December Article 2022

unanswered Prayers

In reading Luke 18:1, it says; “Then Yeshua told his talmidim a parable, in order to impress on them that they must always keep praying and not lose heart.” Right here we are commanded to continue and persist in prayer. The Scriptures tell us that God our Heavenly Father will answer. Although there are many times, we might feel that He is ignoring us or hasn’t heard us, this is NOT the case. Our Father who loves us perfectly and dearly and knows all things, will provide what is best for us when we ask Him. There are many times that unanswered prayer is not about His unwillingness to answer but has to do with the motive of the request being made. We need to keep several things in mind:

First of all, we should ask if it is according to Adonai’s will. 1 John 5:14-15 tells us ¹⁴ Now this is the confidence we have before Him—that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. ¹⁵ And if we know that He hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have the requests we have asked from Him. The purpose of prayer is not to manipulate or control Adonai, but to submit ourselves to His desires.

Another thing is that we should examine our motives. If we are requesting something for pure selfish reasons without regard to the Father’s desires we shouldn’t expect Him to answer. James 4:3 CJB says ³ Or you pray and don’t receive, because you pray with the wrong motive, that of wanting to indulge your own desires.

And the last thing I feel is that we should trust our holy Father’s perspective. We usually are looking and seeing only a small view of the immediate future, but God sees everything at once. 2 Peter 3:8-9 tells us one day is like a thousand years and a thousand years like one day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some people think of slowness; on the contrary, he is patient with you; for it is not his purpose that anyone should be destroyed, but that everyone should turn from his sins.

We should never give up praying. We should present our requests and ask our Lord to reveal to us if we are getting in the way of His answer. The biggest thing to remember is PRAYER IS ABOUT HIS WILL, NOT OURS

November Article 2022

Troubled Times

In this last year, we have been living in some very difficult and troubled times and the more chaotic our lives become, the easier it is to become self-centered. Even though we don’t know what the future holds for any of us because of the uncertainty, we can’t afford to let ourselves be consumed with fear and anxiety regarding how we might be affected.

Adonai Shavuot wants us to get our minds off ourselves and onto Him, the Creator of all things, because He is our Rock and Refuge in times of trouble. When we rely on our own limited viewpoint, confusion and hopelessness are usually the likely outcome. Instead, we must look at the greatness, promises and purposes of the Almighty Father as He has revealed to us in His Word, because divine truth is our anchor in the storms of life.

We need to think back to how the early church responded to their turbulent times. They went boldly forward --- even willing to lose their lives, because they knew in their hearts that the gospel was the only hope for a lost world. As persecution broke out against them in Jerusalem, they scattered and took the gospel wherever they went.

Acts 8:1-4 TLV tells us: 

On that day a great persecution arose against Messiah’s community in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the region of Judea and Samaria, except the emissaries. Some devout men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. But Saul was destroying Messiah’s community, entering house after house; and dragging off men and women, he was throwing them into prison. Now those who had been scattered went around proclaiming the Word.

Our sovereign Lord and Savior doesn’t want us to retreat from the world and focus on ourselves in the time of crisis or instability. This is our opportunity to give hope to others through the message of salvation in our Lord and Savior Yeshua HaMachiach. 

October Article 2022

Yom Kippur

YOM KIPPUR, or “Day of Atonement,” is the holiest day of the Jewish year. It provides prophetic insight regarding the Second Coming of Yeshua Ha Mashiach, the restoration of the nation Israel, and the final judgement of the world. It is also a day that reveals the High-Priestly work of Yeshua as our Kohen Gadol (High Priest) after the order of Malki-Tzedek.

In three different passages in the Torah, the Jewish people are told that on “the tenth day of the seventh month (Tishri) is the Day of Atonement—Yom Kippur. It shall be a sacred occasion for you: you shall deny yourselves” (Leviticus 16:29-34. Leviticus 23:36-32, Numbers 29:7-11). This is the ONLY holiday of the year where fasting is explicitly commended by the LORD. It also was a “Shabbat Shabbaton,” or a day of complete abstention from any kind of routine or ordinary work.

In Traditional Judaism, the day of Yom Kippur marks the end of the ten-day peri-od of repentance called “Days of Awe,” or (yamim nora’im). According to the sages of Jewish tradition, on Rosh Hasha-nah the destiny of the righteous, are writ-ten in the Book of Life. The destiny of the wicked, are written in the Book of Death. However, most people will not be in-scribed in either book, but have ten days (VERY IMPORTANT) until Yom Kippur—to repent before sealing their fate.

“Day of Atonement” is the English phrase for Yom Kippur. The shoresh (root) for the word “Kippur” is kafar probably derived from the word kofer, meaning “ransom.” This word is parallel to the word “redeem” (Psalm 49:7) and means “to atone by offering a substitute.” The great majority of usages in the Tanakh concern “making an atonement” by the priestly ritual of sprinkling of sacrificial blood to remove sin or de-filement. The life blood of the sacrificial animal was required in exchange for the life blood of the worshipper (the symbolic expression of innocent life given for guilty life).

