#yeshua-kinsman-redeemer

[dfroza]

Love is eternal life.

and in Light our hearts belong to our heavenly Father, forever.

this is the most beautiful thought you can think, being illuminated by the Spirit in clear view of the Son.

and what we’re truly longing for in this world, is Heaven. because it is our True Home and it is pure Love. but we’re also here for a reason, for a time, which includes not only sharing this truth but conserving it as well.

Today’s reading of the Scriptures from the New Testament is the 13th chapter of the Letter of First Corinthians where Paul writes about Love:

If I were to speak with eloquence in earth’s many languages, and in the heavenly tongues of angels, yet I didn’t express myself with love, my words would be reduced to the hollow sound of nothing more than a clanging cymbal.

And if I were to have the gift of prophecy with a profound understanding of God’s hidden secrets, and if I possessed unending supernatural knowledge, and if I had the greatest gift of faith that could move mountains, but have never learned to love, then I am nothing.

And if I were to be so generous as to give away everything I owned to feed the poor, and to offer my body to be burned as a martyr, without the pure motive of love, I would gain nothing of value.

Love is large and incredibly patient. Love is gentle and consistently kind to all. It refuses to be jealous when blessing comes to someone else. Love does not brag about one’s achievements nor inflate its own importance. Love does not traffic in shame and disrespect, nor selfishly seek its own honor. Love is not easily irritated or quick to take offense. Love joyfully celebrates honesty and finds no delight in what is wrong. Love is a safe place of shelter, for it never stops believing the best for others. Love never takes failure as defeat, for it never gives up.

Love never stops loving. It extends beyond the gift of prophecy, which eventually fades away. It is more enduring than tongues, which will one day fall silent. Love remains long after words of knowledge are forgotten. Our present knowledge and our prophecies are but partial, but when love’s perfection arrives, the partial will fade away. When I was a child, I spoke about childish matters, for I saw things like a child and reasoned like a child. But the day came when I matured, and I set aside my childish ways.

For now we see but a faint reflection of riddles and mysteries as though reflected in a mirror, but one day we will see face-to-face. My understanding is incomplete now, but one day I will understand everything, just as everything about me has been fully understood. Until then, there are three things that remain: faith, hope, and love—yet love surpasses them all. So above all else, let love be the beautiful prize for which you run.

The Letter of 1st Corinthians, Chapter 13 (The Passion Translation)

Today’s paired chapter of the Testaments is the 48th chapter of the book (scroll) of Isaiah that points to the significance of adhering to truth:

“Listen carefully, O Jacob’s tribes,

you who are called by the name Israel

and come from the lineage of Judah,

who solemnly swear in the name of Yahweh

and claim to worship the God of Israel.

But there is no truth or righteousness in your confession!

Indeed, you name yourselves after the holy city

and say that you depend upon Israel’s God.

Yahweh, the Commander of Angel Armies, is his name.

“Long ago I prophesied things that would happen.

I issued decrees and made them known.

Then suddenly, I acted and made them happen.

I knew you were stubborn.

Your neck is like a rod of iron,

and you’re as hard-hearted as brass!

Long ago I told you these things.

Long before they happened

I proclaimed them

so you would never be able to say,

‘My idols did this;

my wood and metal idols decreed it!’

You have heard what I foretold and have seen it all unfold,

so admit that it happened and I was right!

From now on I will tell you about new things never seen before,

hidden things, well-guarded secrets you know nothing about.

They are created now, brand new today, not long ago!

You’ve never heard of them before now,

so you cannot say, ‘Oh, I already knew about that.’

You have never heard nor understood;

your ear had not been opened beforehand.

Though I knew that you would fight against me

as a rebel from birth,

yet, for the sake of my great name and for my glory,

I held back my anger and was patient with you

so I did not whittle you down to nothing.

See, I have purified you in the furnace of adversity,

but not like silver—I have refined you in the fire.

For my own sake alone I will do it,

so my name will not be dishonored.

I will not yield my glory to another.

“Listen to me, O Jacob,

Israel, whom I have called:

I am the One and Only,

the First and the Last.

