B. Jackson's Blog

I’m done. Wonder woman has officially left the building. It has taken far more energy than I am willing to expend any longer to try and “save” people.  At one point in my life that exercise took the form of proselytizing people towards a religion to which I no longer ascribe.  At another it was sharing hard earned pearls of wisdom only to find out that those with whom I shared it could not appreciate the sage nor the journey it took me to get there. Now I over-stand that what people most often need to be saved from is themselves, but the only people that can rescue them, is them.

Recently, I had an interesting discussion with a person whose perspective was purely religious. And while I respect that journey, as it was the route that I also came through to get to the place that I am today, it served neither of us in our attempt to communicate effectively on the topic at hand. In her mind, she was attempting to “reason” with me based on her understanding of the Bible. What she did not understand was that my perspective was based off of conscious enlightenment and experience of which theory and doctrine could no longer withstand. To be both (spiritually) conscious and religious is an oxymoron – these two concepts are diametrically opposed. One allows for the freedom to discover a truth that is always constant and pre-existing (generally) within yourself. The other limits the understanding and ties one to the idea of truths as they are deemed by physical sources and material resources from without. We can understand this a bit better by examining the definitions of these two words:

Conscious (Adjective): Perceiving, apprehending, or noticing with a degree of thought or observation. (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/conscious)

Religion (Noun) An organized system of beliefs, ceremonies, and rules used to worship god or a group of gods.  (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/religion)

The etymology of these words clarifies their meanings even better.

Conscious (Latin): knowing, active and awake (www.etymologyonline.com)

Religion (Latin; Religare) To restrain or tie back (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/religion)

It is important to note that a simple understanding of word roots will remind us that “re” means to do again. The word ligare by itself means to bind. Therefore, religion means to bind again. The implication is that prior to the condition of being bound, one was free, and this freedom was someone known. It suggests a pattern of binding and loosing time and again by the one who is experiencing it. When we consider that being conscious is a state of mind whereby information is actively engaged in an “awake” state to ascertain what is fact, we would be remiss to not understand and acknowledge that the opposite would apply for one who is engaging that same information from pre-established beliefs alone. They would then be “asleep.”

These things, however, are not something that one can truly teach a person. Try as you might, but in vain you will labor. Each of us has a purpose in life and it requires a unique journey. Sometimes, however, we go through valleys on that journey in which we find that others have also gathered and are resting. Instead of passing through – collecting the experiences and learning the lessons that afford us the ability to progress – we get comfortable and we begin to become one of mind with those we met on that timeline. I’ve been there and done that.

I hold three degrees’ in theology, and I can’t for the life of me understand why I still have these pieces of paper framed on my bookcases. All of my years in school and the many years that I served others in church and without can’t compare to anything that I’ve learned alone in the quiet of night with nothing but time and intent to be still and know the Creator. No longer confined to the pages of a book or the limited understanding that can be derived from such or those who attempt to teach it, the Creator can be seen in all and in all life can be understood: The difference between the moth and the butterfly is the light to which they are attracted, one false one real. A seed will show you that death is a requirement for living, but also that nothing truly ever dies. Seasons will teach you that life is cyclical, and the sun and the moon will teach you its rhythms. Tall trees and green grass, the melodious singing of birds, and the sound of the ocean all remind us that in nature we find harmony and balance – without it there is chaos and constant internal conflict. Everything speaks of the Creator and in this awareness we begin to know that which we have always known – about ourselves, others, and the Creator of all who is known by many names. Understanding that cannot be done when the mind is “tied down,” but can only occur in a state of consciousness:

Consciousness (Noun) (Latin): internal knowledge; The state of being aware. (http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?a...)

As spiritual beings housed shells called bodies, we cannot be made more spiritual by rituals or observances. Only can we become keenly aware that we are spirit beings and learn to nurture that which is, not attempt to become. We came into this world in the image of the Creator who is a spirit.

