MESSAGES FROM HOME
(A Place for Encouragement and Comfort)
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Stand Still and See the Salvation of the Lord
Living Faith, Shameless Hope, Fearless Love
WHY YAHSHUA DIED FOR US
"But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Rom. 5:8)
Why? Read the above verse, take a look around you, read the newspapers, watch the television, and see whether you automatically ask yourself and God, "WHY? Why in the world would God or anyone die for a world so filled with evil, sin, and rebellion against Him? If He hates sin so much, why did Yahshua die for us while we were still sinning?"
The creator of this world set down simple rules to abide by in order for us to have a good life and to live that life in a manner which is pleasing in His eyes. The rules are SO SIMPLE: Worship Yahweh and Him alone, Keep His appointed Sabbaths, Honor your parents, Do not murder people, Don't envy people, Don't run around on your husband or wife, and more - all clear, simple rules designed to allow us to live our lives in dignity and rightness, without hurting others or working against the natural order our God put in place as He prepared this world for us.
But if we take even a cursory glance at this world, what we see is hatred, lust, sexual immorality of every kind, murder, brazen fornication, adultery, and homosexuality, rampant crime, and not only a colossal ignorance of the simple truth contained in the Bible but a clear desire in the hearts of the "religious" of the world to out-God God by rejecting His clear commands and accepting and embracing sinners of every kind in the name of love.
God does not love the murderer, adulterer, homosexual, thief, or idolator. He clearly does not separate the criminal from the crime, but simply requires the penalty to be paid for whatever transgression a person commits: "The soul that sinneth, it shall die." The way to please Him is not to negate His word and sanction those things which He hates, but to live your life according to His rules and hate what He hates: "If you love Me, keep My commandments." and "Therefore I esteem all [Thy] precepts [concerning] all [things to be] right; [and] I hate every false way."
So why did Yahshua give His life for those people around Him who screamed for His blood, for the murderer who was set free, for the harlots and adulterers and sinners He was faced with every day, despite His hatred of their sins? Why did He die for every one like them since the beginning of the world up to now who has flouted His word? Why die even for the weakness of those who have tried to obey His commands and failed miserably?
The answer to this question can be found in the life of any parent who has loved a child in the midst of his drug abuse, in spite of her affair with a co-worker, while fighting the irresponsibility that their children show which threatens to ruin their lives and the lives of those around them, and despite every other action the son or daughter commits which goes against the parent's teaching and upbringing. The good parent hopes against hope - not that the child will be accepted by others and allowed to continue in his self-destructive, hurtful ways - but that this beloved child of theirs will survive his errors and live to learn a better way. The mother prays that her daughter has the chance to become the good person she knows she can be, the father asks God to let his son live long enough to turn from his self-destruction and create the life of happiness he is sure his son can build. These people don't love their children because of their errors and the good parents don't condone their children's wrong behaviour: they love their children in spite of their sins, and they pray continually that they will turn from the wrong to the right.
The errors and sins a child commits break the heart of every good father and mother, but there is no way to turn off the love those parents feel for their children, even as they hate what the child is doing: destroying his or her life, breaking up marriages, going to jail, courting death with every pill or crack rock they use. The parents continue to love because they see something more than the destruction: every parent sees beyond what their child is to what that child could be. They know that life is hope, and they would do anything to give their child the chance to live through the error in order to see her fulfill the promise of what they know is possible.
God loves us sometimes not because of what we are, but because of what we could be. He hates the sins we commit and requires payment for the penalty of committing those sins, but despite His hatred of what we are while we sin against Him, He never stops loving us. Truly, He has told us that if we quit the sinning and take up righteousness, He will forget those sins as if they had never happened. He doesn't love us while we're sinning, but He loves us enough to give us the chance to stop sinning.
Yahshua died for us, not loving the sinners while they sinned, but loving them despite their sins. He took on the death penalty which He Himself had imposed on mankind for their sins - not to do away with the concept of sin or to circumvent His own law, but to fulfill that law so that His people could be given the chance turn from their sins and become something better. He didn't die for the adulterer, liar, or thief, but for the one who would become a faithful mate, a lover of truth, or an honest man.
Yahshua died for us not because He loved what we are, but what we can be. Think about it.
Shavah
(A Cry for Help)
My God, my God, why hast Thou
forsaken me?
I WILL NEVER LEAVE THEE, NOR FORSAKE THEE.
Why hidest Thou Thy face from
me?
HIS SERVANTS SHALL SERVE HIM; AND THEY SHALL SEE HIS FACE.
I am weary with my groaning;
All the night I make my bed to swim, I water my couch with my
tears.
THE LORD YAHWEH WILL WIPE AWAY ALL TEARS FROM OFF ALL
FACES.
O, my God, I am ashamed and
blush to lift up my face to Thee, my God.
MY PEOPLE SHALL NEVER BE ASHAMED.
O, my God, I cry in the
daytime, but Thou answerest me not.
HE WILL BE VERY GRACIOUS UNTO THEE AT THE VOICE OF THY
CRY;
WHEN HE SHALL HEAR IT, HE WILL ANSWER THEE.
Thou hast enlarged me in
distress; have mercy upon me and hear my prayer.
YAHWEH HATH HEARD MY SUPPLICATION;
YAHWEH WILL RECEIVE MY PRAYER.
The sorrows of death
compassed me.
DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP IN VICTORY. O DEATH, WHERE IS THY
STING?
How long will I take counsel
in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily?
THE RANSOMED OF YAHWEH...SHALL OBTAIN JOY AND GLADNESS,
AND SORROW AND SIGHING SHALL FLEE AWAY.
Arise for our help and redeem
us for Thy mercies sake.
I WILL DELIVER THEE OUT OF THE HAND OF THE WICKED,
AND I WILL REDEEM THEE OUT OF THE HAND OF THE TERRIBLE.
I WILL RANSOM THEM FROM THE POWER OF THE GRAVE.
O Yahweh, I beseech Thee,
deliver my soul.
WHOMSOEVER SHALL CALL ON THE NAME OF YAHWEH SHALL BE
DELIVERED.
Save now, I beseech thee, O
Yahweh.
I WILL SAVE MY FLOCK, AND THEY SHALL NO MORE BE A PREY.
FOR I AM WITH THEE TO SAVE THEE AND DELIVER THEE, SAITH YAHWEH.
And where is my hope? As for
my hope, who shall see it?
THOU ART MY HOPE, O LORD YAHWEH. THOU ART MY TRUST FROM
MY YOUTH.
Woe is me now, for my soul is
wearied because of murderers.
I HAVE SATIATED THE WEARY SOUL AND I HAVE REPLENISHED
EVERY SORROWFUL SOUL.
And now, Yahweh, what wait I
for? My hope is in Thee.
THEY SHALL NOT BE ASHAMED THAT WAIT FOR ME.
Then they that feared Yahweh spake often one to another; and Yahweh hearkened, and heard, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for them that feared Yahweh, and that thought upon His name.
"And they shall be Mine," saith Yahweh of hosts, "in that day when I shall make up My jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him."
PRAISE YE YAH!
PRAISE YAHWEH, O MY SOUL.
WHILE I LIVE WILL I PRAISE YAHWEH:
I WILL SING PRAISES UNTO MY GOD WHILE I HAVE ANY BEING.
YAHWEH LOOSETH THE PRISONERS:
YAHWEH OPENETH [THE EYES OF] THE BLIND:
YAHWEH RAISETH THEM THAT ARE BOWED DOWN:
YAHWEH LOVETH THE RIGHTEOUS:
YAHWEH PRESERVETH THE STRANGERS;
HE RELIEVETH THE FATHERLESS AND THE WIDOW:
YAHWEH SHALL REIGN FOR EVER,
THY GOD, O ZION, UNTO ALL GENERATIONS.PRAISE YE YAH!
