** If you are new to this blog/site, please consider clicking here and reading the quick intro, "Why this Site?", so you will understand the reason and "Spirit" in which I write and share. Thank you! ** Regarding the subject for this post, I had been thinking about it for a few weeks, and then it came up multiple times in other things I read or watched. It’s a about a subject most of us are familiar with, and that subject is... idols. When we think of idols, oftentimes we think of a little gold Buddha or some other graven image of a person or thing. Sometimes we even take it lightly, because we think to ourselves, “I don’t worship those little idols, so this doesn’t apply to me”. You might be surprised that it does apply to you; please keep reading. Granted, these graven images are definitely considered as idols, and we should ensure we have nothing of the sort in our homes or possession, especially something or someone to which we give any attention or reverence. The Most High God of Israel (Yahuah) is to be worshipped second to no one or no thing (including the Virgin Mary or any other “good person” or saint), as He is a jealous God solely deserving all praise and adoration. Our Father was very clear with His people of His expectations in this area, so much so that two of the 10 commandments are related to this. You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments. Exodus 20:2-6 Furthermore, He knew the temptation of man to have an image to worship before His eyes – something he could see or touch. I believe that this is one of the reasons that He told them not to even touch a tool to the altar of stone they would prepare for their offerings, because doing so would profane it (Exodus 20:25). Could it be that He knew they would be tempted to shape it into something from their minds – an image or idol of their own making? It’s possible. These are not really the idols I had on my mind; these are the obvious. It’s the not-so-obvious that was brewing in my heart. Aside from the little graven image idols, there are three others that I wanted to write about. I will list them below but would mainly like to focus on one in particular. An idol can be a physical image of God or Yahusha (Jesus) that we have received and kept in our minds. This is typically based on what has been fed to us by the powers that be, who say they know what He looked like. Since when have “they” told the truth? Some have adopted the image of the white Jesus with the long brown hair – the one Catholicism has given to us through religion. Others have the more middle-eastern Jesus in their minds, and others can’t seem to shake Jim Caviezel (from The Passion of the Christ movie) or Jonathan Roumie (from The Chosen series) from their minds. I will admit, it is hard not to picture these images, as they have been in front of our eyes for a long time. I will not pretend to know what my Yahusha looks like, but I have serious doubts that He is a white man; but that is another topic altogether. This is important regardless, because we must be careful of the picture we have in our minds of Him. We cannot allow this to be any part of the reason we believe Him, love Him, or follow Him. Yahusha said that the true worshippers of the Father would worship Him in Spirit and in Truth. Any images we allow in our minds can cause us to deviate from the Spirit and from the Truth, so we must be aware. Another type of idol is a person or thing… that person or thing that we place on the altar of our hearts, whether knowingly or unknowingly. This can be a spouse, a child, a friend, a drug, a food, or anything or anyone that causes us to compromise obeying all truth. Think about this for a minute, because many of us have idols such as these and are not aware. This is no light matter. This actually happened with me twice – and my two idols were big enough to cause a lengthy detour in my walk as well as an open door of false doctrine to creep in and steal my joy and almost even my assurance of salvation. Yes, it was that serious. Both of my idols were people that I never meant to place above my King, but it happened. I allowed my needs and their words to trump His truth and thwart my uncompromising obedience to it. Believe me, there is a price to pay for this. Whether intentional or not, our Father will deal with it by judging it and allowing His child to walk out the consequences no matter how long or how difficult. How else would we learn the gravity of this transgression and truly repent? He corrects in love, and I am truly grateful for the whipping I received for my own “idol worship”. The last type of idol I wanted to mention is the one I’ve really pondered on much. This one I feel is the most common of all. Also, because it is so cushioned in warm and fuzzy feelings, it is the most dangerous and can have everlasting consequences. This one we must ask ourselves if it applies to us, even slightly. We must be willing to be honest, repent if necessary, and then make sure our "image" of the Father and His Son are based on His truth and not our own. This form of idolatry is the “image” of Yahuah God that we make in our minds of who He is – and who He is not, outside of truth. It is the image we make of His character based on our religion, our feelings, our experiences, and our know-it-all human wisdom. I have seen it all through my Christian walk, and it is quite easy to fall victim to – that is, if you are not seeking Him through His Word, prayer, and in fullness and wholeness of truth, no matter how it makes you feel. I cannot tell you how many times I have heard, “God wouldn’t do that”, “God just wants you to be happy”, “God is all love”, and so forth. I say, really? Is that what His Word says in its fullness and entirety? Is He so small that the fullness of His being and nature is found in one or two scriptures that we hold onto for their warmth and fuzziness? The depth and gravity of this false idol is humongous, and it is prevalent amongst Christians today. When we take the Almighty God of the universe who has created all things for Himself and through Himself, and in Him all things hold together; and we make Him to fit our wants and