ISSUE: #98

MEM

(Messianic Email Message)
Psalms 119:97 - 104

Seeking The Truth
MEM Index
Article Index

For His Glory!

Message
A House and A Kingdom Psalm 145:13 Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, And Thy dominion endures throughout all generations. (NAS unless indicated) Our Assignment: Matt 6:33 "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness... Our Prayer: Matt 6:10 'Thy kingdom come... Last time we looked at the covenant YHVH(The LORD) made with David(1Samuel 7) about a House and a Kingdom. YHVH is building this House by using living stones to form a dwelling place for the God of Heaven and Earth. This house is being built upon the foundation of the prophets, and apostles with Yeshua (Jesus) as the chief corner stone (Ephesians 2:20-21) and we are that temple/house that Elohim dwells in by His Spirit (Eph 2:22; 1Cor 3:16) The promise to David was not only to build a House but an everlasting Kingdom. Can we gain insight about this Kingdom? The Davidic Covenant: 2Sam 7:12 …I will raise up your descendant after you, who will come forth from you, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 "He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. Poole Commentary: "I will establish the throne of his kingdom: this is not meant of Solomon, for his kingdom was not forever. And though the phrase for ever is sometimes used of the time of a man’s life, yet it cannot be so understood here, because the mercy here promised to David’s son is of another nature, and of far longer continuance, than that which was given to Saul, 2Sa 7:15… But it is to be understood of David’s posterity in general, but with special respect to Christ in whose person the kingdom was to be lodged for ever, Isa 9:7 Dan 2:44 Luke 1:32-33." Isa 9:6 For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. 7 There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish this. Dan 2:44 "…the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, and that kingdom will not be left for another people; …it will itself endure forever. Luke 1:31 "And behold, you will conceive in your womb, and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. 32 "He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; 33 … forever; and His kingdom will have no end." Mark 11:10 Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David; Hosanna in the highest!" TWOT (Theological Wordbook of the OT) : King/Kingdom: (TWOT: 1199f kingdom - sovereignty - dominion) The substance of this theology is that YHVH’s choice of Zion and the Davidic house is eternal (Ps 89:3; 132:11-14); though kings might for their sins be chastened, the dynasty would never be cut off (II Sam 7:14-16; Ps 89:19-37). The king ruled as YHVH’s "son" (Ps 2:7; II Sam 7:14), his "first-born" (Ps 89:27), his "anointed" (Ps 2:2; 18:50; 20:6). Because he was established by YHVH in Zion, no foe would prevail against him (Ps 2:1-6; 18:31-45; 21:7-12; 132:17; 144:10); on the contrary, foreign nations would submit to his rule (Ps 2:7-12; 18:44; 72:8-11). The Davidic covenant developed the pattern of the patriarchal covenant, in that it was based in YHVH’s unconditional promises for the future (John Bright, A History of Israel, Westminster, 1959, p. 204). *TWOT (Theological Wordbook of the OT)* : Throne:** The book of Proverbs on several occasions emphasizes that no throne is established by force, but rather through mercy, justice, and righteousness (Prov 16:12; 20:8, 28; 25:5; 29:14). … It is plain that the true King by whom all humans, even kings, are judged is the Heavenly One. His throne is established forever (Ps 93:2; 103:19; Lam 5:19). It is fixed in the heavens (Isa 66:1; Jer 3:17) as well as in his chosen place, Jerusalem. The pronouncements from his throne of judgment are altogether true and right (Ps 74:8; 89:14)… As the Israelites looked at the long string of sorry kings visited on them, and as they compared these with God’s perfect standard they came to long for that Son of David who would rule them, and the world, out of love and not selfishness, with equity and not partiality (Isa 9:7; 16:5; Jer 22:11-23:6; Zech 6:13). The testimony of the NT is that he has come and that all creation waits breathlessly for his coronation day when he will assume his throne forevermore. Webster(1828): KING'DOM, n. [king and dominion, jurisdiction.] 