LORD HAVE MERCY

Scripture:

LORD, have mercy on me. See how my enemies
torment me. Snatch me back from the jaws of death.
Save me so I can praise you publicly at Jerusalem's
gates, so I can rejoice that you have rescued me.
Psalm 9:13-14, NLT

Reflection:

All of us want God to help us when we are in trouble,
but often for different reasons. Some want God's help
so that they will be successful and other people will
like them. Others want God's help so that they will be
comfortable and feel good about themselves. David,
however, wanted help from God so that justice would
be restored to Israel and so that he could show others
God's power.

When you call to God for help, consider your motive.
Is it to save yourself pain and embarrassment or to
bring God glory and honor?

WHAT MONEY CAN'T BUY

Scripture:

“They have mouths, but cannot speak,
eyes, but cannot see.
They have ears, but cannot hear,
nor is there breath in their mouths.
Those who make them will be like them,
and so will all who trust in them.” — Psalm 135:16–18

Many people dream of winning the lottery. While we
all agree that money can’t buy happiness, it doesn’t
stop us from thinking that a lot of money would make
life much easier, and with that would come happiness,
right?

Consider the story of lottery winners Lara and Roger
Griffiths. They thought winning the lottery was the
greatest thing to happen to them, but now they say
that winning the lottery wrecked their lives.

Upon winning the lottery, the couple began fulfilling
all their long-held dreams. Roger reunited his high
school rock band and produced a record. Lara opened
a beauty salon. The two then bought all the things they
couldn’t afford previously and went on luxury vacations.
Sounds like a dream, right?

However, the dream became a nightmare when Lara
discovered that her husband had an affair. Then Roger
revealed that their money was all gone, spent on
unsuccessful ventures, bad investments, or squandered
by the two. Within years after winning the lottery, Lara
was working in the beauty salon she once owned,
Roger was living with his parents, and the couple’s
marriage was destroyed. They were worse off than
before the big win!

Psalm 135 warns us, “The idols of the nations are
silver and gold” (V. 135:15). Many people worship
money. They crave it, live for it, and love it. However,
money is empty. It is an idol like the psalmist describes,
“They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot
see. They have ears, but cannot hear, nor is there
breath in their mouths.” There is no life in idols or
money, and neither can give us life.

The psalmist goes on to cautions us, “Those who make
them will be like them, and so will all who trust in them.
” Just as gold and silver are without the ability to see,
hear, or speak, so too, will be those who trust in them.
They won’t see the truth, hear the truth, or speak the
truth. They will be blind, deaf, and speak lies. They
are destined to make bad decisions, resulting in a
messy life.

Is money a bad thing? Certainly not! Money, when
used properly, can help us on our life’s journey and
service to God. However, it is a means to an end and
not an end in itself. Only God can fill us with the joy,
love, and security that we all crave. Only God can
guide us and lead us on a path that will be most
fulfilling. Only God can give us life. And that is worth
more than anything money can buy.

With prayers for shalom, peace,
Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein

(excerpts taken from Holy Land Moments)

SILENCE THE SKEPTICS

We long for fire from heaven to silence the skeptics once
and for all, but God doesn't usually work that way. Long
ago He revealed Himself as a helpless baby sleeping in
a dirty feed trough, and today He speaks quietly to
ordinary people like you and me — if only we are still
enough to listen. That is the sentiment expressed by
Emily May Grimes in the words of the hymn,
"Speak, Lord, in the Stillness."

Speak, Lord, in the stillness, while I wait on Thee;
hushed my heart to listen in expectancy.
Speak, O blessed Master, in this quiet hour, let me see
Thy face, Lord, feel Thy touch of power.
Emily May Grimes

ENJOYING GOD'S WORLD

Scripture:

“If you enter your neighbor’s vineyard, you may eat all the
grapes you want, but do not put any in your basket.” —
Deuteronomy 23:24

Reflection:

To never open the gift and enjoy it would be wrong.
There are, however, a few conditions for enjoying all of the
God-given pleasures of this world. We must be grateful
and mindful of where our gifts have come from. Along
those lines, we must be willing to share our many blessings
with others in need, since all we have belongs to God
anyway. Additionally, we must be careful to treat our gifts
appropriately, never abusing them or taking them for granted.