Factors of Forgiveness
"Then came Peter to Him, and said, 'Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?'
"Yahshua saith unto him, 'I say not unto thee, "Until seven times": but "Until seventy times seven."'"
(Matt. 18:21 & 22)
Why is forgiveness so difficult? What is it about the two simple verses above which cause even good-hearted, sincere believers to search for a loophole, some way to avoid the clear-cut instruction contained within? In a world of technology filled with numbers using scientific notation to represent millions of millions of miles of distance in space, the number of atoms in a speck of dust, and the amount of the national debt, why do the numbers seven and 490 seem so large, so impossible to accept in context, so very unrelated to the reality of everyday life?
Yahshua and Scripture in general have much to say about forgiveness and its importance. The very basis of our faith is the belief that our sins have been forgiven by our loving Father in heaven: this belief lends enormous weight to Yahshua's words in Mark 11:26 - "But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses." Yahshua's disciples not only understood the relationship between faith and forgiveness, but also felt the difficulty of actually living their faith and extending forgiveness, for even as Yahshua tells them, "Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him," the disciples immediately reply, "Increase our faith." (Luke 17:3-5)
As objectively as a mathematician, Yahshua quantifies forgiveness, giving us concrete numbers against which we can measure our faith. In His grace, however, He does not leave us there to struggle alone: throughout both His ministry and the entire Bible, Yahshua teaches us the factors of forgiveness, so that we might more easily learn the art of forgiveness as we strive to perfect ourselves in imitation of Him.
As we begin the search for forgiveness, we can begin by answering the question which begins this article: forgiveness is difficult because it goes against basic human nature. Forgiveness is the opposite of pride and our sense of self importance; it requires that we subjugate our ego and view the situation from a perspective of humility rather than injury against our self. Just as our pride sometimes seems to choke us as we swallow it, forgiveness may seem unbearably difficult to produce from within and then offer to others: this is because both of these actions are contrary to our natural inclinations. Forgiveness is a form of selflessness, which does not come naturally to the human soul - it must be practiced in order to be perfected. As with any learned behaviour, if we know and practice the basics, mastery comes with time and becomes second nature, implemented almost without thought. With these things in mind, let us begin our search for the factors of forgiveness.
First we must realize that most offenses are of a basically impersonal nature, strange though that may seem. This is true from two perspectives: our personal perspective and God's perspective. The truth is that most offenses are not aimed at us personally - we are simply hapless victims of other people's selfishness, thoughtlessness, ignorance, confusion, or pain. Though the pain that we suffer as a result of someone else's unthinking offense can be very real and even devastating at times, our pain can sometimes be eased if we realize that the offense was not pointedly aimed at us personally, that it was not a malicious attack on our selves.
If, however, the offense truly is a personal attack, intentionally aimed at us for the sole purpose of injuring us in some way, then the situation changes. Here we must see things from God's perspective, which is this: that all sin is against God alone. King David laments in Ps. 51:4 - "Against Thee, and Thee only, have I sinned, and done [this] evil in Thy sight..." We gain some perspective when we realize that David intentionally murdered Uriah the Hittite in order to commit adultery with Uriah's wife: it is very difficult to get more personal or injurious than that. However, David clearly believed that his sin was ultimately against God, not Uriah. When we realize that in the end all sin is against God Himself and subject only to His judgment and/or forgiveness, then we understand more fully Yahweh's words in Deut. 32:35 - "To Me [belongeth] vengeance, and recompense..." We especially, if we are obedient sons of God, can find comfort in the fact that our God tells us "Vengeance [is] Mine; I will repay." (Rom. 12:19)
The knowledge that God alone can and will exact justice for sins committed against His people leads us back to the subject of faith. If we truly are God's people, then we must be willing to rest in the faith that our lives are ruled and guided by His will. We must be willing to trust our Father to take care of the ultimate judgment which is meted out and to handle it fairly, not only with merciful judgment against the offender, but with righteous justice for those who are sinned against. We must trust that He will do what is right for everyone in the long run. Though this sounds easy, it is in fact difficult to disconnect from our troubles and let go of them effortlessly: we must often exercise a conscious, repeated act of will to give such matters over to God and let Him take care of them for us.
Another factor of forgiveness is prayer. There are two aspects of prayer that we must utilize in order to find forgiveness in our hearts. The first is prayer for ourselves - we can and should pray to our Father for comfort, for a spirit of forgiveness, for the ability to concede to Him the things that are His (judgment, vengeance, justice, etc.), and for protection from the bitterness which can spring from insult or injury. Prayer is our refuge and the most powerful tool we have at hand to deal with the trials of this world.
The second aspect of prayer with respect to forgiveness is prayer for the offender. This can be one of the hardest tasks we are called on to actually perform, but it can also be one of the most liberating. Whether we feel forgiveness in our hearts or not, we can plant the seeds of it by praying for those who have trespassed against us, praying for a change of heart, for their eyes to be opened to the truth so that they might understand the nature of their sin, for their repentance, for their reconciliation to God and then to us. The effort of working past the anger and bitterness caused by any offense to the goal of praying for the offender can open our hearts in unexpected ways. It can be as simple as allowing us to gain some detachment from our pain or as monumental as allowing us to purge ourselves of the anger and bitterness altogether, thereby finding blessed peace.
True forgiveness involves another factor, which is forgetfulness. God Himself gives us the example to follow in this case: "And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, 'Know Yahweh': for they shall all know Me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith Yahweh: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more" (Jer. 31:34). When the blood of Yahshua covers our sins, they are hidden from God's sight and pass from His remembrance as if they never existed. If our Father is willing to forget the sins of mankind, which required the torture and murder of His only begotten Son, how can we refuse to forget the sins committed against us, most of which are of a much more trivial nature?
If we are able to persist to this point in our search for forgiveness, then we can come to the final factor of forgiveness, which is mercy for the offender. Mercy can often spring from an understanding of peoples' most basic and elemental ignorance, which is ignorance of God, His truth, and His will. Again, the example is set for us by Yahshua, who even as He hung from the stake after hours of torture, pain, and indignity, requested of His Father, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." (Luke 23:34) This magnificent expression of forgiveness is echoed by Stephen as he is being stoned in Acts 7:60 - "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge." How many of us have suffered to the point of physical pain, blood, or death? Yahshua's illustration of forgiveness under extreme duress gives us the encouraging knowledge that we usually have much less to overcome in order to offer forgiveness to those who have offended us.
Mercy is an absolute requirement, both for forgiveness and for salvation, as the blessed apostle James tells us: "For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment" (James 2:13). Even as we extend mercy, mercy is given to us. Proverbs 21:21 tells us, "He that followeth after righteousness and mercy findeth life, righteousness, and honour." Indeed, the word "mercy" appears 276 times in the KJV as a testimony to its importance. If we are able to overlook the offenses against us, giving them up to God for His disposition, and finding instead mercy which springs from an understanding of our place before our Father as well as acceptance of His truth and will, for us and the rest of mankind, then as naturally as day follows night, forgiveness will follow our efforts.
Forgiveness is its own reward. To forgive does us more good than the offender, for to withhold forgiveness is to cling to anger, bitterness, hatred, pride, arrogance - all the character traits we are commanded by God to overcome and replace with righteousness. In truth, forgiveness can purge us of these evil things and give us indescribable peace, while at the same time imparting a cool objectivity to our view of the offender. The opposite of hatred is not love, but indifference. In a perverse way, by refusing to seek vengeance for wrongs committed upon us, we see vengeance performed all the same: Paul tells us in Rom. 12:20, "Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head."
Paul's words above give us the last clue to the factors of forgiveness: sometimes if we make the motions, even if our hearts are not fully into the effort, feeling may follow form. At the very least, if we sincerely seek to forgive others and act accordingly, even without a true feeling of forgiveness in our hearts, we will still be doing the right thing as we strive to be obedient to Yahshua's commands and our Father's. Our faith tells us that God will bless such honest effort, and in the long run, forgiveness is the greatest blessing of all.
