The Divine destiny connection, the chain that links us together.
Thursday, August 28, 2025
THE KING IN THE FIELD
Song of Solomon 2
We are walking in today: The King in the Field
Witness sanctuary throughout the Bible: H4720 miqdash--sacred place,
sanctuary, holy place
Exodus 15:17 Thou shalt bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of thine inheritance, in the place, O LORD, which thou hast made for thee to dwell in, in the Sanctuary, H4720 O Lord, which thy hands have established.
The Torah testifies...............
Exodus 25:8 And let them make me a sanctuary; H4720 that I may dwell among them.
The prophets proclaim..................
Ezekiel 45:4 The holy portion of the land shall be for the priests the ministers of the sanctuary, H4720 which shall come near to minister unto the LORD: and it shall be a place for their houses, and an holy place H4720 for the sanctuary. H4720
The writings bear witness..........................
1 Chronicles 22:19 Now set your heart and your soul to seek the LORD your God; arise therefore, and build ye the sanctuary H4720 of the LORD God, to bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and the holy vessels of God, into the house that is to be built to the name of the LORD.
2 Chronicles 30:8 Now be ye not stiffnecked, as your fathers were, but yield yourselves unto the LORD, and enter into his sanctuary, H4720 which he hath sanctified for ever: and serve the LORD your God, that the fierceness of his wrath may turn away from you.
The King in the Field
There is a profit in the land over all else, for the king is sustained by the field
Ecclesiastes 5:8
Elul, year, is a time of paradox — a time of what might be termed, "spiritual workdays."
The Hebraic calendar distinguishes between two general qualities of time: "mundane" (chol) and "holy" (kodesh). Ordinary workdays are "mundane" portions of time; Shabbat and the festivals are examples of "holy" time. On "holy" days, we disengage ourselves from the material involvements of life to devote ourselves to the spiritual pursuits of study and prayer. These are also days enriched with special spiritual resources (rest on Shabbat and freedom on Passover), each providing its unique quality to the journeyer through calendar and life.
In the latter respect, the month of Elul resembles the "holy" portions of the calendar. Elul is a haven in time, a "city of refuge" from the ravages of material life; a time to audit one's spiritual accounts and assess the year gone by; a time to prepare for the "Days of Awe" and Yom Kippur by repenting the failings of the past and resolving for the future; a time to increase in Torah study, prayer and charitable activities. Elul is the opportune time for all this because it is a month in which the Most High relates to us in a more open and compassionate manner than He does in the other months of the year. It is a time when the Most High's "Thirteen Attributes of Mercy" illuminate His relationship with us.
Yet unlike Shabbat and the festivals, the days of Elul are workdays. On Shabbat, the Torah commands us to cease all physically constructive work (melachah). The festivals, too, are days on which melachah is forbidden. Regarding the month of Elul, however, there are no such restrictions. The transcendent activities of Elul are conducted amidst our workday lives in the field, shop or office.
The paradox of Elul can be seen with the following metaphor: The king's usual place is in the capital city, in the royal palace. Anyone wishing to approach the king must go through the appropriate channels in the palace bureaucracy and gain the approval of a succession of secretaries and ministers. He must journey to the capital and pass through the many gates, corridors and antechambers that lead to the throne room. His presentation must be meticulously prepared, and he must adhere to an exacting code of dress, speech and mannerism upon entering into the royal presence.
However, there are times when the king comes out to the fields outside the city. At such times, anyone can approach him; the king receives them all with a smiling face and a radiant countenance. The peasant behind his plow has access to the king in a manner unavailable to the highest ranking minister in the royal court when the king is in the palace.
The month of Elul, is when the king is in the field.
The Field
Bread is the "staff of life" that "sustains the heart of man." There was a time when most everyone plowed, sowed and harvested the grain that sustained him and his family; but even today, when only a small percentage of us farm the land, we all labor for bread. Everyone works in the field — be it the wheatfield or cornfield, or the field of banking, steelmaking, medicine or advertising.
Indeed, the field is the prototype employed by Torah law to define the "work" that distinguishes between the holy and mundane days of the calendar. There is a list of the types of work forbidden on Shabbat:
The categories of work are forty minus one: sowing, plowing, reaping, making sheaves, threshing, winnowing, picking the chaff from the grain, milling, sifting, kneading, baking...
Each of these activities represents an entire category which includes many different types of work. For example, leveling the ground to make a tennis court is tantamount to "plowing"; mixing cement is a form of "kneading"; sorting laundry would fall under the category of "picking the chaff from the grain." But the prototypes that head and dominate the list of forbidden labors are labors of the field.
For eleven months of the year, our lives alternate between the field and the palace, between the "process of bread-making" of material life and the sublime moments in which we leave the field to enter into the royal presence. In the month of Elul, however, the king comes to the field.
What happens when the king comes to the field? To understand the essence of Elul, we must first examine the relationship between the palace and the field — between Shabbat and the workweek, between the very concepts of "holy" and "mundane." Are they really as distant from each other as their very different facets suggest?
The Sanctuary
Let us take a closer look at the "work of the field" and the "process of bread-making" that defines our workday lives.
The Torah chooses a rather roundabout way to convey to us the 39 types of work from which we must desist on Shabbat and the festivals: by linking the laws of Shabbat to the laws of the Sanctuary.
Following the revelation at Sinai, the Most High commanded the people of Israel to construct a "Sanctuary" for Him. Detailed instructions were given to Moses on how to shape fifteen materials (gold, silver, copper, wood, flax, wool of various colors and several types of animal skins) into a "dwelling for the Most High in the physical world."
In both the 31st and 35th chapters of Exodus, the commandment to cease work on Shabbat and Most High's instructions concerning the construction of the Sanctuary immediately follow each other. The Torah juxtaposes these two seemingly unrelated laws in order to teach us that the 39 creative acts which the construction of the Sanctuary necessitated are the same 39 categories of work that are forbidden to us on Shabbat:
A person is guilty of violating the Shabbat only if the work he does has a counterpart in the work of making the Sanctuary: they sowed (the herbs from which to make dyes for the tapestries); you, too, shall not sow [on Shabbat]. They harvested [the herbs]; you, too, shall not harvest. They loaded the boards from the ground onto the wagons; you, too, shall not bring an object from a public domain into a private domain...
For the work of the Sanctuary is the prototype for the work of life. In the words, "This is what man is all about, this is the purpose of his creation and the creation of all worlds, supernal and ephemeral — to make the Most High a dwelling in the physical world."
In other words, the work forbidden on Shabbat and the festivals — the work that defines the difference between the "holy" and "mundane" days of our lives — is not mundane work at all. It is holy work — the work of forming the physical world into a home for the Most High. Why, then, are the days on which this work is done regarded as the "mundane" days of our lives? And why are the days on which we are commanded to cease this work "holier" than the days on which this work is done?
The Lookout Tower
Indeed, the difference between the "holy" and "mundane" times of our lives is not a difference in essence, only a difference in perspective. Yet the reality of physical life is that to achieve a change of perspective one must change the place and position from which one looks.
Beyond its mundane surface, the material world possesses a deeper truth — its potential to house the goodness and perfection of its Creator. The purpose of our workday lives is to reveal this potential — to develop the material world as a home for the Most High. But on the workdays of our life, this potential is all but invisible to us, obscured by the very process that serves to bring it to light. Our very involvement with the material prevents us from experiencing its spiritual essence. To do so, we must rise above it.
A "holy" day is an elevation in the terrain of time, a lookout tower that rises above the surface of our workday lives to behold the true essence of our world — the essence we are laboring to actualize. (In the words of our sages, "Shabbat is a taste of the World to Come.") Rising to these "lookout points" means interrupting our life's work; but without these periodic glimpses from a higher, more detached vantage point, our involvement in the material may well become an enmeshment. Instead of sanctifying the mundane, we may find ourselves being profaned by it.
So one day a week, and on special occasions throughout the year, we cease our work in "the field" to gain a more transcendent view of our workday labors. Then, when we re-enter the so-called "mundane" days of our lives, the Shabbat or festival experience lingers on. Enriched with insight into the true nature of our labors, fortified by the vision of what our involvement with the material will ultimately achieve, our workday lives become more focused on their goal, and less susceptible to the diversions and entanglements of the mundane.
The Exception
For eleven months of the year, our lives alternate between the holy and the mundane — between the material labor of life and the spiritual vision of that labor's objective. For eleven months of the year, we must, at regular intervals, cease our work and rise above it in order to glimpse its soul and purpose.
The exception to this rule is the month of Elul. For during the month of Elul, the king comes to the field.
The king is the heart and soul of the nation, the embodiment of its goals and aspirations. The king, though sequestered behind the palace walls and bureaucracy, though glimpsed, if at all, through a veil of opulence and majesty, is a very real part of the farmer's field. He is the why of his plowing, the reason for his sowing, the objective of his harvest. No farmer labors for the sake of labor. He labors to transcend the dust of which he and his field are formed, to make more of what is. He labors for his dreams. He labors for his king.
So is the king in the field an apparition out of its element? Hardly. We may not be used to seeing him here, but is not the royal heart, too, sustained by bread? His bread may be baked in the palace, its raw ingredients discreetly delivered to a back entrance; the golden tray on which it is served may in no way evoke the loamy bed from which it grew; but it is the yield of the field all the same.
The king in the field is making contact with the source of his sustenance, with the underpinnings of his sovereignty. And the field is being visited by its raison d'être, by its ultimate function and essence.
Shabbat is when the farmer is invited to the palace. On Shabbat, his overalls are replaced with the regulation livery, his vocabulary is polished and his manners are refined, his soul and fingernails are cleansed of the residue of material life. On Shabbat, the farmer is whisked from the hinterland to the capital and ushered into the throne room.
But Elul is when the king comes to the field.
When the farmer sees the king in his field, does he keep on plowing? Does he behave as if this were just another day in the fields? Of course not. Elul is not a month of ordinary workdays. It is a time of increased Torah study, more fervent prayer, more generosity and charity. The very air is charged with holiness. We might still be in the field, but the field has become a holier place.
On the other hand, when the farmer sees the king in his field, does he run home to wash and change? Does he rush to the capital to school himself in palace protocol? But the king has come to the field, to commune with the processors of his bread in their environment and on their terms.
In the month of Elul, the essence and objective of life become that much more accessible. No longer do the material trappings of life conceal and distort its purpose, for the king has emerged from the concealment of his palace and is here, in the field. But unlike the holy days of the year, when we are lifted out of our workday lives, the encounter of Elul is hosted by our physical selves, within our material environment, on our working-man's terms.
Shema Selah, will you turn to the KIng while He is yet in the field?
Wednesday, August 27, 2025
THE POWER TO CHOOSE
Psalm chapter 27
Today we are walking in: The Power To Choose
Genesis 31:29
It is in the power of my hand H3027 to do you hurt: but the God of your father spake unto me yesternight, saying, Take thou heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.
POWER
Today we look to the word-POWER-H3027 yad-- strength, power
The Torah testifies...............
Deuteronomy 32:36
For the LORD shall judge his people, and repent himself for his servants, when he seeth that their power H3027 is gone, and there is none shut up, or left.
The prophets proclaim..................
Nehemiah 1:10
Now these are thy servants and thy people, whom thou hast redeemed by thy great power, and by thy strong hand. H3027
The writings bear witness...........................
2 Kings 19:26
Therefore their inhabitants were of small power, H3027 they were dismayed and confounded; they were as the grass of the field, and as the green herb, as the grass on the housetops, and as corn blasted before it be grown up.
