Psalm 34 ~ Taste and see that YHVH is good!

"Oh taste and see that YHVH/the LORD is good. Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him. Oh fear the LORD, you his holy ones, For there is no lack with those who fear him." vs. 8-9

"Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But YHVH/the LORD delivers him out of them all." vs. 19

I was up early this morning because after He spoke this Psalm to me, I couldn't remain in bed until I had read it and meditated on it. My husband asked me what it meant to me, and I said, "YHVH is good. We need to look for YHVH's provision, even if it's not what we expect to see."  

The scriptures don't tell us that living for Him will be easy, but they do tell us that He is good. He doesn't say we won't face adversity, but that He is good, and He will provide for us. I want to look for His provisions knowing that He will provide, and that it might not (probably won't!) be in the manner I expect. So why expect a certain outcome? If we believe that YHVH/God is Sovereign Supreme, why not let Him provide in the manner that He sees fit?

Shalom, shalom.

Week 2 ~ Day 2 - Growing Through Prayer

Growing Through Prayer (A 'Loving God Greatly' Bible Study)

January 19, 2016

Week 2 ~ Day 2

Read: Mark 1:35 & Mathew 14:23

SOAP: Mark 1:35

January 19, 2016

Week 2 ~ Day 2

Read: Mark 1:35 & Mathew 14:23

SOAP: Mark 1:35

S:   

“Early in the night, he rose up and went out, and departed into a deserted place, and prayed there.” HNV

“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Yeshua got up, left, went away to a lonely spot and stayed there praying.” CJB

O&A:

This has always been a struggle for me, rising early.  I’ve been a night owl for as long as I can ever remember.  My husband gave me some excellent advice – instead of doing what I usually do late at night (read, surf FB or the internet, fold laundry or other quiet household tasks, etc.), get alone with the Father and pray.  Let it be my 3^rd or 4^th watch offering (depending on time, because I’m not up as late as 3AM! Lol)

Image comes from www.TorahCalendar.com

Night: sometimes translated asmorning because of the time: 4th watch of the night, approximately3AM-6AM

Deserted place: solitary, uninhabited place

Hours

Through Yeshua's example, my husband sets a great example to me in this aspect.  When Abba wakes him up in the night, he leaves our room, gets alone, and gives our Father His offering.  In the meantime, I’ve often just gotten into bed, laid my hand on him, and have just prayed over him and our boys before falling asleep.  Sometimes I wonder if that could be Father’s way of keeping us praying during the watch hours.  Only He can answer that. 

In Proverbs 31, it always stands out to me that “She rises also while it is yet night, Gives food to her household, And portions for her servant girls.”  While it is yet night, meaning while it’s still dark, and also translated as “protective shadow”.  But she doesn’t just rise while it’s dark, she is productive in her time! She gives food to her household, and a portion for her girls, those are her maid servants or female attendants.  (Sidenote here – the word for that is na’arah, and is also my crockpot’s name.  My appliances are my help maidens, and all have their own names.)  The (appointed) portions she gives her maid servants are their tasks for the day.  Her day begins early.  Mine, because it ends late, doesn’t begin as early as just before dawn.  I am asking the Father to work on me in this area, because I have struggled with this for YEARS. 

I would love to follow the example that Messiah Yeshua set for us, in rising early, to get alone with the Father and pray to him.  To receive Abba’s instructions for the day!  I get it!  I finally get it!!! If it wasn’t too hard for Yeshua, in fact it was GOOD for him to do so, then why am I so stuck in my own ways to be in Yah’s ways???  Why must I kick against the pricks when He has told me to do this?!?  He has even given me a schedule, yet I falter.  The example of Yeshua getting alone with the Father… in the night/early morning wasn’t just to be there because He couldn’t sleep – it was to hear from the Father, and to submit to Him.  Just as the Proverbs 31 woman rose early to feed her household and to give tasks to her ladies, so does YHVH want to feed us (in His Word) and give us our instructions.

P:

Abba, You are so awesome!  We sometimes say You are Yah-some!  Father, forgive me my reluctance and my insubordination.  I desire to follow after the instructions You’ve given me, and yet almost every night I fail.  Oh Abba, let tonight begin the observance of  the schedule You’ve given me, so that I will follow after the pattern of the beloved Mashiach, the Messiah, Yeshua, when He left where He was, got alone, and attended to You.  Thank You, Abba, for helping me to finally see it!  HalleluYah!!!  In Your Son Yeshua’s name, Amein.