With my mighty hand I laid the foundation of the earth;

with the span of my right hand I spread out the cosmos.

And when I speak to them, they both stand at attention.

Now, all of you gather around and listen.

Which of the gods has foretold these things?

I, Yahweh, love this man,

and he will carry out my purpose against Babylon.

He will be my “arm of might” against the Babylonians!

I am the one; yes, I am the one

who called him by name before he was born.

I have led him forward on a prosperous, successful path.

“Draw near to me and listen:

From the beginning, I have not spoken in secret.

From the beginning of time, I was there.”

And now Lord Yahweh has sent me, empowered by his Spirit!

This is what Yahweh, your Kinsman-Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel says:

“I am Yahweh, your God.

I am the One who teaches you how to succeed

and who leads you step by step in the way you should go.

If only you had listened to my commands,

then peace would have flowed like a river for you

and success would wash over you like waves of the sea.

Your children would have multiplied

to become like the sand of the seashore

and your descendants like grains of sand.

There would be no end of them,

and I would not cut them off.”

Go! Leave Babylon!

Flee from Chaldea!

Announce it with joyous singing!

Let everyone know!

Proclaim it to the ends of the earth!

Say it loud and clear:

“Yahweh has rescued his servant Jacob!”

The people weren’t thirsty

when he led them through barren, desolate deserts,

for he broke open the rock for water to flow for them.

The rock was split open, and rivers gushed out!

“There is never peace,” Yahweh says, “for the wicked.”

The Book (Scroll) of Isaiah, Chapter 48 (The Passion Translation)

A link to my personal reading of the Scriptures for monday, july 26 of 2021 with a paired chapter from each Testament of the Bible along with Today’s Proverbs and Psalms

A post by John Parsons about not giving in to fear:

Most of us understand that loving God is our essential obligation, the end or "goal" of all the other commandments, the very reason why God has spoken and why we exist. Yeshua plainly taught that this was the point of "the Torah and the prophets," the rest being commentary (Matt. 7:12, Matt. 22:36-40). However, while love is our greatest duty - the yoke of heaven - you might be surprised to learn that the most frequent commandment is simply al-tirah, "Be not afraid." Over and over again in the Scriptures we hear the LORD saying to those who trust in Him, al tira, "be not afraid" (Isa. 41:10).

This is a word for the exiles of every age: Be not afraid - al-tirah – not of man, nor of war, nor of tribulation, nor even of death itself (Rom. 8:35-39). If God be for us, who can be against us? Indeed, Yeshua came to die to destroy the power of death "and to release all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery" (Heb. 2:14-15). The resurrection of the Messiah is the focal point of history - not the "dust of death." Death does not have the final word. Indeed, because Yeshua is alive, we also shall live (John 14:19). Because of Yeshua's victory, we can now live without fear: al-tirah, "Be not afraid, it is I." "There is no fear in God’s perfect love," as the Apostle John wrote (1 John 4:18). If we love God because He first loved us (1 John 4:19), then we find courage because of the heart He imparts to us... God will uphold you – even in the trials of your faith.

Of course this doesn't mean that we should pretend that evil doesn't exist or that there's no real danger in this world. No, the Scriptures are clear that there are spiritual enemies in the world and we are engaged in a genuine spiritual war (1 Pet. 5:8-9; Eph. 6:10-18). Indeed every day the media attempts to frighten us by broadcasting lies and fearmongering propaganda. We must fight these messages of fear by remembering the truth and promises of God; we must never fear mere men but rather the LORD our God, who is our Maker, our King, and our Redeemer. We must train our minds to see beyond mere appearances, to ignore the messages of this dark world, and to look for God’s Presence in everything.

We must trust in the LORD and His care for our lives, which always comes “as we hope” in Him... May it please God to impart to each of us the courage that comes from Heaven itself. May He help us not to live in fear, but rather to walk in faith, full of confidence. So remember: al-tirah, "be not afraid!" Let us be strong and be strengthened in Yeshua our King!

