Category: More Manna

Extra Helpings

Alone

Alone

In Hebrew Strongs 910 the word is

badad: isolation, separation, alone

Original Word: בָּדָד
Part of Speech: noun masculine
Transliteration: badad
Phonetic Spelling: baw-dawd’
Definition: isolation, separation, alone

Word Origin from badad
Definition isolation, separation
NASB Translation
alone (6), apart (1), isolated (1), itself (1),

lonely (1), secluded (1)., desolate, only, solitary 

From badad; separate;

adverb, separately — alone, desolate, only, solitary.

The Hebrew word labad, which means entirely alone.

As we grow in our relationship with our Heavenly Father He graciously extends to us the gift of teachers and mentors. They are often in the positions of leadership, pastors and those individuals whose walk of faith has stood the test of time; who are mature not only in experience by age, but by walking with Him through many tests and trials which forge great trust in a faithful God.

It’s not wrong for us to depend on our Elijah for as long as our Heavenly Father gives him or her to us. However we must remember that the time will come when he or she must leave and will no longer be our guide and our leader; because God does not intend for them to stay permanently. Even though the thought of them leaving causes us to think and say initially, that we cannot go on without our Elijah.

Ecc. 3:1-8

Everything is for a season,

nothing stays the same forever,

only the Lord God is unchangeable.

The same yesterday, today and forever. Hebrews 13:8

However, our Father says we must continue. Even if those who are married have solace in one another, we must remember we still need a ‘one on one relationship’ with our Heavenly Father. For couples, the scripture reminds us in Genesis 2:24, Matt.9:5 and Mark 10:8. that The two shall become one flesh. But not one spirit. We shall all stand ALONE before the Lord God to give account; for no flesh shall inherit the kingdom of Heaven. 1 Cor. 15:49-50.49 And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so also shall we bear the likeness of the heavenly man. 50 Now I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.  Messiah came to save and redeem our souls and rebirth our spirit man. He did not endure calvary’s cross to save our flesh, we will leave our bodies behind along with everything else.

Job 1:21. He said, “Naked (without possessions) I came [into this world] from my mother’s womb, And naked I will return there. …

1 Timothy 6:7. 7 for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. Also Ps49:17 and Prov.27:24.

and the spirit returns to God from which it came. Ecc.12:7

We do ourselves a dis-service by clinging to people beyond the timing and purpose our Heavenly Father has for them in our lives. They are not our ultimate source for our needs and even spouse, family members and friends should never usurp the position reserved for the Lord Himself. Recognizing the seasons of the Lord in our lives is a sign of maturing faith and a sensitivity to the Lords leading.

ALONE at our Jordan.

2 kings 2:14

The Jordan river represents the type of separation where we have a God-ordained time of no fellowship with anyone else. and where no one else can take our responsibility from us. The Hebrew word for Jordan is Yarden, meaning: Descender; describing the downward journey of the waters from their source in the …… all the way to the sea of Galilee and onward down to its final destination at the dead sea.

For more on the Jordan click link below to post:

https://www.minimannamoments.com/what-is-the-connection-between-the-descender-a-spring-an-eye-a-dove-and-a-miracle/

The mountain top experiences we had with our Elijah are to sustain us as we descend into the dark valleys of the world where the needs are, and the shadows of death challenge our faith and relationship with our Heavenly Father. Remembering they are only shadows!

We have been to the Jordan many times with Elijah, but now we are to face it ALONE.

At our Jordan, we now have to put to the test, and practice what we learned when we were with our Elijah.

There is no use in saying that we cannot GO because the experience we need for our growth is here, and we must GO.

We have received the mantle, the representation of the anointing to equip us for our role; similar to the passing of the baton in a relay race, the last of the team members reaching the goal of the finish line. Here too we may become a mentor to another Elisha by passing on what we have received of the Lord to another generation.

Since the Holy Spirit of the living God was poured out at Pentecost/shavuot, there began the ecclesia, the messianic congregation and the multiplication of mentors and followers as Messiah commanded all of us to GO therefore and make disciples of all nations….Matt.28:19-20

If we truly want to know whether or not God is the God our faith believes Him to be, then we must GO through our Jordan/Yarden/Descender ALONE. WE must receive our mentors mantle of scriptural truth in knowledge and experience, and make it our own. We are to strike the waters of the Yarden/Descender in faith and believe for miracles to be manifest on our own life …these signs shall follow them that believe. Mark 16:17-18 and Greater things than this shall you do. John 12:13-14…

Remembering Elishas request was for a double portion of his mentors spirit. 2 Kings 2:9. Which was clearly manifested in the miracles recorded in scripture.

Here is another type of GO.

We looked at some others in: 

https://www.minimannamoments.com/go-go-go-go-go/

ALONE at our Jericho. 2Kings 2:15. Jericho represents the place where we have seen our Elijah do great things. Yet when we come ALONE to our Jericho, we have a strong reluctance to take the initiative and trust in God, wanting instead for someone else to take it for us. Yet those from the guild/school of prophets recognized the same spirit that was on Elijah was now on Elisha.v.15

However, if we remain true to what we learned while with your Elijah you will receive a sign as Elisha did, that God is with you. Here he brought a solution to the bad water that was causing miscarriages and healed the water. 19-23.

We have to step out in faith and that means having faith and trust in the One who works the miracles. We must have faith in Gods’ ability to do exactly what He says He can and will do, not faith in ourselves.

 Picture below is the same spring as it still exists today.

ALONE at our Bethel. 2Kings 2:23/24

At our Bethel we will find ourselves at our wits end, meaning, we have no answers of our own and don’t know what to do. It is then we are at the beginning of our Heavenly Fathers wisdom. James 1:5 reminds us:

If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

When we come to our wits end and are looking physically at the seemingly impossible situation we find ourselves in, we feel overwhelmed and inclined to panic. This is where we don’t panic but instead, stand true to the Lord God and He will bring out His truth in a way and solution to the problem, that will make our lives an expression of worship. Then He gets all the glory. The personal abuse and impending attack that was threatening Elisha by 42 boys, cost the perpetrators dearly. God used His creation in the form of 2 mother bears to defend His servant in a way we would probably not thought of.

