It’s Time To Turn

Time to turn away

from everything that is distracting us –

towards Our Heavenly Father/Messiah.

In Hebrew culture, the time to turn, is designated to the appointed season of Teshuvah in the annual cyclical calendar. For believers in Yeshua/Jesus our Messiah, it is an ongoing daily attitude of heart and mind, so that we can walk as His disciples.

In Luke 22:31 the adversary demanded to have you people for himself to sift you like wheat….But I prayed for you Simon Peter that your trust might not fail.

When Jesus/Yeshua spoke of little or faith that might fail, He was referring to faith that was immature and needing further experience to grow by tests and trials; just as our faith grows and matures with every test and trial we go through.

Messiah continued…And once you have TURNED back in repentance strengthen your brothers.. Teshuvah turning..

Strong’s Hebrew: 8666.

תְּשׁוּבַת (teshubah) — a return, answer

תְּשׁוּבַת (teshubah) tchuvä;

בַ

Recall the hebrew letters b and v bet/vet בַ

are the same.

In the Hebrew mindset, Turning is not Conversion but repentance.

It is the ability to turn back to Him and seek healing for our brokenness.

Psalm 51 is sometimes called “Perek Teshuvah

the great chapter of repentance

which includes the well known scripture:

Create in me a clean heart …..

tchuvä;

Teshuvah is better translated as “return” and signifies:

a return to the original state,

and there we will have our ‘answer’, the place of restored relationship and peace, true shalom.

Teshuvah has 3 parts:

first, the regret of our sins,

secondly, the decision to change,

and third, a verbal confession of our sins.

We could also say there are the 4 R’s of Repentance:

Recognize: what we are doing wrong

Regret: with godly sorrow

Resolve: to change and do better in the future

Refrain: from exposing ourselves to things and people where there is temptation.

In truth, whenever we sin, we should immediately do Teshuvah;

to turn from evil, and to turn to the good.

2Cor. 7:10 godly sorrow worketh repentance For the sadness that is used by God brings a change of heart that leads to salvation–and there is no regret in that! But sadness that is merely human causes death

Acts 3:19-21 19 Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from

 the presence of the Lord,

After repentance

sins are blotted out

and

times of refreshing come.

and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.

The season of Teshuvah is the month of Elul,

the 6th month of the Hebrew spiritual Calendar.

This is the equivalent of the months of August /September for the Gregorian calendar months and are observed over a period of 40 days.

August 26th is Elul 9, Elul is the 12th and final month in the Jewish civil calendar, or the 6th month, from nisan. (Recall Israel has 2 calendars Civil and Religious. These are covered in previous posts).

Elul 1 5783 began on August 18th 2023

Rosh Hashannah is on September 16th this year.

It is a month that connects the past year with the coming year..

Elul ( אֱלוּל)

Elul is traditionally a time of introspection and a time to review one’s deeds and spiritual progress over the past year.

This month is set aside for Teshuvah/Repentance in anticipation of the Fall Appointed Times/Feasts. The month of Elul is a time to prepare for Yamim Nora’im, The Days of Awe by getting our spiritual House in order.

This is a time to look into our hearts and ask the Ruach HaKodesh to search them and reveal any hidden sins, resentments, forgiveness, pride, anger, bitterness etc. and to repent, make Teshuvah and work at walking according to the Spirit and not the flesh.

For Messianic Believers in Yeshua/Jesus we look back and rejoice over our past redemption and deliverance during the Spring Appointed Times /mooedim/ Feasts of Messiah, With the Fall Appointed Times /mooedim /Feasts we look forward to our future deliverance and exodus from this earthly realm and to the return of our King. This is a time that we prepare ourselves as His Bride and make sure we are ready to hear the Sound of the Shofar! For the trump will sound.

Link below for more on the Appointed Times/feasts of the Lord

https://www.minimannamoments.com/disciples-divine-design-moadiym/ 

Notably the last 10 Days of this season of Teshuvah come between Rosh Hashanah and leading to Yom Kippur are specifically designated for Teshuvah, when in Hebraic tradition the gates of prayer and repentance are said to be more open than at any other time during the cyclical Hebrew year.

For messianic believers, Yeshua/Jesus is our sacrificial lamb. He has paid the price for our sin and as we have repented/teshuvah/ turned to Him; we have forgiveness of sin and are restored to a relationship with our Heavenly Father.

We do not have to wait a whole year to be forgiven because of Yeshua/Jesus we can repent immediately we sin, trusting in the power of His shed blood to not only cover our sins, but erase them. Then we are forgiven and the broken fellowship, the separation because of sin is restored.

Strong’s H8666

teshuvah; an abstract concept meaning,

“returning;” from 

Strong’s H7725

 שוב shuv,

a primitive root meaning,

“to return.”

The 3-letter root is:

shin + vav + bet.

shin ש =

two front teeth, sharp, press, eat, two, again.

vav ו =

the tent peg, add, secure, hook.

bet ב =

the house, household,

family, in, within

To put these together we have:

Again (shin) secure oneself (vav) to the house (bet). The house we have left, (like the prodigal son), to which our Heavenly Father returns us, is His house, because Genesis, His story, began with the Father, a beautiful garden, and the two children He had made to dwell with Him forever, to be a part of His household. His story will eventually be complete…full circle!

Shuv is the root of teshuvah, “repentance.” The term most often used to describe this restoration in the New Testament, is salvation or justification.

The abstract concept of teshuvah is used sparingly in the Hebrew scriptures; most English translations of repentance and restoration are of the verb, shuv.

Here it refers to Simon Peter / shimon kefa, RETURNING to unshakable trust after denying Him three times.

John 21:15 – 17 strengthen your brothers,

which he effectively did/ fulfilled in the early messianic community. Acts 1-15

This is what we are also called to do after we stumble into sin – once we have TURNED back in repentance and are restored and refreshed we are to strengthen our sisters and brothers..

