Fear No Fear

(All scripture from the NET, netbible.org, all rights reserved)

When the woman saw that the tree produced fruit that was good for food, was attractive to the eye, and was desirable for making one wise, she took some of its fruit and ate it. She also gave some of it to her husband who was with her, and he ate it.
Genesis 3:6 (emphasis added)

Love as Elohim loves is the pinnacle goal of all humans. It is what we were created to do: love Elohim as Elohim loved us (1 John 4:19). Like with so many things, however, if it isn’t directed properly, it becomes an issue. Due to humanity rebelling against Elohim and losing their righteous spirit, they had no way of knowing WHERE to direct their love as time went on. First by choice, and then by habit, and then by conditioning, humanity had directed their love just about everywhere BUT at Elohim. It is a powerful feeling that leads to a more powerful emotion. It has also destroyed many lives. If we want to live life to the fullest, we need to also learn how to direct our love in the proper direction.

I’m sure you’ve heard the heart wants what it wants, right? Total lie. It’s a ticket to all KINDS of behaviour that is damaging to us, and also a kind of get out of jail card in regard to our relationships and desires. The heart doesn’t want what it wants. It wants what we pay attention to. These can be things that we pick up as kids that manifest as desires later (such as a preference for hair colour or types of food). These can be things that we essentially train ourselves to by paying attention to them. The things we ignore have no drawing power. We don’t care about them. We won’t wake up at two in the morning craving them. They won’t turn our heads. We’ll occupy ourselves with other things. The things we have paid attention to.

This is why what we have in our ears and before our eyes is so important. “These words I am commanding you today must be kept in mind, and you must teach them to your children and speak of them as you sit in your house, as you walk along the road, as you lie down, and as you get up. You should tie them as a reminder on your forearm and fasten them as symbols on your forehead. Inscribe them on the doorframes of your houses and gates” (Deuteronomy 6:6-9). These were Adonai’s instructions. So that the Word would be always there. Always focusing attention in the correct direction. To keep them from paying attention to things that would steer them wrong. That might seem boring, but it is actually the key to unlocking abundance of experience (John 10:10). Elohim created this entire world and all that is within it AND SAID IT WAS VERY GOOD (Genesis 1:31). He has provided us with a MYRIAD of things. “All generous giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or the slightest hint of change” (James 1:17). He hasn’t changed since He created all the VERY good things. These are things for us to enjoy. But we won’t enjoy them unless we have our eyes on Him, because the devil is here to steal that from us (John 10:10).

The world doesn’t want other people to succeed. That’s the selfish greed factor that we as humans share. It’s a flesh thing. Lift yourself at the expense of others. Pull others down so they’re on your level and not better than you. Misdirect others so you can grab the biggest piece of the pie. This is how we think. It directly leads to us indulging in whatever feels good to us – because that’s what selfishness is. The world around us is broken, so the ideas that it inspires are also broken. Humanity outside of Jesus is also broken. They’re very thinking is broken. They don’t realise that attention breeds desire. What you put your attention on is what you desire. If you want broken desires, keep your attention on the things of the world. If you want righteous desires, put your attention on the things of Adonai. We see this played out again and again in the books of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles. Where the Israelites and Judeans put their attention, that is what they desired and did. Sometimes it was good. Most of the time it was not, and they fell away from serving Adonai. Instead they put their attention on other gods, other practices, and other morals. They sowed into it and harvested big time. This is why Adonai warned them not to take spouses from outside the nation. When they did (like Solomon), they ended up falling away – it was only a matter of time before their attention was off of Adonai.

We are in the same boat today and we desperately need to get these broken ways healed. We put our attention on things that are fine – but at the expense of time with Adonai. We put our attention on things that do NOT accord with the Father’s will or values – and they are ALSO at the expense of time with Adonai. It doesn’t matter if it a ‘harmless’ show or book. It doesn’t matter genre. It doesn’t matter if it is a textbook for classical art or literature. What it IS is not as important as how much TIME we are giving it. Don’t get me wrong, content plays a role. But I’m saying that if we are not spending quality time with Adonai first and foremost, whatever is in the way of that is where our attention is. It can happen to the best of us and it can happen with the most innocent things. NOTHING is worth letting between you and Adonai Elohim. Our relationship with the Father should ALWAYS be first and foremost in out hearts and minds. HE should be the focus of our lives. Anything that gets in the way of that can be a problem. Look at Adam.

