Omer Devotional Day 31

April 30 at sundown - Day 31
Today is day 31 of counting the Omer 
Today is day 31 out of Egypt
Today is day 31 of Messiah Resurrected

Increase by Decreasing (John 3:25-36)

25 Now an argument came up between John’s disciples and a Judean concerning purification. 
26 They came to John and said, “Rabbi, the One who was with you beyond the Jordan, the One you testified about—look, He is immersing, and all are coming to Him!”
27 John answered, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven. 
28 You yourselves testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah,’ but rather, ‘I am sent before Him.’ 
29 The one who has the bride is the bridegroom, but the best man rejoices when he stands and hears the bridegroom’s voice. So now my joy is complete!
30 He must increase, while I must decrease.”
31 The One who comes from above is above all. The one who is from the earth is of the earth, and of the earth he speaks. The One who comes from heaven is above all.
32 And what He has seen and heard, He testifies to that; yet no one receives His testimony.
33 Whoever receives His testimony has certified that God is true.
34 The One whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Ruach without limit.
35 The Father loves the Son and has given everything into His hand.

36 He who trusts in the Son has eternal life. He who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

Reflect:

Times change for all of us. Sometimes we will be in the spotlight and other times we will be called upon to step aside for someone else. This was the case here: John’s ministry was coming to a close, and Yeshua’s ministry was just getting started. There was no rivalry on John’s part; he had a clear vision of what God had called him to do, and he faithfully executed his task. When he was done being the harbinger of the Messiah’s coming, John had the humility to step aside and allow God’s plan to move forward. He decreased so that Yeshua could increase. How many of us can say that we’re willing to take a back seat in God’s plan? How many of us can say we’re willing to allow others to go ahead of us and be used to glorify God instead of seeking glory for ourselves? We need to keep in mind John’s words: “No one can receive anything unless it has been given to him from Heaven.” Those are incredible words that encapsulate the attitude of surrender that he had cultivated in his heart. He had a sensitivity to God’s Spirit and understood that God was doing a new thing, and he had the humilty to embrace it! When we choose to follow John’s example and “decrease” when God leads us to it, in reality we are elevating God. In turn, He elevates us by giving us blessings that only come when we learn to surrender to His will.

Prayer: Lord, help us to understand that there are different seasons in our lives, and give us the humility to embrace them and seek You for and what You require of us in those seasons. When You call us to a different role, remind us that it is not a lesser role. We want to submit to Your will and surrender to Your call. We love You wholeheartedly and desire to serve You! Amen!

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At Restoration, we have made it a priority to seek God first in prayer. During this season of counting of the Omer, we have decided to do this collectively as a congregation in the days leading up to Shavuot. Together, we want to trust in His power to impact our lives, our congregation, our city, and our world. The last 10 days we will encourage a corporate time of fasting and prayer, which starts the evening of May 9 and ends the evening of May 19. The conclusion of this season of prayer will culminate in a congregational picnic on the 50th day, the day of Shavuot - Sunday, May 20 at noon.

Omer Devotional Day 30

April 29 at sundown - Day 30
Today is day 30 of counting the Omer 
Today is day 30 out of Egypt
Today is day 30 of Messiah Resurrected

Smooth Sailing (Exodus 16:1-4)

1 They journeyed on from Elim, and the entire community of Bnei-Yisrael came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after leaving the land of Egypt.
2 But the whole congregation of Bnei-Yisrael murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness.

3 Bnei-Yisrael said to them, “If only we had died by the hand of Adonai in the land of Egypt, when we sat by pots of meat, when we ate bread until we were full. But you have brought us into the wilderness, to kill this entire congregation with hunger.”
4 Then Adonai said to Moses, “Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you. The people will go out and gather a day’s portion every day, so that I can test them to find out whether they will walk according to My Torah or not.

Reflect:

Often when we are going through a transition that takes us from a bad situation to a better one there will be turbulence. In moments like these we may desire to go back to the bad situation because we perceive that it was better, or at least more familiar, than the unknown place where we are heading. I find that we often do this with sinful behavior. When we are confronted with the need to change and start to act on it, sometimes the desire to paint a rosy picture of the sinful behavior sets in. It’s only natural; change is not easy and the sinful behavior was pacifying the issues we did not want to deal with. When moments like these come along we need to make sure that we remember God’s faithfulness. Though we may go through trials and testing, it is important to understand that Yeshua’s “divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and virtue” (2 Peter 1:3). There isn’t a rough patch in our lives that we can’t go through with Him; His divine power will be all we need to pass through our present troubles and onto smooth sailing.

Prayer: Lord, we want to take hold of all that You have for us. When we struggle to have faith, help us to remember Your faithfulness. Strengthen those of us who are going through trials and testing. Show us that You’re moving us to a better place! Amen!

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At Restoration, we have made it a priority to seek God first in prayer. During this season of counting of the Omer, we have decided to do this collectively as a congregation in the days leading up to Shavuot. Together, we want to trust in His power to impact our lives, our congregation, our city, and our world. The last 10 days we will encourage a corporate time of fasting and prayer, which starts the evening of May 9 and ends the evening of May 19. The conclusion of this season of prayer will culminate in a congregational picnic on the 50th day, the day of Shavuot - Sunday, May 20 at noon.

