Joyride with Dr. Will

Be of good cheer

2011-12-25T20:36:00.000-08:00

Friday and Saturday, April 29 and 30, 2011

Devotions: Ps 104, 118, 136, 145; Dan 12:1-4,13; Isa 25:1-9; Acts 4:1-21; Jn 16:1-33

Let my soul bless YHWH; Lord, You are very great,clothed in honor and majesty, robed in light. You created heavens and earth, and all that lives in the universe. You set boundaries for tides and times, seasons and stars. You feed and water the earth and its creatures, in water, on land and in the air. You arranged the days and seasons, and you gave humans our work to do. How many are Your works, my God, and how diverse! May Your glory endure forever, and I will sing to the Lord all my days; I will praise my God while I live. Let my soul bless and praise YHWH, my Lord! God's steadfast love endures forever. When I have called to God in my distress, God has answered and has set me free. When I am on God's side, I am invulnerable. It is better to take refuge in YHWH than in humankind. He is my Strength and my Song; God has become my Salvation. Hear the songs of victory from the encampment of our God! He has opened to me the gates of His righteousness; blessed are all who come in the name of the Lord. He has given us light, and in His light we process, rejoicing, to His throne. We give thanks to YHWH, Whose steadfast love endures forever! He is Lord of lords, God of gods; He works great miracles; He made heaven and earth, and all that is—stars, suns and planets; He struck down the master and gods of Egypt and brought His people forth to freedom; He divided the sea and led Israel through; then He closed the waters on the troops and chariots of Pharaoh. He led His people to His holy mountain, and gave them Torah. He drove out mighty kings and peoples to make space for the children of Israel. And this God remembers even me, in my low estate. I thank You, God of heaven, for your steadfast love and faithfulness endure forever. I will praise and extol You every day. Great is YHWH and greatly to be praised. Let us meditate on the glorious works of our God. YHWH is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. His compassion is over all that He has made. All eyes look to our God for favor, for food, for shelter, for life itself. YHWH is just in all His ways and kind in all He does; He is near to any who call to Him in truth. He blesses those who fear and obey Him, but all the wicked, He will destroy.

In the end times, there will be troubles beyond anything known before. And Michael, the great archangelic prince who has charge of Israel, will arise and deliver God's people. Many who sleep in the dust will awaken and rise, some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt. The wise will shine like stars in the firmament; those who have helped others into God's kingdom will shine like stars for ever. Let us, then, go our ways until God brings the conclusion; we have a promised rest before us, and our future is in God's mighty hands. YHWH my God, I will exalt and praise You. You have made a ruin of the city, and strong people must glorify You. You are the Stronghold of the poor, a shelter to the helpless. On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make a great feast for all peoples; He will destroy the veil that is spread over the nations. He will swallow up death forever, and YHWH Elohim will wipe away tears from every face and the reproach of His people God will banish from the earth, for YHWH has spoken! On that day, it will be said: 'Behold, this is our God; we have waited for Him, that He might save us. This is YHWH; we hae waited for Him. Let us be glad and rejoice in His salvation!

As the apostles were addressing the people, the priests and captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, annoyed that they were addressing the people and speaking about the resurrection of the dead in Jesus. They arrested them and put them in custody since it was already evening. But many who heard them believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand. The next day, the rulers, elders and scribes of the Jews gathered, with Annas the high priest and Caiaphas, John and Alexander, members of the high-priestly family. They put the apostles in the middle and began to question them: by what power or by what name did you do this? Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, addressed them: 'Rulers of the people and elders, if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done for a cripple who was healed, be it known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Messiah of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead: by Him this man is standing before you well. This is the Stone which was rejected by you builders, but which has become the head of the corner. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.' The authorities noted the boldness of Peter and John, yet perceived that they were uneducated, common men; and they wondered, though they recognized the men had been with Jesus. But seeing the man who had been healed standing beside them, they could say nothing in opposition. They commanded the apostels to go outside, and they council conferred among themselves. 'What shall we do with these men? Everyone can see that a notable sign has been done by these men; it would do no good to deny that. But so that this movement spreads no further, let us warn them to speak to no one else in this name.' So they called the apostles back and gave them this warning. But Peter and John responded, 'Whether it is right in God's sight to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge; for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.' The council threatened them further, but let them go, finding no way to punish them, since the people praised God for what the apostles had done. The man on whom this sign of healing was performed was more than forty years old!

John reported Jesus' last communications with His disciples before His passion and crucifixion: I have told you all this to keep you from falling away. They will put you out of the synagogues; an hour is coming when those who try to kill you will think they are serving God in doing so—they will do this because they have not known either the Father or Me. When their hour comes, remember what I have told you! I didn't tell you all this earlier, because I was with you. But now, since I have said this, your hearts fill with sorrow. But I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away. If I don't go, the Counselor will not come to you. But if I go, I will send Him to you, and He will convict the earth about sin and righteousness and judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. I have many more things to say to you, but you can't bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on His own authority, but will say what He hears, and so He will tell you about things that are to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take what is Mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is Mine, and that is why I said that He will take from what is Mine and declare it to you. In a little while, you will see Me no more; then a little later, you will see Me again!' Some of Jesus' disciples wondered what He meant by this. Jesus tried to explain further: 'Truly, truly I tell you, you will be sorrowful, but then your sorrow will turn to joy. When a woman is in the throes of childbirth, she has sorrow; but when she is delivered of the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a child is born into the world. In the same way, you have sorrow now, but I will see you again and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you. In that day, you will ask nothing of Me. Truly, truly I tell you, if you has anything of the Father in My name, He will give it to you. Until now, you have asked nothing in My name; ask, and you will receive, and your joy will be full! I have spoken to you in figures, but soon I'll speak plainly of the Father. In that day, you will ask in My name; I'm not saying that I must intercede for you with the Father, because the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from the Father. I came from Him into the world, and now I Am leaving the world and going to the Father.' The disciples said that they understood at last, and needed no further clarification. Jesus replied, 'Do you now believe? The hour has arrived when you will be scattered, and you will leave Me alone; yet I Am not alone, for the Father is with Me. I have said this to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation; but be of good cheer: I have overcome the world.'

Life proceeds from love

2011-12-25T20:33:00.000-08:00

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Devotions: Ps 146-49; Ezek 37:1-14; Acts 3:11-26; Jn 15:12-27

Praise the Lord, my soul! Trust in Him alone. Happy is the one whose Help is the God of Jacob, YHWH our God! He keeps faith forever. He frees prisoners, gives sight to the blind, lifts up the downtrodden, and loves the righteous. He guards sojourners, cares for widows and orphans, and brings the wicked to ruin. Let us love and praise this, our God. It is good to praise Him, Who builds up Jerusalem and cares for Israel's outcasts. His understanding is beyond measure. Delight in His goodness and His power, for He delights in those who trust and believe in Him and in His steadfast love. He protects our communities; He gives us sons and daughters; He establishes peace for us; He controls our weather and water. Let all heaven and earth praise our God; at His word, all was created that exists. Let the seas and lands, the mountains and hills, the valleys and citadels—let all that is and all that lives praise YHWH alone. Sing a new song to Him; celebrate God in song and dancing. Let the faithful exult in glory. His judgment is the glory of God's people, as we praise the Lord.

God's Spirit placed Ezekiel in the midst of a desolate valley filled with human bones. God asked the prophet, 'Son of man, can these bones live?' Ezekiel answered, 'O Lord God, only You know.' And God told the prophet, 'Prophesy to these bones; tell them to hear God's word: behold I will cause breath to enter you and you shall live. I will lay sinews upon you and cause flesh to come upon you; I will cover you with skin and put breath—living spirit—into you, and you shall live. And you shall know that I Am YHWH.' Ezekiel did as God told him, and the bones joined together and became whole bodies, and the breath came into them and they lived and stood on their feet, an extremely large host. Then God told Ezekiel, 'Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They see themselves as utterly defeated—dried up and cut off. So I want you to prophesy to them. Tell them, thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will open your graves and raise you from them, My people. I will bring you home to Eretz Israel. And you shall know that I Am YHWH, when I do all this. And I will put My Spirit within you, and you shall live; and I will place you in your own land; then you will know that I, YHWH, have spoken, and I have done it, says the Lord.'

A man lame from birth was healed in an encounter with Peter and John at the Beautiful Gate to the temple, and a crowd gathered to see the miracle. Peter spoke to the assembly: 'Men of Israel, why do you stare in wonder at this? It wasn't our power or piety that raised this man up and made him walk. The God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob, the God of our ancestors, glorified His Servant Jesus, Whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release Him. But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, and instead killed the Author of life, Whom God raised from the dead. We are witnesses to all this. And His Name, by faith in His Name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know; and the faith which is through Jesus has given this man this perfect health in the presence of you all. Brothers, I know you acted in ignorance, as did your rulers. But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that the Messiah should suffer, He fulfilled in this way. Therefore, repent and turn again, so that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send the Messiah appointed for you, Jesus, Whom heaven must receive until the time has come for the establishing of all that God spoke by the mouths of His holy prophets of old. Moses said, "The Lord God will raise up for you a Prophet from your brethren as He raised me up. You shall listen to Him in whatever He tells you. And it shall be that every soul that does not listen to that Prophet shall be destroyed form the people." And all the prophets, from Samuel onward, also proclaimed these days. You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant which God gave to your ancestors, saying to Abraham, "And in your posterity shall all the families of the earth be blessed." God, having raised up His Servant, sent Him to you first, to bless you in turning every one of you from your wickedness.'

Jesus taught: This is My command: that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this: that one lay down his life for his friends. You are My friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends because all that I have heard from My Father, I have made known to you. You did not choose Me; instead, I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should abide; so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name, He may give it to you. This I command you: love one another. If the world hates you, know that it has hated Me beforehand. If you were of the world, the world would love you; but because you are not of the world, and because I chose you out of the world, therefor the world hates you. Remember what I told you: a servant is not greater than his Master. If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also. They will do all this on My account, because they do not know Him Who sent Me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be in sin; but now they have no excuse for their sins. Whoever hates Me also hates My Father. If I had not done among them works that no one else did, they would not be in sin; but now they have seen and hated both Me and My Father. It is to fulfll the word that is written in their law: 'They hated me without a cause.' But when the Counselor comes, Whom I shall send to you from the Father—even the Spirit of truth, Who proceeds from the Father—He will bear witness to Me; and you also are witnesses, because you have been with Me from the beginning.

The Sign of Jonah

2011-12-25T20:30:00.000-08:00

Monday, April 25, 2011

Devotions: Ps 66, 93, 98; Jonah 2:1-9; Acts 2:14, 22-32; Jn 14:1-14

Let all heaven and earth join in praise to our God; sing the glory of His name. YHWH, Your deeds are awesome; the enemy cringes before Your power and majesty. Come and see what God has done—creating and transforming the universe, and joining humanity in our enterprise, conquering sin and death for us! Let all the peoples bless our God! I come to You with my heart and soul; I offer myself to You, my God. Blessed is God, Who has not rejected my prayer or removed His steadfast love from me. YHWH reigns, robed in majesty, enthroned for eternity! Let the waters and winds praise Him. God, holiness befits Your house for evermore! Let us sing to YHWH a new song, for He has done marvelous things! The Lamb has won; love has conquered death and falsehood. Let all creation make a joyful noise to the Lord. He will come again to judge the earth with righteousness and with equity.

After his unsuccessful attempt to escape or evade God, Jonah prayed from the belly of the great fish: I called to YHWH in my distress, and He answered me. Lord, You cast me into the deep, surrounded by the flood, plunged beneath the waves and billows of the sea. I was dragged down to the roots of the mountains, the bottom of the oceans. Yet You brought me up from the Pit, YHWH my God! When my soul finally realized my peril, I remembered YHWH and prayed to You. I thank You, God, and devote myself to You. Deliverance belongs to YHWH. And the great fish vomited Jonah up on the land.

On the Pentecost when God birthed His church, Peter stood up among the eleven and proclaimed to all who were in Jerusalem and gathered by the uproar caused by the Spirit's advent among the believers: 'Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you; listen to me.... Jesus of Nazareth was a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and the signs performed by God through Him in your midst. He was delivered up in accordance with God's sovereign plan and foreknowledge, and He was crucified and murdered by the hands of lawless mortals. But God raised Jesus up, freeing Him from the pangs of death, because death could not hold Him. As David wrote concerning Jesus: "I saw the Lord always before me, at my right hand, that I may not be shaken; therefore my heart was glad and my tongue rejoiced, and my flesh will abide in hope. You will not abandon my soul to Hades, nor let Your Holy One see corruption. You have revealed to me the ways of life and fill me to overflowing with gladness by Your presence." Brothers and sisters, I can tell you confidentlyt that our ancestor David died and was buried; his tomb is among us today. But as a prophets, and believing God's promise to set one of David's descendants on the throne, David foresaw and spoke of the Messiah's resurrection, that He was not abandone to Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption. God has raised this Jesus up, and all of us before you are witnesses to this.'

Just before His crucifixion, Jesus sought to instruct and comfort His disciples, speaking of our relation to Him as the risen and glorified Messiah: Don't let your hearts be troubled; believe in God and in Me. In My Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would not have told you that I Am going to prepare a place for you, would I? When I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to Myself, that where I Am, there you may be also. You know the Way to the place where I am going.' Thomas said that they didn't know, and asked how they could know this. Jesus said, 'I Am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life; no one comes to the Father except through Me. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father alswo; and from now on, You do know Him and have seen Him!' Philip said, 'Lord, show us the Father and we will be satisfied.' Jesus replied, 'Have I been with you so long and you still don't know Me? How can you say "Show us the Father"? Don't you believe that I Am in the Father and that the Father is in Me? The words I say to you, I speak on the authority of the Father Who lives in Me and does His work through Me. Believe that I Am in the Father and He in Me—or believe on the basis of the works themselves that you have witnessed. I tell you truly: anyone who believes in Me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these, because I go to the Father. Whatever you ask in My name, I will do it, that the Father may be glorified in the Son; if you ask anything in My name, I will do it.'

