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Vayelech | “and he went”

Deuteronomy 31:1-30

Isaiah 55:6-56:8

Have we been so unfortunate as to think that Jesus’ main or only goal was to save us from hell (though He has)? Did He also just get the children of Israel out of Egypt so they could worship a new set of gods? Did the Holy One of Israel rescue them just to keep them from evil…? Oh, how much greater are all of HIs plans for His beloved first born, Israel, and yes brother and sister in Christ, the same is true for us. Hallelujah!!! Let’s get acquainted with more than God’s promises, but rather the God of the promises and begin to live with a view of this life and His ultimate purposes for His chosen bride; Jew and Gentile. Let’s not lock ourselves in prisons of self-righteousness or self-abasement, in an effort to avoid the hell of a demanding God!

This God is our Father and He created us to live on this side and the other side of death! We are meant to be a redemptive people, because we have a redemptive God. In Deuteronomy 31, He knows the people will fail in their own strength and their short sightedness; so, He decides to teach Moses a song. What kind of God do we have as a Father, Who sings songs over us so we can prosper and live; and not just survive but rejoice in all we do. Wow! Can you even imagine the kind of melodies He composed for those words to go into the hearts of His people? Stop, and wonder!

In the haftorah portion, He reminds us of His way and His plans, but not just for Israel…for all those who dare to believe! Isaiah 55:11-12 “so shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth, it shall not return to me void…it shall prosper…you shall go out with joy and be led out with peace; even the mountains will sing…!” And you were focused mainly on hell! Let’s sing with the mountains! He is going to bring us all into His holy mountain and make us (Jew and Gentile) joyful in His house of prayer!

I would encourage you to spend time in the haftorah and enjoy yourselves a you feast on His word and take His song in…hell is such a small speed bump compared to where we are going; it’s not our destination for sure; but it’s also not our fear…so let’s welcome other into His true promises and plans and begin to enjoy the ‘trip’ of this life…and maybe even begin to hear the melodies of heaven and our Heavenly Father! john e

Verzot haBracha/and this is the blessing

Deuteronomy 33:1-34:12

Joshua 1:1-18

This week’s torah and haftorah deal with transitions of leadership; not just a change in the leader themselves, but also how the Holy One of Israel interacts with the people, through that person.  Moses of course had something very special:

Deut. 34:10 But since then there has not arisen in Israel a prophet like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face, 11 in all the signs and wonders which the Lord sent him to do in the land of Egypt, before Pharaoh, before all his servants, and in all his land, 12 and by all that mighty power and all the great terror which Moses performed in the sight of all Israel.

Here is the ‘transition’ I’m feeling: “Moses performed in the sight of all Israel”, pretty focused on the man Moses (of course God was there).  That’s why it took this:

9 Now Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him; so the children of Israel heeded him, and did as the Lord had commanded Moses.

All needed to see this impartation for a smooth ‘transition’, but in the end it was of course The Lord God Almighty choosing the man, Joshua! What however seems to have changed, is that though he is ‘gifted’ to lead; it now becomes more about the vision for all the people to share and participate in.  For now, Moses is left to die on the ‘other side’ or the Jordan, unable to enter into the promised Land (though he gets there during the transfiguration of Jesus). I love the way The Holy One of Israel empowers Joshua to lead:

Joshua 1:2 “Moses My servant is dead. Now therefore, arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them—the children of Israel.

No, “Well you know that Moses was amazing and you have a lot to live up to”, but “Moses My servant is dead. Now therefore, arise, go…”.  It probably freaked Joshua out a bit, but it also let him feel the complete confidence the Living God had in what He was going to accomplish with this young man and this nation of God’s choosing (maybe a good lesson for ‘retiring’ leaders).  And some more confidence from the Holy One, blessed be He:

3 Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you…5 No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you…I will not leave you nor forsake you.

