Tag Archive | Choosing God

Scripture Of The Week By JoBeth Kested

May31

Scripture of the week of May 31, 2026
By JoBeth Kested

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; Psalm 23:1-3a KJV

Have you ever longed for peace or comfort and rest for your soul? Our souls consist of our mind, will and emotions where we feel the afflictions of doubt, fear, sorrows and confusion that rob us of peace and paralyze our ability to hope. We are likened to helpless fearful sheep in these scriptures; and oh, what a comfort to be reminded that the Lord is our Good Shepherd caring for all our needs, lacking in nothing! We may not be quite as excited to realize that He will sometimes make us to lie down, even in green pastures, when most of us don’t like the idea of anyone making us do anything! Yet, we would all gladly welcome the quiet comfort and peace with renewing hope beside still waters if we could find it. Dear Lord, direct our steps to a still quiet place in Your presence; free from pressures, anxiety and disappointments to find the restoring rest for our souls that You have lovingly provided for us. Yes, Amen.

Scripture Of The Week By JoBeth Kested

May17

Scripture for the week of May 17, 2026
By JoBeth Kested

And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Now to our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen. Philippians 4:19-20 (NKJV)

Do you have difficulty believing that God really cares about any of the pressing needs you are currently facing? First of all, this verse profoundly declares that our God supplies ALL our need! But, if we are to understand that the doorway of His provision is in the glory of Jesus we may need to ask what is the glory? Biblically this often refers to the manifestation or the reality of God’s presence with us. Remember, one of the names of Jesus is Emanuel which means God with us. Therefore, there is a wealth of God’s provision for us as we grasp that Jesus is with us; our Prince of Peace, Wonderful Counselor, Friend of Sinners and our Savior. He is real, present and available to us in every circumstance today and everyday to meet ALL our needs. With renewed faith in His love for us, let us give worship, praise and glory to our Father God forever and ever. Yes, Amen!

Mother’s Day Blessings To You Today

May10

Mother’s Day Blessings to all the women who have stepped into the sacred role of motherhood—whether natural or spiritual—understanding that becoming a Proverbs 31 woman is a beautiful and lifelong pursuit before Adonai.

Motherhood is a God-given blessing. The fruit of the womb is His reward, and children are a precious gift that should always be regarded as such.

Enjoy this day that has been set aside to honor you, and remember that motherhood never truly ends. We raise our children, nurture them, give them room to grow, love them deeply, and then have the joy of walking beside them as they learn to mother and nurture others themselves. What a beautiful blessing Abba has entrusted to us.

So hold on—but not too tightly. Be present. Be loving. Be available with wisdom, encouragement, and grace. And above all, give thanks as you watch the beautiful fruit of your life continue to ripen, reproduce, and carry forth His goodness from generation to generation to generation.

May we all strive to be the Proverbs 31 woman that YHVH Himself formed and fashioned us to be, through Yeshua the Messiah.

Amen.

Proverbs 31:10-31

“Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.”

— Proverbs 31:10 (KJV)

Proverbs 31:10-31
King James Version
10 Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.

11 The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.

12 She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.

13 She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.

14 She is like the merchants’ ships; she bringeth her food from afar.

15 She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens.

16 She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.

17 She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms.

18 She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night.

19 She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.

20 She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.

21 She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet.

22 She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple.

23 Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land.

24 She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant.

25 Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.

26 She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.

27 She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.

28 Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.

29 Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.

30 Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.

31 Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.

Blessings and Shalom – Love Beyond Measure, Beth Auman

Scripture Of The Week By JoBeth Kested

May3

Scripture for the week of May 3, 2026
By JoBeth Kested

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10

Have you ever been paralyzed by an overwhelming fear that seems to shatter all hope and quench all your faith? Fear is the friend of doubt and unbelief and the robber of our faith. The KJV Bible mentions “fear not,” “do not fear,” and “do not be afraid” 110 times and it is usually followed by exhortations declaring that the Lord is with you. God makes five promises in this scripture: 1) He is with you. 2) He is your God. 3) He gives strength to replace your weariness. 4) He will help you. 5) He will hold you up in the power of His righteousness. So, let’s trust the power of His presence, strength and righteousness to overcome all our fears of failure and inadequacy that try to overwhelm us. May our hope be renewed and faith strengthened in these assurances of God’s steadfast love, goodness and provision for us today.

