Monday, February 28, 2011

Hearing the Call

Hearing the Call
Acts 6:4
God has issued some dramatic calls to service. Moses heard His voice from a burning bush (Ex. 3). Isaiah saw a vision of heaven's throne room (Isa. 6). However, a spectacle is the exception rather than the rule. For most who follow the Lord to the mission field, His call is a persistent tug on the heart. It is a whisper in their spirit asking, "How will they know God unless someone tells them?" (Rom. 10:14).
It's better if the Lord doesn't have to use drama to get our attention. Consider stubborn Saul who needed a serious talking to and temporary blindness to get him on the mission field (Acts 26:13-18). I know I'd rather hear the Lord's still small voice!
People can try to ignore the heart tug, block the ever-present question with activity, or satisfy it by giving money rather than themselves. Some outright say no. But the call persists. God's will is set and His plan is steadfast. Though we may run, we can't escape His call to obey (Jonah 1:1; 3:1).
The road of obedience will certainly be marked with challenges. But difficulty is part of any life—at home or abroad, in mission work or a traditional job. Thankfully, the rewards of serving are greater than any hardship. Remember that Jesus promised Peter a hundred-fold return on his investment in the kingdom (Mark 10:28-30).
Carrying the gospel is a great opportunity to serve God. What better way to thank Him for saving us and writing our name in the Book of Life than to share that experience with others. If the Lord's still small voice is calling you, say yes and see what amazing, life-changing work He can do through you.

Moses writes in poetic form a summary of everything he has taught the Israelites.

Deuteronomy 32

Moses writes in poetic form a summary of everything he has taught the Israelites.
INSIGHT
Man is more than a machine. Man is more than a combination of blood vessels and bones. There is something within man that transcends the physical. It is the image of God. When the major issues of life lie before us, the image of God within us demands that we sing a song or paint a picture or write a poem or perform a dance. At the end of his life-as Moses is struggling to summarize all that he needs to say to his people-he bursts out in song. Surely the thumbprint of God is seen in his crowning achievement.
PRAYER
A mark of the image of God within is revealed as you offer Him your praise:
Give to the Lord, O families of the peoples,
Give to the Lord glory and strength.
Give to the Lord the glory due His name;
Bring an offering, and come before Him;
Oh, worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness! (1 Chronicles 16:28-29).

Now pray this confession to the Lord to keep your life in fellowship with Him:
"Now, therefore," says the Lord,
"Turn to me with all your heart,
With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning."
So rend your heart, and not your garments;
Return to the Lord your God,
For He is gracious and merciful,
Slow to anger, and of great kindness;
And He relents from doing harm (Joel 2:12-13).

As you confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind, voice your affirmation of God's Word:
Having been justified by faith, I have peace with You through my Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also I have access by faith into this grace in which I stand; and I rejoice in hope of the glory of You (based on Romans 5:1-2).
As you make your requests known to the Lord, pray for:
Greater faithfulness in sharing Christ with others
Our state and local leaders
The concerns of your heart
Now offer this prayer of worship to the Lord:
O, satisfy us early with Your mercy, That we may rejoice and be glad all our days! (Psalm 90:14).

The Grand Opening

The Grand Opening
Dan Levin
In Parashat P’kudei, we see the Israelites complete the punch list for the Tabernacle. Carefully, the text recounts how Bezalel and Oholiab, under the direction of Aaron’s son Ithamar, fashioned the materials brought by their fellow Israelites into the structure, furnishings, and implements of the Tabernacle.
And now that the entire project has been developed, it is delivered to Moses. “Thus was completed all the work of the Tabernacle of the Tent of Meeting. The Israelites did so; just as the Eternal had commanded Moses, so they did” (Exodus 39:32).
What is interesting is that throughout the parashah, we are told that Bezalel and Oholiab were responsible for everything that was made. But the detailed description of each piece concludes with the same phrase: “as the Eternal had commanded Moses” (Exodus 39:1ff).
Bezalel, we are taught, melded his mind to what God had commanded. The text states that Bezalel “had made all that the Eternal had commanded Moses . . .” (Exodus 38:22). Rashi notes that:
“It does not say ‘all that Moses had commanded,’ but ‘all that the Eternal had commanded Moses.’ Betzalel even did things that his master had not told him to do, so completely had he conformed his thoughts to what was told to Moses on Sinai.”1
But how was Bezalel able to do this? How did he know what it was that God had commanded Moses? Rashi riffs on Bezalel’s name: “Perhaps you were be-tza-lel, “in the shadow of God,” when God spoke to me?”2
What gave Bezalel the insight and ability to make the vision of the Tabernacle a reality was his capacity to draw on his own closeness to God.
For so long, the Israelites had relied on someone else to access God for them. When they needed redemption from Egypt, when they were trapped at the shores of the Sea of Reeds, when they ran out of provisions along the way, each time they beseeched Moses to go get God for them. When God spoke directly to them, they chose instead for Moses to be their intermediary. And when they lost faith in God and Moses, they gathered against Aaron and said, “Come, make us a god who shall go before us” (Exodus 32:1).
But in building the Tabernacle, it is the Israelites who sought to access God’s wisdom on their own. Led by Bezalel, who found his own place in God’s Presence, they studied Moses’s command, and through it intuited God’s desire. The text reminds us, yet again, that the work was done, “Just as the Eternal had commanded Moses, so the Israelites had done all the work” (Exodus 39:42). Nachmanides notes that the customary word for work, m’lachah, is not used here. Rather the word we find in the text is avodah, the word used for the service of God. “For that is why they made the Tabernacle, to follow the commandment, ‘You shall serve the Eternal your God (Exodus 23:25).’ ”3 The Israelites, in completing the work of the Tabernacle, have learned that it is not Moses alone whom God wants as a servant, but it is the Israelites together who have the power to build a house for God.
And so the people brought the Tabernacle to Moses, “with the Tent and all its furnishings: its clasps, its planks, its bars, its posts, and its sockets . . . ” (Exodus 39:33) all ready to go. When Moses saw how they had performed their work, “as the Eternal had commanded, so they had done—Moses blessed them” (Exodus 39:43).
Moses blessed them because they had finally become what God had intended them to be: “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Exodus 19:6). They had finally become servants of God on their own. And so Moses was given the final task of completing the Tabernacle. No longer is he the one to bring God to the people. Now, with the product of their passion and personal sacrifice, the people have brought God to Moses.
And so it is, because the people as one have tapped into their own divinity, each seeing the Bezalel inside, so when the Tabernacle was completed, God’s Presence filled the space. Rabbi Yaakov Aryeh of Radzimin said: “The entire Sanctuary was filled with Israel’s love and the longing for God . . . . As a result, the Shekhinah rested upon them.”4
Each of us can be Bezalel. Each of us can find our place in God’s shadow, and draw on that holy inspiration to see how God wants us to contribute to the master plan of God’s house. But a house for God is not built alone. It is only when each of us brings our unique gifts, in love and desire to serve the higher and holier purposes of our existence, that God’s Presence will fill the sanctuaries we build with our hands, and the sanctuaries we carry in our hearts.

Milk Does A Body Good

Milk Does A Body Good
2As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: 3If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. - 1 Peter 2:2 KJV
Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, 3 now that you have tasted that the Lord is good. 1 Peter 2:2 NIV

To desire something is to have a strong feeling that moves you to do whatever it takes to attain or possess that thing. To desire is to hunger, to thirst, crave, long and to yearn. Desire is a persistent uneasiness that lingers until that need is met. Even though it seems out of reach you just know that you know that you know that you know that one day I am going to have what I am wishing for.

Look back at the first three words of 1 Peter 2:2. What does it say? It says, “As newborn babes.” Now those of us who been babes and that’s all us, know that when we wanted what we wanted we didn’t shut up until we got it. We hollered we cried we rolled on the floor. We poked out our lips. We made sure that everyone around us knew that we were not going to be denied the thing that we desired the most.

What God is saying here is that we must get the same attitude of a newborn babe when we are going after Him. Jacob while wrestling with God said in Genesis 32:26, “I will not let thee go, except thou bless me.” Until our change comes we have to hold onto the altar and let nothing separate from the promises of God. We have to hold on and hang on until we see what we desire from God come to pass.

Mark 10:45 – 47 reads thusly, “46And they came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging. 47And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me.”

Listen at this in Luke chapter 19, “Jesus entered Jericho and made his way through the town. 2 There was a man there named Zacchaeus. He was the chief tax collector in the region, and he had become very rich. 3 He tried to get a look at Jesus, but he was too short to see over the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree beside the road, for Jesus was going to pass that way. 5 When Jesus came by, he looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name. “Zacchaeus!” he said. “Quick, come down! I must be a guest in your home today.” (To be continued)

Sunday, February 27, 2011

Restoration is promised to the Israelites.

Deuteronomy 30

Restoration is promised to the Israelites.
INSIGHT
Where would we be without forgiveness? In his weakness, man is not able to sustain any relationship without eventually needing to forgive and to be forgiven. This includes his relationship with God. Unless God were willing to forgive us, we could have no relationship with Him, for we are unable to be sinless before Him. What a warm and tender chapter comes on the heels of the curses. God says, "If you turn from Me, I will pour out on you the curses. But if you repent and return to Me, I will forgive you and restore you." What a comfort. What a wonderful God.
PRAYER
For His grace to forgive, offer the Lord this psalm of praise:
Oh, sing to the Lord a new song!
Sing to the Lord, all the earth.
Sing to the Lord, bless His name;
Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day.
Declare His glory among the nations,
His wonders among all peoples (Psalm 96:1-3).

Now pray this confession to the Lord to keep your life in fellowship with Him:
But He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
And by His stripes we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray;
We have turned, every one, to his own way;
And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all (Isaiah 53:5-6).

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind.

