Category Archives: Righteousness / Serving God

Faith / Trusting God, Submitted / Servant, Through Prophets, Visions

Whom Shall I Send?

At the core of this chapter in Isaiah is a fundamental question that applies throughout time. God asks, “Whom shall I send?” We must each decide how we will answer such a question, for God will likely respond according to our answer. I want to answer as Isaiah did, in faith, even if I may be intimidated by what changes that brings in my life. “Here I am LORD. Send me!”

Isaiah 6

Isaiah’s Vision

      1In the year of King Uzziah’s death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple. 2Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.

3And one called out to another and said,
“Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts,
The whole earth is full of His glory.”

4And the foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of him who called out, while the temple was filling with smoke.

5Then I said,
“Woe is me, for I am ruined!
Because I am a man of unclean lips,
And I live among a people of unclean lips;
For my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.”

      6Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal in his hand, which he had taken from the altar with tongs. 7He touched my mouth with it and said, “Behold, this has touched your lips; and your iniquity is taken away and your sin is forgiven.”

Isaiah’s Commission

      8Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I. Send me!”

9He said, “Go, and tell this people:
‘Keep on listening, but do not perceive;
Keep on looking, but do not understand.’

      10“Render the hearts of this people insensitive,
Their ears dull,
And their eyes dim,
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
Hear with their ears,
Understand with their hearts,
And return and be healed.”

11Then I said, “Lord, how long?” And He answered,
“Until cities are devastated and without inhabitant,
Houses are without people
And the land is utterly desolate,

      12“The LORD has removed men far away,
And the forsaken places are many in the midst of the land.

      13“Yet there will be a tenth portion in it,
And it will again be subject to burning,
Like a terebinth or an oak
Whose stump remains when it is felled.
The holy seed is its stump.”

When we answer God’s call, let us try to do so in faith and with confidence in Him. We don’t need to think about how we will do what He calls us to do. He already knows how this will work out when He sends us. Next time you hear the LORD asking, “Whom will I send?”, what will be your answer?

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, thank you for Your holy word that helps us to understand You and shares examples of Your relationship with Your people. Thank You for examples like Isaiah that can inspire us. Help prepare Your people to step forward and declare, “Here I am. Send me!” In the name of Yeshua we pray. Amen. 

  Shalom. Devotion by John in service to Christ

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

Interceding for Others

Please Pray for Hearing From Jesus Ministry

As brothers and sisters in Christ, we invite you to pray with us and for us. We would greatly appreciate your prayer for our ministry to share the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ to lead people to submit to Jesus as Lord of their lives and then to help them become disciples, who in turn disciple others.

  • Pray for our leadership and staff to be pure and to maintain personal holiness so that our sin does not obstruct the ministry of the Holy Spirit to those receiving our teaching and support.
  • Pray for our leadership and staff to understand clearly the truth of the scriptures, apply them in our own lives, and organize it in such a way that we can communicate clearly to those receiving our teaching and support.
  • Pray the Holy Spirit will prepare people to hear the gospel and choose Christ and then lead them to our ministry to hear the truth of the gospel proclaimed.
  • Pray that those receiving our teaching will be moved by the Holy Spirit to a personal response to accept the word and commit their lives to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, repenting from sin.
  • Pray that those receiving our teaching will have strong interest in returning to study and learn with us. Pray their attention will not wander or be distracted and that they would set aside dedicated time to study the scriptures with us and to pray to God.  Pray they would not be satisfied to just accept Jesus’ offer of salvation, but rather be led by the Holy Spirit to become disciples and then make disciples of others.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Prayer request by John in service to Christ.

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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.

Consequences of Sin, Discipline / Guidance From God, Interceding for Others, Parables

Parable of the Vineyard (Isaiah 5)

We should pay attention to the parable of the vineyard from Isaiah5. Once again, it reveals to us about the nature of our Creator. Of course, we can identify in this parable personally as well if we imagine that we built a vineyard and it produced only bad fruit. This is how the LORD feels when His people, whom He has chosen, produce bad fruit instead of good fruit.

Isaiah 5:1-7

Parable of the Vineyard

1Let me sing now for my well-beloved
A song of my beloved concerning His vineyard.
My well-beloved had a vineyard on a fertile hill.