The spotless Lamb

2011-12-25T20:28:00.000-08:00

Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday, April 21-23, 2011

Devotions: Ps 22, 40:1-14; 54; 95, 102, 142, 143; Gen 22:1-14; Job 19:21-27a; Jer 20:7-11; 1 Cor 10:14-17; 11:27-32; 1 Pet 1:10-20; Heb 4:1-16; Rom 8:1-11; Jn 13:36-38, 17:1-11; 19:38-42

Jesus prayed Psalm 22 from the cross: My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why so far from helping Me, from my groans and pleas? Still, You are holy, enthroned on Israel's praises. I am despised and mocked by the mortals You created through Me. Stay near, I pray, for trouble is upon Me. I am surrounded by rage and poured out like water. All My bones are out of joint and My heart is melting; My strength is gone and My tongue cleaves to My jaws. I am surrounded by ravening dogs; they have pierced My hands and feet; they divide My garments and gamble for My raiment. Deliver Me from vile and violent enemies. I will lead Your people in praise, and all the earth will remember and turn to the Lord, the King of everything. I waited for the Lord, and He heard Me. He drew Me up from death and put a new song in My mouth. Blessed is everyone who puts trust in YHWH. I delight to do Your will, My God. Let Your steadfast love and mercy and faithfulness cascade over Me; My own heart fails, but I will trust in You, even to the point o fdeath. Let Me enemies be dishonored and those who seek You rejoice, Lord, My Help and My Deliverer. God is My Helper and He will requite My enemies. I lay down My life before You, Father. Vindicate Me, I pray! Let us sing to YHWH our Maker, the Rock of our salvation. We come before Him with thanksgiving and songs of praise. He is our God and we are His flock, sheep of His fold. YHWH will regard my prayers and deliver Me from destitution. God has broken My strength, but He will restore Me in His time and His way. Enemies have sought to destroy Me, but God is My Refuge; He will deliver Me from My persecutors. Answer Me in Your righteousness, Father; I thirst for You! Let Your good Spirit lead me on a level path; preserve Me for Your name's sake, for I Am Your Servant.

God directed Abraham to offer his only son Isaac as a whole burnt offering, and Abraham immediately made preparations and began to obey. Only when he was poised with knife in hand to kill and burn his son did God stay Abraham's hand—though he had previously said that he and the boy would return after they worshiped God on His holy mountain, and that God Himself would provide the ram for the sacrifice. Both were true, as it turned out! Abraham named the place where all this occurred 'YHWH jireh' [God will provide]. And so it is. God Himself provides the Lamb without spot or blemish as the proptiating sacrifice for the sins of the whole world.

Job's frustration and faith foreshadowed the passion of the Messiah Jesus: Have pity on Me, My friends, for God's hand has touched Me and I am pursued to death by enemies. If only My words could be inscribed in iron, for I know that My Redeemer lives and will stand upon the earth in the last moment. Though I die, yet I will see God in My flesh, siding with Me in My hour of testing.

Jeremiah lamented: YHWH, You have deceived me thoroughly; You are stronger than I and You have prevailed. I am a laughingstock; everyone mocks me. I get attacked whether I prophesy or not; but I must speak, for God's words are like a fire in my heart and bones; I cannot hold it in! There is terror and whispering on every side, people waiting to destroy me. But YHWH is with me, like a dread warrior. I know my persecutors will stumble and will not succeed. And their dishonor will never be forgotten. God, let me see Your vengeance on our enemies!

Paul wrote to the Corinthians: Shun the worship of idols. The cup of blessing is a participation in the blood of the Messiah, and the bread we eat is a participation in the Messiah's body. Because there is one bread, we are one body, though many, for we join in partaking of one bread. But whoever eats the bread or drinks the Lord's cup in an unworthy manner is guilty of profaning the very body and blood of the Lord! So let everyone examine himself beforehand, and so eat the bread and drink the cup soberly and with reflection. Many of you are weak and some have died because they failed to do this. But if we judge ourselves truly, we will not suffer the Lord's judgment; we are chastened so that we will not be condemned along with the world.

Peter, an eyewitness of Jesus' passion and resurrection, wrote: The prophets spoke of the grace that is to be yours; they inquired about the specifics of the passion of the Messiah, and His subsequent glory. God revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but Christians in generations to come. So get serious: set your hope fully on the grace that is coming as Jesus the Messiah is revealed. Be holy in all your conduct, as the One Whom you follow is entirely holy. If you invoke as Father the One Who judges everyone impartially, then conduct yourselves accordingly, with fear to offend Him, throughout the time of your exile. You were ransomed from futile ways inherited from your ancestors, with the precious blood of the Messiah, like that of a lamb without spot or blemish. He was destined from before the foundation of the world, but was manifest at the end of times for your sake.

The Good News is offered to everyone, but only those who receive it with faith can understand and obey the Messiah's message. Only we who believe will enter His rest. He has set a certain day, 'Today,' when we must receive His message and not harden our hearts against Him. There remains a sabbath rest for the people of God, and they will cease from their labors just as God has ceased from His. Therefore, let us strive to enter that rest; let none of us fail to do so through disobedience like that of the exiles from God 's mercy. For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any double-edged sword; it penetrates to divide soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Before God no creature is hudden; all are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with Whom we have to do. Since we have a great High Priest Who has passed through the heavens, namely Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. We have a High Priest Who is able to sympathize with our weaknesses, because He was tempted in ever respect, just as we have been, yet He did not sin.

There is now, therefore, no condemnation for those who are in the Messiah Jesus. The law of the Spirit of Life in the Messiah Jesus has set me free from the law of sin and death. God has done what the law could not do: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, so that the just requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk according to the Spirit, not according to the flesh. Those who live by the flesh set their minds on fleshy things; and those who live by the Spirit focus on spiritual matters. To set one's mind on the flesh is death, but to set one's mind on the Spirit is life and peace. The fleshy mind is hostile to God, and cannot submit to God's law; those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh; you are in the Spirit, if God's Spirit indwells you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, by His Spirit, though your bodies are dead because of sin, your spirits are alive because of righteousness. If the Spirit of Him Who raised the Messiah Jesus from the dead lives in you, He will give life to your mortal bodies also, through His Spirit Who lives in you.

Simon Peter asked Jesus, 'Lord, where are You going?' Jesus answered, 'Somewhere you cannot follow now, but you will follow later.' Peter asked, 'Lord, why can't I follow You now? I will lay down my life for you!' But Jesus answered, 'Will you, Peter? I tell you most truly, the cock will not crow until you have denied Me three times.'

On the night before He died, Jesus prayed for all His followers: 'Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son so that the Son may glorify You. You have given Him power over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom You have given Him. Eternal life is this: to know You the only true God, and Jesus the Messiah Whom You have sent. I glorified You on earth, and accomplished all the work You gave Me to do. Now, Father, glorify Me in Your own presence with the glory which I had with You before the world was made. I have manifested Your name to the mortals whom You gave me out of the world. They were Yours, and You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. Now they know that everything You have given me is from You. For I have given them the words You gave Me, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from You; and they have believed that You sent Me. I am praying for these, and for all You have given Me. I am not praying for the world, but only those who are Yours and Mine. All Mine are Yours, and all Yours are Mine, and I Am glorified in t hem. Now I Am no longer in the world, but they are staying here and I Am coming to You. Holy Father, keep them in Your name, which You have given to Me, that they may be one, even as We Are One.

After Jesus had died, Joseph of Arimathea petitioned Pilate to take Jesus' body away, and Pilate gave him permission. Joseph came with Nicodemus, and they took the body, along with about a hundred pounds of myrrh and aloes. They bound the body in linen cloths with the spices, as Jews do for burial. They laid the body in a new tomb in the garden adjacent to the place where Jesus was crucified.

Exertions toward transformation

2011-12-25T20:24:00.000-08:00

Tuesday and Wednesday, April 19 and 20, 2011

Devotions: Ps 6, 12, 55, 74, 94; Jer 15:1-21; 17:5-17; Phil 3:15-4:13; Jn 12:20-36

Lord, be gentle with me; I'm struggling and weary. Let evil-doers depart from me, and let YHWH Sabaoth accept my prayers. Let God arise and scatter our enemies. His promises are purified seven-fold, while the wicked prowl and exalt vileness. Lord, keep me near You, and let me not become distracted by the noise of the enemy. Fear and trembling threaten to undo me. Let God destroy their plans gainst me, and protect me from false friends. The enemies scoff, but God will uphold His covenant and keep the downtrodden from being destroyed. Let the God of vengeance shine forth! He who created ears and eyes can hear and see; let God chasten the righteous and destroy the wicked! YHWH will not forsake His people; His steadfast love upholds us; He is my Rock and my Stronghold. Glory to You, God Most High!

God told Jeremiah no intecession could stay His anger against the sinful people of Judah, for they had utterly rejected God, despite His recurring entreaties to return. He will make them serve enemies in foreign places. When Your words came, Lord, I ate them and them became the joy and sustenance of my heart. I stand alone under Your care and authority. You sustain me in the face of opposition and hatread; You save and deliver me. Blessed are all who trust in YHWH; they are like trees planted near water; they don't fear the heat or drought, and bear fruit always. The human heart is desperately wicked and corrupt; God searches or minds and hearts, and rewards the righteous and deprives the wicked. Heal me, Lord; let me speak forth Your words. You are my Refuge for ever.

Paul entreats the Philippian Christians to be of one mind with him and to hold true to all they have learned and attained. Let the faithful imitate the saints as they imitate Jesus. Our commonwealth is in heaven, from where we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus the Messiah, who will change our lowly body to be like His glorious body, by the power that enables Him to subject all things to Himself. So let the Christians stand fast and agree together. Let us rejoice always in the Lord; let us have no anxiety about anything, but in everything let our requests be known to God through prayer and supplication with thanksgiving. And God's peace, which transcends all understanding, will guard our hearts and mind in the Messiah Jesus. Let us focus our thoughts on everything that is honorable, just, pure, lovely gracious, excellent and praiseworthy. Let us practice what we have learned in God's tutelage, and the God of peace will be with us. Paul was grateful for the consideration of his friends in Philippi, and assured them that he had learned to be content in an circumstances—abased or abounding, in plenty or hunger, abundance or want. I can do all things through Him Who strengthens me.

Some Greeks worshiping in Jerusalem at the time of Passover came to Philip and aksed to see Jesus. Philip got Andrew and the two brought this request to Jesus. He said, 'The hour has come for the Son of man to be glorified. I tell you truly, unless a grain of wheat falls to the earth and dies, it remains alone; but when it is planted, it dies and is transformed, and bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life will lose it, and whoever hates his love in this world will keep it for eternal life. Anyone who serves Me msut follow He; where I Am, there My servant shall be also. The Father will honor anyone who serves Me. Now My soul is troubled! What shall I say? 'Father, save Me from this hour!'? No, for I came to this moment for this very purpose. Rather: Father, glorify Your name! [A voice came from heaven: 'I have glrofied it, and I will glorify it again.'] Those standing nearby heard thunder; others claimed that an angel had spoken to Jesus. He said, 'This voice has come for your sake, not Mine. Now is the judgment of this world, and now the ruler of this world is cast out. And I, when I Am lifted up, will draw all mortals to Myself.' He said this to show the kind of death He would die. But the crowd didn't understand. They replied to Jesus, 'The Torah tells us that the Messiah abides forever. So how can you say that the Son of man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of man?' Jesus said, 'The Light is with you for a little longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. One who walks in darkness has no knowledge of where he is going. While you have the Light, believe in the Light, that you may become sons of Light.' Saying this, Jesus departed from them and hid Himself from them.

Untitled

2011-12-25T20:21:00.000-08:00

Monday, April 18, 2011

Devotions: Ps 51, 69:1-23; Jer 12:1-16; Phil 3:1-16; Jn 12:9-19

Lord, have mercy on me and cleanse me from all my sins. I have sinned against You, Lord, and that sets me at odds with my Master and Maker. I know that You desire truth in my inmost being; so purge me with hyssop and wash me clean. Fill me with joy and gladness and blot out all my iniquities. Create a clean heart and upright spirit within me and restore to me the joy of my salvation. I will serve others gladly when I an rehabilitated myself, Lord. I am opposed at every turn; hostile enemies multiply their accusations against me. You know my sins and folly, Lord, and I am truly sorry for my grave misdoings. Answer me when You are ready, Lord; Your steadfast love is wonderful. Let me see Your face and do Your will, to Your glory. That's all I truly want or need. There is no mercy or kindness among mortals for me, no pity or sympathy. They try to poison me and give me bitterness for food and drink. So I turn them over to Your judgment, and throw myself on Your mercy, YHWH.

I know that You are righteous, Lord, but I need some answers. Why do the treacherous seem to thrive so? You seem to establish and care for them; they bear fruit, yet You are far from their hearts, and they seldom speak of You, and never with gratitude or respect. How long must the land and Your people mourn? How long will the drought affect land and spirit alike? All my relations, all my neighbors, and even total strangers ignore or attack me. My heritage turns against me, like a lion or a preying raptor. The wild beasts seek to tear and devour me and all that I hold dear. They desolate God's vineyard; they lay bare the heights and ruin the fields. The Lord's fierce anger scalds us all. I await the justice and mercy of YHWH, Who has promised compassion and restoration to His people. Let abide in Him and trust His word and covenant, our Mighty One, YHWH the Lord.

