Immediately following Yeshua's immersion in water and Spirit, he was led by the Spirit to be tested in the wilderness by HaSatan. Look closely: Yeshua is full with the Spirit, then led to the wilderness, where he has no provision for his physical body, and the Adversary is there to test him. What are the two possible outcomes of this test? Pass or fail. What will make the difference? This is a test of Yeshua's character, which is the final preparation for ministry. In ministry, the Adversary will come against us--this is a promise--but will we have the internal fortitude, the character of God, the sensitivity to the Ruach HaKodesh that will allow us to walk away unscathed from a skirmish with the Adversary?

With no physical protection or provision, the permeating of the Spirit provides Yeshua with everything he needs. How many of us can fast for forty hours, much less forty days? Yet here, Yeshua, not only without food but also with the Adversary in his face, is not hungry. Only after the time of testing is Yeshua physically hungry. Yeshua successfully withstands the tempting of the Adversary, and HaSatan can't believe it! Just imagine--Yeshua stands up, looks the Adversary square in the eye and says, "Well, good try. See you around!" and starts to leave. The Adversary, completely amazed, makes a last ditch effort: "Hang on a minute... You're hungry, aren't you? Instead of waiting to get back to town, just turn this stone into bread... if you're the Son of God...."

A bonus question! Extra points! The Adversary doesn't know when he's beat, and this is the recklessness of the devil that is the most dangerous. The test is over, Yeshua has passed, but his guard does not come down for a second, because as soon as one test is over, the next begins. This is the strategy of the Adversary, but it is the victory of God.

Three times the devil entices Yeshua by making promises he has no ability to keep, lying boldly to Yeshua's face, misrepresenting the Word of God, goading Yeshua with flattery, being deceitful in general. These are the weapons of the devil, and they are effective against the children of God. How can we respond to an attack of this nature: underhanded, repeated, unrelenting, and, worst of all, appealing to our flesh? The fortitude of the Spirit and the Word of God living in us, as Yeshua demonstrates, is more than sufficient.

The devil will steal from you every chance he gets--when you're least expecting it, and when you see it coming. Count on it--after every test you pass, there is another one waiting right behind it. But remember: if you allow the Spirit and the Word of God to be your provision, even in your wilderness you will never be alone.

P R A Y E R

Abba Father, fill me with your Ruach HaKodesh. Empower me to withstand the attacks and deceits of the enemy. Let me seek only you for my provision, that my character will be that of Messiah's, and that I will do nothing in my own strength. Be my sustenance and my provider, not allowing me to be distracted or deceived, that I may clearly see the plans of the enemy and the desires of my own flesh. Cover me with your Spirit that I may be protected from the evil one, and the victory and glory be to you.

Sha'ul paints a very accurate picture of sin to which we can all relate--although wanting to do good, we find ourselves following the "teaching" of sin, and despite our head knowledge that sin is contrary to God, we still sin. How many times have we said, "Lord, I know it's not right, but..." and then, while trying not to make excuses, instead try and give supposedly valid reasons why we sin. Sha'ul calls it a "battle," that we are "a prisoner" of sin, indeed, we are "miserable creatures... bound for death." Sometimes we forget that just on the other side of sin is death--they're neighbors, partners, bedfellows. Playing with sin is serious business--especially for those of us who know the good we ought to do.

To get "really good" at sinning, it takes practice. As we follow its "teaching"--its perverse "Torah"--and put it into practice, we will find that it begins to take little or no effort to sin and continue to sin. On the other hand, to get "really good" at living a holy life and walking in step with the Lord, it also takes practice. As we follow God's teaching--his Holy Torah, both written and written on our hearts--and put it into practice, we will find that it begins to take little or no effort to live pure and blameless before a holy God... and more so, to continue in holiness, walking farther away from sin.

Torah brings freedom--the teaching of God frees us from sin and death. The Good News is: for those who know Yeshua as Messiah, there is no longer any condemnation; that is, when we sin, instead of being condemned to die for it, we have forgiveness, and the verdict to sentence us to death is set aside. The "Torah" of sin brings death--this "Torah" is the impostor, the counterfeit--but the Torah of the Spirit gives life--life abundant, life eternal. To sin is to turn and drift away from God, to know his Torah is to turn from sin and draw closer to the Lord.

P R A Y E R

Abba Father, teach me your ways of holiness through the Torah of the Spirit, written, and written on my heart. Show me how to live in accordance with your commands, that I may know to avoid the precepts of the perverse "Torah" of sin. Let me not abide in the "teachings" of my own nature and sinful ways, but welcome me into your forgiving arms--with complete repentance and no condemnation--to receive my healing....

Avraham understands that the Lord promised two very specific things in the covenant He made with Avraham--first, that his descendants would inherit the land in which Avraham resided at that time as a foreigner, and, second, that Avraham would indeed have descendents! Avraham then makes it clear to his servant that Yitz'chak is not to leave the land they are in (because Avraham understands that they are already in the promised land).

But even more amazing is the great faith of Avraham that his servant will choose exactly the wife that God has chosen for Yitz'chak because "he will send his angel ahead of you." Avraham's faith was founded on the promise: God didn't take him "away from my father's house and away from that land I was born in" for nothing! For ADONAI "spoke to me and swore to me, 'I will give this land to your descendants.'" Thus, the servant could not return empty handed--the fulfillment of the promise would be through Yitz'chak's seed.

"He said, 'ADONAI, God of my master Avraham, please let me succeed today; and show your grace to my master Avraham. Here I am, standing by the spring, as the daughters of the townsfolk come out to draw water. I will say to one of the girls, "Please lower your jug, so that I can drink." If she answers, "Yes, drink; and I will water your camels as well," then let her be the one you intend for your servant Yitz'chak. This is how I will know that you have shown grace to my master."'" B'resheet 24:12-14

There are several things at work in the passage. First, the servant is not praying for personal gain--his motives are unselfish. The grace he asks for is for Avraham--whom he serves. So it is an issue of service and a humble, servant's heart. Next, the girl not only fulfilled the servant's test scenario, but also satisfied every other criteria necessary for a suitable wife for Yitz'chak--she was from Avraham's people, she was "very beautiful, a virgin, never having had sexual relations with any man." In other words, there could have been other girls who would have performed in the servant's plan who may not have been truly suitable as a wife, so the servant was able to discern the results and trustworthiness of the sign he had been given.

"And even before I had finished speaking to my heart, there came Rivkah (Rebecca), going out with her jug on her shoulder..." B'resheet 24:45a

Not as soon as he had finished "speaking to my heart," but before he had finished, "there came Rivkah"! Because of the servant's purity of heart, trust in God, and love for his master, ADONAI made it easy for the servant. All the servant had to do was pray and show up--God did the rest.

P R A Y E R

ADONAI, I pray for a humble and contrite heart, that I may know your plans for your glory. Teach me, father, to hold on to your promises and to act according to their prophetic fulfillment. Make me your servant, ADONAI, that by signs I may know your ways, that I can see you at work in the natural as I sense you moving in the Spirit. I speak to my heart right now, Father, show me your great faithfulness, and lead me into your sweet, sweet, perfect will....

This entire exchange is profound. The Lord first appears to Gid'on in an apparently unconvincing manner, sitting under the pistachio tree. How often does the Lord sit and wait patiently for us to recognize him? Indeed, our natural response to the prophetic word of God is often the same as that of Gid'on's. The Lord calls us "valiant hero" and proclaims his presence to us -- but what is our response? "Excuse me, but..." Who but God would make known his presence? No deceptive force would proclaim the name of ADONAI, yet we don't believe it when God says, "I AM with you!"

Why did Gid'on interrogate the Lord in this manner? Was it because he didn't believe he was in the presence of God? Was he simply ignorant? Was he being careful to determine he was not being fooled? After Isra'el's forty years of peace and another decline away from the presence of God, Gid'on's mindset was such that he didn't give God's promises to Isra'el any thought at all. The salvation of the Lord was so far from his mind that even an appearance of the Lord was not enough to stir him. All Gid'on had was a fading memory of what he had been told God had done and would do for Isra'el. Gid'on's personal experience with God was so diminished that he wouldn't recognize the Lord even if he appeared under a pistachio tree!