Shabbat Shalom, chaverim, and thank you for praying for me this week; it truly helped me... [Hebrew for Christians]

7.23.21 • Facebook

and another about choosing our treasure:

Your faith must mean something to you if it is to mean anything to God, for “without faith it is impossible to please him” (Heb. 11:6). There must be agreement between your heart and what is real. The LORD must be your “ultimate concern,” the passion of your heart, your desperate treasure, or he will be as nothing to you (Matt. 13:12; Luke 8:18). God’s Name is Savior, Healer, Redeemer - the One who is everlastingly interested in your life (Heb. 4:13). As the late Abraham Heschel once remarked, "God is of no importance unless He is of supreme importance." Likewise King David said, echat sha'alti me'et Adonai, otah avakesh: "One thing I ask of the Lord; that is what I will seek" (Psalm 27:4). David asked for one thing – not many things. He did not come with a litany of requests. He was not double minded. He had focus. As Kierkegaard said, "purity of the heart is to will one thing." David sought the best he could find. He wanted the "pearl of great price."

The most important thing in life is to decide what is the most important thing in life - and then to act accordingly. Time is short for all of us, and it is more vital than ever to find healing for our woundedness. We have to quit pretending to be what we aren't and learn to be honest and vulnerable. Spirituality without honesty and humility is a sham. If you don't know how to begin, then begin there - by knowing your confusion, your need for the miracle of God's help and direction... For instance, if you don't know how to really love, then confess your heart's condition and pray for the miracle you need. It is a great mercy to be broken, in desperate need of heart, afflicted, tested, and in mourning. As it is written, "God has compassion for the lowly and broken, and saves the souls of the powerless" (Psalm 72:13).

When God said, "Let there be light, and there was light" (Gen. 1:3), He seemed to put on light as a robe of the Divine Majesty and Kingship: He wrapped Himself with radiance as a tallit gadol... Da lifnei mi attah omed (דַּע לִפְנֵי מִי אַתָּה עוֹמֵד) – "Know before whom you stand." The whole earth is lit up with God's glory, and every bush of the field is aflame before us -- if we have eyes to see (Isa. 6:3). May it please the LORD to open our spiritual eyes so that we can behold more of His glory and majesty in this hour... Amen. [Hebrew for Christians]

7.26.21 • Facebook

Today’s message (Days of Praise) from the Institute for Creation Research

July 26, 2021

His Precious Blood

“But the LORD thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines, and discomfited them; and they were smitten before Israel. And the men of Israel went out of Mizpeh, and pursued the Philistines, and smote them….Then Samuel took a stone...and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto hath the LORD helped us.” (1 Samuel 7:10-12)

The Philistines had stolen the Ark of the Covenant, given to Israel by God. In a battle to take it back, the Lord miraculously intervened, routed the Philistines, and retrieved the Ark. Samuel, the spiritual leader of Israel, ordered the people to erect a lasting “stone of remembrance” called Ebenezer to commemorate God’s deliverance of them from their enemies, a scene reflected in the hymn “Come Thou Fount.”

Here I raise my Ebenezer, hither by thy help I come;

And I hope by thy good pleasure, safely to arrive at home.

Jesus sought me when a stranger, wandering from the fold of God;

He, to rescue me from danger, interposed His precious blood.

The great “Hall of Fame” of faith in Hebrews 11 extols many biblical heroes for their great works of faith and then mentions those who would overcome after Bible times, persevering through deadly trials. Some survived, some were killed, some wandered to find their dwelling place, but all needed rescue through the shed blood of God’s own Son. For you “know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold….but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Peter 1:18-19), “which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior” (Titus 3:6). Please come quickly, Thou Fount. JDM

[yhwhrulz]

[grace-apologetics539]

Discovering the Old Testament Jesus

Based on John 5:39

John 5:39

[39]Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.

