Category Archives: Righteousness / Serving God

Help / Serve Others, Jesus (hearing from God), Submitted / Servant

To Be Great Is To Be A Servant To All

As the time for Jesus’ suffering and death drew nearer, He continued to try to prepare His disciples for what was coming. On one such occasion, Jesus tells His disciples explicitly what is going to happen. There is no response documented, but instead, James and John engage Jesus in a discussion about the honor of sitting beside Him in heaven.

Mark 10:32-45

Jesus’ Sufferings Foretold

      32They were on the road going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking on ahead of them; and they were amazed, and those who followed were fearful. And again He took the twelve aside and began to tell them what was going to happen to Him, 33saying, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priests and the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death and will hand Him over to the Gentiles. 34“They will mock Him and spit on Him, and scourge Him and kill Him, and three days later He will rise again.”

      35James and John, the two sons of Zebedee, came up to Jesus, saying, “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask of You.” 36And He said to them, “What do you want Me to do for you?” 37They said to Him, “Grant that we may sit, one on Your right and one on Your left, in Your glory.” 38But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” 39They said to Him, “We are able.” And Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you shall drink; and you shall be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized. 40“But to sit on My right or on My left, this is not Mine to give; but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.”

      41Hearing this, the ten began to feel indignant with James and John. 42Calling them to Himself, Jesus said to them, “You know that those who are recognized as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them; and their great men exercise authority over them. 43“But it is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant; 44and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be slave of all. 45“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

It is amazing to ponder that as Jesus tells them He will suffer and die, the response is to ask about honor for themselves. Perhaps they were simply standing in solidarity with Him with willingness to suffer alongside Him. I will give them the benefit of the doubt. The were likely not sure what to say about the news Jesus was sharing with them. To their credit, they truly meant well and were willing to suffer and die with Jesus to follow Him. Most of us our truly not willing to do that for Him.

The other disciples were indignant at James and John. Conflict arose at least to some degree. Jesus settled the situation by focusing on what was important. He clarified how greatness is measured in the kingdom of heaven.

42Calling them to Himself, Jesus said to them, “You know that those who are recognized as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them; and their great men exercise authority over them. 43“But it is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant; 44and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be slave of all.

I am always impressed how Jesus gets right to the heart of the matter, and is not bogged down with distractions. He leads the disciples away from infighting and arguments about who is greater and points them toward what it means to be great so they can all pursue greatness through righteousness and obedience to Christ. If they want to debate who is greatest, they must serve one another. It brings them together in unity and humility.

Are you pursuing greatness in some part of your life? Do you measure your success by the same standard that Jesus does?

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, thank You for sending Yeshua as our savior and example. Thank You for His teaching and recording it in the Bible so we could study and understand it. Help me to be humble and focus on being a servant to others in Your name. Let me not try to be great in the eyes of the world, but rather in Your eyes. Amen. 

Shalom

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.

Forgive Others / Seek Forgiveness, Grace / Forgiveness, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Merciful, Repenting from Sin, Seeking God, Traditions / Holidays

Explore and Observe Yom Kippur

It is easy to embrace celebrations that are “fun”.  Even holidays that had significant meaning can be overwhelmed by the distractions of celebrating as people focus on making it fun.  Thanksgiving is a great example. It started as a way to come together as a nation to give thanks to the one true God. Now, most people really breeze over the original purpose of Thanksgiving. It is about family, football, and feasting.  I think most people put more time and thought into the food than they do giving thanks to God.

We truly benefit in our relationship with the Lord when we embrace the holy days He created, such as Yom Kippur. We should humble ourselves before Him throughout the year. However, having a day set aside to come humbly before the Lord and reflect on atonement for our sins is a very good idea. It is focused solely on our relationship with our Father and the forgiveness we receive through Yeshua. We are to humble ourselves and contemplate our need for atonement, repentance, and forgiveness from sin. He does not want us getting distracted during this holy day, and thus sets aside another Sabbath day of rest for it.

