Verse of the Day
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Sunday February 2, 2025 4th day of the 11th month Shevat 5785
Philippians 1:18-25 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Messiah is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Yeshua the Messiah this will turn out for my deliverance, as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Messiah will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me to live is Messiah, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Messiah, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith,
Jim's comments
I chose these verses as my verse of the day for today because of a conversation I’ve had with a friend lately. He asked me if I am willing to die for the Lord and I said yes. But as time went along I thought a lot about that question and my answer, and the words of Paul kept coming to mind. For to me to live is Messiah and to die is gain.
It some ways it is easier to die for Messiah than to live, but to die or be killed for Him is a one-time action. Paul wrote that for him to die and be with Messiah is to gain, but to live is fruitful labor. It is gain because he knew he would be in the presence of the Lord. Also remember he had a vision and please read that in 2 Corinthians chapter 12.
Remember that Paul was a prisoner in Rome when he wrote this letter. He wrote, that with full courage now as always Messiah will be honored in my body, whether by life or death. Paul was ready for either one, but he knew that living on he would be able to share the love and hope of Messiah with others.
As far as living for the Lord, in a lot of ways that is harder, because it goes on and on. Day after day we make decisions to live for Him or not. We make decisions to be a disciple of Yeshua or not. We make decisions to obey His commandments or not.
There are times when we will be insulted. Once a week I go in front of Planned Parenthood and I go during the week. I read that yesterday, Saturday, a person driving out of the parking lot through a water bottle at one of our people. Sure, it wasn’t a shooting but still, it is a sign of being hated for being there. We will be mocked, we will be threatened and yes, we might be killed, but all that happens while we are living for Yeshua and making a stand for Him, and what is right according to God’s word.
We are to focus more on living for the Lord than dying for him.
Romans 6:11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Messiah Yeshua.
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Welcome to Beth Simcha
Welcome to Beth Simcha's Web site. My wife Judy and I
would like to invite you to visit Beth Simcha Messianic Congregation
and experience the joy of Messianic praise and worship. Come and
open up the scriptures with us as we study the Word of God, and
learn how to apply it to our lives today.This Shabbat Jan 18 I will be teaching out of Exodus chapt 3 about the name of God
Come and see, come and hear, come receive comfort and joy from the Lord as we worship the living God of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob in spirit and in truth.
Please visit our links page for we just added a link to a video of one of my best friends Sharbel Richard, and me singing and playing the MaTovu.
Blessings to all of you in Messiah Yeshua
Jim and Judy Rickard
Jewish Heritage
Believers in Messiah have a rich Jewish heritage, but the sad part is that a large part of the body doesn’t know much about it. Yeshua, (Jesus), was Jewish. His earthly parents Joseph (Yosef) and Mary (Miriam) were both Jewish and they raised Yeshua in a Jewish home; teaching him the Torah and all…