This One is a Survivor

I woke up this morning, thankful for another day. As I looked out the bedroom window, a doe and her fawn froze, ears attentive, looking towards the house. As I watched them for a while, the fawn would mimic her mother impeccably..."This one is a survivor," I thought to myself.  Most fawns around here fall prey to the local coyote population. Last year, a coyote was casually sniffing along the cedar hedgeline when it perked up and jaunted around to the far side of the hedges. Minutes later, a small mass of light brown somehow appeared and lay unmoving. With no coyote in sight, and upon closer observation, the light brown mass turned out to be a not-so-healthy looking, fawn. It had obviously been gutted unceremoniously and left for scavengers, as there was no other nutritional value left for the coyote...Such is life, I guess.  Survival of the fittest...

The doe and young fawn outside my window grazed a while longer. Their quiet beauty inspired me, but ever alert, something stirred them to sprint off into the protection of the forest. The fawn a breath away from her mother..."This one is a survivor."

I will not say much more to you, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold over me, but he comes so that the world may learn that I love the Father and do exactly what my Father has commanded me.

“Come now; let us leave." ~John 14:30-31

Could It Be?

I slept well last night, I think it was because I cried myself to sleep. I remember resting against Yael and this morning, I awoke to quite a commotion in the house! Apparently Yeshua is alive! The adults are convinced of it...most of them anyhow...Miriam saw him...she hasn't stopped crying and praising YHWH since she returned from the grave!


Could it be...Yeshua alive? He was dead...I saw it...I know what I saw, he was dead. And now, three days later, he's alive...could it be? I remember...he said he would return...He told me himself. Yeshua has never lied to me or anyone...I know what he said was true, that he would return...but now? Could it be? Then, the adults...

While they were still talking about this, Yeshua himself stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you." They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. He said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have." When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, "Do you have anything here to eat?" They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate it in their presence.
He said to them, "This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms."
Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, "This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high."


It was too good to be true! He is alive! Yeshua hamashiach is alive! He's alive! We celebrated into the next day and many, many days to come...Alive! Yeshua is alive!



Let God Arise~Paul Wilbur

Sabbath

It is Sabbath...a day of rest. It is a good thing, for we are all tired...and numb. Yeshua is dead. To help encourage each other, Yael would sing - she sings almost all the time, her songs are full of praise to YHWH and she even made up new songs that honour Yeshua's life...and Jochanan, he was always checking on Miriam, though she is the one encouraging us the most with her quiet confidence and peace...it is odd that the mother of Yeshua would be so calm...there is a deep sadness, but a peace about her. It is all so surreal...The images of yesterday still are fresh in my mind...Yeshua is gone...

Then Jesus said to them, "The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath." ~Luke 6:5

I Must Be Brave

The heart of a child who has lost her best friend, broken and overcome with grief.
The tears of a child sting as they fall, remembering his final words.
The child...asleep on the grass, exhausted from crying, not caring, just wrought by this loss.