Happy Day 4! Fiveamprayer Family As we continue walking in Psalms 27! You have the power to choose how you start your day and that will shape everything that comes after it and watch how your day transforms choose light and watch how your life transform! fear is a powerful force one that has the ability to paralyze distorted and undermine everything in it. It creeps into the mind seeping into every corner of our thoughts, creating uncertainty in doubt while fear may be a natural reaction to perceive threats, it is ultimately a choice and energy we allow in our lives. The truth is fear does not have to define us when we fear we can either let it control us or we can replace it with something stronger something more empowering. There’s something is strength! In this context. It’s not just physical. It is the inner resolve that drives us! to persevere to move forward in the face of uncertainty and to confront obstacles with confidence. It is the power of the human spirit to rise above challenges to transform adversity into opportunity and to trust that we have the ability to navigate whatever life presents to us Replacing fear with strength does not simply about suppressing fear. It is about recognizing that no matter how strong fear may seem, we have something far more within us, the strength, the strength to push forward and the strength to believe in ourselves, even when the world seems to say otherwise It’s easy to allow fear to take when face with the unknown fear fear of judgment, fear of not being enough.enough these are common fears that they can keep us stuck in pattern of action doubting ourselves in our potential, but we must realize is that fear is not an accurate reflection of reality. It is simply a mental construct a perception that starts with the truth. Fear convinces us that we are not strong enough capable enough worthy enough to succeed. It tells us that the challenges before us or insurmountable and that we should turn back before we even begin when we let fear dominate we are giving away our power. We allow it to dictate our actions to limit our choices to restrict our potential, but when we face fear we take our power back!! strength as the antidote allows us to face the unknown with a sense of courage and confidence, knowing that we have everything within us to overcome any obstacle strength, reminds us that we are not defined by our circumstance isn’t that no matter how difficult the road ahead and they seem we can handle it. One of the most important aspects of replacing fear with strength is developing the belief that we are capable it is easy to look at the challenges before us and feel overwhelmed. Strength comes from a deep inner conviction that we can handle whatever life throws when we cultivate this belief, we stop focusing on the potential for failure, focusing on the potential for success, we begin to see every challenge as an opportunity to grow to learn and approve to ourselves that we are capable of achieving more than we have thought possible This shift in mindset doesn’t happen overnight. It takes practice, patience, and intentional effort to replace fear with strength, it begins with recognizing the negative thought patterns that fear, fear thrives on uncertainty and worry it tells us that we’re not good enough that we don’t have the resources we need or that the world is against us, but when we start to challenge those thoughts when we replaced them with thoughts of possibility hope and empowerment we begin to break the good fear has over us. Strength is built through small acts of courage is developed every time we face of fear take a risk and push through our comfort zone. It is the accumulation a moment where we choose to move forward even when the path seems unclear each time we step into the unknown with courage we strengthen our resilience are confidence, and I believe in our own abilities strength is not something we are born with. It is something we cultivate to experience, perseverance, and action to replace fear with strength. We must also learn to embrace discomfort. Fear often arises when we step outside our comfort zones when we encounter situations that challenge existing or push us into new territory, the natural responses to resist to shrink back to avoid the discomfort, but true strength comes from being willing to sit with discomfort to face it head on to push through it discomfort is a sign that we are growing that we are evolving, and we are expanding into new levels of possibility the more we embrace discomfort, the stronger we become Each time we step through that we become more resilient, more capable and more confident in our ability to face whatever comes next another key to replacing fear with strength is practicing self compassion. Fear often thrives on self criticism on the belief that we are not good enough, or that we will fail when we approach ourselves with kindness and understanding we reduce the power power fear has over us self compassion allows us to recognize that we are not perfect that we may stumble, and that failure is not the end of the journey. It is simply part of the process by showing ourselves the same compassion we will show a friend in terms of struggle we can begin to release the grip of fear and replace it with strength. We learn to accept ourselves flaws and all to trust that we are doing our best strength also comes from surrounding ourselves. A positive influences fears to grow in isolation and environment with negativity doubts When we surround ourselves with people who believe in us to encourage us, and who inspire us to reach higher our strength, multiplies strength is not always something we can summon alone. It is often found in the support and encouragement of others when we have a network of people who uplift us and remind us of our potential we are able to replace fear with the confidence and strength needed to move forward a critical part of replacing fear with strength is learning to trust the process. Life is unpredictable and the success is really straight. There will be setbacks, disappointments, and moments when things don’t go as planned it is in these moments that fear often in making us question our decisions in our abilities, but when we learn to trust the process to have faith that every experience every challenge into our growth, we can embrace the uncertainty strength is found in the trust that we are exactly where we need to be and every step even the difficult ones is leading us to the life we are meant to live When fear is placed with strength we begin to see the world in a different light instead of seeing obstacles as an insurmountable barriers, we see them as opportunities for growth instead of fairy failure we embrace it as a stepping stone towards success instead of shrinking away from challenges, we charged to them, knowing that we have the strength to face Them Life becomes less about avoiding fear and more about walking through with the understanding that we have the strength to overcome anything that stands in our way, the beauty of replacing fear with strength is that it is a choice. We can make it any moment, no matter where we are life no matter what challenges we are facing we can choose to replace fear with strength. It is a decision to take control of our mind. Our thoughts, and our actions is a decision to believe in our ability to rise above adversity to trust in the process to embrace the journey with courage clear may be powerful, but strength stronger, and we choose strength we reclaim our power and our potential we no longer let fear dictate our lies. we allow our inner strength to guide us toward the future we desire desire. Confidence is not merely an external projection. It is the powerful internal conviction that you are capable worthy and prepare for whatever life brings your way. It is the belief that no matter the challenge is no matter the obstacles you have the strength, intelligence and resilience to overcome them confidence is the foundation up upon which all success is built. It is the energy that feels every every decision, every action and every aspiration, and yet many people struggle to claim that confidence to stand tall in the face of doubt and fear to speak the truth and pursue their dreams with conviction confidence is not something we are born with, but rather something we create within ourselves to consistent thought patterns behaviors in Belize. It begins with a shift in perception, a deep understanding that you are enough just as you are and that the world has no power over your worth. It is the realization that you are deserving of success, happiness, and fulfillment, and that you are the architect of your own life the first step in declaring your confidence is to let go of the limiting belief that I’ve held you back. These from past experience is negative feedback from others or society I tell you who you should be or what you should do They can be insidious lingering in your subconscious influencing your thoughts without even realizing it these beliefs are rooted in fear and doubt, and prevent you from stepping fully into your power they make you question your abilities, your decision and hesitate to take action to declare your confidence. You must recognize these limiting belief for what they are false narratives that have no place in your life life you are not defined by your past mistakes by the judgments of others by the expectations of society you are defined by your potential, your unique talents, and your capacity to learn and grow Once you begin to see these limiting belief for what they are you can replace them with empowering thoughts and affirmations to serve your highest good another key to declaring your confidence to embrace your individuality so often we compare ourselves to others, measuring our success, appearance or abilities against someone else’s. This comparison creates feelings of inadequacy, self doubt it can make you feel like you are not enough that you are missing something or that you are somehow lesser than others, but the truth is, you are unique. There is no one else in the world like you with your specific combination of experiences and perspective uniqueness is your power embrace who you are unapologetically that your value is not depending on fitting into some predefined mode, I’m meeting someone else standards. Your value is inherent. It comes from the simple fact that you exist that you are alive and that you have the ability to make a difference in the world when you truly embrace your individuality when you accept yourself completely, your confidence will naturally rights. You will no longer feel the need to prove yourself to others because you will deep within that you are enough declaring your confidence also requires you to trust yourself and your instincts Confidence is rooted in self trust the belief that you can rely on yourself to make decisions to take action and to navigate the challenges that come your way when you trust yourself, you know on the sick validation from others you stop questioning your choices in second guessing your direction you take action because you know that you are capable of handling whatever comes next Yourself means trusting your intuition, your inner voice that guide you to the right path it is trusting that you have the wisdom, strength and resilience to face adversity and rise above it every time you trust yourself, you build your confidence every time you make a decision and follow through it. You strengthen the belief that you are capable of achieving your goals, the critical aspect of declaring your confidence is developing a positive relationship with failure Many people fear failure because they see it as a reflection of the inadequacy in ability, but the reality is that failure is not the opposite of success. It is a part of the process. It is true failure that we learn and become stronger every successful person as face failure is a part of the journey, and it should be embraced When you declare your confidence you embrace failure as a learning experience you understand every setback is an opportunity to gain new insights to refine your approach and to improve failure, does not diminish your worth it increases your wisdom help to become more resilient, more resourceful and more capable, so rather than shine away from failure forward with the knowledge that it is simply stepping on your path to success Confidence is also about taking consistent action. You cannot declare your confidence without demonstrating it through your actions. confidence is not something that exist in a vacuum. It is built through experience through doing it every time you take action, even when you feel unsure or afraid you reinforced to believe in your own abilities every step you take no matter how small brings you closer to your goals and strength your sense of soft. It is easy to talk about confidence for it to imagine what it would feel like confidence is not something that is simply given to you. It is earned through action. It is the result of consistently showing up for yourself, even when it feels uncomfortable even when it feels difficult, the more you act with confidence, the more confident you will Become With each success, no matter how minor your confidence will grow propelling even greater achievements, in addition to action, declaring your confidence requires cultivating a mindset of abundance so often we are to think that there is a limited supply of success, happiness, and opportunities. We think that for someone else to succeed, we must fail we believe that there is only so much success to go around this mindset of scarcity breeze, fear and security. It makes us hesitant to take risks to pursue our dreams or to celebrate the success of others but when you declare your confidence you shift your mindset to one of abundance, you understand that there is more than enough for everyone There is no shortage of opportunities success, happiness, success of others does not diminish your own potential. There is room for you to thrive as there is room for everyone else when you embrace an abundance mindset, you stop viewing life as a competition is not seeing it as a collaborative journey, where everyone has the potential to succeed disbelief allows you to step into your power, knowing that the world is abundant and your success is inevitable a powerful tool in declaring your confidence is the practice of affirmations affirmations are positive empowering statements that reinforce your belief in your own abilities and potential, they are declarations of your capabilities and your future success success by repeating affirmations daily you rewire your brain to think more positivity to believe in yourself and to act confidence Your affirmation should reflect your goals your values and the person you are becoming they should be present 10 statements as if you’ve already achieved your goals for example, I am confident in my abilities why I trust myself to make the right decision powerful affirmations that can help you build yourself confidence by consistently speaking these affirmations you are plantings of confidence in your mind that will eventually grow into a deep rooted belief in yourself finally, declaring your confidence requires a deep commitment to your personal growth. Confidence does not come from remaining stagnant. It comes from continuous learning, evolving and improving. It comes from pushing yourself to become the best version of yourself when you commit to your own growth to be becoming a better version of yourself every single day you your confidence naturally increases. You understand that you always evolving always learning and always improving. This knowledge empowers you to take action to trust in yourself, and to believe that you are capable of achieving greatness focus is the key to unlock the door to your greatest potential. It is the ability to direct your mind and energy to a single objective to block out distraction, and to remain steadfast on your path, despite the many Temptations that fee for your attention in the world filled with constant noise and never ending stream of information and a plethora of demands on your time, the ability to focus is more important than ever. It is the difference between achieving your dreams and being lost in the chaos of every day life to seek your focus to recognize that your most valuable resource is your attention and that way you place it will determine the direction of your life and its core focus is about intentionality. It is about making a conscious choice to invest your time, energy and mental resources in the things that matter to you Every day you are faced with an overwhelming number of distractions, people technology, and your own thoughts and emotions each one pulling you in a different direction the challenge lies and learning how to navigate this constant barrage of stimuli to create mental clarity and to stay on course despite the noise in the world with distraction is rampant seeking your focus becomes a form of resistance it is a refusal to allow external forces to dictate your attention and instead and active reclaiming your power to direct your mind toward what truly matters taking focus starts with understanding the power of your thoughts, the mind is an incredibly powerful too capable of shaping your reality, guiding your decisions, and ultimately determining the course of your life, however like any to the mind requires discipline if you allow your mind to wonder aimlessly, it will lead you in circles, focusing on the trivial the negative or the irrelevant. It will waste your time and energy on things that do not serve your highest purpose. Therefore, seeking focus begins with the awareness that your thoughts must be directed with purpose. Your mind must be trained to concentrate on the things that will propel you toward your goals not the things that will hold you back. The first step in this process is identifying what truly matters to you in the rush of life. It is easy to get caught up in the knees and demands of others to lose sight of your own priorities. The first step in seeking your focus is to define your vision. What do you want to achieve? What are your deepest desires are the things that truly bring your joyful film and purpose when you are clear on what matters you can align your thoughts and actions with those values You can begin to eliminate the distractions that are pulling away from your true purpose and you can focus all your energy on the things that will bring you closer to your vision. This process of seeking focus also involves setting boundaries in a world where everyone has an opinion where everyone has a demand and where everything seems urgent it can be difficult to maintain your focus. It requires you to say no to say no distractions to say no to activities that do not serve your goal and to say no to people who drain your energy setting boundaries as a powerful active self-respect it is the recognition that your energy are precious and that you must protect them. If you want to succeed by setting boundaries, you are creating space for the things that matter You are giving yourself permission to focus on your dreams without guilt or hesitation in the pursuit of focus, it is important to cultivate the habit of mindfulness mindfulness practice of being