Shalom, welcome to October 4^th


><//>--------------------Thought for the Day

Am I critical of other believers in Messiah, Jesus, or of new prospective believers? Do I ever say about others: “I don’t think they’re sincere, I think they’re continuing in sin on the quiet?” Do I realize that my doubtful and skeptical attitude is hurting younger members, if only in my attitude toward them, which they cannot help sensing? Do I say about new believers: “They’ll never walk with the spirit,” or do I say: “They’ll last only a few months?” If I take this attitude, I am unconsciously hurting those prospects’ chances.

Is my attitude always constructive and never destructive?


><//>--------------------Meditation for the Day

All You Desire

My children, in this verse My servant Isaiah spoke of the wonderful illumination given to those who were Spirit-guided.

   To those who know Me not, there is in Me nothing to appeal to them, or to attract them.

   To those who know Me there is nothing more to be desired. “No beauty they could desire Him.”

   Oh! My children, draw very near to Me. See Me as I really am, That ever you may have the Joy of finding in Me all you could desire. The fulfillment of all you could desire in Master, Lord or Friend.


><//>--------------------Prayer for the Day

Father, we pray that we may be spirit-guided. We pray that we may feel Your presence and power in my life. Amen.


A Disciple's Reflections:  Be Submissive, Honor Me

Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every human institution. 
– 1 Peter 2:13 

Beloved, having a submissive spirit brings gentleness and godliness to our demeanor.  Nonetheless, there is little so misunderstood as the Lord's desire for us to be submissive unto one another.  Let us take a look at this attractive character trait.

The world system in which we were raised says that we are nothing, so we compete, scheme, achieve and strive to get ahead. The Bible teaches that we are something, so be submissive. Here's how Peter said it:

"You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy." – 1 Peter 2: 9-10

Only after that affirmation of us being the people of God does Peter say, "Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every human institution" (verse 13), and "Servants, be submissive to your masters" (verse 18). He even relates it to the home: "In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husbands" – 1 Peter 3:1. 

Submission is not a dirty word; it is a liberating word. We are all under God's protective authority, and we can only be free if we seek it and submit to it. Coming under authority is our protection. Living free is our opportunity to be all that God created us to be. 

Observe how even Yeshua, Jesus, remained in obedience to the government of His day.  It was an evil, oppressive government in His Chosen Land.  The only place He openly expressed His displeasure and revealed His commanding authority was in "His Father's House", the Holy Temple in Jerusalem.

This certainly stands in deep contrast to the Muslim concepts of submission.  They live in submission to Mullahs and don't even realize the heresy.

Barabas and Judas Iscariot both appreciated Yeshua, Jesus, but they could not trust the Power of God, nor could they submit to His will. 

In my own experience in the Lord, I have had to beat to shreds daily a strain of "defiant independence" that dwells in all of us that we display freely as adolescents.  If this trait in our character isn't beaten down as soon as we realize its presence then our life and our relationships will be difficult and full of disappointment.  Let's us defeat this utterly in our living experience so that we may walk with the Lord.  This is truly the honor system, we must declare our own disobedience that we may correct our walk always.

This process of self-correction is similar to using the steering wheel on our cars to keep us centered on a road full of twists and turns.  Without even thinking we turn the wheel a little to the left of the right whatever is needed to keep the vehicle centered.

We need do the same with the steering wheel of our lives that we may keep centered on the road with our Lord each day, one moment at a time.  We can do this with a continuous inventory of our character in our behavior, confess our wrongs to one another, repent and make amends, and then help others.  This can be a very lonely path.  Every relationship I have had has been lost over the very issue of seeking our own wrongs and stand for correction.  Most will simply refuse to put their pride aside and remain faithful to this necessary process toward holy behavior.

Our beloved United States experienced an attack of proportions it has never known before.  I must say this now that nothing, absolutely nothing, in this world happens by accident.  God is in charge of everything and nothing happens without His wanting it to, and we must as ones who are in Messiah, submit to the events in which we live (providence) and be not afraid.

