We Are to Look Like Israel, Not a Mainstream Jew or Church Go-er

I want to be the Israelite that God intended!
(To those trying to imitate our Master)

Today’s teaching may not be received well by all. Neither was the message that John the Baptist preached, as well as our Master’s message! Who were John the Baptist and our Master preaching “repent” to and why? It was to the leaders of their time. They had become so “religious” that they actually hindered many people who truly loved God. (Matthew 23:13 … “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you Hypocrites!! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to.”) I feel that those walking in obedience as Yeshua (Jesus) did may, at times, be doing the same thing. Because of a zeal to imitate what our Master did, they believe that the closest thing to what He looked like was a Jew, so they grasp on to everything that is Jewish. Our goal is to be an Israelite, not a Jew, so in grasping onto everything that is Jewish, are we still pressing toward that goal? Let me repeat: Are we so zealous for God’s natural branch, the Jew, that we are looking less like an Israelite (made up of ALL nations and nationalities. Speaking and singing in Hebrew, wearing traditional Jewish clothing or accessories, and imitating Jewish culture is all good in and of themselves, do not get me wrong. But that is not my goal. For there are JUST as many good traditions that the Gentiles have, as well, but we seemed to be forced to let go of.

My friends, the religious leaders were clearly rebuked by our Master for their piety. Have, we too, gone so far as to hinder those who are new to the ways of God? Do they feel comfortable, welcomed, or even drawn to us? Many of us have abandoned the “Jesus” that was being taught and all the traditions of the Gentile leaders (claiming that they are not Biblical) … only to grasp a hold of the traditions of the Jews (which many are not Biblical either). Do the newcomers see what we do as validating God’s Word? Or do they see just another set of traditions? Can they see what we do written in God’s Word? Or do we try to tell them about the Oral sayings and that the Jews have it right? I am NOT anti Jewish but accept the teaching that a believing Jew and believing Gentile are equal within Israel (THAT is the Law of the Messiah). There are not two ways to be saved: One by faith and the other by being a Jew.

Many seemed to be hindered because they know that they are to obey, but then see all the added traditions and ways of some of those who are not obeying God out of faith. Let me ask you: Does God only understand Hebrew? Of course not. Why does it seem that one of the mandates of being a believer is that we must know Hebrew?

John the Baptist and our Messiah were not there to pamper anyone. I, too, am not here to pamper anyone, either. Preaching repentance is not a sermon about making someone feel better about themselves. Let the church do that. True believers do NOT get offended by this type of article. Our hearts are always repenting … always changing and adjusting. These preachers of repentance, with our Savior at the lead, sought to bring about repentance and expose the religious hypocrisy and refocus them on being a true Israelite again … the Israel that God intended … the name given to our forefather, Jacob (who was not a Jew). P.S. … Joseph’s marriage to a non-Hebrew is a beautiful picture of such an idea. No doubt their message cut to the core of the leaders of Israel. It cut so much that they killed many of those who preached it.

The point is simply, we have to be careful when speaking Hebrew and imitating Jewish customs and their traditions. There is NOTHING wrong with them, do not misunderstand this message. But, are we no better than the ‘Mexicans on the bus’ syndrome? Those speaking Spanish when no one else knows what they are saying. It is but gibberish to those listening. Are we here to show that we have a knowledge and wisdom by doing all the extra items? Are we making others uncomfortable because they don’t understand? (Like me – smile) Is this what we should be focused on? Rather, shouldn’t we be concerned for the Jew who is still stuck in the traditions (who think that we must wear a cap when wearing tassels). Or how can we touch the lives of true believers who are already bogged down in the church, by presenting another set of bogged down rules?
This message is NOT going to be a study on the word “repent” (we have enough of those kind of teachings, already.). This message is NOT going to be a study on “seeing our Messiah” in the topic of the word “repentance by looking at the original words. We are not going to find “something new” in hidden passages (this is all good, fun and dandy). Doing these things are good only if used as a source to be another stepping stone of humbling ourselves before our maker and becoming more like Him. Otherwise, those kind of teachings are simply theological exercises and a show of one’s self proclaimed knowledge and wisdom to others.

The message is clear … repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand.

Here is an everyday example. We have all been around people who can list all the players of a professional team. They can explain each play and why it will or will not work against a certain type of defense. They can even give the statistics of each player for the past 20 years … but put on a uniform and gear on them and give them a ball … their theory may be second nature to them but the practical application is poor at best. (Can you tell that I never loved watching games on t.v.? Either I play, or I find something else worthwhile to do!) We, too, must be careful! We (Note that I said “we”) can teach our children how to quote scripture, how to speak Hebrew, how to study and think logically, but do they not know how to live it out in real life? Are we simply raising up Rabbis who, again, will be rebuke for their piety? When real-life situations arise, do they live out Torah and the words of our Master? How do they treat their siblings and those they play with (equal to themselves or do they put others below themselves by their speech and action?) Can you tell that I am against “organized sports” who teach to win and beat others? Do our children look out for those who are not as talented (Not only in sports, but anything) and raise them up? Do they humble themselves or do they look like the typical kid down the street when with their friends?

REPENT!! FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS NEAR!

So, as we examine Jewish traditions and whether or not to embrace them as our own family traditions (My family has done so, but with much caution and are quick to say, “This is not Biblical, but…”), we must be careful that we don’t become like the Jews that our Savior rebuked. Let me say something that is going to cut some flesh: There were two types of people going out to be baptized by John, the “general, common” people and the “Leaders” of those people. We, who have embraced Torah as our standard to live, are the forerunners of the future generations. We have been given the truth and we are the leaders. WE are the ones who will be held accountable for the message we are giving to those now coming in. What is the message we are showing? To obey God’s Word in its purist form? Or is the message to embrace the Hebrew language and Jewish culture along with God’s word? We are to be Israelites! We are supposed to be showing what Israel (God’s children) are to look like. Just take a moment and look at how Yeshua rebuked the leaders for their religious piety and we will see this truth.

REPENT … for the Kingdom of God is near!

So who were they preaching “repent” to? Let us not forget that the message was to those many are trying to imitate!! Therefore, we must be careful as to WHY and WHAT we are imitating and if these things will hinder those trying to come in!

REPENT … go back to your first love! (Revelation 2:4-5)

Have we forgotten our first love?
Have we stopped becoming like little children? Or are we too old for such wisdom as they? (Matthew 18:3 … “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” We must remind ourselves that He did say “NEVER”)

Have we become so concentrated on our studies and the rituals and traditions of our forefathers, that we don’t smell the burning flesh of those around us? Maybe our children, our friends, or even a spouse? Are we becoming so consumed by becoming a Jew that we no longer hear their cries? Okay, so we know the Law of God!! “So you also, when you have done everything you were TOLD TO DO, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’” (Luke 17:10) So we found out that we are to obey the Laws of God! Big deal … if it is not done with a love and concern for those perishing. Hey! We were supposed to be obeying them from the beginning anyway!!! Don’t gloat over this new found truth … we are still unworthy servants now doing what we are supposed to do. The job is NOT done! We now have to live it out! There are so many who yearn as you did, so many who are still in pain and we don’t even care! We may cry, “Show me more truth, Lord. Give me more wisdom. Give me more understanding” For what? It means absolutely nothing if we miss those trying to come in from the heat!! Instead, we seem to feel a need to be more intelligent and knowledgeable. I guess that will show others that we are good leaders or more righteous. What kind of leaders do we want to be anyway? Do we want to model and show others how to bring those perishing up out of the fire? Wake up! Repent! For the kingdom of God is at hand. Obedience is only half the job! There is a greater job to do without neglecting the former! (“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices–mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law–justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.” … Matthew 23:23)

Are we teaching our children, the next generation, how to cry and weep for those who are lost? How to reach out and pull them out of the pit of hell they are in? Or are we teaching them how to speak a good talk and show them how those outside are lacking?

Are we teaching our children how to be humble? For those will inherit the kingdom of God!

Are we teaching our children how to be merciful? For they will be shown mercy!!

Are we teaching our children how to STAY pure in heart? How to increase in knowledge and yet, remain pure? For they will see God!

Are we teaching our children how to be peacemakers, or are we teaching them how to hold grudges? For the peacemakers will be called sons of God.

Again … the prophets were persecuted from WITHIN the family … their own blood and kind! The leaders simply did not like the message! Prophets were NOT preaching to the outsiders, but to the family. So, when we read Matthew 5:10-12 who is doing the persecuting? Who is speaking evil of the prophets? Who is insulting the prophets? It is their own kind and family. We have been taught that the world is the one persecuting us … the message was to the family! Let us not forget that. We can’t become so studied and well-versed that we fail to heed the call when God sends it to us.

There is nothing wrong with Jewish traditions or the Hebrew language. There is also nothing wrong with Greek traditions or language (There are quite a few good songs on that side, as well). But who are you trying to impress or witness to? The Gentiles in Acts who were coming to the Lord and proving that the Spirit was within them too, were simply obeying God’s Word. That was the proof that they were children of God. They had no traditions or big fancy explanations of verses. They came and were accepted simply with their child-like love for God. Who are we trying to impress or witness to? I pray that such acceptance of tradition and teachings are simply to bring yourself closer to God (Not to show that you are a “want-a-be Jew”)!