Leviticus 23:25-32

The Day of Atonement

26The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 27“On exactly the tenth day of this seventh month is the day of atonement; it shall be a holy convocation for you, and you shall humble your souls and present an offering by fire to the LORD. 28“You shall not do any work on this same day, for it is a day of atonement, to make atonement on your behalf before the LORD your God. 29“If there is any person who will not humble himself on this same day, he shall be cut off from his people. 30“As for any person who does any work on this same day, that person I will destroy from among his people. 31“You shall do no work at all. It is to be a perpetual statute throughout your generations in all your dwelling places. 32“It is to be a sabbath of complete rest to you, and you shall humble your souls; on the ninth of the month at evening, from evening until evening you shall keep your sabbath.”

I encourage each of you to join me in observing this holy day in which we humble ourselves before God. We should take this opportunity to focus on the wonderful gift God sent in Yeshua. Yeshua died for our sins. Through His perfect life and then death for our sins, He has made it possible for us to be reconciled to YHWH. He was the sacrificial lamb on our behalf. Let us not take Yeshua for granted and miss out on our need for His sacrifice due to our sins.

Romans 3

10as it is written,
“THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE;

On our own, we can never be made righteous. It would be like trying to jump the Grand Canyon. One may be able to jump further than another, but none can span the gap. We can be made righteous only through Christ, who in this canyon metaphor serves as a bridge to enable us to come before the Lord and be reconciled.

I would encourage each of you to study more about our Creator’s appointed times. As you study, remember to separate what is Jewish tradition from what is written in the Bible specifically. The study of tradition can be helpful and enriching, but I find it good to know what is of scripture and what is of tradition. Especially when getting started, I focus on the scriptural first. The traditional would then be optional as it fits with and helps or supports the scriptural message. I have provided a few links to help you get started, but you can search on your own, of course.

I hope that studying and learning about our Creator’s appointed times, and then following them, will be as enriching for you and your family as it has been for me and mine.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please help me to focus on my relationship with You as I observe Yom Kippur. I thank You for forgiveness and grace through the sacrifice of Christ on the cross, dying for my sins. Help me to truly repent and live my life for You. Help open the eyes of Your people to Your wonderful ways and lead them into a restoration of all things so that the ways of man would be lessened and the ways of God would be increased. 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.

Faith / Trusting God, Purposeful / Intentional, Seeking God, Wise

You Will Not Find True Purpose and Fulfillment in Your Own Works

Ecclesiastes is another book of wisdom, written by Solomon. He records here his thoughts about the value of many things he has tried in his life and ultimately has an important conclusion for us all to recognize and apply in our lives. Here is a very wise man, given wisdom above other men by the Father. He has lived with great wealth and power. He has been able to do many things seeking fulfillment. His conclusion?

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14

13The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person. 14For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil.

This conclusion by itself is a powerful message. I share it as we begin Ecclesiastes for context. We will revisit it again as we go through the scripture, but take a few moments to contemplate it. Then remember it as you read through Ecclesiastes and see all the pursuits which Solomon tried to find fulfillment… and came up empty. Most of us today are still trying to find fulfillment without the Father and we too will come up empty if we continue on that path.

Ecclesiastes 1:1-11

The Futility of All Endeavor

      1The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.

      2“Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher,
“Vanity of vanities! All is vanity.”

      3What advantage does man have in all his work
Which he does under the sun?

      4A generation goes and a generation comes,
But the earth remains forever.

      5Also, the sun rises and the sun sets;
And hastening to its place it rises there again.

      6Blowing toward the south,
Then turning toward the north,
The wind continues swirling along;
And on its circular courses the wind returns.

      7All the rivers flow into the sea,
Yet the sea is not full.
To the place where the rivers flow,
There they flow again.

      8All things are wearisome;
Man is not able to tell it.
The eye is not satisfied with seeing,
Nor is the ear filled with hearing.

