When the twelve spies were sent into Canaan to spy out the land, ten returned with a bad report. Their assessment was that it was impossible to conquer the land that God had promised them. Forgetting how God had led them with a pillar of fire by night, and fed them manna from heaven during the day, brought forth water out of a rock, and parted the Red Sea, they saw the situation with only their natural eyes, failed to walk by faith, and succumbed to fear.

Joshua and Caleb however, returned with a good report. Refusing to be discouraged by what they saw, they fully trusted that their supernatural God was not going to break His promise to His people, Israel.

We are living in days where the world looks bleak, and the evils seem to grow more threatening and dangerous. How will we react? Will we be devastated and terrorized like the 10 spies with a bad report? Or will we do something extraordinary — will we walk by faith like Joshua and Caleb, trust in the love and power of our God, and seize the opportunities that are at hand?

Let’s walk by faith and stand firm in it, facing every challenge, and laying hold of every opportunity that awaits us. May Joshua and Caleb be our examples of faith and courage in these days. With our God going before us, we also, can take the land, glorifying Him in every battle.

by George Whitten, Editor of Worthy Devotions

New Testament genealogies of Yeshua Ha Mashiach (Jesus the Christ) all identify Him as the son of king David. It was universally understood from the Tenach (OT) that the messiah would be descended from David and that he would restore the Davidic monarchy to its ultimate and most universal expression, even that this king would reign and sit on the throne forever.

Why was Yeshua’s identification with David so significant? One reason is that David is the only man in the Bible about whom the Lord said, this is “a man after My own heart”. Yet we know well David’s imperfections … adultery and murder — so why would God say this about him? I believe it was David’s lifelong love for and abandoned worship of the Lord, and also his contrite heart (Ps. 51) and the depth of his sorrow and repentance which showed this relationship to be the most important and precious in his life.

God isn’t expecting perfection from us — His Son has provided that. Yeshua alone is the Man whose heart and actions are flawless. But David exemplified a man whose love and respect for his God were constant, if imperfect, a man after God’s own heart. And this is the heart that God is seeking today, contrite, worshipful, and filled with respect and love for our God.

David provides a wonderful example for us who are as imperfect as he was. We may fall and fail miserably – but its how we get up that makes the difference. Our constant desire to preserve this most precious of all relationships will show that we too have a heart after God. I know I want to hear Him say, “Yes, you are truly someone after my own heart!”

by George Whitten, Editor of Worthy Devotions

Don’t you love New Year’s resolutions? Every year this time, I start jogging and getting rid of the belly that I’ve grown over the past year. This year it seems to be a little bigger and harder to lose – but hey it’s the beginning of the year and I’ve got resolution to follow through! Thinking back over the year I’m regretting the times I ate fast food when I was in the States. They make getting overweight so easy! :0

Don’t you love when you step up to the fast food counter, how they ask you, “Would you like to supersize it?” What are they saying? “Now that we know what you want to eat, how about a whole lot more of it !?!”

As I was thinking about this dilemma of mine, (mostly in a negative sense), I suddenly came to another realization. When we enter into His presence, God is also saying to us, “How about a deeper, more fruitful time of prayer or worship?!?”

So here’s my suggestion, let’s say “no thanks” to the fast food guy….and, “Yea, Lord, SUPERSIZE ME!!!”

Writing to the Corinthian Church, Paul illustrates his exhortation using the metaphors of running a race and fighting a boxing match. Victory is achieved by bringing your body into submission to the will of God.

Their idolatrous culture promoted in the Corinthians an intense passion to win. In Greek mythology, Nike was the goddess of victory. She fought on the side of the Olympian gods, triumphing over the mighty Titans and thus became a powerful symbol of victory.

Her divine her powers were not limited to warfare. She was also solicited by Greek athletes who sought victory in competitive sports. A major manufacturer of athletic shoes took note of this and named their company after the goddess. The Romans gave Nike the Latin name “Victoria” from which we get our English word – “victory”.