#‎LoveGodGreatly‬

Week 2 ~ Day 1 - Growing Through Prayer

Growing Through Prayer (A 'Loving God Greatly' Bible Study)

January 18, 2016

Week 2 ~ Day 1

Read: 1 Timothy 2:8

SOAP: 1 Timothy 2:8

S:

“I desire therefore that the men in every place pray, lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting.”

O&A:

Pray: to offer prayers

Holy hands: of YHVH – undefiled by sin, free from wickedness, pure, holy, pious, hallowed

Without: without any person or thing – having NO association with; apart from; aloof from

Wrath: indignation – vehement exasperation

Doubting: the thinking of a man deliberating with himself; inward reasoning; hesitation; wavering in mind; calling in question

I tell you that this day, as I’m looking at the definitions for these words, there is a LOT standing out to me.  “The men in every place pray” so we are to pray without limit, no matter where we are.  “Lifting up holy hands”, hands that are free from wickedness.  

Now here’s what’s really, really speaking to me: 

WITHOUT wrath, WITHOUT doubting.  Having no association with indignation. Having no association with hesitation.  Having no association with inward reasoning.  

Having no association with wavering in mind. 

How many times have I cast my worries and troubles, my words at the feet of Him who sits on the throne, but there has been doubt niggling in the back of my mind?  Once, when we lived in Pensacola, FL, our pastor there passed out scraps of paper and told everyone to write down on that paper what was on their mind.  Years later, I did this in a children’s Sunday school class I was leading, following that example.  I asked the kids to write down their biggest worry.  Then, just as the pastor had instructed us to ball up the paper and throw it onto the altar, I asked the kids to toss theirs into the middle of the room.  It was freeing to do so!  The pastor had said to us, “Now don’t pick it up!  You’ve given it to God – don’t take it back.”  I said to the kids, “You’ve given your cares to God, would you take it back?”  Most shook their heads “no”.  However, a few of the kids did what we, as adults, don’t usually want to admit to: when given the chance, they went and picked up their paper.  They had watched where their paper landed, and retrieved it.  This is what I see in my mind as I read this verse. 

There was a desire in me, all those years ago, to leave my paper crumpled up at the altar, and yet I was torn because I also wanted to retrieve it.  Even now, I sometimes have to force myself to leave it with my Melek, my King, and not try to take hold of the care myself.  It’s usually easier to do so now, but let the concern be about money, and my mind wants to run up and grab the concerns back, as if I have any power!  But praise be to Yah, HE is able!  I have even, at times, asked Him to not allow me to think about it.  “Take this concern out of my mind, Abba.” I have requested of Him.  And He does.  Not until it comes to pass, or is resolved will He bring it back to mind.  In this, I am reassured of His Sovereignty, and of His ability: that He alone is my strength, and my fortress. 

P:

Abba, YHVH, Sovereign King of the Universe, great and mighty in power are You!  Father, I ask that You would forgive me my doubts, and my indignations.  I pray that You would forgive me of the times that I have not come before You with undefiled hands, and that You would forgive my moments of not willing to relinquish myself, my desires, my troubles, my cares, my angers, my hostilities, my fleshly desires to You!  I pray that You would forgive my reluctance to pray openly when You’ve called me to, in every place, with regard only to You, and not for location or company.  Abba, I pray that You would continue in Your teaching me to not debate in my mind that which I bring before You, so that I would be of one mind, and one accord with You, my beloved.  Let me boast only of YOU!  When I lift my arms to You in praise and worship, let my hands and my heart be pure and undefiled so that they might be acceptable to You, and able to go forth and do Your bidding.  When I reach out to You, You answer, my Elohim.  You have called me out of the miry clay, and I praise You and thank You this day that You have done so!  I exalt You, and ask that we would see our beloved family members, friends, brothers, and sisters called out of their miry clay and into Your kingdom - to be crafted into Your vessels, to do Your works, to be Your light.  In Your Son Yeshua’s blessed name, Amein.

#‎LoveGodGreatly‬