4o Days of Teshuvah🙏

♡

Today we repent for the sin we have sinned against YHWH Elohim, by desecrating His Holy, qodeshi (set-apart One) Name.

 How have we desecrated the Name above ALL names?

We have done so by not showing reverence to His Name in our lifestyles.  When we do not obey His commands, we show irreverence to Him.  When we act any way that opposes His character, in word or deed, we mock Him and desecrate His Name.

Matthew 5 speaks to us:

You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.  No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father. NLT

Our lives must reflect our words.  We must bear a pure understanding of YHWH's character, so that we can be joined with Him in a genuine relationship.  He challenged us to be perfect in the way that He is perfect.  This is by no means a self-righteous act.  It is, however, walking in His footsteps.

When I was a tot, I loved getting my momma's shoes and walking around in them.  I was often looking for a particular peachy-pink colored lacy dress/gown she would wear on occasion.  It was very pretty to my young eyes, and momma looked strikingly beautiful in it.  I wanted so much to be beautiful like my mommy.  She surprised me one day, and let me wear her lovely dress, along with her pretty shoes. Clip-clopping around the house in those high-heeled satiny shoes and ball-gown, I felt like Cinderella.

This is how I hope to be with thoughts of my heavenly Father.  I long to put on His garment of righteousness, and bear His beautiful image for all the world to see.  Although  I have often fallen in that desire, and missed His mark by great strides, I still clip-clop along, knowing that one day, if I continue in His Way, I will finally know what it is like to sit in His brilliant shadow, becoming as a reflector that enhances the warm glow of His Light to the world.  I long to be as a prism, refracting the Light of Yeshua into brilliant colors of prismatic joy!

We can do this together, if we commit our ways unto the Lord, and we won't have to live in regret for being bearers of darkness to the world.

The Sin of exercising power (or its misuse) to lord over another person

God gives each one of us a certain amount of power, demanding a mature understanding of that power and authority.

Today,  Michele guided us into a certain understanding of the power and authority that has been given to servant leaders.  That kind of leadership calls the servant leaders to do what God has called them/us to do.  However, putting authority into the hands of immature believers is very dangerous, and can lead to serious damage of the body of Christ.

We were given power to advance God's kingdom, as Jesus did when He healed the sick, and blessed the broken and poor in spirit.  His example is our leadership and servant manual.  Yeshua also rebuked those in power who misused that power for their gain of self-righteousness and the building of their own kingdoms.

Matthew 23:23-28 

“What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore the more important aspects of the law—justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things.  Blind guides! You strain your water so you won’t accidentally swallow a gnat, but you swallow a camel! 

 “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy—full of greed and self-indulgence!  You blind Pharisee! First wash the inside of the cup and the dish, and then the outside will become clean, too.

 “What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs—beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people’s bones and all sorts of impurity.  Outwardly you look like righteous people, but inwardly your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness. NLT

So how are we to use power?

Acts 1:8

 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”NLT

Romans 15:18-21

Yet I dare not boast about anything except what Christ has done through me, bringing the Gentiles to God by my message and by the way I worked among them. They were convinced by the power of miraculous signs and wonders and by the power of God’s Spirit. In this way, I have fully presented the Good News of Christ from Jerusalem all the way to Illyricum.

 My ambition has always been to preach the Good News where the name of Christ has never been heard, rather than where a church has already been started by someone else.  I have been following the plan spoken of in the Scriptures, where it says,

"I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. Sometimes we must intervene."  Elie Wiesel

♡

The sins we sin against the LORD  through contempt and disrespect.

The 1960's sexual revolution left our nation with the scabs and scars of rebellion.  Its purulent stench has flowed down from that social dilemma wound, and on into our personal lives today, leaving waves of contempt and disrespect oozing throughout our homes, schools, places of employment and communities.

Today, we see the results of that catastrophic union of evil and ignorance in our children and higher education institutions.  This was, in essence, a rebellion against God's divine order.  When we rebel against His divine order, we produce chaos in every area of our lives.

Do you know how very dangerous it is to walk out of God's divine order?  

Michele spoke of the chaos that satan brings, through contempt and rebellion, into our society, churches, families and personal lives.  She highlighted contempt and disrespect of parents and teachers, and how those attitudes and actions are sin. She admonished that God has placed that authority in our lives.  Only because of the blood of Jesus, have we escaped the judgement that comes with rebellion.

