Feel the peace of Yahweh

Microwave

(#274 from Suffer Well Devotional Series©)

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Do you see someone who speaks in haste? There is more hope for a fool than for them. (Proverbs 29:20)

As I stood at the microwave waiting for my coffee to heat, I realized how the microwave had exemplified my life. In the past, when I needed a minute of the microwave’s effort to heat something, I would have usually opened the door with at least fifteen seconds left on the clock. There was not time to wait the entire minute, even though I knew that one minute was necessary. Because I had to “go,” I settled for lukewarm coffee. I never really enjoyed the lukewarm coffee; yet, I got used to it, used to “not finished, but good enough.” My entire life back then could be summed up by my choices made at the microwave, my inability to wait the full minute. Even though a microwave is already a shortcut, and not even good for you, I still could not invest the nominal time needed to get the best outcome it had to offer. The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty. (Proverbs 21:5)

Today I am in prison. Prison has changed me. I laugh as I set the microwave for one minute. I use every last second. Everything will be as it should, once the minute is up. And the universe was just fine without me, for the entire minute. I often used to say, “Men can’t save men.” My lukewarm coffee proved I did not believe my own words. I had to “make it happen.” I had to “be the one.” Why? Was it for Him? No, it was all for my own purposes, all while pretending to be serving Him. I know better now. I still want to “do things” and “be the one.” But now I only want to do what He says and be the one who He wants me to be. Yahweh is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of Yahweh. (Lamentations 3:25-26)

So now I always ask first. I talk to my Father about everything and I hear His voice. “Heat your coffee Michael. Take as long as you need. We have time to discuss what I will require of you today.” The coffee tastes so much better these days. I have new goals, new dreams, and new convictions. In prison we only have a microwave. When I’m home again with my family, I will get rid of the microwave altogether and heat my coffee on the stove. Can you imagine that? Meanwhile, Yahweh and I have coffee every day now. Hot coffee together.

But as for me, I will look to Yahweh; I will wait for the Mighty One of my salvation; and my Mighty One will hear me. (Micah 7:7)

Only by HIS Power!

Feeding Frenzy

(#269 from Suffer Well Devotional Series©)

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He rules forever by His power. His eyes watch the nations, lest the rebels exalt themselves. (Psalm 66:7) Selah [ponder this]

If it is His power alone that rules all things, then you would do well to consider how it is you have reached any level of success or authority? “And Yahshua came and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in Heaven and on earth. Go therefore…'” (Matthew 28:18-19) If you have any authority at all, it is because He has passed the mantle to you. “Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” (Luke 10:19) Therefore, if you’ve reached the “top” having never followed His leading to get there, then by what “power” did you arrive? “Not by might nor by [your own] power, but by My Spirit,” Says Yahweh of hosts. (Zechariah 4:6)

The author of true power, power which never diminishes, only releases such through His Spirit to the righteous (right thinking). Unfortunately, many of you will convince yourselves that you have been “good enough” to deserve His blessings and power. This personal “goodness” is nothing but a byproduct of “self” deception. “There is none righteous, no, not one; There is none who does good, no, not one.” (Romans 3:10, 12) And more so, what does the desire for, or the reliance on, personal power entail? It necessitates the use of tricks and manipulation. If you have “success” and it did not come through His power, then you have hijacked it. And remember, His eyes watch the nations, lest the rebels exalt themselves.

Conversely, if it is the power of Yahweh that has promoted you, then your success will always be accompanied by fruit in your life that has His signature on it: obedience, humility, repentance, and “self” realization. The latter, of course, meaning the realization that the “self” must die to make room for His true power to manifest in you.

What are you feeding on loved one? What desires do you have? Are they rooted and grounded in the perfect life of Yahshua the Messiah? A good way to know is to ask these questions; “Would He have cared about such things?” And, “Would He have done what I did to get them?” There is only one source of power loved one. Everything else is vanity and will be sifted like chaff from amongst the wheat.

Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done and on the labor in which I had toiled; and indeed all was vanity and grasping for the wind. There was no profit under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 2:11)

Waiting before Yahweh in Silence

The Master Craft

(#267 from Suffer Well Devotional Series©)

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Waiting before Yahweh in silence:

Be of great courage! Wait on Yahweh, and He will strengthen your heart (mind)! Wait I say, on Yahweh! (Psalm 27:14)

And to understand this master craft; the waiting, wouldn’t it be prudent to seek the Hebraic roots of what Yahweh intended when He said, “Wait?” Picture this meaning: to “bind,” to “twist,” to “collect.” These are the intended images; and their substance, of course, is spiritual. Many of you might have thought that the instruction is to wait for what you want when, in fact, the physical manifestation of what you want is not the relevant part.

