Middot U'Mitzvot: Character Qualities and Commandments
Wisdom and Strength In the L-rd


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Wisdom and Strength in the Lord - Boast in the Lord

“The foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.” 1 Corinthians 1:25

Have you ever been laughed at, criticized, made fun of, or ridiculed for your faith in Yeshua? If you haven’t been yet, you can bet that someday you will. You can bet on this because what the world, and what God, views as important is often at odds with one another. The world says that the “measure of a man” is found in fame and fortune—in having good looks and lots of cash. But, God looks at the heart. He considers success to be found in a life that is lived according to His commands and in loving ones neighbor selflessly through acts of kindness and good deeds. And, oftentimes, when we try to live our lives in a way that will please God, we have to do things differently than how the world does them. And so, the world scoffs at us. But, that’s ok. That’s ok because the only thing worth boasting about anyway—the only thing worth taking pride or finding satisfaction in—is the L-RD—in who He is and what He’s done. And, in the end, nothing else really matters but Yeshua and whether or not you lived your life for Him.

The Still, Small Voice of God - Be Still and Listen

“And, behold, the L-RD passed by…but the L-RD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the L-RD was not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire; but the L-RD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.” 1 Kings 19:11-2 / Psalm 46:10

I’m busy. Don’t have time. Gotta go – gotta run – gotta hurry. Sound familiar? It should. It describes most all of our lives, doesn’t it? The sad thing is that, in all of our busy-ness, we often miss out on God. You see, God doesn’t scream at the top of His lungs to get our attention so the noise of everything around us often drowns Him out. The story of Elijah waiting to hear the voice of the Lord serves as a powerful reminder to us that if we want to hear the voice of God then we need to stop, be still, and listen. Quiet time with the Lord should be, for us, a daily thing. To be still and know that He is God should be a number one priority in our everyday lives. The only way that we can grow in the Lord and become more like Him is if we spend time with Him. Reading His Word, praying, and simply being still before Him are all essential to our development as children of the King. And, sometimes that may mean doing less with our friends or watching less TV. Discuss how you can start being still and spend more time with Yeshua this week.

Keep Running the Race - Press On

“...forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Messiah Yeshua.” Philippians 3:13-14

Do you ever get tired of the demands of this life? Do you ever throw your hands up in the air wanting to call it quits, walk away, and give up? Living for God in this world can be hard sometimes. It can be tiring and it can be frustrating. But, it’s in those times of fatigue and frustration that we need to press into God and press on with our mission more than ever. As children of the King, we have a high calling. We have been called to be lights to the world and salt to the earth. (Matthew 5:13-14) We have been called to fight the good fight of faith (1 Timothy 6:12) and to run this race with perseverance. (Hebrews 12:1) Messiah Yeshua gave His life so we might live – so we might live to tell others of Him. He never gave up and neither can we. So, my friend, keep running the race that is set before you. Press in and press on!

Grab Hold of Forever - God's Word is Eternal

“The grass withers and the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever.” Isaiah 40:8

Speaking of forever…do you know that forever really is a long, long time? Now, you may think that sitting in class on a nice summer day seems like forever, but it is really only a blink of an eye in the grand scheme of things. Take a moment and try to imagine what forever is really like…Hard to do isn’t it? It’s hard to do because we are stuck in time. We are used to being limited by time. But, God isn’t limited by time. He is forever and so is His Word. Forever means always. It means permanent. It means to have no end. F-O-R-E-V-E-R. Now, forever can be good or forever can be bad. Living in eternity with God forever is good. Living in eternity separated from God forever is bad. And, this is the ultimate choice that we make in this life. How we live now determines where and how we will live for all of eternity. This life will one day end, but our lives in the Kingdom will never end. There is life beyond the limitations of time. So, how are you preparing for that life of forever?

Kehilat Sar Shalom

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