Category Archives: Righteousness / Serving God

All Powerful / King of All, Praise / Worship / Glorify God, Worthy of Fear / Reverence

The Whole Creation Invoked to Praise the LORD

It is always a good time to praise the LORD! He is awesome and mighty and powerful and yet He loves us. Seek Him. Study His word. Praise Him.

Psalm 148

The Whole Creation Invoked to Praise the LORD.

1Praise the LORD!
Praise the LORD from the heavens;
Praise Him in the heights!

      2Praise Him, all His angels;
Praise Him, all His hosts!

      3Praise Him, sun and moon;
Praise Him, all stars of light!

      4Praise Him, highest heavens,
And the waters that are above the heavens!

      5Let them praise the name of the LORD,
For He commanded and they were created.

      6He has also established them forever and ever;
He has made a decree which will not pass away.

      7Praise the LORD from the earth,
Sea monsters and all deeps;

      8Fire and hail, snow and clouds;
Stormy wind, fulfilling His word;

      9Mountains and all hills;
Fruit trees and all cedars;

      10Beasts and all cattle;
Creeping things and winged fowl;

      11Kings of the earth and all peoples;
Princes and all judges of the earth;

      12Both young men and virgins;
Old men and children.

      13Let them praise the name of the LORD,
For His name alone is exalted;
His glory is above earth and heaven.

      14And He has lifted up a horn for His people,
Praise for all His godly ones;
Even for the sons of Israel, a people near to Him.
Praise the LORD!

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please help me to praise and celebrate You! Let all creation praise You and bring honor to You! Help me to have a right heart, filled with joy in my relationship with You. Help me not to be pulled away by the distractions of the world. 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.

Baptism, Church / Body of Christ, Holy Spirit (hearing from God), Joy / Happiness / Rejoicing, Love, Satan, Share the Good News, Spiritual Warfare

Disciples of Yeshua Are One in the Spirit (Whether Jew or Gentile)

Satan and those who follow him, knowingly or not, love to create division between people. They do not unite but rather divide people and then try to create animosity between groups rather than unity. Of course, there are lots of differences among the people of the earth… we can all see that. Those that seek to create and foster hate try to put rich against poor, divide based on male or female, or divide based on color of skin. These divisions are not of God, and we should not be angry at one another on the basis of these types of differences. The only division that truly matters is between those that are one in submission to Christ and those that have rejected Him.

Galatians 3:28-29 28There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise.

For those of us that are submitted to Christ, we should act in love toward others who reject Him, proclaiming the truth of the gospel, unaltered and uncompromised. We do so because we love them. We do not show love to them by pretending they will not go to hell… by pretending they are on the right path toward closeness with God… by pretending everything is ok because that is what they want to hear. We show love by sharing the true message of the gospel of Christ which requires us to recognize and admit we are sinners, turn away from doing things our way, and submit to Christ and start transforming our lives to live His way. Of course, how we share the gospel matters quite a bit!

The good news of the gospel is focused on Yeshua as God among us, dying for our sins so that we, who believe in Him could be reconciled to God.

John 3:16-21

     16“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. 17“For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. 18“He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19“This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. 20“For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21“But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.”

Peter comes to realize in Acts 10, that the message of Yeshua is not just for Jews but also for Gentiles! What wonderful news that Christ does not divide us but reaches out to all of us and offers all of us acceptance and forgiveness by grace, through faith.

Acts 10:34-48

Gentiles Hear Good News

      34Opening his mouth, Peter said:
“I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality, 35but in every nation the man who fears Him and does what is right is welcome to Him. 36“The word which He sent to the sons of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ (He is Lord of all)— 37you yourselves know the thing which took place throughout all Judea, starting from Galilee, after the baptism which John proclaimed. 38“You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. 39“We are witnesses of all the things He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They also put Him to death by hanging Him on a cross. 40“God raised Him up on the third day and granted that He become visible, 41not to all the people, but to witnesses who were chosen beforehand by God, that is, to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead. 42“And He ordered us to preach to the people, and solemnly to testify that this is the One who has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead. 43“Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins.”

      44While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message. 45All the circumcised believers who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. 46For they were hearing them speaking with tongues and exalting God. Then Peter answered, 47“Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he?” 48And he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay on for a few days.

We must not compromise the message of the gospel of Yeshua. We must proclaim it to all in its entirety as revealed by God.

Are you living your life filled with joy over the knowledge of salvation you have through Christ? Are you continually sharing that with others, even those who may be different than you? If not, why not?

Challenge yourself to change the way you think about people, instead of grouping by physical characteristics, try thinking of them as one race, all made in God’s image… those who have accepted Yeshua as Lord and those who need to hear the gospel and see it lived out without compromise because they are rejecting Yeshua to their own peril. While we can embrace one group as brothers and sisters in Christ, we can also treat the other group with kindness and respect, showing them the joy we find in following our Messiah!

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, praise and honor be unto You! You offer forgiveness through Yeshua to both Jew and Gentile alike. Help all who follow You through Messiah be drawn together and not divided. Help us to see past our differences and focus on our common relationship with You! Let us not despise any who have submitted their lives to You! 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.

Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Obeying God, Share the Good News, Study the Word

What God Has Cleansed, No Longer Consider Unholy

To understand the Bible clearly, we must be careful to study the context of the situation being recorded and not just read it quickly at a surface level or take everything literally. It is important to look for clues such as how those involved understood and interpreted God’s guidance to them as revealed in scripture. One great example of this is documented in Acts 10.