"For Thou, Lord, [art] good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee." (Ps. 86:5)
So let us be also.
"And in that day shall ye say, Praise Yahweh, call upon His name, declare His doings among the people, make mention that His name is exalted."
"And they that be wise shall shine and the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever."
"And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be Yahweh's"
The Power of Prayer
"And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive." (Matt. 21:22)
Concerning prayer, Yahshua's statement above seems to say it all: we have nothing more to do than to ask in faith and our prayers will be answered. Preachers in churches across the world tell us this; yet then they tell us that although God always answers our prayers, sometimes the answer is no. Then they exhort us to have greater faith, because lack of faith is what causes our prayers to go unanswered. Then they pass the plate and remind us of the upcoming church potluck, leaving prayer in their dust. The miracle of answered prayer is lost in the effort to make excuses for the prayers which fall by the wayside, with no true explanation of why those prayers fail.
Some of us may wonder at such treatment of a simple statement by Yahshua which seems to promise everything in return for almost nothing: we are told that we can get whatever we ask for if only we ask in belief. It can't get any simpler than that, but how does this square with unanswered prayer, or a prayer denied? What is it about prayer that leaves so many people questioning their God, their faith, and Yahshua Himself for speaking the above words?
For a question so pivotal to many people's religious existence, the answer is surprisingly simple. The context of Yahshua's words in the above passage gives us the answer: in this passage Yahshua is speaking not only of faith and belief, but also of authority and the obedience of sons to their fathers. These things obviously cannot be separated, even as they are not separated within the narrative from verse 18 through verse 32 of Matthew 21. If we understand exactly what Yahshua was speaking of in this passage, we gain an insight to prayer which can change us and our faith forever.
The beginning of understanding has to do with faith and belief. As we pray, exactly what is the belief we must have in order to receive that which we pray for? To answer this, we must understand what faith is. In this passage, faith and belief come from the same Strong's word - "#4102: pistis; persuasion, i.e. credence; morally conviction (of religious truth or the truthfulness of God or a religious teacher), especially reliance upon Christ for salvation; abstractly, constancy in such profession". This detailed definition is the basis from which everything else concerning prayer proceeds, because it tells us what belief God requires of us in prayer: a deep persuasion and conviction of His truth and an abiding belief in Yahshua as our teacher and Saviour.
The next question we must ask is this: What truth is it we are to believe? Is there some specific truth that Yahshua is trying to teach us here which will aid us in our prayers? The answer to this is yes: Yahshua and Scripture give us several significant truths which are vitally important to the subject of prayer. The first is the concept of authority through sonship.
Obviously we are given the authority to request things from God - in truth, it is that understood authority which gives us the confidence that our requests will be granted. Even as Yahshua's authority to teach in the temple (v. 23) was given to Him by His Father, we also are given authority by our Father to ask of Him those things which are needful. Our authority springs from sonship, even as Yahshua's did. It is this concept of sonship which is the very foundation of our existence, both now as physical beings devoted to God and later as spiritually resurrected beings ruling and reigning with Him; and it is lack of understanding of that concept which can cause us to falter in our prayers, leading to unanswered or apparently denied requests which undermine our faith.
Scripture clearly spells out the truth of our identity and relationship with God: "As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God" (Rom. 8:14). We are sons, and firstborn sons at that: "...Ye are come unto mount Sion...to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn..." (Heb. 12:22-23). Being united with Yahshua as firstborn sons, we partake of that position with Him before the Father, with all the rights and responsibilities that accompany such a position. This is the nature of our relationship with our God: firstborn sons, beloved in His sight, and promised to receive all that we ask in answer to our requests.
Inextricably linked to the concept of the authority of sonship is the concept of a son's unquestioning obedience to his father. Throughout Scripture we find the words "hear" and "obey" translated from the same word, whether in Hebrew or Greek. The implication is that to hear God's word is to immediately obey that word. In the passage in Matt. 21, Yahshua brings out that same connection between authority and the obedience of a son as He debates with the chief priests and elders of the people. Clearly, if we are convicted of God's truth and persuaded of the truthfulness of Yahshua and our Father, then we will obey Him. This is the obedience and responsibility of a firstborn son. (For a more in-depth explanation of the importance of sonship and authority, see our articles "An Introduction to Sonship" and "Women and Sonship: We are All Now Sons of God", "The Message of the Elder Son.", and "Personal Authority")
With this understanding before us, we come to another basic truth involved with prayer: If we truly are obedient firstborn sons of God, then it is virtually impossible for us to ask for that which is not right. To ask for unrighteousness is to transgress against God's will, and therefore becomes sin. However, John tells us in 1 John 3:9: "Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for His seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God". Our goal as sons of God is to perfect ourselves daily, constantly striving to train our minds to think as our Father does, substituting His righteous will for our own carnal desires. In subjecting ourselves to our Father's will, it necessarily follows that we reject the impulse to pray for unworthy, unnecessary, or unrighteous things - we don't pray to win the lottery, for an enemy to die, or to get to the store before that big sale ends. We pray for those things which please our Father: mercy, forgiveness, guidance for ourselves and others, our sustenance day by day, endurance, patience - all of those things which Yahshua taught us by example during His ministry.
1 John 5:14 & 15 tells us, "And this is the confidence that we have in Him, that, if we ask any thing according to His will, He heareth us: and if we know that He hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of Him." The proviso "according to His will" is implicit in the context of passage in Matthew 21. We as obedient sons will always strive to please our Father by praying according to His will for those righteous things which breed goodness in us and in those around us. And if this is the case, how can our Father refuse us those requests?
Finally, we must know our God, to whom we are praying and in whose name we ask these things. In John 14:13 & 14, Yahshua tells us, "...Whatsoever ye shall ask in My name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in My name, I will do [it]." Nothing could be clearer - we pray to our Father through the authority of Yahshua's name, and Yahshua Himself will intervene for us to grant us our prayers. The sure knowledge of our Saviour's name, along with the understanding of sonship, obedience, authority, and faith, is the key to unlocking the miracle of the awesome power of prayer. (See our article "Jesus/Yahshua: Which?" concerning the true name of our Saviour.)
We can pray for the heart of another person to be turned from evil into the right path. We can pray for endurance and victory for those going through terrible personal troubles. We can ask that comfort and encouragement be given to those who are grieving and distraught. We can pray for the repentance of a sinner, for the conversion of an unbeliever, for healing of the sick, and for the protection of those dear to us - all in spite of the most discouraging circumstances. We can ask for wisdom and greater understanding of God's word. We can pray to become to others what His Son is to us: a source of encouragement, inspiration, comfort, and strength - whether we actually feel we possess those qualities or not.
In fact, it is in asking for the righteous, seemingly impossible things that we see the awesome power of our Father at work. We ask in belief - belief in Him, in our relationship to Him, in Yahshua His son as our Saviour, and in His absolute power to give us that which we ask for - and then a miracle occurs. A heart is turned, troubles pass away into peace, the grieving are comforted, a sinner repents, wisdom and strength come to those who felt foolish and weak. We find an inexhaustible well of potential, an unimaginable depth of power, and all we must do to make use of it is ask for it, without doubting that our request will be granted. And then we find the truth of Yahshua's words:
"Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you; for every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. If you...know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask Him?" (Mat. 7, 8, & 11)
"Blessed [is] the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O Yahweh, in the light of Thy countenance. In Thy name shall they rejoice all the day: and in Thy righteousness shall they be exalted."
"O Yahweh, Thou [art] my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise Thy name; for Thou hast done wonderful [things]; [Thy] counsels of old [are] faithfulness [and] truth."
