Category Archives: Righteousness / Serving God

Miracles, Miracles, Purposeful / Intentional, Repenting from Sin, Seeking God, Share the Good News

What Can We Learn From How Jesus Sent Forth The Twelve?

Whether we seek to learn about Yeshua or to take His message to others, we should pay attention to the early ministry of Yeshua and His disciples and apply what we learn to our lives today.

Yeshua sent out His disciples to preach that men should repent from their wrong ways and turn toward God’s ways and toward God, Himself. They cast out demons and anointed the sick with oil, healing them. It sounds very much like a reflection of Jesus’ ministry as He began. (Matthew 4:17; Matthew 4:23)

Mark 6:7-13

The Twelve Sent Out

7And He summoned the twelve and began to send them out in pairs, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits; 8and He instructed them that they should take nothing for their journey, except a mere staff—no bread, no bag, no money in their belt— 9but to wear sandals; and He added, “Do not put on two tunics.” 10And He said to them, “Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave town. 11“Any place that does not receive you or listen to you, as you go out from there, shake the dust off the soles of your feet for a testimony against them.” 12They went out and preached that men should repent. 13And they were casting out many demons and were anointing with oil many sick people and healing them.

It is a good thing when your ministry reflects that of the Master. We should pay close attention to His key message, which was repentance. This is a very important message. It is easy for each of us to conclude we are doing things “well enough” or “better than others”. However, that is not the standard to measure against. We are to measure against Yahweh’s holy standard. There is always more we can do, with His help, to identify and repent from sin in our life. It is not a one time decision. It is a decision and action we repeat every day of our lives. Sometimes we mess up and then we ask forgiveness and try again. For those who preach, the lesson is also that one should perhaps begin with the need for repentance as we preach or teach. People must understand their need for Yeshua… to be forgiven through His sacrifice to pay for our sins and mistakes.

I find it also very powerful that the disciples are sent with very little. They are to bring nothing extra. What a powerful statement! When we hear from Yahweh, we are to put our trust completely in Him to provide for our needs. He can and will do it. This does not necessarily mean to discard what He has already provided us, so seek His guidance prayerfully.  Jesus did not command the disciples to get rid of all their belongings or even to give them to the poor. He simply instructed them in regards to their missionary journeys not to take anything extra with them.

When they do enter a house, the intent is to stay there, perhaps to build relationships or perhaps to avoid the distraction of constantly having to worry about where they would stay the next night or week. They were not to move every night to another place.

If a place did not receive them, they are not to stay and force it, but rather shake the dust from their sandals and move on. We must take heed to this important lesson. Too often we may wish to force someone in particular to hear the message of Christ and repent. We can not force them to accept the message. Furthermore, if we continue to put our focus, time, and energy toward only those who reject Yahweh, then we will be delayed in bringing the gospel to others who are open to hearing and receiving the truth of Yeshua. Time is a limited asset and it is constantly passing. We must use it wisely.

The preaching of repentance was accompanied by casting out demons and healing. There are many examples where Yahweh allowed His followers to perform miracles in His name, in particular as they were spreading revelation from Him such as the good news about Yeshua as Messiah. When we go out to bring the good news of Yeshua, we are to accompany that with showing love and compassion to the people we meet. We are to try to help them and meet their needs, to alleviate their suffering. To those whom He calls, they can even do miracles in His name. Whether or not we can do miracles will be up to the LORD and, in part, our faith. With or without miracles, we can certainly have an impact in showing our love for people.

Both as disciples seeking to learn and follow after Christ, and as those seeking to bring the truth of Christ to others, we can learn a lot by prayerfully reflecting on scripture and the truth God reveals to us through it.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please show me clearly where You would like me to share the gospel and how I should approach any mission for which You send me. Let me not proceed on my own understanding but with strong faith and in obedience to Your direction. 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, Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Repenting from Sin, Seeking God, Traditions / Holidays

Scripture Readings to Enrich Yom Kippur

Yom Teruah signals us with the trumpet blast to remind us that the return of the King is nearing. Yom Kippur is a day to come humbly before God and acknowledge our sins, turning from them. The days between Yom Teruah and Yom Kippur are often called the Days of Awe. This is a good time to reflect on the goodness of God in His forgiveness of our sins through Yeshua. It is also a good time to prepare ourselves to come humbly before God to reflect on any sins in our lives and repent from them. We can gratefully reflect on the sacrifice of Yeshua who has paid our debt for sin. He died so we have forgiveness of sin. We should take care not to be arrogant in regards to receiving forgiveness as if we earned it or deserved it. We don’t. It is a gift. Be humble and thankful.

