The example set by those who survived the primitive voyage to this continent and then gave thanks to the Creator of the universe is a blessing. Praise YHVH and His Son for we shall eat what is theirs and be sure to honor them in your gatherings today. Happy Thanksgiving, brothers and sisters!
Because it’s Thanksgiving Day in the United States and I hope many are busy being thankful, there will not be a new podcast tonight. Hopefully we can remember to be thankful every day for everything our Creator has done for us.Psalm 136:1 “Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good. His loving devotion endures forever.”
Just a thought:
We all remember the story of Yeshua and the fig tree? The fig tree looked lush with green leaves and it looked healthy. But there was no fruit. --- That actually resembles many believers! They are successful, come across as holy and respectable but there are no fruit! Be available for the Holy Spirit today, let His guidance take priority.
BIBLE STUDY --- THE GOOD SHEPHERD
YESHUA’ COMING DEATH
From Matthew 16:13-20
On a trip to Caesarea Philippi, Yeshua asked His disciples, [Who do people say that I am?] [Some think You are John the Baptist,] they answered. [Others believe that You are Elijah. Still others say that You are Jeremiah or another prophet.] [But what about you?] Yeshua said to them. [Who do you say that I am?] Simon Peter answered Yeshua’ question. [You are the Moshiach,] he said, [the Son of the Living YHVH.] [Simon, son of Jonah,] said Yeshua, [you are blessed, for no person has revealed this to you except My Father in heaven.] Then Yeshua spoke further with Simon. [I tell you that you are a rock, Peter, and I will build My church on this rock. Even the powers of death cannot overthrow it. And I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven and whatever you free on earth will be freed in heaven.] Then Yeshua instructed His disciples not to tell anyone that He was the Moshiach.
THINGS TO COME
From Mark 8:31-9:1
Yeshua began to tell His disciples about some things to come, how He would suffer much and be rejected by the religious leaders, and even put to death, but would rise from the dead three days later. He was quite clear in what He said, but Peter took Him aside and began to speak against such things. Yeshua then scolded Peter before the other disciples. [Go away from Me, Satan,] Yeshua said. [These are human thoughts instead of YHVH’s Thoughts.] Then Yeshua called for the crowd and His disciples to come near so that He could teach them. [If any of you want to come with Me,] He said, [you must first give up yourself, lift your cross and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it and whoever loses his life for Me and My gospel will save it. What does a man gain if he gets the whole world but loses his own soul? Or, what would a man give to buy back his soul? Whoever is ashamed of Me and the things teach in this wicked time, I will be ashamed of him when come in YHVH’s Glory with the holy angels.] Then Yeshua also said, [I assure you that some of you here will not die before you see YHVH’s Kingdom come with great power.]
COMMENTARY
SATAN
Satan has many names and titles in the Bible, including {the devil,} {Beelzebub,} {Belial,} {the prince of the power of the air,} and {the tempter.} He is associated with murder, lies, deceit, evil, and other forms of wickedness. At one time Satan was an angel in heaven, but chose to rebel against YHVH and follow evil. He set up his own powerful kingdom to oppose YHVH and righteousness, drawing into his ranks many other evil spirits. The unusual activity of demons and evil spirits during the time of Moshiach is seen as part of Satan’s open warfare against Him, seeking to undermine Yeshua’ purpose on earth. The temptation of Yeshua was a face-to-face conflict between Yeshua and Satan. Satan has gathered great power over the world. But his power is limited by YHVH. -- See Job 1:12 and Job 2:6. For the individual believer, Satan is a constant threat to the kind of daily life which will please YHVH. He tempts, threatens, or lulls the believer into his ways. However, believers may resist Satan successfully through prayer, the Scriptures, and a daily involvement of Moshiach in all of life.