fully present in the moment of paying attention to what you are doing without being distracted by thoughts of the past about the future when you are mindful, you are able to direct your attention with intention without being hijacked by distractions, practicing mindfulness allows you to become aware of the thoughts and impulses that arise in your mind and to choose which to focus on it is a skill that can be developed over time to practice and patience the more you practice, mindful as the the easier it becomes to maintain focus present in the task at hand seeking your focus. Also requires you to be discipline. Focus is not something that happens by accident. It is the result of consistent effort. Discipline is the ability to stay committed to your goals, even when the initial excitement phase, even when the path becomes challenging, and even when distractions seem overwhelming, it is the determination to keep moving forward even when it feels difficult discipline in the pursuit of focus means creating a routine Structured support goal setting to work on your priorities to take action to move closer to your vision more discipline you become the easier it is to maintain focus because you have created a system that supports it however, discipline is not enough seeking your focus. Also flexibility life is unpredictable and the path to your goals will rarely be straight. There will be unexpected challenges and obstacles along the way. The key is to remain focused on your end goal while being flexible in your approach, if one path is blocked, you must be willing to adapt and find another way for flexibility allows you to stay calm and compose when things do not go according to plan and it helps you to maintain your focus, even in the face of adversity is the ability to stay committed to your vision while being open to new opportunities. Another critical aspect of seeking focus is maintaining your energy. Focus requires mental, emotional and physical energy energy, and if you are constantly running on empty, it will be impossible to stay focused on your goals. It is to take care of yourself, rest recharge and replenish your energy. This means getting enough sleep, eating, nourishing, food, exercising regularly and engaging in activities that bring you, joy and relaxation. The more energize you are the easier. It will be to concentrate to stay productive and to maintain your focus self-care is not a luxury it is a necessity for those who are seeking to reach the highest potential equally important is the practice of staying connected to your wife when you are clear on why you are pursuing a particular goal it becomes easier to maintain focus is the deeper reason behind your efforts, the force that fuels your determination it is the emotional connection to your goal to keep you motivated, even when the road is tough why is what reminds you of the bigger picture of the work you are doing when distractions arise, when creeping your way serves as a powerful reminder of the purpose behind your focus as you seek your focus it is essential to be patient with yourself developing focus a process, and it takes time it is easy to become discouraged. If you do not see immediate results but true success comes from consistent effort overtime every small step you take your goal. Every moment you focus attention brings closer to your desired outcome. The key is to keep going, even when it feels slower, challenging, trust that the work you are doing is making the difference and that with each day you are building the momentum that will eventually lead to success finally seeking and focus me being willing to embrace discomfort the pursuit of focus is not always easy. It requires you to resist the temptation of distractions to ignore the Earth to procrastinate to push through the moments of doubt and frustration, but in doing so you will discover a deep sense of satisfaction and fulfillment. There is a unique joy that comes from knowing that you are fully invested in your goals that you are dedicating your energy and attention to something that matters The discomfort. Your experience in the process is the price of growth and as you continue to seek your focus, you will find the reward the challenges focus between where you are and where you want to be it is the fourth that propel you forward that keeps you grounded in the prison while guiding you toward your future by seeking your focus, you are choosing to live, intentionally to take control of your time and energy to direct your life toward what matters most in a world full of distraction, seeking your focus is an act of strength and clarity is the decision to rise above the noise to make your life a testament to your dedication to create the future you desire one focus step at a time to walk with boldness is to live a life of courage, conviction, and unwavering determination. It is the conscious decision to move forward, despite fear, uncertainty, and doubt to stand tall and face the challenges of life head on bonus is not the absence of fear, but the willingness to take action despite it is about embracing the unknown trusting in your own abilities And believing that you have what it takes to overcome any obstacle that stands in your way with a mindset that encourages you to break free from the limitations that I’ve been imposed upon you by society by others or even by your own doubts it is the audacity to pursue your dreams with confidence to step into the world with the belief that you are capable of achieving greatness and to do so with a heart full of passion and purpose The first step to walk with is to recognize that you are worthy of success so often hold themselves back because they do not believe they deserve the life for themselves. They listen to the voice of insecurity. Tell them they are not good enough, not smart enough or not capable enough, but the truth is that you are worthy of success simply because you exist, you were born with unique talent, skills and potential that are meant to be developed and shared with the world to walk with means rejecting the false narrative that hold you back and embracing the belief that you are deserving of all the good things that life has to offer. This belief in your worthiness must be grounded in self-confidence confidence is the foundation upon which bonus is built without our confidence. It is difficult to take the wrist that unnecessary necessary for success. Success confidence comes from knowing yourself, your strengths, your weaknesses, your passion, and your your purpose purpose. It is the understanding that you are capable of handling whatever challenges come your way that you have the resilience to bounce back from setback and that poses the wisdom to make the right decisions when face with difficult choices confidence does not come from external validation, or the approval of others it comes from within it is cultivated to self reflection, self acceptance, and a deep belief in your own abilities. Once you have cultivated confidence, you can begin to walk with boldness in every area of your life. this means taking action, even when the head is unclear moving forward, even when there are no guarantees and trusting that each step will bring closer to your goals this is about taking risk, stepping outside of your comfort zone and pushing past the boundaries of what you thought was possible it is easy to stay in your comfort zone because it feels safe and familiar But growth never happens in the comfort zone if you want to achieve anything meaningful you must be willing to take risks to step into the unknown, and a trust that the rewards will be worth the effort one of the greatest challenges to walk in with bonus is the fear failure. Failure is often seen as something to be avoided at all cost, but in reality failure is simply a part of the journey. It is to failure that we learn grow and become stronger. Every successful person has experience failure at some point, but what system apart is their ability to bounce back to learn from their mistakes and to keep going despite the setbacks with boldness means embracing failure as a teacher, not as a setback it means having the courage to try even when you are unsure of the outcome, it means failing forward, using each failure as an opportunity to grow refine your approach and come back stronger than before. Boldness also requires resilience. The ability to persevere in the face of adversity. Life is full of challenges and it will be times when things do not go according to plan there will be obstacles that seem insurmountable setbacks that leave you feeling defeated and moments when you question whether it is worth it, but resilience is what allows you to keep going even when the road is tough. It is the inner strength that enables you to rise after falling to keep moving forward when the path seems unclear and to believe that every challenge is an opportunity to growth, Brazilian is about maintaining a positive mindset in the face of difficulty choosing to see obstacles as opportunities for growth rather than insurmountable barriers. When you walk with you are also willing to stand out from the crowd the world often encourage conform, the rules fitting in with the crowd and not rocking the boat. True requires you to stand firm in your belief to live according to your values to pursue your dreams even when others doubt you it is easy to follow the crowd because it feels safe and familiar by walking with bonus means being willing to take the road less traveled it means stay true to who you are even when others may not understand or approve requires you to be unapologetically yourself to trust that your unique perspective, talents and ideas have value to share them with the world with bonus also means being willing to take responsibility for your life It means acknowledging that you are the creator of your own reality that the choices you make today will shake your future too often people blame external circumstances, or other people for their lack of success. They wait for the right opportunity for the perfect moment of someone to give them permission to succeed, but the truth is that the power to create the life desires within you. This comes from taking ownership of your life from making the decision to act from refusing to wait for the perfect moment, the time to start is now the time to act is today you are the master of your own destiny and your future is shaped by the choices you make today today as you walk with bonus it is essential to surround yourself with people who support and encourage you. this is not about going alone. It is about finding the strength and community. The people you surround yourself with will have a tremendous impact on your journey if you surround yourself with people who believe in your dreams, who encourage you to take risk and will support you when times get tough. You will find that your bonus gross on the other hand if you surround yourself with negative fearful and supportive people, it will be much harder to walk with bonus to surround yourself of people who lift you up who challenge you to be your best and who believe in your potential One of the greatest tools in walking with bone is the ability to trust your intuition intuition is that annoying gut feeling that guide you in the right direction even when logic and reason failed to provide clearance requires you to trust your voice to listen to the wisdom that resides within you and to take action based on that guidance Intuition is often the bridge between fear and confidence between uncertainty and clarity. It is the source of your inner strength and your connection to something greater than yourself to walk with bone to trust that you are being guided toward the opportunities the right people and the right path in the end with bonus is about embracing the unknown with confidence and courage it is about, stepping into your power, trusting your abilities, and believing that you have everything you need to create the life you desire it is about rejecting, fear, and doubt and moving forward with faith in yourself and in the process, this is not something that can be manufactured, but it is a muscle that can be developed with practice every step you take towards your goals every risk you take, and every challenge your face will build your bones. Strengthen your resolve. The world needs people who are willing to work with bonus to take the others are free to take to lead with courage, you are capable of living a life of bonus, and it starts with the decision to take that first step.
Today we are walking in: The Power To Choose
Genesis 31:29
It is in the power of my hand H3027 to do you hurt: but the God of your father spake unto me yesternight, saying, Take thou heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.
POWER
Today we look to the word-POWER-H3027 yad-- strength, power
The Torah testifies...............
Deuteronomy 32:36
For the LORD shall judge his people, and repent himself for his servants, when he seeth that their power H3027 is gone, and there is none shut up, or left.
The prophets proclaim..................
Nehemiah 1:10
Now these are thy servants and thy people, whom thou hast redeemed by thy great power, and by thy strong hand. H3027
The writings bear witness...........................
2 Kings 19:26
Therefore their inhabitants were of small power, H3027 they were dismayed and confounded; they were as the grass of the field, and as the green herb, as the grass on the housetops, and as corn blasted before it be grown up.
Happy Day 4! Fiveamprayer Family As we continue walking in Psalms 27! You have the power to choose how you start your day and that will shape everything that comes after it and watch how your day transforms choose light and watch how your life transform! fear is a powerful force one that has the ability to paralyze distorted and undermine everything in it. It creeps into the mind seeping into every corner of our thoughts, creating uncertainty in doubt while fear may be a natural reaction to perceive threats, it is ultimately a choice and energy we allow in our lives. The truth is fear does not have to define us when we fear we can either let it control us or we can replace it with something stronger something more empowering. There’s something is strength! In this context. It’s not just physical. It is the inner resolve that drives us! to persevere to move forward in the face of uncertainty and to confront obstacles with confidence. It is the power of the human spirit to rise above challenges to transform adversity into opportunity and to trust that we have the ability to navigate whatever life presents to us Replacing fear with strength does not simply about suppressing fear. It is about recognizing that no matter how strong fear may seem, we have something far more within us, the strength, the strength to push forward and the strength to believe in ourselves, even when the world seems to say otherwise It’s easy to allow fear to take when face with the unknown fear fear of judgment, fear of not being enough.enough these are common fears that they can keep us stuck in pattern of action doubting ourselves in our potential, but we must realize is that fear is not an accurate reflection of reality. It is simply a mental construct a perception that starts with the truth. Fear convinces us that we are not strong enough capable enough worthy enough to succeed. It tells us that the challenges before us or insurmountable and that we should turn back before we even begin when we let fear dominate we are giving away our power. We allow it to dictate our actions to limit our choices to restrict our potential, but when we face fear we take our power back!! strength as the antidote allows us to face the unknown with a sense of courage and confidence, knowing that we have everything within us to overcome any obstacle strength, reminds us that we are not defined by our circumstance isn’t that no matter how difficult the road ahead and they seem we can handle it. One of the most important aspects of replacing fear with strength is developing the belief that we are capable it is easy to look at the challenges before us and feel overwhelmed. Strength comes from a deep inner conviction that we can handle whatever life throws when we cultivate this belief, we stop focusing on the potential for failure, focusing on the potential for success, we begin to see every challenge as an opportunity to grow to learn and approve to ourselves that we are capable of achieving more than we have thought possible This shift in mindset doesn’t happen overnight. It takes practice, patience, and intentional effort to replace fear with strength, it begins with recognizing the negative thought patterns that fear, fear thrives on uncertainty and worry it tells us that we’re not good enough that we don’t have the resources we need or that the world is against us, but when we start to challenge those thoughts when we replaced them with thoughts of possibility hope and empowerment we begin to break the good fear has over us. Strength is built through small acts of courage is developed every time we face of fear take a risk and push through our comfort zone. It is the accumulation a moment where we choose to move forward even when the path seems unclear each time we step into the unknown with courage we strengthen our resilience are confidence, and I believe in our own abilities strength is not something we are born with. It is something we cultivate to experience, perseverance, and action to replace fear with strength. We must also learn to embrace discomfort. Fear often arises when we step outside our comfort zones when we encounter situations that challenge existing or push us into new territory, the natural responses to resist to shrink back to avoid the discomfort, but true strength comes from being willing to sit with discomfort to face it head on to push through it discomfort is a sign that we are growing that we are evolving, and we are expanding into new levels of possibility the more we embrace discomfort, the stronger we become Each time we step through that we become more resilient, more capable and more confident in our ability to face whatever comes next another key to replacing fear with strength is practicing self compassion. Fear often thrives on self criticism on the belief that we are not good enough, or that we will fail when we approach ourselves with kindness and understanding we reduce the power power fear has over us self compassion allows us to recognize that we are not perfect that we may stumble, and that failure is not the end of the journey. It is simply part of the process by showing ourselves the same compassion we will show a friend in terms of struggle we can begin to release the grip of fear and replace it with strength. We learn to accept ourselves flaws and all to trust that we are doing our best strength also comes from surrounding ourselves. A positive influences fears to grow in isolation and environment with negativity doubts When we surround ourselves with people who believe in us to encourage us, and who inspire us to reach higher our strength, multiplies strength is not always something we can summon alone. It is often found in the support and encouragement of others when we have a network of people who uplift us and remind us of