First and foremost, remember that if we are in Christ, we have already been forgiven.

1 Pet 2:24  and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.

I found some additional scripture reading suggestions referenced by Hebrew4Christians. We do not read them all on the day of Yom Kippur, but rather read them in preparation over several days. I find this helps, especially for young children, to be able to digest more of the importance of this Moed, or appointed time.

The scriptures are as follows:

I also encourage you to visit the sites linked below and pull in the videos, scripture, or teaching that helps your family better understand Yom Kippur in full context.  It is very helpful to study more about our Creator’s appointed times as we learn to observe them. Remember, however, we are not begging God for forgiveness, but rather humbling ourselves and thanking Him for already forgiving us through Yeshua.

As you study, remember to separate what is Jewish tradition from what is written in the Bible. The study of tradition can be helpful and enriching, but I find it good to know for myself what is scriptural and what is traditional. When getting started, I focus on the scriptural aspects 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.

 

  • JacobsTent.org is a fellowship that meets in Tennessee and live streams events for Moedim and regular Sabbath services weekly. It is more than just a study, but brings you in to be part of a fellowship worshipping and learning together.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Blessed, Curse, Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Obeying God

Obedience or Disobedience (to God), Which Will You Choose?

God is pleased when we obey Him. He is not pleased when He repeatedly sends messengers that are ignored or rejected. He wants us as His people to obey His instructions and draw near to Him.

There are consequences both for obedience and for disobedience. Which will you choose?

Jeremiah 35

The Rechabites’ Obedience

      1The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, saying, 2“Go to the house of the Rechabites and speak to them, and bring them into the house of the LORD, into one of the chambers, and give them wine to drink.” 3Then I took Jaazaniah the son of Jeremiah, son of Habazziniah, and his brothers and all his sons and the whole house of the Rechabites, 4and I brought them into the house of the LORD, into the chamber of the sons of Hanan the son of Igdaliah, the man of God, which was near the chamber of the officials, which was above the chamber of Maaseiah the son of Shallum, the doorkeeper. 5Then I set before the men of the house of the Rechabites pitchers full of wine and cups; and I said to them, “Drink wine!” 6But they said, “We will not drink wine, for Jonadab the son of Rechab, our father, commanded us, saying, ‘You shall not drink wine, you or your sons, forever. 7‘You shall not build a house, and you shall not sow seed and you shall not plant a vineyard or own one; but in tents you shall dwell all your days, that you may live many days in the land where you sojourn.’ 8“We have obeyed the voice of Jonadab the son of Rechab, our father, in all that he commanded us, not to drink wine all our days, we, our wives, our sons or our daughters, 9nor to build ourselves houses to dwell in; and we do not have vineyard or field or seed. 10“We have only dwelt in tents, and have obeyed and have done according to all that Jonadab our father commanded us. 11“But when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against the land, we said, ‘Come and let us go to Jerusalem before the army of the Chaldeans and before the army of the Arameans.’ So we have dwelt in Jerusalem.”

Judah Rebuked

      12Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, saying, 13“Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘Go and say to the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, “Will you not receive instruction by listening to My words?” declares the LORD. 14“The words of Jonadab the son of Rechab, which he commanded his sons not to drink wine, are observed. So they do not drink wine to this day, for they have obeyed their father’s command. But I have spoken to you again and again; yet you have not listened to Me. 15“Also I have sent to you all My servants the prophets, sending them again and again, saying: ‘Turn now every man from his evil way and amend your deeds, and do not go after other gods to worship them. Then you will dwell in the land which I have given to you and to your forefathers; but you have not inclined your ear or listened to Me. 16‘Indeed, the sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab have observed the command of their father which he commanded them, but this people has not listened to Me.’”’ 17“Therefore thus says the LORD, the God of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘Behold, I am bringing on Judah and on all the inhabitants of Jerusalem all the disaster that I have pronounced against them; because I spoke to them but they did not listen, and I have called them but they did not answer.’”

      18Then Jeremiah said to the house of the Rechabites, “Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘Because you have obeyed the command of Jonadab your father, kept all his commands and done according to all that he commanded you; 19therefore thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, “Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not lack a man to stand before Me always.”’”

We each have a choice to make about how completely we will submit to and pursue God and live according to His ways. Often we may not realize it, but there is farther He wants us to go in obeying Him. Keep a humble heart and a willing mind and a teachable spirit. Study His word and apply it in your life. Ask God to show you where there is more for you to do in pursuing 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.