Sin Superceded by Salvation (Genesis 3)

The Genesis Messiah (Genesis)

The Christ in Moses (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy)

Yeshua the Conqueror (Joshua)

Our Perfect Deliverer (Judges)

The Kinsman Redeemer (Ruth)

The Son of David(Samuel,…

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[pastorbillwhatshotn]

Discover how Jesus our Brother fulfilled the ancient Law of Kinsman Redeemer

Discover how Jesus our Brother fulfilled the ancient Law of Kinsman Redeemer

Another fulfilled promise? We so often refer to Yeshua as our Messiah, Saviour, and Lord that we forget He is also our Brother! The Apostle Paul writes to his Jewish brethren: “Both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy, are of the same family. So Yeshua is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters.” (Hebrews 2:11) As our Brother, Yeshua fulfilled the ancient role of…

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#Egypt #Jerusalem #Jewish People #Kinsman Redeemer #Lord #Messiah #Passover lamb #redemption #Remembrance #Saviour #talmidim #Yeshua

[paulthepoke]

Please…Please Listen to Mercy

Please…Please Listen to Mercy

Please respond to mercy…

Ephesians 2:4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us…

The Greek word for mercy is ἔλεος/eleos. It is defined as pity or compassion. Mercy is being excused from a deserved punishment or outcome. HELPS Word-studies states it is God’s loyalty to His covenant. The word is used 27 times in the New Testament.

Eleosis defined as…

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#Ephesians 2 #Genesis 19 #Hosea 6 #Isaiah 63 #Jesus Christ #John 12 #judgment #kinsman redeemer #Matthew 9 #mercy #Romans 3 #Yeshua

[debra2007-blog]

Who Goels Your Life From The Pit Friday, May 31, 2019 The Cosmos & The Goel In Psalm 103:4, it says of the Lord “who redeems your life from the pit”. But in Hebrew, it doesn’t say that. It uses a much more specific word, the Hebrew “goel”. It would read something like “who goels your life from the pit”. The “goel” was the kinsman-redeemer, the man who would redeem the life of a barren widow by marrying her and making her fruitful with children. So, in Psalm 103, it’s not just that God redeems us, it’s that He becomes our “goel,” our kinsman-redeemer. He redeems us by marrying us, by joining Himself to us by becoming one with us so that our lives can’t help but bear fruit. And that is the secret. Do you want your life to become overflowing with fruitfulness? Do you want to fulfill your purpose and calling? Do you want your life to be abundantly blessed? Then make it your aim to get as close, as intimate, as joined, and as one with God as possible in everything and it will be. For the Lord is not only your Redeemer – He’s your Goel!

Today's Mission Today, make it your aim to get goeled! Get as close, as intimate, as joined, and as one with God in every way possible.

Isaiah 47:4 4 As for our redeemer, the Lord of hosts is his name, the Holy One of Israel. You’re Acting Like the Center of the Universe Our Redeemer speaks, named God-of-the-Angel-Armies, The Holy of Israel: “Shut up and get out of the way, daughter of Chaldeans. You’ll no longer be called ‘First Lady of the Kingdoms.’ I was fed up with my people, thoroughly disgusted with my progeny. I turned them over to you, but you had no compassion. You put old men and women to cruel, hard labor. You said, ‘I’m the First Lady. I’ll always be the pampered darling.’ You took nothing seriously, took nothing to heart, never gave tomorrow a thought. Well, start thinking, playgirl. You’re acting like the center of the universe, Smugly saying to yourself, ‘I’m Number One. There’s nobody but me. I’ll never be a widow, I’ll never lose my children.’ Those two things are going to hit you both at once, suddenly, on the same day: Spouse and children gone, a total loss, despite your many enchantments and charms. You were so confident and comfortable in your evil life, saying, ‘No one sees me.’ You thought you knew so much, had everything figured out. What delusion! Smugly telling yourself, ‘I’m Number One. There’s nobody but me.’ Ruin descends— you can’t charm it away. Disaster strikes— you can’t cast it off with spells. Catastrophe, sudden and total— and you’re totally at sea, totally bewildered! But don’t give up. From your great repertoire of enchantments there must be one you haven’t yet tried. You’ve been at this a long time. Surely something will work. I know you’re exhausted trying out remedies, but don’t give up. Call in the astrologers and stargazers. They’re good at this. Surely they can work up something!

