read and study more, to embrace God’s holy days and learn more about them. God said we should, and he has great ideas. Once we make the decision to do it, then we take the next step and begin to study how… that is the journey my family and I are on today. We find great joy in seeking to better understand our relationship with YHWH through studying and celebrating his appointed times.

Do take care that we don’t have to celebrate Passover because it is “required” but rather so we can grow in our relationship with our Creator and delight in him. As the temple and the priests are not available, we can not celebrate in a fully Biblical manner, and that should not be our goal as Yeshua has already served as our Passover lamb, once and for all. Let us use this as an opportunity simply to glorify YHWH and what he has done for his people in setting them free from slavery in Egypt and more importantly in setting us free from slavery from sin through Yeshua.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please open my eyes to Your celebrations and help me to embrace joyfully the opportunity to celebrate Your holy days in Your way! Help me to focus on celebrating Yeshua in the Moedim. Amen. 

To study more on Passover or Feast of Unleavened Bread, visit our teaching on Celebrating God’s Holy Days (Moedim) and review our category of posts relating to Holidays/Traditions (scroll down to move from one post to another).

Here are a few additional resources where you can learn more about the Moedim, the Creator’s calendar (often called the “Jewish” calendar).

I encourage you to invest time studying this topic and do not dismiss it. I have found it to be powerful in transforming the focus of our celebrations off of ourselves and rightly focused toward our Creator and Savior!

—-

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

Creation, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Joy / Happiness / Rejoicing, Praise / Worship / Glorify God, Psalms

The Law of the Lord Is Perfect, Restoring the Soul

Psalm 19 declares the glory of God through His creation as well as  praises God for His perfect law and for His judgments, which are righteous. Finally, David concludes by praising God with thanksgiving that He is our rock and Redeemer.

Psalm 19

1The heavens are telling of the glory of God;
            And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.

      2Day to day pours forth speech,
And night to night reveals knowledge.

      3There is no speech, nor are there words;
Their voice is not heard.

      4Their line has gone out through all the earth,
And their utterances to the end of the world.
In them He has placed a tent for the sun,

      5Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber;
It rejoices as a strong man to run his course.

      6Its rising is from one end of the heavens,
And its circuit to the other end of them;
And there is nothing hidden from its heat.

      7The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul;
The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.

      8The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart;            The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the   eyes.

      9The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of the LORD are true; they are righteous altogether.

      10They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold;
Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb.

      11Moreover, by them Your servant is warned;
In keeping them there is great reward.

      12Who can discern his errors? Acquit me of hidden faults.

      13Also keep back Your servant from presumptuous sins;
Let them not rule over me;
Then I will be blameless,
And I shall be acquitted of great transgression.

      14Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
O LORD, my rock and my Redeemer.

David praises God for His creation in the first six verses. Truly as we reflect on what God has created we, too, should be almost overwhelmed by the glory of it. How sad that many are deceived to thinking it is all the result of random events. How blind are those who believe the deception of Satan!

Verses 7-11 are focused on praising God’s “perfect” commandments, precepts, and judgment! Read them again, carefully. David is referring to the law God gave His people through Moses. The same law that most Christians are taught is harsh and not meaningful. How can it be? It is perfect, restoring the soul. The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart. The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. The judgments of the Lord (based on the law) are true and righteous all together. More desirable than gold, sweeter than honey… by them your servant is warned. In keeping them there is great reward!

Contrary to what many Christians are taught, the law is not bondage! Jesus did not come to “set us free from the law”, but rather to receive our judgment for our failure to execute the law perfectly… to redeem us. He sets us free from sin and the judgment we are due, if we accept Jesus as lord.

David closes by recognizing that the law helps him discern his errors and find his hidden faults. It helps him to recognize and avoid sin! Recognizing that he still fails, he looks to God and praises Him for acquitting him of great transgression.  David praises God for being both rock and Redeemer. The rock refers to God’s unchanging nature. What God said was good and right and true will always be good and right and true.  Through God’s grace we are redeemed through the word of God… through Jesus Christ.

For more about what the law means today, refer to our teaching Understanding The Law – What Does It Mean For Us Today?

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. 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.

Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Holy, Joy / Happiness / Rejoicing, Persecution / Glorifying God, Thankfulness

Do Not Be Bound Together with Unbelievers

In order to serve the Father and to dedicate ourselves to Him, we must not be bound together with unbelievers. We can associate with them, following the example of Jesus and the apostles, but we do not draw them into our closest personal circle of family and friends. We must have some separation. If your blood relatives are not believers, you will have to keep some separation in order to be set apart and holy and not be constantly torn in the direction of unbelievers. This does not mean you cast them away, but to be holy God’s people must be at some level separate from the world and be comfortable that way.

2 Corinthians 6

Their Ministry Commended

     1And working together with Him, we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain—

2for He says,
“AT THE ACCEPTABLE TIME I LISTENED TO YOU,
AND ON THE DAY OF SALVATION I HELPED YOU.”
Behold, now is “THE ACCEPTABLE TIME,” behold, now is “THE DAY OF SALVATION”—

3giving no cause for offense in anything, so that the ministry will not be discredited, 4but in everything commending ourselves as servants of God, in much endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in distresses, 5in beatings, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in hunger, 6in purity, in knowledge, in patience, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in genuine love, 7in the word of truth, in the power of God; by the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left, 8by glory and dishonor, by evil report and good report; regarded as deceivers and yet true; 9as unknown yet well-known, as dying yet behold, we live; as punished yet not put to death, 10as sorrowful yet always rejoicing, as poor yet making many rich, as having nothing yet possessing all things.

      11Our mouth has spoken freely to you, O Corinthians, our heart is opened wide. 12You are not restrained by us, but you are restrained in your own affections. 13Now in a like exchange—I speak as to children—open wide to us also.

      14Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? 15Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever?

16Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said,
“I WILL DWELL IN THEM AND WALK AMONG THEM;
AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE.

      17“Therefore, COME OUT FROM THEIR MIDST AND BE SEPARATE,” says the Lord.
“AND DO NOT TOUCH WHAT IS UNCLEAN;
And I will welcome you.

      18“And I will be a father to you,
And you shall be sons and daughters to Me,”
Says the Lord Almighty.

Ask God to show you what areas of your life may need change to separate from ties that are too close with non-believers. Ask Him for the courage to change. Trust that He will welcome you and be a father to you. You can rely on God.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. 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.

Joy / Happiness / Rejoicing, Share the Good News, Submitted / Servant

Find Joy in Serving Jesus

Many of us confuse joy and happiness. These are actually very different. Happiness is fleeting. It comes and goes based on things and the people around us. When everything is going well we may feel happy, but how quickly it can turn to sadness when things are not how we want them.

Joy depends on our closeness with our Lord Jesus and being filled with the Holy Spirit. When we are in good times or bad we can be filled with the joy of the Lord. Being filled with joy can carry us through any circumstance.

Acts 5:12-41 shows an excellent example where the apostles rejoice in the Lord because they were having such an impact for Jesus in sharing the gospel that the local religious leaders came against them and persecuted them.

12 The apostles were performing many miraculous signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers were meeting regularly at the Temple in the area known as Solomon’s Colonnade. 13 But no one else dared to join them, even though all the people had high regard for them. 14 Yet more and more people believed and were brought to the Lord—crowds of both men and women. 15 As a result of the apostles’ work, sick people were brought out into the streets on beds and mats so that Peter’s shadow might fall across some of them as he went by. 16 Crowds came from the villages around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those possessed by evil[a] spirits, and they were all healed.

17 The high priest and his officials, who were Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. 18 They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail. 19 But an angel of the Lord came at night, opened the gates of the jail, and brought them out. Then he told them, 20 “Go to the Temple and give the people this message of life!”

21 So at daybreak the apostles entered the Temple, as they were told, and immediately began teaching.

When the high priest and his officials arrived, they convened the high council[a]—the full assembly of the elders of Israel. Then they sent for the apostles to be brought from the jail for trial. 22 But when the Temple guards went to the jail, the men were gone. So they returned to the council and reported, 23 “The jail was securely locked, with the guards standing outside, but when we opened the gates, no one was there!”

24 When the captain of the Temple guard and the leading priests heard this, they were perplexed, wondering where it would all end. 25 Then someone arrived with startling news: “The men you put in jail are standing in the Temple, teaching the people!”

26 The captain went with his Temple guards and arrested the apostles, but without violence, for they were afraid the people would stone them. 27 Then they brought the apostles before the high council, where the high priest confronted them. 28 “We gave you strict orders never again to teach in this man’s name!” he said. “Instead, you have filled all Jerusalem with your teaching about him, and you want to make us responsible for his death!”