      2He dug it all around, removed its stones,
And planted it with the choicest vine.
And He built a tower in the middle of it
And also hewed out a wine vat in it;
Then He expected it to produce good grapes,
But it produced only worthless ones.

      3“And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah,
Judge between Me and My vineyard.

      4“What more was there to do for My vineyard that I have not done in it?
Why, when I expected it to produce good grapes did it produce worthless ones?

      5“So now let Me tell you what I am going to do to My vineyard:
I will remove its hedge and it will be consumed;
I will break down its wall and it will become trampled ground.

      6“I will lay it waste;
It will not be pruned or hoed,
But briars and thorns will come up.
I will also charge the clouds to rain no rain on it.”

      7For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel
And the men of Judah His delightful plant.
Thus He looked for justice, but behold, bloodshed;
For righteousness, but behold, a cry of distress.

I can identify fairly directly with this parable. I established a planting area for a small garden. I could not grow anything there successfully and it was overrun with weeds and grass. I gave up and plowed it over and restarted somewhere else. I do not have endless patience for putting in time and effort and focus just to harvest nothing.

If our nation is the vineyard producing bad fruit, we should start by personally repenting and changing our ways to obedience and being set apart and holy. We should pray for the communities and states and nation that they would have a revival sweep through by God’s hand returning many to Him and His ways.

Take a few minutes and pray for yourself, your family, your friends, your community, your state and your nation. Pray for repentance and revival. Pray for the righteous to be lifted up and the wicked to be changed or removed from power. Consider doing this at least once a week in your prayer time.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

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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.

Compassionate, Faith / Trusting God, Fear / Reverence for God, Holy / Set Apart, Loving / Kind, Obeying God, Protector / Deliverer, Strong in Our Weakness, Through Prophets, Visions

God Provides Shelter and Refuge for the Righteous Remnant

We continue in Isaiah 4 to read about the vision from God through Isaiah for God’s people who have turned from His ways and blended with the world. To understand the full effect, I encourage you to read chapters 1-3 if you have not been reading along with us in the past few days. God’s judgment was forceful against His rebellious people. As we reach the conclusion of the vision here in chapter 4, we see some relief and hope for the remnant, which is declared holy, or set apart for God’s purpose and living according to God’s ways. Now, having purged the wickedness, He creates shelter and refuge for the remnant.

Isaiah 4

A Remnant Prepared

      1For seven women will take hold of one man in that day, saying, “We will eat our own bread and wear our own clothes, only let us be called by your name; take away our reproach!”

      2In that day the Branch of the LORD will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth will be the pride and the adornment of the survivors of Israel. 3It will come about that he who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy—everyone who is recorded for life in Jerusalem. 4When the Lord has washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion and purged the bloodshed of Jerusalem from her midst, by the spirit of judgment and the spirit of burning, 5then the LORD will create over the whole area of Mount Zion and over her assemblies a cloud by day, even smoke, and the brightness of a flaming fire by night; for over all the glory will be a canopy. 6There will be a shelter to give shade from the heat by day, and refuge and protection from the storm and the rain.

We can certainly conclude in our day, as in Isaiah’s day, that the remnant will often suffer to some extent along with the wicked who dwell among them and dominate the nation in which they live. However, there is always hope for the remnant who remain faithful to the LORD.

Take 5 minutes (or more) and pray not only for yourself and your family, but also for God’s people among the community and nation in which you live. Pray further for the nation as a whole and the people in it to turn to God and repent of their wicked ways. Pray that the LORD would raise up righteous leaders and prepare the people to hear them. Pray that He would strike down, remove, or convert any wicked leaders who are leading the people and the nation down the wrong path. Pray that the eyes of the people would be opened to the wonderful ways of God and they would turn to Him and His ways with a passion that would sweep the nation. Pray for a return to holiness and godliness for Yahweh’s people through Yeshua. Pray in the name of our messiah, Yeshua.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

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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.

All Powerful / King of All, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Holy / Set Apart, Righteous, Through Prophets, Worthy of Fear / Reverence

In the Last Days… God’s Universal Reign

Isaiah 2 gives us a prophetic sneak peek at the last days. The house of the LORD will be established and raised above all else.  All nations will stream to it. Many will seek the LORD and His ways. The law will come forth from Zion. He will judge over the nations. Nations will turn away from war forever. Man will be humbled, and God alone will be exalted. Those that do not submit to Him will hide from His terror and majesty. What a joyous day for those that call Him LORD!

