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Whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.
(John 4:14) |
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And he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb (Rev 22:1) |
For His Glory!
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Peace What has peace to do with the restoration process? Is there such a thing as true peace? What is the covenant of Peace? Understanding the meaning of Shalom (Hebrew word for "peace") gives insight as to why Yeshua (Jesus) said John 15:19 "…I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. This does not sound like peace. Peace - an important topic when it comes to our relationship with the Creator - seek to know.By YHVH’s Goodness Man began with a peaceful relationship: Gen 3:8 And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden …Learn - YHVH’s severity for disobedience - No Peace: Gen 3:24 So He drove the man out; and at the east of the garden of Eden He stationed the cherubim, and the flaming sword which turned every direction, to guard the way to the tree of life. (Literally sentenced to death Gen 2:17 but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you shall surely die.")Sin makes one the enemy of God: Isa 63:10 But they rebelled And grieved His Holy Spirit; Therefore, He turned Himself to become their enemy, He fought against them.Jer 30:14 … For I have wounded you with the wound of an enemy, With the punishment of a cruel one, Because your iniquity is great And your sins are numerous.Lam 2:5 The Lord has become like an enemy…Jas 4:4 …Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.The last enemy to be abolished: 1Cor 15:26 The last enemy that will be abolished is death.Man was sentenced (Because of disobedience) to live without peace; outside the Kingdom of God; without a relationship, without access to Paradise, without access to the tree of Life. Sentenced to a life that puts man at odds with his Creator (no peace) therefore a peace compact is required.The Good News - Restoration: Rev 22:1 And he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb, 2 in the middle of its street. And on either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3 And there shall no longer be any curse; and the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His bond-servants shall serve Him;Last time we looked at the plan of YHVH (the LORD) to restore all things. In this process we are given a chance to have a foretaste of and be a part of that restoration. Yeshua, our redeemer, came to establish the peace necessary to accomplish His restoration.Peace starts with being restored - being reconciled: Isa 57:18 "I have seen his ways, but I will heal him; I will lead him and restore H7999 comfort to him …H7999 (Strong)- Transliteration: Shalam- Definition: 1. to be in a covenant of peace, be at peace 2. to be complete, be sound
Ezek 37:26 "And I will make a covenant of peace with them; it will be an everlasting covenant with them…Webster (1828):PEACE , n. [L. pax, paco, to appease.]1. In a general sense, a state of quiet or tranquility; freedom from disturbance or agitation; applicable to society, to individuals, or to the temper of the mind. 2. Freedom from war with a foreign nation; public quiet. 3. Freedom from internal commotion or civil war. 4. Freedom from private quarrels, suits or disturbance. 5. Freedom from agitation or disturbance by the passions, as from fear, terror, anger, anxiety or the like; quietness of mind; tranquility; calmness; quiet of conscience. Great peace have they that love the law. Psalm 119. 7. Harmony; concord; a state of reconciliation between parties at variance. 8. Public tranquility; that quiet, order and security which is guaranteed by the laws... This word is used in commanding silence or quiet; as, peace to this troubled soul. To be at peace, to be reconciled; to live in harmony. To make peace, to reconcile, as parties at variance.
