Exhortation and encouragement.

• breytonhartge

  25 Aug 06, 08:50

  "The hand of the diligent will rule, but the slothful will be put to forced labor" (Proverbs 12:24, AMP).
  
  When you are a hard worker, you position yourself for promotion. However, laziness will only lead to poverty.
• breytonhartge

  25 Aug 06, 08:54

  The Bible does not tell you
  TO MAKE the Word work.
  It tells you to let the Word work.
  
  Moses told the people, Fear not; stand still
  (firm, confident, undismayed) and see the salvation
  of the Lord which He will work for you today.
  For the Egyptians you have seen today
  you shall never see again. The Lord will fight for you,
  and you shall hold your peace and remain at rest.
  EXODUS 14:13,14
  
  THANK YAHWEH FOR a leader like Moses. He saw the same impending crisis the people did and faced it with confidence in Yahweh's salvation. His courage rested upon his past experience of seeing Yahweh's deliverance based upon His word. This was a moment when faith alone would save them--all they had to do was stand still and let Yahweh do the fighting.
  
  Perhaps you feel like the Israelites felt--walled in by an overwhelming problem that is absolutely real and threatening to destroy your life. You try to pray but fear grips your heart. You find yourself utterly helpless. It is a dangerous moment when human nature wants to break faith and complain against Yahweh and blame someone else for the situation (Exodus 14:11,12). By faith let Yahweh step in between you and the problem, and believe He will work it out.
  
• breytonhartge

  27 Aug 06, 21:12

  VESSELS OF CLAY Part1
  
  But we have this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.
  
  2 Corinthians 4:7
  
  Shabbat shalom dearly beloved:
  
  In the midst of a two day retreat with my precious husband on the Mountains of Upper Galilee, in a place that only a few days earlier had suffered from the Hizbollah onslaught of Katiusha rockets; I received the following,
  
  Elohim made us to be “Vessels of Clay” and highly breakable!
  
  I am sure that in the back of our minds we all know that, but it is different to know it in our minds than to have a revelation on it. This was a revelation! I have been meditating on the fact that so many people suffer from depression and on the emotional frailty of this present generation. Past generations seem to have been stronger emotionally and able to stand a lot more hardship. This seemingly “puffed cream generation” tends to have breakdowns more often. Life is a lot more stressed, fast paced and demanding. Communication abounds to the point of obsesiveness. The “rat race” is at its worst and with it the escalation of divorces, single parent families, absent fathers, etc…The use of drugs and any kind of “emotional anesthetics” is at an all times high; people just want to numb the pain that does not seem to go away. It would be nice if I could report that in the “church” people suffer less from all this, yet I would be lying or seriously mistaken. The ones that come to Y’shua are those that need a doctor. However many times there is no real doctor to be found in His House. The healing and the RETRAINING of the mind is one of the most important End Time Ministries. Broken vessels are unusable because they cannot hold any substance; they leak and so in times past broken vessels had to be discarded. However praise be to YAH who is so merciful! He is not going to discard an entire generation of broken clay vessels. He is going to “fix” it! He is fixing to release some amazing ministries of RESTORATION and the world will be divided between those that are broken clay vessels and between those that will restore them in order to recruit them to restore others! In the midst of all this we will need to remember that restored vessels have weak points in the place of their past breaking, therefore the only way that they can make it is as long as the Master Potter uses them. Any time that they are sold for the use of any other master besides The Master Potter, they will break into million pieces!!! The Master Potter is Y’shua, and as long as we submit to His hand in everything, though we are weak, though we are HIGHLY BREAKABLE yet we will stand and be WHOLE. Any time that we choose to get out of His Hand and serve anyone rather than Him or any cause rather than His Kingdom Cause, we will fall apart.
  
  This generation can stand no more pressure! It has had all the sin that it can take, all the stress that it can stand and all the selfishness that it can muster, it is time for a radical change of course for an entire generation! People are now asking the question, “what now? Where are we headed to? There are many “apocalyptic films” because everyone is sensing that we have come to The Crossroads of History! It is time for repentance and for a turning! Those that will arise and shine during these time need to have answers, if not the broken vessels of this generation will turn more and more to New Age and occult and eventually be part of the great deception of the New World Order that is already here.
  
  Vessels of Clay will minister to vessels of clay
  
  The difference between human and human, vessel and vessel is not the outer substance but rather the “inner substance”. Every person upon the face of the earth, including the toughest “oil tycoon” is made out of clay and is HIGHLY BREAKABLE! It really takes only a “straw to break the camel’s back” as the saying goes, and you never know when is that “straw” of a circumstance going to hit your back! No, the difference between human and human is not in any other but in the CONTENTS of that human. Those that are filled with Y’shua have a TREASURE, yet that treasure called The Holy Spirit is in “earthen” or Clay Vessels. For us to be able to stand the pressure from within, the pressure of the Treasure and the pressure from without- Life’s Circumstances, we must realize the following,
  
  continued...
• breytonhartge

  27 Aug 06, 21:18

  VESSELS of clay part2
  
  WE ARE VERY NEEDY PEOPLE!
  
  And we need all of His compassion and mercy. Yes. We need all of His strength, beyond our capabilities. We need to realize how weak we are so that we can be made strong in Him. We need to realize that He pities even the one that thinks to be Himself a great “power house”, He knows that we are but clay and highly breakable! The moment that we break, the treasure leaks out, so we need to be repaired quickly. That is why Mr. Jeremiah the Prophet said,
  Is there no balm in Gilead, Is there no physician there? Why then is there no recovery For the health of the daughter of my people? Jeremiah 8:22
  
  Earlier on in the same chapter, he had made the following statement,
  
  For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of My people slightly, Saying, ‘Peace, peace!’ When there is no peace. Jeremiah 8:11
  
  He knew full well that the wound that sin and rebellion leaves is too deep a wound to cure with only a band aid called “peace”. There is a need for a balm and for a physician. The balm is the Word mixed with The Holy Spirit-
  
  His Word, His Torah and Spirit makes for the best balm in the world. It cleanses with truth (Word) and it heals with Ruach- Spirit!
  
