"He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young" -- Isaiah 40:11
Some people were gathered together at a meeting. Different people got up to share a passage of Scripture. One young man got up and recited Psalm 23. It was recited perfectly. The people clapped and cheered, congratulating his good presentation. An old man got up and recited the same Psalm. His lips faltered, as he read the Psalm. When he was finished, there was not a dry eye in the group. What made the difference? The young man read the Pslam more distinctly, but the old man knew the Shepherd.
Do you know the Shepherd? Knowing the Shepherd gives us zeal to serve Christ and let His love reflect through us. When we reflect GOD's love, the people around us can see that we know the Shepherd. Knowing the Shepherd is more than just a halfhearted choice. It takes a daily walk with GOD. We need to deny the fleshly lusts that war against our soul. Sin will hinder our relationship with GOD. Those who deliberately continue in sin do not know the Shepherd.
The Christian will want to know more and more about GOD. We learn more about GOD by studying and getting acquainted with His Word.
Christians must be well acquainted with GOD's Word so that they can quickly detect false doctrine. If we want to know the Shepherd, it is important that we are familiar with His Word.
-- Samuel Beachy - Belvidere, TN
~ Knowing the Shepherd changes our life ~
Today's Bible readings were Psalm 23, Isaiah 40:1-17, Mark 7:1-13 and Numbers 18-20.
I would like to share a few things from the Psalm and from Mark that spoke to my heart.
Psalm 23
1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. If we have GOD as our everything, we really lack nothing. A shepherd is someone who looks out for his flock. GOD looks out for His children. He knows our every single need even before we ask.
If He is our Shepherd then we shall want nothing as well. Meaning we shall not want more material pleasures, we shall only want GOD.
GOD will not leave us hanging. The Bible says He has every hair on our head counted. He cares. And He knows.
2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
The still waters. Not the rushed, frenzied, hurried waters. The Still waters. Psalm 46:10 says 'be still and know that I am GOD'.
3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
When we are weak and beaten down by the world, He restores our soul! HalleluYAH! When life throws us a curve ball and we get some not so good news from the doctor, the lawyer, the boss...He restores our soul. Do we allow him to restore our soul?
He leads us down paths of what? Righteousness. Righteousness...not worldliness. Praise His glorious name! \o/
4 Yea, though I walk through yes...you are going to walk through, not stay there the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me He is with us every second of our day, whom shall you fear if He is with you?; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Is your cup running over from the goodness of GOD? Are you excited to tell others about what He has done in your life? Are you excited daily to dive into the Word of God? Are you excited to pray for those who have asked you for prayer?
How can GOD allow our cups to overflow if we don't allow Him to fill it?
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.
Amen.
Mark 7:1-13
1 The P'rushim (Pharisees) and some of the Torah-teachers who had come from Yerushalayim (Jerusalem) gathered together with Yeshua
Oh I can't wait till we get to meet Yeshua face to face. What a day of rejoicing that will be!!!
2 and saw that some of his talmidim (disciples) ate with ritually unclean hands, that is, without doing n'tilat-yadayim (ceremonial handwashing).
3 (For the P'rushim, and indeed all the Judeans, holding fast to the Tradition of the Elders, do not eat unless they have given their hands a ceremonial washing.
4 Also, when they come from the marketplace they do not eat unless they have rinsed their hands up to the wrist; and they adhere to many other traditions, such as washing cups, pots and bronze vessels.)
5 The P'rushim and the Torah-teachers asked him, "Why don't your talmidim live in accordance with the Tradition of the Elders, but instead eat with ritually unclean hands?"
6 Yeshua answered them, "Yesha`yahu was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites -- as it is written, `These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far away from me.
Tis so true in our world today isn't it? We have thousands of people walking around saying 'I am a Christian', but their hearts are so far away from our LORD.
7 Their worship of me is useless, because they teach man-made rules as if they were doctrines.'
Yeshua doesn't want us to go through the ritual and routine of worshipping Him. It's useless to Him. Worship must begin in our hearts.
There are plenty of church who unfortunately have turned rather cultish with making their rules a part of Bible doctrines. I am sure we all can name a few churches off the top of our head.
There is nothing wrong with a church having rules of course, but when rules are turned into 'Bible truth', that's when I hope a warning siren will go off in your heart to check it all out.
8 "You depart from God's command and hold onto human tradition. Indeed,"
9 he said to them, "you have made a fine art of departing from God's command in order to keep your tradition!
10 For Moshe said, `Honor your father and your mother,' and `Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.'
This goes all the way back to the 10 Commandments, about honoring our parents. And obviously Yeshua was serious because it says right there if we didn't honor our parents we must be put to death.