As you agree with God's will, voice your affirmation of His Word:
These things You have spoken to me, that in You I may have peace.
In the world I will have tribulation; but I will be of good cheer,
You have overcome the world (based on John 16:33).

As you make your requests known to the Lord, pray for:
Greater love for others
The work of missions in the Middle East
Your prayer list
Offer this prayer of worship to the Lord:
Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, comfort our hearts and establish us in every good word and work (based on 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17).

The Missionary Call

The Missionary Call
Matthew 4:18-22
I've heard every reason you can imagine for avoiding missionary service: "I haven't been to seminary." "I can't preach." "I'm too old." "My family won't go for it." On and on the list goes. Let me tell you that there are thousands of active missionaries who once thought that God couldn't use them either. I often have the privilege of hearing their stories of how the Lord turned resistance into enthusiasm.
People can offer God plenty of reasons why He shouldn't call them to spread the gospel. But His call is not issued for our consideration; He expects a response of obedience and surrender.
A believer is accountable only to say yes to God's call. It is the Lord's responsibility to equip the chosen for the work He's assigned. A personal plan has been mapped for each believer's life, and God provides the personality and temperament that suits. Then He adds skills that can be developed and the spiritual gifts necessary to fulfill His mission.
God makes His call with wisdom and discernment. He knows why He created you and what you're capable of accomplishing in His strength (Eph. 2:10). Rejecting the invitation to serve Him is foolish. It would be like telling almighty God that He made a mistake. But surrender opens the door to a lifetime of service, blessing, and joy!
Mission work can occur near or far. You could serve: at home by writing to prisoners; down the street by dishing out meals at a shelter; across the nation by providing flood relief; or in a foreign land by translating the gospel. In short, a missionary calling is whatever God tells you to do.

The covenant with the children of Israel is renewed in Moab.

Deuteronomy 29

The covenant with the children of Israel is renewed in Moab.
INSIGHT
After laying out the options before the Israelites at Mount Ebal and Mount Gerazim, God now says, "Choose." But by His grace, He makes clear the consequences of these choices. How terrible are the curses-and how wonderful are the blessings. Seeing the alternative so clearly before us, what could possibly account for our choosing the curses? The only conceivable answer is that we don't believe God. We don't really believe that the blessings will be that good-or that the curses will be that bad. The Old Testament was written for our instruction. We must learn to take God at His Word. Period.
PRAYER
Offer to the Lord this psalm of praise for giving us His blessings:
Blessed are You, Lord God of Israel, our
Father, forever and ever.
Yours, O Lord, is the greatness,
The power and the glory,
The victory and the majesty;
For all that is in heaven and in earth is Yours;
Yours is the kingdom, O Lord,
And You are exalted as head over all (1 Chronicles 29:10-11).

Now pray this confession to the Lord:
Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices,
As in obeying the voice of the Lord?
Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice;
And to heed than the fat of rams (1 Samuel 15:22).

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind.

As you agree with God's will, voice your affirmation of His Word:
You are the light of the world. He who follows You shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life (based on John 8:12).

As you make your requests known to the Lord, pray for:
Greater personal discipline
The Lord's work in national and international affairs
Today's activities
Now offer this prayer of worship to the Lord - the God who has promised to bless those who follow Him:
Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen (1 Timothy 1:17).

Friday, February 25, 2011

The Missionary Question

The Missionary Question
Romans 10:11-15
At every missions conference hosted by my church, I give God the same message I've been repeating since my early 20s: "I'm available, Lord. I'll go to foreign fields if you say so." Until He tells me to pack my bags, I'm going to keep on sending others to work among unbelievers in distant and even remote lands.
Paul asked a series of rhetorical questions in Romans 10 that can be summed up like this: How will the world hear about Jesus if you do nothing? God uses Christians to spread the word that His salvation plan is available to all. He put us in families and communities and nations so we will mingle and share what we know. But some believers are called to carry the gospel farther than others. Those who stay behind are to offer prayer and resources for those who travel.
If you're shaking your head and thinking, Mission work isn't where my heart is, I have news for you: Every believer is called to missions as either a goer or a sender. That call comes in dramatic ways for some, but for most of us, it is simply a biblical principle to be followed (Matt. 28:19). What's missing for those who don't have a "heart" for such work is passion. Christians who share and go and send are often excited about God's message for unbelievers—and it's possible for you to become more enthusiastic too.
I challenge you to ask the Lord, "Am I open to going anywhere You send me?" Our roots in a community should be sunk only as deep as God wills. If you aren't called to go, then choose to be a sender. Offer your prayers, your money, and anything else that will help to put others on the mission field.

All I Ever Wanted Was to Belong

All I Ever Wanted Was to Belong
By Sharon Palay, Member, Bet Shalom Congregation, Minnetonka, MinnesotaI’m a human being and trying to follow my ancestral footsteps, but it’s been hard because of my physical limitations. My name is Sharon. I am a Reform Jew born and raised in a small town in North Dakota. My mom took me to B’nai Israel Synagogue. I remember snuggling close to her, loving the bright and beautiful stained glass windows that lit up the whole sanctuary. I have cerebral palsy. I use a wheelchair. Sometimes people have a difficult time understanding what I say—and I do have a lot to say! To get into the synagogue my dad and uncle would carry me up the steps in my wheelchair. There were more stairs going up to the bimah. One Sukkot my mom took me up to the bimah. We stood under the chuppah and I saw the Torah for the first time. It would be the last time I would be close to the Torah scroll for many years.
I attended Ann Carlson Crippled Children Christian Boarding School in Jamestown. The Federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act was years away, so there were no laws mandating education for children with disabilities. I learned how to live independently. Academics were not stressed. But the Christian religion was. As the only Jew, I sat in the hallway on Sunday mornings to wait for my peers to come back from church services. I felt very isolated. When I came home from school mom would teach me about being Jewish. We read stories about Jewish holidays. On rare occasions, I went to religious school. I felt like an outsider because I didn’t know much about Judaism.

I was 27 when I moved to Minneapolis. I chose Minneapolis because it was a bigger Jewish community for me to join. I started my 14 year journey to find a synagogue. I would call synagogues to get information about joining. Gatekeepers answered phones at all the synagogues. “We can’t help you,” they all said.

In 2001, Jewish Family and Children’s Service of Minneapolis started the Jewish Community Inclusion Program for People with Disabilities. The program manager, Shelly, met with me. She was the first person to ask what my goals were for participating in the Jewish community. “All I’ve ever wanted was to belong,” I replied. This was the beginning of my new life.

I wanted to join Bet Shalom Congregation because the new building was accessible. After meeting with Rabbi Norman Cohen, I decided to join. While still at the synagogue I called to schedule a ride for the next Erev Shabbat services.

I was persistent. The staff at Bet Shalom was very supportive and welcoming, helping me achieve my Jewish goals. I attended services and started learning Hebrew. People started to see me around the synagogue and some would talk with me. It wasn’t always easy, but once I found my Jewish home I didn’t give up. Eventually I celebrated becoming a bat mitzvah. I read the first three verses of B’reishit, the parashah in which we read that each person is created b’tzelem Elohim, in the Divine Image. That includes me and all other people who have disabilities.

What has changed for me? I finally practice my faith. I participate in physical fitness at the Sabes Jewish Community Center and volunteer at a class for young adults who have disabilities. I co-chair Bet Shalom’s Inclusion Committee and attend Torah study classes. The first time I met Rabbi Cohen he asked me if my parents were alive. Both of them had died by then. I told the rabbi that I had never said Kaddish for them. It was a stunning realization for the rabbi and for me that one of the most important traditions in Judaism had been denied to me because of my disability. Now I say Kaddish for my parents and honor their memory.

Bet Shalom has given to me a place to call my own and to feel accepted for who I am. And I think I opened the eyes of my Jewish community to accept all kinds of people regardless of their physical, emotional and hidden disabilities.

The people receive the blessings of Mount Gerazim.

Deuteronomy 28

The people receive the blessings of Mount Gerazim.
INSIGHT
A sword and a plowshare are laid on the valley floor between Ebal and Gerazim. Blessings are piled upon pile-until you wonder if the blessings can be contained. The Lord outdoes Himself, searching His omniscience to find ways of blessing Israel. Obviously, He takes great pleasure in doing good to them. But in the shadow of the plowshare lies a sword. The 14 verses of blessings are followed by 54 verses of the most heart-rending curses imaginable. How evil, how unspeakably terrible is sin. Thank God that He has delivered us from it. Thank God that, through Christ, we may taste of His blessings forever.
PRAYER
Offer your praise to the Lord for His goodness in delivering us from the consequences of sin:
You who love the Lord, hate evil!
He preserves the souls of His saints;
He delivers them out of the hand of the wicked.
Light is sown for the righteous,
And gladness for the upright in heart.
Rejoice in the Lord, you righteous,
And give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name (Psalm 97:10-12).

Now pray this confession to the Lord to keep your life in fellowship with Him:
Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.
(Hebrews 12:11-13)

As you agree with God's will, voice your affirmation of His Word:
You are the bread of life. He who comes to You shall never hunger, and he who believes in You shall never thirst (based on John 6:35).

As you make your requests known to the Lord, pray for:
An eternal perspective on life
Your own personal goals and spiritual growth
The concerns of your heart
Now offer this prayer of worship to the Lord:
Now may You, the God of patience and comfort grant us to be likeminded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, that we may with one mind and one mouth glorify You, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (based on Romans 15:5-6).
Influence Learning!