I must be brave.

~~~

Yeshua. He was a friend to me, I mean, no one else wanted anything to do with me. I am just an orphan, a dirty street urchin. I sleep hidden in whatever spot I can find. He saw me early one morning before the sun rose. He didn't yell at me and call me names, he called me to himself. It was the first time that I was not cursed upon sight. He invited me to walk with him and he even shared some bread and drink with me. We talked about many things...we talked...no one ever wants to talk to me, no one cares to hear what I have to say, but he did and he did not call me stupid or tell me to shut up...he listened...he cared. After a while, he did something I had never seen done before, I mean, not the way others did it. He prayed. He invited me to stay and He prayed to God like he knew him personally...and I listened...I cared. I wanted to know this God who he so obviously loved. I wanted to pray like him, not like the others who rhymed off scripture and boasted of their good deeds so that God would hear them. Yeshua prayed with confidence, like he knew his prayers were heard...and he prayed for others! Oh, the concern for others...he even prayed for that horrid blacksmith and his family!
...And he prayed for me...no one had ever prayed for me before. And then he did something unthinkable! He asked me if I would like to pray! I mean, me, pray?! I wanted to, I really did, but I didn't know what to say...He smiled at me and placed his hand upon my head and suddenly I was warm all over and I began to speak! I don't remember what I had said, but I do remember Yeshua smiling at me and lifting his arms towards heaven...and at one point, I was sure he was going to laugh at me, but he began to sing instead. He was so happy...and I was happy! Oh, I didn't want it to end! We sang together songs that praised God, we danced, and we laughed. It must have been quite a sight, but I didn't care. I was warm and happy and...and loved! I just knew I was loved!
That is how my friendship with Yeshua began. And now...I am cold. I am sad. I am tired...but I remember what he said...He will return. I don't know how, and I don't care! I believe him, with all of my heart, I believe him! He told me to be brave, not to be afraid and to trust him. I do trust him! He will be back...he said so! It still hurts though...and I am cold, and tired...but I will be brave...I will be brave...
Yeshua...I love you! So much...I love you! Please come back soon...

 Here they crucified him, and with him two others—one on each side and Jesus in the middle. ~John 19:18

What are you passionate about?

Where do you want to be in 3 years?

What legacy do you want to leave behind?

...Nothing...I've got nothing.

You must have something?

Nope. I have stopped thinking about my dreams and desires.

What?! Why?

Because. I am only allowed to do what others approve of.

What?! That's outrageous!! Who? Who are these others?

Those who have the power to control.

What do you mean? Who controls you?

...Who doesn't?

I don't understand.
~
NEVER judge a book by its cover!You have no idea the whole story of others' lives...
~
When you look at the finely dressed woman, primped and proper, you would never suspect that she struggles with low self-esteem. Shopping makes her feel better. The store clerks want to please her. She likes that. It makes her feel important...if only for a while.

The young man that is the all-round favourite on campus. The one whose dad is always bragging about to his friends; girls are always flirting with him; teachers seem to always accept his late homework with a smile...This young man is a real charmer, charismatic, thoughtful, and intelligent. He also dresses in woman's clothes and has sought out same sex encounters...in the next city of course. He is empty and desperately looking for something.

The old guy that hits McDonald's every morning and sits in the same booth by the kids' play area, shaves every 3 or 4 days. You'd swear he doesn't own more than two shirts and he just looks creepy. A creature of habit. Same restaurant, same booth, same breakfast...every Monday to Thursday. No one knows he has hundreds of thousands invested here and there which he uses to offer scholarships to underprivileged children. He volunteers at the soup kitchen, washing dishes and serving on others. He also volunteers at the local park as a grounds-keeper. The man is quietly content.

That young girl...quiet, plays the piano at the school concert, does okay in school, attends church with her family every Sunday...She also services her father and her older brother throughout the week. She knows no other life. It (the sex) is not rough, its just how things are. No one suspects anything.
~
Disturbing? Yeah...the real stories are even more disturbing, but what can we do about it? ...I meant, really? Call CAS? shake a hand? offer counselling? pray? It is easy to judge each of these persons, categorize them, look down upon them as we impose our own expectations upon them and conjure up "solutions" so they can live a more "Christian" life, but...consider...