The Good News is True Peace: Eph 6:15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;Nah 1:15 …the feet of him who brings good news, Who announces peace! …Eph 2:17 And He came and preached peace to you who were far away, and peace to those who were near;Yeshua came that we might have peace; He is our peace:John 14:27 "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.Rom 5:1 Therefore having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,Ps 29:10 … Yes, the LORD sits as King forever. 11 … The LORD will bless His people with peace.Eph 2:14 For He Himself is our peace …No Peace in the kingdom of this world: Isa 48:22 "There is no peace for the wicked," says the LORD.1Thess 5:3 While they are saying, "Peace and safety!" then destruction will come …Jer 6:14 "… superficially, Saying, 'Peace, peace,' But there is no peace.Rom 3:17 And the path of peace have they not known."Restoring us by making Peace: Phil 4:7 And the peace of God… shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.Jer 33:6 … I will heal them; and I will reveal to them an abundance of peace and truth.Rom 14:17 for the kingdom of God is … righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.Rom 8:6 … the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace,1Cor 14:33 for God is not a God of confusion but of peace…Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,The Saints - called to peace: 1Cor 7:15 … God has called us to peace.Rom 12:18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.Rom 14:19 So then let us pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another.2Cor 13:11 Finally, brethren, rejoice, be made complete, be comforted, be like-minded, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.Peace is a blessing: Ps 29:11 The LORD will give strength to His people; The LORD will bless His people with peace.Ps 119:165 Those who love Thy law have great peace, And nothing causes them to stumble.1Thess 5:23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.2Thess 3:16 Now may the Lord of peace Himself continually grant you peace in every circumstance. The Lord be with you all!Our part: Ps 34:14 Depart from evil, and do good; Seek peace, and pursue it.Heb 12:14 Pursue peace with all men…Jas 3:18 And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.2Pet 3:14 Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless,The last MEM was about the whole plan of God; in a word, ‘Restoration’. The process of restoration can only be brought about thru the Peace Covenant between man and YHVH. This requires our turning to Yeshua in repentance, accepting the blood of His sacrifice as the atonement for our sin. Entering into this covenant of peace restores us to our Creator and a relationship that was broken because of the original sin. **** TDNT: (Theological Dictionary of the New Testament)Peace in the Old Testament: The general meaning behind the root sh-l-m (peace) is of completion and fulfillment-of entering into a state of wholeness and unity, a restored relationship.shāl ôm, … and their derivatives, are among the most important theological words in the OT.shāl ôm means "absence of strife" in approximately fifty to sixty usages; …"Peace," in this case, means much more than mere absence of war. Rather, the root meaning of the verb shālēm better expresses the true concept of shālôm. Completeness, wholeness, harmony, fulfillment, are closer to the meaning. Implicit in shālôm is the idea of unimpaired relationships with others and fulfillment in one’s undertakings.shāl ôm is the result of God’s activity in covenant (bĕrı̂t), and is the result of righteousness (Isa 32:17). In nearly two-thirds of its occurrences, shālôm describes the state of fulfillment which is the result of God’s presence. This is specifically indicated in those references to the "covenant of peace" (bĕrı̂t shālôm, Num 25:12; Isa 54:10; Ezk 34:25; Mal 2:5) with his chosen representatives, the Aaronic priests and the Davidic monarchs. The peace that marks the conclusion of an agreement between adversaries … man and God (Abraham, Gen 15:15) is couched in terms of covenant agreement.This sort of peace has its source in God. He is the one who will speak shālôm to his people (Ps 85:8). The classic statement of this concept is the Aaronic benediction (Num 6:24-26) which identifies the man to whom God has given shālôm as the one who is blessed (bārak), guarded (shāmar), and treated graciously (ḥānan), by Yahweh. This is fulfillment through the divine gift.There is also a strong eschatological element present in the meaning of shālôm. Messiah, "David’s greater son," is specifically identified as the Prince of Peace śar shālôm-the one who brings fulfillment and righteousness to the earth.Paul (Eph 2:14) links these themes in his identification of Christ as our peace. He is the messianic prince who brings wholeness, but he is also God’s last word-the "concluding sacrifice" that brings redemption to mankind.Peace in the New Testament: 1. eirḗnē in Its Widest Sense as the Normal State of All Things. In 1 Cor. 14:33 peace is for Paul the normal state as distinct from the confusion of unruly prophesying at Corinth. This peace is what God wills, not merely for the soul or for the human race, but for his whole creation.2. eirḗnē as the Eschatological Salvation of the Whole Person. a. The shālôm of the OT is the basis here. Thus