Counting with God: Day 15 What It Is All For?

The purpose of holiness and living a life for God is so that we will one day dwell with him.  The work of Messiah was to bring us to the Father, his sinless life, his brutal crucifixion, and his gut wrenching death was essential for him to take back the keys of death and hell for us, and to ascend to the right hand of the Father to make intercession for us.  In our count we must get to a place where we are pursuing God for what we are here for, and have an even bigger desire to be forever with Him. 

            When we see the truth of what life without him looks like we should be ready to run to the one whom we can taste and see His goodness.  This is the beauty of the Messiah’s willingness to endure the cross and despise the shame knowing that he loved us so much that he would die that we might have life through him.  How many of us are willing to do that, no not for our children, but for our friends?  Without Christ we can’t see or understand a kingdom like that.  We are in our flesh tit for tat people, not turn the other cheek people.  He had to love us first because we really don’t know how to love without His example the way God loves us. 

            In the end, the goal of this life lesson of love is to one day find ourselves on that Holy Hill of God where we shall forever be with him.  As a believer all else we do in this life is preparation and determination for what our eternity will look and feel like. 

Psa 15:1  A Psalm of David. LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill?

Psa 15:2  He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.

Psa 15:3  He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour.

Psa 15:4  In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the LORD. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.

Psa 15:5  He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved.

Counting with God: Day 12: Yah’s Perfect Government

In the wake of the exposition of so many mistakes we see governments worldwide making in regards to this pandemic, it brings me back to the wisdom of God’s word concerning government.  While everyone is doing what they think will work the reality is even with past pandemics and those who predicted something on this magnitude to repeat it is clear that no one was ready for what is unfolding before us, but God.  While for some it would be easy to try to blame President Trump for it, but we haven’t been ready long before his administration and the possibility, or should I say probability of something on this magnitude occurring was always a matter of when not if. 

The bible says that for nations that have chosen to ignore the laws of the land that there would be judgments that would allow for the land to receive its necessary rest. (Lev 25: Lev 26:34) Nevertheless, what’s most important to me in the wake of this catastrophe are the words that were used repeatedly to describe the hour we are living in and that is “Be Not Deceived”.  (2 Thess 2) So many people are glued to their preferred network putting their trust in these broadcasters and the propaganda that is being perpetrated that truth is assumed instead of being investigated.  People are allowed to shoot down an individuals character and provide absolutely no evidence of error, or we willingly will ignore sound evidence once a label of right wing, left wing, racist, sexist, or homophobic, is stamped on an individual and cut ourselves off from information that just might save our lives. 

I think of the example we have in scripture concerning Balaam who was ready to curse the children of Israel to the point where he was beating his ass. (Num. 22:21-30)  Yet scripture is clear that had he not listened to that ass he would be dead.  Today, that example is something we can learn from, turning away from the wrong ass just might cost you your life.  Let’s not abandon or ignore things that are questionable and should be addressed that are standing before us.  Let us not be so swept away in the requirements of this pandemic that we totally abandon all reason, we don’t want to be reconditioned or programmed to just embrace things being set before us as though the giver of any of it has no agenda, because in most cases they do.  Therefore as we count to Pentecost let us give account of the information we receive, let us make sure we understand what is being presented, and most importantly let us place it through the scrutiny of scripture and see where it measures with end time events.  Because it is in the light of these events that the scripture is most replete concerning, having an understanding and being not deceived. 

Let us also pray for justice for those in the penal system, while justice must be served and those who are a menace to society restrained we also know that there are those serving time who are not necessarily guilty though they were found so.  We also know however, that they are human and deserve to be treated as such regardless of their reason for being imprisoned. We must remember our scripture reveals that Yeshua was in jail at one point, Paul, and many other disciples of Yeshua, and therefore they are examples that not all who are found guilty of an offence are.  Nevertheless, we also have those who are reformed in jail who have been guilty of a crime but who have indeed given their lives to the Lord.  In any case no one should be treated as less than human and in the wake of this virus let’s remember to lift up the captives, pray for the safety of all who are in a vulnerable state whether it be behind bars or in a womb.