Now comes Joshua’s part:

6 Be strong and of good courage…7 Only be strong and very courageous… 9 Be strong and of good courage…

I’m sure we could all say that the fact that the Land had giants, would be cause to need courage…which in a natural sense, is so true, but I want to submit to us another kind of courage that we all need.  Whether fighting literal giants (some are literal and require even believers going to war) and some ‘spiritual’ giants, but either way God’s declaration of courage is to prepare Joshua and the people (and us) to face it all:

7…that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. 8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

The unfortunate reality for most of us is that it takes courage to stay in the word of God and let it form us and inform us as how to live in order to take the ‘land’ of our lives, that the Holy One of Israel has ordained for each of us! There is kind of a ‘built in temptation’ or even intimidation by society to not get “too serious about that ‘God stuff’”.  Father, we thank you for Your glorious word that is more than paper and ink; we desire to receive Your word as a living word so just like You promised Joshua and the children of Israel: “Now therefore, arise, go … you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them…”  Take your Land!  By john eisner

Ha’azinu/Listen!

Deuteronomy 32:1-52

2Samuel 22:1-51

I was recently listening to a radio program, and as they went to break, you could hear ever so quietly a tune playing in the background; I found myself ‘leaning toward’ this faint melody; I couldn’t really make out the words or even very clearly the melody; but I knew something was being stirred within me…I began searching to discover not only what that tune was; but why it moved me so?  A friend found it and sent a video version of it on Youtube and I cranked  the volume up and let it ‘do its work’. The only way I can describe it, is that it caused my soul to be stirred or awakened.   I know the idea of our soul being awakened can have a negative connotation, but as I listened to that song, I realized that there are times and circumstances that we need our soul strengthened.  Think of men going off to battle and the power of music to enliven their steps and hearts.  I considered how we gather as believers to worship God, but what if sometimes we first stirred our souls so worship could come forth from these earthen (soul) vessels.  Sometimes we forget that all through the Old Testament there were wars and battles; the children of Israel were known as mighty courageous warriors (we tend to miss the people part of them winning battles, because we know that God intervened for them; but they still had to show up and fight).  The Holy One of Israel is not ashamed of these bodies and persons, He created!  We walk through time in these bodies, and in a redeemed state, they carry the glory of God.  The song is called Minstrel Boy (A song from the movie Black Hawk Down)…if you get a chance listen to it and let your soul arise and go forward in today’s battles and serve the Lord with worship! 2Samuel 22:29-41

“For You are my lamp, O Lord; The Lord shall enlighten my darkness. 30 For by You I can run against a troop; By my God I can leap over a wall. 31 As for God, His way is perfect. The word of the Lord is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him. 32 “For who is God, except the Lord?  And who is a rock, except our God? 33 God is my strength and power, And He makes my way perfect.34 He makes my feet like the feet of deer, And sets me on my high places. 35 He teaches my hands to make war, So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze. 36 “You have also given me the shield of Your salvation; Your gentleness has made me great. 37 You enlarged my path under me; So my feet did not slip. 38 “I have pursued my enemies and destroyed them; Neither did I turn back again till they were destroyed. 39 And I have destroyed them and wounded them, So that they could not rise; They have fallen under my feet. 40  For You have armed me with strength for the battle; You have ]subdued under me those who rose against me. 41 You have also given me the necks of my enemies, So that I destroyed those who hated me…

These weren’t mercenaries; this army was the “beloved of God” and I bet there were times that they needed their souls stirred up; even as we.  Let’s not forget that occasionally the King of Glory calls us to things that could require our bodies and lives! So today as the Living God reminds us of who we are through the Torah portion, don’t feel guilty when you want to draw back; but also, don’t feel like you aren’t “very Christian-like” when you want to run into the battle!  There may be a few unexpected battles ahead of us, that our Loving God, may be of need of a mighty army by john e

