It’s HIS Kingdom

L'Chaim Messianic Congregation, Lake Worth Florida, Palm Beaches

GOD meets us when we feel abandoned and forgotten, and He says, “I will spread a table for you in this wilderness.” (John Piper has a good word here.)

O, how God must become weary with how often we question his itinerary for our lives. How often we think we know better how to get from here to there! We are so much more prone to grumble with the conductor when the train turns south, than we are to sit patiently and wait for lessons from the Lord. He is a very mysterious guide. We never quite know what is coming next. God would never make it in the travel industry because He is always leading his best clients into the wilderness.

Can God set a table in the wilderness? Yes, He can. But you’ll never know as long as you stay in Egypt. By definition you have to be in the wilderness first. Then and only then can God set a table in the wilderness!  

Let’s remember that YESHUA was led by the Spirit into the wilderness. There He experienced great temptation from the devil but came out of it empowered by the Ruach Hakodesh  (Luke 4:1-14).

The wilderness is never easy. But God has purposes for us in the wilderness that cannot be accomplished by staying in Egypt. Those who resolve to follow YESHUA must eventually spend time in the desert with him. There in that solitary place, they gain what cannot be purchased except through pain and suffering.

It was necessary for YESHUA to go into the wilderness. It is necessary for us also. Think of it this way. The wilderness isn’t a fun place to be. You always end up feeling alone and exhausted. You may not fast for 40 days, but you will often come to the end of all human resources. And you willfeel like giving in and giving up. You willwonder why God has abandoned you. Nothing will make sense; all willseem confusing. But do not despair.

Stand your ground.
Remember the promises of God.
Cling to the Lord.
Do not turn back to the old way of life.
Do not give in to your emotions.
Lean on your brothers and sisters in MESSIAH YESHUA.

God never leads us into the wilderness in order to destroy us. He intends the time of testing to make us stronger. Think of what you find in the desert:

It’s far better to be in the wilderness with YESHUA than in a fancy penthouse without him.

Victory is here!
Holiness is here!
Spiritual growth is here!
The Holy Spirit is here!
YESHUA is here!

Life isn’t about your dreams, your agenda, your hopes, your ideas, or your plans. Life is all about God’s dreams, God’s agenda, God’s ideas, and God’s plans. It’s HIS kingdom we’re praying to come, not ours.

Can God set a table in the wilderness?

He can.
He does.
He will.

You can count on it.

Let all God’s people say amen.

From “Keep Believing Ministries.” 

Blessings,

Pastor Bruce and Suzi Elman

L’Chaim Messianic Congregation meets at:
OASIS CHURCH
16401 SOUTHERN BLVD
WELLINGTON FL 33470

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Joshua 3

L'Chaim Messianic Congregation, Lake Worth Florida, Palm Beaches

There are moments when we may feel alone, but there is never a moment when we are truly alone. Just as the ark led the people of God into the river and protected them while they crossed over to the Promised Land, YESHUA our Savior will lead through the darkest moments and bring us safely to the other side. When the time comes to die, He will not abandon us. YESHUA will lead us home to heaven.

In 1940, Oscar Eliason wrote a song based on this story called Got Any Rivers. It goes like this:

“Be of good courage,” God spake unto Joshua,

When o’er the river God pointed the way;

Jordan uncrossable! things seemed impossible,

Waters divide as they march and obey.

YESHUA will not abandon us

Chorus

Got any rivers you think are uncrossable?

Got any mountains you can’t tunnel through?

God specializes in things thought impossible

He does the things others cannot do. 

God is the same and His Word is dependable,

He’ll make a way through the waters for you;

Life’s situations by Him are amendable,

Mountains and hills He will part for you too.

 

 You may find yourself in a difficult place right now. You aren’t there by accident. The God who brought you to this place won’t leave you now. You don’t need to know what tomorrow holds as long as you know who holds tomorrow.

Wait. Trust. Obey.

What should we do when we face one of those uncrossable rivers? Let’s do what the people did in Joshua 3:

Wait.

Trust.

Obey.

We wait because He’s God and we are not.

We trust because Joshua’s God is our God too.

We obey because God’s plan is always best.

If you’re backed into a corner, don’t give up.

Don’t run away.

Let’s go down to the river and see what God will do

Blessings,

Pastor Bruce and Suzi Elman

L’Chaim Messianic Congregation meets at:
OASIS CHURCH
16401 SOUTHERN BLVD
WELLINGTON FL 33470

Link to GOT ANY RIVERS on YouTube

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Never Alone

L'Chaim Messianic Congregation, Lake Worth Florida, Palm Beaches

Psalm 23:1-4

The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me” (Psalm 23:1-4).

Why the change from “he” to “you”? Because even though the Lord is with us every day, we don’t always feel His presence right beside us. But in the moment of death, we are not left alone. The Lord YESHUA comes for us and walks with us across the Great Divide.