Look around you. How many gifts do you see? Most people
tend to focus on what they are lacking and miss out on the
enjoyment of what they have. Do you have good food to eat?
A scenic road to walk on? Is the sun shining? Or is warm
rain falling? Make time to enjoy all of God’s gifts. When we
enjoy what we have been given in a meaningful and
appropriate way, we will bring much pleasure both to
ourselves and to our Father above

MID LIFE CRISIS

Struggling in the face of a mid-life crisis, a somewhat
foolish couple was walking down the street one day
when they heard a voice from above: "You will live to be 100."

They looked around and didn't see anyone. Again they
heard the voice: "You will live to be 100."

Oh boy, the husband thought, that must be the voice of God!
"Whoopie!" the wife exclaimed to her husband, "we've got 40
more years to live and we need to look the part!"

So off they went to the plastic surgeon for their various
procedures: a facelift, hair restoration, chin implants -- the
works!

Weeks later on the way to a follow-up visit to the plastic
surgeon's office, the couple was hit by a bus, died, and went
up to heaven.

Upon arrival, the woman protested to God "You told us we
would live to be 100. We're supposed to have 40 more years.
So why would you let a bus kill us?"

Whereupon God replied: "Because I didn't recognize either
of you!"

A GENTLE WHISPER

“These are the laws you are to set before them.” —
Exodus 21:1

“Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart
and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD
was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake,
but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake
came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the
fire came a gentle whisper” (1 Kings 19: 11–12).

There was a great wind, followed by the shaking of the ground,
followed by a blaze of fire. All fantastic and wondrous! God
moved heaven and earth! But God was not in the wind, earth,
or fire. Rather, Elijah heard a soft, still voice – and that was
where he encountered God.

This passage is teaching us that, as great as moments of
revelation and inspiration can be, they are not where we will
find God. It’s wonderful to be moved by a beautiful sunset or
to be awed by a powerful thunderstorm. They may make us
feel more connected to God and inspire us to change. But
that’s not where we encounter God in the deepest way.

We truly encounter God where we are least expecting it –
in the store, at a business meeting, sitting around the house
with our family. It’s the quiet moments in life where we truly
encounter God.

As you go through the day, keep an ear out for that
“gentle whisper” guiding you and commanding you as you go
through life. When you hear God’s voice and choose to obey
His laws, you will have found Him, no matter where you may
be. Nothing is more sensational than that!

With prayers for shalom, peace,
Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein

(excerpts taken from Holy Land Moments)

THE LOSERS

Scripture:

"I have come to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish
it were blazing already" (Luke 12:49).

Author Rob Bell asks us to ponder the mysteries of the
Gospel. Mysteries which include the dusty, messy, bloody and unexpected stories about this man, Jesus of Nazareth. This Jesus who touches lepers, whom no one else would touch -- who hears the cries of blind people who had been told to be quiet -- who dines with tax collectors, whom everybody hated -- and talks with a thirsty, disreputable Samaritan woman who he wasn't' supposed to talk with. Over an over again we see Jesus going to the edges, to the margins, to those in trouble, those despised -- those no one else would touch -- those who were ignored.

Over and over again we see him going to the weak, the blind, the lame, the losers. He moves toward them; he extends himself to them; he reaches out to them and meets them in their place of pain, helplessness, abandonment and failure. He is living, breathing evidence that God wants everybody, everyone, to be rescued, renewed and reconciled -- to ourselves, our neighbors, our world -- and our God.