Great Expectations

Great Expectations
By Jill Chaus, Member, United Jewish Center in Danbury, Connecticut
My 18 year old son, Aitan, lives with autism and learned about NFTY Northeast’s December Institute. Inspired by his younger brother’s experiences in NFTY and at Camp Eisner, Aitan anxiously wanted to participate. I made a plea to the NFTY Northeast Advisor, Rachel Mersky Woda, to accept Aitan into the program and offered to be available as needed. She was thrilled to learn I was also a social worker who works with people with disabilities and asked if I'd be willing to teach participants and staff about increasing our sensitivity to include people with disabilities. I was delighted. But preparing to go to Institute was difficult for me. I feared it would overwhelm Aitan, and I'd kick myself for setting him up to fail. Aitan was not nervous at all. He was only excited that he could finally be included. His confidence and positive attitude are what really drove me.
The truth is, once Aitan and I arrived, he taught all of us. Aitan attends a private school and requires an aide throughout the day. However, once he walked into the program, he was supported by a force greater than any of the professionals he has ever worked with. He was motivated by the desire to fit in, make friends and be accepted. I also saw the sensitivity and compassion of the young teens that strived to make him comfortable, without any instruction. Aitan spent his days attending the full program, slept in a bunk with 20 typical young teens and ate meals with the group. Whenever I would check in with him, he quietly would ask me to leave him alone because I was “cramping his style.”
I facilitated groups about sensitivity and inclusion. I was surprised at how receptive the kids were. They were anxious to share their own stories of how they have either been touched by people who are disabled or felt discrimination toward their family members who are disabled. Some shared in what ways they were disabled and were relieved to talk about it in a safe environment.
As the week progressed I saw how apart from my sessions, the teens were experiencing Aitan and getting a hands-on education that came naturally. Aitan was fully, whole heartedly accepted that week, even performing an original song in the talent show his last night of the Institute. (Visit youtube.com and search Aitan Harpaz to see video.) As he sang, you could hear a pin drop, and when he finished, all the kids jumped to their feet to applaud and cheer for him.
I was walking on cloud nine! I raised an amazing young man of whom I am incredibly proud. I took a risk bringing Aitan somewhere where they were not prepared for him but was rewarded with the best gift ever. I was given the confidence to know the limits are as high or as low as I set them. As parents, we naturally want to protect our children. We do not want to see them fail or be scrutinized or rejected. Mistakenly, many of us hold our own children back from their peers because of this fear. Doing this isolates us and our children. We feel different and rejected. In truth, much of this feeling is created by our own actions. We think they won’t be accepted, but we don’t often put them in situations that can prove otherwise.
Aitan has made many friends from the experience and he looks forward to attending future NFTY events. This is Aitan’s senior year, which means that he is at the end of his NFTY experience. He will see his peers go off to college and get jobs. His social experiences with typical peers will decrease. It makes me sad because he is a late bloomer who is just finding his niche here at NFTY. He loves helping others who need more support than him, is a terrific advocate for himself and very kind and thoughtful of others. Perhaps he could be a liaison or a mentor to others coming in. In the end, he and I learned more than anything we could have ever taught: In the right environment he isn’t that disabled after all. Thank you, NFTY Northeast, for an experience that will last a lifetime for our family.

Remember What You Are Carrying!

Remember What You Are Carrying!

7But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. 8We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; 10Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body (1st Corinthians 4:7-10)

In this 4th chapter of 2nd Corinthians, Paul is talking to those who have a commitment to this life in Christ. Those who understand that we are no longer under a veil but because of Jesus Christ, we now have face to face access to God. We are the ones to understand and recognize that God is a living, personal presence, not a piece of chiseled stone. And when God is personally present, a living Spirit, that old, constricting legislation or law is recognized as outdated. We are now broken up with our old way of life. That sin life that I held a long term relationship with…is over! This break up has made me free to fully and passionately pursue an intimate relationship with God. Because we have become intimately acquainted with God, we now carry the things of God (His word…His promises, etc). Of course even while maintaining a relationship with God, the enemy wants to woo you back. Because you refused his (Satan’s) advances he now wants to destroy you. 1st Peter 5:8 says “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:”

I once heard a story about a female dog that was pregnant with puppies. One day she was near a three lane highway, needing to get to the other side where she could find food… to keep up her strength. As she maneuvered her way across that busy highway, she could not move very fast, because her belly was so swelled with the puppies she was carrying. Horns would blow, as the cars were barely missing her. She got to the very shoulder of the road, and was about to step into safety, when a car speeding at about 70 miles per hour, came out of nowhere, and hit her in the rear section of her body. The impact was so great until it flipped her about 50 or so feet up in the air. She landed near a grassy area. Still partially in the road, she dragged herself out of harms way into the grass. As she lay there, bleeding, barely able to move, and in excruciating pain, she felt like death would be her only comfort. If death would come right now, she could be out of this misery. It was too much for her to bear. She lay there waiting for death to claim her, but then she looked down… and she saw her belly swollen with the life that was growing inside of her, and she thought to herself, I can not die now…she told death no. Why? Because she remembered what she was carrying.

I know sometimes life can be harsh, leaving you hurt, in pain, or feeling as if the bleeding will never stop…look down at your belly, because I heard St. John 7:38 says: He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water! Don’t give up and die right where you are, instead look up and live, and remember what you are carrying!

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Our Missionary Mission

Our Missionary Mission
Acts 13:1-4
Paul and Barnabas set the standard for the church's mission work when they obeyed God's call to go forth. The local body of believers—those left behind to share Christ with neighbors and friends—equipped the men for their journey. They did so for the same reasons that apply today:
1. The spiritual condition of mankind. Romans 1:21-32 describes this sinful world. Unchecked sin leads people down a slippery slope toward a depraved conscience and, ultimately, a darkened mind that cannot perceive what is right. Every unbelieving person is sliding on that treacherous path.
2. God's spiritual provision. The Father responded to mankind's plight with grace: He sent His only Son Jesus Christ to save the world. On the cross, Christ bore the sin of every person—living, no longer alive, and yet to be born. The offer of salvation is for all; God's grace is blind to race, creed, and color (Rom. 10:12). Those who believe in Jesus are forgiven their sin, and they will spend eternity with the Lord.
3. The commission from Jesus Christ. Acts 1:8 says we receive the Holy Spirit so we may bear effective witness to those who need salvation. Notice that we don't simply begin at home and work steadily outward. People everywhere are waiting for the Good News. The word is to be carried far and fast.
The purpose of the church is to worship and witness. Some will go and some will send, but all are called to the work of spreading the gospel. This is not a suggestion; it is a command (Matt. 28:19). Believers living in God's will are all to be involved in missionary work.

Curses from Mount Ebal dramatize disobedience.

Deuteronomy 27

Curses from Mount Ebal dramatize disobedience.
INSIGHT
What a drama! Mount Gerazim and Mount Ebal are two masses of limestone rock rising over 2,000 feet above sea level. Between them lies a beautiful valley, about 300 yards wide. Half the children of Israel are on one mountain, and half are on the other, with the Levites in the valley between the two mountains. Curses are called from Mount Ebal and blessings are called from Mount Gerazim. All of this is to dramatize the importance of obedience and the consequences of disobedience, even down to not letting a blind man wander out of his way. Nothing is insignificant to a holy God. Nor should it be to us. We must care about right and wrong.
PRAYER
Offer praise to our holy God in the words of this psalm:
Oh give thanks to the Lord!
Call upon His name;
Make known His deeds among the peoples!
Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him;
Talk of all His wondrous works!
Glory in His holy name;
Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the Lord.
Seek the Lord and His strength;
Seek His face evermore!
Remember His marvelous works . . .
His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth (Psalm 105:1-5).

Now pray this confession to the Lord:
If anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world (1 John 2:1-2).

As you confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind, voice your affirmation of God's Word:
"Whoever drinks of the water that You shall give him will never thirst.
But the water that You shall give him will become in him a fountain of water
springing up into everlasting life" (based on John 4:14).

As you make your requests known to the Lord, pray for:
A stronger desire to be like Christ
The churches across the nation
Your prayer list
Now offer this prayer of worship to the Lord:
Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom. Thanksgiving and honor and power and might,
Be to our God forever and ever. Amen (Revelation 7:12).

It’s No Longer on Hold! (Part 3)

It’s No Longer on Hold! (Part 3)
21And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 22Son of man, what is that proverb that ye have in the land of Israel, saying, The days are prolonged, and every vision faileth? 23Tell them therefore, Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will make this proverb to cease, and they shall no more use it as a proverb in Israel; but say unto them, The days are at hand, and the effect of every vision. 24For there shall be no more any vain vision nor flattering divination within the house of Israel. 25For I am the LORD: I will speak, and the word that I shall speak shall come to pass; it shall be no more prolonged: for in your days, O rebellious house, will I say the word, and will perform it, saith the Lord GOD. . (Ezekiel 12:21-25)
In this 12th chapter of Ezekiel, the prophet played the role of a captive being led away to exile, portraying what was about to happen to King Zedekiah and the people remaining in Jerusalem. He prepared for removal, breaking through the wall of his house in the evening like somebody trying to escape from their enemy. King Zedekiah and those remaining in Jerusalem knew exactly what Ezekiel was doing because only six years earlier they had made similar preparations as they left Jerusalem for Babylonia. In verse 17-20, the prophet had to eat and drink in care and fear, with trembling. This was done that he would be able to express the condition of those in Jerusalem during the siege.
In the 5th chapter of Jeremiah states: “For the house of Israel and the house of Judah have dealt very treacherously against me, saith the LORD. They have belied the LORD, and said it is not he; neither shall evil come upon us; neither shall we see sword nor famine: And the prophets shall become wind, and the word is not in them: thus shall it be done unto them. Wherefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, Because ye speak this word, behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.” When ministers speak to those in sin of the ruin coming upon them, they must speak as those that know the terrors of the Lord. If you don’t believe what God has spoken to be true, how can you relate this to others? You have to become so sold out to God that the Word of the Lord coming out of your mouth burns like fire into the hearts of those who hear it.
In verses 27 the Lord spoke these words “Son of man, behold, they of the house of Israel say, The vision that he seeth is for many days to come, and he prophesieth of the times that are far off.” When the Lord spoke to me in these scriptures, He begin to let me know that things he had spoken in my life were now coming to pass. I started watching him bring forth things that had been prophesied in my life years ago…suddenly these things coming to pass. We are in an hour that you can be in one place today, when suddenly you are in another place tomorrow! It is like the day of Pentecost…they were all in one place…on one accord, when suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind.(Acts 2:1-2). Where ever you are right now, hold to what God has spoken for your life because it’s no longer on hold, and your suddenly just might happen today!