29 But Peter and the apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than any human authority. 30 The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead after you killed him by hanging him on a cross.[b] 31 Then God put him in the place of honor at his right hand as Prince and Savior. He did this so the people of Israel would repent of their sins and be forgiven. 32 We are witnesses of these things and so is the Holy Spirit, who is given by God to those who obey him.”

33 When they heard this, the high council was furious and decided to kill them. 34 But one member, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, who was an expert in religious law and respected by all the people, stood up and ordered that the men be sent outside the council chamber for a while. 35 Then he said to his colleagues, “Men of Israel, take care what you are planning to do to these men! 36 Some time ago there was that fellow Theudas, who pretended to be someone great. About 400 others joined him, but he was killed, and all his followers went their various ways. The whole movement came to nothing. 37 After him, at the time of the census, there was Judas of Galilee. He got people to follow him, but he was killed, too, and all his followers were scattered.

38 “So my advice is, leave these men alone. Let them go. If they are planning and doing these things merely on their own, it will soon be overthrown. 39 But if it is from God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You may even find yourselves fighting against God!”

40 The others accepted his advice. They called in the apostles and had them flogged. Then they ordered them never again to speak in the name of Jesus, and they let them go.

41 The apostles left the high council rejoicing that God had counted them worthy to suffer disgrace for the name of Jesus.[c]

We can learn a lot from how the apostles handled the situation. They did not run in fear or hide. They did not stop preaching and teaching in Jesus’ name. Persecution came, they were thrown in jail… and when God let them out the apostles continued preaching publicly in Jesus’ name. They were filled with joy as they continued to serve Jesus in persecution. They knew whom they were serving. God’s authority is higher than the authority of local and worldly leaders.

How many times are we discouraged from sharing His word just because one person out of many may not want to hear it? God calls us to proclaim His name and His word boldly. Challenge yourself to look for more and more bold opportunities to proclaim His word in your daily life. Start small if necessary and keep taking incremental steps to proclaim Jesus more boldly.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. 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, Comforter, Compassionate, Healer, Joy / Happiness / Rejoicing, Loving / Kind, Protector / Deliverer, Strong in Our Weakness

He Will Turn Mourning Into Gladness

What good news to hear that the Lord binds up the brokenhearted, proclaims liberty to captives, provides comfort to those who mourn, and more. Read through Isaiah 61 and be encouraged if you are following Him. He is more than able to handle any situation in which you are involved.

Isaiah 61

Exaltation of the Afflicted

    1The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me,
Because the LORD has anointed me
To bring good news to the afflicted;
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to captives
And freedom to prisoners;

      2To proclaim the favorable year of the LORD
And the day of vengeance of our God;
To comfort all who mourn,

      3To grant those who mourn in Zion,
Giving them a garland instead of ashes,
The oil of gladness instead of mourning,
The mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting.
So they will be called oaks of righteousness,
The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.

      4Then they will rebuild the ancient ruins,
They will raise up the former devastations;
And they will repair the ruined cities,
The desolations of many generations.

      5Strangers will stand and pasture your flocks,
And foreigners will be your farmers and your vinedressers.

      6But you will be called the priests of the LORD;
You will be spoken of as ministers of our God.
You will eat the wealth of nations,
And in their riches you will boast.

      7Instead of your shame you will have a double portion,
And instead of humiliation they will shout for joy over their portion.
Therefore they will possess a double portion in their land,
Everlasting joy will be theirs.

      8For I, the LORD, love justice,
I hate robbery in the burnt offering;
And I will faithfully give them their recompense
And make an everlasting covenant with them.

      9Then their offspring will be known among the nations,
And their descendants in the midst of the peoples.
All who see them will recognize them
Because they are the offspring whom the LORD has blessed.

      10I will rejoice greatly in the LORD,
My soul will exult in my God;
For He has clothed me with garments of salvation,
He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness,
As a bridegroom decks himself with a garland,
And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

      11For as the earth brings forth its sprouts,
And as a garden causes the things sown in it to spring up,
So the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise
To spring up before all the nations.

Give thanks to God for the blessings He provides and honor Him for who He is, creator of all and father. He cares for us who pursue Him.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. 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.

