Tag Archives: Yeshua

Faith, Prayers

Prayer & Faith in Action

Walking in New Testament Balance

There is a divine tension in the Christian life between prayer and action. Some say faith waits; others say faith moves. Yet, the New Testament reveals that prayer & faith in action are inseparable. They are two sides of the same coin, each breathing life into the other.

The Foundation of Prayer

From the lips of Yeshua Himself, we hear, “Keep watching and praying, so that you do not come into temptation” (Matthew 26:41, NASB). Prayer is not optional; it is essential. The early Church understood this, as they “were continually devoting themselves with one mind to prayer” (Acts 1:14, NASB). Prayer was the bedrock on which their actions were built.

Yet, prayer alone was not the end. After prayer, Peter stood up (Acts 1:15, NASB) and began to lead. Prayer birthed boldness. The fire of Pentecost fell after ten days of prayer, and it propelled the apostles into the streets with power.

The Call to Action

Paul, the tireless apostle, embodies this balance. He declared he prayed without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17, NASB), but he also traveled extensively, planted churches, and suffered hardship for the Gospel. His life shows us that prayer & faith in action is not about choosing one or the other. It is about combining them in obedience to God.

James speaks plainly: “Faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself” (James 2:17, NASB). Yet, he also exalts prayer: “The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much”(James 5:16, NASB). Prayer fuels action; action gives purpose to prayer.

The Example of Yeshua

Yeshua modeled this divine balance perfectly. He often withdrew to pray (Luke 5:16, NASB), seeking intimacy with the Father. Yet, He also proclaimed, “We must carry out the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day” (John 9:4, NASB).

In Gethsemane, He fought the fiercest battle on His knees, His sweat falling like drops of blood. Afterward, He rose, faced His accusers, and embraced the Cross with unwavering resolve. Prayer & faith in action are perfectly displayed in His life.

The Call for Today

For the believer today, the call is clear: we must pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17, NASB) and abound in the work of the Lord (1 Corinthians 15:58, NASB). Without prayer, our work becomes human striving. Without action, our prayers become empty rituals.

Prayer & faith in action must be woven into the fabric of our lives. We are called to be people who know the secret place and the marketplace, those who are found on their knees and on their feet.

Conclusion

Let us kneel before God until we are consumed with His holy fire, and then rise to carry that fire to the world. Let us be those who blend prayer & faith in action into one seamless act of worship, living testimonies of a faith that works and a work that prays.

Prayer

O Yeshua, teach us the balance of prayer and action. Let us wait until You speak, and run when You call. Birth in us deep dependence in the secret place, and fierce obedience in the public square. May our prayers fuel our feet, and our feet give glory to Your Name. For Yours is the Kingdom, the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

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See Also

Joy

Genuine Joy in the Spirit: A Church That Shines

You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.
—1 Thessalonians 1:6 (NASB)

The mark of a Spirit-filled church is not a passing happiness or a smile worn like a mask. It is genuine joy in the Spirit, a joy that abides and cannot be stolen by trial or sorrow. Paul did not praise the Thessalonians because they smiled through their pain; he honored them because their hearts, full of the Holy Spirit, radiated a joy untouched by the world’s suffering. This joy was real, deep, and everlasting—flowing not from circumstances, but from the fountain of life Himself.

You have seen it, haven’t you? The false smile of the world—quick, practiced, hollow. Walk up to many today and, as soon as they sense you wish to speak, a plastic smile is fastened upon their face. It is the mask of courtesy, not the evidence of genuine joy in the Spirit. But the joy given by the Holy Spirit is different; it is not an act, but a living reality. It sings in the prison cell, it rejoices in affliction, it bears witness when all else fails. It is the echo of heaven in the heart of a man made alive by Yeshua.

Beloved, we must ask ourselves: Is the joy within us the joy of God or the mere courtesy of the flesh? Let us not deceive ourselves. A church that bears genuine joy in the Spirit will shine without striving. It will influence not only its own members but every church and soul around it. The Thessalonians, with this holy joy, became examples to all believers in Macedonia and Achaia, and their faith sounded forth in every place. So it should be with us.

