Compassion

I just watched a video from animal planet how a goose was helping a blind dog get around. It made me think.

God allows one unlikely animal  to help another and yet we as a people can be very uncaring to one another. This should not be. We are to be 'lights' to the world, but what are we really illuminating? Are we letting our lives be torches in the darkness? Are we showing unconditional love to one another? Are we being compassionate?

I know for myself that I miss it many times. I also know that we will, but on the whole we should be living our lives for Jesus and be all that He has destined us to be. After all He did give Himself for us. He became our 'sacrificial lamb'.

Let us take our example from the goose and the dog and be those 'LIGHTS' in the darkness.

Blessings,

Shifra

"A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones." Proverbs 17:22 NASB

I used to work with another woman, lets call her Jane, that complained about everything.

Jane had a negative spirit that surrounded her. I tried to keep a positive, loving, and godly spirit, but many times I found myself becoming negative. It is very hard to remain cheerful when you are in such an envirnoment.

We all tend to have days that we are not always in the best of moods, but with Jane it was a every day occurrence.

Titus 1:15 states, "To the pure, all things are pure; but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their mind and their conscience are defiled." (NASB) Basically Jane was looking at the glass as half empty rather than half full.

I believe Jane had a sick heart rather than a cheerful one as the scripture states. "A joyful (cheerful) heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones." (Proverbs 17:22 NASB) Jane was not a happy person.

One day Jane just up and quit. Even though she gave no notification I found it to be God at work. It may of gave me more work, but I am much more cheerful and the atmosphere just turned around. Even the patients noticed the change.

(Just as a side note: I accomplished more work once she was gone. Atmosphere means so much.)

The change was completed even more when we moved our office to a new location. You could say that the Lord truly cleaned house.

Lord, please help me to remain pure in heart and to maintain a cheerful attitude even in the midst of negative influences.

Be blessed my friends,
Shifra

Not Seeing, but Believing

Queries:
Are radio waves seen?
Can you see gravity?
Can you see the wind?

Answer:
No and yet we know they exist.

The same thing goes for God. Just because you cannot see Him does not mean He doesn't exist.

You cannot always see a prayer answered, but that does not mean God is not listening. God is always working behind the scenes in your behalf. He may not answer it in your timing and may not answer it the way you would like it answered. God is God and He knows what He is doing.

We have become a society that wants everything instantaneously and God does not necessarily do everything with a snap of a finger---though He could. We need to trust and be faithful enough to wait upon the Lord.

Hebrews 11:1
"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."
Romans 4:17b
"God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did;"

You will see in 2 Kings 6:8-17, that Gehazi, Elisha's servant, saw things with his natural eyes and believed the enemy out numbered them. Elisha then asked God to open Gehazi's eyes. He was then able to see with his spiritual eyes (heart) and realized that God's army far out numbered those of their enemy.

Our normal Christian life should be waiting patiently upon the Lord to bring the things of the spiritual into the natural. It is a faith walk not a sight walk.

Remember,"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." Hebrews 3:8

Be blessed my friends,
Shifra

Pleasing Self

What does scripture say about pleasing ourselves? Are we suppose to endow ourselves with everything we can get hold of? Are we to feed our flesh with all that we see?

1 John 2:16 says, "For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world."
"But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts." Romans 13:14

We need to put our bodies into submission to our spirits. As new creations in Christ we must not allow our flesh to be in control. We must die to self and persevere in God.

  "Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength and not just please ourselves." Romans 15:1
  " We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren." 1 John 3:16

It is such a good feeling when we do things for others without feeling that they owe you one.
Giving with unselfish motives is so rewarding.

Lets do something nice for someone this week and reap the reward. You will get as much out of it as the person you did it for.

Blessings,
Shifra

All scripture is from the New American Standard Bible

Be of Good Courage

I was in a angry and funky mood the last couple of days and then yesterday morning I picked up the bible and started reading Joshua chapter one.
verse 6: "Be strong and courageous;"
verse 7: "only be strong and very courageous"
I really needed to hear these verses. It helped so much.

I know people say Christians should not have bad days, but we are still human. We cannot deny that we do not have troublesome times. We would be lying if we did, but we have God's promise that He will not leave us and that He will always be with us.

He promises to make our way prosperous and successful as we remain faithful to Him and His word.

Verse 1:9 of Joshua states, "I hereby command you: Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

Thank you Lord God for showing us how much You love us.

My friends be of good courage and strong in the faith.

Blessings,
Shifra

Good Afternoon

Shalom everyone,


My new book is complete and now on the market. You can obtain it at Amazon.com or go directly to the EStore at the following address:
WWW.createspace.com/3532853
The title is Gemstones. My other two books are Fertile Ground and The Calling Card Mystery.
WWW.createspace.com/3354192 and WWW.createspace.com/3362182.

Now if I could just get my creative juices going again. I have been kind of in a slump. Only God knows what He wants my next endeavor to be. I guess we all will be surprised. I will keep you apprised as soon as I know.

Thanks and be blessed,
Shifra

Pondering Egypt

I was reading the following scripture and thought it was very interesting.
Now, I don't know if this prophecy has already been fulfilled, but it certainly got me thinking.

Isaiah 19 (New King James Version)

Isaiah 19
Proclamation Against Egypt
1 The burden against Egypt.