Nitzavim/Vayelech/standing/went

Deuteronomy 29:10-30:20

Isaiah 61:10-63:9

Wow! OH,WOW! A few years ago, while praying with a small group of people for Israel and God’s purposes for the Jewish people; I got a small ‘picture’: we were in a small boat on the ocean, in the midst of a gigantic storm with 40+ foot swells; destined for death and destruction…when suddenly, seemingly from nowhere, a small life ring or preserver (those round things you see on the sides of a boat or lifeguard stand) appeared. At first it seemed like a joke; “how is this little thing that is bobbing helplessly up and down on the waves, as badly as us; going to ‘save’ us?”…Then I noticed, written on it was “Israel”!  I felt the Lord say, “It’s the ‘way’ through the storm!”  As I was contemplating what to write for this week’s portion, I was reading Isaiah 61:10

I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, My soul shall be joyful in my God; For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness,

Thinking, “ I just love those Bridegroom/bride verses, so easy to be ‘moved’ and write something”…but then I went back and read:

For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness,

And then:

So the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.

Now ‘get’ Isaiah 61:1 and 2

For Zion’s sake I will not hold My peace, And for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest,

Until her righteousness goes forth as brightness, And her salvation as a lamp that burns.

2 The Gentiles shall see your righteousness, And all kings your glory.

All of a sudden, I saw the “life ring”…it is Israel!: And her salvation as a lamp that burns.

2 The Gentiles shall see your righteousness, And all kings your glory.

Israel was meant to be a “light to the nations” (Gentiles)… So, the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations. (Isaiah 60:10).  So when the nations “see” (receive) the righteousness of the Lord, they will be changed!  So now the beginning of Isaiah 62 makes more sense for Gentiles to pray: For Zion’s sake I will not hold My peace, And for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest… so they will be ‘saved’ from the darkness (gigantic storm) that now surrounds them!

Today, as we seem to be inundated with fear and confusion that is taking place among the nations; it is so comforting to know that God “has a way through the storm”; an unlikely way: pray for the peace of Jerusalem, that righteousness would go forth: For as the earth brings forth its bud, As the garden causes the things that are sown in it to spring forth, So the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations. (Isaiah 60:10).  Don’t measure your situation by the size of the waves or the seemingly insignificance of Israel and the Jewish people; but trust the Lord to cause righteousness to spring forth and dispel the darkness that seems to surround us presently. As my wife has been known to say: “the earth is preparing for war and heaven is preparing for a wedding”…so let us rejoice and be glad, for the God of our salvation, has made a way through the storm! Lord give us a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the true knowledge of Who you are and your ‘gift’ to us, by providing Your people Israel as a “way through the storm”. by john eisner

Ki Tavo/When you come in

Deuteronomy 26:1-29:9

Isaiah 60:1-22

When I was a kid I would have called this week’s portions “a smorgasbord ”, but now a lot of people would say, “What?”. Today it’s probably called “a buffet”…so much more sophisticated sounding, I guess.  If you give me some ‘poetic license’, I would say a buffet is more organized and nicely presented; whereas a smorgasbord is messy; overflowing with gastral delights, without care if they go together or even ‘bleed’ into each other.  Today’s portions are a smorgasbord of biblical delights!

We could make many trips to the word and gorge ourselves on the thoughts and intentions of our Living God. Today I’m only bringing a small plate because of the time and space; but don’t let that keep you from going back many times and heaping your plates full.  Deuteronomy helps lay the foundation and the floor beneath the Jewish people to be able to believe and receive the promises of Isaiah 60:1-22.  One of my favorite verses is 60:13 “…To beautify the place of My sanctuary; And I will make the place of My feet glorious.”  That’s ‘God speak’ for a people and a place!  (I know it is relating to the land of Israel; but the land is incomplete without the people) Can you even imagine how He is preparing the nations and His people “To beautify the place of My sanctuary”; that He, the Holy One of Israel would want to include the nations (Gentiles), and not just rely on His own magnificent abilities to cause this to happen?  A sanctuary that isn’t just for good meetings and powerful preaching, but a “place of His feet (becoming) glorious”! 