Sifting exposes weaknesses that need to be, and can be strengthened by the infilling of His Spirit Acts 2:14 Peter stood up and said let me tell you what this means

and later in verse 41, 3000 were added.

Sifting is part of the process our Heavenly Father uses and applies to our lives. Then the weaknesses that surface and are exposed can be dealt with accordingly; salvation includes freedom, deliverance from all bondage.

Messiah prayed for Peter by name because He knew him and his previous stumblings.

In the same way He knows each of us our strengths and weaknesses. However just as with Peter and the talmidim/ disciples, He does not leave us in our weaknesses.

In the last three posts we have looked at His Spirit of Holiness. Ruach haKodesh, and His role in our lives. Peter was filled with that same spirit, a holy boldness spoke through him, he was never the same again.

The same can happen for us also, however we must be willing to surrender all, holding nothing back. If we have been saved for many years and feel a dryness in our walk and relationship with Him…

then it’s probably time to teshuvah –

to return to our first love ….

Click link below for more:

https://www.minimannamoments.com/returning-to-your-first-love/

The Lord had breathed on them in John 20:22, and it would seem that was the point of their being born again from above.

And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Spirit: Aramaic Bible in Plain English. 

This would mean that this infilling of His spirit was a separate occasion, different from the salvation moment and different from water immersion.

Paul also found this to be true in Acts 19:22

There he found some disciples 2 and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” They answered, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”  3“Into what, then, were you baptized?” Paul asked. “The baptism of John,” they replied.…

…46For they heard them speaking in tongues and exalting God. Then Peter said,

Acts 10:47 Can anyone forbid these people from being baptized with water? They have received the Holy Spirit just like us.”

 So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Acts 2:38.

Is it possible that a lack of true heartfelt repentance is a spiritual block to receiving the fullness of His spirit?

According to scripture,

Repentance is a commandment and

only the obedient receive His spiritual gifts?!

And if we love Him we will obey what He asks of us?

So much of what our Father wants to accomplish in our lives is prevented by us; we are a stumbling block to ourselves, it is not our Father Who is withholding from us, it’s our self centered disobedience!

Acts 11:17
So if God gave them the same gift He gave us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to hinder the work of God?”

Acts 15:8
And God, who knows the heart, showed His approval by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as He did to us.

In Matthew 3:11 John declared two separate immersions or baptisms – one out ward cleansing the other inward cleansing

 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance. but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:

Here is a question for every reader to consider and ponder.

Have we ever come to the point in our lives where we can say the words from this verse..

I indeed …but He?

Until that moment comes we will never know what the baptism/infilling of His Holy Spirit means.

I indeed am at the end of myself and I cannot do anything more.

We have been struggling trying to walk a spiritual walk with only physical carnal tools, abilities and weapons; and we simply get worn out because it has been in our own strength.

We indeed are out of options, our energies and resources are completely spent, leaving us exhausted and feeling like we should just give up.

But He begins right there at that point of complete lack.

He does the things that no one else can ever do.

Are we really, truly, honestly, prepared for His coming?

When Jonah/Yona/Dove, preached in Nineveh they made a choice…and repented before judgment came upon them, a sign Messiah referred to..

We know He is coming again but He is also coming first in a personal way to each individual. He cannot come and do His work in and through us as long as there is anything blocking the way, whether it is something good or something bad.

When Messiah comes to us, are we prepared for Him to expose every wrong thing we have ever done into the light?

Because that is exactly where He comes and wherever we know we are unclean and need to repent, is exactly the place where He will stand and highlight the need and wherever we are clean, where we have dealt with that sin that hinders our relationship with Him He will walk away; expecting us to follow Him.

The sifting is in process in our lives and like Peter, there is the option of repentance, of turning.

Repentance does not produce a sense of sin, it produces in us a sense of unworthiness that words cannot express. It is not just an emotional feeling of being sorry for doing something and then turning around and continuing to do it again and again.

Derived from the Greek word METANOIA it means:

to have a complete change of mind; and to have a renewed mind in Yeshua HaMashiach /Jesus Christ. It means to forsake the old way of thinking, living and doing and to humbly seek our Heavenly Fathers will for our lives.

Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you may prove what is good, and acceptable and perfect, will of God.

When we find that true repentance, we realize that we are absolutely helpless and that like John, we are not worthy even to carry His sandals.

Have we ever repented like that, or do we have lingering thoughts of trying to defend our actions?

Perhaps the reason our Fathers Holy Spirit is restricted from coming into our lives in fullness, is that we have not come to the point of complete repentance in true humility.

In verse 11 he will baptize you….. John is not speaking here of the baptism of Holy Spirit as an experience, but as a work performed by Messiah Yeshua/Jesus .. He will baptize you.

The only experience that those who are baptized with His Holy Spirit are ever conscious of, is the experience of being aware of their absolute unworthiness, of how truly dependent we are on His mercy, grace and forgiveness.

I INDEED was us in the past, BUT HE came and something miraculous happened. We must get to the end of our ourselves, where we can do nothing but He does everything. It feels like a point of complete helplessness and it is because…. without Him we have nothing and we are in big trouble when we think we don’t need Him. He looks for our complete and total surrender, not just our acceptance of His offer of salvation and belief in Him.

Have we surrendered all?

Is there any part of us that we are withholding from our Heavenly Father?

Is there any area of our lives that we still want to be in control?

Today is the day to make certain and to allow the sifting process to complete its objective, then we can turn like Peter did and strengthen those Father puts in our path.

True repentance leads to complete surrender, then we, as the prepared vessels can be filled with His Spirit of holiness.

Christ in us, not only the hope of future glory, but present power to accomplish His will, plan and purpose and for His good pleasure. Let us be sure, certain, that we do not miss the day of our visitation. Let us grab it with both hands. We are only promised today so let’s surrender all to the only One who surrendered all for us. We don’t know the day nor the hour He is coming back for His Bride; a body of believers who are ready, without spot and wrinkle on their robes of righteousness.