Well-known church leaders made some statements concerning terrorism and 9/11 that offended many non-believers to the point of bringing them to apologize publicly.  Let us not apologize for the working of God under any circumstances.  Our Loving God brought about these events with many more yet to come soon out of His great Love for our nation and all our people though to the carnal eye it doesn't seem that way.  

In the weeks and years since those abhorrent attacks, sales of Bibles and books on Bible Prophecy have soared.  God must keep up the pressure He is applying until our people finally give up and realize there is no other whom we can put our hope in, but Him.

Would you like some really good news now?  Believers who walk according to the spirit need have no concern regarding the sorry events to come preceding the return of Messiah.  Those found faithful will not get sick when biological weapons are released by the depraved degenerate scoundrels used of God.  The power of God will be upon all those who are found faithful, seeking His will, carrying their cross daily, and living in His service.

Let us mourn with our neighbors and let us also rejoice at the soon coming of our Lord and walk ready to participate in the eternal inheritance for those whom God is delivering unto the Lord and His Kingdom.  Let us live to stand in the gap, seeking nothing for ourselves that could be torn from us and not be carried into eternity. 

There are two types of people who will never live up to their potential in Christ. 

They are those who can't do what they are told to do and those who won't do anything unless they are told. Let us not wait to be told what we are already free to do. Let us step out in faith and live up to our potential in Meshiach, the Christ. We can bring light into a dark world if we will allow Christ to shine through us fearlessly. We don't need a greater position; let us bloom where we are planted. Let us stop waiting for the big opportunity and seize the ones we have. Someone, right here, in our world of influence, desperately needs what Christ can do through us. 

Our Prayer: Lord, forgive us for our rebellious spirit. Teach us to be submissive and respectful to those in authority over us. Let us not be afraid of the unjust knowing that You, Lord, are our Justice in this life and the next. Amen.


Perspective: The Lord’s or Ours

"Be merciful to me, Lord, for I am faint; O Lord, heal me, for my bones are in agony."  – Psalm 6:2

Perspective is an interesting thing, really. We all have probably heard that the difference between an optimist and a pessimist is that one sees a half filled glass as half full, while the other sees it as half empty.

Unfortunately, life is not as simple as analyzing one's perspective concerning our attitude towards the contents of a glass of water. The real test comes when we are faced with something completely unforeseen and unexpected. As humans we have a tendency to see things the way we want to see them, and then our attitude determines whether to make it positive or negative.

Take my personal experience for example. Not too long ago, I found myself very unhappy with an injured back as I watched my hard-earned management position with a world-class major oil company go right down the drain as I lay healing in my bed.

I personally chose the perspective of asking, “Lord, what is it You are asking of me, Father?” Two weeks later, I had a new computer at my bedside, and Believers Hope online was born. Believers throughout the world without real shepherding who are being led astray by all that this filthy world can throw at them on the Internet, are now coming together encouraging one another to the Glory of Yeshua Ha-Meshiach, Jesus Christ, and God Our Father.

In the seven years since that event I have had to experience many challenges, not to mention my finances that were in a constant negative flow during that entire period.  I chose to submit to the circumstances the Lord had set down for me and allow all to happen trusting He would provide for my necessities, and for all He would have me do in His Name.

The results of all this I will not know until glory, but I do know I have more spiritual maturity than I had back then.  And just when the last couple of hundred dollars of the many thousands I had in my savings was about to disappear, the Lord made a provision for me that meets all my financial necessities for the rest of my days in earth.  No, He hasn't granted me great wealth, but my heart is thoroughly content and at peace as I need give no more thought to those necessities we all need in this life.

My mind is free to seek His will, His service, and His fellowship.

Know that no matter what our perspective is regarding our particular circumstances today, God has the perfect perspective in sight for us!  Do we hear "Amen!"

"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."
– 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18


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Please have a blessed day, be hopeful, be encouraged, and know you are not alone.

“God Calling” compiled by A. J. Russell.
"Twenty-Four Hours A Day" Hazelton – adapted.
Neil and Barry write Be Submissive, Honor Me.
Greg and Barry write Perspective: The Lord’s or Ours.
Barry Gray writes A Disciple’s Reflections.