"And another angel came out and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer [it] with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne."
Prayer Unanswered
According to our article "The Power of Prayer", we as sons of God have the authority and right to ask of our Father whatever good things we believe are needful, and those things will be given to us according to His good will. If this is true, then what about those prayers which seem to go unanswered? What about the important situations we pray about which either don't change or simply continue to worsen? If our requests are not granted in these things, does that mean that our faith in asking was too weak or that our Father has refused our prayers or, worst of all, that He has simply ignored our requests?
The truth is that our Father never ignores our prayers; however, He may deny or delay the answer to our prayers for His own good reasons. There are three main reasons for "unanswered" or denied prayer given to us in Scripture, and they can be summarized as follows:
We are asking for something that contravenes God's will for us.
Our prayers are being hindered somehow by the situation of those we're praying for.
What we are praying for requires a long term effort.
To begin with, Yahshua's prayer in Matt. 26:39 reveals both a prayer which contravened the Father's will, and how to offer up such a prayer: "O My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me: nevertheless not as I will, but as Thou [wilt]." When Yahshua offered up His prayer, He obviously had a will of His own, revealed by His request to avoid the death by crucifixion ordained for Him. What we rarely realize here is that Yahshua's prayer was denied: the cup did not pass from Him and He did suffer the death He prayed to avoid. As an obedient son, however, He qualified His prayer by accepting His Father's will in that matter instead of His own: the second prayer He offered up shows this very clearly: "O My Father, if this cup may not pass away from Me, except I drink it, Thy will be done" (Matt. 26: 42). From this perspective Yahshua's prayer was granted, and this is a powerful lesson for us - while we may ask for whatever seems good and right for us or those around us, it is our Father's will which dictates the outcome, not ours. If our prayers are not granted, we must trust that our Father knows what is best for us and accept that in the long run what we ask for may not be the best thing to receive.
In the case above it is obvious that Yahshua's death was necessary (John 11:49-52, etc.) despite His desire to avoid it, but what about our own present and apparently less necessary troubles? While it would seem only right that a loving Father would want to spare His children the pain and hardship of this life's trials, Paul tells us in Rom. 5:3-5 that such troubles are in fact useful to us: "...we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience hope; and hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given unto us." Paul's words tell us that just as a muscle can only be strengthened by repeated and strenuous physical exercise, it is through the spiritual exercise we get as we struggle with our worldly troubles that we become stronger in faith and character. Often it is when we feel completely broken down by circumstance and realize that we have no strength of our own left that we can give up the struggle and let our Father's strength sustain us.
It is in following this line of thought that we find Paul praying to have his infirmity removed in 2 Cor. 12:8 - "For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me", only to receive the response "...My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in [your] weakness." If we pray for an end to our troubles and those troubles continue, it may well be that our prayer has been denied in order to teach us endurance and reliance on our Father rather than on ourselves. In such cases, rather than simply praying for our trials to end, we should also pray that we be able to accept and use them as a chance to exercise our faith, patient endurance, and reliance on our Father. It is with this very attitude that Paul was able to proclaim, "Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of the Messiah may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for the Messiah's sake: for when I am weak, then I am strong." (2 Cor. 12:9-10)
Next, we must keep in mind that as we offer our prayers up to our Father for ourselves and others, the state of our relationships and the faith of those we pray for can hinder how our prayers are received. 1 Peter 3:7 tells husbands, "...dwell with [your wives] according to knowledge, giving honor unto the wife...that your prayers be not hindered." Obviously our treatment (or mistreatment) of others can either help or hinder our prayers. If our prayers are truly offered up as gifts before God (Rev. 8:3), then Yahshua tells us "...if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee; leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift" (Matt. 5:23-24). This suggests that as far as we are capable of being at peace with others, we are required to do so in order for our prayers to find favor with God.
Also, if we are praying for intercession for others, we must remember that they have their own walk with God. Even as Yahshua's own works were affected by the unbelief of others, so can our prayers be hindered by such unbelief. In Matt. 13:57 & 58, we are told that "...they (the people of His own country) were offended in Him. But Yahshua said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house. And He did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief." This is something we must remember as we pray for others, especially those who do not share our faith.
The final point to consider is Paul's admonition to "pray without ceasing" (1 Thess. 5:17). So often we pray and expect an immediate answer to our requests, believing that a delayed response means the prayer has been denied; however Yahshua Himself offers an example of the necessity of long term prayers: "And then He spake a parable...that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: and there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me." (Luke 18:1-5). If an ungodly man will respond to a continual request for convenience's sake, won't our Father answer our prayers if we've proved by our constancy that what we are asking for springs from abiding hope and not simply passing desire? Our faith can be strengthened a hundredfold by steadfast prayer which is answered over time. As Paul tells us, "Pray always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints."
Ultimately, our prayers are offered up through our faith in God and it is this faith which must come to the forefront, whether those prayers are granted or not. As we subject our will to our Father's, we must hold to the faith that nothing escapes His notice - not the fall of a single sparrow or the prayer of one of His obedient sons. We ask for those things which are good and right, always remembering that in the end it is our Father's will which must be done, not ours. We ask in complete confidence of our requests being granted and in complete belief that if they are not, it is because there is a greater purpose being served in their refusal or delay. Our faith gives us the ability to change what we can through prayer and our trust gives us the ability to endure what prayer cannot change, so that in the end we can "in every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in the Messiah Yahshua concerning you." Amen.
"And it shall come to pass, [that] whosoever shall call on the name of Yahweh shall be delivered."
"I have said, 'Ye [are] gods; and all of you [are] sons of the Most High. But ye shall die as men, and fall as one of the princes.' Arise O god, judge the earth: for thou shalt inherit all nations."
"Then shalt thou call, and Yahweh shall answer; thou shalt cry, and He shall say, 'Here I [am]."
Overcoming to the End
"To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God."
Overcome: "nikao...to subdue (literally or figuratively): conquer, overcome, prevail, get the victory" (Strong's Exhaustive Concordance)
The passage quoted above comes from Revelation - a book primarily concerned with future, end-time events. Revelation describes in detail the actions of the churches of God, Satan, the heavenly beings surrounding God's throne, and mankind in the final days of this age. Most importantly, it describes God's actions - both towards those who reject Him, and towards those who cleave to Him faithfully to the end.
"He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death."
One of the most encouraging sections in Revelation spans chapters 2 and 3: the passages addressing the seven churches of God. While there is some comfort and encouragement in the sections addressing the assemblies who are faithful to Yahshua despite their tribulation, some of the most beautiful verses are obviously addressed to individuals. There are certain general promises made to those that "overcome", regardless of what assembly is being addressed, which can provide us now with great encouragement and support in these troublous times. These promises offer abundant, rich rewards for those who hold to Yahshua and His truth.
"To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it."
In examining these passages, we should be careful to observe the difference between simple endurance and overcoming. Surprisingly, there are few passages which address rewards for endurance to the end. Most of these appear in the Gospels in the context of enduring hatred and iniquity, as Yahshua tells His disciples, "And ye shall be hated of all for My name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved" (Matt. 10:22; also Matt. 24:13; Mark 13:13). While such endurance is absolutely necessary and its reward (salvation) much to be desired, it appears that there are even greater things in store for those who overcome.
Perhaps the key to the difference in these rewards lies in the nature of the actions which earn them: while endurance is essentially passive and suggests solid staying power and the ability to withstand attack without giving in, overcoming requires action. To overcome means to gain a victory or to conquer, to actively fight against and prevail over a person or situation. This means that the act of overcoming is much more difficult and requires more effort of a person than simple endurance.
"He that overcometh and keepeth My works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of My Father. And I will give him the morning star."