Finally, brothers, rejoice in the Lord. Shun those who would mutilate your flesh and abuse your faith. The true circumcision are those who worship the true God in wisdom and truth, who glory in the Messiah Jesus, and have no confidence in ethnicity or sect. I, Paul, have plenty of reason to be confident in piety: circumcised on the eighth day, an Israelite from Benjamin's tribe, and Hebrew born to Hebrew parents, a Pharisee and zealous persecutor of the church of Jesus, blameless before the law. But whatever gain I might have had from these distinctives, I account as loss for the sake of the Messiah. I count everything so, as loss, for the surpassing worth of knowing the Messiah Jesus as my Master. For His sake I have suffered the loss of everything I once valued; I consider them worthless and revolting, the dung of dogs, so that I may gain the Messiah and be found in Him, without righteousness of my own, in accord with the law, but that true righteousness which is received due to faith in the faithful Messiah—a righteousness form God that is founded on faith. My settled goal and intention is to know Him and the power of His resurrection; I aim to share in His sufferings and become like Him in His death, so that if possible, I may also attain the resurrection of the dead, which Jesus alone has experienced already. I can't say I have already obtained all this, or have achieved full maturity—what the Spirit calls perfection. But I press on to make all this my own, because the Messiah Jesus has claimed me as His own. Brothers and sisters, I don't consider that I have somehow earned or grasped all this; what I can do is forget what lies behind and strain forward to what lies ahead. I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in the Messiah Jesus. Let all who are mature think in this way; and if you think otherwise in any of these matters, I believe that God will enlighten you, too. Let us hold true to what we have attained!

When the great crowds who were in Jerusalem for the Passover got word that Jesus was coming, they took palm branches and went out to meet Him, crying 'Hosanna! Blessed is He Who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!' Jesus found a young donkey and rode on it, fulfilling the propechy, 'Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your King is coming, sitting on a donkey's colt.' [Zech 9:9] At the time, the disciples were mystified; but after Jesus was glorified, they remembered and understood that this had been written of Him and had been done to Him. The crowd who had seen Him raise Lazarus from death also testified. The people flocked to meet Jesus because of this testimony and the mighty sign Jesus had done. And the Pharisees were vexed: 'You see that you can do nothing; the world has gone after Him'

'What you see next will deepen your faith'

2011-12-25T20:15:00.000-08:00

Friday and Saturday, April 15 and 16, 2011

Devotions: Ps 22, 42, 43, 95, 137:1-6, 141, 143, 144; Jer 29:1-13; 31:27-34; Rom 11:13-36; Jn 11:1-44.

Jesus cried out from the cross just as David did in Psalm 22: 'Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?' My God, why have You forsaken Me? I cry out to You day after day, but You are enthroned on the praises of Israel. You saved our ancestors when they cried to You for mercy. I am like a worm, not like a man in Your image, scorned by all the mortals around me. They titter at me—He trusted YHWH, so let YHWH save him. Let God deliver him, since he delights in God. You brought me into the world, and cared for me from my mother's womb; now, I need You more than ever! I am surrounded, attacked, powerless, dying! These dogs pierce my hands and feet and side; they divide my clothing among them and gamble over my paltry possessions. Save me, God, and let me tell of Your wonders; let those who need You hear of You and wonder! My praise is all for You, my God! As the deer longs for flowing streams, my soul longs for God. I'm challenged at every side by skeptics who doubt God and doubt my faith in Him. But I ask: soul, why are you downcast and disquieted within me? Deep calls to deep; YHWH commands His steadfast love, and a prayer to God is my constant companion. Let God vindicate me as a testiment to His love and power. Lord, You are the God in Whom I take refuge. Send out Your light and truth. Let us sing to YHWH, a joyful noise to our Rock. Let us come to Him with thanksgiving and songs of praise. He is Maker and Master and we are His flock. Let God deliver His people, and let His wrath fall on those who oppress God's people! My eyes ever look to You, my God. Let the wicked fall into their own nets, and help me escape! I cry to You, O God; consider me righteous and deal bountifully with me. Answer my prayers, and guide me in a level pathway for Your glory. Blessed is YHWH my Rock, Who trains my hands for battle. Let me sing a new song to You, O God. Happy are all whose God is YHWH!

The princes and the people replied to the priests and prophets: this man does not deserve to die; he has spoken to us in the Name of YHWH our God. Certain elders addressed the assembly: Micah of Moresheth prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah; he said, 'This is what YHWH says: Zion will be plowed like a field; Jerusalem will become a rubble heap, and Mount Zion will become a wooded height.' And did Hezekiah slay Micah? Didn't he fear God and beg His favor and forgiveness? And didn't YHWH change His mind and forego the evil He had intended against them? Unless we do the same now, we are about to bring great evil down on ourselves. Jeremiah sent word to the elders of the exiles, the priests, prophets and leaders taken into exile by Nebuchadnezzar, after King Jeconiah and the royal party had departed from Jerusalem. His letter said: YHWH Sabaoth, God of Israel, tells you to build houses an dlive in them; plant gardens and eatht heir produce. Take wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear offspring during the exile. Seek the welfare of the place I have put you in exile; pray to the Lord on its behalf, for your welfare depends on the welfare of the place of your exile. Don't let your prophets and deviners deceive you; I did not send them, says YHWH. When seventy years are completed, I will visit you and bring you back to your homeland. For I know My plans for you, to do you good and not evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call on Me and I will answer. You will seek Me and find Me, when you seek Me with all your heart; I will be found by you, says YHWH, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the places where I have driven you and bring you back to the place from which you are exiled. Behold, the days are coming when I will sow the houses of Israel and Judah with the seed of man and beast, and I will build and fructify them. I will make a new covenant with the houses of Israel and Judah, to put My law in them and to write it on their hearts. I will be their God and they will be My people. Neighbor will not need to teach neighbor, for all shall know Me, from the greatest to the least; for I will forgive their iniquity and remember their sin no more, says YHWH.

Paul wrote: I magnify my mission to the Gentiles in part to make my fellow Jews jealous. I want them saved, too! If their rejection meant reconciliation for the world, what will their acceptance signify? Life from the dead! If the leaven is holy, the whole ball of dough is holy; if the root is holy, all the branches are holy as well. If some native branches were broken off so that you wild shoots could be grafted in, don't boast about being branches of the fruitful tree. It's the root that supports you, not you who support it. It's true that branches were broken off to make a place for you, but stand in awe. God plays no favorites. Note His kindness and severity. Now continue in His kindness, lest you be cut off, too. God can graft the Jews in again, and how easily that graft would take. God allowed a part of Israel to be hardened for a time, so that you Gentiles would have opportunity to come into God's family. But His plan is to save all of Israel as well. Scriptures say, 'The Deliverer with come from Zion and banish ungodliness from Jacob; this will be My covenant with them, when I take away their sins.' They became enemies of God for your sake, as the gospel recounts; but God loves them because of the patriarchs. God's gifts and call are irrevocable; and He shows mercy to all! How deep are God's riches and wisdom and knowledge! From Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To God be glory for ever. Amen!

John summarizes the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from death. Lazarus of Bethany, friend of Jesus and brother of Mary and Martha, fell deathly sick. The sisters sent messages of distress to Jesus, but He said, 'This illness is not unto death; it is for God's glory, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.' So He stayed where He was for two days after the message arrived, then He told His disciples, 'We're headed back to Judea.' They objected that the Jews there were plotting to kill Jesus. He answered, 'There are twelve hours of light each day; when one walks in the light, he doesn't stumble. But when one tries to walk in the dark, he stumbles. He told them, 'Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, and I Am going to wake him up.' They misunderstood, and said, 'Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will heal.' But Jesus explained: 'Lazarus is dead; and for your sake, I Am glad that I was not there. What you see next will deepen your faith. So let us go to him.' Thomas Didymus said, 'Let's go with Him, that we may die with Him!' When Jesus came to their home in Bethany, Lazarus had been in the tomb four days already. Many Jews had come to the their home from Jerusalem, two miles away, to console the sisters. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet Hm, and said to Jesus, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. And even now, I know that God will give you whatever you say. And Jesus said to Martha, 'Your brother will rise again.' Martha answered, 'I know he will arise again in the resurrection at the last day.' Jesus said to her, 'I Am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, though he should die, yet he will live. And whoever lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?' And she said to him, 'Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, He Who is coming into the world.' Martha went and called her sister Mary: 'The Teacher is here and is calling for you.' Mary hurried to meet Jesus. Many of the mourners followed her, thinking she was headed to the tomb to mourn. She came to Jesus and fell at His feet, saying, 'Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.' Seeing her weeping, and those accompanying her also, Jesus was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. He asked, 'Where have you laid him?' They said to Him, 'Lord, come and see.' Jesus wept. Some of the Jews remarked, 'See how he loved Lazarus.' but others grumbled: 'Couldn't He, Who opened the eyes of the blind man, have kept Lazarus from dying?' Jesus, deeply moved, came to the tomb and said to the people there, 'Take away the stone.' Martha said, 'Lord, by this time, there will be a stench, for he has been buried four days.' Jesus replied, 'Did I not tell you that you would see God's glory, if you would believe?' So they took away the stone, and Jesus lifted His eyes to heaven and spoke: 'Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. I knew that You always hear Me, but I say this now for the benefit of those listening in, that they may believe that You sent Me.' Then, in a loud voice, Jesus cried, 'Lazarus, come out!' And the dead man came out, still bound hand and foot with bandages, and his face was wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to the bystanders, 'Unbind him and let him go!'

Just testify what you know

2011-12-25T20:09:00.000-08:00

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Devotions: Ps 131-33, 140, 142; Jer 26:1-16; Rom 11:1-12; Jn 10:19-42

Lord, I keep my head down and my heart humble. I have calmed and quieted my soul like a child resting at its mother's breast. Let Israel rest in faith under YHWH's care. And let us honor God, Who has chosen His people, and Who cares for us at all times. How pleasant it is when members of God's household live together in unity, as we await our welcome into eternal life with our Lord. Father, deliver me from evil men, violent people who plot evil and do harm whenever they can. YHWH is my God, my strong Deliverer. And I commit my enemies to His judgment and punishment. I cry out to You, Lord; hear my prayer; answer my concern. Be my Refuge and deliver me from my persecutors, I pray.

YHWH assigned Jeremiah this message at the beginning of Jehoiakim's reign in Judah: Stand in the court of the Lord's temple and say all I tell you. They may listen, or they may not. Tell them this for Me: If you will not listen to Me, to walk in My law which I have set before you, and to heed the words of My servants the prophets I have sent you, then I will make this Jerusalem temple like the shrine at Shiloh; and I will make this city a curse for all the nations of the earth. The priests and prophets and all the people of Jerusalem heard Jeremiah's words, but instead of repenting, they were angry and threatened to kill the prophet. The princes of Judah also heard what had been said, and they came up and sat in the New Gate, where the priests and other prophets brought their charges against Jeremiah. Jeremiah answered: YHWH sent me to prophesy against this house and this city; the words are His, not mine. Now amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of YHWH your God, and He will repent of all the evil He has pronounced against you. Just know this for certain: if you put me to death, you will bring innocent blood upon yourselves and this city and its inhabitants. For in truth, YHWH sent me to you to say all these words before you.

Paul argued: has God rejected His people? Of course not! I am an Israelite myself—descended from Abraham, a member of Benjamin's tribe. God has not rejected the people whom He foreknew. Recall when Elijah pleaded with God: 'Lord, they have killed Your prophets and destroyed Your altars, and I alone am left—and now they're seeking to kill me?' And what did God reply? 'I have reserved to Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.' So too now, there is a remnant, chosen by grace—not on the basis of works. Israel failed to obtain what it sought; the elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened. Scripture says, 'God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that couldn't see, deaf ears, down to this very day.' David wrote, 'Let their table become a snare and a trap, a pitfall and a retribution for them; let their eyes be darkened so they cannot see, and bend their backs forever.' So I ask now: have the Jews stumbled beyond recovery? By no means! Through their trespass, salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel jealous. If their trespass means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion mean!

The Jews were divided in their opinions about Jesus. Many said He was demon-possessed, and should not be heeded. Others said, 'He doesn't talk like a possessed man; and a demon wouldn't open the eyes of the blind.' It was the Feast of the Dedication at Jerusalem—winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in Solomon's portico. The Jews came to Him there and said, 'How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us straight out.' He said, 'I told you, and you do not believe. The works I do in My Father's name bear witness to Me. But you do not believe, because you are not among My sheep. My sheep hear My voice, I know them, and they follow Me. I give them eternal life and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, Who has given them to Me, is greater than anything, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. I and the Father are One.' At this, the Jews again took up stones to kill Jesus. He said to them, 'I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of these would you stone Me?' They said, 'Not for good works but for blasphemy! You are a man, but you equate yourself with God.' Jesus replied: 'It is written in your law, isn't it: 'I said you are all gods.' If he called them gods to whom God's word came (and scripture cannot be broken), do you say of Him Whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world, 'You are blaspheming' because I said 'I am the Son of God'? If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe Me. But if I do them, even though you do not believe in Me, believe the works, that you may know and understand dthat the Father is in Me and I Am in the Father.' Again they tried to arrest Jesus, but He escaped their hands. He departed and crossed the Jordan, to where John had baptized at first. Many came to Jesus there, saying 'John did no sign, but everything that John said about this man was true.' And many placed their faith in Jesus there.

