We as believers in Yeshua are required to walk by faith and not by sight, for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. II Corinthians 5:7, 4:18. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. I Timothy 6:7. Naked I came from my mother's womb, And naked I shall return there. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD. Job 1:21. The LORD sends poverty and wealth; he humbles and he exalts. I Samuel 2:7. You may say in your heart, 'My power and the strength of my hand made me this wealth.' Deuteronomy 8:17. But you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth. Deuteronomy 8:18. We would do well to remember that the command "do not weary yourself to gain wealth, cease from your consideration of it." Proverbs 23:4. When you set your eyes on it, it is gone. For wealth certainly makes itself wings like an eagle that flies toward the heavens. Proverbs 23:5.

Reading daily devotional Drawing Near by John MacArthur and he cited this passage: "All that the Father gives Me will come to Me." John 6:37. So every single one that the Father gives to Jesus will come to Jesus. Then I continue to read: "No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him." John 6:44. Not a single one can come unless the Father draws him to Jesus. Together only those the Father draws can come and everyone who the Father gives to Jesus will come. Are there two sets of people whom the Father gives to and draws to Jesus? Again, I am fully aware of II Peter 3:9: "The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance."

Reading my One-Year bible daily portion today and believe that Matthew 15:11 should be read in narrow context of Matthew 15:20 regarding human traditions or rituals instead of dietary law. Jesus came to fulfill the law and not to abolish it. Matthew 5:17.

I wonder what's the counsel to balance out Psalm 46:10? The Bible seems to be littered with one example after another of people not waiting on G-d and making hasty decisions. Moses out of righteous anger took matter into his own hand without waiting on G-d. Exodus 2:12. King Saul lacked faith in the prophet Samuel, and thus indirectly G-d, did thing that seemed urgently needed at the time but was in fact being disobedient to G-d. I Samuel 13:9. Peter thought he was doing his Savior a service. John 18:10.

On the other hand, Joseph from the moment he became second-in-command in Egypt, through the seven years of plentiful, the Bible had no record of him inquiring about his aged father, whom he loved and knew loved him very much. It could be that the Bible just not had it recorded. But he was never chastised for it. In fact, it was not until the second year of famine that he disclosed himself to his brothers. Genesis 45:6. Jesus, before the age of 12, basically Bar Mitzvah age, being himself fully G-d at all times, submitted to his earthly parents' authority and waited until he was an adult himself. Luke 2:43.

Patiently waiting on G-d and doing the right thing at the right time is necessary in the life of a true believer who seeks to live in obedience!

I read from my One-Year bible daily portion this morning: "All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him." Matthew 11:27. Only those to whom the Son chooses to reveal the Father would know Him. Can we ask G-d why He didn't choose one and choose the other? Who are we to question G-d? Will the clay say to the potter, "What are you doing?" Isaiah 45:9. Aren't we all have sinned and fall short of the glory of G-d? Romans 3:23. And the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23. Granted that "The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance." II Peter 3:9. But isn't G-d Himself said "as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:9. So taken together the whole counsel of G-d's Words, we have to acknowledge that G-d gave us free will to choose but also there are things that He predetermines according to His will that we lack the capacity to understand why or the ability to ask Him why.

It just now dawns on me 14 days into this year that I will have quite a few things to celebrate this year, G-d willing.

1. I will complete Biblical Hebrew III, the last class in the Biblical Hebrew language program at Baruch HaShem. After which there is no more class but only Torah reading practice sessions before each Shabbat service.
2. I will graduate from law school.
3. I will have been with my current employer Arrow S3 for 5 years.
4. I will also have been a homeowner for 5 years.
5. I will have been a Kiva lender for 5 years.

I can never thank G-d enough. Great is His faithfulness. His mercies are new every morning. His lovingkindness is everlasting through all generations.

Read through my daily portion of my One-Year Bible this morning and came across Genesis 18:8 where it appeared that Abraham set before G-d a meal that had some curds, milk and the calf (meat). Wonders if Exodus 23:19 should be interpreted more strictly as it is literally written, taking in the whole counsel of G-d's words, rather than the blanket prohibition of mixing dairy and meat altogether. And run the risk of adding into G-d's words what G-d Himself did not command in violation of Deuteronomy 4:2.