Michele went on to say that the breakdown of respect to parents and teachers corrodes the moral code of society.  We are to honor our parents; to deny that honor, brings consequences personally as well as corporately.  

YHWH wants to free us from the bitterness and unforgiveness of those in authority who have disappointed, as well as harmed us, so that we can move forward to build healthy lives for ourselves and our families, peers, the church, friends and etc.  Michele insisted that we must maximize every opportunity to learn from spiritually mature followers of Christ, to enrich our lives in Him.

I desire to live in full freedom.  I hope that you do too.

Remember, God brings order.  Satan brings chaos.

Thank you, Michele, for your strong voice and healing words.

Armour up, Beloved of the Father

This is WAR!

We do not stand shoulder to shoulder in service to God ...

"We will all serve God as One shoulder."

(Ponder that)

 (This is not my quote.  I will honor the Rabbi who quoted it as soon as I can)

The lesson for this day of Teshuvah:

Sin of a "cut n paste" Bible

(sinning willfully and carelessly while we pick and choose what parts of the Bible we want to obey, and what parts we do not want to obey)

 Michele explained that we want the blessings of the Word, but we don't want the "if" factor:

"If" my people...humble themselves, pray, seek and turn,  then I will hear, forgive and heal"

Some will say "oh, but we are not under the Law".  This, however has nothing to do with being under the Law.  The law that we have been freed from, according to the scripture, is the law of sin and death. Michele goes on to say, nowhere does it state that we are no longer under God's  teaching and instructions.  To say that, is merely a misinterpretation. 

1 John 3:4 reminds us that everyone who is sinning is violating the Word. If we are to be counted among His followers, we need to follow Him, follow His Word.

"Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness."ESV

Michele adds that in James 4:17, we choose by our own will.  We sin when we do wrong, but we also sin when we know to do right, and fail to do it. We can claim ignorance to the Truth, however, there is absolutely no excuse for us to continue in sin, especially for those who live in nations that have not band the reading of the scripture .. and Bibles period.  

So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin. ESV

Romans 6:20-23 says when we are joined to God, we are made Holy.  God is making us Holy, set-apart to himself.  The Hebrew word for Holy is Ruach (set-apart). The wonderful end result of being made Holy, is eternal life!

For when you were slaves of sin, you were free with regard to righteousness.  So then, what outcome did you have that you are now ashamed of? For the end of those things is death.  But now, having been set free from sin and having become enslaved to God, you have your fruit resulting in holiness. And the outcome is eternal life. For sin’s payment is death, but God’s gracious gift is eternal life in Messiah Yeshua our Lord. TLV

Michele also stresses that partnering with God, moves us away from the things that bring us death, and leads us to those things that bring us life.

Now there is the matter of 'unintentional' sins, mistakes we make out of carelessness.   Michele explains that from Romans 6:23 we deduce that when we willfully sin, we join ourselves to death; when we carelessly sin, we also, out of ignorance, carelessly put ourselves in a position where we reap the consequences that lead to death.

♡

The LORD purges out the bad and puts in that which pleases and honors Him, that which brings life to our bones and life to our purpose and families.

Don't you just love Him!

What an awesome Father we have!

None of us deserves Him.

(This was a great lesson today)

♡

    In every generation, the LORD raises up kings and men to carry out His purpose and His work.

His ways are perfect.

From Galatians 5

The sin of vices in our lives

Anything less than the fruits of the Spirit, can become a vice in our lives.

Merriam Webster defines VICE:

A vice can be a general term for any imperfection or weakness, but it often suggests violation of a moral code or the giving of offense to the moral sensibilities of others.

It goes on to say that a vice is a blemish, defect, fault or spot.

Vices are negative habits in our lives.

  According to Michele Bachmann:

80% of what we do are manners

20% of our actions run on the laws of the land

 We give permissions to ourselves to make our own decisions concerning our obsessions (appetites) transgressions etc.  Vices are not necessarily crimes; they can, however, destroy our lives by distancing us from our righteous  LORD.

How do we prevent ourselves from being caught in vice?

We must stay away from groups of people discussing and acting out in negative and lewd behavior, since bad company corrupts good morals.  Rather, we must associate with overcomers.  We can still love our enemies, without participating in their blemished activity.  We can and must focus on the fruits of the Spirit of our God, making application to them daily, all day long.  We must invite the mind of Christ to be in us.