(Noted in the painting below is that the figure for Elisha has a full head of hair!)

Here in 2Kings 2:23-25 the question often asked is:

Why did God through Elisha kill 42 boys who called him baldy?

It seems an extreme reaction. However, if we examine this scene more closely from a Hebraic perspective, there is a more reasonable explanation.

Elisha purifies water in Bethel and saves the town from disease and the women from suffering miscarriages. A large gang of 42 youths/boys, as some translations render it, suddenly surround Elisha yelling “go away baldly” to which Elisha points at them and, curses them and they are ripped to shreds by 2 large female bears that simply appear out of nowhere.

It would seem Elisha has these young children mauled for calling him bald, but this encounter requires context. The word used for youth/little boy, refers to any person below 40 years of age in the Bible. So these were young people of about 20 years of age or older. (The same term is used of Solomon in 1 Kings 3:7).

Biblical tradition also holds that the gang was actually a cartel, controlling the water source, Elisha had ruined their business! Surrounding him and yelling, ‘go away’, implies they were not allowing him to leave peacefully but that they were going to beat him very severely, possibly to the death. Note that Elisha did not call out the bears, God did! Two female bears came out and tore up forty-two young men.

Isaiah.58:8-9  Gods ways are not our ways and they are always the best, even when we don’t fully understand what He is doing. When we look back, we see and understand.

We are all wise in hindsight.

These are the times we are to put into practice what we learned while with our Elijah, to use the mantle we have received and pray. (2:13-14). We must make a determined decision to trust in God and do not even look for Elijah any more.

We are not to give in to fear, it’s a faith killer. God’s Kingdom operates on faith, trust, love and life; the devils kingdom is ruled by fear, betrayal, hate and death.

When we look at circumstances in the natural realm around us, we sometimes believe what our 5 physical senses are telling us rather than the true reality that our spiritual senses will perceive, if we operate by them. We read in Matthew 8, where even the disciples who were with Him in the storm had doubts, so we should not condemn ourselves too harshly. However He did say to them, “Why are you fearful o you of little faith.” Matt 8:26.

This expression ‘little faith’, is better translated as ‘immature faith’, faith that has not yet grown into a mature, deep trust and still has aways to go. It must have cut to the heart of them, and they no doubt thought that once more they had missed the mark and fallen short of the expectations of their Rabbi. So too, we will feel the sting, when we realize we could have brought great joy to our savior by remaining absolutely confident in Him, in spite of what we were facing.

When we are afraid the least we can do is pray to the Father. However He has a right to expect that those who call on His Name have an underlying confidence in Him. God expects His children to be so confident in Him, that in any crisis, they are the ones who are reliable; and in that position are able to render service to others. Yet sometimes our trust is only in God up to a certain point, then we turn back to the panic stricken prayers like those who do not even know God.

We come to our wits end, which is the end of our natural senses and abilities, the end of ourselves; revealing that we don’t have even the slightest amount of confidence in Him or in His sovereign control of the world. To those who don’t have a personal relationship with Him, He seems to be asleep or not concerned or interested in our plight; and we can see nothing but giant breaking waves on the sea ahead of us.

There are times, although seldom, when there is no storm or crisis in our lives and we continue to do all that is humanly possible. But it’s when a crisis arises, then we instantly reveal upon whom we really rely.

Where does our help come from?

If we have been learning to worship our Heavenly Father and to place our trust in Him, the crisis will reveal that we can go to the point of breaking, yet without breaking our confidence in Him. Faith is like a muscle, a spiritual muscle, and only gets stronger when it is stretched to splitting; then when it heals it has increased resistance, power and durability.

In previous posts we have been looking at faith, trust, sanctification and holiness but what will be the result in our lives? As we continue to look to Him, the author and finisher of our lives, relationship will be expressed in our lives as a peaceful resting in God; truly filled with His shalom, which will make us not only blameless in His sight but also bring a great joy to His heart.

We may feel ALONE and He may sometimes require us to be ALONE for our personal instruction.

However, the truth is we are never entirely ALONE.

He is ALWAYS there, and many times if we don’t perceive His presence, He is not the one who moved away.

Shalom aleikhem

chaverim and mishpachah!

Peace to friends and family.

Shavua Tov, Have a blessed week.

Make certain Messiah Jesus/Yeshua is your Redeemer, Savior, Lord, Deliverer and soon returning King; and that you have a personal relationship with Him.

It’s all about Life and Relationship, NOT Religion.

You are very precious in His sight.

Not sure ..you can be…

SIMPLY SAY THE FOLLOWING MEANING IT FROM YOUR HEART..don’t delay one more minute,

SAY IT RIGHT NOW…

Heavenly Father I come to you in the Name of Jesus/Yeshua asking for forgiveness of my sins for which I am truly sorry. I repent of them all and turn away from my past. I believe with my heart and confess with my mouth that Jesus/Yeshua is your Son and that He died on the cross at calvary to pay the price for my sin, so that I might be forgiven and have eternal life in the kingdom of Heaven. Father I believe that Jesus/Yeshua rose from the dead and I ask you to come into my life right now and be my personal Savior and Lord and I will worship you all the days of my life. Because your word is truth I say that I am now forgiven and born again and by faith I am washed clean with the blood of Jesus/Yeshua. Thank you that you have accepted me into your family in Jesus’/Yeshua’s name.

How Many Ways Are There?

We are all familiar with Messiahs own words:

I AM the WAY the TRUTH and the LIFE.

In Hebrew it’s

Ha Derek ha emet ha chaim.

We know Yeshua/Jesus is Truth/Emet because God’s Word is the Truth and He is the Word made flesh and the One Who dwelt among us (John 1:14) and He is the Life/chaim. Eternal life in the spirit, everlasting life from above, from the Father through Yeshua/Jesus and no man comes to the Father but by Me. John 14:6

What about THE WAY? What does that mean?

We can understand truth and apply that to our lives by doing what the scriptures tell us to do in obedience and faithfulness.