The apostle Paul, with characteristic cultural awareness, addresses the Corinthians in a language they well understand. He is seeking to harness their passion for victory and transform it for spiritual purposes seeking to motivate them with eternal rewards which the Lord has promised to those who serve Him well.

In Yeshua (Jesus) we have real Divine power which the ancient pagans could not have dreamed of. It is a power to win where it really counts…with and for our wonderful Lord! We too, need to discipline our bodies, bringing them under submission, and run the race of faith without looking back – we can be victorious. We will obtain an eternal crown, which will never fade!

This interesting passage speaks of a time when Israel had no blacksmiths to make weapons and was without any armament to defend themselves. The enemy had succeeded to disarm Israel by removing their weapons, and those who forged them! He’s attempting the same tactic today.

A blacksmith is someone who works with raw material and fire, and who knows how to form and shape liquid metal into powerful weapons. Anyone who works skillfully and accurately with the word of God is a spiritual “blacksmith”. The enemy, who is constantly attacking the word of God, the sword of the Spirit, also seeks to silence or remove the spiritual blacksmiths of this world. If he can get rid of them – the battle is over.

We need to pray for God’s blacksmiths because the enemy is after them. Together with the fire of the Holy Spirit they forge the raw material of His word into powerful weapons which shape and mold God’s people into His image and equip them for spiritual warfare and fruitfulness. But we are all called to be strong in the word, and to take it up as our primary weapon. Every spiritual blacksmith, himself started out as raw material which was shaped and formed by the fire of God to fight in this battle with Satan.

So, as the battle rages, pray for the protection of God’s “blacksmiths”, even as you submit to His process of shaping you into one, yourself.

We often develop strategies, game-plans, life-plans – and then, at some obstacle or critical point, we say – “Just stick to the plan!” It’s usually good advice.

Life is always sending unexpected surprises, but praise God, nothing takes Him by surprise. He’s the master planner. Our family might turn against us, our friends let us down, illness, afflictions, problems and “situations” on every side…God still has a plan, for you, and for me.

Joseph is a prime example of life’s surprises. It took 13 years of endurance and character-building for him to fulfill this part of God’s plan. Sold as a slave into Egypt by his own brothers, betrayed and imprisoned, he must have wondered a lot where God was and what He was doing. But finally, as a prepared vessel, Joseph was placed in the highest position in the land, second only to Pharaoh, and commissioned to execute God’s plan for saving the world from famine. So the Lord had surprises of His own. Revealing himself to his brothers, Joseph summed it up beautifully: “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good, in order to bring it about as [it is] this day, to save many people alive. .” (Genesis 50:20)

When our situations are difficult to handle and downright impossible to explain, we need to remind ourselves that God said, “I know the plans I have for you.” Through these situations we discover how faithful and sovereign He truly is. He knows what we can handle and He will never give us more. When the test is completed, we come out with character, stronger in faith, more in love, more useful to Him, and ready……….. for our next test. :) (Oh yeah…)

The fact that we have problems is a sign that we also have a promise. It’s only a matter of time before God reveals His good intentions – so until then, let’s stick to the plan! His !!!

The story of the Exodus is a story of miracles – yet in the beginning when Moses first appeared before Pharaoh to deliver the children of Israel from 400 years of slavery, the Israelites were severely tempted and became angry because of the initial hardships that were laid upon them.

They leveled their anger at Moses because suddenly they were told that they would have to gather their own straw for making bricks. They were concerned about offending their slave-masters, fearing that they would slay them.

The Israelites were so accustomed to their slavery that they didn’t want their lives disrupted despite the fact that freedom was at hand. Resigned to this miserable life, they utterly failed to apprehend or appreciate the freedom that was soon approaching. Yes, there was a temporary price: increased hardship and great pressure would set the stage for their final deliverance.

The same can happen to us. It has often been said “The darkest night is just before the dawn”…

Perhaps the enemy senses his impending defeat and pulls out all the stops to prevent it. Perhaps the Lord loves a good story with a really dramatic and climactic ending and great glory for His Name…in any case –

Don’t let yourself remain accustomed to any form of bondage – seek and believe for the freedom that God has given us through His Son. Expect a life of great victory over sin and demonic oppression – Why? Because that is His promise to us!

