Help

I went to visit a friend of mine who has back and neck injuries similar to mine. He's been living on morphine for years.

I was set free from morphine, Fentanyl, and a plethora of other pain reliving addictions by the power of God.
I promise you, when that happened, I was in NO WAY worthy of the help I RECEIVED!

I found my friend covered in a blanket and bemoaning his pain. I offered to pray for him . . . he refused my offer. Even though he professes to believe.

While I was there his morphine came in the mail.

Before even opening the package and taking the morphine, his demeanor immediately changed from sorrow and depression to elation and joy . . . purty sure it is a cycle that will be repeated.

'From whence does our help come . . .?' King David



Life can be lived in the Donut hole. Surrounded by Donut; but in the hole where there is no Donut to eat and there is no help.

Help -To aid; to assist; to lend strength; a means to move forward with efficacy in purpose.

Legalistic ways of thinking are the things that keep us in the Donut Hole.
Because they either cause us or someone else to think and finally believe we somehow have to be worthy to receive help.

Isn't the fact that help is needed enough to succor help?

Under legalistic ways of thinking, No one gets help because help has to be earned.

Some think they are worthy of help, but others, not so much because they aren't yet worthy . . . Legalism requires worthiness, perfection, to get out of the Donut Hole.
If that is THE WAY . . . if human perfection is THE WAY . . .
Then why does He say He is an ever present help in time of need and why did he then say we who obviously are not yet perfect could come to Him boldly in time of need to receive the help we ALL need . . .

Legalism puts us all in the DONUT HOLE where THERE IS NO HELP.
God's Grace unmerited favor puts us on the Donut.  Grace was paid for by Jesus.

My help, from God, (and I get a lot of it), comes when I believe the help I need is already on the way.
My part is to believe until the help I need gets here.

Help from people comes by asking or begging or manipulation.
Help from God comes from 'Receiving' the help that has already been given.
'see' Hebrews 4:16

When I go to the throne of grace to receive the help, that has already been given, His answer is always, "Request granted!" or as it is written "The promises of God are yes and Amen to THOSE THAT BELIEVE."

If I preach a Gospel that negates God's grace, unmerited favor, and focuses instead on performance how could that be 'Good News?'

It aint good news at all, it is business as usual. Because, ya see, my performance aint all that good. How bout yours? In buisness, what happens when yer performance does not meet expectaion . . . Ya get FIRED.
Gospel - 'Good News' - not bad news . . . ya get it?

Reflection

I can only see how I look when I look in the mirror but I can see how others look without a mirror . . .

The problem with that is, without looking into the mirror occasionally, it is all too easy for me to forget how I look; but I never seem to forget how others look because I don't need a mirror to see them.

Maybe our proclivity to see the fault in others, is really just a reminder of what we see in the mirror .  .  . when we look into it . . . and soon forget . . .

But if I look into the 'perfect law that sets us all free,' (singular law, not collective law) . . . .

Wonder what the "perfect Law that sets us all free is? Don't you?
A Meditation from James 1:25-27

The tests of faith that come our way, the ones that really teach us what living a life of faith really means are the ones that give us no way to turn but up.

I've found myself, of late, wishing there was another way to learn the lessons of faith while, at the same time, looking forward, to the next lesson of faith because I'm finally seeing the peace that passes all understanding  . . the lessons of faith bring

Goals, The Way of Shalom

The first step I employ to realizing a goal in my life is to define the parameters or the 'work involved' in attaining that 'defined goal.' The second step is to actually do the work.

Paul said to the Colossians the 'work' is to make fully known the message of God.
Which is . . . We have been ransomed and set free, (past tense), by the blood of Christ . . . Col 1:25
Paul went on to say the 'goal' of that work is that we might be united with Christ or become one with Him. Col 1;28-29

When Christ is in us, we have Shalom with God. The word 'shalom' is the first word used in the Bible to define 'healing.' Genesis 43:28

Shalom - Peace, safety, prosperity, well being, intactness, wholeness, security, safety. Which brings feelings of satisfaction, well being, and contentment - perfect peace.

The 'work' to do to have Shalom in life is to begin to believe the message of God.
"He sent his word and he healed them and delivered them from destruction."
Psalms 107:20 The word he sent was the living word, Yeshua Ha' Maschiac; Jesus

Postscript:
The first step I try to employ in realizing a goal in my life is to define the parameters or the 'work involved' in attaining that 'defined goal.' The second step is to actually do the work. Of course, that is all predicated on whether I believe, or not, I can do the work and attain the goal . . . Even if no one else does . . .

