Reflections

As the days go by, I could sense that Yahweh is doing a work of preparation in my life. The more I delve deeper into His Word, the more the Word becomes much like a mirror. It reflects back at me who I really am, my character, my actions, my speech; all are weighed and brought to examination against the Word and I find that in many places I still lack. In many areas of my life as I reflect back I find myself lacking in regards to many a things. Of all things I've gained thus far, it comes as a notion that I still have much more to learn. To say that I've attained much is an overstatement when in fact I realise that Yeshua still have many things to say to me but I cannot bear them now.

This really causes a stirring within me to continue to hope in Elohim, because the change that I desire and seek for does not and will not come from the power in oneself, or the confidence in whatsoever actions or words of man. My hope clings to the promise that it is Elohim Who works in me, giving me the desire to fulfil His will and enabling me the means to do so. For neither he who sows and waters avail to anything, only Elohim gives the increase and thus receives the glory. This is the season for personal self examination because Yeshua Messiah is coming again very soon and I find that not just I but a vast majority of us are still lacking in many things. When He returns the criteria is that we must be like He just as He is. And I find that many times we do not exemplify the life of Messiah which was given to us.

In my life, I've think I've come to a point in time where I see no other road than the road given to me to walk and it's a road that only I shall and will traverse. Given that it's an unpaved road, it's a journey unlike any that I've encountered thus far to this point. It's quiet and alone, however not for long. Perhaps in the near future others will begin to travel this road but for now it's only me to carve a way. And I see that it is on this journey that I come more and more to see the wickedness in myself but the sovereignty in Messiah. That my hope should not be in mere words alone, but the power of Yeshua, His wisdom, His life that changes who I am fundamentally.

This is a season of self discovery and what I have discovered is that I am needing much more tutelage from the Holy Spirit. Have I made it? Yes, an assurance that the Holy Spirit cannot lie but hardly have I begun to take the steps necessary. I am still far from the goal and yet there is no other choice but to press on toward the upward prize. Heavenbound. It is exciting really, but at the same time the road I walk is uncertain. It's time for Elohim to take over once more.

-Tuesday, 1 August 2017, 1 year 10 months 25 days, 1447

Sharing Burdens

This week has been quite a... peculiar week for me, it being the reason why I have yet to have written anything for a while. This week in particular marks yet another advance or even perhaps another moment of examining oneself all the more in times to come, in regards to myself.

The week began on the Sunday night, that's when I had realised that something was amiss, or perhaps you could say that the Holy Spirit was once again revealing more things that I am not to keen on prying into. I realise that He is showing me the conditions of my own being and the being of others. And it is not pretty. I realise that I still have yet much to improve on and many more areas in my life need the remoulding only Yahweh can do. However, I thank Elohim that He has given me insight into these matters but it makes me all the more concerned for my family, my loved ones, my brothers and sisters because from the way they speak, the way they conduct themselves, I can see. I watch, and sometimes I do not like what I see.

There is literally no one that can share the burden I am undergoing even though through these I am carrying burdens of others as well. Their concerns, their needs, their wants, I can sense all of it and I find myself deeply groaning because of it all. There is no one that I can cry out to except to Yeshua and only Yeshua. He hears me, He answers me, He is the only one that can resolve all my questions and give me the answer though I may not want it, but the answer that I need the most. Praise Yahweh.

This is definitely the time that Yeshua wants me to see beyond what can really be seen. The oppression, the works of the enemy have become so clear to my eyes. But at the same time the works of Yahweh which are very awesome have become greater in their reality and splendour. To bear one another's burdens and so fulfil the law of Messiah.

The days ahead seems marked with the same degree of difficulty. However, by His grace I so endeavour, and so continue standing firm on bended knees. The road I walk is the road only I can walk. There are many like it but this is the one specifically for me alone to journey on. A road lonesome and with much breaking and yet, I am never truly alone. You are here with me, my Lord Yeshua Messiah. I praise You because of it and much more.

-Saturday, 29th July 2017, 1 year 10 months 22 days, 0300

Image and Likeness of Yahweh; Continuation

It has been approximately 3 weeks since I had last blogged and perhaps for good reason. 3 weeks ago my previous phone stopped functioning altogether and just yesterday I had bought a new phone with a brand new number to go with it. During that time it was peaceful and tranquil to be without contact for so long and though it was rather tedious as I believe not just for me but even for others as I had to go through them to contact others, it was entertaining and quite interesting really to be living off the grid for a while. I enjoyed myself but now that I have a new phone it is time to once again look ahead to what Yahweh wants to bring us into concerning His will in these last days.

I won't go through what happened during my time without phone but to just briefly mention that I enjoyed my time without it. However that is not to say that I am reluctant to once again pick it back up. There needs to be a continuation of our journey and perhaps it was once taken away so that it may remain forever, just like Onesimus unto Philemon.

[Phm 1:15] For perhaps he therefore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him for ever;

Just the other day I had briefly gone through a topic about love and the difference the Bible clearly speaks about. 4 different types of love however now I can hardly remember what they were called. Written by C.S. Lewis, the book spoke about the drawing of oneself unto the true love and not of the love in likeness to the flesh or the world. However, I had not gone through the whole book, only briefly had glimpses here and there because after all I was in a bookshop. But there was something he said which really stuck to me, although I can't really give it to the reader word for word, as I believe and can remember therefore I'll explain and describe.