Time of transformation The current moment is special, different in an important way from every other moment. The current moment, right now, is a time of transformation. You may have been frustrated for hours, or weeks. Yet right now, you can choose to get past that frustration, to take a more positive approach. Perhaps for the last few days you’ve been a little sluggish and unmotivated. You can transform, right now, into being energetic and productive. What’s so great about right now is this. The negative choices, feelings, and attitude can stop, and the positive elements of your life can expand. Right now, you can make a clean break from the past. You can leave behind what has not worked, and double down on what does work well for you. As difficult, limiting, disappointing as the past may have been, now it’s over. Now, in this time of transformation, is your great chance to do a whole lot better.

Have a blessed day and weekend. May Yeshua the Messiah bless you, Love, Debbie

[eyeonthesparrowgirl]

Jesus (Yeshua) in Every Book of the Bible.

Excerpts from an article by Philip Ryken

From Genesis we learn that Jesus is the seed of the woman who will crush Satan’s head, and the son of Abraham who will bless all the nations of the earth.

From Exodus we learn that Jesus is the Passover Lamb whose blood saves us from the angel of death, and the wilderness tabernacle where God dwells in glory.

From Leviticus we learn that He is the atoning sacrifice that takes away our sin.

From Numbers we learn that He is the bronze serpent lifted up for everyone who looks to Him in faith.

From Deuteronomy we learn that He is the prophet greater than Moses who comes to teach us God’s will.

From Joshua we learn that Jesus is our great captain in the fight. From Judges we learn that He is the king who helps us do what is right in God’s eyes, and not our own. From Ruth we learn that Jesus is our kinsman-redeemer. From 1 and 2 Samuel we learn that He is our anointed king. From 1 and 2 Kings we learn that He is the glory in the temple. From 1 and 2 Chronicles we learn that He is the Son of David — the rightful king of Judah. From Ezra and Nehemiah we learn that He will restore the city of God. From Esther we learn that He will deliver us from all our enemies.

From Job we learn that Jesus is our living redeemer, who will stand on the earth at the last day.

From the Psalms we learn that He is the sweet singer of Israel — the Savior forsaken by God and left to die, yet restored by God to rule the nations.

From Proverbs we learn that Jesus is our wisdom.

From Ecclesiastes we learn that He alone can give us meaning and purpose.

From the Song of Solomon we learn that He is the lover of our souls.

Isaiah tells that He is the child born of the Virgin, the son given to rule, the shoot from the stump of Jesse, and the servant stricken and afflicted, upon whom God has laid all our iniquity.

Jeremiah and Lamentations tell us that Jesus is our comforter in sorrow, the mediator of a new covenant who turns our weeping into songs of joy.

Ezekiel tells us that the Spirit of Jesus can breathe life into dry bones and make a heart of stone beat again.

Daniel tells us that Jesus is the Son of Man coming in clouds of glory to render justice on the earth.

Hosea prophesied that He would be a faithful husband to His wayward people.

Joel prophesied that before He came to judge the nations, Jesus would pour out His Spirit on men and women, Jews and Gentiles, young and old.

Amos and Obadiah prophesied that He would restore God’s kingdom.

Jonah prophesied that for the sake of the nations, He would be raised on the third day.

Micah prophesied that Jesus would be born in Bethlehem.

Nahum prophesied that He would judge the world.

Habakkuk prophesied that He would justify those who live by faith.

Zephaniah prophesied He would rejoice over His people with singing.

Haggai prophesied that He would rebuild God’s temple.

Zechariah prophesied that He would come in royal gentleness, riding on a donkey, and that when He did, all God’s people would be holy.

Malachi prophesied that before He came, a prophet would turn the hearts of the fathers back to their children.

From Genesis to Malachi, the Old Testament is all about Jesus. But of course it is in the New Testament that Jesus actually comes to save His people. Whereas the Old Testament gives us His background, the New Testament presents His biography.

The Gospel of Matthew is that Jesus is the Messiah God promised to Israel.

The Gospel of Mark is that He is the suffering servant.

The Gospel of Luke is that He is a Savior for everyone, including the poor and the weak.

The Gospel of John is that He is the incarnate word, the Son of God, the light of the world, the bread of life, and the only way of salvation. But all the gospels end with the same good news: Jesus died on the cross for sinners and was raised again to give eternal life; anyone who believes in Him will be saved.