in Lk. 1:79 eirḗnē is the awaited eschatological salvation. In Lk. 2:14 again peace is the salvation that has now come to the earth. Salvation is also the sense in Lk. 19:42 and 19:38b, and cf. Rev. 12:10; 19:1. In Rev. 12:10 peace is said to have come as a historical event in Christ (cf. Heb. 13:10). Melchizedek as a type of Christ is the king of peace (Heb. 7:2), the gospel is the gospel of peace (Eph. 6:15), and Christ leaves peace with his disciples (Jn. 14:27), the opposite of this being affliction (16:33). When the disciples go out in Christ’s name, they offer peace (Lk. 10:5-6; Mt. 10:13). We are to seek this peace (Heb. 12:14). It is a power which protects us (Phil. 4:7) and which rules in the heart (Col. 3:15), although in human relations it may sometimes result in the very opposite of peace (Mt. 10:34-35). … shelem symbolizes the gift of shālôm, i.e. the blessing of wholeness, prosperity, and the status of being at peace with God. This involves more than forgiveness of sin, in that fullness of life, prosperity, and peace with men is the expected result of shālôm status. **** Grace and Peace to you: 2Pet 1:2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord;2John 1:3 Grace, mercy and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.Rev 1:4 John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace, from Him who is and who was and who is to come...The Blessing: Numbers 6:24 The LORD bless you, and keep you;25 The LORD make His face shine on you, And be gracious to you;26 The LORD lift up His countenance on you, And give you peace.'Thy Kingdom come… Amen |
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Proverbs 3:1 My son, do not forget my teaching, But let your heart keep my commandments; 2 For length of days and years of life, And peace they will add to you.Proverbs 16:7 When a man's ways are pleasing to the LORD, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.When we seek to please the Almighty we will desire to do the things that please Him. We are instructed here to not forget His teachings and keep YHVH’s commandments. Why? Because that pleases Him and He intervenes to insure peace even with our enemies. Almighty YHVH - thank You for life and the peace that only You can give. |
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" Be the change you wish to see in the world." GandhiOften we look at the world and shake our head in disgust for the lack of faithfulness to Elohim (God), to country and to fellowman. We may even pray for the Almighty to change things. Here we see Gandhi has a piece of the puzzle. Let the peace of Yeshua’s light begin with me and shine thru unto the world. Yeshua says: Matt 5:9 "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.Said of John the Baptist: Luke 1:79 To shine upon those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, To guide our feet into the way of peace."Paul says: Rom 12:18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.As for me: Rom 14:19 So then let us pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another. |
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In our pursuit of humility: (Lessons from humility and holiness.) "It is seldom remembered that deep humility must be the keynote of what we say of ourselves or of each other. There are countless assemblies of saints, mission conventions, societies, or committees, where the harmony has been disturbed and the word of God hindered because men who are counted saints are touchy and impatient, self-defensive and self-assertive to the point of sharp judgments and unkind words. They do not recon others better than themselves, and their holiness has little meekness in it. " Andrew Murray It is not hard to see the lack of true humility leads to a lack of peace. When we see such acts of selfishness and pride we need to back off - stop and think how we need to respond to restore the peace of Messiah in our midst. 1Cor 7:15 … but God has called us to peace.1Cor 14:33 for God is not a God of confusion but of peace….Humbly we come to You Master yielding our spirit to Your peaceful designs. |
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Understanding the precepts of prayer. Samuel, the miracle child given to Hanna by YHVH, was raised to the level of Judge and Intercessor of Israel. He pointed the way for Israel to be delivered from their enemies. We too can be delivered from all our enemies, our bondages, our addictions, our diseases and given peace if we follow the same instructions today. Is there a formula? No but there is a Way; that way is Yeshua. Need for deliverance: 1Sam 7:3 Then Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, "If you return to the LORD with all your heart, remove the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you and direct your hearts to the LORD and serve Him alone; and He will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines."Obedience: 1Sam 7:4 So the sons of Israel removed the Baals and the Ashtaroth and served the LORD alone.Fasting and Repentance: 1Sam 7:5 Then Samuel said, "Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray to the LORD for you." 6 And they gathered to Mizpah, and drew water and poured it out before the LORD, and fasted on that day, and said there, "We have sinned against the LORD." And Samuel judged the sons of Israel at Mizpah.Enemy comes to attack: 1Sam 7:7 Now when the Philistines heard that the sons of Israel had gathered to Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the sons of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines. 8 Then the sons of Israel said to Samuel, "Do not cease to cry to the LORD our God for us, that He may save us from the hand of the Philistines."The Miracle of answered prayer: 1Sam 7:9 …Samuel cried to the LORD for Israel and the LORD answered him. 10 Now Samuel was offering up the burnt offering, and the Philistines drew near to battle against Israel. But the LORD thundered with a great thunder on that day against the Philistines and confused them, so that they were routed before Israel. 