Have you ever wondered what purpose trials serve? We all fall into various hardships in our walk with Yahweh. But sometimes life can seem overwhelming. At times we may feel hopeless, discouraged, defeated, and frustrated. In Luke 18:27, we read, He replied, “What is impossible from a human perspective is possible with [Yahweh]” (NLT). These are extremely comforting words! How many times do we say “I can’t do it; it’s impossible.” Stop relying on your own human strength.
Fatigue seems to be the common human condition these days due to our overwhelming daily schedules. When you are tired, read Matthew 11:28-30. Yahshua says, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke fits perfectly, and the burden I give you is light.”
Most people today find the world a very worrisome place to live. We lose jobs, have marital and family problems, health issues plague us, and we are often left feeling worried and frustrated. We can be comforted by 1 Peter 5:7, “Give all your worries and cares to Yahweh, for He cares about what happens to you.” Pray to Him daily and pour out your concerns to Him. We are His children and He is our Father. A good father loves His children. Many of us have not had earthly fathers who cared about us, so it is sometimes difficult to comprehend what a father should be. Yahweh loved us so much that He sent His only Begotten Son to die for us so we may have eternal life. His love for us is so strong. Believe it and accept it!
Every day we are faced with oftentimes difficult decisions. We often complain, “I just don’t know what to do! I can’t figure it out! See what Proverbs 3:5-6 says.
what we see in scripture, it must be rejected. People often reason wrongly within themselves. For instance, we know we are to keep the Sabbath. What if you were offered a higher-paying job that would require you to work on Friday nights? We may say to ourselves, “Surely Yahweh would want me to have this job, so I can pay my bills, and send my children to college.” But is working on Friday nights the right thing to do? Of course not! Pray about every big decision! Your salvation could be at stake.
Also, loneliness seems to be a modern plague in today’s world. People simply are too busy for each other, which should not be. We must realize that even if we have no family or friends, Yahweh tells us that He will never leave us or forsake us. See Hebrews 13:5. It is extremely comforting to know that we are never alone no matter what our circumstances.
Many people also suffer from guilt. We all have guilty pasts. Oftentimes the hardest person to forgive is ourselves. When we are baptized, all our past sins are washed away. Yahweh does not hold our past against us. 1 John 1: 9 tells us, “ But if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong.” Also in Romans 8:1, we find, “So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Yahshua Messiah.” These promises are true. If Yahweh can forgive us, let us forgive others and ourselves. Guilt is a poison that can rob us of joy. Yahweh wants His people to be joyful.
Every time we watch the evening news, frightening images are brought right into our living rooms. We see terrorist attacks, fearful diseases, suffering of innocent children, and failing economies. These disturbing events can create feelings of fear and dread. Turn to 2 Timothy 1:7, “For Yahweh has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.” It is natural to feel fear at times, but turn to Yahweh and ask Him to remove any inappropriate fears from your life. Let us count it all a joy when we fall into various troubles, as these help us draw closer to our Heavenly Father!
Bananas for
a good night sleep?
Banana lovers everywhere will be happy to learn that recent studies indicate that bananas contain magnesium, a natural muscle relaxant which can help combat insomnia! In fact bananas have been aptly described as a “sleeping pill in a peel.” Try the yummy muffins below and sleep tight!
Banana
Muffins
2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour (no substitutes) 1/2 t. salt
1 T. baking powder 2 large ripe bananas
1/3 cup applesauce 1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup milk
Below are other sleep-inducing foods that you have right in your kitchen:
Warm milk: Milk contains tryptophan, which is an amino acid, which acts like a natural sedative.
Honey: Drizzle a little in your warm milk; a little glucose tells your brain to turn off orexin, a recently discovered transmitter that’s linked to alertness. Do not give honey to infants and young children.
Potatoes: a small baked potato will not interfere with sleep as it can clear away acids in your stomach that can interfere with tryptophan. Try mashing it with a little warm milk.
My People shall know My Name
(Isaiah 52:6)
By Edith B. Dean
We call Him by His titles, In pagan terms we praise,
In song and testimony clear, Our loudest anthems raise;
Of all His goodness we sing, His wonders oft proclaim,
But strangest thing of all is this: We do not know His Name
In supplication, hearts we lift, To One who reigns on high,
Whose tender mercies we extol, Whose grace we magnify;
His service is our chief delight, from hearts with love aflame
To Him our offerings we bring, yet we do not know His Name
We’re taught how He created the heavens and the earth,
How by His hand the worlds were framed, to living things give birth;
And sermons from the pulpits His miracles acclaim,
Propounded earnestly by those who do not know His Name
His Name of Yahweh He disclosed to Patriarchs of old,
And in our Bibles we can find, that Name has oft been told;
And when the Son was sent to earth, His people to reclaim
The angel messenger announced, “Yahshua is His Name.”
That Name to prophets was revealed, but scribes who wielded pen
His sacred Name have blotted out again, and yet again;
But His elect, Isaiah says, Whose Savior He became,
His Israel people, His redeemed, at last shall know His Name