Omer Devotional Day 29

April 28 at sundown - Day 29
Today is day 29 of counting the Omer 
Today is day 29 out of Egypt
Today is day 29 of Messiah Resurrected

Everyone Belongs in the Family of God (Acts 10:1-48)

The Centurion’s Vision
1 Now in Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Cohort.
2 He was a devout man, revering God with all his household. He gave tzedakah generously to the people and prayed to God continually.
3 About the ninth hour of the day, he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming and saying to him, “Cornelius!”
4 He stared at him in terror and said, “What is it, Lord?” The angel said to him, “Your prayers and tzedakah have gone up as a memorial offering before God.
5 Now send men to Joppa and call for Simon, also named Peter.
6 He is being entertained as a guest by Simon the tanner, whose house is beside the sea.”
7 When the angel speaking to him had left, he called two of his servants and a soldier from among those attached to his command.
8 After he explained everything to them, he sent them to Joppa.
Peter’s Vision
9 The next day, as the soldiers were traveling and approaching the city, Peter went up to the rooftop to pray, at about the sixth hour.
10 Now he became very hungry and wanted to eat; but while they were preparing something, he fell into a trance.
11 He saw the heavens opened, and something like a great sheet coming down, lowered by its four corners to the earth.
12 In it were all sorts of four-footed animals and reptiles and birds of the air.
13 A voice came to him, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.”
14 But Peter said, “Certainly not, Lord! For never have I eaten anything unholy or unclean.”
15 Again a voice came to him, a second time: “What God has made clean, you must not consider unholy.”
16 This happened three times, and the sheet was immediately taken up to heaven.

17 Now while Peter was puzzling about what the vision he had seen might mean, behold, the men sent by Cornelius found Simon’s house and appeared before the gate.
18 They called out and began to ask whether Simon, also called Peter, was staying in this place as a guest.
19 Now while Peter was mulling over the vision, the Ruach said to him, “Look here, three men are looking for you.
20 But get up, go downstairs, and go with them without hesitating, because I Myself have sent them.”
21 Going down to the men, Peter said, “Here, I’m the one you’re looking for. What is the reason for your coming?”
22 And they said, “Cornelius, a centurion, a righteous and God-fearing man well-spoken of by all the Jewish people, was directed by a holy angel to summon you to his house and to hear a message from you.”
23 So Peter invited them in to be his guests. The next day he got up and went with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa accompanied him.
Peter Goes to Cornelius
24 The following day he entered Caesarea. Cornelius was waiting for them and had called together his relatives and close friends.
25 As Peter entered, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him.
26 But Peter pulled him up, saying, “Stand up! I too am just a man.”
27 Talking with him, Peter went inside and found many people gathered.
28 He said to them, “You yourselves know that it is not permitted for a Jewish man to associate with a non-Jew or to visit him. Yet God has shown me that I should call no one unholy or unclean.
29 So I came without objection when I was sent for. I ask, then, what is the reason why you sent for me?”
30 Cornelius declared, “Four days ago at this hour, I was praying minchah in my house. Suddenly, a man stood in front of me in shining clothes.
31 He says, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard and your tzedakah remembered before God.
32 Therefore send to Joppa and ask for Simon, who is also called Peter. He is staying in the house of Simon the tanner, by the sea.’
33 So I sent for you immediately, and you have been kind enough to come. Now then, we are all here before God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord.”
34 Then Peter opened his mouth and said, “I truly understand that God is not one to show favoritism,
35 but in every nation the one who fears Him and does what is right is acceptable to Him.
36 You know the message He sent to Bnei-Yisrael, proclaiming shalom through Messiah Yeshua —He is Lord of all.
37 You know the message that has spread throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the immersion that John proclaimed.
38 You know how God anointed Yeshua of Natzeret with the Ruach ha-Kodesh and power—how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, because God was with Him.
39 We are witnesses to all He did, both in the Judean countryside and in Jerusalem. They put Him to death by hanging Him on a tree,
40 but God raised Him up on the third day and caused Him to be visible—

41 not to all the people, but to us, witnesses who were chosen beforehand by God. We ate and drank with Him after He rose from the dead.
42 And He commanded us to proclaim to the people and to testify that He is the One ordained by God as Judge of the living and the dead.
43 All the prophets testify about Him—that everyone who puts his trust in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name.”
The Ruach Falls on the Gentiles
44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Ruach ha-Kodesh fell on all those hearing the message.
45 All the circumcised believers who came with Peter were astonished, because the gift of the Ruach ha-Kodesh had been poured out even on the Gentiles.
46 For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and magnifying God. Then Peter answered, 47 “Can anyone refuse water for these to be immersed, who have received the Ruach ha- Kodesh just as we did?”
48 So he commanded them to be immersed in the name of Messiah Yeshua. Then they asked him to stay for a few days.