our potential we are able to replace fear with the confidence and strength needed to move forward a critical part of replacing fear with strength is learning to trust the process. Life is unpredictable and the success is really straight. There will be setbacks, disappointments, and moments when things don’t go as planned it is in these moments that fear often in making us question our decisions in our abilities, but when we learn to trust the process to have faith that every experience every challenge into our growth, we can embrace the uncertainty strength is found in the trust that we are exactly where we need to be and every step even the difficult ones is leading us to the life we are meant to live When fear is placed with strength we begin to see the world in a different light instead of seeing obstacles as an insurmountable barriers, we see them as opportunities for growth instead of fairy failure we embrace it as a stepping stone towards success instead of shrinking away from challenges, we charged to them, knowing that we have the strength to face Them Life becomes less about avoiding fear and more about walking through with the understanding that we have the strength to overcome anything that stands in our way, the beauty of replacing fear with strength is that it is a choice. We can make it any moment, no matter where we are life no matter what challenges we are facing we can choose to replace fear with strength. It is a decision to take control of our mind. Our thoughts, and our actions is a decision to believe in our ability to rise above adversity to trust in the process to embrace the journey with courage clear may be powerful, but strength stronger, and we choose strength we reclaim our power and our potential we no longer let fear dictate our lies. we allow our inner strength to guide us toward the future we desire desire. Confidence is not merely an external projection. It is the powerful internal conviction that you are capable worthy and prepare for whatever life brings your way. It is the belief that no matter the challenge is no matter the obstacles you have the strength, intelligence and resilience to overcome them confidence is the foundation up upon which all success is built. It is the energy that feels every every decision, every action and every aspiration, and yet many people struggle to claim that confidence to stand tall in the face of doubt and fear to speak the truth and pursue their dreams with conviction confidence is not something we are born with, but rather something we create within ourselves to consistent thought patterns behaviors in Belize. It begins with a shift in perception, a deep understanding that you are enough just as you are and that the world has no power over your worth. It is the realization that you are deserving of success, happiness, and fulfillment, and that you are the architect of your own life the first step in declaring your confidence is to let go of the limiting belief that I’ve held you back. These from past experience is negative feedback from others or society I tell you who you should be or what you should do They can be insidious lingering in your subconscious influencing your thoughts without even realizing it these beliefs are rooted in fear and doubt, and prevent you from stepping fully into your power they make you question your abilities, your decision and hesitate to take action to declare your confidence. You must recognize these limiting belief for what they are false narratives that have no place in your life life you are not defined by your past mistakes by the judgments of others by the expectations of society you are defined by your potential, your unique talents, and your capacity to learn and grow Once you begin to see these limiting belief for what they are you can replace them with empowering thoughts and affirmations to serve your highest good another key to declaring your confidence to embrace your individuality so often we compare ourselves to others, measuring our success, appearance or abilities against someone else’s. This comparison creates feelings of inadequacy, self doubt it can make you feel like you are not enough that you are missing something or that you are somehow lesser than others, but the truth is, you are unique. There is no one else in the world like you with your specific combination of experiences and perspective uniqueness is your power embrace who you are unapologetically that your value is not depending on fitting into some predefined mode, I’m meeting someone else standards. Your value is inherent. It comes from the simple fact that you exist that you are alive and that you have the ability to make a difference in the world when you truly embrace your individuality when you accept yourself completely, your confidence will naturally rights. You will no longer feel the need to prove yourself to others because you will deep within that you are enough declaring your confidence also requires you to trust yourself and your instincts Confidence is rooted in self trust the belief that you can rely on yourself to make decisions to take action and to navigate the challenges that come your way when you trust yourself, you know on the sick validation from others you stop questioning your choices in second guessing your direction you take action because you know that you are capable of handling whatever comes next Yourself means trusting your intuition, your inner voice that guide you to the right path it is trusting that you have the wisdom, strength and resilience to face adversity and rise above it every time you trust yourself, you build your confidence every time you make a decision and follow through it. You strengthen the belief that you are capable of achieving your goals, the critical aspect of declaring your confidence is developing a positive relationship with failure Many people fear failure because they see it as a reflection of the inadequacy in ability, but the reality is that failure is not the opposite of success. It is a part of the process. It is true failure that we learn and become stronger every successful person as face failure is a part of the journey, and it should be embraced When you declare your confidence you embrace failure as a learning experience you understand every setback is an opportunity to gain new insights to refine your approach and to improve failure, does not diminish your worth it increases your wisdom help to become more resilient, more resourceful and more capable, so rather than shine away from failure forward with the knowledge that it is simply stepping on your path to success Confidence is also about taking consistent action. You cannot declare your confidence without demonstrating it through your actions. confidence is not something that exist in a vacuum. It is built through experience through doing it every time you take action, even when you feel unsure or afraid you reinforced to believe in your own abilities every step you take no matter how small brings you closer to your goals and strength your sense of soft. It is easy to talk about confidence for it to imagine what it would feel like confidence is not something that is simply given to you. It is earned through action. It is the result of consistently showing up for yourself, even when it feels uncomfortable even when it feels difficult, the more you act with confidence, the more confident you will Become With each success, no matter how minor your confidence will grow propelling even greater achievements, in addition to action, declaring your confidence requires cultivating a mindset of abundance so often we are to think that there is a limited supply of success, happiness, and opportunities. We think that for someone else to succeed, we must fail we believe that there is only so much success to go around this mindset of scarcity breeze, fear and security. It makes us hesitant to take risks to pursue our dreams or to celebrate the success of others but when you declare your confidence you shift your mindset to one of abundance, you understand that there is more than enough for everyone There is no shortage of opportunities success, happiness, success of others does not diminish your own potential. There is room for you to thrive as there is room for everyone else when you embrace an abundance mindset, you stop viewing life as a competition is not seeing it as a collaborative journey, where everyone has the potential to succeed disbelief allows you to step into your power, knowing that the world is abundant and your success is inevitable a powerful tool in declaring your confidence is the practice of affirmations affirmations are positive empowering statements that reinforce your belief in your own abilities and potential, they are declarations of your capabilities and your future success success by repeating affirmations daily you rewire your brain to think more positivity to believe in yourself and to act confidence Your affirmation should reflect your goals your values and the person you are becoming they should be present 10 statements as if you’ve already achieved your goals for example, I am confident in my abilities why I trust myself to make the right decision powerful affirmations that can help you build yourself confidence by consistently speaking these affirmations you are plantings of confidence in your mind that will eventually grow into a deep rooted belief in yourself finally, declaring your confidence requires a deep commitment to your personal growth. Confidence does not come from remaining stagnant. It comes from continuous learning, evolving and improving. It comes from pushing yourself to become the best version of yourself when you commit to your own growth to be becoming a better version of yourself every single day you your confidence naturally increases. You understand that you always evolving always learning and always improving. This knowledge empowers you to take action to trust in yourself, and to believe that you are capable of achieving greatness focus is the key to unlock the door to your greatest potential. It is the ability to direct your mind and energy to a single objective to block out distraction, and to remain steadfast on your path, despite the many Temptations that fee for your attention in the world filled with constant noise and never ending stream of information and a plethora of demands on your time, the ability to focus is more important than ever. It is the difference between achieving your dreams and being lost in the chaos of every day life to seek your focus to recognize that your most valuable resource is your attention and that way you place it will determine the direction of your life and its core focus is about intentionality. It is about making a conscious choice to invest your time, energy and mental resources in the things that matter to you Every day you are faced with an overwhelming number of distractions, people technology, and your own thoughts and emotions each one pulling you in a different direction the challenge lies and learning how to navigate this constant barrage of stimuli to create mental clarity and to stay on course despite the noise in the world with distraction is rampant seeking your focus becomes a form of resistance it is a refusal to allow external forces to dictate your attention and instead and active reclaiming your power to direct your mind toward what truly matters taking focus starts with understanding the power of your thoughts, the mind is an incredibly powerful too capable of shaping your reality, guiding your decisions, and ultimately determining the course of your life, however like any to the mind requires discipline if you allow your mind to wonder aimlessly, it will lead you in circles, focusing on the trivial the negative or the irrelevant. It will waste your time and energy on things that do not serve your highest purpose. Therefore, seeking focus begins with the awareness that your thoughts must be directed with purpose. Your mind must be trained to concentrate on the things that will propel you toward your goals not the things that will hold you back. The first step in this process is identifying what truly matters to you in the rush of life. It is easy to get caught up in the knees and demands of others to lose sight of your own priorities. The first step in seeking your focus is to define your vision. What do you want to achieve? What are your deepest desires are the things that truly bring your joyful film and purpose when you are clear on what matters you can align your thoughts and actions with those values You can begin to eliminate the distractions that are pulling away from your true purpose and you can focus all your energy on the things that will bring you closer to your vision. This process of seeking focus also involves setting boundaries in a world where everyone has an opinion where everyone has a demand and where everything seems urgent it can be difficult to maintain your focus. It requires you to say no to say no distractions to say no to activities that do not serve your goal and to say no to people who drain your energy setting boundaries as a powerful active self-respect it is the recognition that your energy are precious and that you must protect them. If you want to succeed by setting boundaries, you are creating space for the things that matter You are giving yourself permission to focus on your dreams without guilt or hesitation in the pursuit of focus, it is important to cultivate the habit of mindfulness mindfulness practice of being fully present in the moment of paying attention to what you are doing without being distracted by thoughts of the past about the future when you are mindful, you are able to direct your attention with intention without being hijacked by distractions, practicing mindfulness allows you to become aware of the thoughts and impulses that arise in your mind and to choose which to focus on it is a skill that can be developed over time to practice and patience the more you practice, mindful as the the easier it becomes to maintain focus present in the task at hand seeking your focus. Also requires you to be discipline. Focus is not something that happens by accident. It is the result of consistent effort. Discipline is the ability to stay committed to your goals, even when the initial excitement phase, even when the path becomes challenging, and even when distractions seem overwhelming, it is the determination to keep moving forward even when it feels difficult discipline in the pursuit of focus means creating a routine Structured support goal setting to work on your priorities to take action to move closer to your vision more discipline you become the easier it is to maintain focus because you have created a system that supports it however, discipline is not enough seeking your focus. Also flexibility life is unpredictable and the path to your goals will rarely be straight. There will be unexpected challenges and obstacles along the way. The key is to remain focused on your end goal while being flexible in your approach, if one path is blocked, you must be willing to adapt and find another way for flexibility allows you to stay calm and compose when things do not go according to plan and it helps you to maintain your focus, even in the face of adversity is the ability to stay committed to your vision while being open to new opportunities. Another critical aspect of seeking focus is maintaining your energy. Focus requires mental, emotional and physical energy energy, and if you are constantly running on empty, it will be impossible to stay focused on your goals. It is to take care of yourself, rest recharge and replenish your energy. This means getting enough sleep, eating, nourishing, food, exercising regularly and engaging in activities that bring you, joy and relaxation. The more energize you are the easier. It will be to concentrate to stay productive and to maintain your focus self-care is not a luxury it is a necessity for those who are seeking to reach the highest potential equally important is the practice of staying connected to your wife when you are clear on why you are pursuing a particular goal it becomes easier to maintain focus is the deeper reason behind your efforts, the force that fuels your determination it is the emotional connection to your goal to keep you motivated, even when the road is tough why is what reminds you of the bigger picture of the work you are doing when distractions arise, when creeping your way serves as a powerful reminder of the purpose behind your focus as you seek your focus it is essential to be patient with yourself developing focus a process, and it takes time it is easy to become discouraged. If you do not see immediate results but true success comes from consistent effort overtime every small step you take your goal. Every moment you focus attention brings closer to your desired outcome. The key is to keep going, even when it feels slower, challenging, trust that the work you are doing is making the difference and that with each day you are building the momentum that will eventually lead to success finally seeking and focus me being willing to embrace discomfort the pursuit of focus is not always easy. It requires you to resist the temptation of distractions to ignore the Earth to procrastinate to push through the moments of doubt and frustration, but in doing so you will discover a deep sense of satisfaction and fulfillment. There is a unique joy that comes from knowing that you are fully invested in your goals that you are dedicating your energy and attention to something that matters The discomfort. Your experience in the process is the price of growth and as you continue to seek your focus, you will find the reward the challenges focus between where you are and where you want to be it is the fourth that propel you forward that keeps you grounded in the prison while guiding you toward your future by seeking your focus, you are choosing to live, intentionally to take control of your time and energy to direct your life toward what matters most in a world full of distraction, seeking your focus is an act of strength and clarity is the decision to rise above the noise to make your life a testament to your dedication to create the future you desire one focus step at a time to walk with boldness is to live a life of courage, conviction, and unwavering determination. It is the conscious decision to move forward, despite fear, uncertainty, and doubt to stand tall and face the challenges of life head on bonus is not the absence of fear, but the willingness to take action despite it is about embracing the unknown trusting in your own abilities And believing that you have what it takes to overcome any obstacle that stands in your way with a mindset that encourages you to break free from the limitations that I’ve been imposed upon you by society by others or even by your own doubts it is the audacity to pursue your dreams with confidence to step into the world with the belief that you are capable of achieving greatness and to do so with a heart full of passion and purpose The first step to walk with is to recognize that you are worthy of success so often hold themselves back because they do not believe they deserve the life for themselves. They listen to the voice of insecurity. Tell them they are