The Seen and the Unseen

The speaker discusses the tension between the seen and unseen worlds, emphasizing the importance of being mindful of the spiritual realm. They mention the presence of angels and the need to wait for God's timing. They refer to the story of Jacob and the angels in Genesis 32 as an example. They also talk about the significance of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus and how it relates to the upcoming Easter season. The speaker encourages being aware of the spiritual realm and relying on God's wisdom and provision. worship time like that, to go, yeah, like your second guess everything and just random thoughts I've put on a page, you just go, just seems so, yep. So I wanted to, ah, yeah, well, you just, you just, when you, when you think about it, when you think about the reality of who he is and what he's done, it feels so ineffective to deliver that message, it's just words, you know, and without his spirit and without his power, it's just words, it's just, just words and the world is full of words and messages and podcasts and it's just, just full, but without his spirit, it's just emptiness and meaningless and I'm always very conscious of, prevent me from saying more meaningless words. So anyway, I wanted to talk about the seen and the unseen worlds, the seen and the unseen realm and this partnership that we have as humanity here of where we stand in those, those moments, because we live in a physical world, we work, we have families, our senses are active all the time and our senses are assaulted all the time and we are controlled by our senses and our human passions and desires and those things are what is foremost and in our minds all the time because we're human, because this is the age we live in and yet in, in actual reality, that's just a part of our existence. The unseen world is what dominates, yet we can't see and if we are not walking in the spirit, we are actually being controlled by something we can't see, but we're blissfully unaware. We're controlled by environment, we're controlled by feelings, we're controlled by the enemy's designs and, and manipulations and control and we're blissfully unaware, just walking through life, thinking we're in control, thinking we're masters of our own destiny, but unless we're walking in the spirit, we are just puppets on a string, really. So that's my premise, that's my foundation of this, this unseen and the seen and this constant tension that we live in and that needs to be in the forefront of our mind. That's why, that's why prayer is so important, that's why being mindful of embracing Torah and, and, and eating and drinking of Torah and His presence, because so quickly we just are consumed by the world we live in, our responsibilities, the cares of the world, our work, our family, the things that happen around about us. Before we know it, the week's gone and I haven't given a thought, a prayer or even a conscious effort to be sitting in His presence, to be talking about those things. I'm just making decisions on my own intellect or I'm, or I'm reacting to my feelings and before we know it, another week, another month has gone by. Yet we're in a season where we can't afford to let that happen and the, the unseen world is dominating our world around us. In the unseen world, that's where our foundation of morality is. In the unseen world, that's where our foundation of hope is, of, that's where our faith resides and if we're not keeping that tension between the seen and the unseen healthy, then our faith, our morality, our decision-making becomes affected by carnality and our own intellect and wisdom or the influences around about us. This tension that we have, I often call it, I call it the dance of the Mahanaim. Did I have a scripture for that? Genesis 32. I did. So the dance that I liked, I don't know if I ever talked about it before, so it's this tension between the seen and the unseen and the first, that's alright, yeah, okay, so yeah, Genesis 32, just wanted to, this is one of my, I had to actually look it up and go and look where it was. So this is Jacob and he was leaving Laban and taking his family and his possessions and he's getting out of there and he's being sneaky about it because Laban's untrustworthy, but Laban hot tails it after him and they make a covenant together and after they've made a covenant together, now Jacob is on his way to meet Esau, another confrontation and another perilous journey ahead of him. So that's where we, I just want to pick it up there. So early in the morning Laban got up, kissed his grandchildren and daughters and blessed them and then Laban left and returned to his place and while Jacob left on his way, the angels of Elohim met him and then Jacob said when he saw them, this is Elohim's camp and then he named that place Mahanaim or however you pronounce it and that word means two camps or two armies and I often think of that as the seen and the unseen, the angelic and my reality and it's this tension, not tension as in a bad tension, a tension as in keeping it in balance, of being utterly conscious at all times of this seen and unseen world that I traverse and there are moments in time, I'm skipping ahead, I know I am, there are moments in time where it's a moment, it's a kairos, it's a moed, it's an appointed time in Jehovah where he will invade our space, where the unseen world invades our space and often in scripture angels will be there and manifest themselves to encourage, to have a message, to protect but they're there. Now I'm not one of these people who go angels are just there all the time and we have our personal angel that we tote around behind us, I'm not saying that, we don't worship angels but they are an important part of Jehovah's heavenly council, an important part of the unseen world and just because