We can believe for everlasting life through Yeshua/Jesus sacrificial death and resurrection. By faith in the Son of God who gave His life a ransom for many. Galatians 2:20

How do we describe the Way and

how do we apply that to our lives?

The term WAY was a popular turn of phrase used to describe believers in, and followers of Messiah long before they were called Christians in Antioch. Acts 11:25-30

In fact the WAY is used more than 50x in the Hebrew scriptures and 12x in the Brit Chadashah/New Testament. The first time was in Genesis 18:19 in a reference to a walk, a halakah with the Lord God. Abraham I know him and they will keep the WAY of the Lord.

What a challenge to each of us! Can that be said of us? The Lord knows us also are we keeping the way of the Lord?

It was also in Genesis 3:24 at the entrance to Eden.

In Acts 9:2 …who were of the Way …haderek

and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.

The WAY refers to those who are totally committed to God it is those who walk with Him continually not just one or 2 days a week or when its convenient. It’s a total life style change, completely changing priorities by laying aside our plans, goals, methods and ways of doing things; and instead putting the Lord and His WAY first.

There are many other WAYS described in the scriptures and looking at these will help us to know what His way is, and also which ways are not our Heavenly Fathers ways.

The WAY of life the path to life. Proverbs 2:19

The WAY of death.. 

all sin when it is full brings forth death.

James 1:15

Romans 6:23. the wages of sin is death.

The WAY of sin is by giving in to the evil inclination of the old man and the lusts and ungodly desires of the flesh. To satisfy cravings which can lead to addictions and obsessions in the form of lures, traps and snares. 2Timothy 2:26. snare of the devil being taken captive a prisoner and slave.

We are to pray that they come to their senses and escape.

Genesis 3:14-20 The WAY of Cain is one that leads to murder; it’s a road from jealousy, to hate, to anger which can lead to murder. This is a warning of not being self absorbed and selfish and only thinking of, what we want in the way that we want it and think that it should be.

“The WAY of Cain” refers to

Genesis 4:16:

Then Cain went out from the presence of the Lord,

and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden. 

The WAY of Balaam is a description and example of cursing what is good for monetary gain. Balaam tried to go against the will of God. 

 

The WAY of the world and its’ systems, which are under control of the adversary or he couldn’t have offered them to Jesus/Yeshua. And he said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to.

Luke 4:6

Korah (Korach) was the leader of a rebellion against Moses and his brother Aaron, during the journey of the Israelites from Egypt to the Land of Israel. As punishment, he met his end by miraculously being swallowed up by the earth. His story is told in the Book of Numbers.

Korah was a great-grandson of Levi, the third of Jacob’s twelve sons, and a first cousin to Moses and Aaron, the Jewish leader and High Priest, respectively. 

Korah was born in Egypt,2 at the time when the Jews were enslaved to King Pharaoh. He experienced the miraculous Exodus from Egypt and journey through the Red Sea on dry land, and received the Torah at Mount Sinai along with the rest of his brethren.

Korah was extremely wealthy, and was a clever and astute individual. His status as a member of the Levite tribe enabled him to participate in the service in the Mishkan, the portable sanctuary the Jews carried with them throughout their journey to the Promised Land. 

Despite, and because of, his many qualities, he felt able to take a stand against Moses and Aaron, which ultimately led to his downfall.

The rebellion of Korah demonstrates the serious consequences of usurping the authority of God and of those whom He has chosen to be leaders of His people.

 Jude 1:11 Woe to them! They have taken the way of Cain; they have rushed for profit into Balaam’s error; they have been destroyed in Korah’s rebellion.

The WAY of light from the first, let there be light, spiritual light not physical light. God was separating light from darkness before He created the sun, moon and stars. In Him there is no darkness. 1 John 1:5 This is the message [of God’s promised revelation] which we have heard from Him and now announce to you, that God is Light [He is holy, His message is truthful, He is perfect 

and John 1:1-4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.

which is adhering to the truth.

The path in Proverbs 4:18 is the one that gets ever brighter as we walk it correctly.

The WAY of honesty, walking in truth and not defrauding others. God hates the false balance.

Proverbs 2:13 those who leave the paths of honesty to walk the ways of darkness.

Proverbs 10:29 The WAY of Adonai is a stronghold to the upright but ruin to those who do evil.

The WAY of darkness where promises of fame, fortune, power, influence and control can tempt people, luring them into dark ways to get what they want. It causes the drive to fulfilling all the lusts and desires of the carnal, unregenerate, human psyche which began in eden. The lust of the eyes. the desire for knowledge and wisdom to be like God, and the pride of life; they never change and are powerful means of causing humanity to walk along the wrong way.

The WAY of compromise, toying with options and playing with fire. Can a man take fire in his bosom and not be burned? Prov.6:27. Those who compromise paddle in the shallows of sin, and over time are swept away in the tides of temptations.

The WAY of good people. Prov. 2:20 and paths of the righteous. This WAY is taken by those who lay down their life to obey the Lord because they love Him, and understand the price that was paid for our forgiveness and salvation. They have counted the cost, and count not their lives unto death as something to withhold from the one who died in their place.

The WAY of evildoers, Proverbs 4. Those with no desire to follow God, the tares we encounter in life, those whose names are not written in the Lambs book of life. Matthew 13:24-30.

Those who sometimes appear to be His, yet He will say to them I never knew you. Matt.7:21-23. That means they were never His in the first place.

Those of the serpents seed as clarified in Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman and between thy seed and her seed, 

The straight and narrow WAY, this is the way that Messiah said, there are few that find it, and yet we are to strive to enter in through that narrow way. Straight is the gate and this is the only WAY to the Father through Messiah, sadly many do not agree with this truth. It is a fact that it does not matter what we choose to believe, it will never change or alter what is the absolute truth.

“Enter through the narrow gate…But the gate is narrow and the way is difficult that leads to life, and there are few who find it. Matthew 7:13-14.

13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

The BroadWAY is wide and many there are that walk along that WAY and it is not strange that the famous place of entertainment, acting, fantasy and theatre is called BROADWAY – the one that leads to destruction.

Solomon reflects on things amazing to Him in

the way of an eagle, a serpent and a ship on the sea.

