Tag Archives: Bible Q&A
Love’s Attributes (9) Love thinks no evil
Love’s Attributes (9)
(#163 from Suffer Well Devotional Series©)
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“Love thinks no evil!” (1 Corinthians 13:5)
Love thinks no evil, and therefore, Yahweh thinks no evil!
Evil, bad, spoiled, and afflicted, again as we delve into Hebrew origins, we are quick to find evil’s true meaning. If afflicted, afflicted where? In the conscience of course, in processes of thought! Therefore, if the mind is evil in thought, the mind is afflicted.
Evil is a fruit of a different kind; it rots from its core outward, from the center of consciousness out into the physical realm. We can see that it first destroys the one thinking evil and then it taints all that it comes in contact with. And even as they did not like to retain the Almighty in their knowledge, the Mighty One gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting. (Romans 1:28)
This ninth attribute of love is dealt with using much patience and faith, and this in Yahweh alone. If man could not, nor would ever choose righteousness, right thinking (Romans 3:10), then it only stands as holy truth that every thought produced from the “self” is evil. (Ecclesiastes 8:11) Be of good cheer loved one, as Yahshua the Messiah has provided a way for your mind to be redeemed. Shedding the blood (life force) of the “self”, He has shown the pattern, the narrow path, for the removal of all evil in conscience. For the worshipers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins. (Hebrews 10:2) “How does that happen?” you ask. “Your thoughts are not your own,” of course (John 12:49)! The pattern is to learn obedience to Yahweh’s commands alone, forsaking some supposed “free will” choice to do good. Obedience removes the evil within loved one. Obey and let Yahweh cleanse!
I give you a new commandment: that you should love one another. Just as I have loved you, so you too should love one another. By this shall all [men] know that you are My disciples, if you love one another [if you keep on showing love among yourselves]. (John 13:34-35)
Love’s Attributes (8) Love is not provoked
Love’s Attributes (8)
(#162 from Suffer Well Devotional Series©)
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“Love is not provoked!” (1 Corinthians 13:5)
Love is not provoked, and therefore, Yahweh is not provoked!
From its origination in Hebrew and the context of different words dealing with provocation, it is always love’s enemy that does the provoking. And though love is never hindered by it, identifying the provoker is the key.
So what are love’s enemies? Hate, pride, resentment, selfishness, greed, and on and on it goes. And, from where do these enemies derive? That’s right, from none other than the ego of man. But be of good cheer loved one, as love is not provoked. It will never be defeated by the vain conditions of the mind of man.
And this eighth attribute of love, or pillar as we gain a mental picture, speaks as the previous seven; it mocks any offense, as love itself is unoffendable. Again, love is complete as it is. Created by Yahweh as a revelation of His essence, love is filled with the power of Yahweh, the power to attain to the exact purpose of its existence. Ask yourself, “Was man created for love, or was love created for man?” How you answer this says much, and you would do well to seek His face and receive His answer.
Remember loved one, when scripture reveals that Yahweh is not provoked, it is never that love has felt the need to be anything other than what it already is. The provoking is illustrated to show you how the ego is always in opposition to the truth about love, ever straining to compromise it with intellectual and emotional rationalization!
I give you a new commandment: that you should love one another. Just as I have loved you, so you too should love one another. By this shall all [men] know that you are My disciples, if you love one another [if you keep on showing love among yourselves]. (John 13:34-35)
Love’s Attributes (7) Love Does Not Seek Its Own
Love’s Attributes (7)
(#161 from Suffer Well Devotional Series©)
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“Love does not seek its own!” (1 Corinthians 13:5)
Love does not seek its own, and therefore, Yahweh does not seek His own!
And how is it that this seventh attribute of love can be true? How is it even possible that love never seeks its own? It is simple; and at the same time it is very profound loved one. Pay attention now; listen with your mind. Love comes fully equipped! I’ll say it again; love comes fully equipped! It is complete in its design, and its design is intended to fill your soul. It will fill your soul with many things, the chief being the realization of oneness with Yahweh. And with that oneness comes the fulfillment of “Thou shall not want!” (Psalm 23:1)
Love needs nothing else for its completion; it is complete. Maybe it sounds simpler to say, “Yahweh is love” and in this we find that love is everything Yahweh is, and therefore it lacks nothing! Do not be confused at the idea that Yahweh’s demand to be exalted above all else is Yahweh needing this glorification in order to somehow be more complete. His majesty is complete and it is the realization of this majesty alone that brings the idea of reverent worship towards Him. This is a natural byproduct of the saved mind.