Also pray for the exposure of those involved in sex trafficking, this is a horrible crime against humanity and all involved in capturing, and forcing children into this lifestyle should be exposed and justice should be served.

Psa 20:1 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. The LORD hear thee in the day of trouble; the name of the God of Jacob defend thee;
Psa 20:2 Send thee help from the sanctuary, and strengthen thee out of Zion;
Psa 20:3 Remember all thy offerings, and accept thy burnt sacrifice; Selah.
Psa 20:4 Grant thee according to thine own heart, and fulfil all thy counsel.
Psa 20:5 We will rejoice in thy salvation, and in the name of our God we will set up our banners: the LORD fulfil all thy petitions.
Psa 20:6 Now know I that the LORD saveth his anointed; he will hear him from his holy heaven with the saving strength of his right hand.
Psa 20:7 Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.
Psa 20:8 They are brought down and fallen: but we are risen, and stand upright.
Psa 20:9 Save, LORD: let the king hear us when we call.

Counting with God: Day Ten The Righteous Judge Reigns

     The number ten has been the catch word for how many people can assemble at once.  Before it was the number of people who could peacefully assemble in our social distancing exercise it was the number of plagues that the Almighty reigned down on Israel.  The suggested number of people who should be put over a group of people by the Father in Law of Moses.  It also represents the number of tribes that were assigned to Jeroboam when the Kingdom of Israel was ripped away from Rehoboam after taking the advice of the youth over that of the elders.  Last but certainly not least we have the Ten Words that were given to the children of Israel from the Mountain of Moses .  Why ten has become an accepted number in which we can gather I don’t know, but if we believe that our God is Sovereign and we trust Him implicitly with our lives then we know that the word of God holds the answer for what we should do in this hour and what manner of man we should be.  Whether we should be like Daniel who in submitted disobedience chose to pray when it wasn’t permissible, or boldly enter into a situation that could lead to sudden calamity for breaking the rules of protocol like Queen Esther? 

Knowing what manner of man we should be in this hour is easy if we keep our eyes on Yah and use this time to build our word arsenal so that we can fight the fiery darts of the enemy with confidence that will surely come from seeking truth. (Exo 18:21; 1 Kings 11:31; Exo 34:28)

     Tonight I want to encourage you in praying Psalm 71

Psa 71:1  In thee, O YHVH, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion.

Psa 71:2  Deliver me in thy righteousness, and cause me to escape: incline thine ear unto me, and save me.

Psa 71:3  Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort: thou hast given commandment to save me; for thou art my rock and my fortress.

Psa 71:4  Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.

Psa 71:5  For thou art my hope, O Lord GOD: thou art my trust from my youth.

Psa 71:6  By thee have I been holden up from the womb: thou art he that took me out of my mother’s bowels: my praise shall be continually of thee.

Psa 71:7  I am as a wonder unto many; but thou art my strong refuge.

Psa 71:8  Let my mouth be filled with thy praise and with thy honour all the day.

Psa 71:9  Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth.

Psa 71:10  For mine enemies speak against me; and they that lay wait for my soul take counsel together,

Psa 71:11  Saying, God hath forsaken him: persecute and take him; for there is none to deliver him.

Psa 71:12  O God, be not far from me: O my God, make haste for my help.

Psa 71:13  Let them be confounded and consumed that are adversaries to my soul; let them be covered with reproach and dishonour that seek my hurt.

Psa 71:14  But I will hope continually, and will yet praise thee more and more.

Psa 71:15  My mouth shall shew forth thy righteousness and thy salvation all the day; for I know not the numbers thereof.

Psa 71:16  I will go in the strength of the Lord YHVH: I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only.

Psa 71:17  O God, thou hast taught me from my youth: and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works.

Psa 71:18  Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come.

Psa 71:19  Thy righteousness also, O God, is very high, who hast done great things: O God, who is like unto thee!

