ISSUE: #12

MEM

Message

A Full Life

I fully believe our Creator made each human to have a fulfilled life and this means we can enjoy our labors when we honor YHVH; not only by obeying His commands and precepts but also with our labor and substance.

A life of joy is a life that is yielded to YHVH and a life of giving. There are many scriptures that show we should show love toward God and fellow man. The way of love is the way of giving. This is not just money, but our time, our help and our encouragement. Sometimes it means just listen.

Recent events have sparked joy in my life. One of them was the opportunity to encourage another to share his idea and concept. With continued insistence he finally relented and opened up. The bottom line was that his concept was accepted and he was encouraged and joy radiated from his being. This was a benefit to all who were present. Our task had gone from being a burden to a win-win situation for all parties involved.

Do you pray your life will be filled with the joy, peace and the wisdom of the Almighty? Do you desire to share this with others? When we allow YHVH to control our lives things happen; not always as we expect, but always for the best. We can rest assured of that and rejoice. Hallelujah!!

Proverb

Proverbs 22:29 Do you see a man skillful in his work? He will stand before kings…

Saying

When you are making a success of something, it’s not work. It’s a way of life. You enjoy yourself because you are making your contribution to the world.

Andy Granetelli

Bible Quiz

1. How did Jesus answer those who asked if it was right for them to pay taxes to Caesar? (Matthew 22:15-21)
2. How many of Paul’s epistles were written to individuals?
3. Where did the fifth angel in Revelation 16:10 pour out his bowl?
4. Through what, was the author of our salvation made perfect: Hebrews 2:10
5. What was Cain’s occupation? Genesis 4:2
6. What king was hidden in the temple for the first six years of his life? 2 Kings 11:1-3
7. Who said, "Go and wash yourself seven times in the Jordan"? 2 Kings 5:10

Hebraic Lesson

Passover at the time Messiah was on the Earth.

Passover was a joyous time for all Israel. From all parts of the land and from all over the world the festive pilgrims came in bands, singing the psalms and bringing with them the burnt and peace offerings as the Lord has blessed them. None would appear before the Lord empty handed. Most of these pilgrims camped outside Jerusalem. Every inn in the area was filled to capacity. Those fortunate enough to get lodging in the city were given their accommodations without any cost. In return, they left the skins of their Passover lambs and the vessels they used during the Passover meal. Every year our Lord’s parents went to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover (Luke 2:41). We know that the Lord Himself kept the Passover feast.

Two weeks before Passover the flocks were tithed. Next on the agenda was the selection of the Passover lamb. It must be free from any blemish and not more than one year old. It should not be eaten by an individual alone. There had to be at least ten but no more than twenty in a group. We read about the cleansing ceremony in John

"It was now almost time for the celebration of Passover, and many people from the country arrived in Jerusalem several days early so they could go through the cleansing ceremony before the Passover began. They wanted to see Jesus, and as they talked in the Temple, they asked each other, ‘What do you think? Will he come for the Passover?" (John 11:55-56 NLT)

After the cleansing ceremony, each previously chosen lamb was taken to the temple to be slain. The priests stood in two rows holding gold and silver bowls. As each Israelite slew his lamb, its blood was caught up by a priest, who handed it to a colleague, receiving in return an empty bowl. When each bowl reached the priest at the altar, he threw it at the base of the altar.

As the sun descended on Jerusalem, thousands and thousands of Israelites rushed from the Temple through the streets of Jerusalem bearing the slain lamb carefully wrapped in its own skin. As darkness fell on the city, the owners lighted portable clay stoves. One could smell the fragrance of the sheep roasting in the ovens. Relatives and friends from all over the world were gathering together. All partook, rich and poor, bond and free, the aged and the young.

More about Passover next month

H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

Say "please" a lot.

Live beneath your means.

Buy whatever kids are selling on card tables in their front yards.

Treat everyone you meet as you want to be treated.

Make new friends but cherish the old ones.

Did you know:

As you walk up the steps to the Capitol Building which houses the Supreme Court
you can see near the top of the building a row of the world's law givers and each one is facing one in the middle who is facing forward with a full frontal view ...
it is Moses and the Ten Commandments!

As you enter the Supreme Court courtroom, the two huge oak doors have the Ten
Commandments engraved on each lower portion of each door. As you sit inside
the courtroom, you can see the wall right above where the Supreme Court judges
sit a display of the Ten Commandments!

There are Bible verses etched in stone all over the federal buildings and monuments in Washington, D.C.

Humor

Actual Newspaper Headlines

Typhoon Rips Through Cemetery; Hundreds Dead

Red Tape Holds Up New Bridge

Cold Wave Linked to Temperatures

War Dims Hope for Peace

Two Soviet Ships Collide, One Dies

Two Sisters Reunited After 18 Years in Checkout Counter

Children’s Story

Number Nine

Jeremiah went along checking on the other families under his leadership. Thankfully they were all within the same area in the long column. Organization was of prime importance. Everyone had a job to do, including helping those in need.

All those of military age were always prepared to fight, even when they were not on active duty. Those on duty were one-third from every tribe so that each tribe would not be left without the able-bodied assistance of young men, especially during their travels. Those on duty were at the front, the rear, and stationed along the path of this massive column of humanity. Those of special abilities were selected to be scouts along the trail. They would look for hidden pockets of the enemy to avoid surprise attacks. If a large number of the enemy were forming they would sound an alarm and the leaders would send a military force to combat or stand against any threat. Occasionally the men in reserve would have to be summoned to show a great force in the face of the enemy. (Often this great show of strength was all that was needed to send the enemy fleeing).

The most gifted scouts were not only to look for pockets of trouble to avoid, they also were sent ahead to negotiate with small towns and cities. They were to assure them that Israel would only be passing through. Israel would pay for the use of water, crops and anything that might be destroyed or damaged by their passage.

Soldiers were able to help those along the trail as the need for assistance arose such as: a broken wagon wheel, a bogged down cart, or wild animals threatening the flocks or herds. It was always handy to have one of the young men of the tribe of Benjamin in the company of the shepherds and herdsmen. They had a special talent with slings and could strike a wild animal with deadly accuracy before they could attack.

A family could easily be left behind without the assistance of the soldiers and the specially equipped wagons with carpenters and other tradesmen available to assist and get them moving again. When moving a large number of people as this, much planning and a system of leapfrog must have been in place. It could have gone something like this: a clan or sub-clan would pause for their members to re-fresh and adjust hardware, to take care of personal needs, and to allow the pack animals rest and feed. They would again resume their travels, as the next group rested. After a time each group would have a short break, and then be back on the move and would regain their position as each group followed this procedure.

New Web Article Spotlight

What is the Grace of God? Click here for online article.

Is grace more than the pardon of our sins? What does humility and faith have to do with grace?

Quiz Answers

1. Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.
2. Four: 1 and 2 Timothy, Titus and Philemon
3. On the throne of the beast.
4. Suffering
5. Farmer
6. Joash
7. Elisha’s messenger