Category: Applied Theology

Where Does Our Help Come From?

On By Bp. Justin ElwellIn Applied Theology, InspirationLeave a comment

“I lift up my eyes to the mountains, where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth” (Ps. 121:1-2). 

אֶשָּׂא עֵינַי אֶל־הֶהָרִים מֵאַיִן יָבֹא עֶזְרִי

עֶזְרִי מֵעִם יְהוָה עֹשֵׂה שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ

When the psalmist gazes toward the hills and mountains, it’s more than a scenic view, it’s a posture of longing, and searching. The hills and mountains symbolized strength, mystery, even danger. But the authors eyes do not linger there on the mountains. He lifts his eyes upward, beyond creation, toward the Maker of “heaven and earth.”

In moments of uncertainty that stretch into fatigue, when the work feels heavy and our vision cloudy, Psalm 121:1-2 reminds us that help is not found in fleeting sources. It does not come from status, success, or human strength. It flows from the One who spoke the heavens and the earth into being.

These verses offer a sanctuary of hope. The One who made the cosmos is also shaping your life, restoring, guiding, and strengthening as He leads you through the valleys and over the summits. 

Lift your eyes. Not just to what’s ahead, but to Who is above. That’s where your help comes from. The psalmist looks to the Lord as Helper, but Yeshua/Jesus, the Word made flesh (Jn.1:14), does not just provide help, but He is our help. 

The author lifts his eyes to the Maker of heaven and earth, yet Messiah, our very present hope, is the One through whom all things were created (Col. 1:16). Still, it is not enough to just lift our eyes, as the author of Hebrews writes, “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Heb. 12:2). 

There is a messianic whisper in Psalm 121:1-2, as our help did come from the Maker of heaven and earth, even upon a hill, as Messiah Yeshua/Jesus was lifted up on a hill called Calvary/Golgotha, and from that hill, not only our help did indeed our rescue did come. 

Be encouraged. 

Maranatha. Shalom. 

Wilderness Journey in the Footsteps of Messiah

On By Bp. Justin ElwellIn Applied Theology, InspirationLeave a comment

“These are the journeys of the children of Israel, who went out of the land of Egypt by their armies under the hand of Moses and Aaron” (Num. 33:1).

Parshat Massei (מַסְעֵי, journeys) recounts forty-two encampments, each a waypoint in Israel’s wilderness journey. At first glance, it reads like a travel log; but when viewed spiritually, it becomes a mirror: a reflection of our own sojourning through life.

In the account, there are no random stops along the way. Each start and stop was “by the word of the Lord” (Num. 33:2). Even the places of hardship: Marah’s bitter waters, the thirst at Rephidim, and the rebellion at Kadesh, were part of His plan. The journey was not merely about reaching the Land, but about a people being prepared to dwell with God.

In Messianic faith, we see Messiah Yeshua/Jesus as both the destination and the companion. He is the greater Moses, leading us not just out of Egypt, but out of bondage to sin and into restoration. His footsteps sanctify our path. His presence transforms a sojourners wandering into purposeful worship.

The forty-two camps echo the forty-two generations from Abraham to Messiah (Matt. 1). Coincidence or pattern? In each generation, God is moving history toward final redemption. In each encampment, He was shaping a people for Himself, just as He is conforming His people to the image of Yeshua today (Ro. 8:29).

And so, we walk. Not aimlessly, but faithfully. Not alone, but with the Good Shepherd of Israel. Our lives may feel like a wilderness at times: dry, uncertain, and delayed. But every step is known to the One Who has ordered it (Ps. 37:23). Every pause is purposeful. Every hardship is a holy invitation to deeper faith.

We must remember: the journey is not a detour. It is the design. And Messiah walks with us, even now as our Emmanuel. 

Where are you camped today? Is it a place of rest or wrestling? Look and see the hand of God in your journey? Remember that Yeshua walks with you to the place He has prepared for you, but along the way, there may be lengthly stops in some remote places. Yet, He is still there. And in the journey, He is leading you to Himself. 

Maranatha. Shalom. 

Let the Chains Speak 

On By Bp. Justin ElwellIn Applied Theology, InspirationLeave a comment

“For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Messiah Yeshua for the sake of you Gentiles…” ? (Eph. 3:1; cf. Phil. 1:13).

Success today is often measured by freedom and influence, but the Apostle Paul’s words confront us with a paradox: strength and freedom found in chains. He does not lament his imprisonment; he reframes it. Paul sees his suffering not as a detour from ministry, but as a sacred offering, an embodied testimony of the Lord’s faithfulness (Ro 15:16).

The burden of the apostles was not solely to proclaim, but to embody the message of Messiah, even in suffering (Ro. 8:17). The disciples heart does not flee hardship, rather we interpret it in light of His glory (Ps. 119:75). Paul’s chains become a message and testimony of endurance, a living example of sacrificial love (Ro. 12:1). Running the race, even while imprisoned (2 Tim. 4:7). 

If you feel confined by circumstance, grief, or uncertainty, remember Paul. Your limitations may be the very altar upon which God displays His faithfulness, glory and goodness. Ministry and discipleship is not always movement; sometimes it is remaining faithful in stillness.

Let your chains speak and proclaim the goodness of the Father (Ps. 119:68). Let them teach. Let them honor the One who redeems all things.

Maranatha. Shalom.