Sometimes I hate going to Wal-Mart because I see these children and teenagers honestly disrespecting their parents, cursing at them, talking back, giving them attitude, acting like their parents are outdated. It saddens my heart to no end.
Then I go to church and I see children and teenagers honoring and respecting their parents, joyfully nonetheless, and it's like 2 different worlds.
Even as grown-up children, we should still honor and respect our parents. They have earned it, haven't they? They put up with us growing up. :-P
11 But you say, `If someone says to his father or mother, "I have promised as a korban" ' " (that is, as a gift to God) " ` "what I might have used to help you," '
12 then you no longer let him do anything for his father or mother.
13 Thus, with your tradition which you had handed down to you, you nullify the Word of God! And you do other things like this."
May you all have a most blessed Sabbath rest and safe, enjoyable weekend.
Blessings,
Dawn
2 comments:
That was a great post!
A simple and spiritual life is the only life that will survive, yet one must see The Light to receive of such Life.......
"Let There Be Light"
"In The Beginning" The Creator(Our Father) said,
"Let There Be Light, and There Was Light"
"LIGHT Begets Light!"
"The Beginning of The Creation of GOD!"
And the revelation that The Messiah received of
The Creator and gave unto the apostle John bore
witness to The Truth that The Messiah, was
"The Beginning of the Creation of GOD(Our
Father, Creator of ALL)"! (Rev 1:1, 3:14)
And The Messiah bore witness to His Brethren
when He testified, "My GOD is your GOD and My
Father(Creator) is your Father(Creator)."(Jn 20:17)
The Messiah testified "I have sent My angel to
you with this testimony for the assemblies. I am
the root and the offspring of David. I am the bright,
Morning Star(Light)"! (Rev 22:16) ) Peter testified
"We have the more sure word of prophecy; and
you do well to take heed, as to a lamp shining in a
dark place, until the day dawns, and The Morning
Star(Light) arises in your hearts."(2Pt 1:19) "But
you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood,
a holy nation, HIS own special people, that you
may proclaim the praises of HIM who called you
out of darkness into His marvelous Light."(1Pt2:9)
And the evening(darkness) and The Morning
(Light) was the First Day." (Gen 1:5)
"Let There Be Light"!
"The Beginning of The Creation of GOD"!
It is very important to both know and experience
The Messiah as He Is, Was and always Will Be,
and also to know the "glory He had with Our
Father" before He was born in "the likeness of
sinful flesh". (John 17:5, Rom 8:3) For what The
Messiah Was and Is, Is that which He will always
Will Be."The Only Begotten Son" of "Our Father"!
First, let me simply state that I do not believe the
"catholic" and "christian" theo'ry'logical doctrines
concerning "The Only True GOD, Father ALL". For
they "image"ine a three-headed "god" they call
their "trinity", or they declare their "christ" to be
their "god and father", or they believe that The
Messiah was but an exalted messenger(angel)
or prophet.
John The Baptist testified, "And I saw, and bare
record that The Messiah is the Son of GOD(Our
Father)."(John 1:34) Peter testified, "You are The
Messiah, The Son of The Living GOD(Father of
ALL)"!(Matt 16:16) And the Ethiopian eunuch
testified, "I believe that The Messiah is The Son
of GOD(Our Father)". (Acts 8:37) "Seeing then
that we have a great high priest, that is passed
into the Heavens, The Messiah, The Son of
GOD(Our Father), let us hold fast our profession."
(Heb 4:14) "These things are written so that you
might believe that The Messiah is The Son of GOD
(Our Father)". (John 20:31) The Messiah testified
that He was "The Son of GOD", and that His GOD
was "The Only True GOD(Father of ALL)".
(John 10:36,17:3)
And The Messiah also testified that He was the
"Son of man" and "The Light of the world".
(Matt 26:64, John 8:12)
It is needful to believe that The Messiah Was, Is
and always Will Be "The Son of The Living GOD",
and that there is but "One GOD, HE WHO is
Father of ALL". (Mat 16:16, Eph 4:6) The Messiah
bore witness to His Brethren when He testified
after being "raised from among the dead", "My GOD
is your GOD and My Father(Creator) is your Father
(Creator)" (John 20:17)
Is The Messiah's GOD and Father your GOD
and Father?
Who are The Brethren of The Messiah?
"Let There Be Light"
Once again, It is very important to both know and
experience The Messiah as He Was, Is and always
Will Be. The Messiah simply testified in John 17:5
"And now O Father, glorify Me with YOUR own self
with the glory that I had with YOU before the world
began".
Prior to that testimony The Messiah had testified,
"Yet a little while is The Light with you. Walk while
you have The Light, lest darkness comes upon
you: for he that walks in darkness does not know
where he goes. While you have Light, believe in
The Light, that you may be the children of Light."