We ask the Lord, "Where are you?" not because we have forgotten that he is there -- we ask because we have forgotten where to look and what he looks like. We ask the Lord, "Where are your miracles we have been told about?" not because we notice they are missing, but because the Lord himself prompts us -- blind as we are -- by showing himself to us, increasing our sensitivity, allowing our eyes to adjust to the brightness of his glory. We will know that we are abandoned only when we stop asking "Where are you?" but he is truly never far from us even when we ask his whereabouts in the midst of his presence.

P R A Y E R

ADONAI, let me never fall so far from you that I cannot hear your voice or recognize your face. Teach me to never doubt your provision and your promises, but to always expect you, even when I don't see you. Let me always be pleasantly surprised by your appearance -- may it never become commonplace or foreign, but continually astonishing. Lord, I love to be near to you. Never let yourself become a distant memory to me, but a perpetual presence in me every moment of the day....

To be depraved is to live in a veiled, clouded state--to encounter the world around us through the physical senses, yet to act as if things appear different than they really are: to hear a curse, and call it a blessing; to smell a stench, and call it sweet; to taste a poison, and call it food; to see an innocent person, and lustfully fantasize; to touch what belongs to someone else, and call it one's own.

With a depraved mind, we see everything through the filter of our own flesh, our own desires and wants. Controlled by our arrogance, we run amuck, beyond abandon into pure self-indulgence, which says, "There is no God, [so] it won't be held against me.... I will never be shaken; I won't meet trouble, not now or ever.... God forgets, he hides his face, he will never see." This is the key to releasing the sinner from captivity to his own flesh: the shock of shame that comes upon him when he finally realizes that God has been watching--and waiting--all along.... waiting, to show him mercy and grace, to love him, and separate him from his sin.

Our part in bringing the sinner into the light of Messiah is to cut through the underbrush of lies and false reality, marking a clear path to the Lord with the testimony of our faith and the Word of God. This is why we immerse ourselves in the Scriptures and spend time alone with the Lord--so that we will be saturated with the light of life and have enough power to slice the thick of darkness in two. Only by staying pure and holy ourselves will the light of Messiah not be diminished through us, and we can be a beacon, leading the sinner to true life.

P R A Y E R

Father, cleanse me of my sins, blot out the memory of my transgressions--let me be pure and spotless, so that I will not cast shadows of falsehood, but shine only your holy light. Lift the veil of deception, clear the cloud of confusion that surrounds me, and let me stand before you--naked and unashamed--that I may be changed, made righteous once and for all, that I may see the truth of knowing you. I praise you, ADONAI, for showing me your light, leaving it burning for me until I finally chose to come home....

Shlomo (Solomon) puts it so elegantly, breathing life into what most believers count as dusty, old, obsolete rules--LAW!--something to rebel against, to be delivered from. On the contrary, the mitzvot (commands) of Torah are to be obeyed and not abandoned.

This is the beauty of Torah--to be bound always on our hearts, tied around our necks... perhaps, like a yoke? Consider Yeshua, the Living Torah--"For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

The mitzvot of Torah--when we walk, they will lead. Consider Yeshua, the Living Torah--"Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light which gives life."

When you lie down, the Torah will watch over you. Consider Yeshua, the Living Torah--"So there remains a Shabbat--keeping for God's people. For the one who has entered God's rest has also rested from his own works, as God did from his."

See! The Torah of God is alive! For when you arise, the commands will speak with you. Consider Yeshua, the Living Torah--"Because I live, you too will live."

The mitzvah is a lamp, and Torah is light--consider Yeshua, the Living Torah: "I am the light of the world."

And reproof and discipline--they are life-givers. Consider Yeshua, the Living Torah--"Every branch which is a part of me that bears fruits, [ADONAI] prunes, so that it may bear more fruit."

Yeshua is the walking, talking, living, breathing Torah, exemplifying for us the perfect way to obey the mitzvot. Shlomo, the son of David, and Yeshua, the son of David concur: "For the mitzvah is a lamp, Torah is light, and reproofs and discipline are the way to life." "I AM the Way--and the Truth and the Life..."

P R A Y E R

Yeshua, you are truly the Living Torah--there is nothing that is in you that is not good. Thank you for teaching me your ways, for showing me that the Torah, both written and written on my heart, gives life and shows me the way I should walk. I worship you, ADONAI, giver of the Torah--you are holy, and your Torah is holy. I bless your Name, HaShem! I praise your excellent greatness. Your ways are good and straight. Thank you for your discipline and love...

Yeshua is offensive enough--He doesn't need our help. The gospel offends sin. It stirs sin's hatred. As we seek holiness and purity before the Lord, the radiance of our flesh dulls and the light of Yeshua shines through. Light offends darkness, infiltrating, exposing the hidden things.

When we encounter people who hate us, ostracize us, insult us, and denounce us, on whose account is it? Have we taken the log from our own eye before dealing with the splinter in another's? We will be blessed if the insults we receive are on account of Yeshua--if it is on our own account, we will not be blessed, merely insulted.

Never seek to offend, and you will still be offensive. Never seek to confront, and you will be confronted. Do not hide the light and love of Yeshua, but boldly let it shine. As you remove yourself, the darkness will be penetrated, and will lash out in your direction. Be glad, be blessed, because it is not you that is being attacked, but the Lord in you. The reward that awaits you is not for the offenses you cause with your own words and actions, but for the light of the gospel that agitates, disturbs, and disrupts the slumber of the world.

Be glad when you are hated; yes, dance for joy! If you stand before the Lord in innocence, the world will pronounce you guilty, and this is the reason for joy--because this is the time to shine.

P R A Y E R

Lord, only you know the hearts of all men--only you can judge and pass sentence. Teach me daily to step aside, shrink back, become small in my own eyes, that you may come forward, rise up, and be magnified. Father, give me clean hands and a pure heart, that I may be innocent as I stand before you. Give me your boldness and strength, that I may be a witness, a living testimony of your greatness, so that as I speak, it is you speaking through me, and that they will see only you.

If only we can get it through our heads and hold it in our hearts that nothing will ever separate us from the love of the Messiah...! What is your biggest fear? Call it by name--stare it straight in the face... Through the love of Messiah, we are saved from death, and given abundant life; we have authority over forces warring in the heavenlies and power over demons from hell. In Messiah, we are not bound by our past, trapped in our present, or fearful of our future; in Yeshua, we have no fear of man or any other thing in all creation. So what is the good news?--that in all these things, you are a superconqueror!! How threatening does your fear look now?

The love of God, from which we can never be separated, does not make us mere conquerors--it makes us superconquerors, more than conquerors.... like Joshua, Gideon, David, Samson--our conquests surpass human reason, logic, and natural limits because our God goes before us, and He is above all our enemies! Not only are our foes vanquished and annihilated, but our losses are restored to us, and more than that, restored to us 30-, 60-, 100-fold! Superconquerors do not limp from the battlefield, but glide into glory.

If God is for us, who can be against us? Conventional wisdom--God confounds it. Public opinion--God ignores it. Is the Spirit of God telling you one thing while people in your life are telling you another? Who will you believe? Can God act against the status quo, or not? Can God circumvent the expected, or not? Believe the unbelievable: God is God. Be convinced: you are a superconqueror, because nothing can separate you from the love of God, which comes to us through the Messiah Yeshua, our Lord.

P R A Y E R

Lord, let me be convinced that nothing can separate me from your love. Let me be convinced that despite my present circumstances or even because of them that I am not just a conqueror, not just an over--comer, but I am a superconqueror! Teach me to believe in and expect supernatural victories in every single area of my life and in the lives of people who I am able to influence. I am a superconqueror, and no created thing, nothing dead, alive, past, present, future, angelic, or demonic, has the power to be victorious over me. Nothing can separate me from you.... and that makes me a superconqueror!

Without looking ahead to see what a great nation Ya'akov is to become, it is difficult to understand how God warrants Ya'akov to be blessed over his older brother. It is simply a sovereign act of God. Does this make ADONAI a random deity, choosing those whom he pleases to choose... at his whim? This does not indicate whimsy, but reveals the purposeful plans of the Lord. It was by design that Ya'akov would be the stronger--both by foreknowledge and pre-destination Ya'akov was the chosen one.

Nothing we did before birth, and certainly nothing we've done since birth, warrants whether ADONAI will shine his face upon us and be gracious to us. One of the deep mysteries of the faith--a mystery in that the rationalizing mind cannot fully comprehend it--is that we are drawn to the Lord because he draws us, yet we are not coerced or forced against our will to follow Him.