      9That which has been is that which will be,
And that which has been done is that which will be done.
So there is nothing new under the sun.

      10Is there anything of which one might say,
“See this, it is new”?
Already it has existed for ages
Which were before us.

      11There is no remembrance of earlier things;
And also of the later things which will occur,
There will be for them no remembrance
Among those who will come later still.

We can not find our true purpose, fulfillment and lasting value in our works alone. Works done in our own power will not have lasting impact. Rather, pursue what God calls you to do. That will have lasting impact!

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.

Courage / Fear, Peace / Rest, Protector / Deliverer, Psalms, Strong in Our Weakness, Suffering / Adversity

Be Still and Know that I am God! (Psalm 46)

During the storms in my life, I find encouragement in Psalm 46. A few years ago I focused primarily on 46:10, “Be still and know that I am God!” That was easy to remember and encouraged me to pause and remember that He is in control during my times of adversity.

However, now I see things I did not notice then. Truly I say to you… this is actually a powerful command when read in context.

1  God is our refuge and strength,
    always ready to help in times of trouble.
2 So we will not fear when earthquakes come
    and the mountains crumble into the sea.
3 Let the oceans roar and foam.
    Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge!

4 A river brings joy to the city of our God,
    the sacred home of the Most High.
5 God dwells in that city; it cannot be destroyed.
    From the very break of day, God will protect it.
6 The nations are in chaos,
    and their kingdoms crumble!
God’s voice thunders,
    and the earth melts!
7 The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us;
    the God of Israel is our fortress.

8 Come, see the glorious works of the Lord:
    See how he brings destruction upon the world.
9 He causes wars to end throughout the earth.
    He breaks the bow and snaps the spear;
    he burns the shields with fire.

10 “Be still, and know that I am God!
    I will be honored by every nation.
    I will be honored throughout the world.”

11 The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us;
    the God of Israel is our fortress.

I am now amazed I ever missed it, but this is not any ordinary stressful day that is being highlighted here… but earthquakes, mountains tumbling into the sea, oceans roaring so forcefully that the mountains tremble.

The message is quite profound… no matter what circumstance we face or our world faces we can find peace in knowing that God is in control, God is bigger and stronger than any problem we may encounter.

I hope this word encourages you as much as it does me. This is a scripture that I suggest memorizing. Carry it in your heart to be ready for when the storms come.

Take a few minutes now to pray and give thanks to our Father for who He is and how He cares for us. Whatever you are experiencing, be still and know that He is 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.

Forgive Others / Seek Forgiveness, Grace / Forgiveness, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Is the Old Testament Relevant Today?, Justice / Judgment, Repenting from Sin, Seeking God, Traditions / Holidays

Yom Kippur – The Day of Atonement

Over the course of my life, I have spent a significant amount of time in Catholic, Baptist, and evangelical churches. None of the ones I attended ever even came close to teaching about YHWH’s appointed times, or Mo’edim. They seem determined to stick to popular man-made holidays commonly celebrated by Christians and non-Christians alike. As I journeyed into a deeper relationship with the Lord over many years, the Bible has come alive to me. It is amazing how much rich heritage is being missed by the Christian church today. They typically do not teach the whole Bible as still relevant and true today. They may say it is, but their teaching leaves much untouched and untaught.

My family and I find observing the Mo’edim, God’s appointed times, genuinely enriching our relationship with Him. I encourage you to join us. You will have to do some study on your own, however, as churches will not teach it.

The Day of Atonement, or Yom Kippur, is a holy day set aside by YHWH annually for us to focus on atonement for our sins. We are to rest and be humble. It is a permanent statute. These holy days are not just for Jewish people and they are not obsolete. They both look back at what the Lord has already done and look forward to what He will do in the future. As a matter of fact, the day of atonement is now even more significant for those of us who follow Christ as we can focus on the forgiveness we receive through Christ and his sacrifice for us.