If you could see, blindness is sin

2011-12-25T20:05:00.000-08:00

Tuesday and Wednesday, April 12 and 13, 2011

Devotions: Ps 119:145-76; 120-30; Jer 25:8-17, 30-38; Ro 10:1-21; Jn 9:18-10:18

Lord, I cry to You with my whole heart; hear me in the maelstrom of my troubles, Lord, and deliver me. All Your words are true, and I praise You all the day long. Let my supplications come before You; deliver and bless me, as I praise You, YHWH. I stray like a wayward sheep, but You are my great Shepherd. I seek peace, but I live among warmongers. My help comes from YHWH on high, who shades and protects me. So I am glad when I am called to worship with God's people. I pray for all the church, and for the people of Israel and Jerusalem; may all prosper who wish them well! And may God's peace bless the Holy City of our God. Lord, enthroned in heaven, I call to You. Have mercy, Lord, for I am wearied by the malice of the wicked. If God had not taken my side, I would have perished long ago. Blessed is YHWH Who has not given me over to the fangs of the wicked; my Helper is the Maker and Master of heaven and earth. He surrounds me like the mountains surround Jerusalem; let God's peace be with all who love Him. We are like dreamers, celebrating God's victory; we go out weeping, but come home with sheaves, rejoicing! Blessed are all wo walk in God's ways; our wives and children are safe and fruitful, under God's mighty hand. I have been afflicted from my youth, but God requites me against my enemies. I cry to YHWH from my profound depths, and I long for God with complete abandon. God will redeem His people from all our iniquities!

YHWH had Jeremiah prophesy: 'Because you have not obeyed Me, I will bring Nebuchadnezzar and his hosts down upon you from the north. I will banish from Israel the voices of mirth and gladness, of groom and bride, the music of grindstones and the light of lamps. All the land will become a ruin, and My people will serve Babylon for seventy years; but then, I will also punish them for their offenses against My people.' God charged Jeremiah to take the cup of judgment and serve it to the nations, and so he did, serving the princes of Judah, Pharaoh and his servants and princes in Egypt, all the land of Uz, and all the kings of Uz, and the Philistine kings at Ashkelon, Gaza, Ekron and Ashdod, Edom, Moab and the Ammonites, the kings of Tyre and Sidon, and the kings along the seacoast; Dedan, Tema, Buz, and all who cut the corners of their hair. Again, at YHWH's bidding, Jeremiah prophesied: YHWH will thunder from on high, and the echoes will reach the ends of earth. He is entering into judgment with all that lives; and He will put the wicked to the sword. 'There will be no refuge for the leaders and shepherds of these peoples. In His fierce anger, YHWH is despoiling rick and byre, field and flock. Like a lion, He has left His covert and devastated the country and peoples all around.

Paul writes of his desire that the Jews should be saved. He bore them witness: zealous for God, but unenlightened. They failed to submit to God's righteousness, while trying ot establish their own. The Messiah, Jesus, is the end and fulfillment of the divine Law, so that everyone who has faith in Him may be justified. Righteousness is impossible to achieve by obeying the law. But God's Word is near us—on our lips and in our hearts. God's word is very near to us, and if we confess Jesus as Lord and believe that God raised Him from death, we will be saved! A mortal believes with his heart, and so is justified As the scriptures say, no one who believes in Jesus will be put to shame. There is now no distinctions, between Jew and Greek—the same Lord is Lord of all, and He bestows His riches on all who call upon Him. For everyone who calls on YHWH's name will be saved. But the must hear, in order to believe; and the good news must be proclaimed –they can't believe in One of Whom they have never heard. They need a preacher, and preachers must be sent. As scripture affirms, the feet of those who bring the good news much be preached. Faith comes from what is heard, and that is from the preaching of Christ. All have this message before them, though the Jews have often and long ignored YHWH and His word; so He is calling in Gentiles, to make His Jewish people more jealous and zealous . All day long, God holds out His hands, to a disobedient and contrary people.

The Jewish authorities did not believe that the man whose sight Jesus restored had been born blind, until they heard it from his parents. They declined to testify concerning his healing, because they feared excommunication from the synagogue. So the Jews called the man to testify for a second time. He repeated his testimony, but again the Jews reviled him: 'You are His disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. We know that God spoke to Moses; we don't even know where this man comes from.' He answered, 'Well, this is a marvel! He opened my eyes, yet you don't know where He came from. We know that God does not listen to sinners, but only to those who do His will. Now, it has never before been reported that a man born blind, like me, has been healed and his sight restored. So if this man were not from God, He could nothing.' They grumbled against him and cast the man out. Jesus heard what had happened and found the man. He asked him, 'Do you believe in the Son of man?' The newly-sighted man repolied, 'Who is He, sir, that I may believe in Him?' Jesus answered, 'You have seen Him; it is He Who is speaking to you.' The man said, 'Lord, I believe.' And he worshiped Jesus. Jesus said, 'I have come into the worold for judgment, that those who see may become blind, and sightless may gain their sight. Some Pharisees standing nearby asked, 'Are we also blind?' And Jesus said to them, 'If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you affirm that you see, your guilt remains.'

Don't be a rotten fig

2011-12-25T20:03:00.000-08:00

Monday, April 11, 2011

Devotions: Ps 31, 35; Jer 24:1-10; Rom 9:19-33; Jn 9:1-17

Lord, You are my Rock and my Refuge. I trust in You, while others put their faith in idols and the world's devices. I hide in Your shadow, protected from my enemies. Let us be strong and take courage, who wait for the Lord, for He will not disappoint or desert us. I ask YHWH to contend with my enemies. Blow them away, and let me rejoice. One of my enemies has died today, Lord; I pray for the well-being of his soul, and I exult that I no longer share the world with this adversary. Vindicate me according to Your righteousness, and let all who trust You exult and praise You all the day long!

The Babylonian king took the king of Judah and all the leaders of the Jerusalem community into exile. And YHWH showed Jeremiah an image that commented on the situation: two baskets of figs, one good, one spoiled. YHWH told the prophet that He would regard the exiles in Chaldea like the good basket of figs: 'I will bring them back to this land, build them up and not tear them down, and plant them. I will give them a heart to know that I Am God, and they will be My people and I their God, for they will return to Me with their whole hearts. But I will treat Zedekiah, king of Judah, and his princes and the remnant remaining here, as if they were rotten figs. I will make them a horror to the kingdoms, a byword and reproach. I will send sword, famine and pestilence upon them, until they shall be utterly destroyed from the land which I gave to them and their ancestors.'

Paul continues his discourse: Some may ask why God finds fault, since none can resist His will. But He is God; we are clay in His hands, and have no standing to question God's decisions. Possibly God desired to make His wrath and power known, and has endured with much patience the vessels created for destruction, so as to make known the riches of His glory for the vessels of mercy, which God has prepared in advance for glory—that is all of us whom He has called, not from among the Jews alone, but also from among the Gentiles. As God has said in Hosea, 'I will call them "My people" who were not My people, and "My beloved" those who were not beloved. So in the very place all were considered not to be YHWH's people, they will be called "sons of the living God." And as it is written in Isaiah: 'Only a remnant among the multitude of Israel will be saved; for YHWH will execute His sentence upon the earth with rigor and dispatch.' And 'if the Lord of hosts had not spared us children, we would have fared like Sodom and Gomorrah.' So what can we say? The Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it—righteousness through faith; but Israel who pursued righteousness based on the law did not succeed in fulfilling the law. Why? Because they did not pursue it through faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone described by Isaiah: 'Behold, I lay in Zion a stone that will make men stumble and a rock that will make them fall; and whoever believes in Him will not be put to shame.' [Faith in Jesus, fulfilling God's covenant, is the way to achieve righteousness—the status of acceptance into God's household—rather than living by Torah, which inevitably falls short and convicts one of sin and unrighteousness.]

As Jesus was moving along, He saw a man who had been blind from birth. His disciples asked Jesus, 'Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?' Jesus answered, 'Neither the man nor his parents sinned; he was born this way so that the works of God might be manifest in him. We must work the works of Him Who sent Me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. As long as I Am in the world, I Am the Light of the world.' As He said this, Jesus spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva; He anointed the man's eyes with this clay mud, and told him to go the the Pool of Siloam (which means 'Sent') and wash off the clay. The man did what Jesus told him, and came back seeing! All who had seen the man before said, 'Is not this the man who used to sit and beg?' Some thought so, others said not. The man himself spoke up: "I am the man!' And they asked how his eyes had been healed. He described Jesus and His actions, and the result that he received his sight when he washed the mud away at the Siloam pool. 'So where is this man?' they asked, but the man did not know. People brought the healed man before the Pharisees. Jesus had healed him on a Sabbath day. When the Pharisees questioned him, the man repeated his story: 'He plut clay on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.' Some Pharisees asserted, 'This man could not be from God, since He doesn't keep the Sabbath.' But others replied, 'How could a sinner do something this wonderful?' So they were divided. So they asked the formerly blind man: 'What do you say about him?' He said, 'He is a prophet.'

Think: how can mortals take offense at God?

2011-12-25T19:59:00.000-08:00

Saturday, April 9, 2011

Ps 33, 107:33-43, 108:1-7; Jer 23:9-15; Rom 9:1-18; Jn 6:60-71

Rejoice in the Lord, you righteous ones. Praising God is fitting for the upright. He made the heavens and earth by His word. He is Sovereign over nature. YHWH brings the counsels of the nations to nothing. He knows everything, and He is good! My soul waits for YHWH; my heart is glad in Him, and His steadfast love watches over me. He builds up and tears down; be on His right side, then! Ponder the steadfast love of the Lord. Lord, I will sing praises to You, let Your glory be over me, and over all the earth. He apportions gladness and woe according to His sovereign will. He will tread down all my enemies!

Jeremiah lamented: concerning the prophets, my heart is broken within me; all my bones shake. I am like a drunk, but I am intoxicated because of the Lord and His words. He curses our adulteries as a nation; He hates immoral priests and prophets. He makes their pathways slick and tips them into judgment. The prophets of both Judah and Israel do horrible things. They support evil and ignore the Lord. So God will feed them wormwood and give them poisoned water to drink, for their lies are poisoning God's people and His land.

Paul wrote: I am telling the truth, as the Spirit affirms with my conscience: I have great sorrow and endless anguish of heart. I wish I could take the curse on myself that is falling my brothers, my Jewish kinsmen—to be cut off from the Messiah. They are Israelites, blessed by God with the sonship, the glory, the covenants, Torah, the worship and God's promises. To them belong the patriarchs, and the Messiah comes from that family. Let God, Who is over all, be blessed. Amen! Listen, God's word has not failed. Not all wo descend from Israel by blood are now Israel, and not all descendants of Abraham are his covenant children. The scriptures testify that the true line of Abraham would be reckoned through Isaac. This means that the children of God's promises are those reckoned as Abraham's descendants. God's election showed in the births of Isaac and Jacob—those God favored, contrasted with Ishmael and Esau. Is God unjust? Not at all! As He said to Moses, 'I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy; I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.' So the outcome depends on God's mercy, not human will or performance. God favors whom He will, and He hardens whom He will.

Jesus had spoken of the need for His true followers to eat His flesh and drink His blood. Some took offense and left Him. Jesus confronted His disciples over their murmuring. 'Do you take offense at this? What if you were to see the Son of man ascending to where He Was previously? The Spirit gives life; the flesh is of no avail; the words I have spoken to you, which you find offensive, are spirit and they are life! But there are some among you who do not believe. All this demonstrates what I told you before: No one can come to Me unless it is granted to him by the Father.' Thereafter, many former disciples withdrew f rom Jesus. He asked the Twelve, 'Do you also wish to go away?' Peter answered: 'Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life; we have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God.' Jesus said, 'I chose you Myself, but one of you is the devil.' He spoke of Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, who was to betray Jesus.

Mighty metaphors, conquering cannibals

2011-12-25T19:56:00.000-08:00

Friday, April 8, 2011

Devotions: Ps 95, 102, 107:1-32; Jer 23:1-8; Rom 8:28-39; Jn 6:52-59

Let us sing to YHWH with joy and come before Him with songs of praise. All the earth, the skies and seas are His, for He made it all. Let us worship, kneeling and prostrate before YHWH our Maker. He is our God and we are His flock. My days pass away like smoke before You, my God. I toss and turn, uneasy in my skin. I wither away like grass in a drought. But You, YHWH, are enthroned forever. My own strength is gone; I have only God to lean on. But He is sufficient, and my children will live secure! God's steadfast love endures forever; let those He has redeemed testify to it! He has gathered His people from everywhere, delivering us from desert and wild places, from darkness and gloom, from prisons and shackles. He has healed the sick and delivered the suffering from their afflictions. He cares for those who ply the seas. He turns rivers to deserts, and deserts to lush meadows. The upright see God's power and are glad. Let the wise ponder these things, not least the steadfast love of YHWH!

Woe to the appointed shepherds who destroy and scatter those whom God favors! He will visit wickedness on them and gather the remnant of His flock, settle them and multiply them. He will give us shepherds who will care for us properly. And God will raise up a righteous Branch in the house of David, Who will reign as king and deal wisely, executing justice and righteousness among God's people. He will be known as YHWH Tsidkenu--'The Lord our Righteousness'. People will use the deliverance of God's people from the Diaspora as a way of talking about important events, and about God Himself: 'The Lord Who brought up and led the descendants of Israel out of the north country and all the countries where He had driven them.'