(John 12:35-36)
And the apostle John testified: "In the beginning
was the Word, and the Word was with GOD, and
The Word was GOD. (John did not testify that
The Word is GOD)The same was in the beginning
with GOD. All things were made by Him, and
without Him was not any thing made that was
made. In Him was Life; and The Life was The
Light of men. And The Light shined in darkness;
and the darkness comprehended it not. There
was a man sent from GOD, whose name was
John. The same came for a witness, to bear
witness of The Light, that all men through Him
might believe. He(John the baptist) was not that
Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.
That was the True Light, which enlightens every
man that comes into the world. He(The Messiah)
was in the world, and the world was made by
Him, and the world knew Him not. He came unto
His own, and His own received Him not. But as
many as received Him, to them He gave power
to become the sons of GOD, even to them that
believe on His name: Which were born, not of
blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will
of man, but of "The Only True GOD, Father of
ALL"." (John 1:1-13)
It is needful to realize that The Messiah testified
of "The Only True GOD" in John 17:3, and so it is
that The GOD and Father of The Messiah IS,
WAS and always WILL BE "The Only True GOD".
"The Only True GOD" is "Father of ALL".
And "The Father of ALL" is "Our Father", HE WHO
IS "The Only True GOD" and Father of The Messiah
and His Brethren.
And the apostle John testified in John 3:17-21:
"For Our Father sent not his Son into the world
to condemn the world; but that the world through
Him might be saved. He that believes on Him is
not condemned: but he that believes not is
condemned already, because he has not believed
in the name of the only begotten Son of GOD(Our
Father). And this is the condemnation, that Light is
come into the world, and men loved darkness
rather than Light, because their deeds were evil.
For every one that does evil hates The Light,
neither comes to The Light, lest his deeds should
be reproved. But he that does Truth comes to The
Light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that
they are wrought in GOD(Our Father)."
In John 12:34 the people asked, "Who is this Son
of man? Then in John 12:35-36, "The Messiah said
unto them, yet a little while is The Light with you.
Walk while you have The Light, lest darkness come
upon you: for he that walks in darkness does not
know where he goes. While you have Light, believe
in The Light, that you may be the children of Light.
The Messiah spoke these things, and departed,
and hid Himself from them."
Simply, "In The Beginning" The Only True GOD
spoke The Word, "Let There Be Light", "And there
was Light"! "And there was evening(darkness) and
there was morning (Light), The First Day". (Gen 1:5)
Certainly such "Light" was not "natural" light, for
"natural" light, the sun, moon, and stars were not
created until the "fourth day". (Gen 1:14-19)
"In the beginning", "The First Day", The Father of
All created "The Light", without which Creation and
Life, as we now know and experience it, could not
have been.
The First Day, "The Light", The Messiah, "The
beginning of the Creation of GOD(HE WHO is
The Only True GOD and Father of ALL)"!
(Gen 1:3, Rev 3:14, John 17:3, Eph 4:6)
And "The Only True GOD" created all "things" by,
through, and for "The Light", The Messiah, "The
Son of The Living GOD" and "Son of man".
(Col 1:15, Eph 3:9, Mat 16:16, Mat 12:32)
LIGHT begets Light!
And "The True Light which enlightens every man
coming into the world", was born as a child
destined to be The Messiah. (John 1:9, Mat 1:21)
The Messiah, "The Light of the world".
(John 8:12, 9:5)
The Messiah, "The firstborn of every creature
(all creation)". (Col 1:15)
The Messiah, "Begotten of Our Father",
"The firstborn among many Brethren".
(Heb 1:5) (Ps 2:7) (Rom 8:29)
The Messiah, "A servant of The Only True GOD
(Father of ALL)". (Isa 42:1-7)
The Messiah, "The Lamb of GOD".
(John 1:29,36)
The Messiah, "The firstborn from among the dead".
(Col 1:18)
Once again: "In The Beginning" Our Father, "The
Only True GOD" spoke: "Let there be Light, and
there was Light"! The Messiah, "The Beginning of
the Creation of GOD", "the firstborn of every
creature(all creation)". (Gen 1:3, John 17:3,
Rev 3:14, Col 1:15)
Thanks Be To "Our Father"!
The Messiah, The Creation of "The Only True
GOD, Father of ALL"! (Rev 3:14)
The Messiah, "made so much better than the
angels"! (Heb 1:4)
The Messiah, "The Light of the world"!
(John 8:12, 9:5)
"The Lamb of GOD", "The Light of The New
Heavenly Jerusalem"! (Rev 21:22-23)
Paul experienced "The Light " on the road to
Damascus. "And it came to pass, that, as I
made my journey, and came near unto
Damascus about noontime, suddenly a great
Light from Heaven shone round about me.