I needed to unload what God had put on my heart. I hope no one has been offended by these words (too much). I have a passion for the lost, as I know all of you do, as well. We must keep each other in check, though. I have seen firsthand good people from the church searching for the truth we have found, only to go BACK to the church because they feel: “What is the difference between the two. There are just as many unbiblical traditions.” I just feel the need for us all to refocus on what is truly important. The time is short and those who are perishing have very little time. We must sound the shofar and call them to repent. But first, we must repent and reconsider what our Goals truly should be – verses – what they seem to be. We should want to be the Israel that God intended, and pray for our Jewish brothers to see the Messiah (I can never be a Jew, but I can look up to them as a natural branch next to me and equal with me, if they believe.).

The Gentiles’ Walk is to Make the Jews Jealous

If a Jewish person saw the way you live your Christian beliefs would he or she be envious?

“Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles
to make Israel envious.”

(Romans 11:11b)

02 / 24 / 07
(NIV used)

NOTE:

This devotion is NOT for everyone. If you are feeling that there is more to God and the Christian life than what you are being taught; If you feel that you want to give God ALL of yourself (no matter what); If you want to get into the meat and potatoes of God’s will … well, then this is for you. There IS more to life, there IS more to the story than most are teaching, and there IS a piece of the puzzle that has been missing.

FIRST THOUGHT

What makes us envious or jealous? It is usually caused when someone else has something that we want. It might be a barren woman being jealous of a mother of three. It might be one employee being jealous of a fellow employee who just received a substantial raise or even a promotion. The fact is, jealousy is wanting something that someone else has (attention, a material object … you name it).

On the other hand, if someone receives (or even believes) something that we do NOT desire, it would not even phase us. We would not be jealous of something that we do NOT want or desire. In fact, we may even be sad for them. One such example for a Christian is that of someone being a Buddhist. We are not envious of his or her god, for we do not desire his or her god. Understand? And this is vice-versa … they do not desire our God.

Are you following? Remember, salvation has come to the Gentiles; NOT because we deserve it, but to make Israel envious. So, do they desire the Savior that you are worshipping? Or is your Savior just another god to them?

Let me ask you, have you ever been used or taken advantage of? Let’s say that someone became your friend, but all the while, they were using you to get next to someone else. How about this … as a rebellious and stingy child, you are playing with your favorite toy that you will not share with your siblings. Your Mom or Dad come and take your toy, only to give it to your brother or sister. This does not make you happy, but jealous and even mad. Can you see, based upon the passage and others that I will present, God is using us Gentiles. Hey … God is God … and He can do what He wants (but that should humble us). Just like the Jews were nothing when God chose them, even so with us Gentiles! We, the Gentiles, are the siblings that God told Israel He was going to go to if they continued to rebel against Him (Hey, I don’t know about you, but I am okay with it! He can use this piece of pottery (my life) as He pleases!) I am going to give you a quick history lesson before trying to show you how we, the Gentiles, are in great error.

What we will learn: The Jews are NOT envious of the life of faith that most Christians are living – so was God wrong in prophesying that we would provoke them to jealousy, or are we wrong in how we live out our faith?

THEIR FIRST HINT / WARNING: Was waaaaaaaay back in time … After God gave Israel, through Moses, His Laws which He desires His children to live by … warned them that IF they did NOT put these laws in their hearts (obey them out of love for God), He would scatter them among the Gentiles (Leviticus 26:33 … “I will scatter you among the nations and will draw out my sword and pursue you. Your land will be laid waste, and your cities will lie in ruins.”) (NOTE: This is still seen today … the Jews are throughout the world … and the land had been laid waste (Until 1948 … again, this is part of God’s plan … AND was prophesied!)

THEIR SECOND (of many) WARNINGS: They did not heed the original warning. They did not realize their rebelliousness and that God is compassionate and merciful. God continues to warn them to return to Him. Many think that it was their failure to obey the Law perfectly for which they were punished. IT WAS NOT. They were NEVER told to obey them perfectly, but to protect them and guard them as they practice them (We will find that the same is true today). It was ALWAYS a heart condition that their hearts were far from Him. Here it comes, we must remember that God already warned them to turn back to Him and He would forgive them. If not, then He would scatter them! Remember the example of the rebellious and stingy child? Read God’s next warning, this time in Deuteronomy 32:21b … “I will make them envious by those who are not a people; I will make them angry by a nation that has no understanding.” Ah, excuse me. But if I read this correctly, did God just call us a bunch of nobodies? Did He just call us ignorant? Yes, I am afraid so people! The time of history we are in has been prophesied about and talked about …. waaaaaaay back then. Those outside the family of Israel are not considered, by God, to be “a people” or even to have understanding. Did you know that part of God’s plan was to make His children forget the Sabbaths and Feasts (and ALL His Laws). Read carefully, for this is the blindness the Jews have … for OUR sake!! “He has laid waste His dwelling like a garden; He has destroyed His place of meeting. YHVH has made Zion FORGET her appointed feasts and her Sabbaths;” (Lamentations 2:6a). Did you catch that? He laid waste the land (check … done), destroyed His place of meeting (check … done) and caused His children (Zion … you and I and the believing Jew) to forget the Laws of God (check … done). It is all true. He caused the very Laws that were intended to giver live, to be forgotten, for HIS sake. (“I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death.” Romans 7:10) He did not want to be associated with rebellious children.

HISTORY CONTINUES TO REPEAT ITSELF (Use this example for what the church is doing today, as well!!):

“But as soon as they were at rest, they again did what was evil in your sight. Then you abandoned them to the hand of their enemies so that they ruled over them. And when they cried out to you again, you heard from heaven, and in your compassion you delivered them time after time. (You can see us doing the same thing today!!) You warned them to return to your Law, but they became arrogant and disobeyed your commands. They sinned against your ordinances, by which a man will live if he obeys them. Stubbornly they turned their backs on you, became stiff-necked and refused to listen.” (Nehemiah 9:28-30) (Wow … I am having a hard time deciding if this is about the Jews or the Gentile teachings today.)

THE TIME WE ARE NOW LEAVING BEHIND:

When is the last time that you read a Buddhist book on spirituality? No? Why is that? It is because we know that they speak of a false god! Take that SAME thought and ask yourself, why would a Jew desire to read the New Testament? We, over the last 2,000 years, have been showing the Jews that the New Testament speaks of a false prophet. They have NO desire to read it … because of us! Romans 11:25 is being fulfilled … “I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in.” God “hardened” them for OUR SAKES! That hardening was accomplished by what we displayed as a false messiah. We have been in error! We too have been disobedient to God because we became conceited and refused to realize the truth. Therefore, “As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies on your account; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs, for Gods gifts and His call are irrevocable.” (Romans 11:28-29) God will always love and reach out to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob’s natural children! They may not all be saved, but His call to them is irrevocable.

This time of the Gentiles is coming to an end and God is now opening His children’s eyes to the truth! (Believe me, I am not the only “nut” standing up and obeying God out of faith.) Let me be perfectly clear, the teaching that says that God’s Son did away with the Laws is the reason the Jews believe He is NOT the Messiah. This false teaching that we no longer have to obey the Law (mostly due to misinterpreted passages) have kept the blinders on the natural children – the Jews. Since this is what the Jews have heard all these centuries, they do not desire this “Jesus” we preach. In other words, they are NOT jealous of this savior that is worshipped by the Gentiles (Actually, the “Jesus” that the Gentiles show is a false prophet according to the Law itself). They are not envious of us!! For example:

- We have been showing the Jews that the Messiah they missed has changed the Sabbath Day to another day (This is a false teaching that Yeshua (Jesus) NEVER instituted and would have been a sin if He did. That’s odd, but we are told that the seventh day Sabbath will be celebrated in the end times of which we are in … Isaiah 56:1-2 and others.)

- We have been showing the Jews that the Messiah changed God’s appointed Feasts to Easter and Christmas (This is a false teaching that Yeshua (Jesus) NEVER instituted and would have been a sin if He did. We cannot find these man-made holidays anywhere in Scripture. Matter of fact, God even tells us that we are NOT to take another god’s celebration and make it His (“You must not worship YHVH your God in their way.” … Deuteronomy 12:4). We are even told that the feast of Tabernacles will be celebrated in the end times … Zechariah 14:16 and others.)

- We have been showing the Jews that the Messiah changed God’s diet for His children (If we would only search on our own, we will see God describing what the wicked will be doing in the end times … “who eat the flesh of pigs, and whose pots hold broth of unclean meat;” … Isaiah 65:4b and others)

- In fact, us Gentiles have been showing that this “Jesus” that we worship has done away with ALL the Laws of His Father! This is false and a gross misunderstand of the work of the Messiah. To the Jews, this must NOT be the Messiah (Number one: If “Jesus” said this … He sinned. Number two: If “Jesus” said this, God tells us to kill such a prophet and have nothing to do with him … “That prophet or dreamer must be put to death, because he preached rebellion against YHVH your God, … he has tried to turn you from the way YHVH your God commanded you to follow…” Deuteronomy 13:5. Because of all the added man-made laws … they thought that they were doing so to Yeshua (Jesus). They did not know the Laws of God anymore (sound familiar?).

