Unprecedented Times & What That Means for Us As Believers

What manner of man shall we be in these unprecedented times? Should we continue business as usual or is there something YHVH wants us to learn in this time of isolation and reflection? I submit to you that there is and that this is a time of introspection and retrospection concerning our choices and the direction in which we are heading. I pray that this video will challenge you to research some of the traditions we hold dear and hold them up to the light of truth for examination by the Word of God.

How Do We Know We Are Walking in The Spirit?

 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. (1Jn 2:16)

There are three areas in which our sin will fall under, for as it was in the beginning so it now is.  It is what the Serpent left in the world when he tempted Eve to sin against God.  Scripture says it best there is nothing new under the sun. (Ecc. 1:9)  The three ways that the prince of this world used to take the authority that God had given mankind in the beginning fell under these three categories.  Genesis 3:6 reveals the effect of the enemies conversation, as she “saw that the tree was good for food” (lust of the flesh),  “pleasant to the eyes” (lust of the eyes), “a tree desired to make one wise” (pride of life).  The power of his subtle persuasion placed a deceptive thought such that she bought a lie of the enemy to indulge in that which would have catastropic effects on every seed she would bring forth from that moment on.  As if the pain of childbirth wasn’t enough she will also leave the legacy of her children having to bear the pain of death because of her choice.  Not that I am picking merely at her, because her actions did start the ball rolling but Adam’s participation sealed their fate.

Fortunately, Yehoshua turned this all around for us and left an example we could follow in fighting the temptation of the enemy in his 40 days and 40 nights in the wilderness.  He conquered all three of those temptations, but it started with denying the flesh. He had done a 40 day fast, putting away of the flesh when the temptation by the enemy to indulge in the lust of the flesh came forth.  His response was based on having full focus and faith in the written Word of YHVH.  The very opposite of what Adam and Eve had as they chose to eat of the tree they were forbidden to eat from.  The same temptations mentioned in 1 Jn 2:16 occurred to both Adam and Eve and Messiah Yehoshua in the wilderness yet  YeHoSHua conquered it, which reveals to us how to live a sinless life should we choose to follow the instructions provided.  A sinless life is not void of obstacles, but it doesn’t allow the obstacles to dictate the response, it allows the word of God spoken by the Spirit of God that dwells in you to direct the action.  Knowing the steps that proceeded the temptation is key to our success, and ignoring those steps will be the reason we will fail.

Let’s consider what happened just before Yehoshua is taken into the wilderness to deal with the devil.  First he is baptized by John the Baptizer, publicly honored by His Father and the Spirit of God descends upon Him in the form of a dove.  Hence the sanction and the power of God must come first before we are in a position to deal with the temptation of the enemy.  This is why if all we do is lead one to the Lord but we do not empower them to deal with the enemy we set them up for failure. Because rest assured once you leave the camp of the enemy to join the camp of the Lord that the enemy is going to test you.   Not that Messiah was ever in the camp of the enemy, but rest assured he was empowered before he had to go toe to toe with the enemy in fighting the three temptations that we face daily with failure.  Keep reading though because I believe the keys to overcoming the enemy is written in scripture.

The empowerment of the Holy Spirit is an absolute must have before you enter into ministry. Don’t believe me then ask yourself why Messiah told his disciples to wait in Jerusalem?  See its one thing when you have the Anointed One on earth walking, talking, and sanctioning you to move in that sort of power.  But Messiah knew that when he left that they would not be able to do what he did without having the Holy Spirit dwelling within them.  Himself serving as an example for scripture records no miracles performed by the Messiah prior to His Baptism.  He became that seed that he spoke to them in parables about.