Let’s take a moment, and maybe even close our eyes and imagine a place that it feels so safe and pure to be in; a place where the secrets of your heart can be washed away without any condemnation; a place where you could realize your innermost hopes and dreams; a place where you can be totally open and vulnerable; a place where whatever ails you is completely done away with; a place where…(go ahead and spend some time there).  For this is what we are made for and yes even made of; the ‘soil’ of the kingdom of God infused by the very Holy Spirit of God!  You are not just here to wait for heaven; you are here to experience heaven and bring heaven to the earth!  Open wide and take another ‘bite’ from this week’s smorgasbord, let it consume you, and vow never to just go to the buffet again; but let God into our lives today and be ‘messy’, and satisfy us beyond anything we could have imagined; take time with His word today and be renewed in your understanding of Who He is and who you are!  No napkins needed…by john eisner

Ki Teitzei/When you go out

Deuteronomy 21:10-25:19

Isaiah 54:1-10

Knowing where to begin in this week’s torah/haftorah portion was quite a challenge and I also had a difficult time seeing the connection between the two.  The haftorah always sheds some light or clarification on the torah portion. Sometimes the ‘connection’ isn’t completely obvious and has what you might say a ‘spiritual’ link.  This week the dichotomy between the two was like the Grand Canyon in my mind, and I just couldn’t see the connection. The torah portion contained a bunch of the ‘laws’ that you would hope, especially a non-believer would never see.  Things like what to do with women captured after a war; how to get rid of your wife; how to kill a rebellious son, and one of my favorites; what to do when your brother’s ox goes astray.  You can just imagine how much easier it would be not to mention these or just say, “those pages must not have been printed in my bible”…or the ‘stand by’, “my dog must have eaten those pages”. I went from all of that to Isaiah 54 with the tenderness and beauty of a loving God restoring His beloved bride, Israel, to full standing with all the heavenly benefits.  It’s kind of like when I’m on a walk with our dog at a fast pace, and she decides to sniff something in the grass and I don’t notice, and keep walking…as the leash runs out of slack, she almost becomes air borne as her head is jerked around toward where I am.  (I am usually very gentle with her, so don’t call peta or something like that) We serve such an amazing God!  Here are His people that have become so to speak ‘barren’ because of their unfaithfulness to the Living God, and He says, “Sing o barren, you who have not borne, break forth into singing…for more are the children of the desolate, than the children of the married woman, says the Lord”.  That’s more grace than I know of in me!  “Enlarge your tent…lengthen your chords…”  I would say “get out of the tent and hang yourself by your chords!”  “For a mere moment I have forsaken you, but with great mercies I will gather you…”  I wonder how a “mere moment’ might have felt when they were in captivity to the heathens and forsaken by the Lord.  “Do not fear, for you will not be ashamed, neither disgraced…for your maker is your husband, the Lord of Hosts is His name; and your redeemer is the Holy One of Israel; He is called the God of the whole earth”. He obviously isn’t worried about His reputation…in fact He is so full of love for His people that He wants His ‘reputation’ to be measured by the love He has for His wayward people, who tried to embarrass Him!  Man, what a God is betrothed to us!

⁹“For this is like the waters of Noah to Me; For as I have sworn That the waters of Noah would no longer cover the earth, So have I sworn That I would not be angry with you, nor rebuke you. ¹⁰ For the mountains shall depart And the hills be removed, But My kindness shall not depart from you, Nor shall My covenant of peace be removed,” Says the Lord, who has mercy on you.

So today as we look at our shortcomings and even sinfulness; instead of falling into condemnation or justifying our sin; during this time of ‘teshuvah’ (turning and returning), let us be reminded that our God’s love for us overcomes Him, and instead of running from Him, let us begin running toward His incredibly comforting arms of love and comfort. by john eisner 

I recently heard a teacher say an amazing thought: “You were not made to love God: you were made to be loved by God!”  If we really let that seep into our hearts and minds…we may find ourselves loving God as a response to His love rather than struggling to attain it…WOW!