The season, the time of Teshuvah is constant for the messianic believer; we are to be those wise bridesmaids with our lamps filled with oil/spirit of holiness. It’s a wake up call to all of us to be ready spiritually, prepared mentally with the mind of Christ; focused and not sleeping, looking for His return. Every day believers leave this world behind – one day it will be our turn.

The same cry that John called out is echoing through the ages into our hearing…repent for the kingdom of the heavens is near

…its the same cry that Messiah preached in Matthew 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

We cannot be saved without true repentance, being sorry is not enough. Acts 17 warns us… it’s a command, not an option; and when Messiah said it 2000+ years ago, how much closer are we today?

Time as we know it will soon run out,

we need to hear truth not ear tickling, comfortable messages from our pulpits; because only truth will make us free. We must have ears to hear, because only the truth we hear and apply will change us into vessels He can use….

There is a timely warning for us all to wake up in

A basic part of focusing on teshuvah is Who our Father is; and we can see that in the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy that were revealed to Moses after the sin of the golden calf in Ex. 34:6-7:

Link below to the Thirteen Attributes

13 ATTRIBUTES OF GOD’S MERCY.

Our Heavenly Father’s great compassion, in Hebrew His rachamim, is for us to make it to the end, to endure and mature and grow in grace and faith; so that once we return to Him we are to strengthen our fellow believers. Because everyone goes through the refining fires, the times of sifting and separating. This is the work of His Spirit of Holiness in us as we saw last post.

Again everything is connected, we cannot compartmentalize His working in our lives, nor can we say we don’t need this part or that part. We cannot choose His method or the instruments of His preparation for our promotion. Listen to what the Ruach HaKodesh is saying to us and showing us, as we submit ourselves more and more to His Way, His Truth and His Will for our lives.

Do we as Believers in the Messiah need to Repent, to do Teshuvah?

What does the Word say?

Read again His message to the 7 Assemblies/Synagogues in Revelation and we will see correction from our Messiah and His warnings to repent. Revelation 2-4

As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Revelation 3:19

 

Prophets like Jeremiah and Joel were calling the people to return to the Lord:

They said, ‘Repent now everyone of his evil way and his evil doings, and dwell in the land that the LORD has given to you and your fathers forever and ever. Jer. 25:5

Joel 2:12-13 AMPC Therefore also now, says the Lord, turn and keep on coming to Me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning [until every hindrance is removed and the broken fellowship is restored].

The verb ישׁוּב, turn oneself, turn about, is here used in a double sense: first, as turn away from one; and then turn towards him, return again. 

In the new Testament in Acts 3:19 Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord. 

This season also reminds us of Esther and her willingness to prepare herself before coming into the Kings presence so she could approach him and ask for mercy for her people. This is a reminder that in humility with a truly repentant heart we can always approach the King of Kings and allow His countenance to shine on us.

Prophetically,

Teshuvah’s 40 days of repentance,

prepares believers for Messiah’s appearing!

We must choose to allow our Father’s Ruach HaKodesh, Who loves us, to rebuke and chasten us so we can bring true fruits of repentance and go forward a Bride without spot or blemish ready for the Wedding Feast!

Turn and keep on coming to Messiah family, for surely this is our hearts desire that every hindrance is removed and the broken fellowship with our Lord is restored.

This is His desire for us…

and it’s time to turn!

שָׁלוֹם עֲלֵיכֶם‎,

Shalom aleikhem

chaverim and mishpachah!

Peace to friends and family.

Shavua Tov, Have a blessed week.

Make certain Messiah Jesus/Yeshua is your Redeemer, Savior, Lord and soon returning King and that you have a personal relationship with Him.

It’s all about Life and Relationship, NOT Religion.

You are very precious in His sight.

Not sure ..you can be…

SIMPLY SAY THE FOLLOWING MEANING IT FROM YOUR HEART..don’t delay one more minute,

SAY IT RIGHT NOW…

Heavenly Father I come to you in the Name of Jesus/Yeshua asking for forgiveness of my sins for which I am truly sorry. I repent of them all and turn away from my past.

I believe with my heart and confess with my mouth that Jesus/Yeshua is your Son and that He died on the cross at calvary to pay the price for my sin, so that I might be forgiven and have eternal life in the kingdom of Heaven. Father I believe that Jesus/Yeshua rose from the dead and I ask you to come into my life right now and be my personal Savior and Lord and I will worship you all the days of my life. Because your word is truth I say that I am now forgiven and born again and by faith I am washed clean with the blood of Jesus/Yeshua. Thank you that you have accepted me into your family in Jesus’/Yeshua’s name

Who Is Searching For Who?

Doing a search is a popular statement these days.

We are able to search the internet using digital ‘search engines’ to find out details on whatever subject we want..

Many times all we ever hear is

“I looked it up using a search engine on our web browser..”

…and there are several well known names we use.

These AI (artificial intelligences) answers to our search, are so immediate that we have come to prefer this instant answer, instead of asking the Lord and waiting patiently for His Holy Spirit to tell us; or by taking the time to research for ourselves in the Bible and Dictionaries or Thesaurus. We need to be aware of not allowing a popular search engine and the internet to be our source of supply instead of or in preference to our Heavenly Father.

We are to Search/Zarah

or Seek

the Lord with all our hearts

….and He will direct our paths.

Prov.3:5,6 & Deut.4:29

We are to Seek for Him while He may be found.

6 Seek the LORD while He may be found;

call on Him while He is near Is 55:6

However there is a Psalm where David states that

the Lord

searches

out our path.

Psalm 139:3 You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways.

Below are various translations where some say search, others say discern, comprehend, know and compassest.

ESV: You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Psalm 139:3,

Psalm 139 :3, NIV: You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Psalm 139:3,

KJV: Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.