And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. (Joh 12:23-24)

His death was expedient for us because had he not died the same Spirit that operated in Him when He was alive could not then operate in us.  He became that wheat that fell into the ground and was multiplied into much fruit, how?  This is where you need to understand a little something about agriculture.  Anyone who works in the ground understands that what fertilizes plants is basically compost, the return to the earth of that which couldn’t be used by us being recycled in the ground,  this in return puts energy into the ground so that it can fertilize more plants which produce more fruit.  It is from one seed that a tree is produced.  The amount of fruit that is produced on a tree is determined by the strength of the plant, which is fed by the dirt in the ground, in which the dirt in the ground is the recycling of that which has decayed.

Getting our Flesh in check!

Often times when Messiah shared with people he spoke in parables.  Many of those parables were relatable agricultural functions that he applied directly to us as people.  Upon pondering this thought it dawned on me that this is a critical component in our walk to understand as the remedy for NOT walking in the lust of the flesh.  Galatians reveals the anecdote to this problem is for us to walk in the Spirit. (Gal. 5:16) However, First John mentioned earlier reveals that there are three areas of temptation that we must conquer in order to leave the sin nature behind us, to which Gal. 5 provides the remedy to only one of, and that is the lust of the flesh.

In the Spirit of Yehoshua’s parable lets consider the answer for walking in the Spirit.  This is the question Yah put forth to me, how do we know what type of fruit tree we have?  My mother in law had a tree growing in her garden but she didn’t purposely plant it so she didn’t know what kind it was.  It took a few years before we could determine what it was as it didn’t bear any fruit the first few years but it steadily grew and put forth lots of leaves.  It was working hard at growing but its fruit took a long time to come forth.  Yet, one can’t know a tree accept by its fruit, and one can’t know if they are walking in the Spirit accept by its fruit.  Many of us are putting out lots of leaves, but no fruit is evident yet.  The fruit of walking in the Spirit is revealed in Galatians, and if we be led of the Spirit this is readily identifiable because the fruit will be evident, if we are not led of the Spirit then the evidence of the flesh will be there.   Therefore we are either led of the Spirit or working in the flesh.

We get the fruit of the Spirit when we are born again, but no fruit comes fully mature when it first blooms.  It is only as it continues to grow that it reaches full maturity.  It is only matured fruit that can be satisfactorily eaten by others and enjoyed for its many benefits.  Premature fruit is not only less satisfying but less beneficial.  It lacks all the nutrition we need in order for our bodies to get the full benefit of its fruit.

There are nine fruit of the Spirit discussed in Galatians 5:22-23, and those who have matured in all of these nine fruit of the Spirit walk lawfully before their Elohim.  As verse 23 states against these nine there is no law.  Knowing what fruit the Spirit of God produces in your life and identifying its effectiveness in your life makes for a walking in the Spirit filled life.

I will be covering the nine fruit of the Spirit and empowering you with the scriptures you should meditate and fully understand so that you can have victory over the lust of the flesh, that you might walk in the Spirit in your life.

Be on the lookout for the articles that are to come:

1. Love The Greatest Of Them All
2. Joy Does the Heart Good
3. Hold Your Own Peace
4. Patience Has A Perfect Work
5. Try A Lot of Gentleness
6. Goodness Has Returning Power
7. Faith Has A Pleasing Touch
8. Meekness Makes For Prosperous Leadership
9. A Little Temperance Goes A Long Way

This Passover

Every year I ask the Lord to keep me current with his feast.  Just as every season is different from the one that preceded it, every year Yah is showing, sharing, and preparing us for what is to come.  As it is written,

 

Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.  (Amo 3:7)

What better time for the Father to reveal something then during His appointments (Moedims)?  Therefore, we always keep doing the commandments of YHVH, but every year we are seeking Him for deeper meaning of His word and what is He revealing to us now through current events.  As always He never lets me down in that regard as I was instructed by my husband to make sure that I cover the points that address why we are doing what we do this night of the Passover.  Well I wrote a thesis, but I basically had only enough time to share the summation of the matter.  Nevertheless, I am excited to share the nuggets that I received and hope that this will be food for those who are looking at celebrating Passover next year to chew on.  This year the response came as 3,2,1.