 Proverbs 30:19 KJV The way of an eagle in the air; The way of a serpent upon a rock; The way of a ship in the midst of the sea; 

God has given us the power of freewill choice, to choose which WAY we will walk; and yet He also gives us the answer, choose this day whom you will serve and choose life.

Today is the day of salvation, today is the day to choose life, there are always going to be daily choices, which one will we commit to? Only one WAY leads to life/chaim. By applying the guidelines all through the scriptures, we can become not only His children and not only believers, followers and servants; but we can become His disciples and those He calls His friends.

All these are rooted in the spiritual laws that are eternal in nature and yet are invisible to humanity but like the wind that we cannot see, we can see the results of its influence. The fruit of our actions in life will be visible to everyone and the spiritual doors we leave open in our lives can give opportunity to unclean spirits. These will not wait for an invitation but take advantage of our weaknesses and long to steal, kill and destroy our lives;. They will ultimately draw us away from the kingdom of light, love and life; and condemn us to the kingdom of darkness, hate and spiritual death, which is eternal separation from our heavenly father.

If we will place our trust in Him, He is the One Who is able to keep us from falling, Jude 1:24, we must simply keep our eyes on Him and He promises to help us when we cry out to Him.

He will not leave us or forsake us…. Ever!

The following song by Phil Wickham was to have been included in last weeks post: the Guardian in our Refiners Fire. Although titled: ‘It’s Always Been You’, the lyrics include the words My guardian was always You. As our Guardian, He is always there, sometimes ahead of us leading the way, sometimes walking with us along the way, and sometimes behind us saying:

And thy ears shall hear the word of one admonishing thee behind thy back: This is the way, walk ye in it: and go not aside neither to the right hand, nor to the left. Isaiah 30:21

Don’t pass the point of no return….

because there are many WAYS to choose daily.

Stay on the narrow WAY...

the only WAY…

Shalom aleikhem

chaverim and mishpachah!

Peace to friends and family.

Shavua Tov, Have a blessed week.

Make certain Messiah Jesus/Yeshua is your Redeemer, Savior, Lord, Deliverer and soon returning King; and that you have a personal relationship with Him.

It’s all about Life and Relationship, NOT Religion.

You are very precious in His sight.

Not sure ..you can be…

SIMPLY SAY THE FOLLOWING MEANING IT FROM YOUR HEART..don’t delay one more minute,

SAY IT RIGHT NOW…

Heavenly Father I come to you in the Name of Jesus/Yeshua asking for forgiveness of my sins for which I am truly sorry. I repent of them all and turn away from my past. I believe with my heart and confess with my mouth that Jesus/Yeshua is your Son and that He died on the cross at calvary to pay the price for my sin, so that I might be forgiven and have eternal life in the kingdom of Heaven. Father I believe that Jesus/Yeshua rose from the dead and I ask you to come into my life right now and be my personal Savior and Lord and I will worship you all the days of my life. Because your word is truth I say that I am now forgiven and born again and by faith I am washed clean with the blood of Jesus/Yeshua. Thank you that you have accepted me into your family in Jesus’/Yeshua’s name.

The Guardian In Our Refiners Fire.

The Word of God tells us

He is our protection

and that

He takes care of us.

Psalms 121:5-8  The LORD is your guardian; the LORD is your shade at your right hand. By day the sun will not strike you, nor the moon by night. The LORD will guard you from all evil; he will guard your soul. The LORD will guard your coming and going both now and forever. Nabre KJV NIV NLT NKJV ESV.

Some translations use the word protector,

some say keeper,

some say guardian and others preserver.

This word guardian is one we often use for a person who protects another, or is given legal responsibility over another.

To guard or a guard, a watchman meaning:

someone or something that guards to a legal custodian of a minor or property.

Psalm 121:5 The Lord is your Guardian; the Lord is your shadow; [He is] by your right hand. ה יְהֹוָ֥ה שֹֽׁמְרֶ֑ךָ יְהֹוָ֥ה צִ֜לְּךָ֗ עַל־יַ֥ד יְמִינֶֽךָ: 6 By day, the sun will not smite you, nor will the moon at night.

 השומר 

שומר    shomar/shomer guardian

A word used in Hebrew for guardian is Shomer

Strong’s Hebrew: 7763. שׁוֹמֵר (Shomer)

… Σωμηρ; = שֶׁמֶר 2b.

Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance

Shomer {sho-mare’}; active participle of shamar ; keeper;

Also:

Strong’s Hebrew: 8104. שָׁמַר (shamar) — to keep, watch, preserve

keep (156), keeper (8 ), keepers (2 ), keeping (10), keeps (19), kept

The Hebrew root for the verb protect in the verse is

shamar

which first appears in Genesis 2:15.

This is where Adam was told to tend and shamar/guard the garden. It’s also used in Genesis 17:9 where Adam was instructed to keep His covenant.

Shamar is used over 400 times in the Old Testament/Tanakh and its basic meaning is:

to exercise great care over

to watch over

to guard

to take heed and

to tend or restrain, as a flock of sheep.

Strong’s Hebrew: 7778. שׁוֹעֵר (shoer) — a gatekeeper

… shaar Definition a gatekeeper NASB Translation gatekeeper (2 ), gatekeepers (33), gatekeepers* (1 ), keeper (1 ) .

Brown-Driver-Briggs שֹׁעֵר37 noun masculine porter (denominative from שַׁעַר); — absolute  2Chronicles 31.

 guardian noun. guardians. שׁוֹמֵר, מֵגֵן; אַפּוֹטְרוֹפּוּס.

Example sentences of using guardian as a noun:

After the death of her parents, her uncle was appointed as her guardian.

More Hebrew words for guardian.

noun אַפּוֹטרוֹפּוֹס. custodian, bailee.

noun אְפִּיטרוֹפּוּס. administrator, trustee, custodian, executor, procurator.

5The Lord is your Guardian; the Lord is your shadow; [He is] by your right hand.