"Don't pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults— unless, of course, you want the same treatment. That critical spirit has a way of boomeranging. It's easy to see a smudge on your neighbor's face and be oblivious to the ugly sneer on your own. Do you have the nerve to say, 'Let me wash your face for you,' when your own face is distorted by contempt? It's this whole traveling road-show mentality all over again, playing a holier-than-thou part instead of just living your part. Wipe that ugly sneer off your own face, and you might be fit to offer a washcloth to your neighbor." Matt.7:4-5 (The Message)

How easy is it to pass judgement on any or all of these scenarios? And perhaps as you read these, you were thinking of someone you know? We can spot the obvious as we recognize the injustice in each of these lives, but if someone were to lay out your life in a snippet such as above, how would you feel?

"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?" Matt.7:1-3 (NIV)

Often, we think we have it all figured out (and so should they).  Every person goes through seasons of hardship and battles, no one is exempt. Take a look at your own life... Take a look at the life of Jesus:
Jesus went straight to the Temple and threw out everyone who had set up shop, buying and selling. He kicked over the tables of loan sharks and the stalls of dove merchants. Matt.21:12
One could make the assumption that Jesus had some serious anger management issues. But this is only a snippet, we do know the context to this moment and why Jesus was so enraged. Without the context...well...you get the idea.

So, when tempted to make judgements or assumptions about someone else, remind yourself:
You only know part of the story. Perhaps the Holy Spirit will move you to prayer or spur you to get to know even more of the story of that person...to the glory of God.

By-the-way, the gentleman that frequents McDonalds is a Wiccan.

"We know nothing of the trials, sorrows and temptations of those around us, of pillows wet with sobs, of the life-tragedy that may be hidden behind a smile, of the secret cares, struggles, and worries that shorten life and leave their mark in hair prematurely whitened, and a character changed and almost recreated in a few days. Let us not dare to add to the burden of another the pain of our judgment." ~ William George Jordan

A Taste of Warfare...

shut down. locked out. where do I go from here?
closed off. blacked out. who has the answer?

Just when confusion and chaos, deceit and fear step forward to cross the threshold of my heart, I raise my shoulders...steady my stance with my arms outstretched...lift my face to the heavens and sing praises to my King!

"The LORD reigns, he is robed in majesty; the LORD is robed in majesty and is armed with strength. The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved.
Your throne was established long ago; you are from all eternity.
The seas have lifted up, O LORD, the seas have lifted up their voice; the seas have lifted up their pounding waves.
Mightier than the thunder of the great waters, mightier than the breakers of the sea—the LORD on high is mighty.
Your statutes stand firm; holiness adorns your house for endless days, O LORD."
~Psalm 93

~

"...Dare you come at me - a child of the living God?!
Name yourself! For I am in no mood tonight to be badgered by the likes of you!"

Carefully following the movement of the spectre, the child spoke confidently.

"Though you circle me with growling, I will walk right through you. Be assured."

The royal child gave no opportunity for a response and carried on forward - for the mission would not be compromised for anything or anyone. The spectre slowly drifted aside, its hollow face never turning from the sight of the child.

"Leave me and do not return! I speak by the authority of Jesus, the King!"

With that final command, the spectre instantaneously disappeared and the royal child continued on her way, gratefully acknowledging the protective power the King had bestowed upon her. The same power bestowed upon all His children...The power of His name.

Come Lord Jesus, Come

The Christmas Truce of 1914...Everywhere I read these days, I seem to come across this amazing story. It is as if there is collectively, a deep yearning today for a truce in our own lives. Peace. What is the battle do you think? Perhaps it is the war on terrorism, perhaps it is a more personal battle - a relational battle or a battle against illness, perhaps it is a specific spiritual battle...Whatever it is, there seems to be a wave of deep desire for peace that is being expressed out loud more and more.

I had a dream once that I spoke with my King
He let me into His confidence to see
The prayers of the people young and old.
All over the land I heard their cry
Formal and not, words and sighs
The sounds rose up to our Great King's Throne
They rose individually, but meshed as one
The cry of each person became a musical song
Beautiful to hear
Then something happen, quite extraordinaire
The prayers that became songs that were exquisite to hear
Became one song and then one prayer...
COME LORD JESUS, COME
The answer to everyone's prayer was the same
For it is the true cry of our hearts to answer the pain

To bring peace...

The truest, deepest yearning of our being desires
HIM

COME LORD JESUS, COME