There were 3 things significant about the lamb?

1. They had to select their Lamb 4 days prior to eating it. This gave each household four days to inspect that lamb to ensure that it was without spot or blemish. Our Messiah was fully  inspected by the religious leaders, by the government leaders, and by the people themselves and as Pilate declared there was absolutely no fault found in him. (John 19:4, 6)
2. It was a Lamb per household. While our faith is not private it is personal, and each individual must choose him to cover their sins.  While in the Passover in Egypt each family had to have a lamb per household we know that YeHoSHua is the once and for all Lamb that takes away the sin of the world.
3. Nothing of the Lamb was to go to waste. The significance of extending your family such that if a household couldn’t eat it all that they had to bring in neighbors was because not one bit of that lambs life was to be unaccounted for.  Not any acceptable part of that Lamb was to be discarded just as not one part of our Messiah’s body was unaccounted for.  What was advised not to be eaten was to be proper disposed of.

Today we know that Lamb they were required to eat, that it represented the Lamb who was slain from the foundation of the world, Messiah YeHoshua.         Rev. 13:8

Why unleavened bread?  There are 2 significant points concerning why no leaven.

• There wouldn’t be time as we read they had to eat the food in haste because their deliverance was coming. Yeast requires time to grow and they would not have time for the yeast to develop to leave.  The feast of unleavened bread reminds us to be prepared for the time that our Lord will deliver us from the House of Bondage wherever that place of bondage may be.
• Leaven is a type of sin. Just as that leaven had to be put out of the house and remain out for seven days.  Yah wanted us to understand that sin is not allowed in His house, as His people we are called to live set apart lives pleasing and acceptable unto him and in His house there is no room or place for sin.

The prophet Isaiah lets us know that He (Messiah YeHoSHua) is that unleavened bread that was bruised for our iniquities, who the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and by whose stripes we are healed.

The Bitter Herb

Can you drink from the cup?

The Messiah before he went to the cross asked the two disciples who wanted to be placed on his left and right side when he comes into his kingdom this very important question. (Matt. 20:22) YeHoSHua knew that he was going to have to drink that bitter cup, and their response was yes.  He assured them as He does us that we will have to drink from that bitter cup.  As scripture is replete of examples that those of us who will live godly will suffer persecution.  For we are not greater then the master as HE had to drink so shall we.  The bitter herb is a reminder for us that a day of bitterness awaits us for we are not of this world and therefore we will be hated as he was hated.  We will be persecuted as He was persecuted.

New Year, New Season, Spring Cleaning

Rosh HaShanah!

The head of the year A.K.A. The New Year has come in and come Sunday evening, it will be the fifteenth day of the first month on the Creator’s Calendar, and April 1 on ours.  Every year we come into a new season I ask the Lord what He wants to show me about Passover that I didn’t know before.  What new thing in me does He want to renew and what old thing in me does He want taken out so that I can continue to walk in victory.  This year would not leave me wanting for anything as I have more that He is sharing then I believe I ever had before.

Getting My House In Order!

Passover has a built in filter for the process that we have termed “spring cleaning”.  There are several things in particular I want to point out concerning this Passover that is important.  The cleaning was one thing that was significant, but one difference from our spring cleaning and the cleaning required for Passover is the cleaning that Yah instructed His people to do during this time was specifically related to leaven.  Biblically speaking leaven has both a positive and negative use, just like a battery.  Leaven in scripture is compared to sin, but is also positively used to describe how Yah has sowed His people in the earth.  (Matt 16:6,11-12; 1 Cor. 5:6-8; Matt. 13:33)

In First Corinthians we are admonished to get rid of the old leaven, and to become a new lump.  The dual principle of leaven is it shows us that when we do what we do in our own strength, carrying out the rudiments of our own ways that it is unprofitable for the kingdom, but if we allow the Lord to sow us in the earth like leaven we impact the world for His kingdom.  Nevertheless the purging is essential because over time we begin to find that we collect things that the Lord has not given us nor instructed us to carry.