Scripture Of The Week by JoBeth Kested

Apr26

Scripture for the week of April 26, 2026
By JoBeth Kested

The Lord, your God, is in your midst, a warrior who gives victory; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will renew you in his love; He will exult over you with loud singing. Zephaniah 3:17 (NRSV)

Have ever had or are you currently in the midst of one of those difficult times where everything seems to be just too much, too hard, or too impossible? Sometimes the hard stuff feels so overwhelming when we are also battling the wounds of abandonment, betrayal or loneliness without any hope for help. This scripture reminds us that our God is with us as a mighty warrior, our champion El-Gibbor, that fights for us to bring victory into our seemingly impossible situations. We must remember that our Heavenly Father delights in us and rejoices over us with gladness. He longs to renew our faith and strength in the assurance of the reality of His loving presence. So, be encouraged with renewed hope and faith in God’s extravagant love for you! Be assured that the awesome Lord God Almighty is fighting for you and singing rejoicing songs of gladness with shouts of joy to bring you into victory! Hallelujah! Yaaay God!

Living from the Tree of Life — The Bridge of Iyar

Apr22

Living from the Tree of Life — The Bridge of Iyar


Scripture Focus:

Revelation 3:20 (CJB)
“Here, I’m standing at the door, knocking. If someone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he will eat with me.”

Devotional Reflection

The month of Iyar stands as a sacred bridge—a hinge between Nissan, where we remember the death, burial, and resurrection of Yeshua, and Sivan, where the Word was given and the Ruach HaKodesh was poured out.

It is in this in-between place that we are invited to live from the Tree of Life.

To live from the Tree of Life is to remain rooted in Yeshua—the Way, the Truth, and the Life—allowing His life to flow through us so that others may taste and see His goodness.

Iyar asks us a searching question:
What kind of bridge are we becoming?

Are we drawing others closer to Yeshua… or unknowingly pushing them further away?

A life rooted in the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil tends to measure, judge, and divide.
But a life rooted in the Tree of Life restores, invites, and reconciles.

We are called to be bridges that carry His presence.

Are we:

  • A smooth bridge, making the path easier for weary souls?
  • A steady hinge, firmly fixed to the Door—Yeshua—helping others enter into Life?
  • A musical bridge, bringing rest, beauty, and transition in the middle of someone’s storm?

Yeshua is the Door. He is the One who opens what no one can shut and shuts what no one can open (Revelation 3:7). And yet, in His mercy, He chooses to position us as living connections—hinges that remain fastened to Him, moving only as He moves.

When we abide in Him, our lives begin to harmonize with Heaven.

We no longer strive to create something impressive—we simply release what we are connected to.

The Great Commission is not fulfilled through pressure, but through presence.

As we live from the Tree of Life, we become invitations.

We become:

  • voices that echo His truth,
  • lives that reflect His love,
  • and pathways that lead others home.

Reflection Question

Am I living from the Tree of Life—drawing others closer to Yeshua through love, truth, and humility?
Or have I been operating from a place that creates distance rather than connection?

Closing Prayer

Abba Father,

Thank You for the invitation to live from the Tree of Life through Yeshua.
Root my heart deeply in Him, that everything I release would carry Your life and not my own striving.

Teach me to be a bridge that draws others closer, not pushes them away.
Make me a steady hinge, firmly fixed to the Door—moving only at Your leading.

Let my life become a song that brings rest in the storm and hope to the weary.
Align me with Your heart, Your truth, and Your Spirit.

May I walk in humility, love, and obedience as I fulfill the commission You have given.

In Yeshua’s Name,
Amen.

Declaration-Living as a Bridge of Life

I declare and decree that I will be a smooth bridge, making the path easier for weary souls.

I will be a steady hinge, firmly fixed to the Door—Yeshua—helping others enter into Life.

I will be a musical bridge, bringing rest, beauty, and holy transition in the midst of someone’s storm.

I submit myself to You, Abba Father, and I yield fully to Your Spirit.

Let my life be rooted in the Tree of Life, not striving in my own understanding, but flowing from Your presence.

Align my heart with Yours.
Establish my steps in truth.
Guard my words, that they would carry life and not division.

Make me an instrument of reconciliation, a vessel of honor, and a reflection of Your love.

Let everything I release draw others closer to Yeshua—the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

I choose humility.
I choose obedience.
I choose love.

I will walk as a bridge that connects, not separates.
I will stand as a hinge that moves only at Your leading.

And through my life, may others encounter Your goodness, Your truth, and Your eternal invitation.

