22 November 2013
What an amazing privilege to write this letter tonight on the shores of the sea of Galilea. I can walk out of my room to the sea. People from all over the world are coming together to experience the journey of the Messiah whilst being on earth. Tonight, our group had a bon fire and we all sat around the fire on the shore. Mervis Van der Merwe (worshiper) led the people with a heart of love into the presence of the Father. Earlier we were on a boat trip on the sea and one cannot help but look at the waters and think - what if this water could speak and the rocks could speak out - what would they say? Would it sound something like this: ''Why do you not realize that you have in your spirit the very nature and life of YHVH? Why are you so afraid, don’t you know Him? Do you not realize that you are begotten of YHVH, His children, heirs with Yeshua? - Why is it that when we look at the natural, (our life storms) that our faith becomes so weak? There on the boat Yeshua asked Peter to get out of the boat to follow Him - you mean – leaving my comfort zone to follow You in this storm? Yes, that is faith! We will never be able to follow Him if we don’t know Him and trust Him. Yeshua explains that a lack of faith is nothing other than unbelief. Trust, is personal reliance upon Yeshua.
We were at the Mount of Beatitudes today, and I wondered - where did all those people sit? On the ground, maybe in the sun, no chairs or umbrellas, no fast food options - no, all they had were total dependence on YHVH there in the heat of the day, in the field listening to Yeshua’s call to righteousness - doing the will of YHVH. He describe the special favor of YHVH towards his people both physically and spiritually and the benefits of living within that favor. Yeshua explained that obeying His voice would lead to blessings, whilst being disobedient would lead to curses. In my spirit I could see the young boy who gave his bread and fish and Yeshua praying over it - thanking the Father for the provision and it multiplied. Quietly I sat on a rock and looked over at the sea of Galilea, seeing how the people walked for hours to get to this place to hear His message of the Kingdom - that makes no sense for the flesh of man, but is food to the spirit of man. How the comfort of the flesh came, took over, and stole so much from us. I realized how totally different time was spend then compared to today - and I heard my Abba say “Don’t you think that this is why people don’t hear Me anymore?" Very slowly we walked up the mountain again – all being quiet in our spirits - because whilst sitting on the ground on the Mountain of Beatitudes, we started to worship Him as the One who sits on the throne, with honor, and glory, and power. His Spirit came over us, and the tears just started to flow – once again I realized - He will always be in the presence of His worship.
Rev 5:12 Deserving is the Lamb, Who was sacrificed, to receive all the power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and majesty (glory splendor) and blessing!
Then we went to the Jordan river, to a quite spot where it was only us. We sat down and just worshiped him in spirit and in truth. I looked at the river – and what struck me, was the bushes, the very thick bushes growing on the river bank. It made me think of Jeremia, where YHVH said to him – “Jeremia you are racing against mere men and already you complain like this, what are you going to do when you have to race against the wild horses, and what are you going to do when the foreign army arrives?” He was saying that there is a war waiting for all of us and that it would be as severe as finding one’s way through the thicket at the Jordan. As I sat there staring at the thicket I understood that YHVH was saying to him, “be still and thank Me that I am traing you now”, just as He trained David to kill a leon, and then a bear before he faced Goliath.
Let’s start thanking YHVH for what we are going through, because we are in training. But, the good news is that Yeshua knows exactly what you will be facing. You have it in you to go through this situation, because He wants you to be an overcomer. You will overcome - just start to be depended on Yeshua and not on your own understanding.
I just so love to see how Yeshua transforms people into His likeness. The more dependent you become, the more humble you become, and the more humble you become the easier you go through your battles. Because you fight from out of His kingdom with and opposite spirit – you will be blessed!
I bless you tonight with realizing - we are blessed when we need Him, when we mourn – knowing He will comfort us, when we hunger and thirst for righteousness (obeying Yeshua) because we will be satisfied, when we are merciful to others, because He will show us mercy, when we have pure hearts, because we will see YHVH. You will be called a child of God if you are the one who brings peace. Blessed are you when people mock you, persecute you, lie about you, say all sorts of evil about you - He said be happy, be very glad because your great reward awaits for you in heaven. And remember the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way.
What can I say other than Hallelujah - It is all worth it.
I think everyone is sleeping - it is only me staring over the sea and looking at the lights on the other side. On my knees I pray "THANK You Abba, thank you for loving me so much. Thank you for using the fire to transform me into Your likeness. How I love You.”
Every night I speak to my family, they are well in the hands of Yeshua.
So I bless you my friend with Yeshua’s love - stay in Him.
Love you all
Retah