Psa 71:20  Thou, which hast shewed me great and sore troubles, shalt quicken me again, and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth.

Psa 71:21  Thou shalt increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side.

Psa 71:22  I will also praise thee with the psaltery, even thy truth, O my God: unto thee will I sing with the harp, O thou Holy One of Israel.

Psa 71:23  My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing unto thee; and my soul, which thou hast redeemed.

Psa 71:24  My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness all the day long: for they are confounded, for they are brought unto shame, that seek my hurt.

Counting with God Day 9: Evidence of God’s Faithfulness

On other feast days the days of the week in which they fall changes. The continuity of the count from First fruits to Pentecost resides in both of these feasts which always fall on Sunday, the first day of the week, and the days of the count between them will always fall on the same days of the week without waiver. This reminds me of the consistency of Yah’s word and His promises year after year. The word “faith” means, to be steady. What can be more steady than the count to Pentecost? The question is will we faithfully number. Will we become distracted by the cares of this life or focus on the plans of the Most High? We ask him to teach us to number our days, yet we don’t stick around to get the lesson. (Psa 90:12) We are reminded in so many passages of scripture that reading is not enough, but that we are to understand.

To read without understanding is like owning a car but not being able to drive it. Each day we count there is also others counting and even before covid 19 came on the scene death was intervening in the affairs of men. People were slipping into eternity worldwide some in eternal life others in eternal damnation, yet all at some point lived during at least one of these counts. Even if they didn’t make it to count to Pentecost if they had one day on this earth they are counted. Every soul accounted for even if we choose to believe they don’t matter or they are matter it’s of no consequence. What we do with our count will determine whether we be ashamed at his coming or assurance of our reward. So let us fill our days with His presence and live our lives in obedience to the One who created us.

Counting with God- Day 8: A New Week, A New Beginning

            The Eight day which is the First day of the Second week of the count is a reminder in and of itself of the new mercies that we receive from the Almighty.  A new week represents a fresh start to continue the good work that YHVH had begun in us as His believer’s.  It’s on the eight day that those who belong to YHVH that are men are required to be circumcised. (Gen 17:12) A ritual which in addition to being a sign of the covenant we have with the Most High is a reminder that there will be a day when all flesh will be cut off and those who bare the circumcised heart will inherit an incorruptible body. 

            As we close out this day I would like us to consider and pray Psalms 90. 

Psa 90:1  A Prayer of Moses the man of God. Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.

Psa 90:2  Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.

Psa 90:3  Thou turnest man to destruction; and sayest, Return, ye children of men.

Psa 90:4  For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.

Psa 90:5  Thou carriest them away as with a flood; they are as a sleep: in the morning they are like grass which groweth up.

Psa 90:6  In the morning it flourisheth, and groweth up; in the evening it is cut down, and withereth.

Psa 90:7  For we are consumed by thine anger, and by thy wrath are we troubled.

Psa 90:8  Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance.

Psa 90:9  For all our days are passed away in thy wrath: we spend our years as a tale that is told.

Psa 90:10  The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.

Psa 90:11  Who knoweth the power of thine anger? even according to thy fear, so is thy wrath.

Psa 90:12  So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

Psa 90:13  Return, O LORD, how long? and let it repent thee concerning thy servants.

Psa 90:14  O satisfy us early with thy mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.

Psa 90:15  Make us glad according to the days wherein thou hast afflicted us, and the years wherein we have seen evil.

Psa 90:16  Let thy work appear unto thy servants, and thy glory unto their children.

Psa 90:17  And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.