How, then, do we apply this? We must welcome the Word of God, not with the fleeting smile of Sunday religion, but with hearts open wide in obedience. We must seek to be filled, not merely stirred. We must ask the Spirit of God to make His home in us, burning away the pretense, leaving only what is true. Joy that is born of the Spirit abides; it does not shift with the tides of fortune. It is planted deep, rooted in the unchanging character of El Shaddai.

I challenge you, reader: cast off the mask. Let the world see a people not merely polite, but gloriously alive in Yeshua. Let your business dealings, your family life, your worship, all be soaked in the reality of genuine joy in the Spirit. Then, and only then, will we be the city set on a hill that cannot be hidden, and the lost will come, drawn by the fragrance of Christ Himself.

I love being with the family of God. Whether we gather in a building, a home, or under the open sky, I can hardly keep from smiling when I’m with the saints. There is a deep and unshakable joy that rises up in me whenever I am right where God wants me to be—surrounded by His people. This joy is not the fleeting happiness of circumstance—it is genuine joy in the Spirit, a river flowing from walking in His will. The trials of the world and the sour attitudes of others cannot touch it. It is not a mask, nor a performance; it is real, it is deep, and it abides. Even in seasons of hardship, that joy anchors my soul, and no storm can wash it away.

Spirit-filled church—this is not a fantasy or a relic of ancient days. It is our calling today. Do not settle for the appearance of joy; pursue the Person of Joy, the Holy Spirit, and the Joy of Heaven Himself, Jesus Christ. Press in until your life becomes a living testimony, speaking without words, shining with the joy that only comes from abiding in Him.

Joy that no sorrow can replace,
A river flowing from His grace;
O Spirit, flood this heart of mine,
Until my life in You will shine.

Closing Prayer

Father, deliver us from empty smiles and passing cheer. Fill us with genuine joy in the Spirit—the joy that comes only from abiding in You. Let Your Spirit dwell in us so richly that every mask falls away, and what remains is pure and radiant. May we be a church that lives, sings, and breathes Your glory, that the world might see and believe. In the name of Yeshua we pray. Amen.

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See Also

ginosko

Know the Living God

“Be still and know that I am God.” —Psalm 46:10 (NASB)

Beloved, it is not enough to know about God, but to know the Living God. Many have studied His name, read His Word, even walked among His people—yet never encountered Him face to face. This is the tragedy of religion without revelation, theology without intimacy. But God did not create you for a shallow knowledge. He created you to know Him.

In Hebrew, yadaʿ; in Greek, ginōskō. This is not mere head knowledge—it is intimate, covenantal, heart-deep knowing. It speaks of relationship, not information. It is how a husband knows his bride, with love and faithfulness. It is how a shepherd knows each sheep by name, tenderly and without mistake. It is how a child knows the voice of their father, with instinct and trust. This is how God knows us—and how He calls us to know Him. “I am the Good Shepherd, and I know My own, and My own know Me” (John 10:14, NASB).

From the beginning, God has desired to be known so that we would know the Living God. “They will know that I am the Lord their God who brought them out of the land of Egypt” (Exodus 29:46, NASB). His mighty acts were not for spectacle but for relationship. He gave signs, sabbaths, deliverance, and commandments—all so His people would know Him. He speaks to the humble, “That I may know You, so that I may find favor in Your sight” (Exodus 33:13, NASB).

But how easily people settle for knowledge about God instead of truly knowing the Living God. They memorize doctrine but never fall in love. They attend services but never commune with the Spirit. They use His name but do not know His voice. What did Yeshua say? “This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent” (John 17:3, NASB).

Do you know Him? Truly?

The prophets cried out for this very thing. Hosea wept, “Let us know, let us press on to know the Lord” (Hosea 6:3, NASB). Jeremiah thundered, “Let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows Me” (Jeremiah 9:24, NASB). And the psalmist declared, “Those who know Your name will put their trust in You” (Psalm 9:10, NASB).