The book of Acts shows how Jesus is working in the church today, through the gospel, by the power of the Holy Spirit.

In Romans Jesus is righteousness from God for Jews and Gentiles

In 1 and 2 Corinthians He is the one who unifies the church and gives us spiritual gifts for ministry.

In Galatians Jesus liberates us from legalism

In Ephesians He is the head of the church

In Philippians He is the joy of our salvation

In Colossians He is the firstborn over all creation.

In 1 and 2 Thessalonians Jesus is coming soon to deliver us from this evil age

In 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus He shepherds His people

In Philemon He reconciles brothers who are separated by sin. This is the gospel according to Paul.

Hebrews is an easy one: Jesus is the great high priest who died for sin once and for all on the cross and who sympathizes with us in all our weakness.

In the epistle of James, Jesus helps us to prove our faith by doing good works.

In the epistles of Peter He is our example in suffering.

In the letters of John He is the Lord of love.

In Jude He is our Master and Teacher.

Last, but not least, comes the book of Revelation, in which Jesus Christ is revealed as the Lamb of God slain for sinners, Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end, the King of kings and Lord of lords, the great Judge over all the earth, and the glorious God of heaven.

#Jesus throughout the Bible #Prophecy #Messiah #Savior #Amazing Grace #God is Love

[yhwhrulz]

[dfroza]

our Creator’s voice speaks from Heaven

through His Spirit communicating to our hearts.

A point that is made in Today’s reading from the book of Hebrews with chapter 12:

As for us, we have all of these great witnesses who encircle us like clouds. So we must let go of every wound that has pierced us and the sin we so easily fall into. Then we will be able to run life’s marathon race with passion and determination, for the path has been already marked out before us.

We look away from the natural realm and we fasten our gaze onto Jesus who birthed faith within us and who leads us forward into faith’s perfection. His example is this: Because his heart was focused on the joy of knowing that you would be his, he endured the agony of the cross and conquered its humiliation, and now sits exalted at the right hand of the throne of God!

So consider carefully how Jesus faced such intense opposition from sinners who opposed their own souls, so that you won’t become worn down and cave in under life’s pressures. After all, you have not yet reached the point of sweating blood in your opposition to sin. And have you forgotten his encouraging words spoken to you as his children? He said,

“My child, don’t underestimate the value

of the discipline and training of the Lord God,

or get depressed when he has to correct you.

For the Lord’s training of your life

is the evidence of his faithful love.

And when he draws you to himself,

it proves you are his delightful child.”

Fully embrace God’s correction as part of your training, for he is doing what any loving father does for his children. For who has ever heard of a child who never had to be corrected? We all should welcome God’s discipline as the validation of authentic sonship. For if we have never once endured his correction it only proves we are strangers and not sons.

And isn’t it true that we respect our earthly fathers even though they corrected and disciplined us? Then we should demonstrate an even greater respect for God, our spiritual Father, as we submit to his life-giving discipline. Our parents corrected us for the short time of our childhood as it seemed good to them. But God corrects us throughout our lives for our own good, giving us an invitation to share his holiness. Now all discipline seems to be more pain than pleasure at the time, yet later it will produce a transformation of character, bringing a harvest of righteousness and peace to those who yield to it.

So be made strong even in your weakness by lifting up your tired hands in prayer and worship. And strengthen your weak knees, for as you keep walking forward on God’s paths all your stumbling ways will be divinely healed!

In every relationship be swift to choose peace over competition, and run swiftly toward holiness, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord. Watch over each other to make sure that no one misses the revelation of God’s grace. And make sure no one lives with a root of bitterness sprouting within them which will only cause trouble and poison the hearts of many.

Be careful that no one among you lives in immorality, becoming careless about God’s blessings, like Esau who traded away his rights as the firstborn for a simple meal. And we know that later on when he wanted to inherit his father’s blessing, he was turned away, even though he begged for it with bitter tears, for it was too late then to repent.

For we are not coming, as Moses did, to a physical mountain with its burning fire, thick clouds of darkness and gloom, and with a raging whirlwind. We are not those who are being warned by the jarring blast of a trumpet and the thundering voice; the fearful voice that they begged to be silenced. They couldn’t handle God’s command that said,

“If so much as an animal approaches the mountain it is to be stoned to death!”

