Resisting depression…
Why art thou cast down within me, O my soul? and how has thou so soon forgotten the salvation of the Almighty?
Thinkest thou thy sadness deeper than the Red Sea where which thy God parted the waters thereof to deliver Moses and his company from their enemies whom were mightier than they?
Dost thou suppose thy tears to flow swifter than the waters of Jordan which thy God did dry that the news thereof caused all of the inhabitants of Canaan to tremble?
Considerest thou thine anguish stronger than the great walls of Jericho which did crumble before Joshua and the children of Israel that they might have victory over the stronghold?
How thinkest thou that thou art forsaken?
Dost thou presume the shadow of thy past more haunting that which Goliath did cast upon David as he stood before him? And yet with a small stone were the taunts and mockings of that Philistine silenced.
Verily I say unto thee, O my soul, that ye can do greater with much less than a stone; yeah, even a mustard seed.
So why doubtest thou, O ye of little faith?
Art thou so soon ready to faint in the heat of temptation despite thy brethren, Azariah, Hananiah, and Mishael, whom stood firm, even in the midst of the fiery furnace which burned hotter than the lusts within you?
Believeth thou that thy Righteous Father will suffer you to be overcome by your sins when even faithful Daniel was not overcome by the crushing jaws of the lions?
Repent from all thy doubting and turn to thy God that in Him, ye may find help and be able to stand in the hour of temptation which is to come upon the earth. Yea, and even now hast that hour come.
Trust not in man’s devices: neither their technologies, nor their governments; neither their sorceries, nor their pharmakeia.
Pursue not their ways: neither their traditions, nor their education; neither their careers, nor their riches.
Come out from among them and be ye separate, taking no thought for your life, neither for the things of this world.
Rather seek ye first the Kingdom of Heaven, having all faith in thy Father in Heaven; for He is mighty to save and able to give thee far greater than all that which the world giveth; yes, even the desires of your heart.
Lastly, fear not the fears of the ungodly, for they shall come upon them; but rather fear ye God. For His wrath shall come swiftly upon all the world, and they that scoff, and all they that work iniquity shall cry out unto the mountains:
Fall on us, and hide us from the wrath of the Lamb!
but none shall save them, neither shall any stay the hand of the Most High. It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
Be sober, therefore, and watch. For soon, He that cometh will come, and will not tarry. Then shall all be judged according to their works.
Blessed is the man that, when his Master cometh, shall find him doing that which he had been commanded.
O my soul, fear not, but be encouraged; for truly thy God is with thee withersoever thou goest. Continue, therefore, in good works and hope to the end in the engrafted Word which is able to save you.
Selah.
Better than birds
At dusk doth the devil rage,
Making war against the saints;
Traversing fields of dreams;
Sowing seeds of doubt.
Disrupting spiritual gaze
With subconscious temptations
To deceive and prey.
I pray when I awake
My soul, he not take.
For it is safe in the hands
Of Him whose promise stands,
And none of His are lost.
What need I to fear
The fears of the wicked?
What need I to share
The doubts of the unfaithful?
Is not creation proof
That God’s plan will stand?
Behold the sun in his rising
And the moon in her shining,
Which testify of wisdom so grand;
Passing that which mortals overstand.
Behold the birds that sing
Praises in holy melodies,
Proclaiming the goodness of God.
Truly they are fed
Without worrying within.
Truly they are grounded
Though they float in the wind.
Am not I much better than they?
Longing
My God, I feel a longing
above the face of the deep,
deep within Me.
I try to be strong
in this world
I don’t belong.
My God, I feel a longing
As You bring me along
This long, long path
to learn good from bad
and right from wrong.
My God, I feel a longing
like lonesome stars wandering,
wondering how to supplicate
Your voice do fill this void
with a Word of Truth
and a living Word who
came to set the captives free.
That truly I may be
free, and free indeed
to sing Holy! Holy!
is the Lord God ALMIGHTY!
Him that was– and is–
and is to come has come.
Though He came,
You are One,
one in the same.
One came to clothe my shame
that sin can never rule me.
For which reason I praise
Him that was raised;
You and Your ways
my righteous King and Elohim
God of Abraham, O Yahweh!
It’s You I praise! It’s you I praise!
For I too have been raised
to sit in a heavenly place
and reign at Your side.
Your Ruach instructs me;
Your Spirit’s my guide.
My God, come fill me inside
and satisfy this longing!
Disconnecting
Disconnecting is protecting
the soul from corruption
and hearkening to
the Spirit’s instruction.
Disconnecting is inspecting
the mind’s contentions;
the putting aside
of false pretensions.
Disconnecting is directing
the heart’s provocation
from strife to life
in true determination.
In disconnecting
one’s able to be
a hearer that hears;
having eyes that see.
And I heard another voice from Heaven saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. For her sins have reached unto Heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.
Revelation 18:4-5
Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith Yahuah, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith Yahuah, the Almighty.
2 Corinthians 6:17-18
And Yashua answered and said, Verily I say unto you, there is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sister, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel’s who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come everlasting life.