Leviticus 23:26-32

The Day of Atonement

     26The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 27“On exactly the tenth day of this seventh month is the day of atonement; it shall be a holy convocation for you, and you shall humble your souls and present an offering by fire to the LORD. 28“You shall not do any work on this same day, for it is a day of atonement, to make atonement on your behalf before the LORD your God. 29“If there is any person who will not humble himself on this same day, he shall be cut off from his people. 30“As for any person who does any work on this same day, that person I will destroy from among his people. 31“You shall do no work at all. It is to be a perpetual statute throughout your generations in all your dwelling places. 32“It is to be a sabbath of complete rest to you, and you shall humble your souls; on the ninth of the month at evening, from evening until evening you shall keep your sabbath.”

We need not make animal sacrifices for atonement any longer, as Yeshua has paid the price for our sins once and for all. However, we will still face judgment when we die or Yeshua returns. Let us atone for our sins, repenting and accepting forgiveness from the Lord.

2 Corinthians 5:10

10For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

Of course, we can say, that we should acknowledge and repent from sin and accept God’s forgiveness through Christ all year long. That is correct. However, God knew setting this day aside would help to draw our attention to this important matter in a clear and focused way at least once a year.

I still have more to learn about the  Creator’s calendar (often called the Hebrew calendar), but I am learning more each year. You can research a variety of websites that provide information on the Hebrew calendar, several even focus on it from a Messianic or Christian perspective. Keep in mind, the Hebrew calendar starts at sundown and ends at sundown and not “midnight to midnight” as our western calendar does.

It can be overwhelming when you first get started, but just take it in bite-sized chunks and keep seeking to get closer to Him with every step. Because we have changed away from YHWH’s calendar to the Gregorian calendar, there is some debate as to when the appointed times are observed. They reference the Creator’s calendar and not what we are used to. It is clear which days in His calendar are to be recognized, but the challenge comes in converting that into the Gregorian calendar most of us use daily. Which exact date you choose is not the most important aspect to get started, in my opinion.  I suggest researching at the sites below or on your own search and picking one of the dates proposed and getting started. Do not get overwhelmed by trying to learn all the history at once. Just get started, seek the Lord, study His word, and start to experience a deeper relationship with Him.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please open my eyes to the wonderful ways of Your appointed times. Lead me in preparation for Yom Kippur. Show me my sin and help me to turn from it and submit more fully to You. Thank You for the opportunity to reconcile with You through Christ. Thank You that my sins are forgiven and I am washed clean. You are worthy of praise! Amen.

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

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

Children, Faith / Trusting God, Jesus (hearing from God), Seeking God

Receive the Kingdom of God As a Child Would

We can easily get busy with our daily activities. Even when we are doing good or important activities, let us take care not to overlook the children.  Take time to appreciate and engage children, as Jesus did.  It is best not to think of children as a distraction, but rather as  gifts from God and as the wonderful creations they really are. The kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Jesus set a great example for us by making time for children even during His short and busy earthly ministry.

Mark 10:13-16

Jesus Blesses Little Children

      13And they were bringing children to Him so that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked them. 14But when Jesus saw this, He was indignant and said to them, “Permit the children to come to Me; do not hinder them; for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15“Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all.” 16And He took them in His arms and began blessing them, laying His hands on them.

Children are remarkably open to accept the truth about Jesus. They listen with an open, unbiased mind. They are not yet led astray by the world and by those who make up reasons to reject God and then pressure others to reject Him also. Jesus takes the opportunity not only to show love for the children by making time for them, but also to make an important point. When he says that he the kingdom of God belongs to such as these, He is not only referring to children, but to those who receive the kingdom of God like a child.

Let us pay attention to both lessons that Jesus teaches in this scripture. Value and make time for children, even when you are busy. Secondly, challenge yourself to embrace the kingdom of God as a child, without reservation and doubt… wholeheartedly.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please help me to appreciate and encourage little children. Help me to not look on them as a distraction, but as a treasure. Help me to embrace You and Your kingdom with the faith of a young child, without reservation and doubt. Amen. 