Shoftim/Judges

Deuteronomy 16:18-21:9

Isaiah 51:12-52:12

I’m sure I have mentioned this before, but sometimes it’s so difficult to write my weekly Torah portion; not only because I have to ‘figure out’ what to write; but because there is so much to write!  If we sit before the Lord and His word, we can be overwhelmed with the things on His heart.  This week I got ‘grabbed’ by the very first verses I read, the ones the reading is named for: shoftim, or judges.  I don’t mean to become political here, but we are seemingly living in a time (maybe it has always actually been this way) that we not only live with the corruption of the ruling class; but it seems to reach down into the more judicial areas of our nations, with compromises in law enforcement and courts.  It’s a scary thought, that if you have grown up believing if you were wrongly accused of a crime, the judicial system would protect us from harm or unfair loss, only to find out it may no longer be the case (also two tiered justice for some). 

Deuteronomy 16:18 “You shall appoint judges and officers in all your gates, which the Lord your God gives you, according to your tribes, and they shall judge the people with just judgment. 19 You shall not pervert justice; you shall not show partiality, nor take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous.

I was surprised how these verses affected me; I suddenly felt this great sense of calm and peace.  What a gift righteousness is at any level; but when it’s coupled with those that can pronounce earthly judgement over you, it becomes very immediate and personal.  Though we live with an eye upon eternity, our daily existence is measured by our liberties and freedoms upon the earth in many ways. “Oh Heavenly Father I am so grateful that you know my frame, and care about my daily existence.”  Part of learning to live with a ‘biblical/Hebraic mindset’ is to live with the ‘bookends’ of heaven and earth; to appreciate how God rules over the affairs of men, without forgetting about His wedding plans for His beloved bride (us; Jew and Gentile).  So anyway, no matter what nation you live in or under what kind of governmental circumstances or rule you find yourself in; cry out for just judges; they can intervene on your behalf.  Again, I’m just aware today of how the Holy One of Israel, sees how important judges are to our earthly existence. 

20 You shall follow what is altogether just, that you may live and inherit the land which the Lord your God is giving you.

I felt this verse is alluding to our part in affecting the kind of judges and justice we have.  In this life, there are temptations for power and corruption on the part of each citizen of a nation, and not just the rulers.  When we ignore righteous justice for political or personal expediency; we open the door for the enemy to establish his kind of justice, which leads to death and lack of true freedom. God wants not only Israel to inherit it’s land, but as His redeemed people, He has plans (land to inherit) for us also.  So this week, let’s examine our hearts for those kinds of ‘compromises’ that we chose to benefit ourselves at the expense of others. 

21 “You shall not plant for yourself any tree, as a wooden image, near the altar which you build for yourself to the Lord your God. 22 You shall not set up a sacred pillar, which the Lord your God hates.

This speaks to me of those self-made gods or judgments for our own benefits, in the form of man-made religion, in the name of the Living God.  These at times have initial personal benefits, but in the end, only bring death and corruption, and pollute the ‘land’ the Lord has given us.  May The Lord of All Glory bless you this week but touching your heart with His care and concern for your daily life and interactions with those around you; may His justice upon the earth prevail!  Take the land! by john eisner

Bonus thought: I see an earthly example of this in the preamble to the Constitution of the United States: “We find these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal and endowed by their creator for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” Sounds like a ‘God, breathed idea’!  If only men were capable of being faithful to actually living this out… Maybe with the gift of the fear of the Lord and righteous leaders we could take a shot at it. Walk the Land!  john e

Re’eh/See!

Deuteronomy 11:26-16:17

Isaiah 54:11-55:5

Being ‘heavenly’ correct…isn’t a term you hear in most of today’s discourse.  Whether spoken or unspoken there is pressure to be ‘politically correct’ for all citizens, including those of the Kingdom of God.  Rather than argue political or social constraints and considerations; let’s try for a ‘heavenly’ perspective.  Whether it’s due to mandates from the government because of new social norms or even because of epidemics, the community of the Living God can find itself in unexpected dilemmas.  Even concerns about being relevant or ‘sensitive’ to the unsaved; what appears as sensitivity can become compromise; or even denial of the Living Word.  I believe that this week’s Torah portion comes to the ‘rescue’!  The key isn’t just in rules and regulations; but what is on the Father’s heart for His chosen people; first the Jews and then by extension and the work of the Lord Jesus, to His magnificent bride; Jew and Gentile.  We need to be reminded that we are now the people of God; a holy nation and His desired holy people. Though He has reserved the land of Israel and the Jewish people for a special place before Him; somehow in a ‘mystery’ He has brought all nations (Gentiles) near and into His household, by the blood of Jesus. 