It’s a matter of consciousness loved one, and the waiting has everything to do with receiving light so that the fragments of darkness (ego) slowly dissipate. Receiving the “Son” is like soaking in the “sun” on a cloudless day at the beach, but the “Son’s Rays” are far more valuable to your eternal mind.

Getting a spiritual “son tan” takes practice. You can determine how well you have developed your craft by going to a silent place and sitting quietly before Him. Clear your mind and see how long you can do just that. We think you will be very surprised at how little time you can sit in absolute silence, and we mean total silence with no thoughts running through your mind. We think you will be surprised at how quickly you want to make requests and petitions, rather than just bask in His glory, for His good pleasure. You have yet to learn that waiting in silence binds His Spirit and your soul together like two twist ties. It is the collection of His essence into your entire being like sun rays that soak into your skin. Learn to be a master craftsman of His presence. Sit quietly, and if you must, simply repeat His name over and over. Whisper “Yah” when you inhale and “weh” when you exhale. And then as your mind clears just silently think: “Yahweh, Yahweh, Yahweh, Yahweh….”

Love is the answer

The Tree of Life

(#265 from Suffer Well Devotional Series©)

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The Tree of Life is …. within you! The soil (heart/mind) must be cultivated in order to remove the flaming sword (Yahweh’s judgment) that keeps the Tree from being accessed or bearing much fruit. Think of the flaming sword as being stuck in hard, cement-like, fallow ground. You must break up the fallow ground; it is uncultivated soil from which the tree will not bring forth abundant fruit. (Read Matthew 13:1-23.) Or you might think of it as a tree you cannot climb to taste its goodness.

You must sow righteousness into a circumcised heart which is fertile soil! Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek Yahweh, till He comes and rains righteousness on you. (Hosea 10:12) Break up your fallow ground, and do not sow among thorns. Circumcise yourselves to Yahweh, and take away the foreskins of your hearts. (Jeremiah 4:3-4)

Your ego which covers your mind like stringy moss or chokes your heart with thorns, keeps the original essence of the garden (hedged in conscience) from being expressed in you. Do not sow among thorns. Circumcise your heart so the tree (firm, fastened conscience) of life (heavenly nourishment) can grow in fertile soil to its full stature (Ephesians 4:13).

It is your “self” desire that keeps the sword (Yahweh’s judgment) in place. This cuts off your mind’s entrance into the fertile garden and keeps the soil untilled, and therefore prohibits your ability to eat (consciously devour) from the Tree. The Tree grows in the “Garden of Love.” The Garden of Love is the perfect imagery for what fruit (Galatians 5:22-23) the Tree of Life will produce once the “self or ego” is sacrificed. Surrender of “self” fertilizes the soil and grants access to the Garden. And that key to access the Garden, that “surrender,” is love itself; and it never fails to open the gates (1 Corinthians 13:8). The foremost reason it cannot fail is because love is solely committed to doing the will of Yahweh. Love is then expressed through the redeemed mind, the mind of the Messiah in man, and perfected through practice as it eventually annihilates the ego entirely.

Love is the standard by which every thought and action is measured. It is manifested altogether as patience, kindness, admiration, trust, modesty, humility, and meekness. It is gracious, polite, altruistic, peaceful, appeasing, virtuous, joyful, righteous, and truthful. It displays fierce loyalty; believes, hopes, and endures all things; and always succeeds and thrives. (The affirmative side of 1 Corinthians 13:4-8).

Soon you will see it loved one. The Tree of Life is no less than the mind of Yahweh available through your obedience. The effort is the climb and soon you shall again eat of its fruit. We say again! The Tree of Life is the Truth of Life!

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. (John 13:34) Brethren, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard from the beginning. (1 John 2:7)

Yahweh’s Plan

On Second Thought

(#264 from Suffer Well Devotional Series©)

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Second thoughts are common to you My loved children. They depict an inner battle to maintain options for what might be “a better choice. “I, your Father, do not share in such struggles. I know there is no second-best choice, no Plan B. You need to accept that all of My thoughts are absolute perfection the moment I think them. I only have Plan A. I only think perfectly and I long to bring you into My way of thinking.

So we understand each other, let Mosheh (Moses) remind you, “And Yahweh was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart [mind].” (Genesis 6:6) What do you believe is happening when I tell you I was “grieved?” Do you think I was intimating that your disappointing actions surprised Me? Or, did I know all that would happen the moment I spoke creation into being? I exist outside of time and space as you know, for I have said, “My ways are higher than the heavens.” It’s true; then tell Me, why would I be grieved?