Joy / Happiness / Rejoicing, Learning To Pray Effectively, Praise / Worship / Glorify God, Protector / Deliverer, Strong in Our Weakness, Thankfulness

I Will Praise You, Lord, with All My Heart

David had a close relationship with God. He frequently sang praises to the Lord. He was not without trials or enemies, quite the opposite. David had many difficulties and trials… enemies trying to defeat him and kill him. David recognized the protecting hand of God in his life and sang praises to God for who He is and what He has already done. David also relies on God to continue to protect him. We should do the same.

Psalms 9

1 I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart;
    I will tell of all the marvelous things you have done.
2 I will be filled with joy because of you.
    I will sing praises to your name, O Most High.

3 My enemies retreated;
    they staggered and died when you appeared.
4 For you have judged in my favor;
    from your throne you have judged with fairness.
5 You have rebuked the nations and destroyed the wicked;
    you have erased their names forever.
6 The enemy is finished, in endless ruins;
    the cities you uprooted are now forgotten.

7 But the Lord reigns forever,
    executing judgment from his throne.
8 He will judge the world with justice
    and rule the nations with fairness.
9 The Lord is a shelter for the oppressed,
    a refuge in times of trouble.
10 Those who know your name trust in you,
    for you, O Lord, do not abandon those who search for you.

11 Sing praises to the Lord who reigns in Jerusalem.[a]
    Tell the world about his unforgettable deeds.
12 For he who avenges murder cares for the helpless.
    He does not ignore the cries of those who suffer.

13 Lord, have mercy on me.
    See how my enemies torment me.
    Snatch me back from the jaws of death.
14 Save me so I can praise you publicly at Jerusalem’s gates,
    so I can rejoice that you have rescued me.

15 The nations have fallen into the pit they dug for others.
    Their own feet have been caught in the trap they set.
16 The Lord is known for his justice.
    The wicked are trapped by their own deeds.

17 The wicked will go down to the grave.[c]
    This is the fate of all the nations who ignore God.
18 But the needy will not be ignored forever;
    the hopes of the poor will not always be crushed.

19 Arise, O Lord!
    Do not let mere mortals defy you!
    Judge the nations!
20 Make them tremble in fear, O Lord.
    Let the nations know they are merely human.

We should challenge ourselves to regularly reflect on the character of God, thank Him and praise Him boldly and to others, and call on Him for help.

We must also remember that God is not just love but is also righteousness and judgment. He is to be loved and feared rather than ignored. We are held accountable for our action or inaction to live out the word of God in our lives. There are real consequences for this life and for our eternal destination with God (heaven) or without God (hell).

Take a few minutes now and pray. Give praise for what God has done and continues to do for you. Thank Him for His promises and protection. Let the hope you find in Him lift your spirits today. He will never leave you nor forsake you. If you need protection or defense from someone, ask Him. Put your faith in Him.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. 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.

Anger (unrighteous anger), Faith / Trusting God, Joy / Happiness / Rejoicing, Peace / Rest, Protector / Deliverer

Find Peace and Joy in God

When we draw near to God in a personal relationship, we can freely approach Him in times of trouble on a very personal level. We can put our trust in Him.

Psalm 4

1 Answer me when I call to you,
    O God who declares me innocent.
Free me from my troubles.
    Have mercy on me and hear my prayer.

2 How long will you people ruin my reputation?
    How long will you make groundless accusations?
    How long will you continue your lies? Interlude
3 You can be sure of this:
    The Lord set apart the godly for himself.
    The Lord will answer when I call to him.

4 Don’t sin by letting anger control you.
    Think about it overnight and remain silent. Interlude
5 Offer sacrifices in the right spirit,
    and trust the Lord.

6 Many people say, “Who will show us better times?”
    Let your face smile on us, Lord.
7 You have given me greater joy
    than those who have abundant harvests of grain and new wine.
8 In peace I will lie down and sleep,
    for you alone, O Lord, will keep me safe.

David found much comfort in coming humbly before God and asking for help. David shared his feelings and concerns with God openly as he would a father or friend. All of us go through difficult times. God wants us to come before Him in prayer, to talk to Him, and to be comforted in that we know God loves us and is ultimately in control.

As a side note, we can also see some good advice to follow:

  • Don’t sin by letting anger control you.
        Think about it overnight and remain silent.
  • By trusting the LORD, we harvest joy and peace.

We would likely all do well to take that advice and apply it more often in our lives.

Take a few minutes and seek out God for whatever challenges face you today. Be honest with Him. Put your trust in Him. He is sufficient. He is able.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. 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.