Our Comfort

OUR COMFORT

"FOR THE LORD SHALL COMFORT ZION. HE WILL COMFORT ALL HER WASTE PLACES; AND HE WILL MAKE HER WILDERNESS LIKE EDEN, AND HER DESERT LIKE THE GARDEN OF THE LORD; JOY AND GLADNESS SHALL BE FOUND THEREIN, THANKSGIVING, AND THE VOICE OF MELODY."
(ISAIAH 51:3)
IN ORDER FOR ANY OF US TO FULLY UNDERSTAND THE SATISFACTION AND JOY OF BEING COMFORTED, WE OF NECESSITY MUST TASTE OF THE TRIALS AND TESTS OF LIFE. HOW ABOUT YOU? ARE YOU GOING THROUGH A VALLEY EXPERIENCE?
YOU CAN REST ASSURED THAT AS THE LORD HAS PROMISED TO COMFORT ZION, THAT IS, THE NATION AND PEOPLE OF ISRAEL, AND INDEED THE ALMIGHTY HAS DONE JUST THAT DURING THE LAST FOUR THOUSAND YEARS, THEN YOU AND I HAVE THE PROMISE OF COMFORT FROM THE LORD NO MATTER WHAT DIFFICULTY WE MAY BE GOING THROUGH.
AS ISRAEL CELEBRATES FROM YEAR TO YEAR IT'S ESTABLISHMENT AS A SOVEREIGN STATE, WE BELIEVE THAT THE PROMISE MADE IN OUR TEXT OF COMFORT IS BEING EXPERIENCED BY THE ISRAELIS AND THE JEWISH PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE WORLD. DID YOU NOTICE THAT HER WASTE PLACES ARE BEING MADE LIKE THE GARDEN OF THE LORD? ALSO, WE CAN GLEAN FROM THIS VERSE THAT THE MELODY OF THANKSGIVING IS READY TO BURST UPON ALL ISRAEL, AS IT ALREADY IS FOUND IN OUR HEARTS THROUGH OUR MESSIAH Y'SHUA. LET US CONTINUE TO 'PRAY FOR THE PEACE OF JERUSALEM' AND FOR THE SALVATION OF ISRAEL.

OUR CONFIDENCE

"BEING CONFIDENT OF THIS VERY THING, THAT HE WHICH HATH BEGUN A GOOD WORK IN YOU WILL PERFORM IT UNTIL THE DAY OF JESUS CHRIST:"
(PHILIPPIANS 1:6)
HOW MANY OF US BEGIN OR START A PROJECT (AND SOMETIMES, SEVERAL) THAT WE NEVER FINISH? I BELIEVE THAT WE ALL CAN TRUTHFULLY SAY, YES I REALLY INTENDED TO...BUT,?
AH YES, THOSE UNFINISHED PROJECTS ARE FOUND ONLY IN THE RECESSES OF OUR MINDS, BUT JUST THINK HOW MANY PEOPLE DEPENDED UPON US TO COMPLETE OR FINISH WHAT WE STARTED.
IF I TELL YOU THAT OVER MANY YEARS WE HAVE HEARD TIME AND TIME AGAIN HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE ATTENDED SHALOM SCRIPTURE STUDIES SAY, THIS IS THE PLACE FOR ME, AND WITHIN A WEEK, A MONTH, OR A YEAR THEY ARE GONE. YES, GONE WITH ALL OF THEIR PROMISES AND AGENDAS. WHAT'S THEIR PROBLEM? I BELIEVE IT'S LACK OF CONFIDENCE AND THE GUTS TO STICK IT OUT NO MATTER WHAT.
HOW DIFFERENT THE LORD IS IN HIS DEALINGS WITH US. DID YOU NOTICE IN THE BOOK OF PHILIPPIANS THAT WE CAN BE CONFIDENT IN THIS VERY THING, BECAUSE THE LORD Y'SHUA WHO HAS BEGUN A GOOD WORK IN US WILL PERFORM (OR COMPLETE) IT. THAT IS, WHAT THE LORD STARTS HE FINISHES, WHAT HE SETS OUT TO ACCOMPLISH HE COMPLETES, AND YOU AND I NEED TO LEARN FROM HIS EXAMPLE TO STAY BY THE STUFF NO MATTER WHAT. WE NEED TO LEARN TO ACCOMPLISH OUR TASKS.
I BELIEVE THAT AS WE LOOK UNTO OUR LORD AND REMAIN IN FAITH TOWARDS HIM THEN WE WILL BE STEADFAST AND SURE AND OTHERS WILL BE ABLE TO DEPEND ON US, AS WE HAVE LEARNED THAT WE CAN DEPEND ON OUR MESSIAH.