we're not conscious or aware, his angelic host is in his presence at all times, doing his bidding to encourage us, to bless us, to protect us, whether we know that, understand that or appreciate that or not is irrelevant but there are moments in time and it's these moments that I want to focus on that are in the Greek it's kairos, in the Hebrew it's moed, means appointed times, there are times in Jehovah's timeline of his kingdom where it's an appointed time, we often use the word moed for festivals, they're his calendar, his appointed time, the cyclic nature of his appointed times but there are also moments, kairos moments, moed moments, appointed times in his kingdom timeline where he wants to advance his kingdom, he wants to establish something, he wants to propel something, he wants to change something and in this moment in Jacob's life it was momentous, it was a kairos moment, there's timelines and there's truths but there are moments where he wants to encourage in this moment Jacob and the angels that were there were visible, they invaded the physical world, so I better refer to here because I will skip ahead like I always do because I've missed the scripture, so we know that in Genesis 31, don't put it up, but when Jacob didn't go off on the journey on his own, Jehovah told him to, he didn't go I'm sick of Laban, I'm out of here, he's mucking up, I'm sick of it, I've been here 20 years, Jehovah said now is the time and in that he gave him a plan to leave quietly, surreptitiously even, but Jehovah's blessing was in it, if we step ahead of Jehovah we don't have his protection, we don't have his enabling, we don't have his timing, we have to wait and it's this waiting, waiting, Jacob waited 20 years and it's in this moment of waiting we know he's about to do something, but if we preempt that we're doing in our own strength, we have to wait, we are waiting, we have been waiting a long time, but we know as a community, we know as individuals it's just about there, but we can't preempt, we have to wait and if we wait and we are faithful and we're aware of this healthy tension where we're relying on him, we are now we're waiting for his wisdom, we're waiting for his enabling, we're waiting for his provision, then we know that he goes before us and his angelic host is doing what they're required to do, but we are doing what we are required to do. That's what I call the dance of the Mahanaim and so I love that, I suppose other people use it, but I love the concept of it, it's this dance, it's this synergy that the seen and the unseen realm that we live in, but we sometimes feel we're so trapped in here in this physical world and that's when we're crying out, father I want to know you, father I want to have your spirit come and do what only you can do in my life. The other more poignant, more powerful one of moments of a Kairos moment, a moed, an appointed time naturally was when Yeshua came and that was the time, it had been prophesied, people have been waiting, waiting, waiting, waiting, waiting, waiting, waiting for Messiah and he comes and he ministers, he is crucified, inexplicably crucified and now he is in the grave and that's the moment I want to talk about today, because we're coming up to first fruits, we're coming up to Easter, we're coming up to resurrection Sunday, which is just a story and palace, but when we look at it, we go where are we at as a community, where are we at, where am I at, and we're coming up into this season, so that's why I wanted to preempt it. And we're just going to read the story in Matthew, because each gospel has their own perspective, each writer has a different perspective of this story, but I want to read the perspective of Matthew, Matthew 27, 50 and I will read the whole bit of that morning, that Kairos moment, and Yeshua cried out again with a loud voice and he gave up his spirit and behold the curtain of the temple was split in two from top to bottom and the earthquake and the rocks were split apart and the tombs were opened and many bodies of the Kedoshim who were sleeping were raised to life and coming forth out of the tombs after his resurrection, they went into the Kedosh city and appeared to many. Now the centurion, and now the centurion and those with him keeping guard over Yeshua, when they saw the earthquake and what was happening, they became terribly frightened and said this really was the son of Elohim and many women were there, where were they? At the tomb, many women were there watching from a distance and they had followed Yeshua from Galilee serving him and among them were Miriam from Magdala, Miriam the mother of Jacob and Joseph and the mother of Zebedee's sons. So there's three women there in other accounts, there's probably another couple that were mentioned as well, so Joanna, Salome, you know, so there might have been a bunch of women there but Matthew's just focusing on these three. And now when it was evening there was a rich man from Arimathea named Joseph who also became a disciple of Yeshua and this man went to Pilate and asked for Yeshua's body and then Pilate ordered it to be given up and Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth and laid it in his own tomb which he had cut from the rock and then he rolled a large stone up to the door of the tomb and went away and now Miriam from Magdala was there and the other Miriam sitting opposite the tomb, so they're just sitting there waiting, waiting, waiting, waiting and now on the next day which is after the day of preparation the ruling Kohanim and the Pharisees were gathered before Pilate. Sir, they said, we remember how the deceiver said while he was still alive after three days I'll be raised, therefore order the tomb to be made secure until the third day so his disciples do not come and steal him away because they will