Here is some valuable spiritual insight loved one. I express emotion to reveal My heart [inner thoughts]. My heart was grieved, filled with pain. My “emotion” is to show the depth of My love for My children. For instance, the flood was Plan A child, not an afterthought. I desired that you would recognize the lengths you would go to in order to deny My Fatherhood, My right to discipline My sons and daughters (Proverbs 3:11-12). The fall; the flood; the covenants; the birth; the death; the resurrection; salvation; the perfected temple, and dominion—all Plan A. There were no changes in design along the way. Everything was decided before day one of My creation (John 17:24; Ephesians 1:4; 1 Peter 1:20).

Like Adam, I gave you all the option to obey. “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” (John 14:15) You know you didn’t. And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey? (Hebrews 3:18) You have second thoughts and you give yourself options! You cannot enter My rest in rebellion and that is “My grieving heart filled with pain.”

However, do you actually think I have to reconsider My own thoughts? Wouldn’t this lead to the inevitable conclusion that I Am flawed, and could potentially blow it? My plans are eternally perfect the first time! They are perfect from the moment I think them! Yes child, you have always been Plan A, whether you liked it or not. And it is My immense love for you that will not allow Me to leave you the way you are. No longer will you struggle with options. The mental gymnastics it takes to ponder My “perfect will” as opposed to My “permissible will,” as if I have two heads, will cease! I Am One, and everything comes under My One perfect will!

Shaul said, “I am a bondservant of Yahshua the Messiah, called to be an apostle, separated to the good news of the Mighty One.” (Romans 1:1) A bondservant is a voluntary slave who was given the option to leave slavery, allowing for the ability to make personal choices (which always lead to a fall), but instead volunteers to stay in bondage to his master knowing that true freedom is found in recognizing that there is no better option than to serve his benevolent master. This is your only choice loved one. Can’t you see it?

Why Christians should celebrate the feasts and holy days of the Old Testament

Why Christians should celebrate the feasts and holy days of the Old Testament

Perfect Love Casts

Perfect Love Casts

(#252 from Suffer Well Devotional Series©)

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There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. (1 John 4:18)

Fear has a life of its own. It feeds on emotional energy yet it is separate from the human. As an entity, it exists outside the human and enters only when invited. Fear is energized by all who oppose the Kingdom of Yahweh within (Luke 17:20-21). Fear’s greatest ally is guilt, and guilt believes it deserves punishment. And the carnal shame that invites punishment is the very thing in the conscience of man that simultaneously rejects love. Fear, guilt and shame cannot coexist with love. Remember, it has been decreed “A house divided cannot stand.” (Mark 3:25)

Wrong thinking is a battlefield and you must know where the frontline is. For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. (2 Corinthians 10:3) “I feel this guilt, therefore I must be deserving of punishment;” or “I feel this shame, therefore I am punished;” or “I asked for forgiveness, but I still feel like I am being punished.” These enemy mindsets within you, and there are more, are the very foes that perfect love intends to defeat. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in the Almighty for pulling down strongholds. (2 Corinthians 10:4) The weapons are mighty in Yahweh and perfect love will cast out all the enemies that oppose it. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in Him will not be put to shame.” (Romans 10:11)

Even so, everything has an appointed time; in the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry. (Habakkuk 2:3) Yahweh’s plan for rooting out wrong mindsets in your life is no different. But ultimately, Instead of your shame you shall have double honor. (Isaiah 61:7)

That is great news. Instead of shame you shall have double honor! The life of Yahshua the Messiah in you guarantees it. If anyone is in Messiah, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17) He is saying, “You are brand new and you are no longer guilty. I took your shame and I removed it forever. You are not being punished; you are being transformed. Fear, guilt and shame are based on lies. It is I who set you free, and if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. (John 8:36) Love casts out fear, guilt and shame; and it is I who will cause you to know this at the appointed time.” Hold on loved one; it is a supernatural process. Therefore, do the supernatural and offer praise even when everything seems unknown.

I don’t trust myself

Worldly Wisdom

(#250 from Suffer Well Devotional Series©)

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You have heard it said in various ways, “This above all: to thine own self be true.” And what is meant by this worldly wisdom? Is it meant to construe that if something “feels” right, then it is right? And what makes something right, or wrong for that matter? Is it a matter of “to thine own self?” Or does the Almighty make it so? These words of wisdom come from Polonius in Hamlet Act 1, scene 3. And of course, Polonius is just the mere fictional voice of Shakespeare, a man. Here are a few other “words of wisdom” from the same scene. If they are wise, what makes them so?

