July 26th, 2024         Faith and Growing in the Lord

Faith is the law of the kingdom of Yahweh. Yet the world we live in has two parts, “belief plus unbelief.” Every blessing of the kingdom is available to those who put their faith to work by “acting on the belief part,” It grows one little step at a time, moment by moment, and day by day. Today I would like to say that we ourselves have seen this happening around the world in our own family group. It started in the United States and went to India then Nigeria, and onto the East Philippines, then the Ivory Coast of Africa, from there it went to the West Philippines, then Zimbabwe and Kenya now even Pakistan. If it be the will of the Father may our family until to grow until all have heard of His awesome love and forgiving grace. However we must realize that the knowledge of His awesome love and saving grace has been slowed down over the years by one simply word "dysfunctional" That’s right Beloved, "dysfunctional" has become a well known word when people talk about the church and the many beliefs which circle around the bible, yet scripture tell us that Yeshua’s yoke is easy and not a burden. We see this in Matthews 11:30 “For my yoke [is] easy, and my burden is light.” You may ask how that can be. Well Yeshua said to believe in Him and do the will of the Father. The will of the Father is the 10 commandments and none of the man made up things, which do bring a burden to most who attempt to follow them. We find this in Matthews 12:50 “For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.” I believe that is where the dysfunctional part steps into this generation. You see one cannot receive Salvation by going to church, being so called religious, or turning over a new leaf. You can't purchase a ticket to heaven by doing good deeds. And Yahweh isn't impressed by our efforts of self-improvement. For scripture tells us that Salvation is a gift that Yeshua the Messiah paid for with His life and it is was because of His great love and mercy for us. I know for some that can be a hard pill to swallow, yet scriptures says no man can get into heaven on his own good works. Ephesians 2:8&9 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.” I know that deep inside; some of us still believe that if we just try harder, things will work out between Yahweh and us. Yet as we just read that simply is not true. I also know that there are those who have faith and those who don’t. And believe me if you don’t have faith, you cannot please Yahweh Scripture tells us this in Galatians 5:6 “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.” That’s right true faith, faith that rests on Yahweh and His Word and believes all that He has said. True faith sees the unseen and say, “Yes, it is true. And that is what the family of Divine Word Ministries stands on and believes. In the name of the Father and Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen
You see many years ago Yeshua came down from the mountain to the level plain, and sat in the midst of the large crowd that had gathered from all of Judea and Jerusalem, Israelites and from Tyre and Sidon, pagan costal towns. As stated in Mark 3:8 “And from Jerusalem, and from Idumaea, and [from] beyond Jordan; and they about Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, when they had heard what great things he did, came unto him.” Israelites and Gentiles including His disciples gathered together to hear Him speak and to be healed of their diseases and cleansed of unclean spirits.. And they were healed. 
Today we also gather like the disciples, standing, pressing in with each other around the word, in order to strain our ears to try to hear Yeshua speak, that we might be healed of our dis-eases, whatever they may be, and be given a new and right spirit.
As the Messiah's disciples, I imagine that we can all recognize the disbelieving sinner, whether sitting beside us right now or out in the streets.
For in as much as we are faithful disciples we are poor in this world, preferring the consolation of the treasure that is to be ours in the Kingdom. 
In as much as we are disciples we are hungry in this world, desiring to be filled by Yahweh with the strong food of righteousness, and not sugar coated eye candy from man made temptations that are nothing more then an empty waste not only of time but of life. Being disciples we weep actual tears for our sins and are not carefree and content with our successes. 
As true Believers we are to rejoice when we are hated, excluded, and reviled, for so were our fathers and mothers in the faith, those who took seriously the prophetic calling to ‘go therefore to all nations’… only to be cast out for the Messiah’s sake. Roman 16:26 “But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:”’
In as much as we hear the Messiah Yeshua we are his faithful disciples and we know the woeful sinner and the judgment that awaits him, the one who hates, curses, and spitefully uses the body of the Messiah for his own good pleasure. Please turn to Matthew 10:33 “Therefore I say to you, we must stand strong for “whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.” And bring it to remembrance in times of ridicule, yet it also says in Matthew 10:40 “He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.” Always thank Yahweh for that. As for myself I have always liked Matthews 12:33 “Therefore “Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by [his] fruit.” And for that reason I say let our family be as a tree bearing good fruit, full of life and growing in wisdom and knowledge remembering always the words of our Lord and Saviour Yeshua the Messiah Matthews 5:18-20 “For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. 19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach [them], the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed [the righteousness] of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.” Therefore be careful Brothers and Sisters of what you teach for Yahweh will Judge us all in the day we are resurrected to life in the likeness of The Messiah’s resurrection or death if that is what we have chosen. But we are never allowed to sit as judge in this lifetime, neither over others nor over ourselves. We are to love our enemies and to withhold nothing, to be utterly transparent in the world.
In as much as we listen to our Lord we are His faithful disciples. For He has put down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of low degree, He has filled the hungry with Good things and the rich he has sent away empty This we see in Luke 16:;24 “And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.”
Now what is a Believer, but one who gets up after he has fallen? Knowing that he has already been given his second chance, the Believer does not judge his efforts or that of others, but tries once again to press in closer to Yeshua, from whom the power of Yahweh is made manifest, and who alone can heal us. If we can remain the ones who have ears to hear His word, I ask that He allow this family to spread around the world not in judgment, but in the love and the grace of the Lord Yeshua the Messiah.
Dear Heavenly Father, We ask that You open our hearts and minds this day. And we thank You for Your awesome understanding of our sinful ways and ask that You fill us with the Holy Spirit that we may better understand Your Will and help us all to realize the Ten Commandments are a preparation for the wonderful world we will be in after this one. We thank You Yeshua for Your love and mercy. Please Father, stand beside each of the sisters and brothers around the world this week as we go out and bravely spread Your word to all that will but listen. We thank You and ask of You in Yeshua's precious name, Amen. 
May the Lord bless and keep each of you.
May the LORD make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you;
May the LORD lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.
Shalom