Who Governs You?

“It was at this time that John the Baptizer began to preach in the desert of Judah. His message was this: “Heaven’s kingdom is about to appear—so you’d better keep turning away from evil and turn back to God!” Isaiah was referring to John when he prophesied: A thunderous voice! One will be crying out in the wilderness, “Prepare yourself for the Lord’s coming and level a straight path inside your hearts for him.” Matthew 3

Who is John the Baptizer? He was the son of a Jewish Priest named Zechariah. He served in the temple as part of the Abijah order. King David organized the priests into 24 divisions and Abijah was the head of the priestly families. So, Zechariah was at the top of the temple priests. John’s mother was Elizabeth who was also from a family of priest. She was a descendant of Aaron. There was a prophesy given to Zechariah concerning his son. While serving in the Holy of Holies in the temple, which was a once in a lifetime opportunity because there were thousands of priests, so they were in the temple once in their lifetime to burn incense. The angel of the Lord, Gabriel appeared to Zechariah. He says in Luke 1, “His birth will bring you much joy and gladness. Many will rejoice because of him, and he will be one of the great ones in the sight of God. He will drink no wine or strong drink, but he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even while still in his mother’s womb. And he will persuade many in Israel to convert and turn back to the Lord their God. He will go before the Lord as a forerunner, with the same power and anointing as Elijah the prophet. He will be instrumental in turning the hearts of the fathers in tenderness back to their children and the hearts of the disobedient back to the wisdom of their righteous fathers. And he will prepare a united people who are ready for the Lord’s appearing.” When John was born this is what his father said of him, “And to you I prophesy, my little son, you will be known as the prophet of the Most High. You will be a forerunner, going before the face of Lord Yahweh, to prepare hearts to embrace his ways. You will preach to his people the revelation of salvation, the cancellation of all our sins, to bring us back to God. The splendor-light of heaven’s glorious sunrise is about to break upon us in holy visitation, all because the merciful heart of our God is so very tender. The word from heaven will come to us with dazzling light to shine upon those who live in darkness, near death’s dark shadow. And he will illuminate the path that leads to the way of peace.”

At the end of Luke chapter 1 we are told John grew up and was strengthened by the Holy Spirit and grew in His love for Yahweh. John was raised by two parents who were filled with the Holy Spirit. We get this information about Elizabeth when she encountered Mary and both Elizabeth and John (in the womb) were filled with the Holy Spirit and Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit right before he prophesied concerning his son. Then we are told John chose to live in the lonely wilderness until his time of ministry.

Why is this important? We see the perfect plan of Yahweh in John’s life to set the stage for Jesus. What an incredible opportunity to prepare the way for the Messiah. In Matthew 3, John is beginning to share the message, “repent and return to Yahweh for the Kingdom of God is at hand.” He is baptizing people in the Jordan as they repent. His ministry grows to the point he now has disciples. He was a bold, in your face prophet who told people just how it was and what they should do moving forward. John understood the truth of the coming Messiah. Everything he said in the wilderness was right. Matthew 3, “But when he waded into the water, John resisted him, saying, “Why are you doing this? I’m the one who needs to be baptized by you, and yet you come to be baptized by me?” Jesus replied, “It is only right to do all that God requires.” Then John baptized Jesus. And as Jesus rose up out of the water, the heavenly realm opened up over him and he saw the Holy Spirit descend out of the heavens and rest upon him in the form of a dove. Then suddenly the voice of the Father shouted from the sky, saying, “This is my Son—the Beloved! My greatest delight is in him.”

Everyone hears the voice of Abba coming from heaven making a declaration of who Jesus is. At this very moment, what should John have done? He had 40 days while Jesus was in the wilderness to let his disciples know we will follow Jesus the Messiah from this moment on. As we wait for him to emerge from the wilderness let’s pack up all our things and let everyone know He is the One we follow now. He did not do any of that. Instead, he continued on with HIS ministry. He continued to baptize people and tell them to repent. As time went on and Jesus’ crowd grew larger and larger John realized his ministry was getting smaller. Even at this point, he could have chosen to follow Jesus, but he didn’t. We all know the story. John eventually goes to the streets to tell people about their sins and make a big deal to the point he ends up in prison. While in prison he sends two of his disciples to Jesus to ask him if he was the one they were waiting for or do we look for another.

How do you understand and know the truth about Jesus yet lose the path to Jesus? Here is a troubling thought. Someone (us) can confess, believe in our heart, preach the right thing and still lead people away from Jesus. This is why it is so important to have a father lead you and why it is important to tether yourself to a family. John the Baptizer wasn’t tethered to anyone, and he refused to surrender to the Lordship of Jesus. He lost his life in such a horrible way because he let too much distance come between him and Jesus.

When we find Jesus, we must surrender to His Lordship. We must be willing to walk away from things that have brought us success if and when He asks us to. Abba is a good Father and wherever He leads is so much better than what He is asking us to walk away from. It is so important to tether yourself to a kingdom family and a father who loves you. This journey in Kingdom lifestyle has never been meant to do alone.

I encourage you to read the book of Luke and put yourself in the story. Ask the Holy Spirit where you have refused to lay something down to follow Jesus. He is our identity. We can’t find it anywhere else.

Embodied in Jesus

“If you have really experienced the Anointed One, and heard his truth, it will be seen in your life; for we know that the ultimate reality is embodied in Jesus! And he has taught you to let go of the lifestyle of the ancient man, the old self-life, which was corrupted by sinful and deceitful desires that spring from delusions. Now it’s time to be made new by every revelation that’s been given to you. And to be transformed as you embrace the glorious Christ-within as your new life and live in union with him! For God has re-created you all over again in his perfect righteousness, and you now belong to him in the realm of true holiness.” Ephesians 4

Embodied means to be an expression of or give a tangible or visible form to. Other words you can use here is give human form or shape to, manifest, represent, or express. Why am I giving you the meaning of embodied? In Ephesians it says IF you have experienced Jesus and heard (this word in Hebrew means to obey) his truth it will be seen in your life. The ultimate reality is embodied in Jesus. This means when we encounter Jesus, we must value this encounter to such a degree that we become the human form/shape of who He is in the earth. This is the moment we pause, Selah to reflect on our daily lives. Do we represent Jesus to those around us? Have we manifest the person of Jesus to our families?

This reflection is about allowing the Holy Spirit to shine his light or put his finger on a certain area of our lives and speak into it. We should never feel discouraged or embarrassed about an area we still need help in. Our response must be “thank you” for pointing this out so I can manifest you even more. Every encounter or experience with Jesus must prompt us to a greater degree of intimacy.

The teaching of Jesus has taught us to let go of the old way of thinking. The ancient man is no longer once you enter into union with Jesus. He is only allowed to stick around if you allow him/her to remain. No one intentionally allows the old nature to remain so how does it? For too long we have been taught to focus on the behaviors of sinful and deceitful desires but that is not the problem. The behavior itself is not the problem. I love the way Pastor Tim shared it on Sunday.

“Our entire existence we have gone after the fruit; we never get to the root of it. We talk about how you dress, what you do and don't do, what you say, where you go, what you listen to, what you drink, the day you go to church, we talk about all of this nonsense, but we never get to the root of the problem. Sinful and deceitful desires come from one place. This is why Jesus didn't come and say stop sinning stop having deceitful desires. He said change the way you think. Sinful and deceitful desires spring from delusions.”