Reflect:

Cornelius was a man who feared the God of Israel. He was considered righteous by the Jews, devout, reverent, and generous. By birthright he was a Roman, but somehow seeing the Jewish people worship their God had touched him deeply and stirred his heart. He moved towards God, and God saw what was in his heart and responded. What God did through Cornelius’ acts of faith forever changed the kingdom; the disciples realized that Yeshua wasn’t just for the Jewish people—Yeshua was for everybody! This is an important part of who we are at Restoration. Jews are Jews, Gentiles are Gentiles, and everyone belongs in the family of God. Everyone. You don’t need a birthright or special distinction. All you need is Yeshua. This is a simple message that we need to share with all who will hear it.

Prayer: Lord, I want to know more about You. Speak to me like You did to Cornelius. I want to hear from You. Teach Restoration in this season to lead people to know and follow Yeshua. In Yeshua’s name, amen.

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At Restoration, we have made it a priority to seek God first in prayer. During this season of counting of the Omer, we have decided to do this collectively as a congregation in the days leading up to Shavuot. Together, we want to trust in His power to impact our lives, our congregation, our city, and our world. The last 10 days we will encourage a corporate time of fasting and prayer, which starts the evening of May 9 and ends the evening of May 19. The conclusion of this season of prayer will culminate in a congregational picnic on the 50th day, the day of Shavuot - Sunday, May 20 at noon.

Omer Devotional Day 28

April 27 at sundown - Day 28
Today is day 28 of counting the Omer 
Today is day 28 out of Egypt
Today is day 28 of Messiah Resurrected

The Catalyst (Luke 8:4-15)

5 “The sower went out to spread his seed. As he sowed, some fell beside the road and was trampled; and the birds of the air ate it up.
6 And other seed fell on rock; when it came up, that seed withered away because it had no moisture.
7 Other seed fell among the thorns, and the thorns grew up with it and choked it.
8 And other seed fell into the good soil; and when it came up, it produced fruit a hundredfold.” While saying these things, He would call out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
9 Now His disciples were asking Him what this parable meant.
10 Then Yeshua said to them, “To you has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God; but to the others it is given in parables, in order that ‘Seeing, they may not see, and hearing, they may not understand.’
11 “Now the parable is this: the seed is the word of God.
12 Those beside the road are the ones who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their heart, so that they may not believe and be saved.
13 But those on the rocky places are the ones who, when they hear, accept the word with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a season, and in a time of testing fall away.
14 Now that which fell into the thorns are those who were hearing; but as they go along the way, they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and they do not bear mature fruit. 15 But the seed in the good soil are those with a praiseworthy and good heart, who have heard the word and hold it fast and bear fruit with patient endurance.

Reflect:

This passage speaks about two important dynamics in our lives that God wants us to understand. The first is our potential, the other is the importance of obedience to His word. When we come into relationship with Yeshua, we can begin to realize our potential. When we incorporate God’s word into our lives and make it what we order our lives and choices around, we move past just realizing our potential and begin to maximize it! The daily reading of God’s word becomes a catalyst for the kind of growth He wants us to experience in our lives. Instead of blindly making decisions on our own, we can have the assurance that He is with us in our choices because we have aligned ourselves with what He says!

At Restoration, we place the utmost importance on the reading of the scriptures. As participants in the community that God has called us to, let us remember to take time to read the scriptures daily and make them the center of our lives so we can fully maximize our potential!

Prayer: Abba, we know the scriptures can bring us life. Help us to read the scriptures daily and to act on them. We desire to know You better. Speak to us through your word. Amen!

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At Restoration, we have made it a priority to seek God first in prayer. During this season of counting of the Omer, we have decided to do this collectively as a congregation in the days leading up to Shavuot. Together, we want to trust in His power to impact our lives, our congregation, our city, and our world. The last 10 days we will encourage a corporate time of fasting and prayer, which starts the evening of May 9 and ends the evening of May 19. The conclusion of this season of prayer will culminate in a congregational picnic on the 50th day, the day of Shavuot - Sunday, May 20 at noon.

Omer Devotional Day 27

April 26 at sundown - Day 27
Today is day 27 of counting the Omer 
Today is day 27 out of Egypt
Today is day 27 of Messiah Resurrected

Better Than Sci-Fi (Revelation 4:1-11)

The Heavenly Throne of Adonai
1 After these things I looked, and behold, a door was standing open in heaven. And the first voice, which I had heard speaking with me like a trumpet, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after these things.”
2 Immediately I was in the Ruach; and behold, a throne was standing in heaven, and One seated on the throne.
3 And the One who was seated was like jasper and carnelian in appearance, and a rainbow around the throne, like an emerald in appearance.
4 Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders dressed in white clothes with golden crowns on their heads.
5 And out from the throne come flashes of lightning and rumblings and clashes of thunder—and seven torches of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God.
6 And before the throne was something like a sea of glass, like crystal. In the middle of the throne and around it were four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind.
7 The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature was like an ox, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle.
8 The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes all around and within. They do not rest day or night, chanting, “Kadosh, kadosh, kadosh Adonai Elohei-Tzva’ot, asher haya v’hoveh v’yavo! Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God of Hosts, who was and who is and who is to come!”
9 And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to the One seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever,
10 the twenty-four elders fall down before the One seated on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever. And they throw their crowns down before the throne, chanting,
11 “Worthy are You, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, For You created all things, and because of Your will they existed and were created!”