"[Ya'akov] went to his father and said, 'My father?' He replied, 'Here I am; who are you, my son?' Ya'akov said to his father, 'I am 'Esav your firstborn. I've done what you asked me to do. Get up now, sit down, eat the game, and then give me your blessing.' Yitz'chak said to his son, 'How did you find it so quickly, my son?' He answered, 'ADONAI your God made it happen that way.' Yitz'chak said to Ya'akov, 'Come here, close to me, so I can touch you, my son, and know whether you are in fact my son 'Esav or not.' Ya'akov approached Yitz'chak his father, who touched him and said, 'The voice is Ya'akov's voice, but the hands are 'Esav's hands,' so he gave him his blessing. He asked, 'Are you really my son 'Esav?' And he replied, 'I am.' He said, 'Bring it here to me, and I will eat my son's game, so that I can give you my blessing.' Then his father Yitz'chak said to him, 'Come close now, and kiss me, my son.' He approached and kissed him. Yitz'chak smelled his clothes and blessed Ya'akov with these words: 'See, my son smells like a field which ADONAI has blessed. So may God give you dew from heaven, the richness of the earth, and grand and wine in abundance. May peoples serve you and nations bow down to you. May you be lord over your kinsman, let your mother's descendants bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you, blessed be everyone who blesses you!'" B'resheet 27:18-29

The most fascinating part of this passage, however, is not that Ya'akov lied his head off--even blaspheming the name of ADONAI--and got the blessing, but that virtually blind Yitz'chak, his father, gave up the blessing to the wrong son. Yitz'chak made the same mistake that many of us make on a daily basis--he didn't listen to the voice!

We fall for this scheme all the time. Watch Yitz'chak: first, he questioned Ya'akov because, by bringing the game so quickly, it was an unexpected act--an act out of character from what Yitz'chak knew to be normal; second, rightly doubting Ya'akov, he touched him, and was fooled by what he felt; last, by smelling Ya'akov, and by virtue of the aroma being familiar, he bought the whole lie. The one thing that didn't line up, the most important thing, was not enough to dissuade Yitz'chak from believing what he wanted to believe: "The voice is Ya'akov's voice, but the hands are 'Esav's hands." If Yitz'chak had listened to the voice, the lie would have been unraveled. Instead, Yitz'chak did not trust what he heard in the voice, or what he sensed to be true, but instead was caught up in his senses, making a decision on what he felt, not the facts.

Our senses are a constant source of distraction to us, and, as Yitz'chak could not see in the natural, we cannot see the realm of the Spirit with our eyes, so we attempt to touch it with our hands. The physical manifestation does not always tell the whole story--it is the voice that cuts through and reveals to us the identity of the one who speaks to us. There are opposing voices that are always in our ears, and the one that speaks in the din is the one that lies. The voice we seek is the one that can only be heard in the stillness--the One that speaks to us and causes distractions to disappear. That is why we seek ADONAI in our quiet devotional times--to listen to the voice of the Lord and to be able to recognize it so that we can always find it between the lies of life.

P R A Y E R

ADONAI, thank you for drawing me to you, that I may come to you and have rest from confusion and distraction. Let me know you, Father, in an intimate way, that I will never be fooled by what I think is you or what I feel is you, but that I will always follow what I know is you. Speak to me, ADONAI, may I hear your still, small voice pronounce volumes in my ear. Teach me, Lord, to test every spirit and to not be taken in by counterfeit copies. Show me, Father, how to recognize you, that I may follow you with my whole being and enjoy my eternal blessings that I have only in you....

The yetzer'ra, our built--in inclination for evil, our flesh, runs away with us when it goes unchecked by accountability. Strangely, imposed authority seems to have no bearing on whether we follow our own desires or submit our wills. Only when we deliberately choose to be self-submitting does the presence of authority affect our thoughts and actions.

"... a man simply did whatever he thought was right." God has given us the ability to think for ourselves. Consequently, our natural tendencies are to elevate our own thoughts to a god-like plane, fooling ourselves into believing falsely in our own capabilities. God created us with gifts, talents, and abilities, but when we choose to enact those abilities outside of the protection of spiritual authority, we are rogue, reckless, and able to do much harm -- to others as much as ourselves.

Contrary to our natural desires, God intended the redeemed Body of believers to live together in community. Community -- accountability, support, protection -- brings balance to our otherwise egocentric existence. Doing "whatever" one thinks is right is impossible in a true community, for in community, all believers adhere to the same set of instructions -- the Torah -- empowered by the same Spirit -- through the Living Torah, Yeshua -- and the ability to fall to one side or the other is erased because we stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our neighbors in the Lord.

As we turn from our own ways and collectively turn to receive God's ways, we will submit not only to each other for accountability, but to the authority of the One who rules. At this time, there is a king in Isra'el, and we no longer simply do whatever we think is right, but submit to the authority of the King, receiving in turn his royal protection, provision and deliverance.

P R A Y E R

King Messiah, I submit my will to you and receive your salvation. Teach me to rely on the people of your holy community, that we may together walk in your ways and avoid our destruction. Show me how to guard against the hurtful desires of my flesh and to turn and desire to walk holy and blameless before you in the light of your Torah and the glory of your Son. Thank you, Father. I praise you and worship you, my deliverer....

"The Torah"--the "Law" as some might call it: a document from which we are now free in Messiah, some might say. Yet, this "Law," that allegedly creates such enmity that we are to discard it, is actually "perfect." And more so, this "Law" restores "the inner person." What kind of law is this--this Torah--that it does not kill, but brings restoration?

But, is the Torah reliable? Is it usable for teaching, correcting, rebuke, and training in righteousness? We are a generation that believes "instruction" is prohibitive, yet, "the instruction of ADONAI is sure, making wise the thoughtless."

Surely, some may say, Torah weighs us down, causing us to grieve unnecessarily by our violations of it! Our life, promised to be abundant and full of joy, cannot possibly benefit from obsolete laws that have been crucified with Messiah... Yet, "the precepts of ADONAI are right, rejoicing the heart."

What good can it do--this Torah, this "Law"? How can it help us to be holy and pure, now that we are in Messiah? Is it possible that this Law that restores, is perfect, right, and brings joy to the heart? .That its commandments themselves are "pure," and that they "[enlighten] the eyes"?

"The fear of ADONAI is clean, enduring forever," and to keep his commands keep us in right standing. "The rulings of ADONAI are true, they are righteous altogether," and we benefit in their keeping, as practical and spiritual measures to keep us from harm.

Torah, we have stayed away so long! This document of love and grace, given to a redeemed people, is "more desirable than gold, than much fine gold, also sweeter than honey or drippings from the honeycomb." Why so sweet? It's the sensation of salvation, the bliss of blessings. Instruction is valuable, not something to be avoided and shunned, like temptation and sin. The teaching, instruction, precepts, commandments, and rulings are for our benefit, to keep us safe from wrong choices and evil influence. "Through them your servant is warned; in obeying them there is great reward."

P R A Y E R

Who can discern unintentional sins? Cleanse me from hidden faults. Also keep your servant from presumptuous sins, so that they won't control me. Then I will be blameless and free of great offense. May the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart be acceptable in your presence, ADONAI, my Rock and Redeemer. (Tehillim 19:13-15)

One look into a newborn baby's face, and we see the awesome power of God, yet we have no understanding of it. By His will, by a single thought in His mind, from two microscopic cells, it becomes one, then two again, miraculously growing into a thinking, responding, seeing, hearing life form. Who can understand it? Who can fathom it? ADONAI forms babies in his own image--the Creator creates tiny beings that look just like Him--mind, soul, and spirit.

As new creations in Messiah, so the hand of the Creator also forms us. Who can explain why one moment we are depraved and the next knowing our Messiah? What takes place that causes us to be born again from above? How is the formerly hidden suddenly revealed and we see clearly that to which we had been formerly blind? By what power do we grow and someday have spiritual sons and daughters of our own?

In Messiah, our ways are God's ways, and God's ways are our ways, yet who can understand the ways of God? Though we do not understand, we believe. We see with our own eyes the working of ADONAI in our lives--that as we pursue wisdom, insight, balance, knowledge, discipline, Torah, we are enabled to follow the pattern set out before us and walk in His divinely ordered steps. And in Messiah, we have Yeshua, who has trodden the way before us, laid out a clearly marked path to follow and not go to the left or right.