Can you now see why a Jew, who is still waiting for the Messiah, today, would NOT desire the “Jesus” many preach? Why would they EVER believe that Yeshua (Jesus) is the promised Messiah, if we teach this error? Paul addresses our acceptance of man’s error / teachings over time in 2 Corinthians 11:3 … “But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. For IF someone comes to you and preaches a Yeshua (Jesus) other than the Yeshua (Jesus) we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough.” Of course we see that Paul did NOT preach the “Jesus” that we preach today (So, we must have accepted a different Yeshua (Jesus) easily enough, as he told us not to). Paul even writes what HE believers:

- “… though I am NOT free from God’s Law but am under Christ’s law)” (1 Corinthians 9:21b) (Christ’s Law is that the Jews and Gentiles are brothers in the family of Israel.)

- “Do we, then, nullify the Law by this faith? Not at all!! Rather, (Through this faith) we uphold the Law.” (Romans 3:31)

- Yes, this truth is verified by our Savior in Matthew 5:17-19, as well as John in 1 John 2:6-7!

- (Note: before you throw in verses like the law being nailed to the cross, etc … study the meanings. Why? Because you care if you are sinning against God.)

LET US LOOK AT THE TIME WE ARE NOW ENTERING:

It was prophesied that one day we will accept the name Israel (our inherited name) … “One will say, ‘I belong to YHVH’; another will call himself by the name of Jacob; still another will write on his hand, ‘YHVH’s.’ and will take the name Israel.” (Isaiah 44:5) Read the next prophesy in … Zechariah 8:23 … “This is what YHVH Almighty says: “In those days ten men from all languages and nations will take firm hold of one Jew by the hem (meaning his tassels) of his robe and say, ‘Let us go with you, because we have heard that God is with you.” The time of the Gentile is coming to an end. I cannot convey enough how obeying the Sabbath, the Feasts, the New Moon, praying during the times given and even eating the way God commanded us … by faith in His Salvation (Yeshua) shows the Jews that Yeshua (Jesus) is the Messiah they are waiting for. Many are embracing God’s Laws again (BY FAITH), as if we are taking hold of the Jew and saying, “You had it all … but missed the Messiah!!” Or … “Take us with you, because God is about to reveal the truth to you!” Amen. Oh, here is another one passage that speaks about the same thing: “This is what the Sovereign YHVH says: “See, I will beckon to the Gentiles, I will lift up my banner to the peoples; they will bring your sons in their arms and carry your daughters on their shoulders.” (Isaiah 49:22) Can you picture this? We are realizing that all the Laws that were given to our forefathers … are OURS to protect, as well. By obeying the commands / Laws of God out of faith is showing that we have the Spirit of God in us. This was given to them and they will AND ARE becoming jealous. They, through the recent obedience of the Gentiles, are now seeing that Yeshua (Jesus) WAS the Messiah!

Listen carefully, for I have been asked, “Kyle, why do you celebrate Jesus’ birthday on a different day than the rest of the “Christians”? Why do you care what you eat, since the New Testament says that all food is clean (NOTE: it does not)? Why do you look different from the rest of us?” To them, I respond:

- First, it is not to gain salvation! Salvation alone is Yeshua (Jesus) … YHVH’s Salvation.

- Second, how else can I show God that I love Him?

- “This is love for God: to obey His commands. And His commands are NOT burdensome.” (1 John 5:3)

- “IF you love me, you will obey what I command.” (John 14:15)

- “Yeshua (Jesus) replied, “IF anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching.” (John 14:23)

Third, how else is the Jewish nation going to become envious and jealous? I am not envious of the Buddhists or their god (For they have something I do not want!). Now that I am walking in the light (obedience) like HE is in the light (For He obeyed God first), then the Jews will look and see that Yeshua (Jesus) was (and IS) the Savior they are, and have been, waiting for! A Messiah like Moses!! “YHVH your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own brothers. You must listen to Him.” (Deuteronomy 18:15) Can you see it?! I now have what they want and desire … THE MESSIAH!

What about you? Are you causing the Jews to be jealous? Or is the Savior you are showing them a savior that they do not desire? By faith we are to uphold the Law and by faith we are to do our job: To bring about a jealousy among the Jews just as Paul did: “I make much of my ministry in the hope that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy and save some of them.” (Romans 11:13b-14)

Do not be disheartened, my friends, we simply lost the purpose of our mission. “… salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious.” (Romans 11:11b)

I am here to testify that there is no greater joy than to be questioned by a Hebrew. It goes something like this:

- “Hey, why are you celebrating our Passover? Why are you wearing Tzitzit (tassels)? Why do you celebrate the Sabbath on the seventh day?”

- To their questions, I humbly respond, “Doesn’t the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob us command us to?”

- The Hebrew then says, “Well, Yes He does, but I thought that you were a Christian.”

- I, then, in all humility and respect, respond, “I am, but I am not worshipping the god that is based upon traditions. I worship YHVH and His Salvation.”

- He enviously responds, “I don’t understand. If you are a Christian, then why are you doing the stuff our God gave to us?” .

- “Because Yeshua (I do not say Jesus because that was not His name. They DO know the name of Yeshua.), YHVH’s Salvation that we have been waiting for, commands us to obey His Father.” (To that, there is no response.)

- He ponders … Was He, indeed, the Messiah?

What DID Jesus Do?

WWJD? Then WDJD?

“Whoever claims to live in Him must walk as Yeshua (Jesus) did.”
1 John 2:6

12 / 09 / 06
(NIV used)

FIRST THOUGHTS:

Most people would agree that a true disciple of Yeshua (Jesus) will strive to do whatever He says to do. Many do not realize that throughout history, disciples actually tried to imitate their teacher in everything He said, did, and even thought. They followed their teacher throughout the day and learned his movements and thoughts. Since they learned from their teacher, in the end, you would not be able to tell the difference between the student and the teacher.

WWJD? Everyone knows this cliché … “What would Jesus do?” (HE is the Teacher we are to imitate)

Did you know that Matthew, Peter, John, and the others, being disciples, lived by this very same question? In order to find out WWJD, then we must search … WDJD?!! (What DID Jesus do?). Since all those who “claim to live in Him must walk as Yeshua (Jesus) did.” (1 John 2:6). We, as His disciples, ought to find out what He did so that we can imitate and follow the words and actions of our Master?

Below are just a few examples of WDJD … “What did Jesus do” … so that we can do the same.

WDJD?

In John 2:23a we find our Savior in Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover feast. “Now while He was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast …”

“Then came the Feast of Dedication at Jerusalem. (Hanukkah or Feast of lights) It was winter, Yeshua (Jesus) was in the temple area walking in Solomon’s Colonnade.” (John 10:22). Of course, this is why, even though this is NOT a command, my family celebrates this holiday … because HE did. Since WDJD, so do we, for we are His disciples. And it is a most beautiful celebration! We are simply practicing to be like our Teacher.

I see so many churches today using “God’s house” to promote their own agenda (such as selling CD’s, books or even to promote car washes for the Youth programs) … WDJD … “So He made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple area, both sheep and cattle; He scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. To those who sold doves He said, “Get these out of here! How dare you turn my Father’s house into a market!” (John 2:15-16) Many today will say that they are doing it for God … let us not forget … they were selling doves to be sacrificed for worship, FOR GOD, as well. Selling doves was not what upset our Master … it was where they were doing it.

John 6:12 … “When they had all had enough to eat, He said to His disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” I just think about all the food that we allow our children to put on their plates … only to be left over and thrown away. I think of the rich and their self-indulgence and how many eat as if they were a king … “You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter.” (James 5:5). I know a lot of poor godly people … I have seen their dinner tables … “Let nothing be wasted”. (last part of John 6:12 above) Disciples of the Master are to imitate Him and follow His Words!

There are so many verses, today, that are misunderstand about the Sabbath (As well as God’s Law). WDJD? When we find our Teacher obeying His Father’s Law by teaching on and keeping the Sabbath. If we only take the time and effort , we would realize that it was the leaders and their teachings that were wrong … He rebuked their teachings that over time, had become laws in themselves. Many think that He was rebuking the Law (His Father forbids this), He was rebuking their understanding or teaching of the Laws of His Father. Read the following carefully:

- “On another Sabbath He went into the synagogue and was teaching.” (Luke 6:6a) Yeshua (Jesus) was obeying the Sabbath. He was then challenged by a leader. The story then reveals Him healing a man on the Sabbath. NOwhere does it say the Sabbath is done away with … just reference to WHAT can be done on it. The question is: can a life be saved on the Sabbath? YES! Life has always been of greater value … that, too, is a command of God.