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Walking Wisely

Walking Wisely
Ephesians 5:15-17
When Paul exhorts us to walk wisely, he gives three instructions to help us make godly choices. First, he says to
"be careful how you walk" (Eph. 5:15). Because we live in a morally corrupt society, we must be vigilant about the way we think and act. Unless we deliberately choose to guard ourselves, we will simply do what comes naturally and go along with cultural influences.

Next, in verse 16, the apostle instructs us to make the most of our time. The Lord has entrusted each of us with 24 hours per day and various opportunities to participate in His plans for us. But so often we are tempted to squander our time and energy on our own pursuits without a thought of what our heavenly Father may have in mind for us.

In verse 17, Paul lays out the final exhortation: to "understand what the will of the Lord is." In its broadest sense, God's will for us is that we would each become the person He created us to be and do the work He planned for us to accomplish (Eph. 2:10). Knowing this, we should look at every decision with consideration of whether our choice will further or hinder our heavenly Father's purposes for us. To live thoughtlessly outside of His will is foolish.

The Lord wants us to walk wisely so that we can enjoy all the marvelous benefits that He's promised in His Word and longs to give us. Wasted opportunities and time misspent can never be reclaimed. Let's commit to make our lives count for Christ instead of merely living for ourselves.

The Lord teaches the Israelites the importance of giving.

Deuteronomy 26

The Lord teaches the Israelites the importance of giving.
INSIGHT
We offer a portion of our income to the Lord in gratitude for what He has given us. If we know Him for who He really is, the Creator and Ruler of the universe, then we will rightly understand that everything in the world truly belongs to Him. In His goodness and compassion, He has provided us with the things that we need to survive. As we give to the church, "the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow," we are acknowledging his exuberant generosity and love.
PRAYER
Offer this psalm to our worthy God:
"For every beast of the forest is Mine,
And the cattle on a thousand hills.
I know all the birds of the mountains,
And the wild beasts of the field are Mine. . . .
Offer to God thanksgiving,
And pay your vows to the Most High.
Call upon Me in the day of trouble;
I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me" (Psalm 50:10-11, 14-15).

Now pray this confession to the Lord to keep your life free from sin and in fellowship with Him:
Bow down your ear, O Lord, hear me;
For I am poor and needy. . . .
For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive,
And abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You (Psalm 86:1, 5).

Voice your affirmation of God's Word:
You are my portion, O Lord;
I have said that I would keep Your words. . . .
The earth, O Lord, is full of Your mercy;
Teach me Your statutes (Psalm 119:57, 64).

As you make your requests known to the Lord, pray for:
An attitude of gratefulness
The poor and needy
Today's activities
Now offer this prayer of worship to the Lord:
O Lord, how manifold are Your works!
In wisdom You have made them all.
The earth is full of Your possessions-
This great and wide sea,
In which are innumerable teeming things,
Living things both small and great (Psalm 104:24-25).

Such a winter's day

GALILEE DIARY
Such a winter's day
by Marc J. Rosenstein
Discuss on Our Blog…and the Lord said to Himself: Never again will I doom the earth because of man, since the devising of man's mind are evil from his youth; nor will I ever again destroy every living being as I have done. So long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night shall not cease.
-Genesis 8:21-22
We complained for weeks about the seemingly endless, dry summer that wouldn't end when it seemed like it should have. But finally, winter has come (as we knew it would). On my morning walk around Shorashim today the sky from here west to Haifa was filled with clouds piled up in layers of different shades and consistencies, with wisps reaching all the way down to the ground, and patches of blue sky scattered among them. As the sun came over the mountains to the east, a rainbow appeared among those clouds, seemingly rooted in the village of Sha'ab, as usual, and framing the view of Haifa. As the sun lit the side of Mount Gilon to the north, the slopes glowed with a film of bright green, finally colorizing the sepia-toned landscape we had been looking at for so many months. The air was moist and warm. For over half the year the air and the landscape around here are very hard. Today they felt soft. Here in the Galilee, winter is the best season.
The sound of bellowing cows echoed up across the valley. This is the season when the cowherds from Sha'ab and other villages lead their herds out among the olive groves in the valley bottoms, and up the slopes, to feast on the lush seasonal greenery. It is also the season when the cows tend to get too enthusiastic and wander into Shorashim, leaving deposits on the sidewalks, deep hoofprints in the soft mud of our gardens, and chewed-off trees and shrubs. Later this morning, driving at rush hour to the Acco train station along four-lane, divided, 60 mph Route 85, traffic was bumper to bumper in one stretch, as a cowherd was trying to lead a large herd along the shoulder, but the cows had apparently never learned the rule about walking single file along the side of a highway…
The full glory of the wild flower season is still a few weeks ahead of us – the slopes are just greening today, but soon will be bright yellow sparked with red. Meanwhile, the delicate cyclamens with their bowed heads are everywhere - in gardens, in open fields, along paths, even in urban cracks. They were voted Israel's "national flower" several years ago, which means I guess we really do aspire to a kinder, gentler society.
The children's song that is the anthem of Tu Beshvat goes: "The almond tree is blossoming/ A golden sun is shining/ Birds announce from every rooftop/ Tu Beshvat has arrived." Tu Beshvat was a whole month ago already, but I noticed this morning that the almond trees are just blossoming now. This is a sure sign that this is a leap year – as the lunar year shifts earlier in the solar cycle (by 11 days a year), the Jewish holidays keep getting "earlier," and every 2-3 years an extra month is added to re-synchronize the two cycles. This is such a year, and we are presently in the middle of that extra month, Adar I, inserted to push back Pesach - and subsequently, the whole rest of the year. Thus, next year, Tu Beshvat should just coincide with the blossoming of the almond trees.
God's observation (above) was apt: We have been pretty clever about making harmony between the moon and the sun; if only we could figure out how to make harmony with each other.

It’s No Longer on Hold! (Part 2)

It’s No Longer on Hold! (Part 2)

21And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 22Son of man, what is that proverb that ye have in the land of Israel, saying, The days are prolonged, and every vision faileth? 23Tell them therefore, Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will make this proverb to cease, and they shall no more use it as a proverb in Israel; but say unto them, The days are at hand, and the effect of every vision. 24For there shall be no more any vain vision nor flattering divination within the house of Israel. 25For I am the LORD: I will speak, and the word that I shall speak shall come to pass; it shall be no more prolonged: for in your days, O rebellious house, will I say the word, and will perform it, saith the Lord GOD. (Ezekiel 12:21-25)

In this 12th chapter of Ezekiel, the prophet played the role of a captive being led away to exile, portraying what was about to happen to King Zedekiah and the people remaining in Jerusalem. For several centuries all of Israel’s kings were of David’s family. Some of the kings were good, many were bad. Zedekiah was the last king of the Davidic line. He was the son of King Josiah (a good king with a righteous heart), but did not follow in his footsteps. He led his nation to complete destruction. He was so evil that the Lord God said of him: “You…impious (without reverence) and wicked prince of Israel, your fate has come upon you in the hour of final punishment…Ruin! Ruin! I will bring about such ruin as never was before, until the rightful sovereign (ruler) comes. Then I will give him (Messiah) all” (Ezekiel 21:25-27 amp).

King Zedekiah’s, whose name was Mattanias, was the half -brother of Jehoiakim (2nd King 23:36). He was placed upon Judah’s throne by Nebuchadnezzar. Nebuchadnezzar selected as a special throne-name for him, Zedekiah, which means “Jehovah is righteous” Zedekiah adopted the name, wanting to be recognized as a righteous King, however, he did not have the ability. He simply did not have enough character to match the name. In the 37th and 38th chapters of Jeremiah, we find that this king did evil in the sight of the Lord, but it was a “passive evil” and not an “active evil.” Simply meaning it was what he allowed to happen, as oppose to what he actually did. He was a weak king and a spineless Monarch. Too full of fear to take a stand, allowing the people to continue their outrages, scandalous mess! He was so weak until his weakness was considered wickedness!

Ephesians 6:1 declares: “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted”. We must be careful not to under estimate the consequence of “passive evil”! It is time for preachers to once again, preach against sin…the people of God to stand up for righteousness, knowing that God has already said: “Your wicked generation is the very one that shall indeed see every vision fulfilled, every prophecy vindicated, and all the predictions against the apostate nation happening just like the true prophets said.” The Word of God is no longer on hold!