ADONAI orders a man's steps, so we have security, protection, guidance, and unfailing provision. As we abide in him, he resides in us, and understanding our own ways becomes less and less a prerequisite to obedience. Let us purpose in our hearts to follow the ordered steps of the Lord, forsaking our own way, and abandoning our hearts to our Savior....

P R A Y E R

Father, Creator, you who perform miracles--I worship your mighty Name! I praise you for your awesomeness, your unfathomable mysteries--you are beyond my understanding. Lord, I lean not on my own understanding, but trust you completely to guide my steps, to do miracles on my behalf, to make my roads straight and to remove obstacles in my path. Loving Father, I thank you for being above my comprehension, so that I will always rely only on you, my Source, my Rock, my Salvation....

Yeshua paints a picture of perfect release here. To our minds, all sin is equal, but to the mind of God, not all forgiveness is equal. Where more forgiveness is required, more is given, and how much greater the gift becomes.... Now we see that while sin is still sin, God is still God, and he is in the business of forgiving sin--all sin, of all shapes and sizes, and he has custom-made forgiveness to fit our need.

This gives us incredible hope! We do not sow sin to reap forgiveness, but if we are steeped in sin, if we have back-slidden to the point where we are unable to get back up, even if we have simply forgotten how to come into his presence daily, making him the master of our life, rather than slave to our complaints--no matter how far from the foot of the cross we have crawled, our Abba Father is capable, and best of all, willing, to offer his forgiveness. When we buy on credit with sin, God will cancel--clean up--our debt. The Lord doesn't just pay the monthly minimum due... the burden of debt to oppression and the grave is erased altogether--we are released and set free by the forgiveness of sins through the atoning sacrifice of Messiah Yeshua.

We are truly unable to reimburse The Creditor. Think about how big your debt has been, and be filled with gratefulness, thanksgiving and love that it is no longer counted against you.

P R A Y E R

Lord Yeshua, by the shedding of your innocent blood, you have paid the debt I bought with sin. Thank you for your love! I see the extent of your forgiveness--it is overflowing! Truly, Lord, I am unable to save myself, but you are Yeshua, you are Salvation, and you have saved me from my sin. Thank you, Lord, for washing me clean, canceling the debt, and giving me a fresh start, renewed every morning, that I may devote my life and everything I say and do to you. I love you....

But ADONAI also goes another step farther here. "Look, I am with you. I will guard you wherever you go, and I will bring you back into this land, because I won't leave you until I have done what I have promised you." This is the promise to our Jewish people today. With the northern tribes of Isra'el lost to the nations, the remnant of Judah--the Jewish people--carry on the name of Isra'el. Now in the Diaspora, the Jewish people are all that is left of this nation Isra'el, yet the promise still stands--ADONAI has preserved us, his remnant, and is even today bringing us back into the Land. God is not through with our Jewish people--he will not leave until he has done what he promised.

This is Good News for the non-Jewish believer in Yeshua as well. With the Jewish people preserved as the only remaining remnant of Isra'el, God is still able to fulfill his promise. And by fulfilling his promise to guard the Jewish people and bring them back to the Land, he is able to fulfill the other part of the promise--that all the nations of the Earth will be blessed. And, of course, ultimately, in preserving the Jewish people, ADONAI guarded the people from whom came our Jewish Messiah--the Messiah of the world--Yeshua.

"Ya'akov awoke from his sleep and said, 'Truly, ADONAI is in this place--and I didn't know it!' Then he became afraid and said, 'This place is fearsome! This has to be the house of God! This is the gate of heaven!' Ya'akov got up early in the morning, took the stone he had put under his head, set it up as a standing--stone, and named the place Beit-El [house of God]; but the town had originally been called Luz." B'resheet 28:16-19

The Body of Messiah today is having a similar "awakening." The prophetic fulfillment of Jewish people returning to the Land, the modern-day rebirth of visible, recognizable groups of Jewish believers in the Messiah Yeshua, the numbers upon numbers of Jewish people accepting their Jewish Messiah. All these things are pointing Jewish and non-Jewish believers alike to embrace their unique identities both in Messiah and in relation to the Land, the people and the Scriptures of Isra'el. The Remnant of Isra'el and the Remnant from among the nations--Jew and Gentile, one in Messiah--"This place is fearsome! This has to be the house of God!"

"Ya'akov took this vow: 'If God will be with me and will guard me on the road that I am traveling, giving me bread to eat and clothes to wear, so that I return to my father's house in peace, then ADONAI will be my God; and this stone, which I have set up as a standing--stone, will be God's house; and of everything you give me I will faithfully return one-tenth to you.'" B'resheet 28:20-22

As believers, we sometimes not only forget God's promises, but we act as if he is not to be held to his end of the bargain. In Yeshua, we are no longer sinners saved by grace, not merely clothed in righteousness nor simply appearing to be so in God's eyes. In Yeshua, we are righteous, we are clean, new creations, and worthy to receive the blessings that come from the promises of God. Ya'akov is not testing God. Indeed, before God "guarded him on the road," before God provided "bread to eat and clothes to wear," Ya'akov set up a standing-stone, and, expecting the blessing, vowed to "faithfully return one-tenth" of everything God would give him in the future.

We can expect that God will fulfill his promises. We can hold him to it, and he will be faithful. As ADONAI models his faithfulness for us, should we not, in turn, be faithful? What is our responsibility here? Just as Ya'akov, we are to simply receive the promises. We cannot earn, merit or keep the blessings of God by anything we do, but as we pursue God and his holiness, as we run after Messiah, walking in his ways, we will meet the promises on the way.

P R A Y E R

ADONAI, your plan to bless your people has been intact and unaffected from the beginning. You are faithful to your children--both natural and grafted-in branches--to bring your salvation to the whole earth, to pour out your Spirit upon all flesh, to make us a holy, redeemed community, faithful to your teaching and your ways. Thank you, ADONAI, that you are Our Salvation, our guardian, protector, provider. Let me no longer forget or feel unworthy to receive your grace, but teach me to freely receive your promises and their blessings. I worship you, ADONAI, Righteous One--keeper of every last promise....

Consider the nature of Hannah's praying--to an outsider like 'Eli, she appeared intoxicated. Why would intense, soul-reaching prayer look so demeaning? Or, perhaps, it was not that it appeared so immoral, but that it was so uncommon to see such unrestraint in prayer that in all of 'Eli's frame of reference, drunkenness was its closest relative. Hannah was praying in such a way that she was able to reach God by reaching her own soul--at the expense of appearing pious, restrained or normal.

In times of anguish and distress, don't we tend to drown ourselves with extra-fleshly devices? For instance: food, drink, entertainment, drugs, sex, maybe even our jobs or "the ministry"--so we allow ourselves to be consumed by things that do not solve our problems but mask them... only for a time. Look again at Hannah. Instead of pouring wine and liquor down her throat to deaden the effects of her depression, she turned to ADONAI and poured out her soul to Him. Our answer is never to fill ourselves up with that which does harm and does not heal, but to empty ourselves before ADONAI that he may restore our souls.

When we are angry, depressed, anguished, distressed, we must abandon ourselves to ADONAI. To clear out what is inside, we must go deep to meet our anguish there, and then, from the depth of our distress, pour it out before ADONAI, not taking into account our appearance--to others, but especially to ourselves--and offer a prayer to ADONAI that He will remember....

P R A Y E R

Father, teach me to abandon myself to you, to empty myself to you, to pour out my soul before you. Show me that no obstacle or hindrance in my limited wisdom is a true barrier to you--not how I look, how I act, what I say, where I am.... let you be my only source for peace and salvation--make me speak to you with my mouth, but hear the words from the depth of my innermost being. Remember my prayers, ADONAI--thank you... I worship you, my comforter....

Once we enter into this relationship fully and it ceases to be one-sided (with God constantly pursuing us as we go our own way), the immediate result is complete fulfillment--"I lack nothing."

Often we confuse this to mean that by lacking nothing we are supposed to no longer experience the effects of life, trials and struggles. Truly, in lacking nothing, we have rest, serenity, restoration of our inner person, and guidance--and these things are given to us for Heaven's sake. Why? Because there will be "death-dark ravines," there will be "disaster," yet because in ADONAI we "lack nothing," we have access to the continual presence of the Shepherd whom we need to make it through those "death-dark" times. We have no fear because we see our Shepherd's rod and staff before us, and we rest assured: He is here.

