24 Tishrei 5994 / 9 October 2023
Day 282 Readings
Torah: Bereishit, 2nd Portion Bereshit (Genesis) 2:4-19
The Creation of Man and Woman
4 [a]This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made earth and heaven. 5 Now no shrub of the field was yet on the earth, and no plant of the field had yet sprouted, for the Lord God had not sent rain upon the earth, and there was no man to [b]cultivate the ground. 6 But a [c]mist used to rise from the earth and water the whole [d]surface of the ground. 7 Then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living [e]person. 8 The Lord God planted a garden toward the east, in Eden; and there He placed the man whom He had formed. 9 Out of the ground the Lord God caused every tree to grow that is pleasing to the sight and good for food; the tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
10 Now a river [f]flowed out of Eden to water the garden; and from there it divided and became four [g]rivers. 11 The name of the first is Pishon; it [h]flows around the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold. 12 The gold of that land is good; the bdellium and the onyx stone are there as well. 13 The name of the second river is Gihon; it [i]flows around the whole land of Cush. 14 The name of the third river is [j]Tigris; it [k]flows east of Assyria. And the fourth river is the [l]Euphrates.
15 Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to cultivate it and tend it. 16 The Lord God commanded the man, saying, “From any tree of the garden you may freely eat; 17 but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not [m]eat, for on the day that you eat from it you will certainly die.”
18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper [n]suitable for him.” 19 And out of the ground the Lord God formed every animal of the field and every bird of the sky, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called a living creature, that was its name.
Bible Study Together
Judges 1
Jerusalem Is Captured
8 Then the sons of Judah fought against Jerusalem and captured it, and struck it with the edge of the sword, and set the city on fire. 9 Afterward, the sons of Judah went down to fight against the Canaanites living in the hill country, and in the [g]Negev, and in the lowland. 10 So Judah went against the Canaanites who lived in Hebron (the name of Hebron was previously Kiriath-arba); and they struck Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai.
Capture of Other Cities
11 Then from there he went against the inhabitants of Debir (the name of Debir was previously Kiriath-sepher). 12 And Caleb said, “Whoever attacks Kiriath-sepher and captures it, I will give him my daughter Achsah as a wife.” 13 Now Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother, captured it; so he gave him his daughter Achsah as a wife. 14 Then it happened that when she came to him, she incited him to ask her father for a field. Then later, she dismounted from [h]her donkey, and Caleb said to her, “What [i]do you want?” 15 She said to him, “Give me a blessing: since you have given me the land of the [j]Negev, give me springs of water also.” So Caleb gave her the upper springs and the lower springs.
16 Now the [k]descendants of the Kenite, Moses’ father-in-law, went up from the city of palms with the sons of Judah, to the wilderness of Judah which is in the south of Arad; and they went and lived with the people. 17 Then Judah went with his brother Simeon, and they struck the Canaanites living in Zephath, and utterly destroyed it. So the name of the city was called Hormah. 18 And Judah took Gaza with its territory, Ashkelon with its territory, and Ekron with its territory. 19 Now the Lord was with Judah, and they took possession of the hill country; but they could not [l]drive out the inhabitants of the valley, because they had iron chariots. 20 Then they gave Hebron to Caleb, as Moses had [m]promised; and he drove out from there the three sons of Anak. 21 But the sons of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites who lived in Jerusalem; so the Jebusites have lived with the sons of Benjamin in Jerusalem to this day.
Places Not Conquered
27 But Manasseh did not take possession of Beth-shean and its villages, or Taanach and its villages, or the inhabitants of Dor and its villages, or the inhabitants of Ibleam and its villages, or the inhabitants of Megiddo and its villages; so the Canaanites persisted in living in this land. 28 And it came about, when Israel became strong, that they put the Canaanites to forced labor; but they did not drive them out completely.
365 Daily Kingdom Living
The Best Stories
As a master story teller, Jesus often used stories to communicate truth, particularly about his Kingdom. In Matthew 13 alone, there are seven parables recorded. The advantage of parables is they require the listeners/readers to engage their brains. We have to know about what’s been said; evaluate it on several levels. And occasionally, as in the parable of the sower and parable of the weeds, Jesus explains things for us after we’ve failed to understand.
