Lamentations 3:21-26

.This I recall to my mind,
Therefore I have hope.

Through the L-RD’s mercies we are not consumed,
Because His compassions fail not.

They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.

“The L-RD is my portion,” says my soul,
“Therefore I hope in Him!”

The L-RD is good to those who wait for Him,
To the soul who seeks Him.

It is good that one should hope and wait quietly
For the salvation of the L-RD.

Lamentations 3:21-26

 

Be still follower of the way, rest completely in Him. G-D is merciful to the meek, acknowledge faults and rely on HIM. The creator of all things who spoke and brought the universe to existence, formed us out of the dust of the earth, shapes all things, controls all things, and knows all things, has purpose for all things that are done under the sun. We must not only strengthen our faith but we must guard it, for our faith is constantly under attack whether we realize it or not. Where is your hope when looking into the eyes of the hopeless, to whom do you direct the broken, and when the mountains upscale around you to whom do you trust to get you to the top? Being strong minded will only get you so far, and self will can be broken, but G-D will not be broken, can not be consumed, and will never leave or forsake us.

 

I neither learned wisdom
Nor have knowledge of the Holy One.

Who has ascended into heaven, or descended?
Who has gathered the wind in His fists?
Who has bound the waters in a garment?
Who has established all the ends of the earth?
What is His name, and what is His Son’s name,
If you know?

Proverbs 30:3-4

 

We must know for ourselves, and we must know for others to be the shinning example that we are called to be. To what do we find purpose? what do we define it as? everyone finds comfort in positive mindset, but this doesn't save...positive might be comforting  but if it's not pointing to the source of being positive and full of joy then it is useless. We must be a conduit for His light...this is the only way to truly transform lives, this is where wisdom and knowledge resides, not in our thoughts, not in our purposes...but in HIS. We must walk and lead to the one who HAS established the ends of the earth, who is Holy, who is righteous, who is creator of knowledge and wisdom, a mercy that abounds and makes us whole.

 

L-RD G-D creator of the heavens and earth nothing will ever satisfy my soul

nothing can ever grant me a state of peace

except your mercy, except for the provided sanctification of my soul

YOU and you alone renew and establish children returning home

YOU and you alone break strong towers that can no longer hold

 

Help us L-RD, create in us a heart that always seeks to glorify you

Help us L-RD, to not abuse the grace that you've given free of charge

Help us L-RD, to walk in your Spirit and not in our old ways

Help us L-RD, to endure in patience and not lean on our understandings

Help us L-RD, to embrace what You've already made.

 

It's Enough

Will my mouth declare your praise, when the salt starts to lose it's taste..

Will my heart be contrite, when I'm standing in Your light..

If pride didn't come before a fall, would I even seek you at all?

 

How can I forget, it's not about how I walk

but what you've done to cause me to

How can I think it's by these hands that I've been given rest

when all I do is fall on my knees in forgiveness.

 

I'm sorry it took this long to see, how far I am from who you want me to be

In the distance are the mistakes I've made, in Your forgiveness I'm saved

pardoned and redeemed by a grace that's finished and complete.

 

How can I forget, it's not about how I walk

but what you've done to cause me to

How can I think it's by these hands that I've been given rest

when all I do is fall on my knees in forgiveness.

 

I wake from a sleep of being broken, blessed to be forgiven

In silent confession I find, that I was walking blind

May I hold to what you love, and know it's enough...

 

Philippians 4:6-8

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to G-d;

and the peace of G-d, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.

Philippians 4:6-8

 

Followers of The Way, how hard it is to keep ones mind from falling away, how hard it truly is to be centered and focused on virtuous things when our surroundings and circumstances are generally not so. We all go through periods of doubt, some of us are oblivious to how much we actually doubt, and we are quick to claim that we are strong in faith, but the words and actions that pour forth are far from walking in faith. We like to hide our feelings because we want to seem pious and holy, but a real pious and holy person isn't one who hides doubt, failure, and struggle, a truly humble person admits struggle and admits when they are in the wrong. We must be prayerful for guidance, and in times where we feel we hear nothing from G-D doesn't mean He isn't there, it could very well mean that His silence is the answer, that you already know the actions required... so walk in it.

 

Having concern and worry doesn't make you less of a believer, it just makes you human, but it is what you do with the concern and worry that matters. The first priority is to completely surrender it to G-D, and that is more than just proclaiming it to Him, it is fully trusting in the fact that G-D is who He says He is and if we trust in Him... He will not only ease our minds but will guard our hearts from further bitterness towards the situation. The situation that causes worry and stress may still remain and not be quickly solved but if we truly depend and trust in G-D we should be confident and strive forward no matter what is going on.