Mark 10:29; Luke 18:30
He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.
Matthew 10:37-38
So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.
Luke 14:33
Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.
Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Matthew 5:13-16
Have luxuries seduced you,
or addictions kept you bound?
Has media deceived you,
or relations brought you down?
Have you sought to be low,
that you may be exalted?
Have you sought after peace
that the earth may be salted?
Have you thought on the poor,
in the midst of their oppression?
Blessed are they that consider,
and contemplate these questions.
But Yashua beheld them, and said unto them, with men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.
Matthew 19:26
But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
Peace I leave unto you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
John 14:26-27
Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for Yahuah thy God is with thee withersoever thou goest.
Joshua 1:9
Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.
Isaiah 43:7
Grace be with all them that love our Master Yashua Messiah in sincerity.
Amen.
Ephesians 6:24
Choose righteousness
Grow not weary of well-doing, but walk in the works of God which he hath preordained before the foundation of the world, that you might walk in them.
Lose not sight of your reward which will assuredly await you if you hold fast to that holy gospel which you have learned from the beginning.
Set not your heart upon the riches of this world, which are but temporary, but set your affections on things above, and store up treasures in heaven that will never perish.
Never stop seeking that which is good, and turn not your feet away from the paths of righteousness. Let the Spirit guide your steps and let faith establish them, that you may be found pleasing in the Father’s sight.
Peace and sincerity,
Amen.
black or white
I see an evil
Under the sun—
Bondage of mind
Hard to be undone
Man defined—Confined
To a word
Black or white.
No account taken
Of the spirit inside
Those who proclaim
Truth— rather they claim
Yet they possess not
Fruit— but thistles.
Does Love choose
Whom to show grace?
And Mercy—
Does she stumble
When faced with race?
Am I a liar
If I preach not hate?
Am I a judge
To conceal one’s fate?
On the street side
They shout
“Pick a side—
Black or white.”
‘Tis folly inside
A world of great divide.
’Tis obstruction
On the path to unity,
Destruction—
Of community.
I tell you this day
With no shame to say
Vanity!
Is this fight—
Black or white.
If faith is true
And love is right
Let all put strife
Far from sight.
Though I be young
And few in years,
The state of humanity
Summons my tears.
Though I be young
And few in years,
I’ll grow forward,
Striving toward
A brighter light
With no need to fear
Black or white.
Published June 2021 in Vibrations Magazine.
the dream
Morning of May 10th…
Last night I dreamed Of most vivid proportion The cities shaken In dramatic destruction Cables whipping No more shocked than I Ashes raining Like snow in July Cars tumbling Down mountains of street Dogs buried in holes Several feet deep My heart, a drum That beats and pounds As I frantically dig To rescue a hound The streets littered With folks who died Like she that lie With the beam in her side Mounds of gray Stacked 20 yards high Cries of lamentation Pollute the black skies Children lost In panic and screams I wake in my bed From a trembling dream
So, why is this dream relevant?
Well, it’s relevant because no I find myself perpetually contemplating the events around me and how to prepare for the worst. Not from a place of fear, but rather a place of acknowledgement that the last dream I had like this, COVID came two months later and brought a year of anxiety, isolation, and confusion for many throughout the world.
The past year has taught me a lot:
I truly have very little control over external circumstances.
This used to leave me feeling helpless, but now brings me such comfort to know that God works everything according to His purpose. I may not always understand that purpose, but it’s okay because I know it’ll all work out for good. Experience has already proven this time and time again.
Of course there are practical things that I can do now though: storing extra water and food (or growing my own!), keeping my gas tank full, and taking intentional breaks from the luxurious conveniences of society. Not being led by paranoia, but rather a sincere desire to mentally prepare for sudden, unexpected circumstances. The entire globe did shut down within two months after all. That was pretty unexpected!
There are always reasons to be thankful.
Had the world not come to a complete halt I would probably still be “too busy” to even start this website. Sure, it’s a bummer that studying in Paris never happened, but not really, because now I’m actually pursuing something I’m passionate about. I’ve learned so much about myself in the process.
Ultimately, I’m alive and healthy. I have a place to live and I have food. There are so many people I’ve met on the streets who have lost everything since the pandemic started. I can empathize with their situations, and I also acknowledge that I could be in a similar situation. We’re not all that different. Some of them have so much hope and a positive outlook on their circumstances. Guess I actually don’t have anything to complain about.
Rejection is okay, and often necessary.
I was such a social butterfly– or dragonfly (the manly version)— before the state-sanctioned isolations. It didn’t take me long to realize that most of my socializing was just to receive validation from others and conceal my own insecurities that I didn’t even know I had. Fear of rejection was a big one. I may have been “too busy” on the surface to start Peace & Poetry, but really I was just afraid that every single person in the world would find my content repulsive. Very reasonable and well-informed thinking, right?
No matter who I am, who I become, or what I do, someone is gonna have a problem with it. Perhaps the improvements I implement in my life makes them feel bad because they aren’t willing to do it. Or maybe they can’t understand why I’m so calm, so they seek to make me as miserable as they are? It’s possible…but it doesn’t really matter. If I don’t do what I’m passionate about just because I’m afraid of what others will think, well…I might as well just be dead at that point. Besides, rejection builds character!