Thank God, I do not have to walk through the valley of the shadow of death alone. For He comes, He enters the room, He stands by the bedside, He reaches down and takes my trembling hand, and He walks with me from this life into life eternal.

The Best Part of the 23rd Psalm

The best two words in Psalm 23 are two little words in verse 4: “You are with me.” The SHEPHERD is no longer up ahead leading the flock. The valley is too dark for that. Now He is walking with us, step by step, walking side by side reassuring His sheep by His calm presence.

If God is with us, we have nothing to fear.

Death casts a frightening shadow over all of life. Visit any hospital or nursing home and you will see the fear on the faces of the patients. Go to a funeral and watch the faces of the mourners. One reason we hate funerals is because we don’t want to face the truth of our own mortality.

We can struggle with many other enemies but we can’t struggle with death. The grim reaper wins every time.

We’ll all eventually go through the valley of the shadow of death. We need a guide to help us find our way through that land of darkness to the light on the other side. Where will we find a guide who can take us through that valley? We’ve got to find someone who’s been there before, who’s gone through Himself, who can take us by the hand and lead us where He’s already been.

The Guide We Need

Who can we get? Where can we find a guide like that? His name is YESHUA! He’s been there before. He knows the way through. He’s been to the light on the other side and He’ll come for us.

But thank God, we don’t walk through that valley alone. YESHUA will walk with us. He’ll lead us through to the other side.

Deep in my soul, I believe that the saints of God have nothing to fear in the moment of death. Though it may not be pleasant or painless, though it comes after long suffering or in a fiery crash, the moment itself will be filled with joy as the Lord himself escorts God’s children through the darkest valley of all. 

At that moment, all other guides must turn back. Only YESHUA Messiah can help us through. And HE does!

From “Keep Believing Ministries”

Blessings,

Pastor Bruce and Suzi Elman

L’Chaim Messianic Congregation meets at:
OASIS CHURCH
16401 SOUTHERN BLVD
WELLINGTON FL 33470

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Healing the Hurts of the Past

L'Chaim Messianic Congregation, Lake Worth Florida, Palm Beaches

Healing the Hurts of the Past

PLEASE READ Genesis Chapters 32 & 33

  1. Sometimes it is more difficult to be forgiven than it is to forgive.
  2. Accepting forgiveness requires deep humility and enormous courage.
  3. As long as we live in fear, we can neither forgive nor be forgiven.
  4. Healing begins when we confess our sins and accept God’s forgiveness.

Is healing possible? Yes.

Is it difficult? Yes.

Will it change the past? No.

What will forgiveness do? It sets us free from the past so we can move into the future.

What’s the hardest part about being forgiven? Believing that forgiveness is possible.

Too many people are chained to the past, and the jailer’s name is Fear. 

Good news! YESHUA has the key that opens the door to freedom. If you are willing to be forgiven, YESHUA can set you free.

Question: Are you willing to be forgiven? Until the answer is yes, you will stay chained to the past. But when you are willing both to forgive and to be forgiven, the healing can begin.

PRAYER:

AVINI MALCHEINU, we desperately need the ministry of your Holy Spirit right now. Some of us are literally scared to death of forgiveness—too scared to forgive, too guilty to be forgiven. We would rather stay as we are than risk being rejected one more time. We’d rather be guilty than be forgiven. God forgive us for choosing to live chained to the past. Grant courage and deep humility both to forgive and to be forgiven. May the walls that separate us come tumbling down by the power of YESHUA’S love. Amen.

Blessings,

Pastor Bruce and Suzi Elman

L’Chaim Messianic Congregation meets at:
OASIS CHURCH
16401 SOUTHERN BLVD
WELLINGTON FL 33470

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Generosity

L'Chaim Messianic Congregation, Lake Worth Florida, Palm Beaches

Generosity

A young boy went to the store with his mother. The shop owner, a kindly man, passed him a large jar of suckers and invited him to help himself to a handful. Uncharacteristically, the boy held back. So the shop owner pulled out a handful for him.

When outside, the boy’s mother asked why he had suddenly been so shy and wouldn’t take a handful of suckers when offered.

The boy replied, “Because his hand is much bigger than mine!”

God’s hand is bigger. His shovel is bigger. His wallet is bigger. His generosity is bigger. His love is bigger. Make a game of it. See if you can out-give God. That is the one game you hope you lose, and, in time, you will realize that you will always lose.

In the end, when we rob from God we are actually robbing from ourselves. We are robbing ourselves of spiritual blessings, of God’s provisions, of a Congregation that can meet the needs of others.

We are left with a choice: How will we treat God? Will we rob God by not giving our tithes, or will be faithful in giving to God what is His?

Blessings,

Pastor Bruce and Suzi Elman

L’Chaim Messianic Congregation meets at:
OASIS CHURCH
16401 SOUTHERN BLVD
WELLINGTON FL 33470

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