OUR COMMAND

"YE ARE MY FRIENDS, IF YE DO WHATSOEVER I COMMAND YOU."
(JOHN 15:14)
IS THERE A CATCH TO THESE WORDS? IS THERE SOME CONDITION THAT OUR LORD REQUIRES OF US?
THE ANSWER IS UNEQUIVOCALLY YES.
WE CANNOT BE FRIENDS WITH Y'SHUA AND NOT DO WHAT HE HAS COMMANDED US AS RECORDED IN THE WORD OF GOD.
WOULD YOU CONTINUE A FRIENDSHIP WITH AN INDIVIDUAL THAT CONSTANTLY GOSSIPS ABOUT YOU, OR BETRAYS YOU? OR, THEY WOULD RATHER BE FRIENDS WITH SOMEONE ELSE? OF COURSE NOT.
THIS IS THE SAME MESSAGE THAT OUR LORD SENDS TO ALL OF US, AND THAT IS, IF WE ARE GOING TO BE HIS FRIEND THEN WE NEED (WE MUST) DO WHATSOEVER HE COMMANDS US TO DO.
JUST TAKE THE TEN COMMANDMENTS FOR A STARTER. CAN YOU DEFINITELY SAY THAT YOU DO NOT STEAL! CAN YOU SAY THAT YOU DO NOT LIE! CAN YOU SAY THAT YOU DO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY! CAN YOU SAY THAT YOU DO NOT TAKE THE NAME OF OUR LORD IN VAIN! CAN YOU SAY THAT YOU HONOUR YOUR PARENTS! WELL, HOW ABOUT THIS ONE. CAN YOU SAY THAT YOU HONOUR THE SABBATH DAY! AND BY THE WAY SABBATH IS NOT SUNDAY. SUNDAY IS SUNDAY AND SABBATH IS SABBATH. ASK THE LORD FOR WISDOM UNDERSTANDING AND KNOWLEDGE AND NOT MAN'S WORDS THAT TRAP AND HINDER OUR FRIENDSHIP WITH OUR LORD. BY THE WAY, THE ENTIRE CATALOG OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS IS FOUND IN THE BOOK OF EXODUS CHAPTER TWENTY.

OUR COUNSEL

"WHEREIN GOD, WILLING MORE ABUNDANTLY TO SHEW UNTO THE HEIRS OF PROMISE THE IMMUTABILITY OF HIS COUNSEL, CONFIRMED IT BY AN OATH:"
(HEBREWS 6:17)
HAVE YOU EVER TAKEN A MOMENT TO COUNT THE MANY TIMES DURING ONES LIFETIME THAT WE LISTEN TO VARIOUS FORMS OF COUNSEL? SOME OF THESE OF COURSE, ARE INVALUABLE AND OTHERS ARE NOT SO VALUABLE.
FOR EXAMPLE, DO YOU REMEMBER THE TIME YOU GAVE SOMEONE SOME COUNSEL AND YET YOU WEREN'T REAL SURE THAT IT WAS THE BEST OR WISEST?
WELL, ONE THING WE CAN BE SURE OF AND THAT IS, IN REFERENCE TO THE COUNSEL THAT WE RECEIVE FROM THE ALMIGHTY GOD. IT IS ALWAYS RIGHT BECAUSE HE BACKS UP HIS COUNSEL WITH HIS VERY OWN WORD. WE ARE REMINDED THAT WE AS 'THE HEIRS' OF HIS KINGDOM RECEIVE FROM OUR KING MESSIAH THE BEST COUNSEL. THEREFORE, IN ORDER FOR US TO MAKE SURE THAT WE UNDERSTAND WHAT THE LORD IS SAYING TO US WE NEED TO SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES TO OBTAIN ON A FIRSTHAND BASIS THE WISDOM, UNDERSTANDING AND KNOWLEDGE THAT NEVER CHANGES. BY THE WAY, THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT THE WORD IMMUTABILITY MEANS, UNCHANGEABLE.
TO GOD BE ALL THE GLORY THAT WE CAN REST ASSURED IN HIS COUNSEL FOR TIME AND ETERNITY FOR HE IS THE EVERLASTING ONE, THE GOD OF JACOB.
THEREFORE, YOU AND I NEED TO BE WILLING TO OFFER COUNSEL TO OTHERS AS THE NEED ARISES, AND REMEMBER, THAT OUR TEXT AND THEME SHOULD ALWAYS BE GROUNDED UPON THE WRITTEN WORD OF GOD, THUS WE WILL NEVER GO WRONG. HELP US O LORD TO SEEK THY FACE AND THY FAVOUR.