Reflect:

Four living, six-winged creatures? This imagery in this passage sounds more like sci-fi than scripture. The vision John had is not from a B-movie but instead an illustration of worship that has been and will be happening in God’s throne room for eternity. It is an introduction into a reality that we can tap into when we offer praise to Adonai—we can begin to receive a fuller understanding of His presence and power. It might be best to put it this way: we may intellectually know that God is near, but when we worship we can FEEL His presence. When we worship, we enter into a supernatural experience that releases the joy of the Lord that can change our perception of our circumstances. We can know firsthand that God is near and willing to be called upon!

Prayer: Lord, help us to worship You wholeheartedly. Help us to be open to Your Spirit and to be quick to default to worship and prayer. Reveal Yourself to us when we worship You! Amen!

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At Restoration, we have made it a priority to seek God first in prayer. During this season of counting of the Omer, we have decided to do this collectively as a congregation in the days leading up to Shavuot. Together, we want to trust in His power to impact our lives, our congregation, our city, and our world. The last 10 days we will encourage a corporate time of fasting and prayer, which starts the evening of May 9 and ends the evening of May 19. The conclusion of this season of prayer will culminate in a congregational picnic on the 50th day, the day of Shavuot - Sunday, May 20 at noon.

Spring Connect Groups Starting Up

Spring Connect Groups are starting the week of May 6, 2018. Visit the Connect Groups page for more info on meeting times and locations!

Omer Devotional Day 26

April 25 at sundown - Day 26
Today is day 26 of counting the Omer 
Today is day 26 out of Egypt
Today is day 26 of Messiah Resurrected

On Point, On Mission (Matt 28:16-20)

Authority to Make Disciples Everywhere
16 Now the eleven disciples went to the Galilee, to the mountain Yeshua had designated. 
17 When they saw Him, they worshiped; but some wavered.
18 And Yeshua came up to them and spoke to them, saying, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.
19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, immersing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Ruach ha-Kodesh,
20 teaching them to observe all I have commanded you. And remember! I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Reflect:

Since 2015, the leadership at Restoration has felt called to send our people on medical outreach trips with our ministry partner, JVMI (Jewish Voice Ministries International). Our people have gone to Ethiopia and Zimbabwe to answer the call of Matthew 28! This passage leaves no doubt—Yeshua desires us to go into all the world and facilitate the spreading of the Good News. I believe that when we as the Messianic Community that represents North Seattle undertake these missions, we not only bring glory to God but we also experience the prophetic call of the Jewish people to be a light to the nations (Isaiah 42:6-7). Is God calling you to serve in these medical outreaches or to support them by giving to Restoration’s Missions fund?

Prayer: Lord, we want to fulfill the calling You gave us to go into the world and make disciples of all nations. Help us to fulfill our very Messianic calling to bring salvation and deliverance wherever You might call us to go. Help us to continue to be generous with our finances in giving towards these outreaches, and also to consider whether You have called us to go on a trip as well! In Yeshua’s name, amen!

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At Restoration, we have made it a priority to seek God first in prayer. During this season of counting of the Omer, we have decided to do this collectively as a congregation in the days leading up to Shavuot. Together, we want to trust in His power to impact our lives, our congregation, our city, and our world. The last 10 days we will encourage a corporate time of fasting and prayer, which starts the evening of May 9 and ends the evening of May 19. The conclusion of this season of prayer will culminate in a congregational picnic on the 50th day, the day of Shavuot - Sunday, May 20 at noon.

Omer Devotional Day 25

April 24 at sundown - Day 25
Today is day 25 of counting the Omer 
Today is day 25 out of Egypt
Today is day 25 of Messiah Resurrected

Passover 2.0 (Numbers 9:1-12)

Second Month Passover
1 Adonai spoke to Moses in the Sinai wilderness in the first month of the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt saying,
2 “Bnei-Yisrael is to observe Passover at its appointed time.
3 You are to celebrate it at its appointed time, at twilight on the fourteenth day of this month, with all its rules and regulations.”
4 So Moses told Bnei-Yisrael to observe Passover.
5 They celebrated Passover at twilight on the fourteenth day of the first month in the Sinai wilderness. In accordance with all that Adonai commanded Moses, so Bnei-Yisrael did.
6 However, there were some men who could not celebrate Passover because of being defiled by a dead body. So they came to Moses and Aaron on that same day,
7 and these men said to him, “We have become unclean because of a dead man’s body. Why should we be kept from presenting the offering of Adonai at the appointed time with the rest of Bnei-Yisrael?”
8 Moses answered them, “Wait, and I will inquire what Adonai commands concerning you.”
9 Then Adonai spoke to Moses saying,
10 “Say to Bnei-Yisrael saying: If any man, whether you or your descendants, becomes unclean because of a dead body, or is away on a long journey, he may yet observe Adonai’s Passover. 
11 They are to celebrate it at twilight on the fourteenth day of the second month. With matzot and bitter herbs they are to eat it.
12 They are not to leave any of it until morning, or break any bones. When they celebrate Passover they are to observe all its regulations.