not good enough, not smart enough or not capable enough, but the truth is that you are worthy of success simply because you exist, you were born with unique talent, skills and potential that are meant to be developed and shared with the world to walk with means rejecting the false narrative that hold you back and embracing the belief that you are deserving of all the good things that life has to offer. This belief in your worthiness must be grounded in self-confidence confidence is the foundation upon which bonus is built without our confidence. It is difficult to take the wrist that unnecessary necessary for success. Success confidence comes from knowing yourself, your strengths, your weaknesses, your passion, and your your purpose purpose. It is the understanding that you are capable of handling whatever challenges come your way that you have the resilience to bounce back from setback and that poses the wisdom to make the right decisions when face with difficult choices confidence does not come from external validation, or the approval of others it comes from within it is cultivated to self reflection, self acceptance, and a deep belief in your own abilities. Once you have cultivated confidence, you can begin to walk with boldness in every area of your life. this means taking action, even when the head is unclear moving forward, even when there are no guarantees and trusting that each step will bring closer to your goals this is about taking risk, stepping outside of your comfort zone and pushing past the boundaries of what you thought was possible it is easy to stay in your comfort zone because it feels safe and familiar But growth never happens in the comfort zone if you want to achieve anything meaningful you must be willing to take risks to step into the unknown, and a trust that the rewards will be worth the effort one of the greatest challenges to walk in with bonus is the fear failure. Failure is often seen as something to be avoided at all cost, but in reality failure is simply a part of the journey. It is to failure that we learn grow and become stronger. Every successful person has experience failure at some point, but what system apart is their ability to bounce back to learn from their mistakes and to keep going despite the setbacks with boldness means embracing failure as a teacher, not as a setback it means having the courage to try even when you are unsure of the outcome, it means failing forward, using each failure as an opportunity to grow refine your approach and come back stronger than before. Boldness also requires resilience. The ability to persevere in the face of adversity. Life is full of challenges and it will be times when things do not go according to plan there will be obstacles that seem insurmountable setbacks that leave you feeling defeated and moments when you question whether it is worth it, but resilience is what allows you to keep going even when the road is tough. It is the inner strength that enables you to rise after falling to keep moving forward when the path seems unclear and to believe that every challenge is an opportunity to growth, Brazilian is about maintaining a positive mindset in the face of difficulty choosing to see obstacles as opportunities for growth rather than insurmountable barriers. When you walk with you are also willing to stand out from the crowd the world often encourage conform, the rules fitting in with the crowd and not rocking the boat. True requires you to stand firm in your belief to live according to your values to pursue your dreams even when others doubt you it is easy to follow the crowd because it feels safe and familiar by walking with bonus means being willing to take the road less traveled it means stay true to who you are even when others may not understand or approve requires you to be unapologetically yourself to trust that your unique perspective, talents and ideas have value to share them with the world with bonus also means being willing to take responsibility for your life It means acknowledging that you are the creator of your own reality that the choices you make today will shake your future too often people blame external circumstances, or other people for their lack of success. They wait for the right opportunity for the perfect moment of someone to give them permission to succeed, but the truth is that the power to create the life desires within you. This comes from taking ownership of your life from making the decision to act from refusing to wait for the perfect moment, the time to start is now the time to act is today you are the master of your own destiny and your future is shaped by the choices you make today today as you walk with bonus it is essential to surround yourself with people who support and encourage you. this is not about going alone. It is about finding the strength and community. The people you surround yourself with will have a tremendous impact on your journey if you surround yourself with people who believe in your dreams, who encourage you to take risk and will support you when times get tough. You will find that your bonus gross on the other hand if you surround yourself with negative fearful and supportive people, it will be much harder to walk with bonus to surround yourself of people who lift you up who challenge you to be your best and who believe in your potential One of the greatest tools in walking with bone is the ability to trust your intuition intuition is that annoying gut feeling that guide you in the right direction even when logic and reason failed to provide clearance requires you to trust your voice to listen to the wisdom that resides within you and to take action based on that guidance Intuition is often the bridge between fear and confidence between uncertainty and clarity. It is the source of your inner strength and your connection to something greater than yourself to walk with bone to trust that you are being guided toward the opportunities the right people and the right path in the end with bonus is about embracing the unknown with confidence and courage it is about, stepping into your power, trusting your abilities, and believing that you have everything you need to create the life you desire it is about rejecting, fear, and doubt and moving forward with faith in yourself and in the process, this is not something that can be manufactured, but it is a muscle that can be developed with practice every step you take towards your goals every risk you take, and every challenge your face will build your bones. Strengthen your resolve. The world needs people who are willing to work with bonus to take the others are free to take to lead with courage, you are capable of living a life of bonus, and it starts with the decision to take that first step.
Monday, August 25, 2025
FRAMING YOUR MINDSET
Psalm chapter 27
Today we are walking in: Framing Your Mindset
1 Chronicles 28:9
And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind H3824: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.
MIND
Today we look to the word-MIND-H3824 lebab--mind, knowledge, thinking, reflection, memory
The Torah testifies...............
Genesis 23:8
And he communed with them, saying, If it be your mind H3824 that I should bury my dead out of my sight; hear me, and intreat for me to Ephron the son of Zohar,
Leviticus 24:12
And they put him in ward, that the mind H3824 of the LORD might be shewed them.
Numbers 16:28
And Moses said, Hereby ye shall know that the Lord hath sent me to do all these works; for I have not done them of mine own mind H3824.
The prophets proclaim..................
Isaiah 26:3
Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind H3824 is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.
Ezekiel 11:5
And the Spirit of the Lord fell upon me, and said unto me, Speak; Thus saith the Lord; Thus have ye said, O house of Israel: for I know the things that come into your mind H3824, every one of them.
Habakkuk 1:11
Then shall his mind H3824 change, and he shall pass over, and offend, imputing this his power unto his god.
The writings bear witness..........................
1 Chronicles 22:7
And David said to Solomon, My son, as for me, it was in my mind H3824 to build an house unto the name of the LORD my God:
Lamentations 3:21
This I recall to my mind H3824, therefore have I hope.
Job 34:33
Should it be according to thy mind H3824? he will recompense it, whether thou refuse, or whether thou choose; and not I: therefore speak what thou knowest.
Happy Day 2 Fiveamprayer Family! I want us to walk in a powerful Psalms this week! Psalms 27 The Lord is my light and my Salvation who shall I fear the Lord is the strength of my life of whom shall I be afraid! these words aren’t just poetry! their declaration reminder when you wake up in the morning, how do you frame your mind to determine is a kind of day you’ll have! you start with confidence or you start worrying and the truth is your attitude often determines your outcomes! Psalms 27 begins with the profound statement. The Lord is my light light represents clarity vision and hope! when you start your day, ask yourself what’s guiding me today? is a fear of the unknown? Anxiety about what might go wrong? or is it like confidence in your ability to handle anything that comes your way! when you allow light to guide your thoughts, you see challenges not as obstacles! but as opportunities you’re not stumbling in the dark you’re walking the light! Making each step is intentional! whom shall I fear! fear paralysis! it steals your focus and drain your energy before that even begins when you adopt the mindset of Psalms 27 you realize fear is a choice. It’s not your default. Fear only exist when you give it permission to exist. Then Psalms first continues. The Lord is the strength of my life strength here means resilience, courage, and inner power! every morning, remind yourself you’re stronger than the challenge is ahead. Strength doesn’t mean life will be easy. It means you’re prepared to handle whatever comes! later in psalm 27 and says thou an army encamps against me. My heart shall not fear. This isn’t blind optimism! It is confidence based on preparation. What’s your army today? Maybe it’s deadlines. Maybe it’s uncertainty! People who doubt you! but here’s the secret. Your confidence doesn’t come from What’s around you! it comes from what’s within you! when you start your day declaring my heart shall not fear! you’re setting the tone you’re telling life. I’m ready for whatever comes. In Psalms 27 Also says one thing I have desire that I may dwell in the house of the Lord! in other words, focus on what matters! every day distractions will come, emails, deadlines opinions, and noise will fight for your attention, but if you wake up with a clear focus, if you know your priorities! you won’t be pulled in every direction! start your day by asking yourself. What’s the one thing that matters most today! protect your focus when you protect your focus, you protect your peace. The final part of Psalms 27 declares weight on the Lord be of good courage and he shall strengthen your heart. Courage is not the absence of fear! It is moving forward despite it waking up each day and saying, I may not have all the answers, but I’ll take the next step anyway When you walk with courage, you become unstoppable. People will notice your boldness! you’re face situations with an energy that inspires others! when you wake up in the morning, the world around you are still quiet and full of possibility! as you start your day, you face a choice. How will you approach the hours ahead? Will you rise with confidence, purpose, and clarity or will you let the weight of uncertainty, fear, and worry, cloud, your mind spirit, the mindset, you choose to adopt in the early moments of your day to set the stage for everything that follows! one of the most powerful ways to set yourself up for success and peace! Is to start your day with light Not darkness. This isn’t just a metaphor! It is a mindset a decision that can reshape how you perceive challenges! how you interact with the world and ultimately how you experience your life! in Psalm 27. We are reminded the Lord is my light and my salvation whom shall I fear the simple yet profound declaration speaks to the heart of how we should approach each day The concept of light in this context goes far beyond elimination of darkness it symbolizes, understanding, clarity, guidance, and hope! when you choose to live in light , you are actively choosing to see the world with clarity to walk with purpose and to face uncertainty with the assurance that you are equipped to handle whatever comes your way! But many people perhaps without even realizing it that day with darkness, they wake up with feelings of dread, worry or confusion they allow the challenges of yesterday the pressures of today and the uncertainties of tomorrow to fill their minds, casting a shadow over their heart and spirit. These thoughts may manifest in various ways fear of failure, fear of judgment, fear of the unknown, or perhaps even doubt in one’s own abilities, these negative thoughts are like clouds that obscure the clouds that prevent you from seeing the world clearly from seeing yourself as capable and from seeing opportunities as their right! Starting your day with light means actively choosing to reject those clouds of negativity and replacing them with thoughts of possibility hope and empowerment! it’s about setting your mind on what is true positive and empowering rather than on what is uncertain negative unlimited! when you wake up and choose to see the light, you decide to see challenges as opportunities for growth, obstacles as lessons and setbacks are stepping stones on the path to success! This shift and mindset can be life-changing. You may ask how can I choose light when the world feels heavy. How can I choose light when I’m facing difficulties, the answer lies in how you choose to frame your thoughts and what you choose to focus on! starting your day with light is not about denying the existence of challenges or pretending that everything is perfect. It’s about recognizing that no matter how dark things may seem light is always present waiting for you to see it waiting for you to embrace it! imagine you are standing in a dark room. You cannot see anything clearly, but as soon as you flip the switch, the light floods the room and everything becomes visible The obstacles the opportunities to your path. They all become clear. This is what happens when you choose light! your mind! you are essentially flipping the switch of your thoughts in the darkness of fear and negativity with the light of clarity positivity, and hope this light comes from within you. It is a power that you can tap into it any moment! it is the inner strength, confidence and wisdom that lies dormant waiting for you to recognize it and use it. It is the belief that you are capable of overcoming whatever challenges come your way it is the trust in yourself in your abilities, and in the fact that you have everything you need to succeed to start your day with like you must make a conscious decision to focus on the good the possible and the empowering. This may sound simple, but it is a powerful practice that requires intentionality! when you wake up take a moment to pause and reflect on your blessings think about the things you are grateful for! Gratitude is a natural way to invite light into your life when you focus on what you have rather than on what you lack you begin your day from a place of abundance, not scarity next take a moment to set a positive intention for the day. This intention serves as a guiding light throughout the day, helping you to stay focused, grounded, and direct! Your intention could be as simple as deciding to approach the day with a positive attitude or it could be a specific goal you want to achieve whatever it is! make sure it aligns with your values and your long-term vision! when you start your day with a clear sense of purpose you are less likely to be swayed by distractions or negative thoughts Additionally, starting your day with light involves taking care of your mind and body!when you wake up, avoid immediately, jumping into the chaos of the day! instead take a few moments for yourself. This could involve meditation deep breathing a moment of silence! of prayer, grounding yourself in the present moment allows you to step into your day with a clear mind and a calm spirit! when you feel centered and balance, the world around you becomes more manageable, and you are more equipped to face whatever comes your way! One of the most powerful ways to start your day would be with affirmations! affirmations of positive statements that you repeat to yourself, reinforcing the belief in your ability to overcome challenges and succeed! for example, you can say to yourself I am confident, capable and resilient. I have everything I need to succeed today! these affirmation service as a reminder of your strength and potential helping to shift your mindset from one of doubt!! to one of empowerment! as you repeat these affirmations, you create a mental emotional ! An environment where light can thrive and where fear and negativity are minimized. It’s also important to recognize that starting your day with light is not about ignoring reality or pretending that everything is perfect. There will be days when things don’t go as planned when challenges seem overwhelming when doubting, but even on those days, the light is still available to you. The key to remember that light is not about circumstances. It is about perspective even in the mist of challenges, you can choose to see the opportunity for growth, the lesson in the difficulty, and the possibility in the struggle. The beauty of starting your day with light is that it carries over into the rest of your life!! When you begin each day with a positive empowered mindset, you begin to see the world differently you start to notice opportunities that you might overlook before! you become more resilient in the face of challenges and you start to attract positive energy people and experiences into your life. Starting your day with light also impacts the way you interact with others when you walk into a room with a positive and confident energy, you naturally uplift those around you Your life becomes contagious and you inspire others to approach that day with the same sense of purpose, hope and positivity! that you have chosen for yourself this create a ripple effect that extends far beyond your own life! impact in the lives of those you coming into contact! with! in many ways starting your day with light is a form of Self-care! It is a way of nurturing your mind, body and spirit so that you can show up as your best self in all areas of your life, it is about setting the tone for the day! so that you approach each task each conversation and each challenge with the clarity, strength and confidence you need to succeed so as you wake up tomorrow morning, remember that you have a choice! you can choose to begin your day with light or you can allow the darkness of fear and negativity to cloud your mind. The light is always available to you, but it is up to you to embrace it. You have the power to choose how you start your day and that will shape everything that comes after it. ALL PRAISES TO THE MOST HIGH YAH!!
