The Koran teaches that Yeshua is a messenger, but He is more than a Messenger. He is the son of God. He IS God. Even the winds and waves obey Him.
Peace as a Compass
When something is not right, you don’t feel quite right. I have had a few of those days, moments, and even seasons when something was off, and I didn’t feel quite right. Sometimes I knew exactly what the trouble was; and other times I couldn’t quite put my finger on it… it all comes down to peace.
When my husband and I first moved to the PNW, we immediately joined a church. We jumped right in, without questions or prayer. The people were nice, and they had free donuts…. seemed good, and shallow enough… But that was precisely what was wrong. It was just good… and shallow.
There was no peace.
Eventually, God put us somewhere else, and when He did, the weight lifted. That funny feeling that followed me around whenever I thought of my church left. I finally had peace.
I use peace as an internal compass. I understand how dangerous it is to live your life based entirely on ‘feelings.’ But I also think it’s dangerous when a person refuses to listen to the voice inside of the pit of their stomach that says “Something isn’t right.”
I’ve learned to understand that the feeling of something ‘feeling off’ is really just the Holy Spirit’s guidance. It’s God saying “Don’t do that!”
I am a strong believer in Divine direction and intervention, and I know that God directs our steps, but we still have to agree to go in the direction He is giving us. Too often, we go the wrong way, and then feel uneasy. Peace leaves when you’re headed in the wrong direction.
Peace is a powerful compass.
His Mercy is Never-Ending
I keep trying to convince myself that parenting is going to get easier. It doesn’t. The challenges change, and the difficulties rooted in parenting simply shift to other areas. My son is technically a preschooler, and I keep telling myself that in a year or two things will be better – it’s self-deception for purposes of sanity.
When my son gives me a hard time, I often stop and ask myself “Am I giving my heavenly Father a hard time? In a year or two, will I be better?” I often feel like I’m flailing about – swimming in doubt and unbelief… and displeasing Him, yet He rescues me from the depths every time.
His mercy is never-ending.
Parenting doesn’t just require patience, it requires mercy. Because when you are dealing with a rebellious, defiant, or downright uncontrollable child, you’ve got to restrain yourself when you find it impossible to restrain them. You have to extend love in the midst of your anger.
Most parents love their kids with all their hearts. If our hearts, which are evil are capable of loving our children so desperately; then God, who is pure righteousness loves us beyond our comprehension. His capacity to love us is endless.
Instead of sinking in doubt and unbelief, I need to learn to sink in His grace – because His grace, love, and mercy really is an ocean.
The Feast of Unleavened Bread
This week is the Feast of Unleavened Bread. The first year we honored the feast, my husband and I frantically called around trying to find a restaurant where a meal was yeast free…
Grocery shopping was quite the experience. The ingredient list on the back of of nearly every product contained yeast. I can remembering lamenting that “Everything is full of yeast! Yeast is everywhere!”
Sin is everywhere.
That is the point of the feast. The Feast of Unleavened Bread is meant to heighten our spiritual sensitivity to sin. Our first celebration was incredibly enlightening. We all felt a little bit more spiritual by the time the feast was over, and we were thinner too. You can only gain so much weight on Matzah.
Our diets have changed over the last few years. We simply don’t eat as much bread as we used to. Ezekiel bread is the only “bread” brought into our home. So, the feast is less of a challenge now. We have also grown spiritually, which helps.
This week we’ve avoided the croissants from the cozy French baker downstairs.. During the feast, croissants are replaced with prayer and an acknowledgement that the world is full of yeast… and sin.
The Body of Christ Needs Unity
When reading the Bible several weeks ago I happened upon Genesis 10:25, which states:
And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg; for in his days was the earth divided; and his brother’s name was Joktan.
When I first read Genesis 10, I immediately thought of Pangea.
Scholars believe that this verse could indicate the division of the world physically. However, most theologians believe that it’s a social division.
There are three names mentioned in Genesis 10:25. Eber and his sons Peleg, and Joktan. Peleg means division which the verse clearly states. And Joktan means smallness. But what’s interesting is that Eber means the region beyond or it can mean ‘the region beyond the sea’.