Now is the time to be made new. Now is the time to be transformed. How? By the way you think about Abba and yourself. We must stop focusing on a person’s behavior to include ourselves and focus on the heart of Abba for each one of us. Even when you don’t express Jesus to your family or coworkers it does not disqualify you from your union with Jesus. We must stop focusing on the dos and don’ts and focus on His love, His voice, His face. As we go deeper in union with Jesus and embrace this new life with him, the areas we need to stop will change without us focusing on them. The root is this: we are re-created in His perfect righteousness and belong to him in the realm of true holiness. Nothing changes this truth.

A beautiful testimony from yesterday. I spoke to someone who had been ill last week. She said, I kept saying, “I am your beloved daughter.” This is the fruit of an experience with Jesus that has changed how this person thinks and because of it she is made well. We will all go through hard things. Sickness, even the death of loved ones, heartache, loss of jobs, financial struggles but we must continue to stand in who we are. We are the righteousness of Jesus!

He’s Better Than We Thought

Let’s do a recap of this week’s Walk because we want to value what Abba is speaking to us. We’ll begin with the thought of abandonment. In dark moments of life, when pain and suffering seem unbearable, it's easy to wonder if why Abba has turned His back on us. This idea that Abba abandons us in our time of need is one of the most damaging theological misconceptions in American Christianity. But what if everything we thought we knew about Abba's abandonment was wrong?

There is a great misunderstanding of Abba’s nature and His relationship with Jesus on the cross. For so long, many have taught that when Jesus took on the sins of the world, Abba turned away from Him. The interpretation of Jesus’ words, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" has led countless believers to fear abandonment from Abba in their troubling moments.

But let's take a closer look at what Jesus actually said and did leading up to the crucifixion. In John 16, Jesus tells his disciples that though they will scatter and leave him alone, "Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me." This declaration of Abba's faithfulness comes right before Jesus faces his greatest trial.

How then do we reconcile this with Jesus’ words on the cross? Pastor Tim shares with us on Sunday that Jesus was quoting Psalm 22, a psalm of David that begins in anguish but ends in victory and praise. Rather than a literal statement of abandonment, Jesus was identifying with our deepest suffering while still trusting in Abba's faithfulness.

The apostle Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 5:19 - "Abba was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself." Even in that moment of apparent abandonment, the Father was present in the Son, working to restore all of creation to Himself. The idea that Abba turns away from sin is a misinterpretation; He cannot look on sin favorably, but His very nature is to draw near to those struggling in love.

This truth transforms how we view Abba and ourselves. If the Father never abandoned Jesus, even in His darkest hour, how much more will He remain with us through our dark hours? The name Emmanuel - "God with us" - is not just a phrase we say at Christmas time but the very essence of who Abba is and how He relates to us.

Abba entering into our misconceptions to correct them really comes through in Jesus. For three and a half years, Jesus walked among us, showing us the true nature of the Father. Every healing, every act of forgiveness, every moment of compassion was a revelation of Abba's heart. When Philip asked to see the Father, Jesus' response was clear: "Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father."

The truth of this is incredible. It means that in our lowest moments, when we feel most alone and abandoned, He is there. It means that our mistakes and failures don't drive Him away but draw Him closer in love and grace. It means that the voice whispering "Abba has left you" is a lie, no matter how convincing it may seem.

This understanding of Abba's nature changes everything. It transforms how we approach prayer, how we view suffering, and how we relate to others. If He never abandons us, we can face our darkest fears with confidence. If He’s always working to reconcile and restore, we can trust Him even when we don't understand our circumstances.

In a world full of broken families and absent fathers, we are called to the steadfast love of our Abba. Just as He never turns His back on us, we are to remain faithful in our commitments, to love unconditionally, and to pursue reconciliation even when it's difficult.

The book of Malachi ends with a powerful prophecy: that Yahweh would "turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers." This restoration of relationships is at the core of His redemptive work. It starts with us understanding and embracing the His heart towards us and then extending that same love to others.

This understanding of Abba's nature invites us into a deeper, more intimate relationship with Him. It calls us to lay aside our fears of abandonment and rejection, and to run into the open arms of a Father who is always there, always loving, always working for our good.

So the next time you feel alone, remember: the Abba who was present with Jesus on the cross is present with you now. The One who entered into human history to correct our misconceptions is still at work, revealing His true nature to those who seek Him. And the Abba who promises to never leave or forsake us is inviting you into a deeper encounter of His unfailing love.

Abba’s Reconciliation

“Who has truly believed our revelation? To whom will Yahweh reveal his mighty arm? He sprouted up like a tender plant before the Lord, like a root in parched soil. He possessed no distinguishing beauty or outward splendor to catch our attention—nothing special in his appearance to make us desire him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of deep sorrows who was no stranger to suffering and grief. We hid our faces from him in disgust and considered him a nobody, not worthy of respect. Yet he was the one who carried our sicknesses and endured the torment of our sufferings. We viewed him as one who was being punished for something he himself had done, as one who was struck down by God and brought low. But it was because of our rebellious deeds that he was pierced and because of our sins that he was crushed. He endured the punishment that made us completely whole, and in his wounding, we found our healing. Like wayward sheep, we have all wandered astray. Each of us has turned from God’s paths and chosen our own way; even so, Yahweh laid the guilt of our every sin upon him. He was oppressed and harshly mistreated; still he humbly submitted, refusing to defend himself. He was led like a gentle lamb to be slaughtered. Like a silent sheep before his shearers, he didn’t even open his mouth. By coercion and with a perversion of justice he was taken away. And who could have imagined his future? He was cut down in the prime of life; for the rebellion of his own people, he was struck down in their place. They gave him a grave among criminals, but he ended up instead in a rich man’s tomb, although he had done no violence nor spoken deceitfully.

Even though it pleased Yahweh to crush him with grief, he will be restored to favor. After his soul becomes a guilt-offering, he will gaze upon his many offspring and prolong his days. And through him, Yahweh’s deepest desires will be fully accomplished. After the great anguish of his soul, he will see light and be fully satisfied. By knowing him, the righteous one, my servant will make many to be righteous, because he, their sin-bearer, carried away their sins. So I, Yahweh, will assign him a portion among a great multitude, and he will triumph and divide the spoils of victory with his mighty ones — all because he poured out his life-blood to death. He was counted among the worst of sinners, yet he carried sin’s burden for many and intercedes for those who are rebels.” Isaiah 53

Isaiah's prophecy points to Jesus, more than 700 hundred years before the Cross. Interestingly enough it is written in past tense like it had already happened. Before the foundation of the cosmos, Abba already knew what He would need to do to restore us to himself. In this passage we see Jesus endured punishment that made us completely whole, and, in His wounding, we found healing. This isn’t just about our sins being forgiven. It is a restoration of our whole being. Mind, body and soul can be completely whole.

When Jesus cried out on the Cross feeling forsaken, He was addressing the feelings David had in Psalm 22 when He felt forsaken by Yahweh. He was also doing it for us when we are feeling the same way. Abba never turned His back on Jesus when He was on the Cross. How do we know? Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians, Abba was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself. “That is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.”

