The LORD will not Forsake His People

According to commentary on this Psalm at iTorah.com, it is read each Wednesday in Jewish Services. The commentary states: “On the fourth day of creation. . .God created the sun and the moon, which eventually became objects of idol worship. On this day we therefore recite the chapter of Tehillim that speaks of the punishment God will visit upon the evildoers of the world. God created the earth to assist mankind in his endeavor to achieve spiritual perfection and closeness to God, but instead he has used it to betray the values which he came into the world to promote. In this chapter we pray that the world should soon realize the objective for which it was created, when those who prayed to the sun and moon – who misused the earth for sin and corruption – will be eliminated, and righteousness and virtue will finally prevail.”

1 O LORD, God of vengeance,
O God of vengeance, shine forth!

2 Rise up, O judge of the earth;
repay to the proud what they deserve!

3 O LORD, how long shall the wicked,
how long shall the wicked exult?

4 They pour out their arrogant words;
all the evildoers boast.

5 They crush your people, O LORD,
and afflict your heritage.

6 They kill the widow and the sojourner,
and murder the fatherless;

7 and they say, “The LORD does not see;
the God of Jacob does not perceive.”

8 Understand, O dullest of the people!
Fools, when will you be wise?

9 He who planted the ear, does he not hear?
He who formed the eye, does he not see?

10 He who disciplines the nations, does he not rebuke?
He who teaches man knowledge—

11 the LORD—knows the thoughts of man,
that they are but a breath.a

12 Blessed is the man whom you discipline, O LORD,
and whom you teach out of your law,

13 to give him rest from days of trouble,
until a pit is dug for the wicked.

14 For the LORD will not forsake his people;
he will not abandon his heritage;

15 for justice will return to the righteous,
and all the upright in heart will follow it.

16 Who rises up for me against the wicked?
Who stands up for me against evildoers?

17 If the LORD had not been my help,
my soul would soon have lived in the land of silence.

18 When I thought, “My foot slips,”
your steadfast love, O LORD, held me up.

19 When the cares of my heart are many,
your consolations cheer my soul.

20 Can wicked rulers be allied with you,
those who frameb injustice by statute?

21 They band together against the life of the righteous
and condemn the innocent to death.c

22 But the LORD has become my stronghold,
and my God the rock of my refuge.

23 He will bring back on them their iniquity
and wipe them out for their wickedness;
the LORD our God will wipe them out.

LORD Bless, Keep, Shine. . .

As Daniel Prayed

Daniel 9 4-19

This morning I felt a sorrow for our national rebellion. It stems from hearing a portion of a speech by President Reagan in which he quoted a visitor to the United States. This man had written about the greatness of America he saw through his visit to a church. The faith of Americans.

We have, as a nation, failed. Now we are in disastrous times. We will all suffer the consequences of our rebellion. Responsibility lies not the political left, and not in the political right. Responsibility lies with all.

Sitting on the upper deck, praying as Daniel prayed, I see the victory at hand, though this nation and all its wicked perish, those who will call upon the Name of the LORD shall be saved. And our LORD shall come to rule upon His Holy Hill. With a rod He will rule. And we, His People, shall be with Him, be like Him. Hallelujah!

As Luke quoted Jesus (Mark 13): Watch. Keep awake. The LORD comes.

Maranatha!

Is there a Moses in the House?

7 And the LORD said to Moses, “Go down, for your people, whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves. 8 They have turned aside quickly out of the way that I commanded them. They have made for themselves a golden calf and have worshiped it and sacrificed to it and said, ‘These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!’” 9 And the LORD said to Moses, “I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stiff-necked people. 10 Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them, in order that I may make a great nation of you.” Exodus 32.

11 But Moses implored the LORD his God and said, “O LORD, why does your wrath burn hot against your people, whom you have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? 12 Why should the Egyptians say, ‘With evil intent did he bring them out, to kill them in the mountains and to consume them from the face of the earth’? Turn from your burning anger and relent from this disaster against your people. 13 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, to whom you swore by your own self, and said to them, ‘I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have promised I will give to your offspring, and they shall inherit it forever.’” 14 And the LORD relented from the disaster that he had spoken of bringing on his people. Exodus 32.

That they may seek Your Name

Fill their faces with shame, And let them seek Your Name, O יהוה

This Psalm has been described as a “desperate, impassioned plea for God’s assistance during a time of war.” These days of rage and evil acts feel like a time of war. My initial response to acts of evil is to desire the perpetrator’s fall, even death. And certainly this Psalm speaks of this, requests it of G-D. “Let them be put to shame and dismayed forever; let them perish in disgrace,” the Psalmist cries out (v17). The Psalm also calls for another fate for those who would dare commit evil against G-D’s people. Once their faces are filled with shame, one shame has come upon them, worked in their being, the prayer is that they would seek the Name of G-D.

The Psalmist calls for those who partake in evil, who come against G-D’s people to come to a place of shame for their wickedness. The prayer is one of benevolent mercy, that the workers of evil seek the Name of G-D. This person must acknowledge the evil, turn from it, turn to G-D. I would add “while there is still time left to do so.” For there comes a time when there will no longer be a turning to G-D, a seeking of His Name.

