Resolutions Versus Commitments

As we enter a new calendar year, many people set what is known as New Year's Resolutions. They think back over the past year and come to the conclusion there are areas of their lives they seek to improve upon in the new year. Setting New Year's Resolutions is an honorable approach, however, it has been proven that the vast majority of resolutions are broken within a short period of time.

Let me suggest a better approach and one honorable to Jehovah God. As followers of the one True God, I am sure a desire of your heart is to live a life pleasing to God but we all fail to a certain degree. Instead of setting New Year's Resolutions, we can set new commitments or reset old commitments to our God in all areas of our lives to honor Him.

 Our Message This First Week Of The New Year Will Suggest

 Three Important Commitments We Can Make To Jehovah God.

Kathie Lee Gifford, a well known television personality and a powerful woman of God, has shared about a recent encounter she had with her God. Kathie said God showed her Matthew 6:33 which says, "But seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well." Then Jehovah God said to Kathie, "Seek me first thing in the morning." This startled Kathie as she already had to leave for work at 6:00 AM. As a result, Kathie started getting up at 4:00 AM in order to spend one hour with Jehovah God to start each day. "Morning by morning, O Lord, You hear my voice; morning by morning I lay my request before You and wait in expectation." Psalm 5:3.

In Genesis 12:3 Jehovah God says to Abraham, "I will bless those who bless you" meaning He will bless those who bless Israel and the Jewish people. I have learned over the last twenty years to bless Israel, not to be blessed in response, but to honor God knowing this is important to Him and I have indeed been blessed. I can recommend a worldwide ministry called Bridges For Peace which ministers to Jewish people who have moved back to Israel. Most are very poor. Bridges For Peace helps them by feeding them, finding shelter, finding employment and teaching them Hebrew. If you would like to be a blessing please consider supporting this ministry, the web site is Bridgesforpeace.com

Lastly, are you sure you are attending God's chosen church for you? Numerous times in the Word of God we learn there will be "false teachers and false prophets" during end times. Does your church teach that receiving Jesus Christ as one's Lord and Savior is the Only Way to salvation? Does your church teach that the Bible is the only True Word from the only True God? Does your church Bless Israel? 

My prayer as we start this new year is we all set commitments to Jehovah God which will draw us closer to Him than ever before.

May The Lord Bless You And Keep You This Day And Every Day,

Frank   

"Shall Call His Name Immanuel"

Isaiah 7:14 says, "Therefore The Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel." What a wonderful blessing for all peoples is this short prophetic verse that foretells the virgin birth of the Son of God. Jehovah God proclaims He shall be called Immanuel which means "God With Us." Our message this Christmas Week will unwrap the miraculous event of the birth of this little baby in a manager.

Last week, I heard a message of a Messianic Jewish Rabbi discussing the birth of the Son of God with a group of Orthodox Jewish young people. The Rabbi was using Old Testament Scriptures to prove Jesus was their Messiah. At first, they were doubting him but were listening carefully. The Rabbi referred to two sections of God's Word - Isaiah 7:14 and Isaiah 9:6.

Isaiah 7:14 says The Lord Himself will give you a sign. Jehovah God desires for all peoples to understand clearly what is happening with the birth of this precious baby in Bethlehem. He says this baby shall be called "Immanuel" which means God With Us. Jehovah God is proclaiming this baby will be His Son coming to earth to be the Savior of all and the Jewish Messiah! Jesus in effect is "God With Us." God coming to earth in the likeness of man.

Isaiah 9:6 says, "For unto us a Child Is Born, 

unto us a Son Is Given; and the government 

will be upon His shoulder. 

And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,

 Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." 

God is showing all peoples that His Son will be

 part of the Triune God - Father, Son and Holy Spirit. 

This verse also says, "The government will be upon His shoulder." 

This is a powerful prophetic word proclaiming

 that Jesus will rule and reign over all worldly

 governments and kings during His Millennial Reign.

In closing, there is a precious Christmas worship song called "Mary Did You Know." One of the verses says, "Mary did you know when you kiss the face of your baby you are kissing the face of God." God Is With Us At All Times And In Every Situation. Hallelujah!

Have A Most Blessed Christmas Season,

Frank        

The God Of Israel - Part 4

Isaiah 43:1-3 says, "But now, this is what The Lord says - He who created you, O Jacob, He who formed you, O Israel; fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am The Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior."