Reflect:

God wants us to keep His ways, but sometimes there are extenuating circumstances. In this case, the people in question weren’t able to keep Passover because they were ritually unclean. In other words, their impurity kept them from taking part in the joyful celebration God had ordered the people of Israel to take part in. Instead of allowing them to be excluded, God made a provision for them and for future generations to be able to celebrate Passover 2.0 (Passover in the second month). This ruling would be especially pertinent during the revival of King Hezekiah when he restored the Passover to Israel. It is easy for us to read the scriptures as a list of do’s and don’t’s, but they are so much more than that. The entirety of the law and the prophets is not just rules and the threat of judgement for breaking them; instead it is provision of commands for our benefit, rulings that come from our gracious God who is rich in mercy and compassion towards us in our fallen, sinful state.

Prayer: You are a God who is rich in grace and compassion towards us. Remind us that alongside of your commands there is grace as well and that when we fall short or face obstacles to obedience that You will always make a way to restore us. In Yeshua’s name, amen.

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At Restoration, we have made it a priority to seek God first in prayer. During this season of counting of the Omer, we have decided to do this collectively as a congregation in the days leading up to Shavuot. Together, we want to trust in His power to impact our lives, our congregation, our city, and our world. The last 10 days we will encourage a corporate time of fasting and prayer, which starts the evening of May 9 and ends the evening of May 19. The conclusion of this season of prayer will culminate in a congregational picnic on the 50th day, the day of Shavuot - Sunday, May 20 at noon.

Omer Devotional Day 24

April 23 at sundown - Day 24
Today is day 24 of counting the Omer 
Today is day 24 out of Egypt
Today is day 24 of Messiah Resurrected

The Tragedy of Absalom (2 Samuel 15:1-6)

Absalom’s Revolt
1 Now it came about after this that Absalom provided himself with a chariot, horses and 50 men as runners before him.
2 Absalom used to rise up early and stand beside the road to the city gate. Whenever anyone had a suit to come to the king for justice, then Absalom would call to him and say, “What town are you from?” Should he answer, “Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel,”
3 Absalom would say to him, “See, your claims are good and right, but there is no one assigned to you by the king to hear you.”
4 Moreover, Absalom would say, “If only I were appointed judge in the land, then every man who has any suit or case would come to me, and I would get him justice!”
5 Also, whenever anyone approached to bow to him, he would stretch his hand, take hold of him, and kiss him.
6 So Absalom kept doing this to everyone of Israel who came to the king for judgment. Thus Absalom stole the hearts of the people of Israel.

Reflect:

Absalom had a craving for his father’s power and status. This was despite the fact that God had clearly allowed David to remain as king after he murdered Uriah the Hittite to steal his wife (2 Samuel 12) because David repented when confronted about his sin, and asked God for mercy. God forgave David because He was a man after God's own heart. When we examine the character of Absalom, we see the contrast between the father and his son. He was a vengeful, unrepentant murderer. He was deceitful and used cunning to advance his own agenda. His ego and arrogance led him to attempt to have his father killed. He even slept with his father's concubines in the sight of all Israel! He refused correction and failed to learn from David’s failings. Absalom’s story shows us that there are no shortcuts with God and there is no easy path to becoming a person of integrity. Gaining it often takes going through adversity and learning patience. When we turn our lives fully over to Yeshua, we have the assurance that He will help us become people of integrity. Then we can be free to abandon our own agendas and embrace all the good that God plans for us! He has each one of us on a path that will have its own ups and downs but will ultimately lead us into the fullness of Yeshua's call on our lives.

Prayer: Lord, help us to be free of our own agendas. Help us to empty ourselves out so you can fill us with the Holy Spirit. Lead us and guide us into truth, especially about the motivations of our hearts and the true intentions of our actions.

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At Restoration, we have made it a priority to seek God first in prayer. During this season of counting of the Omer, we have decided to do this collectively as a congregation in the days leading up to Shavuot. Together, we want to trust in His power to impact our lives, our congregation, our city, and our world. The last 10 days we will encourage a corporate time of fasting and prayer, which starts the evening of May 9 and ends the evening of May 19. The conclusion of this season of prayer will culminate in a congregational picnic on the 50th day, the day of Shavuot - Sunday, May 20 at noon.

Omer Devotional Day 23

April 22 at sundown - Day 23
Today is day 23 of counting the Omer 
Today is day 23 out of Egypt
Today is day 23 of Messiah Resurrected

Restored at Restoration (Luke 4:17-22)

17 When the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him, He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written,
18 “The Ruach Adonai is on me, because He has anointed me to proclaim Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free the oppressed,
19 and to proclaim the year of Adonai’s favor.”
20 He closed the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. All eyes in the synagogue were focused on Him.
21 Then He began to tell them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your ears.”
22 All were speaking well of Him and marveling at the gracious words coming out of His mouth. And they were saying, “Isn’t this the son of Joseph?”