He could not have forsaken Jesus and been in Him at the same time. It was Abba himself in Jesus reconciling us back to our original design the Father gave us. The circle dance doesn’t miss one aspect of us being made complete. Jesus did this for when we are feeling alone, forsaken, hurt, wounded, or sick. We must remember what He has done for us. He walks with us through it all and offers us restoration.

When you face trials, remember that Abba is not distant but intimately involved in your suffering. Let this truth comfort and strengthen you in difficult times. Imagine Him with you. Yesterday in our Kingdom Academy co-op one of our students shared with us after our worship and rest time that he felt Jesus next to him and he laid his head in Jesus’ lap. May we be like little children who can see ourselves lying in His lap.

A Broken Perspective

“Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.” John 17:1-5

This week in the Walk we have been diving into changing how we see Abba. Today we are looking at the words Jesus spoke in John 17. For many, many years we have been taught in American Christianity the purpose of Jesus coming to earth was to fix a mistake Adam and Eve made in the garden. When they ate the apple from the tree, they made God mad because they brought sin into the world. So, the father became angry and wanted to kill everyone on earth. He had to send His son to die on the cross to forgive us of our sins so He could even look at us, then when we die, we can have eternal life in heaven. Jesus had to become our defense attorney. This is what we have been taught, and it is wrong. I’ll tell my age here. Anyone remember the gong show? When people performed badly they would hit the gong to make them stop. I feel like we need to hit the gong to stop the nonsense of this thought about Jesus and the Father.

Let’s look at why Jesus says he actually came. He came to glory the Father, the only true God and Jesus Christ, the Anointed One. Jesus says I have glorified you. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. At this point, obviously Jesus has not been to the Cross. If His purpose was to die on the Cross, why would He spend 33 years on earth? The Father could have sent Him as a grown man like He did Adam. Why is Jesus saying I have finished the work I was sent to do if he has not been to the Cross? His purpose was to reveal the true nature of Abba. He had to fix the broken perspective people had of the Father. His entire walk with the disciples was to fix how they seen the Father. Even walking with Jesus daily Philip missed it. He tells Jesus before you leave just show us the Father. Jesus says to Philip if you’ve seen Me, you have seen the Father. Let me quote John 14:9, Jesus replied, “Philip, I’ve been with you all this time and you still don’t know who I am? How could you ask me to show you the Father, for anyone who has looked at me has seen the Father.”

We must dismantle everything we have thought about Abba we don’t see in Jesus. If Jesus is good, sweet, patient and tender- Abba is too. He is not angry. All the wars in the Old Testament killing babies, owning slaves, laws created by Moses like an eye for eye was not the Father’s heart. We must study the words of Jesus to see the Father. As you study you must invite the Holy Spirit to give you understanding of the words. We must see Abba right.

In this passage Jesus tells us what eternal life is- to know the Father and Jesus Christ. This word know is the same know Mary meant when she said how can it be when I have not known a man. This word know is the Greek word ginosko. The meanings are experiential knowledge knowing something through experience, sensory perception knowing something through senses, relational knowledge knowing someone intimately (very closely). This knowing Abba and Jesus is an intimacy so close it produces life on the inside of you.

Jesus came to reveal the Father. He came to restore the broken perspective people had of Abba. Today, we must see this right so we can recover the real purpose of eternal life. It is to KNOW Abba and Jesus intimately.

Let’s end today with this thought: when you look into the tender eyes of Jesus you are looking into the eyes of Abba. Holy Spirit, reveal this truth to us so we may help fix the broken perspective of you in others.

You Are not Forsaken

Yesterday we talked about the importance of fathers. Unfortunately, some homes do not have fathers and that is not always the choice of the mother. This is why we must understand that Abba does not do abandonment. WHATSOEVER! If we are honest, it is hard to see him in this light when we have been abandoned by our father or the father of our children. This is why it is so important to let Him love you and reveal His heart for you and your children.

Yahweh is omnipresence - He is everywhere, always. Pastor Tim emphasized that Abba never abandons us, even in our darkest moments. Most of us who grew up in or around church have been told Yahweh cannot look on sin and when Jesus died on the cross Abba turned his back on him. He was carrying the weight of all past, present and future sins therefore the Father could not look at him. When we think of this idea of Abba turning his back on Jesus in his most needful time what does this do to how we see Abba?

We automatically think if he did it to Jesus, he will abandon me in my darkest hour. Especially if our dark hour is a result of a choice we made. Have you ever heard, “they made their bed now they must lay in it?” That communicates you are on your own. You must deal with your consequences. Now consequences are real, and we do have to walk through them, but we do not have to do it alone.

Think about a time when you felt alone or forsaken. Now, consider the truth that Abba was with you through it all. How does this change your perspective on those experiences? Today, practice awareness of Abba's presence in every moment, whether joyful or challenging. Remember, you are never truly alone.

For the Pure and Shining One - King David’s poetic song - Psalm 139

“Lord, you know everything there is to know about me. You perceive every movement of my heart and soul, and you understand my every thought before it even enters my mind. You are so intimately aware of me, Lord. You read my heart like an open book and you know all the words I’m about to speak before I even start a sentence! You know every step I will take before my journey even begins. You’ve gone into my future to prepare the way, and in kindness you follow behind me to spare me from the harm of my past. You have laid your hand on me! This is just too wonderful, deep, and incomprehensible! Your understanding of me brings me wonder and strength. Where could I go from your Spirit? Where could I run and hide from your face? If I go up to heaven, you’re there! If I go down to the realm of the dead, you’re there too! If I fly with wings into the shining dawn, you’re there! If I fly into the radiant sunset, you’re there waiting! Wherever I go, your hand will guide me; your strength will empower me. It’s impossible to disappear from you or to ask the darkness to hide me, for your presence is everywhere, bringing light into my night. There is no such thing as darkness with you. The night, to you, is as bright as the day; there’s no difference between the two. You formed my innermost being, shaping my delicate inside and my intricate outside, and wove them all together in my mother’s womb. I thank you, God, for making me so mysteriously complex! Everything you do is marvelously breathtaking. It simply amazes me to think about it! How thoroughly you know me, Lord! You even formed every bone in my body when you created me in the secret place; carefully, skillfully you shaped me from nothing to something. You saw who you created me to be before I became me!

Before I’d ever seen the light of day, the number of days you planned for me were already recorded in your book. Every single moment you are thinking of me! How precious and wonderful to consider that you cherish me constantly in your every thought! O God, your desires toward me are more than the grains of sand on every shore! When I awake each morning, you’re still with me. O God, come and slay these bloodthirsty, murderous men! For I cry out, “Depart from me, you wicked ones!” See how they blaspheme your sacred name and lift up themselves against you, but all in vain! Lord, can’t you see how I despise those who despise you For I grieve when I see them rise up against you. I have nothing but complete hatred and disgust for them. Your enemies shall be my enemies! God, I invite your searching gaze into my heart. Examine me through and through; find out everything that may be hidden within me. Put me to the test and sift through all my anxious cares. See if there is any path of pain I’m walking on, and lead me back to your glorious, everlasting way—the path that brings me back to you.”

