A Spiritual message for the Moment

YHWH is One  Yeshua is Lord!                                                                                       

We all have experienced times when there was a personal or national crisis and soon after the ordeal was over you may have experienced a change in attitude toward your circumstance, family, neighbors and strangers.  The events that occurred on 911 was a crisis that we can all relate, those who are old enough to have witnessed the event. After the crisis people in America changed their behavior toward one another, even other countries reacted with sympathy towards the nation. The shock and horror of the catastrophe caused the nation to turn inwardly. The nation felt threatened and huddled around one another, united as one people, took up arms and were ready to fight. This was a natural reaction in response to a crisis. The fruit that we saw manifest within the nation was kindness.  Why kindness, courtesy and respect?  Before the event Americans were going through their usual tensions. Striving against one another, ethnic, economic and social striving. At odds with each other but after the attack, your enemy became my enemy giving them a mutual ground to stand on. They saw each other in the same way, us against them.  When we stand on mutual ground, seeing others as equal, despite differences in color, religion/denomination, ethnicity, or economic status a spirit of tolerance rises.  If people would continue in that way the fruits of kindness and love would flourish. Crisis like war, floods, earthquakes often cause people to come together because they are feeling the same emotions, creating a oneness of mind.  Unity is powerful. Division of mind and heart between people who have to live, work and recreate in the same space is like a castle of sand. The 911 crisis caused a correction in behavior of many Americans but the acts of kindness after 911 did not last long because the emotions that were ignited were only natural psychological responses. The shock of the crisis awakened many Americans for a brief moment in time to treat each other with kindness and respect. This was not the first event that caused the nation to pull together but the most recent.  I am not suggesting that we need a crisis to wake up the goodness in men but what is needed is a spiritual awakening.   

Americans and the world over are sleep spiritually.  There is a deluge of forms of godliness but there is little fruit and few signs of godliness in men, lay people and clerics included. Paul in the Holy Scripture tells us that in these days people will be this way “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. (II Timothy 3:5)”  What is having a form of godliness?  We must discretely listen to the inspired (filled with the infinite wisdom of YHWH) words that the Holy Spirit spoke through Paul.  Having a form of godliness is simply looking and speaking like what appears as godly.  Like the Pharisees of old, wearing long robes, physical acts of prayer making, reciting prayers and chanting. Praying long prayers to be seen of men.  Making traditions that defy the commandments of YHWH.  Yeshua, the prophets and the Apostles did none of these things. These rituals don’t reverence YHWH.  He said the he would have obedience and not sacrifice. To obey the Father in Heaven is to love him. Repentance does not require outwardly acts of penance, Yeshua paid it all. We are saved by grace, not by works of the Law.  To repent is to stop the sin and live holy (godly),  Yeshua made it possible for you.  Godliness is inward holiness,  having turned from sin and turned towards YHWH, being filled with the precious promised gift that is the earnest of our heavenly inheritance, the Holy Spirit.  Being filled with YHWH and not just a feeling of him being around or working. Yeshua said “ You must be reborn”, awakened and renewed by believing and repenting, doing his word and receiving the indwelling of YHWH himself.  Godliness is being like Yeshua obeying his word and doing the work which he prescribed for true believers which is the power of godliness in action then you will display the real fruit and gifts of godliness. Not just natural acts of kindness and emotion but you will posses spiritual joy ,peace, love and the like. After receiving the power and the gifts, there is a growing process, each gift and fruit should grow more a part of you thus you will become more like him.  Yeshua said “And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; (Mark 16:17).  These signs and works are not just for the Church leaders but for the Yeshua believers. You must know Yeshua for yourself and for sure, not relying on some other person but also recognizing who is holy and discerning whether or not the teacher or the preacher is speaking and living according to the true word of YHWH.

We recognize the present global crisis as a lack of godliness in people because there is a lack of love.  The selfishness and greed in government and business, the  blood thirstiness is running rampant in our low income communities and all around the world has increased.  Yeshua said that in these times, “And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. (Matthew 24:12)”  Iniquity is self righteous sin.  Having  a form of righteousness but it is sin.  The prophet Solomon of old said through the inspiration of the Spirit and through the wisdom of his experience “ There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. (Proverbs 14:12). Some things look right or feel right to the natural mind but they are not right with YHWH, they lead to destruction.  YHWH is very explicit about the way we live and Yeshua showed us the way. Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. (Matthew 22:37).  It is because of a lack of love that presidents, lie and deceive, that politicians cover up the faults of the president just to stay in office, that the rich steal and cheat.  That neighbors aren’t neighborly, that the youth of this generation aren’t building on the foundation of what is solid and proven, that the youth have become marauders, that people are changing what YHWH has made and commanded to be into something else, and a host of other absurdities.  A lack of love for YHWH, neighbor and self.

The Corona virus had a divisive affect on people.  It caused division because of a few factors but people should have learned from the virus event just as they did temporarily from the 911 crisis.  They should have learned to look into each others eyes more. We were forced to look into each others eyes because of the mask.  Yeshua said “The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! (Matthew 6:22-23)”.  You can discern a lot when you peer someone’s eyes.  There was a lot of nonverbal communication going on.  Most people normally communicate more truthfully non verbally than we do when they speak. People don’t always say what they mean but body language is loud and clear when you know how to read it. In this we learn to not be deceived by what others say, the ungodly make promises, have false or temporary concern for others.  The only truth is YHWH and those who do the work of him by Yeshua and through the Holy Spirit.  So be filled with the Spirit, be possessed by the Spirit, we don’t posses him because he purchased us by the blood of Yeshua we were redeemed.  Learn from the crisis or trouble, don’t go back doing what you were doing before, follow the Word and the Spirit into a new awakening. If you trust in YHWH you wont worry or fret. You won’t be bothered by small or large crisis.  You will Know, you are assured that YHWH is in control of All things and it is his good pleasure to take care of you.