My wife Rivka is getting ready to take a little trip to the States for a conference in Colorado this weekend – so she’s been taking extra care of herself so that she won’t get sick during her travels.

This got me thinking about God’s design of the human immune system. It’s designed to be proactive and not passive. Whenever germs, viruses, or bacteria invade our bodies, the immune system seeks to destroy these invaders before they become a problem.

Let’s learn a little something from our immune system. Whenever that invading temptation enters your mind – attack it immediately! Become proactive to destroy sin before it establishes a foothold. If you don’t allow a foothold, then you’ll never have to tear down a stronghold!

Be sure to boost your spiritual immune system today, by spending time in fellowship with the Lord, in His Word and in Prayer. When those “invaders” try to enter in, you’ll be armed and ready to vanquish them before they have a chance to hinder your walk!

I’m not sure where I read it, but the idea has always been ingrained in my mind – if you want to be a good teacher, be a good student. When Yeshua (Jesus) lived on the earth, his disciples were called “talmudim”. The Hebrew literally means “students”. “Talmudim” comes from the verb, “Lilmod”, “to learn”. In essence, talmudim are learners.

We who know Yeshua as Lord consider Him our Rabbi or Teacher, and ourselves, His talmudim. As such we continue to learn and grow in His wisdom, love, and character.

This learning process involves regular tests from our Lord as He leads us from one level of faith to the next. I recall years ago when I was in school, never being a huge fan of tests – in fact, rather disliking them quite a bit. I’d often find myself attempting to cram mountains knowledge into my poor brain the night before an important exam. Then, after completing the test I would quickly forget most of what I had crammed and scarcely absorbed. Doubtless had I been required to retake the test a week later, I’d almost certainly have failed it.

But in the testing of faith, we cannot cram knowledge or understanding and still hope to pass. If we try this shoddy and superficial approach to learning we will simply find ourselves retaking the test, over and over again. If we are truly His talmudim, we will study, pray and delve deeply into the challenging material at hand, to learn and absorb the lesson well, so that we are educated, transformed, and well equipped to move forward in the Lord. Yeshua wants us to learn today’s lesson – because He has a new lesson for us tomorrow!

What lesson is today’s important lesson? Be diligent to understand and apprehend it, and even to begin applying it. So doing you’ll be thoroughly equipped and prepared for the one your Rabbi will send next…maybe even, tomorrow!

During the 1990′s in an NCAA Division II national championship cross-country race in California, a bizarre twist of events took place. Mike Delcavo and 127 of the best runners in the country were battling for glory over the 10,000 meter course. About three miles into the race, Delvaco was somewhere in the middle of the pack, when he realized that the runners had made a wrong turn. So he yelled out, “You’re going the wrong way,” but they didn’t listen. Only 4 others followed Mike when he turned in the right direction…and suddenly, he found himself in the lead.

However that lasted only about a mile, since Mike and the runners who followed him soon reunited with the larger pack who, having gone the wrong way, actually shaved about a half a mile off the course, and were now in the lead again. The final blow came when, because so many of the runners had gone the wrong way, the officials changed the official course route to accommodate their error. So when Mike Delcavo finally crossed the finish line, he was number 103 overall.

At the end of the race, some of Delcavo’s competitors “thought it was funny that he went the right way.”

In our mixed up world, when everybody is wrong, then wrong becomes right. However, in the world to come there is only one Judge and He will not change the correct course regardless of how many or how few actually run it. His rewards will be based on our having stayed the true course.

It’s easy to follow the crowd. But it takes courage and conviction to follow wholeheartedly after God. Sometimes it can get lonely running your race, wondering where the crowd is going, and even whether you, yourself are on the right road. But you my friend, keep running with the Lord. And when the race is over and you have finished your course, may the He say to you, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant!”

Bobby Jones was one of the greatest golfers to ever compete, uniquely known for winning the “Grand Slam” of golf winning all four major tournaments in the U.S. and Britain in a single year. In 1925, early in his career, having reached the final playoff in the U.S. Open, at a certain point in the match, Jones was setting up to strike his ball which was in the rough just off the fairway. His iron accidentally touched the ball. He immediately became angry with himself, turned to the marshals, and called a penalty on himself.