OUR CONCERN

"PREACHING THE KINGDOM OF GOD, AND TEACHING THOSE THINGS WHICH CONCERN THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, WITH ALL CONFIDENCE, NO MAN FORBIDDING HIM."
(ACTS 28:31)
WOULD YOU EXPECT A PLUMBER TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT PLANTING A GARDEN? WOULD YOU EXPECT A MECHANIC TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT BAKING? WOULD YOU EXPECT A BANKER TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT THE HUMAN BODY?
THE ANSWER I AM SURE IS A DEFINITE NO ! ! !
WELL, HOW ABOUT A PREACHER? WOULD YOU EXPECT A PREACHER TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT THE THINGS OF GOD AND ESPECIALLY THE WORD OF GOD?
OF COURSE YOU AND I KNOW THAT AN INDIVIDUAL THAT PREACHES AND REPRESENTS THE LORD SHOULD BE INVOLVED ON A DAILY BASIS WITHIN THE PAGES OF HOLY WRIT, AND YET, THERE ARE SO MANY PREACHERS, TEACHERS, MINISTERS AND YES, EVEN RABBIS THAT SPEAK WITH 'FORKED TONGUES' BECAUSE IT SEEMS AS IF THE WORD OF GOD IS THE LAST THING ON THEIR AGENDA. MANY PREACHERS WASTE THEIR TIME ON SOCIAL AND ALSO SOME THERAPEUTIC DISCOURSES FROM THEIR PULPITS. NOW WHAT ETERNAL VALUE DO YOU SUPPOSE CAN BE FOUND WITH MOST SERMONS AND TEACHINGS THAT PROCEED FROM THE MOUTH OF MANY PREACHERS?
REMEMBER, WE EXPECT THAT A PREACHER SHOULD BE IMMERSED AND SURROUNDED WITH THE WORD OF GOD SO THAT THOSE LISTENING WILL BENEFIT ETERNALLY.
YES, AS PREACHERS AND TEACHERS AND KEEPERS OF THE WORD OF GOD WE ARE TO BE BUSY ABOUT THE KINGDOM OF GOD; THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT OUR CONCERN SHOULD BE.
DID YOU NOTICE THE PROMISE, 'NO MAN FORBIDDING HIM', THAT IS, AS WE STAND FOR THE ALMIGHTY GOD, WHO AND WHAT IS MAN THAT WE SHOULD BE WITHSTOOD, FOR THE WORD OF GOD IS QUICK AND POWERFUL AND SHARPER THAN ANY TWO EDGED SWORD. O LORD, USE ME FOR YOUR KINGDOM.