Counting With God Day 7: Sabbath I

We are in the first Sabbath since Firstfruits (the beginning) and our seventh day of counting up to Pentecost.  As stated it is clear that YHVH wants us to see Pentecost in the light of moving upward towards something in that we count up to Pentecost.  In this count we are measuring, God commands us to count both in sequential and numerical order by Sabbath’s and by days.  Therefore we are to number 50 days and count 7 Sabbaths.  Highlighting both perfection/completion (Sabbath) with Jubilee (50).  As a believer the future is always bright no matter what the global temperature reports, because although our outward man perishes our inward man is renewed day by day. (2 Cor 4:16) 

Indeed we are going up yonder, but not so for the wicked who set their traps on unsuspecting men, whom the wrath of the Lord is stored up until such a time that they will receive the full measure of their wickedness. (John 3:36) No longer will those who now wait have to say, “how long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell upon the earth.” (Rev. 6:10)  The fool indeed says in his heart there is no God and continues to shed innocent blood, thinking that no one sees the secret things they do, but our God is a consuming fire and the day of reckoning, measuring, and counting is coming for both the righteous and the unrighteous, the just and the unjust. (Psa 14:1, Deu 19:10)

If you are not in the count of the righteous, if you are yet a child of disobedience today is the day, now is the time to find yourself in the number. While the world is counting cases, recoveries, and death, today is the time to begin making sure you are counted among those who have eternal life, those who will be part of the Kingdom of Heaven. 

One thing counting will do is open your eyes to the fact that we are all on borrowed time.  The President himself has stated that in 30% of the country there have been no new cases in the last 7 days.  I wonder how much of this has to do with Yah’s feast, and those who are honoring it by counting?  How many Lot’s are in the land that is preventing the fiery hailstones from showering?  We may never know, but more than ever this is a time that the intercessors of the land needs to war in the Spirit as nurses are warring in the rooms of the patients, standing between the dead and the living. 

I just wonder could the stimulus be considered an acceptable ransom, like the ransom that stayed the plague during the time that David took a census of the children of Israel in the bible? (2 Sam 24:10)  This is just a question, I am not sure if there is a connection between the ransom and the stimulus check.  I firmly believe the one thing that would change this thing around more quickly is repentance.  This I do know was a part of David’s ransom that stopped the plague is his acknowledgement of sin.  As a nation we have yet to come clean about that, our sanctioning of sin in the form of abortions and homosexuality, and that is only two of the many injustices this nation will have to give account for.

As for those who know their God, believer’s in Messiah Yeshua.  This is a time that we need to make sure that we are walking in the fruit of the Spirit for against such there is no law. (Gal 5:22-23)  Just as our Messiah’s firstfruit were of those who slept and arose in their resurrected bodies, our firstfruits are to be likewise, those who sleep now until they are awaken by the light of the Gospel as we walk out in obedience the command of Yeshua. (Matt. 27:52;Mark 16:15)  Remember the natural is just a type and shadow of the spiritual.  He is looking for that which was lost in the Garden of Eden, that which was made in His image and likeness. 

We are seven days in with six more Sabbaths to count until we enter into that glorious day of Jubilee that those who love God wait with jubilation to see.

What To Do When You Find Yourself Between A Rock and a Hard Place?

no buffer for what is to come.  If the rich didn’t store they find themselves in the same position as the poor or in our nation as the middle class.  When the supply is dry and the need is great you are in between a rock and a hard place. 

            If a mask, gloves, or disinfectant spray is the only barrier we have between us and the virus, and these are substances in high demand with little supply it is only a matter of time.  I submit to you, But GOD! See there is a God and His word says that though we may find ourselves going down the valley of the shadow of death (between a rock and a hard place) that He is with us, His Rod and Staff comfort us. (Psa 23).  Those who don’t have God in this hour has every motivation to put their trust in Him, and just as there will be those who will blame God for our predicament there are even more that can see the hand of God through it and repent and turn to Him.  The question is which one are you? 

            Are you the individual whose heart is failing you in fear?

            Or are you the one who would rather bury your head in the quicksand? 

            Still yet are you in denial, believing that the whole thing is some sort of large scam? 