tell the people he's risen from the dead and the last deception will be worse than the first. I always think it's interesting that these guys knew something was going to happen on the third day but his disciples didn't. So these guys were like, what are they going to do? Are they going to come and steal the body? They knew something was going to go down, they just didn't know what but his disciples didn't, they just, you know, too sad, too sad. No, that's right, yeah, yeah, but they'd heard the same words, they'd heard, yeah, yeah, even though they were walking with him, even though they were best buddies, yeah. So now after Shabbat, it began to dawn on the first day of the week and Miriam of Magdala and the other Miriam came to look at the tomb and suddenly there was a great earthquake for an angel of Adonai descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it and his appearance was like lightning and his clothing as white as snow and those keeping watch were shaken for fear of him and became like dead men but the angel answered and said to the women, do not be afraid for I know you are looking for Yeshua who was crucified, he is not here, he is risen, just as you said, come see the place where he was lying, go quickly and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead, behold he's going before you to the sea of Galilee, there you will see him, see I've told you and they quickly left the tomb with fear yet with great joy and rang to take the news to the disciples and behold Yeshua met them, shalom he said and they drew near, grasped his feet and worshipped him, don't be afraid Yeshua said, go tell my brothers to head for the Galilee and there they will see me, I'll just leave it there, so they in this account there's a few different players, there's Yeshua naturally, there's the angels, there's the women, there's the guards and there's the apostles, well they're not apostles yet, there's the disciples, they're not there but they've been spoken about in this third day account who was the ones who were privileged to be first to see him, it was the women, it wasn't the disciple that he loved, it wasn't the eleven, it wasn't anyone else, it was these faithful women who walked with him and served him and ministered to him and gave out of their wealth or their poverty while he was walking and teaching and they didn't have a role, some of them aren't even really named but they were there, what would have it been like to be one of those women? Terrifying, utterly terrifying, they're terrified, the angelic, the unseen world has just smashed into Jerusalem's existence, they've seen the earthquake, they've seen the Messiah die, they've seen the ruckus in the temple where their veil was rent, amazing things going on and here they are grieving for the one that they've lost, that they loved, that they served and now they're being told he is alive and they meet, you can't imagine what that was like, in this moment in time that changed history forever where Jehovah has come and reconciled mankind to himself in that moment where he has defeated the enemy, he has taken control, it's the power of that moment, I don't know how you can imagine or articulate it, it's all of the culmination of the ages in that moment, no wonder the guards were terrified like dead men, how do you react to that? The charge in the atmosphere, I don't know how you can even glibly just tell a story, it's sometimes I go father impact me with these moments because it becomes just a story and a bit parsay because time after time because that's human nature but when you sit and reflect what would it have been like? To say it's life-changing is a pretty massive understatement, this one of the women, now whether she was there or not I don't know but the women were there to prepare his body for burial, he'd been in the grave for three days unprepared, just wrapped in a linen, no anointing, oils, no preserving, no spices, just wrapped in a linen cloth, hastily put into there and that's what they're waiting for, to continue to serve, to continue to minister to him and they come prepared to do that, waiting for the day after Shabbat but his body had already been prepared, his body had already been anointed by Miriam at Bethany and I want to read that because that is, we're told that you want to read that story, you've got to read this story, so Matthew 26, we'll just go back, now was Miriam there, was she one of the women there? I don't know, I would think so, was she the mother of James and Jacob? I don't know, maybe, can only surmise but I'd like to think so, 26.6, find that one, now when Yeshua was in Bethany, so this is just before Passover, now while Yeshua was in Bethany at the house of Simon, whatever his name was, a woman came up to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive oil and she poured it on his head as he was reclining at the table but when the disciples saw this, they were indignant and said, why this waste? It could have been sold for a lot and the money given to the poor but Yeshua knowing this said to them, why do you cause trouble for this woman? She's done me a mitzvah, you always have the poor for you but you won't always have me and when she poured this oil on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial, amen I tell you, wherever this good news is proclaimed in all the world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her. His body had already been anointed, his body had already been prepared, this extravagant and we all know the story and so much has been said and so many sermons have been said about this, to propel people to worship more, to give you all, to don't hold back from being generous to the kingdom but I just want to, she gave, whether it was out of her abundance, whether it was out of her selling everything for this