When We Grieve Elohim (GOD)

When We Grieve the Holy Spirit: Transitioning From Enemies to Friends of ELOHIM (GOD)
by py thomas
© April 25, 2014

³⁰And do not grieve the Set-apart Spirit of Elohim, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. ³¹Let all bitterness, and wrath, and dis- pleasure, and uproar, and slander be put away from you, along with all evil. ³²And be kind towards one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as Elohim also forgave you in Messiah. (Ephesians 4:30-32 TSB)

When we grieve at the loss of a loved one the anguish and  pain is almost unbearable to the degree that without ELOHIM (GOD), we would have not ability to be comforted.  ELOHIM comforts us through His word and other people.

³ Praised be God, Father of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah, compassionate Father, God of all encouragement and comfort; ⁴ who encourages us in all our trials, so that we can encourage others in whatever trials they may be undergoing with the encouragement we ourselves have received from God.

⁵ For just as the Messiah’s sufferings overflow into us, so through the Messiah our encouragement also overflows. ⁶ So if we undergo trials, it is for your encouragement and deliverance; and if we are encouraged, that should encourage you when you have to endure sufferings like those we are experiencing. ⁷ Moreover, our hope for you remains staunch, because we know that as you share in the sufferings, you will also share in the encouragement. (2 Corinthians 1:3-7)

Likewise, when Scripture tells us not to grieve the Holy Spirit "And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption." (Ephesians 4:30) , in all honesty we do that very thing.  Just how do we grieve the Holy Spirit, which is the spirit of ELOHIM.  We see from the very beginning that ELOHIM was grieved about our rebellion towards Him – our sin.  Yet, His sorrow and grief are just as weighty  as is His love for us.    The Holy Spirit’s grief is tremendous, because it’s at the point of our rebellion of sin, that we  instantly become His enemy versus His righteousness. 

 “And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.” (Genesis 6:6)

But they rebelled and grieved His Holy Spirit; So He turned Himself against them as an enemy, And He fought against them. (Isaiah 63:10)

Yet ELOHIM loves us so much, He has poured out His love towards us through His plan of redemption to restore us back to Him – no longer separated from Him – no longer being enemies, but counted as friends.  Yeshua said that those who follow Him and obey the Father, are His friends.

¹³ Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. ¹⁴ You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. ¹⁵ No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. ¹⁶ You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. ¹⁷ These things I command you, that you love one another. (John 15:13-17)

How grieved are you when your best friend or loved one has been consumed in tragedy to the point of death?  The consequence of sin is death; and it will consume us to the point of both physical and spiritual death as well.  Just as we are consumed with grief due to the death of a loved one, the Holy Spirit is grieved when we choose to sin instead of obeying ELOHIM’s instructions for living a holy (set-apart) life unto Him. Each time we choose to sin, we are in essence choosing evil over righteousness – death over life.  In other words, we have rejected the pure, saving, cleansing and forgiving shed blood of Yeshua which is the blood transfusion that can usher one into eternal life and reconciliation back to the Father, ELOHIM.

Being apart from ELOHIM means separated for eternal death.   Reconciled back to  ELOHIM through Yeshua the Messiah means forgiveness of sin and eternal life.  Which shall you choose – life or death?

But Elohim proves His own love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Messiah died for us. ⁹Much more then, having now been declared right by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. ¹⁰For if, being enemies, we were restored to favor with Elohim through the death of His Son, much more, having been restored to favor, we shall be saved by His life. ¹¹And not only this, but we also exult in Elohim through our Master Messiah, through whom we have now received the restoration to favor. (Romans 5:8-11TSB)

Freedom, Counting the Costs

Counting Freedom
by py thomas
April 20, 2014 ©

Today is my birthday and as a matter of personal tradition, I typically go through a very reflective time two weeks leading up to the anniversary of my birth. 

 

During this time, freedom is what ELOHIM (GOD) has put on my heart to consider and its costs.  I’ve more recently have been “re-learning” how to live this life He has given me with a level of faith to believe Him for balance and the provisions of His promises to those in covenant relationship with ELOHIM.

We are all free – born to be free.  However, wisdom has taught me that freedom without boundaries is really a trap and a set up for failure and disappointment.  Most seldom think of freedom as something that comes with limitations.  Too much of anything is not good, including freedom.

So what happens when there is excessive freedom in one’s life?  Well if we examine the life of a child that has had excessive, unrestrained freedom, what do you see?  You see a spoiled, unruly, undisciplined, disrespectful, selfish, conniving and unmanageable person.