desires and our thoughts of how He should be, then we have a false idol in our hearts that will slowly and ultimately kill us. This is the very image that satan wants us to have of the Most High God – OUR image. This is why the enemy allows this watered down, sappy sweet, all-accepting, shallow “truth of God” to be mainstream. Have you noticed that he does not fight that truth at all – he says, go for it, take it and eat it, because this will keep you satisfied and well fed with deception. The real truth is NOT mainstream – it must be craved, desired, requested and sought after as if it were precious jewels and your life depended upon it (and it does); and it must be treasured and valued. My son, if you receive my words, and treasure my commands within you, so that you incline your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding; yes, if you cry out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding, if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; t hen you will understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God. Proverbs 2:1-5 I think this human mental image of the Most High’s nature and character is the worst form of idolatry, because it is the most hidden and deceptive. It is quite comfortable, in some cases keeping people captive all their lives. There are people, some of whom I know well, who will argue about the truth of the Heavenly Father and His Son. They actually argue with His truth as if they know, and they don’t pick up a Bible and read at all. Where did their truth come from? What a falsely confident and powerful deception that is! They have an idol in their hearts of a god, and it is not the Most High God at all! How can they ever truly love and worship Him in Spirit and in Truth when they have formed their own image of Him, as if they were His Creator? What will happen on the day when they stand before the Son of Man, and they see that He is not at all what they thought, and He says to them, “Away from Me; I never knew you” (Matthew 7:21-23)? But yet, when they had the chance to hear the truth or seek the truth from the only Source, they argued that they knew the truth of God and were settled and confident about it, claiming their own gospel to be all they need. I will never understand this or accept it; but it is out there all over the place. We Americans are the worst about this. Our fatness and over-confidence has ruined us to a degree. We think we can claim the title “Follower of Christ” simply because we believe in the Son of God. The question is, do we truly KNOW Him? Do we know His ways and His expectations of His children? Are we unknowingly rejecting Him and His ways, because we don't seek His truth?? There are many who believe in Him and know He is the Son of God, including the demons, but they are not His and they will not be with Him in His Kingdom. They will fall short, because they do not know the truth of His ways. They will not be wearing the righteous, holy garments of Yahusha. Instead their sin will still be as crimson upon them and judgment will be their lot. This is because they chose their own image of God to worship -- their idol -- because it was warm, good, comfortable, and it did not require any change or sacrifice or suffering. They chose to ignore His Word, His ways, and His righteousness and stay within their own comfortable understanding. This is not meant to be pompous or harsh; this is the true state of many Christians today, and it is not Truth. The Word says these who do not seek all truth can ultimately be at risk of exchanging the truth for a lie, and the result is strong delusion that will lead to death. Please read Romans 1:18-32 to see the magnitude of the potential outcome of this problem. Staying in a state of mind where we are halfway in, believing in Yahusha as our only way of salvation back to the Father, but being unwilling to accept and live out all His truth is what Yahusha calls “lukewarm”. These are the ones He said He will spew out of His mouth. I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked-- Revelation 3:15-17 But we won’t stop there. For those included in this group of people, there is still great hope to still seek all Truth, find Truth, and live and speak His Truth. This next scripture is what He says to these, the church of Laodecia, after He chastises them in the previous verses. His words are founded in a love we cannot comprehend, but it is His definition of love and His way of love – the very love He demonstrated His whole entire life and death – 100% total sacrificial obedience. This is His ever-enduring merciful love extended to a rebellious people when it is undeserved. And the way we reciprocate and truly love Him is to obey Him -- His words and His commands – not our ideas of Him, just as Yahusha said in John 14:15. I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. Revelation 3:18-21 I want to say a bit more about this next powerful and demonstrative scripture of Yahusha's words to a sinful woman He met (intentionally) by one of Jacob's wells. You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth. John 4:22-24 When Yahusha said this to the Samaritan woman at the well, He was erasing all she knew at that point and giving her the absolute truth straight from His mouth. This is the same truth we have available to us today – from His Word! This is the only way that we can know Him and obey Him. To know Him is to follow Him by the Holy Spirit and in the fullness of Truth, including picking up our own cross of sacrifice and suffering, to love and obey His ways, and to allow Him to work His nature into our image. It is His image we need to replace ours, because our image must and will be destroyed. His image in us is what the Father is looking for, and this image will not be judged but instead be accepted into the Beloved. So what do we see when we look in the mirror? Do we still see our own image... the image that takes precedence over His -- our flesh that determines its own truth? Or do we yet see the death of self and the image of Christ being formed in our reflection? This is the reflection that the world will see, and His reflection is what the world so