- Luke 13:10 … “On a Sabbath Yeshua (Jesus) was teaching in one of the synagogues …” …. Then we find their accusation in verses 14-17)

- Yeshua (Jesus) honored the Sabbath, therefore, so did His disciples. That is why we find Paul imitating His walk … “On the Sabbath they entered the synagogue and sat down. After the reading from the Law and the Prophets …” (Acts 13:14b-15a) Why would Paul listen to the Law and the Prophets if it was taught that they were done away with? Because his Teacher taught that they were not done away with and preached and lived in obedience to them.

- We can also find out what Yeshua (Jesus) taught by observing those who were with Him … “Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment.” (Luke 23:56) Can you imagine … they were preparing to anoint the body of the Son of God! But even this does not supersede the command of the Sabbath. Isn’t that interesting? And many today simply do as they please on this appointment of God. Many even ignore the day God originally blessed … (Genesis 2:3))

WDJT (What did Jesus TEACH?) … He taught us to obey His Father’s Laws … He also obeyed them … Therefore, we should strive to do the same and teach others likewise (Remember … HE is our Teacher we are to imitate). “I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Anyone who breaks ne of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices (continually strives) and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:18-19) By doing so, you will find the excitement and joy of living in the footsteps of the Master. When one walks the way He did, there is a joy and complete feeling as one celebrates, ministers, and acts like the Son of God (Our Teacher). Who obeyed His Father out of Love … not a chore.

LAST THOUGHTS:

Search after search … the conclusion will be the same … There is NOT a single verse that states, “He obeyed perfectly so that we don’t have to” (Absolutely nowhere.) The opposite can be found, though. Numerous times we are told to imitate Him, to be in HIS likeness and image! (Like a true disciple should … who seeks to imitate his Teacher)

- “For those God foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of His Son,” (Romans 8:29a)

- “Whoever claims to live in Him must walk as Yeshua (Jesus) did.” (1 John 2:6)

- “Do not lie to each other since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.” (Colossians 3:9-10)

Just something to think about.

God is Not an Open-Door Policy

Here is God’s “open door policy”

“… they will break through the gate (door) and go out…”
Micah 2:13b

08 / 04 / 06

(NIV version)

HERE’S A THOUGHT:

We have all heard the phrase ”Life is a rat race.”

Now picture a mouse running through a maze. As long as there is not a wall, the mouse will continue to run through the maze of open doors (If he hits a wall he follows the wall until there is another opening). He smells the prize at the end (a big chunk of cheese). The point? The only way to get to the prize is through the “Open doors” of the maze. Isn’t it odd that many people live their lives in this same manner regarding God’s will in their lives … they run as a mouse in a maze.

Okay, okay, many don’t call it a “rat race,” but consider it more of an “open door policy”. If God wants it, He will allow it. If God wants that (put your desire here) for my life, He will “open that door. If not, He will close it.” There are so many who are so deep into the maze, though, that they do not know the way BACK to start over … so they continue to race without questioning if their walking through the “open door” or stopped at the “closed door” was actually God’s will in their lives.

Disclaimer: This devotion is not saying that God does not create the path that we are to go through. This devotion is not saying that we are not to pray about a situation and ask Him to prepare the way. This devotion is to show that a life of “open doors” is not the litmus test for how we are to live … simply going through the easy, open doors of life. This way of life is actually not Biblical. We must ask, “Is this of God, or will this hinder my walk with Him and hitting the mark.” We may also ask, “Do I simply want this to satisfy my flesh, or is it what God would have me do.” Do NOT live your life feeling as if “Life is good, therefore, God is pleased with me.” Sadly, this is the way many people view their relationship with God.

Okay, now that I have said that … what is your “cheese” on the other side? What is the prize for which you are running? How do you know that God is pleased with your decisions in life? MANY assume that having a life of pleasures is the proof that God even okay with them. (If that was the case, Yeshua (Jesus), his disciples and even Paul must have thought that God was quite disappointed with them … simply look at their lives!) Many people live today as if wealth, honor, and pleasures are at the other end of the maze, (their “cheese” being sought after). So they continue to go through the “open doors” of life; never looking for or creating another door OR never refusing to walk through an open door. (As long as the door pleases their desire). As children of God, we must know God’s will and laws for us here on earth and put a “heat sensing lazer” on the target and pursue it with all that we are.

VERSES REGARDING THE THOUGHT:

Imagine someone coming up to you and offering you all the money in the world. Although YOU knew that accepting such a thing would hinder your walk with God … would you consider that an open door? (Of course many would rationalize that they would use “a good portion” of it to help God and His cause!) Would you accept it knowing that it will hinder you and your Creator?

“He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.” (Hebrews 11:25-26) (He was focused on the target and refused the riches.)

“Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. “All this I will give you,” he said, “If you will bow down and worship me.” Yeshua (Jesus) said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: “Worship YHVH your God, and serve Him only.” (Matthew 4:8-10) (Even our Master, of whom we are to follow, rejected the same. When faced with an “open door”, we must first check it against God’s Word to see if there is any contradiction. It is never God’s will for us to do something against His written Word. Our Savior KNEW His Father’s will and He even quoted from the book of Moses to rebuke Satan and keep on target.)

How about if the door is obviously closed or difficult to pass through … would that be a “sign from God” not to enter?

“Some men came carrying a paralytic on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Yeshua (Jesus). When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Yeshua (Jesus). When Yeshua (Jesus) saw their faith, He said, Friend, your sins are forgiven.” (Luke 5:18-20) (Many would have walked away and left the paralytic to fend for himself, never allowing him to know the Messiah; Never allowing him to be healed. This “door” was obviously closed, but these men KNEW God’s will. Would you have done the same?)

Deuteronomy 1:19-32 is about the twelve spies who were sent out to report about the land that God had promised them. Two of the spies (knowing that God had promised them the land) brought back some of the fruit and reported saying, “It is a good land that YHVH our God is giving us.” (v25b). Now, if you know the story, through merely human eyes, this definitely seemed to be a closed door! The people who were occupying the land they were about to take were giants and well-barricaded in and protected. The other ten spies (opposite of the two) saw this as a “closed door” and thought since God was not handing it to them on a silver platter, it must not be from God. This would be the report from most of those who live by the “open door policy”: “The people are stronger and taller than we are; the cities are large, with walls up to the sky… ” (vs 28b).

You see, many people will choose the door that simply pleases their flesh and then think that it is an “open door” from God. Why? Well, of course, “God is all loving”, they rationalize, “God overlooks our sins and wants us to enjoy life”. Read the following example of one who thought the same thing … This “open door” or “what is being offered before me” must be from God.

“When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.” (Genesis 3:6)

CLOSING THOUGHTS:

My friends, we must decide in our hearts, today, who we are going to follow … our flesh (and its desires), or the Lord (by obeying His voice and Laws). Let me ask you, what is keeping you from obeying God’s Word and His appointments? For many, it is the “closed door” of the pressures of society, “Nobody else is obeying the ‘seventh day Sabbath’ or ‘other laws’ … so why should I”?

Do you realize that God may actually be testing us with these doors? “If a prophet, or one who foretells by dreams, appears among you and announces to you a miraculous sign or wonder, and if the sign or wonder of which he has spoken takes place, and he says, “Let us follow other gods” (gods you have not known) “and let us worship them,” you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. YHVH your God is testing you to find out whether you love Him with all your heart and with all your soul.” (Deuteronomy 13:1-3)

The door, above, was open, there was even a miracle that proved it! Do we know the truth of God’s Word well-enough to avoid the wrong door and not walk through it? (Many seem to be counting on the opinion of learned men for their knowledge of God’s Word.) We were created to serve and love God above all.

Just something to think about as we walk through this maze of life.

Dressing Modestly

If we open up the Bible, we need not go any farther than Genesis Chapter 3
to see the discrepancy between man and God when it comes to appropriate dress.

Man’s idea of clothing:

“Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked;
so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.
(Genesis 3:7)

God’s idea of clothing:

“YHVH God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them. ”
(Genesis 3:21)

04 / 05 / 08
(NIV used)
FIRST THOUGHTS:

The above verses show that when left to ourselves we are not the best judges of modesty. God wants His people to not only cover their “necessary areas”, but to be “clothed”.

Yes … I am upset. Why? It is beginning to get warmer outside and that means we are one step closer to “over exposure”. (And I am not talking about ultra violet rays and getting sun burned). Let me be the first to say that I love the human body and God’s design of them … especially the woman, of course. But let me be the first to say, as well, that this feeling I have is between my wife and myself. My wife will not go out and show others how beautiful the woman’s body is.

WARNING: If any of you are over-exposed people who think fig leaves are enough… you are about to get a rude awakening. I am trying to mentor my four boys and two daughters in a world of what seems to be a bikini contest (And I am not talking about at the beach!!). I, too, desire my marriage bed to be pure and don’t need to be surrounded by this contest.