It seems to me not all who do evil will actually seek G-D. Most will remain in their shame, barely even aware that they have done anything wrong. Most have no empathy, thus are not reformable. They will die and face G-D’s judgement, where they then will be forced to confront themselves, and the evil they’ve committed. They will know shame forever; they will feel shame forever and ever.

The question might arise: Does that mean the person responsible for wickedness, for evil actions, says, “Hey, Sorry, I’ll be good.” And simply goes free? Nope. That’s not how it works. There is forgiveness by a merciful G-D. And there are consequences in this life we live upon Earth. Through a true acceptance of Yeshua as our Lord and Savior, Son of G-D, our deeds on Earth are forgiven, and we are made whole and righteous spiritually, and prepared for eternal life in Heaven, with G-D. But while on Earth, we reap what we sow. “Chickens come home to roost.”

An illustration is Mr. Charles Denton Watson Jr. AKA Tex Watson. Ring a bell? If not, heard of Charles Manson, or perhaps The Manson Family? Tex Watson, a senior member of The Family, in 1971, was tried, found guilty of murder, and sent to prison in San Luis Obispo, CA. Through prison ministry efforts, in 1975 Tex Watson acknowledged his actions, turned from them and faced Yeshua, becoming part of the Family of Messiah, the Family of G-D.

But that’s not the end of the story. Tex Watson is still in prison. Tex Watson may be forgiven. Tex Watson lives with the consequences of his evil actions. While Tex Watson has been in prison, he’s published books, received a college education, started a Christian Ministry, and as far as I know, been instrumental in rehabilitation of many people. He’s been up for parole, and it has not been granted. Despite his new life and such accomplishments that have been made, Tex Watson is still behind bars. It doesn’t appear as though he will see freedom this side of death, either. Tex Watson has had his face filled with shame. His soul may be righteous, but his Earthly shame must burn daily within him. For Tex Watson, chickens came home to roost.

Numbers-6-24-26 - 1 — Numbers-6-24-26 – 1

Fill their faces with shame

◄ Psalm 83 ►

1O Elohim, do not remain silent! Do not be speechless, And do not be still, O Ěl!

2For look, Your enemies make an uproar, And those hating You have lifted up their head.

3They craftily plot against Your people, And conspire against Your treasured ones.

4They have said, “Come, And let us wipe them out as a nation, And let the name of Yisra’ĕl be remembered no more.”

5For they have conspired together with one heart; They have made a covenant against You –

6The tents of Eḏom and the Yishma‛ĕlites, Mo’aḇ and the Hag̅arites,

7Geḇal, and Ammon, and Amalĕq, Philistia with the inhabitants of Tsor,

8Ashshur also has joined with them, They have helped the children of Lot. Selah.

9Do to them as to Miḏyan, As to Sisera, As to Yaḇin at the wadi Qishon,

10Who perished at Ěndor, Who became as dung for the ground.

11Make their nobles like Orĕḇ and like Ze’ĕḇ, And all their princes like Zeḇaḥ and Tsalmunna,

12Who have said, “Let us take possession of the pastures of Elohim For ourselves.”

13O my Elohim, make them as whirling dust, As stubble before the wind!

14As a fire consumes a forest, And as a flame sets mountains on fire,

15So pursue them with Your whirlwind, And frighten them with Your storm.

16Fill their faces with shame, And let them seek Your Name, O יהוה.

17Let them be ashamed and alarmed forever; And let them become abashed and perish,

18And let them know that You, Whose Name is יהוה, You alone are the Most High over all the earth.

[Bible Version: The Scriptures (ISR 1998)]

Contemplation

On the glorious splendor of your majesty,

and on your wondrous works, I will meditate.

(Ps 145:7)

The word for which I’m looking is Contemplation. Yesterday evening, on the way to Cutter’s, a local lounge, to listen to a jazz ensemble, I struggled with a word that is more acceptable than meditate and yet more adequately describes what I’ve come to refer to as my Garden Times. Earlier in the day I’d sat on the deck staring at the trees in the woods. I thought that if I were to awaken with no knowledge of G-D, I’d look at the trees and they would point to Him. Apostle Paul said as much.

This “thinking” on the deck is more than mere thought, however. But meditating is a word with connotations of emptying oneself and opening oneself up to some Universe Power. Meditating is occasionally referred to as letting go of one’s “monkey mind” and of “becoming one with the Universe.” Neither is my intent, nor is simply thinking.

Perhaps this deep thought might be called prayer in a Christian Church. Yet prayer is so ambiguous. It can mean so many different things. Reading a Psalm is considered prayer to a Jewish man praying Psalm 145 in the morning. Then there are the “Prayers of the People” in an Episcopal and a Roman Catholic Church service in which the priest reads a list of items and the congregation speaks a liturgical response after each item on the list. Prayer is often just humans speaking to G-D as children recite the Pledge of Allegiance at school.