But the marshals had not seen the ball move, so they left the decision to Jones, whether to invoke the penalty — a two-stroke penalty. Bobby called the penalty on himself, not knowing that he would lose the tournament by a single stroke.

When praised for his honesty, he replied, “You may as well praise a man for not robbing a bank!” Jones may have lost the tournament, but his character was legendary and today the United States Golf Association’s award for sportsmanship is known as the “Bobby Jones Award.”

It’s been said, “Character is what you do when nobody is watching. Character is how you treat people who can do absolutely nothing for you. Character is how you react when the pressure is on. Character is deciding beforehand that you are going to do the right thing.”

Every day we’re faced with decisions — many of which are made when no one is watching, at least no one we can see. But let’s purpose in our hearts to do the right thing — because character truly counts. We may not see the dividends immediately — but be assured that God is keeping track of our decisions, and He will make good on every one!

One of the most fascinating sites to visit in Washington D.C. is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery. For 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, a platoon of 30 honor guards protects the tomb through rain, snow and even hurricanes! It’s been guarded every minute of every day since 1937.

A single sentinel takes his post guarding carefully, walking exactly 21 steps then pausing for 21 seconds before turning around and continuing his duty. The number 21 is in reference to the 21 gun salute which is the military’s highest honor given to a soldier. When the changing of the guard takes place, the orders are passed from one soldier to the next – “Orders Remain Unchanged.”

As we enter into a New Year, the world is rapidly changing before our eyes! As the war unfolds in Israel, a new President takes the helm in the U.S., the world economy is on the brink of complete collapse – one thing hasn’t changed — our orders from Yeshua to preach this gospel of the Kingdom to every one!

Continue to stand guard, watching and being ever alert of the times in which we live; and never forget that our “Orders Remain Unchanged!” With so much work to be done, let’s be sure we enter 2009 with our priorities intact –

“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you…”

If you ever have the chance to visit Jerusalem, one place you must see is Solomon’s quarries – also known as Zedekiah’s cave. It’s a gigantic underground quarry beneath the old city of Jerusalem, an amazing archeological site which offers a glimpse of the handiwork of the builders of the first temple of King Solomon.  Can you imagine, as the Temple was under construction, what the craftsmen and the builders must have been thinking about this glorious house they were building? Carpenters from Lebanon gathering cedar timbers, laborers moving building materials from Joppa, stonemasons cutting and honing stones – their imaginations must have been filled with expectation and wonder as the awesome heavenly plans given to King David materialized under their meticulous construction.  Each of them had a part and a glimpse of its glory as he worked, waiting, anticipating… the final manifestation of the glory of the completed Temple!

Each of us is also a builder, but our building is a living Temple, and we are also living stones of this Temple of the living God.  In our daily labors, we can catch a glimpse of the glory as we watch His image forming in ourselves and in those around us– but we can hardly begin to imagine the full splendor of His completed Bridal Temple! I’m sure there were times when the workers of Solomon’s Temple felt weary after a long hard day of work – but those memories had to be completely erased when they finally beheld the Temple in its glory!  So if you’re feeling weary and tired – just remember, you are building something magnificent, and the sacrifices of your labor today, will be returned a hundredfold by the generosity and joy of your Heavenly Bridegroom!

Almost every Jewish holiday season, we go door to door, predominantly in poor neighborhoods throughout Israel, delivering baskets full of food, toiletries and other gifts. This year, we’ve included a copy of my wife’s first cd, hot off the presses***!

For those who don’t know, my wife Rivka has a phenomenal voice. The cd, called “Lazman Hazeh” (For Such a Time as This) contains twelve songs, all sung in Hebrew. And most of the lyrics are scriptures of God’s love, grace and encouragement for His people; they are crucial to the difficult times Israel is enduring right now. Also included on the album, is the song “Mercy Seat”, if you’ve heard of it, a very powerful song about God’s great mercy toward us when we run to Him.