In as much, the only true prison is that of the mind, and the mind is imprisoned at the will of the one who holds the keys. Religion is a choice of the will. Free will is a gift from the Creator. Be it far from me to ever try and take that from anyone. In as much, I have retired my “super she-ro outfit.” I have no argument nor fight for such things any more. The walk that the Creator has for me, is for me, and I have to give all of my energy in that positive direction. I will continue to share some things and others may glean from my journey. However, to teach in the manner that I have in the past with the imprinted idea of saving others or bringing others to a “saving” place that I have come to or gone through, I shall not. I have come to understand that I can only truly speak words that may spark a thought in the minds of the hearers. That thought may or may not cause them to begin to want to take that proverbial key, put it in the lock, and turn it. If they choose the courageous act of turning that key, they instinctively begin to remember what they already knew and begin to teach – to save — themselves.

We are spirit, soul, and body. Most from religious backgrounds of varying sorts would agree that these three make up the entire physical existence of human beings – whether those being are aware of that or not. While it may seem to be contradictory to state that one of the three aspects, the spirit, is a part of the physical being, it is nothing of the sort. It is simply how we have come to erroneously understand ourselves and unfortunately segment all of the functions of these aspect of ourselves even when identifying these integral parts. Unfortunately, we tend to outsource the understanding and the care of all of these parts of ourselves. As a result, many of us are running our lives on pre-programmed auto-pilot settings. Here are just a few things we need to consider as it relates to our spirit, soul, and body.

The soul is the mind, and it began being outsourced for development to educational systems to be shaped by the will of the person doing the teaching and the intent of the designer of the curriculum from as early as age 4. Because this began at such an early age, we often forget that the purpose for educational institutions is to socially engineer the individual to work for a cause outside of ourselves by taking sovereignty over the mind. Public schools are government run and enforced entities, hence, the etymology of the word:

Gubanare (Latin): To rule with authority (www.etymologyonline.com)

Mente: the mind  (https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/-ment#...)

Yet, we are trained to never question the authority of the many teachers who are serving these types of governmental systems.

Our bodies are the vehicles that house the spirit and the soul. Yet we outsource the total care of it to people educated by these same governing entities called doctors. These doctors run medical practices. They are then only practicing medicine on our bodies. Let’s take a look at a few meanings for the word practice:

1). Practice (noun): Repeated performance or systematic exercise for the purpose of acquiring skill or proficiency. (www.dictionary.com)

2). Practice (verb): to follow or observe habitually or customarily. (www.dictionary.com)

Some synonyms for practice would be to train, study, or drill. Neither the definitions or the synonyms suggest that there is a level of expertise that can be ascertained about your individual unique body. They will suggest, however, that when you visit a doctor to inquire about your health that what they are doing is customary and habitual for all other beings who bring those same concerns to them. They are not taking the care of your body into account holistically. Like our one-sided relationship with our government paid teachers, we are trained to never question the doctor’s authority.

Most people would never admit to having outsourced their spirituality. However, that is exactly what most people have done, and they do not realize it. Those deemed as spiritual leaders and religious institutions most often serve as the mediator between man and the understanding and governing of his own spirit. The spirit that is in the unique and divinely created person being governed in similar fashion as the school system that was earlier addressed and cared for in the same systematic and customarily observed ways as the doctor who is only practicing medicine. This is yet another example of authority being outsourced over our lives that we are trained never to question.

Now would be a good time to mention that one of the primary functions of doctors are as sales people for pharmaceutical companies, whether they are aware or not. Their main job is to provide something unnatural and synthetic for any ailment for which they are sourced. As this fact relates to you and the care of your spirit, it would be synonymous with systematically providing you with a false remedy – a false light. A light that is obtained outside of one’s self.

It is one thing to “be a light” in the world. It is another all together to know that you “are the light” (Matthew 5:14). The former would require that you do or obtain something outside of yourself – to outsource it — in order to become that. The latter, the truth, makes it evident that it is the totality of who you already are.

Could it be time for you to turn the pre-programmed auto-pilot off? Could this be a good time to recognize your own divinely appointed authority over these aspects of yourself: your spirit, soul, and body? Hint — You really don’t need permission to ask or answer any of these questions.

Giveaway ends July 09, 2016.

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I’m changing — and that is a gross understatement. These were the words that I used to describe this season in my life to a good friend the other day. I have been in a heightened state of awareness of this, particularly over the past couple of weeks. Perhaps this post will (somewhat) explain my absence from my blog. I have been in a hibernation of sorts – a reflective period, if you will. One in which I am also keenly aware of the signs of this season, because I’ve been here before. That sign is called, pruning.