Reflect:

Yeshua's ministry was declared on the week of this haftorah portion (Isaiah 61). The passage clearly outlines that He was to preach freedom to those who were oppressed, to bring physical healing, and to proclaim to the world that God’s favor was now available to them through Him. It defined how God’s plan would play out in His life. God has a plan for each one of us! When we accept Yeshua and align our lives with God’s priorities, our calling mirrors this passage. As we

grow and become rooted in His word, opportunities to proclaim the Good News will naturally present themselves. God wants to use us to bring souls into His kingdom, so that they can experience healing that can only come from Him. Restoration is without doubt a place that God wants to use to accomplish this! We must seek the Lord for opportunities to spread the Good News and tell people about Yeshua. When we do, He will answer by healing hearts and doing miraculous things!

Prayer: Lord, we desire to serve You. Help us to have the faith we need to spread the Good News. Pour out miracles of healing and deliverance on Restoration. Use us to bring souls into Your kingdom. Amen!

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At Restoration, we have made it a priority to seek God first in prayer. During this season of counting of the Omer, we have decided to do this collectively as a congregation in the days leading up to Shavuot. Together, we want to trust in His power to impact our lives, our congregation, our city, and our world. The last 10 days we will encourage a corporate time of fasting and prayer, which starts the evening of May 9 and ends the evening of May 19. The conclusion of this season of prayer will culminate in a congregational picnic on the 50th day, the day of Shavuot - Sunday, May 20 at noon.

Omer Devotional Day 22

April 21 at sundown - Day 22
Today is day 22 of counting the Omer 
Today is day 22 out of Egypt
Today is day 22 of Messiah Resurrected

Punk’d, Part 2 (Matthew 8:23-34)


Master of the Storm

23 As He got into the boat, His disciples followed Him.
24 Suddenly a great storm arose on the sea, so that the boat was being covered by the waves. But Yeshua kept on sleeping.
25 So they came and woke Him up, saying, “Master, save us! We’re perishing!”
 
26 He said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it became totally calm.
27 The men were amazed, saying, “What kind of person is this? Even the winds and the sea obey Him!”

Freedom from Demons

28 When He came to the other side, into the region of the Gadarenes, two demon- plagued men coming from the graveyard met Him. They were so violent that no one could pass by that way. 
29 And they screamed, “What’s between You and us, Ben- Elohim? Have You come here to torment us, before the appointed time?”
30 Now a large herd of pigs was feeding some distance away from them.
31 The demons kept begging Him, “If You drive us out, send us into the herd of pigs.”
 
32 And He told them, “Go!” So they came out and went into the pigs, and the whole herd rushed down the cliff into the sea and drowned.
33 The herdsmen ran away, went into the town, and told everything, including what had happened to the demon-plagued men.
34 The whole town came out to meet Yeshua. And when they saw him, they begged Him to leave their region.

Reflect:

It is a common misconception these days to view a life of faith as one of passivity; we often just take what life gives us and believe that if we will just be stronger, be better or do better that our circumstances will be changed. Friends, this is both a lie from the pit of hell and a misunderstanding of what Yeshua came to do. He came to set us free from sickness and disease, and He does it by the authority that the Father gave Him! This freedom He offers us can’t be obtained by anything we do but instead comes from the utter simplicity of just believing that Yeshua can do it. The centurion believed this, and his servant was set free because of his

great faith in Yeshua’s power. As Yeshua moved forward to set those in demonic captivity free, we can see that the great tempest that struck the boat they were on was no normal storm; instead it was yet another focused attack by the prince of power of the air (Satan, the god of this world) to disrupt Yeshua’s ministry. Again here we see the devil get punk’d by Yeshua’s absolute authority over all things demonic. After He rebuked the tempest, they sailed to the Gaderenes (a territory of gentile pagans). Upon being confronted by two demon-plagued men, Yeshua cast the evil spirits out of them and sent the pigs running into the sea. This not only set those men free, but also destroyed the pagan economy of that place; their pigs were what they sacrificed to their non-gods. Yeshua’s entire ministry in this place was a display of God’s absolute power over spiritual darkness. Friends, we must understand this concept as our congregation moves forward. As we seek to impact the kingdom, our adversary will oppose us as he did Yeshua. Our hope for deliverance is not in what we are able to do in our own power; it is in our faith in our God who has absolutely defeated darkness!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, we rejoice in knowing that you have utterly defeated spiritual darkness and oppression. Help us to pray with this understanding and to have the boldness in prayer to challenge areas where the devil has set up strongholds. Please use Restoration as a place where people are set free! In Yeshua’s name, amen.

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At Restoration, we have made it a priority to seek God first in prayer. During this season of counting of the Omer, we have decided to do this collectively as a congregation in the days leading up to Shavuot. Together, we want to trust in His power to impact our lives, our congregation, our city, and our world. The last 10 days we will encourage a corporate time of fasting and prayer, which starts the evening of May 9 and ends the evening of May 19. The conclusion of this season of prayer will culminate in a congregational picnic on the 50th day, the day of Shavuot - Sunday, May 20 at noon.