We are continuing our  series of messages from Isaiah 41-48 which highlights the Sovereignty And Greatness of Jehovah God on behalf of His people Israel. Isaiah 43:1 shows God reminding His Covenant People that He created them, He called them to be His Chosen People, He called them by name and He will protect them.

There are numerous events in God's Word where God protected His people when they were pursued by enemies. The crossing of the Red Sea and the Jordan River are prime examples. Additionally, the book of Joshua shows Jehovah God directing His people to defeat their enemies as they entered the Holy Land. Jehovah God's Word is true and valid and He keeps all of His promises!

Isaiah 43:5,6 says, "Do not be afraid, for I am with you, I will bring your children from the East and gather you from the West. I will say to the North, 'give them up!' and to the South, 'do not hold them back.' Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth." This is a past, present and future message. Jehovah God is bringing His Chosen People back to Israel from all over the world and this process has been happening for many years. It is currently happening and will continue into the future. There are over 700 verses in God's Word predicting this event and it is so important to God that some Bible scholars believe all of the Jewish people will be back in Israel before Jesus returns to earth. Hallelujah!

As we celebrate this season of the birth of our Savior, we proclaim as the angels did over Bethlehem;

"Glory To God In The Highest And On Earth

 Peace To Men On Whom His Favor Rests"

Merry Christmas And May The Lord Bless You And Keep You This Day,

Frank      

The God Of Israel - Part 3

This is the third message centering on Isaiah 41-48 illustrating the sovereignty and greatness of Jehovah God on behalf of His people Israel. Isaiah 42:1 says, "Here is My servant, whom I uphold, My chosen one in whom I delight; I will put My Spirit on him and he will bring justice to the nations." This verse raises the question as to who is "My servant and My chosen?" Isaiah 41:8 uses the exact same wording when talking about Israel.

Our message this week will answer the question - does Isaiah 42:1-9 describe Israel or their coming Messiah? I believe they refer prophetically to Jesus Christ, True Son Of The One True God And The True Messiah Of Israel.

Let me explain! Isaiah 42:1,4 mentions that The Servant will bring justice to the earth. This certainly is not happening now except to a very limited degree. However, true justice throughout the world will only happen when Jesus returns to earth and rules and reigns from Jerusalem. Revelation 19:11 says, "With Justice He Judges." Bless His Holy Name!

Additionally, Isaiah 42:6 says, "I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles." Notice Jehovah God will cause His servant to be a covenant for the people. Hebrews 10:9-10 explains that when Jesus died on the cross, "He sets aside the first to establish the second. And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." He came to establish a new Blood Covenant replacing the old Blood Covenant making all people holy as they accept Him as their Lord and Savior.

Lastly, Isaiah 42:7 says, "To open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison." This reference is about a servant who will open blind eyes and free prisoners. Only the love and power of Jesus Christ can accomplice these miracles. In Luke 4:18 Jesus was in the Synagogue in Galilee and quoted Isaiah 42:7. Then He said, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing." Jesus Is The Servant Of Isaiah 42:1-9. Hallelujah!

May The Lord Bless You And Keep You This Day And Every Day,

Frank     

    

The God Of Israel - Part 2

Last week we started a series of messages from Isaiah 41 - 48 which describes the sovereignty and majesty of Jehovah God as the God of Israel. We learned God chose the Jewish people to share His love throughout the world and that He will defeat Israel's enemies in the process.

Our message this week will center on Jehovah God providing for the poor and needy in Israel by transforming the swamp and desert of Israel into farmland and cities. Isaiah 41:17, 18, 20 says, "The poor and needy search for water, but there is none; their tongues are parched with thirst. But I The Lord will answer them; I, The God of Israel, will not forsake them. I will make rivers flow on barren heights, and springs within the valleys. I will turn the desert into pools of water, and the parched ground into springs . . . So that people may see and know, may consider and understand, that the hand of The Lord has done this, that the Holy One of Israel has created it."

Again, we can look at Jehovah God keeping these promises in the past and the present. There was a time when the land of Israel was barren wasteland. Today, Israel is prosperous and generous. The desert and swampland has become beautiful cities and farmland that are the envy of the world. Fruit produced in Israel is in demand and their irrigation techniques are taught in other desert countries. Jehovah God Keeps Every Promise!