  Today BOTH Israel and The Church world wide are in need of the TRUE balm of His Word with His Spirit and many of YAH’S Vessels of Clay are to be filled with this precious ointment. The Good News is that as we “house” this marvelous balm of healing, it will heal us first! A balm is thick, not like oil that is “runny” and so even imperfect vessels like me and maybe you that are reading this word, are able to “house” it inside of us. As we begin to give it away, as we touch it to dispense it, He will be healing us FIRST. Those are Great News!
  
  The more that you are restored to The Full Canon of The Holy Scripture, to The Torah and His unchanging Word in BOTH Covenants and you mix this with the oil of The Holy Spirit, this miraculous BALM will be formed in you! You will be a “physician” to heal others. To give them answers, to dispense true love and AT THE SAME TIME, you will be made whole by administering it.
  
  Right after Paul states that we have this treasure in clay vessels, he goes on to say that he is suffering great tribulation and he could break but he does not, because He is in the hands of the Master Potter!
  
  We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed. 2 Corinthians 4:8-9
  
  This Healing Balm from Gilead (Called also GOLAN) is from the North of Israel. In Psalms 133, the Psalmist talks about this precious oil coming from Mount Hermon who is also in the Golan Heights, the most threatened region of Israel! He talks about the precious oil of UNITY- YACHAD, when the whole of Israel is in one accord and with singleness of vision, then YAHVEH will bless with revival and with eternal life!
  
  Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious oil upon the head, Running down on the beard, The beard of Aaron, Running down on the edge of his garments. It is like the dew of Hermon, Descending upon the mountains of Zion; For there Yahveh commanded the blessing— Life forevermore. Psalms 133
  
  As we become YACHAD, united with singleness of vision that it is time for the restoration of all things, The Jewish Roots of the Faith, The Holy Feasts, The Shabbat, The Holiness and of course ISRAEL, we will then experience this OIL that comes from the highest “Mount Hermon”, from The Throne of Glory Himself! And as we “mix” it with the Ruach (the Holy Spirit) it will form THE BALM OF GILEAD that this generation needs.
  
  Until now we only spoke about the importance of THE ANOINTING, from now on we will speak about THE BALM OF HEALING, THE BALM OF GILEAD. And this precious BALM will be dispensed out of very imperfect Vessels of Clay like you and I that love His Word, His Commandments, Instructions and Promises as well as the manifestations and demonstrations of His Holy Spirit!
  
  Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by the Messiah YÂ’shua to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:20,21
  
  Thank you for being YACHAD with us as we co-operate with The Physician and The Master Potter in the preparation of Clay Vessels that will dispense The Healing Balm of Gilead to this broken generation. Both in Israel, in The Church and in the Nations. Your prayers, your friendship and your financial support in this very urgently needed task, helps us - Clay Vessels; to go on in spite of our “breakability”.
  
  Shalom (Healing, Wholeness and Wellbeing) in YÂ’shua
  
  Your friends in Israel
  
  Rabbi Baruch and Bishop Dominiquae Bierman
  
  © Bishop Dr Dominiquae Bierman 2006 - Permission is granted (and we encourage you) to distribute these writings. You may reprint in hard copy form, send to your e-mail lists and post them on your website. You must not alter any writings and you must keep all the author information on the writings, including the following: Kad-Esh MAP Ministries, www.kad-esh.org. This copyright notice must also remain. For all other permissions and enquires including publishing, please contact karenmap@netvision.net.il
  
• breytonhartge

  27 Aug 06, 21:23

  DEFEATING DEPRESSION PART 5PartA
  
  Depression- from WebsterÂ’s New Unabridged Dictionary
  
  Low spirits, gloominess, dejection, sadness, a decrease in force, activity, amount, and a decrease in functional activity. An emotional condition either normal or pathological characterized by discouragement, a feeling of inadequacy, the act of humbling abasement as a depression of pride. Abasement, reduction, sinking, fall, humiliation, dejection, melancholy.
  
  Family Curses, Demons and Depression
  
  In the first four chapters, we touched on depression due to fear, lies, pain, traumas and disappointments, however there are depressions that are “inherited” due the sins of our ancestors and family curses. In this case we will see “familiar spirits” at work, those are spirits of darkness that plague entire families. Medicine calls it “genetic diseases”. If the father or the mother suffered from depression and we see the same happening to the children, then it will be labeled “genetic” and thus “inevitable”. The Word of God calls it SINS OF THE FOREFATHERS.
  
  You shall have no other gods before Me. ‘You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; Deuteronomy 5:7,8
  
  If your parents or great, great grandparents up to the 4th generation before you worshipped other gods than Yahveh, The God of The Bible, then the INIQUITY which is the outcome of their sins will be visited upon the children. One of the most common expressions of what I will call “family curses” due to idolatry,{Occult, witchcraft, membership in secret societies, Free Masonry, Kabbala, etc..} is in the form of mental sickness and depression. In this case the children are paying for the sins of their ancestors! This is a very painful but Y’shua gave us a way OUT! He became a curse for us and paid the price for all our iniquities, however receiving this marvelous gift is not automatic, it requires us to put our faith and trust in His finished work of sacrifice at the Roman Cross! In other words we need to turn from worshipping other gods to worship The God of Israel only through His Son, Y’shua whom He sent to redeem us from all sin, iniquity, curses and mental illness!
  