- I am trying to teach my boys that a woman is beautiful, but that beauty is to be shared between a husband and wife … not between strangers. I am trying to teach my sons that they are not to imagine or think about a woman’s form (So much for that teaching, since they no longer have to imagine, it is all over the place!) The immodesty of so many women are telling our sons that beauty on the outside means more than on the inside. Instead, we need to be teaching our sons what God’s words are on the subject:

 “But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” (Matthew 5:28) There is nothing better than being a godly example for our sons. I show my boys by practicing to keep my eyes from evil. In other words, by me turning my head when another woman’s clothing is too revealing … THAT shows that I love their mother.
 “I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a girl. For what is man’s lot from God above, his heritage from the Almighty on high? Is it not ruin for the wicked, disaster for those who do wrong?” (Job 31:1-3) So I teach my sons to turn their heads and look the other way.

- I am trying to teach my girls how to act like Biblical ladies: “I also want women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God.” (1 Timothy 2:9-10). Is this what we are really teaching our daughters, or do we allow immodesty so that they can “fit in” with others? Yes … I do have the “bend over” rule for the ladies in my household … of whom I love. If they bend from the hip to pick up something and by doing so, they expose themselves … their garments are either too low or too loose. They can check on their own. Why do I do this? I fear God AND I don’t want my women (daughters and my wife) to lead you men or your sons into sin by encouraging lustful thoughts!! I teach my daughters not to dress to draw attention to themselves. I give them the confidence that they are beautiful and that those who expose themselves are looking for compliments and praise. My daughters do not want a husband who is attracted to them merely because of their outward appearance. Are we teaching our daughters (and wives):

 “Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.” (1 Peter 3:3-4)

Okay … to the men (or Dads) out there. Let me be right up front with you (As if I wasn’t already, eh?). To those who allow their sons to see magazines, commercials, movies, billboards, or TV shows that over-expose a woman’s body … shame on you!! We are commanded by God to avoid the Victoria’s Secrets of the world. When we turn our heads or go out of our way to avoid seeing these images, we are an example to our sons of how to revere and love a wife. We also must model for our sons the importance of telling our wives how beautiful they are. Show your sons what to do when confronted by these attacks from Satan in the form of over-exposed women. Explain to them that the woman’s body is beautiful but made to be seen only by the husband. Do you want godly offspring as the result of your marriage? Read carefully:

“You ask, ‘Why?’ It is because YHVH is acting as the witness between you and the wife of your youth, because you have broken faith with her, though she is your partner, the wife of your marriage covenant. Has not (YHVH) made them one? In flesh and spirit they are his. And why one? Because He was seeking godly offspring. So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith with the wife of your youth.” (Malachi 2:14-15)

Dads and husbands, did you understand the sin and its consequences that God outlines in the above passage? If we look at another woman lustfully (by gazing at her flesh), we have broken faith with our wife. By doing so, Verse 13 says that God will NOT hear the prayers of those who do! BUT … the other consequence spoken of was regarding our offspring. They will become like their Fathers. Would God be pleased to have your sons imitate you? Maybe next time, many of you will think twice about taking a second look at that magazine cover at the checkout line, or watching that commercial, or breaking your neck trying to get another look at that lady walking by. (NOTE: If you ever go into a store and see all those magazines turned backwards … HEY, I must have just missed ya!) If you have a wife, she should be the only woman on earth to you!! Does your son or daughter know that their mother is that special to you? Can they trust you, their father, that you will remain loyal to their mother? If not, then how can you expect them to be any different? Do you want your son to cheat on his wife and your daughter to expose herself to get attention?

LAST THOUGHT:

Our daughters and wives are NOT “prizes” we have won, to be displayed as if a trophy, they are special gifts!

Those who dress immodestly may be doing so because they don’t receive the confidence they need from their fathers / husbands. They must be told that they are beautiful and lovely in form. We must let them know that we would die for them and protect them from wicked men who love only to see their flesh.

Just something to think about as the sun is coming up over the horizon, again. Let the show begin, I mean STOP!!! We must choose to look away because we love our wives and daughters.

Disclaimer and advertisement: To those of you who, like me, are teaching their sons and daughters to fear God by adhering to His rules … thank you. And, oh, by the way, how old are your kids? I still have a daughter and two sons who will one day need godly spouses (wink – wink).

What is a Godly Man Supposed to Look Like

DEVOTION
02/03/06
(Comments in parentheses and emphasis are mine)

FIRST THOUGHTS:

Let me first describe most households:

- “Honey, I’m home!” (snap fingers) “Is dinner ready yet? No?! Then how ‘bout you grab me a beer then, sweetie, until it is.”

- “I am the king of this house and I can do whatever I want! She just doesn’t understand … I take orders all day long, so when I’m home, I give the orders!”

Yes sir, there are many wives who are crying out … “Why, Lord? Why me? Why am I being punished with such a man as this?”

This week, I have been meditating on what a godly husband looks like. Does God describe this? As I do the sales for the company, I am often grieved as I hear women saying things like:

- “My husband is never home. I basically raise the children myself. I would give up all of this for having a husband to be with and help me.”
- “My husband comes home from work and leaves immediately to (put in hobby here … or his pass-time)”
- “He just doesn’t understand … I don’t care about the money and “stuff” … I would rather live in a shack and have a husband, than in a castle and living alone.”
- “When he’s home, it’s like having another child to take care of. He never helps me.”

Oh, this list goes on, my brothers. It is time to examine what a “real” man looks like. (The kind that God created us to be.) For some, this may be convicting … for others, it may be simply a reminder (or a minor correction to re-direct us).

THE KEY VERSE THAT WE WILL START WITH IS THE OBVIOUS:

“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the Word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church.” (Ephesians 5:25-29

Does your focal point with your wife consist of conversations about God (or simply about “stuff”)?

Have you ever seen the Master treating HIS church the way many men treat their wives! Yeshua (Jesus) never mocked them; He never embarrassed, tricked, or made fun of them in front of others (or in private). In fact, He often prayed for them; interceded for them; Even taking the ultimate “hit” for them!!! Do YOU protect your wife at all cost? Does she feel at ease when you are around?

Where has all the chivalry gone? Are there only a few real men left around today? You know, the men who don’t shower their spouse with gifts to make up for their shortcomings as a husband (as if to say, “I am sorry …. Again. But, here, I bought you something. Are we good now?” As if it will make all things right … again.) Real men shower their wives with God’s Word, time and attention. In fact, work is not to be the focus, but staying home and spending time with the family is the goal. (At all cost … yes, even if it means changing jobs or downsizing houses).

HERE ARE SOME OTHER DESCRIPTIONS (Remember … when we took our wives and became a husband … we were given a role to fulfill!):

“Husbands, love your wives and do NOT be harsh with them.” (Colossians 3:19)
- My heart goes out to the wives who must hear the mouth of a savage beast. Yes, we all slip and may say things that are not appropriate; I may have a bad day (and end up apologizing for my words that I have allowed to exit from my lips) … I am not talking about those … I am talking about daily abuse! What wife desires to be treated as a doormat each day? What wife desires to be treated as if she were a slave inside of her own home?
- Men … we ALL must examine our speech and the treatment we give our wives. They are to be special in our sights and honored at all times! Woe to the man who is harsh with his wife! He will lose her in the end and be accountable to God!

“Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.” (Hebrews 13:4)
- Men, this is self-explanatory: Adultery and being sexually immoral (lust of one’s eyes) is a sin. It may be handed down from one’s father, or a simple lack of respect for one’s wife or women in general … but it is a sin. Good news!!! This sin can be removed with the help of God’s indwelling Spirit (this is the only way. Covering it is not removing it!! Covering or hiding this sin is simply delaying it’s ugly head from rising up again.).
- Men … our marriage bed is to be kept pure … if not, God will judge the man (or woman) who does not honor this vow! That is a promise from God.

“Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.” (1 Peter 3:7)
- Remember that verse that says that we are to treat our wives the SAME as Christ treated the church (His bride)? Let me give you an example: “… just as the Son of Man did NOT come to be served, but TO serve …” (Matthew 20:28a) We need to be SERVING our wives!!
- Although, many men are not bathing their wives with the Word (Ephesians 5:26) … many do not even realize that their prayers are being hindered. They think: “Life is good … therefore, God must be pleased with me”. Their lives go on with no obvious discipline, no correction from God … is this the proof that they really are not saved? (Revelation 3:19) Do not be deceived by Satan with the riches of this world, men. In the pursuit; name; love of money, MANY are failing in their marriages and ultimately losing their wives? In the pursuit of money, do we think that it can bring happy marriages and relationships? It is the same choice we have with God: To serve money or Him. Many are choosing to serve money, and putting their wives second (But using the excuse … “it’s for you honey.”)

LAST THOUGHTS:

This short devotion is not to degrade or accuse, but the purpose is to build better marriages and ultimately bring about wives who are truly happy, content, and blameless. They will be happy to see us when we come home, and long to see us and hear our voice during the course of a day!

None of us are perfect husbands, but let us imitate the one who is: The Messiah!