It’s better to take responsibility for my own shortcomings.
Okay, I admit it… Maybe I’ve had a tendency of subconsciously blaming others for my problems:
I didn’t do well on that test because the professor didn’t teach me that.
Me.
That relationship didn’t work because she had problems, and I’m a perfect little angel.
Me again.
I was late because the trooper pulled me over, I wasn’t speeding that bad.
And also me…
Well, once quarantine started my social life went away but my problems didn’t go anywhere. That pretty much meant that I was the cause of my problems, at least my mindset was. Once I accepted this new revelation I was able to take a deeper look within at some of the root causes. Ultimately, if the way I think is the problem then changing that should change my circumstances (or my perception of them). Now I’m beginning to understand what repentance means.
On a recent hike, a woman shared something very profound with me:
If you want to start a new life you have to leave the old life behind.
hiking friend
It caught me by surprise but it made so much sense. Once again, repentance. The first step in starting that new life is to take responsibility for both my actions and their consequences. Only then can I embark on that faithful journey of overcoming.
There really is nothing to fear…well, except God.
I really don’t find myself being swayed by the fear tactics featured on the te-“lie”-vision. Psalm 91 has become my “insurance policy.” What is scary, however, is watching the masses seduced by deception and knowing that God (if He so chose) could hand me over to the same deception. The thought is horrifying.
God is patient (2 Peter 3:9), and He is love (1 John 4:8). He is also vengeful (Nahum 1:2), and is a consuming fire (Hebrews 12:29). So if I do evil continually how could I ever expect to escape His wrath?
O that my soul would turn away from wickedness and seek God with a pure heart!
All of humanity is in the middle of an invisible war between good and evil and the battlefield is in the mind. All of humanity is under psychological attack on a subconscious level and most won’t recognize it until it’s too late.
Regardless of anything; regardless of what happens, I know that the Creator and Upholder of everything has promised to help me. Of course it’s challenging a lot of the time, but if it weren’t then I wouldn’t have to “endure” and “overcome.” It all makes me stronger the end: physically, mentally, and spiritually.
“So onward!“
perfectionist
People say that no one is perfect, but is that really true?
Perfection is defined as having all required and desired elements, qualities, and characteristics; to be complete.
All those who are in Christ are complete and shall lack no good thing. Even in our weakness, Christ makes us perfect. His grace is sufficient!
Let us then tear down the lies and thoughts that exalt themselves above the knowledge of God, and be perfect as He is perfect!
Stop saying you’re not perfect! Hath not our Father in heaven commanded us To be perfect, even as He is? It’s impossible for man to obtain, But with God all things are possible. Think it not an occasion for boasting, For it is by faith that these things be so, And not of our own efforts. Instead, let all boasting be in God; Let it be done in Him alone; Being transformed and renewed in mind, Until we reflect His perfect image Into which we were created. For we are truly His workmanship, And were perfected by His sacrifice. Since we have these promises, Let us put aside all weights and sin, Cleansing ourselves from all filth; Perfecting holiness with all reverence, And assured that these words are true: He with perfect knowledge is with us And all who draw nigh are made perfect Just as His ways are perfect; Perfect in love and perfect in peace Because we trust in Him. For we are the children of light, And were given all things pertaining to life. As He who calls those things which are not, As though they were Let us declare EVEN OUR PERFECTION!
Meditation Verses:
Matthew 5:48/19:26
Romans 3:27
Psalms 32:2/44:8
Romans 12:2
Genesis 1:27
Psalm 138:8
Hebrews 10:14/12:1
2 Corinthians 7:1
Job 36:4
Hebrews 10:1
Psalm 18:30
1 John 4:18
Isaiah 26:3
1 Thessalonians 5:5
2 Peter 1:3
Romans 4:17
2 Corinthians 13:9
Psalm 34:10
2 Corinthians 12:9
safe
Yes, I’m safe— Protected by Psalms Resting in palms Of Almighty — Most High My soul shall not die. No! I’m safe. Yes, I’m spared— Unladen with cares Neither plague here Nor chaos there Shall take me unaware. No! I’m spared. Yes, I’m stable— Firmly set Knowing Salem won’t let Evil to befall me, Nor slain by adversity. No! I’m stable. Yes, I’m blessèd— Even when tested. By patience I arrive— A place fore-destined. Not lost nor neglected. No! I’m blessèd.
the hike
Trees whisper melodic harmony “Pshh…” —without a breath Waving each to the next. Who says trees can’t talk? Leaves muster courage— A leap of faith; Breeze surfing, searching For a new resting place. The earth painted— A sea of green Highlighted with gold; Adorned with light. Rain-tattered trail— Tightly trafficked, And narrow— as to Eternity Ripples dance in liquid mirrors. Mysterious masked man Friend or foe— Can’t tell. Humanity covered by mountains. Blue badge of strangeness— They call it courage. A veil between Man and Nature. “Pshh…” —who says trees can’t talk?