  All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And Yahweh has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. Isaiah 53:6
  
  There are other depressions that are a result of the sin of witchcraft and idolatry in your own life. If you have been involved in any form of occult, witchcraft, paganism or secret societies such as New Age, Kabbala, Free Masonry, Wica, etc., you need to repent and to cleanse from all its unrighteousness as there are demons that have been given legal rights into your life and one of them is depression! Idolatry also functions through the use of supersticious objects, good luck charms, charms against the evil eye or the like. Also whenever you worship or pray to any other but YAHVEH, The God of Israel through His Son and Risen Messiah YÂ’shua. Prayers to Elohim through mediators like dead rabbis {a very common practice among Jews} or the Virgin Mary in all her forms {a very common practice among Catholics} are all forms of idolatry.
  
  For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man the Messiah YÂ’shua, 1 Timothy 2:5
  
  How to deal with family curses?
  
  There is only one way to escape the vicious circle of family curses. It is putting our full trust and faith in the ONE that paid the price and was made a curse so that we could be redeemed from the curse that has befallen us for breaking GodÂ’s Holy Commandments. YÂ’shua became a curse Himself in order to rescue us from this terrible predicament!
  
  For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, Romans 3:23
  
  To sin is to break ElohimÂ’s Commandments and we have all broken them and so did our forefathers! Escaping the curse due to us or to our forefathers is totally impossible without the amazing Love Sacrifice of God Himself, when He sent His only Son to be our Kippurim-our Atonement or Expiation Sacrifice.
  
  The Messiah has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree” Galatians 3:13
  
  The only way of escape out of a family curse is through faith in Y’shua, that is the NUMBER ONE step and there is absolutely no way around it! I believe that every physical or mental illness that is called “genetic” diseases, is an outcome of the family curse due to the sins of our ancestors. While medical science can help relieve some of the symptoms and even make the condition somehow tolerable, it has absolutely NO CURE for it. Yet the Blood Atonement of Y’shua brought radical healing to this impossible situation!
  
  He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. Isaiah 53:3-5
  
  
• breytonhartge

  27 Aug 06, 21:24

  Defeating Depression Part5 PartB
  
  TOTAL FAITH
  
  Since Y’shua completely redeemed us, saved us and rescued us from the curse that we inherited due to the breaking of His Father’s Commandments, we need to trust His finished sacrifice and BELIEVE in His Word. This is our inheritance as believers in Y’shua- TOTAL REDEMPTION. We need to understand that He did not do this work half way, when He was hanging on the Roman Cross in Jerusalem, He said “It is finished” and then gave up his spirit. Everything needed for us to be freed from BOTH sin and the outcome of sin {the curse!} was completely accomplished, there is nothing else to do, besides put our TOTAL FAITH in His finished work!
  
  Please do not believe for a moment that “genetical diseases” are your inheritance, however real they are and however bothersome and even dangerous, you have a better inheritance. You do not have to suffer the same fate as your ancestors! You can begin a new blood line through Y’shua’s atoning blood, and the inheritance that Y’shua left for you is a SOUND MIND and a CLEAN BILL OF HEALTH. King David anticipating the Blood Atonement of Y’shua declared 1000 years before He came,
  
  Bless Yahveh, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless Yahveh, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, Psalms 103:1-3
  
  The only reason that you will claim “genetic diseases” as your inheritance is because of IGNORANCE of Y’shua’s finished work or/and because of fear. Fear will keep you depressed and sick. The opposite of fear is a SOUND MIND,
  
  For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7
  
  Practical steps to take
  
  Acknowledge, confess and repent of your sins and accept Y’shua as your Master, Saviour and Healer. Forsake all other gods, religions, superstitious objects, good luck charms and mediators. Remember that there is only one that can mediate between you and Elohim, The God of Israel, that is Y’shua, The Son of God; who left His Divinity to become as a sinless man. He gave Himself for you and paid with His own blood for you to be forgiven. Pray the following: Dear Heavenly Father I ask your forgiveness and repent for breaking your Holy Commandments. I also ask forgiveness on behalf of my ancestors up to the fifth generation for worshipping other gods in any way shape and form. Yes, Yeshua, I put my trust in you as my Master, Savior and Healer. Thank you for reconciling me with the Creator through your Blood Atonement and becoming my only mediator to Yahveh-God. You rose from the dead on the third day and you are alive, I will walk with You all my days and hereby forsake all other gods, religions, mediators, good luck charms and superstitious objects. I am Yours forever! Thank you for redeeming me from the curse due to my and my ancestors breaking of Your Father, Yahveh’s Commandments. Thank you for removing from off me all family curses and the so called “genetic diseases” including depression and mental illness. Through You, I will praise YAH {God} forever! If you have done this in faith-Congratulations you have passed from death to life and from the curse to the blessing!
  Begin to confess His Word on this matter. Make for yourself a “Word Prayer” with at least 5 scriptures on this subject {some of them are mentioned in this article and you can also use a concordance of the Bible}. Speak these words out loud to yourself, pray them, sing them, etc. Until you believe nothing else but what He said, this is the Truth! Then Y’shua said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:31,32
  Cleanse your home from all idolatry, superstition and ungodly religious objects, including books, jewels, home ornaments and clothes. You may need the help of someone that is more mature in the faith in order to recognize these. Ask YÂ’shua to guide you and to lead you to the right person to help you.
  Go to a trusted minister of deliverance that is baptized in The Holy Spirit, so he/she can pray with you against “familiar spirits” and/or spirits connected with occult, witchcraft, idolatry and the like. This is very important! The majority of Y’shua’s Ministry in Israel was about casting out evil spirits and healing those that were oppressed of the devil. He left us, His believers the same ministry, He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; Mark 16:16, 17
  Ask the above ministers to lay hands on you to be baptized/immersed in The Holy Spirit with speaking in tongues {Heavenly Languages}, like the Jewish disciples were in the Book of Acts. Exercise your new prayer language very often. But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit Jude 20
  Follow the instructions given in Defeating Depression Chapters 1-4{www.kad-esh.org Shabbat Letters}
  Submit to YAH {God} and resist the devil and he will flee from you {James 4:7}. Exercise authority in the name of YÂ’shua against all spirits of confusion, depression and fear! Be FIRM! Pray the following: In the Mighty name of YÂ’shua, I forbid any spirits of confusion, depression and fear from operating in and/or through me, I bind you and command you to leave me now! I command all my thoughts to be captives to YÂ’shua The Messiah, His Spirit and His Word. In YÂ’shuaÂ’s name. Amen. Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Luke 10:19
  Lead a life of prayer, study of YAHÂ’S (GodÂ’s} Word and obedience to His Will.
  By faith, obedience, forgiveness and holiness keep all the doors to the devil and the kingdom of darkness tightly shut.
  Go ahead! Be free from depression and live an abundant life as YÂ’shua promised!
  
  Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. 3 John 2
  
  We love you and care for you
  
  Your friends in Israel
  
  Bishop Dominiquae and Rabbi Baruch Bierman
• breytonhartge

  28 Aug 06, 11:45

  The Observatory
  by Max Lucado
  
  A few mornings back I was jogging through my neighborhood, and even I could not miss the significance of that day. It was the first day of school.
  
  It was no surprise to me, then, to see a pretty little girl step out of her house wearing new clothes and a backpack. “Have a great first day of school,” I greeted as I jogged past.
  
  She stopped and looked at me as if I’d pulled a rabbit out of a hat. “How did you know?!”
  
  She was stunned. Somehow I had miraculously discerned why she was up so early and where she was going. And she was impressed.
  
  “Oh, I just know those kind of things,” I shouted back to her. (No need to burst her bubble.)
  
  You, on the other hand, are not so easily impressed. You understand the difference between a child and a grownup. Take the difference between the girl and me, amplify it a million times over, and we begin to see the contrast between us and our Father.
  
  We ask for grace, only to find forgiveness already offered. (How did you know I would sin?)
  
  We ask for food, only to find provision already made. (How did you know I would be hungry?)
  
  We ask for guidance, only to find answers in GodÂ’s ancient story. (How did you know what I would ask?)
  
  God dwells in a different realm. “The foolishness of God is higher than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength” (1 Cor. 1:25). He occupies another dimension. “My thoughts are not like your thoughts. Your ways are not like my ways. Just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts” (Isa. 55:8–9).
  
  
• breytonhartge

  28 Aug 06, 11:48

  Isaiah 26:3
  You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.
  
  It is naive to think that trusting in Yahweh solves all of our problems -- Christians have many of the same problems that unbelievers do because they share the same mortal flesh. On the other hand it's true that if we trust in Yahweh, we believe our work stands or falls in His hands and that ultimately we will share in His victorious and glorious presence. It means our lives will not be lived in vain. That's not just confidence, but it's the foundation to true peace -- life lived to its fullest and richest knowing that it matters and we don't need to be anxious about its results.
  
  
• breytonhartge

  29 Aug 06, 08:56

  "But whoso hearkens to me [Wisdom] shall dwell securely and in confident trust and shall be quiet, without fear or dread of evil" (Proverbs 1:33, AMP).
  
  When you walk in the wisdom of Yahweh, which is His Word, your confidence will soar and fear will be dispelled. His wisdom will be the light that guides and directs you on your life's journey.
• breytonhartge

  29 Aug 06, 08:58

  "Show me Your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths" (Psalm 25:4, AMP).
  
  Understanding the ways of Yahweh and knowing His paths for your life are essential to your success in these last days. By seeking wisdom and understanding through His Word and cultivating a life of prayer and intimate fellowship with Him, you can know without a shadow of a doubt the direction you are supposed to take.
  
• breytonhartge

  30 Aug 06, 08:09

  Battlefield of the Mind
  
  ...we lead every thought and purpose away captive into the obedience of Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One).
  —2 Corinthians 10:5
  
  According to 2 Corinthians 10:3-5, the mind is the battlefield. We are in a war, but it is a spiritual war that must be fought spiritually with spiritual weapons.
  
  Using our spiritual weapons, we refute the enemy's lies, arguments, theories, reasonings, and every other thing that tries to exalt itself against the truth of God's Word.
  
  We must take our thoughts captive and not indulge in the fleshly luxury of receiving and meditating on every thought that falls into our heads. We must exercise ourselves to "think about what we are thinking about." This takes some discipline and practice.
  
  The primary weapon with which we do battle is the Word of Yahweh used in various ways preached, taught, sung, confessed, meditated upon, written, and read. The Word of Yahweh has a cleansing effect on our minds and lives any way we use it.
  
  I once had a negative, wandering, wondering mind. Now, after years of applying the Word of Yahweh and a lot of help from the Holy Spirit, I can say with confidence, "I have the mind of Yeshua." (1 Corinthians 2:16.)
  
  You can win the battle in your mind every stronghold can be torn down and every deception uncovered. Don't settle for anything less than complete freedom!
  
  Say This:
  "Thank You, Yahweh, for Your Word that renews my mind and sets me free. I have the mind of Yeshua! In Yeshua's name, amen."
  
  
• breytonhartge

  30 Aug 06, 08:16

  According to Our Faith
  
  "According to your faith be it unto you" (Matt.
  
  9:29).
  
