Day 342 – Power

2 Kings 17:24 Then the king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Cuthah, Ava, Hamath, and from Sepharvaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel; and they took possession of Samaria and dwelt in its cities.

 25 It happened, at the beginning of their dwelling there, that they did not fear JEHOVAH; therefore, JEHOVAH sent lions among them, which killed some of them.

 26 Then they spoke to the king of Assyria, saying, “The nations whom you removed and placed in the cities of Samaria do not know the rituals of the Elohiym of the land; therefore, He sent lions among them, and indeed, they are killing them because they do not know the rituals of the Elohiym of the land.”

 27 Then the king of Assyria commanded, saying, “Send there one of the priests whom you brought from there; let him go and dwell there, and let him teach them the rituals of the Elohiym of the land.”

 28 Then one of the priests whom they had carried away from Samaria came and dwelt in Bethel and taught them how they should fear JEHOVAH.

 29 However, every nation continued to make elohiym of its own and put them in the shrines on the high places which the Samaritans had made, every nation in the cities where they dwelt.

 30 The men of Babylon made Succoth Benoth, the men of Cuth made Nergal, the men of Hamath made Ashima, 31 and the Avites made Nibhaz and Tartak; and the Sepharvites burned their children in fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the elohiym of Sepharvaim.

 32 Thus, they feared JEHOVAH, and from every class they appointed for themselves priests of the high places, who sacrificed for them in the shrines of the high places.

 33 They feared JEHOVAH yet served their elohiym—according to the rituals of the nations from among whom they were carried away. 34 To this day they continue practicing the former rituals; they do not fear JEHOVAH, nor do they follow their statutes or their ordinances, or the law and commandment which JEHOVAH had commanded the children of Jacob, whom He named Israel, 35 with whom JEHOVAH had made a covenant and charged them, saying: “You will not fear other elohiym, nor bow down to them nor serve them nor sacrifice to them; 36 but JEHOVAH, who brought you up from the land of Egypt with great power and an outstretched arm, Him you will fear, Him you will worship, and to Him you will offer sacrifice. 37 The statutes, the ordinances, the law, and the commandment which He wrote for you, you will be careful to observe forever; you will not fear other elohiym. 38 The covenant I made with you, you will not forget, nor will you fear other elohiym. 39 However, JEHOVAH your Elohiym you will fear; and He will deliver you from the hand of your enemies.”

 40 However, they did not obey but followed their former rituals.

 41 Thus, these nations feared JEHOVAH, yet served their carved images; also, their children and their children’s children continue to do as their fathers did, even to this day.

God’s names:

JEHOVAH – Self-existent, Eternal

Elohiym – Supreme God

Yeshuwa – Jesus

Iesous – Jesus

Theos – Supreme Divinity

Hagios Pneuma – Sacred, Holy, Breath, Mighty Wind, Spirit

Huios – Child, Son

Christos – Anointed One, Messiah

God’s character:

Supreme Divinity

Redeemer

Many people wear crosses, put bumper stickers on their vehicles, yet they seldom if ever go to church or spend time with other believers. Prayer is an afterthought. Elohiym is shut up on a shelf gathering dust.

The Assyrians settled people from their cities in Samaria. When they did, JEHOVAH sent lions to kill them because they did not fear Him. They recognized they knew nothing about JEHOVAH, the Elohiym of Israel. Then Assyria sent for a priest of JEHOVAH to teach them about Elohiym. However, they still sacrificed to their elohiym while they feared JEHOVAH.

How are Christians different than the Samaritans Assyria settled in the land? They have their shrines. Statues adorn their churches and their homes. They don’t pray to Yeshuwa, but to Mary and the saints. They go to church, but their adoration isn’t for Yeshuwa. They fear Yeshuwa but worship their statues and pray to their saints. That’s only one example of the many religions who claim they know Yeshuwa but have their rituals and doctrines which have nothing to do with Yeshuwa. They never took the essential step to acknowledge Yeshuwa as Savior and Lord and become born again.

John 3:1 There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Iesous by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know You are a teacher come from Theos; for no one can do these signs You do unless Theos is with him.”

 3 Iesous answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of Theos.”

 4 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”

 5 Iesous answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Pneuma, he cannot enter the kingdom of Theos. 6 “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Pneuma is Pneuma. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. Thus, is everyone who is born of the Pneuma.”

 9 Nicodemus answered and said to Him, “How can these things be?”

 10 Iesous answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things? 11 Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness. 12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Huios of Man who is in heaven. 14 As Moses lifted the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Huios of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 16 For Theos so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Huios, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For Theos did not send His Huios into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

Religions of the world do not teach about becoming born again. Only those churches and denominations which have a relationship with Iesous Christos teach about becoming born again. They have a form of godliness, but no power.

2 Timothy 3:1 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come. 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of Theos, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. From such people turn away!

 6 For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, 7 always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Sound familiar? You see a lot of what Timothy described happening in families who say they believe but display no power. They don’t have the Pneuma working in their lives. Yeshuwa is a curse word on many lips. They blame Theos instead of the one who led them astray, the one who keeps the power out of their lives, so they never accept Yeshuwa as Savior and Lord. They live good lives. However, leading a good life will not get you into heaven. Practicing religion will not get you into heaven. Only a relationship with Iesous Christos will get you into heaven.

When you pray the prayer of salvation, acknowledging Iesous Christos as your Savior and Lord and commit your life to His service, spending time with other like-minded believers in church and Bible study, prayer, reading your Bible, and doing what He tells you, will you lead a life of power in the Hagios Pneuma.

Have you prayed the prayer of salvation? Is Yeshuwa your Savior and Lord? If not, you can do so now and know the power only He can give you as His child.

Let’s pray: Father, I know I am a sinner. I thought I was good enough to spend eternity in heaven. Forgive me. I accept Your Son, right now as my Savior and Lord. I want to live my life in obedience to You and Your Word. I commit my life to You right now. Lead me in the way I need to go. Show me what I need to do. Never leave me or forsake me as I learn more about You every day. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Copyright © 26 December 2024 by Valerie Routhieaux