The Torah states that Yom Kippur was the only time when the High Priest could enter the Holy of Holies and call upon the Name of YHVH to offer blood sacrifice for the sins of the people. This “life for a life” principle is the foundation of the sacrificial system and marked the great day of intercession made by our High Priest, YESHUA on behalf of Israel and us.

September Article 2022

Pride vs. Humility

Have you ever thought about the benefits of some of your difficult or unpleasant situations? It can be a challenge to our pride. Paul had to contend and experience this kind of intervention in Corinthians 12:7 through what he called “a thorn in the flesh.” The Almighty father used this to prepare him as an effective servant for the Lord. 

2 Corinthians 12:7-10 tells us that pride is a dangerous thing. It causes us to belittle God and His will. It causes us to think we are self-sufficient in this universe when we are not. It also causes us to think that we are better than others. When PRIDE is a motive, sometimes even the good deeds we do are usually done only because they make our ego trips last longer.

We usually don’t realize what is at stake when we allow pride to take root in our life. It affects how our Lord interacts with us. James 4:6 tells us: “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

Pride will  prevent Believers from reaching the potential of what Adonai wants to do in and through them. Even if the whole world might see someone as a success, self-motivated and self-empowered, they usually will lack value in the eyes of the Lord.

Can you imagine what was at stake for Paul and the Believers throughout  history? Adonai used Paul to build up congregations, shuls, and write letters that make up a good portion of the New Testament. When Paul understood the reason for that “thorn,” he reacted with TRUST and GRATITUDE for our Lord’s wise and loving protection.

Just maybe we can see how some of our difficult or unpleasant  situations can be beneficial to us too. Each one of us has been given areas of influence. Let us all humble ourselves today so our Almighty Father in heaven can use us greatly.

August Article 2022

Knowing Our Almighty Father

We should count it honor and a great privilege of knowing the Father Almighty. Knowing about God is hugely different from knowing God. I know Donald Trump and who he is, but I have never met him. Anyone can learn a few facts about anyone. But a sincere believer invests the time and energy to know who God really is and to develop a personal relationship and become His friend. It reminds me of a song “You have a friend in Jesus”.

One of the ways to learn about Adonai is through His Word. By reading the Bible, as a believer you’ll discover Adonai’s character, principles, and the ways He works. Unfortunately, many of us, men and women stop at this step, but it is also particularly important to meditate on Scripture, which means thinking about the Holy Words in scripture and allowing the Ruach HaKodesh/Holy Spirit to interpret what you have read. If you practice this, I feel you’ll receive a deeper knowledge. Finally, when we apply what we have learned, this is when we truly get to know God in a more intimate fashion.

In the NASB, Psalm 46:1 says; God is our refuge and strength, A very ready help in trouble.

What it is saying is that Adonai is a very present help in times of trouble, and when trouble shows up, you can relay on Hime for aid. When He answers and He will, although not always in your expected way; you’ll learn something. The Almighty will respond to your trust and dependence with a perfect solution to your problem.

You have often heard me say that we need to get into the Word. When I say that I don’t mean to skim through the pages looking for facts. The Bible is a living document and when you do and follow what it says, you’ll discover the Holy one is not some ancient, dictating divine being but a brilliant, lively friend who wants to connect with you.

July Article 2022

Has Our Nation Gone Astry

As July 4^th comes upon us, we read through the Bible and read that Israel once honored the LORD, but it turned away from Him during the days of Isaiah. Left to their own plans and policies they found themselves in chaos and ruin. Sound familiar? Much like what is happening today. A country that continues to ignores or rejects Adonai suffers the consequences of their choice. 

When a nation drifts away from the Lord Almighty, then even when the leaders consider themselves smart, advanced, and intelligent, but their thinking and judgement nevertheless becomes clouded.                                                                                                                        Ephesians 4:17-18 in the NASB tell us.  

So I say this, and affirm in the Lord, that you are to no longer walk just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their minds, being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart. 

Soon sin becomes commonplace and consider acceptable among the people. As what happened with the Israelites, man’s basic instincts come out in the form of immorality, greed, and violence. Injustice reaches its peak and laws allow the oppressions of many of those who are helpless and innocent. See just what has happened over the last several years.

Churches and synagogue, shuls or temples must be awakened it is their responsibility; As believers we are to be the salt and light in this world, we live in. Each generation is called to be alert and active during their time here on earth. There have been many nations that have fallen away from the word of God. But if you continue to be in the word you can be assured that Adonai was and has always been our ultimate hope. Isaiah 59:1 says.

Isaiah 59:1 Adonai’s arm is not too short to save, nor is his ear too dull to hear (I encourage all to read Isaiah 59) .   

Our Almighty Father our Elohim is our coming King, who will reign on this earth with righteousness and justice. Alleluia!