Berean Standard Bible You search out my path and my lying down; You are aware of all my ways.

American Standard Version Thou searchest out my path and my lying down, And art acquainted with all my ways.
Aramaic Bible in Plain English You know my way and my steps and you have investigated all my ways.

English Revised Version Thou searchest out my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.

King James Bible Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.

A Hebrew word for SEARCH is ZARAH 2219

verb

זָרָה

zaw-raw

scrutinize, spread, scatter, winnow

Almost every modern English translation of the Bible will have a different rendering for the word search – zarah.

Some others are:

Living Bible: sees me

Aramaic Bible: know my ways

Holman Bible: observes me

International standard version: scrutinize my life.

King James version: compassest me

ESV: search me

Douay Reams Bible: understood me

New English translation: observes me

And NIV: discerns me

In all these different renderings, not one is wrong or better than another, and it could be that our Heavenly Father is showing us the rich meaning and depth of His Word. Through these words His Spirit reveals to us a greater understanding of the message He wants to impart to us. So in this case there is not a translation that is incorrect.

The Hebrew word comes from a primitive root:  zuwr; to toss about; by implication, to diffuse, winnow — cast away, compass, disperse, fan, scatter (away), spread, strew, winnow.

Recall that every letter of a Hebrew word has its’ own meaning and pictograph. Each letter is a word and here the word zarah is spelled:

zayin resh hei. 

זָרָה

The zayin   זָ   represents and looks like a sword which cut something open to expose the inner layers.

The resh  רָ  is bent over to the left some of the ancient Hebrew sages tell us that it is a sign of humility or shame. 

The letter hei/hey ה is the third letter which represents the presence of God.

When God cuts through us and reveals what is inside of us it brings us to shame and humility in His presence…..However He does not leave us there…it’s a process.

Here the meanings: scrutinize, spread, scatter, winnow, carefully investigate; remind us of Messiahs words that were describing the divide and sift that was to come for His disciples in order to test their faith.

Just as Messiah Jesus/Yeshua said to Simon in Luke.

Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat; but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers. Luke 22:31-32 (NASB)

The Greek word which is translated as

demanded actually has the idea of a request.

satan has desired to sift you ALL…

WHY is this necessary?…

it is for us to see what is in us.

Messiah/Jesus said

the devil comes and finds nothing in me.

The key word in the phrase he has nothing in Me is nothing.  The English word nothing is the correct translation of the Greek which is ou oudeis.

The word ou means not

and oudeis means no one, none or nothing.

When the Greek word ou is combined with oudeis, 

nothing becomes emphatic.

The Greek phrase is a Hebrew idiom which has the legal sense of no claim.

Therefore, Messiah was simply saying that Satan had 

no legal claim on Him.

 In what sense does Satan have no legal claim on Messiah?

The answer is that Satan has no authority, claim or control over Messiah Jesus/Yeshua in any way, but he does have control over the world systems, kingdoms and non-believers.

There are two important points to help us understand what Satan controls.

The first point is that during the temptation of Messiah by the devil, he reveals that he has authority over the kingdoms of the world Luke 4:5-6. Notice that the devil states all of the kingdoms of the world were handed over to me.

And he led Him up and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said to Him, “I will give You all this domain and its glory; for it has been handed over to me, and I give it to whomever I wish.” Luke 4:5-6 (NASB)

These verses help us understand that the devil not only owns the kingdoms of the world, but he controls them as well. Luke 4:5-6.

The second point is that in John 8:43-44 we read that non-Christians, (those who do not accept and believe that Jesus/Yeshua was and is the only begotten Son of the Living God and died in our place;) are under the control of the devil and have the same desires as the devil.

Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word. You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. John 8:43-44 (NASB)

The Greek word translated as of in the phrase

of your father the devil is the Greek word ekin.

It means out. 

This means the Pharisees were like the devil, out of, being of that seed.

1 John 3:10 also reveals that we belong to either Christ or the devil.

By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother. 1 John 3:10 (NASB)

The verse tells us every man and woman either belongs to God or belongs to the devil. Those who practice sin belong to the devil. The verses before and after verse 10 make this clear, non-Christians belong to Satan and he has control of them because they are not Christians. Scripture states that the devil is the god of this age, the ruler of this world, and the prince of the power of the air.

We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. 1 John 5:19 (NASB)

In contrast 1 John 5:18 tells us that Christians cannot be touched or controlled by Satan.

We know that no one who is born of God sins; but He who was born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him. 1 John 5:18 (NASB)

Therefore, since Messiah/Christ was God and sinless, Satan could not control Him. 

Satan had no legal claim on Him.

This is why Messiah said,  . . . he has nothing in Me… and when satan tempted Him in the wilderness, he was not successful: Matthew 4:1-11; Mark 1:12-13; Luke 4:1-13. Messiah/Christ was without sin Hebrews 4:15.

Can we say the same…

What will be exposed

when we are sifted and scrutinized

by His Spirit of Holiness?

Who will withstand the time of shaking? 

What will the light expose in us?

Once our Heavenly Father has opened us up and revealed all the shameful things in our lives; He does not leave us in that state, He cleans up our lives so they are worthy to carry His indwelling presence. He is going to pursue us until we are willing to let Him open us and cleanse us, so that He can abide/live inside of us and we can become what He created us to be in the first place.

He will zarah/search us in our lying down.

The word for lying down is rava’ . רָבַע

raba: to lie stretched out, lie down

(recall the letters b and v are interchangeable.)

Original Word: רָבַע
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: raba
Phonetic Spelling: raw-bah’
Definition: to lie stretched out, lie down

Strong’s Hebrew: 7250. רָבַע (raba) —

to lie stretched out, lie down

This word comes from old Akkadian word RV,

which has the idea of lying down to reproduce.

raba: to lie stretched out, lie down

In all modern ways of understanding today, our Heavenly Father is watching us even in our most private moments. He is there looking for anything that may hinder the fullness of His presence in our lives. When He finds it, He pursues us until we confess only pure motives and honest intentions of our hearts towards Him. He searches for anything that could prevent Him from being all He longs to be in our lives. He observes the fruit of our lives, our actions and what is reproduced, then He prunes us so that we will bear even more fruit.