This psalm is such a beautiful picture of His presence in our lives. From the very beginning He is there. All the way to the patterns of wrong thinking. David is declaring his hatred for those who oppose Abba, but even then, the Spirit reveals to David’s heart this isn’t the way of the Father. He really does meet us where we are and brings us back to the path he has for us.

The Importance of a Father

“And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.” Malachi 4

This was the last statement made in the Old Testament. Yahweh did not speak again for four hundred years. Why would he let this be the last thing? Are there no other important aspects that should have been said? No! Fathers are vital for our future. There are two aspects here. First, we have the fathers in the natural. Having a father in the home is so important for children. A father leads and has advice for the children that only he can offer. There is safety in a father’s instructions. We have lost sight of the dynamics of the home due to the culture delusion. You have women leading the home controlling every aspect of the family. It is out of order. This causes the fathers to either leave or shrink back to a place of no input in the home. I dare say this is the curse. A curse brings destruction and when a family is out of order there will always be destruction of some sort. Usually, it is to the family itself. Pastor Tim shared from Esther 2 which shows us the importance of Mordica in Esther’s life. He led her to the kingdom; he gave her instructions on how she should be inside the kingdom, and he never left. He was always there to make sure she was ok.

Another aspect of fathers is in the body of Christ. Every child of Yahweh is perfectly ok with titles such as preacher or pastor. It is the role of a father in the house that people question. Why? We have lost sight of the role of fathers. We at the Wilderness Place are incredibly thankful and honored to have a father in our house. Pastor Tim may be called Pastor, but he is a father to this family. A father will care about every aspect of the family. He prays for each person by name. He loves. He leads and gives biblical advice. He’s honest. He wants everyone to be successful. Most people with the title pastor or preacher are only about one thing: their agenda to grow churches. A father is about leading a family in the ways of the Kingdom. This is why it is important for the fathers to turn their hearts to the son and daughters and for the sons and daughters to turn their hearts back to the fathers. It removes the curse and we live under the favor and blessing of the Kingdom.

Unfortunately, we have lost sight of the role of fathers, and we believe it is because we have not seen the Heavenly father correctly. This week we will dive deep in recovering the love of Yahweh so we can see Him right. When we see him right as our Abba, we will see everything else right.

The Day of Destiny

Let’s do a recap of this week’s Walk. It's time to embrace a transformative truth: Yahweh's perfect love has the power to cast out all fear and change how we see ourselves and Him.

At the heart of our spiritual journey lies a profound invitation - to let Jesus smother us with His kisses. This isn't just poetic language; it's a call to experience the depth of His affection for us. The Song of Solomon actually reveals Jesus’ passionate love language for each of us.

Let’s read this beautiful passage:

"Arise, my dearest. Hurry, my darling. Come away with me! I have come as you have asked to draw you to my heart and lead you out. For now is the time, my beautiful one. The season has changed, the bondage of your barren winter has ended, and the season of hiding is over and gone."

These words paint a picture of a God who eagerly pursues us, longing to bring us out of hiding and into a new season of intimacy with Him. He sees us as beautiful and longs for us to see ourselves through His eyes.

But here's the challenge - many of us struggle to fully receive this love. We're like Queen Vashti in the book of Esther, who refused the king's invitation to come before him. She had become so comfortable in her own routines that she missed out on a deeper connection with the king. How often do we do the same with Jesus? We get comfortable in our religious routines, doing "church" well, but missing the heart of intimacy with our Creator.

The apostle John gives us a profound insight: "We love Him because He first loved us." This isn't just about our initial salvation experience. It's an ongoing pattern for our entire spiritual journey. Our fervor for Jesus, our passion for His kingdom, flows from continually letting Him love us first. We can't manufacture genuine love for Him through our own efforts. It's only by receiving His love that we're empowered to love Him back with the same intensity.

This truth challenges our tendency to strive in our relationship with Him. We often think we need to clean ourselves up or perform better to earn His affection. But Yahweh's love doesn't operate that way. Remember the story of the woman caught in adultery? Jesus didn't condemn her. Instead, He said, "I don't condemn you. Now go and sin no more." The order is significant. Freedom from condemnation comes first, then transformation follows.

Yahweh's perfect love is designed to deal with every area of fear in our lives. Fear of rejection, fear of failure, fear of intimacy - all of these can be overcome as we let His love penetrate our hearts. The Song of Solomon speaks of "catching the little foxes" that can spoil the vineyard of our relationship with God. These "foxes" represent anything that hinders us from fully receiving and responding to His love.

As we embrace Yahweh's love, we begin to see ourselves differently. No longer defined by our past mistakes or current struggles, we start to see ourselves as He sees us - radiant, beautiful, and deeply loved. This shift in perspective changes everything. We approach life with new confidence, not based on our own abilities, but on the unshakeable love of our Heavenly Father.

This journey of love isn't just about feeling good. It's about transformation. When we truly encounter His love, it should change the way we think. An encounter without changed perspective is a wasted opportunity. Jesus is inviting us into a deeper relationship, one that goes beyond surface-level experiences to reshape our very identities.

The incredible thing about His love is that it's not based on our performance. It's an inheritance, freely given because we are His beloved children. Just as we don't expect our children to earn our love, He doesn't require us to earn His. He delights in lavishing His affection on us, often in unexpected ways.

Consider the imagery of new wine and new wineskins. Jesus wants to pour out fresh experiences of His love, but sometimes our hearts have become rigid, like old wineskins. The good news is that He doesn't discard us. Instead, He applies the oil of His Spirit and the fire of His presence to make us tender and pliable again, ready to receive all He has for us.

As we step into this new season of experiencing His love, we're invited to dream again. To imagine the impossible. To see ourselves, our relationships, and our world through the lens of His transforming love. It's time to let go of shame, regret, and condemnation. It's time to open our hearts fully to the One who loves us with an everlasting love.

Let's make a conscious choice to let Jesus smother us with His kisses. Let's tune our ears to hear Him speak words of affirmation over us. Let's allow His perfect love to cast out every fear that has held us back. As we do, we'll find ourselves loving Him more passionately and walking in greater freedom and purpose.

Remember, you are deeply loved. You are beautiful in His eyes. Your voice is precious to Him. As you embrace these truths, watch how it transforms your relationship with Jesus and empowers you to love others more fully.

Will you accept the invitation to go deeper? Will you let perfect love have its complete work in your heart? The choice is yours, and a new day of destiny is dawning. Step into it with confidence, knowing you are perfectly loved by a perfect God.

Inheritance

“So, I kneel humbly in awe before the Father of our Lord Jesus, the Messiah, the perfect Father of every father and child in heaven and on the earth. And I pray that he would unveil within you the unlimited riches of his glory and favor until supernatural strength floods your innermost being with his divine might and explosive power. Then, by constantly using your faith, the life of Christ will be released deep inside you, and the resting place of his love will become the very source and root of your life. Then you will be empowered to discover what every holy one experiences—the great magnitude of the astonishing love of Christ in all its dimensions. How deeply intimate and far-reaching is his love! How enduring and inclusive it is! Endless love beyond measurement that transcends our understanding—this extravagant love pours into you until you are filled to overflowing with the fullness of God!