Saturday, August 23, 2025
WORSHIPPING THE MOST HIGH YAH AGAIN
Psalm chapter 95
Today we are walking in: Worshipping The Most High Again!!!
Today we look to the word-KNOWLEDGE- H847 da'ath--knowledge, perception, skill, discernment
The Torah testifies.....................
Exodus 31:3
And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom,and in understanding, and in knowledge, H1847 andin all manner of workmanship,
The prophets proclaim..................
Isaiah 33:6
And wisdom and knowledge H1847 shall be the stability of thy times, and strength of salvation: the fear of the LORD is his treasure.
The writings bear witness.............
Psalm 119:66
Teach me good judgment and knowledge: H1847 for I have believed thy commandments.
I want you to really focus on this teaching this morning. Do not allow anyone to distract you. Today I want to talk about the importance of worship. Please write on the top of your page our topic which is “Worshiping the Most High Again.” I want to focus on the keys to refocusing the object and the subject of our worship. This morning is probably the most important message you have ever heard about the Most High. Everything is about Him, but this afternoon we're going to talk about the Most High in a way that you probably have not focused on Him before. The only way to know the Most High, is to know Him. The only way to read His thoughts is in the Bible. The Bible is the mind of the Most High on paper, it's not only His mind about you and the world and creation but it's His mind about himself. So if you want to know who the Most High is and what he's like it's important to read the Bible. Like many of us, I remember watching Big Ma reading the Bible. I always saw her always reading this book. She was always reading. I would get up in the morning to go to school and there she was reading, I'd come back from school and she was reading the Bible. I still wonder when she worked. She certainly worked, she had to wash clothing for 13 kids, cook for them before they came home from school. Seeing her always reading that Bible made me wonder what is that all about? I said if she knows the Most High and that's how you know him then I want to know him like she knows him and so I'll do what she does. I think that's a very good lesson for parents to remember. Never tell a kid something that they should do if you're not doing it. After all of these years I still do not fully understand everything but I have an understanding of it better than I did before. I want you to appreciate that our session this morning is dealing with worshiping the Most High. What you think is worship, is not worship. You have to know the Most High in order to worship the Most High and you can only worship to the degree that you know someone. The less you know about a person, the less you can worship them and I'm going to show you that this morning in a very simple way. I'm also going to show you this morning why we don't worship the Most High. Most people don't worship the Most High. I'm still struggling with worshiping the Most High because worshiping the Most High is very, very simple but yet very difficult to express at times. Let me begin with a simple concept. The person that you know the most is the one that you normally have no problem appreciating. I watch the athletes on television sometimes when they are interviewed by the news media after a game or something. Whether it's soccer or football or basketball or tennis or whatever and they're interviewed and they would all mostly say I want to thank my mother. They don't talk a lot about their fathers. Most of you in this room probably are the same way. You talk a lot about your mother or whoever was performing that motherly duty in your life. It might have been a guardian, an aunt or maybe a grandparent but whoever that person was that was with you the most and helped to nurture you the most and the one who seemed to be always there and always available and always assisting you--that's the one that you talk about the most. When that person dies or if they die, you'll find that that's the hardest person to let go of and when anyone asks you about your future or about your achievements or about your success you normally refer to that person. The reason is because your level of knowledge of that person is greater than any other person in your life. In other words, we make reference to people who have become the best known person in our lives. We appreciate those who have done the most or us. For some of you it's not your biological mother that has this position in your life. It may even be your father, for some of you it is somebody who decided to mentor you. So your knowledge of people determines your ease of appreciation. Your praise for them, your acknowledgement of them. Write this down please. The first principle I want to focus on is the attraction of the means. I'm going to go in a direction that will guide you now into why we don't worship the Most High. We think we worship the Most High, I thought I was worshiping the Most High. Worshiping the Most High is very difficult and yet very simple. Write this down. There is nothing more tragic in abusing time and energy and resources than to make the means the end. I want everyone to please focus today and focus on the words. I think about what we're talking about I want you young people to think about it. I want you to think about it pastors and ministers and men and business people I want you to think about this--nothing is more dangerous than making the means the end because you waste time, you waste energy and you waste resources when you make the means the end. Point number two the greatest challenge the Creator has with humanity is preoccupation with the means over the end. Let's write this down. I repeat the greatest challenge the Creator has with humanity--that's our preoccupation with the means over the end. In other words the Most High's problem with man is that man is always preoccupied with the means to do something rather than the end for which it is done. I believe this is why the Most High has shown to me a little bit and I know about purpose because purpose has to do with the end. It is because of this purpose of discovery--the reason why, which is the end result. I don't want you to miss this because it is so critical for you and me because we are experts at the means and we very rarely get to the end. I'm going to take a little presumption here but maybe 90% of what you call worship is preoccupation with the means. When I say that, I mean, that the Most High might allow us 10% of worship one day, once a month or twice a year. The rest of it is exercise. We have fun in the process more, than we have adoration for the Most High we activate the process for. there's a pastor who had three cars in his garage two of them were antique cars--one of these cars was 50 years old the other one was a little older there were very expensive cars they were immaculately clean you could eat off the engine they were spic and span every piece of chrome was sparkling, the spark plugs were still new. He had antique cars. They were worth over $100,000 each. I said what do you do with them? Oh nothing, he says, I just have them here--I like antique cars he says. What a pity! He said you know every month I spend a few hours cleaning them to make sure there is no dust and to remove any kind of spots. He's spent hours just cleaning and making sure it's always like this. I said, wow you spent hours and you never drive them? He said, no you don't drive antique cars, he said. I just enjoy having them. That's about how most of us are. We shine up, we sparkle up but we don't necessarily use it for the purpose for which it was made. I am sure that the makers of the thing--the manufacturer of that car did not intend for that car to be parked as a trophy. Am I right? What's the purpose for cars?? To drive them that's why having 10 cars doesn't make any sense. Even though you get the money to buy them, maybe having them makes no sense to the Most High because the purpose for a car is to drive cars not to look at cars and we spend hours cleaning, buffing, shining and waxing and we don't use them for their intended purpose! We never get to the end so the means became more important at the end. Listen to what that pastor said--I don't drive the car. I just like to look at them and clean them and buff them and wax them. In other words the means of the process of making them look good satisfies me. I just like to look at them and say that's my car. Write this point down please, when the means become more important than the end then purpose is aborted when your song becomes more important than the one you are singing to!!! Then the entire worship experience is aborted!! My heart's a little heavy but it is going to be okay, I have tasted the presence of the Most High I know what it tastes like. When I say tastes I'm talking about the experience of the genuine presence of the Most High. I'm not sure I can fully explain what it is--all I know is when it's not there and many times I have suffered that experience but there's not much you can say. Not much you can do, because the Most High cannot be bribed to show up and some of you think it's easy to correct that, it's not. And some of you think you know the answer to it and you don't. I don't even know the answers to it all, but I know one thing--if you ever get the means to become more important than the end then the entire purpose for doing the means is aborted! Write this down the process should take us to purpose but never become the purpose itself!! The last word should be purpose, I’ll say it again--the process should take us to the purpose but the process must never become the purpose itself. This is not easy for us--I am talking about myself as well. That all those watching LIVE on facebook or later on youtube--all of us are worshippers of the process. The process has become our purpose have you heard this one? I paid my dues. That's a mentality, that's real in this world right now. I am ready to be done with service--so I'm going to play golf now. Or I'm going to swim now, I'm going to have lunch now, I'm going to a party now, I'm going to watch TV now. Why? I paid my dues so we got this idea that this process is the purpose where the Most High showed up or not is not important to us. What's important is we went through this process, whatever that process is for a couple of hours and so we paid him our dues whoever “He” is, because we never met him. He didn't show up but we did pay our dues and we are happy. As a matter of fact we are proud that we did sit through that for two hours--we consider that an accomplishment. I made it through the service and the very mentality is I survived the couple of hours and I did this thing, now the Most High I hope you're satisfied, whoever you are. I know you didn't show up but I did my part so the process has become the purpose. We don't come to a meeting to meet the Most High, we come to a meeting to have a meeting. The meeting itself has become the purpose! My heart searches for thee O Lord my flesh yearned for the Lord in a dry and a weary land where there is no water. My soul thirsts for thee, said David. When the process becomes more important than the purpose then idolatry is created. Please write this down when more worth is placed on the means than on the end then the means become an idol. That pastor with that car in that garage is an idol worshiper. He has no interest in that car fulfilling its purpose; having the car is enough for him just having it is enough for him. So it has become the end in itself just having it is enough so he worships this car. Worth-ship is very important whatever you place more worth on becomes the idol even if it's a dance or a song or a drum, a guitar or your solo. That's why I'm telling you worship is very difficult, you think it's simple. I stand here today and I listen to music and that's all I hear musicians play instruments but I'm not sure who they are playing it too. And I'm not blaming anybody. I want you to understand why the Most High has called this conference is about worshiping the Most High again, not worshiping the process!! To worship the Most High write this down please any other worship than the Most High is idolatry that's a simple statement. But a powerful one, you got to think about it for three weeks. Let me say it again. Any other worship other than the Most High is idolatry. That can include your boyfriend, your girlfriend, it can include your spouse, it could include your very children or your single son or your only daughter who you just believe is a gift from the Most High. It may be a job or your two jobs which doesn't give you time to even worship the Most High whatever has more worth than the Most High is an idol that includes the song that you are singing that includes the dance that you are dancing it includes the instrument that you play--you can be so focused and preoccupied with how you sound you have no time to give it to him. Because it becomes the end. Your activity that you call worship, it is always a means--never the end. Write this down please, the Most High detests idolatry I don't think we need to discuss this too much do we? Having an idol and giving it worship is the Most High hating action that man can do. That is what idolatry is. Idolatry is making anything more worthy than the Most High let's read a verse write this down please Psalm 78 verse 58 says they angered the Lord with their high places they aroused his jealousy with their idols now the Bible teaches us not to harbor jealousy it's a matter of fact one of the sins that the Most High says he hates is jealousy and yet the Most High himself becomes jealous only over one thing. The Most High is never jealous of anything else I've searched the scriptures and you never find one thing the Most High is ever jealous of except this one thing idolatry. The Most High is never jealous about your house why? He is not jealous about your looks. Why? He gave it to you! He is not jealous of the money you have!! Why? All of it belongs to Him! Even the ones you thought you had. Everything you think could be a source of jealousy for the Most High is nothing in the Most High's eyes! It's nothing but this one thing idolatry--totally different. I'm going to define idolatry for you because most of us are idol worshipers. Even in our worship, we are idol worshipers. When I say that please hear I'm talking about me too so don't feel like I'm talking down at you! In scripture it says all who make idols are nothing and the things they treasure are worth less. The Most High is speaking about what causes the things you put worth on are worth less, anything that you believe is more valuable than the Most High is an idol and it is worth less. Notice the word worth, the root word is the same word as worship so when you say worthless you saying it is not worth worshiping! Thou art worthy to receive glory and honor and power and dominion and praise forever! This worth thing is dangerous. Worship is determined by worth. Help us me Most High! You can never worship what doesn't have worth to you so anything that becomes more worthy than anything else becomes an idol the Most High. Even the idols that you have put worth on are nothing! That is why the Most High doesn't listen to your song because you've made the song more important than the one it is about! You wonder why the Most High never open this ear to it? Sometimes they are more concerned about the words we use in our prayer then about who we are praying to so he ignores the prayer because the activity has become more important than the goal the subject, the object of the prayer, this is tough again I come with a burden because we all struggle with this first John chapter 5 verse 21 I love this verse it says little children keep yourselves from idols. One of the shortest sentences in the Bible, it's a sentence completely! This sentence it's probably the next shortest sentence next to Yahusha wept. Dear--children do what? Keep yourselves from idols say it again dear children keep yourselves from idols!
Today we are walking in: Worshipping The Most High Again!!!
Today we look to the word-KNOWLEDGE- H847 da'ath--knowledge, perception, skill, discernment
The Torah testifies.....................
Exodus 31:3
And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom,and in understanding, and in knowledge, H1847 andin all manner of workmanship,
The prophets proclaim..................
Isaiah 33:6
And wisdom and knowledge H1847 shall be the stability of thy times, and strength of salvation: the fear of the LORD is his treasure.
The writings bear witness.............
Psalm 119:66
Teach me good judgment and knowledge: H1847 for I have believed thy commandments.