Omer Devotional Day 21

April 20 at sundown - Day 21
Today is day 21 of counting the Omer

Today is day 21 out of Egypt
Today is day 21 of Messiah Resurrected

Punk’d, Part 1 (Luke 4:1-10)

Temptation in the Wilderness
1 Yeshua, now filled with the Ruach ha-Kodesh, returned from the Jordan. He was led by the Ruach in the wilderness
2 for forty days, being tested by the devil. Now He ate nothing during those days, and when they had ended, He was hungry.
 3 The devil said to Him, “If You are Ben-Elohim, tell this stone to become bread.”
4 Yeshua answered him, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone.’”

5 And leading Him up, the devil showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in an instant. 
6 And the devil said to Him, “I’ll give to You all this authority along with its glory, because it has been handed over to me and I can give it to anyone I wish.
7 Therefore, if you will worship before me, all this shall be Yours.”
 
8 But answering, Yeshua told him, “It is written, ‘You shall worship Adonai your God, and Him only shall you serve.’”
 
9 Then he brought Yeshua to Jerusalem and placed Him on the highest point of the Temple. He said to Him, “If You are Ben-Elohim, throw Yourself down from here.
10 For it is written,
‘He will command His angels concerning you,
to guard you,’
 11 and ‘upon their hands they will lift you up,
so that you may not strike your foot against a stone.’”
 12 But answering, Yeshua said to him, “It is said, ‘You shall not put Adonai your God to the test.’”
13 And when the devil had completed every test, he departed from Him until another occasion.


Reflect:

The devil is real. Many may find this statement controversial while still others might believe that the idea of an angelic bad guy that wages war against God and humanity is a fairy tale. Nothing could be further from the truth; Satan is as real as God is. Mythology wants to paint him as a spiritual equal to Yeshua, but this is a flat out lie! We see here in this chapter that Yeshua has a prophetic calling that once fulfilled would bring redemption and healing to mankind. In Satan’s attempt to undermine that calling, he took a physically weakened Yeshua to Jericho, up on the Mount of Temptation. The spiritual warfare being waged there wasn’t just an attempt to derail Yeshua; it was a desperate attempt to keep you and I eternally enslaved to the power of sin and death. The scriptures are clear who won that battle—Yeshua! The Urban Dictionary defines the word “punk’d” as: A way to describe someone ripping you off, tricking you, teasing you. Friends, this is exactly what Yeshua did; He punk’d the devil! Our Lord took the very scripture that Satan was trying to distort and used its true meaning to utterly defeat him. The Father had given Yeshua authority over all forms of darkness, and with that authority Yeshua embarked on an earthly ministry that would bring many adopted sons and daughters to God.

Prayer: We want to walk in Your power and authority over darkness, Lord. Help us to have the faith we need to move forward in that authority, and the understanding to know that You have already conquered Satan. We want to see families set free and lives changed here at Restoration during this time of prayer and fasting! Amen.

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At Restoration, we have made it a priority to seek God first in prayer. During this season of counting of the Omer, we have decided to do this collectively as a congregation in the days leading up to Shavuot. Together, we want to trust in His power to impact our lives, our congregation, our city, and our world. The last 10 days we will encourage a corporate time of fasting and prayer, which starts the evening of May 9 and ends the evening of May 19. The conclusion of this season of prayer will culminate in a congregational picnic on the 50th day, the day of Shavuot - Sunday, May 20 at noon.

Omer Devotional Day 20

April 19 at sundown - Day 20
Today is day 20 of counting the Omer 
Today is day 20 out of Egypt
Today is day 20 of Messiah Resurrected

The Crowning Jewel of Creation (Genesis 2:1-2)

1 So the heavens and the earth were completed along with their entire array.
2 God completed—on the seventh day—His work that He made, and He ceased—on the seventh day—from all His work that He made.
3 Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, for on it He ceased from all His work that God created for the purpose of preparing.

Reflect:

In synagogues everywhere around the world and here at Restoration, the Shabbat is the most important day of the week. In the book of Leviticus (chapter 23) we see that Shabbat is the first holiday listed because it happens every week! God created Shabbat as the crowning jewel on the creation dialogue at the beginning of the book of Beresheet (Genesis). There are six days of intense activity, with all of creation being born. Right along with this intensity is God’s command to be “fruitful and multiply.” This sounds a lot like our everyday lives, doesn’t it? As we identify our passions, they begin to drive us to pursue them... We become too compelled to act! We must remember that in God’s plan for creation we weren’t meant to just churn in non-stop activity. God ordained the Shabbat and blessed it as a day when mankind is called to rest and remember their Creator, but it also has addtional meaning. Adonai didn’t create the Shabbat just for man to remember Him; He also intended for us to know that God remembers us as well!

I recently saw this principle on display while on a medical outreach trip with Jewish Voice Ministries International (JVMI) in Wiloso, Ethiopia among the Beta Israel (Jews currently located between the Amahara and Tigray regions of Ethiopia). These people live in abject poverty; they have little to eat, their water supply is putrid, and they suffer persecution from their neighbors. The Messianic believers in this area are even more persecuted than their Jewish brothers because of their commitment to following Yeshua. On top of all this, their government ignores them. It would be easy to think that God had forgotten these people, leaving them in a kind of permanent exile. On our last Shabbat in Wiloso as we rested, it occurred to me that God had remembered these “forgotten people.” He had used the team I was with to show them that He never forgets His creation! May we remember that He will never forget us, either!

