7-14-07 Ruth 2:12

Ruth 2:12 (NAS)
May the LORD reward your work, and your wages be full from the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to seek refuge.

Ruth 2:12 (NIVUS)
May the LORD repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.

Through His new covenant, the Lord God has brought you into peace with Himself, making you complete and sound. He has restored you and you are safe in His hands. He has rewarded your faith, giving you recompense for all that the enemy has taken from you.

Jehovah sees all the works that you do for His kingdom and He compensates you for every deed. You know that His wages are good and that you will be blessed abundantly. He is bringing you into a state of perfection and fullness. He will keep you safe and unharmed until your race is finished.

Let the shalom (peace) of the Lord God of Israel sustain you. Your God is mighty, strong, and powerful. He prevails over all that contend with Him. Under His wings, you are secure, for He has extended His borders over you. He has thrust you into a corner of His home, keeping you hidden from view.

Therefore, flee to Him for refuge and protection. Draw near to the One in whom you trust and confide. He is your hope.

7-13-07 Galatians 4:19

Galatians 4:19 (NAS)
My children, with whom I am again in labor until Christ is formed in you—

Galatians 4:19 (NIVUS)
My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you,

Galatians 4:19 (Philips)
Oh, my dear children, I feel the pangs of childbirth all over again till Christ be formed within you,

Over the years you have grown in your relationship and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. You are more like Him today than when you first met Him. You are being conformed to His image and transformed into His likeness.

However, there was a time that you thought you would never change. You could see very little growth; the weaknesses of your flesh were very evident. At times you were not even sure that you were truly born again. You continually asked for prayer from your leaders and mentors. They encouraged you and you continued to press in and press on until you finally saw fruit start to develop in your life.

You are so grateful for these that believed in you. Now you find yourself in a position to help younger believers. Now you have spiritual children, your disciples, whom you are teaching. You are nourishing their minds and helping mold their characters through the wisdom you have gained in your walk.

Like Paul, you travail in prayer for these "little ones". You feel pain, sorrow, and grief for them, when they fail. You wrestle with the powers of evil on their behalf. Again and again you lift them to the throne of God; for you desire to see them formed and molded to look like Yeshua. You know that the "spiritual" genes, the very essence of Jesus Christ, the Anointed of God, resides in them. You know that soon you will see the image of God's Son shining through them, even as it now shines through you.

7-12-07 Numbers 23:19

Numbers 23:19 (NAS)
God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent; Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?

Numbers 23:19 (NIVUS)
God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?

Numbers 23:19 (NRSV)
God is not a human being, that he should lie, or a mortal, that he should change his mind. Has he promised, and will he not do it? Has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?

You have faced broken promises or betrayal from others. Sometimes this makes trusting difficult; however, as time goes by, you do learn to trust again. If you have been hurt numerous times, your trust may be fragile, but you need to place our trust in others. You know that is the way to maintain a healthy mental and emotional state.

Often you relate to God as you do to the people in your life. If you have been damaged in your relationships, you may bring that into your relationship with the Lord God. You need to remember that Adonai is your Creator and that you are made in His image. He is mighty, strong, and holding all power; whereas mankind is weak and frail.

In order to help you understand and trust Him more, Adonai tells you His own attributes through His word. He lets you know that His word is true and that you can believe it. One thing that He is careful to share is that He does not lie. He is the Truth and will never be proven to be lying. He will not disappoint nor fail you.

You also know that Jehovah does not change; He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He does not regret any of His promises; He does not repent of what He has said. You, therefore, should be comforted and consoled, for you know that He will have compassion on you, coming to your aid when you need it.

God will always do what He has said. What He intends and commands will come to pass. He will never break His promises to you; you will see their fulfillment. Not only are His words true for you, but they are also true for your enemies. God's words threaten them, putting them to flight.

Therefore, arise and stand upright. Fix and establish yourself on God's word; for it will be proven valid in you life. Adonai's word is binding and it will make you powerful and secure. It will raise you up, building you into a strong temple for the Lord.

7-11-07 Isaiah 51:7, 8

Isaiah 51:7, 8 (NAS)
Listen to Me, you who know righteousness, A people in whose heart is My law; Do not fear the reproach of man, Neither be dismayed at their revilings. For the moth will eat them like a garment, And the grub will eat them like wool. But My righteousness shall be forever, And My salvation to all generations.

Isaiah 51:7, 8 (NIVUS)
Hear me, you who know what is right, you people who have my law in your hearts: Do not fear the reproach of men or be terrified by their insults. For the moth will eat them up like a garment; the worm will devour them like wool. But my righteousness will last forever, my salvation through all generations.

