2-25-06 Job 31:6

Job 31:6 (KJ21)
let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know mine integrity.

Job 31:6 (NAS)
Let Him weigh me with accurate scales, And let God know my integrity.

Job 31:6 (NIVUS)
let God weigh me in honest scales and he will know that I am blameless—

Job 31:6 (NLT)
Let God judge me on the scales of justice, for he knows my integrity.

Whenever you go to the doctor, one of the first things that you will have to do is stand on the doctor's scale. Although it may be a dreaded moment for you, the information gained from this will help the doctor determine the overall state of your health. Have you gained weight since your last visit? Or did you lose? Was the weight gain or loss rapid or slow and gradual? All of these factors are necessary to diagnose your health correctly.

Adonai, the Lord God, also uses scales to weigh your spiritual health. You may think at times that you are in suspended animation as you wait for the verdict, but you can be assured that God's scales are just and right. They always weigh you accurately, unlike the doctor's scale which could be off a few pounds.

The Lord ponders your life before He makes a judgment. He knows if you are living a righteous life or not. He also knows if you have been cleansed by the blood of His Son, Yeshua, the Messiah, and have been cleared of the guilt and punishment that sin brings. He has seen you walk in integrity. He observes and recognizes your innocence. He is aware that Jehovah had made you complete.

Therefore, you do not need to fear the Lord's scales, if you have trusted Him for your salvation.

2-24-06 Jeremiah 7:24

Jeremiah 7:24 (KJ21)
But they hearkened not nor inclined their ear, but walked in the counsels and in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward and not forward.

Jeremiah 7:24 (NAS)
Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but walked in their own counsels and in the stubbornness of their evil heart, and went backward and not forward.

Jeremiah 7:24 (NIVUS)
But they did not listen or pay attention; instead, they followed the stubborn inclinations of their evil hearts. They went backward and not forward.

Jeremiah 7:24 (NLT)
But my people would not listen to me. They kept on doing whatever they wanted, following the stubborn desires of their evil hearts. They went backward instead of forward.

As an adult, you believe you are in charge of your own life and do not really have to answer to anyone. Of course, you also realize that this simply is not true. Most of us are under the authority of someone--a boss, a pastor, a husband and ultimately Adonai, the Most High God. You must decide if you will pay attention and obey your superiors. You must listen to consider, and consent to the guidelines that they set for you.

This may cause you to stretch in certain areas and to bend in others. You must decide that you will yield, even if you do not want to do so. Giving a listening ear to God those in authority will cause you to broaden and expand.

If you listen to your lustful imaginations and follow after your own evil purposes, you will not be blessed. Such counsel, originating in your unrenewed mind and heart will move you backwards and not forward. You will find that you are always behind and not at the forefront. However, if you walk in God's plans and purposes for your life, you will be honored and respected.

2-23-06 Psalms 40:14

Psalms 40:14 (KJ21)
Let them be ashamed and confounded together that seek after my soul to destroy it; let them be driven backward and put to shame that wish me evil.

Psalms 40:14 (NAS)
Let those be ashamed and humiliated together Who seek my life to destroy it; Let those be turned back and dishonored Who delight in my hurt.

Psalms 40:14 (NIVUS)
May all who seek to take my life be put to shame and confusion; may all who desire my ruin be turned back in disgrace.

Psalms 40:14 (NLT)
May those who try to destroy me be humiliated and put to shame. May those who take delight in my trouble be turned back in disgrace.

Are you the type of person who wants everyone to like you? Do you want to be popular and always the center of attention? Maybe you are just the opposite and would like everyone to leave you alone. Whatever the case may be, you are always being watched. Adonai, the Most High God, watches over you to you good, but you also have an adversary whose chief aim is to kill, steal from, and destroy you.

Although you should be aware of the enemy's tactics to scrape you off the face of the earth, you do not need to live in dread of his ruinous maneuvers. The Lord your God will drive him back; Satan will flinch and retreat in fear. He will be the one lacking, while you will have increase and abundance. He will be disappointed and ashamed. The wounds he intended for you will be inflicted on him, for the Lord will taunt and insult him. Even though the devil desires to do you evil and to cause you misery, he will become confused and confounded.

Your soul and life belong to Jehovah. He will fight for and vindicate you. Trust Him to deliver you!

2-22-06 1 Corinthians 15:34

1 Corinthians 15:34 (KJ21)
Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame.

1 Corinthians 15:34 (NAS)
Become sober-minded as you ought, and stop sinning; for some have no knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame.

1 Corinthians 15:34 (NIVUS)
Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God— I say this to your shame.

1 Corinthians 15:34 (NLT)
Come to your senses and stop sinning. For to your shame I say that some of you don’t even know God.

When a person drinks an excessive amount of alcohol, he soon finds that his senses are not as sharp as they are when he has not been drinking. His thoughts and feelings become fuzzy. His reflexes are not as quick and he walks around in a stupor. Nothing seems clear to him. The same is true for a believer, who was once free from sin, but gets entangled in its snare again.