Many read this scripture and quickly conclude that God was making a change to the dietary restrictions He set before His people in the Old Testament under the leadership of Moses. But if we dig deeper, we see this is not correct at all. One of the clues is to study how Peter understands the situation Himself as revealed in this same scripture.

Acts 10:9-33

     9On the next day, as they were on their way and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray. 10But he became hungry and was desiring to eat; but while they were making preparations, he fell into a trance; 11and he saw the sky opened up, and an object like a great sheet coming down, lowered by four corners to the ground, 12and there were in it all kinds of four-footed animals and crawling creatures of the earth and birds of the air. 13A voice came to him, “Get up, Peter, kill and eat!” 14But Peter said, “By no means, Lord, for I have never eaten anything unholy and unclean.” 15Again a voice came to him a second time, “What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy.” 16This happened three times, and immediately the object was taken up into the sky.

      17Now while Peter was greatly perplexed in mind as to what the vision which he had seen might be, behold, the men who had been sent by Cornelius, having asked directions for Simon’s house, appeared at the gate; 18and calling out, they were asking whether Simon, who was also called Peter, was staying there. 19While Peter was reflecting on the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are looking for you. 20“But get up, go downstairs and accompany them without misgivings, for I have sent them Myself.” 21Peter went down to the men and said, “Behold, I am the one you are looking for; what is the reason for which you have come?” 22They said, “Cornelius, a centurion, a righteous and God-fearing man well spoken of by the entire nation of the Jews, was divinely directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and hear a message from you.” 23So he invited them in and gave them lodging.

Peter at Caesarea

       And on the next day he got up and went away with them, and some of the brethren from Joppa accompanied him. 24On the following day he entered Caesarea. Now Cornelius was waiting for them and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25When Peter entered, Cornelius met him, and fell at his feet and worshiped him. 26But Peter raised him up, saying, “Stand up; I too am just a man.” 27As he talked with him, he entered and found many people assembled. 28And he said to them, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a man who is a Jew to associate with a foreigner or to visit him; and yet God has shown me that I should not call any man unholy or unclean. 29“That is why I came without even raising any objection when I was sent for. So I ask for what reason you have sent for me.”

      30Cornelius said, “Four days ago to this hour, I was praying in my house during the ninth hour; and behold, a man stood before me in shining garments, 31and he said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your alms have been remembered before God. 32‘Therefore send to Joppa and invite Simon, who is also called Peter, to come to you; he is staying at the house of Simon the tanner by the sea.’ 33“So I sent for you immediately, and you have been kind enough to come. Now then, we are all here present before God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord.”

Peter was perplexed by the vision God shared with him. He avoided jumping to conclusions about what it meant even through a literal interpretation of the vision. Instead, Peter carefully considered the events occurring around that same time and came to conclude that the vision had nothing to do with what food we should or should not eat, but rather God’s message was that he should share the gospel of Christ with gentiles in addition to sharing it with Jews. If Peter was quick to jump to conclusions and not careful in evaluating the events surrounding the vision, he could have certainly gotten way off track in following God.

We must carefully apply wisdom, discernment, and patience in understanding scripture to apply it to our lives as well as to clearly understand what God is directing us to do. To “shoot from the hip” or jump to conclusions may result in missing God’s instruction.

Prayerfully seek God’s help and study the Bible carefully in order to follow the path that God has directed for us as His followers. Many can quote the Bible and by applying it poorly end up with the wrong conclusions. Imagine if Peter had turned away his visitors, refusing to go to Caesarea and instead charged off to tell everyone that now it was acceptable to eat anything they want. God’s plans would have been incomplete, and Peter would have brought forth a false teaching that confused many.

Careful thought by Peter, and careful study of the Bible by us today confirms a different conclusion. The dietary restrictions are not the real issue being discussed in Acts 10. The message of Acts 10 is that the gospel of Christ should be shared with everyone, whether Jew or gentile! We take the truth of Jesus Christ to all the world, not just a few!

Do you feel you have received instructions from God specific for your life? Are you patiently and prayerfully considering how to properly apply them or are you sprinting to execute based on your first impression?

Are there any parts of scripture that you find confusing? Are you dismissing or ignoring the seeming conflict or confusion or are you taking the time to really study carefully and prayerfully God’s written word and how to apply it in your life?

We invite you to visit our Study the Word section of our website to get a sample of some very good resources available to help you discern God’s word.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please open my eyes to the truth of Your word. Help me to have discernment and wisdom in understanding and applying to my life.  Help me to dig deeper than just my first impression on the surface of what I read in the Bible. Encourage me to dwell on Your word and not skim it or too quickly assume that what I read just confirms what I already thought was right. Help me to read and study with a critical eye that tests everything to draw me nearer to You. Thank You! 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.

Angels, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Holy Spirit (hearing from God), Obeying God, Prayer, Visions

Righteous Prayer Helps Us Hear From God

Do you want to hear from Yahweh for specific guidance in your life? Do you believe that He communicates with His people on a personal basis? The Bible shows us many examples that He absolutely does communicate with those who genuinely and wholeheartedly submit to Him and transform their lives to follow Him.

Proverbs 15:29

      29The LORD is far from the wicked,
But He hears the prayer of the righteous.

Submitting to God to live according to His instructions (righteousness) and seeking Him in prayer are important parts in the life of a follower of Jesus to connect with God and hear His specific guidance for your life. We see both elements present in Cornelius and Peter as we read in Acts 10 as God provides specific direction to both men.