What is a Godly Wife to Look Like

DEVOTION
02/10/06
(Comments in parentheses and emphasis are mine)

Greetings from the Humphrey household! Yes, Kyle has asked me to take over the computer, again! (As his wife … I submitted to his authority! Hmmmm … what a way to start this devotion … about the role of a wife!) Like is his demeanor, he hit the men pretty hard last week but (see What is a godly husband to look like), but at home, he is gentle and kind to the woman of his life. Today, you wives will get the gentle side of our relationship! So, without further ado, let us see what YHVH has to say about wives and their role in a marriage.

FIRST THOUGHTS:

Our society is one that revels in ambiguity. No longer is black and white clear, but only shades of grey. The world has been teaching that men and women are now the same and should act and be treated as such. Fashion trends are placing colors, patterns, and styles previously relegated to one gender as the hottest new styles for the opposite gender!

This teaching has now overflowed into marriage. People have fallen for the lie that it is an equal partnership in which every possible aspect is dually shared by both parties. Thus, taking out the garbage and “bringing home the bacon” (turkey bacon of course) is as much her job as it is his. Also, “nursing” the baby and cooking and cleaning are as much his job as hers. Although these points may be debated as far as physiology or even philosophy goes, there are some aspects of marriage that YHVH has mandated as distinct and relegated to either the husband or wife only. Kyle touched on the husband’s responsibilities last week, so please allow me to look at the wife’s today…

VERSES TO PONDER:

- “Then YHVH God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make a helper suitable for him.” (Genesis 2:18) (So, here we have it right from the start … our main purpose in the marriage relationship, as wives, is to be a helper for our husbands. The most basic and critical way we can be this helper for our husband is to pray for him every day. Pray that he will have God’s wisdom and discernment to lead our family in truth. Pray that our marriage will be protected from any attacks from outside forces (possibly from other women who may not be living biblically and telling us to do the same) or from within (disagreements or moods maybe due to lack of submitting … or just a bad day). Pray that you both will grow closer to each other and to YHVH as He gives you a oneness of vision and heart and mind. This is a vital part of our roles as wives. Also, we must realize that we are part of the marriage to help our husband carry out the mission God has given him. We need to make sure we are supporting him and not working against him. We have examples of both in Scripture …

 “When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate.” (Gen. 3:6) (Here we have an example of the influence that a woman has on her husband which can be used to work against the mission God has given him. We also see the catastrophic results in our society when a husband and wife are not united in heart and mind with YHVH and work against each other which paves the way to the divorce court.
 “At a lodging place on the way, YHVH met Moses and was about to kill him. But Zipporah took a flint knife, cut off her son’s foreskin…” (Exodus 4:24-25a) (Here we have an example of a wife who knew the mission YHVH had for her husband, and who worked toward that end, helping fill in the gaps where he may have been lacking. Do we, the wives, fill in where our husbands are lacking?? Or do we complain about them to others and nag about them continually until they are shamed? Speaking of nagging, what does the LORD say about this sin???

- “A quarrelsome wife is like a constant dripping.” (Proverbs 19:13b)

- “An excellent wife is the crown of her husband, but she who shames him is as rottenness in his bones.” (Proverbs 12:4)

- “Better to live on a corner of the roof than share a house with a quarrelsome wife.” (Proverbs 21:9) (We have to ask ourselves constantly, does our husband ever feel like packing up and moving to the roof??? Even if they are gracious enough not to tell us, WE have to examine ourselves. Have we fallen into the trap of nagging, arguing, or belittling him to others or to him in front of others? Remember, we are to be his helper. Instead of working against his weakness or shortcomings, we must pray for them and let YHVH work great things in his character. If we do not, that nagging and berating will only drive him farther away (and of our ideal of what he should be in life).

- “Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.” (Ephesians 5:24)

- “Wives, in the same way, be submissive to your husbands” (1 Peter 3:1a) (Yes, the Lord is a God of order and there is to be a “chain of command” in our marriages, as well. We are not to be the final authorities in our homes and we must not try to use our influence to manipulate our husbands into following our own ways or our agendas. Oh, we may think that we have thought out and analyzed the entire situation and must convince our husband to do things our way. (Yes, that is what Eve thought, also). If we take over this position of leadership, we are working against what God has set in place. We must realize that God ordered marriages this way and we must trust Him to guide our husbands to make the right decisions. Ladies, I am not saying that we have no input, but the final decision is to be his. And when it comes right down to it, what a relief that we are not the ones with that ultimate responsibility and accountability before YHVH! We also must realize that our husbands are not perfect and that they will make mistakes and wrong decisions. So when this happens, do we then have the right to say, “I told you so!!”? Not at all. This is when we need to encourage him, bind up his emotional wounds and trust that YHVH will work it all for HIS good because you love HIM and have been obedient to his will for your marriage.)

- “…and the wife must respect her husband.” (Ephesians 5:33b) (Although we may outwardly submit to our husband, YHVH desires our hearts to submit, also. This is a command … to respect our husbands. This needs to be an outward display (which will be evident if it is not coming from the heart). This INCLUDES when we are talking about him to others. (This also includes not rolling our eyes when we disagree…just in case you were wondering!))

LAST THOUGHTS:

When we build our husband’s self esteem by giving him the respect that is due him, this will draw him to love and cherish you all the more. When our husbands walk through that door, we must give them time to shed their uniforms of war … and examine their wounds of battle. They are hurting and have been away from the ones they love all day.

Ladies, we must work at being the reason that they want to come home. Our desire is to be their helper! (“… Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.” (Genesis 3:16b)) If not, instead, he will only view us as “grief” and “opposition”. If this is how you are viewed, he will run somewhere else during these times of need. He may bury himself in his work, withdraw into depression, or as I have so often seen it, into the arms of another woman. Our husbands need a place where they feel safe from the abuse and feel loved!

In conclusion: So when we hear the door open at the end of the day, we must run and jump into the arms of the man we love! Greet him with a kiss and tell him how much you missed him and are so glad he is home! (Allow him time to change!! Not only the physical clothing, but his warrior clothing, as well) Take the time to write him special love notes to put on the milk jug for when he gets up in the morning or on his car as you pass by his place of employment. Make your home a sanctuary of peace and joy which is a refuge for him from the world. Make your arms a place of security where he finds comfort. Don’t bombard him with a list of all your troubles when he first walks in the door (there will be time for that later)! Train your children to run and greet him, as well. Make him feel like the king of the castle … because he is. But just like the true King acted, so too will a godly husband. This type of husband will actually serve you back … just like the TRUE example (The Messiah) does to his bride (the believers).

Oops! Look at the time … I gotta go. I need to go fix up and get that delicious dinner going … as I wait with anticipation for the arrival of the one I love, respect and help! Thank you for this time though.

Fathers … Do Not Lose Your Daughters

STUDY ON:
A Dad’s relationship with his daughter (protecting her beauty).

FIRST THOUGHTS:

I cannot emphasize how much I love my daughters.

Oh, how precious are my daughters!

How you treat your daughters reveals your heart to them. What you allow them to wear, allow them to see, and where you allow them to go … lets them know how much you love them. Our daughters will be attracted to men with their father’s characteristics. Is that good or bad? How do you treat their mother? How do you show your love to your daughter? Read again carefully. YOU are who your daughters are looking for in life.

Of course the warm weather has brought to light this neglect (as it does each year). It is a huge area of neglect regarding how fathers need to protect and to train their daughters in God’s laws for modesty. It breaks my heart to see young ladies dressed in outfits that reveal their very flesh of private areas. For it is the PARENTS who have taught them how to dress like this … simply by allowing it and approving of it (Even by approving of their friends who teach them how to dress). My daughters WANT my opinion because they trust me for their future and do not want to be deceived by a man simply desiring their beauty! We often talk about man’s lust and they do not want to marry a husband who only wants their flesh!

Fathers, OPEN YOUR EYES!!! Protect that which God has given to you. By allowing them to draw young men into sinful thoughts, the fathers of these overexposed daughters are sinning, as well. It is very sad that so many fathers seem to be neglecting this critical part of raising their daughters.

- How a young lady is allowed to dress may determine if she becomes a prey for young men or is treated with respect by men who are holy. How do you allow your daughter to dress when she leaves the house? Is she revealing her flesh or revealing her spirit? What kind of man do you desire her to be with?
- How a young lady is treated by her father may determine if she will try to seek love elsewhere in a man’s arms. AGAIN, if a daughter is not getting love by her father, she will find it elsewhere! Because she is not getting her self-esteem fulfilled by her father at home. Yes, you heard me right: our daughters NEED their Daddy’s attention to fill that void!

 We can give our daughters affection by: conversing with them as a close and dear friend, and listening to them and their needs.
 We should be giving our daughters compliments by: telling them how beautiful they look and how much they mean to us.
 Yes, listen up, and we MUST protect them out of our love for them by: explaining how they are to save their physical bodies and beauty for someone who loves them for who they are … their future husband. We can’t allow them to dress as the world dresses; TELL them it is because we love them. They must understand that this pleases both their father and our Lord (If they are being raised right … this SHOULD matter to them!).