Because ya see,  The goal of the Bible is to come to faith or trust in the One whom he sent . . . and not in our own efforts.  That doesn't mean we don't exert effort, it means we trust in what God did to make our effort successful . . .  and that is Jesus

The Horse is prepared for The Day of Battle but victory, (still), comes from the Lord . . .
Ya get it?  :)  My efforts are just a reflection of what I already believe.

Jehovah Rapha

The first name God revealed to the Hebrew children, when he brought them out of bondage in Egypt was "Jehovah Rapha" 'I Am the Lord who heals you!"

David tells us in Tehillim, (Psalms), 105:37 . . . "There were NONE feeble among them."
The name Jehovah is the Hebrew name attributed to The Creator.

Ya can see who the Creator is by Reading John chapter 1 and Colossians chapter 1.
The Creator, according to those passages, is YESHUA Ha' Maschiac; alias, Jesus.

'Endurance' is an important element of our Faith or Trust. (see James chapter 1)

Our faith can and will be tested when troubles come our way. Jesus said, "Troubles will come our way in the world, but to fear not for He has already overcome them, ( the troubles ya see). In that, if I continue to stand on the word of God and not what the world or my circumstances or other people tell me . . . James says, the reward is the 'Crown of Life' when the testing or troubles are finished.

'Having done all else I stand on the WORD of GOD and Not what the world says . . .
It's my choice . . . Faith or Trust in God, Jehova Rapha brings me into the Promised Land of healing and nuthin else . . .

Endurance is perfected in Troubles. When Endurance is perfected there are no Troubles that can trouble me any more.
Troubles, when faced with faith, are what causes my endurance to grow . . . So I am gonna stand on the word of God with Endurance and let my endurance grow! James said, "When troubles come it is an occasion for Great Joy! Because of the reward that comes when our endurance is mature . . . (see James chapter one NLB)

Endurance - A bearing or suffering: a continuing under pain or distress without resistance or without sinking or yielding to pressure.
To last. To continue in a state of Trust without perishing; to remain to abide.

"We believed all the way to the end."
(Russel Wilson)

Even though Green Bay was, arguably, the 'better' team in the NFC Championship game, the Seahawk's
'endurance' brought them the Crown that day.
A perfect picture of how faith works, I'd say . . .

Rocks

Rock - A stoney substance comprised of 2 or more minerals.
Some rocks, like granite, are strong enough to become a foundation to build on.
Some rocks, like Silver and Gold, bring prosperity when they are found.
Some rocks, any rock really, can be thrown to harm or kill.
(see Deuteronomy 32: 3-4; 13, 18, 31 and Psalms 18:32 The Complete Jewish Bible

Ever hear someone say, "I don't know what God's will for me is."

Paul prayed God would give the Messianic believers in the city of Colosse
a "complete" knowledge of His will. Colossians 1:9

He then went on to explain how that happens.

He said, "Yeshua is the visible image of the invisible God."

To know the complete will of God we only have to study and see the life and actions of Yeshua, (in the Gospels), "Who being full of the Holy spirit went about doing good and healing everyone who was sick and setting free all those who were oppressed by the devil." Acts 10:38

Because ya see, "Yeshua is the 'visible' image of the invisible God. Yeshua existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation! For through Him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. Yeshua made things we can see and he made things we cannot see!"
Colossians 1: 15-16

Yeshua changes not, He is the same yesterday, today , and forever! Hebrews 13:8
Now that is a Rock ya can build on!

Grace and Mercy

The lid of the Ark of the testimony, or covenant, God made with Israel; the Ark God had Moshe place the emblems of God's grace and mercy toward the rebellion of man is known in Judaism as the Mercy Seat or "propititory."

It is where God spoke to Moshe and is a type of the Messiah. It is where the Blood of the sacrifice was applied.

It had the Power to make "propitious"

Propitious - God's unmerited favor or kindness applied to men. A testimony, or proof, of God's disposition to be gracious and merciful to man's rebellion and His willingness to be forgiving of sins and to bestow blessing where no blessing was/is deserved . . .

Paul said, " Yeshua became the "propitiation" for our sins.

Nothing but the blood of Jesus can make us . .  . propitious . . . again.
The perfect Lamb of God . . . the Propititory. Think on it some today.