Under the care of our Shepherd, "goodness and grace will pursue [us] every day" of our lives. We will not be without troubles, so our prayer should be that we will not be without God. To live today in the eternal rest of Yeshua is the abundant life that we are called to live. Submitting every thought, every word, every action to the Lord brings total peace--even in the face of adversity and troubles. In Yeshua we gain the greatest possession: a total lack... of nothing.

P R A Y E R

ADONAI, Father, lead me, restore me, guide me--I receive you anew today as my Shepherd: the one voice to which I will listen. Forgive me for trying to find your peace, comfort, and direction by going my own way--only in your presence will you prepare a table for me, even in the sight of my enemies. Thank you, O God, for the eternal rest that I am able to have in you today, right now. I praise you, ADONAI, for the assurance you bring as you go before me, leading me, guiding me, showing me your perfect way....

Mishlei calls the winning of souls the fruit of the wise and righteous. Soul-winning in the days of King Shlomo (Solomon) is not exactly what we would think of today, but the premise is the same: helping to bring someone into a right relationship with ADONAI is the greatest fruit we as believers in Yeshua can bear--it is the ultimate in reproduction.

Sometimes we get overwhelmed or self-defeated because we think we have to grow into a tall, strong, mighty tree before we can start bearing fruit and leading people to the Lord, but Mishlei shows us just the opposite: "the fruit... is a tree..." In other words, by bearing fruit, the seeds that are passed on and spread around by the sharing of that fruit produces trees that are firmly rooted and grounded as a result of the impartation that takes place. By producing much fruit, we end up planting whole orchards of life.

And while righteousness gives life, wisdom wins souls. Just as fruit yields a tree, the fruit of wisdom yields souls. orchards of souls; forests of souls. By pressing in toward maturity, we will produce fruit. And if every time a seedling grows to maturity we pick a piece from our tree and give it to another to share, we are planting a new tree, which will plant another and another in turn. Planting a lost soul into the orchard of life comes only by producing a wise and righteous fruit.

P R A Y E R

Father, let me a producer of good fruit. I want to mature in you, yet at each level, let me be able to share my fruit and win a soul to Yeshua. Abba, teach me to be bold by honoring my time spent in your presence and in your Word. Show me how to share the faith at the level I'm in, and then help me to press in so that I can grow even higher. I praise you, ADONAI, the Cultivator of good, righteous and wise fruit. Thank you, Abba Father....

The ones along the path are those who hear, but then the Adversary comes and takes the message out of their hearts, in order to keep them from being saved by trusting it.

Path: trodden, untilled soil. Some of us still need to be broken up, the tough surface crushed, and our malleable, rich soil exposed, made vulnerable to the planting of God's word in our heart. This isn't easy, and it can happen a little bit at a time. But as we expose ourselves, make ourselves open and vulnerable, we find that God does not invade us, but carefully places his Word inside us, waters it with the showers of the Ruach HaKodesh, protecting it with the atonement of the Lamb.

The ones on rock are those who, when they hear the word, accept it with joy; but these have no root--they go on trusting for awhile; but when a time of testing comes, they apostatize.

Rock: petrified matter. Should the Word get past the Adversary's first line of defense, that is, the stealing of the message from our hearts, Fear aligns itself against us. The presence of joy is not necessarily the absence of fear--on the contrary, true joy is the strength of ADONAI. Joy's roots need to be deep, but when we are petrified by fear, and allow it to obstruct our growth, we fall away. Those mineral deposits of fear need to be dissolved and replaced with The Deposit of the Ruach HaKodesh--our joy, comfort and assurance in the face of doubt and dread.

As for what fell in the midst of thorns these are the ones who hear; but as they go along, worries and wealth and life's gratifications crowd in and choke them, so that their fruit never matures.

Thorns: sharp, spiny protuberances. If we can't be stopped with fear, HaSatan tries a more subtle approach--he turns us on ourselves. The more we see of ourselves, the less we see of the enemy--and the Lord. Flesh. Distraction. We end up suffocating ourselves with our own self-made pressures, needs and values, so that what little does end up growing is not cared for, nurtured, and remains atrophied and useless. Worry and lust are subtle tactics of the enemy--trust, holiness, faith, hope and love: these are the weapons that overcome and bring glory to God.

But what fell in rich soil--these are the ones who, when they hear the message, hold onto it with a good, receptive heart; and by persevering, they bring forth a harvest.

Soil: suitable for growth. Fertile ground rightly prepared to receive new implantation will yield much fruit and a harvest for the kingdom of God. The enemy's schemes are the most creative and devious here. While we are nourished by the Word of God, living holy and pure, we are attacked by lies and trials, we are accused and berated, we are victimized and stolen from, yet the best of the devil's plans fail--because here is the place where the enemy is blind, he can only see what is on the surface. But in the Spirit, we can see our roots--stretching deep into the soil, our foundation is strong, and we can stand the tests, persevere, and produce.

P R A Y E R

Lord, show me where I am in my walk with you. Reveal to my heart and mind my condition, and renew and guide me, that I may be rich soil for your word. Implant in me a new spirit, soul and mind, that I may have good and pure intentions, receptive to your loving correction and wise direction. I want to bring a harvest into the kingdom, that you alone may be glorified--teach me to be fruitful, living a life fully devoted to you... free from unbrokenness, fear, and worry... free!

Who?

Indeed, who--all facetiousness aside--was Epaenetus? All that was truly recorded of this believer is merely a footnote in Sha'ul's closing remarks in a letter to the messianic believers in Rome. Yet, God, who breathed all of Sha'ul's writings to life, chose little, insignificant Epaenetus to leave his footprints- -as small as they might be--on the sands of Scripture.

Why?

Certainly, Epaenetus was distinguished with the honor of being the first person in Asia to receive Yeshua. That's definitely newsworthy information. But the beauty is that there is really nothing unique about Epaenetus at all--he was merely given the distinct honor of being the first.

How often do we sit around feeling sorry for ourselves that we haven't accomplished enough for God? How often do we feel like giving up, that we haven't made an impact on anyone's life, we're barely keeping our own head above water.... What good are we, anyway? Now is a good time to take another look at Epaenetus. What did he do that was so great? If he had really done something noteworthy, Sha'ul would have certainly brought it up, right? Epaenetus isn't so great....

Yet, on the contrary, God has made Epaenetus famous-- this footnote in the history of our faith has been glorified for eternity in the strokes and letters of the Scriptures of God! What wouldn't you do, what wouldn't you give, for God to glorify you like that?-- to be so pleased with you and your life that he would honor you with such distinction.

And still, what do we know that Epaenetus really did...? Truth be told: Nothing... Except "to put his trust in the Messiah"....

We have to start somewhere with the Lord. Sometimes, we even have to start over! But no matter where we are in our walk with the Lord, it always comes back to basics. Sure, we want God to be pleased with us--that He will glorify us for his Name's sake--but when all is said and done, what truly makes the difference is simply the who, what, where, when, why and how of trusting in the Messiah.

P R A Y E R

Father, make yourself famous in my life. Hallelu Yah, I boast in you! Thank you for loving me before I was ever loving; thank you for being pleased with me before I was ever pleasing; thank you for putting your trust in me before I was ever trusting. Let me grow smaller in my own eyes every day, as you make yourself greater in my walk with you. Remind me that even though you want me to grow up, that I'm still your little child, and that you're still pleased with me....

This shows us the stubbornness and resolve of Isra'el--only a people so bent on receiving a blessing would actually fight God for what he has already promised! But this isn't mere subordination--it comes from our own zealousness, desire, and impatience. The Jewish people were designed to be such an impassioned people that they would wrestle with God for what was already theirs, yet many Jewish people go about so unbridled and unrefined that that passion is misrouted, leading to disobedience and self-reliance. As with most things, Isra'el, in this regard, is again a teaching picture for the nations--this is the fallen state of mankind: disobedient and self-reliant... not willing to wait for the blessings of God.

What also speaks volumes in this passage is the order of events: the man struck Ya'akov's hip socket, dislocating his hip, yet even then, Ya'akov would not let him go. Perhaps we can imagine that even in Ya'akov's pain and anguish, he exhausted every ounce of strength in determination to receive the blessing. Indeed, Ya'akov did not let the man go until he received his blessing--a calling, a commission, a future, an identity. Holding on to God can sometimes hurt a great deal--and we may have to limp away from the fight, but as we contend with God, we have the assurance that no matter who wins, we will be blessed either way, because at some point, we must concede.