moment, she didn't do it out of her own, that was a good idea I just came up with, oh I'd really like to do that, that was prompted by the Ruach, that was a moment, that was a Kairos moment for her, that was an obedience to the prompting of the spirit and when the spirit prompts, there is a reason for it, whether she couldn't have made sense of that, I'm going to spend a year's wages on this and oil and I'm going to go and make a scene of myself and pour it on his head, she wouldn't have known any of what was about to take place, she was responding to the prompting of the Ruach because his body needed to be prepared for burial. She who loved him, who sat at his feet, who ministered to his needs through his time in the land, this greatest act of service and there are times we know when the Ruach comes and requires of us an act of sacrifice that is beyond ourselves and we don't understand why but there is always a purpose in his kingdom timeline and when we participate with that, it is this synergistic working with the unseen and the seen, we are partnering, we are ministering, we are giving our all and even though it's a sacrifice and even though it's costly, we are privileged to be able to do so because it's partnering with him in the advancement of the kingdom and here she is rewarded by going, women were the first to see him. Now why was that? I don't know, I don't know, why wasn't John there? Why wasn't John the first one to see him and to take the message back to the guys? I don't know but I do want to highlight that the men and women and I'll always harp on about this and I'll always find an excuse to put it in some way but I think it's so relevant and it's so powerful especially in today's age and especially where we're at that men and women as we know, this is preaching to the choir so it's for the people on the tape, men and women have a role and on that day, the day of first fruits, women had a role to play and it was a role of service, it was a role of ministry, it was a role of support and they were given a message, take this back to the guys and let them know I'm going to meet them, I'm going to meet them. The age that we live in and we know where the blurring of the lines is very, very blurred and we have women who are in roles of leadership that shouldn't be there are in roles of leadership that shouldn't be there, we have men who aren't leading and should be, we have men and women masquerading as the opposite sex and this is all in the church, this is not even just out in the world, we have a soft touch to feminism, we have a soft touch to homosexuality where everything's blurred and everything's grey and everything's oh so compassionate but there is clear delineated roles for a purpose and on this very important day, those roles were very marked and the women were privileged, I'm a woman and I think I'm so blessed that I'm not a man, I am so blessed that I don't have to take that responsibility of leadership, thank you father, I don't have a man, well I do have a man but I don't have a man, does that mean I'm not under authority? No, I willingly place myself under my father and my brother's headship because I really need that protection, I really need to know that I'm under authority. If order is out of place in these moments, we've lost before we've begun, it's always a good opportunity to reflect, where do I stand, are the lines clear? If we touch this in some circles, you will have every demon in hell manifest like you've never seen before, nothing like it, you touch this topic, you raise this topic, hoolidooli, it's fireworks, it's on like Donkey Kong, that's why it's not addressed, that's why it's given a soft touch, that's why men of great stature tremble at the thought of confronting a 4411 woman in the day of rage, we all know it's true, women know it better than men, we know the power of a woman, we know how women are, because I am a woman, and that needs to be subjugated to the order of men, because they are under the Messiah, it's not a man is over me, it's a righteous man is over me. Why am I harping on about this? Well, because I think the role of women is so important, and it's so powerful, that if we in this day and age, you know, I'm skipping ahead, but Paul made it very clear, the criteria for righteous elders and deacons, part of that criteria was that they were knowledgeable, compassionate, but also that they were able to handle their homes, because that's a mark of righteous men, they can handle their homes. The gift we can give, not that I have one, our men, the gift that we can give our men is to support them in that, what a blessing, to release the man to be all he can be, so we're not going to make his job hard, it's a bit like, you know, where it says for our leaders, you know, don't make their job hard, like, you know, make it a joy for them, because it's a hard job, if women are confident in who they are in Yeshua, and confident in the role we've been given, confident in the relationship they have with Yeshua and trust, there's a lot of trust involved, a lot of trust involved, and place that where it needs to be, and serve the man in a way that's righteous and godly, I tell you what, the enemy trembles, the men are released, they're supported, they're encouraged, they're ministered to, they're not faffing around trying to deal with cantankerous women, you know, like, life is tough enough, no, this is not marriage counselling, because, you know, hello, but I'm saying the truth of scripture for this moment in time, and for this day, on this day, I cannot get away from the fact that women were front and centre, not any woman, these women, these women who were tried and tested, these women who had given their all, these women who ministered, and blessed, and served Yeshua and the disciples, so they could be released