 

We may prayerfully speak our worries to G-D, and our doubts but we don't actually fully surrender it to Him... because what we really want is for Him to completely fix and take away what causes the worry and when He doesn't we go right back into the state of mind before we sent our petitions to Him. Faith isn't an easy road, and having stress and doubt is opportunity to trust fully on our G-D, to not let the bitter seed of these doubts and worries grow but to understand no matter what happens, even if our biggest fear comes true, that G-D has a purpose and a plan in it, and we must submit and trust in HIM, to rest in whatever comes because we know G-D is bigger than our circumstances and that He is our shelter, our rock, our peace even in chaos.

 

It is all easier said then done. To think on virtuous, pure, lovely and noble things in times of major struggle is a process that is going to take our utmost, it's going to be a battle of fighting our flesh, even more so then we are usually. In this fight we are going to be drained physically and emotionally which will make it hard to keep fighting, for it is easier to just give up and let our minds run wild with negative thinking and even anger but this doesn't solve or help the situation but only adds fuel to it's fires, we can never be the ones in control of renewing our minds, we may be self willed and strong in positive thinking, and appear before others as strong, but G-D is the only one we should worry about how we are appearing. It's not about the power of positive thinking that makes you an overcomer it's about the total surrender of your mind, body and soul to G-D who will then, through the spirit, make you sufficient, it is about ultimate reliance on HIM. Notice how in Philippians the first requirement is to go to G-D in supplication and prayer, to fully come and trust in Him and then you will be able to fully think of positive things because G-D is the ultimate positive we should be focused on, and though we may be able to think positive without Him...we will never understand or have full peace of mind without HIM.

1 Corinthians 15:43

It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power.

1 Corinthians 15:43

 

quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.

Hebrews 11:34

 

Never do we see strength in weakness, never do we see uplifting in sorrow or the very hand of G-D in any and every situation. Though no action is allowed, no action is made without the very distinct purpose and will of G-D. Hell has no furry, Satan  himself has no power and can do nothing without G-D allowing it to be done. Quick to find a reason, quick to find someone or something to blame but never are we quick to just surrender and glorify G-D all the same. The days that misery is at the door, the days where everything is going wrong, the days where death snatches away, or when our very health seems to wither away...does our focus on HIM remain the same?

 

We are tried through fire, made stronger through times of pain and even sorrow has it's time and place. This is when we are to find our place of rest, our full assured shalom in G-D...not just peace to know He is there, but full assured resilience! that we can be stretched like a rubber band but yet not break, that every conflict, commotion, and life disaster can not pull us one inch away from glorifying our MASTER. Where is the sting of death? there is no sacrificial line that can be crossed, no thorn in the side that G-D chooses to remain that will ever separate us from His Kingdom.

 

We may claim to boast in our weakness like Paul did, but do we strive like Paul did, do we live as though there is no glory but HIM.. like Paul did, do we say come whatever may L-RD I will not falter from this place! I will not lose ground, will not lose hope, will not turn my eyes away even when I can barely raise my head like Job.... even amongst the most horrific tragedy I will place my hope in HIM...this should be our stance, this should be where we surrender, where we learn to put action to our faith and prove we are indeed His children.

 

1 Peter 2:16

“ As free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice,but as bondservants of G-D. “

 1  Peter 2:16

Thy freedom servant of The Most High, comes paid in full. The fine of perpetual wrath has been lifted and now thy soul is free. Oh but what a mistake, what a deception it is to use thy freedom as an excuse to sin! Your liberty comes on the blood of His Holy Son! Thy chains that clamor and bound you to a prison that you most assuredly deserve have thus been broken. You, being freed from such darkness, such long suffering of thy flesh, now must learn to walk! what fool, what vile snake...after being freed would choose to continue to sit chained in filth, only to mock the one who set free!

To claim freedom and yet be bound by your own delusions, to use your freedom you never could earn as an excuse to live exactly as you were, isn’t freedom at all! For you are still enslaved by your wicked vice, you just now think it’s by your choice...

Faith Refining

I am ADONAI; there is no other. I form light, I create darkness; I make well-being, I create woe; I, ADONAI, do all these things.

Isaiah 45:6-7

This is where you prove your faith opened up to every mistake closed in by trials and tribulations and pulled to pieces in every direction.

This is where trust comes in when dark clouds of doubt overwhelm and your flesh screams there is no hope This is the moment we DIE to our self.