The word tells us in the book of John that those who bear good fruit would experience this pruning process in order that they would continue to grow. It also informs us that this cutting – removing of undesired twigs, roots, or branches – would be done for all. However, there is a distinct difference between the pruning of one who bears good fruit and the cutting of one who doesn’t. Let’s take a closer look at the text:

“Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.” (KJV John 15:2)

For the branch that does not bear fruit the word “airei” is used.

Airei (142): to take away, remove, and cut off (www.biblehub.com)

In this sense, the nuance is that of the useless (unprofitable) branches that are attached being separated completely from those that are – for the benefit of the continued growth of the latter. The word used to describe the “purging” (pruning) of one that actually does bear fruit has quite a different meaning. The word is “kathairei.”

Kathairei (2508): To cleanse or purify (www.bibehub.com)

The interesting thing to note here is that the one that needs to be purified is the one who has been the most useful – the one who has gone through the painstaking challenge of personal growth to the point where others could glean something spiritually nutritious – something healthy for their soul. However, this process also often puts one in close proximity with twigs, roots, or branches – the behaviors, mindsets, and spiritually unproductive people — that can sap the life out of the other, impede its growth; and where fruit is being born, cross pollination can occur. When that happens we end up with a hybrid – something unnatural to what the Creator intended. The branches that the word is referring to is a euphemism for people. With this in mind, there are two definitions for hybrid that I’d like you to take note of:

the offspring of two animals or plants of different breeds,varieties, species, or genera, especially as produced through human manipulation for specific genetic characteristics (www.dictionary.com)

“a person or group of persons produced by the interaction or crossbreeding of two unlike cultures, traditions, etc.” (www.dictionary.com)

In the natural, we do not have to do anything to grow. As it pertains to the spirit, however, we must acknowledge what season we are in and will to not resist the changes that are designed to go with it. I will to grow, and I therefore acknowledge and submit to this pruning process. In my life on-line that has meant unsubscribing from those that no longer resonate with me spiritually. Off-line is has meant creating (and maintaining) some boundaries with family and friends that don’t share my journey and are not able (or willing) to support it. It has required shedding old paradigms as set forth by religious dogma in favor of that which is true innately. I also understand, by experience, that this season is most often a solitary one. As a result, there won’t be any shared genetic characteristics (of mind, e.g. a hive mind) or (unintentional) crossbreeding which creates impurities (as set forth by religion and traditions of men) – I will remain at one mind with that which the Creator has divinely apportioned for me. I will continue to grow. Could you be in a growing season as well?

He accused me of censoring him – and he was correct. I recently took the liberty of banning someone from commenting on a social media video that I’d uploaded, and I do not apologize for that. It seems that the anonymity and impersonal nature of social media has caused many of us to forget our manners when engaging others online. In responding to his initial comment, my declaration of acceptable communication thereafter was simple – no debates and no arguing. What he called censoring was really just an audacious attempt to protect myself and those whose ear I have the privilege of engaging in this season (on that particular platform) from two very palpable things: the draining effect of negative energy when it is transferred one to another and the magnetic attraction that it draws for others who have that same spirit (energy) to gather and incite more of the same.

Whether it is our “wall” on Facebook, our “channel” on Youtube, or other social media, it can be likened unto our virtual home. We decorate it with a theme and put special care into its presentation for our guests. When we invite others into that space for fellowship of various types, we do so with the expectations that they will respect the rules of our “homes” and engage with us and others in a manner that is mutually beneficial and consistent with the vibe that you have created.  When that doesn’t happen, we shouldn’t be afraid to kindly remind them of the rules…and in some cases, ask them to kindly leave.

I’ve come to learn several things when dealing with people (particularly on social media) that cause me to be both open to the ideas of others and to be closed to the tolerances that are necessary to endure the dis-ease that negative energy has on the mind, body, and soul:

To argue or debate against someone’s personal experiences in life is an exercise in futility. They are unique to the individual and therefore indisputable by those who might disagree.

To argue or debate one’s religion is equally as fruitless – for faith is always that which exists irrespective of natural proofs – and precedes its manifestation.

To argue or debate history or what we think to be reality is to not understand that both are constantly changing and shaped by many factors that would actually require that we also operate in (a form of) faith. There are endless amounts of books, scholars, and scientists to authenticate or disprove whatever information we espouse as true.