With our defining of love, we are left with a stake we must bear. This stake is our denial of “self” will. “If I tell someone I love them, but get offended when they do not love me the way I want, then I could not possibly be complete in love (complete in Yahweh). Love never seeks anything for itself!” Love never needs more than what it already is! Love is always a giver and never a spoiled taker. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves. (Philippians 2:3) Sear it into your conscience loved one. Walk it out, repent and be cleansed!
I give you a new commandment: that you should love one another. Just as I have loved you, so you too should love one another. By this shall all [men] know that you are My disciples, if you love one another [if you keep on showing love among yourselves]. (John 13:34-35)
Love’s Attributes (6) Love does not behave rudely
Love’s Attributes (6)
(#160 from Suffer Well Devotional Series©)
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“Love does not behave rudely!” (1 Corinthians 13:5)
Love does not behave rudely, and therefore, Yahweh is not rude!
Everything in Yahweh’s Kingdom repeats in patterns loved one, and therefore, in your life as well. Through these patterns we can deduce many things about what our minds are saying and what our thoughts really mean. If you tend to be thinking rude thoughts towards someone, you do not “love” them! If you claim otherwise, either you or Yahweh is a liar. And last we checked, “Yahweh is not a man, that He should lie.” (Numbers 23:19) If you are indeed having rude thoughts, what are they really saying?
Is this not the whole crux of the matter? What does your rudeness say to Yahweh? You would do well to decipher this and walk it out to its end. “If you think rude thoughts, who are you truly bothered with?” If you let the Spirit prevail in the declaration that “He must increase, but you must decrease” (John 3:30), you will always discover that all of your rude thoughts and “mind issues” are with Yahweh Himself. The carnal mind is always at enmity against Yahweh! (Romans 8:7) And do not be deceived loved one; rudeness is carnal! Yahweh is the Creator of every aspect of your conscious and subconscious mind. Please understand that acknowledging the truth of what He has told you about yourself is essential on your path to whole-mindedness! And whole-mindedness is your path to perfect love.
This sixth pillar of love needs much work; for as you claim to love, and yet have rude thoughts, you remain steeped in your carnal lies. And these lies are the worst kind because you are lying to yourself!
I give you a new commandment: that you should love one another. Just as I have loved you, so you too should love one another. By this shall all [men] know that you are My disciples, if you love one another [if you keep on showing love among yourselves]. (John 13:34-35)
Love’s Attributes 2 Kindness
Love’s Attributes (2)
(#156 from Suffer Well Devotional Series©)
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“Love is Kind!” (1 Corinthians 13:4)
Love is kind, and therefore, Yahweh is kind!
Good; this is kind’s definition. And of “good” we learn of the word “perfection!” This second attribute of love expresses love’s never-ending perfectness. Eventually, at attribute sixteen, we will get a perfectly clear understanding of every attribute of love, but for this attribute, we look into love’s kindness.
Kindness is part of the foundation of love. It acts as a pillar along with the other fifteen attributes. Picture it, as Peter describes its relationship to love in 2 Peter 1:5-7: But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance reverence, to reverence brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.
This leaves us with another incorruptible pattern. Anything that attempts to express itself as love, and yet is unkind, is an imposter! The healing from our failures due to our “self” expressions of love comes through repentance. For acting without kindness, pray as such: “Father, forgive me for being unkind and yet claiming to love. It is love in its totality that defines You; and my misuse has only caused pain and confusion.”
This narrow road of repentance will then release the voice of Yahweh within. The still small voice echoes, “Can I teach you how to truly love? Can I teach you how to be like Me, My Son and My Spirit?” Listen closely loved one, if you continually claim to love, and yet remain unkind for even one moment, you have failed at love. Be aware, love accepts no substitutes, and there is no such thing as human love!
I give you a new commandment: that you should love one another. Just as I have loved you, so you too should love one another. By this shall all [men] know that you are My disciples, if you love one another [if you keep on showing love among yourselves]. (John 13:34-35)
Love’s Attributes
Love’s Attributes (1)
(#155 from Suffer Well Devotional Series©)
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“Love is Patient!” (1 Corinthians 13:4)
Love is patient, and therefore, Yahweh is patient!
In its purest understanding, from its Hebraic perspective, patience means to defer, to draw out. And so we conclude that love—waits! This waiting is not only to delay any chastening that may well be due, but also defers blessing that has its perfect time and place.
Love has a total of sixteen attributes, which make up its complete structure. And, with Hebraic understanding, sixteen is seven (16=1+6=7) and seven is “completion.” So, we learn that love’s sixteen attributes reveal love’s total story, love’s completion.
