Overcoming

Saturday, May 3, 2014 Devotions: Ps 20, 21, 110:1-5; 116-17; Ex 17:1-16; 1 Pet 4:7-19; Jn 16:16-33 YHWH will answer in our days of consternation; He will protect us. May He grant my heart's desire and fulfill all my plans. May we shout for joy over the victory He provides, and set up banners in the name of our God. May God fulfill all your petitions. I know that YHWH will help His anointed ones and answer from His holy heaven. We boast in the name of YHWH, God of heaven and earth. Lord, we exult in Your might; glorify Your name in us; be exalted in Your strength, as we sing and praise Your power. God makes Jesus the Ruler of all things—King of kings and an eternal High Priest in the order of Melchizedek. Our God is merciful and faithful; He has delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling. I walk in His presence, alive and well by His grace. I lift up the cup of salvation to praise my Savior. I am Your servant, YHWH, son of Your handmaid. You have set me free, and I give you thanks and praise in the presence of all Your people. Great is God's steadfast love toward us; His faithfulness endures for ever. Praise the Lord! Israel followed Moses, who followed God: from the wilderness of Sin to Rephidim. There was no water there, and again the people murmured against Moses and against God. God directed Moses to take the rod, and in the presence of the people to strike a rock at Horeb—and then water would flow from the rock to satisfy the people's thirst. Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel; he named the place 'Massah' and 'Meribah' [Proof and Contention] because here the people put YHWH to a test, demanding to know: is YHWH among us, or not? Then the forces of Amalek attacked the Israelites at Rephidim. Moses directed Joshua to select men to fight the Amalekites. The next day, Moses took the rod of God to the top of the hill overlooking the battle site; Aaron and Hur accompanied Moses. When the battle began, Moses held up God's rod, and the Israelites prevailed; but Moses' strength waned, and when he lowered the rod, the Amalekites had the upper hand. Aaron and Hur seated Moses on a stone and they held up his hands, which in turn lifted up God's rod. So Moses' hands were steady until sunset, and Joshua mowed down the forces of Amalek. Then YHWH told Moses: 'Write this down as a memorial and recite it before Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven. Moses did as God commanded; he also built an altar, naming it 'YHWH Is my Banner'. And strife with Amalek continued through generations of the Israelites. Peter wrote to the Christian diaspora: The end of all things is near; keep sane and sober so you can pray aright. Above all, love one another without fail, because love covers a multitude of sins. Practice hospitality ungrudgingly with one another. Each of you has a gift from God; employ those gifts for one another, as good stewards of God's diverse gifts and varied grace. Let those with gifts of speech speak oracles of God; let those with gifts of service render service in God's strength and skill. Thus God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To Him belong glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. Jesus told His apostles: 'Soon you will see Me no more—and then in a little while, you will see Me again. He understood their questions about what He meant; so He explained further: Truly, truly I say to you, you will cry and lament while the world rejoices; but your sorrow will turn to joy. A woman delivering a child is in sorrow and travail; but when she delivers her child and the pain ends, she no longer remembers the anguish; it is replaced by joy that a child has been born into the world. So, you have sorrow now; but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice; and no one will take your joy from you. In that day, you'll ask nothing from Me. I tell you truly: if you ask anything of the Father in My name, He will give it to you in My name. Until now, you've asked nothing in My name; now ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. I've spoken in the past in figures of speech; soon, I'll talk with you plainly about the Father. I have enabled you to approach the Father directly, in My name; He loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from the Father. So I came; now, I Am leaving the world and going to the Father.' The apostles showed that they understood Jesus' message. And He continued: 'Do you now believe? The hour is fast approaching when you will all be scattered to your homes, and you'll leave Me alone. But I Am not alone; the Father is always with Me. I have told you all this so that in Me you may have peace. In this world, you have tribulation; but be of good cheer: I have overcome the world.