Acts 10:1-23

Cornelius’s Vision

      1Now there was a man at Caesarea named Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian cohort, 2a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, and gave many alms to the Jewish people and prayed to God continually. 3About the ninth hour of the day he clearly saw in a vision an angel of God who had just come in and said to him, “Cornelius!” 4And fixing his gaze on him and being much alarmed, he said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and alms have ascended as a memorial before God. 5“Now dispatch some men to Joppa and send for a man named Simon, who is also called Peter; 6he is staying with a tanner named Simon, whose house is by the sea.” 7When the angel who was speaking to him had left, he summoned two of his servants and a devout soldier of those who were his personal attendants, 8and after he had explained everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.

      9On the next day, as they were on their way and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray. 10But he became hungry and was desiring to eat; but while they were making preparations, he fell into a trance; 11and he saw the sky opened up, and an object like a great sheet coming down, lowered by four corners to the ground, 12and there were in it all kinds of four-footed animals and crawling creatures of the earth and birds of the air. 13A voice came to him, “Get up, Peter, kill and eat!” 14But Peter said, “By no means, Lord, for I have never eaten anything unholy and unclean.” 15Again a voice came to him a second time, “What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy.” 16This happened three times, and immediately the object was taken up into the sky.

      17Now while Peter was greatly perplexed in mind as to what the vision which he had seen might be, behold, the men who had been sent by Cornelius, having asked directions for Simon’s house, appeared at the gate; 18and calling out, they were asking whether Simon, who was also called Peter, was staying there. 19While Peter was reflecting on the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are looking for you. 20“But get up, go downstairs and accompany them without misgivings, for I have sent them Myself.” 21Peter went down to the men and said, “Behold, I am the one you are looking for; what is the reason for which you have come?” 22They said, “Cornelius, a centurion, a righteous and God-fearing man well spoken of by the entire nation of the Jews, was divinely directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and hear a message from you.” 23So he invited them in and gave them lodging.

We see both Cornelius and Peter respond by receiving God’s instruction and trying to understand how to obey it. They expect to hear from God… they want to obey. So it is also with us. We must live according to God’s word, obeying Him in those things in which He has already instructed us, seek Him in prayer and expect to hear from Him. Why would God speak to someone who does not believe God will speak to them and will just dismiss it as imagination or coincidence? Why would God give more instructions to someone who is not obeying the instructions he or she already has received, either in scripture or in prior communications from God?

Challenge yourself… do you expect to hear from God? Are you already applying His word to guide the details of how you live your life… or are you just blending in with the world? “Going to church” and “Doing what others who call themselves Christian do” are not enough. That is the wrong standard. God’s scripture in the Bible is the only true, unchanging standard to measure against. Particularly the example of how Jesus lived and what He taught is a great place to start! (Hint: If you never meet any resistance or friction, you are either not noticeably living for Christ, or you are not bringing the gospel to non-believers… which is to say not following the commands God has already given us.)

Ask yourself what specific, actionable changes you should make to your life starting today. Be honest and open to recognizing that you are not doing everything perfectly right already and there is more you can do for Jesus. We can all make adjustments to live more like Christ. None of us ever achieve that level of perfection that Jesus did during His earthly ministry, so if you can’t think of any changes to make you are likely fooling yourself.

As a side note, consider “Peter was greatly perplexed in mind as to what the vision which he had seen might be”. As we read further in Acts 10 we will confirm that the vision actually had nothing to do with what food God has instructed us to eat or not to eat as His people. The vision was a metaphor to tell Peter that it was good for him to share the gospel of Jesus with the gentiles. God’s instructions regarding what we should eat or should not eat are still relevant. For a deeper study, review Understanding the Law – What Does It Mean For Us Today?

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

Children, Consequences of Sin, Idols / False Gods, Parenting, Repenting from Sin, Traditions / Holidays, Unteachable / Foolish, Wickedness / Evil

Will You Lead Your Children in Righteousness or Be a Stumbling Block?

The actions of parents can have significant impact on the path which their children follow. Parents who live in sin and rebellion, apart from Yahweh, set that example for their children. Even if the parents later repent, and humble themselves before Yahweh, there is still opportunity for their children to stay on the wrong path.  Parents have potential to be a big help or a stumbling block for their children in their walk with the Yahweh.

2 Chronicles 33:21-25

Amon Becomes King in Judah

      21Amon was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned two years in Jerusalem. 22He did evil in the sight of the LORD as Manasseh his father had done, and Amon sacrificed to all the carved images which his father Manasseh had made, and he served them. 23Moreover, he did not humble himself before the LORD as his father Manasseh had done, but Amon multiplied guilt. 24Finally his servants conspired against him and put him to death in his own house. 25But the people of the land killed all the conspirators against King Amon, and the people of the land made Josiah his son king in his place.

I am sure Manasseh would not have wanted this path for Amon. Manasseh humbled himself and repented before the LORD. However, Manasseh had previously created idols and led the people to wrongful worship of false gods and even after he repented, the people still worshipped at the high places, against Yah’s instruction. Manasseh’s actions, even though he later repented, established potential to impact not only his people, but his own children.

Let us humbly remember the same for our own lives. We have impact on those around us. In particular, we have impact on those who are closest to us. Keep this in mind when considering your relationship with Yahweh. If there are things that you should repent of, do so early and take on the hard work of change and repentance so your children may not have to or so they have a better chance of success doing so! Do not be a stumbling block for your own children in their pursuit of Yahweh.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please help me see and repent from anything in my life which calls for repentance. Help parents of Your people have wisdom, discernment and courage in leading their children. Help us to worship You in the way You ask and to turn from the ways of men. Amen. 