To know the Living God is to walk in His presence, abide in His truth, and burn with love for Him. It is to hear Him say, “You are Mine” (Isaiah 43:1, NASB), and to answer, “I know whom I have believed” (2 Timothy 1:12, NASB). This is the call—to move from the outer courts of information to the holy of holies of intimacy.

The early church knew this power. Paul cried out, “That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection” (Philippians 3:10, NASB). Peter prayed, “Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God” (2 Peter 1:2, NASB). And John testified, “We know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true” (1 John 5:20, NASB).

This is your invitation.

Not just to study—but to seek.
Not just to understand—but to encounter.
Not just to hear about God—but to know Him.

Let us pray

Father, El Elyon, the Most High—draw us close to You. Open the eyes of our hearts to know You, not by intellect alone, but by Spirit and truth. Like Moses, we say, “Show me now Your ways, that I may know You.” Like Paul, we press on to know the Living God. Like David, we thirst for You as the deer pants for the water brooks. Take us deeper than we’ve gone before. Let our hearts burn with the knowledge of the Holy. Let every other pursuit fade until we are found in You alone.

We want to know You.

Not just facts—but Your face.
Not just power—but Your presence.
Not just names—but You, Yeshua, our God and King.

Amen.

See Also

Worship

Why are you here?

Call to Worship – Return to the Lord

We come not for a show. Not for noise. Not for programs or performances.
We come for You, O Lord.
You alone are our portion. You alone are our prize.
“Whom have I in heaven but You? And with You, I desire nothing on earth.” (Psalm 73:25, NASB).
If You do not lead, we will not move. If You do not speak, we will not pretend.
“If Your presence does not go with us, do not lead us up from here.” (Exodus 33:15, NASB).
Apart from You, we are lost—wandering, thirsty, broken in the dark.
“Apart from Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5, NASB).

But You, O Lord, have done great things for us!
You took our sin and nailed it to the cross.
“He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21, NASB).
You crushed the power of death and rose in glory.
“But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep.” (1 Corinthians 15:20, NASB).
You broke every chain, tore every veil, and silenced the accuser.
“Having disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.” (Colossians 2:15, NASB).
You poured Yourself out—completely, utterly—for us.
“He emptied Himself by taking the form of a bond-servant… He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, death on a cross.” (Philippians 2:7–8, NASB).

So let us come today and pour ourselves out before You.
Let us break our jars at Your feet, like the woman with the alabaster vial.
“She broke the vial and poured it over His head.” (Mark 14:3, NASB).
Let the fragrance of surrender fill the room.
“She has anointed My body beforehand for the burial. Truly I say to you, wherever the gospel is preached… what this woman has done will also be told.” (Mark 14:8–9, NASB).
Not holding back. Not measuring. Not waiting.
You are here, Lord—and You are worthy of it all.
“For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.” (Matthew 18:20, NASB).

We do not seek a structure. We seek the Shepherd.
“I am the good shepherd, and I know My own, and My own know Me.” (John 10:14, NASB).
We do not follow religion. We follow the Lamb.
“These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes.” (Revelation 14:4, NASB).
We do not chase performance. We pursue presence.
And Your presence is here.
“Yet You are holy, You who are enthroned upon the praises of Israel.” (Psalm 22:3, NASB).
We bow low. We lift high. We yield everything to You.
“Therefore I urge you… to present your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God.” (Romans 12:1, NASB).

Yeshua is risen. The King has triumphed.
The serpent is crushed. The grave is empty.
“The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.” (Romans 16:20, NASB).
“He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said.” (Matthew 28:6, NASB).
The throne is occupied. The gates of hell are falling.
“Upon this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.” (Matthew 16:18, NASB).
All authority belongs to You—forever.
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.” (Matthew 28:18, NASB).

So we worship not to be seen, but to see You.
“We would see Jesus.” (John 12:21, KJV).
Not to impress, but to adore.
“Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness; Tremble before Him, all the earth.” (Psalm 96:9, NASB).
Not to receive, but to respond.
“We love, because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:19, NASB).

