3.21.25
Good morning!
Perfect peace. Is it possible? Is it just hyperbole? Is it reality today in our idolatrous centered world? Perfect peace is shalom squared. We greet one another on Shabbat with Shabbat shalom and every weekend we meet to celebrate the Day of Rest that Yahweh's provided for us (Gen. 2:1-3).
In this week's Torah portion we have a prohibition on what not to do on the Sabbath day (Ex. 35:3), but do we ever stop to consider what to do on our 'date day' with our Creator? If you've ever wondered why your Shabbat celebrations are personally 'dry' and 'lifeless', there's answers. On tonight's zoom call you will find out the five levels of intimacy of Shabbat; #5 is the goal, but you have to start at #1.
It's a great greeting and it contains wonderful healing agents to those who pursue His ways, and no healing for those who don't (Isa. 57:15-21).
"I create the fruit of the lips: Peace/shalom, peace/shalom to him who is far off and to him who is near, says the Lord, and I will heal him." (Isa. 57:19)
It is the common daily greeting within a Hebrew minded community, equivalent to our “How are you?” or “Have a nice day”. The best part about this greeting is that it implies favor and blessing, especially when we realize that real peace comes from Yahweh. How much better it is to wish someone Yahweh's peace than to send them a smiley face. Smiley faces are nice, but Yahweh's peace lasts; and then we get the opportunity to experience it at different levels (Phil. 4:7,9)!
When we say shalom, shalom or shabbat shalom, this expression reveals a genuine desire for the well-being of another. It says, “I want you to enjoy His favor”. Now you have some clue why Paul often opened and closed his letters with a similar thought (i.e. grace and peace/shalom).
But too many times, if you're like me, our lives are longing for just a little peace of mind. Isaiah gives us the secret to perfect peace.
"The steadfast of mind you will keep in perfect peace/shalom shalom, because he trusts in You.
(Isa. 26:3)
It is all a matter of trust. The man or woman who steadfastly fixes the mind on God will experience doubled-up peace because he or she knows God, which leads to healing (spiritually, emotionally, physically, and relationally). I didn’t say, “knows how to trust God”. I said, “knows God” (1 Jn. 2:3-6). Trust is not something I can manufacture or buy. Trust comes from a long time knowing.It comes from putting in the 'road miles' with Messiah. Trust is not found in legal contracts or agreements. Trust is found in relationships. If you don’t know God, you just can’t find the 'peace squared' just by wishing it to be so. It takes time.
On this preparation day, let me encourage each of us to not get impatient with this process! May I also give you a peace of sound advice in the process (pun intended)? Remember to write your success in stone and your failures in sand. It makes life much more productive!
So Yahweh tears down the high and protected places in our lives to reveal our affliction and helplessness. And all the while He says, “Trust me.” I don’t need courage to change. All I need is time to trust. Yahweh moves me out of my false security in order that I will have the time to learn trust.
“Deliver us from evil” isn't just a phrase we say in the Lord's prayer, it means to destroy all those high and unassailable places in my life where I am not confronted with my affliction and helplessness. That’s the part I am most likely to want to hang on to. But it is an evil far worse than my outward actions. It is the evil that prevents me from entering into His care.
When you pray, “Deliver us from evil”, are you really asking Him to tear down your false images, smash your addictive mirrors (more on this in tonight's zoom call: Ex. 38:8) and trample under your hidden fortresses? When you pray, “Deliver us from evil” you ask Yahweh Elohim to go to war for you. Be ready. He will.
Happy Preparation Day!
Shalom shalom!
Passover's coming!
In this week's Torah portion we have a prohibition on what not to do on the Sabbath day (Ex. 35:3), but do we ever stop to consider what to do on our 'date day' with our Creator? If you've ever wondered why your Shabbat celebrations are personally 'dry' and 'lifeless', there's answers. On tonight's zoom call you will find out the five levels of intimacy of Shabbat; #5 is the goal, but you have to start at #1.
It's a great greeting and it contains wonderful healing agents to those who pursue His ways, and no healing for those who don't (Isa. 57:15-21).
"I create the fruit of the lips: Peace/shalom, peace/shalom to him who is far off and to him who is near, says the Lord, and I will heal him." (Isa. 57:19)
It is the common daily greeting within a Hebrew minded community, equivalent to our “How are you?” or “Have a nice day”. The best part about this greeting is that it implies favor and blessing, especially when we realize that real peace comes from Yahweh. How much better it is to wish someone Yahweh's peace than to send them a smiley face. Smiley faces are nice, but Yahweh's peace lasts; and then we get the opportunity to experience it at different levels (Phil. 4:7,9)!
When we say shalom, shalom or shabbat shalom, this expression reveals a genuine desire for the well-being of another. It says, “I want you to enjoy His favor”. Now you have some clue why Paul often opened and closed his letters with a similar thought (i.e. grace and peace/shalom).
But too many times, if you're like me, our lives are longing for just a little peace of mind. Isaiah gives us the secret to perfect peace.
"The steadfast of mind you will keep in perfect peace/shalom shalom, because he trusts in You.
(Isa. 26:3)
It is all a matter of trust. The man or woman who steadfastly fixes the mind on God will experience doubled-up peace because he or she knows God, which leads to healing (spiritually, emotionally, physically, and relationally). I didn’t say, “knows how to trust God”. I said, “knows God” (1 Jn. 2:3-6). Trust is not something I can manufacture or buy. Trust comes from a long time knowing.It comes from putting in the 'road miles' with Messiah. Trust is not found in legal contracts or agreements. Trust is found in relationships. If you don’t know God, you just can’t find the 'peace squared' just by wishing it to be so. It takes time.
On this preparation day, let me encourage each of us to not get impatient with this process! May I also give you a peace of sound advice in the process (pun intended)? Remember to write your success in stone and your failures in sand. It makes life much more productive!
So Yahweh tears down the high and protected places in our lives to reveal our affliction and helplessness. And all the while He says, “Trust me.” I don’t need courage to change. All I need is time to trust. Yahweh moves me out of my false security in order that I will have the time to learn trust.
“Deliver us from evil” isn't just a phrase we say in the Lord's prayer, it means to destroy all those high and unassailable places in my life where I am not confronted with my affliction and helplessness. That’s the part I am most likely to want to hang on to. But it is an evil far worse than my outward actions. It is the evil that prevents me from entering into His care.
When you pray, “Deliver us from evil”, are you really asking Him to tear down your false images, smash your addictive mirrors (more on this in tonight's zoom call: Ex. 38:8) and trample under your hidden fortresses? When you pray, “Deliver us from evil” you ask Yahweh Elohim to go to war for you. Be ready. He will.
Happy Preparation Day!
Shalom shalom!
Passover's coming!
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