Alleluia

 

    Alleluia is a Hebrew liturgical expression.  It means "praise the Lord".  It is only used in one place in the Bible.  It derives from the Hebrew word hallelujah which is a combination of two words hallel meaning "praise" and jah meaning "Yahweh" or "Lord".  In Hebrew hallelujah is hallū yāh (הַלְלוּ יָהּ).

    There will be a the sound of a very large crowd coming from Heaven.  The crowd is shouting alleluia.  They are praising God for their salvation and His glory and power,  His judgment has been true and just.  He will avenge all His saints that became martyrs.  In response the voices will ring out alleluia because they have their eternal home in Heaven.  

    The 24 elders in Heaven will fall face first to worship God shouting alleluia along with the four beast.  From the thrown a voice will say alleluia.  Jesus praises God and commends His servants who loved and feared Him in their lives.  Everyone's voices in heaven will lift to sound like a roar of a might ocean wave crashing with thunder.  They are all yelling alleluia,  

    This alleluia is the victory cry.  The living war for each of out souls is over and this will be the beginning of eternity.  It is believed to be Jesus' second coming.  It is the time that all Christians are waiting for.  When it happens we will all be elated.

Revelations 19:1-6

All

 

    All in Hebrew is khol (כֹּל).  In Greek all is óloi (όλοι).  Then in Latin all is omnia.  Together they conclude that all is everything.  This includes quantity, group, or things, but emphasizes numbers.

    God is the only living God. He commands all people to love Him with all your heart, soul, and strength.  This means that you commit yourself to His commands.  Meditate on them and have them become a standard for your moral living.  Teach them to your children.  Pray over them, so that they become a part of who you are.  Put reminders where you need them.

    When you choose your own path over the path God has prepared for you, then you are asking for trouble.  When God's people did that for a number of generations, God exiled them from the promised land for 70 years.  They cherished His gift over Him.  He had to teach all His people a lesson on priorities.  His plans are always for our benefit.  Pray over your plans and listen to how God responds before moving forward.  All your plans need to go through Him for approval.  He may take things away for a while for your benefit, but He will also restore your fortune.

    Jesus was asked how a person can have eternal life.  Jesus returned the question by asking how well did they know God's Word.  The man responded that you are to love God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind.  Then you are to love your neighbors (all people).  Jesus concluded he was correct.  We know the secret of salvation.  We don't need to ask anymore.

    We have all sinned and fallen short of God's standards, but in God's glory and grace He still gave us Jesus.  Jesus freed us from our penalty of sin when he sacrificed himself for all of us.  This is proof that God is more than fair to His people.  He has shown us all His righteousness, justice, and love.  All you have to do is follow Jesus.

    Be grateful for all that you have in life: things, people, animals, health, all aspects of life.  It is the secret to living a happy life.  Whether you have a full stomach or you go hungry, plenty or little in life you can choose to be grateful for what you do have or not.  If God is directing it, then you can do all things in life.  He provides you the strength.  He prepares you.  He will never send you alone.  When things get hard, remember that truth.

    Remain faithful to what you have learned in the Bible because you know the truth.  You have received wisdom in trusting Jesus.  God inspired all the scriptures and the Holy Spirit will guide you how to use them in all circumstances.  He will use them to correct you when you need it.  God prepares and equips His people in every way to serve in good works.

    Do not forget because time is not bound to be linear for God like it is for us.  He sees all.  He remembers all (unless you repent and he erases it from you).  God is not slow.  He is patient.  He is being patient for our sake, so that we all have a good chance to turn to Him and find salvation.  He does not want to destroy anyone.  He wants us all in Heaven with Him, but it is our choice.  The day of the Lord will come.  It is our responsibility to be prepared.  

Deuteronomy 6:4-9, Jeremiah 29:10-14, Luke 10:25-29, Romans 3:23-26, Philippians 4:10-14, 2 Timothy 3:14-17, & 2 Peter 3:8-10

Alike

 

    Alive has five words in Hebrew: Echad (one or unity), Amen (certainty, truth, & verily), Neshama (Soul or Spirit), Emmett (truth), & Hesed (loving-kindness).  Aramaic has several words too.  However, Greek only used homoiōma (ὁμοίωμα) in the Bible.  It is related to Christ and man.

    Who can teach a lesson to God?  He is the judge of all things.  He is power.  He knows everything.  There is no way to surprise Him.  Some people have a lot and some do not.  How do we decide who gets what?  We don't.  Keep your focus on what you are doing, your health, your mental status, and your spiritual health.  Work on being vigorous and fit.  We all die whether we are rich or poor.  Death makes us alike.  Do not let the differences keep you from relating to one another.  One day we will all be dust and who was rich and who was poor will not matter.