"God said to Ya'acov, 'Get up, go up to Beit-El and live there, and make there an altar to God, who appeared to you when you fled 'Esav your brother.' Then Ya'akov said to his household and all the others with him, 'Get rid of the foreign gods that you have with you, purify yourselves, and put on fresh clothes. We're going to move on and go up to Beit-El. There I will build an altar to God, who answered me when I was in such distress and stayed with me wherever I went.' They gave Ya'akov all the foreign gods in their possession and the earrings they were wearing, and Ya'akov buried them under the pistachio tree near Sh'khem. While they were traveling, a terror from God fell upon all the cities around them, so that none of them pursued the sons of Ya'akov." B'resheet (Genesis) 35:1-5

Ya'akov sees the value of devotion--being single-minded and dedicated toward God. Here, he begins to act on the idea that God is holy, and to be in a healthy relationship with ADONAI, we have to separate ourselves from the things of the past and our former ways, and focus on the Living God who has made us whole. Ya'akov realizes that by being the intended recipient of divine blessings, he has been made righteous and clean, so he finally begins to act like the righteous person he actually is!

Ya'akov instructs his house to "get rid of the foreign gods that you have with you, purify yourselves, and put on fresh clothes." With this, Ya'akov's house will be clean both on the inside and the outside. Why does he do this? Ya'akov proclaims it: We're going to move on and go up... Ya'akov has experienced the blessing: in his distress, God answered him and "stayed with me wherever I went."

Move on, and go up.

His household gave up their idols--the things they worshipped by which they were enslaved--and self-adornment....

Move on, and go up.

And as they traveled, God went before them, putting terror into their enemies, not just so Isra'el would be protected, but so that they would not even be pursued! Isra'el walked with total safety and security through the territory of their enemies to get to the place where God wanted them to be.

Move on, and go up.

As we move from a life of self-satisfaction, self-centeredness, self-preservation, and self-sufficiency, we move into a new life of freedom, certainty, strength, courage, and power.

Move on. Go up.

P R A Y E R

Abba, Father, my healer, my protection, I have struggled against you--I am in pain. Show me your faithfulness, O God, teach me to rely on you, to cast off my burdens onto your back, to release myself from that which I have enslaved myself, and to instead enslave myself to You, that I may finally be free! I dedicate myself to you--I give you my whole life. I concede, Lord--the victory is yours. Thank you, ADONAI, that I no longer have to fight, but that I can entrust my life to you, that you will never leave me, but stay with me wherever I go. Let me, from now on, desire only to go wherever you want me to go, and to receive instead of misery your overflowing blessings....

As we walk in the God-directed path, we delight in it--it is a joy to follow the road so plainly laid out before us. For some, pure freedom is the ability to go one's own way, to do as one pleases, and he finds "happiness" in such a self-centered pursuit, but true freedom is adherence to the path--freedom from destruction and loss, pain and suffering without reason. Joy comes not from the freedom that brings autonomy, but the freedom that brings deliverance.

In Yeshua, there will be times of stumbling--stumbling as a result of sin, stumbling as a result of spiritual warfare and attack, but if our momentum is moving forward--not to the right, not to the left, not back the way we came, or none at all--we "won't fall headlong" into such a position from where there is no recovery. If we are moving forward when we stumble, we will continue moving forward--indeed, we will hardly miss a beat.

"For ADONAI holds him by the hand," keeping us upright, not letting our head hit the ground. And, again, we are back to the beginning--He does the directing, we do the stepping. Sometimes, he goes ahead, holding our hand out before us. Other times, he is beside us, walking hand-in-hand. Sometimes, he is behind us, cultivating discipline by not allowing us to go too fast and lose control; other times, he stands still, holding tight, as we explore places we truly ought not to go--our hands always held.

P R A Y E R

Thank you, Father, for putting me on the path, teaching me to delight in my way--your way--for keeping me from falling, for always being in your reach. Show me, ADONAI, how to look to you when I stumble, to see how you are protecting me, giving me freedom to make mistakes, but, full of grace, always ready to pull me out of trouble. Teach me, Father, how to walk safely in your ways, to be delighted in the fullness of you, and how to turn to you quickly when I've gone a little too far....

In fact, Yosef was neither lying nor exaggerating in recounting his dream--perhaps in his enthusiasm and fervor, he inadvertently offended his family; on the other hand, perhaps he deliberately intended to be boastful. In any event, Yosef probably already exhibited some inclinations toward excellence and favor, as his brothers were not simply offended, but jealous. Often, what is most offensive to those of us who are less secure than others is the well-warranted confidence others may display. Yosef's family probably already knew there was something special about him, and in their jealousy, allowed themselves to become offended rather than be excited about Yosef's inevitable success.

"ADONAI was with Yosef, and he became wealthy while he was in the household of his master the Egyptian. His master saw how ADONAI was with him, that ADONAI prospered everything he did. Yosef pleased him as he served him, and his master appointed him manager of his household; he entrusted all his possessions to Yosef. From the time he appointed him manager of his household and all his possessions, ADONAI blessed the Egyptian's household for Yosef's sake; ADONAI's blessing was on all he owned, whether in the house or in the field." B'resheet 39:2-5

Indeed, nothing indicates that Yosef did something or acted a certain way so as to deserve God's perpetual presence in his life... except that Yosef served. A servant's heart is one that is humble. We often confuse humility with uncertainty and insecurity, when the biblical, humble servant is actually one who is confident. The humble servant is one who boasts--not of himself, but in the Lord... his confidence comes from ADONAI.

"But ADONAI was with Yosef, showing him grace and giving him favor in the sight of the prison warden. The prison warden made Yosef supervisor of all the prisoners in the prison; so that whatever they did there, he was in charge of it. The prison warden paid no attention to anything Yosef did, because ADONAI was with him; and whatever he did, ADONAI

prospered." B'resheet 39:21-23

Yosef refused to retreat. He refused to mope and k'vech (complain). He absolutely would not rely on his own strength, and he had a very healthy fear of the Lord. The grace and favor he received from the Lord was not because he was simply God's "favorite"--Yosef lived out his righteousness in full confidence in the Lord, which resulted in abundant blessing and prosperity. Finally, Yosef was not afraid to take on responsibility--along with grace and favor comes responsibility, and the more Yosef rose to the occasion, the greater his prosperity and blessings. Yosef's life was not "charmed," it was prophetic--he lived not in the past where his failures hid, not in the present where his circumstances were most dim, but in the future: confident that ADONAI would always act on his behalf.

P R A Y E R

Father, forgive me for being jealous. Teach me how to be confident and to boast in you. Show me that no matter how long my circumstances have perpetuated that it is your intention to deliver me, that I may become a person of strong character, victorious in you. ADONAI, thank you for preserving me and always providing for me just in time, but today, instead of "just enough" I receive the abundance you have stored up for me! I praise you, ADONAI, for your grace and favor await me. I worship you, Father, for you are my strength and my shield....

If you've ever wondered about God's faithfulness to his promises, this passage in Sh'mu'el is amazing. God never changes--not even between the "Old" and "New" "Testaments"--this passage could have just as easily been penned by Rabbi Sha'ul (the apostle Paul)--just look at the beautiful things it says: "Don't be afraid." "Don't turn away... but serve ADONAI with all your heart." "Don't turn to the side..." "Don't... go after useless things." "ADONAI will not abandon his people..." "... think what great things he has done for you!"

Are you redeemed from sin and death by the atoning blood of the Lamb of God--Yeshua the Messiah? Then you are a child of God, and you can claim it: "ADONAI will not abandon his people." What is there to be scared about? According to Sh'mu'el, one thing alone: "only fear ADONAI." The Lord is our King, our protector--we are the vassals he protects and provides for--only fear when we "turn to the side" and "go after useless things," for we will not find ADONAI there, and we will be unprotected. We will find safety only on "the good and right way." And on that road, there is no fear. "You have indeed done all this evil" in your life, but "for the sake of his great reputation, ADONAI will not abandon" you. He is reputable, never in default. His word is trustworthy and true--He will always be faithful to you.

Are you following the Lord today? "Don't be afraid." Are you serving him faithfully with all your heart? "Don't be afraid." Are you continuing on "the good and right way"? "Don't be afraid." The Lord is pleased to make you "a people for himself"--he will not abandon you. Think about it--has he ever really let you down before?