to do what only they can do, that's a synergy, that's a blessing, that's a union, that's a true covenant, and for that privilege of being a woman, they were the first to see him, unbelievable, they were the first to see him, there is such blessing wrapped up in being confident in the role that we've been placed in, you know, there's a lot said about guys, you know, I love guys, bring on the guys, encourage the guys, but I want to encourage the women, we can be such a powerful blessing to the men, in ways that's probably beyond our understanding, Miriam had no idea that when she came and anointed Yeshua and made a scene, it became very histrionic, you can just imagine a bunch of guys sitting around, having a meal with their master and teaching, here comes this woman, being histrionic, being exhibitionist, because that's what we are sometimes, that's in our nature, pouring this expensive, expensive, the aroma would have filled the house, they knew how much this stuff cost, and she's weeping, now she's not only doing that, she's crying, crying on her knees, crying so much, she's wiping his feet and then wiping the tears and washing his feet with her tears and then wiping them dry with her hair, amidst men who were scorning her, did she care, she didn't care, she was mandated, she had been given a mission from Ruach and she had obeyed, and she took out her long hair and she's wiping dry his feet, preparing his body for burial, even though she didn't know that's what he was doing, and Paul says in, and I'm just talking, I was going to read it but I don't want to be distracted because I'm on the floor, in Corinthians, because this is a good tradition, he's talking to men and women about when you pray, when you come together and pray, men don't cover your hair, don't have anything on your head, don't wear a hat, because we will read it, sorry because I can't remember it all, but it's 1 Corinthians 11, we know it, we know it so well, and lots of different interpretations, but I do want to cover it, but I don't want to sit here for too long, 1 Corinthians 11, it says, we didn't start yet, yeah just start one, now be imitators of me, just as I also am of Messiah, because that's important, now I praise you because you remember me and everything, and hold firm the traditions, just as I pass them on to you, but I want you to know that the head of every man is Messiah, the head of every woman is the man, and the head of Messiah is Elohim, and every man praying or prophesying with his head covered dishonours his head, but every woman praying or prophesying with her head uncovered dishonours her head, for it is one and the same as having been shaved, for if a woman does not cover her head, let her cut off her hair, but it is shameful for a woman to have her hair cut off or to be shaved, let her cover her head, for surely a man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and the glory of Elohim, but the woman is the glory or the honour of man, for man is not from woman, but woman from man, and neither was man created for the woman's sake, but woman for the man's sake, for this reason women ought to have a symbol, that word symbol is not in the scripture, it's been added, so you go for this reason the woman ought to have authority on her head, because of the angels, because of the angels, now remember there's no symbol there, it's just the woman has to have authority on her head because of the angels, in any case, woman is not independent of man, man is not independent of woman, but just as the woman came from the man, so also the man comes from the woman, but all things are of Elohim, now I'm not advocating for covering, I cover my hair, because I'm convicted to do that, do I think it's a law, no, no I don't, it's a requirement, I do because Jehovah has required that of me, but we're talking about hair, it is a visible sign of authority, a bit like I was thinking the other day, do I still do, yes I do still do, it's a bit like, you know, wearing tzitzit, although tzitzit is actually a commandment, but it's this visible symbol that I've chosen to wear, some say hair, because hair is such a powerful symbol, truth, if you do a scripture study, bible study on hair, it's amazing, life changing, it's brilliant, but we have this picture of this woman on her knees, wiping Yeshua's feet with her hair, and it must have been long to be able to do that, she has physically expressed her obedience, her servitude to her master, in this role, and we have here, it's all about authority, we want to operate in authority, we want to have the Ruach come and express the manifest presence of Jehovah in our life, we want to see the power of the gifts of the Ruach released in our community, released to the people, we better make sure we're in order, and in authority, because otherwise we are renegades, and vigilantes, and we will be called to account, how many people do we know ministering from a pulpit with powerful gifts, who are completely and utterly unrighteous, and they are currently being exposed all over the place, left, right, and centre, I'm wanting to emphasise at this junction, at this kairos moment, in this appointed time, that being very clear about the line of authority, releases anointing, it ensures protection, it makes sure that all bases are covered, because the unseen world, because it says here, make sure you're under authority because of the angels, I don't know the fullness of what that means, I really don't, I've looked at it a million times, all I know is, the unseen world and the seen world, the physical world that we operate in, had better be in synergy, we had better be in that line of authority, so that Jehovah can do what he really really wants to do, where this world around us really needs us to be in the right place at the right time, so it's just a bit of