    God is in Heaven watching all people.  He observes how we live.  He made us, so He understands us all alike or in the same manner.  He knows what you do and why you do it.  No matter who strong a person or group is, it will not save them.  If you want victory in life, then you have to turn to God.  Nothing can overcome His strength including you.  We have to align yourself with His purpose to find victory in life.  This is what makes us alike in life.  Turn against God and nothing can save you.

    The actions of all people are alike in God's hands.  The Godly and the wise will never understand why people are chosen to have favor over another.  The same destiny ultimately awaits us all whether righteous or wicked, clean or unclean, religious or atheist.  In life the good receive the same treatment as the bad, but in eternity we all find truth and justice.  We all have to live life alike: good times, bad time, choices, feelings, and death.  We are more alike than we are different.

Job 21:22-26, Psalm 33:13-17, & Ecclesiastes 9:1-2

Alive Part 3

 

    Death came into this world through man, but so did life.  Jesus' resurrection brought life back to people's souls.  Sin is the root to all human death.  Jesus is the root to eternal life.  You can live your life feeling alive and not just tied down to this world,  There is an order to resurrection.  Jesus raised, then the deceased will raise, then the living followers will raise.

    God is rich with mercy and love for people.  Our sins were dragging our souls to eternal death, but He gave us Jesus.  Jesus gives every person the opportunity to be alive.  It is through His grace we have salvation.  Nothing we do will save us.  It is God's kindness that He never stops trying to reach each and every one of us.  We can all live united in Christ.

    Christians are God's chosen holy people.  He loves us.  His love provides us with the ability to have a tender heart, mercy, humility, gentleness, and patience.  We need to forgive and love each other the best we can like God loves us.  It is through loving forgiveness that we are alive today. Godly love binds us in harmony and allows peace to rule our hearts.  Be thankful for this blessing in life and encourage each other.

    Jesus suffered for yours and everyone else's sins.  He took all the sins of the world upon him at one time at the cross.  He buried them with his body.  He took on our sins as if they were his own, but He never sinned.  He allows us to be alive because he loves us.  His resurrection gives us the opportunity to live a full life and have an eternal home.  You just have to have faith and follow Him.  He will not lead you astray.  He suffered a physical death, but his resurrection gave life to our spirit.

    Jesus is the first and the last.  He is living in Heaven with God.  He died, but he lives forever.  He holds the keys to live and death.  He is at the door to eternal life or eternal death.  You need him even if you don't think you do.

1 Corinthians 15:21-23, Ephesians 2:4-7, Colossians 2:12-15, 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18, 1 Peter 3:18, Revelations 1:17-18

Alive Part 2

 

        Jesus rose from the dead early Sunday morning.  The first person who saw him was Mary Magdalene, but roughly 500 more people saw him before he ascended into Heaven alive.  Mary is the woman that Jesus drove seven demons from.  She was fully alive because of what He had done.  Her gratitude and love for Jesus was pure and true. She went to the his disciples to tell them the good news and relieve some of their suffering from losing him. She is the one that told them Jesus was alive.  

    Mary was not the only woman at the tomb that Sunday morning.  The other women had an amazing report too of what they saw and experienced at Jesus' empty tomb.  It took some time to realize that Jesus' body wasn't missing.  It was alive.  He is alive.  An angel informed the women that had not seen Jesus in person that he was alive. 

    When Jesus ascended, he left behind what he had taught to his disciples.  He left them with instructions to teach what they knew.  He left them with the Holy Spirit to direct them.  For 40 days after the resurrection, Jesus stayed to prove that he was alive and to promise them that one day He will return still very much alive.  

    When you become a Christian, your former life united with Jesus on the cross.  Your sin is buried in the tomb to never resurrect again.  What comes to life is the new you ready to embrace the world as it is in your new perspective.  The power of sin no longer has control over you. 

    Jesus resurrection empowered us to rise free from the chains of sin.  Death has no power over him, so it no longer is something that we need to fear.  Instead we can embrace God's glory.  We are alive through Jesus.  He who was dead is now alive and all that follow him will live.    

Mark 16:9-11, Luke 24:22-24, Acts 1:1-5, Romans 6:5-11, & Revelations 2:8

Alive Part 1

 

    Alive in Hebrew is Chay (חי).  nephesh chayyah is translated into living soul.  Chay is used in the Old Testament 763 times.  Alive in Greek is zontanós (ζωντανός).  Then in Latin it is vivus.  Most of the English language derived from Latin.  Not really sure how we got alive from vivus.