· Give thy thoughts no tongue…

· But do not dull thy palm with entertainment…

· Give every man thy ear but few thy voice…

· Take each man’s censure but reserve thy judgment…

· For the apparel oft proclaims the man…

· Neither a borrower nor a lender be…

· For loan oft loses both itself and friend…

Now, take into account that Yahweh has declared that man’s unredeemed heart (center of intellect) is “wicked and deceitful above all things.” (Jeremiah 17:9) Then consider that the very thing that opposes obedience to Yahweh’s commands is, “To thine own self be true.” Can you trust yourself, Shakespeare, or any man? Or would you be better off knowing what the Master has to say? “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” (John 14:15) My commandments! Cursed is the man who trusts in man; blessed is the man who trusts in Yahweh. (Jeremiah 17:5, 7) How do you “feel” about this? It is black and white, no? Trust Yahweh and keep His commands. These are not actions based upon feelings or man’s wisdom, but rather those based on immutable truth.

“To thine own self be true?” Perhaps you might consider stating the following out loud, making a decree that will forever keep you from trusting “thine own self”: “Self, I must tell you that I cannot trust you. My Almighty Father has often told me, throughout His word, that you are only interested in your own personal desire (will). And that you will never conform to the Holy standard ‘because the carnal mind is enmity against the Almighty; for it is not subject to the law of the Almighty, nor indeed can be.’ (Romans 8:7) Self, you must decrease so the Spirit of Yahweh, through the life of His Son, might increase within me (John 3:30). Goodbye self; you are not welcome here anymore!” Think it not silly loved one. This is what it looks like to take a very powerful step towards the Light and to leave behind all that the world might offer.

And here is a final thought to consider; any “words of wisdom” from Polonius that are true, are only so because they represent Yahweh’s Word. Man apart from the Almighty has no wisdom to offer humanity. “Cursed is…! Blessed is…!” It’s that simple!

Acts 15 The Jerusalem Council

Acts 15 The Jerusalem Council

What Commandments should new Jewish people follow?

Blessed by Suffering

Beautiful Affliction

(#242 from Suffer Well Devotional Series©)

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Yet it was Yahweh’s will [it pleased Yahweh] to crush Him, and cause Him to suffer [bear sickness], and though Yahweh makes His life an offering for sin [guilt], He [Yahshua] will see His offspring [seed] and prolong His days, and the will [pleasure] of Yahweh will prosper in His hand. (Isaiah 53:10)

Yes loved one; when this Priest [Yahshua] had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Almighty. (Hebrews 10:12) He is the last sacrifice, the full atonement for your sins. He is your life-giver and your redemption (permission to renew your conscience to perfection). You seem to comprehend this at times, to actually live like you believe it; your obedience is how I gauge this. May I share something with you about the process? Perhaps this will help you develop a stronger desire to know Me, and therefore a stronger desire to obey.

Today child, it is the “crushing” I would like to discuss with you. Could have I chosen another method to perfect you, another “modus operandi,” a different pattern for purification? If I wanted, couldn’t I have simply allowed My Son to come and teach? I could have planned for Him to stay with you for many years, even centuries to show you My ways, no? Or, could have I simply programmed My creation to obey Me at all times? Yes, all of these options, and more, were available. So, why then do I, instead, choose the “crushing method” for your perfecting? Because it is the suffering that made My Son perfect (Hebrews 2:10). And Remember what [He] told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted [Him], they will persecute you also. (John 15:20) Therefore, do not invalidate the suffering process when the pattern shows up in your own life.

Yes, I did say that My Son was the last sacrifice for sin for all time, but I did not say that I would no longer use suffering to align My people with their destiny (James 1:2-4). Quite the opposite; it is in the suffering that the dross (all mental “self” reliance) is removed. “For it has been granted [gifted] to you on behalf of the Messiah, not only to believe upon Him [Yahweh], but also to suffer on behalf of Him [Yahweh].” (Philippians 1:29) It is in the suffering that purity is birthed. It is I who make all decrees, to bless or to afflict. Even if I choose to use evil to prune you, then so be it! And don’t be so hasty to assume that evil is some “outside force” and not a tool of revelation exposing the evil that resides within you loved one. Yes, the crushing and chastening are Mine!

Why would My way seem so harsh? You would not think it cruel if you embraced that My chosen methods always represent pure love My child. No more of your double-mindedness! Reckon this as truth; I only do good on behalf of My children, and therefore the suffering is to bring about good. I have said it before; this is a never-changing, ever-present pattern on the narrow road to perfection.

Now you should be thinking, “If I align with Your ways Father, then I would be able to see that suffering inevitably brings holiness into my life, and therefore serves good for those called according to Your purpose (Romans 8:28). And that would mean I should suffer well.” Exactly, My loved one. Embrace My “modus operandi,” My way of doing things. When your mind comes to peace with such thoughts, you are prepared to sail to the heights, finding the life I have always intended for you. Trust Me, you will get there; your suffering ensures it.

Yes, the only way to perfection is through suffering, so suffer well loved one. Suffer well.