The verse in and of itself tells a story of what’s happening during that time.
Maybe the verse isn’t just about social division, but also a physical division of the earth. What could have compelled Eber’s parents to give him such a name other than some earthly physical division that had already taken place? In congruence, Eber names his son Peleg, which further means division and what precedes division is Joktan – which makes perfect sense because division often creates smallness.
When people are united with one mind and heart, they grow larger, and they can do great things. However, division brings pettiness, strife, anger, frustration and all the things that make a person small.
Reading what the Bible says about unity provides a better understanding of the consequences and effects of division. The Bible says a lot about unity, but when it speaks about unity it’s usually in the New Testament in the context of the Church.
We are told in Philippians 2; Be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. And the apostle Peter tells the church to have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, tender heart and a humble mind. But before he tells the followers of The Way to have sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart and humble mind, he tells them to have unity.
Peter understands that unity of mind will make the church great.
Unity is what we need in the body of Christ, and it’s something that I pray for all the time. I didn’t understand the importance of such a prayer until I put it in the context of Genesis 10:25.
Live in unity with one another, love each other deeply from the heart. Pursue peace, and when you find it impossible to live in peace with someone, pray for them. Love them and pray that there would be reconciliation and unity.
Are Mary and Jesus on Equal Footing?
Catholics will tell you that they do not worship Mary, and perhaps they don’t. But they won’t deny that they pay the highest respect and honor to Mary – respect that exceeds that of any other great man or woman of God in the Bible. In Catholicism, are Mary and Yeshua on equal footing?
When Yeshua pushed through the crowds, a woman cries out “Blessed is the woman who gave you birth and nursed you” Yeshua’s reply is so interesting. Instead of confirming the woman’s words and saying “Yes, my mother is blessed!” Instead, he says,
“Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”
In a previous passage, we read that all generations would call His mother blessed. But this passage teaches that there are a people even more blessed or as equally blessed as Mary herself. And those people are the disciples of Yeshua – people who hear the word of God and obey it.
Out of the mouth of two or three witnesses, a thing is established. In the second witness, Yeshua talks about kinship.
Again, Yeshua is talking to a crowd. His mother and brothers are standing outside waiting to speak with Him. Someone tells Him “Your mother and brothers are standing outside wanting to speak to you.” But Yeshua’s reply is again deeply interesting. His reply is…
“Who is my mother and who are my brothers – pointing to His disciples – He says here are my mother and brothers. For whoever does the will of my Father in Heaven is my brother, sister and mother.”
Usually people put the most important names first, but in this passage, brother and sister come before mother. Mother is last. Yeshua is again making a point about who is truly blessed.
All generations may call Mary blessed, but there are those who are just as blessed – those who follow Yeshua.
If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?
When people ask me why I didn’t move to Los Angeles, the answer is simple… earthquakes.
And while I’m still technically perched on the ring of fire, it’s just something about LA – the city seems more overdue for a quake and more vulnerable than other parts of the West Coast… even if it’s technically not.
I remember the first time I was in an earthquake.
The bed began to sway during the middle of REM, and I incorporated the movement into my dreams. I woke just enough to wonder who was shaking the bed, but I was too sleepy to assume that it was anything other than my husband. When I awoke the next morning, I learned that there was a mild earthquake during the night.
The problem with living in an earthquake zone is that there is no sure foundation. Nothing is anchored because everything reacts to plate tectonics. It is the uncertainty of knowing when a quake will happen coupled with the certainty of knowing that it will eventually happen that makes me feel a little helpless.
Do we not live in a society where many Christians feel helpless? A society where the culture is shaken by lust, greed, and hatred – the moral foundations are crumbling beneath us. What can the righteous do if the foundations are destroyed?
There is only one thing to do… pray.
Pray that God will repair the breach and build up the church. Pray that God continues to be your Rock so that even in the midst of a crumbling world, you can stand firm, knowing that you haven’t built your spiritual life on sand.
BOHO + THEO 