Ephesians 2: ¹²…you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. ¹³ But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 

Lest we ‘drift’ into some kind of replacement theology, we need to be reminded that Jew and Gentile are equal in this ‘mystery’, but distinct; like a man and woman. 

Deuteronomy 12: ² You shall utterly destroy all the places where the nations which you shall dispossess served their gods, on the high mountains and on the hills and under every green tree. ³ And you shall destroy their altars, break their sacred pillars, and burn their wooden images with fire; you shall cut down the carved images of their gods and destroy their names from that place. ⁴ You shall not worship the Lord your God with such things.

 Now let’s go to the haftorah; Isaiah 55: ² listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, And let your soul delight itself in abundance. ³ Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live; And I will make an everlasting covenant with you—The sure mercies of David. ⁴ Indeed I have given him as a witness to the people, A leader and commander for the people. ⁵ Surely you shall call a nation you do not know, And nations who do not know you shall run to you, Because of the Lord your God, And the Holy One of Israel; For He has glorified you.” 

I know we could spend a lot of time digging deeper into all this, but for now, just try to get a perspective that we are to affect the nations and not be affected by them!  The Lord wants us to be a place of refuge and blessing; but the key isn’t just to be liked and seen as ‘acceptable’ by the world; but to be a place of God’s presence that affects us personally, so we can be a blessing to others.  So let’s take a moment this week and consider how we could change our thinking from an institutional mindset, to one of relationship and identity with the Living God; a community that has hearts that are ‘governed’ from above.  He has set His affections upon us!

Bonus thought: beware of finding a ‘balance’ when either discussing theology or any issues that could potentially bring division or misunderstanding.  Our tendency is to think of scales; as the picture of the scales of justice, but I submit to you it is not necessarily a ‘Godly balance’!  I know it could be a 50/50 balance, but that tends to be artificial. I believe God’s balance is more like a teeter totter.  You can have a 200 pound person on one end and a 50 pound child on the other end and it will still ‘balance’ by moving the fulcrum! This I believe is a biblical balance: God moves the fulcrum where He wants and creates the ‘balance’ that He desires.  This balance can be dynamic and be adjusted by The Holy One over time, and yet never violating His Word, nor His heart…by john e

Eikev/As a consequence

Deuteronomy 7:12-11:25

Isaiah 49:14-51:3

As I was reading this week’s portion, I felt the words “contract vs covenant”.  In the reading, God keeps pushing the idea of covenant, yet the people (me/us), tend to live like a contract.  The idea of contract is like an agreement that I need to fulfill on my own merit or strength; and we know from history (ours and theirs), that it tends not to work out to a lot of blessing or success.  You might have good days and some bad, but the weight of ‘success’ or ‘failure’ is upon your shoulders.  It’s so easy to forget that we have a Father Who is more committed to our success and wellbeing than we are capable of.  Let’s look at God’s ‘built in sprinklers’:

Deuteronomy 11:¹⁰ For the land which you go to possess is not like the land of Egypt from which you have come, where you sowed your seed and watered it by foot (foot pumps), as a vegetable garden; ¹¹ but the land which you cross over to possess is a land of hills and valleys, which drinks water from the rain of heaven, ¹² a land for which the Lord your God cares; the eyes of the Lord your God are always on it, from the beginning of the year to the very end of the year. 