1. The territory or country subject to a king; … 2. The inhabitants or population subject to a king. (Am I subject to the King?) 5. In Scripture, the government or universal dominion of God. 1 Ch 29. Ps 145. 6. The power of supreme administration. 1 Sam 18. 7. A princely nation or state. Ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests. Ex 19. 10. The reign of the Messiah. Mat 3. Webster: DOMINION, n. [L. Dominant to rule; lord, master; a house; to overcome, to subdue.] 1. Sovereign or supreme authority; the power of governing and controlling. The dominion of the Most High is an everlasting dominion. Dan 4. 2. Power to direct, control, use and dispose of at pleasure; right of possession … 3. Territory under a government; region; country; district governed… 4. Government; right of governing. Easton: (Matt. 6:33; Mark 1:14, 15; Luke 4:43) = "kingdom of Christ" (Matt. 13:41; 20:21) = "kingdom of Christ and of God" (Eph. 5:5) = "kingdom of David" (Mark 11:10) = "the kingdom" (Matt. 8:12; 13:19) = "kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 3:2; 4:17; 13:41), all denote the same thing under different aspects, viz.: (1) Christ's mediatorial authority, or his rule on the earth; (2) the blessings and advantages of all kinds that flow from this rule; (3) the subjects of this kingdom taken collectively, or the Church. Net Notes: The kingdom of God is a reference to the sovereign activity of God as he rules over his creation and brings His plans to realization. Five basic elements of a Kingdom: 1) A territory (a defined undivided area, country; hence the earth) 2) The people (inhabitants - occupants, subject to the king; thus the believers) 3) The authority (administration or government; the king and his court) 4) Its constitution (laws, instruction, guidelines; The Word of God) 5) Its purpose and goals (life, industry, commerce, service, community; Vision - Where There is No Vision, the People Perish... - Proverbs 29:18) Yeshua (Jesus) came preaching the Kingdom of God: Mark 1:14 ... Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, 15 and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel." In doing this He was gathering living stones (redeemed/forgiven, restored believers) to build the House of God, the core of His Kingdom, forever. Yeshua is the promised descendant of David that was to come to build the spiritual House of God; that all mankind may seek Him there. Acts 15:15 "And with this the words of the Prophets agree, just as it is written, 16 'After these things I (the Messiah) will return, And I will rebuild the tabernacle (house) of David which has fallen, And I will rebuild its ruins, And I will restore it, 17 In order that the rest of mankind may seek the Lord, And all the Gentiles who are called by My name,' David’s dynasty for all Israel fell apart after Solomon and David’s descendants only reigned a short time over the House of Judah. There is yet to come a son of David that will reign forever: *The King:* Rev 19:16 And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, "KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS." *The Territory:* Rev 11:15 … "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever." *The House:* Rev 21:2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He shall dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be among them Rev 22:5 And there shall no longer be any night; and they shall not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God shall illumine them; and they shall reign forever and ever. Webster: Under Kingdom: #7. A princely nation or state. Ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests. Ex 19. Yeshua will be that King - and the redeemed will reign with Him: Matt 19:28 And Jesus said to them, "Truly I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 2Tim 2:12 If we endure, we shall also reign with Him...; Rev 5:10 "And Thou hast made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth." Rev 20:6 Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; … they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years. Thy Kingdom come… For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen

Proverbs
Wisdom for a King: Proverbs 29:4 The king gives stability to the land by justice… Proverbs 14:28 In a multitude of people is a king's glory… Proverbs 20:28 Loyalty and truth preserve the king, And he upholds his throne by righteousness. Proverbs 29:14 If a king judges the poor with truth, His throne will be established forever. Remember: Proverbs 25:6 Do not claim honor in the presence of the king… Proverbs 14:35 The king's favor is toward a servant who acts wisely… Proverbs 22:11 He who loves purity of heart And whose speech is gracious, the king is his friend. We are called to reign and rule with our King - the Proverbs give insight for a king. May we learn to yield to our King, Yeshua the Messiah, He is coming soon!

Saying (s)
"Chance favors the prepared mind." Louis Pasteur It might be called chance but our Creator is watching to see what we are doing with what He has given us. It is the obedient ones who are preparing to rule with our Savior; they will reign with Him at His return as King of kings. Remember the five wise virgins, they had prepared and went into the wedding. Be Prepared: 2Tim 2:19 Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal, "The Lord knows those who are His," and, "Let everyone who names the name of the Lord abstain from wickedness." 20 Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also vessels of wood and of earthenware, and some to honor and some to dishonor. 21 Therefore, if a man cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work. Nature teaches us to prepare: Proverbs 30:25 The ants are not a strong folk, But they prepare their food in the summer; David prepared: 1Chr 22:14 "Now behold, with great pains I have prepared for the house of the LORD 100,000 talents of gold and 1,000,000 talents of silver, and bronze and iron beyond weight… Our sure way to prepare: 2Tim 3:16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. Yeshua is preparing and is prepared: John 14:3 "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again… Heb 11:16 … for He has prepared a city for them. Matt 25:34 "Then the King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. The word for today, "Prepare".

Bible Quiz
How is the promise, of Messiah’s coming described in Revelation 1:7? Who wrote the first five books of the Old Testament (The Torah)? Where did Lot live? Why didn’t Paul preach in Asia on his second missionary journey? What is the ninth commandment? Who was Jacob’s youngest son? Who said, "If you are willing, you can make me clean"?

Humility
In our Pursuit of Humility (Lesson from humility and holiness.) "In Jesus-the Holy One of God, who makes us holy-divine humility was the secret of His life, His death, and His exaltation. The one infallible test of our holiness will be our humility before God and others. Humility is the bloom and the beauty of holiness. " Andrew Murray Yeshua (Jesus) is Holy; Called to be holy: 1Pet 1:15 but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; The Holy One will dwell in the humble: Isa 57:15 For thus says the high and exalted One Who lives forever, whose name is Holy, "I dwell on a high and holy place, And also with the contrite and lowly of spirit In order to revive the spirit of the lowly And to revive the heart of the contrite. Therefore brethren: Rev 22:11 "… let the one who is righteous, still practice righteousness; and let the one who is holy, still keep himself holy." Holiness comes from the Almighty therefore humble yourself under the hand of YHVH.

Prayer
Understanding the precepts of prayer. Hannah’s Prayer: 1Sam 1:9 Then Hannah rose after eating and drinking in Shiloh. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat by the doorpost of the temple of the LORD. 10 And she, greatly distressed, prayed to the LORD and wept bitterly. 11 And she made a vow and said, "O LORD of hosts, if Thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of Thy maidservant and remember me, and not forget Thy maidservant, but wilt give Thy maidservant a son, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and a razor shall never come on his head." This episode of a childless distressed woman, going to the tabernacle; crying out to the Holy One of Israel for relief from her anguish and pain resulted in one of the greatest judges and prophets of Israel, Samuel. This is recorded for our benefit-we need to sometimes come to a place of utter helplessness and humbly pour out our heart and soul to the Creator; casting all our burden upon the One who cares because He is faithful.

Heart of God
How does God feel about issues we face today? The Idol of "Stuff" (Exodus 20:3) You shall have no other gods before me. (1John 5:21) Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen. Is our faith and trust in God or in our possessions? Life is not based on the physical - it is based on the spiritual. We cannot see the holes in people that they attempt to cram full with stuff, everything but God - the only thing that can fill that void. If we took all the things we owned and piled it up, how big would the pile be? How much of that pile would be things we don’t even use or have forgotten about? Stuff is a god that our creator hates. Stuff is the things that fill up our life so we can’t see Him. Things with no purpose - this is a god. So much stuff. Where is God in all of this plethora of junk? How can He move in the midst of this distraction? God’s people are lost in a sea of stuff. What would happen if instead of buying more stuff, we traded or bartered for items - gave extra away for other’s needs, made do, adapted, borrowed? How would that change our dependence on God? Change our relationship with others? We would become closer, more honest and dependent, more community, less individualism, the "I can do it myself" mentality. It would also keep our landfills much cleaner. To do this, our focus would have to change from me to us. At least we should ask if someone has an item before we buy something, plan what we need, not what appeals to us. No impulse buys. God is against the idol that stuff becomes, the focus with which people chase it and look to it for happiness instead of finding their joy in Him. It should be all about Him, not the transitory things of this world. Are we seeking God or more stuff? (Matt 6:31) Therefore take no thought, saying, What will we eat? Or, What will we drink? Or, With what will we be clothed? (Matt 6:33) But seek first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things will be added to you. Material in this section will be based on various prayer diaries.