 

Is He really that intrusive /interested in our lives, watching and observing our paths and  even our most Intimate moments?

He is obviously acquainted with all our ways.

Here that word acquaint in Hebrew is

katan which is used in a hiphal form.

spelled with a letter c or k. Strongs 5532

cakan — to be of use or service, benefit

cakan: benefit

Original Word: סָכַן
Part of SpeechVerb
Transliteration: cakan
Phonetic Spelling: saw-kan’
 acquaint self, be advantage, ever, be, unprofitable, treasurer.
A primitive root; to be familiar with; by implication, to minister to, be serviceable to, be customary — acquaint (self), be advantage, X ever, (be, (un-))profit(-able), treasurer, be wont.

Hiph`il Perfect1singular הִסְכַּ֫נְתִּי Numbers 22:20; 2masculine singular הִסְבַּ֑נְתָּה Psalm 139:3

Imperative הַסְכֶּןנָֿא Job 22:21

Infinitive abs. הַסְכֵּן Numbers 22:30; — be used, wont, strictly exhibit use, or habit,

הַהַסְכֵּן הִסְכַּנְתִּי לַעֲשת לְךָ כֹּה Numbers 22:30 (J) 

have I ever shewn the habit of doing thus to thee? hence shew harmony with (עִם) one Job 22:21, be familiar with, know intimately (subject ׳י) Psalm 139:3 (with accusative דְּרָכַי).

The word katan seems to have its origins in an ancient Phoenician word developed from: examining a wound to determine how to care for it.

It is a diagnostic search or a familiarizing. When used in a hiphal form it gives the picture of: God is not observing all our ways to make notes and assign grades for our performance; but to determine and understand the best way to correct and heal whatever wounds have been left as He fills us with His presence.

Like David there are no doubt many things in our lives we are ashamed of. Even though God has forgiven us we still have scars that remind us of our past sins and even some open wounds still remain that must be healed.

Maybe David is saying here that our Heavenly Father searches us out, even in our most intimate moments, to clean us up and forgive every single sin, no matter how secret and hidden we think it is. This is so He can enter our lives and fill us with His presence, His Spirit of Holiness.

There is another Hebrew word for

search – chaqar

resh quph chet

which also means:

to investigate,

examine thoroughly in order to expose a weakness.

Weaknesses can be in the form of old unhealed wounds and spiritual scars.

It is not only that He will search us, but He will also closely examine all of our wounds to determine the best treatment to heal them; so we can rest totally in His presence without the hindrance of guilt and shame. When we are running from God, resisting His searching gaze, it is often because we really don’t want to be cleaned up. We like our secret sins and we are comfortable with our wounds, preferring to live and walk as a casualty, with a victim mentality.

However, because our Father loves us and does not want to lose us, He will keep chasing after us until we allow Him to catch up with us and until we surrender; then He can clean us up and heal all our wounds. There are those rooms in our ‘house’ that need a deep, spiritual spring-cleaning. Attics, basements, cupboards and closets full of memories and hurts; those corners of our hearts and minds that we have closed off for too long.

It is only when we truly surrender and stop running, that we will discover the freedom giving joy of His presence. A relationship that is unhindered by sin, guilt and shame is one that allows true loving intimacy, the spiritual connection with our Creator Father, that of katan with Him.

Today…it’s time to stop running and hiding from Him, we often stay too busy to take the time we need to be in His presence.

We need Him, and we must seek His face/presence and only then we will find Him. If we truly want to walk with Him, it is critical to lay down self. Nothing less than total submission, a repentant heart and allowing Him to search us, will bring true humility and openness spiritually; which precedes the personal revival, restoration, maturity and Holiness of His called-apart-ecclesia.

Today it’s is time to answer the question for our own life….

Who is Searching For Who?

Shalom shalom mishpachah/family

and cheverim/friends!

You are loved, appreciated and prayed for

… and…

it’s all about Life and Relationship,

NOT Religion.

You are precious in His sight.

NOT SURE?

YOU CAN BE..

SAY THE FOLLOWING FROM YOUR HEART RIGHT NOW…

Heavenly Father I come to you in the Name of Jesus/Yeshua asking for forgiveness of my sins for which I am truly sorry. I repent of them all and turn away from my past.

I believe with my heart and confess with my mouth that Jesus/Yeshua is your Son and that He died on the cross at calvary to pay the price for my sin, so that I might be forgiven and have eternal life in the kingdom of Heaven. Father I believe that Jesus/Yeshua rose from the dead and I ask you to come into my life right now and be my personal Savior and Lord and I will worship you all the days of my life. Because your word is truth I say that I am now forgiven and born again and by faith I am washed clean with the blood of Jesus/Yeshua. Thank you that you have accepted me into your family in Jesus’/Yeshua’s name. Amen

What Did Yohanan Say Was in His Cousins Hand?

There are many scriptures that speak of things in Jesus/Yeshuas’ hand….

….including…

Ezra 8:22; Job 2:10 Goodness

Ps. 18:35 Holds us up.

Ps. 48:10 Right hand is full of righteousness.

139:10 Hand leads us, gives direction.

145:16 Open and satisfy every living thing.

Prov. 3:16 Length of days in her right hand (wisdom).

Song Sol. 2:6 Right hand embraces, left hand under head.8:3

John 13:3 Father has put everything into His hands.

Habb. 3:4. The hiding place of His power.

Matt. 8:3; Mark 7:33. Healing from His touch.

John 9:6. Mud/salve for our eyes.

Ps.23. Rod and staff of the good shepherd chastening, guide, guard and govern

John 6:35, 56. The Bread of Life.

