8-17-07 Micah 5:4

Micah 5:4 (NAS)
And He will arise and shepherd His flock in the strength of the LORD, In the majesty of the name of the LORD His God. And they will remain, Because at that time He will be great To the ends of the earth.

Micah 5:4 (NRSV)
And he shall stand and feed his flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. And they shall live secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth;

Adonai, who caused your Lord to rise in triumph and to stand, then stationed Jesus at His own right hand. There He shall remain and endure forever as Lord of lords and King of kings.

Jehovah is your Shepherd, who tends to your every need and leads you to the best pasture. You feed in peace; for in the strength and might of the Lord, He has prevailed over the enemy. Although He is your ruler and teacher, He is also your companion and friend.
Jesus is exalted above all; His majesty and excellence has been revealed to all nations. His name, reputation, fame, and glory have been lifted up in triumph.

Through His own name, reputation, fame, and glory, the Lord God Almighty has set and ordained Jesus as a sign and monument to all nations. He has made Him great and powerful. He shall be praised and magnified without ceasing to the ends of the earth.

And He has caused you to abide and remain with Him forever.

8-17-07 Hebrews 1:3

Hebrews 1:3 (NAS)
And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high;

Hebrews 1:3 (Philips)
This Son, radiance of the glory of God, flawless expression of the nature of God, himself the upholding power of all that is, having effected in person the cleansing of men’s sin, took his seat at the right hand of the majesty on high—

Jesus Christ originated from Adonai, God Almighty. He was separated from His Father to take on human flesh. His very being was to reflect the radiance and brightness of Almighty God. The Light of God's majesty has shone forth to us through Yeshua. He has revealed the magnificence, excellence, preeminence, dignity, and grace of God.

In Jesus, God carved and engraved His likeness. Yeshua was stamped with the exact impression of the Lord God. Adonai committed to writing His word in the flesh of Jesus. He is a record of what God was, is, and ever will be. He is the substance and nature of Almighty God.

Now Yeshua (Jesus) is the One who bears and upholds all things by His word. The power and strength of His words cause everything to stand and endure. Through Him everything that exists came into being and through Him everything remains.

He was the One who purged and cleansed us from our sins. He removed every defilement and every stain that sin had made on us. He purified us and consecrated us, dedicating us to God Almighty. He freed us from every corrupt desire and everything false. He made us blameless and innocent in the sight of God.

Then, His work being completed, He sat down at God's right hand, a place of honor and authority. It is there, now, that He abides and has His existence, ruling and reigning in the majesty of the Almighty.

8-16-07 Hebrews 13:6

Hebrews 13:6 (NAS)
So that we confidently say, "THE LORD IS MY HELPER, I WILL NOT BE AFRAID. WHAT SHALL MAN DO TO ME?"

Hebrews 13:6 (Philips)
We, therefore, can confidently say: The Lord is my helper; I will not fear: What shall man do unto me?

Adonai has given you courage and boldness. Therefore, you can be cheerful and confident. You know that it is the Lord Jesus who is your helper. You only have to raise a cry and He will quickly come to your aid. He knows your cries of joy and He knows your cries of pain. And He responds to each out of His deep love for you.

Now you declare that you will not be afraid. You will not let anything cause you terror or dread. You will not allow yourself to flee in the face of your enemies. You boldly cry, "The Lord is my helper; what can man do unto me?" You know that any evil that man may plot against you is nothing in comparison with all of God's goodness which has been extended to you. You are safe in His care and have no need to fear.

8-15-07 Isaiah 25:4

Isaiah 25:4 (NAS)
For Thou hast been a defense for the helpless, A defense for the needy in his distress, A refuge from the storm, a shade from the heat; For the breath of the ruthless Is like a rain storm against a wall.

Isaiah 25:4 (NRSV)
For you have been a refuge to the poor, a refuge to the needy in their distress, a shelter from the rainstorm and a shade from the heat. When the blast of the ruthless was like a winter rainstorm,

Sometimes you may feel weak and poor. You may be languishing and in distress, feeling that you have been brought low. Perhaps you have been subject to oppression or abuse and you need help and deliverance from trouble. Where should you go? What should you do?

Turn to God, for Adonai, the Lord your God, is a place of safety and protection for you. He is your refuge, a stronghold that cannot be breached by your enemies. He is your strength, causing you to prevail.