In my life off-line I truly value the influence that I hold in the lives of others, because I’ve had to earn it. I’ve gained their ear by first respecting them enough to use my own (ears) actively – being sensitive to when my input, opinions, or leading were welcomed – and in what manner. I don’t intrude upon their homes by bringing an energy that is unwelcomed and uncomplimentary. In behaving in this way I bring peace. Strife is the antithesis of peace, and for those that love it, we should not negotiate it away but rather do all that we can (within good conscience and reason) to multiply it even in our online lives…even if subtraction is first necessary. We will do well to remember, that if we protect our energy, we’ll always multiply our peace.

If I told you that comparing yourself to others is a dishonor to the Creator –the Most High Yah (God) – would you continue to allow yourself to do it – unrestrained, without casting down those thoughts? I hope that the answer to the question is a resounding no from each one who reads this post.  The Most High has done so much even in nature to assure you that you were his intention – his divinely unique design. Even your DNA has never existed prior to your birth and will cease to ever be recreated once your spirit has left your body. What’s even more profound is that the word tells us that you are made in the image of Yah (God) (Genesis 1:27). In addition to the generally accepted biblical exegesis on this scripture – that Yah (God) is a spirit and that in likeness we too are individual (creative speaking) spirits – it also suggests that there are attributes about yourself that you may have not yet learned to appreciate that may very well be aspects of himself that He deems as good. Yet, society has conditioned us to do just that – to covet that which is inimitably someone else’s. As a result, many compare themselves to and go to great lengths to make themselves into the many images that are set forth and created by man. I submit to you, that this does not please the Father. A few passages in the book of Psalms may help you to see just how perfect in Him you already are.

Psalms 139 verse 14 – 18 says:

I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.

My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

Thine eyes did see my substance yet being unperfect, and in thy book all my members were written which in continuance were fashioned when as yet there was none of them.

How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O Yah how great is the sum of them!

If I should count them they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.

There are several words that I would like to draw your attention to – words that will drive home my point, and hopefully help to shut the lies of the enemy down for good as it relates to who you are.

The word wonderfully in verse 14 is translated from the Greek word “palah:”

Palah (6395): To be separated or distinct; singular (namely in bodily stature etc.) (www.biblehub.com)

The word for substance in verse 17 is “Otsem:”

Otsem (6108): my frame, bones, might, strength (www.biblehub.com)

The word for substance in verse 17 is not used the same in verse 18. In verse 18 the word for “substance” is a “galemi.” It is a Greek word that is derived from the root word “Golem.”

Golem (1564): An embryo, and unformed substance (www.biblehub.om)

His word is telling you that you are distinct in how you are made, right down to your bones, your frame and the strength of your body. When you were just an embryo, not yet fully developed in the womb, you were continuing to grow according to His predetermined design for you!

This truth is mirrored by a witness in Jeremiah 1:5

“Before I formed thee in the belly, I knew thee…” (www.biblehub.com)

Often times we read passages like the ones in Psalms 139 and are emotionally moved with the very thought of such love being poured out upon ourselves – selves that we mentally disqualify in light of all of the imperfections that we have noted about our person. We intake with our eyes the standard of fashion and beauty that the media has set forth, and our unguarded ears deposit within our hearts containers in the form of words that we interpret as being the measure of greatness that we are to aspire to meet. It is not possible to have any lasting success or true happiness living counter to our authentic selves, and there are only three possible outcomes that come from comparing ourselves to others:

An over-inflated opinion of one’s self when we feel that we have risen above another in the area compared,

a false sense of accomplishment based on a standard other than that which Yah (God) has set for us by His perfect will and purpose for our own (individual) lives,

and having a well-developed negative self-image when we fall below that which we have erroneously likened ourselves to.

We are bombarded with ideas about whom the world says that we should be every single day. Big dollars are spent on add campaigns to help you to believe what it is they are selling at the moment. My hope is that you will immediately cast down every contrary thought that exalt itself against the knowledge of Yah (God) (2 Cor. 10:5) – the knowledge that you have now been reminded of. The knowledge of knowing that, on this earth, absolutely nothing compares to you.