Freedom comes with a price.  I’ve come to understand the price of freedom –  and it is boundaries.  For me the boundaries are all found in the tree of Calvary where Yeshua the Messiah (Jesus Christ) was crucified. 

 

It is in His tomb that my sins were buried so I could live in freedom and not just exist in sin. 

It is the knowledge of Him and the presence of the Holy Spirit in my life that I know He is indeed risen and because He lives, I too have been set free from the bondages of sin and death. 

It is in Yeshua resurrection that I’m assured of being resurrected from this life into eternal life with Him in accordance to the covenant of salvation established by the Father ELOHIM. 

Selah (meditate on these things).   Shalom (peace) in Yeshua’s name – for without Yeshua there is no peace – no peace no freedom – no freedom means no  eternal life, no eternal life leads to eternal death.  I have chosen Yeshua the Messiah, I have chosen life.

How to Destroy Fear

Destroying Fear by the act of Giving
by py thomas
© April 9, 2014

If you are looking for a way to breakdown and rid yourself of the anxiety and stress of fear, Elohim (GOD) gives us the solution for fear, anxiety and stress in His word.   

For what does it mean that “perfect love casts out fear…”  The Word of Elohim tells us that:

“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. (1 John 4:18)”

Why?

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7)

But what exactly does that mean?  a closer examination of “power, love and a sound mind” reveals to us ELOHIM’s promise to remove tormenting fear from our mind, heart, spirit and soul.   

ELOHIM gives us power - “supernatural power” infused with the might and Godly wisdom of the Holy Spirit.  We literally have access to the supernatural power of ELOHIM – and there is no one or nothing that can successfully stand and oppose ELOHIM.  Once we believe and allow this to get into our spirits, we begin to gain the victory over fear.  So who will and who should ask for Godly wisdom which He has promised to give freely to all who ask?   None other than a child of El Elyon – the Most High GOD.  For those of us who have received the covenant of salvation through Yeshua’s death and resurrection, we of all people should be the ones who recognize that ELOHIM (Creator & Judge) alone is holy and sovereign.  So why turn or go anywhere else for answers?    Truly there is nothing wiser than to be more than a conqueror over the fears and intimidations of the adversary Satan and those who serve him.

We see ELOHIM’s giving in effect again as we see the power of His unconditional love (agape) poured out on all mankind through Yeshua the Messiah who died for us.  For ELOHIM so loved us that He GaVE His most loved – His Son, Yeshua to die for us just so we could have a relationship with Him!    ELOHIM’s giving should inspire our thanksgiving.  If it doesn't that's the first sign that we are out of order and are in dire need of acknowledging our sin of selfishness (from a place of brokeness);  asking for forgiveness and godly sorrow that we might repent and turn from our wicked way. 

We need to remember to draw upon this great treasure we have in our “earthen vessels” (ourselves) given to us by ELOHIM through Yeshua.  Romans 5:1-10 confirms this truth to us:

5 Therefore, having been declared right by belief, we have peace with Elohim through our Master Messiah, ²through whom also we have access by belief into this favor in which we stand, and we exult in the expectation of the esteem of Elohim. ³And not only this, but we also exult in pressures, knowing that pressure works endurance; ⁴and endurance, approvedness; and approvedness, expectation. ⁵And expectation does not disappoint, because the love of Elohim has been poured out in our hearts by the Set-apart Spirit which was given to us. ⁶For when we were still weak, Messiah in due time died for the wicked. ⁷For one shall hardly die for a righteous one, though possibly for a good one some- one would even have the courage to die. ⁸But Elohim proves His own love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Messiah died for us. ⁹Much more then, having now been declared right by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. ¹⁰For if, being enemies, we were restored to favor with Elohim through the death of His Son, much more, having been restored to favor, we shall be saved by His life. ¹¹And not only this, but we also exult in Elohim through our Master Messiah, through whom we have now received the restoration to favor.

ELOHIM gives to us again when He gives us a “sound mind.”  When we have a sound mind we are in our right mind.   How can anyone have a sound/sane mind apart from truth?  Is there any real truth apart from the knowledge of the Creator and Righteous Judge?  YHWH’s promise to give us His perfect and perfecting Shalom (peace) to those who keep their minds "trained/disciplined" to focus on Him the problem solver, instead of the problems is an absolute truth when believed and applied. Selah.