And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice
saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why do you
persecute Me? And I answered, "Who are
You, Master"? And He said unto me, I am
Yehowshuwa'(Yeshua, Jeshua) of Nazareth,
Whom you persecute. And they that were
with me saw The Light, and were afraid; but
they did not hear the voice of Him that spoke
to me. And I said, "What shall I do, Master"?
And He said unto me, arise and go into
Damascus, and there you shall be told all
things which are appointed for you to do.
And when I could not see for the glory of
that Light, I was led by the hand into
Damascus." (Acts 22:6-11)
Paul also testified, "At midday I saw in the
way a Light from Heaven, ABOVE THE
BRIGHTNESS OF THE SUN, shining round
about me and those who journeyed with me.
And when we were all fallen to the earth, I
heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying
in the HEBREW tongue, Saul, Saul, why do
you persecute Me? It is hard for you to kick
against the pricks." (The Messiah could not
have told Paul, "I am jesus" for He spoke in
the "HEBREW tongue") (Acts 26:13-14)
Paul saw "The Light" that was The Messiah
and he was blinded(naturally, not Spiritually)
for a time. Now when The Messiah was in
the "likeness of sinful flesh", born as "the
Son of man", He could only reflect "The
Light", liken unto the moon which but reflects
the light of the natural sun.
"Let There Be Light"
The Messiah, "The Light of the world"!
And consider the natural light provided by the
sun, which was Created on the fourth day.
Does not the natural light of the sun reveal
outwardly, all the earthly, natural things?
Consider what happens when that which you
thought was clean is exposed to the light of
the sun? Is not the least outward particle of
uncleanness readily seen in the light of the
sun? And so it is with "The Light" that is The
Messiah. For His Life, "The Life", reveals
and exposes all the uncleanness in "our"
life, the life that is of "our" own creation,
which is the "I(ego, id)" in all of us, the
product of "our" own vain "imag"inations!
So it needs be that "The Light" penetrates
deeply, even into the innermost recesses
of the heart, "rightly dividing the soul and
spirit", exposing all the darkness that the
"I" in all of us did not want to "see"!
Yet for such a cleansing to begin one must
"experience The Messiah(The Light) and
The Power that raised Him from among the
dead"!(Php 3:10) Oh, there are many who
know of a "messiah", yet who has
experienced "The Light"? For "The Light"
was "The Beginning of Creation" both the
old, which was natural and earthly and The
New, which is of The Spirit and Heavenly.
Those who "love this world and it's things"
yet desire that which "decayed, waxed
old and vanished away" (Heb 8:13) They
are of those "whose 'god' is their belly,
and whose glory is in their shame, for
they mind earthly things". (Phlp 3:19)
Sadly, those who "love this world and it's
things" yet love darkness more than The
Light and they will abide in the darkness
they loved forever ;-( (1Jn2:15,Jn3:19-20)
Sadder yet, systems of religion that are of
this world, such as "catholicism", "christianity",
"judaism", "islam", etc., have so perverted
The Testimonies, that today, as in the two
thousand or so, years gone by, "The Way
of Truth is evil spoken of"! All because of
the theo'ry'logical, heretical doctrines that
are of men! And especially those
theo'ry'logical doctrines which seek to
define "The Only True GOD, Father of All".
(2Peter 2:1-2)
All such doctrines are but the product of
mankind's "imag"ination and mankind's
"imag"ination is destroying and perverting
Creation(land, air, water, creatures, Light,
Truth, Love, Peace, Joy, Hope, .etc.)
Yes, sadly ;-( Creation is being destroyed
by self-willed men who could care less
about that which is of The Truth(What Is,
Was, and always Will Be), and care even
less about those things which they can
not comprehend apart from their
"natural" senses and mental processes ;-(
And The Truth testifies, The Creator "will
destroy those who destroy the earth(HIS
Creation)"(Rev 11:18).
Sadly, in this wicked world, those who
seek profit will naturally overcome those
who do not ;-(
Yet, There Is Hope!
For The Life is of The Spirit!
And Miracles do happen!
And Faith rejoices against profit(greed)
and theo'ry'logy(logic)!
Hope is there would be those who experience
The Miracle that is receiving "a love of The
Truth" for they will "see" "The Light".
(2Thes 2:10, John 8:12, 9:5)
And they will receive peace, in spite of the
dis-ease(no-peace) that is of this world, for
they will clearly "see" that "The WHOLE
world is under the control of the evil one".
(1John 5:19) And they will clearly "see"
things as they are and not as "imag"inative,
world-loving humans would have others
believe them to be, for they will "see" The
Light that is The Messiah....... francisco
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