The author gave an analogy to describe the difference between the love shown by drawing closer to Elohim and the love shown by being in the image of Elohim. A characteristical love and a drawing love. Suppose your house lies on the top of the mountain and you making your way back come closer to it. At the mere beginning of your journey home you come across the tallest hill that is geographically closer to your home but nowhere near it in respect of your journey. And you keep journeying on and on until, at the near end of your walk home you reach a valley which will shortly take you to your house. Geographically it is the lowest point from your house but in journey-wise it is by far closer than when you were at the tall hill.

He likens that to our walk with Yeshua. And in a different perspective I see this to be true. Many times we perform acts of lovingkindnesses to showcase that we are loving, honest people and yet that does not mean that our relationship with Elohim is a loving one. Just because we show ourselves to be a holy people before others, that doesn't neccesarily make us holy people in the sight of Yahweh. What makes us holy, what makes us clean is when we draw nearer to Yeshua and He to us and then that love is formed inside us. Not the love of the flesh in which we desire for the approval and nodding of head from men but rather the love that gives all without regard just so that we may draw even closer to Yeshua by the Spirit. Not every who gives generously is considered generous, not everyone who sacrifices is considered selfless, not everyone who lingers around when everyone clears off is considered seeking the Lord. But the same can be said of the other side of the coin. Much like the parable Yeshua gave about the son that did the will of their father.

[Mat 21:28] But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard.

[29] He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went.

[30] And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not.

[31] Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Yeshua saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of Elohim before you.

Yahweh made us in the image and likeness of the fullness that He has, meaning of the image and likeness of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

[Gen 1:26] And Elohim said, Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

However when satan deceived both Adam and Eve, though the fact that they were created in the image of Elohim remains their likeness to Him was no longer because that likeness, that life, that communion was cut off the moment they disobeyed and ate the fruit. Because he that is joined to Yahweh is one spirit with Him; meaning one, in the same likeness.

[1Co 6:17] But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.

And now because Yeshua has come and died, He died to restore that connection with us that we should no longer just be in the image of Elohim but in the likeness as well. You know, even as I write this the Holy Spirit is really opening up to me so much more than can be put on paper really. I might have to stop and take time to really digest what I've received. But of course, it's not just on my part to receive but also to live out whatsoever that has been given unto me. To continue on:

What does it mean to be in image and likeness? Take me for example, I was born resembling my father much so. That is what it means to be made in the image. But if I should copy and act as my father is that makes me made into his likeness as well. I can look like my father but behave like entirely a different person. And many times we Christians do just that. Though we are and know that we have been made in the image and likeness of Elohim, we don't behave like so. We are made in the image of Elohim but still conform our likeness to the sinful flesh and its desires.

And just like that the act of love is the same as well. The author states that the acts of love that we perform are sometimes confused as we thinking that it means we have right standing before Elohim. In all honesty, whatsoever we do offers no right standing before Him. Only Yeshua in us causes us to not be slain before His presence. And all our good works in Messiah tantamount to is only profitable for men and not before Elohim.

[Tit 3:8] This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in Elohim might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.

I'll stop here for now. I really need time to gather my thoughts and really digest all this.

-Tuesday, 18th July 2017, 1 year 10 months 9 days, 2118

I realize that this particular topic can just keep extending on and on without fail because all that this talks about is the act of living out what we all preach and teach concerning the Word of Elohim. Because in the end, the kingdom of heaven is not demonstrated in word alone but in power, and in the power of daily living out. I'll just keep it as brief as I can. We are all made to be in the image and likeness of Elohim, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. However because of our first parents rebelled we lost that connection to the likeness of Elohim. However we being in the image still doesn't change. Because of that many times what we do is not necessarily out of a heart of willingness but out of the heart of necessity. I need to do it because I'm obligated to. Should we base our walk with Yeshua on drawing near simply by being in image and not in likeness we will find ourselves drained, empty, dry, and burnt out. The waters of the well of salvation can only be drawn by the spiritual strength of the Holy Spirit and not the strength of men.

[Isa 12:3] Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.

They say here joy but I found by the grace of Yahweh that there are two different types of joy, the authentic and the counterfeit. The joy of man, much like the sorrow of man produces death in the end. It can do no much but to ease the wound. But the joy of Yahweh becomes our strength that in the times where we come to nothing, Yeshua takes over everything and becomes our everything. If I could so say that sometimes we find ourselves thirsty in our wilderness journey simply because we, using our own strength seek to draw water from a well that can only be drawn with the spiritual power Elohim solely provides.

This is the gist of it as I believe, we are made in the image and now in Yeshua we have become His likeness. The conforming does not come because we try but because He prefects they whom He sets apart. The hope we have is that the longer we continue, the more we desire of His moulding us, the more we will find on that Day that we have become like Him as He is. Because all this comes to us, we ourselves having no part to contribute other than to be freely open and available to the continuous moulding of Yahweh in our lives. Praise Yahweh.

Also, I will probably begin to upload some of the Word that I have shared before during the 1st English service and whenever given the opportunity Elohim willing. Probably sometime this week or next.

-Thursday, 20th July 2017, 1 year 10 months 11 days, 0112