Romans 8:31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
Approaching a new year always seems to carry a sense of adventure and expectation, although that attitude is not normally mixed with the level of trepidation we might be feeling just now. Moses’ successor Joshua, one of two faithful spies, seems to have embodied this sense of courageous expectation much of his life, but even he needed an extra dose of Divine encouragement as the Lord commanded him to cross the Jordan and take possession of the promised Land.
Three times YHVH exhorted Joshua, a man with a great deal of natural bravery, to be “strong and (very) courageous”. God knew what Joshua would be facing, even a lot better than the general himself, and so in a pivotal and personal message, He spoke to him: “Do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” [ Joshua 1:8 ]
It is impossible to overestimate the value of this simple truth, this amazing promise, this unmitigated provision! God is (and will be) with us. Anyone who has truly experienced this reality knows its inestimable value. We glibly quote this passage from Romans 8 when the dangers are minimal or the challenges are not really too challenging. But what a difference now as we face a New Year which may well threaten our freedom, our well being or our very lives.
But God is with us by His Spirit; and His Spirit is NOT “a spirit of fear, but of love, of power and of a sound mind.” [ 2 Timothy 1:7 ]
Therefore, nothing that happens this coming year can threaten your union with Messiah Yeshua, the Lord Jesus Christ, if indeed, He dwells with you. He is the embodiment of Love, and “there is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear;” [ 1 John 4:18 ]. Daniel prophesied of the end days that “those who know their God will display strength and take action;” [ Daniel 11:32 ]. So, whatever the coming days call for, consider yourself equipped! Go out with joy, be led forth with peace….and a very happy and blessed New Year!
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[worthy_plugins_devotion_single_body]During the Feast of Sukkot, the Jewish people took part in a water drawing ceremony on the last day of the feast. They would go down to the Pool of Siloam, draw water and bring it to the Temple Mount. Then they would pour out the water and recite Isaiah 12, "and with joy you shall draw water out of the wells (springs) of salvation." In Hebrew, the word salvation and Yeshua (Jesus, in Hebrew), are the same.
Though the new cycle of Israel's feasts has concluded, I'd like to share one more observation about last week's high holy day, Yom Kippur. It is a day on which adults are afflicting themselves by fasting, abstaining from all pleasures, and repenting. But for the children, Yom Kippur is a very different holiday. This day is my son Obi's favorite holiday! Why? Because the kids are not fasting or recalling their sins or suffering at all – they are celebrating freedom!
“Don’t be anxious”…even though it's a perfectly natural response to mounting threats; sickness, finances, employment, uncertainty, emotional stress, family crises...Nevertheless, it says, "Don't be anxious about anything". Instead, pray!
A major earthquake struck Taiwan over the weekend, which triggered a tsunami warning as far away as Japan.
This reminded me of when we first moved to Israel, in 2003.
The word "verily", in this verse, is the Hebrew word “emunah” (em-oo-nah). It also means "faith" or "faithfully". When we trust in the Lord, and our trust is demonstrated by doing good, He declares that He will faithfully feed us. How will we be fed?
In the early 1800's a preacher gave a message to call men to join him on the mission field in Africa. In the audience were only a few women along with a boy. The pastor knew that few women were expected to volunteer to face harsh African jungle conditions. However, he gave the message; and no one responded. What he didn't realize was that he had touched the heart of a little boy whose name was David Livingstone. This boy would grow up to spend the rest of his life ministering to Africa's unreached tribes.
A.W. Tozer had an interesting commentary on this verse. He said: "Faith is seeing the invisible, but not the nonexistent."