We know that in everything, God works for good to those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He might be the firstborn among many brothers. Those whom He predestined, He also called; and those whom He called, He also justified; and those whom He justified, God also glorified. What shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He Who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things? Who could bring any charge against God's elect? It is God Who justifies, and God Who judges. Who is to condemn? It is the Messiah Jesus Who died and was raised from death; He is at the right hand of God, and He is the One Who indeed intercedes for us. Who shall separate us from the love of the Messiah? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As the scriptures put it, 'For Your sake we are being killed all day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.' No; in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him Who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in the Messiah Jesus, our Lord!

As they debated with Jesus, the Jews disputed among themselves: 'How can this man give us his flesh to eat?' So Jesus said to them, 'I tell you very truly, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blookd abides in Me and I in him. As the living Father sent Me, who whoever eats Me will live because of Me. This is the bread that came down from heaven; no like the ancestors ate and died. Truly, whoever eats this bread will live forever.' Jesus said this as He taught at in Capernaum.

No condemnation in the Messiah

2011-12-25T19:49:00.000-08:00

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Devotions: Ps 101, 109, 119:121-44; Jer 18:1-11; Rom 8:1-11; Jn 6:27-40

Lord, I will sing to You of loyalty and justice; I will walk in the integrity of my Savior, and focus on edifying things, turning from what is base and harmful. I will look favorably on those who seek to do Your will. Let God judge and punish those who will not turn to follow His ways. I am poor and needy, but my God is the Master of all creation. Save me according to Your steadfast love, my Lord and clothe my accusers in dishonor. God stands beside the needy to save us from those who would condemn us to death. So deal with me, Your servant, according to Your steadfast love, my God. I love Your commands and my soul delights when I am obedient to them. Redeem me from human oppression, righteous Lord.. You are righteous and absolutely faithful. Your commands are my delight. Hear me in Your steadfast love, and hold me close to Your side.

God's word came to the prophet Jeremiah: Get up and go to the potter's house. There, he saw the craftsman at his wheel. The clay vessel he was shaping was spoiled, so the potter reworked the clay and made a different vessel, as seemd good to the potter. YHWH said: 'House of Israel, can I not do with you what the potter has done? You are like clay in My hands. If a nation in My hands turns from the evil it has done, I will also repent of the evil I had contemplated against that nation; likewise, if I have intended to build up a nation, and it nevertheless offends against Me, I will repent of the good I had intended to do for them. Now tell the people of Judah and Jerusalem: "This is what YHWH says to you: I Am shaping evil against you. Return! Repent, each of you, and amend your ways and doings."'

There is now no condemnation for those who are in the Messiah Jesus. The law of the Spirit of life in the Messiah Jesus has set me free from the law of sin and death. God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not accomplish. God has sent His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, God condemned sin in the flesh, so that the just requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. Those who live by the flesh set their minds on fleshly matters, and to do this is death. But to set one's mind on the Spirit is life and peace. The mind set on fleshly matters is hostile to God; it does not, indeed cannot, submit to God's law. And those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are in the Spirit, not in the flesh, if God's Spirit lives in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of the Messiah does not belong to Him. But if the Messiah is in you, though your bodies are dead due to sin, your spirits are alive because of righteousness. If the Spirit of Him Who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He Who raise the Messiah Jesus from the dead will give life to your motral bodies also, through His Spirit Who dwells in you.

Jesus taught those who were seeking Him: 'Don't labor for perishable food, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of man gives to you, on Whom God the Father has set His seal of approval.' They asked what it meant to do the works of God. Jesus answered, 'His work is this: to believe on the One Whom He has sent.' So they asked Jesus what sign He would give them to trigger saving belief among them. They said that God had fed their ancestors in the wilderness—manna, the bread of heaven. And Jesus answered,'Truly I tell you, it was not Moses but My Father who gives you the true bread of heaven. God's bread comes down form heaven and gives life to the world.' They pleaded with Jesus to give them this bread, and He said, 'I Am the Bread of life! Whoever comes to Me will not hunger, and will never thirst. I told you that you have seen Me, yet you do not believe. All whom the Father gives Me will come to Me, and I will not cast anyone out who comes to Me. I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but to do the will of Him Who sent Me. His will is this: that I should lose none of those He has given Me, but raise them up on the last day. My Father's will is that everyone who sees and believes in the Son should have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.'

A Day's Work for the Messiah

2011-12-25T19:46:00.000-08:00

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Devotions: Ps 94, 97, 99; Jer 17:19-27; Rom 7:13-25; Jn 6:16-29

Let the wrath of God shine forth against the arrogant who boast, who afflict God's heritage, and who victimize the widow, the sojourner and the orphan. They claim, 'YHWH doesn't see or care.' Fools! The One Who make the ears and eyes can hear and see; He Who masters nature and disciplines whole nations will also chastise wicked individuals! And blessed are we whom God disciplines; He is teaching us His ways, and He will not forsake His people. If YHWH had not been my help, I would have perished long ago. YHWH is my Stronghold and my Rock of refuge. He protects me and wipes out the unrepentant wicked. Let earth rejoice that our God reigns! Let the heavens declare His righteousness; idol-worshipers will be put to shame, but God loves those who hate evil. Light dawns for the righteous. Let us give thanks to Him! Mighty King, Lover of justice, You have executed equity, and we worship at Your feet. Extol and worship YHWH our God, for He is holy.

YHWH directed Jeremiah to go to the Benjamin Gate, by which Judah's kings enter and depart, and also to all Jerusalem's gates with this message: 'Hear what YHWH says, kings of Judah, and all its citizens and inhabitants: Take heed for your lives; bear no burdens on the Sabbath, nor bring in or take out through the gates on that day; refrain from such work in your homes as well. Obey Me, and you'll never lack for a king on David's throne, or princes, or a full complement of people in the city. People will come here from all around—from the territories of Benjamin, from the Shephelah, the hill country and the Negev, bringing offerings and sacrifices, grain offerings, frankincense—bringing offerings of thanks and worship to the house of YHWH. But if you ignore Me, and profane the Sabbath, I will light a fire in the gates of this city and it will devour all the palaces of Jerusalem, and will not be quenched!'

Paul continues his discussion of Torah and life in Christ: Did what is good bring death to me? Not at all! It was sin, working death in me through what is good, so that sin might be shown to be sin and might through the commandment become sinful beyond measure. The law is spiritual, but I am sinful (like us all), carnal, sold out to sin. I don't understand my own actions: I don't do what I value, and I keep doing what I hate. I still agree that the law is good—it prompts me to the good and prohibits the evil. So my sinful acts are not from my truest self, but from the sin that lives in me. Nothing good lives in my flesh; I can will what is good, but I cannot do it. This is the result of sin dwelling within me. So I derive this principle: when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. I delight in the law of God in my inmost self; but I see in my members another law, at war with the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin. What a wretched man I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Let us thank God, through Jesus the Messiah our Lord! Within myself, I serve God with my mind, but with my flesh, I unwillingly serve the law of sin. I cannot solve this problem by myself, but God will do it through Jesus, for me and all who are in the Messiah Jesus!

After a long day, when Jesus had served more than 5000 persons from five barley loaves and two small fish, Jesus' disciples returned to the lakeside, while He climbed further onto the mountain, alone. The disciples got into their boat and began to row across toward the other side. The seas rose and the wind blew strongly. When they had rowed three or four miles, they saw Jesus, walking on the sea and approaching the boat. They were frightened, but He said, 'I Am; don't be afraid!' Then they gladly took Him into the boat, and immediately the boat arrived at the land to which they were bound. The next day, the people who were searching for Jesus at the site where He had fed the multitudes discovered that He and His disciples had departed. So they embarked and went to Capernaum, seeking Jesus. When they found Him there, they asked, 'Rabbi, when did You come here?' He answered, 'I tell you truly, you seek Me because you ate your fill of bread and fish yesterday. Don't labor for food which perishes; instead, seek the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of man will give you. For on Him God the Father has set His seal' They asked Him, 'What must we do, to do God's work?' He answered: 'This is God's work: believe in Him Whom God has sent.'

No summary title suggests itself - consume it all!

2011-12-23T20:31:00.000-08:00

Monday, April 4, 2011

Devotions: Ps 89; Jer 16:10-21; Rom 7:1-12; Jn 6:1-15

YHWH, I will sing of Your steadfast love forever, telling each generation about Your faithfulness. You made and keep Your covenant with David and his descendants. None is as mighty as You, Lord of Lords, feared by all spiritual beings. You rule the raging seas; you crushed Rahab, and scattered Your enemies with a mighty arm. The mountains give You praise; Your throne rests on righteousness and justice; You are heralded by steadfast love and faithfulness. Your people glory in Your strength, and in Your goodness and love. You are our Father, our Rock and our Salvation. You keep Your covenant and Your word. But Your people waver; and in our times of unfaithfulness, You bring judgment upon us, casting us down, and shortening our days, covering us with shame. Bring forth Your steadfast love, Lord; remember how scorned we are, Your servants, as Your enemies mock the footsteps of Your anointed ones.

YHWH told Jeremiah: 'When this people ask why I Am punishing them, tell them: your ancestors forsook Me and worshiped other gods; they have not kept My law. And you are worse than your ancestors; each of you follows his own stubborn evil will; so I will cast you out from the land I gave you, into a strange land you do not know, where you will be slaves to strange gods. The days are coming when people will speak about the days when YHWH brought the people out of the dispersion in the north and all the countries of the world. I wll bring them back to their own land, where their ancestors lived. Many fishers and hunters will find them and bring them back; neither their sins nor their struggles are beyond My sight. I will double repay their iniquity and sin; they have polluted My land with the carcasses of their detestable idols and filled My inheritance with their abominations.' The prophet responded: 'O Lord, my Strength, my Stronghold, my Refuge in days of trouble: to You the nations will come from the ends of the earth. They will acknowledge their fathers' sins and unfaithfulness and their own. And God will say: 'Therefore, see this: I will make them know My power and might, and they will know that My name is YHWH!'

Paul discusses the law with the Romans: Don't you know, brothers and sisters, that the law pertains only while one lives. A married woman is bound by law to her husband while the two live; but she is discharged from that obligation when her husband dies. She will be named an adulteress if she lives with another man while her husband is alive; but if her husband dies, she is free and if she marries another man, she is not an adulteress before the law. In the same way, my brothers and sisters, you have died to the law through the body of the Messiah—so that you may belong to Another, to Him Who was raised from the dead in order that we may bear fruit for God. While we lived in the flesh, our sinful passions, enflamed by the law, were are work in our members to bear fruit for death. But now we are discharged from the law, dead to that which held us captive; we serve not under the old written code, but in the new life of the Spirit. Shall we argue that the law is sin? Absolutely not! But if not for the law, I should have known nothing about sin. The law that says, 'Don't covet' made me aware of my coveting. Sin makes the most of the law by working all kinds of covetousness in me. Apart from the law, sin lies dead; and I too was once alive apart from the law. But when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. The very commandment that promised life turned out to be death to me. Sin, finding opportunity in the commandment, deceived me and by it, sin killed me. So the law is holy, and the commandment is hold, just and good.

Jesus crossed the Sea of Galilee, followed by a great multitude who had witnessed His signs worked on those who were diseased. Jesus went up on a mountain and sat down with His close disciples; and the Jewish Passover was at hand. Jesus lifted up His eyes and saw the multitude coming to Him. He said to Philip, 'How are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?' He asked to test Philip, because Jesus already knew what He was going to do. Philip replied, 'Two hundred denarii—eight months' wages—would not buy enough bread to give each of them a little.' Andrew said to Jesus, 'There is a boy here who had five barley loaves and two fish. But what are these among so many?' Jesus said, 'Have the people sit down.' There was much grass there; and the people sat, numbering five thousand men, plus women and children. Jesus took the five loaves, and when He had given thanks, He broke and distributed them to these who were seated; He did the same with the fish. And everyone had as much as they wanted. When the crowd were fully satisfied, Jesus had His disciples gather up the fragments, and they gathered twelve baskets full of leftovers from the five barley loaves. Seeing all this, the people declared, 'This is indeed the Prophet Who is to come into the world!' Perceiving that the people were about to come to Him and make Him king by force, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain, alone.

God's enemies perish; His listeners live

2011-12-23T20:24:00.000-08:00

Friday and Saturday, April 2, 2011

Devotions: Ps 87, 88, 90-92, 136; Jer 11:1-8. 14-20; 13:1-11; Rom 6:1-23; Jn 8:33-59

God loves Jerusalem, surrounding Mt. Zion, the wellspring of song and dance. Lord, let my cry come before You. Release me from Your wrath and judgment; I will not try to escape—indeed, I have no place to go if I don't have You! You are my Life, so bless me, Lord! You have been the Dwelling Place of Your people for ever. We mortals come and go like shades on the wall, but You are eternal. Make me glad for as long as I have struggled; let Your works be manifest to me and in me. Establish the work of Your hands, my God. We who dwell in Your shadow have safety from every plague and affliction. You give Your angels charge concerning Your people, and they bear us up in times of trouble. God will rescue me and honor me; He will satisfy me with long life and will show me His salvation. So it is good and right to thank the Lord and praise the name of the Most High. I sing for joy, Lord, at the work of Your hands. God's enemies perish; God's people flourish in His courts. We will be fruitful in old age, full of sap and green. YHWH is our Rock and there is no unrighteousness in Him! So we give thanks to YHWH, for He is good; His steadfast love endures for ever: God of gods, Lord of lords, Worker of wonders, Creator of the universe. He made all that is, and chose a people to bring His Messiah into the world. He delivered His people from bondage in Egypt; He broke down kingdoms before His people and put them in the land He had promised. Let us thank the God of heaven and live for Him here on the earth.