You can get a spot of mud on your nice wool clogs, but when you attempt to wash it out, the initial dirt stain spreads  throughout the neighboring fibers of wool, spreading the "dirty" even throughout the foundation.  You can allow the initial spot to dry, untouched, and then gently brush the dirt out of the fibers.  For the most part, the dry mud will more easily be removed, and if your shoe needs a little extra care, the cleansing process will be quicker and less intensive.  

If we do not free ourselves from our vices, the filth bleeds throughout our lives. tainting every fiber of our character.  But if we let that vice dry up, we can, with the help of Spirit of Truth, brush that filth from our lives so that we can live in freedom and spotlessness before our LORD.

A vice is meant to hold something in place until it is removed.

We have a Savior who has come to set us free from our vices, wash the "dirty" away, and replace our filthy stains with spotless robes of pure white.

This is our HOPE!

 🍿INTERMISSION🍿

Micah 6:8 

The sin we have sinned against our LORD, with the sin of insincere confession 

 We repeatedly return, like a dog to its vomit, to the sins we know are absolutely abhorring to our God.  We have become habitually phony when we disregard the commands of YHWH.

"We say we are sorry, but go back;  when we go back, we are a fool. We might can kid ourselves and others around us, but not God". MB

🛑Stop🛑 committing the sin, NOW!

Regret the sin, and see how painful that sin is to YHWH; never repeat that sin again.

Isaiah 1:16-18

Finally, we must apologize to others when we sin against them.  Then we can come before our KING with clean hands, and a pure heart.

LORD, give us clean hands and a pure heart, that we might never sin against You.  We don't want to continue to regurgitate our rebellion against a Holy God.

🍿Intermission 🍿

Something to give us hope!

Perhaps it will happen in our lifetime!

I sure hope so!

Maranatha!

Today's teaching highlighted another  sin against the LORD God:

the sin of wronging a neighbor.

What kind of neighbor am I?

What kind of friend should I be?

Would I be willing to lay down my life for someone I don't even know?

Do I see my neighbor as someone to assist me in a successful venture?  Or do I see that neighbor as someone I can assist in their own personal needs.

Do I even SEE my neighbor?  Or am I caught up in my own little world of "me"?

Who IS my neighbor?

I thought John MàcArthur's message to the Church held up well, concerning this truth of our "neighbor".

I feel that we must have a true understanding of Jesus' parable of the good Samaritan, in order to understand how we fail our neighbor and sin against our God in that failure.

The difficult parts of loving your enemies...

Psalms 139:1-4

 O Lord, you have searched me and known me!
You know when I sit down and when I rise up;
    you discern my thoughts from afar.
You search out my path and my lying down
    and are acquainted with all my ways.
 Even before a word is on my tongue,
    behold, O Lord, you know it altogether.

The Sin of our Inner Thoughts

(Garbage in - Garbage out)

Romans  8:6-9

For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.  For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot.  Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. 

We can't be controlled by God's Word when our nature is hostile to God. MB

Anyone who doesn't have the Spirit of the Lord inside of him, doesn't belong to God.  That's why we need to ask the Holy Spirit to fill us. MB

Hostile thoughts begin in the mind, and then flow into the heart, pouring  out of the tongue, resulting in the defiling of the spirit. MB

mind ➡️heart➡️tongue➡️defilement

Matthew 15:18-19

But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person.  For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. ESV

How do we manage this extremely serious issue?  We have been discussing some of the most detrimental teachings in the scripture, being admonished and warned of the dangers, as well as the consequences.  There is truly only one way we can manage it, and that is through repentant prayer and fasting.  We are talking about warfare against the God of creation; hostility does not align itself with YHWH Elohim, therefore it wars against Him.  

I get a knot in the pit of my stomach just thinking about that.  We are literally warring against the One who has given up EVERYTHING for us, and we have to be told to

"can it, and tighten the lip of the lid while at it".

Wow!

Speaking of "canning it", I have recently canned 10 quarts of muscadine jam and jelly.  The process included picking the wild grapes from the vine, washing them multiple times to rid them of residual stems and debris, boiling them down while mashing the pulp out of them, straining them ladle by ladle through a wire mesh strainer until desired clarity, and then repeating the boiling process with the extracted and strained juice, following the addition of fruit  pectin, lemon juice  and a pat of butter (to reduce the foaming ). Once the juice is brought to a rolling boil, sugar is then added while continually stirring, until  the mixture is brought to the final rolling boil that must be timed for one minute.   At that time, the mixture is removed from the heat, wherein the next process begins.