Matthew 26:27; Luke 22:19.  The cup of Redemption

Which includes salvation, deliverance and comfort.

Mk. 1:41; Matt. 9:35-36. Compassion in His touch.

John 1:35-42; Matt. 4:18-23; Luke 5:1-11. Discipleship as He beckons to us to follow Him

Isaiah 41:13.  He bears us up in His hands, carries us.

Isaiah 49:16.  Our names are engraved there.

John 14:27. His Shalom/Peace He gives to us.

John 20:27. Holes from the nails.

Rev. 1:18. Keys of Death and hell he holds the timing of our departure.

BUT

What did

Yohanan say was in His cousins hand?

Yohanan is Hebrew for John

יוֹחָנָן and means: God is gracious.

and his cousin of course, Jesus/Yeshua.

Yohanan/John said …

Whose

winnowing fork 

is in His hand

..in context:

I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clean out his threshing floor and will gather his wheat into the storehouse, but the chaff he will burn up with inextinguishable fire.

Matthew 3:11-12 Mark 1:8 Luke 3:16! And John 1:33

One who is coming

said John, shouting from the Judean desert, as a prophetic forerunner of the Messiah with his call for repentance; and his warnings to the Pharisees and Sadducees, calling them “You brood of vipers!”

His main focus was Repent!

Note the meaning of the letters:

return to the cross of grace!

In Matthew 3:12

Hebrew : תשובה,

literally meaning: return.

tshuva or teshuva

pronounced: te-shoov-ah

to turn from the way you were going and return to God for healing, forgiveness and instruction in righteousness.

תשובה

Teshuvah, a Hebrew word often translated as repentance; however it is more accurately understood as turning back/returning – shuv to our Heavenly Father/YHWH and to obey Him. Deut. 4:30

 

In Modern Hebrew Teshuvah means an “answer” to a shelah, or a question. God’s love for us is the question, and our teshuvah – our turning of the heart toward Him – is the answer.

Teshuvah is one of the great gifts God gives each of us – the ability to turn back to Him and seek healing for our brokenness.

The book of the words of Isaiah the prophet foretold his message and his role: “A voice cries: ‘In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.’” [Isaiah 40:3]

John declared that the kingdom of heaven was at hand and called sinners to repentance/Teshuvah. He was very careful to distinguish his role and message from that of the Messiah, whose arrival he announced, and whose WAY he made straight.

John made it clear, I baptize you with water but he will baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire. He who is coming after me is mightier than I, John acknowledged. His sandals I am not worthy to carry.

Directly addressing the Pharisees and Sadducees, he called them out as a brood of vipers and warning them that even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Judgment is at hand. Do not presume to say to yourselves . . . .  John understood their hearts and their future rejection of the Son of God and Son of Man and he warned that the unfruitful tree will be thrown to the fire.

The eschatological imagery is clearly that the wheat represents those who are truly repentant, the chaff those who are not.

Messiah will judge the world, and those that are worthy would be brought into his barn/kingdom while those that were unworthy will burn in unquenchable fire.

His winnowing fork is in His hand to clear His threshing floor and to gather the wheat into His barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

Verse 12 teaches us that Jesus will come as one with a winnowing fork.

The winnowing fork separates the wheat from the chaff.

Figuratively, He will gather the wheat, or true followers of Jesus/Yeshua, into the barn; but the chaff will be burned up. 

As with the axe already placed against the tree in the preceding verse, the winnowing fork is already in hand, emphasizing the nearness of judgment. 

We know what an Axe is and what it is for; however, we may not be so familiar with a winnowing fork especially if we are not from an agricultural background.

These references were used because those hearing them were familiar not only with what they looked like, but what they were used for; and the whole process of farming, growth and harvest. So together with their knowledge and obedient celebration of the Appointed times/harvest cycles of the Lord it made complete sense to them.

 So this description would have been obvious to John’s listeners. At the time of the harvest a winnowing fork would be used to toss the stalks and heads of grain into the air, usually in the face of a breeze.

The wheat would fall to the ground to be collected, but the chaff would blow away to be collected and burned. The Lord of the harvest will collect his grain into the barn, but the chaff will be burned with unquenchable fire.

His winnowing-shovel is in His hand, and He will make a thorough clearance of His threshing-floor, gathering His wheat into the storehouse, but burning up the chaff in unquenchable fire.

It Is A Process:

After

It is placed on the Threshing Floor and trodden out by animals 

or

The stalks and grain would look like this after threshing.

In Job 39:15 and Dan. 7:23

the Hebrew verb ‘to thresh’ is  דּוּשׁ
Strongs#1758 to tread, thresh

and has as its root-meaning

‘to trample down’, ‘to tread under foot'”

Transliteration: dush or dish
Phonetic Spelling: (doosh)

At the season of Shavuot we remember part of the event celebrated, was the fire of the Ruach HaKodesh/Holy Spirit, falling upon those who had patiently waited since Messiah had instructed them to tarry in Jerusalem; the place of His presence, preparing their hearts while counting the Omer.

This season also remembers Ruth and the meeting with Boaz on the threshing floor in Jerusalem.

For more on Ruth Boaz and the threshing floor click link below

https://www.minimannamoments.com/knot-just-another-string-theory/

So it is a place – location specific.

And we are reminded that the threshing floor in question is that very same location that David purchased and brought the ark/presence of God to reside. And where his son Solomon eventually built the Temple.

2 Sam.24:21

 Araunah said, “Why has my lord the king come to his servant?”

“To buy your threshing floor,”

David answered,

“so I can build an altar to the LORD, 

As we understand more of the life culture and times of Messiah we gain more understanding of His words and how they relate to us; and how they can enable us to mature in Him.

