Spring 5768 (Spring 2008)

Location: My Messianic Jewish Congregation

Event: 9:00 am New Testament Bible Study

 

Study had just started with the tenth chapter of Acts:

 

Acts 10 Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)

 

10 There was a man in Caesarea named Cornelius, a Roman army officer in what was called the Italian Regiment. 2 He was a devout man, a “God-fearer,” as was his whole household; he gave generously to help the Jewish poor and prayed regularly to God. 3 One afternoon around three o’clock he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming in and saying to him, “Cornelius!” 4 Cornelius stared at the angel, terrified. “What is it, sir?” he asked. “Your prayers,” replied the angel, “and your acts of charity have gone up into God’s presence, so that he has you on his mind. 5 Now send some men to Yafo to bring back a man named Shim‘on, also called Kefa.

 

When we got to “also called Kefa” I interrupted the reader and said to the Instructor: “X—, Cornelius was an Army Officer!” X— looked at me blankly and said; “Yes.”; and went back to reading. I interrupted X— again most insistently; “X— Cornelius was an Army Officer!!” Now X— looked up intently and said; “YES!” For some reason that I could not understand I was overcome with emotion and blurted out; “We are supposed to be holy because YAH is holy. How can I be holy with what I have seen?” Not waiting for an answer I got up, rushed to my car and just started aimlessly driving. In an hour the emotions had subsided and I went back to the Synagogue for the service. As I entered the front door there was X— who said; “Are you OK?” The words came out of my mouth; “I just needed to go and put the genie back in the bottle and replace the cork.” After I said that I felt silly, but shook it off and went into the service.

 

The hour’s drive home late in the afternoon after Torah study was full of prayer, trying to understand. Ten years of minor flashbacks were vanquished years ago. But maybe all I had done was “put the cork on the bottle”. Years of nightmares walking point on jungle trails; waking up in the middle of the night terrified and the bed soaked with sweat. Events in everyday life that trigger and pull me back into memories and cause a deep terror and raw fear. YAH! Don’t let me go there again!

 

Weeks of prayer trying to understand went by. Finally one day in prayer, I heard -The-VOICE-

“Be still and know that I am your GOD.”

 

That’s interesting I thought and looked up the sentence with the computer. What I found was Psalm 46:10 (Be still, and know that I am God). Interesting! The Ruach had personalized that line for me, but what does it have to do with the current situation?

“Be still and know that I am your GOD.”

Be still, and know that I am God

 

I was in awe! After six years of atheism, YAH answered my prayer with a miracle straight out of the Book of Acts. (testimony) Now what is YAH telling me? I decided to sit down and study that Psalm. My breath was taken away when I read the few lines above 10.

 

9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;

He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two;

He burns the chariot in the fire.  (NKJV)

 

From a small child in Germany, to U.S. Army service as an adult, the evil of war haunted me all of my life. Verse 9 showed me that YAH is in charge and HE will, in HIS time, cause war to cease but that there will be war and I don’t need to understand. Trust YAH and be at peace.

 

I believe with all my heart that YAH heals in HIS time, in HIS way, through HIS Ruach. Daily deep prayer, praising HIS NAME, giving thanks and praying for “The Peace That Passes All Understand”, turning this entire situation over to YAH; I have never had another episode. Praise YAH!

Psalm 46 Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)

 

46 (0) For the leader. By the descendants of Korach. On ‘alamot [high-pitched musical instruments?]. A song:

 

2 (1) God is our refuge and strength,

an ever-present help in trouble.

3 (2) Therefore we are unafraid,

even if the earth gives way,

even if the mountains tumble

into the depths of the sea,

4 (3) even if its waters rage and foam,

and mountains shake at its turbulence. (Selah)

 

5 (4) There is a river whose streams

gladden the city of God,

the holy habitation of ‘Elyon —

6 (5) God is in the city.

It will not be moved —

when daybreak comes, God will help it.

7 (6) Nations were in turmoil,

kingdoms were moved;

his voice thundered forth,

and the earth melted away.

 

8 (7) Adonai-Tzva’ot is with us,

our fortress, the God of Ya‘akov. (Selah)

9 (8) Come and see the works of Adonai,

the astounding deeds he has done on the earth.

10 (9) To the ends of the earth he makes wars cease —

he breaks the bow, snaps the spear,

burns the shields in the fire.

11 (10) “Desist, and learn that I am God, (10 Be still, and know that I am God; NKJV)

supreme over the nations,

supreme over the earth.”

 

12 (11) Adonai-Tzva’ot is with us,

our fortress, the God of Ya‘akov. (Selah)

 

Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)

Copyright © 1998 by David H. Stern. All rights reserved.