OUR COURAGE

"BE STRONG AND OF A GOOD COURAGE, FEAR NOT, NOR BE AFRAID OF THEM: FOR THE LORD THY GOD, HE IT IS THAT DOTH GO WITH THEE; HE WILL NOT FAIL THEE, NOR FORSAKE THEE."
(DEUTERONOMY 31:6)
IF YOU HAVE READ THE WORD OF GOD FOR ANY LENGTH OF TIME, YOU SURELY HAVE DISCOVERED THAT CERTAIN PASSAGES OF SCRIPTURE OR EVEN A PARTICULAR VERSE HAS SOME WONDERFUL MEANING AND PERSONAL MESSAGE FOR YOU.
WELL, OUR TEXT FROM DEUTERONOMY HAS WITHIN IT'S WORDS EXACTLY THAT.
FIRST OF ALL, MAY WE BE REMINDED THAT ALL SCRIPTURE IS GIVEN BY INSPIRATION OF GOD, THAT IS, IT IS GOD-BREATHED AND READY TO BE APPLIED TO OUR HEARTS.
HOW OFTEN DO WE NEED STRENGTH AND COURAGE FOR A PARTICULAR CIRCUMSTANCE OR SITUATION IN OUR LIFE. PERHAPS, YOU ARE FACING A MOST DIFFICULT SITUATION RIGHT NOW, AND THE READING AND RECEIVING OF OUR MESSAGE WILL FIND A PLACE IN YOUR HEART TO STIR YOU TO LOOK ONCE AGAIN TO OUR MESSIAH Y'SHUA.
THE LORD SAID, 'BE STRONG' AND BE 'OF GOOD COURAGE', AND THIS IS ACCOMPLISHED AS WE LOOK UNTO HIM AND AS WE DO, THEN, ONE ENEMY OF OURS WHICH IS 'FEAR' WILL DISSIPATE AND VANISH AWAY. AS YOU ALREADY KNOW FEAR IS OUR NUMBER ONE ENEMY WHICH IS ALWAYS REPLACING FAITH IN OUR LIVES. YES, WHEN FAITH IN OUR LORD GOD IS ACTIVE THEN FEAR WILL MOVE ASIDE AND AS LONG AS OUR FAITH IN THE LORD REMAINS ACTIVE THEN FEAR WILL BE FAR REMOVED FROM US. REMEMBER THAT THE LORD TELLS US THAT 'HE IT IS THAT DOTH GO WITH THEE'. WHAT BEAUTY IS FOUND IN THOSE WORDS, WE DO NOT HAVE TO GO IT ALONE. AND WE ARE NOT ALONE FOR HE HAS PROMISED NOT TO FAIL US NOR FORSAKE US.
NOW, IN THE POWER OF THE LORD HIMSELF WE CAN FACE THE FUTURE WITH HOPE BECAUSE THE LORD IS OUR STRENGTH AND WE ARE OF GOOD COURAGE AS WE WALK BY FAITH AND NOT BY SIGHT.

OUR CONVERSATION

"WHOSO OFFERETH PRAISE GLORIFIETH ME: AND TO HIM THAT ORDERETH HIS CONVERSATION ARIGHT WILL I SHEW THE SALVATION OF GOD."
(PSALM 50:23)
HOW IMPORTANT ARE OUR WORDS AND THOUGHTS BEFORE THE ALMIGHTY GOD?
WHEN WE UNDERSTAND THAT WE DAILY FRAME OUR OWN WORLD BY THAT WHICH WE SAY AND DO, THEN WE BEGIN TO WEIGH OUR WORDS IN OUR CONVERSATIONS WITH OTHERS.
EVEN THE LORD REMINDS US THAT AS WE ORDER OUR CONVERSATION ARIGHT - HE WILL SHOW US HIS SALVATION. NOW IT IS ONE THING TO PRAISE THE LORD, WHILE SOMETIMES QUITE ANOTHER TO KEEP OUR WAY OF LIFE IN SYNC WITH OUR WORDS. THE LORD GOD WILL HELP US TO KEEP OUR HEART AND TONGUE IN CHECK BEFORE HIM, FOR WE ALREADY KNOW, THAT NO ONE CAN 'ALL THE TIME' RULE THEIR OWN CONVERSATION ARIGHT WITHOUT HIS HELP.
SINCE WE ARE CREATURES OF HABIT, I BELIEVE WE NEED TO LEARN HOW TO SPEAK AND SOMETIMES WHAT 'NOT' TO SAY SO THAT WE WILL NOT BE OFFENSIVE EITHER TO THE LORD OR PERHAPS TO SOME OTHER INDIVIDUAL, USUALLY, THE ONE CLOSEST TO US.
NOW WHAT IS THIS WONDERFUL PROMISE THAT THE LORD HAS MADE (IN THIS VERSE) IN RELATIONSHIP TO SHOWING US HIS SALVATION. WELL, REMEMBER THAT THE ENGLISH WORD SALVATION IN HEBREW IS 'Y'SHUA' (JESUS). YES, THE LORD WILL DEFINITELY ALLOW US TO WITNESS THE MESSIAH Y'SHUA IN OUR LIVES AS WE ORDER OUR CONVERSATION BEFORE HIM ARIGHT. REMEMBER, THAT OUR WORDS BUILD THE WORLD THAT WE LIVE IN, AND WE NEED TO BE AWARE OF THIS SO THAT WHAT WE BUILD WILL BE OF ETERNAL MATTER AND PURPOSE AND NOT SIMPLY SHALLOW SOUNDS OR EMPTY TONES. THE LORD WANTS TO BE OUR HELP AND GUIDE IN THIS.