            היְהֹוָ֥ה שֹֽׁמְרֶ֑ךָ יְהֹוָ֥ה צִ֜לְּךָ֗ עַל־יַ֥ד יְמִינֶֽךָ:


7The Lord will guard you from all evil; He will guard your soul. זיְֽהֹוָ֗ה יִשְׁמָרְךָ֥ מִכָּל־רָ֑ע יִ֜שְׁמֹ֗ר אֶת־נַפְשֶֽׁךָ:

8The Lord will guard your going out and your coming in from now and to eternity. חיְֽהֹוָ֗ה יִשְׁמָר־צֵֽאתְךָ֥ וּבוֹאֶ֑ךָ מֵֽ֜עַתָּ֗ה וְעַד־עוֹלָֽם:

When we read all evil, the Hebrew word for

evil in this passage is ra.

It is a general term which may mean physical harm or personal distress; but more often refers to the immoral or evil actions of others, where evil infers everything that is out of harmony with our Heavenly Father and His kingdom.

In Ps. 121. The Lord who is the maker of heaven and earth

is the One Who will

preserve/shamar the soul/nefesh

of the one who looks to Him for help .

He will guard/shamar that soul and will not slumber,

He will watch over Israel /shamar and will not sleep. He is the keeper shamar of that soul and will both preserve/shamar that one from evil and guard/shamar its life from evil, the Lord God of Israel will guard/shamar that individuals coming and going forever.

The Lord will keep your going out and

your coming inform this time forth

and forevermore.

Ps. 121:8.

In response to Gods precise and caring protection of our lives, we are instructed to likewise guard our hearts and keep them engaged with the Lord.

Proverbs. 4:23

Above all else

guard your hearts

for out of it flow the springs of life.

Tehillim (Psalms) – Chapter 121

1A song for ascents. I shall raise my eyes to the mountains, from where will my help come?

אשִׁ֗יר לַֽמַּֽ֫עֲל֥וֹת אֶשָּׂ֣א עֵ֖ינַי אֶל־הֶֽהָרִ֑ים מֵ֜אַ֗יִן יָבֹ֥א עֶזְרִֽי:

2My help is from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.

בעֶזְרִי מֵעִ֣ם יְהֹוָ֑ה עֹ֜שֵׂ֗ה שָׁמַ֥יִם וָאָֽרֶץ:

3He will not allow your foot to falter; Your Guardian will not slumber.

גאַל־יִתֵּ֣ן לַמּ֣וֹט רַגְלֶ֑ךָ אַל־יָ֜נ֗וּם שֹֽׁמְרֶֽךָ:

4Behold the Guardian of Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

דהִנֵּ֚ה לֹ֣א יָ֖נוּם וְלֹ֣א יִישָׁ֑ן שׁ֜וֹמֵ֗ר יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:

5The Lord is your Guardian; the Lord is your shadow; [He is] by your right hand.

היְהֹוָ֥ה שֹֽׁמְרֶ֑ךָ יְהֹוָ֥ה צִ֜לְּךָ֗ עַל־יַ֥ד יְמִינֶֽךָ:

6By day, the sun will not smite you, nor will the moon at night.

ויוֹמָ֗ם הַשֶּׁ֥מֶשׁ לֹֽא־יַ֜כֶּ֗כָּה וְיָרֵ֥חַ בַּלָּֽיְלָה:

7The Lord will guard you from all evil; He will guard your soul.

זיְֽהֹוָ֗ה יִשְׁמָרְךָ֥ מִכָּל־רָ֑ע יִ֜שְׁמֹ֗ר אֶת־נַפְשֶֽׁךָ:

8The Lord will guard your going out and your coming in from now and to eternity.

חיְֽהֹוָ֗ה יִשְׁמָר־צֵֽאתְךָ֥ וּבוֹאֶ֑ךָ מֵֽ֜עַתָּ֗ה וְעַד־עוֹלָֽם:

1I lift up my eyes to the hills. 

From where does my help come?

2My help comes from the LORD, 

the Maker of heaven and earth.

3He will not allow your foot to slip; 

your Protector will not slumber.

4Behold, the Protector of Israel 

will neither slumber nor sleep.

5The LORD is your keeper; 

the LORD is the shade on your right hand.

6The sun will not strike you by day, 

nor the moon by night.

7The LORD will guard you from all evil; 

He will preserve your soul.

8The LORD will watch over your coming and going, 

both now and forevermore.

7778. shoer

Strong’s Concordance

shoer: a gatekeeper

Original Word: שׁוֹעֵר
Transliteration: shoer
Phonetic Spelling: (sho-are’)
Definition: a gatekeeper

Psalm 121 is a treasure of promise for any believer going through suffering or a crisis in life, whose

“help comes from the Lord ” (verse 2).

In verses 1–2, the psalmist gives glory to the Lord for His guardianship, then he gives assurance to others in verses 3–8. First declaring the nature of God in His role as guarding us in verse 3–4: “He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.”

In the other 4 times this is written in scripture its at a point where someone who is, or is anticipated by being, overcome by divine judgment, for example in Deuteronomy 32:35.

Then in Psalm 38:16,17 for personal sin or weakness or for enemy oppression as in Psalm 66:9; 94:18. When he said, “He will not allow your foot to slip,” he was probably speaking of the perseverance of the saints.

We need to remember that the psalmist is not promising the absence of pain or that we won’t fail. He is however, promising that, in the middle of the storms of adversity, His children will be protected; not because of their own doing, but because of the preserving hand of the grace and mercy of our Heavenly Father.

We are assured in John 10:27-30 that No one can snatch His sheep out of His hand, and the One who has justified us will never again condemn us according to Romans 8:33–34.

This is a promise we can count on!

And is the confidence we have in Him that today that we will remain with Him. This promise is consistent and unchanging. He is with us always. For us it is always today, however for our Guardian Father, He has seen all our tomorrows and has already made provision for us in them; and all we have to do is follow in His footsteps.

All that remains for us to do is to thank Him, remain totally dependent on Him and humbly ask for His grace to sustain us.

Together with ensuring our perseverance, in the first part of verse 3, our Heavenly Father’s guardianship also means He is constantly watching over our souls (verses 3b–4).