Adam was made perfect. He had a perfect body, soul, and spirit. Adonai made Him a helper. That partner was equal to him in every way. Also perfect in body, soul, and spirit. Perfectly fitted as a companion. His second half. They worked well together, enjoyed each other, and had a GREAT life. Then temptation came. Eve – who did not have firsthand knowledge of Adonai’s command – gave into the temptation. Adam did not. What HE did was completely and totally rebel. Blatant and absolute. She was deceived. He choose in FULL and COMPLETE knowledge of the truth. There are a lot of reasons why he might have done it, but I think there is a real case for love.

Adam LOVED Eve. He loved her so much, that when he watched her fall (he was right there beside her) he chose her. He loved her so much he put her above Adonai. It says he was WITH her. He sided with her. He chose her over Adonai Elohim. He (and she) chose to embrace a lie and give place to the devil instead of standing on the truth (which he could easily have done) and keeping their authority and dominion. They laid it down for selfish reasons, opening the door to sin, and choosing NOT to subdue it (Genesis 4:7). They let it dominate them. Because of misguided love (of themselves, not Adonai), they betrayed the only one who loved them. They got the harvest they sowed into. “because they had rebelled against God’s commands, and rejected the instructions of the Most High. So he used suffering to humble them; they stumbled and no one helped them up” (Psalm 107:11-15). It was as true for Adam and Eve as it was for their descendants. Through his broken nature, that selfish DNA was passed down to every human being that followed (Romans 5:12-19). The pure love we enjoyed became tainted. We started directing it at anything that ‘felt’ good – which has created some real doozies of passionate encounters. What we train ourselves to is what we desire. It is true of entertainment, food, professions, relationships, and sexuality.

What are YOU deciding to give attention to? Your sickness? The symptoms you have? The shows, reports, commercials, and books that say sickness, lack, strife, fear, and turmoil are normal, natural, and part of the human condition. What are you putting into your head? What are you training yourself to believe? What ‘facts’ are you accepting? This is what will form your mindset. Why we are so susceptible to human teaching and so resistant to teaching from the Creator of Everything is beyond me. But it is true. Look around the world. Take a poll of your friends and family. Unless your circle of friends and family includes firm and trust-filled believers, you’ll find that the majority have more faith in what humans have discovered, learned, and taught than they are in the bible and what it says. Yet the bible is a level of truth and a stability of proven faithfulness that nothing else compares to – and that includes everything you can see, touch, taste, and feel (both emotionally and physically).

Do not let your ‘love’ of things, people, feelings, activities, sensations, tastes, or anything else get in the way of a CLEAR view of who Adonai is and what the Word says. Keep your eyes on it. Don’t forget it (Proverbs 4:1-5). Don’t put it aside. Lend it your attention and watch your desire for a closer relationship with Adonai grow stronger and stronger.

Daily Affirmation Jesus IS Messiah: Amos 9:11-12

“In that day I will rebuild the collapsing hut of David. I will seal its gaps, repair its ruins, and restore it to what it was like in days gone by. As a result they will conquer those left in Edom and all the nations subject to my rule.” The Lord, who is about to do this, is speaking.” In the day of Messiah there would be a restoration of the Temple. This is a reference to the Davidic Covenant. The promise that someone from his seed would sit upon a throne and rule and reign in the Kingdom of God. “After they stopped speaking, James replied, “Brothers, listen to me. Simeon has explained how God first concerned himself to select from among the Gentiles a people for his name. The words of the prophets agree with this, as it is written, ‘After this I will return, and I will rebuild the fallen tent of David; I will rebuild its ruins and restore it, so that the rest of humanity may seek the Lord, namely, all the Gentiles I have called to be my own,’ says the Lord, who makes these things known from long ago. Therefore I conclude that we should not cause extra difficulty for those among the Gentiles who are turning to God” (Acts 15:13-19). Jesus IS that King and in Him both Jews and Gentiles were being saved. The ‘tabernacle” has been restored. Jesus IS the Messiah!

Your Daily Confession of Jesus/Yeshua’s Identity:

Yeshua is the Christ, the Son of the living God.

Matthew 16:16b