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

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

Guide, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, His Ways Are Not Our Ways, Is the Old Testament Relevant Today?, Seeking God, Study the Word, Teachable, Traditions / Holidays

Observing Yom Teruah (Feast of Trumpets) Draws Us Nearer to God

Growing up a Christian in the United States, I was never taught about the biblical holy days that Yahweh calls His people to observe and celebrate.  Many Christians skip over much of the instruction that our Father has provided in the Old Testament as if it were now irrelevant. It is not! I found it felt a bit odd and even a little uncomfortable at first as my family and I started to study and learn Yahweh’s traditions. My kids actually adapted quite easily and love to celebrate Sukkot (Tabernacles) as we sleep in tents for a week. It is great fun.

These traditions were new to us, but have proven to be a joyful step in moving closer to Him. There is great symbolism and purpose to each of our Father’s holy days. God’s holy days help us remain focused on Him and His word and bring honor and glory to Him and our relationship with Him.

Yom Teruah, literally “day shouting/blasting”, is the first of our Father’s holy days (specified by Leviticus 23:23–32) which usually occur in the early autumn of the Northern Hemisphere. It is coming up soon. It has also come to be called more recently Rosh Hashanah and is celebrated as the start of the new year in Yahweh’s calendar (often referred to as the “Jewish calendar”).

Leviticus 23 actually does not document a lot of information about Yom Teruah, and it is worthwhile studying elsewhere in scripture. Today you can find a lot of information about it by simply searching online for Yom Teruah. My suggestion is, however, to always test what people say about the celebration and traditions against what the scripture actually says. Often people add to Yahweh’s instruction or change the emphasis and create their own traditions which they treat as if they were commands from our Father.

Yom Teruah is characterized by a holy day, a Sabbath, which constitutes a day of rest. The trumpets remind us to prepare for the day of Atonement which will follow. As followers of Christ, we are reminded that the trumpets will blast again when Christ returns. We should now prepare ourselves by asking God to open our eyes to our sin and help us to repent. Let us turn away from the ways of the world and toward the ways of God. You can have quite an interesting study as well generally about the use and significance of the shofar (ram’s horn) throughout scripture which is what the term “trumpet” means in this context.

I encourage you to do some personal study on this celebration. I include a few links below. However, be sure to validate everything you read against the truth of scripture. Remember, these are the Father’s holy days, not “Jewish” holidays.

One last word of encouragement, do not get tripped up by the details and logistics of how and when to celebrate exactly as you get started. Do not get frustrated by different opinions on exactly which day to celebrate.  Just pick one. You can study and debate which is the exact right day as you mature in your understanding. Allow yourself to start even with an incomplete understanding and make it a point to learn by observing Yom Teruah each year.  Allow yourself to learn and grow and change year after year. Don’t wait for the perfect time to start! (Ecclesiastes 11:4 One who watches the wind will not sow and one who looks at the clouds will not harvest.)

I also encourage you to study some additional ministries online that help us to reconnect with and better understand the Hebrew roots of our faith.

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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.

Love, Marriage, Seeking God, Song of Solomon

Long for Your Spouse and for God

I find Song of Solomon 8 a bit hard to fully digest and understand at first. I believe it is at once showing us a passionate and virtuous love between bride and groom and also an allegory for our love for Christ as the true body of Christ.

It begins with an innocence that seems to wish that her love had not the trappings of being king, so that she could love him more privately and without anyone despising her.

It includes some additional allegories, one in verse 8 about the younger daughter who may soon be of courting age.  The story highlights that should the girl be virtuous and avoid men’s advances, she will be honored. Should she be weak and susceptible to temptation, then they will try to protect her. This can also apply to us in a spiritual sense in our relationship with Yeshua. Let us not commit spiritual sin by participating with other false beliefs or false gods. Let us be pure and set aside for our Lord.