Neither meditation nor prayer do justice to experiencing G-D’s presence in contemplation. That’s the best word for my Garden Times. “On the glorious splendor of your majesty and on your wondrous works, I will contemplate.” I will contemplate the glorious splendor of G-D’s majesty. I will contemplate G-D’s wondrous works. I will hear G-D’s response and prompting and perhaps catch a glimpse of Him. I shall be as the women who sought to but touch the hem of Yeshua’s garment. I will, like Job, hear G-d say He will ask a question and require my response. I might hear G-D say something to which I might, like Abraham, respond boldly with “don’t be angry, but might Your servant ask just one thing more?” I want to cry aloud, as King David:

We have thought on your steadfast love, O G-d,

in the midst of your temple.

As your name, O G-d,

so your praise reaches to the ends of the earth.

Your right hand is filled with righteousness.

Let Mount Zion be glad!

Let the daughters of Judah rejoice

because of your judgments!

(Psalm 48:9, 10, 11)

More Pictures of Pastor Kasibante’s Ugandan Church

A Cry for Spiritual Fire

There is a cry for Spiritual fire. Intercessors are taking to their prayer closets crying out, “L-rd, have mercy upon us in these days as trouble appears.” For the past several years, the L-rd has gathered prayer warriors from throughout the Earth. They have been preparing to be used as intercessors. Now the call is out to begin to pray for the Spiritual fire to come upon the redeemed.

This is not a call for revival. This is not a call to repentance. This is a call for the Spirit to fall upon those who have already repented, who have already received the L-rd and Savior Y’shuaJesus into their hearts.

At some point in the near future, there will be a call for universal identification to be carried by all people. It will come with a price. It will mean that a conscious choice be made that effectively renounces Y’shuaJesus as L-rd, as Savior. It will be difficult to resist. To resist will be considered traitorous. But for those who cave into the pressure:

This is the path of those who have foolish confidence; yet after them people approve of their boasts. Seals
Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol;
death shall be their shepherd, and the upright shall rule over them in the morning. Their form shall be consumed in Sheol, with no place to dwell.
Psalm 49:13,14

To resist this identification mark, we will need Spiritual Fire to burn within our hearts. We need to be as the as those who gathered in the upper chamber on the day of Pentecost, when tongues of fire entered the disciples of Y’shuaJesus.

And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Acts 1: 2-4

Pray for Liberia and all of West Africa

Today the following email arrived from Renewal Ministry Fellowship, having been sent to its prayer line.

From: Pastor Charles S.W Smith (sonponcwsmith76@yahoo.com ) in LIBERIA:

How are you and family, we are still praying … for aid in this Ebola crisis in our nation.

On behave of all affiliates of Liberia and Sierra Leone that is afflicted with the Ebola and Economic crisis. Please pray for our nation the outbreak of the deadly disease Ebola in west Africa. Many people are dying and medical centers are refusing victims of this deadly disease. Our president just declare the closure of all offices both private and government. Investors and foreigners are leaving our nation due to this outbreak.

This has cause breakdown in the economy of our nation, many people are out of food/medical supply and the scarcity of commodities…

Remain blessed
Pastor Charles S.W Smith

Trample on The Name of Jesus or else. . .

. . .be kicked out of class. Those were the options, according to reports, in a college class in Florida. Hum. What if I decided to make my college class trample on the name of Mohammed. Fatwa time. Big time price on my head. Oh, and I’d be fired on the spot.

Florida Atlantic University student Ryan Rotela provides example of Jesus’ name written on paper that students were instructed to stamp on in March, 2013 class. (source: WPEC-TV)

Read about this injustice and the student that refused to trample on the Name of Jesus here.

My Prayer:
Well, Lord, Bless student Ryan Rotela for his stand against the professor’s acts of violence against Your Name. Mr. Rotela glorified You, and should You desire Mr. Rotela to be exonerated, let it be done. Else, let him find peace and acceptance in another university, if one can be found, that is worthy of him.

As for instructor Deandre Poole. . . You, Lord, know what is best, what course of action is necessary. This professor, and all supporters of him, are trampling upon Your Holiness. They have that right, that freedom under America’s Constitution. But to demand that of others! Is not this akin to the sins of Nebuchadnezzar? Requiring a form of idolatry of others whether requiring worship or violence against G-d, is anathema. Is it not? This is a professor who is currently writing a book that sounds as if it will place a man in the position of a god. He is authoring the book, Obamamania: The Rise of a Mythical Hero. It’s Your choice, LORD. Bring Mr. Poole to his knees before You now. Bring him to repentance now. He doesn’t realize that he will one day kneel before You and confess that You are LORD. Let him do so now, that he may live, else he shall forever live apart from You. Should You desire, discredit him today that his book be smeared openly with its darkness, that it not deceive, that it not be accepted in the marketplace where it might deceive sheep who know no better.

LORD, it concerns me that people want to elevate their leaders to the ranks of mythical heroes, i.e., Greek gods. The people of Germany did this already in the 1930s, and a lot of people died as a direct result. LORD, act as You wish, as You know best. Save Americans from the misguided actions and words of those throughout our land who don’t know You. Else shall we all perish and be no more to offer praise to You, LORD. Your Will be Done, here on Earth as it is in Heaven.

AMEN.

Lord Bless y’all. . .