  "Praying through" might be defined as praying
  
  one's way into full faith, emerging while yet
  
  praying into the assurance that one has been
  
  accepted and heard, so that one becomes actually
  
  aware of receiving, by firmest anticipation and
  
  in advance of the event, the thing for which he
  
  asks.
  
  Let us remember that no earthly circumstances can
  
  hinder the fulfillment of His Word if we look
  
  steadfastly at the immutability of that Word and
  
  not at the uncertainty of this ever-changing
  
  world. God would have us believe His Word without
  
  other confirmation, and then He is ready to give
  
  us "according to our faith."
  
  "When once His Word is past,
  
  When He hath said , 'I will,' (Heb. 13:5)
  
  The thing shall come at last;
  
  God keeps His promise still." (2 Cor. 1:20)
  
  The prayer of the Pentecostal age was like a
  
  cheque to be paid in coin over the counter.
  
  --Sir R. Anderson
  
  "And God saidÂ…and it was so." (Gen. 1:9.)
  
  
• breytonhartge

  31 Aug 06, 08:53

  No Brownie Points
  
  By Greg Laurie
  
  For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.
  
  —Ephesians 2:8–9
  
  Some years ago a poll conducted by a major news magazine found that most Americans were sure they were going to heaven, but most didnÂ’t expect to see their friends there. A majority of those polled anticipated that Mother Theresa would make the cut, and a number also cited certain celebrities and politicians whom they thought would qualify.
  
  Sadly, this shows the confusion and the flawed reasoning that go into the most important decision we will ever make in life: the decision regarding where we will spend eternity.
  
  Though this may come as a surprise to many people, Mother Theresa, as wonderful of a humanitarian as she was, did not have any better odds of making it into heaven than anyone else. Why? Because our entrance into heaven is not on the basis of what we have done for God; it is on the basis of what God has done for us. That is what it comes down to.
  
  The lowest of the low, if they repent and ask God to forgive them, in spite of what they have done, will be admitted into heaven. And the best of the best, in spite of all of the good they have done, will not necessarily get in if they have not put their faith in Christ as their Savior. It doesnÂ’t matter what we have done, as commendable as it may be. Our entrance into heaven has nothing to do with good deeds or bad deeds. But it has everything to do with what Jesus did on the cross and our recognition that we cannot meet God on our own merit.
  
  
• breytonhartge

  31 Aug 06, 08:55

  The Holy Spirit: Gift Giver
  
  By Dr Charles Stanley
  
  1 Corinthians 12:1-31
  
  Look into any church, and you will find a few apathetic believers. Their faith may be real, but it is inactive. Some of these people have simply decided that they lack the right skills to live daily for Christ. But a believer’s limitations are no excuse for ignoring God’s call to personal ministry—human strength and talent are inadequate for serving the Lord. That is why the Holy Spirit gives each believer a spiritual gift at salvation.
  
  Knowing exactly what a believerÂ’s future holds, the Spirit can bestow on him or her the capacity to carry out God-given work. We canÂ’t choose for ourselves what our gift will be; we are gifted in accordance with the calling placed on our life. The Lord also takes into account our inherent talents and personality so that our effectiveness is maximized.
  
  Some Christians regard certain gifts as proof of genuine faith. For example, a number of churches view speaking in tongues as a prerequisite for serving the Lord. However, according to Scripture, the only “gift” common to all believers is the Holy Spirit Himself. Today’s passage shows that spiritual gifts are distributed among the body of Christ, with no single manifestation being given to every believer (vv. 29-30).
  
  The Holy Spirit makes certain that we have the right tools to serve according to our calling. It is time to shake off any apathy or expectations of others that keep us glued to the pew. Start looking for a place to serve, whether in your church, community, or at work, and you will soon discover how the Holy Spirit has gifted you.
  
  
• breytonhartge

  31 Aug 06, 08:59

  Behold, I Give You Power
  
  By Joyce Meyer
  
  Behold! I have given you authority and power to trample upon serpents and scorpions, and [physical and mental strength and ability] over all the power that the enemy [possesses]; and nothing shall in any way harm you.
  —Luke 10:19
  Far too many believers are fainthearted, weak in determination, and diseased with an "I can't" attitude they are lacking in power.
  
  You and I don't have to beg God to give us power. We just need to realize and accept that we have been given power and then walk in what is already ours. We must develop and maintain a "power consciousness" an aggressive, power-packed attitude.
  
  God has given us spiritual power for spiritual warfare. Spiritual power is released when our faith is firm. When we walk in faith we can approach every situation with an attitude of enemy-conquering faith.
  
  An attitude of confidence will exude from us when we know who we are in Christ and believe in the power that the Bible says is ours through faith.
  
  Do you desire to be a powerful believer? Try approaching every situation in your life (no matter how large or small) with a simple, childlike faith believing that God is good, that He has a good plan for your life, and that He is working in your situation.
  
  You have power. Walk in it!
  
• breytonhartge

  1 Sep 06, 22:29

  CRISIS TIME IS GODÂ’S TIME!
  
  Then some came and told Jehoshaphat, saying, “A great multitude is coming against you from beyond the sea, from Syria; and they are in Hazazon Tamar” (which is En Gedi). And Jehoshaphat feared, and set himself to seek Yahveh, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. 2 Chronicles 20:2-3
  
  Shalom dearly beloved:
  
  It is totally natural to be afraid and even hate times of crisis, however times of crisis can lead to the greatest breakthroughs like in the case of King Jehoshaphat. Israel was being attacked by most of her enemies at once! This is much like the present day situation! However the king had the wisdom to do the right thing. He declared a fast and everyone else in Judah joined him. In other words this terrible crisis threw Israel to the feet of Yahveh! It does take a crisis some time to make us seek Him in desperation. I totally agree that it would be much better to seek Him constantly and not to need a crisis to wake us up. However for the most part people need a Wake Up Call! And this is what the entire world is getting an URU (Wake Up) CALL. This wake up call is happening in the Church, in the nations and in Israel. The shofars are calling for an awakening, it is time to put off our slumber and seek Yahveh like never before!
  