11 And the men of Israel went out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, and struck them down as far as below Beth-car.The Ebenezer (as a witness or testimony):1Sam 7:12 Then Samuel took a stone and set it between Mizpah and Shen, and named it Ebenezer, saying, "Thus far the LORD has helped us."More than deliverance - there is Peace: 1Sam 7:13 So the Philistines were subdued and they did not come anymore within the border of Israel. And the hand of the LORD was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel. 14 And the cities which the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron even to Gath; and Israel delivered their territory from the hand of the Philistines. So there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.Some think that all one need do is just pray. When we look into YHVH’s Word we can see Samuel, as the judge and intercessor of Israel, so to speak laid the law down; he was a type of our Savior. Yeshua Messiah tells us how we are to approach Him and the Father - here is a partial list: - Yeshua said if you love me keep my commandments (righteousness) - He said we must believe Him - We are to be Holy as the Father is Holy - We need to be born of the Spirit and die to self - allowing Messiah to be formed in us - We need to study to show ourselves approved - We need to ask (pray) in faith - in His name - We need to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness Matt 6:33 "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you. 34 "Therefore do not be anxious for tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.Then we can confidently ask: John 14:13 "And whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 "If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.John 16:33 "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world."In Sincerity: Yeshua (Jesus) we come to You - may we experience Your peace - help our unbelief. |
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How does God feel about issues we face today? Need in Trials Phil 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.Jas 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials;Jas 1:3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith works patience.Jas 1:4 But let patience have her perfect work, that you may be perfect and entire, lacking in nothing.When trials come what is our attitude? God may not take us out of trouble, but He promises to never leave us. If we serve God with our all, he will supply the rest. He will provide all our needs that line up with His word. Not all our wants, for those come from our sinful nature to satisfy what we think we deserve. Wants like security from pain - changing causes pain; and peace - peace to us is nothing bad happening and no demands on us. Those wants are not His wants - true peace during chaos, true security on a boat in the middle of a storm. His super natural protection in the midst of danger. He will not always change the situation. He will change us to deal with the situation correctly. That is more important than the problem going away which does not display Him and bring Him glory. It is our actions under duress that shine forth to bring God glory. Everyone can be calm in a peaceful situation whether or not they know Him. It is the one who is calm in the midst of chaos who is different. Let’s be different. 1Pet 1:7 Such trials show the proven character of your faith, which is much more valuable than gold - gold that is tested by fire, even though it is passing away - and will bring praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
Material in this section is based on various prayer diaries. |
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What an awesome and orderly GOD!! God's Accuracy God's accuracy may be observed in the hatching of eggs. God's wisdom is seen in the making of an elephant: The four legs of this great beast all bend forward in the same direction. No other quadruped is so made. God planned that this animal would have a huge body, too large to live on two legs. For this reason He gave it four fulcrums so that it can rise from the ground easily. The horse rises from the ground on its two front legs first. A cow rises from the ground with its two hind legs first. How wise the Lord is in all His works of creation God's wisdom is revealed in His arrangement of: + Each watermelon has an even number of stripes on the rind. + Each orange has an even number of segments. + Each ear of corn has an even number of rows. + Each stalk of wheat has an even number of grains. + Every bunch of bananas has on its lowest row an even number of bananas, and each row decreases by