Prayer: Lord, thank You for Your Shabbat. We want to take the time to remember all You’ve done for us. Thank You for Your faithfulness to us and others as well. Amen. 

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At Restoration, we have made it a priority to seek God first in prayer. During this season of counting of the Omer, we have decided to do this collectively as a congregation in the days leading up to Shavuot. Together, we want to trust in His power to impact our lives, our congregation, our city, and our world. The last 10 days we will encourage a corporate time of fasting and prayer, which starts the evening of May 9 and ends the evening of May 19. The conclusion of this season of prayer will culminate in a congregational picnic on the 50th day, the day of Shavuot - Sunday, May 20 at noon.

Omer Devotional Day 19

April 18 at sundown - Day 19
Today is day 19 of counting the Omer 
Today is day 19 out of Egypt
Today is day 19 of Messiah Resurrected

A prayer for Israel (Psalm 48:1-15)

Consider Zion’s Towers
1 A song, a psalm of the sons of Korah.
2 Great is Adonai, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God—His holy mountain.
3 A beautiful height—the joy of the whole earth—is Mount Zion, on the northern side of the city of the great King.
4 God, in her palaces, is known as a stronghold.
5 For behold, the kings assembled, they advanced together.
6 They saw, then they were astounded, they fled in terror.
7 Trembling seized them there, pain like a woman in labor.
8 With an east wind You broke the ships of Tarshish.
9 As we have heard, so have we seen, in the city of Adonai-Tzva’ot, in the city of our God. God will establish her forever. Selah
10 We have meditated on Your lovingkindness, O God, in the midst of Your Temple.
11 Like Your Name, O God, so is Your praise to the ends of the earth. Your right hand is full of righteousness.
12 Mount Zion is glad, the daughters of Judah rejoice, because of Your judgments.
13 Walk about Zion, go around her. Count her towers.
14 Consider her ramparts, go through her palaces, so you may describe it to the next generation.
15 For this God is our God, forever and ever! He will guide us to the end.

Instead of a reflection, let’s just offer up this prayer for Israel:

Heavenly Father, we thank You that Yeshua is coming back. Remember Israel and release Your salvation in her. Open blind eyes so that they may see the Messiah. Pour out your Spirit on her people and bless the body of Messiah in Israel with Your presence and protection. Amen. 

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At Restoration, we have made it a priority to seek God first in prayer. During this season of counting of the Omer, we have decided to do this collectively as a congregation in the days leading up to Shavuot. Together, we want to trust in His power to impact our lives, our congregation, our city, and our world. The last 10 days we will encourage a corporate time of fasting and prayer, which starts the evening of May 9 and ends the evening of May 19. The conclusion of this season of prayer will culminate in a congregational picnic on the 50th day, the day of Shavuot - Sunday, May 20 at noon.

Omer Devotional Day 18

April 17 at sundown - Day 18
Today is day 18 of counting the Omer 
Today is day 18 out of Egypt
Today is day 18 of Messiah Resurrected

Return to Sender (James 4:1-10)

Resist Pride and Evil
1 Where do quarrels and conflicts among you come from? Don’t they come from this, namely your passions that battle within your body parts?
2 You crave and have not. You murder and you envy, yet you cannot get it. You fight and you wage war. You do not have because you do not ask.
3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives so you may spend it on your passions.
4 You adulteresses! Don’t you know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
5 Or do you think that in vain the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit which He made to dwell in us”?
6 But He gives greater grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
7 Therefore submit to God. But resist the devil and he will flee from you.
8 Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded!
9 Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned into mourning, and your joy into gloom.
10 Humble yourselves in the sight of Adonai, and He shall lift you up.

Reflect:

God will never turn His back on you, but the same isn’t true for us. Our pride and self-sufficiency lead us away from what we were created to do. Here, James explains that human nature is capable of all manner of evil in its quest to satisfy its urges, and that we must flee from those passions and lusts that are capable of convincing us that we don’t need to live God’s way.

Instead of God turning His back on us, the opposite is true. We turn our backs on Him. If you have been doing this, this time of fasting and prayer is a great opportunity to turn away from those things that bring us death and turn to the One who can give us life.

Prayer: Lord, I want to stop turning my back on You. I want to use this time of prayer and fasting to surrender myself to You, especially in the areas where I feel self-sufficient so that I can be who you birthed me to be. Let Restoration be a place where people can turn back to Yeshua so that they can know and grow in who You are. In Yeshua’s name, amen. 

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At Restoration, we have made it a priority to seek God first in prayer. During this season of counting of the Omer, we have decided to do this collectively as a congregation in the days leading up to Shavuot. Together, we want to trust in His power to impact our lives, our congregation, our city, and our world. The last 10 days we will encourage a corporate time of fasting and prayer, which starts the evening of May 9 and ends the evening of May 19. The conclusion of this season of prayer will culminate in a congregational picnic on the 50th day, the day of Shavuot - Sunday, May 20 at noon.