In Yeshua’s Name,
Amen.

Scripture Focus

Revelation 3:20 (CJB)
“Here, I’m standing at the door, knocking. If someone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he will eat with me.”

Revelation 3:7 (CJB)
“To the angel of the Messianic Community in Philadelphia, write: ‘Here is the message of HaKadosh, the True One, the one who has the key of David, who, if he opens something, no one else can shut it, and if he closes something, no one else can open it.”

Matthew 28:19–20 (CJB)
“Therefore, go and make people from all nations into talmidim, immersing them into the reality of the Father, the Son and the Ruach HaKodesh, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember! I will be with you always, yes, even until the end of the age.”

John 14:6 (CJB)
Yeshua said, “I AM the Way — and the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father except through me.”

Scripture Of The Week By JoBeth Kested

Apr19

Scripture for the week of April 19, 2026
By JoBeth Kested

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light; 1 Peter 2:9 (NKJV)

Have you ever felt like a misfit, too different or unacceptable to others around you; your friends, at work or in your family? Sometimes it can be so hard to handle those inner voices that say, “You don’t fit”, ” Not good enough”, or “Never going to make it”. What an encouragement to find in this scripture what God has to say about you. You are a chosen one! You are a part of the elite inner circle with access to God; a Holy nation! And, you are part of a distinctive people that have accepted God’s invitation to come out of the dark painful, depressing and hopeless places into the marvelous light of His love! So lift your heart, your hands and your voice to praise the Lord because you are a chosen, special one with the opportunity to display His goodness and glory to all those around you in this world! Thank You, Lord!

Scripture Of The Week By JoBeth Kested

Apr12

Scripture for the week of April 12, 2026
By JoBeth Kested

“Do not call to mind the former things, or ponder things of the past. “Behold, I will do something new, now it will spring forth; will you not be aware of it? I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, rivers in the desert. Isaiah 43:18-19 (NASB)

Have you ever watched high flying acrobats swinging back and forth in a circus? It is so breathtaking to watch them release one swing in order to fly reaching for the next swing and safety. It seems in these verses that God is telling us that we must let go of the former and past things we are clinging to, so we can be free to reach for the new things He is preparing for us that we can’t even see yet! He is able to do sudden things like showing us the way when we feel lost and to even provide what we need in desperate places. Lord, help us let go of anything we are holding on to that keeps us from reaching for the new and blessed things you have prepared for us. Help us to find your roadway in our wilderness and Your river of life in the desert places. Yes, Amen.

Scripture Of The Week By JoBeth Kested

Mar15

Scripture for the week of March 15, 2015
By JoBeth Kested

He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me. They confronted me in the day of my disaster, but the Lord was my support. He brought me out into a spacious place; He rescued me because he delighted in me. Psalm 18:17-19 (NIV)

Have you ever felt like you are facing enemies or difficult circumstances too powerful to overcome? Sometimes we find ourselves in the midst of overpowering situations that feel like there is nowhere to turn and no one to help. These scriptures remind us that even when we are confronted with hopeless delimas and powerful foes, underneath our shaking knees we have the unshakable strength and support of the all powerful, almighty King of kings and Lord of lords. Because our Heavenly Father delights in you and me, He rescues us from any captivity and bring us out into the freedom of open spaces with new opportunities. Whatever we face today or tomorrow we must not forget to rejoice in the truth that the Lord delights in us and will always be our strength, our deliverer, and Savior. All glory, honor and praise to our God! Yes, amen!

Scripture Of The Week By JoBeth Kested

Mar8

Scripture for the week of March 8, 2026
By JoBeth Kested

For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39 (NKJV)

Have you ever experienced the abandonment of someone special, the betrayal of a friend, rejection of family, or a deep empty loneliness that won’t go away? Or, do paralyzing fears in your life or fear of death cripple your hopes for the future? This scripture is a comforting promise that no matter what valley of pain or fear we may have to walk through in this life, there is absolutely no power, nor anyplace, any person nor anything that can separate us from the love of Christ. Corrie ten Boom, a survivor of one of the worst Nazi concentration camps during WWII, once said, “There is no pit so deep, that God’s love is not deeper still.” If you struggle with past hurts, present anxiety, fear of death or fear of any future dilemma, ask Jesus to come fill your heart with His perfect love that casts out all fear. (1 John 4:18) Only Jesus can heal our hearts and fill us with His love that never fails and will never leave us. May you know the joy of God’s endless love for you today.