Why does God do this? Ezekiel 36:28-30 says, "You will live in the land I gave your forefathers; you will be my people, and I will be your God . . . I will call for the grain and make it plentiful and will not bring famine upon you. I will increase the fruit of the trees and the crops of the fields."

Jehovah God Provides For His Chosen People So

 That They Will Know That He Is Their God! 

What A mighty God We Serve!

May The Lord Bless You And Keep You This Day And Every Day,

Frank     

The God Of Israel

Jehovah God brings a message of hope and restoration for Israel in the chapters 41-48 in the book of Isaiah. The basis for this hope is The Sovereignty And Majesty Of God. Of the 216 verses in these nine chapters, 115 speak of God's Greatness and Power. As we know of the current tenuous situation in Israel, we feel it appropriate to start a series of messages illustrating God's love, comfort, compassion and protection for His people Israel from chapters 41-48 of Isaiah.

Chapter 41 is entitled, "Comfort Because Of God's Greatness." Isaiah 41:8-10 says, "But you, O Israel, My servants, Jacob, whom I have chosen, you descendants of Abraham My friend, I took you from the ends of the earth, from its farthest corners I called you. I said, 'you are my servant'; I have chosen you and have not rejected you. So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."

In verses 8 and 9, Jehovah God starts His message of hope by confirming that the Jewish people are His Chosen People. He chose them to be His Covenant People at Mt. Sinai to spread His love to the rest of the world. He encourages them by saying He had not cast them away; He is with them; He will strengthen them and He will help them.

 Certainly This Is A Message Of Hope! Hallelujah!

Currently, Israel is surrounded by enemies and has enemies living within its borders. However, Jehovah God brings an encouraging and hopeful message in verses 11-13 which says, "All who rage against you will surely be ashamed and disgraced; those who oppose you will be as nothing and perish. Though you search for your enemies, you will not find them. Those who wage war against you will be as nothing at all. For I am The Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, do not fear; I will help you."

In closing, this message of hope for Israel is a present and future time message. However, it can also apply to past events. Observe the following list of past enemies of Israel which Jehovah God has eliminated:

The Roman Empire . . . The Greek Empire . . . Nazi Germany . . .

The Babylonian Empire . . . The Spanish Inquisition . . . 

The British Empire . . . Russian Pogroms 

We Serve A Mighty God!

May The Lord Bless You And Keep You This Day And Every Day,

Frank

        

"Watchmen On Your Wall"

Isaiah 62:6-7 says, "I have posted Watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; they will never be silent day or night. You who call on The Lord, give yourselves no rest, and give Him no rest till He establishes Jerusalem and makes her the praise of the earth." Today, there is an urgent need for millions of Watchmen over Israel and the Jewish people worldwide. Our message this week is to look at this need and the role of Watchmen.

Worldly conditions for the Jewish people has become tense and dangerous. Recently, worshippers at a Synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania were attacked by a gunman and a number were killed. Anti-Semitism worldwide was 37% higher in 2017 than 2016. Jewish college students in the United States feel threatened on a regular basis. Recently Hamas in Gaza fired 400 rockets into Southern Israel destroying an apartment building. Iran and Russia have troops on the ground in Syria.

We now know the need for Watchmen. What is their function? A Watchman "Watches Over" and thus protects a certain group of people. Isaiah 62:6 says Jehovah God has posted Watchmen on the walls of Jerusalem. When Jerusalem is mentioned in this manner, I believe it includes not only the people of Jerusalem but the Jewish people worldwide. 

How does a Watchman watch over the Jewish people worldwide? The Watchman upon learning of pending danger or that the Jewish people are under attack immediately petitions Jehovah God for His hand of protection over His Covenant People. When we study the history of Israel and the Jewish people we notice that God has protected His people over and over again. Watchmen play an integral part in this process. Hallelujah!

Looking further at verses six and seven, we learn the Watchmen are watching continually - they give themselves "No Rest." This  is not a part time calling from God, it is full time! Notice also the Watchmen give God "No Rest" until He establishes Jerusalem as the Praise Of The Earth during the Millennial Reign of Jesus.

Are you a Watchman on the walls of Jerusalem? If so, are you giving yourself "No Rest?" Are you giving God "No Rest?" Bless His Holy Name!

May The Lord Bless You And Keep You This Day And Every Day,

Frank