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Happy New Year!!! 2019

Posted in Paul Beverly with tags Ecclesiastes 3, family, friends, happiness, Happy New Year, joy, Philippians 4, Romans 15 on December 31, 2018 by paulthepoke

Featuring Paul Beverly

My wish for my family & friends this new year is for happiness. For having a mindset of positivity & thinking good thoughts. That we can all separate ourselves from anything negative & not give negativity space in our head. May your year be filled with joy!

What a beautiful world we’d be living in if we wanted the best for each other. Instead of only being all about ourselves, we took the time to help others & to build others up. Let’s make each other feel important & worthy.

Romans 15:2 We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord.

Ecclesiastes 3:12 I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live…

Philippians 4:8 If anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things.

Have a happy & positive New Year my friends!!!

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Teshuvah 5778/2018

Posted in Fall Feasts, Teshuvah/Repent, Trend Update with tags Elul, joy, repent, shofar, Tishri on August 7, 2018 by paulthepoke

The Hebrew month of Elul initiates a 40 day period called Teshuvah. This is the Hebrew year 5778. In a Gregorian calendar of the year 2018, this would be August 11 or 12 or 13 depending on when the new moon is confirmed by two witnesses.

Elul is the last month of the civic calendar in Judaism. Elul is the sixth month of the religious calendar. Jewish tradition points to the name of the month to be an acronym of “Ani l’dodi v’dodi li” a quote from Song of Songs 6:3 I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine…

In Aramaic, the vernacular of the Jewish people at the time that the month names were adopted, the word Elul means “search”. Per Strong’s Concordance, Elul means “nothingness” in the Hebrew.

The month is mentioned one time in the Bible. Nehemiah 6:15 So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of the month Elul, in fifty-two days. Cultural customs per http://www.jewfaq.org, http://www.myjewishlearning.com .

It is Jewish custom to blow a shofar (ram’s horn) one time every day during the season of Teshuvah. The trumpet is blown every day after the morning service except Shabbat or the Sabbath (Saturday for us in western culture) and the last day of month of Elul.

This is the Hebrew word for “repent”. The call of Teshuvah is to turn toward God and repent. Repent is not a warm and fuzzy spiritual word that causes your stomach to flutter or hair to stand on your neck. Prepare and turn to God with a joyful heart. People are called to turn away from their sin, repent, and change course. It is a time of inward reflection and sincere self-assessment. The goal is a change in lifestyle away from sin to obedience in God’s word.

The point of the season is to prepare for the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah and the Day of Atonement or Yom Kippur.

The concept of “repent” is timeless in the Bible. People were called to repent in the past in the Old Testament. Today in the 21st century, we are called to repent as members of the church, the body of Jesus Christ.

“Repent” is not a mystical, spiritual word that has some deep and hidden theological meaning. The Greek word for repent in the New Testament is μετανοεο/metanoeo. It means: to change one’s mind for better, heartily to amend with abhorrence of one’s past sins.

One should be ashamed of their actions. There should be some conviction. Be honest. Right is right and wrong is wrong. We can all do better.

The 40 day period of Teshuvah ends on Tishri 10, Yom Kippur.

Return to God…

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Straight Talk…God’s Glory & Suffering, Rodna Epley

Posted in Rodna Epley with tags 1 Peter 4, 2 Chronicles 3, 2 Corinthians 4, affliction, God's glory, Jesus Christ, joy, Romans 8, suffering on April 18, 2018 by paulthepoke

We go from suffering to glory, suffering to glory. That’s the process of putting to death the old nature and rising to the new life in Christ.

2 Corinthians 4:10-11 …always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.

It’s a process that goes from “glory to glory” until we are completely glorified in mind (and I would say body too). We can rest in the knowledge and power of His glory. He is transforming the minds of all who belong to Him. And submit to the process.

2 Corinthians 3:18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

We should expect suffering to come. But when it comes we should also expect God’s glory. His glory has an eternal weight to far exceed the pain we suffered whenever He glorifies Himself in our situation. It’s like a baby that is born. Labor was intense and we thought we might die. But once we have the baby in our arms, we forget the pain we just went through for the joy we now hold.

2 Corinthians 4:17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison…

1 Peter 4:12-13 Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.

Romans 8:18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be (is about to be) revealed in us.

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Our Daily Bread…Featuring Paul Beverly

Posted in Paul Beverly with tags hope, joy, Proverbs, Romans on March 4, 2018 by paulthepoke

Where there is joy, there is hope. When you can find joy in your day no matter what is happening, there is hope of good to come. Focus on the good that brings joy. If you continually do this, the bad seems so very little & unimportant. A thankful heart brings joy & that is good medicine.