You may find yourself in narrow and tight straits where you are being squeezed by the enemy. You may feel bound or besieged. However, do not give in to distress. Jehovah is your shelter, where you will find hope. When you are in any storm or dangerous situation, you can trust and put your confidence in Him. No downpour or flood will be able to sweep you away.

You may be in a place of parching heat and drought. You may feel desolate and dry. All around you there may be waste and ruin and you believe you are being held by the enemies' swords. At those times, God is your shadow and shade of protection. Though your enemies may be ruthless, striking terror in your heart, they are not mightier than the Lord your God. He is your wall of safety. Though they continuously beat against that wall, they will not break through to take you captive. You are eternally sheltered in Jehovah.

8-14-07 Isaiah 38:17

Isaiah 38:17 (NAS)
Lo, for my own welfare I had great bitterness; It is Thou who hast kept my soul from the pit of nothingness, For Thou hast cast all my sins behind Thy back.

Isaiah 38:17 (NRSV)
Surely it was for my welfare that I had great bitterness; but you have held back my life from the pit of destruction, for you have cast all my sins behind your back.

Without the Lord, your life became bitter. Circumstances were hard and harsh. You felt brutalized and afflicted. Unpleasant and offensive things, causing you great pain, seemed to dog your steps.

Then the Lord of Peace came, bringing wholeness and completeness in His hands for you. Because He had such great love and longing for you, He breathed refreshing and new life into your soul. He took you out of the destructive pit and delivered you from the grave. He removed everything that had you bowed down and depressed. He has taken away whatever was wearing you out and using you up. Instead He made it possible for you to fully enjoy your life.

He took your sin that made you wrong and unclean, and He cast it away from you. Even the guilt and the punishment of your sin were thrown behind His back, where He could not see it or remember it. Now, He has exalted you in triumph. He has lifted and raised you up.
You now live in peace, the shalom of God. You are safe and secure. You are whole and sound. You are restored and rewarded. What was bitter is now sweet through the covenant that the Lord has made with you.

8-13-07 Micah 7:18

Micah 7:18 (NAS)
Who is a God like Thee, who pardons iniquity And passes over the rebellious act of the remnant of His possession? He does not retain His anger forever, Because He delights in unchanging love.

Micah 7:18 (NRSV)
Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over the transgression of the remnant of your possession? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in showing clemency.

There is only one God who sacrificed Himself for His creations. There is only One who gave His life to save the lives of those He loves. There is only one Almighty God who voluntarily made Himself weak and took on human flesh. And that One God is Jesus, the Lord your God.

This God was lifted up on a cross to take away and carry off your iniquities. He took your depravity and perverseness; He bore your guilt and punishment. He swept away what had you bent, twisted, and distorted. Through His sacrifice you were forgiven.

You are a part of Yeshua's creation and as such, you are His possession and property. His Father gave you to Him for His inheritance. Because of this, He has chosen to pass over your transgressions and rebellions. He has spared you from perishing and has allowed you to survive, making you alive in Him.

Adonai is strong, but He does not use His strength against you. Although He could be angry and displeased with you, He has chosen to put it aside. In fact, He is pleased and delighted with you. Instead of anger, He wants to show you His goodness and kindness. Instead of reproach and shame, He has given you mercy.

8-12-07 2 Thessalonians 1:3

2 Thessalonians 1:3 (NAS)
We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brethren, as is only fitting, because your faith is greatly enlarged, and the love of each one of you toward one another grows ever greater;


2 Thessalonians 1:3 (NRSV)
We must always give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of everyone of you for one another is increasing.

Even though many in the Body of Christ think they could do just fine without anyone else, that is just not true. Every member of the Body is dependent on every other part. The Church is to be a unified whole, functioning together to accomplish God's will. Like the human body, which is made up of many parts that carry out different functions, so too the body of Christ has many parts. Each part is responsible to do what Adonai has ordained for it, Taken all together, when each part is functioning correctly in its place, the whole will of God will be accomplished.

Therefore, you are indebted to each and every one of your brothers and sisters. Always give thanks for them, showing God your gratitude. Endeavor always to be kind, pleasant, and agreeable to everyone. Be quick to extend forgiveness and pardon. Freely give of yourself and your possessions. In treating others well, you will prosper.

As you display this thankful heart, you prove yourself worthy of merit. You take the lead in bringing the Church to its final destination. Your brethren benefit by observing your godly conduct. They are encouraged when they see your exceedingly growing faith and trust in the Lord. The increase of your brotherly love, good will, and affection is beneficial to everyone. Through this the whole Body grows and prospers in abundance.