This is where we sink or swim Only by the spirit can we stand again opened eyes moving past what made us blind every failure nailed to my saviors hands

This is where we prove who we are in every struggle and pain in our heart 

to keep rising up as children of G-D and not let it tear us apart.

Bring on distress and pain

bring on rejection and heartache enemy,world, and flesh do your worst

for in His death i’ve found my rest

Now forever I crucify my self-image and this is only the beginning

of how He brings change just a taste of how we prove our faith.

G-D is faithful, He is merciful...He pours water upon the thirsty. Isaiah 44:3

Ending with encouragement, the direction and focus is to be upon G-D, it’s easy when you get a vision, but hard once you start walking in it...

But keep focused on Him as Proverbs 3:5 says; do not lean on your understanding but His!

When we are going through a “refining process” it’s easy to give up, and run...but G-D has a purpose in it, let us not miss it, but glory in the fact that He is

considering us worthy to be put through the fire to refine like Gold...

Love & Repentance Part 2(Passover)

Love & Repentance part 2 (Passover)

And thou shalt love the LORD thy G-D with all thine

heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

(D’varim)Deuteronomy 6:5

Seems cliche, does it not? Loving G-D with all your heart, soul and strength, the question becomes do we really do that? Sure we can say we do, but our actions prove other wise...it’s like the saying; 

“Actions speak louder than words”

Kind of puts a new perspective on (James 2:18) if you think about it...you know; “Show me your faith without works, and I will show you my faith by my works”. This all goes hand and hand with “Love and Repentance Part-1”

You can claim to accept Messiah, and even claim to love Him...but where’s the proof? where’s the fruit?

Where’s the brokenness? Where’s the change, and the daily surrendering of self, and putting Him above everything else.

How dare we claim to love Him with all our heart and soul, and yet cling to the world...

How dare we say we are His children and we call Him Abba...but don’t show Him honor or give any reverence to His Torah(law). (Malachi 1:6)

But displaying grace unto thousands of them that LOVE me and keep my commandments.

(D’varim) Deuteronomy 5:10

exactly what Yeshua(Jesus) said;

“If you love me, keep my commandments”

John 14:15

Great peace have they which love thy law, and nothing shall offend them.

Psalm 119:165

We are so confused about what LOVE is, and yet we claim to have the author of life...We say we know His word but somehow miss the definition of it, we miss the context and the meaning between the lines. If ever we are in a quandary about what love is, we have the directions, we have the manual right at our finger tips.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, if you want to know what real love is than go read your Bible...because it does nothing but scream self-sacrificing love. I could also tell you to just go and read 1 Corinthians 13

Love is patient and kind, not jealous, not boastful,

not proud, rude or selfish, not easily angered...

ect ect ect..

And of course again, just look at our passover lamb Yeshua. But you see, the reason Love and repentance go hand in hand, is because we may know love when it is given to us, but how do we respond to it? How do we show love back becomes a key element. This is what I mean by Love and Repentance are a perfect marriage, For we wouldn’t know what real LOVE is if we didn’t know G-D, the author of love and creator of it, who first loved us before we even knew how to make a response. You see, G-Ds response is Love ours should be REPENTANCE, we show love in return to our Abba(father) by honoring what He honors, walking in His light, being led by His spirit, cherishing His torah(law), and abhorring what He abhors. 

For those that don’t know this is Passover week, This is the time we are called to remember what happened in Egypt with G-Ds chosen people(Exodus 12:14). Specifically G-D tells us in Exodus 12 that they were to slaughter a lamb or goat without defect on the 14th day of the month at dusk, and than they were to smear the blood on their door posts, and G-D would go through out Egypt slaying all the firstborn but passover the houses whose door posts were covered by the blood.

You may be asking: 

“And this has to do with Love and repentance..because?”

Well did G-D not show His love to His people by freeing them from slavery? Did they do anything to deserve it?  Most people say the “Old Testament” is full of an angry Holy god and the “New Testament” is full of a god of mercy and love...

I find that idea to be completely stupid, because I see G-D as exactly the same in “both” Testaments, and the bible makes it absolutely clear that He doesn’t change.

He is merciful to forgive and yet righteous and Holy at the same time, we absolutely see this in the sacrifice of the lamb of G-D Yeshua Ha’Mashiach. You see, Passover is symbolic of the crucifixion of Yeshua, passover should mean the world to us. Through the blood of the lamb we are freed from slavery of sin!

Through the blood of the lamb we see the absolute Holiness and Righteousness of G-D by fulfilling His wrath by crucifying His Son on a Tree, and His mercy,LOVE, and forgiveness by the same action.

So finally...and again I ask, what should our response to this be?