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Shalom, come
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><))>--------------------Thought for the Day
If you have any doubt, just ask any of the mature spirit-led members of the Body of
Messiah, the Christ, and they will readily tell you that since they turned their lives over to the care of God, many of their problems have vanished into the forgotten yesterdays. When
we allow ourselves to be upset over one thing, we succeed only in opening the door
to the coming hundreds of other upsetting things.
Am I allowing myself to be upset over little things?
><))>--------------------Meditation for the Day
Our Red Sea
Go forward fearlessly.
Do not think about the Red Sea that lies ahead.
Be very sure that when you come to it, the water will part and you will pass over to your promised land of freedom.
><))>--------------------Prayer for the Day
Father, we pray that we may face the future with courage. We pray that we may be given strength to face both life and death fearlessly. Amen.
A Disciple’s Reflections: A Peek at My Personal Experience of Discovery of our God
As a Jew, you can just imagine how I was affected by watching the scene in the movie the Ten Commandments when Charlton Heston, as Moses, raised the staff of God and parted the Red Sea with all those millions of released Hebrew slaves looking on.
There, for the first time, I got a glimpse of what it means to be Jewish. I was able to understand what it means to be one of the Chosen People, and what it means to be Chosen in the first place. One of the absolutes I came away with was the fact that to be chosen of God means to be put through impossible circumstances, and to expect to be miraculously delivered from them. This is God’s way of getting the rest of the world’s attention. It’s a type of advertising for Him and for His Kingdom.
In the three thousand five hundred years since that historic experience has passed, nothing has really changed in that regard. God is still choosing willing people from throughout the world to put them in impossible circumstances and deliver them miraculously, only today one does not have to be Jewish to apply for the position.
Please understand, beloved; I’m not speaking of Salvation here, that’s an easy one. I’m talking about becoming something more here. To become a modern infomercial for God, for Yeshua is the calling of today’s Chosen. Did you ever see one of those infomercials where the fellow with the new type of oven makes extravagant claims of what it will do if you have it in your home? The audience gasps in unbelief?
Your food will taste so much better, healthier, be easier to prepare, and make you the envy of the entire neighborhood. The host relishes the unbelief, and accepts it as a challenge and an opportunity to spend the next thirty
or so very expensive minutes to demonstrate that his claims are true right before the eyes of his challengers.
Naturally, the oven performs flawlessly in the preparation of numerable complicated dishes right before the eyes of the audience and all onlookers watching the TV. By the time he is finished creating confidence and excitement in his onlookers regarding his product, everyone in the audience wants to take one home.
These productions are so exciting it takes all the power of God to keep me from dialing that 800 toll-free number before the special offer is expired. Most of the time I just turn infomercials off, but guess what? I
now have a beautiful Showtime Rotisserie oven sitting in my kitchen at this very moment. It does everything that I saw it do on TV. I love it, and I never would have bought one any other way. I just had to see that demonstration, and my heart could not deny what my eyes had witnessed.
So it is with many regarding salvation and Messiah, the Christ, and the infallibility of Scripture.
There are many "Doubting Thomas's" out there who just have to see the completely changed and empowered lives of spirit-led Believers to even consider the possibility that Yeshua, Jesus, is Who He says He is. There are those who just have to be stimulated into jealousy to keep from straying into error, which is so prevalent today.
The Church must take responsibility for many individuals who fall into ridiculous cults and do unbelievable things to themselves in their search for
a higher hope and a higher life. When we look into the backgrounds of these precious souls, we often find they first sought the promises made from the innumerable pulpits only to find the promises were without demonstrations.
They found believers to be utterly selfish and nasty even to greater extreme that those who were lost since they are now forgiven and are often without restraint, in grace. After all, they are righteous by grace and not by works and no one can take that away. Boy, are these folks in for a surprise when they find our God is not a sucker or a fool. Personally, my heart goes out to these deceived ones for their loss will be tremendous even if they are to join the Lord in heaven. As for me, I would much rather be one of the Lord’s Infomercials, and in His employ. Now, that’s what I call employment.