a reminder to go, it's a blessing to be a woman, it's a blessing to be a man, whatever role we have to play, we are blessed, we are enabled, we have a union that is powerful, that Satan looks on as an utter mystery, what was the first thing he wanted to destroy, was the union between a man and a woman, the first thing he wanted to just adulterate and upend, and he did it very successfully, and has continued to do it very successfully, nothing can break apart a gathering, well we've known, we've experienced, nothing can bring dissension like an unsubmitted woman in a fellowship, I tell you what, the enemy loves it, and I think more so than when men behave badly, I don't know why, just something I've observed, just experienced over the years, so I go, just a good reminder, it's a blessing, I want to see Messiah in resurrection power in our midst, so this day of resurrection, I've hung up there for way too long, I wrote down a quirky quote, I'm just going to do it because I wrote it down, I quite liked it, just to finish off that section, it goes, John the baptiser prepared for Yeshua's arrival, but Miriam prepared his body for burial, so it's this man and the woman, we each have a role to play, but where I started, which I wanted to start, but that's all pre-empting that, all pre-empting that, is this day is not called resurrection day, it is not Easter Sunday, it's the day of first fruits, it's the day of first fruits, let's call it for what it is, it is not resurrection day, even though that's when he was resurrected, it is not Easter Sunday, it is the day of first fruits, so let's read Leviticus 23, because this is where I wanted to start, so we'll skip through this really quickly because my time is filling up, 23, 9 to 14, so we'll just read that section about first, so you know we've had Passover and 9, so yeah, Adam and I spoke to Moses saying, speak to the children of Israel and tell them, when you have come into the land which I give you and reap its harvest, then you are to bring the omer, that's a weight, of the first fruits of your harvest to the Kohen, to the priests, he is to wave the omer before, and so whatever the harvest is, you know, could be whatever it is, but at this time it was wheat, but he is to wave the omer before Yehovah to be accepted for you, on the morrow, I love that phrase, on the morrow, on the morrow after Shabbat, the priest is to wave it, and on the day when you wave the omer, you are to offer a male lamb without blemish, one year old as a burnt offering to Yehovah, the grain offering, it shall be two tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil, an offering made by fire to Yehovah for a soothing aroma, its drink offering with it shall be a quarter of a gallon of wine, and you are not to eat bread, roasted grain or fresh grain until this same day, until you have brought the offering of your Elohim, it is a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings, so it's kind of like communion, let's Christianify this, we've got a lamb, we've got bread, we've got grain, and we've got wine, isn't that communion, I've heard people say this is about communion, this is not about communion, yeah well the sugar is the lamb, but you are not to have, and this is throughout all generations, you're not allowed to eat anything until you've given the first portion to the priests at the temple and offer it up along with the other elements, so it was not a request, not a suggestion, it was a commandment, this is what you do, and this was called the first fruits, this is the proper order of things, this is an honour, an acknowledgement that without Jehovah's intervention there is no harvest anyway, so you sow, you reap, and you, well first of all you prepare the ground, you prepare, you sow, and now you wait, you wait, and if there's no rain there is no harvest, so we do what we can do, so I'm talking about just the harvest here, so I'm wanting to emphasise or highlight that we play our part in the scene world, in the physical world, we do what we are asked to do, we prepare the ground and we sow the seed and then we wait, we can't do anything, we can't bring life to that seed, we can't make rain come and bring growth and a harvest, Jehovah has to do that, the rain is in his control, we do our part but he is in ultimate control and we wait for him, it's a bit like you know, you get a chick and it's in the egg and you try and help it out and it dies, we can't make things happen and if we do make, if we do try, we bring death, you try and dig up that seed and make it grow and do your thing, you're going to produce death, so we are in this season where we prepare, we sow, and we wait, and we trust, and we believe, and we hope for a harvest that is to come, but then the first fruits of that harvest is his, to honour him, to give acknowledgement to him, without you I am nothing, without your intervention we have nothing, everything is yours and everything comes from you and we give back to you, and so this day is not resurrection day, this is the first fruit, so on this day after Passover, when the harvest is there, people are bringing their first, on this day in Jerusalem, there would have been people presenting their offering at the temple, for the priests to offer up, but we know that the power of Jehovah has come and risen Yeshua from the dead, he is the first fruits of resurrection, he is the first born, the first fruits, this is the day of first fruits and that's what we celebrate, that's what we hope for, this is us doing our part of preparation and waiting, repentance, hoping, faith in the one who has in this time yet to come, they're waiting for Messiah, waiting for Messiah, our Messiah has come, he is the first fruits and he defeated death, he broke the curse, he's reconciled mankind to Elohim, the redemption of man