The astounding phenomena Moses witnessed caused him to shudder with fear and he could only say, “I am trembling in terror!”

By contrast, we have already come near to God in a totally different realm, the Zion-realm, for we have entered the city of the Living God, which is the New Jerusalem in heaven! We have joined the festal gathering of myriads of angels in their joyous celebration!

And as members of the church of the Firstborn all our names have been legally registered as citizens of heaven! And we have come before God who judges all, and who lives among the spirits of the righteous who have been made perfect in his eyes!

And we have come to Jesus who established a new covenant with his blood sprinkled upon the mercy seat; blood that continues to speak from heaven, “forgiveness,” a better message than Abel’s blood that cries from the earth, “justice.”

Make very sure that you never refuse to listen to God when he speaks! For the God who spoke on earth from Sinai is the same God who now speaks from heaven. Those who heard him speak his living Word on earth found nowhere to hide, so what chance is there for us to escape if we turn our backs on God and refuse to hear his warnings as he speaks from heaven?

The earth was rocked at the sound of his voice from the mountain, but now he has promised,

“Once and for all I will not only shake the systems of the world,

but also the unseen powers in the heavenly realm!”

Now this phrase “once and for all” clearly indicates the final removal of things that are shaking, that is, the old order, so only what is unshakeable will remain. Since we are receiving our rights to an unshakeable kingdom we should be extremely thankful and offer God the purest worship that delights his heart as we lay down our lives in absolute surrender, filled with awe. For our God is a holy, devouring fire!

The Book of Hebrews, Chapter 12 (The Passion Translation)

Today’s paired chapter of the Testaments is the 18th chapter of First Chronicles that documents moments of David’s monarchy in ancient Israel:

After God blessed David’s monarchy, King David conquered the Philistines—defeating them and seizing their capital city of Gath and its towns.

He defeated the Moabites, who were his relatives through his ancestor Ruth, and the Moabites served David and brought him tribute.

He defeated Hadadezer (king of Zobah) as far as Hamath in Aram, extending the borders of Israel to the Euphrates River. From Hadadezer David seized 1,000 chariots, 7,000 horsemen, and 20,000 foot soldiers. He cut the leg muscles of all the chariot horses, reserving only 100 for future use with the chariots. When the armies of Damascus in Aram came to help their kinsman Hadadezer, David killed 22,000 Arameans. Then David built garrisons in Damascus, and the Arameans served him and brought him tribute. The Eternal helped David, ensuring his victory, wherever he went. David seized the golden shields from the servants of Hadadezer and brought them to Jerusalem. He seized large quantities of bronze from Hadadezer’s cities of Tibhath and Cun (which Solomon later used to cast the bronze basin, pillars, and utensils for the temple). When Tou (king of Hamath in Aram) heard that David had defeated Hadadezer king of Zobah, he was overjoyed since he had been fighting with Hadadezer himself. Tou sent his son, Hadoram, to King David to greet him and to bless him with gold, silver, and bronze, for David had fought Hadadezer and had won the victory. King David then dedicated these gifts to the Eternal along with the silver and gold he had seized from these nations: Edom, Moab, Ammon, Philistia, and Amalek.

One of David’s chiefs, Abishai (son of Zeruiah), defeated 18,000 Edomites in the valley of Salt. He built garrisons in Edom, and all the people of that nation served David. The Eternal helped David wherever he went.

David was a just and righteous ruler over all Israel—over his people and the lands he conquered. Joab (son of Zeruiah) led the army; Jehoshaphat (son of Ahilud) was the recorder; Zadok (son of Ahitub) and Abimelech (son of Abiathar) were priests; Shavsha was secretary; Benaiah (son of Jehoiada) governed the Cherethites and the Pelethites. David’s own sons were his trusted chiefs giving him advice.