Never doubt God’s mighty power to work in you and accomplish all this. He will achieve infinitely more than your greatest request, your most unbelievable dream, and exceed your wildest imagination! He will outdo them all, for his miraculous power constantly energizes you.” Ephesians 3

Yahweh is able to do immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine. Ephesians reminds us of the vast dimensions of Christ's love and the power at work within us. An inheritance is something you don’t have to work for, it is given out of love. Pastor Tim shared a couple of stories concerning our local family of where they have received unexpected blessings; inheritances they were not expecting. (I encourage you to watch the message to hear the stories. Beautiful.) Do you know where we go wrong sometimes? We think we have to strive for the inheritance. In striving, we move from a place of love. We forget why we do what we do. Our intimate relationship with Jesus is about a love affair. All love affairs are designed to grow deeper and deeper with multiplication as the fruit. This love is not about works and effort to earn a ticket out of hell. Do not be deceived by western theology this is not about fighting a war to win a battle. Jesus has already done that. This is about the altar of love and the inheritance we receive from being His bride.

In Ephesians, it tells us about part of this inheritance. Unlimited riches of His glory and favor, supernatural strength that carries divine might and explosive power. Are we approaching each day with the understanding we have divine might and explosive power? Probably not. We must remember our inheritance. That is not all. When we walk in constant faith, the life of Jesus is released deep in our hearts, and we can find rest in His love. This becomes the source of our lives. Oh, but that is not all! When we are rooted in His love, we are empowered to discover the great magnitude of His astonishing love in ALL its dimensions. Ephesians describes his love as deeply intimate, far-reaching, enduring, inclusive, endless, beyond measurement, transcends our understanding, and extravagant. Then Paul reminds us to NEVER DOUBT Yahweh’s mighty power to accomplish all of this in our lives. It is hard not to doubt if you have not been perfected in His love. Did you see the description of His love? Let Him convince you right now this love is for YOU!

What are some unexpected blessings or "inheritances" you've received from Yahweh? How has He surprised you with His goodness? Challenge yourself to dream bigger and pray bolder, knowing that He delights in giving good gifts to His children. Ask the Holy Spirit to expand your capacity to receive His love and to use your imagination to envision His kingdom coming in your life, in your family, your marriage, your children, your community. Remember, with Jesus, there's always more - more love, more grace, more possibility than we can fathom.

Process of Renewal

“I will graciously give you a new, tender heart and put a new, willing spirit inside you. I will remove your hard heart of stone and give you an obedient, responsive heart instead. I will put my Holy Spirit in you to empower you to keep my laws and to live by them. You will live in the land that I gave your ancestors. You will be my people, and I will be your God.” Ezekiel 36

Yahweh promises to give us a new heart and put a new spirit within us. This renewal is not about our effort, but about allowing His love to transform us from the inside out. Think about areas in your life that feel hardened or resistant to change. This is the part where we sit in the circle of perfect love to allow the glorious light of Jesus to shine on these areas of resistance and hard-heartedness.

Invite the Holy Spirit to soften these areas with His love, like new wine in a new wineskin. Are there old patterns of thinking or believing that need to be renewed? In Luke 5, Jesus says, “And who pours new wine into an old wineskin? If someone did, the old wineskin would burst, and the new wine would be lost. New wine must always be poured into new wineskins.” Have you ever watched how wineskin is made new? They don’t throw out the old wineskin. Just like Jesus doesn’t get rid of us. In order to make a new wineskin the old one must be cleansed first. After cleaning, the wineskin is then put in oil to be soaked for several days. After the soaking the wineskin is then stretched, kneaded and worked to evenly distribute the oil throughout the material.

This is truly a picture of us, beloved sons and beloved daughters going through the process of renewal. We are first cleansed by the righteousness of Jesus. Then he leads us to soak in the oil of the Holy Spirit to soften those hard and resistant places. Once soft we are then stretched, kneaded and worked on through life circumstances but if we see this process correctly the new wine, we will hold can change families, cities and nations for the glory of Yahweh.

Will you surrender to the process of renewal? Ask Him to fill you afresh with His Spirit. He is ready to give you a new, tender heart and a willing spirit that continually flows with new wine.

Read Ezekiel 36 again. This is a promise of Yahweh. His goodness extended to us.

His Goodness

“If it is true that you look favorably on me, let me know your ways so I may understand you more fully and continue to enjoy your favor. And remember that this nation is your very own people.” The Lord replied, “I will personally go with you, Moses, and I will give you rest—everything will be fine for you.” Then Moses said, “If you don’t personally go with us, don’t make us leave this place. How will anyone know that you look favorably on me—on me and on your people—if you don’t go with us? For your presence among us sets your people and me apart from all other people on the earth.” The Lord replied to Moses, “I will indeed do what you have asked, for I look favorably on you, and I know you by name.” Moses responded, “Then show me your glorious presence.” The Lord replied, “I will make all my goodness pass before you, and I will call out my name, Yahweh, before you. For I will show mercy to anyone I choose, and I will show compassion to anyone I choose.” Exodus 33

Moses asked to see Yahweh's glory, and Yahweh responded by showing His goodness. Often, we seek dramatic spiritual encounters, but His presence is most powerfully revealed in His goodness towards us. A lot of people who are looking for big encounter moments leave those encounters unchanged. We see in the scripture thousands of people who encountered Jesus, yet nothing changed in their lives. It is living moment by moment aware of Him and His goodness that changes us, transforms our families.

What does His goodness look like? It is all around us. We can see and feel Him in every moment with every step, but we have to be looking for Him. His goodness is His spoken word to us. If you are not hearing Him speak to you ask for ears to hear. The Holy Spirit is always speaking but we must be leaned in and listening. His goodness is in His written words. The scriptures are full of the promises of Yahweh. We must feast on His promises and keep them before us. A couple of my favorite promises I pray over my family are Deuteronomy 31:8, “The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you, he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid, do not be discouraged.” and Isaiah 26:3, “Perfect, absolute peace surrounds those whose imaginations are consumed with you; They confidently trust in you.”

His goodness is answered prayers, blessings, and provisions. Yahweh’s goodness represents everything He is, everything He has and everything He desires for us to enjoy.

The word goodness in Hebrew means, “good in the widest sense.” So, we can say his goodness is extreme.

Let’s take some time to reflect on moments in your life where you've experienced the goodness of Yahweh. How has He been faithful, even in difficult times?

Today, practice being aware of His presence in the ordinary moments of your day. Look for His goodness in nature, in kind gestures from others, in moments of peace or joy, even in difficult moments. Remember, there are no "non-sacred" moments because Emmanuel - God with us - is always present.

Loyal Love

“Higher than the highest heavens—that’s how high your tender mercy extends! Greater than the grandeur of heaven above is the greatness of your loyal love, towering over all who fear you and bow down before you! Farther than from a sunrise to a sunset—that’s how far you’ve removed our guilt from us. The same way a loving father feels toward his children—that’s but a sample of your tender feelings toward us, your beloved children, who live in awe of you. You know all about us, inside and out. You are mindful that we’re made from dust.” Psalms 103

We have been walking with Abba for a while now letting His love for us go deeper and deeper into our hearts. We need understanding of just how incredible His love actually is. Most of us keep track of our failures and what He is not doing in our lives more than what He has already done and continues to do. Our first thought when we mess up is not usually Him running to us to help us up but us turning away from His loving care. Oh, but there is change in the air of our Kingdom family. We are beginning to see our hearts respond by turning to Him not away from His loving arms. Psalm 103 is such a beautiful reminder of just how great the love of Jesus really is.