BIBLE STUDY --- THE GOOD SHEPHERD
READING SIGNS
From Matthew 15:31-16:4
When Yeshua had sent the crowd home, He got into a boat and crossed the Sea of Galilee to Magadan, sometimes called Magdala. There some Pharisees and Sadducees came to see Yeshua, asking Him to show some great miracle in the skies so they would know that YHVH approved of Him. [You know how to read the weather forecast in the skies,] Yeshua told them. [When you see a red sky in the evening, you predict fair weather tomorrow, or a red sky in the morning and you predict stormy weather that day. You hypocrites! If you can read these signs in the skies, why can’t you read signs of the times that are clearer? You want Me to give you a miracle? No, I will not. The only miracle to be given you is the miracle of Jonah.] When Yeshua had said these things, He left the Pharisees and Sadducees and went away.
A WARNING ABOUT YEAST
From Mark 8:13-26
When Yeshua had finished talking with the Pharisees and Sadducees, He got into a boat and started toward the other side of the Sea of Galilee. But the disciples had forgotten to take enough bread to eat, bringing only one loaf for the trip. [You must be careful about the yeast of King Herod and the yeast of the Pharisees,] Yeshua warned them. The disciples did not understand what Yeshua meant, so they started to discuss it among themselves. [He is saying this because we forgot the bread,] they thought. But Yeshua knew what they were thinking. [Why are you talking about not having bread?] Yeshua asked them. [Don’t you understand what I mean when it should be so clear? Why don’t you open your hearts to understand this? And why don’t you open your eyes and your ears to the things I do? Don’t you remember when I fed the five thousand people? How many baskets of leftovers did you gather?] [Twelve,] the disciples answered. [And when I fed the four thousand people, how many baskets of leftovers did you gather then?] [Seven,] they said. [Should I be concerned, then, because you forgot to bring bread?] Yeshua asked.
COMMENTARY
WEATHER IN THE LAND
Throughout the Bible lands, there is a great variety of temperature and climate. Before the snow has melted on the peak of Mount Hermon, the ground in the Rift Valley has been baked dry by the hot sun. In the northern regions that once belonged to the tribe of Dan, plants grow in tropical richness while the land south, below the Dead Sea, is a parched desert. In the time of Moshiach, people looked to the sky for their weather forecasts. They could tell many things from the kinds of clouds and light they saw. A farmer knew that a red sky in the evening meant a good day was coming, and sailors knew that a red sky in the morning meant a storm was on the way. Yeshua mentioned this kind of weather forecasting, and many people today still trust it as much as they do any weatherman. Some seasons of the year are more predictable than others in Palestine. During the summer months from June to September, there is almost no rain. Hot winds blowing in from the desert raise stinging clouds of dust from the dry earth. The bright hot sun beats down without mercy, drying up the many small streams and leaving dusty ruts where water once flowed. By early October, the first rains are anxiously watched for. Without them, the earth remains too hard to plough or plant. Throughout the winter months, storm clouds often darken the sky. The welcome rain makes the fields green and the streams rush with water once again. The people collect rainwater in large jars and cisterns or tanks, saving it for use during the seasons that are dry. By March and sometimes April, the rains begin to slow down and finally stop. That’s usually too soon for the farmers; they can only hope that enough rain has fallen to guarantee a rich and plentiful crop. May is the month of the harvest, a time of hard work, great happiness and celebration. The weather is usually beautiful then. The sun shines almost daily, but not yet with the fierce heat of summer. Spring flowers grow wherever the eye can see in the open places, and the full-grown crops are brought in from the fields. The land of the Bible lies rich, ripe and lovely. With the return of June, the heat of the summer sun begins to beat down on the land once again. The seasons have completed one full cycle. The seasons of the year seem to have been planned to create a balance in nature. The effect of the winter rains corrects and balances the results of the dry summer heat. When either season is delayed or something goes wrong, the land and its people suffer. The Bible tells how YHVH often used the weather to display His power or to work His will in the lives of the people of Israel. When all the world’s people had turned toward evil, He used rain to destroy the earth. Only Noah and his family were saved from the great flood that covered the world. YHVH also sent rain in answer to Elijah’s prayers when all the priests of Baal could not relieve the drought that killed the land. Sometimes Adonai used drought and famine to accomplish His purposes. Jacob and his sons were reunited with Joseph in Egypt, where they had gone to buy the grain, their parched land could not grow.