Isaiah 2

God’s Universal Reign

      1The word which Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.

      2Now it will come about that
In the last days
The mountain of the house of the LORD
Will be established as the chief of the mountains,
And will be raised above the hills;
And all the nations will stream to it.

      3And many peoples will come and say,
“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD,
To the house of the God of Jacob;
That He may teach us concerning His ways
And that we may walk in His paths.”
For the law will go forth from Zion
And the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

      4And He will judge between the nations,
And will render decisions for many peoples;
And they will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation will not lift up sword against nation,
And never again will they learn war.

      5Come, house of Jacob, and let us walk in the light of the LORD.

      6For You have abandoned Your people, the house of Jacob,
Because they are filled with influences from the east,
And they are soothsayers like the Philistines,
And they strike bargains with the children of foreigners.

      7Their land has also been filled with silver and gold
And there is no end to their treasures;
Their land has also been filled with horses
And there is no end to their chariots.

      8Their land has also been filled with idols;
They worship the work of their hands,
That which their fingers have made.

      9So the common man has been humbled
And the man of importance has been abased,
But do not forgive them.

      10Enter the rock and hide in the dust
From the terror of the LORD and from the splendor of His majesty.

      11The proud look of man will be abased
And the loftiness of man will be humbled,
And the LORD alone will be exalted in that day.

A Day of Reckoning Coming

12For the LORD of hosts will have a day of reckoning
Against everyone who is proud and lofty
And against everyone who is lifted up,
That he may be abased.

      13And it will be against all the cedars of Lebanon that are lofty and lifted up,
Against all the oaks of Bashan,

      14Against all the lofty mountains,
Against all the hills that are lifted up,

      15Against every high tower,
Against every fortified wall,

      16Against all the ships of Tarshish
And against all the beautiful craft.

      17The pride of man will be humbled
And the loftiness of men will be abased;
And the LORD alone will be exalted in that day,

      18But the idols will completely vanish.

      19Men will go into caves of the rocks
And into holes of the ground
Before the terror of the LORD
And the splendor of His majesty,
When He arises to make the earth tremble.

      20In that day men will cast away to the moles and the bats
Their idols of silver and their idols of gold,
Which they made for themselves to worship,

      21In order to go into the caverns of the rocks and the clefts of the cliffs
Before the terror of the LORD and the splendor of His majesty,
When He arises to make the earth tremble.

      22Stop regarding man, whose breath of life is in his nostrils;
For why should he be esteemed?

Prayerfully reflect on the scripture. Do not dismiss it. Consider the contrast to what we see today. Imagine the LORD reigning over all the nations in righteousness. Imagine no need for war. Imagine those that are against God are the ones who must hide. Let us give thanks to God for this hope-inspiring vision of the future. There is also much we can conclude from this vision. If the law will come forth when the LORD reigns in the end times, how can we logically assume that it is irrelevant today? or just take pieces and parts of it that we are interested in following because that is what our church or pastor says to do. We must embrace all of God’s word and seek to understand how to apply it!

Let us also see how Isaiah’s vision puts emphasis on the evil of idols and blending with influences from other nations and cultures that are separate from God. We are to be set apart!

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

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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.

Blessed, Consequences of Sin, Curse, Discipline / Guidance From God, Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Justice / Judgment, Obeying God, Rebuke Wrong Behavior, Repenting from Sin, Worthy of Fear / Reverence

A Message from the LORD Regarding the Rebellion of His People

This message from the LORD through Isaiah may as well be delivered again today. It fits just about completely with where our society is going in our nation and around the world. Even those who claim the LORD, have turned away. Do not think that this does not anger Him. He may be patient, but He also experiences righteous anger. As you read through chapter 1 of Isaiah, consider its application not just in Isaiah’s time, but also in ours.

The message can be viewed in three pieces:

  • God’s people rebel.
  • God has had enough.
  • Sins can be forgiven for those who choose obedience. Those who forsake the LORD will come to an end.

Isaiah 1

Rebellion of God’s People

      1The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz concerning Judah and Jerusalem, which he saw during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

      2Listen, O heavens, and hear, O earth;
For the LORD speaks,
“Sons I have reared and brought up,
But they have revolted against Me.

