Yahweh's Assembly in Yahshua
               
    Sisters for Yah          
               
Volume 2, Issue 8              
August 2008  
Take Heart!
 
   
   

      In John 16:33 we read, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.  In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart; I have overcome the world.”  Powerful words indeed!  Have you ever felt so discouraged that you wanted to just give up?

      Many Believers feel discouragement at one time or another.  They try to live for Yahweh, but everything they do seems to end in failure.  Sometimes it seems that the temptations of the world are just too strong to fight.  But fight we must.

Sunflower  

     Lets see what 1 John 5:5 says.  “Who is it that overcomes the world?  Only he who believes that Yahshua is the Son of Yahweh.”  This is very encouraging for Yahweh’s people.  Believing in Yahshua is essential to defeating discouragement. 

      Ask yourself, what is it about my life as a Believer that discourages me the most?  How might Bible study, fellowship with other believers, and prayer help me overcome feelings of defeat?  When I realize I’m down, what can I do about it?

      Even the disciples felt discouragement at times.  Think about it.  Many of them were expecting Yahshua to defeat the Roman government at that time and restore the Kingdom to Israel.  They were shocked  instead when Yahshua was arrested and publicly executed.  It must have looked to them that the enemy had won.  But Yahshua’s undeserved death and resurrection was a profound victory over Satan!

Inside this issue:  
Take Heart!
Dead Works?
Sticking to your Goals
News you Can Use
   
 

      Then on the day of Pentecost in the book of Acts, the power of the Holy Spirit was given.  Today, after people are immersed, they can receive the gift of the power of the Holy Spirit when hands are laid upon them by the elders .  The power of the Holy Spirit helps believers overcome sin and the world.  With Yahweh’s help, we will indeed see victory over this present system of Satan’s rule because Yahshua has already overcome the world.  Never give up.  Keep fighting the good fight.  Cling to Yahweh that one day you may hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” 

 
               
           
   
               
               
               
Dead Works?
 
       

      In Hebrews 6:1, we find an interesting scripture, “Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Messiah, let us go on to perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and a faith toward Yahweh.”

 

      The idea of dead works can be looked at in two ways.  The deeds of a sinner can be looked at as works that do not lead to salvation, but death.  Also, the unprofitable works of a believer can certainly be linked to dead works from what he or she must turn away from.  In Hebrews 9:14, one can read about this principle, “How much more, then, will the blood of Messiah, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself unblemished to Yahweh, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living Elohim.”

      So we see that dead works are certainly not good works, but neither are they necessarily evil works.  Rather they are ineffective works.  They are the useless acts that count for nothing; works that are as different from evil or good works as wild fruit is from good or bad fruit.  Using this analogy, while bad fruit looks unappealing and would never be eaten, wild fruit may have the appearance of good fruit, but lacks flavor and nutritional value, and would provide no useful function if it were eaten. 

 

      Likewise, dead works, which actually may be of some humanitarian value, can lack life—not stemming from proper motives and not propelled by love, thus accomplish nothing of lasting value.  We can see an example of this in 1 Corinthians 13: 1-3:

      If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.  If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.  If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.”

      Both the sinner and the Believer can pridefully indulge in useless works, but this must be repented of if one is to reach for salvation.  Useless works must be replaced with good works motivated by love.  May we continually submit all our efforts to Him, recognizing that service to the living Elohim does not entail our dead works.

 
   
 
               
                 
     
             
             
 
Sticking to
   
 
your Goals
   
       
 
      We’ve all been there—making goals then failing to stick to them.  Many times willpower has nothing to do with accomplishing what we want.  The problem often lies with not being specific enough about what we want to accomplish.  For instance, many people say, “I want to lose weight” and then leave it at that.  No plan is made, no research into healthier cooking is attempted.  Then they sit and complain when they don’t lose weight.  The following ideas may help you finally stick to your goals and even see victory:
   
 

1.  Be extremely specific.  Write down your precise goal.  For instance, “Eat healthier” is not specific enough.  Try to find a workable goal such as “Substitute fruit for sugary desserts 5 nights per week.”    

2.  Make it bite-sized.  For example, if it is your goal to read the Bible more, agree to read, say, 2 chapters per night.  You may find yourself so excited when you read the words of scripture, that you may actually increase your goal to more than 2 chapters per night.   

3.  Be patient.  We are all creatures of habit.  When we try to trade old habits for new ones, our minds and bodies automatically resist.  Pray often to stay on track.  The more you practice your new habit the easier it will become second nature.

     
 

4.  Always make a plan.  If your goal is to be healthier, research the subject extensively and find healthy recipes, or find ways to make your existing recipes healthier.  Write down a detailed shopping list and stick to it.  Never shop when you are hungry as you will be more likely to splurge on items not on your list.

5.  Enlist the help of others.  Tell a trusted friend that you have made a goal and would like help sticking with it.  That way he or she will not place unnecessary obstacles in your path.  In fact, your friend may even try to help you by joining you in your goal.  Many friends agree to take a half hour walk together if exercise is the goal of both.  It makes the experience more enjoyable and easier to stick to. 

6.  Don’t get overwhelmed!  Reaching a goal can be difficult if you simply have too many things to do.  You may need to give up something in order to reach your goal.  Trying to add a goal to your already jam-packed schedule is a recipe for disaster.  For example, if your goal is to get more sleep, you may need to stop checking your emails late at night.  You want to create a peaceful atmosphere before bed and watching television or checking emails can cause unnecessary excitement which will keep you awake.  Most of all never give up!   

   
                 
                 
   
               
               
YAIY
   
Yahweh's Assembly in Yahshua                
2963 County Road 233  
You Can Use      
Kingdom City, Missouri 65262    
     
Main Line: 1-573-642-4100      
Toll Free: 1-877-642-4101      
Fax Line: 1-573-642-4104      
E-Mail: Newsletter@YAIY.org  

Come Join Us!

For those of you who will be attending the Feast of Tabernacles, we will be having a Ladies Fun and Fellowship meeting.  Ladies, please start thinking about what your favorite scripture is and why as we will be doing an activity.  Write it down and bring it to the meeting.  See you there!

 

Don’t Forget!

Please think about items you would like to donate to this year’s This N’ That store at the Feast of Tabernacles. Some of the items that will be available for purchase are handmade pillows, oven mitts, candy, and rugs.  Any funds collected will be used for a good cause to help get Yahweh’s Word out to the world! 

 

Drinking Diet Soda?

Many people drink diet soda thinking they are doing good for their health.   However, recent studies indicate that those who ingest a lot of diet soda actually gain more weight than those who don’t!  In addition, you may want to eliminate products containing aspartame from your diet completely.  Aspartame has been linked to numerous symptoms ranging from mild to life-threatening such as mental disorders, blood sugar fluctuations, and severe abdominal conditions.  Check out aspartame.com on the internet for more information.    

 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 
 
 
 
   
   
   
     
 
 
   
   
   
     
             
           
YAIY - Sisters for Yah