Inviting Yeshua for Coffee

Last night I was again reminded that my home is a "sanctuary for the Lord".  If only a few people had said that I would be flattered.  But virtually every person that comes to our home describes a grace that resides here that is almost tangible.  This morning I am thinking back as to how this house became a "home" for the Lord.

Firstly, it was built by prayer and praise.

During construction we visited the new neighborhood weekly, and prayed over the ground, giving it to the Lord, Yeshua Hamashiach for His work.  But even if the house had not been newly built, I would have come as often as possible to the home and prayed on the street until one day we would be given the keys to the doors.

One of the first purchases I made for my home was a very small framed picture that says:

Joshua 24:15 As for me and my household we will serve the Lord

Chick-Fil-A Out of the Fryer!

Chick-fil-A boycott results are in and  America, wasn't buying into the right of gay people to oppress people for their faith. As a faithful believer I take my responsibility to the word seriously.  This doesn't make others happy, but really that is the expectation the Lord gives us.  This morning this is the passage that came to me:

Numbers 15: 22 "'If by mistake you fail to observe all these commands that ADONAI has spoken to Moses, 23 yes, everything that ADONAI has ordered you to do through Moses, from the day ADONAI gave the order and onward through all your generations, 24 then, if it was done by mistake by the community and was not known to them, the whole community is to offer one young bull for a burnt offering as a fragrant aroma to ADONAI, with its grain and drink offerings, in keeping with the rule, and one male goat as a sin offering. 25 The cohen (priest) is to make atonement for the whole community of the people of Isra'el; and they will be forgiven; because it was a mistake; and they have brought their offering, an offering made by fire, to ADONAI, and their sin offering before ADONAI for their mistake. 26 The whole community of the people of Isra'el will be forgiven, likewise the foreigner staying with them; because for all the people it was a mistake

At first I wondered, "Lord, what does this have to do with anything?"  We no longer even have an earthly temple in which one people could come together and offer a sacrifice.  But, reading through the chapter again I believe that the Lord encourages me that when our communities came together to put Him first, there was actually an offering made, and He found it acceptable.

In our desire to keep Gods commands, to care for our brothers as directed by Yeshua, Matthew 22:37 He told him, "`You are to love ADONAI your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.' 38 This is the greatest and most important command. 39 And a second is similar to it, `You are to love your neighbor as yourself.' 40 All of the Torah and the Prophets are dependent on these two commands." we have made a grave mistake in its application.  We recognize the first four commands from Exodus and Deuteronomy deal with our love for God, and the last six deal with our love for each other.  But do we uphold the order?  Clearly vs. 38 above says that loving Adonai FIRST, is the greatest of all commands.  To love Adonai, we must FIRST love what He loves, honor what He honors, and uphold what He upholds.  When we fail to do this, even the command to "Love thy neighbor" doesn't work.  

This is a difficult mindset for non-believers (those who reject the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob) but maybe even more difficult for those who DO believe in this ONE TRUE GOD.   For too long, the word of God (whether from Adonai or Yeshua) has been misused and misapplied AGAINST God's people to find us intolerant by a world that rejects Him.  Actually we are NOT intolerant, we are obedient.  

Those of us who live by THIS God and keep His commands are honoring him FIRST.  Anything LESS than this makes us foolish and takes us away from the blessing.  Whenever we are found in a situation to honor man MORE than God we should immediately stop and question what we are doing!  If not, we will surely stray down a path to destruction.

Just as the stars can not be observed before the sun has begun to set, so too, does everything about this Universe have a structure and a strict observance to God's timing-How can man do otherwise?  We have to love our brother in all things, but firstly we can not forsake God in anything.  I do pray, that America coming out to honor the Father's commands FIRST, sets us on a path to healing and a return to the righteous living God commands. 

I am not intolerant of gay people, but FIRSTLY I am obligated  to follow God.  Intentionally disobeying God's order we have this warning, Numbers 15: 30 "'But an individual who does something wrong intentionally, whether a citizen or a foreigner, is blaspheming ADONAI. That person will be cut off from his people. 31 Because he has had contempt for the word of ADONAI and has disobeyed his command, that person will be cut off completely; his offense will remain with him.'"  No true friend who loves YOU as himself, should ever force you into a situation to loose your blessing from Adonai.