In the name of Yeshua, the risen Lord, we declare: Victory belongs to the Lord—and He is here!
“Salvation, glory, and power belong to our God.” (Revelation 19:1, NASB).

See Also

Holy Spirit

Walking According to the Spirit

Beloved, I write to you not with the wisdom of this world but with the truth breathed by the Spirit of God. If you belong to Yeshua, you are no longer bound to the flesh. Walking according to the Spirit means you are called to live by the Spirit, filled with reverent fear, yet overflowing with the joy of adoption. This is not a contradiction. It is the mystery of faith. The child of God draws near with confidence, yet his soul trembles before the holiness of El Shaddai. He knows both mercy and majesty, intimacy and awe.

The Law once condemned us, yet now its righteous requirement is fulfilled in us who walk by the Spirit (Romans 8:4, AMP). What once pointed out our guilt has now become the foundation of our freedom in Messiah. The Spirit, who moved across the waters in the beginning, now moves within the hearts of those who are born again. He does not make us fearful slaves. He gives us power, love, and soundness of mind (2 Timothy 1:7, NASB).

To walk according to the Spirit is to live in that divine tension. It is to worship with trembling lips and uplifted hands. It is to cry “Abba, Father” with the reverence of a servant and the joy of a son. The world cannot understand this. The natural man mocks what he cannot perceive. Even some in the Church fear what they cannot explain. Yet the Spirit of God has made His dwelling in us. We are the living temple. We are the delight of the Father.

Walking Free from Sin

Do not be surprised when the world calls you strange. You are set apart. You are holy. You are marked by the presence of Ruach HaKodesh. Angels marvel at your journey. Demons flee from your worship. You are no ordinary people. You are sons and daughters of the Most High.

Let your fellowship reflect the heart of God. Do not withhold love from those who are His. If they are washed in the blood, born of the Spirit, and walking with the Father, they are your family. Whether they sing in silence or shout with dancing, whether they gather in homes or sanctuaries, if they carry the name of Yeshua and bear His fruit, they are His and they are yours.

Let us walk according to the Spirit with reverent fear and great joy. Let the world see in us both the fire and the fragrance of Christ. Let us not be ashamed of the holy contradiction. Let us rejoice in it. For we are no longer of the flesh. We are filled with the Spirit, purified by His fire, and bound together in His love.

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With trembling joy I walk Your path,
A flame alight from holy breath.
You call me near, I bow in awe,
Alive in You, untouched by death.

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Prayer

Spirit of the Living God, thank You for making Your home in us. We tremble before Your majesty, yet we come boldly by the blood of Yeshua. Teach us to walk in reverence and power. Let Your love anchor us and Your truth guide us. Unite Your Church as one, born of the same Spirit and called to the same hope. Fill us with more of You, and strip away every part of us that clings to the flesh. In Yeshua’s name we pray, amen.

See Also

Intimacy

Come Out and Cleave

A Call to Holiness and Purity

This article, inspired by a call to holiness and purity, came from the Lord at a prayer meeting last night at Freedom Worship Center in West Bolyston.

Beloved, You were not made for the world. You were made for the King. Not for mixture, but for fire. Not for compromise, but for communion. Not to be used, but to belong—fully, joyfully, eternally—to Yeshua, your Bridegroom and King.

You are His Bride. And this is the season of engagement.

He is calling you to be set apart, adorned in holiness, washed in purity, and ready for the wedding supper of the Lamb.

Holiness: Set Apart for El Kadosh

“You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.”
— Leviticus 19:2, NASB

“But like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior.”
— 1 Peter 1:15, NASB

Holiness means to be set apart for God alone.

It is not merely moral excellence—it is belonging. It is the divine seal of consecration, marking you for sacred service and intimate worship before El Kadosh, the Holy God.

For men, holiness confronts the sin of self-exaltation—the drive to be independent, powerful, and admired apart from God.

Lay down your ambition. The throne is already taken.