Carefully ladling the hot mixture into sterilized jars, adding sterilized lid combos,  the hot lidded  jars of goodness are placed into a water bath to simmer for 10 to 20 minutes, depending on your location.

Finally,  the jars of beautiful deep plum colored jams and jellies are removed from the water bath and placed on a rack or towel to cool.  As the jars begin cooling, the hopeful "popping" sounds of lids sealing is music to the ears .. and  then Voila!  You now have a table or countertop of yummy joy!

Why am I talking about canning muscadine jam and jelly? Why go into such detail?

Because Spirit of Truth just awakened my mind, while tapping away at this post, to the analogy of muscadines and non-hostile thoughts.

We are to deal with our thoughts in a manner as to carefully pick the ripened, wormless thoughts,  wash them in the Word of God, process them by fire with mashing and straining,  adding the "good stuff" of the Spirit that adds sweetness to our lives, while removing and discarding the bitter debris that ruins our spirits .. and then canning and savoring the fruits of the Spirit in our hearts and minds. 

After  bathing in the waters of Truth,  we transform into a mature royal purple delight, fit and pleasing for the King!

(Sweetness in - Sweetness out)

A bonus video for the days of trouble, to help us stay on our mark.

Psalm 139:6-8 

We repent for the misuse of knowledge.

(What I learned today)

Knowledge can be used to deceive.  It can be used to harm people around us, personally and in the community of the body of Yeshua.

Knowledge can be used in perverse ways,  resulting in hurt.  It can be used to control people.  It can be used to embarrass or demean.

In its prideful form, knowledge can be used to impress others, such as in flaunting of college or university degrees. 

Lording over others with a "know-it-all" attitude, and diminishing their character by making them look uneducated and ignorant, is a sin. On the other hand, knowledge can be used as a blessing to others.

(How I consider things)

Boasting in knowledge can actually backfire on the self-serving individual. 

YHWH is no respecter of persons, and His eyes search the servant who has a pure heart and faithful spirit.  His eyes are always searching out the poor in spirit, poor in body, and the obedient.  Yeshua is the judge over all of the universe.  He alone has the authority to judge the heart, motives, intentions and condition of an earth-bound soul.  A piece of paper lauding a person's accomplishments means no more to Him than a widow placing her last penny into the offering plate.  On the contrary, He sees her service to Him and mankind with more kingdom value.  

Knowledge can be used to build a person up, rather than to humiliate them.  It can be used to help or assist a person in need, medically, financially, spiritually and mentally, among other things. 

Knowledge can help us to  reckon truth vs lies, when guided by Spirit of Truth.  

♡

I enjoy fixing broken things.  I use the knowledge of others around me,  and  the internet to assist and guide me.   I use the knowledge of my sisters to guide me in unique and fun crafting skills, or computer issues etc.  They are amazing at those skills, among others.  I enjoy  Foundation paper-piece quilting, and teach other women the craft.  These skills bond people together, like thread bonds fabric, and a beautiful human mosaic is painted.

The value of the knowledge of the LORD our Righteousness extends far beyond all sense of knowledge and skills.

To KNOW Him is Life, 

The fabric of our lives become, for us and Him, a joy and delight, when we set our hearts at knowing Him.

Tightly woven together, with the threads of 

Faith, Hope and Love,

this beautiful tapestry becomes even stronger than a cord of three strands (which is not easily broken).,

 It bares an eternal bond of relational knowing that

He is ours .. and we are His.

That is the knowledge we can boast in,

Messiah Jesus .. alone!

♡

1 Corinthians 1:26-31

For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called.  But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty;  and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are,  that no flesh should glory in His presence.  But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption— that, as it is written, 

“He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.” 

A few moments of peace, to steady the mind soul and spirit

🕊

Proverbs 15:1

A gentle answer turns away wrath,
but a harsh word stirs up anger. TLV

These have been some difficult teachings, the past few days.  They have moved the clock in reverse, and opened up raw places within the soul.  And yet, in order to Teshuvah (turn back, return) we have to know what we are returning from, and how to remain on our mark when we return. 