The Hebrew words in verse 4 suggest:

a development from that which goes before it.

In contrast the words in verse 3 imply

“your Guardian” will not slumber now,

verse 4 stresses

“Israel’s Guardian” will never slumber nor sleep.

In Psalm 127:2 we are assured that God “gives to his beloved sleep”, and we are able to rest only because we know God never does. Isaiah 40:28 declares “The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary”. Your Heavenly Father the Creator of the Universe is always awake, always aware, and always watching over His children as our Guardian.

We are not to put our hope in ourselves today, or at any time; if it were not for the Lord, we would surely stumble, slip and fall.

It is because of His ever-sustaining mercy, our faith will remain. We have His promise in Psalm 94:16–18: “Who stands up for me against evil doers? If Yahweh had not been my help, my soul would soon have lived in the land of silence. When I thought, ‘My foot slips,’ your steadfast love, O Yahweh, held me up.” 

We are sustained by the steadfast love of the Lord. It never ceases but it is renewed every dawn. Lamentations 3:22–23. 

The days in which we are living are stressful to put it mildly. Many are facing issues that were un-thought of even just a few years ago.

Whether our sleepless nights are filled with pain, tears and prayers or caring for children and maybe the sick and elderly, God is with us to provide all the energy and grace we need. The key is, don’t forget Him but look to Him at any moment in our hour of need, day or night.

God’s your Guardian,
    right at your side to protect you—
Shielding you from sunstroke,
    sheltering you from moonstroke.

7-8 God guards you from every evil,
    he guards your very life.
He guards you when you leave and when you return,
    he guards you now, he guards you always.

Our Heavenly Father’s guardianship means that He ensures our perseverance as well as our protection. He constantly watches over His own through all the fiery trials we will encounter. Peter encourages us in 1Peter 4:12,13. To think it not strange….

A great example for us is:

The 3 Hebrew children in the fiery furnace.

The three Jewish men refuse and express confidence that God will save them from the furnace, but even if He does not, they will still not worship the gods of Babylon.

They defied the king’s command and were willing to die rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.

29 Therefore, I make this decree: If any people, whatever their race or nation or language, speak a word against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, they will be torn limb from limb, and their houses will be turned into heaps of rubble.

In those days there was a requirement of self sacrifice among the Hebrew/Jewish people. There are three sins for which one is always required to die rather than transgress: idolatry, sexual misconduct such as incest, adultery, homosexuality, or bestiality and murder It was called

Yehareg ve’al ya’avor (“Let him be killed rather than transgress”)

refers to the requirement to give one’s life rather than transgress a law. Although ordinarily one is permitted to transgress halakha when a life is in danger, certain situations require one to give one’s life.

This is why they seemed undismayed to go through this trial. Their faith was strong in that they knew the Lord would protect them according to His plan for them as they were being obedient to those laws. One thing is certain the 4th figure in the furnace was their guardian in the refiners fire.

Daniel 3:16-28

25 He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.

Many think it was the pre-incarnate Messiah and others the angel Gabriel??

28 Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him…Whoever it was, the protection of a heavenly spiritual guardian could be seen by everyone!

We are tried by fiery trials to see if our faith in Him is built on the right foundation.

God never once promised we would be without difficulties, in fact, Yeshua/Jesus promised we would have trials in this life: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” John 16:33.

What fiery furnace are we faced with?

What refining fire is trying us?

Family relationships, a tough marriage?

Perhaps a job loss or the passing of a loved one, or so many other issues we all face.

We may not be threatened by a furnace or required to give our physical lives before bowing to a foreign god and/or denying our Messiah Yeshua/Jesus. But sometimes the trials and testings of our faith can many times seem like they will be more than we can handle. However we must not give up because the word says in 1 Corinthians 10:13-16  Every test that you have experienced is the kind that normally comes to people. But God keeps his promise, and he will not allow you to be tested beyond your power to remain firm; at the time you are put to the test, he will give you the strength to endure it, and so provide you with a way out.

And when we endure we can say with Job, when I am tried I will come forth as gold. Job 23:10.

The guardian of our lives will never leave us nor forsake us

and the trial will not be greater than we can bear.

There are always more with us than there are against us just as Elisha showed Gehazi in

2 Kings 6:16 “Do not be afraid,” Elisha answered, “for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”

The angels are always around us on assignment from

the guardian of our souls,

we just don’t always see them with our physical eyes but …

they are there.

He is the guardian in our refining fire.

Shalom aleikhem

chaverim and mishpachah!

Peace to friends and family.

Shavua Tov, Have a blessed week.

Make certain Messiah Jesus/Yeshua is your Redeemer, Savior, Lord, Deliverer and soon returning King; and that you have a personal relationship with Him.

It’s all about Life and Relationship, NOT Religion.

You are very precious in His sight.

Not sure ..you can be…

SIMPLY SAY THE FOLLOWING MEANING IT FROM YOUR HEART..don’t delay one more minute,

SAY IT RIGHT NOW…

Heavenly Father I come to you in the Name of Jesus/Yeshua asking for forgiveness of my sins for which I am truly sorry. I repent of them all and turn away from my past. I believe with my heart and confess with my mouth that Jesus/Yeshua is your Son and that He died on the cross at calvary to pay the price for my sin, so that I might be forgiven and have eternal life in the kingdom of Heaven. Father I believe that Jesus/Yeshua rose from the dead and I ask you to come into my life right now and be my personal Savior and Lord and I will worship you all the days of my life. Because your word is truth I say that I am now forgiven and born again and by faith I am washed clean with the blood of Jesus/Yeshua. Thank you that you have accepted me into your family in Jesus’/Yeshua’s name.

GO, GO, GO, GO, GO…

There are many things

that Messiah commands us to

GO and DO.