  After such desperate seeking, the answer of God did not delay!
  
  Then the Spirit of Yahveh came upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, in the midst of the assembly. And he said, “Listen, all you of Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem, and you, King Jehoshaphat! Thus says Yahveh to you: ‘Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s. Tomorrow go down against them. They will surely come up by the Ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the brook before the Wilderness of Jeruel. You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of Yahveh, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem!’ Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for Yahveh is with you.” 2 Chronicles 20:14-17
  
  God’s answer was strange to say the least! He said not to do anything! This is not the kind of answer we expect in times of crisis. We would normally expect an intricate strategy, some genial plan to come forth! Instead of that the king only received the command to POSITION HIMSELF and he immediately interpreted it as to “position Israel in praise”. The battle array of all of Israel was to be PRAISE! Can you imagine if the 30.000 soldiers of the IDF that were deployed in Lebanon would have received a command to praise instead of fight? Of course they would have thought that the Prime Minister had lost his mind! However King Jehoshaphat commanded the Army of Israel to dress up in their Army Uniform and in battle position as usual, except they were to be lead by a bunch of musicians!
  
  continued...
• breytonhartge

  1 Sep 06, 22:30

  CRISIS TIME IS GOD's TIME PART2
  
  So they rose early in the morning and went out into the Wilderness of Tekoa; and as they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Hear me, O Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem: Believe in Yahveh your God” and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper.” And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who should sing to Yahveh, and who should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army and were saying: “Praise Yahveh or His mercy endures forever.” 2 Chronicles 20:20-21
  
  The sight of such an army could have caused IsraelÂ’s enemies to dieÂ….of laughter!!! But instead of that ANOTHER KIND OF ARMY went into operation; this was The Heavenly Host or as also called here The Lord Himself!
  
  Now when they began to sing and to praise, Yahveh set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated. For the people of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir to utterly kill and destroy them. And when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, they helped to destroy one another. So when Judah came to a place overlooking the wilderness, they looked toward the multitude; and there were their dead bodies, fallen on the earth. No one had escaped. 2 Chronicles 20:22-24
  
  Angels went into operation and acted fiercely as soon as those Levitical musicians and singers led Israel into praise. I wonder how my people felt when they saw their enemies killing each other and the only thing they did was to SING and probably DANCE! Maybe there will be a video in Heaven of this battle, this will probably be my most favorite real life movie!
  
  It is good to realize that though YAH has an endless resourceful creativity when it comes to rescue His People, His principles still remain the same! A time of crisis can be turned into an awesome breakthrough IF we seek His face with all of our hearts and PRAISE remains an all time favorite weapon of war! The key issue is that when you seek Him in times of crisis; simply follow His instruction no matter how ridiculous it may seem!
  
  continued...
• breytonhartge

  1 Sep 06, 22:31

  CRISIS TIME IS GOD'S TIME PART3
  
  In Psalms 149 we can see why praise during times of crisis can cause such an astounding victory,
  
  For Yahveh takes pleasure in His people; He will beautify the humble with salvation. Let the saints be joyful in glory; Let them sing aloud on their beds. Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, And a two-edged sword in their hand, To execute vengeance on the nations, And punishments on the peoples; To bind their kings with chains, And their nobles with fetters of iron; To execute on them the written judgment—This honor have all His saints. Praise Yahveh! Psalms 149:4-9
  
  There is a judgment that is written already against all of your enemies! The High praises of God in your mouth and a two edged sword (Declaring The Word of God) in your hand will cause the judgment to be released by the holy angels themselves!
  
  Bless Yahveh, you His angels, Who excel in strength, who do His word, Heeding the voice of His word. Psalms 103:20
  
  The angels respond to praise as they are commanded to praise Yahveh and they do His Word! So, when you praise Him and declare His word over your situation the angels are in their right element for action and they fight for you! The outcome is that a place of seeming disaster, a valley of tears is turned into a place of tremendous blessing! It is in your hand to turn a crisis to your advantage through prayer, fasting, praise and word proclamation! Give the angels of God something to work with!
  
  When Jehoshaphat and his people came to take away their spoil, they found among them an abundance of valuables on the dead bodies, and precious jewelry, which they stripped off for themselves, more than they could carry away; and they were three days gathering the spoil because there was so much. And on the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Berachah, for there they blessed Yahveh; therefore the name of that place was called The Valley of Berachah until this day. 2 Chronicles 20:25,26
  
  Valley of Berachah means the Valley of Blessing. This term comes from the word Berech which means Knee and represents Kneeling and worshipping God or “Blessing and Praise”. There is an intricate connection between Praising Yah and the release of the blessing!
  
  A crisis time can be a blessing in disguise if you follow the instructions of this chapter! And the end result of such hurtful, fearsome, trying time will be JOY and PEACE!
  
  Then they returned, every man of Judah and Jerusalem, with Jehoshaphat in front of them, to go back to Jerusalem with joy, for Yahveh had made them rejoice over their enemies. So they came to Jerusalem, with stringed instruments and harps and trumpets, to the house of Yahveh. And the fear of God was on all the kingdoms of those countries when they heard that Yahveh had fought against the enemies of Israel. Then the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet, for his God gave him rest all around. 2 Chronicles 20:27-30
  
  First they positioned themselves to seek YAH and praise Him by faith in the midst of great fear and distress; as they did that YAH gave them the victory over all their enemies. So, now they could praise Him not from a place of distress but from a place of true joy and victory. The end result of all this strategy was REST ALL AROUND!
  