 

Discipline / Guidance From God, Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Grace / Forgiveness, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Humility, Idols / False Gods, Justice / Judgment, Merciful, Repenting from Sin, Seeking God, Teachable, Wickedness / Evil

Sometimes We Find Grace, Mercy, and Forgiveness Through Discipline

We previously read in 2 Chronicles 33:1-9 about the wickedness of King Manasseh of Judah, who came after Hezekiah. As we continue to read in verses 10-20, we see his idolatry is rebuked and quite severely. We should pay close attention to the relationship and interaction between Manasseh and Yahweh. This is a story of grace, mercy, and forgiveness; but it is experienced through humility and repentance, and it all begins with discipline.

These principles apply to our lives today!

2 Chronicles 33:10-20

Manasseh’s Idolatry Rebuked

      10The LORD spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they paid no attention. 11Therefore the LORD brought the commanders of the army of the king of Assyria against them, and they captured Manasseh with hooks, bound him with bronze chains and took him to Babylon. 12When he was in distress, he entreated the LORD his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers. 13When he prayed to Him, He was moved by his entreaty and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD was God.

      14Now after this he built the outer wall of the city of David on the west side of Gihon, in the valley, even to the entrance of the Fish Gate; and he encircled the Ophel with it and made it very high. Then he put army commanders in all the fortified cities of Judah. 15He also removed the foreign gods and the idol from the house of the LORD, as well as all the altars which he had built on the mountain of the house of the LORD and in Jerusalem, and he threw them outside the city. 16He set up the altar of the LORD and sacrificed peace offerings and thank offerings on it; and he ordered Judah to serve the LORD God of Israel. 17Nevertheless the people still sacrificed in the high places, although only to the LORD their God.

      18Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh even his prayer to his God, and the words of the seers who spoke to him in the name of the LORD God of Israel, behold, they are among the records of the kings of Israel. 19His prayer also and how God was entreated by him, and all his sin, his unfaithfulness, and the sites on which he built high places and erected the Asherim and the carved images, before he humbled himself, behold, they are written in the records of the Hozai. 20So Manasseh slept with his fathers, and they buried him in his own house. And Amon his son became king in his place.

The LORD rebuked Manasseh and the people of Judah. He spoke to them first, but they ignored Him. These are Yah’s people, His children. He brought about a harsher punishment and rebuke to get their attention. This is out of love and not hate. He loves His children enough to try to correct them and bring them back to Him. I do the same with my children. I rebuke and bring consequences on my own, whom I love. I do not go punish and rebuke the children who are not my own.

Another mistake often made by Yah’s people is to assume that difficulty comes from Satan and may indicate they are really on the right track for Yah and Satan is trying to discourage them. This can be true, but so too is it true that Yah will discipline us for going in the wrong direction. Our perspective on this affects how we react. We must be keenly aware of both perspectives.

Hebrews 12:4-13

A Father’s Discipline

4You have not yet resisted [c]to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin; 5and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons,

“MY SON, DO NOT REGARD LIGHTLY THE DISCIPLINE OF THE LORD,

NOR FAINT WHEN YOU ARE PUNISHED BY HIM;

6FOR WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES,

AND HE PUNISHES EVERY SON WHOM HE ACCEPTS.” 7It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9Furthermore, we had [d]earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much more be subject to the Father of [e]spirits, and live? 10For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. 11For the moment, all discipline seems not to be pleasant, but painful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterward it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.

12Therefore, [f]strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble, 13and make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is impaired may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.

Manasseh hit rock bottom, because of the discipline of the LORD. That is when he turned genuinely back to Yah and sought forgiveness and repentance. Manasseh’s relationship with Yah was developed to a new level and Yah restored Manasseh as king of Judah. Manasseh was a changed man. He was focused on Yah and His ways. What a beautiful example of Yah’s grace, forgiveness, and mercy, but all brought about through repentance by discipline.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, thank You for Your holy word that leads and guides us! Thank You for the historical examples You have provided us like Hezekiah and Manasseh that can help us gain perspective on our own lives. Thank You for grace, mercy, and forgiveness. Thank You even for discipline that You bring on us to correct and rebuke us and restore our relationship with You! Amen. 

There is one other gem hidden in this passage we should not overlook.

Nevertheless the people still sacrificed in the high places, although only to the LORD their God. (2 Chronicles 33:17)

Despite Manasseh’s reforms and efforts, the people still sacrificed in a way that was originated from pagan worship practices rather than Yah’s ways. Though they no longer worshipped false gods in these practices, it is still listed as a disappointment that is not pleasing to Yah. They worshipped Yah according to the ways the pagans worship their gods and Yah does not like this. Yah wants us to worship Him the way He tells us. This is a common trap Christians fall in today with Christmas and Easter and other common cultural holidays. Most of these have pagan origins and may have had Christian stories or principles layered on top of the pagan origins. Celebrating Christ in Christmas is quite similar to the people of Judah worshipping Yah on the high places. He does not like it. This is mixing and blending truth with error in our worship, even if we worship Yahweh or honor Yeshua in this manner. To learn more, you can search Christmas on our home page or review our category of articles on holidays / traditions by scrolling down through the articles.

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.