A simple and honest examination of ourselves will reveal the difference between endurance and overcoming: all of us have suffered trials and struggles which have been so difficult that we have been taxed to the limit. At such times, the concept of simply enduring to the end of the trial is a comfort and a very strong foundation to rest on when it seems our strength is gone. In the midst of such times, one of the hardest things we can imagine is to tax ourselves even more and take action - of any kind - even if such action might mean achieving some victory rather than simply surviving. We often feel so straitened and overwhelmed that we cannot bear the thought of requiring more effort of ourselves than the basic effort of endurance.
Deeper self-examination will reveal a sobering truth: in times of severe trial, the hardest action is often the one God wants of us. It is when we are beset by the evil actions of others, by the trials of this world and the constant effort to endure its corruption and hatred, that our Father and Yahshua require the most of us. It is at these times that we must resist the temptation to fall back on simple, passive endurance and become active and powerful sons of God. It is at these times that we must "keep (His) works", even beyond our own endurance.
How can we do this? The answer to this lies in one simple passage:
"Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good."
It is during the most trying times of our lives that God gives us the power to glorify Him and show forth the greatest gifts that Yahshua has given us: forgiveness, love, kindness, simplicity, trust, steadfastness, humility hospitality, generosity, innocence, righteousness, honesty, integrity, faithfulness - the list goes on and on. Every character trait that we know Yahshua possessed and which we're exhorted to exhibit in ourselves is given to us as a tool with which to overcome evil.
No honest person will say that responding in this way to evil and sinfulness is an easy thing to do, especially when the evil and sin are pointed directly at us. In fact, offering good in return for evil is one of the hardest things we can do - as Peter clearly realized in Matthew 18:21. However, we find a glory in pushing past our initial weariness or resistance and offering up to our Father actions that we know He wants of us: when we do this, we witness something akin to a miracle.
"Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write on him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, new Jerusalem, which cometh out of heaven from My God: and My new name."
The miracle is that even when we believe we are at the end of our endurance and capable of trying no more, if we can only move past the evils we're faced with and offer up goodness as our response, our rewards need not wait for the world to come: we receive some of them immediately. When we act after Yahshua's example, we gain strength we never imagined ourselves capable of because it springs not from us but directly from God. We find a kind of peace often found only as children, when we know that we've done something completely acceptable and pleasing to our parents. Our hearts soften towards others, even those transgressing against us, because we've partaken of Yahshua's very nature. We become transformed.
In taking the active and difficult path of overcoming evil with good, we become renewed and learn the power of action in a way impossible to comprehend if we continue to respond to things in a worldly fashion. Even the blessed trait of endurance cannot reveal these things to us, for in order to reach and understand the deeper things of God, we must go beyond passiveness. We must act, even when we feel incapable of action, stretching beyond our limits, running the race as if to win. Only in actively fighting evil can we ever hope to reach that which we strive for.
"He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot his name out of the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father, and before His angels."
The promises offered to those who overcome are priceless and impossible to attain without heartfelt dedication to our God and obedience to His will for us. Though our spiritual existence rests on simple faith, it becomes clear that as this world continues in its path of sin and corruption and God's people are increasingly beset by evil and satanic forces, something more must be built on the foundation of faith which can withstand these assaults. Endurance has indeed supported so many of God's people in past centuries, but the time has come for us to fight beyond endurance into victory.
As we approach the end times, our strength and rewards will spring from doing that which we might think impossible - reaching beyond our own weakness to the power of Yahshua's words and actions and thereby overcoming evil with good. Our existence as sons of God will leap to a level unimagined as the times of trial grow worse and worse. We will actively fight against Satan and his influence - not a fight of violence or physical power, but of goodness and Godly actions which will overcome our enemies even as we ourselves are saved from weariness and despair. And in the end, at Yahshua's return, we will receive the rewards promised to those who overcome:
"To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His throne."
"They that wait upon Yahweh shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; they shall walk, and not faint."
"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variableness, neither shadow of turning."
"Surely Yahweh God will do nothing but He revealeth His secret unto His servants the prophets."
Stand Still and See the Salvation of the Lord
The Fight is Not Yours
In Exodus 14, we find the children of Israel pursued by Pharaoh after their departure from Egypt. In verses 10-12, the Israelites lift up their eyes and, seeing the Egyptians hard after them, they cry out against Moses in fear and despair. In verse 13, Moses replies, "Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of Yahweh, which He will shew to you today..." This is one of two instances in the Old Testament where we find this phrase: the second is found in II Chron. 20:17, where we see Judah beset by the armies of Moab and Ammon. In this case, the spirit of Yahweh comes upon Jahaziel, a Levite, who exhorts Jehoshaphat and his people, "Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's...Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye [still], and see the salvation of Yahweh with you...tomorrow go out against them: for Yahweh will be with you."
In these passages we see God's people being given specific instructions - "Don't be afraid...stand still" - and the reason for these instructions - "The battle is not yours, but God's". Though in both cases the situation was fearfully dire, Yahweh told His people to stand back and leave the fight to Him Why? So that He could show them His power to protect and save them. It is apparent that these situations were allowed to arise for the very purpose of showing God's people how to relate to Him in times of danger or despair: they were to reject fear and leave control of the situation in His hands, completely trusting Him to take care of the situation.
Just as ancient Israel and Judah were given the opportunity to rest in Yahweh's salvation with the confidence that He would be with them and fight their worst battles for them, even now Yahshua's people may rest in that same confidence and trust. Yahshua Himself directly addresses this fact when He tells us, "In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world" (John 16:33). Truly, the fight is not ours, for Yahshua tells us that He has already fought it and won. This one simple fact is a cornerstone of our existence as sons of God, guiding us in how to deal with adversity, whether spiritual or physical.
Through our Saviour's victory over the world, we ourselves become victors, as John tells us in I John 4:4 when he speaks of our dealings with false prophets and the spirit of anti-christ: "Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world." Awareness of Yahshua's already won fight gives us the strength to endure the adversaries and trials that beset us as God's people, allowing us to view everything with the confident foreknowledge of ultimate victory. What can we fear if we understand that no matter what trial we're engaged in, we've already overcome and emerged victorious with Yahshua as our champion?
We know that adversity and dangers were allowed to arise for Yahweh's people in Old Testament times in order to teach them confident reliance on Him; in the New Testament we learn from Paul not only that the same thing applies to us today, but also that we gain other benefits from our troubles as well: "...we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope: and hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given unto us" (Rom. 5:3-5). The trials we go through allow us to actually "practice" our faith, in the sense of performing an act again and again in order to become more skilled at it. As we go through the struggles of day-to-day life in this world, repeatedly reminding ourselves to "stand still" and rely on Yahshua and our Father to protect us and carry us through them, this practice in active faith strengthens that faith and our confidence in God, as well as creating within us the added virtues of patience, experience, and hope.
Of course, as with any task that requires effort and practice on our part, we understand that standing still and confidently leaving our troubles to God is perhaps easier said than done. We find ourselves stressed and put upon by the actions of others or even ourselves, frustrated at the lack of control that we have over our lives, and we struggle to find some small action to take in an attempt to dispel our feelings of helplessness. We may be fearful that our attempt to give over our troubles to our Father will fail - our faith may be so weak that we have trouble believing that God will take the time to attend to our problems. Perhaps we subconsciously see ourselves as not pulling our own weight when we ask our Father to fight our fights for us. The answer to all of these stumblingblocks is to obey God: "Don't fear...stand still." In these two instructions we are guided in how to act during times of trial - we must reject fear (as John says, "Perfect love casteth out fear"), and then stop struggling to handle burdens we're not capable of carrying. We must stand still and find the peace that comes from turning our troubles over to our Father - the only one with the power and authority to control and direct our lives.
