Coffee With The Lord

The Shema is a Jewish prayer that serves as a centerpiece of the morning and evening Jewish prayer services. Its first verse encapsulates the monotheistic essence of Judaism: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the LORD is one!” (Deuteronomy 6:4) Observant Jews consider the Shema to be the most important part of their daily prayers in Judaism, and its twice-daily recitation as a mitzvah (or religious commandment). Also, it is traditional for Jews to say the Shema as their last words of the day, and for parents to teach their children to say it before they go to sleep at night.

Today, during my Bible reading during “coffee with the Lord” I became aware that Apostle Paul, a Christian Jew, expanded the Shema to explicitly include Jesus Christ, the Messiah… “For us there is “One God, the Father, from Whom are all things and for Whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through Whom are all things and through Whom we exist!” (From 1 Corinthians 8:6)

I have to tell you, as a Gentile Christian who loves and worships Father God and Jesus Christ, His Son and my Savior, I rejoiced at Paul’s expansion of the Shema to include Jesus, the Christ! Praise God! Believe me, as a Christian I will use Paul’s inspired words in worship!

Well crafted “mission statements” mark those who are effective and productive leaders!

Part of my Bible reading today during my time of “coffee with the Lord” included the first few verses of Isaiah 61…

“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor… to comfort all who mourn; to grant to those who mourn — to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.” (From Isaiah 61:1–3 ESV)

Check out Luke 4:16-19 in your Bible… Jesus applied this passage to Himself… Who He was – HIS “MISSION STATEMENT!”…

“He opened the scroll, found the place where it was written [read this passage] Then He closed the book, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him And He said to them ‘TODAY THIS SCRIPTURE IS FULFILLED IN YOUR HEARING!‘”

WOW! WHAT A POWERFUL MOMENT IN HUMAN HISTORY!!! The “Messiah” revealed and His mission declared!!!

A brief, but very important post from my time of “Coffee with the Lord” this Thursday morning…

A direct apostolic warning from God to those in our culture who practice sin. Tragically, some of these are religious leaders! Equally tragic is the fact that some religious leaders deceive those they should lead into righteous living by telling them their lifestyle doesn’t matter – God’s grace will cover their sin regardless. Here is Apostle Paul’s inspired warning in that regard!…

“Do you not know that THE UNRIGHTEOUS WILL NOT INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD? DO NOT BE DECEIVED: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers WILL INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD!”

The good news however, it that through what Jesus accomplished through His death, burial and resurrection, a person can experience forgiveness and transformation of their life! What an incredible message of hope for ALL! Here is what Apostle Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit went on to declare in the very next verses…

“AND SUCH WERE SOME OF YOU. BUT YOU WERE WASHED, YOU WERE SANCTIFIED, YOU WERE JUSTIFIED IN THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST AND BY THE SPIRIT OF OUR GOD!” (From 1 Corinthians 6:9–11 ESV)