      3“An ox knows its owner,
And a donkey its master’s manger,
But Israel does not know,
My people do not understand.”

      4Alas, sinful nation,
People weighed down with iniquity,
Offspring of evildoers,
Sons who act corruptly!
They have abandoned the LORD,
They have despised the Holy One of Israel,
They have turned away from Him.

      5Where will you be stricken again,
As you continue in your rebellion?
The whole head is sick
And the whole heart is faint.

      6From the sole of the foot even to the head
There is nothing sound in it,
Only bruises, welts and raw wounds,
Not pressed out or bandaged,
Nor softened with oil.

      7Your land is desolate,
Your cities are burned with fire,
Your fields—strangers are devouring them in your presence;
It is desolation, as overthrown by strangers.

      8The daughter of Zion is left like a shelter in a vineyard,
Like a watchman’s hut in a cucumber field, like a besieged city.

      9Unless the LORD of hosts
Had left us a few survivors,
We would be like Sodom,
We would be like Gomorrah.

God Has Had Enough

10Hear the word of the LORD,
You rulers of Sodom;
Give ear to the instruction of our God,
You people of Gomorrah.

      11“What are your multiplied sacrifices to Me?”
Says the LORD.
“I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams
And the fat of fed cattle;
And I take no pleasure in the blood of bulls, lambs or goats.

      12“When you come to appear before Me,
Who requires of you this trampling of My courts?

      13“Bring your worthless offerings no longer,
Incense is an abomination to Me.
New moon and sabbath, the calling of assemblies—
I cannot endure iniquity and the solemn assembly.

      14“I hate your new moon festivals and your appointed feasts,
They have become a burden to Me;
I am weary of bearing them.

      15“So when you spread out your hands in prayer,
I will hide My eyes from you;
Yes, even though you multiply prayers,
I will not listen.
Your hands are covered with blood.

      16“Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean;
Remove the evil of your deeds from My sight.
Cease to do evil,

      17Learn to do good;
Seek justice,
Reprove the ruthless,
Defend the orphan,
Plead for the widow.

“Let Us Reason”

18“Come now, and let us reason together,”
Says the LORD,
“Though your sins are as scarlet,
They will be as white as snow;
Though they are red like crimson,
They will be like wool.

      19“If you consent and obey,
You will eat the best of the land;

      20“But if you refuse and rebel,
You will be devoured by the sword.”
Truly, the mouth of the LORD has spoken.

Zion Corrupted, to Be Redeemed

21How the faithful city has become a harlot,
She who was full of justice!
Righteousness once lodged in her,
But now murderers.

      22Your silver has become dross,
Your drink diluted with water.

      23Your rulers are rebels
And companions of thieves;
Everyone loves a bribe
And chases after rewards.
They do not defend the orphan,
Nor does the widow’s plea come before them.

      24Therefore the Lord GOD of hosts,
The Mighty One of Israel, declares,
“Ah, I will be relieved of My adversaries
And avenge Myself on My foes.

      25“I will also turn My hand against you,
And will smelt away your dross as with lye
And will remove all your alloy.

      26“Then I will restore your judges as at the first,
And your counselors as at the beginning;
After that you will be called the city of righteousness,
A faithful city.”

      27Zion will be redeemed with justice
And her repentant ones with righteousness.

      28But transgressors and sinners will be crushed together,
And those who forsake the LORD will come to an end.

      29Surely you will be ashamed of the oaks which you have desired,
And you will be embarrassed at the gardens which you have chosen.

      30For you will be like an oak whose leaf fades away
Or as a garden that has no water.

      31The strong man will become tinder,
His work also a spark.
Thus they shall both burn together
And there will be none to quench them.

Do not miss the core message, which again is summarized in three pieces. Take note that the people did not consciously say, “Let’s rebel against God.” Rather how they lived their lives was in rebellion whether or not they realized it.

  • God’s people rebel.
  • God has had enough.
  • Sins can be forgiven for those who choose obedience. Those who forsake the LORD will come to an end.