Some of the most profound movies are animations. Ones such as the Prince of Egypt which chronicles the life of the biblical person Joseph or others that have an undergirding message of a spiritual awareness not (necessarily presented as) biblically rooted, but still very much relevant – such as Avatar — are among the most obvious. The former presents an iconic presentation of triumph over tragedy made possible by the favor of Yah (God) on the life of Joseph – touted as the king of dreams. The latter is about hybrid beings living on a planet so toxic that these beings must connect remotely with humans in order to function at their full capacity. It would be difficult to not be immersed in both the beauty of these films and the deep and thought provoking themes. Sometimes, however, there are gems that can be found among those that are not as arresting. Such is the case with the animated movie, Wall-E.

In one scene two people are sitting next to each other and communicating with one another by way of technology instead of simply interacting face to face. They’d gone through life this way, never noticing other people or the environment around them and having long forgotten what was both natural and needful – those things now being replaced with man-made comforts to both distract and anesthetize them. As we know, art imitates life, and this is exactly where we find ourselves in society: connected by way of the artificial and disconnected and affected (mentally, physically, and spiritually) from that which is best derived from human interaction: hands that touch the sick and heal through prayer; hands that cast out demons by the same; the endorphin’s that rush through your body when your presence is acknowledged with the eyes; the understanding that is discerned concerning the human condition of oppression or depression when those same eyes are spiritually aware to truly see.  But what are we to do when those around us are unwilling or unable to see that we are suffering? An answer can be found in Scripture.

The word tells us that the sword never left the home of King David for the deeds done to his servant – taking the wife and ultimately the life of Uriah. The word not returning void to the Creator, we find King David in a familial induced distress situation in 1 Samuel 30:6. The peoples praise has been replaced with condemnation and threats of stoning over the deeds of his children. The value of his circumstance to us today is in his response:

“But David encouraged himself in Yah his Elohim.”

The word for used for encouraged is chazaq (2388) it means:  to be or grow firm or strong, strengthen; (figurative) to take courage. (www.biblehub.com)

It is interesting to note that chazaq is the same expression used in 2 Chronicle 15:8 when Asa is recorded as having taken courage as evidenced by definite actions – he put away idols and renewed (repaired) his altar for Yah (God). An altar is a place of worship. It is a place of release and relief. It is where questions can be asked of Yah(God) and answers can be found. David, though void of encouragement from others, took courage – strengthened himself in this very way. It is most important to note that his response to his circumstances caused him to be victorious in the end even.

We are admonished to exhort each other daily (1 Thess. 5:11), but the busyness of life and the technology that has become a permanent part of it, often causes people to be in your presence but not aware and present with you in order to do that. We can often find ourselves alone in a room full of people who are looking at us but do not have eyes to see the pain reflected in our own or ears to hear the distress in our voices. If you find yourself in need of encouragement with no one to give it, remember that Yah is no respecter of persons (Romans 2:11). I exhort you today, while it is called today, to do as David did – remember to encourage yourself in Yah (God). He will meet you at your point of need. You only need to respond by first taking courage.

Some of the most profound movies are animations. Ones such as the Prince of Egypt which chronicles the life of the biblical person Joseph or others that have an undergirding message of a spiritual awareness not (necessarily presented as) biblically rooted, but still very much relevant – such as Avatar — are among the most obvious. The former presents an iconic presentation of triumph over tragedy made possible by the favor of Yah (God) on the life of a Joseph – touted as the king of dreams. The latter is about hybrid beings living on a planet so toxic that these beings must connect remotely with humans in order to function at their full capacity. It would be difficult to not be immersed in both the beauty of these films and the deep and thought provoking themes. Sometimes, however, there’s are gems that can be found among those that are not as arresting. Such is the case with the animated movie, Wall-E.

In one scene two people are sitting next to each other and communicating with one another by way of technology instead of simply interacting face to face. They’d gone through life this way, never noticing other people or the environment around them and having long forgotten what was both natural and needful – those things now being replaced with man-made comforts to both distract and anesthetize them. As we know, art imitates life, and this is exactly where we find ourselves in society: connected by way of the artificial and disconnected and affected (mentally, physically, and spiritually) from that which is best derived from human interaction: hands that touch the sick and heal through prayer; hands that cast out demons by the same; the endorphin’s that rush through your body when your presence is acknowledged with the eyes; the understanding that is discerned concerning the human condition of oppression or depression when those same eyes are spiritually aware to truly see.  But what are we to do when those around us are unwilling or unable to see that we are suffering? An answer can be found in Scripture.

