Tag Archives: Zachary Bauer
A Hebrew View of Prayer
If you want to find if you must be willing to lose it. That is what our prayers should be about.
A Hebrew View of Prayer
(#060 from Suffer Well Devotional Series©)
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The Torah of Moses, the first five books of Scripture, contains the totality of Yahweh’s commandments. In it, the concept that we have come to know as prayer is identified: “tefillah.” The root of the word tefillah means: to judge, differentiate, clarify, or decide. The intention is to bring forth a desire to hold oneself accountable, to make an honest self-assessment. The belief system in the Messiah to come warranted the desire to “judge oneself” according to the precepts of Yahweh. It was a requirement for young men coming of age to be accountable to the Torah and thereby to the Creator, hence the Bar mitzvah. Bar mitzvah conveys the idea of becoming a “son of the covenant,” or quite literally, “a son of good works.”
The modern-day believer needs to take note of this perspective, for we live in the era of the Messiah who has already come. Because of His death and resurrection, more wisdom, more insights, more revelation, and more promises have been revealed to us. As a result, we are to bring every thought captive unto the obedience of Messiah (2 Corinthians 10:5). The only way that can happen is through the shedding of the self (Hebrews 12:4). Prayer was given to help you achieve the Luke 22:42 lifestyle; “Not My will but Your will be done.” When you live that way, all of His promises are “yes” and “so be it!” (2 Corinthians 1:20).
Many believers today spend too much time praying for things that have already been given, rather than considering prayer as a tool to judge oneself from the Creator’s perspective. Consider the Hebrew view of prayer and pray about what Yahweh would have for your prayer life. Above all, set aside requests made in fear, as well as those that display that your struggle against sin remains only because you refuse to surrender your “self.”
In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.(Hebrews 12:4)
Putting Yeshua First In Your Life
How many of you are ready to put Yeshua first in your life?
These Sounds of a Captive
(#059 from Suffer Well Devotional Series©)
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Listen for the cries all you people of the earth. Listen for the sounds; can you hear them? A bitter day is coming for those who cannot hear. His call is a trumpet, but these are war drums, a battle cry for the masses. Pick whose side you are on. Man’s final battle is approaching, a battle that will not be won with guns and ammunition. Can you hear the sounds of the earth? Woe to those who do not listen.
For me personally, I hear my daughter cry to her mommy, yet I can only hear through the phone. In my mind I pick her up and I’m swinging her. She can’t help but laugh now that I have her. I hear my son’s laugh in the background. His voice is deeper than before, more baritone than flute; he’s my first born son, my little man. I grab him real tight; my mind holds him. My heart looks at them all; the words just come out. “Please don’t grow up without me.” Her voice gets softer, I know what that means. She wants to be strong, yet she needs me. No, I’m not there, but I’m kneeling beside her, wiping her tears with my fingers.
The sounds of my family are so sweet to me; it’s been so long since I heard them. All in one accord, each one of them is making their own noises. They are the most beautiful sounds anyone could hear. I could go on forever about the sounds that I hear, for even their whining is sweet music. A flame in me is burning to hear them, the sounds of my heart. Can you hear them?
All this is happening while there’s another voice calling. It’s the one that is saying, “Can I have them?” Like the whispering wind on a cool summer night, the voice of the Spirit continues. “Unless I come first, the desire to know Me, the desire that makes your bones ache; it will never be fulfilled. I must be your everything. Nothing can replace Me.” This voice brings new sounds. It brings sounds of my soul as it screams, “Abba, I don’t know how to do it.”
Will you lift up a sound with me, as I beg for His mercy? Say, “Yours is the way; lead us to it. For how could we not give You what has always been Yours. Forgive us Yahweh, yet hold us to it. The fact that we are here, cuddled in your arms, gives You permission to move forward. We are Your children; we know we must do this. Sing to us while Your work is being done. Sing to us, Your sweet, sweet sound. Sing Abba, sing.”
“He who loves his own father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me, and he who loves son or daughter more than Me, is not worthy of Me.” (Matthew 10:37)
Take Your Faith To The Next Level
The Purge!