YHWH directed Jeremiah: 'Speak to the men of Judah and of Jerusalem: cursed are they who do not heed My covenant. You agreed to be My people, and I to be your God; I gave you this land, filled with milk and honey. I warned your ancestors to obey Me, yet they and you have never been faithful or obedient. There is revolt among the mortals in Judah and Jerusalem. They have imitated their ancestors and worshiped false gods; both Israel and Judah have broken My covenant. Therefore I Am bringing evil upon them.' YHWH commanded Jeremiah not to intecede for this people or cry out in their behalf; God's spouse had no rights when she had been unfaithful to Him. A roaring fire would consume what had been His green olive tree with goodly fruit. The people also schemed against Jeremiah. So he begged YHWH for God's vengeance against those who offended God and His prophet. God told Jeremiah to act out this parable: 'Go and buy a linen waistcloth and put it around your loins. Then arise and go to the Euphrates and hide the loincloth there. Jeremiah did all that God had directed. Later, God told Jeremiah to go back the Euphrates and dig up the buried cloth. He did so, and it was spoiled, good for nothing. And YHWH remarked, 'Even so I will spoil the pride of Judah and the great pride of Jerusalem. This evil people, who refuse to hear My words and stubbornly follow their own hearts and seek other gods to serve and worship—they will become like this waistcloth, good for nothing. I made the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah to cling to Me, that they might be for Me a people, a name, a praise and a glory—but they would not listen.'

Paul wrote to the Roman Christians: Should we sin so that grace may abound? Of course not! We died to sin, so how can we still live in it? All of us who have been baptized into the Messiah Jesus were baptized into His death, buried with Him into death, sot hat as the Messiah was raised from the dead by the glory of the Fahter, we too might walk in newness of life. If we have been united with Him in a death like His, we shall surely also be united with Him in resurrecton. Our old self was crucified with Him so that the sinful flesh might be destroyed and we might no longer be slaves to sin. One who has died is freed from sin. But if we have died with Messiah, we believe we shall also live with Him. Having been raised from death, the Messiah will never die again; death has no dominion over Him. The death He died, He died to sin, once for all; but the life He lives He lives to God. So you also must reckon yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in the Messiah Jesus. Don't let sin reign in your mortal bodies; don't yield your members to sin as instruments of wickedness. Rather, yield yourselves to God as instruments of His righteousness. Sin cannot rule you, since you are not under law but under grace. We will not sin more simply because we are under grace. You are slaves to whatever masters you—sin and death, or godly obedience, righteousness and eternal life. Thanks to God, you were once slaves to sin, but have become obedient from the heart to the right teaching you have received. Freed from sin, you have become slaves of righteousness. Yield to this, and become sanctified. Being mastered by sin, you got no value from your futile actions. Now you have been freed from sin and have become God's slaves. The return you get is sanctification and its fulfillment: eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in the Messiah Jesus our Lord.

Jesus was talking with the Jews who had put faith in Him. They argued, 'We are Abraham's descendants; we have not been in bondage to anyone. How can you say, then, that we will be set free?' But Jesus answered, 'Truly I tell you, everyone who sins is sin's slave; and slaves don't get to stay in the family house forever—only the sons and daughters of the family do that. So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed. I know you are Abraham's offspring; yet you seek to kill Me because My word finds no place in you. I speak of what I have seen with My Fahter, and you do what you have heard from your faither.' Again they asserted that Abraham is their father. But Jesus demurred: 'If you were Abraham's children, you would do what Abraham did—not try to kill me. You do what your real father did.' They said, 'We were not born from fornication; God is our Father.' But Jesus said, 'If God were your Father, you would love me, for I proceeded and came forth from God. He sent Me—I didn't come on My own. Why do you not understand what I say? Because you cannot bear to hear and understand My message. You are of your father the devil, and you will to do his desires. He was a murderer from the beginning; he has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. He speaks his native language when he lies; he is a liar and the father of lies. But because I tell the truth, you don't believe Me—why? Whoever is of God hears God's words; the reason why you don't hear them is that you are not of God!' They tried to turn on Jesus: 'Isn't it so that you are a demon-possessed Samaritan?' Jesus answered, 'I have no demon; I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me. I don't seek My own glory; there is One Who seeks it and He will be the Judge. I tell you most solemnly, if anyone keeps My word, He will never see death.' The Jews said to him, 'Now we know that you have a demon. Abraham died, as did the prophets; yet you say that those who keep your word will never see death. Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets all died. Who do you claim to be?' Jesus answered, 'If I glorify Myself, My glory is nothing; it is My Father Who glorifies Me—the One you call your God. But you have not known Him; I know Him. If I denied knowing Him, I would be a liar like y ou. But I do know Him and I keep His word. Your ancestor Abraham rejoiced that he was to see My day; he saw it, and was glad.' They said to Jesus, 'You are not yet fifty years old—but you say you've seen Abraham?' Jesus said to them, 'I tell you truly, before Abraham was, I Am.' The Jews took up stones to kill Him, but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple.

Grace masters sin

2011-12-23T20:19:00.000-08:00

Thursday, March 31, 2011

Devotions: Ps 42, 43, 85,86; Jer 10:11-24; Rom 5:12-21; Jn 8:21-32

Much deeper than lusts are the longings of my heart, my soul, my spirit and my flesh for God. Hope in Him, and be lifted up. God does not forget or abandon His own. Lord, vindicate me as this year goes forward. Send out Your light and truth and let them lead me to You, my help and my God. Lord, restore us and revive us. Let me hear what God the Lord will say, speaking peace over His people. His salvation is surely at hand for those who obey and honor Him. YHWH, gladden the soul of Your servant and hearken to my supplication. Teach me to walk in Your way, Lord; I love and thank You with the heart You have made whole and holy. I will glorify Your name forever!

YHWH had Jeremiah say, 'The pagan gods did not make the heavens or earth, and they will perish. Only He Who made the universe will endure. Mortals are stupid and shameful without His grace. Let God correct and purify me, that I may worship and glorify Him alone.

Sin and death came into the world through the first man Adam, so sin was in the world before the law, from Adam to Moses. But God's free gift is not like the trespass; if many died through the trespass of one, much more have God's grace and gift of the one Man Jesus Christ abounded to many. Judgment following one trespass b rought condemnation, but the free gift following many trespasses brings justification. If death ruled through Adam's trespass, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness lead to acquittal and life for all who avail themselves by faith in Him. By one Man's obedience many will be made righteous. Law came in to focus and increase trespass; but where sin increased, grace abounded even more. Grace reigns through righteousness to eternal life, through Jesus the Messiah, our Lord.

Jesus taught: I go away, and you will seek Me and die in your sin, for where I Am going, you cannot come. You are from below; I Am from above; you are of this world, but I Am not. I told you that you will die in your sins, unless you believe that I Am He. They asked Him, 'Who are you?' He replied, 'Exactly what I have told you from the beginning. I have much to say about you, and much to judge; but He Who sent Me is true, and I declare to the world what I have heard from Him.' They didn't understand that Jesus was talking about His Father. So He continued: 'When you have lifted up the Son of man, then you will discover that I Am He, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak thus as the Father taught Me. He Who sent Me is with Me; He has not left Me alone for I always do what is pleasing to Him.' Hearing this, many believed in Him. To the Jews who believed in Him, Jesus said: 'If you continue in My word, you are truly My disciples, and you will know the truth and the truth will make you free!'

Righteous reckoning

2011-12-23T20:14:00.000-08:00

Tuesday and Wednesday, March 29 and 30

Devotions: Ps 78, 81, 82, 119:97-120; Jer 7:21-34, 8:18-9:6; Rom 4:13-5:11; Jn 7:37-52, 8:12-20

Let the people listen and ponder the deeds of YHWH our God. He established His testimony among the children of Israel. As their history unfolded, the tribe of Ephraim turned back in battle, breaking God's covenant and forgetting the great deeds God had done to deliver the people from slavery and to bring them through the wilderness, giving them water from the Rock, manna and quail for food, and protection against their enemies. When they sinned against Him, God sent them plagues, and they repented for a time. But their heart was not steadfast toward God, and He, compassionate, repeatedly forgave and restored them. When they provoked Him by worshiping other gods, YHWH abandoned His shrine at Shiloh and gave His people over to the sword of oppressors. But God roused from His slumber and again delivered His people, putting their enemies to rout. He chose the tribe of Judah and Mount Zion; He chose David to shepherd His people, and guided them with skillful hand. Let us sing alound to YHWH our strength, Who has lifted our burdens. Let there be no strange gods among His people; He is YHWH Sabaoth, our God, Who brought us up from slavery in Egypt. How He longs to bless His people, but our unfaithfulness keeps us in jeopardy and hunger, while God wants to feed us the finest foods and honey from the rock. He is Judge of all creation and of all spirit beings as well. To Him belong all nations, all peoples, and everything that exists! Lord, how I love Your law; it makes me wiser than my teachers or the elders of my community. I will cleave to Your ways, for Your word lights my way and illuminates my thoughts. I hold fast to my God, Whose testimonies are true and sure. Lord, I love Your law; uphold me according to Your integrity, as I bow before you in awe and trembling. Don't let me fall into Your judgment; preserve my life and give me effective faith!

YHWH spoke through Jeremiah: 'I don't need your sacrifices; My command is: Obey My voice, and I Will Be your God and you shall be My people. But they did not; each generation outdoes its ancestors in rebellion and unfaithfulness. I sent them prophet after prophet, but they do evil in My sight. They defile My temple and worship false idols, doing things I cannot abide. They sacrifice their own children. So slaughter will come upon them. I will feed their corpses to the beasts of the earth and birds of the air.' Jeremiah grieved beyond healing, for the wound of his people: 'Is there no balm in Gilead? No physician there? May the fountain of my tears never end. How I wish I could move away from this adulterous people, full of treachery and lies, because they do not know or acknowledge the Lord. Trust no mortal, as they heap oppressions and deceits to the heavens. 'They refuse to know Me,' says YHWH.

God's promise to Abraham and his descendants came through the righteousness of faith, not by obeying the law. The law brings wrath, but also awareness of righteousness and the meaning of transgression. God's promises rest upon His grace and faithfulness, and receiving what He has promised depends upon faithful response to His goodness. Abraham, by faith, is the father of us all, just as God said to him. Abraham believed that he would be the father of many nations, despite his frail and aging body, and his post-menopausal and barren wife. Abraham was about 100 and Sarah about 90 when God promised them a son and numerous descendants. But he did not waver through unbelief regarding God's promise, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what He had promised. For that reason, God reckoned Abraham's faith as righteousness; and that will be our situation, too: it will be reckoned to us who believe in Him Who raised from the dead our Lord Jesus, Who was put to death for our trespasses, and raised from death for our justification. Since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus the Messiah. Through Him, we have obtained access to the grace in which we stand; we rejoice in our hope of sharing the glory of God. We even rejoice in our sufferings, because suffering produces endurance, endurance produces character, character brings hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit Whom God has given us. At just the right moment, despite our motality and weakness, Christ died for the ungodly. Generally, one would hardly die, even on behalf of a righteous person, though that is conceivable. But God shows His own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Therefor, since we are now justified by Hos blood, much more we will be saved by Him from the wrath of God. If we were reconciled by the death of His Son when we were God's enemies, now that we are reconciled, we will be even more surely saved by His resurrection and eternal life. We also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through Whom we have not received our reconciliation.

On the last, greatest day of the Feast of Tabernacles, Jesus stood and proclaimed, 'If any one thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. Whoever believes in Me will experience what the scripture proclaimed: "Out of his heart shall flow rivers of living water."' Jesus spoke about the Holy Spirit, which those who believed in Jesus would receive when He had been glorified. Hearing this, some people said 'This is really the Prophet whom Moses predicted.' Others said, 'He is the Messiah.' And some objected, 'Surely the Messiah is not to come from Galilee; He will be David's descendant and will hail from Bethlehem, David's home town.' So the people were divided over Jesus. Some of the Jews wanted to arrest Him, but no one laid a hand on Him. The temple police sent by the Jewish authorities returned to the chief priests and Pharisees, who asked them, 'Why didn't you arrest Him and bring Him here?' They answered, 'No one ever spoke like this man!' And the Pharisees mocked, 'Have you been led astray too? None of the authorities has believed in Him, have they? This rabble is accursed and ignorant of the Torah.' However, Nicodemus, one of them but also one who had visited Jesus in secret, asked them, 'Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning about what he does?' But they ignored his question, saying 'Are you from Galillee too? Search the scriptures and you will find that no prophet is to rise from Galilee.' [So their denial of Jesus was based on ignorance of His history and misinterpretation of their scriptures.] Again Jesus addressed the people: 'I Am the Light of the world; whoever follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.' The Pharisees objected, as ever: 'You bear witness to yourself; that is not valid.' Jesus replied, 'Even if I do bear witness to Myself, I know where I come from and where I am going; you know neither. You judge according to the flesh, while I judge no one. Even if I did judge, however, my judgement is true, for I do not judge alone; I judge with the One Who sent me. In your law it is written that the testimony of two persons is valide. I bear witness to Myself and so does the Father Who sent me.' They asked Him, 'Where is your father?' Jesus answered 'You know neither Me nor My Father; if you knew Me, you would know My Father also.' He said this in the temple treasury, where He was teaching. No one arrested Jesus, because His hour had not yet come.