Now, we celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we look forward to His coming again.

Merry Christmas to each of you, may His Peace fill you as you hope in Him.
~mp:)

The Battle Intensifies...

What was it that terrified me?
...Apathy?!...
Apathy!?!
Are you serious?!

You would figure that I wouldn't be intimidated by a spirit of apathy...I wouldn't care...perhaps there are others...others hiding behind this slug...All of a sudden, the air around me became heavy like a blanket of cold, wet wool draped over my head and shoulders. Oppressive and smothering.

I rebuke the spirit of Apathy by the authority of Jesus Christ!
I command you to leave me now, in Jesus' name!

Then out of nowhere, like a swarm of angry hornets escaping from the mouth of a hive, I was bombarded, plagued!

(groan...)
God grant me strength.
...Jesus!!!

...And that became the beginning of an intense battle that required more than I anticipated...

Grounding Through the Battle II

Abba...My King, can you hear me?
Do you hear me?!
My King...My Lord...

1 In you, O LORD, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame; deliver me in your righteousness.
2 Turn your ear to me, come quickly to my rescue; be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me.
3 Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of your name lead and guide me.
4 Free me from the trap that is set for me, for you are my refuge.
5 Into your hands I commit my spirit; redeem me, O LORD, the God of truth.
6 I hate those who cling to worthless idols; I trust in the LORD.
7 I will be glad and rejoice in your love, for you saw my affliction and knew the anguish of my soul.
8 You have not handed me over to the enemy but have set my feet in a spacious place.
9 Be merciful to me, O LORD, for I am in distress; my eyes grow weak with sorrow, my soul and my body with grief.
10 My life is consumed by anguish and my years by groaning; my strength fails because of my affliction, and my bones grow weak.
11 Because of all my enemies, I am the utter contempt of my neighbors; I am a dread to my friends—those who see me on the street flee from me.
12 I am forgotten by them as though I were dead; I have become like broken pottery.
13 For I hear the slander of many; there is terror on every side; they conspire against me and plot to take my life.
14 But I trust in you, O LORD; I say,"You are my God."
15 My times are in your hands; deliver me from my enemies and from those who pursue me.
16 Let your face shine on your servant; save me in your unfailing love.
17 Let me not be put to shame, O LORD, for I have cried out to you; but let the wicked be put to shame and lie silent in the grave.
18 Let their lying lips be silenced, for with pride and contempt they speak arrogantly against the righteous.
19 How great is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you, which you bestow in the sight of men on those who take refuge in you.
20 In the shelter of your presence you hide them from the intrigues of men; in your dwelling you keep them safe from accusing tongues.
21 Praise be to the LORD, for he showed his wonderful love to me when I was in a besieged city.
22 In my alarm I said, "I am cut off from your sight!" Yet you heard my cry for mercy when I called to you for help.
23 Love the LORD, all his saints! The LORD preserves the faithful, but the proud he pays back in full.
24 Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the LORD.
Psalm 31

Yes! That is it! I need not panic. I need not fear!
Forgive me my King.
Please show me Your way...

1 I lift up my eyes to the hills—where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.
3 He will not let your foot slip—he who watches over you will not slumber;
4 indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The LORD watches over you—the LORD is your shade at your right hand;
6 the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.
7 The LORD will keep you from all harm—he will watch over your life;
8 the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.
Psalm 121

For a joy began to well up from within, my heart began to soar. The Righteous King can be trusted.

He has saved me in the past, He will save me now.
But what was it that terrified me so?
What was it?...

A Battle Tale

Hit.
it came out of nowhere
it doesn't take its victim quickly
it is slow to penetrate every area
it is like ooze or slime
contaminating everything it touches...

Retreat!
No. Stand your ground!
Oh dear God, please help!
Stand your ground!
I will not be defeated!
I...

In the quiet, I recall the battle. I was determined. I was mildly surprised at the attack, but I have fought this kind before, it was familiar to me, so I knew to stand my ground with my sword ready for action. Wave upon wave of assault came upon me. I was tiring, and then from within the battle, something new emerged...

Who are you?!
Name yourself!

And that's when I had to re-strategize. This thing that seemed insignificant, coming out of the heart of the battle, has revealed itself to be a cunning opponent. I have pulled back, admittedly out of fear. I know, I know...I cannot hear though...there is too much noise. I need quiet, so I retreated. Not completely though, just enough to touch base with my King. I need His counsel.

To be continued...