  May Israel and all of us have REST ALL AROUND as we praise Him in the midst of distress!
  
  We love you and care for you
  
  Your friends in Israel
  
  Rabbi Baruch and Bishop Dominiquae Bierma
  
• breytonhartge

  1 Sep 06, 22:35

  DEFEATING DEPRESSION PART 6
  
  Trust in Yah will take you out of depression
  
  Shabbat Shalom dearly beloved:
  
  He who is of a proud heart stirs up strife, But he who trusts in Yahveh will be prospered. Proverbs 28:25
  
  As we paraphrase the above verse from the original Hebrew it will read as follows,
  
  “He who is of a proud heart stirs up strife, but he who trusts in Yahveh will be fertilized”
  
  In other words, the humble ones that trust in and are dependant on The Almighty will suffer “stinking situations” that will fertilize their lives and bring their lives in to abundance fruitfulness! Fertilizers are very strong in smell, but without them we cannot get abundant crops. And it is the same in our lives, we will go through “hard to stomach” situations and every one else will see that we are suffering, however the purpose of these “stinking, fertilizing situations”; is to bring us to fruitfulness, prosperity and abundance!
  
  So many times we wonder why is it that hard situations “hit” our lives? How can it be that we, being people of The Covenant live through distresses, tragedies and disasters? How can it be that Israel has suffered so much after 2000 years of exile in order to fulfill Yahveh’s plan to reestablish her as a Light unto the Nations? So many times we get angry with YAH (God) and point a finger at Him for allowing hard things to happen in our lives. And what is worst, many have developed the culture of “Job’s comforters” trying to find fault with whoever is suffering! “It must be his fault, they say. It is probably the sins of so and so, or the terrible sins of Israel that have brought this terrible predicament forth”.
  
  Now as Y’shua passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Y’shua answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him. John 9:1-3
  
  It is always in the nature of man to point a finger, however every time that we point a finger to someone else, three fingers will be pointing at us- The Triune God Himself.
  
  For a righteous man may fall seven times And rise again, But the wicked shall fall by calamity. Proverbs 24:16
  
  We need to understand that The Covenant People of God, be it Gentiles or Jews will fall some times, yes, even seven times, which means “an unlimited amount of times”, but they will rise again EVERY time! However the wicked will fall and will not rise up!
  
  The difference between the wicked and the righteous is not that the righteous has no troubles or even prospers more than the wicked, no! The difference is in the response of the righteous during hardship. His response of faith and trust in YAH will cause him to rise up above the fallen wicked! Jeremiah said:
  
  Righteous are You, O Yahveh, when I plead with You; Yet let me talk with You about Your judgments. Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why are those happy who deal so treacherously? Jeremiah 12:1
  
  The wicked will prosper for a time, but when trouble hits, he will be suddenly destroyed and that without a remedy.
  
  If you are going through a hard situation and everyone can see your vulnerability, be encouraged today- You are being fertilized! You are being made fruitful and prosperous! It is not necessarily your sins that have brought this about, it may really be that your trust in YAH has brought this about! He has put His eye on you as a “fruitful land” and has decided to fertilize you so that you will be prosperous! If you have “Job’s comforters” around you or “well meaning critics”, just thank them and YAH, for they are part of your “fertilization”. Eventually every one will also be able to see the gorgeous fruit in your life and glorify the Father in Heaven for your “sudden” prosperity and success. Only you will know the years of “fertilization” that you have gone through!
  
  Keep yourself in love, in forgiveness and thankfulness and do not lose sight of the vision for which purpose you are being “fertilized”. Then the perfumed anointing of Adonai will be in you and upon you mightily and it will cause you to forget the “stink”.
  
  Looking unto YÂ’shua, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2
  
  In YÂ’shuaÂ’s Love
  
  Your friends in Israel
  
  Rabbi Baruch and Bishop Dominiquae Bierman
  
  
• breytonhartge

  1 Sep 06, 22:53

  by Mrs. Charles E. Cowman
  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  
  A Bar of Steel
  
  "I will make thee a new sharp threshing
  
  instrument" (Isa. 41:15).
  
  A bar of steel worth five dollars, when wrought
  
  into horseshoes, is worth ten dollars. If made
  
  into needles, it is worth three hundred and fifty
  
  dollars; if into penknife blades, it is worth
  
  thirty-two thousand dollars; if into springs for
  
  watches it is worth two hundred and fifty
  
  thousand dollars. What a drilling the poor bar
  
  must undergo to be worth this! But the more it is
  
  manipulated, the more it is hammered, and passed
  
  through the fire, and beaten and pounded and
  
  polished, the greater the value.
  
  May this parable help us to be silent, still, and
  
  longsuffering. Those who suffer most are capable
  
  of yielding most; and it is through pain that God
  
  is getting the most out of us, for His glory and
  
  the blessing of others. --Selected
  
  "Oh, give Thy servant patience to be still,
  
  And bear Thy will;
  
  Courage to venture wholly on the arm
  
  That will not harm;
  
  The wisdom that will never let me stray
  
  Out of my way;
  
  The love that, now afflicting, knoweth best
  
  When I should rest."
  
  Life is very mysterious. Indeed it would be
  
  inexplicable unless we believed that God was
  
  preparing us for scenes and ministries that lie
  
  beyond the veil of sense in the eternal world,
  
  where highly-tempered spirits will be required
  
  for special service.
  
  "The turning-lathe that has the sharpest knives
  
  produces the finest work."
  
