Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Shalom,

The Word of God for you for today:

Jer 31:3 (KJV)
3 The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.


The Lord (Jehovah) says that HE has loved US with an "everlasting", the Hebrew word, `owlam, which means: time out of mind (past or future), eternity, eternal, perpetual, continuous existence, love. That means that God has ALWAYS, does right now and will FOREVER love you! Time out of mind! We can't really understand that kind of love with our natural mind. We need the Holy Spirit to make that real to us. When we begin to comprehend the magnitude of God's love for us, nothing will ever stop us or hold us back from fulfilling His will for our lives. Get to know Him! You'll be glad you did!

Shalom in Him!

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Shalom,

Today we're going to look at three verses from today's Bible reading plan found in Isaiah chapter 53:3-5:

Isa 53:3-5 (KJV)
3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.


The "He" that these verses are referring to is the Messiah. The One sent to redeem mankind. Jesus, the Christ, the Messiah, the Anointed One. We read here that He was "despised", the Hebrew word, bazah, which means: to despise, to disdain, to hold in contempt, to regard with contempt, and rejected of men; a man (He left His glory in Heaven to become a man and live as one of us) of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and "we esteemed him", the Hebrew word, chashab, which means: to think, to esteem, to value, to be mindful of, not. "Surely", the Hebrew word, 'aken, which means: firmly, certainly, truly, indeed (strong, assertive, force), He "hath borne", the Hebrew word, nasa', which means: to lift, to carry, to take away, to carry off, "our griefs", the Hebrew word, choliy, which means: sickness, disease, and "carried", the Hebrew word, cabal, which means: to bear a load, "our sorrows", the Hebrew word, mak'ob, which means: physical and mental pain,: yet we "did esteem" (see chashab above) Him stricken, smitten of God ('Elohiym - the Godhead), and afflicted. We (mankind) thought God was doing this to Jesus because of something Jesus had done. Now we get to the Truth:

But He was "wounded", the Hebrew word, chalal, which means: to wound, to pierce, "for our transgressions", the Hebrew word, pesha', which means: rebellion, sin, trespass, He was bruised "for our iniquities", the Hebrew word, 'avon, which means: fault, sin,: "the chastisement of", the Hebrew word, muwcar, which means: chastening, rebuke, discipline, "our peace", the Hebrew word, shalowm, which means: completeness, soundness, welfare, peace, safety, health, prosperity, tranquility, contentment, was upon Him; and with His stripes "we are healed", the Hebrew word, rapha', which means: to mend, to cure, to heal, to repair, to make whole. This is what Jesus himself provided for us through His death, burial and resurrection! The Amplified Bible makes it very clear:

Isa 53:3-5 (AMP)
3 He was despised and rejected and forsaken by men, a Man of sorrows and pains, and acquainted with grief and sickness; and like One from Whom men hide their faces He was despised, and we did not appreciate His worth or have any esteem for Him.
4 Surely He has borne our griefs (sicknesses, weaknesses, and distresses) and carried our sorrows and pains [of punishment], yet we [ignorantly] considered Him stricken, smitten, and afflicted by God [as if with leprosy]. 5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our guilt and iniquities; the chastisement [needful to obtain] peace and well-being for us was upon Him, and with the stripes [that wounded] Him we are healed and made whole.


Everything that Jesus suffered, He suffered for us and in our place. Everything He went through was for the purpose of providing salvation for "whosoever believeth on Him"! Salvation is the Greek word, soteria, which means: deliverance, safety, preservation, rescue, health. Jesus provided not only eternal Life for our spirits, but health, healing, wellness and fitness for our bodies and peace and well being for our souls as well. Don't let anyone cause you to receive less than all that God has provided for you! Don't listen to the doctrines of men, but believe and receive all that God's Word provides for you! If you have never received Jesus as your Lord and personal Saviour, then please click on The Spoken Word Church link at the left to find out how YOU can become a child of God. Then all that Jesus accomplished will belong to you, too!

Shalom in Him!

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Shalom,

We want to look again today at Scriptures that show how we, as believers, can walk in faith, trust and confidence while the rest of the world is operating in doubt, fear and unbelief. The things happening in the world, from earthquakes to fires to storms to the economy, have many people very upset. Here is how the Word of God says that a believer (one who has received Jesus of Nazareth as their Lord and personal Saviour) should act:

Phil 4:6-7 (KJV)
6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.


First we start out with the instruction to "be careful", the Greek word, merimnao, which means: to be anxious about, take thought (through the idea of distraction), for nothing; but in "everything", the Greek word, pas, which means: all, any, every, the whole, by "prayer", the Greek word, proseuche, which means: worship, and "supplication", the Greek word, deesis, which means: request, with "thanksgiving", the Greek word, eucharistia, which means: active gratitude, grateful language, "let .. be made known", the Greek word, gnorizo, which means: to make known, declare, give to understand, certify, your requests unto God. The Amplified Bible says it very well:

Phil 4:6 (AMP)
6 Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God.


And then verse 7 says this: And the "peace", the Greek word, eirene, which means: peace, prosperity, quietness, rest, of God, which "passeth", the Greek word, huperecho, which means: to hold oneself above, to excel, superior, supreme, better, higher, excellency, all understanding "shall keep", the Greek word, phroureo, which means: to be a watcher in advance, to mount guard as a sentinel (post spies at the gates), to hem in , to protect, your hearts (the spirit/soul combination) and "minds", the Greek word, noema, which means: intellect, mind, thought, through Christ Jesus.

What an exciting promise! When we refuse all thoughts of doubt, fear, unbelief, anxiety or worry and, instead, bring our requests, petitions and worship to God, along with our thanksgiving for Who He is and what He has already done in our lives, then His great peace, which our natural minds cannot understand, will act like a guard over our minds to keep those thoughts away! It's a simple command that takes great diligence on our part, but has tremendous rewards! We CAN be worry free, care free! Just do it God's way! God's Word WORKS!

Shalom in Him!