P R A Y E R

ADONAI, I praise you for your faithfulness to your Word. You have proven yourself to me time and again--thank you for not abandoning me in my times of doubt. Strengthen my faith, let me see you more clearly and find peace. I worship you, my King. You have never let me down--remind me of your reputation and fame. I worship you, King, Abba, redeemer....

It would be foolish to say that following Yeshua does not require feelings and emotions. Indeed, are we not to be moved when we think of what He has done for us to save us? And consider King David--was he dancing unashamedly with abandon in the streets of Jerusalem with a sullen, reserved disposition? The heart is the place where our spirit meets our flesh, and though we often cannot trust our emotions, there is still validity to that which our hearts communicate. The key is to filter all our heart says through wisdom.

This is a fascinating proverb: "The wise man's heart teaches his mouth..." Just as Yeshua is the Word of God, and everything came into being by the spoken word of God, we know that what usually precedes a word is a thought. So, our mind is involved in there somewhere! Yet the proverb says that it is the wise man's heart that teaches his mouth. We see then, that the heart must first teach the mind before the word leaves one's lips. This is important--because if we are on auto-pilot and shut off our minds in certain situations, our heart then has direct access to our mouths... and that can lead to a lot of problems. In other words, it is wise to think before you speak, yet when we listen to our hearts--the place where the Spirit can best come in--there is much we can learn.

Perhaps pure emotion is nothing more than our hearts having an unobstructed path to our actions. Our wisdom--our mind--then, helps to slow things down a bit, allowing us to process what is coming through the spirit in a more organized fashion. When we apply wisdom to our hearts' teaching, we are no longer trying to mount an unbridled horse, but we are able to direct the power of the spirit in an effective, useful and godly way--releasing it and reining it in as wisdom prescribes.

P R A Y E R

Father, help me to understand the way this machine of mine is supposed to work. Teach me to be wise in all things, but while I am tethering my emotions, also allow me to be free to express them in ways that are godly and wise. ADONAI, let it be your heart that I reflect; your wisdom that I exercise; your mind through which I discern; your Word by which I live. Thank you, Father, for letting my heart add learning to my lips...

Was this just a pep talk that Yeshua was giving the disciples? Was he merely exaggerating to make a point? No. This is fact. We have been given this authority in Yeshua's Name!

Yet, it doesn't take much to rattle our cage--we flinch at the first sign of trouble. What does it take? A lie?... A threat?... and suddenly we're convinced that we're in over our heads, and we might as well succumb. We can't see the end of a dilemma from the beginning, yet, when things appear to go awry, we get knocked off track, put up the white flag and beg for a truce. Unfortunately, the devil takes no prisoners, and that white flag may as well be our burial sheet.

Our victory is at hand--in our personal lives, our business dealings, everywhere! We need only receive the authority and power given us, stand in the face of the enemy, challenge his lies, rebuke his threats, and trust in the Word of God and power of the blood of Yeshua--trust in our protection, provision, and victory... to God be the glory.

Don't be deceived--our difficulties in the natural are reflections of the attacks against us in the spiritual. The best way the Adversary knows how to obstruct us in our effectiveness for the kingdom is to attack us where we're not looking--when we take our eyes off the Lord, we cannot discern events in the spiritual realm... only fixing our eyes on Yeshua will allow us to view the peripheral attempts on our lives.

So be bold--what you see, you can defeat... you have been given the authority, and from this war, you will emerge completely unharmed.

P R A Y E R

Lord, cover me with your atoning blood, and reveal to me the weapons at my disposal. When the devil tries to attack, remind me of the authority you have given me, that I will be victorious, for your glory, to continue my service in the kingdom. I trust completely in your authority and power that you have placed in me by the Ruach HaKodesh. Thank you, Lord, that you are with me in times of trouble....

From the different perspectives of being in the natural (on the earth) and in the Spirit (reaching toward heaven), we are either limited or unlimited, as the case may be, to evaluate our situation--and others' situations. The natural man sees from a limited perspective--he sees himself limited, and also places limits on God. But the spiritual man has a limitless vantage--through Heaven's eyes, that is, from God's perspective, through the Mind of Messiah, we see things as they truly are. Suddenly, the natural and tangible become figments, and a formerly invisible God, a previously intangible Spirit, becomes real and true, see-able and touch-able, a feast for our senses.

Discerning in the Spirit rather than through the lies of our eyes is the key. How high can the Liar go? At what height can the Adversary still affect us? HaSatan is effective at reaching only the natural man--the devil's wings were clipped long ago. As we rise toward Yeshua and allow the spiritual man to overcome the natural man, we are enabled to discern things that were formerly hidden.

Sometimes, we feel a little uneasy at the thought of going on auto-pilot and allow God to take control--to show us things we've never seen before, to take us places we've never been.... But we need to remember: while HaSatan is a rapist, ADONAI is the lover of our souls, and the safest place we can ever be is in His trusting embrace. Yielding to the Holy Spirit does not open the door to the Adversary--on the contrary, when we abide in the Spirit, the devil is shut out, and, finally, for the first time, we see.... for real.

P R A Y E R

Holy Spirit, fill me up, embrace me, and give me the mind of Messiah. Teach me to see through your eyes, that I may evaluate everything from your point of view. Show me how to stabilize myself and grow away from the natural person into the spiritual person you have called me to be. Thank you, Lord, that you have embraced me and loved me--I praise you and worship you... my protector--lift me up, above the crowds, so that I can see....

Yosef understands "it isn't in me"--in other words, the manifestation of the gifts of the Ruach do not originate from within, but from without. Yosef knew that he could not (nor should not) conjure up or misrepresent the Holy Spirit for his own purposes, but to yield to the Spirit and allow God to be God--and more than that, to give God the glory... all of it.

"Yosef said to Pharaoh, 'The dreams of Pharaoh are the same: God has told Pharaoh what he is about to do.... Why was the dream doubled for Pharaoh? Because the matter has been fixed by God, and God will shortly cause it to happen.'" B'resheet 41:25, 32

By seeing the dreams through God's eyes, the mystery dissolves and God's intentions are made clear in Yosef's mind. What is considered an "interpretation" by man's standards is actually divine understanding that has been communicated by the Holy One into the spirit of a man, then understood in his mind. By exhibiting this kind of ability, we grab peoples' attention--they recognize that something "supernatural" (as in, above nature) is happening, and when they sit up and take notice, we step out of the way and point them to ADONAI.

"The proposal seemed good both to Pharaoh and to all his officials. Pharaoh said to his officials, 'Can we find anyone else like him? The Spirit of God lives in him!' So Pharaoh said to Yosef, 'Since God has shown you all this--there is no one as discerning and wise as you--you will be in charge of my household; all my people will be ruled by what you say. Only when I rule from my throne will I be greater than you.'" B'resheet 41:37-40

Humility marks the great man or woman of God. We need to guard our hearts and our minds when it comes to how the Ruach moves in our lives. He is a powerful God, able to do awesome things in our midst, but the temptation to counterfeit and impersonate lurks in our flesh. People will respond when we operate in supernatural ways, but they will respond whether the power is from God or someone else. We are accountable to ADONAI for how we conduct ourselves in His Name--let us be like Yosef: quick to step out of the limelight.

P R A Y E R

Father, fill me with your Ruach HaKodesh. Enable me to prophesy, to discern spirits, to have words of knowledge and wisdom. Be glorified through me, ADONAI, show your power and be magnified! Teach me to be sensitive to you, to hear your voice, to feel your gentle urging. Let people see your power manifested in me, ADONAI, and may I not be seen at all. I am available, Lord--fill me up, ADONAI, and use me... for your glory alone....

Why wasn't Sha'ul's sacrifice acceptable to ADONAI? Why was it such a "foolish" thing to do? (Remember, when the Tanakh [Hebrew Scriptures] talks about a fool, it's usually someone who is morally depraved.) Sh'mu'el gives the answer: "You didn't observe the mitzvah--the commandment--of ADONAI..." It wasn't enough for Sha'ul to go through the motions and burn up his offering. Does God really care about the offering itself? Or is it the way the sacrifice is made? Look at what Sh'mu'el speaks to Sha'ul in Chapter 15:

"Does ADONAI take as much pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying what ADONAI says? Surely obeying is better than sacrifice, And heeding orders than the fat of rams."