We’ll spare you the details of the battle we’ve had with this cd but I’ll just say this: you could not imagine to what great lengths the enemy went to try to terminate this project from coming to fruition this past year. Time and time again, right as we were nearing the finish, we hit another brick wall — so many tears, frustrations and wanting to just “throw in the towel” — we thought it would never get done!

Then, yesterday, at our very first attempt to deliver baskets with the cd’s inside, our ministry van dies (“dies”, like our mechanic said that the value of the vehicle is not worth putting the money into fixing it). And if that wasn’t tough enough, today as we were delivering a second batch of baskets with our own little car, it too died — in fact, we barely made it home as we were driving through the dark highways of the Negev with two sleeping little one’s in the back seat!

Okaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy…. I think it might be safe to say that our enemy is just a little upset about this album! But here’s the thing. We will continue to press forward to do the work of the Kingdom and we will prevail!

If you’re going through some tough stuff today, we are so there with you, friend! But let’s get tougher — and get ourselves going! Let’s stand strong together for the Lord’s purposes, no matter the cost, no matter the obstacles! Because, you know it — there’s soooooo much work to be done!

*** If you’d like to have a listen and/or purchase a cd, go to www.lazmanhazeh.com Each cd you buy will enable us to give away five in Israel. 100% the proceeds will be used to encourage and bless Israel.

Failure is never a pleasant feeling. It isn’t enjoyable to lose a job, see a relationship falter, or fail a test. But the disappointment we feel when we face defeat can be turned to joy if we look at it the right way!

Thomas Edison was busy working in his laboratory at 2 o’clock one morning when an assistant came into the room and noticed that the inventor was smiling broadly.

“Have you solved the problem?” he asked. “No,” replied Edison, “that experiment didn’t work at all. Now I can start over again.” Edison could have such a confident attitude because he knew that the road to success is often paved with disappointments that serve to extend the road — not to block it. Each failure brought him a little closer to success.

Living a life of victory is not about being perfect — because we are human — and will always make mistakes. The key is learning how to get up after we have fallen. It’s natural to make mistakes — but it’s supernatural to learn from those mistakes and move forward!

In the midst of the American Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln called Vicksburg “the key to the Confederacy”, and told his generals, “We do not yet have the key in our pocket!”

Taking Vicksburg was a daunting task for the Union Army because of its strategic position atop high cliffs overlooking the Mississippi River. But whoever controlled Vicksburg also controlled the shipping traffic up and down the Mississippi. Some of the bloodiest fighting took place as the Northern Army mounted bold attacks on Southern strongholds fixed atop the highest points. When the Yankees couldn’t drive the Confederate army from the high ground — they finally laid siege to Vicksburg.  After a few months of being under siege they finally surrendered on July 4, 1863.  This battle, along with Gettysburg, was the turning point in the American Civil War.  While the Southern army controlled the high ground, they controlled the battle and when they couldn’t be driven off — they had to be starved off the high ground, and powerfully illustrates how critical the fight for the high ground can be for determining the outcome!

Throughout history, the same principle appears over and over again – he who holds the high ground wins the battle!

This principle of warfare can also be applied to our lives. When we walk in integrity, honesty, purity, holiness, and love – we are maintaining the high ground. However tempting it may be, this is where we must not give in, compromise, or surrender! Because as soon as we begin giving up the high ground of character, losing the battle for holiness…it won’t be long before the war overtakes us too.

Fight to hold your high ground — strive to reach the top in your pursuit of God! Whatever the cost — hold that high position, and soon… victory will be yours!

In the mid 1850′s a troubled teenager from Northfield, Massachusetts moved to Boston to try to find work. He hadn’t gone to school beyond the fifth grade; he couldn’t spell, his grammar was awful and his manners were brash and crude. Thankfully, an uncle took him on as a shoe salesman–on condition that he be obedient and that he attend church.