and Elohim in relationship back together, the first fruits, that's the harvest, the bringing of life, the bringing of sustenance, the bringing of spiritual intervention into a world of death and chaos, this is our Yeshua, so we can't eat anything, you can't go and make a bit of bread, you can't harvest anything until you have given honour first, so I emphasize that because on this day that's coming up after this Passover, there is a first fruits, it's not a Shabbat, it's not a convocation, it's not, we're not called to come together on this day, how bizarre, how bizarre, the church does, they have a resurrection Sunday meeting, why don't we? Three times, for Shavuot, but not for that day, not for the third day, you're already there, they've gathered on Passover, unleavened bread, they've had their unleavened bread, so they're in this time frame, but on this day, on the day of first fruits, there is no Shabbat, there is no convocation, it is a personal thing, it is an individual thing, you bring your offering to the temple, because it's your field that you've sown, it's an individual sacrifice, it's an individual event, it's something I have to do personally, I make the sacrifice, I bring the honour to the one who brought the increase, Yeshua is the first fruits, my transaction with him is personal, I can't ride on your coattails, I can't ride on Yeshua, Yekirah's gift, I can't ride on my father's anointing, I bring the gift, I bring myself before Yeshua and say, you are my Messiah, I come and I give you the first of what I have, you are my redeemer, you've blessed me in my life, in my increase, you've given me a harvest of whatever, anointing, gifts, but I give you out the first, the best, I touch nothing for myself other than what I bring to you, it's individual, it's a commitment individually, I can't do it as a group, we can all individually do it, and then that truth is true in a community, but I'm wanting to emphasise, it's a personal transaction, it has to be a personal transaction and a personal sacrifice, so when we come on that day, it's the first day of counting the Omer, and from that day we count the Shabbat, we bring the Omer and then it's Shavuot, and I could go on and on about the truth of that is lost, the power of that is lost, because it's all just wrapped up in Easter and Resurrection Day, the day of first fruits, the third day after, it's not the day of first fruits, it's the day after, no, no, yes it is, no, no, we won't go into that, but it's probably not that right, but yeah, really, it is the first Shabbat after first fruits, oh yes, the first Shabbat, sorry, but you count it, the first Shabbat after first fruits, that might be two days away or five days away, sorry, yes, I had a panic attack there, yes, yes, yes, it's the Sabbath after first fruits, yes, that's right, yes, and you begin the counting too, because it's Shabbat, Shabbat, Shabbat, Shabbat, Shabbat, that's right, oh, I did get mixed up there, yes, yes, that's right, yes, yes, yes, so when, I didn't write the scripture down there, but when Yeshua met with the apostles, he walked into the room where they were, and you know, the shock of that, I suppose, but then in that moment, he breathed on them, and he said, receive the Ruach HaKodesh, this is before Shavuot comes, where the outpouring of the spirit came, he met with those, and it wasn't just the disciples, whoever else was there with them, but he breathed on them, received the Ruach HaKodesh, let's read Romans 8, we'll just wrap it up, so it's this, the infilling, the deposit, the guarantee that we receive, as we wait for the day when Yeshua comes, and we are made like him, he gives us this guarantee, and this deposit of the Ruach, so that we can express him through the gifts of the spirit, in a way that will testify of his resurrection power, and minister to those in our midst, without that Ruach working in us and through us, we just do things of our own flesh, we have to allow the Ruach to move in and through us, for the sake of the body, sorry, Romans 8, and I thought, oh, you know, you're reading Romans 8, and you just, you know, the chapter gets bigger and bigger, because you go, well, where do you want to read that, so we'll just read the whole chapter, because it's so important, therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Messiah Yeshua, for the law of the spirit of life in Messiah Yeshua, has set you free from the law of sin and death, for what was impossible for the Torah, since it was weakened on account of our flesh, Elohim has done, sending his own son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and as a sin offering, he condemned sin in the flesh, so that the requirement of Torah might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the spirit, for those who live according to the flesh, set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Ruach, set their minds on the things of the Ruach, for the mindset of the flesh is death, but the mindset of the Ruach is life and shalom, for the mindset of the flesh is hostile towards Elohim, for it does not submit itself to the law of Elohim, for it cannot, for those who are in the flesh cannot please Yehovah, so it is always that reminder of, it's those who walk by the spirit, those who worship in spirit and truth, and it's having our flesh in subjection, so the unseen and the seen world, the seen world has to be in subjection to the unseen world, our physical senses must come into subjection, our feelings must come into subjection to the word of truth, to the spirit, to Messiah, otherwise we do things in the flesh and we sow death, we know that talking to the choir, however you are not in the flesh, but in the Ruach, if indeed the Ruach Elohim dwells in you, now if anyone does not have the Ruach of Messiah, he does not belong to