(Excerpts from The Staff and editors of Sunday Sermons Online )

PEARLS OF WISDOM

God's Pearls of Wisdom

You say: "It's impossible"
God says: All things are possible
(Luke 18:27)

You say: "I'm too tired"
God says: I will give you rest
(Matthew 11:28-30)

You say: "Nobody really loves me"
God says: I love you
(John 3:16 & John 3:34)

You say: "I can't go on"
God says: My grace is sufficient
(2 Corinthians 12:9 & Psalm 91:15)

You say: "I can't figure things out"
God says: I will direct your steps
(Proverbs 3:5-6)

You say: "I can't do it"
God says: You can do all things
(Philippians 4:13)

You say: "I'm not able"
God says: I am able
(2 Corinthians 9:8)

You say: "It's not worth it"
God says: It will be worth it
(Romans 8:28)

You say: "I can't forgive myself"
God says: I Forgive you
(I John 1:9 & Romans 8:1)

You say: "I can't manage"
God says: I will supply all your needs
(Philippians 4:19)

You say: "I'm afraid"
God says: I have not given you a spirit of fear
(2 Timothy 1:7)

You say: "I'm always worried and frustrated"
God says: Cast all your cares on ME
(I Peter 5:7)

You say: "I'm not smart enough"
God says: I give you wisdom
(I Corinthians 1:30)

You say: "I feel all alone"
God says: I will never leave you or forsake you
(Hebrews 13:5)

YOU ASKED ME

You asked for my hands, that you might use them for your purpose.
I gave them for a moment, then withdrew them, for the work was hard.
You asked for my mouth to speak out against injustice.
I gave you a whisper that I might not be accused.
You asked for my eyes to see the pain of poverty.
I closed them, for I did not want to see.
You asked for my wife, that you might work through me.
I gave a small part, that I might not get too involved.
Lord, forgive my calculated efforts to serve you-
only when it is convenient for me to do so,
only in those places where it is safe to do so,
and only with those who make it easy to do so.
Father, forgive me, renew me, send me out as a usable
instrument,
that I might take seriously the meaning of your cross.  Amen.

UNSELFISHNESS

"When a man has had a great deal given him, a
great deal will be demanded of him; when a man
has had a great deal given him on trust, even more
will be expected of him" (Luke 12:48).

There is a short story in which a self-centered old
man dreams that he died and went to hell. In the
midst of his anguish, he looks heavenward and
cries out for a second chance. A voice from above
asks him what he had done in his earthly life to
merit a second chance. After much soul-searching,
all the man can remember is that while walking in
the woods one day, he saw a spider and did not kill
it. At once, the thin, silvery thread of a spider web
is lowered to within his reach. He eagerly grabs hold
of the thread, and it begins to rise and lift him out of
his misery. Whereupon, two of his fellow prisoners
grab onto his feet, hoping to escape. Fearing that the
thread will break, the man cries out, "Let go! Let go!"
-- whereupon the thread breaks, and all three fall back
into hell. And the self-centered old man realizes that
although the thread was strong enough to lift all
together, it could not bear the burden of a selfish soul.

Again and again in the Gospels, Jesus speaks of our
fulfillment in terms of unselfishness and other
centeredness. "My Kingdom is not of this world,"
Jesus said. This means that the Kingdom of Christ is
not established like other kingdoms. Christ's Kingdom
does not rest upon constitutions and edicts and guns
and terror, nor even upon some vague "social contract."
No, Christ's Kingdom is established upon a covenant of
love. "This is My commandment," Jesus says, "that
you love one another as I have loved you."

(excerpts from The Staff and editors of Sunday
Sermons Online)

(Note= It has been said that we live in a time that holds
the happiness of the individual paramount. That is to say,
we live in the times of "What's in it for me?" We live in
the times of "Will it pay off?"
People weigh the cost. People weigh the efficiency.
People weigh the end-product. People calculate. People
are preoccupied with money as the end-result)

GREEDY

The desires of lazy people will be their ruin, for their
hands refuse to work. They are always greedy for more,
while the godly love to give!
Proverbs 21:25-26 NLT

It is possible to give freely and become more wealthy,
but those who are stingy will lose everything. The
generous prosper and are satisfied; those who refresh
others will themselves be refreshed.
Proverbs 11:24-25 NLT

Blessed are those who are generous, because they
feed the poor.
Proverbs 22:9 NLT

The dangers of greed

Greed is never satisfied because self is at the center
of its world, and the self is forever taking, grasping after
whatever is beneficial to "me." A person secure in the
love of God approaches life with quite a different attitude:
Because I am sure that God will take care of me and
provide all that I need, I no longer have to be greedy,
desperately looking out for myself and grabbing
everything in sight.