Another allegory begins later in verse 11 concerning vineyards. It would appear a reference perhaps to our being good stewards to all our Lord provides to us to manage in this life. All that we have belongs to Him. Let us use it well and consistently with His desires and instructions. Let us not be greedy and driven only by our own desires.

At the close, we see again how she can hardly wait for her love to come. Oh that we should be so anxious for our Lord to come and be with us… that we should put that focus in our prayer, Bible study, and worship time as priority above other daily activities.

Song of Solomon 8

The Lovers Speak

    1“Oh that you were like a brother to me
Who nursed at my mother’s breasts.
If I found you outdoors, I would kiss you;
No one would despise me, either.

      2“I would lead you and bring you
Into the house of my mother, who used to instruct me;
I would give you spiced wine to drink from the juice of my pomegranates.

      3“Let his left hand be under my head
And his right hand embrace me.”

      4“I want you to swear, O daughters of Jerusalem,
Do not arouse or awaken my love
Until she pleases.”

      5“Who is this coming up from the wilderness
Leaning on her beloved?”

“Beneath the apple tree I awakened you;
There your mother was in labor with you,
There she was in labor and gave you birth.

      6“Put me like a seal over your heart,
Like a seal on your arm.
For love is as strong as death,
Jealousy is as severe as Sheol;
Its flashes are flashes of fire,
The very flame of the LORD.

      7“Many waters cannot quench love,
Nor will rivers overflow it;
If a man were to give all the riches of his house for love,
It would be utterly despised.”

      8“We have a little sister,
And she has no breasts;
What shall we do for our sister
On the day when she is spoken for?

      9“If she is a wall,
We will build on her a battlement of silver;
But if she is a door,
We will barricade her with planks of cedar.”

      10“I was a wall, and my breasts were like towers;
Then I became in his eyes as one who finds peace.

      11“Solomon had a vineyard at Baal-hamon;
He entrusted the vineyard to caretakers.
Each one was to bring a thousand shekels of silver for its fruit.

      12“My very own vineyard is at my disposal;
The thousand shekels are for you, Solomon,
And two hundred are for those who take care of its fruit.”

      13“O you who sit in the gardens,
My companions are listening for your voice—
Let me hear it!”

      14“Hurry, my beloved,
And be like a gazelle or a young stag
On the mountains of spices.”

Ask the Lord to help you want more of Him… more worship, more prayer time, more Bible study. Ask Him to make it a desire of your heart and not just another task to be done each day. Let it be exciting to us as if waiting on the one we love to come to see us.

At the same time, for those of us who are married, let us also ask Him to help us continue to long for our spouse in this way that we should cherish our time together and not take it for granted. It is also important that we lead our hearts in how we think about and long for our spouse! Focus on what is good and what is exciting about them.

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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.

Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Joy / Happiness / Rejoicing, Love, Praise / Worship / Glorify God, Psalms

Love And Honor To The King of Kings

Often we may consider our Lord, Jesus Christ, in academic terms. We can acknowledge who He is, what He is like, and what He asks of us… but do we truly look upon Him with love and admiration? Psalm 45 provides a moving view of our Messiah… before He came to walk among us! The Psalmist looks forward to the coming of Messiah with joy and praise, love and admiration.

Psalm 45

For the choir director; according to the Shoshannim. A Maskil of the sons of Korah. A Song of Love.

      1My heart overflows with a good theme;
I address my verses to the King;
My tongue is the pen of a ready writer.

      2You are fairer than the sons of men;
Grace is poured upon Your lips;
Therefore God has blessed You forever.

      3Gird Your sword on Your thigh, O Mighty One,
In Your splendor and Your majesty!

      4And in Your majesty ride on victoriously,
For the cause of truth and meekness and righteousness;
Let Your right hand teach You awesome things.