Arrogance, Faith / Trusting God, Healer, Humility, Miracles, Money / Finances / Wealth, Prayer, Pride, Protector / Deliverer, Provider, Purposeful / Intentional, Strong in Our Weakness, Worthy of Fear / Reverence

What Can We Learn from Assyria’s Invasion of Judah?

As I read 2 Chronicles 32, I tend to focus on at least three perspectives: Hezekiah, Yahweh, and Sennacherib. Of course, you can explore more as well, such as the perspective of the people of Israel or the soldiers of Sennacherib. Each perspective helps us understand key elements of God’s interaction with man that still apply today.

I find it interesting to read through this passage several times, each time focused on one of the different perspectives identified above. For example, I read first focused on the events from Hezekiah’s perspective, then a second time from the perspective of Sennacherib, and then again from that of Yahweh.

For background context consider reading 2 Chronicles 29 30, and 31. Hezekiah is a righteous king, doing what is good in the sight of the LORD and leading his people out of sin and rebellion to Yahweh and into a right worship and lifestyle according to Yah’s ways.

2 Chronicles 32

Sennacherib Invades Judah

      1After these acts of faithfulness Sennacherib king of Assyria came and invaded Judah and besieged the fortified cities, and thought to break into them for himself. 2Now when Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come and that he intended to make war on Jerusalem, 3he decided with his officers and his warriors to cut off the supply of water from the springs which were outside the city, and they helped him. 4So many people assembled and stopped up all the springs and the stream which flowed through the region, saying, “Why should the kings of Assyria come and find abundant water?” 5And he took courage and rebuilt all the wall that had been broken down and erected towers on it, and built another outside wall and strengthened the Millo in the city of David, and made weapons and shields in great number. 6He appointed military officers over the people and gathered them to him in the square at the city gate, and spoke encouragingly to them, saying, 7“Be strong and courageous, do not fear or be dismayed because of the king of Assyria nor because of all the horde that is with him; for the one with us is greater than the one with him. 8“With him is only an arm of flesh, but with us is the LORD our God to help us and to fight our battles.” And the people relied on the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.

Sennacherib Undermines Hezekiah

      9After this Sennacherib king of Assyria sent his servants to Jerusalem while he was besieging Lachish with all his forces with him, against Hezekiah king of Judah and against all Judah who were at Jerusalem, saying, 10“Thus says Sennacherib king of Assyria, ‘On what are you trusting that you are remaining in Jerusalem under siege? 11‘Is not Hezekiah misleading you to give yourselves over to die by hunger and by thirst, saying, “The LORD our God will deliver us from the hand of the king of Assyria”? 12‘Has not the same Hezekiah taken away His high places and His altars, and said to Judah and Jerusalem, “You shall worship before one altar, and on it you shall burn incense”? 13‘Do you not know what I and my fathers have done to all the peoples of the lands? Were the gods of the nations of the lands able at all to deliver their land from my hand? 14‘Who was there among all the gods of those nations which my fathers utterly destroyed who could deliver his people out of my hand, that your God should be able to deliver you from my hand? 15‘Now therefore, do not let Hezekiah deceive you or mislead you like this, and do not believe him, for no god of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people from my hand or from the hand of my fathers. How much less will your God deliver you from my hand?’”

      16His servants spoke further against the LORD God and against His servant Hezekiah. 17He also wrote letters to insult the LORD God of Israel, and to speak against Him, saying, “As the gods of the nations of the lands have not delivered their people from my hand, so the God of Hezekiah will not deliver His people from my hand.” 18They called this out with a loud voice in the language of Judah to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, to frighten and terrify them, so that they might take the city. 19They spoke of the God of Jerusalem as of the gods of the peoples of the earth, the work of men’s hands.

Hezekiah’s Prayer Is Answered

      20But King Hezekiah and Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, prayed about this and cried out to heaven. 21And the LORD sent an angel who destroyed every mighty warrior, commander and officer in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned in shame to his own land. And when he had entered the temple of his god, some of his own children killed him there with the sword. 22So the LORD saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib the king of Assyria and from the hand of all others, and guided them on every side. 23And many were bringing gifts to the LORD at Jerusalem and choice presents to Hezekiah king of Judah, so that he was exalted in the sight of all nations thereafter.

      24In those days Hezekiah became mortally ill; and he prayed to the LORD, and the LORD spoke to him and gave him a sign. 25But Hezekiah gave no return for the benefit he received, because his heart was proud; therefore wrath came on him and on Judah and Jerusalem. 26However, Hezekiah humbled the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the LORD did not come on them in the days of Hezekiah.

      27Now Hezekiah had immense riches and honor; and he made for himself treasuries for silver, gold, precious stones, spices, shields and all kinds of valuable articles, 28storehouses also for the produce of grain, wine and oil, pens for all kinds of cattle and sheepfolds for the flocks. 29He made cities for himself and acquired flocks and herds in abundance, for God had given him very great wealth. 30It was Hezekiah who stopped the upper outlet of the waters of Gihon and directed them to the west side of the city of David. And Hezekiah prospered in all that he did. 31Even in the matter of the envoys of the rulers of Babylon, who sent to him to inquire of the wonder that had happened in the land, God left him alone only to test him, that He might know all that was in his heart.

      32Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah and his deeds of devotion, behold, they are written in the vision of Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel. 33So Hezekiah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the upper section of the tombs of the sons of David; and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem honored him at his death. And his son Manasseh became king in his place.

I want to summarize some key points from each perspective: Hezekiah, Sennacherib, and Yahweh. As you read and reflect, consider how each may apply in your life today.