The construction of the floors are very simple. Comprising a circular space, from 30-50 feet, (9-15 meters), in diameter, and made level. The ground is smoothed down and beaten solid so that the earth will not get mixed with the grain during threshing. Over time, the floors, especially on the mountains, are covered with a tough, hard grass. They are often the prettiest, and in many places the only, green plots in the village, here any traveller appreciates to pitch his tent. Daniel calls them summer threshing floors; and this is the most appropriate name for them, since they are only used in that season of the year.

Why A Winnowing Fork?

And what exactly does it do?

רַ֫חַת noun [feminine] winnowing-shovel, 

rachath: winnowing shovel –

strongs # 7371

רַחַת

From ruwach; a winnowing-fork

(as blowing the chaff away) — shovel.

Referenced in Is. 30:24.

Transliteration: rachath
Phonetic Spelling: (rakh’-ath)

Note Ruwach root to Ruach רוּחַ

strongs #7317 breath, wind, spirit

Transliteration: ruach
Phonetic Spelling: (roo’-akh)

zarah: to scatter, fan, winnow

strongs #2219

זָרָה

Transliteration: zarah
Phonetic Spelling: (zaw-raw’)

 

John describes the Messiah as a discerning judge, who will separate the good from the bad because, Winnowing forks, generally made of wood, were common at the time, and several dating from this period have been found.

Modern scholars mostly agree that the term “winnowing fork” is the most accurate but older versions have fan, shovel, broom, amongst other translations. 

The description of the winnowing or threshing process was the one farmers used to separate husks from grains of wheat.

(Keep in mind the process is spiritual for us.)

Then The Process of Winnowing:

The stalks and grain were thrown up for the wind to separate the grains of wheat from the chaff or husks which cannot be used because they are inedible.

They used winnowing fans (or forks) to toss the harvested grain into the air.

Winnowing the grain was accomplished by the use of either a broad shovel or of a wooden fork which had bent prongs.

With this instrument, the mass of chaff, straw, and grain was thrown against the wind. Because there was generally a breeze blowing in the evening, this was the time when it was normally done.

The wheat berry is surrounded by a sliver of dry husk that has to be separated from the wheat.  After threshing, which removed most of the bigger stuff, harvesters used either a fork or a basket to toss the wheat up into the wind. 

The wind blows through the tossed wheat and the chaff, which is very light, dislodges from the wheat in the action of winnowing. 

The wheat falls to the ground into a nice pile of relatively clean, useable grain.

 

Winnowing separates the good and useful from the worthless.

It cleans.

 

“His winnowing fork is in his hand.”

This metaphor perfectly describes Yeshua/Jesus’ actions.

There will come a time when God does this work of separating in a final sense, those whose names are written in the Lambs Book of Life, from those whose aren’t. 

His winnowing fork is in His hand – applies to us now and to the content of our hearts.

Some separating needs to take place.

The chaff can also refer to sin in the lives of the overcomers, and sin needs to be removed, if not willingly then through the winnowing and sifting processes. Then good fruit needs to come forth and be seen.

The world needs to see His Bride becoming more like her Bridegroom.

So Naomi Said to Ruth concerning Boaz:

“Behold, he winnoweth barley tonight in the threshing floor”

(Ruth 3:2).
When the Bible speaks of the farmer’s fan, it does not mean that some instrument was used to increase the speed or movement of the wind. It meant, the fan was the shovel or wooden fork used when unseparated grain and straw was thrown against the wind.

In Jeremiah 15:7, he tells of God using a fan to winnow His people Israel:

I have

winnowed them with a fan

in the gates of the land.

The chaff (the unwanted husks) would separate from the grain and be lifted away by the breeze, while the heavier grain would settle back onto the ground.

When the grain and straw, not as yet separated, are thrown into the air, the wind causes the mass of material to fall as follows:

Since the grain is the heaviest, it naturally falls beneath the fan. The straw is blown to the side into a heap, and the lighter chaff and the dust are carried beyond into a flattened row formed by the wind.

This gave the Psalmist David, his picture:

“The ungodly are not so, but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away” (Psa. 1:4).

As Scriptures often indicate the chaff is burned.

And the flame consumeth the chaff  (Isa. 5:24).

John the Baptist was familiar with the winnowing process and the burning of the chaff which is why he said:

“Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire” (Matt. 3:12; Luke 3:17).

Sifting the grain:
When the winnowing process is over, then comes the sifting of the grain.

The wheat or barley will still be more or less mixed with certain amounts of chaff, little stones, and perhaps some tares.

Sifting is therefore necessary before the grain can be ground into meal.

The sifter sits on the floor, and shakes the sieve which contains the grain, until the chaff begins to appear on the top, and this is blown away by the sifter. Here, the stones and tares are removed.

 
Yeshua/ Jesus made reference to the sifting process in Luke 22:31. He said: 

Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you all as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not; and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

Jesus/Yeshua, is referring to ALL of the 12 ( the word you here is plural). This indicates that ALL who follow Him will also be sifted as they were.

Before separating a part from itself – it has to be broken!

The image He chose, that of sifting like wheat, is painfully graphic. The picture is of grain in a sieve, where the head of grain is taken apart (cf. Amos 9:9). Our English idiom of picking someone to pieces or taking someone apart, brings a similar image to mind.

Strongs Greek #4617 siniazo: I sift,

prove by trials,

winnow.

Original Word: σινιάζω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: siniazo
Phonetic Spelling: (sin-ee-ad’-zo)

לְנַפּוֹת  לִבזוֹק

sieve, scrutinize,

 filter, filtrate, strain,

In other words, hasatan has tried his best to separate all of you from me, like chaff from wheat.

He was warning them that ALL of them would be attacked by the devil but, as their leader, Peter would be most obviously singled out. Just as satan would temporarily succeed in scattering the disciples by striking down the Chief Shepherd, he would also temporarily knock Peter down.

Once this process is completed, the farmer could then gather the grain and store it in his barn.

 Transfer these images to our lives and see the process for those who will follow Him.