GO

in Hebrew is

halak: to go, come, walk

Strongs #1980

Original Word: הָלַךְ
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: halak
Phonetic Spelling: (haw-lak’)
Definition: to go, come, walk

Genesis 12:1 
HEB: אֶל־ אַבְרָ֔ם לֶךְ־ לְךָ֛ מֵאַרְצְךָ֥
NAS: to Abram, Go forth from your country,
INT: to Abram Go your country your relatives

Brown-Driver-Briggs

הָלַךְ1545  verb go, come, walk (MI ואהלך, לך; SI וילכו; Late Hebrew הִלֵּךְ (rare), Aramaic הֲלַךְ, הַךְ (also Biblical Aramaic), 

Strong’s Hebrew: 4109. מַהֲלָך

(mahalak) — a walk, journey …

From halak; a walk,

i.e. A passage or a distance — journey, walk

  verb: go, 

1545

  הָלַךְ

Similar to

shema  שָׁמַע  šāmaʿ

which means:

hear and obey, listen and do.

8085 Strong’s Hebrew: 8085.

שָׁמַע (shema/shama) — to hear

In ancient Hebrew,

there is no separate word for 

obey,

which has the meaning of:

to carry out the wishes of

someone who knows better than you

or is an authority over you;

the word shema describes hearing and also its effects – taking heed, being obedient, doing what is asked.

These are all action words.

The same word for Go is the same word used as for

walk as in:

the walk, the journey through life of faith and obedience as a follower/disciple of our Heavenly Father and His Messiah; walking through life with a divinely inspired purpose.

Close in meaning to the word halakah, also spelled halakhah.

Isaiah 30:21: “And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when you turn to the right hand, and when you turn to the left.”

It comes from the root word halak and has a feminine ending, with the idea of nurturing, loving and caring.

It literally means:

the way to walk or the way to behave.

Many rabbis often referred to it as the law/instruction. This is because it is believed to be derived from an old Akkadian word

iku, which means; a property tax

and the Aramaic halak, where it means: an obligation.

We are to understand that this is more than taking a casual stroll, it’s speaking of the way in which we are obligated to live our lives. This is a reason the Jews have adopted this word halak and now associate it with the Torah and the 613 commandments; because it’s in the Torah/instruction, that we are taught the godly way to live.

One example is in Matthew 5:41 

and another is

Matthew 28:10

But possibly the one we are most familiar with is the

GO and make disciples of all nations…

Matthew 28:19

however there are other times Messiah said GO.

These were all spoken to His disciples and if we are also His disciples/talmidim then these GO’s are also for us.

There is the GO of Reconciliation. If you bring your gift to the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you…It’s not saying if we are to search and find something because of our unbalanced sensitivity, but rather if you remember …in other words if something is brought to our conscious mind by the Spirit of our Heavenly Father in us. First GO, be reconciled to your brother and then come and offer your gift.

Matthew 5:23,24

 We are not ever to raise an objection to the sensitivity of the Holy Spirit of our Heavenly Father in us when He is instructing us concerning a situation because He will point out that which needs our attention, right down to the smallest detail.

First be reconciled to your brother/sister. Our Lords directive is simple First be reconciled… He says in effect GO back the way you came- the way indicated to us by the conviction given to us at the altar. We are to have an attitude in our mind and soul toward the person who has something against us, that makes reconciliation as natural as breathing. Jesus/Yeshua does not mention the other person. He says for us to GO. It’s not a matter of our rights. The true mark of His children is that they can waive their own rights and obey the Lord.

And then come and offer your gift. The process of reconciliation is clearly marked. First we have the reaction of self sacrifice followed by a sudden restraint as we are stopped at the point of our conviction by the sensitivity of the Holy Spirit.

Then this is followed by obedience to the Word of God which builds an attitude, or state of mind, that places no blame on the one with whom we have been in the wrong; and finally there is the simple unhindered offering of our gift to the Father. We are to be reconciled to our brothers and sister in Messiah as well as to our Heavenly Father which is an essential part of the Gospel we are to share with the world.

Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.[ a]The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling[ b] the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 2 Cor.  5:11-20

The GO of Renunciation:

Someone said to him lord I will follow you wherever you go.

Our Lords’ attitude toward this man was one of severe discouragement, for He knew what was in man. John 2:25

We would have possibly thought or even said, I can’t understand why you missed the opportunity of winning that man by being so cold to him and turning him away so discouraged.

We must never apologize for the Lord, or question why He deals with individuals the way He does. The words of our Lord sometimes hurt and offend, until there is nothing left to be hurt or offended. Doesn’t this fly in the face of popular images of ‘gentle Jesus meek and mlld’, Who is all loving and forgiving?

We need to understand this ‘God kind of love’; Messiah had no tenderness whatsoever toward anything that was ultimately going to ruin a person in his service to God, or cause them to ultimately lose their souls. Messiah’s answers were not based on some whim or impulsive thought, but on the knowledge of what was in man. Words are cheap, people can say all manner of offers, promises and even quote copious amounts of scripture, sounding very spiritual, however the Lord looks at the heart, the inward person. He knows each one of us, intimately. No one fools Him.

If the Holy Spirit of our Heavenly Father brings to our minds a word of the Lord that hurts us, we can be sure that there is something in us that He wants to hurt to the point of its’ death! It’s part of the process of crucifying that ugly flesh, our carnal old man.

Luke 9:57,58 These words destroy the argument of serving Messiah Jesus Christ/Yeshua HaMashiach because it is a pleasant, lovely and easy thing to do! It is not and we need to stop telling new converts that all their problems will now vanish because it is not the truth. The strictness of the rejection that He demands of us, allows for nothing to remain in our lives but Him, our Savior and Lord, ourselves, and a sense of the desperate need for forgiveness, reconciliation and eternal unity with Him.

He says that we must let everyone else come and go, and that we must be guided solely by our relationship to Him and He says the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head. He wanted and needed nothing that this world offers, He was not putting down roots or building a life here but simply passing through; and it would help us greatly to remember, that the same is true for us.

Luke 9:59. This man did not want to disappoint Jesus/Yeshua, nor did he want to show a lack of respect for his natural earthly father. Many times we put our sense of loyalty to our relatives ahead of our loyalty to Messiah Jesus Christ/Yeshua Ha Mashiach, forcing Him to take last place. When our loyalties conflict, we should always obey Jesus/Yeshua whatever the cost. This is not what people want to hear but anything else is self-centered and rooted in what we want and prefer for our lives. We compromise and choose which parts of His Gospel we like and leave what is not convenient. He sees and knows….