Prayer: Thank you Lord, for giving us your Word in stories and illustrations rather than lengthy lectures. I love your Word, Lord. It’s down to earth; it speaks to me where I live. Thank you for the writers who faithfully recorded your amazing ministry on earth. Help me apply your principles to my life and work today. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Scripture
Jeremiah 13
8 Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 9 “Thus says the Lord: ‘In this manner I will ruin the pride of Judah and the great pride of Jerusalem. 10 This evil people, who refuse to hear My words, who follow[g] the dictates of their hearts, and walk after other gods to serve them and worship them, shall be just like this sash which is profitable for nothing. 11 For as the sash clings to the waist of a man, so I have caused the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah to cling to Me,’ says the Lord, ‘that they may become My people, for renown, for praise, and for glory; but they would not hear.’
Pride Precedes Captivity
15 Hear and give ear:Do not be proud,For the Lord has spoken.16 Give glory to the Lord your GodBefore He causes darkness,And before your feet stumbleOn the dark mountains,And while you are looking for light,He turns it into the shadow of deathAnd makes it dense darkness. 17 But if you will not hear it,My soul will weep in secret for your pride;My eyes will weep bitterlyAnd run down with tears,Because the Lord’s flock has been taken captive.
18 Say to the king and to the queen mother,“Humble yourselves;Sit down,For your rule shall collapse, the crown of your glory.” 19 The cities of the South shall be shut up, And no one shall open them; Judah shall be carried away captive, all of it;It shall be wholly carried away captive.
20 Lift up your eyes and seeThose who come from the north.Where is the flock that was given to you,Your beautiful sheep?21 What will you say when He punishes you?For you have taught themTo be chieftains, to be head over you.Will not pangs seize you,Like a woman in [i]labor?22 And if you say in your heart,“Why have these things come upon me?”For the greatness of your iniquityYour skirts have been uncovered,Your heels [j]made bare. 23 Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots? Then may you also do good who are accustomed to do evil.
24 “Therefore I will scatter them like stubbleThat passes away by the wind of the wilderness.25 This is your lot,The portion of your measures from Me,” says the Lord,“Because you have forgotten MeAnd trusted in falsehood.26 Therefore I will uncover your skirts over your face,That your shame may appear.27 I have seen your adulteriesAnd your lustful neighings,The lewdness of your harlotry,Your abominations on the hills in the fields.Woe to you, O Jerusalem!Will you still not be made clean?”
Jeremiah 14
7 O Lord, though our iniquities testify against us,Do it for Your name’s sake;For our backslidings are many,We have sinned against You.8 O the Hope of Israel, his Savior in time of trouble,Why should You be like a stranger in the land,And like a traveler who turns aside to tarry for a night?9 Why should You be like a man astonished,Like a mighty one who cannot save?Yet You, O Lord, are in our midst,And we are called by Your name;Do not leave us!
10 Thus says the Lord to this people:
“Thus they have loved to wander;They have not restrained their feet. Therefore the Lord does not accept them;He will remember their iniquity now,And punish their sins.”
11 Then the Lord said to me, “Do not pray for this people, for their good. 12 When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt offering and grain offering, I will not accept them. But I will consume them by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence.”
13 Then I said, “Ah, Lord God! Behold, the prophets say to them, ‘You shall not see the sword, nor shall you have famine, but I will give you [b]assured peace in this place.’ ”
14 And the Lord said to me, “The prophets prophesy lies in My name. I have not sent them, commanded them, nor spoken to them; they prophesy to you a false vision, [c]divination, a worthless thing, and the deceit of their heart. 15 Therefore thus says the Lord concerning the prophets who prophesy in My name, whom I did not send, and who say, ‘Sword and famine shall not be in this land’—‘By sword and famine those prophets shall be consumed! 16 And the people to whom they prophesy shall be cast out in the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and the sword; they will have no one to bury them—them nor their wives, their sons nor their daughters—for I will pour their wickedness on them.’