    Noah was a righteous man that lived among evil people.  He walked closely with God when everyone else was rejecting Him.  He had three sons that he raised to follow God.  They did, but they were not considered blameless like Noah.  Noah was kept alive because of the choices he made to follow God and led his family to do the same.

    Joseph was another man kept alive to serve God's purpose.  He had many people turn against him over his life, but God was always with him.  When his own brothers tried to get rid of him, God turned it into a good life.  Joseph had many ups and downs, but he never abandoned his walk through life with God.  God healed his heart so well that he was not even angry with his brothers for what they did.  Instead he saw how it was a blessing in disguise.  God had sent him ahead to keep his family alive during the famine that had been decided upon many years before by God.

    Aaron sacrificed a bull as a sin offering to purify himself and his family before God.  Then two male goats were chosen.  One would be sacrificed at the tabernacle's entrance and one released into the wild to stay alive.  Sacred lots were cast to decide how things would proceed.  This made it where the people were made right with God and could stay alive.  Sin always kills.  It always required blood to purify.  Thank goodness we have Jesus as the final blood sacrifice.

    God opened the earth to swallow up some evil men.  Their sins corrupted everything they owned.  That meant that the ground also swallowed their family and all their possessions.  They went into their grace alive and then the earth closed in around them.  They vanished from the Israel nation in a span of seconds.  This scared the nation and they fled.  God brought forth fire from the sky that burned up 250 more men who were offering incense.

    Moses understood the importance to obey God in all things.  He encouraged the Israel nation to follow God no matter what.  He used what God had done to Baal-peor as an example.  God had destroyed all who followed Baal, god of Peor.  Everyone who stayed faithful to God stayed alive.  

    Today, if we stay faithful to God, we live a healthier and more productive life.  We stay alive.  God gives justice to His people.  When you follow God and your strength is gone, then He will give you what you need.  He will give you refuge.  You don't waste things in life.  To be alive is a gift.  He will heal your wounds (mental, emotional, and physical) with His powerful hands.

    Be kind to the poor and you will find joy because you will see how God rescues people from trouble.  God protects His people and keeps them alive to prosper.  He will rescue you from the true enemy.  He will nurse you back to health.  He will restore your life.

Genesis 6:9-10, 45:3-87, Leviticus 16:6-10, Numbers 16:31-35,  Deuteronomy 4:3-4, 32:36-39, & Psalm 41:1-3

Alienated

 

    Alienated in Hebrew is lenaker (לְנַכֵּר). In Greek it is  Apoxenoménos (Αποξενωμένος).  In Latin it is Alienatus.  It means to make distant.  It means you belong to another place.  It describes a person separated or estranged from their people.  It was introduced into the English language in the early 1500s.

    God's nation became like a prostitute selling themselves to idols.  It was literally painted on the walls.  It displayed luxury and finery.  It means that people sold themselves to the enemy to get what they wanted in the moment.  It was happiness that would never sustain itself.  God considers this adultery against Him because His people defiled their covenant with Him.  When we do this, we alienate ourselves from God.  Idolatry pollutes your mind and relationship with God.

    To honor God and make Him happy with you is simple.  You need to live an obedient lifestyle.  He does not take advantage of that attitude like people do.  You will never be able to make yourself right with God on your own.  You need Him to initiate the change.  Once you start following Jesus, your perspective changes and you can see the truth more clearly.  However, if you choose religion over a relationship with God, then you are actually only alienating yourself from God by making yourself your own god.  Religion has you fall from His grace.  It doesn't save you.

    Be grateful for what you have in life and see how God has always provided when you needed it.  He send people to help you.  He gives you gifts that are all around you.  You just need to be able to see and appreciate them.  Be willing to make small sacrifices in life for your relationship with God and you will be found acceptable and pleasing to God.  You will discover glorious riches of different kinds.  The eternal glory of God is the most important.  Understanding without action leads to eternal alienation from God and all His glory.  Ignorance is not an option.  A heart that follows Jesus will seek the truth.

    Once upon a time we were all enemies of God.  We were all alienated, but at some point you make a decision to follow and become a part of His family or to stay alienated.  God is the only one that can separate you from your evil thoughts and desires.  It all starts with salvation.  The moment that you choose faith in Jesus to be a part of you, you enter God's presence in a new way.  You automatically become blameless.  After that is is just maintenance.  

    To stay alienated is to be stuck in wickedness with no hope for your mind or soul.  Choose to reconcile with God and discover a freedom you could never imagine.  Find out how much easier it is to handle life without all the burdens that the world places on your shoulders.

Ezekiel 23:14-17, Galatians 5:2-4, Ephesians 4:18-20, & Colossians 1:21-22