All are accountable

2011-12-23T20:11:00.000-08:00

Saturday, March 26, 2011

Devotions: Ps 23, 27, 75, 76; Jer 5:20-31; Rom 3:19-31; Jn 7:1-13

YHWH is my Shepherd, and I will not be in want. He encourages me to rest in green pastures; He guides me beside still waters; He restores my soul! He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name's sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, the valley of death's shadow, I will fear nothing, for God is with me. Lord, Your rod and staff comfort and reassure me. You prepare a feast for me right in front of my enemies; You anoint me with oil and my cup overflows! Surely, goodness and love will follow me all my days, and I will live in God's house forever. YHWH is my Light and my Salvation; I fear nothing. Evil comes against me, but God saves and preserves me. Lord, I want nothing more than to be with You and to live in Your household all my days. I want to behold Your matchless beauty and to learn from your profound wisdom. Now, I will be exalted above my rivals, and I will offer shouts of thanksgiving and joy in God's house. Lord, keep me near You and preserve me from my enemies. I believe I will see God's goodness even while I am alive, and I will wait upon YHWH, strengthened and courageous. Amen. Lord, I thank You and call on Your name. Exaltation comes only from YHWH, and He serves us His joy and His power. The wicked He will destroy, and He will lift up the fortunes of the faithful. YHWH, You are more glorious than the everlasting mountains, more terrible than hurricanes or earthquakes. Let all the earth praise You, and let us serve only YHWH our God, awesome and terrible!

Let the fools hear this from God: You show no fear or respect for Me, though I have created and sustained all the universe. This is a stubborn and rebellious people, and their sins bring disaster upon them. I will punish evil, and I will preserve and exalt the faithful. Let the wicked look to themselves, because God's wrath is coming!

The law speaks only to those who place themselves under its authority, but all the world is accountable to God. No one can be justified by works of the law; the law only helps us understand our sins and our predicament. But now God's righteousness is manifested apart from the law, though the law and prophets witness to righteousness of God through faith in Jesus the Messiah, given to all who believe. All have sinned and fallen short of God's glory, and all are justified by His grace as a free gift, though redemption available only through the Messiah Jesus, Whom God put forward as an expiation by His blood, to be received by faith. All this demonstrates God's righeousness, because in His divine forbearance He has overlooked former sins. This proves at the present time that God is righteous and justifies all who have faith in Jesus. So what comes of our boasting? It is futile, on the principle of faith. A person is justifed by faith apart from any works of law. God is the God of all—Jews and Gentiles alike, since God is One. And He will justify the circumcised and uncircumcised alike, but only on the ground of their faith. And this faith upholds the law!

Jesus kept mainly to the Galilee, since the Jews sought to kill Him. But the Feast of Tabernacles approached. Jesus' human brothers chided Him: 'Leave here and go to Judea, so your disciples can see you at work. No one works in secret if he seeks public acknowledgement. If you are the Messiah, show yourselves to the world.' For even His own brothers did not believe in Him. Jesus replied, 'My time has not yet come, but your time is always here. The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify that its works are evil. Go along to the feast; I Am not going up to this feast, for My time has not yet fully come.' And Jesus remained in Galilee. But after His brothers had departed to go up to Jerusalem for the feast, Jesus also went up, but in private. The Jews were looking for Him at the feast. And there was much gossip about Him among the people. Some said, 'He is a good man.' Others, 'No, he is misleading the people.' But no one spoke of Him openly, because they feared the Jewish authorities.

After woe has come and evil has done its worst...

2011-12-23T20:09:00.000-08:00

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Devotions: Ps 71, 74; Jer 4:9-10, 19-28; Rom 2:12-24; Jn 5:19-29

Lord, I take refuge in You; let me never be put to shame. Deliver me by Your righteousnesss and rescue me from the hands of the wicked. I praise You all day and all night long, for God is good, and He comforts me despite the worst the world can do against me. Thank You, my God! Let Your anger smoke against all enemies, and put the scoffers to shame!

God said that courage would fail both kings and princes, priests and prophets alike. For God's judgment is terrifying! How my heart is beating! Disaster follows disaster; I am frightened, but I will trust in YHWH nonetheless. Let woe come and evil do its worst; yet, God will succor and deliver His own. This will be my testimony now and forever.

Those who sin apart from the law perish without the law; it is only those who do what the law commands who are justified. The requirements of the law are written on human hearts, and our consciences bear witness even when we are not Torah scholars. But woe to those who fancy themselves legal scholars, yet do not fulfill every requirement of the law. The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of this! He is a Jew who is one inwardly; real circumcision is a matter of the heart—spiritual, not merely literal. Such a person is praised by God, and needs no praise from mortals.

Jesus told those hearing Him, 'Truly, truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by Himself, but only what He sees the Father doing; whatever He does, the Son does also. For the Father loves the Son and shows Him everthing that the Father Himself is doing. You'll see Him do greater works than the ones you have witnessed so far, and you will marvel. As the Father raises and dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whomever He will. The Father has given all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Anyone who does not honor the Son cannot honor the Father Who sent Him. Truly, truly I tell you, whoever hears My word and believes Him Who sent Me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life. I tell you truly, the hour has come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son also to have life in Himself, and has given Him authority to execute judgment, because He is the Son of man. Don't marvel at thise, for othe hour is coming when all in the tombs will hear His voice and come forth—those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment.

Resurrection and judgment

2011-12-23T20:06:00.000-08:00

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Devotions: Ps 72, 119:73-96; Jer 3:6-18; Rom 1:28-2:11; Jn 5:19-29

God gives justice to His royal Son and judges people impartially. He defends the poor and lowly. He rules over all creation, heaven and earth. Blessed be His glorious name forever. Amen! Lord, You made me and I have given myself to You; I know that You judge rightly, and You are merciful and loving. Comfort and challenge me as You will, and I'll meditate on Your precepts. My hungers find their only satisfaction in You, Lord. Spare me to serve and to worship You. There is no limit to Your goodness, and the merit of Your commandments.

YHWH confided in Jeremiah His outrage at the unfaithfulness of Israel and Judah, and He directed the prophet to address Israel thus: 'Return, faithless Israel; I will not look on you in anger, for I Am merciful. I will not be angry forever; just admit your guilt and rebellion. Return to your Master and I will bring you to Zion. I will give you shepherds after My own heart, who will care for you with knowledge and understanding. Jerusalem will be known as YHWH's throne and the nations will come there to meet the Lord in Jerusalem. Judah and Israel will join together and return to Zion from exile in the north.

Paul continued his discussion of faithless pagans: Since they did not acknowledge God, He gave them over to wrong thinking and immoral conduct. They were stained by all wickedness, evil, covetousness, malice, envy, murder, strife, deceit, malignity, gossip, slander, hating God, insolence, disobedient and disrectful to God and parents, haughty, bragging, inventing evil, foolish, faithless, heartless, and ruthless. They know what to do, but they refuse to do it. So, mortals, you have no excuse for judging others; in doing so, you condemn yourselves. We know that God rightly judges all who do these things. And all face His judgment; don't presume on God's kindness, forbearance and patience. God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance; but by your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of His judgment and wrath revealed. He will render to everyone according to their response to His commands: eternal life to those who by patience in well-doing seek glory and honor and immortality; wrath and fury for those who are factions, disobedient and wicked. Tribulation and distress for evil-doers, Jews first and then Gentiles; and glory and honor and peace for all who do good, Jews first, then Gentiles. God shows no partiality.

Jesus told those hearing Him, 'Truly, truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by Himself, but only what He sees the Father doing; whatever He does, the Son does also. For the Father loves the Son and shows Him everthing that the Father Himself is doing. You'll see Him do greater works than the ones you have witnessed so far, and you will marvel. As the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whomever He will. The Father has given all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Anyone who does not honor the Son cannot honor the Father Who sent Him. Truly, truly I tell you, whoever hears My word and believes Him Who sent Me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life. I tell you truly, the hour has come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son also to have life in Himself, and has given Him authority to execute judgment, because He is the Son of man. Don't marvel at this, for othe hour is coming when all in the tombs will hear His voice and come forth—those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of judgment.

Wells that work

2011-12-23T20:03:00.000-08:00

Monday and Tuesday, March 21 and 22, 2011

Devotions: Ps 56, 57, 61, 62, 64, 65, 68; Jer 1:11-19; 2:1-13; Rom 1:1-25; Jn 4:27-54

Lord, be gracious to me; I am trampled all day long by hostile mortals. But I place my trust in You; You keep my tears in a bottle; You know all my stresses and strains. And I know that God is with me, because I am still standing. He will put to shame those who trample me, and my heart stands steadfast in trusting my God. Lord, I sing Your praises; be exalted, great Lord! Place me on a high rock, far above the strivings of the godless. Shelter me under Your wings, Lord God,and I will wait upon You. My soul is steadfast; I wait only for God, my Rock and my Salvation. Trust in Him at all times, everyone. He alone is worthy of trust. So let God arise and scatter His enemies! Let the wicked perish before Him, the Father of orphans, the Protector of widows. He gives homes to the desolate, rain in season food and shelter and all that we need. Blessed be YHWH, Who daily bears us up, our Savior. Let us sing to God a solemn song of praise and honor; ascribe power to God, whose majesty is over Israel. Terrible is God in His sanctuary, awesome in His majesty!

God's word came to Jeremiah: 'What do you see, Jeremiah?' 'Lord, I see a rod of almond.' 'You see well; I Am watching over My word, to perform it.' 'Now what do you see?' 'Lord, I see a boiling pot, facing away from the north.' 'From the north, evil will break forth upon the inhabitants of the land. I Am calling all the tribes of the northern kingdoms, and they shall come against Jerusaelm and the cities of Judah. And I will declare My judgments agains those who have forsaken Me and have worshiped idols, the handiwork of their own hands! But you, My prophet, gird your loins and get up; tell the people all that I command you, and I will sustain you like a fortified city, an iron pillar, a wall of bronze—against the whole land and all its kings, princes, priests, and peoples. They will fight against you, but they cannot prevail, for I Am with you to deliver you.' And God told Jeremiah, 'Go and proclaim to Jerusalem: Thus says the Lord: I remember your former devotion, your love as a new bride, how you followed Me in the wilderness, in the wild lands. Israel was holy to YHWH, the firstfruits of His harvest.' Now hear what YHWH will say to you: 'What wrong did your ancestors find in Me, that they went far from Me, pursuing worthlessness and becoming worthless? They did not inquire after Me, though I brought them into a fruitful land to enjoy its bounty. When you came in, you defiled My land and made My heritage an abomination. The priest and the rulers sinned against Me; the prophets followed Baal. And so I will contend with you, says YHWH, and with your children's children. No other nation has been so unfaithful, so as to change their gods. Let heaven and earth stand appalled, for My people have forsaken Me, the Fount of living waters, and they have made cisterns for themselves—broken cisterns that cannot hold water.

Paul wrote to the Christians in Rome, as an apostle set apart for God's gospel, as promised in the scriptures and by God's prophets, concerning God's Son, descended from David on His human side, and attested as God's Son by His resurrection form the dead: Jesus the Messiah our Lord. Through Him we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of His name among the nations, including yourselves, who are called to belong to Jesus Christ: to all God's beloved in Rome, called to be saints. Grace to you and peace form God our Father and the Lord Jesus the Messiah. First, I thank my God through Jesus the Messiah for all of your, because your faith is proclaimed throughout the world. As God is my witness, Whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, I pray for you constantly, and ask that somehow God will enable me to come now and visit you. I long to see you and impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you, so that we may be mutually encouraged by one another's faith. I have often intended to come to you, but have been prevented until now; my goal is to reap some harvest among you as among the other Gentiles. I am oblilgated to both Greeks and barbarians, both to the wise and the foolish: so I am eager to preach the gospel to you in Rome. I am not ashamed the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes—firsst for the Jew, then for the Gentile. The gospel reveals God's righteousness through faith and for faith. As the scriptures say, 'He who through faith is righteous shall live.' God's wrath is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and human wickedness of those who suppress the truth. What can be discovered about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. Ever since the creation of the world, God's invisible nature—His eternal power and deity—has been clearly perceived through the creation. So all are without excuse; though they knew about God, they did not honor Him or thank Him, but became futile in their minds and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal humans or birds or animals or reptiles. Because of this, God gave them up to impurity in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonoring their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and serve the creature rather than the Creator, Who Is blessed forever! Amen.

Jesus' disciples returned from buying food, and were surprised to find Jesus in dialog with a Samaritan woman beside the Sychar town well. She left with her water jar, and went into the city to summon others: 'Come and see a Man Who told me everything I ever did. Can this be the Messiah?' And the people flocked to see Jesus. Meanwhile, the disciples invited Jesus to eat something, but He said, "I have food to eat that you don't know about.' So they wondered among themselves, 'Has someone else brought Him food?' But Jesus explained: 'My food is to do the will of Him Who sent Me, and to accomplish His work. You have the saying, "Four months more, then the harvest." But I tell you, look around: see how the fields are already white for harvest. The one who reaps receives wages and gathers fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. As the saying is, "One sows and another reaps." I sent you to reap what you have not planted; others have labored and you have entered into their labor.' Many Samaritans believed in Jesus because of the woman's testimony. And the townsfolk asked Jesus to stay with them, and He did stay two more days. Many more came to believe through His word, as they testified: 'We have now heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world!' After two days, Jesus set forth for Galilee. There, He was welcomed because of what the local people had seen Him do in Jerusalem. He came again to Cana, where He had made water into wine. An official from Capernaum heard that Jesus was there, and came to find Jesus, because the man's son was seriously ill. He begged Jesus to return to Capernaum with him, and Jesus remonstrated with the man: 'Unless you see signs and wonders you won't believe.' Finally, Jesus told the man, 'Go; your son will live.' And the man believed Jesus and started home. On the way, he met servants from his household, coming to tell him that the son's fever had broken and he was doing well. He asked them when the boy began to mend, and they said, 'Yesterday at the seventh hour, the fever left him.' The man realized that was the hour Jesus had said, 'Your son will live.' This was the second mighty sign that Jesus did when He had come from Judea to Galilee.