  
• breytonhartge

  2 Sep 06, 15:38

  "Happy art thou, O Israel: who is like unto thee, O people saved by the Lord, the shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thy excellency! And thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee; and thou shalt tread upon their high places" (Deuteronomy 33:29).
  
  The Word declares that Yahweh will save you and be your help in times of trouble. Yahweh has equipped every believer to have total victory over the enemy.
• breytonhartge

  2 Sep 06, 15:41

  From Jack Graham.
  
  So we built the wall. And all the wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a mind to work.
  
  --Nehemiah 4:6
  
  Do you remember the old saying, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me”? I think we understand the point behind that saying, but it’s absolutely untrue, isn’t it? We all know how much words can hurt.
  
  That is exactly what Satan wants to do to us—discourage and hurt us. And the way he does this is by telling us lies. With him, the truth doesn’t matter. He’s simply out to ruin your reputation and shake your confidence in Christ.
  
  In Matthew 16:18, Jesus tells us that He will build His Church and that hell will not prevail against it. He also tells us that we can rebuild our lives and honor Him. But just when you start believing God, Satan will come and say, “You can’t rebuild your life—it’s too far gone.”
  
  This is exactly what Nehemiah was going through as he and the people of God were working to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem from rubbish. Satan sent people to tell him, “You can’t possibly make this rubbish into a wall of defense.”
  
  But Nehemiah proved them wrong! DonÂ’t let Satan steal the victory by believing him and doubting God. Ask God today to help you see the devilÂ’s lies for what they are.
  
  DONÂ’T LET SATAN TELL YOU THAT YOU CANÂ’T WHEN GOD SAYS YOU CAN.
  
  
• breytonhartge

  3 Sep 06, 11:59

  Remarkable
  by Max Lucado
  
  Every day I have the honor of sitting down with a book that contains the words of the One who created me. Every day I have the opportunity to let him give me a thought or two on how to live.
  
  If I donÂ’t do what he says, he doesnÂ’t burn the book or cancel my subscription. If I disagree with what he says, lightning doesnÂ’t split my swivel chair or an angel doesnÂ’t mark my name off the holy list. If I donÂ’t understand what he says, he doesnÂ’t call me a dummy.
  
  In fact, he calls me “Son,” and on a different page explains what I don’t understand.
  
  Remarkable.
  
  At the end of the day when I walk through the house, I step into the bedrooms of three little girls. And one by one, I bend over and kiss the foreheads of the angels God has loaned me. Then I stand in the doorway and wonder why in the world he would entrust a stumbling, fumbling fellow like me with the task of loving and leading such treasures.
  
  Remarkable.
  
  Then I go and crawl into bed with a woman far wiser than I Â… a woman who deserves a man much better looking than I Â… but a woman who would argue that fact and tell me from the bottom of her heart that IÂ’m the best thing to come down her pike.
  
  After I think about the wife I have, and when I think that I get to be with her for a lifetime, I shake my head and thank the God of grace for grace and think, Remarkable.
  
  IÂ’m learning not to take these everyday miracles for granted.
  
  IÂ’m discovering many things: traffic jams eventually clear up, sunsets are for free, Little League is a work of art, and most planes take off and arrive on time. IÂ’m learning that most folks are good folks who are just as timid as I am about starting a conversation.
  
  IÂ’m meeting people who love their country and their God and their church and would die for any of the three.
  
  IÂ’m learning that if I look Â… if I open my eyes and observe Â… there are many reasons to take off my hat, look at the Source of it all, and just say thanks
  
• breytonhartge

  3 Sep 06, 11:59

  Psalm 109:23
  I am gone like the shadow when it declineth; I am tossed up and down as the locust.
  
  Doug was bullied by all the other children. Some days he would dream of being bigger than everyone else; then he would show them. In the morning he would walk to school, watching his shadow loom out large before him. Oh, if only he were as big as his shadow. Then the other children would run! But each day by noontime, Doug's shadow had dwindled in size and he had to turn his dreams to other solutions.
  Often we try to put our hopes on solutions that just aren't real. We kid ourselves into thinking that maybe our problems will take care of themselves and will require little effort on our part. Earthly, easy solutions fade away like shadows in the daylight. We shouldn't look to shadows for answers, but to the light. God is the source of all our solutions. Unlike the shadows, nothing causes God to fade into nothingness. His solutions are forever.
  
• breytonhartge

  5 Sep 06, 09:16

  by Neil Anderson
  
  LIFE ON THE CUTTING EDGE
  
  Hebrews 11:33, 34
  . . . Who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong
  
  Is faith a risk? Of course. But failing to step out in faith is to risk missing real life. I have been challenged by the following thought from an unknown author.
  
  Risk
  
  To laugh is to risk appearing the fool.
  
  To weep is to risk appearing sentimental.
  
  To reach out for another is to risk involvement.
  
  To place our ideas, our dreams, before a crowd is to risk their loss.
  
  To love is to risk not being loved in return.
  
  To live is to risk dying.
  
  To hope is to risk despair.
  
  To try is to risk failure.
  
  Risks must be taken because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing. The person who risks nothing does nothing, has nothing, is nothing. He may avoid suffering and sorrow, but he simply cannot learn, feel, change, grow, love . . . live. Chained by his certitudes, he is a slave; he has forfeited freedom.
  
  What a privilege for us to be able to walk by faith in God Himself, armed with all the promises of His Word. I suppose we all desire the security of the solid tree trunk, but the fruit is out on the limb. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. The timid soul asks, "What do I stand to lose if I do it?" The fruit-bearing Christians asks, "What do I stand to lose if I don't do it?" Real life is lived on the cutting edge.
  
  Prayer:
  
  Heavenly Father, help me stand up for what is right, to reach out and love others, and to dare to believe.
  Thank you for using the Daily in Christ devotionals