Proverbs 26:11 tells us:

As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his foolishness.

Do we seriously want to return to the vomit of hurting others with harsh words, derogatory statements, sexual immorality, and rejection of truth? We have already been warned about the dire consequences of sucking the life out of a person with our boundaryless tongues. 

So now we have to face the fact that we are all sinners, and we need consistent and continual  counsel from Spirit of Truth.  We have to throw down the idols in our lives, and seek  our higher calling in Christ Jesus. 

I can't imagine anyone wanting to cause another person to stumble in their spiritual life due to a harsh tongue.  We are to build people up with those tongues instead.

 "Verbal abuse of someone is as much an evil sin as physical abuse" MB

Physical abuse is visible on the outside of the body, and eventualy heals, for the most part, except for the painful memories left behind in the  scars. Verbal abuse runs a never-ending winding course throughout the mind and soul.  It can be, and has been a death sentence for many people, especially children who have been bullied by their peers, or people they love and trust, often resulting in the final blow to their souls and bodies ..  suicide. Harsh words begin in childhood, and continue into adulthood, if we do not take the reins and re-direct this wayward foe.

"Negative speech can be worse than a sword.  It can kill a person, even at great distance" MB

James 1:26 TLV states: If anyone thinks he is religious and yet does not bridle his tongue, but deceives his heart, this person’s religion is futile. (emphasis mine)   That verse must be taken very seriously.  There is no flexibility in these words.  Futile is futile.

James 3:6 TLV admonishes "the tongue is a fire. The tongue is a world of evil placed among our body parts. It pollutes the whole body and sets on fire the course of life—and is set on fire by Gehenna" (Gehenna is hell)

Moral of this teaching is: 

To remain under the protection of YHWH Elohim, we had better harness our tongues, or we are no better off than the demons of hell.

🙏

Forgive us, Father.  We have fallen, and how great that fall has been.  Show us how we can undo the damage we have caused to our fellow pilgrims, if  possible, and guide us down the path of Life, from this day forward. 

What I Learned Today

Leviticus 18-24 contains 24 laws from the bible regarding sexual immorality. These laws were given to God's people to protect us from moral decay and emotional breakdown. 

Sexual immorality leads to the breakdown of body, spirit and emotions

body➡️spirit➡️emotions

When YHWH speaks of immorality, it is usually sexual immorality. Sex is the strongest human drive, next to survival itself.  Sexual immorality is the result of discarding His laws and rejecting His moral standards, which leads to moral decay.

Sexual immorality dishonors the name of YHWH - in thought, word and deed. Engaging in sexual immorality does not just affect us; entire communities are affected via sexually transmitted disease, destruction of families, and crushed lives (especially children marred by incestuous assault  and child trafficking).

We need the help and counsel from  Spirit of Truth (Holy Spirit).  We must allow Him to speak to us.  We must not become dull to sin.  It will literally destroy us.  Addictions to porn or sexually explicit movies on television, internet and cell phones require us to TURN IT OFF!

Monitor who you spend time with, and become aware of how those conversations and interactions might be affecting your sexual impulses.  

When the immoral impulse arises, 

FLEE!!!

(Don't be caught with your pants down; by then it will be too late)

Cleanse us, LORD, from our unrighteousness

Heal us from our iniquity

Impart a new spirit within us

and set us free from ourselves!

We cannot do this without YOU

Save us!

Galatians 5:19-26

 When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures,  idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division,  envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there.  Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.  Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another.

Walk in the Light, as He is in the Light! from 1John 1:7

"Get rid of  the evil eye of desire that starts in our heart's and minds; let go and sin no more" MB

"Secret sins are hidden behind closed doors.  God is not fooled; these destroy us" MB

Have you found yourself sinking into and drowning in the Slough of Despond?  

Are you looking for a hand to reach down and lift you out of the mud and mire?

Reach out.  Take the hand of Jesus.  He is just an arm's length away.

He will lift you out of that dark stench of  corruption, fold you into his loving embrace, and carry you HOME!

All you have to do is just rest in His faithfull arms.

You're almost HOME!

Psalm 15

A psalm of David.

During our prayer call this morning, Michele boldly and gently dealt with a topic that so many of us sneak out of the avoidance window to "avoid".  It's family "powwow" time, so pick a stump and join us at the campfire.