Heart surgery, water therapy

2011-12-23T19:59:00.000-08:00

Friday and Saturday, March 18 and 19, 2011

Devotions: Ps 51, 55, 59, 60, 138, 139:1-17; Deut 10:12-22, 11:18-28; Heb 4:11-5:10; Jn 3:22-4:26

Lord, cleanse me from my sins; I know I am stained, and I need Your forgiveness and restoration. Create a clean heart and upright spirit in me, and restore to me the joy of my salvation, I pray. Open my lips to praise You and my heart to reach out to others with Your gospel. I lay myself before you as a living sacrifice; accept my broken and contrite heart and spirit, Lord. Hear and answer my prayer, Lord; I am languishing, and failing in my work and my life. Confuse my enemies and defeat their attempts to destroy me. I cast my burden on YHWH; He will sustain me. I will trust in the Lord Almighty! Rouse yourself and come to my help. Punish the pagans who oppose you, howling like feral dogs. My God will enable me to look in triumph on my enemies. I will sing of Your might and sing aloud of Your steadfast love this morning; my Strength, I praise you! Give victory by Your right hand; all the universe is mine! Great is YHWH's glory, yet He regards the lowly. Though I walk in trouble, You preserve my life. Don't forsake Your handiwork, Lord! You know me thoroughly; I cannot escape your Spirit, and I don't want to! Stay near; Your presence is my greatest joy and comfort. How precious to me are Your thoughts!

Israel: what does YHWH require of you? Fear Him, walk in His ways, love Him and serve YHWH your God with all your heart and soul. Keep all His commands; He owns the universe, yet He has set His heart on you and your people. So circumcise your hearts and set aside your rigid stubbornness. YHWH your God is Lord of lords and God of gods—the great, mighty and terrible God. He shows no partiality, but executes justic for the widow, the orphan and the sojourner; all these He clothes and feeds. So we also should show favor to these who need help. Fear YHWH your God and serve Him and cleave to Him; do all in His name. He is our praise and our God, who has done great things for us! He turns a handful into a multitude! So lay up these words in your hearts and souls; bind them to your hands and your foreheads; teach them to your children at all times; ponder them as you rise and as you rest. Write them on your doorposts and gates, so that your days, and the days of your offspring, may multiply under God's favor. If you are careful to do all that God commands—loving Him and doing His will—then God will open space for you to live and work and prosper. No force will be able to withstand or overcome you. Let the fear of God motivate you, and the power of God overwhelm your enemies. God offers blessings to the obedient and curses to the sinful. Choose the right path, and prosper under God's mighty hand!

Strive to enter God's rest, for His word is living and active, sharper than a two-edged sword, capable of penetrating to divide soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing is hidden from God—all are open, laid bare to His discernment. And we are served by the great High Priest, Jesus, God's Son. So let us hold fast to our confession. He is able to sympathize and understand us. Let us draw near to God confidently, close to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace and help in every time of need. Mortal high priests seek to intercede with God regarding the sins of th people, but they must also sacrifice for their own sins. And they must be called and set aside as Aaron was. In this same way, the Messiah Jesus did not exalt Himself to become high priest, but was appointed by the Father, Who said, 'You are My Son; today I have begotten You.' And in another place, God says, 'You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.' While He lived in flesh, Jesus Christ offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to Him Who was able to save Him from death. And He was heard because of His godly fear and obedience. Though He was a Son, He learned obedience through what He suffered, and having been made perfect, He became the Source of eternal salvation for all who obey Him, destined by God the final High Priest, after the order of Melchizedek.

Jesus and His disciples went into Judea, where they stayed for a time and baptized. John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, where there was ample water, and people came to John and were baptized there. John's disciples disputed with a Jew over purification and brought the issue before John: 'Rabbi, the one who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you bore witness, is baptizing now, and many are going to him.' John replied, 'You yourselves bear me witness: I said I am not the Messiah, but one sent before Him. He Who has the bride is the bridegroom; the bridegroom's friends stand and hear Him and rejoice greatly at His voice; therefore, my joy is now complete. He must increase but I must decrease.' The One Who comes form above is above all; the earthy ones belong to the earth and speak of the earth and its affairs; the One Who comes from heave is above all. He witnesses concerning what He has seen and heard, yet no one receives His testimony; but those who receive His testimony are also testifying that God is true. The One Whom God sent speaks God's own words; He does not have the Spirit in measured quantity; the Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hand. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; and whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life; rather, God's wrath rests upon them. When Jesus knew that the Pharisees had news that Jesus was making more disciples than John, and His disciples were baptizing more converts, Jesus left Judea for Galilee. He had to pass through Samaria, and a certain midday found Jesus in Sychar, beside a well that Jacob had dug, named for the patriarch. Weary, Jesus sat beside the well while His disciples went into Sychar to find food. A Samaritan woman came to draw water and found Jesus there alone. He said to her, 'Give Me a drink.' Suprised, she replied, 'How is it that you, a Jew, ask a drink from me, a woman of Samaria.' For Jews normally have no dealings with Samaritans. Jesus answered, 'If you knew the gift of God, and Who is asking you for a drink, you would have asked, and I would have given you living water.' The woman said to Jesus, 'Sir, you have nothing with which to draw water, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? Are you greater than our ancestor Jacob who gave us this well, where his sons and livestock also drank?' Jesus said to her, 'Everyone who drinks this water will thirst again; but whoever drinks the water I give will never thirst. The water I give will become a living spring within him, welling up to eternal life.' And the woman said to Jesus, 'Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw again.' Jesus said to her, 'Go and call your husband, and come here with him.' She answered, 'I have no husband.' And Jesus replied, 'You're right in saying this; in fact, you have had five husbands, and the man you have now is not your husband.' She said, 'Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain; but you Jews say that people ought to worship in Jerusalem.' Jesus said to her, 'Woman, believe Me: the hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour has now arrived when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for such the Father seeks to worship Him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.' The woman said, 'I know that Messiah is coming—the One Who is called Christ. When He comesw, He will show us all things.' And Jesus said, 'I, Who speak to you, Am He.'

Believe, abide, rest!

2011-12-23T19:55:00.000-08:00

Wednesday and Thursday, March 16 and 17, 2011

Devotions: Ps 19, 40, 46, 49, 119:49-72; Deut 9:13-10:5; Heb 3:12-4:10; Jn 2:23-3:15

The creation suggests the glory of its Creator; nature is eloquent in praising our God! He established the cycles and balances of nature, and He watches over all He has made. YHWH's law is perfect; His testimony is sure, and He revives us and fills us with elation. God's commands are pure, His precepts are right, so our hearts rejoice and our eyes are clear and bright. Priceless is God's word, sweeter than honey, altogether righteous. Lord, keep me from presumptuous and foolish sins. Let my words and meditations please You, YHWH, my Rock and Redeemer. I am learning to abide, waiting patiently for YHWH to act in His time; He draws me up from the bog and sets me on a rock; He puts a new song in my heart. Many will see and trust our God. He needs no material sacrifice; what God wants is faith and faithfulness. Lord, I bow to You; pour out Your mercy upon me and deliver me, to Your honor. May all who seek You rejoice and be glad, YHWH. Great is the Lord! He is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. God is at the center of His creation, where a river gladdens the holy city of God; YHWH Sabaoth is with us, God is our refuge. Be still and know that I Am God, exalted among the nations, and exalted over all creation. Let all the world hear and understand: we have nothing to fear; no mortal can ransom himself or pay God for his deliverance; God has paid that ransom Himself, and He will receive me. So don't get excited or discouraged when some mortal becomes rich or powerful; only God's favor remains for ever. Lord, Your word brings me great comfort; Your statutes have been my song in the house of my pilgrimage. YHWH is my Portion, and I am content! I hurry to do Your will, and I am companion to all who fear You and keep Your precepts. Teach me good judgment and knowledge, for I believe in Your commands. You are good and do good. I value the blessings of my God much more than silver or gold!

YHWH had offered to destroy the people of Israel and to make a greater nation starting with Moses alone. But Moses' intercession turned aside YHWH's wrath against both the nation of Israel and against Aaron, who had made the golden calf idol for them. Again and again, Israel provoked YHWH to rage; they refused to take the land when YHWH opened it before them, and so God relented, and directed Moses to hew out a second pair of stone tablets, and to fashion an ark of wood to hold them. And YHWH again wrote on the tablets the 'Ten Words', and Moses again carried the tablets and commandments down Sinai to the camp. He put the tablets into the ark, and there they remained, as YHWH had directed.

Guard gainst an evil, unbelieving heart that would lead you away from the living God. Exhort one another continually, day by day, that none of your become hardened by sin. We share in the Messiah, if we can simply hold to our first confidence until the end: as was written, 'Today, when you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.' Who were they who received this? Those who left Egypt under Moses' leadership. God was provoked with those who sinned, and during forty years, they died in the wilderness. God saw to it that the disobedient never entered His rest. They were unable to enter due to unbelief. Therefore, since His offer of peace remains open to us, let us take care lest any of you be judged to have failed to reach it. Good news came to us as to them; but the message didn't avail for them because they had no faith with which to receive it. We who have believed enter that rest, just as God rested after the labors of creation. It remains for some to enter into His rest, and those who first heard God's good news failed to do so because of disobedience. So God has again set a certain day, 'Today,' saying through David 'Today, when you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.' If Joshua had given them rest, God would not speak later about another day. So: there remains before us now a sabbath rest for the people of God. Whoever enters God's rest also ceases from his own labors, just as God rested from His.

Many in Jerusalem put faith in Jesus because they saw the signs and wonders He performed. But Jesus did not entrust Himself to them, because He knew all about mortals and needed no one to tell Him about humankind; He Himself knew what was in humanity. A Pharisee named Nicodemus, a ruler among the Jews, came to Jesus by night and said, 'Rabbi, we know that You are a Teacher sent from God; no one could do these signs You do unless God is with Him.' Jesus replied, 'Truly, truly I tell you, no one can see God's kingdom unless he is born anew.' Nicodemus questioned this: 'How can a man be born when he is old? He can't enter again into his mother's womb, can he?' Jesus answered, 'Truly, truly I tell you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter God's kingdom. What is born of flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. Don't marvel that I told you that you must be born anew. The wind blows wherever it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you cannot discern whence it comes or whither it goes. It's like that for people born of the Spirit.' Nicodemus asked, 'How can this be?' Jesus answered, 'Are you a teacher of Israel and you don't understand this? Truly, truly I say to you, We speak of what We know and bear witness to what We have seen; but you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you about earthly matters and you do not believe, how could you believe if I tell you heavenly matters? No one has ascended into heaven, but He Who descended form heaven, the Son of man. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him may have eternal life.'

Rebuilding

2011-12-23T19:51:00.000-08:00

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Devotions: Ps 45, 47, 48; Deut 9:13-21; Heb 3:1-11; Jn 2:13-22

My heart overflows with love for the King of kings: You are the fairest of men, gracious of speech, mighty in battle, victorious over evil and eath. Your throne endures forever and God has anointed You with the oil of gladness beyond any other man. Let the bride take joy in the coming consummation of God's love. Your home will be glorious for ever! May all peoples shout to God with joy, for He is a great and terrible Sovereign over all the earth. Let all sing His praises. YHWH is great and greatly to be praised. We have meditated about Your steadfast love, O God; You are mighty, and our God and Guide forever!

Moses reviewed Israel's history for the people: YHWH told me, "I have seen this stubborn people; let me alone, that I may destroy them and blot out their memory; and I will make from you a nation mightier and greater than they." So I came down the fiery mountain, carrying the two stone tablets of the covenant. I saw that you had sinned against YHWH your God, by making a molten calf; you quickly turned aside from the way the Lord had commanded. I threw down the two stone tablets and smashed them before you. And I lay prostrate before YHWH as before, forty days and nights without bread or water, because of the monstrous sins you had committed, doing evil in YHWH's sight, provoking His wrath. I was afraid of YHWH's anger toward you, since He was ready to destroy you. But YHWH hearkened to me that time, too! He was that angry with Aaron, too, ready to destroy him; and I prayed for Aaron at the same time. Then I took the abomination, the calf you had made; I burned it with fire and crushed it, grinding it to dust, and threw the dust into the brook that flowed down from Sinai.

Holy brothers and sisters, sharers in God's call, consider Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of our confession. He was faithful to God Who appointed Him, as Moses also was faithful in God's house. Yet Jesus is counted worthy of as much more glory than Moses as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself. Every house has a builder; but God is the Builder of all things. Moses was faithful as a servant in all of God's house, to testify to the things that would be spoken later; but the Messiah was faithful over God's house, as a Son. And we are His house, if we hold fast our confidence and pride in our hope. So consider what the Holy Spirit says: 'Today, when you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness, where your ancestors put Me to the test and saw My works for forty years. For that I was provoked with that generation, and said, "They always go astray in their hearts; they have not known My ways." As I swore in my wrath, "They shall never enter My rest."'

The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple, He found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers at their business. Making a whip of cords, Jesus drove them all, with the sheep and oxen, out of the temple; He poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. He told those selling pigeons, 'Take these things away; you shall not make My Father's house a house of trade!' And His disciples remembered the scripture: 'Zeal for Your house will consume me.' The Jews said to Jesus, 'What sign have you to show us for doing this?' And Jesus answered them, 'Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.' The Jews then said, 'It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?' But Jesus was talking about His own body. Therefore, when He was raised form the dead, His disciples remembered the scripture and the word which Jesus had spoken.