NOVEMBER 2022 LCM NEWSLETTER NO. 3

^{“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”}

Joshua 1:9 NKJV

Hebrew Word of the Month

2389. chazaq (chazak)

Strong’s Concordance

chazaq: strong, stout, mighty
Original Word: חָזָק
Word Origin: chazaq
Part of Speech: Adjective
Transliteration: chazaq
Phonetic Spelling: (khaw-zawk’)
Definition: strong, stout, mighty

2388. chazaq

Strong’s Concordance

chazaq: to be or grow firm or strong, strengthen
Original Word: חָזַק
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: chazaq
Phonetic Spelling: (khaw-zak’)
Definition: to be or grow firm or strong, strengthen

to be strong, to conquer
Chazak is a Hebrew word with a lot of depth and meaning. On one hand, it means to be strong, to conquer or prevail, and on the other hand it means to uphold, to strengthen, to encourage. We are called to not only be strong, but to give of that strength to others.

Deuteronomy 31:6 NKJV
6 Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”

Courage Allows Faith

In order for Peter to step out onto deep waters he had to first have the courage to make the decision to not be afraid. Strength Who Is Yeshua was already waiting in the midst of the deep waters. The combination of courage and strength in Christ gave way for the walk of faith that Peter endured. That walk was tested as the wind and waves became treacherous. He sank, giving into fear that arose from him taking his eyes off of Yeshua and focusing on the elements around him. However, just as our Messiah promises us, He provides a way where there is no way and just as He reached out His Holy, Almighty Hand to pull Peter out of the deep waters allowing the adversity to be under his feet; so shall His everlasting promise and victory pursue us as we conquer what has already been cut down at the root. Courage provides the opportunity for faith to go forth as evidence that we believe in our God and King…as He has lovingly spoken the words…”Do not be afraid“.

Isaiah 41:13 NKJV
For I, the Lord your God, will hold your right hand,
Saying to you, ‘Fear not, I will help you.’

Q&A Forum

Why does God Allow Evil and Suffering?

Our God Who Is The Everlasting Power of Existence is a Fair, Loving, and Holy God, Creator, and Father. He gives us free will…the freedom of choice. In that ability of choosing, there are causes and effects of our decisions. The adversary [devil] is roaming this Earth to and fro like a roaring lion seeking who he can devour. When we make decisions that are in opposition to God’s Will and do not take heed to His warnings, then we gravitate away from from His Glory thereby, leaving ourselves exposed as soft targets open to attacks, oppression, sickness, and in severe cases spiritual and even physical death.

We have to make a choice to follow Wisdom, The One Who Is Holy, that we may show obedience in love, therefore, drawing near to God and He in turn will draw near to us. The God of Israel is our Protection and our King of Israel shows us how to live and navigate this world to avoid the chaos and mayhem driven by sin. Sin is the root cause that brings evil and suffering along with the effects that covers a wide range of afflictions. Our God is so GOOD that He doesn’t force Himself on anyone and although He is & has all Authority here on Earth and in Heaven, He allows the space for free will – the causes and effects of that are to prune His children. As well as use these circumstances as warnings to turn back the masses before the time comes when our Messiah returns or when life which is like a vapor evaporates and one finds his/herself standing before the Throne of Judgement stuck in the trajectory of darkness and are therefore, bound to the eternal damnation apart from our God and King for all eternity.

What is My Purpose?

To understand our purpose we must first acknowledge and embrace our foundational values. From our foundation that is established in Jesus Christ we find direction and guidance as we follow Him in humility. Humility gives way to teaching and if we are found to be teachable then we will also learn from our Great Cornerstone our identity as well as our purpose in Yeshua…God even gives us our new names in Him for we are no longer sinners but saints as a new creation, Jews and Gentiles engrafted into the Olive Tree as one new man in Yeshua our True Vine. He will highlight our strong points and give us gifts as well as talents aside from those known & developed throughout our years. He expand upon the unknown, will give new interests, and strengthen existing ones.

First we have to have courage and be strong in The Lord for The Way of Righteousness is not smooth it is a narrow road but we will be upheld throughout and overcome the endurance according to God’s Will and His Purpose in the end as survivors.

Romans 8:28 NKJV
28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

What’s On the Shabbat Menu?

Try these delicious recipes, then have fun & enjoy a time of ceasing with loved ones as you pray, worship, praise, and rest & relax!

Breakfast

Quick and Easy French Toast

Lunch

Grilled Chicken Sandwich

Dinner

Dessert

Snack

Drink

Biblical Archaeology

The Pandemic Origins of Child Baptism by Francesco Arduini

Read the Article

Did You Know?

There are 185 songs in the Bible.

1 = UNITY [Ehhad]
8= NEW BEGINNINGS
5 = GRACE

Our God reveals His Mysteries, Majesty, and Glory in Words, Numbers, Colors, every area, aspect, and essence of creation; for they encompass the language to interpret what was unknown and has been unveiled through His Love, Grace, and Tender Mercies in Christ Jesus.

From Genesis to Revelation we see time and time again the multitude of reasons to rejoice. God’s Faithfulness prevails as a victory unto His people who He delivers during much trial and tribulation throughout the centuries. The people of God are a people of rejoicing, praise, and proclamations of thanksgiving. We will truly have our mourning turned to dancing in God’s Eternal Kingdom. We see throughout The Holy Scriptures, passages such as (but not limited to) The Song of Moses, The Song of Miriam, David’s Psalms unto The Lord, The Song of Solomon, and the most gracious & holy of all…The Song of The Lamb in The Book of Revelation. This is a mystery that is revealed to us…something about the song – sung unto The Lord that moves His Heart and causes Him to open the heavens as He looks down from His Holy Mountain upon the Earth to shine His Face upon His people. The song of holiness can move mountains, hills, and valleys.

Revelation 15:3-4 NKJV
3 They sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying:

“Great and marvelous are Your works,
Lord God Almighty!
Just and true are Your ways,
O King of the saints!
4 Who shall not fear You, O Lord, and glorify Your name?
For You alone are holy.
For all nations shall come and worship before You,
For Your judgments have been manifested.”