one, so that one row has an even number and the next row an odd number. + All grains are found in even numbers on the stalks. The waves of the sea roll in on shore twenty-six to the minute in all kinds of weather .God has caused the flowers to blossom at certain specified times during the day, so that Linnaeus, the great botanist, once said that if he had a conservatory containing the right kind of soil, moisture and temperature, he could tell the time of day or night by the flowers that were open and those that were closed! Thus the Lord in His wonderful grace can arrange the life that is entrusted to His care in such a way that it will carry out His purposes and plans, and will be fragrant with His presence. ****** Some of the material contained in this section is for informational purposes only and has not been verified by us. |
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Light but not funny - true but sad - easy to remedy but requires thought. An Obituary printed in the London Times: Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as: - Knowing when to come in out of the rain - Why the early bird gets the worm - Life isn't always fair - And maybe it was my fault Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you can earn) and reliable strategies (adults, not children, are in charge). His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a 6-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his (common sense) condition. Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children. It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or an aspirin to a student; but could not inform parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion. Common Sense lost the will to live as the churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims. Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar could sue you for assault. Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement. Common Sense was preceded in death, by his parents, Truth and Trust, by his wife, Discretion, by his daughter, Responsibility, and by his son, Reason. He is survived by his 4 stepbrothers: - I Know My Rights - I Want It Now - Someone Else Is To Blame - I'm A Victim Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone… **************** Have a good day! |
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95 Theses to the Modern Evangelical Church by Greg Gordon - (founder of SermonIndex.net)23. Introspection, counting the cost, godly sorrow over sin, are all foreign to many in the church". (Acts 2:37; Ps 119:9; Heb 6:1-2)24. The modern church loves itself more than its neighbor. (1Cor 3:3; Gal 5:13; Phil 2:3) 25. The church must repent of its idolization of personality, and of business principles. (2Cor 2:17; 1Cor 3:5; 1Cor 12:23) |
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Scribbles (By Michael Boldea Jr.) The church is to blame for the influx of false teaching, false prophets, and false doctrines that abound therein, because we reject the truth, and embrace the lie. You can read passages from the Word itself, and there will be those within the church today that will say in their hearts ‘that’s not the God I serve! My God wouldn’t do that! My God is love, my God is not judgmental. My God accepts everybody just the way they are!’ Whether we believe it or not, whether we accept it of not, it does not change the fact that we are living in the end times. How can I be so certain? I can be so sure of the times we are living in because of the state of the church today, and the state of the world that we are currently living in.
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A pessimist is one who is seasick during the entire voyage of life. Summer is the time of year when you try to keep the house as cold as it was in the winter when you complained about it. One advantage to traveling the straight and narrow path is that no one is trying to pass you. Whether you are on the road or in an argument, when you see red, it is time to stop. The bend in the road is not the end of the road unless you fail to make the turn. Kindness is a language that the deaf can hear and the blind can see. Charity begins anywhere and should have no end. |
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Psalm 5:11-12 Joy and Peace Psalm 5:11 But let all who take refuge in Thee be glad, Let them ever sing for joy; And mayest Thou shelter them, That those who love Thy name may exult in Thee. 12 For it is Thou who dost bless the righteous (just, lawful) man, O LORD, Thou dost surround him with favor as with a shield.How can one be joyful, be glad, and feel safe? Take refuge in YHVH. Exalt in your relationship with Him because of the reciprocating love. The beauty of loving and rejoicing in The Eternal is the resulting blessing of peace; the confidence of being surrounded with His favor. Ps 72:7 In his days may the righteous flourish, And abundance of peace till the moon is no more.Ps 119:165 Those who love Thy law have great peace, And nothing causes them to stumble.Blessed be YHVH (Genesis 14:20 And blessed be God Most High…) |
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1. Mary sister of Martha - John 12:3 2 2Kings - 2Kings 6:1-6 3. In the citadel - Ezra 6:2 4. Christ’s (Messiah) - 2Corinthians 8:9 5. A snake - Exodus 4:3 6. Elijah - 1Kings 17:1 7. Elohim (God) - Genesis 46:2-3 |