As we seek to perfect this love within, we must lay a foundation that cannot be corrupted, and that is, if we fail at any one of the sixteen attributes we have not succeeded in love. The success itself is a gift of the Spirit placed within. But, what would the “self” do to destroy such an object of beauty and mystique? It would make love “common” by so easily throwing around words like, “I love you,” with such ease, ease and ultimately contempt. It reminds me of Shaul’s words to Timothy, “But they have no understanding either of the words and terms they use or of the subjects about which they make [such] dogmatic assertions.” (1 Timothy 1:7) The wise one, however, knows such things saying, “Though Yahweh is love, and His love has been placed in me, as a gift for me to offer to others, I am yet very aware of my own personal ego that seeks to water down this concept of perfect love.” The humble mind does not fail at any one of the sixteen attributes.
And so today, we set the standard that love is patient. It allows things to happen, and often “covers a multitude of sins” (Proverbs 10:12) in order to bring about the greater good. It trusts Yahweh when He says, “No one will escape making a mockery of Me; I see everything!”
I give you a new commandment: that you should love one another. Just as I have loved you, so you too should love one another. By this shall all [men] know that you are My disciples, if you love one another [if you keep on showing love among yourselves]. (John 13:34-35)
We are nothing without Yeshua
Did you know your works do not make you holy, it is only by the blood of Yeshua and the gift of the holy spirit that we can achieve righteousness
The Chief II
(#154 from Suffer Well Devotional Series©)
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“O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” (Romans 7:24)
Shaul’s further explanation of his reasons for confessing to be “chief of sinners” is seared into ones conscience with a proper perspective of the entirety of Romans chapter seven. Once the blazing light brings illumination, every false pattern of thinking is taunted by that light. Although some darkness may take years to be exposed, it was not so with Shaul and others; the others being those who submit and surrender to the truth that their own wicked inadequacies, apart from Yahshua the Messiah, will always be the whole of who they are.
Within your entire mindset and fleshly desires, a war is now being waged, which has often been discussed. Yet, the remedy which brings power is so clearly missing and seldom realized in these discussions. People forget. Somehow, the culture of those who profess to be Christians has come into this false, yet unified belief, that along the journey they call “faith,” they became “good” enough themselves. As if over time their personal wickedness, fueled by the ever-present ego, suddenly became a holy ego. It is not so loved one, not so at all! Power comes to those who continually acknowledge within that a complete takeover of the spirit, soul, and body (1 Thessalonians 5:23) is absolutely necessary if they are to have a shot at exercising the power they have been promised (Ephesians 1:19-20). In other words, they follow the Spirit of Yahweh, through Messiah in them, with the absolute realization that not one ounce of their own personal will can exist if they are to manifest what has been offered through Yahshua.
“Thanks be to the Mighty One [the giver of the perfected mind], I [the redeemed mindset] have deliverance [the ability to leave behind self-will] through Yahshua Messiah [mind savior] our Master [headship in consciousness]! So then, with this same mind [redeemed, yet undone], I myself [the redeemed part] am a slave to the Law of the Almighty [perfected mind patterns], but with the flesh [self-reliant ego still present, sinful nature] I am a slave to the law of sin [self-satisfaction].” (Romans 7:24)
Death brings life! Is this not exactly what Yahshua proved to us?
I am the Chief of Sinners
The Chief
(#153 from Suffer Well Devotional Series©)
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“This is a trustworthy saying, and deserves all acceptance: Yahshua the Messiah came into the world to save sinners, of who I am chief.” (1Timothy 1:15)
Previous to Damascus (Acts 9:3), Shaul hated Yahshua and all that He stood for. It was not until a blazing (mind piercing) light (heavenly illumination) struck him, that Shaul came to understand Yahshua as his own Messiah. With a correct application of the timeline, we must pay very close attention to the timing of Shaul’s words above; “Of who I am chief.” Is Shaul calling himself chief sinner after his redemption? What’s going on here? Those who are sanctified in the Messiah Yahshua are called to be saints (1 Corinthians 1:2), yet Shaul is identifying himself as a sinner? Exactly! Shaul is really identifying the nature of his flesh (sinful nature; Galatians 5:16-21).
Shaul understood salvation in way that is very different than it is presented in today’s church. He would press on towards the goal of salvation, the upward call, (a completely renewed spiritual mind; Philippians 3:14), and in doing so would have never claimed to be “good,” for he believed Yahshua’s own words that not even He, the Messiah, was good, giving all glory to Yahweh alone (Luke 18:19).