This was the image John used to describe the ultimate judgment Messiah will bring. After using his winnowing fan, He will clear his threshing floor, gathering the good grain into His barn and burning the unwanted chaff with unquenchable fire.

This reference His threshing floor today, is to the temple, of which we are, specifically the sanctuary where His Spirit/ruach/presence reside/abides/lives.

The outer court of the Temple was open to all and sin had to be allowed there because they came to bring their sacrifices to the altar to obtain forgiveness through the covering by/of innocent blood.

Now Jesus/Yeshua is going to clear/purge His threshing floor that is, those who are His that still have sin in their lives. It’s the preparation process, the final one, before the gathering in of the grain to His Barn.

This depiction of Jesus/Yeshua as the one who separates good from bad, then gathers the good to Himself and burns the rest. This may not be our favorite image of Messiah from the scriptures however, it is one that John the Baptist and the evangelists after him wanted us to hear. We are not supposed to be afraid of Messiah or of future judgment, but we are supposed to be forewarned and aware: What we do and who we are matters to God.

WHY?

Because, we cannot be with Jesus/Yeshua, in his warm barn full of good grain, unless we are ready.

Below a picture of a Fine Tooth Comb which is also used in the harvests separating process and where our metaphor comes from.

Why Fire?

Because the Messiah will be mighty and will baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire. John then describes the Messiah as a discerning judge who will separate the good from the bad.

For individuals, it is to burn away all that is not of Himself. All flesh will one day be consumed but until then, we are to eliminate the fleshly things of this life while still in the physical body.

His Holy fire purges the flesh of impurities and cleanses our hearts and minds. This is of course is the view we have now that since Jesus/Yeshua came, died and was resurrected and said He would never leave or forsake us because He was leaving His Spirit, the comforter with us. His Ruach/Spirit, came and was released into the earth and received by individuals who were properly prepared vessels.

Let this be a timely warning to us, because followers of Messiah must never be so naïve as to think that satan pays most attention to those who have already surrendered to his demonic powers. In fact, the opposite is true. It is those who follow Yeshua/Jesus and have a Godly reputation who have targets on their backs.

 Hasatan/adversary, cares little about professing believers who are not seriously following Messiah because they are no threat to his kingdom.

2 Cor. 2:11 says, We must not knowingly allow him to take advantage of our weakness, or remain ignorant of his schemes, however, we must also never minimize our personal responsibility. Surely we throw open the door to making the devil’s work so much easier, whenever we allow our pride to control us and we can fall when we least expect it.

“In the story of Peter’s fatal self-confidence and pitiable fall every believer has a permanent and powerful warning never to rely arrogantly on his own strength. A healthy confidence is indeed necessary to every Christian, but this must be in the sense of reliance on God—i.e. faith, not in our own resources, but in the power given to us by Him” (Geldenhuys).

“Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall” (1 Corinthians 10:12).

How do we do that?

We cooperate with His working in us…the process…all of it…

Fortunately for us, the winnowing process has already begun. The words of Yeshua/Jesus and his forerunner John the Baptist have already begun threshing us, separating the worthless, husky part of us from the valuable, substantial grain. Our will must be surrendered to His will, it is that part of us that needs to be broken the rebellious part that makes up who we are spiritually, just like that of a wild horse needing to broken to be of use to his owner. We are to yield willingly and then the process is not so painful and takes much less time!

The sifting is happening now… so don’t be alarmed or discouraged..you are not alone..

12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: 13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. 1 Peter 4:12-13

Cast Your Cares on Him … 8 Be sober-minded and alert. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in your faith and in the knowledge that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering. 10 And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore you, secure you, strengthen you, and establish you.…1Peter5:9

But I have prayed for you, that your faith fail not:

He prays for us just as He prayed for Peter.

The faithful preacher is like the winnowing fork in the Lord’s harvest.

True gospel preaching leads to wheat collected into the barn, but also leads to chaff collected for the burning. It is not the most heartwarming message, however, it is the glory of the calling of a true minister of His Gospel and the end result is the best conclusion we can ever have…eternal life in the Fathers presence.

Sifted but saved!

We are facing difficult days with unprecedented challenges.

There will be only one place to hide…IN HIM…Get into the Ark/Yeshua/Jesus.

Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Col. 3:3

and of course among others Psalm 91!

Make these scriptures your own – stand on them – they are the rock of our salvation and with this firm foundation underneath us along with His everlasting arms, we will withstand every storm and He is with us even to the end of the age,

Our calling is clear, we are to

preach the Word,

proclaim the Gospel,

herald the truth

that the kingdom of the heavens is at hand.

Be humble,

take courage,

be not afraid,

the time of sifting His harvest is here.

Shalom shalom mishpachah/family and cheverim/friends! You are loved and appreciated and prayed for daily.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read the posts. If they have been a blessing and if you haven’t already, please sign up for free email notification, like, share and subscribe, it all helps to freely spread the Gospel to the uttermost parts of the earth and reaches others with His Truths. MMM will continue as long as the platform is accessible… meanwhile let’s remember

it’s all about Life and Relationship, NOT Religion.

You are greatly loved and precious in His sight.

NOT SURE?

YOU CAN BE..

SAY THE FOLLOWING FROM YOUR HEART RIGHT NOW…

Heavenly Father I come to you in the Name of Jesus/Yeshua asking for forgiveness of my sins for which I am truly sorry. I repent of them all and turn away from my past.

I believe with my heart and confess with my mouth that Jesus/Yeshua is your Son and that He died on the cross at calvary to pay the price for my sin, so that I might be forgiven and have eternal life in the kingdom of Heaven. Father I believe that Jesus/Yeshua rose from the dead and I ask you to come into my life right now and be my personal Savior and Lord and I will worship you all the days of my life. Because your word is truth I say that I am now forgiven and born again and by faith I am washed clean with the blood of Jesus/Yeshua. Thank you that you have accepted me into your family in Jesus’/Yeshua’s name. Amen.