The Book of 1st Chronicles, Chapter 18 (The Voice)

my personal reading of the Scriptures for Sunday, january 17 of 2021 with a paired chapter from each Testament of the Bible, along with Today’s Psalms and Proverbs

A post by John Parsons that reflects upon an act of rebirth:

The great exodus of Israel from Egypt (יציאת מצרים) is the central parable of the Torah, and indeed of the entire Bible. The bondage of the Israelites to Pharaoh represents humanity’s slavery to sin; deliverance from cruel bondage is effected by trusting in the blood of the sacrificial lamb of God; the exodus from death to life symbolically comes through baptism into the Sea of Reeds; the journey to truth represents the pilgrimage to Sinai, and so on. Indeed, the redemption in Egypt led directly to revelation given at Sinai, and when the LORD God gave the Ten Commandments, he did not begin by saying he was our Creator, but rather our Redeemer: "I am the LORD your God (אָנכִי יְהוָה אֱלהֶיךָ), who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery" (Exod. 20:2). This is because the purpose of the creation itself is to demonstrate God's redemptive love and to be known as our Savior and Redeemer, just as Yeshua is the "Lamb slain from the foundation of the world" (Rev. 13:8; 1 Pet. 1:18-20; Eph. 1:4; 2 Tim. 1:9). "All things were created by Him (i.e., Yeshua), and for Him" and in Him all things consist (συνεστηκεν, lit. "stick together") (Col. 1:16-17). Creation therefore begins and ends with the redemptive love of God as manifested in the Person of Yeshua our Mashiach, the great Lamb of God and our Savior... He is the Center of Creation - the Aleph and Tav - the Beginning and the End (Isa. 44:6; Rev. 1:8). All the world was created for the Messiah: “For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen” (Rom. 11:36). [Hebrew for Christians]

https://hebrew4christians.com/

1.15.21 • Facebook

A message in an email from Glenn Jackson:

January 17th

* When God created man He gave him a perfect freedom. He did not make man an "automaton", controlled automatically by His will. The man God created was not a machine run by God; instead he had perfect freedom of choice. If he chose to obey God, he could; if he decided to rebel against God, he could do that too. Man had in his possession a sovereignty by which he could exercise his volition in choosing to obey or to disobey. This is a most important point, for we must realize that in our spiritual life God never deprives us our freedom. Unless we "actively" cooperate, God will not undertake anything for us. Neither God nor the Devil can do any work without first obtaining our consent, for man's will is free!

...."Do you not know that if you continually surrender yourselves to anyone to do his will, you are the slaves of him whom you obey, whether that be to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience which leads to righteousness (right doing and right standing with God)?".... Romans 6:16 The Amplified Translation

Today’s message from the Institute for Creation Research

January 17, 2021

Divine Logistics

“And Asa cried unto the LORD his God, and said, LORD, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O LORD our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. O LORD, thou art our God; let no man prevail against thee.” (2 Chronicles 14:11)

Asa was one of the better kings of Judah (great-grandson of Solomon), and his prayer is a beautiful model of how a servant of God can pray when all the human odds are against him. Asa’s army consisted of 580,000 foot soldiers, whereas the invading Ethiopians had a million-man army with 300 chariots. Yet “the LORD smote the Ethiopians before Asa” (2 Chronicles 14:8-9, 12), and his prayer prevailed.

The Bible has many such examples: Abraham (Genesis 14:1-16); Gideon (Judges 7:7; 8:10); King Hezekiah (2 Kings 19:14, 19, 35). Before King Saul gained a great victory over the hordes of the Philistines, it was the courageous testimony of Jonathan, his son, that led the way. “It may be that the LORD will work for us,” he had said, “for there is no restraint to the LORD to save by many or by few” (1 Samuel 14:6). Later, David won many battles against all odds, including his personal victory over Goliath (1 Samuel 17:40-49). The servants of the Lord do not need a majority to prevail in the battle against sin and Satan, for “if God be for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31). That is the key, of course. We must not beseech the Lord to fight on our side. He will be for us if we are first on His side!

This was the message of the prophet Azariah to the godly King Asa: “The LORD is with you, while ye be with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you” (2 Chronicles 15:2). Political power, military might, financial resources—all are futile. “Our help is in the name of the LORD” (Psalm 124:8). HMM