Ultimately, greed is a sign of emptiness. If you find
yourself grasping after things in life, worried that you
won't get what you want, what you need, or what you
deserve, you have put your trust in the wrong place.
Greed will use you up without giving anything in return.
God's great love offers us a fuller, more satisfying life.

(From the TouchPoint Bible (Tyndale House) p 565)

CHAPTER 11

There's an amusing little story about a formerly
wealthy man who was down on his luck. One day,
the pastor of his church spotted him sitting on a
park bench, shabbily dressed and wearing a scruffy
beard. "What happened to you Bob," the preacher
asked. "You used to be rather well off."

Bob told of a hard luck story including several bad
investments and the loss of his business. "Go home,
" the pastor said, "and open your Bible at random,
stick your finger on the page and there will be God's
answer to your trouble."

Some months passed and again the preacher
spotted the man in the park -- only this time he was
dressed in an expensive suit, was wearing a fine
watch and had a fancy sports car parked nearby.
"Bob," said the Pastor, "I'm so glad to see you back
on your feet."

"Yes," said the man, "and I owe it all to you! You
see I opened my Bible just like you said, put my
finger down on the page and there was the answer --
 Chapter 11."

GRACE AFTER MEALS

“When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the LORD
your God for the good land he has given you.”—
Deuteronomy 8:10

The parents of a young man who was tragically killed in
military service were faithful congregants in a little church.
One day, they came to their pastor and told him that they
would like to make a significant contribution to the church
in memory of their son who died in battle. The pastor
commended them and said, “That’s a wonderful gesture
on your part. Do you mind if I share this with the
congregation?” The couple agreed, and so the next Sunday,
the pastor told the congregation about the generous
gift given in memory of the son.

On the way home from church, another couple was driving
down the highway when the husband said to his wife,
“Why don’t we give a gift because of our son?” His wife
looked at him baffled and replied, “But our son didn’t die
in any conflict! Our son is still alive!” Her husband explained,
“That’s exactly my point! That’s all the more reason we
ought to give thanks to God.”

Most religions of the world have the
concept of saying some type of grace before eating to
recognize that the food we have received is a generous gift
from God and that we are grateful. However, the main
practice regarding grace, the one that is mentioned in the
Bible, is saying grace after we have eaten and we are
satisfied. As Scripture says: “When you have eaten and
are satisfied, praise the LORD your God for the good land
he has given you.”

The commandment to say grace after meals is also a
commandment to thank God after you are blessed in any
and all areas of your life.

We will always turn to God when we are troubled, however
it is precisely when things are going well that we have to
be no less diligent in turning to God – with our prayers,
praises, and gratitude.

With prayers for shalom, peace,
Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein

((excerpts taken from Holy Land Moments)

IN TIME OF TROUBLE

Scripture:

"Cast your burden on the Lord and He shall
sustain you."   Psalm 55:22

Reflection:

Sometime ago I came across this often quoted prayer:
"God grant me the serenity to accept things I cannot
change, the courage to change the things I can, and
wisdom to know the difference."  This prayer expresses
an important thought:  one I think we should all pray
and live.

Some things in life just cannot be changed know
matter how much we try, and of course some things
can  Some things God has given to us as fixed realities
that we must accept.  And some things He would have
us not accept, but, with His help, work to change.
If we fail to do both of these, to accept some things
and work to change others, we will end up suffering with
worry, undeserved guilt, and frustration.

