Thankful Thursday - Rest For the Soul

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I read this article today and wanted to share it with you, Gail-Friends.

This is a post by Nancy Campbell of Above Rubies.org (used by permission)

Surely each one of us want to enjoy rest in our souls and in our hectic lives. We want to find our strength in quietness and confidence. God says in Isaiah 30:15 that all we need to do is to return to Him and do things His way instead of our own way. But what happened? God lamented as He said: “But you would have none of it.”

Again in Jeremiah 6:16 God speaks about rest: “Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls." Another beautiful invitation to God’s rest. But did they receive His invitation? No. Instead they said: “We will not walk therein.” They would rather trust in their own ideas than go back to the old paths, even when it’s stressful.

Jeremiah 17:19-24 speaks about the literal Sabbath Day of rest and not violating it. But this same principle applies to us in our daily lives. God says: “If you diligently hearken unto me, saith the LORD, to bring in no burden through the gates of this city on the sabbath day, but hallow the sabbath day, to do no work therein, Then shall there enter into the gates of this city kings and princes sitting upon the throne of David . . . “

When we bring burdens into our lives through the gates of our minds, we lose our rest. We live in turmoil instead of God’s rest. We allow our burdens to become king in our hearts instead of Christ Himself. Either Jesus is King or our burdens and troubles. It’s our choice.

But did they listen? No. ”They obeyed not, neither inclined their ear, but made their neck stiff, that they might not hear, not receive instruction.” (v. 23).

Do we accept God’s way for rest or try to do it our own way?

* Nancy's article made me think of how blessed we are to have the Torah and Yeshua our Messiah.

Every Friday, I encourage rest on His Sabbath.  Nancy makes the point that we find rest in obeying His laws.  My life changed for the better when I began to follow His ways . . . not the ways of the church, religion, or the current worldly ideas about God.  I cried out to know His wisdom and His ways.  I found rest, peace, and JOY in learning about and following the Torah.   I hope you are blessed by this reading.

***graphic from Little Birdie Blessings used by permission

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31 Days of His Wisdom - Day 21 - The Right Thing

  

source Microsoft Office.com

"Do the right thing," is my husband/rabbi's favorite expression.  We are faced with that decision from the moment we wake until we go to sleep at night.  Decisions, decisions, decisions.

Proverbs 21 has that theme today, and I was immediately grabbed by this verse:

3 To do what is right and just
    is more pleasing to Adonai than sacrifice.

The grace of ADONAI is all over the Scriptures.  I heard a well-known preacher say one time, "G-d's grace was not revealed until the New Testament."  Nothing could be further from the truth.

In Leviticus, we read about the system of blood sacrifice set up to cover the sins of the people.  A great deal of bloodshed was needed to pay for those sins.  That was the "grace of G-d".  Yeshua's blood has taken the place of animal sacrifice, and for that we are so grateful.

Let us not lose sight, however, that G-d desires obedience, which is doing what is right and just.  His Torah lets us know what that entails, and give us G-d's mind/thoughts on these things.

Let's look at what happens when we obey His ways:

21 He who pursues righteousness and kindness
    finds life, prosperity and honor.

I don't know about you, my dear Gail-Friends, but that's what I want.  There are many voices today. Many ideas. Many religions.   Many teachers.  Many churches, and even many synagogues with different views. But let's look at what the Word of the L-rd is:
 
30 No wisdom, discernment or counsel
    succeeds against Adonai.

³¹ A horse may be prepared for the day of battle,
    but victory comes from Adonai.

This is why I cried out for HIS WISDOM.  I tried so many different paths, and found them lacking.  

I pray for you, my dear Gail-Friends, to cry out for wisdom, His wisdom alone.  You will be led to His truth, His peace and the victory of ADONAI.

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Quotations are from The Complete Jewish Bible
Each time I read through Proverbs, something different jumps out at me.  This is ADONAI quickening His Word to my heart.  

As I go through this month of studying Proverbs, I hope you'll join me and read the chapter, too.  I'll share what stands out to me for that day.  

I'd love for you to share something He shows you through the day's reading. 
I'll be linking these posts to the 31 Days event at The Nester


This 31 day series will focus on the things I learned from Proverbs, as well as some things from Torah study, and will add in a sprinkling of what I've learned from Judaism. 

I will be posting daily through October 31.  To read the posts, just go to the Labels section on the left, and click on "31 Days of His Wisdom".
 

Pray for America - Day 5

This post is part of a 31 day series from the  American Prayer Initiative You can sign up at the link and have the prayers  sent to you daily in your e-mail box.  I encourage you  to join us in praying daily for America up through the general election on November 6, 2012. The Law

Suggested Scriptural references ... Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the L-rd.   Psalm 119: 1  It is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail.  Luke 16:17 I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds.  Hebrews 10:16  But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don't forget what you heard, then G-d will bless you for doing it  James 1:25 Many nations will say, "Come and let us go up to the mountain of the L-rd and to the House of the G-d of Jacob, that He may teach us about His ways, and that we may walk in His paths."  For from Zion will go forth the law, even the word of the L-rd from Jerusalem.  Micah 4:2

Suggested prayers ... Please awaken and lead our people and our leaders to a reverent understanding and adherence to Your laws. Lord, You have written Your laws on our hearts, and yet we are constantly bombarded with messages that blur those laws.  We ask you to defeat the efforts of those who would attempt to rid our culture of clarity and adherence to Your laws. We ask You to lead America's citizens, the courts, and law schools to the restoration of respect for Your law and the law of the land. ************************ Father, following Your laws is the way of blessing and yet our government and many churches teach their people to disobey them.  Your laws bring life.  I pray we will repent and return to Your laws both individually and as a country.   I offer these prayers in the mighty name of Yeshua Ha-Mashiach.  Amain.

31 Days of Praying For Our Children - Day 25

Abiding

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23)

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can you, except you abide in me.

I am the vine, you are the branches: He that abides in me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit: for without me you can do nothing.

If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.

If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, you shall ask what you will, and it shall be done unto you.

 Herein is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit; so shall you be my disciples. (John 15:1-8)

Father, I pray for my children to understand that the fruit you desire is obedience.  The fruit of Your spirit is a result of study and application of Your Holy Scriptures.  When we abide in You (obey You) all of this wonderful fruit just grows naturally.  When we disobey, we produce quite the opposite.  You say the wages of sin is death.  While we may not die physically immediately, our inner man dies and we are not the loving, joyful, peaceful, longsuffering, gentle, good, faithful, meek and self-controlled person You desire us to be.  


Oh, L-rd, I pray for you to protect my children from false teachers and prophets.  Many ignore or pervert Your Word to suit their lusts.  I pray for my children to recognize and discern these teachings.  They can only do this by knowing Your Word.  I also pray for them to be cautious of wrong translations of Your Scriptures.  New translations are completely changing Your Truth and leading many astray.   I pray for my children to be diligent to study and seek Your Wisdom and to understand that the New Testament does not contradict the Old.  They are in perfect union and harmony if one seeks understanding.

Father, I pray for my children to understand that Your Words and Your Ways are life, and to obey them, and teach their children to obey them.   There is wonderful promise of answered prayer in this passage, if we abide in You.  I pray for my children to recognize this treasure.

I offer this prayer in the mighty name of Yeshua, Ha-Mashiach. 


 

 I'm linking up today to Faith Filled Friday
and Spiritual Sundays