How do you show your daughter that you love her? Do you allow your daughter to reveal her private areas that are to be kept private and saved for her husband? Do you simply give them a quick kiss as they go to their friend’s house … not caring who their friends even are? Does your daughter know that she is not to lead other men into sin? Have you taught your daughter the truth?

I am amazed by how a father can let his daughter’s chest, or any other private part, be seen by any man? Why would I want a man, that is not her husband, be lusting after my daughter? What wicked father would allow this? Do these same men let their wives go out like that? (If yes … they most likely will not understand this study and this concept of God’s righteousness!) Our daughters must know how to dress modestly and behave godly, so as not to attract an ungodly man, but a holy and righteous one. This is according to God’s Word … To us, what other way is there? If we allow our daughters to attract other men with their flesh, then that is the man they will marry and most likely divorce when their bodies are no longer satisfying.

VERSES THAT RELATE TO SEXUAL IMMORALITY
(Yes … inappropriate dressed woman is a hint of sexual immorality!):

- “Your beauty should NOT come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of GREAT WORTH in God’s sight. For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful. They were submissive to their own husbands” (1 Peter 3:3-5)
 Why do so many young women dress like they are ready to go stand on a street corner? Why do their fathers allow them to go out revealing what God meant to be private and between husband and wife ONLY? I want a young man to see my daughter for who she is … NOT because of her physical appearance (Isn’t that the “icing on the cake” and not why the cake was bought?). The man who dates because of who a woman is under the clothing, will ALWAYS be looking at other woman the same way (while married to your daughter!). Do you want that for your daughter?

- (When a young lady goes out “dressed to kill”, she is not using her body in a way that is holy and honorable.) “It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should AVOID sexual immorality; that each of you should LEARN to control his own body in a way that is HOLY and HONORABLE, NOT in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God … For God did NOT call us to be IMPURE, but to live a holy life. Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.” (1 Thessalonians 4:3-5, 7-8)
 My family? My daughters know that if they bend over and people can see down their shirt … they must change (Here is the miracle … they WANT to please me and God!) They may even ask me, “Daddy, do you think this outfit reveals too much?” They know that I would not steer them wrong when it comes to living a godly life unto God. A life THEY now desire! They know that they are absolutely beautiful and they want a loyal, faithful, and God-fearing husband … like their Dad is to their Mother.

- (What is a hint of sexual immorality? Is it “painted on” clothing? Is it the exposed cleavage? Fathers … how much of your daughter do YOU want other men to see and lust after?) “But among you there must not be even a HINT of sexual immorality, or of ANY KIND of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. Nor should there be OBSCENITY, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be SURE: NO immoral, impure or greedy person – such a man is an idolater – has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.” (Ephesians 5:3-5)
 Fathers, our daughters are precious to us. We should want to raise them and prepare them for a man that is equally concerned about their well-being and who loves them by showing them. So, in a way, we are to be showing them by example. With our lives: This is what you are to look for in a husband, my love.
 Our sons? Oh, that is another study. But be assured … my sons are being prepared to flee from the sexually immoral woman … is he fleeing from your daughter? What kind of man do you want for your daughter?

LAST THOUGHTS:

Don’t be fooled either. Our children can have a double life and often the parents will NEVER know. Make sure, fathers, that you win the heart of your daughter BEFORE another man does! I don’t buy my daughter’s love by showering them with gifts and I don’t barter for it, either. My daughter’s heart is MINE, and mine to lose from the start. It is MINE to give away to another man … her husband. Our daughters want and desire a father who protects and cares for them. They want hugs and affection. They want to be protected and guided. My daughters see how I treat THEIR mother … and they love it … they want that, too!

In closing and simply to remind ourselves. There are only two ways to raise our daughters:

- According to the “flesh” and the “world’s” standards and desires
- According to the Spirit and what God’s children are commanded to look like

Here are some other thoughts to ponder:

Although this passage is speaking about the body of our Messiah, it refers to the truth about our physical bodies, as well: “And the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are UNPRESENTABLE are treated with SPECIAL MODESTY.” (1 Corinthians 12:23)

Remember when Adam and Eve sinned and they realized their nakedness? What did they cover themselves with? (Fig leaves) What did their Father do? He clothed their nakedness with animal skins! Their attempt was not enough! Today many think that fig leaves are ample dress … God still commands “animal skins” (smile)!

Fathers … Do Not Lose Your Sons

STUDY ON:
A Dad’s relationship with his son (the son will be like his Dad).

FIRST THOUGHTS:

What timing! I went to a family gathering with my brother, sister and all my children (now remember, I have 4 boys, 2 daughters, 5 grand-daughters, 3 grand-sons, and one more on the way – as of 07/22/09). All the fathers were to say something that they were thankful for about their children. When it came to my own Dad, he said something that I was proud of. He said, “I want to thank Kyle for carrying on my name by having so many sons.” You see, my Dad was an only child; My brother (at the time of this devotion) had never had any children, and there were no one else besides myself to continue the name. I and my brother, and my sons are … the heritage of my Dad and his name. My Dad had three arrows in which to shoot into the world and make an impact. What about your arrows?

- “Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one’s youth. BLESSED is the man whose quiver is full of them. They will not be put to shame when they contend with their enemies in the gate.” (Proverbs 127:4-5) (Do not get me wrong. I love my daughters greatly and they realize that they will actually be the fulfilling of her husband’s father’s heritage. Note: I have done a study on our daughters and recommend that you read it, as well. THIS one is about our sons!)

Do your sons bring you honor or do they bring you grief? I am not perfect, and neither are my sons. When they embarrass me, my heart is grieved and I feel like hiding face for there is no greater pain than to have a child act ungodly in front of the world … especially our sons.

WHAT ARE WE TRAINING OUR SONS:

Are we training our sons to show our Messiah to a dying world? Are we teaching our sons that it is more important to be successful in the world’s eyes … or success in their Creator’s? Are they being trained to treat their future wives in a way that will show the world what Christ did for HIS bride? (“Husbands, love your wives, JUST as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her.” … Ephesians 5:25) Do they see us fathers instructing our daughters to dress modestly and to speak with a humble heart? They will seek woman that please us, their fathers, in the same way.

Are we training our sons to hate what is evil and love what is good?

- How about wealth? (James 5:5 … “You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter.”)
- Are our sons being shown what contentment is? (1 Timothy 6:8 … “But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.”)
- Not to desire riches, but neither to desire poverty? (Proverbs 30:8-9 … “Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is YHVH?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.”)
- How to hate the evil desires of the world and pursue God? (Proverbs 8:13 … “To fear YHVH is to HATE evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech.” and Amos 5:15 … “Hate evil, love good.”)

Fathers, do not be fooled … sons often become exactly who their fathers are! If a father does not search for the face of God, yet thinks that he is saved because life is good, carefree and full of wealth … his son will most likely live by this false sense of security, as well. He will be unsaved … just like his father was. In the same manner, if a father fools around on his spouse, or gazes at other women (such as gazing at the cheerleaders as he sits on the couch watching game after game) … so will his son. If a father treats his wife with disrespect or as a door-mat …. So will his son. Does a father mumble at his son’s Mother and make degrading remarks? You guessed it … so will the son to HIS wife. The same goes with drinking too much, or spending excessive time at work … or any other sin … so too, will his sons!

Let us not be fooled, the sins of the father are carried to the third and forth generation of those who hate YHVH! This means that the sons will have the sins of their father’s … on and on this goes. “for I, YHVH your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me,” (Exodus 20:5) SONS carry the sins of their fathers! If the father is an adulterous man (that is the sin), so too will the sons be adulterous men (they hate YHVH, as well). The fathers TAUGHT their sons by their very lives they lived out!

- “He did evil in the eyes of YHVH, as his father Manasseh had done. He walked in ALL the ways of his father; he worshipped the idols his father had worshipped, and bowed down to them.” (2 Kings 21:20-21)

The fact is, unless the fathers search and conform to image of the Messiah, most likely their sons will not either. Satan is out to destroy our boys (the future fathers and husbands). For it is the sons who are to become men; who are to become husbands; who are to become fathers … the circle of life continues. For Satan knows that it is the men who are to be the leaders of their household and show Christ in the way they treat their wives. The world is looking on and is often seeing father’s compromising and maligning God’s Word.

WHERE DO YOU STAND WHEN IT COMES TO RAISING YOUR SON?

Are these the type of words that you spend time instructing to your son? (This is King David talking to his son Solomon … instructing him!):

“My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, THEN you will understand the fear of YHVH and find the knowledge of God.” (Proverbs 2:1-5)

The sad realization is that many fathers fall into this next category. So many fathers are too tired or lack the wisdom to restrain their son’s sins. To rid their sons of the folly that is in them. Their sons may end up “good enough in the sight of the world”, yet are lost eternally.

“For I told him that I would judge his family forever because of the sin he KNEW about; his sons
made themselves contemptible, and he FAILED to restrain them.” (1 Samuel 3:13)

- I have seen too often sons speaking crossly at their mothers, and their fathers sit there un-moved.
- I have seen too often, sons who whine and complain and get what they want for doing so.
- I have seen sons go out with friends purely to satisfy their flesh (like a lion after its prey, are many sons flesh).