            The fact of the matter is no matter what group you are in, including those trusting in Yeshua, you are NOT exempt from Covid-19.  The difference is those who are in Yeshua can’t lose, because He has already told us before hand and since He has already conquered both hell and death we have no need to be stressed or dismayed.  If you find yourself between a rock and a hard place, I encourage you to reach for the Rock, but get behind the Rock.  He has already conquered death and hell and taken the keys from the enemy.  It is much better for you to land on the stone then for the stone to land on you. (Matt 21:44) 

            This is the future of the hard place.  See the Rock is the one that followed the children of Israel in the wilderness, that Rock has dealt with plagues, famine, contaminated water sources, and in every case came forth victorious.  The hard place is what the enemy puts in your path.  It’s that stumblingblock in life that is meant to trip you up so that it seems as though only calamity comes your way.  The only way to conquer the hard places life may throw your way is to cling to the Rock.  The Rock will anchor you, can be your buffer, and most importantly save your soul.  Hell is a hard place that was not made for mankind, but, just because it wasn’t purposed for us doesn’t mean it can’t house us.  In fact the scriptures say that it has enlarged herself to accommodate us. (Isa 5:14) 

            If you choose to bury your head in the sand doing all you can to avoid dealing with the ramifications of this plague called Corona you may find yourself in that hard place.  Those who think it is some sort of large scam, while it may be biological warfare, could be an accident, premeditated, or purely a judgment from the Almighty with no input from mankind, no matter what its source is or how it has gotten here, it is real.  There are real people dying from it, real people suffering with it, and a real chance of getting it, and those who choose to believe that it’s a scam won’t protect themselves from it and will inevitably find themselves head on contending with it.  The end of such a person who doesn’t turn to the Rock of Salvation is the hard place of Hell. 

            Those who choose to mentally escape the reality to cope, find yourselves buried in movies to ignore the borage of media coverage that Corona is getting, thinking you will just do nothing, remain cozy in your home until it passes.  You may survive the virus, you may make it until it completely passes over, what you would have missed is the opportunity that YHVH is giving us to repent, to spend time in His word, so that we will be ready for what will happen next. 

            Other’s may find your safe haven no longer shielded by stimulus packages, your cable bill can’t be paid, you’ve seen all the movies that have been out, the grocery stores are empty, or you have missed the one piece of news that you needed in a timely fashion to stock up before the stores closed and you have nothing planted.  What happens then?  Or electricity ceases.  Because you didn’t take advantage of getting the oil before the lights went out you find yourself in the dark with no way to leave when the bridegroom cometh. (Matt 25:1-13)  This is the fate of those who have rejected the Rock of safety to hold onto the false hope of their hard place.  Inevitable calamity. 

            None of those are you, you stay informed, you are glued to the tube knowing every moment when the number of cases and deaths change.  You have your clock set to check the news online or on t.v. so that you are informed.  You have switched your soap operas to the different media outlets bouncing from one station to the next all the while gripped with fear wondering when or how Corona may slip through your door.  These are the ones who the fear of catching the disease has caused more damage than the disease and thus stress becomes their killer. 

            They’d rather put their trust in a vaccine, or medicine, some quick fix or anything other than turning to Yah.  This person knows all about the plane how it works, details of every single part, but majored in minors and thus negated the most important thing to know when being in a plane that is crashing, how to work a parachute!  See Yeshua is our parachute when we are faced with falling from a collapsing plane.  His pill is good for any ill, this is why it is good news, the Gospel!  The earth will melt with fervent heat, heaven and earth may pass away, but His word is forever settled in heaven. (Mar 13:31)  Though this outward man will perish the inward man is renewed every day and knowing where that man will be when Corona has come and gone, and left its wake of cartilage behind is the most important thing we need to know. (1 Cor 4:16) It will give us peace of mind such that we have no need to fear.  We don’t take foolish chances, but we don’t have to walk in fear either.

Unprecedented Times & What That Means for Us As Believers

What manner of man shall we be in these unprecedented times? Should we continue business as usual or is there something YHVH wants us to learn in this time of isolation and reflection? I submit to you that there is and that this is a time of introspection and retrospection concerning our choices and the direction in which we are heading. I pray that this video will challenge you to research some of the traditions we hold dear and hold them up to the light of truth for examination by the Word of God.