(#058 from Suffer Well Devotional Series©)
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You were manifest before eternity,
A sparkling pattern revealed to see.
Your light lit infinitely beyond the universe,
My point of reference, “all me,” how perverse!
A gift from heaven, far beyond mine,
Our two worlds collided at a moment in time;
The nations waged war for my soul, a vain past,
Then my children were born, was this new life at last?
But I tripped and I stumbled, and I asked when, what, why?
Something painful was birthing, and I still chose the lie.
But all in an instant my eyes made to see,
The veil torn apart, happened there on a tree.
Fighting so long to finally be free,
Each punch caused the shackles to tighten ‘round me.
It seemed many times I’d finally been won,
But this time, at last, a new heart has begun.
Dry bones once so brittle now taking on flesh,
Just talk to the potter, my lump was a mess.
My vessel reshaping, final form yet undone,
It’s taking some time, He’s making a son!
My heart is about to truly transform,
So, I SUBMIT to my Father; I reject what was norm.
As He changes, and mends, and molds, I pray please…
My appeal to Yahweh, “Connect my heart to my knees.”
“How will you make him?” heavenly hosts inquire,
“This one is so special; I’ll make him by fire.”
For it is here I will serve You the rest of my days,
If it’s fire You’ll use, please set me ablaze!
“How much more shall the blood of Messiah, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to the Almighty, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living Mighty One?” (Hebrews 9:14)
S.U.B.M.I.T.
S.U.B.M.I.T.
(#057 from Suffer Well Devotional Series©)
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Sometimes I think I have given everything to Him, whether by choice or being forced by His strong hand. Yet, I still dream of a new day with new hopes; I have plans. Of course, hopes, dreams and plans are biblical, but must be surrendered to Yahweh for Him to overrule at His good pleasure;
Unless we do this, we are really just setting up our own agendas and expecting Him to honor our vain plans for our lives. Even when we strongly believe that our hopes, dreams, and plans are from Him, we often struggle to persevere when tested. Fear of not knowing what the future holds clouds our confidence in Him;
Believing that the things we dream of shall come to pass is often the only hope we have throughout the day. Sometimes what we dream of is so magnificent, yet so unfamiliar, and the battle is so great, that all we can do is stand back and receive the words our ancestors did long ago; “Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but the Almighty’s.” (2 Chronicles 20:15)
Mind over matter is a big piece of faith, as it is the constant renewing of our fleshly mindsets that allows us to take on Wisdom in all her beauty. It allows us to rethink our realities and to conform to those of our Creator’s, all while proclaiming, “Your ways are higher than ours.” (Isaiah 55:8-9)
I will personally choose the path of the created, rather than the selfish mindset which considers itself sovereign or “self” created. Some of you might think that this is too radical, deciding instead to fuel your own agendas, framing them in your mind as if they are “convictions or directions” from Him. It is through compromise that we convince ourselves that our plans must surely be His plans, even while we never stop to ask Him if He approves, never inquiring if He who gives us breath and life actually condones our actions;
To You Yahweh, I lift up my soul. I long to trust in You alone. I hand You my hopes, my dreams, my plans, my fears, and my family. Yes Father, I admit there are parts of me that still don’t know and trust You fully. It is in those foggy areas of my mind that I tend to rely on only what I can see, touch, taste, smell or hear. Help me move beyond my false faith, which is fueled only by tangible things, to true faith which has substance founded on unseen evidence (Hebrews 11:1). May I even hope, dream, and plan for a new day when You permeate me so completely that even the unseen becomes tangible. I believe this is possible because there is nothing You cannot manifest as reality. Nothing is intangible to You!
The Animals will Destroy Us
The Animals will Destroy Us! The majority of viruses destroying man today have manifested in animals.
The Difference Between Man and Beast is Yeshua
What is the difference between our lives and animals lives? There is a big difference. Yes we all die, but, see this video to find out the difference.