Never Marry Your Grandmother

Never Marry Your Grandmother

“My boyfriend is driving me crazy! Does he want to get married or not?”
“My husband and I were both thrilled when I became pregnant. But when I mention the baby, he sometimes gets this terrified look on his face. Is he happy about our baby nor not?”
The answer is…drum roll please…Both! The author of The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald, wrote,
“The test of a first rate intelligence is the ability to hold
two opposed ideas in the mind at the same time,
and still retain the ability to function.”
People are complicated and since most of the joy in life as well as most of the problems come from dealing with others, it is helpful to gain greater understanding into human relationships, particularly between men and women.
Take a look at Scripture’s list of prohibited sexual relationships. It starts with close relatives and ends with bestiality. (Leviticus 18:6-23)
Pretty straightforward. Except, we are perplexed to discover that one and a half chapters later the entire list is repeated. This time, however, it starts with adultery and ends with close relatives. (Leviticus 20:10-21) Is it repeated to help folks with short memories?
No. The purpose of the Torah is to teach us how the world REALLY works and that includes understanding sexual relationships. Relationships between men and woman are complicated because they are driven by complex and often conflicting forces.
Ancient Jewish wisdom reveals relationship secrets while resolving the problem of the two lists in two almost adjacent Biblical chapters. It turns out that the lists are similar but not identical. They list the prohibited sexual relationships in different sequences, thus hinting at the two chief forces driving sexual attraction.
The first list in Leviticus 18, encapsulates our innate drive for reproduction. It is not just women who experience ‘baby-hunger.’ While women tend to experience it earlier (playing with dolls offers a clue) men also eventually yearn for the immortality that a child can confer. Most men want their children to be like them. The first list starts off with the relationships that would theoretically most appeal when reproduction is at the forefront of men’s minds.
The surest way to conceive children who resemble oneself would be to reproduce with a mate from one’s own family. While this sounds strange to our ears, focus on the concept rather than picturing it. So this list mentions prohibited family members first. It concludes with alternatives less tempting to someone focused on reproduction such as another man’s wife in which case the child would belong to someone else. Finally come homosexuality and bestiality where no offspring can possibly result.
The second list expresses men’s urge for sexual pleasure. It offers its own sequence in descending order of appeal. Most attractive is another man’s wife. Many men perversely find themselves attracted to married women whom they would totally ignore if the same ladies were single. Forbidden fruit powerfully attracts so it constitutes the first prohibition in Leviticus 20:10.
Continuing to look at the world through the eyes of a man who is only interested in a sexual relationship with no other component whatsoever (like reproduction or companionship and growth) we find the powerful sexual attraction of homosexuality and even of bestiality. These prohibitions are next in the list. (Leviticus 20:13-15) Finally, given that most men are not sexually titillated by close relatives, the list ends with those.
Now the two lists no longer suggest redundancy but, taken together, they reveal an exhilarating glimpse into reality. It isn’t surprising that relationships between the sexes frequently lead to heartbreak when not only do we not instinctively “get” each other, but we often don’t even “get” ourselves.
What seem to be redundancies or simple stories in Scripture actually lay out deep insights into how God built us. I realize this might sound self-serving but I can think of few more valuable ways for anyone interested in male/female relationships to spend two hours than listening (perhaps with someone you love?) to my Madam, I’m Adam: Decoding the Secrets of Marriage audio CD set. It remains on sale for another 24 hours. You will be amazed at the practical insights which spring off the page of God’s word and out of the Hebrew language.

The Foundation of Wisdom

The Foundation of Wisdom
Proverbs 9:7-12
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (Prov. 9:10). Initially, the connection between these two concepts may be difficult to grasp: How can fearing God make us wise?
First, we need to understand what it means to fear the Lord. This term is used to describe an awesome reverence for God that moves us to acknowledge Him as the sovereign ruler of heaven and earth, submit to His will, and walk in obedience. The result of such a response will be the acquisition of wisdom.
Those who commit themselves to living for God's purposes rather than their own will gain greater understanding of Him. The Holy Spirit will enable them to see circumstances and people from His divine perspective. This kind of wisdom reaches beyond human perception and gives us discernment to make decisions that fit into the Lord's plans for our lives. Knowing that He always works for our best interests, we are empowered to walk confidently through both good and bad times.
But those who reject God's instructions dishonor Him with their refusal to acknowledge His right to rule their lives. It's foolish to rebel against His authority and think you can ever win. Those who won't fear God will never know real wisdom.
What is your attitude toward the Lord? If you truly reverence Him, you will listen for His directions and heed His warnings. A desire to honor and please Him will motivate you to turn from evil and seek to live in obedience. And the result will be wisdom beyond human understanding.

A Culinary View of Purim

A Culinary View of Purim
Tina Wasserman

“In every province, and in every city, wherever the King’s command and his decree reached, the Jews had gladness and joy, a feast and a holiday…” (M’gillat Esther 8:17)
To a young Jewish child Purim is inextricably linked to costumes, merriment, being allowed to make noise in the sanctuary every time the “bad guy” Haman is mentioned, and those triangle cookies that are given out after the M’gillah reading. To an adult Purim, with all its frivolity, symbolizes survival. While in exile and during pogroms and wholesale acts of annihilation our people needed a story to cling to that would give them hope and a chance to revel in the Jewish people’s courage and success. So symbolic was this festival that many small Purims were celebrated throughout history after Jewish communities found themselves saved from disaster. And those triangular pastries anticipated by the children were only one of the confections to represent the hope and triumph of the Jewish people and eating them voraciously demonstrated our control over our enemies.
OBSERVING THE HOLIDAYIf recipes tell stories and stories transform into recipes then no Jewish holiday has more connection to the table than Purim. Of course we are instructed to observe the reading of the M’gillah and to obliterate Haman’s name when it is mentioned during the reading. We come dressed in costume to symbolize that we are different from what we appear (just as Esther concealed being a Jew). We even prepare foods like stuffed cabbage or Kreplach that conceal what’s inside or provide an unexpected filling for the unexpected turn of events that occurred in Shushan long ago. Besides the M’gillah reading, all other Purim traditions are centered on what we can imbibe. We send Shalach Manot, gifts of at least two types of food, drink or spice to friends. We are commanded to give charity to the poor (in food or money) and we are instructed to partake of an elaborate Seudah or feast. It is at this feast that the dictate to get drunk first arose. Although Jews’ association with wine was mostly ceremonial and temperance was always advised (historically Jews rarely cooked with wine), we are encouraged to drink just enough so that we can not easily distinguish between “Cursed be Haman” and “Blessed be Mordechai”. That’s a lot of liquor!
Often Haman’s body was fair game for culinary symbolism. Ashkenazic kitchens often baked Keylitsh, a large twisted Challah to represent the hanging of Haman on the gallows originally built for the Jews. Moroccan Jews made Boyoja Ungola Di-Purim, a spiced Challah with 2 hard boiled eggs embedded on top to represent Haman’s eyes. European children often ate gingerbread Haman and bit off its head in glee. In Italy Orecchi di Aman, strips of dough pinched together and fried in hot oil until they became golden and misshapen, represented Haman’s ugly ears which were gobbled up perhaps to represent not wanting to hear the evil doer’s name or maybe he just had ugly appendages? Greek Jews made Folorikos, a tasty confection that represented Haman’s feet and in pre-war Salonika Folares were the Purim specialty, figurines fashioned out of marzipan, that were prepared. However, the pastry most associated with Purim, at least in North America, is the Hamantashen, a close cousin to the Mohntashen.
Mohntashen, or Poppy seed pockets, were pastries eaten by the non-Jewish community of Eastern Europe that Jews adopted for Purim. Mohn sounded like Haman so the cookie became Hamantashen. The classic filling was the Mohn or poppy seeds but this correlated well to the story of Purim. Esther ate poppy seeds and other seeds when she was in the palace to hide the knowledge from the king that she was Jewish. Also, after the flood God promised that he would never destroy the Jews and would make their seeds spread over the world. As I often tell my students, “If you have ever dropped a teaspoon of poppy seeds on the kitchen counter you can understand why they are symbolic for spreading over vast swaths of land!” Prune filled Hamantashen; the other iconic filling for these pastries gets its origins in the mid 18th century. The story is told about a prune preserve (Poividl) merchant who was accused of poisoning a magistrate around the time of Purim. He was scheduled to be hung (sound familiar?) when, at the last minute, he was acquitted. The townspeople were so elated that they filled their Purim Hamantashen that year with prune preserves and referred to the holiday as Poividl Purim.
May our history of triumph over insurmountable odds and our culinary traditions bring joy and contentment into your homes this year and may you bake and share many good stories in your kitchen to share with your family and friends.
Eat in good Health!

It’s No Longer on Hold! (Part 1)

It’s No Longer on Hold! (Part 1)

21And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 22Son of man, what is that proverb that ye have in the land of Israel, saying, The days are prolonged, and every vision faileth? 23Tell them therefore, Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will make this proverb to cease, and they shall no more use it as a proverb in Israel; but say unto them, The days are at hand, and the effect of every vision. 24For there shall be no more any vain vision nor flattering divination within the house of Israel. 25For I am the LORD: I will speak, and the word that I shall speak shall come to pass; it shall be no more prolonged: for in your days, O rebellious house, will I say the word, and will perform it, saith the Lord GOD. . (Ezekiel 12:21-25)

In this 12th chapter of Ezekiel, the prophet was dealing with the problem of true and false prophecy. The unbelievers, encouraged by the false prophets, were saying, “Look, we’ve heard all this before. Nothing happens; things are going on just the same as always.” Very well, the Lord says here, “Your wicked generation is the very one that shall indeed see every vision fulfilled, every prophecy vindicated, and all the predictions against the apostate nation happening just like the true prophets said.” This proverb that the prophet is referring to appears in the Hebrew and literally, as, “The days lengthen; the vision falls.” What a catchy proverb. In those days, even as today, a catchy proverb can be a very bad influence, if it is founded upon a falsehood.

As I sat on my bed one night, preparing to read scripture, my eyes fell on this 12th chapter of Ezekiel. I heard in my spirit…“I will hasten to perform my word!” I went to bed, woke up the next morning, and this time I heard the Lord say: “It’s not on hold anymore!” Again I went to the Word of God and this time the Lord spoke to me in Jeremiah chapter 5:11-14 “For the house of Israel and the house of Judah have dealt very treacherously against me, saith the LORD. They have belied the LORD, and said it is not he; neither shall evil come upon us; neither shall we see sword nor famine: And the prophets shall become wind, and the word is not in them: thus shall it be done unto them. Wherefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, Because ye speak this word, behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them."