Hezekiah:

  • He was in right relationship with Yahweh.
  • He still faced difficulties and trials that were significant. It was not because of any sin of his own.
  • He trusted faithfully in the power of Yahweh over that of men.
  • He did not complain about why Yah would allow this to happen, but instead he turned to Yah for help.
  • He took wise and bold action on his own to prepare for war in regards to what he could do on his own, and then he also sought Yah in prayer to rescue him.
  • After Yah granted miraculous victory, Hezekiah and the LORD were both honored with gifts and respect.
  • Yah healed Hezekiah, but he then acted with a proud heart. The LORD provided correction to Hezekiah. Hezekiah repented and humbled his heart before the LORD, and the LORD relented. This pattern is one similar to that of David and we do well to watch out we do not lose our humility and if we do, that we repent.
  •  Hezekiah was blessed with financial wealth from Yah. This is not necessarily a promise that all who follow Yah will be financially rich. Consider many prophets and disciples who were clearly not wealthy. Trust in Yah either way but praise Him for what He does provide to you.

Sennacherib:

  • He had no respect for or relationship with Yahweh.
  • He was very proud and arrogant.
  • He had full trust in his own ability to control any outcome based on the strength of his resources (e.g. army).
  • He boldly disrespected Yah, comparing Him to the common false gods and idols of other nations.
  • Once Yah decided to defeat Sennacherib as an answer to prayer, all his earthly power was totally meaningless.
  • He faced defeat which he likely never fully understood, but it was based on his standing against the one true God.
  • When he died, he ended up in eternal suffering.

Yahweh:

  • Yah favored Hezekiah, but still allowed him to face significant difficulty and challenges.
  • Yah surely did not favor Sennacherib, but still allowed him to accomplish much and be mighty in the eyes of men. He had much worldly power.
  • When the righteous called out for help, Yah defeated Sennacherib without action needed from Hezekiah or his army.
  • When the righteous, Hezekiah, was ill and asked for help, Yah healed him. This does not mean Yah will heal everyone who is righteous.
  • When Hezekiah became proud in his heart, Yah rebuked him and humbled him. When Hezekiah repented, Yah forgave him and showed mercy.
  • Yah blessed Hezekiah with riches and honor.

I hope you have found this as interesting a study as I have. I encourage you to think through from more perspectives as well and write it out. Then reflect how it applies. Considering the perspective of the people of Judah or Sennacherib’s army surely brings an angle of those who were not the leaders into play that would be interesting to explore. Remember, this is not just history, but relevant for how we should live still today.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please show me how to apply this history to my personal life. Help me to walk in right relationship with You and trust in You as my provider and defender. Help me also to have wisdom and courage to take the action that I should in order to address the challenges that face me. 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.

Blessed, Guide, Idols / False Gods, Obeying God, Protector / Deliverer, Rebuke Wrong Behavior, Repenting from Sin, Seeking God, Submitted / Servant, Teachable

Hezekiah Did Good Before the LORD, with All His Heart, and Prospered

In 2 Chronicles 29-30, we read about Hezekiah leading the people to turn back to Yahweh and His ways, including reinstating worship and Passover for all Israel. Hezekiah had a heart for Yahweh and did what was good before the LORD.

In 2 Chronicles 31, we read about his continuing actions to lead the people closer to the LORD. We can learn from his example. It is not enough to return to worship the LORD, that is good but also incomplete. We must also turn away from other bad things like idols in our lives.  We may not face physical idols. In some cases, it may be continuing in the way of culture around us, like celebrating cultural holidays that Yah does not endorse. It could be continuing to engage in cultural activity in our daily lives like what movies and shows we watch and what games we play. It could be abusing alcohol or drugs or engaging in inappropriate sexual activity. There are things we need to turn away from in order to follow the LORD more fully!

2 Chronicles 31

Idols Are Destroyed

      1Now when all this was finished, all Israel who were present went out to the cities of Judah, broke the pillars in pieces, cut down the Asherim and pulled down the high places and the altars throughout all Judah and Benjamin, as well as in Ephraim and Manasseh, until they had destroyed them all. Then all the sons of Israel returned to their cities, each to his possession.

      2And Hezekiah appointed the divisions of the priests and the Levites by their divisions, each according to his service, both the priests and the Levites, for burnt offerings and for peace offerings, to minister and to give thanks and to praise in the gates of the camp of the LORD.

Reforms Continued

      3He also appointed the king’s portion of his goods for the burnt offerings, namely, for the morning and evening burnt offerings, and the burnt offerings for the sabbaths and for the new moons and for the fixed festivals, as it is written in the law of the LORD. 4Also he commanded the people who lived in Jerusalem to give the portion due to the priests and the Levites, that they might devote themselves to the law of the LORD. 5As soon as the order spread, the sons of Israel provided in abundance the first fruits of grain, new wine, oil, honey and of all the produce of the field; and they brought in abundantly the tithe of all. 6The sons of Israel and Judah who lived in the cities of Judah also brought in the tithe of oxen and sheep, and the tithe of sacred gifts which were consecrated to the LORD their God, and placed them in heaps. 7In the third month they began to make the heaps, and finished them by the seventh month. 8When Hezekiah and the rulers came and saw the heaps, they blessed the LORD and His people Israel. 9Then Hezekiah questioned the priests and the Levites concerning the heaps. 10Azariah the chief priest of the house of Zadok said to him, “Since the contributions began to be brought into the house of the LORD, we have had enough to eat with plenty left over, for the LORD has blessed His people, and this great quantity is left over.”

