Fear No Fear

(All scripture from Lexham English Bible, Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software)

“And Jesus answered and said to him, “It is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.’”“

Luke 4:8

From the beginning we were meant for a single spouse. Yet today’s society scorns that and calls you un-empathetic, perhaps even a bigot if you don’t accept the philosophy of the world: we are merely animals with ‘needs’ and a body count is not a bad thing. Body count is the number of people you have had sexual relations with. You are not supposed to feel bad if your count is high – in fact, a high one is preferred. It comes from the idea of testing out partners, learning about your own desires, and practising to be better at performance for when you find that ‘one’ who you will stay with (if you subscribe to the idea of a ‘one’). There is no thought of purity anymore. Of saving your intimacy for a single person. Of the precious present your body is to another human being. The Song of Songs tells us to take care not to awaken appetites before their time (Song of Songs 8:4). Jesus confirms the plan of Adonai was one partner in a sacred covenant (Matthew 19:8-9). There was a VERY good reason for this.

One to be intimate with. One to be covenanted to. Fulfilling ALL desire with that ONE partner. Taking delight in them alone and forsaking all others. Serious words for serious business. Ruach HaKodesh is the counter of bodies, and the count should never be more than one. One of the reasons for this, the greatest reason, is that covenant relationships are a picture of our relationship with Adonai. How can we understand what it means to have ONE God if we cannot even grasp the idea of having ONE partner (spouse). If we can’t be faithful to one whom we can see, feel, and touch, how could we understand how to be faithful to one with whom FEELINGS are not the marker of relationship? Therefore, like with many things, the physical that is with us is one of the teachers about what is not. The ‘real’ helps us to see the ‘unreal’. We need these lessons, because we are to keep our eyes on the things above in order to keep Adonai firmly in the place He deserves to inhabit.

It’s as easy to have a spiritual body count as it is to have a physical one. We can dabble with things not of Adonai like we dabble with one-night stands and friends with benefits they shouldn’t have. In both cases, we cheapen the act. We turn it from an intimate gift of immeasurable value to just another impulse of an animal mind. We cheapen it to be a nothing. No big deal. But when we get into the Word we learn to things. Nothing has changed and Adonai says it IS a big deal. Because we are NOT animals. We are not part of the animal kingdom even though we are made of the same physical substance (Psalms 103:13-14). We are made in HIS image and HIS likeness (Genesis 1:27). We are NOT the same as the rest of creation. We’re not meant to dominate it, but develop it. To shepherd it. We are as different from the animal kingdom as a shepherd is to his sheep. We are not slaved to impulse. “For God has not given us a spirit of cowardice, but of power and love and self-discipline” (2 Timothy 1:7). We can be as we were made to be, not the way the world and the devil want us to be.

We must be as pure in our seeking of the Lord as we are supposed to be in the seeking of our spouse. To steward and cherish the purity of our inner selves, not giving our worship to just anything. Keeping it for the ONLY One who deserves it. In this, Ruach HaKodesh is our greatest ally. He is constantly giving us correction. Warning us when our appetites threaten to take our eyes off of Adonai. Warning us when we are about to dabble in something NOT of Adonai. Ruach HaKodesh is NOT STILL (Genesis 1:2). He HOVERS over us like He HOVERED over the water. Not seeking to dominate. Waiting to see us be what we are supposed to be. What the Father has spoken over us. Ruach HaKodesh is like the ultimate matchmaker. Trying to help us preserve ourselves (He does not violate our free will) as He teaches us how to walk in perfect alignment with our covenant partner with the Word. It’s NOT out of left field. It is NOT a surprise. From the beginning to the end, the Word is about us (one) with Adonai (One). It is a sacred relationship between us and Adonai. No others are invited.

Anyone in a serious relationship knows that it doesn’t happen by accident. It is a CHOICE. It is done – every single day – with INTENT. It is not left for chance. It is crafted with care and purpose. Our relationship with Adonai works the same way. We are to be IN Jesus. We are to REST in Him. Adonai is to be our Source. The ONE from whom we ask and expect EVERYTHING. If we think of it as a power-balance thing, we’ll get it wrong. A true covenant marriage is a PARTNERSHIP. We PARTNER with Adonai through JESUS. It’s not our power, but it’s our PARTNERSHIP. We get equipped by HIM because WE can’t do it. He empowers us for our partnership. He does the prep. He does the work. He does the whole thing. All WE have to do is keep our eyes on HIM. All WE do is keep HIM the centre. Yet we struggle. It’s because we’ve let go of the MODEL. One of the reasons Jesus came was to SHOW US the model. He knew we’d mess it up. So He came to say I ONLY do what I get shown. I ONLY say what I’m given to say. Jesus came to show us a life TOTALLY devoted to the Father. Ruach HaKodesh CONSTANTLY tells us to do the same. He’s here to be our body counter and the counter ALWAYS stops at ONE.

Daily Affirmation of the Goodness of Elohim: Acts 4:12

“And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven that is given among people by which we must be saved.” Jesus is THE name. It is THE name by which we get saved. Salvation in its FULL PACKAGE exists in Jesus. He is the ONLY ONE that gives us salvation. The Father WANTS salvation to be accepted by us. Ruach HaKodesh TALKS to us about salvation. Jesus PROVIDES salvation. Adonai – three in one – wants salvation, talks salvation, and delivers salvation. He does it ALL. How much love does that take? To do that for every single human being who has EVER walked on Earth or EVER WILL walk? That’s more love than I can imagine without revelation knowledge from Ruach HaKodesh. That’s more love than I can imagine without example after example after example from the Word. He gave us those too. He doesn’t let go. He doesn’t let up. He keeps at us over and over again so that we KNOW. So that we UNDERSTAND. He LOVES us and He provides a Way for us to get back to Him in and through JESUS – who IS love. What a GOOD God!

Your Daily Confession of Elohim’s Goodness:

I taste and see that Yahweh is good; I am blessed because I take refuge in Him.

Psalm 34:8