However, there is more treasure to be found here in this passage. Re read it and this time focus on the specific behaviors that God speaks out against, like taking bribes, not defending orphans and widows, failure to seek justice or reprove the ruthless. Note that God is not satisfied with us just avoiding doing bad things. There are good things that he expects us to do as well.  In fact, He calls out widows and orphans twice in the scripture.

Do not think of God as a marshmallow God who is happy just to have your attention now and then. He is the Creator of the universe. He is all powerful and all knowing. He has given us instructions for how to live and He wants His people to live by them and not to simply blend in with or be slightly better than the evil nations or people around them.

I invite you to take some time to prayerfully reflect on this message before the LORD. Ask the Spirit to show you areas in your life and in your heart where you should make some changes. Are there things you are doing that you should not? Are there things you are not doing, like helping widows and orphans, that you should? Ask the LORD to help you live in a way that is more and more focused on Him and is pleasing to Him.  Try to take at least 5-10 minutes.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

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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.

Encouragement, Kindness / Gentleness, Love, Share the Good News

Relationships With One Another Matter

Paul did not just care about disciples and followers of Jesus generically. He took time to know them as individuals. He cared about them for who they were specifically. As he closes his letter to Romans, we see how many individuals are important to him. It is not just about “leading a church” but developing relationships and leading people to live like Yeshua.

Romans 16:1-15

Greetings and Love Expressed

      1I commend to you our sister Phoebe, who is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea; 2that you receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and that you help her in whatever matter she may have need of you; for she herself has also been a helper of many, and of myself as well.

      3Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, 4who for my life risked their own necks, to whom not only do I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles; 5also greet the church that is in their house. Greet Epaenetus, my beloved, who is the first convert to Christ from Asia. 6Greet Mary, who has worked hard for you. 7Greet Andronicus and Junias, my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners, who are outstanding among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me. 8Greet Ampliatus, my beloved in the Lord. 9Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and Stachys my beloved. 10Greet Apelles, the approved in Christ. Greet those who are of the household of Aristobulus. 11Greet Herodion, my kinsman. Greet those of the household of Narcissus, who are in the Lord. 12Greet Tryphaena and Tryphosa, workers in the Lord. Greet Persis the beloved, who has worked hard in the Lord. 13Greet Rufus, a choice man in the Lord, also his mother and mine. 14Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas and the brethren with them. 15Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them. 16Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you.

I am always impressed by Paul in that he developed and maintained personal relationships with so many while traveling and sharing God’s truth over such great distances. He did not just come and “preach”… he connected with people. He did not just move on after engaging people in a new city… he kept in touch with them. Paul sets a wonderful example for us to follow.

Take time pray and to listen. Ask God how you can connect personally with fellow believers and develop strong relationship ties with them. How can you encourage one another and appreciate one another while still seeking wholeheartedly to honor our Father in all aspects of our lives?

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.

Church / Body of Christ, Encouragement, Interceding for Others, Joy / Happiness / Rejoicing, Kindness / Gentleness, Learning To Pray Effectively

Pray for One Another and Come Together as One Body

Paul set a good example for all teachers of the gospel to follow. He not only taught the truth of the word, he truly cared about those who were in the body of Christ. He longed to see them and minister to them. He prayed for them and asked them to pray for him. He found great refreshment in experiencing their company. He connected and brought together people from different cities and churches as part of the body of Christ.

Romans 15:22-33

    22For this reason I have often been prevented from coming to you; 23but now, with no further place for me in these regions, and since I have had for many years a longing to come to you 24whenever I go to Spain—for I hope to see you in passing, and to be helped on my way there by you, when I have first enjoyed your company for a while— 25but now, I am going to Jerusalem serving the saints. 26For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem. 27Yes, they were pleased to do so, and they are indebted to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual things, they are indebted to minister to them also in material things. 28Therefore, when I have finished this, and have put my seal on this fruit of theirs, I will go on by way of you to Spain. 29I know that when I come to you, I will come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ.

      30Now I urge you, brethren, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God for me, 31that I may be rescued from those who are disobedient in Judea, and that my service for Jerusalem may prove acceptable to the saints; 32so that I may come to you in joy by the will of God and find refreshing rest in your company. 33Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.

Take time to reflect and pray… “Does my behavior separate the body of Christ? or bring it together? How can I change my behavior and attitude to bring together true believers and disciples of Yeshua to work together as one body.”

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

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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.