      11Then Hezekiah commanded them to prepare rooms in the house of the LORD, and they prepared them. 12They faithfully brought in the contributions and the tithes and the consecrated things; and Conaniah the Levite was the officer in charge of them and his brother Shimei was second. 13Jehiel, Azaziah, Nahath, Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad, Eliel, Ismachiah, Mahath and Benaiah were overseers under the authority of Conaniah and Shimei his brother by the appointment of King Hezekiah, and Azariah was the chief officer of the house of God. 14Kore the son of Imnah the Levite, the keeper of the eastern gate, was over the freewill offerings of God, to apportion the contributions for the LORD and the most holy things. 15Under his authority were Eden, Miniamin, Jeshua, Shemaiah, Amariah and Shecaniah in the cities of the priests, to distribute faithfully their portions to their brothers by divisions, whether great or small, 16without regard to their genealogical enrollment, to the males from thirty years old and upward—everyone who entered the house of the LORD for his daily obligations—for their work in their duties according to their divisions; 17as well as the priests who were enrolled genealogically according to their fathers’ households, and the Levites from twenty years old and upwards, by their duties and their divisions. 18The genealogical enrollment included all their little children, their wives, their sons and their daughters, for the whole assembly, for they consecrated themselves faithfully in holiness. 19Also for the sons of Aaron the priests who were in the pasture lands of their cities, or in each and every city, there were men who were designated by name to distribute portions to every male among the priests and to everyone genealogically enrolled among the Levites.

      20Thus Hezekiah did throughout all Judah; and he did what was good, right and true before the LORD his God. 21Every work which he began in the service of the house of God in law and in commandment, seeking his God, he did with all his heart and prospered.

We see in this example that the people destroy idols, turning away from things that were not of Yah. They embrace Yah’s ways, including giving generously. Yah blesses the people financially as they turn back to Him and His ways. It may not always be that way financially but drawing nearer to Yahweh is truly a reward in itself.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please open my eyes to anything in my life that I need to turn away (e.g. not Your ways) from or need to return to (e.g. Your ways) and give me clarity and courage to make changes like Hezekiah. Please open the eyes of Your people and raise up leaders like Hezekiah to lead us in the restoration of Your ways and out of the common Christianity observed today which is so mixed and blended between Your ways and the ways of man. Help Your people to be set apart and holy for Your purposes. 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.

Faith / Trusting God, Healer, Kindness / Gentleness, Miracles, Suffering / Adversity

Miraculous Healing in the Name of Yeshua

There is no injury, illness, or disability, too great for our Father to heal and no situation too hard for Yahweh to deal with it. Even after Yeshua departed, the apostles continued to heal many in His name. Always the focus was on Him and never on themselves. It was not their power, but Christ moving through them.

There can be much debate about how often and in what manner Yahweh heals people today, but there can be little debate amongst believers that He is able to heal anything… including death itself.

In the examples we read in Acts 9, we can keep in mind that through these examples of healing, the LORD was bringing about glory and honor to His name and leading people to disciple themselves after Yeshua. There was a purpose to His healing beyond simply helping the individuals involved.

Acts 9:32-43

Peter’s Ministry

      32Now as Peter was traveling through all those regions, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda. 33There he found a man named Aeneas, who had been bedridden eight years, for he was paralyzed. 34Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; get up and make your bed.” Immediately he got up. 35And all who lived at Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.

      36Now in Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which translated in Greek is called Dorcas); this woman was abounding with deeds of kindness and charity which she continually did. 37And it happened at that time that she fell sick and died; and when they had washed her body, they laid it in an upper room. 38Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, having heard that Peter was there, sent two men to him, imploring him, “Do not delay in coming to us.” 39So Peter arose and went with them. When he arrived, they brought him into the upper room; and all the widows stood beside him, weeping and showing all the tunics and garments that Dorcas used to make while she was with them. 40But Peter sent them all out and knelt down and prayed, and turning to the body, he said, “Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up. 41And he gave her his hand and raised her up; and calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive. 42It became known all over Joppa, and many believed in the Lord. 43And Peter stayed many days in Joppa with a tanner named Simon.

God does not heal everyone from every serious illness, and we do not always understand why He heals some and not others. We can be assured though, that our loving Creator and Lord hears our prayers and is able to heal anything. He wants us to come before Him with our needs, as the people came to Peter on behalf of Tabitha. He also wants us to trust Him when His answer may be something other than “Yes, I will heal this person as you ask.”

When we do experience a miraculous healing at the hands of God, embrace it! Praise God for it to His glory. Tell others about it. Do not be afraid or intimidated that some or many will not believe. Many did not believe even standing face to face with Yeshua. However, when God provides a miraculous healing, it can not only physically transform lives but spiritually impact many to come to Christ or deepen their trust and relationship with Him.

For those other times, when we do not receive the answer that we ask for, we must encourage one another to trust in God. Let us also draw near to God even in our grief and loss. Let us honor God in all aspects of our lives both on the mountain top and in the valley.  Many can also be led to Yeshua by witnessing how His people experience the type of loss that normally cripples families that do not know Him.  As a related example of believers dealing with suffering (though not illness specifically), consider how Paul and Silas reacted when they were put in prison and how it affected others around them… leading them to follow Yeshua.