The word tells us that the sword never left the home of King David for the deeds done to his servant – taking the wife and ultimately the life of Uriah. The word not returning void to the Creator, we find King David in a familial induced distress situation in 1 Samuel 30:6. The peoples praise has been replaced with condemnation and threats of stoning over the deeds of his children. The value of his circumstance to us today is in his response:

“But David encouraged himself in Yah his Elohim.”

The word for used for encouraged is chazaq (2388) it means:  to be or grow firm or strong, strengthen; (figurative) to take courage. (www.biblehub.com)

It is interesting to note that chazaq is the same expression used in 2 Chronicle 15:8 when Asa is recorded as having taken courage as evidenced by definite actions – he put away idols and renewed (repaired) his altar for Yah (God). An altar is a place of worship. It is a place of release and relief. It is where questions can be asked of Yah(God) and answers can be found. David, though void of encouragement from others, took courage – strengthened himself in this very way. It is most important to note that his response to his circumstances caused him to be victorious in the end even.

We are admonished to exhort each other daily (1 Thess. 5:11), but the busyness of life and the technology that has become a permanent part of it, often causes people to be in your presence but not aware and present with you in order to do that. We can often find ourselves alone in a room full of people who are looking at us but do not have eyes to see the pain reflected in our own or ears to hear the distress in our voices. If you find yourself in need of encouragement with no one to give it, remember that Yah is no respecter of persons (Romans 2:11). I exhort you today, while it is called today, to do as David did – remember to encourage yourself in Yah (God). He will meet you at your point of need. You only need to respond by first taking courage.

Who are you? This is a frustrating question for me – not because I do not know the answer, but because my answer sometimes makes folks a little uncomfortable. People like traditional categories and neat little boxes in which they can place others. In my case, I’m put into the “mother” box first, because it is the most obvious.

When I do not include that function in my reply to the question, however, someone who is familiar with me and undoubtedly feeling a little uneasy about my nontraditional answer will quickly inform the group (with a smile of course) that it is also a part of my “resume” – along with wife, homeschooling mother and etc.

However, before I was any of the many blessed titles that I hold, I was an (unintentional) leader, an intellectual, a lover of words both spoken and written, a dreamer, a seer, an artist, and a writer among many other things. These things are intrinsically a part of my person – they are like DNA to me – they are who I am and not how I function as a result of other events in my life. I was intimately aware of these things about myself even before coming to know the Creator.

I began to really think about these self-evident truths many years ago. I imagined a time when my children would begin their own lives, separate and apart from my constant watchful eye and attentive care. I didn’t want to arrive at that inevitable point trying to figure out who I was or what to do with my life, because I’d neglected to acknowledge and nurture the parts of me that are not contingent upon anything else.

It is now the eve of the release of my first book, Somebody Else’s Blues, and I feel accomplished in that I’m slightly ahead of those inescapable life changes that are now starting to pick up momentum. I’m not trying to figure this out — I don’t have to have to become reacquainted with myself. I know who I am, and I’ve allowed myself full expression in that truth for quite some time. The question may be, however, who are you? — and if you know who you are, will you allow yourself the benefit of doing the same.

Knowledge. Information. Research. Facts. These words are in constant rotation and being pushed online and off. Every group has their brand and every brand seeks for buyers. These things certainly do have their place, but perhaps we may have given them a pedestal – a value – higher than what is conducive to organically growing in ways that nurture one’s spirit.

As spiritual beings – spirits housed in physical vehicles called bodies – we can tend to focus on natural things in imbalanced ways. Anything that is out of balance is unhealthy. We often neglect the weightier matters in favor of things that are temporal. Forgetting that our divinely appointed experiences in life trump the opinions and innumerable expositions and interpretations by men, we fail miserably at that which is holistically beneficial to ourselves and others. We convolute, complicate, and even seek to corporatize that which is most potent (first) in its simplest form. Faith.

A short while ago my daughter took ill with fever. She is rarely ever sick, and while I am known to be the “go to” person for prayer, I felt the need to reach out to a few women of like faith to pray for her healing. The response that I received birthed the post that you are reading.