This is the very attitude in the churches of today. Some of us have heard that God is going to do this, and God is going to do that, but nothing has happened yet. We have heard that Jesus is coming for so long (I have heard this since I was a little girl), that this generations echoes the attitude of 2nd Peter 3:3-4 that, “In the last days, mockers shall come with mockery, walking after their own lusts, and saying, where is the promise of his coming? For from the day the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation”, we simply don’t believe the prophecy! Let me encourage the heart of every believer, and let me give warning to those who echo…If God spoke it, you can take it to the bank, because this time it will come to pass because “Its no longer on hold!”

Monday, February 21, 2011

A Divine Guarantee

A Divine Guarantee
Matthew 6:31-34
Today's passage contains one of the most amazing promises in all of Scripture. If we truly believed it and lived accordingly, our lives would be transformed, and worry would lose its grip on us. Yet if we keep seeking our security in the things the world values—bank accounts, stable jobs, and a strong national and global economy—we will be filled with anxiety at every fluctuation.
Instead, why not take God up on His guarantee in Matthew 6:33? Make Him your number one priority, seeking both His kingdom (His rule over you) and His righteousness (His transformation of you). What that means is obeying His instructions and submitting to whatever He uses to transform your character, whether it be hardship, suffering, or ease. What I'm talking about is not a sinless life but, rather, the desire to live in God's will and become increasingly like Christ.
When we make a commitment toward that goal, the Lord promises to take full responsibility for providing whatever we need. Now, this doesn't mean that He will give us everything we ask for, but aren't you grateful that He doesn't? Just think back to some of the foolish things you've requested in the past. He alone knows what our true needs are.
The spiritual benefits of living in God's will are amazing, but our loving Father doesn't stop there—He commits to provide for our physical needs as well. So even though each day has its own trouble (v. 34), you can rest in the faithfulness of the Father and trust Him to keep His Word.

God commands the Israelites to destroy the Canaanites.

Deuteronomy 7

God commands the Israelites to destroy the Canaanites.
INSIGHT
God instructs the Israelites to remove from their land everything that will lead them to forsake their purity and commitment to the Lord. When we allow corruption inside our walls, it seeps into our lives and destroys us. We must remove the things from our lives that would tempt us or weaken us. Paul wrote, "Make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts" (Romans 13:14). Are there some things you have carried over from your earlier days that ought to be removed from your life? Why not remove them right away?
PRAYER
Use this psalm to praise the God of the past and the future:
I will praise You, O Lord, with my whole heart;
I will tell of all Your marvelous works.
I will be glad and rejoice in You;
I will sing praise to Your name,
O Most High (Psalm 9:1-2).

Now pray this confession to the Lord to keep your life free from sin and in fellowship with Him:
Who among you fears the Lord?
Who obeys the voice of His Servant?
Who walks in darkness
And has no light?
Let him trust in the name of the Lord
And rely upon his God (Isaiah 50:10).

Confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind.

As you agree with God's will, voice your affirmation of His Word:
Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in or steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (Matthew 6:19-21).

As you make your requests known to the Lord, pray for:
Wisdom in decision making
Needs of your friends
Your prayer list
Now offer this prayer of worship to the Lord:
Save Your people,
And bless Your inheritance;
Shepherd us also,
And bear us up forever (based on Psalm 28:9).

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Change Your Clothes

Change Your Clothes
10And the priest shall put on his linen garment, and his linen breeches shall he put upon his flesh, and take up the ashes which the fire hath consumed with the burnt offering on the altar, and he shall put them beside the altar. 11And he shall put off his garments, and put on other garments, and carry forth the ashes without the camp unto a clean place. (Leviticus 6:10-11)
The burnt offering was an instruction that was given to Moses by God. It was an offering that was burnt wholly on the altar, and was done as a result of sin committed by the people. If the people stole something, deceived someone, etc: they were required to make restitution with an additional twenty percent. They would then take an offering to Aaron and his sons (the priests) for compensation to God. The priest was to leave the offering smoldering all night into ashes, and the ashes were removed in the morning. It was called the burnt offering "because of the burning upon the altar all night unto the morning" (6:9). It was an act of worship on the part of a man, apart from guilt of specific offence. It was the priest’s job to take care of the fire upon the altar. The first fire upon the altar came from heaven, (ch. 9:24); by keeping that up continually, all their sacrifices might be said to be consumed with the fire from heaven, in token of God's acceptance..
I heard a great man of God say that we must remove the ashes from the fire on which we make our sacrifices. He said if we don’t, the ashes would cause the fire to go out. Like the priest, our fire should never go out. My first question upon hearing this was “what is the fire?” The fire is our holy affections, the exercise of our faith, and love…the fire is our prayers and our praise. All which must be made without ceasing. When we have the fire burning then sacrifice becomes the norm. The second question that came to my mind was, “What are the ashes?” The ashes are the remnant of your past. Hearing this shed a whole new meaning for me. I started remembering about things in my past, and how I used to handle them. I decided not anymore. Well, when you make up your mind about something, you can certainly expect the enemy to come and challenge you on it. Sure enough on the next day, an old situation came up. As I sat to face this challenge, my first instinct was to go back to evil foreboding (forecasting an evil report of the outcome of this situation). However, I remembered what the man of God had said: “change your clothes and remove the ashes”
Instead of evil foreboding, I decided to change my clothes. Changing my clothes for me meant to change my thinking, change my mindset, change how I looked at things. If I still looked at the situation like I used to, I would probably have left the ashes. I would have been thinking that this is just the way it is suppose to be. No, I decided I would not accept this situation to have the same outcome… instead I would change my clothes, and remove the ashes. What a difference an act of obedience makes! That situation has since changed, and my fire is burning as bright as ever! What about you…isn’t it time to change your clothes?

A Palace for God, and for Us

A Palace for God, and for Us
Dan Levin
A few weeks ago, I shared a study session with parents of our congregation’s third-graders. The curriculum for the third grade includes study of the Ten Commandments. In the course of our conversation, I asked the group which of the Ten Commandments they felt was the most difficult to observe. The answer was not: “Do not covet.” It wasn’t “Honor your father and mother,” and thankfully, it wasn’t “You shall not murder.” The general consensus was that observing Shabbat was the most difficult.
Why? The sense among the parents was there was just way too much to do. Kids had sports contests, play practice, dance recitals. They talked about how they spent so much time during the week working and managing the household, it seemed too difficult to take time out for rest, for reflection, for Shabbat.
So it seemed interesting to me in looking at this week’s portion, Parashat Vayak’heil, that Moses, having just returned from the summit of Sinai bearing the tablets of the Ten Commandments, calls the community of Israel together. And what is his first message? Observe Shabbat: “On six days work may be done, but on the seventh day you shall have a sabbath of complete rest, holy to the Eternal. . . “ (Exodus 35:2).
Why, we must ask, does Moses reiterate a discussion of Shabbat just before the work on the Tabernacle, the Mishkan, is to be organized? I think one answer is found in comparing how the Mishkan is described earlier in Exodus and how the task is redefined here.
Earlier, in Exodus, chapter 25, God speaks to Moses and asks that the Israelites bring gifts from anyone whose heart is moved to build the Mishkan. The text tells us the purpose of the project: “And let them make Me a sanctuary that I may dwell among them” (Exodus 25:8). Ultimately, the Tabernacle was to be built in some measure as a home for God in the midst of the community, a palace wherein the Holy Presence might reside. In our parashah this week, however, there is no mention of God’s ultimate intent, no reassurance that God’s Presence will dwell in the sanctuary they now choose to build.
Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, in his great work on the Sabbath, wrote that Jewish ritual and celebration is a form of architecture too, but whereas Bezalel and Oholiab are given the honor to serve as architects of holy space, each of us is given the responsibility to be an architect of holy time.1 The Sabbath, Heschel writes, “is a palace in time which we build.”2 Given the stresses of the workday week, the pressures we feel to build and achieve, it is natural that we feel some sense of distance from God and our spiritual selves. As Heschel writes, “Six days a week the spirit is alone, disregarded, forsaken, forgotten. Working under strain, beset with worries, enmeshed in anxieties, man has no mind for ethereal beauty. But the spirit is waiting for man to join it.”3
It is Shabbat that allows our spirits and our selves to become reconnected and reacquainted. The Chasidic rabbi, Mordechai Yosef of Isbitza, in his commentary Mei HaShiloach, teaches that the whole reason for building the Mishkan was for the people to come together as one to rekindle their understanding and passion for real holiness. In building a palace for God in their midst, they were in fact learning to build a palace for God in their souls. They realized that each and every Israelite had a role to play in building a home for God, “for if so much as a nail were missing, the Shechina (God’s holy presence) would not rest in the Mishkan.”4 But it was in their coming together as a community, in seeing the holiness in each other and in their common work, that God’s love would be felt. And it is only on Shabbat, when we take a step back, that we complete the work of creation in building that palace of holy time.
The six days of our week need to be spent in work, and as our tradition guides us, that work must ultimately be for the sake of heaven. And when we think of the work we do in our careers and in taking care of our families and communities, that work seems very holy indeed. But Moses teaches us here that even the holy work of constructing the Tabernacle is made profane if we forsake Shabbat to build it.
We bring gifts from our heart to build the Tabernacle, a palace for God in our midst. And God brings us the gift of Shabbat, in order that we may build a palace in time for God to dwell in our souls, and our selves.

Moses exhorts the Israelites to obey the greatest commandment.