For women, holiness confronts the sin of idolatrous dependency—the pull to find identity, security, or approval in people or roles rather than in God.

Lay down your fears. The Bridegroom is your covering.

Holiness calls both to surrender.

Both: Belong wholly to the Lord.

Come out from what is common. Come into what is holy.

This is the first step of love: to leave all lesser things for the One who is worthy.

Purity: The Heart That Sees God

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”
— Matthew 5:8, NASB

“Let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”
— 2 Corinthians 7:1, NASB

Talking with God face to face

Purity is the inward condition—a heart free from contamination, deception, and mixture. It is not naïve—it is clean. It is not weak—it is ready to see clearly, to worship without distortion, and to walk without stumbling.

Sin stains men most often through lust, anger, and unchecked appetite—the war of the flesh.

For women, impurity often enters through envy, insecurity, comparison, and emotional idolatry—the war of the soul.

But purity restores clarity and communion.

It is the fragrance of the Bride who keeps her lamp burning.

It is the scent of oil on the hair of the one who has sat at the Bridegroom’s feet.

Engaged to the Holy One

“I betrothed you to one Husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ.”
— 2 Corinthians 11:2, NASB

Church, you are not your own. You are not free to blend with the world, to flirt with Babylon, to taste both the cup of demons and the cup of the Lord. You are engaged—and engagement demands faithfulness.

You are not just waiting—you are preparing.

You are not watching the clock—you are watching the skies.

You are not making yourself relevant—you are making yourself ready.

This is the hour to return to your First Love.

To shed every garment stained with self, and be clothed in fine linen—bright, clean, and holy.

Cleave to the One Who Cleaves to You

“The one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him.”
— 1 Corinthians 6:17, NASB

This is not the time for divided loyalty or distracted hearts.

The world will demand your opinions. The enemy will provoke your flesh. But the Bridegroom calls you to cleave.

Cleave to Yeshua:

  • In worship, where no one sees.
  • In obedience, when no one agrees.
  • In love, when the fire costs you everything.

You were not saved for status. You were saved for union.

Abide Until the Wedding Comes

“And so we shall always be with the Lord.”
— 1 Thessalonians 4:17, NASB

Do not drift. Do not slumber. Abide. Abide in the Vine.

The banqueting house is prepared. The banner overhead is love. And the Bridegroom is nearer now than when you first believed.

This is the call:

  • Come out—into holiness.
  • Stay pure—guard your devotion.
  • Cleave—into covenant.
  • Abide—into eternal union.

Final Plea to the Bride

Holiness is your robe.

Purity is your fragrance.

Love is your oil.

You are not a slave. You are not a servant. You are not a platform. You are the Bride of Christ.

Return to your place. Return to your purpose. Come out, and cleave.

“The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come.’ And the one who hears, say, ‘Come.’”
— Revelation 22:17, NASB

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See Also

Faith

Peace in the Storm

Why Jesus Slept Through the Chaos

In Matthew 8:23–27 (AMP), we witness something both startling and beautiful—Jesus sleeping in the storm. While waves rise and seasoned fishermen cry out in fear, Yeshua remains at rest. His sleeping wasn’t neglect—it was the stillness of perfect authority.

Picture it: the boat is rocking like a cradle in a hurricane. The disciples are soaked, shouting, gripping the sides, probably losing track of which way is up—and Yeshua? He’s asleep. Not meditating. Not pretending. Actually asleep. The kind of sleep you only get when you’re completely unbothered.

Let that settle in.

“And suddenly a violent storm arose on the sea, so that the boat was being covered by the waves; but Jesus was sleeping” (Matthew 8:24 AMP). There’s a holy irony here. The disciples thought they were dying, but the Lord of heaven was catching a nap in the bow. His slumber wasn’t careless—it was confident. He wasn’t ignoring them. He just wasn’t worried.

And that’s the heart of this passage. Jesus isn’t just Lord when the sea is calm—He’s Lord while it’s raging. His peace doesn’t come after the storm ends. His peace walks into the chaos, lies down in the middle of it, and dares the wind to challenge His authority. This demonstrates how Jesus Sleeps in the Storm, illustrating His unwavering peace.