Acts 16:22-40

Paul and Silas Imprisoned

      22The crowd rose up together against them, and the chief magistrates tore their robes off them and proceeded to order them to be beaten with rods. 23When they had struck them with many blows, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to guard them securely; 24and he, having received such a command, threw them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.

      25But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them; 26and suddenly there came a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison house were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were unfastened. 27When the jailer awoke and saw the prison doors opened, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. 28But Paul cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here!” 29And he called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas, 30and after he brought them out, he said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

The Jailer Converted

      31They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” 32And they spoke the word of the Lord to him together with all who were in his house. 33And he took them that very hour of the night and washed their wounds, and immediately he was baptized, he and all his household. 34And he brought them into his house and set food before them, and rejoiced greatly, having believed in God with his whole household.

      35Now when day came, the chief magistrates sent their policemen, saying, “Release those men.” 36And the jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, “The chief magistrates have sent to release you. Therefore come out now and go in peace.” 37But Paul said to them, “They have beaten us in public without trial, men who are Romans, and have thrown us into prison; and now are they sending us away secretly? No indeed! But let them come themselves and bring us out.” 38The policemen reported these words to the chief magistrates. They were afraid when they heard that they were Romans, 39and they came and appealed to them, and when they had brought them out, they kept begging them to leave the city. 40They went out of the prison and entered the house of Lydia, and when they saw the brethren, they encouraged them and departed.

Praise and honor God on the mountain tops and in the valleys. Look to Him for support when you are weak and to celebrate with Him when things are going your way! Pray the Holy Spirit would help you to deal with loss in this way so as to further the Kingdom of God. You will also find that focusing on God rather than our circumstances will help you experience joy and contentment through every circumstance you encounter.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, thank You for the blessings You pour out on Your people including examples of miraculous healing. May the glory and honor be Yours and draw many nearer to You. Please help us be faithful even when You do not provide healing, that we would still praise Your name and You would be honored. May You be honored and glorified in all situations, on the mountain top and in the valley. 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.

Discerning / Judging, Encouragement, Forgive Others / Seek Forgiveness, Help / Serve Others, Share the Good News

Surely It Can’t Be True That He Is Preaching Christ

Sometimes it is those who were most convinced to oppose Yeshua HaMashiach (the Messiah) and persecute His followers that have the opportunity to become the greatest disciples. Saul had such enthusiasm to persecute disciples of Yeshua that even the apostles avoided him. They were hesitant to even take a chance to meet him. Give Barnabas his due credit for bringing Saul to the apostles. He saw the change in Saul and was able to bring a new believer with great potential as a disciple to connect with the other leading followers of Yeshua.

Saul, of course, is a wonder to watch in this scripture as well. Once Yeshua opened his eyes to the truth, he realized he already knew all that he needed to in order to prove that Yeshua was the Messiah! Saul had just not allowed himself to honestly consider the evidence of Yeshua as Messiah before his encounter with Yeshua on the road to Damascus. Now, in reflection, Saul clearly sees and can prove to others that Yeshua was Messiah all along!

Acts 9:19b-31

Saul Begins to Preach Christ

       Now for several days he was with the disciples who were at Damascus, 20and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.” 21All those hearing him continued to be amazed, and were saying, “Is this not he who in Jerusalem destroyed those who called on this name, and who had come here for the purpose of bringing them bound before the chief priests?” 22But Saul kept increasing in strength and confounding the Jews who lived at Damascus by proving that this Jesus is the Christ.

      23When many days had elapsed, the Jews plotted together to do away with him, 24but their plot became known to Saul. They were also watching the gates day and night so that they might put him to death; 25but his disciples took him by night and let him down through an opening in the wall, lowering him in a large basket.

      26When he came to Jerusalem, he was trying to associate with the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple. 27But Barnabas took hold of him and brought him to the apostles and described to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had talked to him, and how at Damascus he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus. 28And he was with them, moving about freely in Jerusalem, speaking out boldly in the name of the Lord. 29And he was talking and arguing with the Hellenistic Jews; but they were attempting to put him to death. 30But when the brethren learned of it, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus.

      31So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria enjoyed peace, being built up; and going on in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it continued to increase.

Keep your eyes open for those you least expect to follow Yeshua! You may have a wonderful opportunity to encourage and support them in their new-found faith, as Barnabas was able to help Saul. We must always at least be open to the possibility of even the enemies of Yeshua repenting and turning to become followers themselves.  Take care, though, to use wisdom and discernment. Barnabas did not blindly accept Saul on a word alone, but based on the fruit of Saul’s life demonstrated by his risking his own life to preach the truth.

What an opportunity! Pray God would prepare you for such a time when the world and even many disciples of Yeshua would tell you to keep your distance… and God wants you to draw near to that person.

Perhaps, instead, as you read this you identify more with Saul… persecuting disciples of Yeshua and rebelling against and rejecting Yeshua? Be encouraged… if Yeshua can forgive Saul and make him a chosen instrument for Yahweh to use in spreading the gospel, He can do so for you as well! Turn from your wrong behaviors and thoughts. Ask forgiveness of Yeshua. Submit to and follow Him in your life, even when it is tough… like Saul, when he started preaching the gospel even to the point of receiving persecution himself. Also, seek out mature followers of Yeshua and celebrate for they are your new brothers and sisters!

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please help me to have discernment towards those who claim to follow Yeshua. Help me to encourage and support those who have genuinely turned away from opposing You and are now supporting You. Help all Your people to pull together as a body and support one another in faith and in action. Help us have clarity for who is genuine and who is fraud. 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.