For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (Mat 11:30)

This scripture to me is a very easy way we can see if we are taken in more then we can handle.  The more we have the more responsible we have to be with what we have and this in and of itself can be burdensome.  The tell tell signs that you are biting off more then you can chew is when you are unable to sleep, you don’t have time to fix a proper meal for yourself or your family, unable to take one day off to rest, and physically you are tired, blood pressure is high, and immune system is low.  We often times just use drugs to bandaid these warnings, but the truth of the matter is these are signs that you are biting off more then you can chew.  You are looking to yourself rather then looking to the Author and Finisher of your faith.  This is a good time to look and see if you are carrying things or holding on to things that Yah is saying let go of, give to another, lighten your load, get rid of.  Too often we take on projects and attempt to meet the needs of others when in reality what we need to take is a break.

Everything that Yah created for us to take into our bodies was meant to come out.

The things God has for us to consume are like us and the things that we need to live, its death in us producing life in us.  Just as real food expires, we expire, and guess what no two seasons are the same.  There may be some things that God has planted in your life to be like a tree that should never be taken down.  I liken those things to being your legacy.  Your legacy represents what you plant in the earth that is to be perpetually producing even after you are gone.  However, we don’t want to confuse that which is supposed to be a tree (legacy) with that which is supposed to be the fruit on the tree.  Fruit, unlike the tree has a time that it is to be picked, a certain amount of time that it should be consumed, and in time if it is not consumed it will expire or rot.  Probably one of the most profound truths that Yah has given us in nature is the picture of what happens when we allow the perfectly good fruit He has given us to waste rather then us to consume that thing so that it can fulfill it’s purpose.  Like that fruit we allow a thing Yah has placed in us to expire rather then maximize the benefit of that thing.  Think about it, when we waste a piece of fruit the ground gets the benefit of its nutrients, if we would have consumed it our bodies would reap the benefit, the fact that it is adding to our life means that others get to benefit from the strength it provides to us, and finally the ground still gets the benefit of it because what comes in is destined to come out and to the ground is where it inevitably goes.

Do we fully fill our purpose? Like so many things in my freezer we try to hold on and extend the life of something till it is convenient for us to consume it and by the time we are ready that thing we eat has lost much of its nutrients and if we wait too long becomes unprofitable altogether for us.  I liken this to a purpose not fully filled.  We may do our part to begin with, we pick it from the tree, we wash it and preserve it, if we aren’t ready to eat it we store it.  However, everything that is made to profit our bodies expire whether we use it or lose it.  To put in all the grunt work to preserve the food, only to let it spoil is to start a project that never is completed or begin a race where you get to the finish line and just stop.

If we take that fruit to its end beyond storing it but actually consuming it then we have fulfilled the purpose of the fruit. For the fruit wasn’t created to just rot and go back to the ground it was created to first be consumed by something else that has life, human or animal and then after decomposition within our system return to the ground as fertilizer.  To grow and then wither without being consumed is like aborting its purpose, for us to live and die but haven’t fulfilled the purpose to which we were called is the same thing.  This is why it was important for Messiah’s disciples to understand what He mean’t that we must eat His flesh and drink His blood.  If we come close enough to study God’s word, to teach others about its importance but we never make a commitment ourselves then it is as if we just trodden His precious blood underfoot and trampled on it.  We won’t get the benefit of His word unless we consume it and make it apart of our life like that piece of fruit becomes when we digest it.

Another aspect of leaven is it holds you down and too much of it becomes a burden.  It is just like the principle of giving and receiving.  We are called to be vessels for His glory there is but so much that He gives us to retain, the majority is to be poured out like the blood of our Messiah was poured out for us on Passover.  The other picture of removing the leaven is the emptying of ourselves so that we can be filled with Him.  Most of us are so full of ourselves there is no room in us for God’s glory, and since He won’t share the space He created in us with anyone else we find ourselves further from hearing and doing what He has called us to do.  Thus, removing the old unprofitable, out of season leaven makes room for the new.

