🙏ROSH HA'SHANAH | Submitted In The New Year

As we bring in Rosh ha'Shanah it’s only natural to look back to contemplate our walk in the year left behind. The annual self-inventory can reveal areas that our busy minds too easily brush over.

Here's just a few questions that I believe are worthy of contemplation: . Is our love deeper?

. Is our forgiveness broader?

. Are our thoughts set on higher things?

. Has our voice become bolder?

. Are boundaries firm, for the right reasons?

Whether it’s expanding our prayer time, or learning to be quiet and still, there’s always more we could do.

SHARING AND REVERSE LOGIC- In the past year, I started engaging, and stopped withholding, by having more conversations with family, extended family, and friends concerning the “narrow way.” I’ve learned to be highly receptive to the Ruach ha'Qodesh and also know when to stop talking. But the thing that struck me as really odd when looking back, is that I noticed the same comment made by three different people, which was this: “… but, it’s like you’re denying Jesus.” Of course, it never occurs to them that the denying of Yeshua; the authentic, Hebraic Jewish, Yeshua ha’Mashiach, was the bigger tragedy of the conversation. The revelation of who Yeshua is, in the context of His culture and mission, is certainly something we want to share with others; but I tend to share more often only when asked, and consider it an open-door only then. Otherwise, it’s like having a head-on collision with a culture-shock bus.

YIELDING TO FLOW- Here’s a portion of my prayer focus for this New Year: . I’m asking the Father to place HIS desires to burn in my heart.

. To think higher thoughts of eternal relevance.

. To care about the things that He cares about.

. To have no tolerance for the things that He finds intolerable.

Trusting He’ll answer the prayer to instill HIS specific desires within the heart, is becoming the yielded vessel we’re meant to be. ONLY those desires merit being fed with our precious life energy, which we’re told is “temporary- like a vapor.” Only then, can we make a difference in the Kingdom according to HIS PURPOSE. How can we be “called according to His purpose” if we inherently pursue OUR desires instead of His? Let us yearn for the heart that wants HIS DESIRES that He has for each of us; there should be no other influence on our desires. The intent of the heart to be “rightly” aligned is EVERYTHING. Doing “right” with intentions rooted in pride, or other self-serving attitudes, may look right, but actually, be ALL wrong. The customary “goal setting” for a New Year usually focuses on what we would like to do, but it’s far more fulfilling to invite Elohim to instill His desires, and then WAIT (if need be) on the Rauch ha’Qodesh to guide us in the process, step-by-step, to bring it to pass. If our desires and actions are inspired by YHVH, it always requires patience, flexibility, and a “grateful heart” attitude. We’ll also get a crash course in letting go of the fallacy of being in control. Otherwise, it would be OUR plan, OUR smarts, OUR timing, and OUR intellect that would get the job done. The Word clearly states that "not by power or by might, but by MY Spirit, saith the Adonai."

HIS DESIRES OR OURS-

Even Yeshua had NO agenda except what the Father sent him to accomplish. So this is my point: Are we here to set goals and pursue what we want, self-originating plans, self-arranging things like the world encourages us to do, or, are we here like Yeshua? Following His example, and 100% yielded to accomplish the Father’s will through us and inquiring of Him, “What do You want to accomplish through me and what should I do first,” etc.? Have we ASKED Him to place HIS DESIRES within? Perhaps to teshuvah (repent) from being our own pilot is in order, even if it was unintentional. It’s natural for the heart to be self-seeking, so willfully laying our desires down on the altar, in exchange for His desires for us, is counter to the world and the flesh.

So how can we know if the desires we harbor are our own desires, or those coming from the Father? I believe we can know by asking this: Does it drain you or does it feed you? In other words, does fulfilling that desire leave us feeling energized and excited, or conversely, does the desire drive us to laborious, futile exhaustion, leaving us feeling “sapped” of energy and dreading to pick up where we left off? Trust that IF it’s truly His plan for us, He’ll also provide the provision, and the strategic relationships, to bring it to fruition. Just as waiting on His Feast rhythm and taking our hearts along in thoughtful proper order, if it’s His plan, we shouldn’t become discontent or worried when things seem to stall or fall through. Even what appears on the surface to be a failure is a stepping stone to the outcome He wants. Could we learn to release our preconceived ideas of what we “thought” the outcome should look like, to truly let go, to submit and flow with where He’s taking us, TRUSTING in His timing and His design for our outcome?

BEING A VESSEL- If we're truly a vessel for YHVH, we should see the wisdom of allowing Him to carry us, bring about His plan accomplished His way, and have peace with His process. To truly be a vessel we are CARRIED. Vessels either have a handle or are held close by the handler. Vessels don’t levitate and do their own thing. Elohim graciously waits for us to pour ourselves out, so He can fill us with Himself and carry us by His own hand into His will.

Jeremiah 29:11- Speaks of “the plans I have for you.

Prov. 16:9- Man plans (plots) their course, but HE establishes their steps.

Psalm 20:4- May He give you the desires of your heart and make all your plans succeed.

Isaiah 28:29- All this also comes from YHVH Almighty, whose plan is wonderful, whose wisdom is magnificent.”

I hope we’re learning to be more fluid, to allow the heart-space and mind to FLOW with YHVH’S way, and be far less rigid with “plans” and preconceived outcomes. In fact, I almost recoil at the word “plan”; maybe “prepare” is better. The Word tells us that man makes his plans, and Elohim laughs at them all! I do plan (prepare) for His Feasts and Shabbats because we’re instructed to. I plan (prepare) on keeping His Commandments because I’m instructed to; everything else has been relinquished of MY control. A life lived this way (for me) is far more fulfilling and enjoyable with far less burdensome details.

SUBMITTING THIS YEAR TO HIM- Could we SUBMIT MORE this coming New Year? Could we stay the course (the narrow way), and wait for His plan to burn within us, as we learn to follow, wait, or proceed without complaining; or as my sister used to say, “getting all wrapped around the axle?” The sooner we recognize that we’re not equipped to be in control, the better. We ARE equipped however to FOLLOW His lead, to hear His voice, and TO DO His will. These are the reasons we exist! THIS is living according to His purpose; otherwise, we’re just existing spinning on a wheel, getting older by the day, and unable to ever be full-filled. YHVH wants better for us and He’s provided us a choice. May YHVH fill us all with HIS burning desires and render to us a heart filled with His purpose, trusting His process and outcome, His way. Let us start and end each day with the words, “Thy will be done.”

Happy Rosh ha'Shanah (New Year)

–– To The King!!