Proverbs 13:3 clearly instructs us concerning derogatory and cruel talk:

"He that keeps his mouth, keeps his life, but he that opens wide his lips, shall have destruction."

( I think I saw this posted at a dentist office years ago)

These 40 days of Teshuvah, with prayer and fasting, is about returning to our Father in heaven. Turning away from our unrighteous acts, and returning to Him, requires genuine repentance, not lip service.  "Destruction" as used in this verse of Proverbs, is a strong word of warning, and therefore must not be taken lightly.  As we seek the face of YHWH, in repentance, we must understand that we do not have a choice as to what sins we repent for; it is all or nothing.

One dreadful act of sin is our lack of control of our tongue.  That act includes hurting someone by humiliating them publically, or privately without their knowledge.  This can be done in many ways,  including announcing  what we concieve to be their shortcomings.  As Michele said, this is wrong and can bring harm to someone; harm done to a person is very very hard to mend.  She goes on to say that speech is compared to an arrow;  once the words are released, like an arrow, they can't be recalled.

Leviticus 25:17 says you should not wrong one another.  

We should never put another person down, either privately or publicly.  And we must repent for the hurt we embed in another person's heart.  The damage done can be devastating to a life, especially emotionally and spiritually.  If you have been treated in such a manner, you know the deep rooted pain it causes.  If you are a sensitive person, it can affect your ability to trust and love. 

"When we speak, our lips, with our teeth, need to act like a gate, controlling whatever flows out" MB

"Purpose not to do this again" MB

"Slam the gate on evil words" MB

"Once the words slip by our mouth, teeth and tongue, there is no taking it back" MB

We must do whatever we can to make right, the wrong we placed on a soul. We can move forward in genuine love, once we recognize the sin of evil utterances, and honestly repent for that sin.

How very sad this is.  My eyes well up with tears as I tap away at these letters. Words really do matter; they can bless or curse.  They can lift up, or pull down.  They can bind, or they can loose.  They can leave a smile in the heart, or a tear in the eye.  They can leave a legacy of hope, or a legacy of despair.  

 YHWH is faithful to forgive, if we are earnest to repent.

♡

Power of Words 

Oh, the power of words.  

Someone in my young adult life, someone I loved in the LORD very much, said something that stung me like a scorpion.  Those words wrapped around my soul like a ball and chain around a leg.  I have never forgotten them.  I had to put those words away from me, as the years passed, and seek the LORD for healing and forgiveness. The mere remembrance of those words still bring tears; I must stand in the Holy place and remember who I truly am before my Savior, a delight! 

Because I delight myself in Him, He is delighted in me.

I was never angry, just broken.

Years later, it would be the words of my daddy that would paralyze my heart in grief.

"Your mother should never have had all you kids"

Those would be some of the last words I would hear from him, before he closed his eyes in sleep a few weeks later.

Life is hard. 

YHWH is faithful.

I still believe in His goodness.

🙏🏼

Forgive ME, Father, for every word that breached the gate of life behind my lips, and ushered in a hungry death to the soul's ears of another - intentionally or unintentionally.

I would never want to hurt anyone or anything, LORD,

especially YOU.

Do you have days like David did? 

I sure do.

There are days when the weight of our overstuffed suitcases is just unbearable, isn't it.  It can seem as if we have been dragging it around for a very long time, and our muscles quiver at the thought of one more stuffable item, issue, breaking news report, phone call, prayer request .. and the list goes on.  Puff (not the magic dragon) has become as much of an accessory in our pockets or bags, as our glasses and cell phones. At least it has for me, these days.  Waterproof mascara (which I generally hold out for emergencies) has now become a staple item, and a kindred friend to my face.  That deluge from the sky, flooding your yard, is not climate change; it is probably the X-Large barrel in heaven, containing my tears, that finally overflowed.

Unless you have found a nice big rock to live under, in a non-flood zone area or inactive quarry, or even a secluded cave in the "anywhere but here" forest, YOU are being suffocated by the antics of unrighteous and demonic cultural  activity, compliments of your local and national governing agencies and  leadership. But don't fret, it is only going to get worse.  