Higher than the highest heavens- think about that. There is no boundary in heaven. It goes on for eternity so his tender mercy goes beyond anything we can imagine. What is mercy? Tenderness, leniency, and forgiveness. It is when Abba withholds punishment for our sins. Mercy is part of His nature and cannot be earned. Sin is missing the mark. It is coming into agreement with something opposite of who He says we are. Sin is not always about a behavior problem. Behavior starts with how we think first.

His loyal love is greater than the grandeur of heaven. Grandeur is very large, special, powerful, and beautiful. That is his love over all who fear him and bow before him. Fear is a word we have been discussing in the last week. This is not the same meaning. The fear of the Lord is to honor him above all else. It means to love what he loves. It means you make every decision based on what He wants you to do. To fear the Lord will cause you to adore and worship Him in every moment. It does NOT mean to be scared of Him. On the contrary, it brings confidence, wisdom, protection, satisfaction and a greater love for Him.

He is the best Dada, which is why we call him Abba. He loves his beloved children greater than anything we can imagine. The last part of this scripture says, he knows all about us, inside and out. He is mindful we are made from dust. What does this mean? In the Hebrew the word yatsar can be translated “frame” or “to be in distress” or “to be frustrated.” Abba knows all about our frustrations and distress. He remembers He formed us from dust and is sympathetic to our difficulties. So, when you feel like He doesn’t care about what is happening or it’s your problem to figure out- those thoughts are not true. He cares deeply for you.

His love, mercy and kindness are always cascading over us and lifting us up to reign with Him in the heavenly places. Walk in confidence today of His love and mercy over you. Remember, whatever is flowing over you flows to those around you. Let’s choose to stand under the fountain of grace, mercy and His love!

The Place of Transformation

Abba's love doesn't just comfort us - it transforms us. Paul urges us to be "transformed by the renewing of your mind". “Beloved friends, what should be our proper response to God’s marvelous mercies? To surrender yourselves to God to be his sacred, living sacrifices. And live in holiness, experiencing all that delights his heart. For this becomes your genuine expression of worship. Stop imitating the ideals and opinions of the culture around you but be inwardly transformed by the Holy Spirit through a total reformation of how you think. This will empower you to discern God’s will as you live a beautiful life, satisfying and perfect in his eyes.” Romans 12:1-2

As we've explored the love of Jesus this week, reflect on how this understanding is changing you. Are you seeing yourself differently, through the lens of His love? How might your interactions with others change as you live from a place of being deeply loved by Jesus? The fruit of living from this place is a whole, healed heart. We get to see Him right and see others right when our hearts are healed.

Did you take time this week to write the letter to Abba expressing your doubts and fears? Has He heard your voice this week? The hardest thing is to sit in the seat of perfect love under the light of Jesus where nothing is hidden, but it is the place of transformation. This perfect love is the key to transformation and freedom. We must remember it is a safe place to be real and raw about who you are and how you think. Abba never turns away. His love draws us closer and closer to becoming just like Him. Weeping may endure for the night but there is joy in the morning. Surrender to the seat of perfect love. It may be painful for a little while but the joy on the other side is worth it.

Today, offer yourself as a "living sacrifice" to Yahweh, asking Him to continue transforming you by His love. Pray for opportunities to share this transformative love with others, allowing His love to flow through you into a world in need of His grace.

Let’s Catch Those Foxes!

The Shulamite Listen! I hear my lover’s voice. I know it’s him coming to me—leaping with joy over mountains, skipping in love over the hills that separate us, to come to me.

The Shepherd-King The one I love calls to me: Arise, my dearest. Hurry, my darling. Come away with me! I have come as you have asked to draw you to my heart and lead you out. For now is the time, my beautiful one. The season has changed, the bondage of your barren winter has ended, and the season of hiding is over and gone. The rains have soaked the earth and left it bright with blossoming flowers. The season for singing and pruning the vines has arrived. I hear the cooing of doves in our land, filling the air with songs to awaken you and guide you forth. Can you not discern this new day of destiny breaking forth around you? The early signs of my purposes and plans are bursting forth. The budding vines of new life are now blooming everywhere. The fragrance of their flowers whispers, “There is change in the air.” Arise, my love, my beautiful companion, and run with me to the higher place. For now is the time to arise and come away with me. For you are my dove, hidden in the split-open rock. It was I who took you and hid you up high in the secret stairway of the sky. Let me see your radiant face and hear your sweet voice. How beautiful your eyes of worship and lovely your voice in prayer. You must catch the troubling foxes, those sly little foxes that hinder our relationship. For they raid our budding vineyard of love to ruin what I’ve planted within you. Will you catch them and remove them for me? We will do it together.” Song of Solomon 2:8-15

Yesterday we took a walk with the Shulamite (us) calling out to Jesus to revive us with His presence and refresh us with His grace. As we continue our journey in the Song of Solomon, we hear the Shulamite saying, Listen, I hear my lover’s voice. He’s coming to me just like I asked. He’s leaping with joy over every mountain or hill that would try to separate us. You must know there is nothing that can stand in the way of His love and grace coming to you. Even if it is a mountain or hill you created. When we call out to Him- He is faithful to be there.

Let’s walk through the response of Jesus to us. Take time to really sit with these words spoken to you. The depth of this response requires time, meditate on His words to you. His response is, “Arise, my dearest, hurry my darling, come away with me! I have come as you have asked.” Jesus always calls us to an elevated posture of confidence in Him. He doesn’t allow us to sit in our darkness or delusion of ourselves. For now, is the time. The season has changed. The bondage of thoughts, regrets, mess-ups, and hurts are now over. This barren winter has ended. Oddly enough, we just experienced a record-breaking snow fall here on the Coast. Everything has been blanketed with snow and ice. Hiding everything under its purity. What happens after winter? Spring! New life breaking forth. It is the season for pruning. Pruning does not have to be painful if we see it right. Pruning should cause us to break forth in singing. It is a sign we are walking with Him daily when we are being pruned. As we see his pruning as a gift of care our lives begin to bloom like never before.

You are the dove of Jesus and He longs to see your radiant face and hear your sweet voice of worship and prayer. He then says something interesting. “You must catch the troubling foxes, those sly little foxes that hinder our relationship.” What are the sly foxes? Doubts, fear, anxiety, worry, wrong image of yourself or any compromise you have deep in your heart. These foxes are the areas we have not surrendered to the blood of Jesus. They hinder us from becoming the image of Christ in the earth. All of the precious things He plants in your heart will be stolen from you if you continue to allow the foxes to raid the garden of your heart. We must let go of all the past hurts or we are literally like a hamster on a never-ending wheel. Our relationship with Jesus will not grow. The restrictions on your life will remain. Nothing will ever change. Aren’t you ready to move forward in a healed, whole heart?