Deuteronomy 6

Moses exhorts the Israelites to obey the greatest commandment.
INSIGHT
There are three keys to sharing your faith with someone else. First, it must be real in your life. Moses said the words must be in your "heart," not just your "head." Second, we must impart truth and information. That is, we must teach diligently. Finally, this truth must penetrate every corner of our lives. We must talk of it when we lie down and when we rise up. We rarely fool anyone, and if one of these keys is missing in our lives, we will not make an impact on others. We must know the truth, it must be real to us, and it must permeate our daily lives.
PRAYER
As you foster the reality of your walk with the Lord, offer to Him this psalm of praise:
Praise the Lord! . . .
Praise Him in the heights!
Praise Him, all His angels;
Praise Him, all His hosts!
Praise Him, sun and moon;
Praise Him, all you stars of light!
Praise Him, you heavens of heavens,
And you waters above the heavens!
Let them praise the name of the Lord,
For He commanded and they were created.
He also established them forever and ever (Psalm 148:1-6).

Now pray this confession to the Lord to keep your life in fellowship with Him:
The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart,
And saves such as have a contrite spirit (Psalm 34:18).

As you confess your sins, voice your affirmation of God's Word:
You so loved the world, that You gave Your only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
(based on John 3:16)

As you make your requests known to the Lord, pray for:
Greater faithfulness with your finances
National and world leaders
Today's activities
Now offer this prayer of worship to the Lord:
Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom,
Thanksgiving and honor and power and might,
Be to our God forever and ever.
Amen (Revelation 7:12).

Saturday, February 19, 2011

Big Anxieties, Little Faith

Big Anxieties, Little Faith
Matthew 6:25-30
Stressful situations come in a variety of forms and intensities, and in this earthly existence, we will never be totally free of them. However, the important issue is, What are we going to do with our anxiety? If we let it dominate, fretfulness can become a way of life. But if we believe what the Bible says about God and His care for us, we will experience an awesome liberation from worry.
Do you sometimes doubt whether our heavenly Father really cares about the ordinary things that cause you anxiety? After all, He's got the entire universe to run, and your issues are so small in comparison. Consider how inconsequential birds and flowers are, yet Jesus says that the Father cares for them (Matt. 6:26). Don't you think you are worth much more to Him than they are?
At times we let ourselves get all worked up and stressed out because we're trying to change something that is beyond our control. Just as no one can add a single day to the length of his life, so there are some situations that we are powerless to alter. But the sovereign Ruler of the universe loves us and holds everything in His hands—including our stressful and seemingly out-of-control situations. Therefore, we have no reason to fret or fear.
Perhaps the biggest reason we worry is because we don't trust the Lord. Anxiety is no more than unbelief. The Bible is filled with God's promises to provide, but so often we doubt that He will. If you can trust Him for your eternal security, can't you also trust Him for your earthly needs?

Moses reviews the Ten Commandments with the children of Israel.

Deuteronomy 5

Moses reviews the Ten Commandments with the children of Israel.
INSIGHT
David writes that the Law of the Lord is perfect, and in keeping it, there is great reward. Part of that great reward is spelled out in chapter 5. Moses says that if the children of Israel will keep God's commandments, it will go well with them and with their sons forever! In addition, the Lord promises that they will live and that they may prolong their days in the land. Holiness is not expensive. In fact, all the deepest longings of a child of God are met only in holiness. Could we consistently believe this, our lives would be more holy. Like the Israelites, we think that we are missing something by serving God. We are missing no more than the Israelites missed of Egypt.
PRAYER
Honor the holiness of God by offering Him this psalm of praise:
Praise the Lord!
Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever.
Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord?
Who can declare all His praise? (Psalm 106:1-2).

Now pray this confession to the Lord to keep your life in fellowship with Him:
My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord,
Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him;
For whom the Lord loves He chastens,
And scourges every son whom He receives (Hebrews 12:5-6).

As you confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind, voice your affirmation of God's Word:
"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart,
and you will find rest for your souls.
For My yoke is easy and My burden is light" (Matthew 11:28-30).

As you make your requests known to the Lord, pray for:
Greater love for your family
The work of missions in North and South America
The concerns of your heart
Now offer this prayer of worship to the Lord:
To Him who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen
(based on 1 Timothy 6:15-16)

Friday, February 18, 2011

The Spirit's Work

The Spirit's Work
Acts 2:38-39
There is an abundance of failure in the community of faith today. Sadly, it's all too common to find believers who aren't living as Scripture teaches—and they are missing out on the joy and peace that Jesus promised. The reason? When followers of Christ don't recognize the need to live in the Spirit, they attempt to push through each day in their own strength.
On Pentecost, God's Spirit came to indwell believers. He is a gift, blessing us in many ways. Let's consider some of the works He does. The Holy Spirit . . .
• Convicts our hearts of sin so that we can repent and be right with God (John 16:8).
• Regenerates us. We are new beings, alive in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17).
• Seals us forever as a child of the Almighty (Eph. 1:13). We don't ever have to fear the loss of our salvation.
• Teaches, guides, counsels, and empowers us throughout life (John 14:26). Left to our own devices, we confuse truth with deception, but God brings clarity.
• Gifts and enables us to do the work God has planned for us (Eph. 2:10; for a list of spiritual gifts, see also 1 Cor. 12).
• Bears fruit through us (Gal. 5:22-23). As we are obedient to what God calls us to do, we get to watch Him work in mighty ways.
All these benefits are available to everyone who follows Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, we too often bypass all of these by attempting to live in our own meager strength. The Christian life is this: Christ living His life in and through us by the power of the Holy Spirit of the living God

Moses appeals to the Israelites to live a life of faithful obedience to God.

Deuteronomy 4

Moses appeals to the Israelites to live a life of faithful obedience to God.
INSIGHT
Thomas Jefferson once said, "The price of liberty is eternal vigilance." If true politically, how much more so spiritually. "Take heed," Moses says three times in chapter 4. First, take heed and keep your soul diligently. Second, take heed that you not worship idols. Third, take heed that you not forget the covenant the Lord made with you. These are all dangers for us today. How easily we get careless about the welfare of our souls. How easily we worship modern idols. How easily we forget the promises of the Lord. We, too, must take heed. The price of our spiritual strength is eternal vigilance.
PRAYER
Offer praise to the Lord for His concern for our well-being:
You are worthy, O Lord,
To receive glory and honor and power;
For You created all things,
And by Your will they exist and were created (Revelation 4:11).

Now pray this confession to the Lord as you reflect upon His forgiveness:
You have blotted out, like a thick cloud, my transgressions,
And like a cloud, my sins.
I return to You, for You have redeemed me
(based on Isaiah 44:22).

As you confess any sins that the Holy Spirit brings to your mind, voice your affirmation of God's Word:
Behold, God is my salvation,
I will trust and not be afraid;
For Yah, the Lord, is my strength and song;
He also has become my salvation (Isaiah 12:2).

As you make your requests known to the Lord, pray for:
Spiritual victory over the temptations you experience
Revival among Christians in America and throughout the rest of the world
Your prayer list
Now offer this prayer of worship to the Lord:
Let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us,
And establish the work of our hands for us;
Yes, establish the work of our hands (Psalm 90:17).

Remembering the Invisible Minority

Jewish Disability Awareness Month: Remembering the Invisible Minority
by Rabbi David Saperstein
As Jews, we know all too well what it's like to be a minority. These cumulative experiences as a small population, often lacking basic rights of citizenship and self-determination, along with our fundamental belief that every man and woman is created in the divine image, have motivated us to fight for the rights of other minority populations, including African Americans, Native Americans, and gay and lesbian individuals.
Yet, there is another minority in America and in our Jewish communities, one which remains largely invisible, a minority that still struggles to be seen and heard in addition to striving for equality: people with disabilities.
The latest statistics show that about 50 million Americans have a disability. The rate of disabilities among the elderly (ages 65 and older) is more than three times higher than that of the U.S. population as a whole, with the rate among the elderly nearing 50 percent in some states. The numbers are likely similar in religious communities across the country (perhaps higher in our Jewish communities, where the median age is several years higher than in the rest of the nation), which means disability issues should be a top priority for religious leaders trying to meet the needs of their communities.
Yet our society still tends to neglect people with disabilities. Although we recently celebrated the 20th anniversary of the passage of the landmark Americans with Disabilities Act, many of the goals laid out in this law -- an end to discrimination in employment, an end to inaccessible public buildings and transportation, an end to exclusion from public education -- have not been realized. The unemployment rate for people with disabilities is nearly twice the alarmingly high unemployment rate for the general population. And even if a person with a disability is offered a job, he or she is more likely to have difficulty finding accessible housing, reliable transportation, adequate health care -- or all of the above -- potentially leading him or her to ultimately turn down the job that was so difficult to secure in the first place.
We clearly need to change the way our policies address disability issues. But in order to change policies, we must also change attitudes.
For the third year in a row, the Jewish community is challenging itself to do just that during the month of February, which has been declared "Jewish Disability Awareness Month." Throughout February, Jewish communities across all denominations and across the country will undertake a variety of initiatives to raise awareness of disability issues, whether it's by hosting a panel on disability issues, studying relevant Jewish texts and discussing their application to daily life, volunteering with organizations that aid people with disabilities, or embarking on a holistic re-examination of how the community -- our synagogues, schools and other communal institutions -- includes, or fails to include, people with disabilities.
At the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism (and our parent groups, the Union for Reform Judaism and the Central Conference of American Rabbis) we provide resources for Reform Jewish congregations and their members to observe Jewish Disability Awareness Month, learn about the Reform Jewish perspective on disability issues, and take action to encourage their members of Congress to support legislation aimed at realizing the goals expressed in the Americans with Disabilities Act, such as the Traumatic Brain Injury Treatment Act proposed in the last Congress and the landmark Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act signed into law last March.
Most of all, look around. See the people at your Shabbat services with disabilities; look at your synagogue and school structures and think about how easily those with hearing, sight, and other physical or mental disabilities can participate in synagogue life. See the struggles of your fellow congregants and Jewish community members who still face too many barriers at too many turns.
Although the goals of Jewish Disability Awareness Month are noble and laudable, we must also recognize that awareness is not something that should begin or end with a calendar. Including people with disabilities is a process -- one that can start in February but is never truly complete. We can always be more welcoming, more aware, more sensitive, and we must make these conscious efforts so that we can ultimately see the people instead of just seeing their disabilities.
This is one of the key civil rights fights of our time. We have opened our hearts and minds to the plights of other minorities in our country; now it's time to do the same for people with disabilities -- and it starts with opening our eyes.