Did you know:
Tips For Staying Awake At the Wheel A nap can be pleasant and relaxing-unless you’re at the wheel of a car when it happens. The U.S. Department of Transportation estimates that sleep-related driving accidents cause 40,000 injuries and 150 deaths every year. Don’t be one of them. Follow these tips for staying awake and alert on the road: Get enough sleep. If you know you’ll be driving a long distance, plan to get the sleep you need ahead of time. Take a nap before you leave if you’ll be driving late-but avoid driving late at night if at all possible. As you’ll be naturally sleepy anyway no matter how rested you feel. Take breaks. Don’t try to drive for hours at a time. Stop about every two hours for 10-15 minutes of rest, brisk exercise, and stretching. Get proper nutrition. Stay hydrated; drink lots of water. Coffee, tea, and energy drinks may provide a temporary boost, but remember that they can wear off quickly and leave you with less energy than before. The same goes for candy. Eat fruit, sunflower seeds, or high-carb granola bars, and don’t gobble them down in a few bites. Eating slowly forces you to keep your attention level up. Don’t get too comfortable. Open the window to keep cold air blowing on your face, or adjust your seat just enough to be noticeable as you drive (but not enough to distract you). Listen to loud music-maybe music you don’t like-or talk radio, as long as it doesn’t get you too upset. Pull over. If all else fails, find a safe spot to pull over and take a nap. Fifteen or twenty minutes may be enough to get you through the rest of your trip safely. Some of the material contained in this section is for informational purposes only and has not been verified by us.

Lighter Side
A preacher concluded that his church was getting into very serious financial troubles. While checking the church storeroom, he discovered several cartons of new Bibles that had never been opened and distributed. So at his Sunday sermon, he asked for three volunteers from the congregation who would be willing to sell the Bibles door-to-door for $10 each to raise the desperately-needed money for the church. Jack, Paul and Louie all raised their hands to volunteer for the task. The minister knew that Jack and Paul earned their living as salesmen and were likely capable of selling some Bibles. But he had serious doubts about Louie who was a local farmer, who had always kept to himself because he was embarrassed by his speech impediment. Poor Louis stuttered badly. But, not wanting to discourage Louis, the minister decided to let him try anyway. He sent the three of them away with the back seat of their cars stacked with Bibles. He asked them to meet with him and report the results of their door-to-door selling efforts the following Sunday. Anxious to find out how successful they were, the minister immediately asked Jack, 'Well, Jack, how did you make out selling our Bibles last week?' Proudly handing the minister an envelope, Jack replied, 'Using my sales prowess, I was able to sell 20 Bibles, and here's the $200 I collected on behalf of the church.' 'Fine job, Jack!' The minister said, vigorously shaking his hand. 'You are indeed a fine salesman and the Church is indebted to you.' Turning to Paul, 'And Paul, how many Bibles did you sell for the church last week?' Paul, smiling and sticking out his chest, confidently replied, I am a professional salesman. I sold 28 bibles on behalf of the church, and here's $280 I collected.' The minister responded, That’s absolutely splendid, Paul. You are truly a professional salesman and the church is indebted to you.' Apprehensively, the minister turned to Louie and said, 'And Louie, did you manage to sell any Bibles last week?' Louie silently offered the minister a large envelope. The minister opened it and counted the contents. 'What is this?' the minister exclaimed. 'Louie, there's $3200 in here! Are you suggesting that you sold 320 Bibles for the church, door to door, in just one week?' Louie just nodded. That's impossible!' both Jack and Paul said in unison. 'We are professional salesmen, yet you claim to have sold 10 times as many Bibles as we could.' 'Yes, this does seem unlikely,' the minister agreed. 'I think you'd better explain how you managed to accomplish this, Louie.' Louie shrugged.. 'I-I-I re-re-really do-do-don't kn-kn-know f-f-f-for sh-sh-sh-sure,' he stammered. Impatiently, Peter interrupted. 'Louie, just tell us what you said to them when they answered the door!' 'A-a-a-all I-I-I s-s-said wa-wa-was,' Louis replied, 'W-w-w-w-would y-y-y-you l-l-l-l-l-like t-t-to b-b-b-buy th-th-th-this b-b-b-b-bible F-f-for t-t-ten b-b-b-bucks ---o-o-o-or--- wo-wo-would yo-you j-j-j-just l-like m-m-me t-t-to st-st-stand h-h-here and r-r-r-r-r-read it t-to y-y-you??' ************** Did I hear you correctly? An elderly gentleman had a serious hearing problem for a number of years. He went to the doctor and the doctor was able to have him fitted for a set of hearing aids that allowed the gentleman to hear 100%. The elderly gentleman went back in a month to the doctor and the doctor said, 'Your hearing is perfect. Your family must be really pleased that you can hear again.' The gentleman replied, 'Oh, I haven't told my family yet. I just sit around and listen to the conversations. I've changed my will three times!' ************* Have a good day!