Once we've offered our troubles up to our Father, we must then practice trust. Though we know that the fight will eventually emerge in victory, for now we must submit our will to our Father's and allow Him to guide our lives as He sees fit. If we give our troubles over to our Father, we must then be content with whatever outcome emerges, even if it isn't the one we originally hoped for. In giving over our fight to God, we give also give up any fixed desire to gain a particular outcome for that fight. We exchange our limited understanding of events for God's all-encompassing knowledge. Understanding that we're submitting ourselves to a perfect and loving Creator, we can trust Him to accomplish the best outcome for us and for Him.
Throughout all of this we can rest easy in the confidence that indeed we are worthy of our Father's attention and care: are we not His own beloved sons, as worthy of His protection as our own children are worthy of ours? Even this concept may be difficult for some to easily accept and rely on, but again, practice makes perfect. As we repeatedly and consciously give our problems over to our Father and we then practice letting go of those problems and the worry and fear that go with them, it becomes easier and easier to do. Our Father and Yahshua then strengthen and reinforce our faith in Them and our relationship with Them by actually taking care of our problems. This not only allows us to see God's power to intervene in our lives, it also clearly shows us His love and concern for us. It is proof positive, revealed over and over again as often as we allow it, that we truly are worthy of our Father's attention. As Yahshua tells us, "Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows." (Luke 12:6-7)
As we grow in understanding of our God and how He wants us to relate to Him, especially in times of trouble, our faith grows as well. We learn not to fear troubles or trials, for they are the proving ground of our faith and the avenue through which our Father clearly displays His love and concern for each and every one of us. We see that in every hardship there can be a blessing, if we will only turn to our Father with the trust and confidence of a small child and a beloved son. It is with this understanding that we embrace Paul's exhortation in II Thess. 5:17 & 18: "Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in the Messiah Yahshua concerning you." Finally, it is with full knowledge of our place before our Father and our victory over the world through Yahshua our Saviour that we rest in these words: "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." (John 14:27)
"No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of Yahweh, and their righteousness is of Me, saith Yahweh."
"Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on Me through their word; that they all may be one; as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be one in Us: that the world may believe that Thou hast sent Me."
"Behold, I and the children whom Yahweh hath given Me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from Yahweh of hosts, which dwelleth in mount Zion."
Our True Home
"For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country...now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for He prepared for them a city." (Heb. 11:14&16)
This passage in Hebrews falls in the midst of an honor roll of the faithful, an inspiring list of so many of God's faithful servants who "died in faith, not having received the promises...and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth" (Heb. 11:13). These verses clearly tell us that those who belong to God know and openly declare that this world is not their home: they are simply sojourners here, patiently waiting for and seeking that which is their true country and their true city. They await the arrival of their home.
Yahshua's people today share an understanding of the knowledge that they do not belong in this world. They look at the world around them with its shameful embrace of immorality and sin; they live day by day surrounded by constant and unavoidable media coverage of that which is cheap, sensational, and disgusting; they listen to the conversation of those around them as they thoughtlessly wallow in all these things; and they know with complete surety that this world is not their own.
From this sure knowledge spring several questions: If we are strangers in this world and "have...no continuing city, but we seek one to come" (Heb. 13:14), does that mean that we have no home now in which to seek shelter as we live our lives in this strange land? If we do have some place of refuge, where and what is it? And what is or should be the nature of our relationship with this world in which we live?
Scripture, faithful as always, gives us the answers to these questions, and glorious answers they are. Yahshua, in John 17:15 & 16, gives us the beginning of the answer to our relationship with this world: "I pray not that Thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that Thou shouldest keep them from evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world." This passage tells us clearly that though we live in this world and we are no more a part of it than Yahshua was, we must accept our existence here with the faith that our Father will keep us from the evil which fills this world. This in itself is a resting place for us - the knowledge that though we must live here, we need have no fear of evil from it because our Father is constantly watching over us.
In addition to our Father's direct protection, we're also protected from the evil of this world as long as we remember where our attention and focus should always be directed, and that is completely towards our God. We can avoid so many troubles if we remember that the events of this world are no longer our concern, and that we should not get entangled with them. Peter warns us of the danger of becoming entangled with the world after committing ourselves to God: "For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Yahshua Messiah, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than in the beginning" (II Pet. 2:20).
In John 2:15-17, we read, "Love not the world, neither the things in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever." The danger in loving the things of this world lies in the lust that John speaks of: Caring too much for worldly things can distract us so much that we can - without our even realizing it - begin to lose sight of God and the awareness of ourselves as His unique people. Lust for the world can sabotage our faith and cause our eventual spiritual downfall. This is why Paul tells us to "be not conformed to this world". Though we must of necessity deal with the world every day, we can do this without becoming a part of the world.
Finally, when Yahshua tells us that we should not even worry about food or drink or clothes, but "seek...first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you" (Matt. 6:33), we see the sure instruction to put our focus on God and His truth, and let the business of the world take care of itself.
This existence within the world without becoming part of the world is the key to the answer of our first and most important question: Where and what is our place of refuge? Even as our calling is in this world, but not of this world, so our place of refuge - our true home - is here for us now as we sojourn in this world, but our refuge is not of this world at all.
"The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and He shall thrust out the enemy from before thee" (Deut. 33:27)
As Moses encouraged the children of Israel with these words as they prepared to enter the promised land, so we can also be encouraged and comforted by them, for they apply to us now as surely as they applied to Israel then. Moses himself assures us of this in Deut. 29:14 &15: "Neither with you only do I make this covenant and this oath; but with him that standeth here with us this day before Yahweh our God, and also with him that is not here with us this day." This is echoed in Yahshua's words in John 17:20 - "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on Me through their word; that they all may be one; as Thou Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be one in Us." Here we are promised a refuge now within God Himself, in whom we exist as His spiritual sons.
We are taught throughout Psalms that our God is our refuge, our fortress and deliverer, our strength, and even our hiding place: "Yahweh will also be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble" (Ps. 9:9); "Yahweh is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower" (Ps. 18:2); "Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in Thy word" (Ps. 119:114). Our God is our rest, as Yahshua tells us, "Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matt. 11:28). He is our safety - "The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of Yahweh" (Prov. 21:31).
In many passages the most compelling image offered to us is that of our God covering us with His wings, as a hen covers her chicks: "Yahweh recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of Yahweh, God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust" (Ruth 2:12); "He shall cover thee with His feathers, and under His wings shalt thou trust" (Ps. 91:4); "How often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings..." (Luke 13:34). This tender and fierce sheltering is a powerfully eloquent description of the shelter we find in our Father's own arms once we agree to become His people.
Although we as God's people are strangers and pilgrims in this world, we do have a home right now, and that home has been there for us from the moment of baptism, when we entered our Father's household as beloved sons. As we sojourn in this world from day to day, patiently awaiting the arrival of our city, our country, and our Father's kingdom, we can rest easy in the knowledge that in our Father's arms we are already home.
"Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."
"Lord, Thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations."
"And I will strengthen them in Yahweh, and they shall walk up and down in His name, saith Yahweh"
"There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above what ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it."
"Behold, the Lord Yahweh will come with strength, and His arm shall rule for Him: behold, His reward is with Him, and His work before Him. He shall feed His flock like a shepherd: He shall gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young."
The Message of the Elder Son
"A certain man had two sons: and the younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me.' And he divided unto them his living. And not so many days after, the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his property with riotous living.
"And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.
"And when he came to himself, he said, 'How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.'
"And he arose, and came to his father, But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. And the son said unto him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.' But the father said to his servants, 'Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: and bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: For my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.' And they began to be merry.
"Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew night to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called on of the servants, and asked what these things meant . And he said unto him, 'Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.' And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and entreated him.
"And he answering said to his father, 'Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.'
"And he said unto him, 'Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine. It was necessary that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.'"