When the Lord God makes you righteous, you are able to see things equitably and justly. You have a clarity that you never experienced previously. However, if you allow yourself to fall into old habit patterns, things become cloudy and you end up in a spiritual stupor. In this state, you look and act no differently than the drunk on the street.

If you see this happening in your life, you must rouse yourself and wake up. You must be vigilant to keep yourself sober and watchful, for there are people observing your life. Many of these are ignorant and have no knowledge of God. They can only perceive and understand Adonai through what they see in you. It is, therefore, shameful for you to live unrighteously, which brings confusion to others.

Therefore, choose today to live a life pleasing to the Lord. Choose to live like the new creation that you are.

2-21-06 Psalms 35:27

Psalms 35:27 (JPS)
Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that delight in my righteousness; yea, let them say continually: ‘Magnified be the LORD, who delighteth in the peace of His servant.’

Psalms 35:27 (NAS)
Let them shout for joy and rejoice, who favor my vindication; And let them say continually, "The LORD be magnified, Who delights in the prosperity of His servant."

Psalms 35:27 (NIVUS)
May those who delight in my vindication shout for joy and gladness; may they always say, "The LORD be exalted, who delights in the well-being of his servant."

Psalms 35:27 (NRSV)
Let those who desire my vindication shout for joy and be glad, and say evermore, "Great is the LORD, who delights in the welfare of his servant."

You are an overcomer; so shout out for joy, with a ringing cry. Rejoice, be glad, and let your praise be heard. You take pleasure and delight in God's righteousness and justice. You know that He is a covenant keeping God and has redeemed and delivered you. He has given you victory and prosperity. You desire His righteous and just cause above anything else.

Let your speech continually magnify the Lord Jehovah. Think continuously of His greatness and His power. Command your mind and your mouth to focus on and promote His importance. Let praise fill your being, inside and out.

The Lord takes pleasure and delights in you. He has bent down from His throne to make you complete and sound. He desires your welfare, safety, health, and prosperity. He wants you to have peace and quiet tranquility. Through His covenant, He gives you His friendship and makes you content.

Worship Adonai, you servant of the Most High God

2-20-06 Psalms 59:4

Psalms 59:4 (KJ21)
They run and prepare themselves though I am not at fault. Awake to help me, and behold!

Psalms 59:4 (NAS)
For no guilt of mine, they run and set themselves against me. Arouse Thyself to help me, and see!

Psalms 59:4 (NIVUS)
I have done no wrong, yet they are ready to attack me. Arise to help me; look on my plight!

Psalms 59:4 (NLT)
Despite my innocence, they prepare to kill me. Rise up and help me! Look on my plight!

You know that you are doing your best to follow after the Lord and yet, it seems at times that others only see your shortcomings. You believe you have done nothing to deserve their schemings and wrath against you. You know you have been saved from perversity and depravity. You know that Yeshua, the Messiah, took your punishment upon Himself, so that you could go free. You do not live under the guilt of your former iniquity because you know that Jehovah's blood has completely and permanently eradicated your sin.

Those, however, who do not understand the finished work of the cross, can only see the things that you may do wrong. They are quick to run to spread the "bad" news, for they have prepared for this very time. They are determined to besmirch your reputation. They can only bend, twist, and distort what they see and hear about you.

When this happens, do not let yourself to become depressed or to despair. Adonai, the Almighty God, will awake and arouse Himself to help you. Your enemies will not understand what befalls them when they encounter the Lord. Your God has seen and perceived the lies that have come against you. He will rise in triumph to do away with them and their effects on you.

You can rest in peace, for El-Shaddai's eyes are always on you and He will always look after you.

2-19-06 Daniel 12:2

Daniel 12:2 (KJ21)
And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

Daniel 12:2 (NAS)
And many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt.

Daniel 12:2 (NIVUS)
Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.

Daniel 12:2 (NLT)
Many of those whose bodies lie dead and buried will rise up, some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

Millions of people are alive on the earth today, but millions of people have lived and died since the beginning of time. We all know that death is part of the life cycle. Many live their lives as though there is no future. They believe they are just going back to dust and, therefore, they live entirely for their own pleasure. These do not realize that those who have died are merely asleep and that the Lord God has stored them up, to be revealed again at some future date. Although their physical bodies are now powder and have returned to the dust of the earth, this is still not their final end.

Everyone will wake up again. Those who were dead will arouse and become active once more. The people who were believers in the Lord Jesus Christ will awake to everlasting life. Their continuous existence will be fresh and flowing. Adonai will revive them like the springtime and they will be lively and active forever.

Some, however, will not awake to this positive and happy future. They will experience reproach, scorn, shame and disgrace. They taunted and blasphemed the Lord during their lives and soon the Lord will taunt and blaspheme them. They have jeopardized their eternity by the choices they made. Adonai has averted His face from them, for He finds them repulsive and abhorrent. You are hidden and concealed in Christ, but these will forever be held in contempt.

Therefore, today choose to live your life to please Almighty God. Then you know you will have hope for a wonderful eternity.