You do realize, if you study the Scripture, that what I just stated is truth.  If you have ever put a picture puzzle together, you know that the fragments poured out on your table or floor are nothing more than a dustpan pile for the garbage bin, unless of course the pieces are sorted, arranged and snapped into place, piece by piece. You also know that every puzzle piece must fit precisely into its designated spot, and not forced into a space out of frustration or impatience.  And then there is the last piece.  You look around and under the table and chairs, sweep under the rug and shake out your clothing.  It is missing.  Frustration sets in.  You commence to blame your family members of foul play, and deduce that a wicked conspiracy has been wrought on your behalf.  You stare intently into the dog's face and observe any strange behavior from the cat.  One of your now newly estranged family members comments "It's just one puzzle piece.  No big deal".  

But it isn't just one puzzle piece.  It is the piece that completed the picture.  Without it,  your unfinished project has become no more than abstract art.  Fake news.  Fraud.

It just got worse.  

I am generally a positive and somewhat gullible person when it comes to putting trust in people and situations intended to enlarge my scope of understanding and interractions with my world -  at least I use to be.  Childhood distorted that trust, mostly.  And then adulthood ransacked it a bit.  

My conclusion to our present situation on this planet, is that we are in a really bad place. We are missing the most important piece to this puzzling life.  We are missing God (YHWH Elohim), Jesus Christ (Yeshua) and Holy Spirit (Spirit of Truth).  We spend more time shaking the rotten fruit from the tree (political adds and rhetoric) than gathering the good, ripened fruit from around it.  In other words, we spend more time yelling and screaming at the television, computer screen, tablet and cell phone, than searching the living Word of God for the missing piece of the puzzle. 

This morning, Michele Bachmann said:

"Begin your day by reading the Word"

"The Word points us in the right direction"

"Forsake the lies of culture, and return to the Truth"

She spoke of forsaking the sacred cows we hold onto, the pride in our lives and how much we have loved our sacred cows, in pride, for so long.  She spoke of humility and that we must pray first, before believing lies perpetrated by culture, and then seek out and respect Godly counsel. We must not walk in ignorance.

King David messed up big time with Bathsheba, and when "Godly counsel" revealed the error of his ways, he immediately repented.

We must repent before our most Holy God if we desire to see real change happen in our world.  Otherwise, toss that incomplete puzzle into the trash, or make a fake god out of it by claiming it is "complete",  and assign pronouns to it.  Then hypnotize and brainwash ignorance (sleepers) to claim the same.

Stop it already!

Wake up, sleepy-head!

Wash the goo from your precious eyes and slap yourself a few times, if necessary.

Get down on your faces before YHWH Elohim and cry out to Him!

Only He can save us!  

There is no other!

Wake UP!

 Otherwise, the dumpster is waiting for a refill.

Psalm 51

(emphasis on vs 10, but please read the entire chapter)

 Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me. NLT

Elul is considered the month of compassion, divine mercy and forgiveness. It is the  month prior to Rosh Hashanah, the month designated as the birthday of the universe, the day of Adam's creation, and the day when

“all inhabitants of the world pass before G‑d like a flock of sheep,” and it is decreed in the heavenly court “who shall live, and who shall die ... who shall be impoverished and who shall be enriched; who shall fall and who shall rise.”  Chabad.org

The month before Rosh Hashanah [Elul], taught Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi, is a precious month. For thirty days, you can find the Ultimate King awaiting you outside the city, on a rustic path that winds through an empty meadow.

What’s the advantage of meeting the King in a meadow?

Because when you meet the King in His palace of the Days of Awe from Rosh Hashanah to Yom Kippur, much stands between you and Him—the carpet, the throne, the royal robes, the protocol, the language you must use, the awe and magnificence of the palace…

But in the field, the King wears blue jeans. And so do you. He even greets you with a smile, and expresses His delight that you came out to see Him.

Now it’s just you with the King.

Luke 6:45 reads:The good man brings forth what is good out of the good treasure of his heart, and the wicked man brings forth what is wicked out of the wicked treasure of his heart.  For out of the overflow of the heart his mouth speaks.  

"Let the Word of God come from our mouths." Michele Bachmann

"Repent for barriers we put before the Lord." Michele Bachmann

To my heart, You have said,

"Seek My face" 

Your face, Lord, I seek

Show me Your Face, LORD, and I will be complete

It is about returning to the One TRUE God, YHWH Elohim. 

It is about turning away from our unrighteous acts and habits, and living out our identity in Christ, with genuine gratitude, thanksgiving, and a life that offers up a pleasingly delightful aroma unto our Father in heaven. 