I am in the joyful willing employ of Yeshua Ha Meshiach, Jesus the Christ, and my entire life is a demonstration that He is Risen and Rules at the right hand of God at this very moment. He is fully responsible for my existence in every way. Whatever I do for, or on, my own I account as sin and repent immediately. Were I to starve to death and fail miserably in life, then it is the Lord who will have starved and failed and proved Himself a fraud before everyone witnessing my life. That’s the cost to Him for my failure or real harm. I am utterly convinced of His existence, as are many, but
I am just as convinced that we can trust in His care, protection, and
guidance since His very reputation and the reputation of His Father
depends upon His caring, providing for, and protecting all who will commit to
believe.
Let me give you an example, with space and your valuable time being the only constraint on my sitting at this keyboard for hours giving you examples of my own Red Sea parting over and over again.
Since my providential back injury cost me a wonderful managerial position
with a major oi company, which many know about, I have had no income at all. Thank God, the Lord taught me the need to save, and save I did while I was working. Nonetheless, expenses usually go up and rarely go down.
I prayed to the Lord my concerns that He guide me in His way, and then went right about my business building this Online Ministry as I was led – Believers Hope – that is reaching believers all over the world with the message of maturing in Christ. Last week in my mailbox was this formal letter letting me know there is a rather large sum of money in the Unclaimed Fund held by the State, in which I live. For the life of me I couldn’t figure this one out at all. I checked it out and found that that the major oil company that let me go when I hurt my back over
six years ago was holding a Bonus Check I had coming, but wasn’t issued until after I had well departed their employ. All I need is to claim this unexpected provision from the Lord. Some Red Sea parting, don’t you think?
I could go on for hours telling you about all the direct hands-on miracles, healings, and providential occurrences that have raised my poor wretched life to the heights of our Messiah, but I’ll save them for later. The point is God really comes through for those who come through for Him. That’s exactly what happens for all who walk according to the spirit! Anyone interested in joining the Kingdom Advertisement Agency? Israel's original purpose from the heart and mind of God.
This is truly God's pleasure in and for His people.
The Light IN the Tunnel – Rather
than at the End of It
"Even in darkness light dawns for the upright, for the gracious and compassionate and righteous man."
– Psalm 112:4 (NIV)
Life is very unpredictable and there are many things we do not fully understand. Like why some suffer an untimely death, or why some are victims of horrible crimes, or why some live under the oppression of dictators, or why so many face hunger and poverty; and the list goes on and on. But those who put their trust in the Lord are capable of seeing the light in ANY darkness that may engulf their lives. Regardless of size, or height, or race, or socio-economic status, or intelligence, or age, or reputation, or any worldly standard!
Blessings CAN be found in the midst of our darkest day. For God is loving, gracious and compassionate to all who would seek Him – true comfort in our time of need. For the believer the Light isn't at the end of the
tunnel simply to look forward to one day, but rather the Light is right there constantly at our side showing us the way always. What a blessing
this
is! You know, things do not always go the way we want them to go, but for the
believer all things work together for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Rom 8:28).
It may not be apparent to us at the time or even at any time during our lives, but God is in control. We all experienced darkness in
our lives, but let us thank God for His love, mercy, grace, forgiveness, kindness and compassion
toward us. Let it be our hope and prayer that we may strive to do likewise for others; that we might be an instrument of God's light in another's time of darkness.
May we be the Light in someone else's tunnel. Today, may that be the desire of our hearts.
"Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."
–
Ephesians 4:32
“God Calling” compiled by A. J. Russell.
"Twenty-Four Hours A Day" Hazelton – adapted.
Greg C. writes The Light in the Tunnel Rather than AT the End of It.
Barry G. writes A Disciple’s Reflections.
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