OUR COMPLETION

"AND YE ARE COMPLETE IN HIM, WHICH IS THE HEAD OF ALL PRINCIPALITY AND POWER:"
(COLOSSIANS 2:10)
IN LIFE THERE ARE MANY WAYS THAT WE CAN VIEW AND UNDERSTAND THE ISSUE OF COMPLETION. FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN AN INDIVIDUAL FINISHES ALL THE REQUIREMENTS OF A PARTICULAR SCHOOL WE REFER TO THIS AS COMPLETING THE COURSE. OR, AN INDIVIDUAL THAT IS ON ACTIVE DUTY IN THE ARMED FORCES OF OUR COUNTRY; WHEN THEIR DUTY IS OVER IT IS USUALLY BECAUSE THEY HAVE ACHIEVED THE COMPLETION OF THEIR TERM, THUS THEY ARE DISCHARGED FROM SERVICE. JUST THINK, FROM THE TIME OF BIRTH THROUGH LIFE AND EVEN WHEN WE PASS FROM THIS LIFE INTO ETERNITY, WE CONSTANTLY ARE IN THE PROCESS OF COMPLETING THIS OR THAT.
NOW, THE WONDER OF WONDERS IN OUR TEXT IS THAT WE CAN ONLY BE COMPLETE IN A SPIRITUAL SENSE IN AND THROUGH OUR MESSIAH Y'SHUA.
WHAT A BLESSED POSITION FOR US TO HAVE, AND THAT IS, HE (Y'SHUA) WHO IS THE HEAD OF ALL PRINCIPALITY AND POWER INVITES US TO BE COMPLETE IN HIM. NOW HOW IS THIS ACCOMPLISHED?
BY TRUSTING IN HIM AND RECEIVING OUR LORD AND GOD INTO OUR LIFE AND HEART. YES, AS YOU BELIEVE THAT HE DIED FOR YOUR SINS AND WAS BURIED ACCORDING TO THE WORD OF GOD, THEN, YOU MUST ALSO BELIEVE ACCORDING TO SCRIPTURE THAT HE ROSE FROM THE DEAD TO GRANT AND TO GIVE YOU ETERNAL LIFE. BUT, YOU MUST RECEIVE HIM. THEN YOU NEED TO LEARN HOW TO LIVE IN HIM BY READING AND SEARCHING THE SCRIPTURES.
NOW, THAT YOU AND I ARE COMPLETE IN HIM, LET US REJOICE FOR EVER MORE AND WILLINGLY SHARE THIS WONDERFUL GOOD NEWS OF Y'SHUA (JESUS), WITH THE 'JEWISH PEOPLE AND ALSO WITH THE GENTILE PEOPLE' FOR THEIR ETERNAL SALVATION. ALLELUJAH.

Dr. Elias E. Hidalgo Executive Director