To Serve With Love (Part 5)

To Serve With Love (Part 5)
“You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.” Galatians 5:13 (New International Version)
Our unofficial acronym of love concludes with the “E” representing its eternal quality. First John 4:7-11 (NKJV) “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”
God’s love is not based on conditions or worth; it’s who He is. God is love. God loves us in our mess, and He loves us when we’re all cleaned up and looking good. God loves us when we’re on top of the world, and He loves us when we’re in the gutter. God’s love is not based on gender or even economic or social status. He demonstrated His love toward us even when we were unable to love Him back. “For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly” (Romans 5:6). And because of Jesus’ act of love we get to spend all eternity with Him in His presence. Likewise, whatever we do in love, and through Christ’s love, has a lasting effect on others. The smallest gift given in love can become impressed in a person’s memory for years. And as an added bonus, the works that we do through obedience in the love of Christ are written in the eternal book of life (Revelation 20:12-13; 1 Corinthians 3:10-15).
If we’re going to serve God and others, it has to come from a heart of love. Our ability to love others comes from a place of knowing and being acquainted with the dimensions of the love of God, and yielding to it (Ephesians 3:18-19). The Scripture says that we know that we have passed from death to life not by how much we shout and dance, not by how much we work in the church, not even by how much we testify; “We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren” (1 John 3:14).

Thursday, February 17, 2011

The Power of the Holy Spirit

The Power of the Holy Spirit
Luke 24:44-53
The principle we will explore today is basic but so powerful that it determines whether we experience victory in our lives.
You are probably familiar with the book The Little Engine That Could, in which a small engine keeps repeating the words "I think I can." By using sheer willpower, she pulls an entire train over the mountain. That's a nice children's story, but the truth of the Christian life is very different. In the real world, our efforts and determination often fall short. Only by walking in the power of the Holy Spirit can the godly life be achieved.
Throughout the Old Testament, God's Spirit would temporarily come upon saints for a particular work. However, after Jesus ascended to heaven, He sent the Spirit to dwell permanently within each believer. Consider what this means: If you're a Christian, God is living inside of you, available to help all through life by providing guidance, comfort, and empowerment.
Obedience to Christ is too difficult for anyone relying on his own strength. And discerning what to do in every situation is far too complicated for a fleshly mind. For some reason, though, Christians often try to live life by depending on their own energy and reasoning. Defeat and failure are unavoidable without His power in our lives.
Do you recognize your need for the Lord? Begin each day confessing your dependence upon Him. Ask to be filled with His Spirit so that all you think, do, and say will be an overflow from Him. Then trust Him to work in mighty ways through you. Watch what almighty God can do

The transfer of authority from Moses to Joshua is announced.

Deuteronomy 3

The transfer of authority from Moses to Joshua is announced.
INSIGHT
The past is a picture of the future. When trying to determine what will be, it is important to know what has been. Throughout the wilderness journey, God reminds Israel what He has done in the past-to give them courage and hope for the future. As the reins of leadership are passed from Moses to Joshua, the Lord encourages Joshua with a review of history: "Your eyes have seen all that the Lord your God has done to these two [past] kings; so will the Lord do to all the kingdoms through which you pass" (Deuteronomy 3:21). The Lord is the same yesterday, today, and forever. When we face the giants in our lives, we can take heart from the Lord's words to Joshua: "You must not fear them, for the Lord your God Himself fights for you" (Deuteronomy 3:22). Our giants are not flesh and blood. They are spiritual and emotional. But the Lord must still defeat them. Trust!
PRAYER
Praise the God of the past and the future:
I will praise You, O Lord, with my whole heart;
I will tell of all Your marvelous works.
I will be glad and rejoice in You;
I will sing praise to Your name,
O Most High (Psalm 9:1-2).

As you seek to keep your life free from sin, pray this confession to the Lord:
Therefore, bear fruits worthy of repentance (Matthew 3:8).

As you confess your sins, voice your affirmation of God's Word:
I shall not lay up for myself treasures on earth, where moth
and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal.
But I shall lay up for myself treasures in heaven, where neither moth
nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in or steal.
For where my treasure is, there my heart will be also (based on Matthew 6:19-21).

As you make your requests known to the Lord, pray for:
Greater wisdom in decision making
The needs of your friends
Today's activities
Now offer this prayer of worship:
Save Your people,
And bless Your inheritance;
Shepherd them also,
And bear them up forever (Psalm 28:9).

EVENING SH’MA BENEDICTIONS

EVENING SH’MA BENEDICTIONS
Ahavat Olam and Emet Ve’emunah: “Eternal Love” and “True and Trustworthy”
Rabbi Richard Sarason

The two benedictions that directly frame the Sh’ma recitation are thematically and functionally the same in the evening and in the morning. The two versions differ only in their length and in their actual wording: since the evening versions are briefer than the morning ones, the evening wordings are more compact and pithy than their morning equivalents.
The benediction that precedes the Sh’ma (the second benediction in the series; the first is Ma’ariv aravim, discussed over the past three weeks) acclaims God who, out of an everlasting love for the people Israel, has given us the Torah with which we are to occupy ourselves during every waking moment and excerpts from which—the Sh’ma paragraphs—we are about to proclaim aloud. The Babylonian Talmud (B’rachot 12a) is familiar with two ways to begin this benediction: either with the phrase Ahavah rabbah (“Abundant love”) or with Ahavat olam (“Eternal/everlasting love”). While there is no substantive difference between these wordings, the Talmud prefers the latter because it derives from a biblical verse: “With an everlasting love have I loved you (v’ahavat olam ahavticha—Jeremiah 31:3; as far as the Rabbis are concerned, when it comes to prayer-language, biblical is better). In the wake of this talmudic dispute, the Ashkenazic rite splits the difference, assigning the former language to the morning version of this benediction, and the latter language to the evening version. (The Sefardic and Italian rites, on the other hand, opt with the talmudic decision to use the latter language both morning and evening, although the wording of the rest of the morning benediction in those rites corresponds roughly to that in the Ashkenazic rite.) Most Reform prayer books (likeMishkan T’filah) have retained the full traditional wording of the evening version, since it is relatively brief, while abbreviating somewhat the longer morning version.
The benediction that immediately follows the Sh’ma recitation (=the third in the series) affirms God’s trustworthiness, the truth of the words of Torah just recited, and the reliability of the divine promise of redemption alluded to in the final words of the Sh’ma (“I am Adonai your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God”). Early rabbinic tradition (Tosefta B’rachot 2:1) prescribes that this blessing include mention of the exodus from Egypt (picking up on the theme of this last Sh’ma-verse), God’s Sovereignty, the destruction of the Egyptian firstborn, and the splitting of the sea---and indeed all of these “bullet points” appear in the traditional versions, although the specific wordings are different in the morning and the evening. The morning version in the Ashkenazic rite also includes an explicit petition that God speedily redeem Israel again, just as happened when Israel went forth from Egypt (“O Rock of Israel, arise to the aid of Israel!” [Tsur Yisra’el: kumah b’ezrat Yisra’el. . .]. The morning version of this blessing has been considerably shortened in most Reform prayer books, on account of its repetitive style, while both morning and evening versions have been pruned of language that might appear to gloat over the death of the Egyptians and the destruction of Israel’s enemies generally. Mishkan T’filah also makes these trims, for the same reasons; its evening text follows that of Gates of Prayer and the Union Prayer Book.

To Serve With Love (Part 4)

To Serve With Love (Part 4)
“You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.” Galatians 5:13 (New International Version)
Let’s continue a little further with our unofficial acronym of the word “love.” The “V” represents “voluntary submission,” in other words, being willing to submit your will to God’s will. When Jesus came into the world, He said: Hebrews 10:5, 7 (HCSB) “You did not want sacrifice and offering, but You prepared a body for Me. See, I have come—it is written about Me in the volume of the scroll— to do Your will, O God!”Because Jesus willed to do the will of the Father, we are all saved! Jesus just didn’t do what He wanted to do. He gave Himself. He submitted His will to the will of the Father because of His love, and because of that love we are part of the body.
First Corinthians 12:12-13 “For as the body is one and has many parts, and all the parts of that body, though many, are one body—so also is Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body…and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.” Using the natural body as an illustration, Paul describes the vital role each Christian plays in accomplishing God’s will on this earth. In the natural sense, a hand can't just do what it wants to do. It has to submit itself to the signal sent from the brain. Imagine if the brain is sending a signal to the hand to grasp a glass, and the hand won’t listen. The task that the brain wanted to do will never get done.
We all must submit to the Head in order for the Body to function properly. When the human body turns against itself and cells began to attack other healthy cells and tissues within the body, it’s called an autoimmune disease. HIV is an autoimmune disease. Lupus is an autoimmune disease. And usually there is no cure for autoimmune diseases. All doctors can do is treat the symptoms and hope the disorder goes into remission because the body has turned on itself. If you study history, the deadliest war that any nation ever faces is civil war.
But when the body is functioning in proper order, each member fulfilling its specific role, the body is healthy, vital, and accomplishes what it’s purposed to do. Jesus found Himself in the book (the Bible), and so must we. We each have a specific role. But because we have a free will, we must voluntarily submit ourselves to fulfill that role. This voluntary submission comes through the love of God that resides in our hearts.