The Way of Man
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(#056 from Suffer Well Devotional Series©)
Moreover I saw under the sun: In the place of judgment, wickedness was there; and in the place of righteousness, iniquity was there. I said in my heart, “The Almighty shall judge the righteous and the wicked, for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.” I said in my heart, “Concerning the condition of the sons of men, the Almighty tests them, that they may see that they themselves are like animals.” For what happens to the sons of men also happens to animals; one thing befalls them: as one dies, so dies the other. Surely, they all have one breath; man has no advantage over animals, for all is vanity. All go to one place: all are from the dust, and all return to dust. Who knows the spirit of the sons of men, which goes upward, and the spirit of the animal, which goes down to the earth? So I perceived that nothing is better than that a man should rejoice in his own works, for that is his heritage. For who can bring him to see what will happen after him? (Ecclesiastes 3:16-22)
You believe He’s the truth just as I do; would you thank me if I told you the truth?
You say you have failed just as I have; would you forgive me if I failed you?
You once called me friend; if I repented for hurting you, would you call me friend again?
You rarely consider others; but if you needed my help, would you know you could ask me?
Would you stand with me if the gates of hell visited my doorstep?
Would you choose me over the love for money and things?
Would you stand in truth, even when that truth is tested?
Do you fear man more than you fear Yahweh?
“Who knows the spirit of the sons of men, which goes upward, and the spirit of the animal, which goes down to the earth?” What makes you different from a beast? It is the work that testifies to your heritage as a child of light, a legacy of love that separates you from the beasts.
Beasts represent all thoughts that say “No” to Yahweh and His commands. They are ever-present and encompass every ugly, unruly, and unclean condition that depicts mankind absent the Spirit of Yahweh. Men minus the Spirit are loveless beasts. Now answer the question. What makes you different from a beast? There is only one thing beloved, His Spirit manifesting His love in you.
You shall love Yahweh your Mighty One with all your heart and with all your soul. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets. (Matthew 22:37-40) Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. (John 15:13)
It is the only way; all others are the way of man.
No Prayers for Me
No Prayers for Me
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(#055 from Suffer Well Devotional Series©)
When My children, did you see,
My lifting up of prayers for Me?
Was “ask and receive” for Me too,
Or was this pattern just for you?
Envision Gethsemane; what was My fear?
For joy set before Me, My resurrection so near!
Perhaps it was when I hung on the stake,
Did I foresee Myself crying “forsake”?
Again I ask, “Did I pray for Me?”
Tell Me My child, what do you see?
Hearken to this reality. Are you searching for hidden truths, the mysteries of the Kingdom, while neglecting the obvious spiritual realities right in front of you? When you read the “model prayer” (Matthew 6:9-13), are you instructed to pray for yourself? You may contend that “give us this day our daily bread” (v. 11) seems like a personal request. But, in context you are instructed to not worry about such things if you seek first the Kingdom (Matthew 6:25-34). And “forgive us our debts” (v. 12); that’s all about forgiving others, as the Messiah’s forgiveness manifests in you.
Do you really believe that because of His Son’s sacrifice the promises of Yahweh are already “yes” and “so be it” (2 Corinthians 1:20)? If so, then why do you insist on asking again for what you already possess because of the faith you were given (Luke 17:6)? Imagine holding a scepter of righteousness. Can you see it in your hand? Now imagine, as you gaze upon it, crying out “Abba, please give me a scepter of righteousness.”
Repent of your unbelief! Repent for not believing that Yahshua’s death answered all of your prayers long before you ever prayed them (Psalm 21:2).
If so, then what is prayer for? Prayer is the communication and communion that builds and strengthens our relationship with the Father, Son and Spirit. But, the emphasis here is to help you recognize that too often your prayers are focused on personal desires in the physical realm, even though Yahshua said, “My Kingdom is not of this world.” (John 18:36)
This leaves us with something important to consider about the purpose of prayer. If His Kingdom is not of this world, we ought to remodel our prayers to reflect our true identity as sons or daughters of Light, rather than children of “self.” What would that look like? Understanding your true identity would be better expressed with prayers that contain much more thanks and praise and a lot less “give me!” How’s something like this? “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your Kingdom come. Your will be done. On earth as it is in heaven.” Yes, it’s the obvious hiding in plain sight!
Ready to Die For Him
Remove the Grave Clothes
(#054 from Suffer Well Devotional Series©)
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The Stone Removed
Has not the stone of death been moved?