Jesus is asking, “Will you catch them and remove them?” When we think about the sly little foxes, we deal with on a daily basis the thought of catching them to remove them causes us to retreat. We have dealt with some of these doubts and feelings so long we don’t know how to live without them. We must understand the depths of the hinderance they cause in our relationship with Jesus and others. My favorite part of this passage is, “WE WILL DO IT TOGETHER”

All we have to do is acknowledge the foxes and be willing to bring them to Jesus and He helps us. Understand, He does NOT help us cope with the foxes. He helps us get rid of them. We are to be free so our garden can grow. Remember we talked about being a kingdom people others can feed from? He is calling us to a higher place with Him. It is a new day! Will you bring those foxes to Him? This is a time of excitement and joy. A prisoner who has been released is full of joy, not sadness or despair.

Let Jesus see your face of radiance and hear your beautiful voice of worship to Him. Shout with joy as you rid the foxes in your garden.

The Rose of Sharon

The Shulamite I am truly his rose, the very theme of his song. I’m overshadowed by his love, like a lily growing in the valley!

The Shepherd-King Yes, you are my darling companion. You stand out from all the rest. For though the thorns surround you, you remain as pure as a lily, more than all others.

The Shulamite My beloved is to me the most fragrant apple tree—he stands above the sons of men. Sitting under his grace-shadow, I blossom in his shade, enjoying the sweet taste of his pleasant, delicious fruit, resting with delight where his glory never fades. Suddenly, he transported me into his house of wine—he looked upon me with his unrelenting love divine. Revive me with your raisin cakes. Refresh me again with your apples. Help me and hold me, for I am lovesick! I am longing for more—yet how could I take more? His left hand cradles my head while his right hand holds me close. I am at rest in this love.

The Shepherd-King Promise me, Jerusalem maidens, by the gentle gazelles and delicate deer, that you’ll not disturb my love until she is ready to arise. Song of Solomon 2:1-4

Remember, we are the Shulamite and Jesus is the Shepherd-King. Let’s go deeper in this conversation with Jesus. One of the names of Jesus is the Rose of Sharon? The name comes from this passage. When she says, “I am truly his rose, the theme of his song,” this is referring to the rose of Sharon. The word Sharon is translated his song. The root word for rose is overshadowed. He overshadows us with his song of love. This understanding will cause us to lean more into Him. He is forever singing over you.

Jesus speaks to us- you are my darling companion. As His companion we stand out around others. We can be surrounded by the curse of sin and be as pure as a lily. Lilies are a symbol of purity in our innermost being. We should never be afraid of that which seems dark in the world. Remember perfect love casts out all fear. We overcome all darkness with our light, which is why it is so important to let Him love you. As we let Jesus love us the way he wants to we will love others purely without fear.

The Shulamite responds with assurance of who she is to Him and who He is to her. We too can be confident in this romance with Jesus. We get to sit under His grace shadow resting where His glory never fades. Suddenly, He transports us to the “house of wine.” Wine always speaks of joy in the scriptures. This house of wine is the place of joy where we feast and have communion with Jesus. It is a celebration of all good things we experience with Him. This is the place we realize the banner over us is love! This banner never fails.

When she says, “revive me with raisin cakes and refresh me again with your apples,” what does this mean for us as His beloved? King David gave raisin cakes to the nation of Israel to celebrate the Ark of Glory, Yahweh’s presence coming into Jerusalem. This points to the fire of passion burning in our hearts for Him. He revives us with His passionate love. “Refresh me with your apples.” These are actually apricots, and they point to the sweet promises of grace. His grace brings refreshment to our daily lives.

Have you ever held a newborn baby? Think about how you hold them. You always have one hand supporting their head and the other you bring them in close to hold them, so they feel loved and secure in your arms. The Shulamite gives us a beautiful description of Jesus holding us this way. His left hand cradles our head. The Hebrew word for left is smowl. The left hand of the Lord speaks of the mysteries of His ways. So often we can look back at moments and think there is no way I got through that without His grace. It is grace working in our lives dealing with situations we don’t even see. We can rest in His arms of love.

He speaks in verse 7, “promise me, brides to be, that you will not disturb my love until she is ready to rise.” We must remember our intimate relationship with Jesus is about sitting with Him and letting Him love us. In turn, our passion for Him grows stronger and we become the Bride he gave the ultimate sacrifice for. We should never feel the pressure of ministry above our love affair with Him. Be careful not to let anyone disturb your secret place (the bedchamber) with Jesus. As you stay focused on your intimacy with Jesus, he will give you the wisdom to know when to arise to do what He is asking you to do. It starts with letting Him love you.

His Loving Care

“The words I have spoken over you have already cleansed you. So you must remain in life-union with me, for I remain in life-union with you. For as a branch severed from the vine will not bear fruit, so your life will be fruitless unless you live your life intimately joined to mine. John 15:3-4

Jesus invites us to "abide" or remain in His love. This isn't a passive state, but an active choice to stay connected to Him, like a branch to a vine. Abide signifies to await, lodge, dwell and endure. Remember yesterday we discussed allowing His love to perfect us in the day of crisis? We must await in His love to see the fruit of perfect love displayed in our lives.

As you read this passage, consider what it means to abide in Christ's love practically. Are you allowing His love to flow through you to others? Are there areas where you need "pruning" to bear more fruit? Remember, pruning comes when things happen, we don’t like or agree with, and it causes us to react instead of responding in love. Anytime there is a reaction outside of the character of Christ He is trying to reveal something in our hearts He wants to prune. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you remain deeply rooted in Christ's love, and to empower you to love others with the same selfless love Christ has shown you.

Abba is inviting us to 'arise' and move to a 'higher place' in our spiritual journey, what fears or hesitations do you face in responding? I encourage you to write a letter to Abba today expressing these fears and allow Him to prune as you await in His loving care.

Perfect Love Cast Out Fear

“We have come into an intimate experience with Yahweh’s love, and we trust in the love he has for us. Yahweh is love! Those who are living in love are living in Him, and Yahweh lives through them. By living in Yahweh, love has been brought to its full expression in us so that we may fearlessly face the day of judgment, because all that Jesus now is, so are we in this world. Love never brings fear, for fear is always related to punishment. But love’s perfection drives the fear of punishment far from our hearts. Whoever walks constantly afraid of punishment has not reached love’s perfection. Our love for others is our grateful response to the love God first demonstrated to us.” 1 John 4:16-19

YAHWEH IS LOVE! He cannot ever be anything other than love. His love is perfect at all times. In 1 John, he tells us when we live in Yahweh then love is perfected in us. When love is perfected, we no longer fear what is to come. We may “fearlessly face the day of judgement.” We have always been taught this is in reference to standing before Jesus on the day of judgement. It is not. This word judgement in the Greek is krisis. When we face crisis in our lives, we do not need to fear the outcome. Jesus says we can face any crisis fearlessly because we are all that He is right now in this world. His love is so perfect we can rest in knowing whatever comes our way in this life, in our day to day, we do not fear because we are made perfect in His love. This does not mean you will not experience grief or hurt but His love will protect you through the pain and disappointment, so it does not affect your heart negatively.

When situations arise if your first response is fear Jesus wants you to see love has not been perfected in you. This is not to bring disappointment or shame. He is always inviting us into more of knowing Him intimately, so His love is perfected in us.

