"Great is his faithfulness;

 

 his mercies begin afresh each morning.

 

I say to myself, "The Lord is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in Him." 

 

The Lord is good to those who depend on him,

 

to those who search for him." 

 

Lamentations 3:23-25 NLT

 

 

 

 

The Servant

 

Dark limestone walls reveal, an open solitary window in an upper room.
 

The oil lamps flicker, reflecting shadows of men seated in a circle.
 

The last supper. Sweet incense mixes with smells of fresh baked bread.

 Then, uncomfortable silence.

Thirty-three year old Messiah, is on his knees. He calls for a towel and basin of water. 
 

The young everlasting King is kneeling?

Rough aggresive men, some former fishermen, stare in disbelief. 

"If any among you would be great, let Him be a servant."

 

The words fall like rough stones. A servant? 

That doesn't feel great at all. Wash another's feet? 

What is He thinking? 

 

"No servant is greater than his Master."

 

One by one dirty calloused feet are rinsed. One by one humility washes over calloused hearts. 
 

The oil lamps become brighter, the wall shadows grow larger.
 

 "Love one another as I have loved you..."

"Greater love hath no man than this, than a man would lay down his life for his friends."
 

"Love your neighbor as yourself."

 

 

 

When the mind of Christ is in us, then we become great.

Trusting God through the Storm

The strong Florida winds ripped through the trees.  Lighting flashed, creating a light show which illuminated the cab of the swaying truck.  I gripped the steering wheel more tightly.  The safety of home was a few miles away.  I could make it.  I hated to drive in rain, much less a thunderstorm of this magnitude.  I was used to the tropical weather, had survived several hurricanes, but at the moment I felt like my heart would pound through my chest.  Suddenly a bolt of lighting struck a transformer.  The loud crack, and power surge that connected from the heavens to the power pole lit up the sky.  I needed to get home, but was aware of the danger that surrounded me.  I started singing, "Our God is greater, our God is stronger, God you are higher than any other..." My daughter in the front seat began to sing with me, trying to calm our frayed nerves.  With each deep puddle splash that washed over the windshield, our song got stronger.  My five year old in the back seat wasn't singing, so I said, "Sadie, you should sing with us!"  She said, "Mom, I'm praying."  Snails pace driving, praying and singing, we made our way home.

There are storms that arise in our lives.  Our fear mounts. Our knuckles become white with worry. Will we make it?  Will we survive? Will the elements of the situation tear us apart?  Where is God in the midst of this?  God is the creator and controller of the storm.  No he doesn't have plans  to destroy us. He doesn't have plans to harm us or crush us. He has plans to give us hope and a future.  Sometimes all we can do is hang on for dear life to the hope He has given us.  We are safe in Him.
Sing and pray your way through the storm and know that our God who made the storm, can speak to the storm and say, "Peace Be Still!"---j. jones

 

"So let the storm rage high, the dark clouds rise, they don't worry me, for I'm sheltered safe within the arms of God. He walks with me, and none of earth can harm me. Sheltered safe within the arms of God."  Sheltered in the Arms of God
 by Dottie Rambo

Weekend Rest: Sar Shalom

The Hebrew word shalom is understood world-wide to mean "peace."  Shalom is commonly used to greet people and also bid them farewell.  However, each Hebrew word has a deeper meaning and emotion.  Shalom actually means complete peace. 

Shalom:  Completeness, health, wholeness, peace, welfare, safety, soundness, tranquility, prosperity, perfectness, fullness, rest, harmony, the absence of agitation or discord.  It comes from the root verb which means complete, perfect and full. In modern Hebrew the related word Shelem means to pay for and Shulam, fully paid.  (Strong's Concordance #7965)

So how do we have Shalom in our lives? We need to meet Sar Shalom, or Yeshua, Jesus, Messiah the Prince of Peace.  (Isaiah 9:6) "and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and the Prince of Peace. (Sar Shalom)

When you say "Shalom" you are making a powerful statement.  Not only are you speaking peace into someone's life, you are speaking the whole definition of Shalom. 

This weekend my prayer for you is SHALOM!  YHWH* bless you and keep you. YHWH make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. YHWH lift up His face upon you and give you SHALOM. Numbers 6:24-26  In the name of YeshuahaMashiyach SAR SHALOM- The Prince of Peace. *YHWH are the four Hebrew letters which are Yod, Hey Vav and Hey.  These letters are given as the name of God.  (Exodus 3:6 "When I judge the creatures I am Elohim and when I have mercy with my world, I am YHWH.")

Lord Jesus,

 

I pray you would bless my friends this weekend with your peace.  Lord we know that You are the Prince of Peace. Bless my friends with SHALOM.  Let them know that you are in control, even when circumstances and life seem out of control. In a world filled with chaos, evil, disaster, and hopelessness, let them find you, Sar Shalom, Prince of Peace.

 

In Your name I pray.

Amen