The boy had been raised in a Unitarian church which denied the full divinity of Messiah and did not emphasize human need for salvation from sins. At his uncle’s church, he began learning about these things, but decided that he wanted to enjoy the pleasures of the world and wait until just before he died to give His life to the Lord. However, through the kindness and persistence of his Sunday School teacher, Edward Kimball, the rebellious teen was encouraged to continue coming to church and study the Bible regularly. Kimball said he had never seen anyone whose mind was as spiritually dark.

On April 21, 1855, Kimball decided to pay a special visit to the boy at his uncle’s shoe store in order to ask if he would commit his life to the Lord. The boy listened closely and gave his heart to God that day. Immediately he began sharing his faith with others. Later, the young man moved to Chicago. He wandered the streets to find other young boys to bring to his Church. He had a passion for saving souls and determined never to let a day pass without telling someone about the gospel. The boy’s name was D.L. Moody….and he became a great man of faith.

Among his many achievements on either side of the Atlantic was the founding of Moody Bible Institute. In fact, to this day, Moody Bible Institute and the Moody Broadcasting Network continue to reach thousands of souls on a daily basis! It was estimated that before D.L. Moody passed away that as many as a million souls were brought to the Lord.

What a testimony Moody’s is! But we overlook the fact that it was a faithful Sunday school teacher’s obedience and persistence that changed the course of history! We may think we are doing very little for the the Lord… that we’re merely teaching a few kids at Sunday school. But the Lord can use anyone in His service — those whose hearts are given to Him.

Be an Edward Kimball — reach out and touch someone today for Him — through one touch, you may be touching future millions.

Last night, we went to the grocery store (now, a major family affair, lol). Riv was shopping with Obi in one hand and the cart in the other, while I had care of Elianna and a little friend of hers. And these two energetic little girls kept me on my toes, I tell you. They were running ahead of me the entire time — I could barely keep up! Finally, at one point, I couldn’t see them anymore. A minute or two went by and I nervously, I called out, “Elianna! You’d better not run ahead of Daddy — you’ll get lost! And there thankfully, she appeared. “Now, come hold Daddy’s hand, I said, and we’ll walk together!”

As soon as those words left my mouth, my heart dropped to my stomach as I heard in my Spirit, the Lord say, “Ahem!” Here, I was giving instruction to my little one, and realized my Abba has been calling me this way for quite some time.

How many times have we run ahead of God and gotten ourselves lost? Is the Lord calling you today? We need to be close to our Abba, not running ahead but walking with Him, hand and hand. Let’s run to Him and determine to stay real close! There’s so much work to be done!

Here’s an interesting fact about American church history that you may not know. Years ago, when the first New England churches were designed, they were built with clear windows rather than the stained glass ones we see so often today — and the graveyard was usually built in the churchyard, which would normally be seen from the pulpit. Why?

It was so that the pastor could see the graveyard while he preached and be reminded of the urgency of his message! It was so he could be reminded that everyone who sat in the pews before him as he spoke, would eventually fill a place in that cemetery outside the window and ultimately have to stand before God to be judged. Can you imagine?

Back then, the first and foremost priority of the church was to bring men and women into a right relationship with the Lord. What’s happened to us that we’ve started building churches with windows you can’t see through!?

There is a harvest outside! Let’s uncloud our windows and give ourselves to the work that needs to be done! Let’s make a commitment to share the good news with someone today!

Roughly 2500 years ago, there was a special Sukkot celebration in Jerusalem. The people of Israel were exiled and dispersed all across the Babylonian empire. Later, they were given the right to return and start construction on the 2nd temple of Israel. Nehemiah 8 speaks of the special celebration that happened at that time. We read how Ezra taught the people out of the book of the law and how they responded in weeping and repentance before the God of Israel.

Interestingly, Sukkot is a holiday in which the people were commanded to rejoice, yet they were weeping in repentance. And then, in verse 9, they did! Isn’t it true that joy always comes after the mourning?

The word for strength in Hebrew is ”mah-oz”. Not only does it mean strength, but it also means fortress and rock.

When we commit our lives to walking in repentance and practicing holiness, then we will live in a constant state of joy. As the Apostle Paul said, Rejoice always! In our joy we find our fortress, our rock – the stability of our lives!