Mystery of the Seventh Month Leviticus 23:23-44 Festive lights, special foods, games, family celebration, prayer, religious activity, strange looking tents.  What is going on within the Jewish community?  Why are Jewish people praying, fasting, and rejoicing? The number seven has always been a special biblical number according to scholars.  This sacred number speaks of completion,…

Love what God loves! God wants you and I to love what He loves. Israel is the “apple of His eye” (Zechariah 2:8).  God says to Israel, “I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness” (Jer. 31:3). God is eternal, and His love is eternal. To grasp the…

And He said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed” (Genesis 32:28). Before the World was created, and before the Stars danced in majestic design. Before the galaxies displayed their glorious splendor, and before Adam and Eve graced the landscape…

Whoever Saves a Life! “Whoever saves a life, it is considered as if he saved an entire world” (Mishnah Sanhedrin 4:5; Yerushalmi Talmud 4:9). Jewish sages embraced the importance of a human being. They understood that life is precious and valuable as the Talmud verse above explains. There are days we do this better. There…

Twenty-first century worship does not look like first century worship.  C.S. Lewis said, “The perfect church service would be one we were almost unaware of; our attention would have been on God” (Letters to Malcom: Chiefly on Prayer, Glasgow: Collins & Sons, 1964, 6).  Paul told Timothy to guard the deposit of faith given (1 Tim. 6:20).…

The book of Acts is an inspirational book built around stories of faith, and the effect of their illuminating spiritual messages. Like the Gospels, there are a myriad of events not recorded in the text (John 21:25). But what is written was inspired by the Holy Spirit for our edification and spiritual growth. Get your…

Part Nine, Behold, His Yeshua! Psalm 91:15–16  “He will call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him. With a long life, I will satisfy him and let him see My salvation” (vv.15–16). I will answer him: Religious Jews pray three times a day—morning,…

Part Eight, You Know My Name! Psalm 91:14  “Because he has loved Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him securely on high, because he has known My name” (v.14). Within the initial part of the psalm, there is a tradeoff discussion between first and second persons (first person: I/We; second person: You). The…

Part Seven, Anxiety Fades; Satan Broken, Psalm 91:12-13 “They will bear you up in their hands, that you do not strike your foot against a stone. You will tread upon the lion and cobra, the young lion and the serpent you will trample down” (vv. 12–13).  Your foot against a stone: The context of the…

Part Six Face to Face with God and Angels Psalm 91:11  “For He will give His angels charge concerning you, to guard you in all your ways” (v. 11).  Angels are like divine bodyguards. Angel (Hebrew: malach) means a “messenger” who communicates the king’s wishes. An angel represents the king—God, the king. God sends angels…