He Is Still On The Throne
Shalom my brothers and sisters, it is truly a blessing to come back to this space to write for my ELOHIM. Yesterday I spent a little much needed time in my happy place as you can see in the images above. However today I wanted to get out a quick message to all of you who come here to read through my experiences that there may be times when we feel our prayers are not heard; but be encouraged as our FATHER YAHWEH is still on the throne. What has been placed on my heart today is to say, do not dismay over the troubles of your day. As I was meeting this morning with some beautiful people who come together every morning to pray over each other, our families, friends and you; two of the sisters read from a writing called “The Shepherd of Hermas”, I linked this title to a video if you would like to know more about this writing. In short, it is a 2nd Century Early Apostolic Christian writing and what is beautiful, is that it aligns with the scriptures we read today and it’s been said that at one point these writings were included among our Scriptures. As you read along, it adds more detail into what our Father YAHWEH has already told us in scripture. To give a bit of background, Hermas is an enslaved Christian who was given his freedom. He became a wealthy merchant, lost his property, and did penance for past sins. This work “The Shepherd of Hermas” contains 12 moral commandments, and 10 parables in the form of a conversation between Hermas and the Malak (Angel) of Repentance but here I will just cite one, Commandment 10. This Commandment resonated with me this morning and aligns with Ephesians 4:30-31 (CJB) And do not grieve the RUACH HA’KODESH with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31: Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.
Commandment 10
Of the sadness of the heart, and that we must take heed not to grieve the RUACH HA’KODESH that is in us.
There are 23 points that the Malak (Angel) of repentance makes within this commandment but I will touch on just a few.
1. Put all sadness far from you, for it is the sister of doubting and of anger. How, Sir, I said, is it the sister of these? For sadness and anger and doubting seem to me to be very different from one another.
2. And he answered, Are you without sense that you do not understand it? For sadness is the most mischievous of all spirits, and the worst to the servants of YAHWEH. It destroys the spirits of all men and torments the RUACH HA’KODESH, and again, it saves.
15. Learn now, O unwise man, how sadness troubles the RUACH HA’KODESH, and how it saves. When a man who is doubtful is engaged in any affair and does not accomplish it by reason of his doubting, this sadness enters into him and grieves the RUACH HA’KODESH, and makes Him sad.
16. Again, when anger overtakes any man for any business, he is greatly moved with anger; then again sadness enters into his heart and he is troubled for what he has done, and repents because he has done amiss.
18. Remove therefore sadness from yourself, and do not afflict the RUACH HA’KODESH which dwells in you, for fear He entreat YAHWEH and depart from you. For the RUACH HA’KODESH, who is given to dwell in the flesh, endures no such sadness.
19. For this reason clothe yourself with cheerfulness, which has always favor with YAHWEH, and you will rejoice in it. For every cheerful man does well, and relishes those things that are good, and despises sadness.
21. For the prayer of a sad man does not always have efficacy to come up to the altar of YAHWEH. And I said to him, Sir, why does not the prayer of a sad man have virtue to come up to the altar of YAHWEH? Because, he said, that sadness remains in his heart.
22. When therefore a man's prayer will be accompanied with sadness, it will not permit his requests to ascend pure to the altar of YAHWEH. For as wine when it is mingled with vinegar does not possess the sweetness it had before, so sadness being mixed with the RUACH HA’KODESH does not allow a man's prayer to be the same as it would be otherwise.
23. So cleanse yourself from sadness, which is evil, and you will live to YAHWEH. And all others will live to YAHWEH, as many as will lay aside sadness and put on cheerfulness.
My brother in the video I linked to above, gave a message on this last year and wow, how easy we forget. It was shocking when I first heard his message on this but when something is not sewn in your heart like scripture says, satan snatches it away. Luke 8:11-12: The parable is this: the seed is YAHWEH’S message. 12: The ones along the path are those who hear, but then the Adversary comes and takes the message out of their hearts, in order to keep them from being saved by trusting it. You see, I like to study in a linear fashion so I’m still finishing up the new testament but I realize that where there is something in my life that I struggle with, I need to attack it with all the related scripture I can get my hands on. These passages from the Shepherd of Hermas are a must for me to meditate on because I have very thin skin and am grieved easily; and what do I do in situations where I am angry, grieved or sad? I pray. No more! In these times I will clean myself up, put on my glappy, gleerful, worship music, dance like David before YAHWEH and then only after I have shed this dreadful spirit of grief, will I come to YAHWEH with my petitions. This answers so much for me and I take joy in having the RUACH HA’KODESH lead me back to this beautiful truthful promise from our Father YAHWEH through some beautiful folk.. He does hear our prayers, but when we pray with sadness and grief in our hearts, they do not reach His throne and how could they when He is perfect and just; and grief is of the enemy.
Shalom and Berekah!
Just a few supporting scriptures:
And do not grieve the RUACH HA’KODESH with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31: Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.
-Ephesians 4:30-31 (CJB)
The parable is this: the seed is YAHWEH’S message. 12: The ones along the path are those who hear, but then the Adversary comes and takes the message out of their hearts, in order to keep them from being saved by trusting it.
-Luke 8:11-12 (CJB)
Don’t be afraid, for I am with you;don’t be distressed, for I am your ELOHIM. I give you strength, I give you help,I support you with my victorious right hand.
-Isaiah 41:10 (CJB)
Haven’t I ordered you, ‘Be strong, be bold’? So don’t be afraid or downhearted, because YAHWEH your ELOHIM is with you wherever you go.
-Joshua 1:9 (CJB)
Don’t worry about anything; on the contrary, make your requests known to YAHWEH by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving.
-Philippians 4:6 (CJB)
In my distress my comfort is this: that your promise gives me life.
-Psalm 119:50 (CJB)
Even if I pass through death-dark ravines, I will fear no disaster; for you are with me; your rod and staff reassure me.
-Psalm 23:4 (CJB)