This list goes on and are all sins that the fathers fail to restrain. Read 1 Samuel 3:13 again. Men, you will not find me barking from a couch at my sons. When I see my son treat his sister, or heaven forbid, my wife with disrespect … I get up or stop what I am doing immediately and correct this folly. My sons know they have done wrong AND yet that I love them. Did you get the last part? They know that I love them because of the way I treat the rest of the time!

WHERE ARE WE TO START IN RAISING OUR SONS?

- “How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your Word.” (Psalm 119:9)

- “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” (Proverbs 22:6)

- (How much a father corrects his son, may reveal how much he truly loves his son!) “because YHVH disciplines those HE loves, as a father the son HE delights in.” (Proverbs 3:12) But what does it look like when a son is NOT disciplined or corrected regarding his folly? “A foolish son brings grief to his father and bitterness to the one who bore him.” (Proverbs 17:25)

- “Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled.” (Titus 2:6) To be able to “control oneself” IS to be self-controlled!! We must teach our sons to control themselves. They will be able to turn from wicked sights and thoughts of sexual immorality, to control his tongue, to restrain the sinful nature … THIS is self-control!

LAST THOUGHTS:

Who are the women that my sons are being trained to be attracted to and desire to be married to?

- “Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.” (Titus 2:4-5) Did you catch the last part? We raise our sons to be godly men and our daughters to be godly women … each having their own roles to live by while on this earth!!! Why? So that NO ONE can malign the Word of God! Society has let go of this order and now we now have women competing for, and desiring jobs outside of that which God created for them. We have men not treating their wives as Christ treated the church, and families are torn apart. Here is the secret: if our sons can see their fathers treating their mothers with the utmost respect, honor and love, and likewise, they see their mothers submitting to their father’s authority … they have gotten a glimpse of Christ and His relationship to His bride! This is what they should be seeing modeled in our homes. A model for their future marriage.

Fathers, there is a very good chance that our sons will be attracted to and attract the kind of woman WE accept! Our sons will be greedy businessmen and adulterers if we are. Let us be unwavering in our zeal for and commitment to the Lord. Let us not teach our sons to lead their families based upon what the world, or even the church, around us is doing. Let us show our sons that our zeal to know the Lord is higher than any other option in our lives! They will then carry THAT on to their children and our grand-children and we would have shot a bull’s eye with our arrow!

Wealth and Prosperity Get in the Way

“The seed that fell among the thorns stands for those who hear,
but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures,
and they do not mature.”

(Luke 8:14)

05 / 10 / 08
(NIV used)
(Comments in parentheses, underlines, and emphasis are mine)

FIRST THOUGHTS:

Money … it can be a blessing or it can be a god. Most people think that they can handle the balance, but so many have lost the One True God in pursuit of the other one – money.

“… who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain. But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” (1 Timothy 6:5-10) Note: It is NOT the money that is evil, it is the desire for it that causes people to fall.

I began to ponder this passion of our flesh while reading the parable of the sower (The top passage is only a part of the entire parable.). We read that the son of God is describing four different people who hear the Word of God (The seed is the Word of God) and what they do with it (or where along the path the seed falls and how it grows). Read that passage again. There are three SEPARATE items mentioned in this verse that KEEP the truth from maturing: stress, wealth, and pleasures. If you really think about it, any one of these can sabotage a total dependency on the One True God.

1.) Stress (not being able to trust God)
2.) Wealth (focusing on money and stuff instead of God … “Two things I ask of you, O YHVH; do not refuse me before I die: Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is YHVH?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.” (Proverbs 30:7-9)
3.) Pleasures (the things that fill in the time between work and family.) The boat, the camper (I camp and this can become something that comes between the seed and growth), the jet-ski, you name it!! Even a cottage away from home. These are not sinful in and of themselves, but where does God fit in? For instance, I use the camper to get away to study God’s word and catch up on lost time with my Father. I cannot judge what you do with your pleasures (extras in life) … that is between you and God.

I once was witnessing to a wealthy couple. They spoke of trusting in God for their salvation and their love for Him. Our conversation lead us to the above passage and I said: How can you trust God for tomorrow’s food if you have a month’s worth in your fridge? How can you trust God for anything, when you have it all? The wife almost started to cry (I am working on compassion, okay!) and said, “You know, I have never really thought about that. I have never been poor, so I can’t truly say that I know if I could REALLY trust God if He took it all away.” I then responded, “Ask Him.” “Ask Him what?” She responded. “Ask Him to take it all away so that you can learn to trust Him.” The conversation stopped. That would definitely change the level of faith and dependency upon the Lord. Let’s take a look at some examples in God’s word. You may find it quite humbling.

VERSES RELATED TO THOUGHTS:

- “Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be content with what you have.” (Hebrews 12-15)

- “What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Messiah Yeshua (Christ Jesus) my Lord, for whose sake I have LOST all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ … .” (Philippians 3:8) How would Paul answer my question? “Yes, Lord, take it all away so that I may know you more. You are my passion and desire.”

- Speaking about pleasures of this world versus spiritual pleasures: “sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.” (2 Corinthians 6:10) The sorrowful (in Christ), the poor (in Christ), those who have nothing (in Christ) … can still be rejoicing because they have true spiritual riches.

- “Then Yeshua (Jesus) said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. (He did NOT say impossible, just hard. How hard, though?) Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God”.” (Matthew 19:23) Why are there so many preaching that if we have enough faith, we will have wealth? I truly believe that if a rich man comes to Christ while he is materially wealthy, that is where God Almighty wants to use that man. We must be content with what we have. My goal is to be content in ALL circumstances. That way, my focus can remain on God, and not on wealth. For “No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.” (Luke 16:13) … It is clear that God knows that our flesh, in its sinful state, craves the greenbacks.

- Can you imagine actually living in a community like the following? It cannot work as long as there is a love of money. Only when someone TRULY trusts in God can they give it away freely as the believers did back then:

 “At the present time your plenty will supply what THEY need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what YOU need. Then there will be equality.” (2 Corinthians 8:14)
 “All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need.” (Acts 2:44-45)
 “There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need.” (Acts 4:34-35)

- “Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who RICHLY provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be RICH in GOOD DEEDS, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is TRULY LIFE.” (1 Timothy 6:17-19) We are not truly living until we can give away the greenbacks of life freely and often.

- Regarding the end days … “Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you. Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. Your gold and silver has corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days … You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter.” (James 5:1-3 and 5) Hmmmm … you don’t often hear this kind of preaching, do you? Perhaps, maybe it is because the leaders’ income depends upon his listeners feeling “good” about their money.

- “You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.” (Revelation 3:17-18)

- It’s funny, but the following verse so often describes my cry, as Jeremiah did in Jeremiah 12:1 “You are always righteous, O YHVH, when I bring a case before you. Yet I would speak with you about your justice: Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all the faithless live at ease?” Then God usually answers me:

“Do not be overawed when a man grows rich, when the splendor of his house increases; for he will take nothing with him when he dies, his splendor will not descend with him. Though while he lived he counted himself blessed – and MEN praise you when you prosper – he will join the generation of his fathers, who will NEVER see the light of life.” (Psalm 49:16-19)

- Other passages confirm this, as well: Proverbs 11:28, Ecclesiastes 5:10-11, Ezekiel 28:4-5, James 1:11, Psalm 119:71-72, Proverbs 8:10, etc… etc… (Go ahead … look them up and think: Have we fallen for a lie?)

- As you read the following verse, keep an eye out for who it is that God says runs after the things of this world: “So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ for the PAGANS run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek FIRST His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Mathew 6:31-34) So, is stress, wealth and pleasures keeping you too busy to focus on what is truly important? Many have said, “How do you find the time to do all these writings.” I just never think about it. I love God more than anything, I suppose. “But seek FIRST His kingdom and His righteousness…” We must realize that “and all these things will be given to you as well.” is talking about food and clothing (We don’t want our flesh to run away again and think that “these things” are all the world’s pleasures and wealth … they are not.)

LAST THOUGHTS:

We all know that only a few will be truly saved in the end. Make sure that you are being rooted in the TRUTH. Do not attend a church simply because you feel good there. Do not surround yourself with people who will tell you how good you are, but people who will keep you accountable. God blesses His children, indeed! He truly comes up with the money each week to buy food. He comes through with the job that you need. Yes, He is faithful.

Questions to ponder:

- Can a rich man easily bring the good news of the Son of God to a poor man? Would that poor man listen or think that the rich man cannot understand what he is going through?
- Can a poor man bring the same good news to a wealthy man? Would that wealthy man think that “this guy is not even wise enough to be prosperous here on earth, how can he know more than I?”)

I will not answer these two questions, but only say that our Savior thought it wisest and best to come to earth with humble means as a poor man and no place to lay His head.

Just something to think about the next time we cash that paycheck. Let’s keep our focus where God wants it to be – not on the things of this world.

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