I want you to really focus on this teaching this morning. Do not allow anyone to distract you. Today I want to talk about the importance of worship. Please write on the top of your page our topic which is “Worshiping the Most High Again.” I want to focus on the keys to refocusing the object and the subject of our worship. This morning is probably the most important message you have ever heard about the Most High. Everything is about Him, but this afternoon we're going to talk about the Most High in a way that you probably have not focused on Him before. The only way to know the Most High, is to know Him. The only way to read His thoughts is in the Bible. The Bible is the mind of the Most High on paper, it's not only His mind about you and the world and creation but it's His mind about himself. So if you want to know who the Most High is and what he's like it's important to read the Bible. Like many of us, I remember watching Big Ma reading the Bible. I always saw her always reading this book. She was always reading. I would get up in the morning to go to school and there she was reading, I'd come back from school and she was reading the Bible. I still wonder when she worked. She certainly worked, she had to wash clothing for 13 kids, cook for them before they came home from school. Seeing her always reading that Bible made me wonder what is that all about? I said if she knows the Most High and that's how you know him then I want to know him like she knows him and so I'll do what she does. I think that's a very good lesson for parents to remember. Never tell a kid something that they should do if you're not doing it. After all of these years I still do not fully understand everything but I have an understanding of it better than I did before. I want you to appreciate that our session this morning is dealing with worshiping the Most High. What you think is worship, is not worship. You have to know the Most High in order to worship the Most High and you can only worship to the degree that you know someone. The less you know about a person, the less you can worship them and I'm going to show you that this morning in a very simple way. I'm also going to show you this morning why we don't worship the Most High. Most people don't worship the Most High. I'm still struggling with worshiping the Most High because worshiping the Most High is very, very simple but yet very difficult to express at times. Let me begin with a simple concept. The person that you know the most is the one that you normally have no problem appreciating. I watch the athletes on television sometimes when they are interviewed by the news media after a game or something. Whether it's soccer or football or basketball or tennis or whatever and they're interviewed and they would all mostly say I want to thank my mother. They don't talk a lot about their fathers. Most of you in this room probably are the same way. You talk a lot about your mother or whoever was performing that motherly duty in your life. It might have been a guardian, an aunt or maybe a grandparent but whoever that person was that was with you the most and helped to nurture you the most and the one who seemed to be always there and always available and always assisting you--that's the one that you talk about the most. When that person dies or if they die, you'll find that that's the hardest person to let go of and when anyone asks you about your future or about your achievements or about your success you normally refer to that person. The reason is because your level of knowledge of that person is greater than any other person in your life. In other words, we make reference to people who have become the best known person in our lives. We appreciate those who have done the most or us. For some of you it's not your biological mother that has this position in your life. It may even be your father, for some of you it is somebody who decided to mentor you. So your knowledge of people determines your ease of appreciation. Your praise for them, your acknowledgement of them. Write this down please. The first principle I want to focus on is the attraction of the means. I'm going to go in a direction that will guide you now into why we don't worship the Most High. We think we worship the Most High, I thought I was worshiping the Most High. Worshiping the Most High is very difficult and yet very simple. Write this down. There is nothing more tragic in abusing time and energy and resources than to make the means the end. I want everyone to please focus today and focus on the words. I think about what we're talking about I want you young people to think about it. I want you to think about it pastors and ministers and men and business people I want you to think about this--nothing is more dangerous than making the means the end because you waste time, you waste energy and you waste resources when you make the means the end. Point number two the greatest challenge the Creator has with humanity is preoccupation with the means over the end. Let's write this down. I repeat the greatest challenge the Creator has with humanity--that's our preoccupation with the means over the end. In other words the Most High's problem with man is that man is always preoccupied with the means to do something rather than the end for which it is done. I believe this is why the Most High has shown to me a little bit and I know about purpose because purpose has to do with the end. It is because of this purpose of discovery--the reason why, which is the end result. I don't want you to miss this because it is so critical for you and me because we are experts at the means and we very rarely get to the end. I'm going to take a little presumption here but maybe 90% of what you call worship is preoccupation with the means. When I say that, I mean, that the Most High might allow us 10% of worship one day, once a month or twice a year. The rest of it is exercise. We have fun in the process more, than we have adoration for the Most High we activate the process for. there's a pastor who had three cars in his garage two of them were antique cars--one of these cars was 50 years old the other one was a little older there were very expensive cars they were immaculately clean you could eat off the engine they were spic and span every piece of chrome was sparkling, the spark plugs were still new. He had antique cars. They were worth over $100,000 each. I said what do you do with them? Oh nothing, he says, I just have them here--I like antique cars he says. What a pity! He said you know every month I spend a few hours cleaning them to make sure there is no dust and to remove any kind of spots. He's spent hours just cleaning and making sure it's always like this. I said, wow you spent hours and you never drive them? He said, no you don't drive antique cars, he said. I just enjoy having them. That's about how most of us are. We shine up, we sparkle up but we don't necessarily use it for the purpose for which it was made. I am sure that the makers of the thing--the manufacturer of that car did not intend for that car to be parked as a trophy. Am I right? What's the purpose for cars?? To drive them that's why having 10 cars doesn't make any sense. Even though you get the money to buy them, maybe having them makes no sense to the Most High because the purpose for a car is to drive cars not to look at cars and we spend hours cleaning, buffing, shining and waxing and we don't use them for their intended purpose! We never get to the end so the means became more important at the end. Listen to what that pastor said--I don't drive the car. I just like to look at them and clean them and buff them and wax them. In other words the means of the process of making them look good satisfies me. I just like to look at them and say that's my car. Write this point down please, when the means become more important than the end then purpose is aborted when your song becomes more important than the one you are singing to!!! Then the entire worship experience is aborted!! My heart's a little heavy but it is going to be okay, I have tasted the presence of the Most High I know what it tastes like. When I say tastes I'm talking about the experience of the genuine presence of the Most High. I'm not sure I can fully explain what it is--all I know is when it's not there and many times I have suffered that experience but there's not much you can say. Not much you can do, because the Most High cannot be bribed to show up and some of you think it's easy to correct that, it's not. And some of you think you know the answer to it and you don't. I don't even know the answers to it all, but I know one thing--if you ever get the means to become more important than the end then the entire purpose for doing the means is aborted! Write this down the process should take us to purpose but never become the purpose itself!! The last word should be purpose, I’ll say it again--the process should take us to the purpose but the process must never become the purpose itself. This is not easy for us--I am talking about myself as well. That all those watching LIVE on facebook or later on youtube--all of us are worshippers of the process. The process has become our purpose have you heard this one? I paid my dues. That's a mentality, that's real in this world right now. I am ready to be done with service--so I'm going to play golf now. Or I'm going to swim now, I'm going to have lunch now, I'm going to a party now, I'm going to watch TV now. Why? I paid my dues so we got this idea that this process is the purpose where the Most High showed up or not is not important to us. What's important is we went through this process, whatever that process is for a couple of hours and so we paid him our dues whoever “He” is, because we never met him. He didn't show up but we did pay our dues and we are happy. As a matter of fact we are proud that we did sit through that for two hours--we consider that an accomplishment. I made it through the service and the very mentality is I survived the couple of hours and I did this thing, now the Most High I hope you're satisfied, whoever you are. I know you didn't show up but I did my part so the process has become the purpose. We don't come to a meeting to meet the Most High, we come to a meeting to have a meeting. The meeting itself has become the purpose! My heart searches for thee O Lord my flesh yearned for the Lord in a dry and a weary land where there is no water. My soul thirsts for thee, said David. When the process becomes more important than the purpose then idolatry is created. Please write this down when more worth is placed on the means than on the end then the means become an idol. That pastor with that car in that garage is an idol worshiper. He has no interest in that car fulfilling its purpose; having the car is enough for him just having it is enough for him. So it has become the end in itself just having it is enough so he worships this car. Worth-ship is very important whatever you place more worth on becomes the idol even if it's a dance or a song or a drum, a guitar or your solo. That's why I'm telling you worship is very difficult, you think it's simple. I stand here today and I listen to music and that's all I hear musicians play instruments but I'm not sure who they are playing it too. And I'm not blaming anybody. I want you to understand why the Most High has called this conference is about worshiping the Most High again, not worshiping the process!! To worship the Most High write this down please any other worship than the Most High is idolatry that's a simple statement. But a powerful one, you got to think about it for three weeks. Let me say it again. Any other worship other than the Most High is idolatry. That can include your boyfriend, your girlfriend, it can include your spouse, it could include your very children or your single son or your only daughter who you just believe is a gift from the Most High. It may be a job or your two jobs which doesn't give you time to even worship the Most High whatever has more worth than the Most High is an idol that includes the song that you are singing that includes the dance that you are dancing it includes the instrument that you play--you can be so focused and preoccupied with how you sound you have no time to give it to him. Because it becomes the end. Your activity that you call worship, it is always a means--never the end. Write this down please, the Most High detests idolatry I don't think we need to discuss this too much do we? Having an idol and giving it worship is the Most High hating action that man can do. That is what idolatry is. Idolatry is making anything more worthy than the Most High let's read a verse write this down please Psalm 78 verse 58 says they angered the Lord with their high places they aroused his jealousy with their idols now the Bible teaches us not to harbor jealousy it's a matter of fact one of the sins that the Most High says he hates is jealousy and yet the Most High himself becomes jealous only over one thing. The Most High is never jealous of anything else I've searched the scriptures and you never find one thing the Most High is ever jealous of except this one thing idolatry. The Most High is never jealous about your house why? He is not jealous about your looks. Why? He gave it to you! He is not jealous of the money you have!! Why? All of it belongs to Him! Even the ones you thought you had. Everything you think could be a source of jealousy for the Most High is nothing in the Most High's eyes! It's nothing but this one thing idolatry--totally different. I'm going to define idolatry for you because most of us are idol worshipers. Even in our worship, we are idol worshipers. When I say that please hear I'm talking about me too so don't feel like I'm talking down at you! In scripture it says all who make idols are nothing and the things they treasure are worth less. The Most High is speaking about what causes the things you put worth on are worth less, anything that you believe is more valuable than the Most High is an idol and it is worth less. Notice the word worth, the root word is the same word as worship so when you say worthless you saying it is not worth worshiping! Thou art worthy to receive glory and honor and power and dominion and praise forever! This worth thing is dangerous. Worship is determined by worth. Help us me Most High! You can never worship what doesn't have worth to you so anything that becomes more worthy than anything else becomes an idol the Most High. Even the idols that you have put worth on are nothing! That is why the Most High doesn't listen to your song because you've made the song more important than the one it is about! You wonder why the Most High never open this ear to it? Sometimes they are more concerned about the words we use in our prayer then about who we are praying to so he ignores the prayer because the activity has become more important than the goal the subject, the object of the prayer, this is tough again I come with a burden because we all struggle with this first John chapter 5 verse 21 I love this verse it says little children keep yourselves from idols. One of the shortest sentences in the Bible, it's a sentence completely! This sentence it's probably the next shortest sentence next to Yahusha wept. Dear--children do what? Keep yourselves from idols say it again dear children keep yourselves from idols!
Thursday, August 21, 2025
CHARACTERISTICS OF PRINCIPLES
Exodus chapter 20
Today we are walking in: Characteristics of Principles!! Part 2!!
Today we look to the word STATUTE-- H2708 chuqqah-- statute, ordinance, limit, enactment, something prescribed
The Torah testifies...............
Leviticus 18:26
Ye shall therefore keep my statutes H2708 and my judgments, and shall not commit any of these abominations; neither any of your own nation, nor any stranger that sojourneth among you:
The prophets proclaim..................
2 Samuel 22:23
For all his judgments were before me: and as for his statutes, H2708 I did not depart from them.
The writings bear witness...........................
2 Kings 17:13
Yet the LORD testified against Israel, and against Judah, by all the prophets, and by all the seers, saying, Turn ye from your evil ways, and keep my commandments and my statutes, H2708 according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by my servants the prophets.
Chapter 2— MAN’S GREATEST NEED
The Most High’s greatest desire and man’s deepest need is to share an enduring Spirit-to-spirit relationship. Since The Most High is a The Most High of principles, everything He created was established to operate by certain principles that guarantee its proper function. So, all created things—whether plant, animal, fish, bird, star, or human being—must adhere to the principles that govern their life if they are to release their potential and fulfill their purpose. One of the most important of these principles ordained by The Most High to preserve and protect His handiwork and to assure the maximum performance of each created thing is the principle of environment.
The Principle of Environment
The word environment is defined as “circumstances, objects, and conditions by which one is surrounded” (Webster’s, “environment”). Therefore, an environment may refer to the forces that affect the state of things, the components that make up the climate in which something exists, or the conditions in which a thing exists. Everything in life was created to function within the particular environment that The Most High prescribed for it before He created it.
In essence, before the moment of creation, The Most High decided both what He would make His creation from and where He would place it after He had made it. This place designed to individually suit the makeup and purpose of each thing The Most High made was its environment. When the environment was ready, The Most High called forth each creation from its intended source and put it in the specific environment He had made for it.