Four women were called upon: the first two agreed immediately to pray on their own time as they were being led by the Ruach – the Holy Spirit. The third immediately called and told me to go to my daughter, put the phone on loudspeaker, and prayed with us on the spot – this was unexpected and blessed my daughter and I both tremendously. The fourth responded by (first) questioning my request for prayer.

To be clear with you, the reader, this is simply a teaching moment that I do not intend to waste. I am a teacher in the body of Christ and a disciple – therefore, I often use events in my walk to help others to glean from the lessons that I learn on my own journey. My friend did not intentionally desire that I justify my request before she would honor it. It was the vanity of knowledge, information, research, and facts about the nature of fevers that guided her response. She did not consider that given the fact that I’d never personally requested prayer from her, that there could be more about this sickness (or the general experience we were having as a result of it) that neither she or I were aware of.  She insisted that there had to be some other (underlying) reason why I would ask for prayer. For those who are Followers of the Way, believers in Jesus the Christ (Yahshua) we walk(live) by faith – facts notwithstanding. There is a wonderful allegory in the book of Luke that speaks to the heart of the matter where petitions of prayer are concerned and how the Messiah likens the exercise of it to faith – the very thing (exclusive of all the knowledge, information, research, and facts we have) that He hopes to find at His return.

The passage in Luke 18: 1-8 is known by many as the parable of the “unjust judge.” We know that the Father sees the end at the beginning. So what I love about this parable is that beginning in Luke chapter 18 verse 1, the word tells us without any pretense, that the purpose of speaking this parable is that men should not faint to pray. The word for faint is “dei” which is pronounced phonetically like the word “die.” Here is the definition of the word faint:

(1163) dei: it is necessary, inevitable; less frequently: it is a duty, what is proper (www.biblehub.com).

The allegory goes on to connect this truth by using the story of a widow who is righteously seeking justice from a judge – a judge who knows her plight but has no fear of Yah (God) to provoke him to hasten his response to the widow’s plenteous cries. The word goes on to say that the widow kept making her request to him continually – so much so that he answered…only to avoid being wearied by her repeated requests. The word used for weary in this text is hupopiazo:

(5299) hupopiazo: annoy, harass, wear out, strike under the eye – to give a “black eye” (www.biblehub.com).

At this point, I should explain that after having a back and forth dialogue with my friend for quite some time, she finally agreed to pray for my daughter – to which my desire was then that she not pray. The prayer of agreement is a powerful thing – synergy is the result when two or more come together in agreement asking anything in the Father’s name. However, the act of prayer should be an indication of faith – not a response to a doctrinal obligation nor being wearied by the request of another brother or sister. Recall that it tells us in James 5:15 that the prayer of faith shall save the sick.

Towards the end of the parable the words of Jesus in red tell us as it relates to the widow asking an unjust – an irreverent man – that if the unjust judge would eventually concede and bring justice to the widow how much more will the Father bring justice to His own chosen – the elect. The end of the matter of this passage is also a mirror of the beginning – the whole point. In Luke 18 verse 8, Jesus says this:

“I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of Man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?” (KJV)

It is important to note that the illness began with my daughter but spread to other members in my household within days. Odd symptoms that followed the fever lingered for weeks. We’d never seen anything like it. Somehow, though I was caretaker to them all, I did not fall ill. Looking back in hindsight, I understand why I felt the urge to request prayer of my sisters and not the standard protocol for fever reduction alone. I shudder to think how much worse this situation could have been. What I am certain of is that the effectual fervent and persistent prayers of those faithful women that I called upon to agree with me caused me to not know that experience – and I am grateful to them for that.

With the Internet being what it is, the Father will surely not find a people in lack of knowledge, information, research, and facts – whether they be true or fabricated forms of reality accepted and shared amongst the masses repeated so many times that it is simply believed to be true. That is not the issue. The issue is one that we will miss if we allow knowledge to puff us up and complicate simple spiritual matters as we gorge on it every day. It is faith expressed in the form of prayer – for ourselves first and then for others – that Jesus (Yahshua) hopes to find. As believers, we must be imitators of Yah (God) (Ephesian 5:1). We must remember to never allow ourselves to be imitators of an unjust judge.