him, but if Messiah is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness, and if the Ruach of the one who raised Yeshua from the dead dwells in you, the one who raised Messiah Yeshua from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through the Ruach who dwells in you, and if we are coming up to today, if we just dwell on that for a minute, the power that raised Yeshua from the dead, if I can just get a handle on that to a minute degree, resides in me, I cannot grasp that, only the spirit can reveal that to me, and we are asking for authority, we are asking for his power to be released in us and through us, he is there, he is able, the power that raised Yeshua from the dead, if I was there on that day, and I saw that stone roll away, I would believe, I would believe, and I sit here and I go, I believe father that helped me in my unbelief, I believe that helped me see, I believe that father increased my faith, I want to know this power that raised Yeshua from the dead, because in my humanity I don't, I don't, so then brothers and sisters, we do not owe anything to the flesh, to live according to the flesh, for if you live according to the flesh, you must die, but if the Ruach, but by the Ruach you put to death the deeds of the body you shall live, for all who are led by the Ruach Elohim, these are the sons of Elohim, for you do not receive the spirit of slavery to fall again into fear, rather you receive the spirit of adoption by whom we cry, Abba, Father, the Ruach himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of Elohim, and if children also heirs, heirs of Elohim, joint heirs with Messiah, if indeed we suffer with him, so that we may also be glorified with him, for I consider the sufferings of this present time not worthy to be compared with the coming glory to be, the coming glory to be revealed to us, for the creation eagerly awaits for the revelation of the sons of Elohim, for the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of the one who subjected it, in hope that creation itself will also be set free from bondage to decay into the glorious freedom of the children of Elohim, which I found really interesting, into the glorious freedom of the children of Elohim, the ones who walk by spirit, can you wait for that day, can we anticipate that day when creation itself will respond to the revealing of the sons of God, unbelievable, climate change will have to bow down, anyway, now I've lost my place being facetious, sorry 22, I can't find 22, for we know that the whole creation grows together and suffers birth pains until now, not only creation but even ourselves, we ourselves who have the first fruits of the Ruach, we groan inwardly as we eagerly wait for adoption, the redemption of our body, for in hope we were saved, but hope that is seen is not hope, for who hopes for what he sees, but if we hope for what we do not see, then we eagerly wait for it with perseverance, and in the same way the Ruach helps us in our weakness, for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Ruach himself intercedes for us with groans too deep for words, and he who searches the hearts knows the mind of Ruach, because he intercedes for the Kedoshim according to the will of Elohim, this is the unseen world, that which we don't know, we say we can't pray for ourselves sometimes, but how kind, how gracious, how compassionate that Yeshua the first fruits is interceding for us, the deposit of the Ruach that we have in us, his spirit is interceding for us too, that we will make it, that we will be there on that day, now we know all things work together, for the good of those who love Elohim, who are called according to his purposes, for those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his son, so that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters, and those whom he predestined he is called, and those whom he is called he is justified, and those whom he has justified he has glorified, what then shall we say in view of these things, if Elohim is for us who can be against us, he who did not spare his own son but gave him up for us all, how shall he not also with him freely give us all things, who shall bring a charge against Elohim's elect, it is Elohim who justifies, who is the one who condemns, it is Messiah who died and moreover was raised and is now at the right hand of Elohim who also intercedes for us, who shall separate us from the love of Messiah, shall tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, danger, sword, as it is written for your sake we are being put to death all day long, we are counted as sheep for the slaughter, but in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us, for I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of Elohim that is in Messiah Yeshua our Adonai, if we can get a hold of that, change our perspective, change our lives, that what a privilege we have to be co-heirs, brothers and sisters, he is the first fruits, he is the firstborn and through him we are co-heirs, we are adopted into the family, we are reconciled and we are being given the ruach as a guarantee, as a deposit of that day to come when we will be like him and everything will be changed and we will see him come on the clouds, so be encouraged, be blessed, take an account, be ready, that everything we are doing now, all the preparation, the obedience, the anticipation, the reward is in him, the reward is in him, he is our great reward, we just be faithful to what he has called us to be faithful to, we can't make things happen, so we prepare, we pray, we wait, we anticipate but the harvest is in him and the increase is in him, we say we look forward to Passover, we look forward to first fruits, we look forward to the feasts that are coming because we understand the reality of it, amen, thanks a bit of a mishmash.