A HEBREW SAGE MIGHT SAY. . .
A king of flesh-and-blood stamps his image on a coin, hence all coins look and are alike; but the KING?of kings has stamped every man with the seal of the first man, yet no man is like any other.?[MISHNA?4.?5]?
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BLESSED WALK?
"Happy and blessed is the man who has not followed the counsel of the wicked, or taken the path of the sinners, or joined the company of the insolent; but rather, the Teachings?of the LORD?is his delight, and he studies and recites that teaching day and night. He is like a tree planted beside streams of water, which yields its fruit in season, whose foliage never fades; and whatever he does, he prospers."?[Psalms?(Tehillym)?1.?1?-?3?Tanakh,?Kethuvim]?
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A good illustration of an empty experience is?self-centeredness.?The world seeks happiness, but the only happiness it finds is brief as real joy cannot be found.?Joy, however, transcends the circumstances; it is a happiness which has its source in things the world can not offer.?GOD'S?WRITTEN?WORD, the SACRED?SCRIPTURES, give us directions and highly endorsed instructions for obtaining this joy.?
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Various man-made religions teach that GOD'S?Law is bondage.?HOLY?SCRIPTURES?tell it?differently ¡ª it?is the only SOURCE?of great joy.?Only the WORD OF?GOD?can really gratify us, filling our very soul!?
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Our GRACIOUS?HEAVENLY?FATHER?gives many teachings to HIS?children for their own good, worth, advantage, moral integrity and discipline.?"Know in your heart that the LORD?your GOD?disciplines you just as a man disciplines his son. Therefore, keep the commandments of the LORD?your GOD;?walk in HIS?ways and revere HIM."?[Deuteronomy?(Devarim)?8.?5?-?6?Tanakh,?Torah]?"For whom the LORD?loves HE?chastens, and scourges every son whom HE?receives."?[Hebrews 12. 6]?"Do not reject the discipline of YEHOWAH, my son; Do not abhor HIS?rebuke. For whom YEHOWAH?loves, HE?rebukes, as a father the son in whom he favors and delights."?[Proverbs?(Mishle)?3.?11?¨C?12?Tanakh,?Kethuvim]?
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Today, society is finding out the hard way that the rules of conduct laid down in GOD'S?TRUTH?are not to take away our fun, but are there for our own benefit.?"Seek the favor of the LORD?and HE?will grant you the desires of your heart."?[Psalms?(Tehillym)?37.?4 Tanakh, Kethuvim]?Unmistakably, as we delight ourselves in HIM, the desires of our heart will be changed.?"In HIS?PRESENCE?is fullness and joy. In HIS?right hand there are pleasures forever more."?[Psalms?(Tehillym)?16.?11 Tanakh, Torah]?We can have the DELIGHT?of our life, the LORD?JESUS, in our lives now and for all eternity.?
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"How precious is YOUR?faithful care,?O?GOD! Mankind shelters in the shadow of YOUR?wings. They feast on the rich fare of YOUR?house; YOU?let them drink at YOUR?refreshing?stream."?[Psalms?(Tehillym)?36.?7?-?8 Tanakh, Torah]?There is great contentment, pleasure, and indescribable joy in knowing Y¡¯SHUA?³ó²¹¡¯²ÑASHIACH?as your LORD?&?SAVIOR, and a peace you cannot know without HIM.?
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³§³ó²¹¡¯²¹±ô³Ü?(Pray)?for the shalom?(Peace)?of JerUSAlem and all of Israel!
Redeem Israel,?O?ELOHIYM,?out of all their troubles!
LORD, help us to break down the barriers which keep us from?YOU ¡ª?falsehood?&?faithlessness, callousness?&?selfishness, injustice?&?hard-heartedness. Awaken our soul to grateful acknowledgement of YOUR?grace which has bestowed upon us the gift of life, and make our pathway come in safety to the coveted goal?¡ª?YOUR?LOVING?PRESENCE.???