This parable of the "prodigal son" in Luke 15:11-32 is one of the most well-known of Yahshua's parables. Countless sermons have been preached, urging wayward sinners to repent and return to their Father, that they might be received joyfully. So much has been made of the younger son's actions, repentance, and return to his father: the message of love and mercy contained in this parable is comforting and encouraging, food for the spirits of many weary, repentant sinners.
But what of the elder son? Though it may not appear so at first glance, this parable contains a powerful message for us concerning sonship and our relationship with God.
How many of us have felt like the elder son in the parable above? He has worked all his life for his father, obeying him without question, enjoying the labor and companionship in the knowledge that not only was he gladly serving his father, he was also preserving their family possession for the future. He is obviously resentful of his younger brother for devouring his father's living. His first complaint? "...Thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends." He considers himself an obedient servant who has never been offered approval or reward.
The father's response? "Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine."
Son, thou art ever with me. This man has recognized his son's service, his constancy, and their oneness of mind and goal. He makes this statement this openly, casually, and most lovingly, as if he had always assumed that his son understood this. This echoes Yahshua's words concerning Himself, His Father, and those who belong to Them: "He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father...If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him." (John 14:21-23)
All that I have is thine. "Son, if you had wanted a fatted calf, all you had to do was put your hand out and claim it: it's yours. All of this is yours. All that I have is thine." Had the son ever understood this? Evidently not. And why? Because in his own eyes his relationship with his father had been based only on love and service, not on what he could get out of him. Yes, this is admirable, but he had fallen into thinking of himself as a servant - unappreciated, unrewarded, unentitled to take of those things over which he labored. We're told in verse 12 that the father "divided unto them his living." Clearly the father had already given this man his inheritance, whether he had claimed it or not. The son had forgotten that he was a son, and the firstborn son at that. He didn't understand that in his father's eyes he was not a servant but a beloved son and co-owner of all that he possessed. Again, notice how this recalls Yahshua's own words: "The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into His hands." ( John 3:35) "All things that the Father hath are Mine." (John 16:15)
While reassuring his son of his rightful place, the father gives him a mild rebuke concerning his attitude about his brother: "It was meet (necessary) that we should make merry ..." The father, having reminded his son of his true position, also reminds him that as the eldest and future head of the family, he must act as such, putting the good of the entire family before his individual fears or concerns. There was no threat to either father or elder son in receiving the younger son back into his home, only righteousness.
What has this to do with the sons of God now? Simply this: We must receive the message of the elder son. Our inheritance is available to us now. We are heirs of God, joint-heirs with the Messiah (Rom. 8:17), loved by our Father, serving Him in love and obedience, abiding with Him - and He with us - continually. We are not simply servants, but beloved sons of a Father Who has already placed what we desire within our reach, if we will only claim it; not as alms, but as our right.
How many of us have seen ourselves merely as servants, making requests which we hope to see answered as favors, but never entitled to ask for something from God as our right? And is this how our Father would have us deal with Him? The apostle Paul instructs us otherwise: "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." (Heb. 4:16) This boldness, or courage, can only stem from our full confidence in and knowledge of our identity before God and the nature of our relationship with Him.
And what is our identity? "As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." (Rom. 8:14) We are sons, firstborn sons: "...Ye are come unto mount Sion ...to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn..." (Heb. 12:22-23). Being united with Yahshua as firstborn, we partake of His position with the Father. This is the nature of our relationship with Him: firstborn sons, beloved in His sight, promised an inheritance and generosity in answer to our requests
Our inheritance encompasses so many things: everlasting life, the earth, the kingdom, incorruption, promises, salvation, a more excellent name, blessings. At the heart of that inheritance, however, we find one thing: the often unrecognized, unclaimed right to relate to our God as any son does to his father. If we are sons, we must act as such: we must claim our rightful place before our Father.
We must accept the message of the elder son. If we are beloved, firstborn sons of our Father, working in obedience and love to serve Him, then we must understand that He has made it possible for us to claim our birthright now. We must approach Him boldly, asking from Him those righteous things which are pleasing to Him, and then believing that these things will be granted - as our right. We must claim our inheritance and begin to function as sons of God, exercising our authority as such, in preparation for our work in the days ahead.
"Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light."
"Then they that feared Yahweh spake often one to another: and Yahweh hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for them that feared Yahweh and that thought upon His name."
"These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."
Living Faith, Shameless Hope, Fearless Love
Our God is at Hand
In these days of God's long-suffering, as His people wait for Yahshua's return and struggle to survive in an ever more corrupt world, they are confronted with troubles, trials, and countless continual aggravations that are a constant drain on their spiritual resources. They ask themselves, each other, and Him daily, "How long must we endure? How long must we fight what seems to be a never-ending battle in this spiritual cesspool? How long, O Lord, until Your return and our redemption?"
As they patiently endure from day to day, week to week, and year to year, doubts and fears begin to creep in. These battle-weary disciples, after literally years of struggling with the hardships of the world while at the same time trying to hold fast to their spiritual identity and relationship with their Father, eventually begin to wonder if the day of Yahshua's return is ever to arrive. They wonder, "It if does come, will it happen in my lifetime or centuries after?"
As they contemplate the idea that they might have to spend their entire lives engaged in the same wearisome struggle that they've dealt with for years, their hope begins to lag and a root of bitterness creeps in which taints every part of their lives. They begin to suspect somewhere deep inside themselves that at the worst God has quit on the entire world, and at the least, He's not paying attention to them personally. In their minds God begins to recede from them, becoming only a concept without real substance, more like a vague and hopeful dream than an immediate and very real Being. In time, these sorely tried people of God find themselves stubbornly holding to the shadow of the truth they first accepted, simply biding their time and waiting for something that they have no real hope of seeing, their Spirit slowly being quenched and suffocated by the cares of this world.
This scenario has undoubtedly played itself out countless times over countless generations since the days of Yahshua's resurrection and the beginning of the New Covenant church. How many of us have found ourselves engaged in some aspect of this spiritual struggle for survival in this unGodly world? And how many have reached the end of that path, past hope and simply existing physically until death releases them? How can we combat this dreadful cycle and remain the vibrant, brilliant spiritual beings we became when we were baptized?
Everyone must fight this fight in his or her own way, but Scripture gives us powerful tools to use, which - if we will only accept them - can renew our "inward man day by day" and "renew the spirit of [our] minds." If we arm ourselves with living faith, shameless hope, and fearless love, we will have the strong and sure foundation upon which to build a resting place for our souls. A clear understanding of these Godly tools can give us the encouragement and strength we need to continue in patience, steadfastness, and peace until our Father accomplishes His good will upon this earth.
As we search for living faith, the beginning of understanding is found in Hebrews 11:1-2: "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report." If we read these verses carefully, we find that faith is not simply an intangible emotion: it is something substantial that can be offered as evidence of our existence as God's people. In truth, we even find from the following verses in Hebrews 11 - clear through verse 39 - that faith is not so much a thing that we have as it is something that we do - the entire passage shows that it is through their faith-motivated actions that those elders obtained their good report. In this chapter we are given example after example of people who were able to perform actions which pleased God because of the faith which they possessed and lived by. We can see here that it is our actions - or "works" - that give evidence of the existence of our faith.
Support of this concept is found in James 2:14-26: "What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? Can faith save him?...Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone...For as the body without spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also." If we accept the religious consensus regarding faith and works - which is that faith alone can save us and works are not required or even desirable in order to draw closer to God - then we become party to killing our own spirit. If we have faith "that He (God) is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him" (Heb. 11:6), then we must act on that faith by performing works and living our lives according to His commands so that we might be pleasing to Him. Only in that way can we draw closer to our Father and hold Him in our hearts continually with the knowledge that He sees us seeking to please Him; our every action has His attention and concern.