The stench replaced by living.
Has not the promise of Him been proved?
Your sin… He is forgiving!
Come out I say, remove the cloth,
Let those who see regale.
Strip off the layers, remove the wrap,
Fruit of righteousness prevail.
Baptized into His death…Buried with Him…Raised from the dead….Walk in newness of life…United together in the likeness of His death…Be in the likeness of His resurrection…Our old man was impaled with Him…Sin is done away with…No longer slaves of sin….He who has died has been freed from sin…If we died with Messiah, we shall also live with Him…Reckon yourselves to be dead to sin…but alive to the Mighty One…Not instruments of unrighteousness to sin…Instruments of righteousness…Sin shall not have dominion over you…Set free from sin…Slaves of righteousness! (Romans 6:3-18) Meditate again on this promise! When He died you died; When He resurrected you resurrected with Him to a new life. You are no longer a slave to sin; you are a slave to righteousness.
Was it harder for those around Lazarus (the begging soul helped by Yahweh) to believe he was alive, then for Lazarus himself? Was it a bad dream Lazarus had risen from? “I can’t breathe; what’s this cloth on my face? Help me; I feel like I am suffocating.” Put yourself there; imagine being in his place. You are you know! As the pangs of death surround your soul and mind, you cannot possibly see a way out. Your whole being could simply crumble like dust and vanish. Have you ever been forced in your mind to birth a new reality of a better place, a better way, a higher calling? This is that time!
Arise! I say, arise! Did He not promise that if you lost your life for His sake, you would find a new life (Matthew 10:39)? Lazarus had to die before he could resurrect. And let there be no doubt that once his grave clothes were removed, Lazarus had a mind that could become a slave to righteousness. There was no more uncertainty in him; his life was no longer his own. His new life was purchased for a hefty price (1 Corinthians 6:19-20); the result: he was no longer a slave to sin.
Have you had your own Lazarus experience? Have you come to terms with your total depravity? Have you had a death of self and begged for a resurrection? There is no doubt that, if asked, both Lazarus and Yahshua would both produce the same testimony about their deaths; “My new life is worth the death of my “self.” For the joy set before me (Hebrews 12:2), I would do it again, a thousand times over.” Won’t you?
His Purpose is With You
Jump
(#052 from Suffer Well Devotional Series©)
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Your part is to jump and keep jumping. Jump into the arms of the One who knows, the One who created you with a destiny. Jump into a destiny that was suited, not just “for” you, but was created “with” you. So often we behave as if we were pulled from dust, only to then be considered for a purpose. That could not be further from the truth. Your soul and its purpose emerged together, not separately. Read Jeremiah 51:19-23 and acknowledge its prevailing pattern. Here it is: “With you!” Yes, you were created with a purpose; it is WITH YOU as His partner that He fulfills the destiny of the universe. What an infinitely powerful and profoundly humbling reality!
Your destiny has been woven into your DNA. Yet most of you have avoided its discovery. It seems so much easier to live small. Yes, the implanted vision of your ever-loving Father for your life is available to access, but you must prefer “meat over the milk” if you wish to step into your destiny (Read 1 Corinthians 3:1-3). Oh, and we would be amiss not to mention that Yahweh means for you to jump into the fire to find it. Yes, it is through the fire you will find your vision (Read Daniel 3:14-28). Do you think that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego lament their decision to trust Yahweh? “Our Mighty One whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace.” (v. 17) And still, so many of you tend to feel the heat of the flames and either flee or bow down to the false “god” of expedience. Yahweh would rather you jump into the fire!
Keep jumping, keep reaching, and keep extending your conscious behavior, so that you might know for exactly what purpose you were created! Soon and very soon the only safety net you require will be hearing His command to come (Matthew 14:28-29). Once you know and understand the purpose of the fire of Yahweh, stepping onto the water to walk will be a soothing and calming experience, one in which you jump to reach, rather than jump to be caught. You have a destiny loved one; it’s as sure as you breathe. Ask your Father to reveal it. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. (John 16:24)
Standards of Yahweh
Standards of Yahweh
My flight got cancelled and I was able to do the devotional this morning but I decided to post this video as well.