It is about repenting for our personal rebellion against our Holy, Qodesh (set-apart) God, before attempting to hope for change in our individual nations' local and governing institutions.

It is about turning away from evil

and running as fast as we can, into the loving embrace of our Father.

It is about Life

(or death).

It is our choice, and ours alone.

Choose wisely

 During the next 40 days, I will be blogging my thoughts, prayers,  insightful and/or inspirational music/teaching videos that draw me into moments of reflection from not only Michele's teaching, but also the powerful prayers offered up to heaven by those beloved prayer warriors participating in the Zoom call to prayer and fasting; these warriors and watchmen join in from all around the globe, on behalf of Israel, America, and each soul's home nation, continent and peoples.

When we gather together, the vast miles that separate us, morph into a cozy den of intimate familiarity.  

What a beautiful space we have been given, 

for such a time as this.

🙏🏼

Psalm 130 

Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord!
O Lord, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
to the voice of my pleas for mercy!

If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities,
O Lord, who could stand?
But with you there is forgiveness,
that you may be feared.

I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,
and in his word I hope;
my soul waits for the Lord
more than watchmen for the morning,
more than watchmen for the morning.

O Israel, hope in the Lord!
For with the Lord there is steadfast love,
and with him is plentiful redemption.
And he will redeem Israel
from all his iniquities. ESV

Can you believe that it has been almost a year since the 2023 40 Days of Teshuvah special time of prayer and fasting came to a close? And what a year it has been! Never could I have imagined in my lifetime, the events that have unfolded before my eyes. I have a deep intuitive suspicion that you feel much the same. We have cried together, prayed together, inhaled and exhaled every precious and sacred breath together as we scanned local and national television and social media sites and channels, including internet websites, for ligitament breaking news from trustworthy media journalists and news sources (finding few), finally committing ourselves to international news instead. As I scurried to the forefront of each new day's event, I felt a little like John and Peter might have felt as they raced towards the tomb of Yeshua, hoping the news of his siting had been reported accurately. For them, the finish line was their great joy in finding their risen Savior; for us, an agonizing struggle to hang on to hope has kept some of us gasping for air, much like a fish in too shallow of a stream. With every breaking light of dawn, came the hope that perhaps that day would be different, only to find at the end of the day, desperation was intensifying. At some point in our cries for help, we realized that no person, no ally, no army, no elected or unelected official or committee or UN or ICJ or WHO or WEF (and certainly no political party) could save us. We had to return to the source of our hope and strength, Yeshua (Jesus). We had to silence our screaming souls with scriptural Truth, and bathe our racing hearts of fear, in continual prayer. And so we prayed. We prayed alone, with family, with friends, with strangers around the world. We prayed for strength to persevere, to engage our enemy of darkness with the sword of the spirit. We grasped our shield of faith with weakened, trembling hands, and held it before us .. and we ran. We ran with buckling knees, knowing that if we faltered and fell, we would continue the battle in prayer on those shaken knees, until we could rise up and run again. We ran towards an unknown, body armour clanging and sometimes seeming to stifle and weight us down with each stride, knowing that the end of our race, whether in the land of the living or the absence of flesh, would present us before the King of all Kings and Lord of all Lords, our finish line.

Now we run together, once again, as the body of Yeshua. We join truly humbled hearts of family all over the world, from seasoned prayer warriors to brand new followers of our King. We come naked and unashamed before our LORD, because we are His righteousness robed in His fine array. This alone gives us the authority, privilege and power to war in prayer on behalf of Israel, the United States of America, and the entire world.

The battle rages on, but the voices of His beloved bride are getting stronger and louder still. We will not give up or give in. We will not bow down to the father of lies and liars. We are reminded of Ephesians 6:12:

For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. NLT

Won't you join us in the battle of our lives, and the lives of precious Jews all over the world, especially Israel?  Satan hates every Jew and follower of Yeshua the Messiah, and he has only one intention, to destroy us all. Although we know, through the scripture, how this finally ends, we have been instructed to watch and pray.

So on to the battleground, dear beloved of the Father.

It's time!

----------

For more information about the upcoming event

40 Days of Prayer, Fasting and Teshuvah (Return) with Michele Bachmann

Just click or tap it!  It is magical!

Poof💨💨

See you soon!