Luke 9:61. the person who says

Lord I will follow you but….

This individual Is the one who is intensely ready to GO, but never goes and this man in the story had reservations about going. The exacting call of Messiah has no room for goodbyes; goodbyes as we often use them are ‘pagan’ not ‘Christian,’ because they divert us from the call. Once the call of God to GO for Him comes to us, start GO-ing and never stop.

The GO of Unconditional Identification.

Mark 10:21 Jesus said to him one thing you lack go your way sell whatever you have and give to the poor and come, take up the cross and follow me.

The rich young ruler had the controlling passion to be perfect. When he saw Messiah he wanted to be like him. Messiah never places anyone’s personal holiness above everything else when He calls a disciple. Jesus/Yeshua’s primary consideration is our absolute annihilation of our right to ourselves; and our identification with Him. Which means having a relationship separate with Him in which there are no other relationships.

Luke 14:26 has little if anything to do with salvation or sanctification. But rather deals solely with unconditional identification with Messiah Yeshua HaMashiach/Jesus Christ. Very few of us truly know what is meant by the absolute GO of unconditional identification with, complete abandonment and total surrender to Jesus/Yeshua.

Then Jesus looking at him loved him. Mark 10:21.

This look of Jesus/Yeshua will require breaking our hearts away forever from allegiance to any other person or thing.

Has Yeshua/Jesus ever looked this way at you?

This look of Messiah’s transforms, penetrates, and captivates. Where we are soft and pliable with Him is where He has looked at us. If we are hard and vindictive, insisting on having our own way always certain that the other person is more likely to be in the wrong than we are, then there are whole areas of our nature that have never been transformed by His gaze.

One thing you lack, from Messiah’s perspective oneness with Him with nothing in between is the only good thing.

Sell what ever you have.. We must humble ourselves until we are merely a living person. He is not saying we can’t have things, just that the things/possessions don’t have us! We must essentially renounce possessions of all kinds, that is, that our trust is not in them. This renunciation is not required for salvation, but it is to follow Jesus/Yeshua, because only one thing saves a person and that is absolute reliance in faith upon Messiah Jesus Christ/Yeshua HaMashiach and His shed blood. 

Come and follow me…

and the narrow way is the way He went.

GO into all the world and preach the gospel. The gospel of His Kingdom, the Kingdom of the Heavens, not an earthly kingdom. It’s the gospel of Shalom/Peace, of reconciliation. It is good news to all who hear it because following repentance of our sins, it offers forgiveness of those sins and restoration into relationship with our Heavenly Father. It’s the offer of eternal life, of being born again from above by the Holy Spirit of the living Creator God of the universe. It is the fulfillment of prophecy that Messiah has come to be the perfect sacrifice. He is the propitiation for our sin. The One Who came to take our place and that His blood covered our sins once for all time. He has paid the price for our salvation, deliverance and new life in Him. The life we now live by faith in the Son of God.

Obedience is the twin of GO, it’s the spiritual rule to follow if we truly want to acquire spiritual understanding, and if we desire knowledge and insight into Messiahs teachings we can only obtain it through obedience. Intellectual curiosity is the guide for those who want scientific knowledge.

If spiritual things seem dark and hidden to us, then we can consider ourselves advised that there is a point of disobedience somewhere in our lives. Intellectual darkness is the result of ignorance, however spiritual darkness is the result of something that we don’t intend to obey; thinking in our hearts that He will understand, like we somehow get a special pass in that area.

No one ever receives a word from our Heavenly Father without immediately being put to the test concerning it. We disobey and then wonder why we’re not growing spiritually. As Yeshua/Jesus said and already noted previously in Matt. 5:23-24 if you bring your gift……First GO…

Isn’t He really telling us to not say another word to Him until we are first being obedient by making things right? Messiah’s teachings always hit us right where we are, straight to the point. We cannot stand in front of Him for even a second if we are in any way false. He always gives us instructions down to the very last detail. The Spirit of our Heavenly Father reveals our spirit of self-vindication, together with our defensive excuses and makes us sensitively aware of things that we have never even thought of previously.

When Messiah makes a very serious indication to us through His Word of something we need to address, we must not try to avoid it because if we do, we’ll become a religious phony.

We will know why we are not growing spiritually when we examine the things we tend to simply shrug our shoulders about, because it is usually where we have refused to be obedient; and obedience is the golden key to spiritual maturity.

Just as Messiah said, first Go, for each of us, even at the risk of being thought of as fanatical, we must obey what He tells us.

If we have ever heard Him say to us

GO

Why are we hesitating?

Why are we ignoring His command?

Why are we making. excuses?

Let’s GO and DO

whatever it is that He is asking of us.

All He is looking for are those with

willing, obedient, servant hearts.

He is the power in us to fulfill what we need to

GO!

Shalom aleikhem

chaverim and mishpachah!

Peace to friends and family.

Shavua Tov, Have a blessed week.

Make certain Messiah Jesus/Yeshua is your Redeemer, Savior, Lord, Deliverer and soon returning King; and that you have a personal relationship with Him.

It’s all about Life and Relationship, NOT Religion.

You are very precious in His sight.

Not sure ..you can be…

SIMPLY SAY THE FOLLOWING MEANING IT FROM YOUR HEART..don’t delay one more minute,

SAY IT RIGHT NOW…

Heavenly Father I come to you in the Name of Jesus/Yeshua asking for forgiveness of my sins for which I am truly sorry. I repent of them all and turn away from my past. I believe with my heart and confess with my mouth that Jesus/Yeshua is your Son and that He died on the cross at calvary to pay the price for my sin, so that I might be forgiven and have eternal life in the kingdom of Heaven. Father I believe that Jesus/Yeshua rose from the dead and I ask you to come into my life right now and be my personal Savior and Lord and I will worship you all the days of my life. Because your word is truth I say that I am now forgiven and born again and by faith I am washed clean with the blood of Jesus/Yeshua. Thank you that you have accepted me into your family in Jesus’/Yeshua’s name.