"There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear" Today, reflect on areas of your life where fear may be holding you back from fully experiencing Yahweh's love. Are there doubts, insecurities, or past hurts - that are hindering your relationship with Him? Your relationship with others? Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal these areas and invite Yahweh's perfect love to cast out all fear.

Remember, we love because He first loved us. His love perfected in us gives us the ability to express this perfect love towards others. It’s our grateful response to what is happening in our own hearts. Pastor Tim gave a great illustration concerning this part of 1 John. If you are thinking, I do love Jesus I just struggle with my passion for intimacy or I see others experiencing His presence and I don’t feel like I ever get to that place with Him. Did you know you can stop the love of Yahweh from loving you perfectly?

We love because He first loved us. Pastor Tim shared his conversation with Abba concerning this and Abba said, “this pattern never stops.” In other words, you feel His love and it causes you to connect your heart to Him and the Kingdom family. Now you are loving because He first loved you. Then He calls you to a deeper connection to Him but you’re struggling with doubts, so you keep Him from loving you like He wants to. You just stopped the pattern. But when He calls you closer and you say, Abba I have these doubts I am struggling with. He says bring them to Me and place them at the feet of perfect love. You now have continued the pattern of perfect love. It never stops loving us perfectly. Our part is to keep bringing Him all the things that cause fear in us. If you experience fear of any kind, He is inviting you today to bring those fears to Him. Let His love cast those fears out.

Allow yourself to be embraced by His unconditional love today. Open your heart and be honest with Him.

How Salty are You?

“Your lives are like salt among the people. But if you, like salt, become bland, how can your ‘saltiness’ be restored? Flavorless salt is good for nothing and will be thrown out and trampled on by others. Your lives light up the world. For how can you hide a city that stands on a hilltop? And who would light a lamp and then hide it in an obscure place? Instead, it’s placed where everyone in the house can benefit from its light. So don’t hide your light! Let it shine brightly before others, so that your commendable works will shine as light upon them, and then they will give their praise to your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5

We finish out our week by considering how our intimate relationship with Jesus should impact how we live in the world. Pastor Tim mentioned Sunday that the world is waiting for "lovers" - not just believers or confessors, but those who have been so transformed by Yahweh's love that they radiate it to others.

Jesus calls us to be salt and light in the world. Our lives should have a distinctive flavor and illuminate the darkness around us. In the Greek and Aramaic, the flavorless salt is considered foolish, so that means salt that keeps its flavor is wise. So salt is equal to wisdom. The Passion Translation foot notes tell us it was common practice in Jesus’ day for them to put salt on the wick of a lamp to increase its brightness. We must seek wisdom from the Holy Spirit each day so our love for others shines brighter.

James reminds us that true faith isn't just about hearing God's word but putting it into practice.

Reflect on how your relationship with Jesus influences your daily life and interactions. Are there areas where you've been content with just believing or confessing, without allowing His love to truly transform you? How can you more fully realize Yahweh's love in your relationships, work, and community?

Today, look for practical ways to be "salt and light." This might involve showing kindness to a difficult person, speaking words of encouragement, or taking action to address a need you see. Ask Jesus to help you love others as He has loved you, and to give you opportunities to share His love in tangible ways.

To The Wedding Of…

“Your tender cheeks are beautiful —your earrings and gem-laden necklaces set them ablaze. We will enhance your beauty, with golden ornaments studded with silver” Song of Solomon 1:10-11

As we embark on this beautiful journey in Song of Solomon, we must prepare our hearts to receive affectionate words of affirmation from our Bridegroom, Jesus. Allow Him to speak tenderly to your heart and choose to receive His vision of you. Let’s dive into the verses above. In The Passion Translation we can read some details of what the original language meant by these words. First, your tender cheeks are beautiful. Cheeks represent your emotions that is revealed by your countenance. Jesus can see past our scrunchy face to who we really are. We are alive and pleasing to Him. Have you ever heard the expression inform your face? Our face gives way to how we are feeling. Jesus is speaking to the you that He has made alive. Oftentimes, we let situations dictate our feelings instead of living in His love at all times. Most of the time those situations are not a big deal in light of His love and our intimacy with Him.

“Your earrings and gem-laden necklaces,” this points us to the gifts of the Holy Spirit. What is on the inside is much more important that outward appearances. I Peter 3 says, “Let your true beauty come from your inner personality, not a focus on the external. For lasting beauty comes from a gentle and peaceful spirit, which is precious in God’s sight and is much more important than the outward adornment of elaborate hair, jewelry, and fine clothes.” This inner personality comes from an intimate relationship with Jesus.

Pastor Tim gave us an incredible illustration on Sunday concerning verse 11. “We will enhance your beauty.” We are the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This is the word perichoresis. It is the Greek word for rotation. Perichoresis means "going around" or "rotation" and describes the relationship among the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Their love for us places us right in the middle being loved perfectly every time. They are making us holy and radiant. You hear us call it the circle dance.

Gold always points us to the divine and silver always points to redemption. He spares no expense to be with us. As a bride we must stop leaving our Groom at the altar. There is nothing more valuable or more important than an intimate relationship with Jesus. Like Pastor Tim said Sunday we are being invited to the circle dance of perfect love, loving us perfectly. Will you accept the invitation?

A Bride is a Lover. Period.

“A lover looks radically different than a believer, confessor, and attender.” Pastor Tim

A believer: one who believes Jesus died for their sins and was resurrected

A confessor: one who confesses Jesus as their Lord and Savior

An attender: one who attends church every time the doors are open. They make sure their children are sitting quietly or attending children’s church faithfully. They look the part.

A lover: one who never stops thinking about Him. Every aspect of their lives He is invited into. They love being with Him in every moment. They are safe, secure, full of joy, and hope for today and the future. They long for on earth as it is in heaven.

“Therefore, behold, I will allure her, Will bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfort to her. I will give her her vineyards from there, And the Valley of Achor as a door of hope; She shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, as in the day when she came up from the land of Egypt. “And it shall be, in that day,” Says the Lord, “That you will call Me ‘My Husband,’ And no longer call Me ‘My Master.’”

Hosea 2:14-16

Yahweh brings you into the wilderness for one reason. Therefore, behold, I will allure her and bring her into the wilderness. Why? To speak to her heart. Not her brain. Not your intellect. Not even your theology. He needs your heart. In the wilderness is where you become a lover. Egypt does not represent the world. We’ve been taught that our whole Christian life. It can’t be because it was salvation for the Jews at one time. It is the system of religion. The system that continues to trumpet all you have to be is a believer, confessor and attender but that is not true. Jesus gave His life so we could be His bride. A bride is a lover. Period.

Jesus invites us into deep intimacy with Him - not just knowledge about Him, but experiential knowing (like Adam knew Eve and they bore a child). Jesus uses the metaphor of a vine and branches in John 15 to illustrate this close connection. David, in Psalm 63, expresses a soul-deep thirst for Yahweh’s presence. Today, let’s focus on cultivating this kind of intimacy with Jesus. Instead of just studying or thinking about Him, practice being aware of His presence throughout your day. Speak to Him as you would a close friend. Listen for His voice in the quiet moments. Ask Him to draw you into His "bedchamber" - a place of deep, transformative intimacy with Him