Preparing for Departure:

The final aspect of Passover that Yah has been dealing with me on didn’t begin  this year but in the past few years is living ready to leave.  The greatest challenge our forefathers faced who lost their lives in the wilderness was an attachment to the convenience, the comfort, and “perceived” reliability of the house of bondage.  While they complained about the harsh treatment of Pharaoh such that their cries reached heaven and Yah begin to make preparations to deliver His people. (Exo. 2:23; Exo. 3:7)  The constant murmuring of the people in the wilderness was about returning to this place that was a place of harsh bondage.

Never confuse the time to get patriotic and fight with the voice of Yah to go!

We should never become so determined to be somewhere that we can’t hear the voice of the Father when He is instructing us to go.  The greatest picture of the place where God’s presence is to dwell is within us.  While during the time Messiah walked the earth there was a temple that was built by man’s hands but the evidence that was clear was that God’s glory wasn’t there.  Sounds familiar?  We need to really be honest with ourselves and ask if what we are doing, how we are worshiping God if His glory, His presence is really with us?  The worst deception that we can be in is to be self deceived.  This is one of the benefits to me of Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread because a New Season opens the door for not just getting old things out in the natural but doing a real self check on where we are in our walk with God.  Like the instructions given in scripture concerning  fruit trees if what we are doing isn’t producing fruit and it should be then we need to really analyze do I continue or do I start fresh? Am I wasting my fertilizer (finances, time, and energy) on this particular tree that could be producing something more somewhere else?  Do I need to just take some time and determine where I should be?  Should I be walking, sitting, or standing?

If we haven’t reached whatever that level was we had hopes for something its okay to acknowledge that and move on.  It is better even to bury that thing and move on, knowing that when or if Yah desires to bring that thing to pass He is able to resurrect it.  However, there comes a point where human effort is futile and acceptance that you have beaten whatever that horse is long enough has to be acknowledged and you just move on.

This moving on in life was a part of the Hebrew culture.  I am always amazed as I consider the life of Father Abraham.  Here is a man who was willing to follow the Father, leaving behind the comfort and familiarity of home to go where the Father led him without having a sure planned map.  It is no wonder he is considered the Father of our faith because too many of us become too comfortable with remaining stagnant when the writing is all over the wall that the Father has moved on.  Fear of the future paralyzes us to remain comfortable in the present, and usually it takes becoming extremely uncomfortable or as it has been in the past few years a need for God to tear the structure completely down before we catch a clue.  In fact, this is also apart of Abraham’s life, the two times he found himself in Egypt he willingly gave his bride away was in search of food.  Hunger will drive you out of a place and into another, however the danger in that is like Abraham and like Lot you risk losing your family chasing convenience at the expense of following Yah.

It is said of Abraham that he was looking for a city whose builder and maker was God. (Heb. 11:10)  I don’t know if he actually found that place while he walked the earth, but I can sure appreciate His trust in God to chase after Him instead of the deceitfulness of riches and the lust of other things which hinder so many of us from moving with Him.  We have so many excuses for why we can’t simply do what the Father calls us to do.

To that end walking in the Spirit has been what the Father has led me to focus on this year.  My goal is to do a series of articles on the fruit of the Spirit spoken of in Galatians.  If there was ever any time in history that we needed to know that we are standing on a sure foundation this is it.  So many of us are always learning, with knowledge being so abundant, but how many of us are coming into a knowledge of the truth? How many of us are doing what the book of James admonishes us to do, which is not just be hearers of the word but doers?  This is a new season and like Passover was when it was originally put into place we had better be ready, with our staff in our hands and our shoes on our feet. Ready to move with the Spirit of God and to leave the place and things of bondage to pursue that place that the Father has prepared for us.  A New Year, A New Season, and Now it is time for Spring Cleaning!