      5Your arrows are sharp;
The peoples fall under You;
Your arrows are in the heart of the King’s enemies.

      6Your throne, O God, is forever and ever;
A scepter of uprightness is the scepter of Your kingdom.

      7You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness;
Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You
With the oil of joy above Your fellows.

      8All Your garments are fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia;
Out of ivory palaces stringed instruments have made You glad.

      9Kings’ daughters are among Your noble ladies;
At Your right hand stands the queen in gold from Ophir.

      10Listen, O daughter, give attention and incline your ear:
Forget your people and your father’s house;

      11Then the King will desire your beauty.
Because He is your Lord, bow down to Him.

      12The daughter of Tyre will come with a gift;
The rich among the people will seek your favor.

      13The King’s daughter is all glorious within;
Her clothing is interwoven with gold.

      14She will be led to the King in embroidered work;
The virgins, her companions who follow her,
Will be brought to You.

      15They will be led forth with gladness and rejoicing;
They will enter into the King’s palace.

      16In place of your fathers will be your sons;
You shall make them princes in all the earth.

      17I will cause Your name to be remembered in all generations;
Therefore the peoples will give You thanks forever and ever.

It took me awhile to digest this Psalm. It is a different, and beautiful, portrait of our Messiah, Jesus Christ. I do not often reflect on Him in this way. His word is a light unto our feet and this Psalm challenges me to consider Jesus from yet another perspective. He truly is King of Kings. Praise God for His holy word.

Guide, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, His Ways Are Not Our Ways, Seeking God, Study the Word, Teachable, Traditions / Holidays

In Yeshua We Have More Reason to Celebrate God’s Appointed Times

Most Christians today are taught that the appointed times, or Moedim, of Yahweh, are obsolete in Christ… that is if they are taught about them at all. What is interesting is that these same people cling tightly to man-made holidays like Christmas which were never called for biblically and are mixed and mingled with pagan beliefs over a long history in which the holidays evolved. Christ actually lived out the Moedim as an example for us. In Messiah, these are not made irrelevant but actually take on more meaning than before.

The Moedim help us remember what Yahweh 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. They also point us forward to what is to come.

This time of year is an exciting time to learn about and celebrate the fall Moedim, Yom Teruah (Day of Trumpets), Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement), and Sukkot (aka Tabernacles or Festival of Booths).  I will not attempt to discuss all the details in this post, but I will point out at a high level some quick observations how these have more meaning to remind us what is coming.

The day of trumpets reminds us that Christ will return and we should prepare ourselves. Yom Kippur reminds us to make atonement, recognizing that we are sinners and need Christ to be reconciled with the Father. Sukkot celebrates the return of the King, that Yeshua will come back and He will dwell among us.

I will post more about each appointed time as we get closer, but I would encourage each of you to start studying now and commit to learn more and celebrate.

You may find yourself asking, “Why are appointed times so important to God? The church has not taught me to celebrate it.” God tells us why it is important to Him in an example pertaining to Passover.

Exodus 13:1-16

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.”

The appointed times are not just for Jewish people who don’t believe in Christ as Messiah. They take on even more meaning through Messiah and 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 joy in seeking to better understand our relationship with YHWH through studying and celebrating his appointed times.

Do take care that you don’t celebrate the Moedim because it is “required”. As the temple and the priests are not available, we can not celebrate in a fully biblical manner. Rather, let us use this as an opportunity simply to glorify Yahweh, grow our relationship with Him, and delight in Him.

Here are a few resources where you can learn more about the Moedim, the Creator’s calendar (often called the “Jewish” calendar), and given this time of year, Yom Teruah, Yom Kippurim, and Sukkot in particular.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please lead me in understanding and embracing Your ways. open my eyes to the wonderful ways of Your law and to Your appointed times. Let me not rely on the teaching of man or traditions of my family in prior generations, but rather on Your word. Lead others to celebrate Your appointed times across our country and let it draw us closer to You. Amen. 

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.