Church / Body of Christ, Holy Spirit / Ruach HaKodesh, Hope, Is the Old Testament Relevant Today?, Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Joy / Happiness / Rejoicing, Peace / Rest, Prophecy, Through Prophets

Joy, Peace and Hope Are Available

Yeshua came not only for the Jews but for the Gentiles also. No matter our lineage and ancestors, Yeshua came and died for us. All who seek Him wholeheartedly can be joined together as the family of Yahweh, accepting one another to His glory. It matters not from which city or country we come. All are welcome.  All may seek to be filled with joy and peace in believing, so that they will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 15:7-21

  7Therefore, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God. 8For I say that Christ has become a servant to the circumcision on behalf of the truth of God to confirm the promises given to the fathers,

9and for the Gentiles to glorify God for His mercy; as it is written,
“THEREFORE I WILL GIVE PRAISE TO YOU AMONG THE GENTILES,
AND I WILL SING TO YOUR NAME.”

10Again he says,
“REJOICE, O GENTILES, WITH HIS PEOPLE.”

11And again,
“PRAISE THE LORD ALL YOU GENTILES,
AND LET ALL THE PEOPLES PRAISE HIM.”

12Again Isaiah says,
“THERE SHALL COME THE ROOT OF JESSE,
AND HE WHO ARISES TO RULE OVER THE GENTILES,
IN HIM SHALL THE GENTILES HOPE.”

13Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

     14And concerning you, my brethren, I myself also am convinced that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able also to admonish one another. 15But I have written very boldly to you on some points so as to remind you again, because of the grace that was given me from God, 16to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, ministering as a priest the gospel of God, so that my offering of the Gentiles may become acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. 17Therefore in Christ Jesus I have found reason for boasting in things pertaining to God. 18For I will not presume to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me, resulting in the obedience of the Gentiles by word and deed, 19in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of the Spirit; so that from Jerusalem and round about as far as Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ. 20And thus I aspired to preach the gospel, not where Christ was already named, so that I would not build on another man’s foundation;

21but as it is written,
“THEY WHO HAD NO NEWS OF HIM SHALL SEE,
AND THEY WHO HAVE NOT HEARD SHALL UNDERSTAND.”

Reflecting on the scripture we also see how Paul, consistent with Jesus, points back the Old Testament scripture and demonstrates the consistency of God’s plans that were laid out in the Old Testament and are completely consistent with the continuation of His relationship with His people revealed through the New Testament. We see Paul teach about Christ by pointing back to Isaiah. Jesus’ life and death were not a surprise change of plans where God stopped one plan and created another. God wants to reach out to the Gentiles as well as the Jews. He makes no mistakes and knows everything even in advance. We should find great comfort in knowing God is in control and is never surprised. He never needs to change His plan based on new information. He had one perfect plan and we continue to have the chance to be part of it by discipling ourselves after Jesus Christ.

As we study, let us also not overlook the message within. Let us seek to be filled with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, thank you for Your word and those who help teach it with righteousness and passion, like Paul. Thank You for reaching out to the Gentiles and please continue to reach out to the Jews as well to draw them to You through Messiah. I pray Your people would be filled with joy and peace that would lead to hope abounding in us… hope not of our own making but of the power of the Holy Spirit! I pray this in the name of Yeshua, our Messiah. Amen. 

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.

Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Doubt / Lacking Faith, Hearing from God, Obeying God

If You Hear My Voice, Do Not Harden Your Hearts

I encourage you to read all of Hebrews chapter 3. I focused on the excerpt from Hebrews 3:7-14.

That is why the Holy Spirit says, “Today when you hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts as Israel did when they rebelled, when they tested me in the wilderness. There your ancestors tested and tried my patience, even though they saw my miracles for forty years.

So I was angry with them, and I said, ‘Their hearts always turn away from me. They refuse to do what I tell them.’ So in my anger I took an oath: ‘They will never enter my place of rest.’”

Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters. Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God.

You must warn each other every day, while it is still “today,” so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God.

For if we are faithful to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed, we will share in all that belongs to Christ.

I invite you to join me in prayer:

Father, I pray you would guide me daily and keep me from hardening my heart toward you. Help me also to encourage others to keep their hearts and their ears open to you. I pray this in the name of Yeshua. Amen.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

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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.