You should listen to every word that comes forth from the mouth of the Lord; however, when He specifically tells you to hear, then you need to pay special attention to what He is saying. Once you understand, you need to agree with Him and obey His every wish.

The advantage is yours, oh man of God. Unlike the merely natural man, you have come to know and perceive the righteousness of God. You have recognized and confessed the righteousness and justice of your covenant keeping Lord in His act of redemption. Because of this, Adonai has put His instruction and law in your heart. With His very own lips, He teaches you His will. You, therefore, are in right standing with Him, making you closer to His presence and able to hear easier than the unregenerate man.

One thing that Jehovah frequently tells His people is to fear not. He does not want you to be afraid of or dread anything or anyone; for He is the Almighty and Most Powerful One. You should not fear any man's reproach or scorn. Do not let their taunts shame or disgrace you. Do not let their words shatter and break you. Although they are trying to scare and terrify you, they are weak, frail, and desperate. Their revilings, which blaspheme God, cannot harm you.
Like a moth that seeks to devour your best garments, the Lord will lay waste to these men. They shall be destroyed and thrown away, like moth eaten clothing is put into the waste basket. The Lord will slay them swiftly and they will be swallowed up in death. But you, Righteous One, are hidden and concealed in the salvation and deliverance of God. Your victory shall continue from now and throughout future generations. In fact, your very own future generations will all partake of this same salvation; for it is everlasting.

7-10-07 Romans 2:9, 10

Romans 2: 9, 10 (NAS)
There will be tribulation and distress for every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek, but glory and honor and peace to every man who does good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
Romans 2: 9, 10 (NIVUS)
There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.
Romans 2: 9, 10 (NRSV)
There will be anguish and distress for everyone who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek.

You know that God is love and He extends grace to anyone who is willing to receive it. However, there are many people who are not willing to submit themselves to Adonai in any way. They choose their own ways in opposition to Him. Because they side with the works of evil, they will ultimately find themselves in a place of pressure and oppression. They will experience tribulations, afflictions, and distress, for the Lord will press them like grapes, until they are crushed to a mere pulp. It does not matter if they were born as Jews or Gentiles; if they display base and wicked natures, they will suffer dire calamity.

However, if anyone commits to doing good and acting with excellence, his future is much different than those who do evil. If he is upright and honorable, he will receive praise, honor, and glory. This man has received the grace of God and retains his dignity. Because he has put his faith in Yeshua, His Savior, he enters a blessed and exalted state with His Lord.

Adonai places special value on this person and honors him; for Yeshua has already paid his penalty and suffered his punishment. Now this man experiences the supernatural peace that only God can give. His life is one of harmony and accord. He is secure, safe, and prosperous. He has no fear in the Lord's presence and is content with his life. This lot is the same for anyone, whether or not he is of Jewish origin, who has faith in the One True God.

7-9-07 Acts 10:42, 43

Acts 10:42, 43 (NAS)
And He ordered us to preach to the people, and solemnly to testify that this is the One who has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead. Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins.

Acts 10:42, 43 (NIVUS)
He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.

Acts 10:42, 43 (Philips)
Moreover, we are the men whom he commanded to preach to the people and solemnly witness to the fact that he is the one appointed by God to be the judge of both the living and the dead. It is to him that all the prophets bear witness, so that every man who believes in him may receive forgiveness of sins through his name.

Adonai the Lord God has made you His messenger of the gospel of His Son, Jesus Christ. You have been given the privilege to declare and announce God’s commands and charges to His people. This is a fixed and abiding obligation. When you speak the word of the Lord with authority, others listen and obey. The Lord charges you to testify and bear witness of what you have seen, heard, and experienced of His goodness. Through your testimony you cause others to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.

You reveal the boundaries which God has established. You define what the Lord has ordained and appointed through Jesus, His representative, who took the judgment that God had already passed on mankind. He placed Himself as an arbiter to bring about justice for the living, who believe, and the dead, who do not believe.

Like the prophets of old, you speak and testify about the Kingdom of God. You show others the way to enter into His Kingdom, explaining that salvation that can only come through belief and trust in the name of Yeshua, the Messiah. Through Him, men receive release from bondage and imprisonment. Only in Him is there forgiveness and pardon for sin. Therefore, you gladly announce that the Lord looks upon them as if they have never committed any sins. They are upright in God's sight, just as you are. What joy you have in serving the One who set you free!