The Modern Church
95 Theses to the Modern Evangelical Church by Greg Gordon - (founder of SermonIndex.net) 11. Worship has become an idol in many "churches". The music often resembles that of the world. (Amos 5:23; Phil 4:8; 1Jn 5:21) 12. The world is shaping the views of the "church" more than the "church" shaping the world. (Rom 12:2; Mt 5:13; 1Cor 1:22-23) 13. The "church" spends more money on dog food than on missions. (2Cor 9:6; Lk 21:2; Acts 4:34-35)

Cause and Effect
Scribbles (By Michael Boldea Jr.) "If we react as the world reacts, where is our hope? If we rage as the world rages where is our faith? Our actions and reactions to everything that is happening in the world will testify to whether or not we truly believe that God is not only our provider, but our provision. The difference between those who merely say they trust in God and those who truly trust Him will be evident to all."

Consider
Forbidden fruit is responsible for many a bad jam. A warm smile is the universal language of kindness. Progress involves risk; you can’t steal second base and keep your foot on first. No one should be afraid of wasting time by learning something he or she is not required to know (Like doing more than required) Offering good advice may be noble and grand, but it’s not the same as a helping hand. A word to the wise is superfluous; a hundred words to the unwise is futile. Even silence has a melody of its own.

The Garden Corner
Dredging up the Toxic Past While mining the murky depths of my pond for fallen debris, I use an old pool skimmer with a long handle to reach the bottom and across my pond. As the skimmer cleared the surface of the water with a large load of leaves and pine cones, more leaves and pine needles welled up from the bottom in the skimmer’s wake. I watched the mess float up on the current to the top where I could easily see it in the tannin colored water. The thought struck me of how this resembled the continuous purging of my heart that I am going through right now. As I have been surrendering the parts of my life to Yahweh and he pulls the muck out, more is revealed in the murky depths of my soul. That "new" muck is easily seen and dealt with because I have allowed him access to my water. Cleaning out my pond in preparation of winter is crucial to the survival of my Koi and goldfish for the leaves would become toxic in their water as they rotted, poisoning my fish slowly over winter. So too sin is poisoning my soul, toxic to the spring of living water that is flowing from me. Unless I allow my Heavenly Father to cleanse me, dredge up my toxic attitudes and heal my past wounds, my water of life will become death, not just to me but also to everyone who comes in contact with it.

A Psalm Promise
Psalm 116:7-8 No Cause for an Anxious Moment Ps 116:7 Return to your rest, O my soul, For the LORD has dealt bountifully with you. 8 For Thou hast rescued my soul from death, My eyes from tears, My feet from stumbling. Daily we must remember the sufficiency of our loving Father. He alone supplies our every need, trust Him and enter into the rest He provides. Peace be unto you and Blessed be YHVH (Genesis 14:20 And blessed be God Most High…)

Quiz Answers
1. "Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him." - Matthew 5:15 2 Moses 3. In Sodom - Genesis 14:12 4. The Holy Spirit kept him from doing so - Acts 16:6 5. "You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor." - Exodus 20:16 6. Benjamin - Genesis 43:29 7. A man with leprosy - Mark 1:40

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