Yeshua: the final atonement for sin. Had he not gone willingly, totally submitted to the will of the Father, would his have been a holy and acceptable sacrifice? Echoing the words of Sh'mu'el, Yeshua's life models for us the daily sacrifice the Lord requires, while having completed the Torah mitzvah of the sacrifice for atonement for sins once and for all. So the sacrificial system is now complete, but what of the rest of God's Torah?

Should we worship ADONAI today as a list of do's and don'ts--do we honor God simply by doing what he says? Or is our daily sacrifice one of knowing the Word of God, doing what it says, but doing it knowing that it is a loving Father who protects us and nourishes us through his mitzvot--that the mitzvot are not there to limit us, but to set us free from the limitations of the world? What can we find in the Word of God--the Torah, the Prophets, the Writings, the B'rit Hadashah--that is not good for us to do? What can we find in the Word of God that we have not been commanded to do?

God wants for Himself one who is "after His own heart"--one who keeps His commandments. Who is this appointed one who would succeed Sha'ul? One who loves the Torah of God. It is the one most like Messiah--the one of whose pattern Messiah would take. For those who are like Messiah love the Lord and follow his commands, and to him who loves Torah, obedience is better than sacrifice.

P R A Y E R

ADONAI, I want to follow your commands. Teach me to know your Word and know what is pleasing, holy and acceptable to you. I love you, and I want to honor you, not just with sacrifice, but with obedience. Let me no longer worship you in ignorance, but let me know your ways. Show me where my sacrifice is undesirable--purify me, and let my praise be forever sweet to your senses....

The bow and the sword are instruments of battle and carry with them the inherent ability to bring destruction upon an enemy. But despite the fallaciousness of flesh and the might of the metal designed to disfigure it, at any time God can intervene, causing the arrow to miss its mark and flesh to resist an attack.

As we brandish the instruments of change, we would do well to wield them with great care and the knowledge that we can put no faith or trust either in the ability of the instrument to perform or our ability to use it. We cannot rely on things or our own abilities or perceived giftings (so perceived either by ourselves or by others), but solely on God's ability to keep his promises.

We must pick up our bows and ready our swords, but therein lies the end of our capabilities. For it is only ADONAI who can give us victory, and it is by him and him alone that our aim is straight and our arms are strong. We do not even have the natural integrity to hold onto and not let go our weapons in the midst of everyday life. The things we hold. indeed, He alone binds them in our hands.

P R A Y E R

Abba, teach me not to rely on my own abilities or thoughts, but to yield myself to you. Hold the sword in my hand; aim me to shoot with precision and excellence. Help me to resist picking up my weapons and instruments of battle of my own accord, but let me wield them only at your command. Teach me to remember that every victory belongs to you, and only where you are waging war, can there never be defeat.

On the first level, because one is giving an answer at all presupposes the obvious: one has been first asked a question. We love to give our "honest answers" at our own discretion, sometimes whether they are asked for or not. It takes a deliberate sensitivity to see the needs of others with whom we are in relationship to see if it is really our "honest answer" they need or simply a listening ear.

On another level, there is the issue of giving, itself. How do we measure the value of what is being given? The Wise shows us the answer: "Giving an honest answer is like giving a kiss." The value of what is being given is determined by how it is received. Is an "honest answer" (given out of insensitivity) like giving a kiss or a smack in the face? How about a dishonest answer? Sometimes we don't tell the whole truth to "protect" another's feelings, or even to just protect ourselves--the truth of our answer is hidden. Is such an answer likened to a kiss, or perhaps spitting in someone's soup?

Again, The Wise One's observation is correct: an honest answer is like a kiss--a sweet, kind, loving kiss... an answer that comes out of genuine love and affection. It is not harsh; it is gentle. It is not sour, but sweet. The key to a healthy, happy relationship is to offer answers sensitively and appropriately, and to do so with tenderness and love--like giving a kiss.

P R A Y E R

Father, help me to be more gentle and kind in my relationships. Let the words from my mouth be caring and full of love--never harsh or laced with lies. Change me, Lord, as I apply this practice to others, let it be a change in me. Thank you, Father, for your gentle teaching--that every word from your lips is like a sweet kiss that you have sensitively given to me. Teach me to model your relationship with me in my relationships with others. I worship you, ADONAI, for you are my "honest answer"....

Anyone who has children knows that children are capable of being extremely persistent, in a word, and in their perseverance, they may receive what they ask for, but not necessarily because it is given to them, but, sometimes, because their parents give in to them. Is Yeshua teaching, then, that if we disturb the Father long enough, he will succumb to our whining and give us what we're asking for, just to get us to be quiet?

More likely, the correct picture of perseverance in prayer is painted with maturity. The reason we do not receive is because we are not asking from the proper perspective. When we are young, our foresight is limited, and this is natural--this is the very reason we need to be reared in the Lord from a young age. Given to our natural abilities and point of view, what is directly in front of us is all that we see, and, to our young minds, is all that exists, but as we grow up, our perspective changes, and we are able to see the same things in a different light. What was important to us in our youth becomes less important as the things of God come into focus for us.

God deals with us "where we're at" but he expects and helps us to mature. The reason we will receive when we keep asking is because, as we mature, we start asking for mature things--things more in line with the perfect will of God, rather than the permissive will of God. The reason we will find is because, as we mature, we start looking in new places, no longer limited to our former ways of thinking. The reason the door is opened is because, when we mature, we finally start knocking on the right one.

P R A Y E R

Yeshua, I receive your promises to me. Help me to grow and teach me to walk in humble maturity. Let me see things through your eyes, showing me how to put childish things behind me. I desire to see you move sovereignly in my life daily--enable me to be persistent in my prayer life, teach me to persevere, and to trust that you see everything even when I can't see a thing...

It's interesting how believers tend to not have any relationships outside the Body of Messiah. Certainly it is wholly inappropriate for a believer to be romantically involved with an unbeliever, but what about friendships? ...or family? Believers often find they have little in common with an unbeliever, making it difficult to befriend an unbeliever--yet, isn't there common ground between any two people? Indeed, if one person knows Yeshua, the common link is that the other person needs to know Him, and on that basic level, we can have love for the unbeliever--and from that true love, we can build a relationship.

What should be, however, is not often what is, and reality is that believers generally don't seek relationships, but, at best, projects. So on one hand, we see the sinner not as human beings to be loved, but projects to be completed, and love is lacking. On the other hand, however, it's a different story.

While we are unwilling to befriend a known sinner, we are equally unwilling to confront sin in confessed believers. Even in Sha'ul's day, the believers were content to accept the confession of the mouth, while ignoring the fruit of the heart. Sha'ul calls these people "supposed" brothers because they were known to engage in sin while confessing Messiah. Today, we may be quick to counsel, as we should be, yet we are slow to revoke fellowship when it is appropriate. Could it really be true that it is appropriate to refuse fellowship to a sinning, unrepentant, "supposed" believer? "It takes only a little hametz [yeast] to leaven the whole batch of dough."

Are we not exhibiting love when we rebuke a brother in love? Are we not showing love by protecting the community from evil influences? So, do we say, "Sinners to the left, sinners to the right!" and run and hide? Or do we open up our hearts, share the love of Messiah, follow the biblical prescriptions for handling delicate situations and sin, and let God be God? The Body of Messiah is a holy community, called out and separated from the world, yet the sinner is welcome to come--on his knees, repentant before the Lord, loved by the redeemed of God.

P R A Y E R

Father, teach me intolerance of sin, yet love for the sinner. Teach me hate for hypocrisy, yet forgiveness for the repentant. Lord, cleanse me of my sin, and make me a holy vessel for your love. Make my heart more devoted to you, that I will abide in your love in everything I do. Never let me be harsh in my words or my ways, yet appropriately firm in expressing my love for you; protecting and furthering the holy community. Thank you, Lord, that you forgave this sinner first...

If we had been in Yosef's sandals, would we have been so "quick" to forgive--especially given so many opportunities for revenge? Never do we see Yosef despising his brothers for causing him such calamity in his life. While he surely experienced emotional turmoil over the situation, his understanding of why he was "sent" to Egypt was apparently known all along--in one form or another.

In the depth of his worst imprisonment, Yosef knew that ADONAI had a plan, and being the prophetic man that he was, he knew it all started with the dreams, his brothers' jealousy, his being sold into slavery--all to bring him to the point "to ensure that you will have descendants on earth..." And even more amazing than this is that Yosef saw even deeper into the future--all the way to the Exodus from Egypt--"a great deliverance"--and all the credit goes