“That in me first, Yahshua the Messiah might display all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him [Yahweh] for everlasting life.” (1 Timothy 1:16)
Shaul came to understand that he would be an example to many future generations of chosen ones. An example, which if understood correctly, would always leave you able and ready to say, “I am, in my sinful nature, the chief of sinners.” And this you would understand even after your personal confession that “Yahshua is my Messiah!” Why? Because it is only ever Yahshua “in you” that is your hope of glory (Colossians 1:27). Never would Shaul have meditated on some glory due to his own efforts, his own goodness, for it was through him that the Spirit spoke; “There is none righteous, no, not one.” (Romans 3:10) Shaul’s righteousness would be found only in the Mighty One through the Messiah (Philippians 3:9). Even after the light of Yahshua had shown on him, he would admit, “My best in my own strength is sin, nothing more.”
It is the “self” life directed by the ego that Yahshua claimed you must lose. As you continually reject any idea of your own goodness, the light of Yahshua, commanded by Yahweh Himself, will begin the takeover. This is a model prayer, which can be uttered by the humbled saints who, by love, have been forced to see this truth;
“Don’t let me be me any longer Father. Don’t let me think for myself. Let only Your Spirit, through the life of Your Son in me, make every decision. Please Father, don’t let my own will succeed.”
Suffer Well
Sufre’ Bien
(#152 from Suffer Well Devotional Series©)
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This is the title to this entire body of devotions, “Suffer Well!” The prevailing verse that is continually being brought into consciousness is Hebrews 2:10; For it was fitting for Him [that’s Yahweh], on account of Whom [Yahweh] all things are through, and Whom all things are from, in bringing many sons [that’s you] to glory, to lead the Prince [that’s Yahshua] of their [that’s you] salvation [saved mind] to perfection through sufferings.”
Yahshua, Who is our perfect example was made perfect through suffering. It would be ever so important to teach you according to the commanded precept that, even while suffering, “all things work for good” (Romans 8:28). And if suffering is good in its intended purpose, then we now hold a key to the perfected life, the perfected mind. Suffering is inevitably good and works for good. So, to rejoice in our sufferings would be the key.
To understand with inspired intellect that “If Yahweh only does what is good and perfect, then my suffering is intended to make me more like Him. His Son’s example of suffering demonstrates its holy intended purpose. In this, I can and will rejoice that my suffering is not for nothing.”
And so now, after so many devotions have been revealed to and within you, devotions that have taught you to lose your life (personal, ego filled desires), in order to find your life (a spiritually renewed mind), we felt an unction of the Spirit to remind you why we are all here together. It is to embrace every seeming pit fall, every valley experience, and every stumbling block, as a necessary encounter. Never see it as “warfare,” but instead as a spiritual encounter with a predetermined purpose. Suffering brings perfection loved one, and because we now know this, as it has been gifted to us by the Spirit to know, we do the supernatural; we suffer well.
Being Steadfast
We are in a race and we must run this race to win and not give up. That is why we must do our best not to get distracted and pace ourselves to win the race. The prize is far greater than we can comprehend with our human minds. Eternity awaits us!
King of More
(#150 from Suffer Well Devotional Series©)
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I met a man, a humble man. He was humbled by patterns of affliction. His wife, taken from him in a foreign country and jailed for reasons unknown to him. His four children, missing for months and only recently discovered scattered among friends and relatives. Yes, he himself imprisoned with no way of communicating with any of them. He says to me, “What can I do but trust? Every day I pray and wait, and that somehow I would hear some news. I pray that my wife is ok, and that she is soon reunited with the children. I pray that one day we will all be together again. Uphold me according to Your word, that I may live; and do not let me be ashamed of my hope. (Psalm 119:116)” He looked me in the eyes; I could see the depths of his soul. The word “surrendered” came to my mind. Like Job, everything was taken from him.
It is “natural” to consider such suffering and be grateful for what we have. It is the way we have programmed our minds, almost like “being content with settling.” We have these thoughts; “Well if he can be hopeful and he has it that bad, I feel ‘guilty’ for feeling bad. I should be more grateful, even though I desire more. Yes Father, I need to be content with what I have.”
Is this what Yahweh has for us? Is this more than we can ask for, think or imagine? (Ephesians 3:20) I declare that I would be amiss if I did not proclaim the contrary.
“You are the Father of more. You are the great I Am. You are the infinite One. I know this because You planted it in the heart You gave me. You have shown Yourself to be this way. For these reasons, I cannot settle. I want fullness of life, not just getting by. I need to believe in the abundant more Father. You are the King of more, and I come to You in obedience.”
Yes, my soul screams out “Abundance!” and with that Father, I leave it with You.
The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. (John 10:10)