Daily Bible Portion (Wednesday)
Daily Bible Portion – 4 of 7
"TRIBES"
(Weekly Reading>>Numbers 30:1-32:42, Jeremiah 1:1-2:3, Matthew 5:33-37, James 4:1-5:20)
Habitual excuses, unfulfilled and empty words are dysfunctions we choose to covet. Sadly they do not win people over and misrepresent Yahweh, whose Spirit lives within us. In some cultures, if a father has to ask his child to do a chore it is considered disrespectful, as the father has already taken the time and the patience to teach his children beforehand. He then expects them to take the initiative and respond, respecting his words by obeying them. Taking the initiative is what brings honor to the father. It is the same for us.
Yahweh has already declared His word to us. When we take the initiative and respond this brings Him honor. When we walk in His word Scripture says we are walking in His right ways called righteousness. To do what is right is holiness.
If our words do not impart Christ’s characteristics we misrepresent Him. This behavior pattern is called strange fire in Scripture. Our word is no longer our bond (our covenant) and we wonder where God’s blessings are. Many do not realize they may have spoken out a vow/oath that when not fulfilled has bound and imprisoned them. This hinders God’s blessings. We need to go back and make right the vows/oaths and repent to Yahweh for not keeping them. Scripture points out the gravity of our thoughts and speech. We are made in His image – He is our Father. To imitate Yahweh as a child imitates his father we must talk like Him and act like Him. (Proverbs 10:11; 12:14,18; 13:3; 14:13; 15:2,4,14; 16:23-24; 21:23).
It has been said that keeping a commitment or a promise is a major deposit of blessings and prosperity. To break one is a major withdrawal and every time we do not keep a commitment we eat away at our self-esteem. How can we feel good about ourselves if we cannot keep our promises? Maybe we say yes when we want to say no but the desire to please others or save face (called pride) gets in the way. Maybe we make a false commitment out of a feeling of guilt or because of wanting to be liked or simply because somewhere along the way we never really learned how to say no. And, then there is the commitment addict whose life ends up a juggling act of endless promises impossible to keep. Along the way family and friends end up at the back of the bus, as the over achiever trades commitments and promises made to them for more self-serving opportunities. “I’m doing it for you Honey!” Families should not be given crumbs off the table of our lives. It is our responsibility to serve them a banquet.
We are to be Christ’s Reflection
Looking deeper at the Hebrew word for oath and the root word seven, we see our speech is tied to the eternal Spirit of Yahweh who lives in us. Our speech must reflect Him. If it does not, and we make a vow or oath that we fail to keep (called a lie), we misrepresent Him and bind upon ourselves consequences called curses.
The only factor impeding the victory of our walk and gaining our full inheritance in Him is our own soul. It is not the wife or the husband; the children or our parents; neighbors or co-workers who are responsible. God’s word points the finger to our heart. Empty promises and all the excuses that we use to protect ourselves are from the enemy’s camp. The ungodly order that comes out of our thoughts, mind and mouth is what binds us. We need to make a decision and do it, as our actions will reveal the Kingdom we are in.
If we can relate to any of these examples in this study then we need to simply recognize, take responsibility for any dishonor, repent and willingly return to Jesus/Yeshua/The Word/The Law Giver.
continues tomorrow...
"TRIBES"
(Weekly Reading>>Numbers 30:1-32:42, Jeremiah 1:1-2:3, Matthew 5:33-37, James 4:1-5:20)
Habitual excuses, unfulfilled and empty words are dysfunctions we choose to covet. Sadly they do not win people over and misrepresent Yahweh, whose Spirit lives within us. In some cultures, if a father has to ask his child to do a chore it is considered disrespectful, as the father has already taken the time and the patience to teach his children beforehand. He then expects them to take the initiative and respond, respecting his words by obeying them. Taking the initiative is what brings honor to the father. It is the same for us.
Yahweh has already declared His word to us. When we take the initiative and respond this brings Him honor. When we walk in His word Scripture says we are walking in His right ways called righteousness. To do what is right is holiness.
Deuteronomy 6:25 “Then it will be righteousness for us, if we are careful to observe all these commandments before the LORD/Yahweh our God/Elohim, as He has commanded us.”
If our words do not impart Christ’s characteristics we misrepresent Him. This behavior pattern is called strange fire in Scripture. Our word is no longer our bond (our covenant) and we wonder where God’s blessings are. Many do not realize they may have spoken out a vow/oath that when not fulfilled has bound and imprisoned them. This hinders God’s blessings. We need to go back and make right the vows/oaths and repent to Yahweh for not keeping them. Scripture points out the gravity of our thoughts and speech. We are made in His image – He is our Father. To imitate Yahweh as a child imitates his father we must talk like Him and act like Him. (Proverbs 10:11; 12:14,18; 13:3; 14:13; 15:2,4,14; 16:23-24; 21:23).
Luke 8:15 “But the ones [seeds] that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience.”
It has been said that keeping a commitment or a promise is a major deposit of blessings and prosperity. To break one is a major withdrawal and every time we do not keep a commitment we eat away at our self-esteem. How can we feel good about ourselves if we cannot keep our promises? Maybe we say yes when we want to say no but the desire to please others or save face (called pride) gets in the way. Maybe we make a false commitment out of a feeling of guilt or because of wanting to be liked or simply because somewhere along the way we never really learned how to say no. And, then there is the commitment addict whose life ends up a juggling act of endless promises impossible to keep. Along the way family and friends end up at the back of the bus, as the over achiever trades commitments and promises made to them for more self-serving opportunities. “I’m doing it for you Honey!” Families should not be given crumbs off the table of our lives. It is our responsibility to serve them a banquet.
James 4:1 “Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members?”
1 John 1:5-7 “This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light[The Law is Light/Pro 6:23] and in Him is no darkness[lawlessness/Pro 4:18-19] at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness[lawlessness], we lie and do not practice the truth[The Law is Truth/Psa 119:142]. But if we walk in the light[Law] as He is in the light[Law], we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin[Lawlessness].”
We are to be Christ’s Reflection
Looking deeper at the Hebrew word for oath and the root word seven, we see our speech is tied to the eternal Spirit of Yahweh who lives in us. Our speech must reflect Him. If it does not, and we make a vow or oath that we fail to keep (called a lie), we misrepresent Him and bind upon ourselves consequences called curses.
The only factor impeding the victory of our walk and gaining our full inheritance in Him is our own soul. It is not the wife or the husband; the children or our parents; neighbors or co-workers who are responsible. God’s word points the finger to our heart. Empty promises and all the excuses that we use to protect ourselves are from the enemy’s camp. The ungodly order that comes out of our thoughts, mind and mouth is what binds us. We need to make a decision and do it, as our actions will reveal the Kingdom we are in.
If we can relate to any of these examples in this study then we need to simply recognize, take responsibility for any dishonor, repent and willingly return to Jesus/Yeshua/The Word/The Law Giver.
James 1:12-15 “Blessed is the man who endures[Stays Under the Wedding Covenant/Exo 19:8 thereby avoiding] temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him[Exo 20:6, Deu 5:10, Deu 7:9,John 14:15, 2 John 1:6] . Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God;” for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.”
James 1:19-27 “Let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God. Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.[Rom 2:13, Rev 22:14] For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does. If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one's religion is useless. Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted[sin] from the world.”
James 2:14-26 “What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,’ but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, ‘You have faith, and I have works.’ Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe -- and tremble! But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." And he was called the friend of God. You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.”
James 3:13-18 “Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.”
James 4:1-10 “Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, ‘The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously’? But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: ‘God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.’ Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.”
continues tomorrow...