Isn’t that awesome!  He is committed to the ‘success’ of this/His endeavor; He is committed to the blessing of the people that are to possess this land.  Sure, you have to show up and do your part; but the Lord God Almighty; the Holy One of Israel, wants to make sure you ‘look good’. If you were merely under contract; you would have to use those foot pumps that Egypt that were supplied when you were a slave.  Now for another line from this ‘covenant of grace’:

Isaiah 51: ¹“Listen to Me, you who follow after righteousness, You who seek the Lord: Look to the rock from which you were hewn, And to the hole of the pit from which you were dug. ² Look to Abraham your father, And to Sarah who bore you; For I called him alone, And blessed him and increased him.” ³ For the Lord will comfort Zion, He will comfort all her waste places; He will make her wilderness like Eden, And her desert like the garden of the Lord; Joy and gladness will be found in it, Thanksgiving and the voice of melody. 

We weren’t just rescued from hell!  We were brought into the household of God; complete with a history and promises for our ‘success’ as members of this family!  Let’s try to quit living like hired slaves, just working in the ‘man’s field’.  He wants to turn our ‘desert’ into the Garden of Eden!  He doesn’t want us just to survive each day, but to have us filled with joy, gladness, thanksgiving and song!  So this week, let’s try to identify those ‘foot pumps of Egypt’ we have been slaving on, and turn to our Heavenly Father, and ask for the “rains of Heaven” to water the gardens of our lives that He has given us and begin enjoying the fruits of having a covenant with the Living God…go ahead and tear up that contract you have been living under and look for the rains to come; let’s get drenched…!  by john eisner

I heard a great word recently: “We weren’t made to love God…We were made to be loved by Him! Even we can believe and fully receive that, then our hearts will hilariously and full love Him!”  Wow! Not false grace that gives your sorry rear end a reason to sin; but love that sets you free to live and love…go for it! by john eisner

Fight against being transactional (expecting a return for you actions; whether good or bad), but look unto to the One Who loves you and wants intimacy and relationship.

Va’etchanan/and I pleaded

Deuteronomy 3:23-7:11

Isaiah 40

In this week’s torah portion (Deuteronomy 3:23-7:11) and haftorah (Isaiah 40) there are a lifetime of messages the Lord could speak to our hearts and lives in these chapters.  This week as in every week, I don’t go looking for a commentary on the entire portion; but what might the Lord be saying to me (you), today.  In Deut. 3:28 the Lord says to Moses: “…command Joshua, and encourage him; for he shall go over before this people, and he shall cause them to inherit the which you will see.”  I know that the context of this verse is that the Holy One of Israel was displeased with Moses and not allowing him to enter the Land, and I’m not saying that He feels that way about me; but rather, I want to touch the ‘spirit’ behind a word like this.

Whenever Christie or I share something with others, I want us to be free of ‘ownership’ or competition with the hearers… Our heart is that with whatever we say or write, that your hearts would be encouraged and strengthened; that each of you would have a sense of ‘entering’ the Land and His promises (Jew and Gentile)! Know that a truth not applied to a heart and life, is just informational; not transformational; not just transactional, but relational! He has plans for us as it says in Exodus:

“He brought us out, to enter in”.  Be reminded today, that in whatever situation or condition you find yourselves in:

²⁹ But from there you will seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul. ³⁰ When you are in distress, and all these things come upon you in the latter days, when you turn to the Lord your God and obey His voice ³¹ (for the Lord your God is a merciful God), He will not forsake you nor destroy you, nor forget the covenant of your fathers which He swore to them (Deut. 4:29-31). 

So that’s it for this week (I just felt someone besides me needed to hear this); be sure to read the rest of this week’s portions and be encouraged as you prepare to enter into the Land of His promises. Father, thank you that what you accomplished on the cross through our Bridegroom Messiah was more than rescuing us from hell! Help us today to get a sense and experience of not just being “brought out”; but this day we would “enter in”! by john eisner

Ps: there are two aspects to this “land”: there is the real-estate and the spiritual side of the promise from the Lord that is tied to heavenly realities. Christie refers to this as the idea of  theaters: one on the earth and a heavenly one.  The Lord God Almighty is working on both of them and Jesus is the key to the two of them to be joined together and fulfill the Father’s plans.