Friend of God

Encouraging Words with Pastor Bruce & Suzi Elman

One key to effective prayer is approaching GOD as His friend. When we don’t know GOD as a friend, we are reluctant to ask Him for anything; we don’t feel we’ve “earned it” with our good behavior! So our confidence that He is listening is easily undermined. 

We need to see ourselves as close friends with GOD! You may be thinking that becoming friends with GOD seems like a difficult thing to do. But if you are a follower of Yeshua, you are already His friend. Friendship is based on sharing openly and honestly. Our Scripture today tells us Yeshua shared everything with us! 

John 15:15 

“I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are My friends, since I have told you everything the Father told Me.”

When we begin to see ourselves as GOD’s friend through MESSIAH YESHUA, our prayers become much bolder and full of faith. It is all up to you whether you want to be a casual friend or a close intimate friend! The choice is yours!

Love & Blessings,

Bruce and Suzi Elman

L’Chaim Messianic Congregation

Click here to read more blogs from Pastor Bruce & Suzi

Teach Us to Pray

Encouraging Words with Pastor Bruce & Suzi Elman

You and I can be sincere Messianic believers eager to please GOD in all we do and still have honest questions about prayer. Even though YESHUA’s disciples spent a lot of personal time with Him, they still felt the need to ask Him to teach them how to pray!

YESHUA helped them (Luke 11:2-4), and I believe that when we ask Him, He will help us too. As a result, we will not only experience increased effectiveness, freedom and enjoyment in our prayer life but also greater closeness in our relationship with Him! 

We should not be intimidated by the idea of prayer; we should actually look forward to spending time doing something that is meant to come naturally—like breathing!

Luke 11:1

Now it came to pass as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord teach us to pray as John also taught his disciples.”

Our Creator loves us and longs for fellowship with us everyday! We can and should pray anywhere, anytime and about anything! Nothing is too big or too small; your Creator wants to hear it all!

Love & Blessings,

Bruce and Suzi Elman

L’Chaim Messianic Congregation

Click here to read more blogs from Pastor Bruce & Suzi

Father of Tomorrow

Encouraging Words with Pastor Bruce & Suzi Elman

Today is the “father of tomorrow,” meaning what we are today is the result of how we have been thinking and have lived in the past.

If we save wisely today, we’ll have plenty tomorrow, but spend everything today and have little or nothing for the future! Today’s Scripture tells us we will reap what we sow.

Example: you can’t plant crabgrass and expect to harvest pineapples; nor can we sow disobedience to GOD and His Word and expect to reap His blessings! Look at a apple tree and you’ll realize planting a single seed can yield thousands of seeds. Just the same, a small decision to do either good or bad reaps much bigger crops, either for joy or sorrow!           

Galatians 6:7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.

Keep in mind, unlike agriculture, life’s harvests do not have predictable schedules for ripening! We reap some crops quickly while others take a long time, but do not be deceived, their season will come! Be faithful in all situations and your harvest will come! We serve a faithful GOD who always keeps His promises.

 

Love & Blessings,

Bruce and Suzi Elman

L’Chaim Messianic Congregation

God’s Sovereign Hand

Encouraging Words with Pastor Bruce & Suzi Elman

How many of us have listened to the national news and wonder, “What in the world is going on?” Without a firm foundation of biblical truth, we can easily be overcome with fear and despair. But as Messianic believers in Messiah Yeshua, we can find peace in knowing that our GOD is sovereign over every nation and ruler on earth.

Though it seems the future of a nation is in the hands of its leaders, an omnipotent hand is directing a good and glorious plan! The LORD is the One who removes kings and establishes kings. GOD oversees it all. He is working out all things according to His divine plan. We think a ruler has to be righteous for GOD to use him, but the Word tells us that He can direct the heart of any national leader whenever He wishes (Proverbs 21:1).

Daniel 2:21 He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding.

Let’s be peaceful in knowing GOD holds the nations in His hands. His divine purpose will come to pass for the world. Just like the song we sing, He truly has the whole world in His hands!

Love & Blessings,

Bruce and Suzi Elman

L’Chaim Messianic Congregation

Interrupted Lives

Encouraging Words with Pastor Bruce & Suzi Elman

Have you ever noticed the men and women we consider great in the Bible were all people who allowed GOD to interrupt their lives! They were willing to make tremendous sacrifices for Him.

Joseph saved a nation from starvation but not before GOD dramatically removed him from his comfortable home and allowed him to be imprisoned for years. GOD positioned him to be in the right place at the right time through circumstance! 

Esther was a young maiden who undoubtedly had plans for her future when suddenly she was asked to enter the King’s harem and then gained favor with him so she could reveal the plan of the wicked Haman who intended to slaughter all the Jews at that time! 

Joseph and Esther both had plans, but they let GOD interrupt their lives and then followed Him instead!

Esther 4:14C
Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this.

Are we willing to let GOD interrupt our lives to fit into His plan for kingdom work while here on earth? If so, let’s pray, “ABBA, use me in any way you see fit, not my will but YOURS!”

 

Love & Blessings,

Bruce and Suzi Elman

L’Chaim Messianic Congregation