"Living faith" is not only that spiritual trait within us which lives because we act on it: "Living faith" also is what we do every day, living our lives in imitation of Yahshua's, living as much as possible according to what we know our Father wants of us. Living faith is what we possess in our hearts and spirits, and it's what we do every day of our spiritual lives. By living our faith, living in the way commanded by our God, we gain not only the approval and sanction of our Father; we also feel the intense satisfaction of knowing that we personally are a source of pleasure to the most important and cherished Being in our lives. What could enliven God in our souls and bring Him closer to us than that?
Coupled with this unique living faith is shameless hope: the result of spending every day of our lives striving to become ever closer to our God and His will for us. Though every day of living in a corrupt world is a trial and sorrow to our souls, we know that "tribulation produces patience, patience produces experience, and experience produces hope: and hope maketh not ashamed" (Rom. 5:3-5). At the end of every day that we've struggled and gained victory over the world by holding fast to our beliefs, we proclaim the hope that perhaps the next day will be the day of Yahshua's return. It is only when we give up the struggle and conform to the ways of this world that we acknowledge that we've lost our hope, and become ashamed not only of the hope itself as a foolish or impossible dream, but also of that which we've hoped for. Though the world may insist on viewing us as naive, superstitious, overly religious or just plain stupid, if we hold to our faith in our God and His promises, we cannot be made ashamed by these things: we hold to the hope that the every day brings us closer to Him and the fulfillment of those promises He's made to us all.
Though it does seem at times that our Father's tolerance and long-suffering will continue endlessly, dooming us to an excruciating existence in this world which will only end with the blessed peace of death, we have to remember that "the Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness...but the day of the Lord will come as a thief" (2 Pet. 3:9-10), when we expect it not. It is not in vain that we're told again and again in Scripture to stay awake, watch, and don't fall asleep as we wait for our Master's return. We must live our lives as if every day could be the day of His coming, so that we may continually be performing the work that we've been called to do, without becoming weary and disheartened by what we perceive as a delay. We can rest in the assurance that our God has set a date, which we know not, for the return of His Son and for our redemption and salvation. He will surely act on that day and we must not be ashamed to hope: rather, we should encourage others with the hope that the day is near, even nearer that we might at first dare to believe. It is this shameless hope that feeds our souls.
The strongest and most powerful defense we have against this world is fearless love. We know that John tells us, "He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love", and then he goes on to tell us, "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love." This is the key to our spiritual existence: not romantic love, or even the sometimes vaguely termed "brotherly love", but fearless love. John speaks truly when he tells us that fear hath torment which love can cast out.
One of the most well-known passages in Scripture - I Cor. 13. - explains to us the aspects of this fearless love. It is not jealous, boastful, proud, rude, selfish, easily angered, doesn't hold a grudge, or gloat over other people's sins. All of these things are the product of different kinds of fear and these actions only produce pain - both in those who act this way and in those who bear the brunt of such actions. People are afraid of being lied to, of taken advantage of, of being used or mistreated, of being belittled or maligned, of offering the good in themselves only to have that good trampled on defiled - and these fears are not unjustified. This world and the unthinking, unGodly people in it rarely recognize or value the good that they encounter, especially when it emanates from one of God's own people. But to respond to their ignorance by acting in the ways spoken of above only gives the victory to unrighteousness and sin.
Fearless love is patient and kind, it is able to bear hardship, is trusting, hopeful, and enduring. This trust and hope and endurance is offered to us by our Father, and then by us to everyone else, without fear that they will reject or scorn us for it, for it is not how others receive it, but whether we offer it at all that makes the difference. Scripture itself tells us that "God Himself commends His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Rom. 5:8): Our Father brings rain and sunshine on the just and unjust alike. As we're told in Matt. 5:46 & 48, "...if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not the publicans the same?...Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." This is the perfect love that casts out fear - love offered with the good of others in mind and without fear of ill-treatment at their hands. A fearless love that takes into account not who it is directed to, but for Whom it is offered up. No man's scorn can stand in the face of our Father's approval.
So much of Scripture is given to us as an example of how to act, of how to live in a way pleasing to our God, and of how to deal with our fellow man and perfect ourselves. When we accept our Father's call and make the commitment to Him, joining and uniting with Him in Spirit, we not only have agreed to turn our feet to the long and difficult road which leads to Him, we also are given the immense privilege of partaking of His nature and existence. When the hardships of this life seem to be unbearable, we can strengthen ourselves with the knowledge that our God is "a God at hand...and not a God afar off" (Jer. 23:23). Not only is He near to us every day of our lives, Paul tells us in Acts 17:28 that "in Him we live, and move, and have our being..." Our God lives in us continually, ever aware and concerned with our actions, thoughts, and existence, and we live in Him, owing both our physical and spiritual existence to Him and Him alone.
We need never fear being forgotten or lost. We need never give in to disgust or heartbreak or despair over the things that happen to this world or what this world does to us. We need never be ashamed of the simple, childlike hope we hold within us for the return of our King and our redemption through Him. We need never be so overwhelmed by anything to the extent that we cease living in and through and with our God and lose our faith in Him and His promises to us. If we rest in the peace our Father offers us, keeping always in the forefront of our minds that He is ever within our spirit and watching over us - even as any loving father watches over and cares for his children - and if we continue steadfastly in our living faith, uplifted by shameless hope, resting on and offering fearless love, then the spiritual being that we are will never grow old or die. We as our Father's own sons will continue in the miraculous and endless cycle of renewal and rebirth daily, every ready to serve our God, Who is near at hand.
"But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvellous light."
"For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creation, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in the Messiah Yahshua our Lord."
"Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins...We love, because He first loved us."
Bucking the Tide
If you ever doubt yourself or your calling, sometimes wondering (along with almost everyone you speak to: "How can I be right and everyone around me wrong?", or "How can I be so conceited as to believe that God would reveal to me a truth that almost no one else knows?", or "Why would God choose me out of everyone else in the world?", here are some facts to ponder:
Yahweh saved only eight souls out of the whole earth from the Flood.
In all the land of Ur, only Abraham was chosen to know Yahweh and inherit Canaan.
Only one tribe of Israel (Levi) stood with Moses during the transgression of the golden calf.
Out of the 12 spies sent out of Israel, only two men (Yahshua and Caleb) believed Yahweh and trusted Him to help them take Canaan.
Of all multitude of Israel, there was left to Yahweh only Eliyah and the 7,000 who had not "bowed the knee to Ba'al."
In all of Zidon, only one widow in Zarephath and her son were sustained through the famine by Yahweh.
When Nebuchadnezzar chose out "children of Israel, and of the king's seed, and of the princes", only four refused to be defiled by his meat and were favored by Yahweh.
Of all the herdsmen in Tekoa, only Amos was called as a prophet.
Only twelve men out of all the thousands Israel were chosen to be Yahshua's disciples
Out of all the "Italian band" only Cornelius and his household were chosen to illustrate God's acceptance of the Gentiles.
Of all the believers in the world, only John was chosen to receive the Revelation of Yahshua and "the things which must shortly come to pass."
Our uniqueness is not of ourselves, but of our God Who chose us. We cannot question God's mercy, but only rejoice in it, as we rejoice in His truth. If you ever wonder why He chose you out of the 305,680,994 people in the United States or the 1,335,108,059 people in China, or the 1,335,108,059 people in Nigeria, or the 1,335,108,059 people in India - or out of the 6,756,106,254 people in the world right now - always remember that it is "not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy" (Rom. 9:16). Rather than question the odds of being called into the small remnant of Yahshua's people, consider the words of Zech.4:10:
"...who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubabbel..."
This Is The Day Of Small Things: Yahshua Calls Us A Small Flock For A Reason. Don't Doubt Your Calling Because You're One In A Million - Simply Thank God That He's Shown You His Mercy And Opened Your Eyes To His Truth.
"I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."
"Yahweh thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; He will save, He will rejoice over thee with joy; He will rest in His love, He will joy over thee with singing."
"Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world."
Did You Know?
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