Monday, 13 May 2019

God's heart and mind

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Question of the day: What does this verse mean? 1 Samuel 2:35 "Yet I will raise up for Myself a faithful kohen who will do according to what is in My heart and My mind. Then I will build him an enduring house, and he will walk before My anointed one all the time."

Answer: Our thoughts naturally focus on Samuel, who becomes the priest. It is he who will anoint Saul and then David. The later being greater than the former. Of course, we know Yeshua is the reality of all things, so naturally, Yeshua is our anointed priest with an everlasting house. Yeshua alone does what is in God's heart and mind.

The question I really want to ask is, "How can we do what is in God's heart and mind?" The word translated here as "mind" is based on the Shoresh Nefesh. This word is used in the Hebrew Scriptures over 750 times. In about 250 of those times the word is translated as "soul".

It is alternatively translated as personality or even as character, and once even as emotion. We are all 3 in 1 beings; body (physical), soul (emtional or intellectual) and spirit (life-giving breath of God). The Nefesh is that middle part that is who you are on the inside that is released to the outside world through your emotions or character.

To reflect the personality of God is a huge assignment. One we cannot hope to accomplish without the grace of God, Himself.

It is not surprising that after 3 chapters on holiness (Romans 6,7,& 8) and 3 chapters on Messianic Judaism (Romans 9, 10,& 11) we find this at the beginning of Romans 12:2 "Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the will of God - what is good and acceptable and perfect."

How does that transformation take place? According to Ephesians 5:26 we are washed by Yeshua through bathing in His Word. Another key that is born out in Scripture is to stop focusing on ourselves and begin to focus on the Father, Son and Holy Spirit of God.

WWYD is an appropriate question to ask at this point. Long ago, God raised up a faithful Cohen (in Samuel) through a barren woman. Today, God is raising up an army of faithful priests (Mamlechet Cohanim - a kingdom of priests) who will run to Him (and not away from Him) in the day of battle. That day is coming soon. It is a promise from God.

Philippians 1:6 "I am sure of this very thing - that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the Day of Messiah Yeshua."