desperately needs! If we have His image, then we carry within us His truth -- His message of fiery truth that will melt us with love and burn us with purification. His truth is the only truth that saves! This is not based solely on feel-good emotions or feelings (although we will definitely feel His love and power and conviction!), but it is a truth that will also cut and divide and birth a new creation within us. We can only impact the world with His image and His truth! We must always be willing to test our truth -- everything we have ever been taught and even all we know to this point. We must be humble enough to believe that we don't yet have all truth and remember that there is a very present and prevalent enemy that is working to not only steal truth but suppress and corrupt it -- and he has. In this day and time, we must test everything we hear or want to receive by fire, which is by His Word and His Spirit. When we stand before the Son of Man, and He looks at us with His eyes of fire, nothing apart from Spirit and Truth will stand. It will literally be burned off of us, and the question is... how much of us will be left standing before Him? Nothing false or evil or self-serving can stand in His presence. His fire of holiness, love, and light will burn it right up with only ashes remaining. In closing and to bring all glory to Him, I say... Spirit and Truth is Yahusha – His Spirit in us teaching us Truth and empowering us to live Truth. This is how we believe, know, and worship Him. This is what He is seeking. He is not seeking our version. Only His will do, and only His is absolute holy perfection! It is sooo worth every tear, trial, loss, pain, and every ounce of anguish that may be experienced as we are transformed into His image. We must die in every aspect of our fallen being; but the good news is that when we do this, that is when we truly live… and it will be forever! So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31-32 Amen and so be it!
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none other than Yahusha Himself -- the fountain of life, the bread of life, and the light of the world, the very manifested presence of the breathed out Word of Yahuah, God Almighty. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, athe glory as of the only begotten of the Father), full of grace and truth. John 1:14 Not too long ago, I was listening to a woman who has a very unique gift of prophecy, and she was elaborating on several prophecies the Father had shared with her. They were sobering to say the least. Her message was very focused on our discernment and the impact of the Word of God in our lives. As I listened, something quickened within me; I felt it. That same night I had a dream. Even to this moment, I have been unable to explain it in a way that describes what I understood. In the dream, I could see the impact of the Word, supernaturally, upon those who read it, believe it, and live it – continually. It was almost as a supernatural shell around them – a protection, a provision, a refuge, an illumination, an enlightenment; they were clothed in the Word in this way. As a result, discernment, wisdom, understanding, love, power, and all things of Him were encapsulated within them and emanated from them. Very simply, it was supernatural, and it was because they had eaten and digested the living Word. It’s as if in the dream I was given an understanding of this but still cannot find the words to fully articulate it. It was wonderful, and I believe it changed something in me – a much needed shift, or propelling, into the fertile land of truth and shalom after almost eight long years in the dry and barren wilderness. I was very thankful. After this dream, I wanted to go and look more into Hebrews 4:12, specifically in the Greek to get more depth of the English words. I grabbed my book, “Sparking Gems from the Greek”, and checked to see if the author had covered this scripture. Sure enough, he had. What he shared also shifted something in me, so much so, I have shared it with many close to me. Someone told me the other day that she has held on to this understanding since I shared it with her. This is an excerpt of what was shared in the book (paraphrased with a few of my words): The word “two-edged” is taken from the Greek word “distomos”, which is a very unique word, since it is a compound of the word “di”, meaning two, and the word “stomos”, meaning one’s mouth. Basically in English, the full word means “two-mouthed”. So the “two-edged sword” is the Sword of the Spirit, which is in essence a two-mouthed sword. After we hear the spoken Word of God and begin to seek it out, many times the Father will then give us a deeper understanding or “rhema” word of the same. It is typically at this time when it settles in our hearts and becomes a part of us, and then our understanding easily pours forth out of our mouths. It like power releasing from inside us because of the word given to us. So first, the word comes out of the Father’s mouth to us, and then it comes out of our mouths – making it two-mouthed! The wisdom given to us in understanding is coupled with the spoken word, and it becomes anointed and powerful – so sharp that it divides supernaturally. When we speak the settled word out of our mouths, we have truly come into agreement with the word of God. It is then that the power is released in the situation, whether it be speaking the gospel to someone, dealing with spiritual warfare, or whatever the case may be. As I excitedly pondered this understanding, I began to think of this “agreement” as a oneness with the Father. We are in oneness with Him when we speak forth the wisdom of His word stored in our hearts through faith. That oneness is in Yahusha, the Word, and we are speaking Him forth – His power – because we believe and trust in Him… because we love Him. The Word is in us, thus it comes out of us. We are one with Yahuah, God Almighty, through His Son, the living Word. This should always be what comes out of us, but unfortunately, we are still being perfected. The flesh tends to speak its own words many times before we even think about it, and therein so often lies a missed opportunity. May we become so hungry for His Word that we eat it and digest it daily, and at that, multiple times a day. We must constantly stay in oneness with the Father, not just in our hearts but also in every word we speak. I share this as one who still needs much work in this area! Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you. 1 Peter 1:23-25 A little over a week after my dream about the Word, I was reading this scripture (above). I laid down for a quick nap, and it started brewing within me. I wrote this in my journal about it: “This is a testimony in the New Testament. The New Testament contains many testimonies, so this scripture is a word of testimony by Peter.” Next, this scripture came to mind: And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. Revelation 12:11 Our testimonies are words from our mouths coming from our hearts. First, we are born again through the living and everlasting Word of God, which endures forever. Our oneness with the Father starts with salvation and our speaking forth the Word that saved us. This is why we confess that Yahusha ha Mashiach is Lord of all as part of our salvation experience (Romans 10:9). Then we live with the Word, taking Him in daily and eating and drinking of Him, and then we speak forth the wisdom of Him in us, as ambassadors and witnesses. Then at the last, we fully overcome and endure by the atonement of His blood and the word of our testimony – Him IN us spoken out of our mouths in words with boldness and pure faith in the midst of persecution and tribulation. This is also the exact reason the enemy and his followers will want to kill us. As it says in Revelation 6:9, the souls that were under the altar crying out had been slaughtered because of the Word of God and their testimony. The very thing for which they want to kill us will also be that which causes us to overcome. THIS is the power of the Word in us and coming forth out of us! In closing, I would like to share one more thing that I thought of during this wonderful journey about the Word. These scriptures came to mind next: And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. Revelation 19:11-15 It seems clear that in the last verse Yahusha has a sharp, two-edged sword coming out of His mouth. Even though it does not state “two-edged”, I believe this is true, because in Revelation 1:16 it states that as He held the seven stars in His right hand, a sharp, two-edged sword went out of His mouth. In 19:15, it is two-edged at this perfect moment in time when He is coming on His white horse at the end of all to judge in victory. I believe this is so, because of who is riding behind Him! His armies, clothed in fine linen, white and clean (the overcomers in Revelation 7:9, 13-14), are in oneness with Him through His Word! He, the Word, is coming to judge and rule with His two-edged sword! Can it be two-edged/mouthed without His beloved overcomers in oneness with Him? Oh for sure and for certain, because He alone can do all things! However, He desires and has chosen that we are to be one with Him as His Body, determined and set as a part of His rulership.
I pray that this wonderful gem of understanding encourages and edifies you. It truly is an amazing thing to ponder that we are this important to Him that we, our mouths, are the other side of His sword! And isn’t it interesting that the word “SWORD”, is primarily made up of the word, “WORD”?!! Praise His holy, mighty, powerful name!! Thank you Father, that you are willing to receive us, cleanse us, and make us one with you through your beautiful son, Yahusha the Messiah – the Word!! We are not worthy, but you are! It has now been over a year since I have written on this blog. This has not necessarily been by choice, and I have missed it. I can say that over the years, I have learned to know exactly when I am to post something here, and those promptings just have not come... until now.
I have been through a very long wilderness time. It has included much loss and loneliness and times when I could not understand what was happening or why. Although I didn't like what was happening, and my emotions were very sensitive, I always knew it would work out for good. I always knew it was further pruning and purification, just as the wilderness served for Israel before they came into Canaan. I always knew He would not leave nor forsake me and He was with me wherever I went. I often prayed that I would not die in this wilderness like many of the Israelites, and so far, that has not happened despite sometimes feeling like it was possible. I believe I have reached a time where I am approaching the Jordan to soon cross over into the place where I can focus on becoming His servant and living out His assignment for me. Isn't this what we all want now while we are still in this earth? Especially knowing that we are in the last moments of time and many wander lost in sin with no hope, many of us crave this. He is preparing many of us to be His hands and feet in this time, and I am prayerful that my wilderness has helped prepared me for this. Anyway, this is my little intro as it seems that the Father may have me write again. This is one of the gifts He has given to me, and I have often wondered why it seemed He took it away. He can do as He wishes and always has the best plans, so what can we do but surrender and rest in that?! So with that, I will also post what the Father lead me to write today (as a separate post). I have felt the prompting before today, but for some reason, it didn't flow until now. I really didn't want my writing to be the same as before; I wanted it to be more mature in Him. Maybe it is, and maybe it is not. Bottom line is that it must express Him, and it must be in Spirit and in truth with all glory to be His. Blessings of shalom and love to all! |
Special NoteThese writings are written in love and a spirit of servitude. They are not designed to judge but make us think. We are all sinners in need of saving, and we all need encouragement and absolute truth to endure on the narrow road to sanctification and ultimately eternal life. Categories
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