The People Plead for Mercy
19 Have You utterly rejected Judah?Has Your soul loathed Zion?Why have You stricken us so that there is no healing for us? We looked for peace, but there was no good;And for the time of healing, and there was trouble.20 We acknowledge, O Lord, our wickednessAnd the iniquity of our fathers,For we have sinned against You.21 Do not abhor us, for Your name’s sake;Do not disgrace the throne of Your glory.Remember, do not break Your covenant with us.22 Are there any among the idols of the nations that can cause rain?Or can the heavens give showers?Are You not He, O Lord our God?Therefore we will wait for You,Since You have made all these.
Dear AVI,
Baruk Ata Adonai Melek HaOlam! O GREAT are YOU O LORD, HOLY and Almighty ONE of Israel! Have mercy on Jeshurun, YOUR chosen people, I stand in the gap in their behalf, rise up in power and rescue YOUR people, deliver them O GOD just as YOU have delivered me. Turn their defeat around O GOD and let them be victorious because YOU fight for us O GOD! For all YOUR beloved ones YOU defend and rescue.
1 Thessalonians 1
Their Good Example
2 We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, 3 remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father, 4 knowing, beloved brethren, your election by God. 5 For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake.
6 And you became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit, 7 so that you became examples to all in Macedonia and Achaia who believe. 8 For from you the word of the Lord has sounded forth, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place. Your faith toward God has gone out, so that we do not need to say anything. 9 For they themselves declare concerning us what manner of entry we had to you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, 10 and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.
O ABBA ELOHIM, I give thanks always for my husband, my crown, whom YOU are placing above me, he is such an amazing man and I praise YOU because YOU have brought him into YOUR kingdom and encountering him in a deep way so that he rise up in faith, fit and able also to have me just as YOU have made me fit and able to have him because of the way YOU have broken me and led me to follow YOU leading me straight to his path but he is the one who has came for me into our house. O GOD let his heart and mind, soul and strength, fall in love with YOU, please GOD, let him connect to me in the spirit so that he will understand and love me for who I am. Without reason let him love YOU and me, let him to love us. I've been waiting a long time for him LORD, please do not let me wait more. O LORD, don't let me be obsessed with him, please GOD, let him be obsessed with me and the ONE I truly care about, YOU and all that YOU care about too. I need YOU LORD, please give me self control. Please do not allow me to be overwhelmed by my emotions, let him be overwhelmed O GOD not me. Please LORD have mercy on me for I am YOURS and YOU are mine and my crown Stephen and I we belong to YOU. Please glorify YOURSELF with our love and Union according to YOUR plan and purpose O GOD bless the work of our hands and our family and bring us from glory to glory so that we may please YOU and bring glory and honor to YOU by our faith and obedience and following YOU whole heartedly, for YOU deserve all the glory and honor and our utmost and highest devotion!
Ba HaShem YESHUA HaMashiach, Amen!
Psalms 79
5 How long, Lord?Will You be angry forever?Will Your jealousy burn like fire?6 Pour out Your wrath on the [c]nations that do not know You,And on the kingdoms that do not call on Your name.7 For they have devoured Jacob,And laid waste his dwelling place.
8 Oh, do not remember [d]former iniquities against us!Let Your tender mercies come speedily to meet us,For we have been brought very low.9 Help us, O God of our salvation,For the glory of Your name;And deliver us, and provide atonement for our sins,For Your name’s sake!10 Why should the [e]nations say,“Where is their God?”Let there be known among the nations in our sightThe avenging of the blood of Your servants which has been shed.
11 Let the groaning of the prisoner come before You;According to the greatness of Your [f]powerPreserve those who are appointed to die;12 And return to our neighbors sevenfold into their bosomTheir reproach with which they have reproached You, O Lord.
13 So we, Your people and sheep of Your pasture,Will give You thanks forever;We will show forth Your praise to all generations.
Proverbs 24:30-34
30 I went by the field of the lazy man,And by the vineyard of the man devoid of understanding; 31 And there it was, all overgrown with thorns;Its surface was covered with nettles;Its stone wall was broken down.32 When I saw it, I considered it well;I looked on it and received instruction: 33 A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to rest; 34 So shall your poverty come like [a]a prowler,And your need like [b]an armed man.