Someone, I'm not sure who, said, "Worry is the interest
paid on trouble before it comes due."  Instead, God would
have us learn to trust Him. "Cast your burden on the Lord
and He shall sustain you"

Prayer:

Oh Lord take all the suffering, worry, guilt and frustration
from me.  Lord I give you my burden because I know
you will sustain me.  AMEN

SABBATH EVERY DAY

Scripture:

“Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but
the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God.
On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your
son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor
your ox, your donkey or any of your animals, nor any
foreigner residing in your towns, so that your male and
female servants may rest, as you do.”
Deuteronomy 5:13–14

The Sabbath is a metaphor for all our work in life. We
put in our best efforts and do our part. But at some
point, we must stop and let God take over.

The Sabbath is a concept meant to be incorporated
into everything we do, every day of our lives. We do our
best and let God do the rest. We need to be acutely
aware of Who is the real Creator. While we may
contribute to the world, it is ultimately God Who is
responsible for every success and each failure. So, let
go of working overtime – and let God take over every
time!

BELIEVING IS SEEING

Scripture:

“See, I am setting before you today a blessing
and a curse – the blessing if you obey the
commands of the LORD your God that I am giving
you today; the curse if you disobey the commands
of the LORD your God and turn from the way that
I command you today by following other gods,
which you have not known.”
— Deuteronomy 11:26–28

General Dwight D. Eisenhower went to visit the Nazi
death camps in Poland. Eisenhower’s statement,
which is featured prominently at the U.S. Holocaust
Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C., says that he
went to see the evidence with his own eyes so that
he could be a witness if the world ever tried to deny
the Holocaust. Seeing is believing. Believing is
knowing that something is true.

When God told the children of Israel that they were
to see that they had a choice before them, He was
telling them to know – with complete clarity – that
following His ways would bring them blessings and
going against Him would bring curses. It’s as if God
was saying to them, “See! Know it, experience it,
and store this truth in your heart. There will be a
time when your vision gets cloudy. There will be a
time when you have decisions to make in life.
Choose Me. Choose blessings.”

It would benefit us to think of this verse every day.
Sometimes we let ourselves sink into the murkiness
of life, into a place where life seems confusing.
However, life isn’t complicated. Not when viewed from
the place of clarity that God provides for us in this
reading. In every decision we face, there is only one
deciding factor – which path is most congruent with
the will of God? If we navigate according to that
compass, we will never go wrong.

Seeing something with our own eyes is a way to
believe. Yet it is also true that believing is a way of
seeing more deeply, more clearly, more fully than
just our eyes can.

With prayers for shalom, peace,
Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein

(excerpts taken from Holy Land Moments)

EFFECTIVE PRAYER

How can I make my prayers effective?

Scripture:

I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. As you
make your requests, plead for God's mercy upon
them, and give thanks. Pray this way for kings and
all others who are in authority, so that we can live
in peace and quietness, in godliness and dignity.
1 Timothy 2:1-2 NLT

Praying effectively

Paul urges Timothy to lift up requests, prayers,
intercession, and thanksgiving.

A request is a need, a deep desire for something we
don't have — something only God can supply.

A prayer is a word of praise and adoration. A more
accurate translation of this word from the original
Greek might be to "worship in earnest."

Intercession is praying on behalf of others. Our
prayers should regularly reflect this kind of selfless
lifestyle.

Thanksgiving involved remembering those past
prayers that have already been answered,
acknowledging that we not only trust God's
supremacy and involvement in our life but also how
his hand has moved and guided us in the past.

When we pray effectively, we do more than
communicate with God — we commune with him.
We become one in mind and spirit and purpose.
Today, let the focus of your prayer time be to
connect with God in a very real and personal way,
not as a slave would petition his master, but as a
son would enjoy the company of a loving and
gracious father.

Adapted from a devotional by Frank M. Martin in
Embracing Eternity (Tyndale House) p 36

YOU CHOOSE

We can choose growth or stagnation. We can use
whatever circumstances we are given as opportunities
to grow and thrive, or we can let our circumstances
get the best of us and beat us into defeat. In life,
success doesn’t necessarily go to the one who is
most talented, brilliant, or savvy – it goes to the one
who chooses to follow the path of blessings.

No matter what situation you find yourself in
today, know beyond the shadow of doubt that it is one
in which you can thrive. All you need to do is make
that choice. Cling to God and to His Word and choose
life’s blessings!