Behold, the LORD rides on a swift cloud,
And will come into Egypt;
The idols of Egypt will totter at His presence,
And the heart of Egypt will melt in its midst.
2 “ I will set Egyptians against Egyptians;
Everyone will fight against his brother,
And everyone against his neighbor,
City against city, kingdom against kingdom.
3 The spirit of Egypt will fail in its midst;
I will destroy their counsel,
And they will consult the idols and the charmers,
The mediums and the sorcerers.
4 And the Egyptians I will give
Into the hand of a cruel master,
And a fierce king will rule over them,”
Says the Lord, the LORD of hosts.
5 The waters will fail from the sea,
And the river will be wasted and dried up.
6 The rivers will turn foul;
The brooks of defense will be emptied and dried up;
The reeds and rushes will wither.
7 The papyrus reeds by the River,[a] by the mouth of the River,
And everything sown by the River,
Will wither, be driven away, and be no more.
8 The fishermen also will mourn;
All those will lament who cast hooks into the River,
And they will languish who spread nets on the waters.
9 Moreover those who work in fine flax
And those who weave fine fabric will be ashamed;
10 And its foundations will be broken.
All who make wages will be troubled of soul.
11 Surely the princes of Zoan are fools;
Pharaoh’s wise counselors give foolish counsel.
How do you say to Pharaoh, “I am the son of the wise,
The son of ancient kings?”
12 Where are they?
Where are your wise men?
Let them tell you now,
And let them know what the LORD of hosts has purposed against Egypt.
13 The princes of Zoan have become fools;
The princes of Noph[b] are deceived;
They have also deluded Egypt,
Those who are the mainstay of its tribes.
14 The LORD has mingled a perverse spirit in her midst;
And they have caused Egypt to err in all her work,
As a drunken man staggers in his vomit.
15 Neither will there be any work for Egypt,
Which the head or tail,
Palm branch or bulrush, may do.[c]

16 In that day Egypt will be like women, and will be afraid and fear because of the waving of the hand of the LORD of hosts, which He waves over it. 17 And the land of Judah will be a terror to Egypt; everyone who makes mention of it will be afraid in himself, because of the counsel of the LORD of hosts which He has determined against it.
Egypt, Assyria, and Israel Blessed

18 In that day five cities in the land of Egypt will speak the language of Canaan and swear by the LORD of hosts; one will be called the City of Destruction.[d]
19 In that day there will be an altar to the LORD in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar to the LORD at its border. 20 And it will be for a sign and for a witness to the LORD of hosts in the land of Egypt; for they will cry to the LORD because of the oppressors, and He will send them a Savior and a Mighty One, and He will deliver them. 21 Then the LORD will be known to Egypt, and the Egyptians will know the LORD in that day, and will make sacrifice and offering; yes, they will make a vow to the LORD and perform it. 22 And the LORD will strike Egypt, He will strike and heal it; they will return to the LORD, and He will be entreated by them and heal them.
23 In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian will come into Egypt and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians will serve with the Assyrians.
24 In that day Israel will be one of three with Egypt and Assyria—a blessing in the midst of the land, 25 whom the LORD of hosts shall bless, saying, “Blessed is Egypt My people, and Assyria the work of My hands, and

So what are your thoughts? I would love Your feedback.

Be blessed,
Shifra

Messianic Congregations

My question is why do the Messianic Congregations find it so hard to embrace the CROSS?

As a Jew and a believer in Yeshua, Jesus, the Messiah,
the CROSS is a symbol of freedom, love, and completeness to me.

We are here to please God and not man. The CROSS is a stumbling
block to the Jews and even some gentiles, but that does not mean
we should grieve the Holy Sprit by 'denying' the CROSS.

It was on the CROSS that God had His Son go and on the CROSS Jesus
willingly laid down His life as the final sacrificial Lamb. When you
deny the CROSS you are basically denying what God did.

I refuse to compromise my belief in the CROSS!

The Star of David is a beautiful symbol and tradition, but it will
not SAVE you. It is only through what happened at Calvary and your acceptance of it that you will be saved.

For years as a kid I use to draw the Star of David with a Cross in
the middle of it. I know God was trying to get my attention even then. Praise Adonai, He did!

Shifra

Brain Freeze

It has been awhile since I have posted anything, but I have had 'brain freeze'. It is the best term I could come up with, but it tells you where I have been at.
I have been making the corrections on my third book, "Gemstones", which should hopefully be out on the market in a couple of weeks. You will be able to find it on Amazon.com and EStore.com. I am waiting on the final proofing and I will let you know when it is out there. Meanwhile, here is an excerpt:


My Path

Through the desert I must go.
I need to follow the One who knows all.

This path I must take may be rough and barren,
but still I must go.

I need to take the narrow road, for the road that is wide,
is full of pot holes.

I must not turn to the left or the right
and wander off the track.
My destiny is on the narrow path and so I must go.

I may stumble, but I will not turn back, for the One who
knows all,
has got my back.

Have a blessed day everyone,
Shifra

Complain or Trust

Okay---
My car won't start,
waiting on tow truck,
and I am late for work.
Oh yeah, and I am suppose to go visit my parents on the 26th.
Just a wonderful way to start the day!!!

Now I can moan and complain about it or I can trust God to work
everything out for the good. He already knew what was going to happen.

Now Job stated,"What I feared the most has come upon me." (Job 3:25 NIV)
I refuse to think like that. I choose to wait upon the Lord and see His
glory fulfilled.

I will set my affections above and not on the circumstances surrounding me.
I will be positive and not negative. Every thing will work out according to
plan especially with God at the helm.

Okay---
I feel better now.

Be blessed,
Shifra