So before The Most High created the sun and the moon and the myriad of stars, He first called forth the light and separated it from the darkness, calling the light “day” and the darkness “night.” He also made a firmament or expanse to separate the waters above from the waters below and called the firmament “sky.” Only then, after all this was completed, did The Most High call forth the lights from the heavens and set them in the sky to mark the day, the night, and the seasons (see Gen. 1:1-8; 14-18).
The Most High’s process in creating plants and animals reveals the same pattern. Before He spoke plants and animals into being, He gathered the waters together so that dry ground would appear. The dry ground He called “land” and the waters He called “seas.” Only then did He speak to the sea, commanding it to bring forth the many kinds of fish and sea creatures, and to the land, commanding it to bring forth all manner of vegetation, seed-bearing plants and trees according to their kind, and all living creatures, livestock and wild animals according to their kind (see Gen. 1:9-12; 20-25).
Finally, The Most High was ready to make man.
Then The Most High said: “Let Us make man in Our image, in Our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” So The Most High created man in His own image, in the image of The Most High He created him; male and female He created them (Genesis 1:26-27).
These verses from Genesis clearly reveal that The Most High is man’s source. When The Most High made man, He spoke to Himself and man came out of Him. Thus, man was created both to be of the same essence as The Most High, who is spirit, and to live in the same environment as The Most High, which is the realm of the spirit or the environment of The Most High (see John 4:24).
So we see that The Most High prescribed an environment for everything He created before He created it. Then He placed the thing in it. Therefore, you cannot expect one of The Most High’s products to function properly if you do not understand the environment He prescribed for it. In essence, a misplaced product will malfunction if you do not follow the prescription for the environment The Most High ordained. A product in the wrong environment just won’t work properly.
The Most High prescribed an environment for everything He created. Therefore, environments can be good or bad, positive or negative, healthy or unhealthy depending on what the manufacturer prescribed for the product you are using. The environment itself is not necessarily bad, negative, or unhealthy. Rather the problem is a misplaced product. A particular environment is wrong only because the product was not designed to function in it. The prescription and the actuality don’t match.
To say it another way, the nature of the environment will always affect the state, function, and efficiency of a product. If, for example, you buy a $5,000 television, throw it into the ocean, then try to make it work, you will soon find that you wasted your $5,000. Or, if you drag a boat down a highway behind a truck, you will find when you try to use the boat in the water that it has been destroyed by the road. Why has this happened? You put the television and the boat into the wrong environment. The manufacturer never intended that you would put the television into the ocean or drag the boat on the highway.
Therefore, no matter how expensive the product is, it will shut down if the environment of operation is different from what the manufacturer intended. A wrong environment—that is, an environment where the product is out of place—will always translate into wasted potential. Truly the key to a product’s efficient and effective operation is the environment in which it is placed.
Consequently, we must clearly understand the environment prescribed for each product because it is the environment that determines the product’s success or failure. This prescribed environment is what we may call a product’s ideal environment. An ideal environment means that there is a perfect environment that The Most High (or a manufacturer) has prescribed for each product. This is why The Most High placed man in Eden. Eden is man’s ideal environment.
Man’s Ideal Environment
When The Most High planned what man would be (spirit) and how man would function (by faith), He also determined where man would live (his ideal environment). The Most High didn’t take the man and put him just anywhere on earth. The Most High chose a specific spot on this big planet and put the man in that specially chosen place, which we know as Eden. Now let’s try to figure out what Eden is.
The root in Hebrew of the word Eden is uncertain. The Greek version of the Old Testament, the Septuagint, relates the word to the Hebrew verb eden or ayden, which means “delight” (Strong’s, H5731, H5730). Therefore, Eden is translated as the garden of delight. Other occurrences of the word Eden in the Old Testament equate Eden with the garden of the Lord.
The Lord will surely comfort Zion and will look with compassion on all her ruins; He will make her deserts like Eden, her wastelands like the garden of the Lord. Joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the sound of singing (Isaiah 51:3).
You were in Eden, the garden of The Most High (Ezekiel 28:13).
This seems to concur with the Genesis description of the garden as the place where The Most High walked in the cool of the day (see Gen. 3:8).
Thus, The Most High prepared a garden for man, an environment where it was pleasant and where His presence touched earth. This is why the Bible never says that Adam planted the garden. Rather, The Most High was the One who planted the garden. That is, The Most High came and impressed (planted) His presence in the earth.
Can you get a picture of this? Eden was the one place where The Most High’s presence dwelt on earth. It was the garden of His presence, the spot of His pleasantness, and that was precisely where The Most High placed Adam. Unbroken fellowship between The Most High and man was the environment that The Most High planned for man.
This means that you don’t need church services, choirs, worship services, and meetings to succeed in life. There were none of these in Eden. Neither were there prophets, teachers, preachers, or apostles. Your ideal environment is nothing more and nothing less than the presence of The Most High Himself, which was The Most High’s first gift to Adam.
The Most High’s PRESENCE IS YOUR IDEAL ENVIRONMENT.
His presence in your house is the most beautiful presence in the world. You don’t need a husband or a wife to succeed. You need the presence of The Most High. Consequently, The Most High gave Adam Himself before He gave him a woman. The first presence you need is The Most High friend, not a boyfriend or a girlfriend. If you get a boyfriend or girlfriend, a husband or a wife, outside of The Most High’s presence, you have created a state of malfunction for yourself.
Why is this true? Everything that is not in its ideal environment malfunctions. This is inevitable. No person or product can function properly outside the environment specifically designed for it by its manufacturer. So just as fish have to stay in water and plants have to stay in the ground if they are to flourish, so man must stay in The Most High’s presence. Any fish that removes itself from water or is removed by another creature will eventually die and rot. The same is true of a plant. No plant can continue to live and bear fruit if its roots are not covered and nourished by the ground. In truth, a plant starts to die the instant its roots are removed from the ground, and its death is certain unless its roots are returned to the soil that is its source and ideal environment. Likewise, man’s life and the fulfillment of his destiny are possible only to the extent that he walks and talks with The Most High in the garden of His presence.
Man’s Fall From The Most High’s Presence
Sadly, what The Most High intended and the reality of man’s situation today are quite different. The reason for this difference is man’s choice to throw off what he perceived to be the restrictive principles of The Most High’s design. The fall of man, as man’s choice to sin is often called, is really a fall from The Most High’s presence, with the accompanying loss of the Holy Spirit. Since The Most High created man to live in relationship with Him, and sin caused a breach in that relationship, man’s opportunity to live in The Most High’s presence ended. The Book of Genesis describes it this way:
So the Lord The Most High banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken. After He drove the man out, He placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life (Genesis 3:23-24).
Since, as we previously noted, the word Eden in the Scriptures means the place of The Most High’s presence, man’s banishment from Eden meant banishment from The Most High’s presence. The creature The Most High had created to live in His presence was condemned to live apart from the One who was essential to His well-being. Human history shows the consequences of that separation, consequences that were built into The Most High’s principles for man’s life.
Now we have to work hard to get into The Most High’s presence; but that was not what The Most High intended for the human beings He had created. We were supposed to wake up every morning and go walking in the cool of the day with The Most High. We weren’t supposed to have to work ourselves up with singing, instruments, and worship calisthenics to get us into the right mood or frame of mind for worship. The Most High’s intent was that we would wake up in His presence, go to sleep in His presence, work in His presence, talk in His presence, go fishing in His presence, eat in His presence, cry in His presence, laugh in His presence, dance in His presence, and on and on. Every part of our life was to be done within the presence of The Most High.
Oh, how we’ve fallen. What was once our The Most High-given privilege is now denied us by The Most High Himself. For when The Most High sent the man and the woman away from Eden, from the place or moment of His presence, He also set cherubim at the entrance to the garden to be sure that mankind would not return to the environment that had been his home before his sin.
Why would The Most High, who loves man and who created him to live in fellowship with Him, do this? Why would He banish man from His presence and ensure that he could not return? Might it be that the presence of The Most High was so important The Most High would not allow it to be contaminated by man’s sin? Might it be that man could no longer endure the presence of The Most High because he had lost the Holy Spirit, that which enabled him to communicate with The Most High and to enjoy fellowship with Him?
The Most High Is Holy
The Scriptures clearly state that The Most High is holy, which means that The Most High is completely pure in motive and perfect in goodness, righteousness, and justice.
Exalt the Lord our Most High and worship at His holy mountain, for the Lord our Most High is holy (Psalm 99:9).
The Lord Almighty is the One you are to regard as holy, He is the One you are to fear (Isaiah 8:13).
For your Maker is your husband—the Lord Almighty is His name—the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; He is called The Most High of all the earth (Isaiah 54:5).
But the Lord Almighty will be exalted by His justice, and the holy The Most High will show Himself holy by His righteousness (Isaiah 5:16).
Not only is The Most High holy, He is “most” holy in that no other god, person, or thing is as holy as He is, and His presence is holy as well (see 1 Sam. 2:2 and Isa. 40:25). Moses encountered the holiness of The Most High when he approached the burning bush and The Most High spoke to him from within the bush.
“Do not come any closer,” The Most High said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground” (Exodus 3:5).
Years later Joshua had a similar experience.
Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a Man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in His hand. Joshua went up to Him and asked, “Are You for us or for our enemies?” Neither,” He replied, “but as Commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.” Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence, and asked Him, “What message does my Lord have for His servant?” The commander of the Lord’s army replied, “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so (Joshua 5:13-15).
It would seem, then, that Adam became a foreign body, a contaminant, a cancer, if you will, to the presence of The Most High at the time of his fall. Having lost the Holy Spirit, Adam no longer reflected the holiness of The Most High that was his birthright when he was created in The Most High’s image. Now Adam’s sin made him an affront to the holiness of The Most High. The Most High responded by sending him out from the garden of His presence and by placing cherubim at the entrance of the garden to protect His presence from sinful man.
Protectors of The Most High’s Presence
Cherubim are winged angels that are guardians of the Lord’s presence. This role is seen not only in the cherubim’s station at the entrance to Eden, but also in their presence near the throne of The Most High.
Hear us, O Shepherd of Israel, You who lead Joseph like a flock; You who sit enthroned between the cherubim, shine forth (Psalm 80:1).
The Lord reigns, let the nations tremble; He sits enthroned between the cherubim, let the earth shake (Psalm 99:1).
O Lord Almighty, The Most High of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, You alone are The Most High over all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth (Isaiah 37:16).
This position of protecting the presence of the Lord was particularly evident in the design of the Ark of the Covenant, where the cherubim, with outspread wings, guarded the Mercy Seat where The Most High dwelt on top of the Ark. So when the priests went in to the Most Holy Place, the cherubim were the first beings the priests saw. Before they could get to The Most High, they had to get past the cherubim. Anything or anyone contaminated by sin that approached The Most High’s presence would never get past the cherubim because sinful things and people could not enter The Most High’s presence lest they be consumed by Him.
The prophet Ezekiel describes the cherubim as having four wings and four faces, and they were covered with eyes:
And within it there were figures resembling four living beings. And this was their appearance: they had human form. Each of them had four faces and four wings. And their legs were straight and their feet were like a calf’s hoof, and they gleamed like burnished bronze. Under their wings on their four sides were human hands. As for the faces and wings of the four of them, their wings touched one another; their faces did not turn when they moved, each went straight forward. As for the form of their faces, each had the face of a man, all four had the face of a lion on the right and the face of a bull on the left, and all four had the face of an eagle. Such were their faces. Their wings were spread out above; each had two touching another being, and two covering their bodies (Ezekiel 1:5-11 NASB).
Their entire bodies, including their backs, their hands and their wings, were completely full of eyes …. Each of the cherubim had four faces: One face was that of a cherub, the second the face of a man, the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle (Ezekiel 10:12-14).
The task of guarding the presence of The Most High is also evidently shared by another group of winged angels called seraphim. Isaiah saw these angels when he received his call to be a prophet:
In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of His robe filled the temple. Above Him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of His glory.” At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.” Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for” (Isaiah 6:1-7).
We see here that the seraphim not only protected the holiness of The Most High; they also met Isaiah’s need when he recognized his sinfulness in the presence of a holy, The Most High. Thus, their role was both to protect The Most High’s presence and to preserve man when he recognized his sinfulness and repented.
Please note that these angels, or living creatures or beings, as they are often called, didn’t protect man from The Most High; they protected The Most High’s presence from man. Their task was to prevent man from getting into The Most High’s presence—his intended environment and therefore the place where he functions properly, despite his sin and his loss of holiness. For you see, man despite his sin is still made in the image of The Most High. His sinful behavior has not changed his basic makeup. What has changed is man’s ability to act like The Most High acts.
This is true because man lost the Holy Spirit when he sinned and therefore no longer has the capacity to function from the spiritual and moral character of The Most High. In other words, man is still spirit just like The Most High is Spirit, but he is no longer truth and righteousness, as The Most High is (see Ps. 31:5; 45:4). This is why David, after his sin with Bathsheba, sought The Most High with these words,
Create in me a pure heart, O The Most High, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from Your presence or take Your Holy Spirit from me (Psalm 51:10-11).
David knew that his heart and spirit were not right with The Most High because of his sin, and that The Most High had every right to withdraw His presence from David’s life.
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