Not Today HaSatan!

      

"Abba, Father, give me a heart for people" because I don't like them very much.  That's an ugly thing to admit,  but mostly true. I don't want to feel that way.  I want to be warm and inviting, a social butterfly, open and comfortable around others. But I am not. I am guarded and distrusting, keeping people at arm's length. That way they can't stab me in the back while hugging me. How do I love people when I feel like this? 

Avoiding people is a natural reaction, yet not a righteous one. I can't avoid people outside of my inner circle all the time, even if I was inclined to do so.  I am NOT inclined to do so because I want to love people, even if my only motivator right now is to walk in obedience to my El and Messiah. 

Why I feel this way is key for me to overcome the lack of faith I have in this area of my life. I feel this way because of my life experiences. People, including myself,  can pour out on us the ugliest thing they have within themselves.  This isn't necessarily personal,  people lash out in their pain. But that doesn't make it hurt less. 

I must first work on that part of me that does just the things I have been wounded by from others. #1 trust Yah, I will not receive any wound He cannot heal. #2 trust Yah, it's a spiritual test, get my eyes off the wound and see that my response is evidence of the Fruit of the Ruach(Spirit) in me, or lack thereof. Kindness, gentleness,  selfcontrol, patience #3 trust Yah, He gave the Set-apart Spirit to teach and guide me, I have to do my part and take every thought, word and deed captive, accountable to the Word of Yah. #4 trust Yah, HaSatan, the acuser, will do his best to trip me up, and damage my witness. Recognize the challenge, NOT TODAY SATAN, breathe and walk away if necessary, but see the hurt in that person in which Satan is operating his attack on me. Pray for that person. That person can only pour out on me from the storehouse of hurt within them. It's difficult to not love someone for whom you pray. 

Loving people means trusting Yah. When He is my safety net, who can come against me? What real harm can they do? Loving people means seeing the wounded heart within them and having empathy leading to praying for them. Put that fear of getting hurt in Yah's hands and let the Fruit of the Spirit in me minister to that person's wounds. Let the Spirit of The Most High minister thru me, be a reflection of Yahusha and not add to their hurt. 

Still a work in progress 

Teresa 

God Knows My Heart

 

"God knows my heart". Yes, yes He does.  Let's see what He says about that: 

Yirmeyahu (Jeremiah) 17:9  “The heart is crooked above all, and desperately sick – who shall know it?"

‭Marqos (Mark) 7:21-22  “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil reasonings, adulteries, whorings, murders, [22] thefts, greedy desires, wickednesses, deceit, indecency, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness."

Ok. So,  the inclinations of our hearts are wicked, self serving and in opposition to Yah. What now?

Ask him to show you where you're in error, and to lead you into repentance. The goal here is to let Him change you and your heart to be in unity with Him.

‭Tehillim (Psalms) 139:23-24  Search me, O Ěl, and know my heart; Try me, and know my thoughts; [24] And see if an idolatrous way is in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.

‭Tehillim (Psalms) 66:10 "For You, O Elohim, have proved us; You have refined us as silver is refined.

One day He will give us new hearts, hearts that desire to do His will. No more struggle with our wicked hearts.

Yehezqĕl (Ezekiel) 36:26-27“And I shall give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you. And I shall take the heart of stone out of your flesh, and I shall give you a heart of flesh, [27] and put My Spirit within you. And I shall cause you to walk in My laws and guard My right-rulings and shall do them.

People say, "God knows my heart" as an excuse for disobedience.  We are quick to give ourselves a pass, but does He? "I know the Bible says not to do this thing,  but I really like it, and God knows my heart". Yeah Buddy, He knows, He knows you will choose your desires over His will.  Being purified is painful.  Just look at the comparison,  refined like silver. Silver melting point is 1763 degrees Fahrenheit for up to 1.5 hours. Dang, that's spicy! This walk is not for the weak. This walk isn't easy, not a "feel good" all the time experience, but is is the Way to maturity,  growth, unity with Yah, peace, and joy everlasting.  

You never hear me say, "God knows your heart", without following it up with,  "and He knows it's wicked".  Let the Refiner's fire purify your heart.  "Take the coal, cleanse my lips, here I am". 

‭Yeshayah (Isaiah) 6:5-7 And I said, “Woe to me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips – for my eyes have seen the Sovereign, יהוה of hosts.” [6] And one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the slaughter-place. [7] And he touched my mouth with it, and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your crookedness is taken away, and your sin is covered.”

Love T

Check Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself

 

Life in The Way is a series of tests. Will you be obedient to Yah's instructions? Will you be wise enough to shut up when necessary? Will you put others before yourself? Will you exhibit the fruit of the Spirit? Will you choose Yah's ways over your own? And on and on. Learning to abide in The Spirit, living moment by moment listening for the direction of the Holy Spirit, is truly our safe place. 

My new favorite quote is from Jim Staley, goes like this: The trials you hate are the proving grounds for your spiritual promotion.  And I say Amen and Amen. In going thru these trials we must be constantly checking our behaviors, and attitudes,  to measure if we are listening to the Holy Spirit. Check yourself before you wreck yourself.  We can clearly see the errors of others and severely judge them, but are we checking ourselves? 

It's been my experience that when I've severely judged someone,  I soon find myself in a position to be judged for the same things for which I've judged that person.  Matthew 7:1-6 explains that when we judge others we will be judged by the same standard, and indeed this is my experience.  The Ruach (Spirit) is faithful to show me my error,  I need to be faithful to self examin and repent. 

Self examination can be painful, if we're truly sincere, but brings about spiritual growth. If we're giving excuses for our behavior yet still holding another accountable we've missed the mark,  failed the test.  Yah is so faithful that even in our failures He will teach us and draw us nearer to him.  He is merciful enough to present the test again till we pass. He doesn't give up on His Children.  

So self examin, don't hide from your transgression,  face it,  repent and overcome. Check yourself before you wreck yourself.  

In His Name 

T