The disciples didn’t yet understand this. “Lord, save us, we are going to die!” (v. 25). It wasn’t just a prayer—it was panic wrapped in a plea. And when He got up, He didn’t start with the storm. He started with their hearts: “Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?” Then He turned to creation and told the winds and waves to be still.

And they obeyed.

The same voice that shaped the oceans in Genesis now speaks to their fury and brings “a great and wonderful calm” (v. 26). Not a pause. Not a break. A complete, glorious stillness. Because when Jesus speaks, even storms kneel.

But don’t miss what changed first: not the weather, but the disciples’ view of Him. “What kind of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?” (v. 27). That’s the real revelation here. He didn’t just calm the sea—they saw His majesty in a new light. Faith grows best in stormy soil—that’s the essence of Jesus Sleeps in the Storm.

We’re all going to face storms. Some hit hard and fast. Others drag on, wave after wave. But the question is the same: do you believe the One in your boat is greater than the storm around it? Do you believe that He can rest, not because He doesn’t care, but because He already reigns?

“Peace I leave with you; My [perfect] peace I give to you… Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be afraid” (John 14:27 AMP). That kind of peace doesn’t come from the world. It comes from the One who sleeps through storms because He already holds the outcome.

The next time you’re panicking and wondering where God is, remember this scene. He’s not pacing the deck—He’s resting in full authority. Jesus Sleeps in the Storm, showing us that’s your Savior. That’s your King.

So go ahead and wake Him with your prayer—but don’t forget to let His peace wake something in you too.

The waves may crash, the wind may roar,
But Christ asleep is peace and more.
His calm rebukes my anxious cry—
He reigns beneath the storm-tossed sky.

Prayer

Yeshua, I admit it—I panic easily. When life crashes over me, I forget who is in the boat. But You are not overwhelmed. You are not shaken. You rest in power, and I want that kind of peace. Speak over my storms today. Teach me to trust not in what I see, but in who You are. I welcome Your authority, Your stillness, and Your humor in my chaos. Let Your peace flood every place where fear once lived. In Your name, amen.

See Also

Prayers

True Prayer and the Cross

Crawling onto the Altar of Surrender

Beloved, hear me: true prayer does not begin with words. It begins when the soul bends low and the heart breaks open before the Lord.

Many pray, but few surrender. We talk much. We ask much. But the kind of prayer that moves Heaven is the kind that empties the self. It is not polished. It is not always eloquent. But it is raw, real, and costly. True prayer is born at the foot of the Cross. And it demands something of you.

When Yeshua said, “If anyone wishes to follow Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me” (Luke 9:23 NASB), He was not inviting you into comfort. He was calling you to die. Not once, but daily. He was calling you to the altar.

This is where true prayer and the cross meet.

You must crawl up on your own cross. Not just to endure hardship, but to lay down your will. To crucify the flesh, silence your striving, and say with Yeshua in the garden, “Not My will, but Yours be done” (Luke 22:42 NASB). This is the language of true prayer.

We don’t often speak of the cross like this. We prefer victories, blessings, open doors. But the Cross is the door. And the way into the presence of El Shaddai is paved with surrender.

Have you crawled up there lately? Have you died again today?

True prayer sounds less like petitions and more like groans. It is the Spirit interceding for you “with sighs too deep for words” (Romans 8:26 AMP). When you run out of things to say, you begin to pray rightly. The altar of your heart catches fire when the wood of your pride is broken.

This is where Heaven leans in.

Prayer is not for the strong. It is for the weak. The weary. The ones who have tried everything else and found it lacking. Prayer is the cry of the desperate soul. It is not a technique, but a surrender. Not a ritual, but a sacrifice. When you offer up your reputation, your plans, your comfort—He meets you there.

God honors the altar. Always.

Your tears become incense (Revelation 5:8). Your silence becomes worship. Your groan becomes thunder in the throne room. And the Father—who sees in secret—draws near to the broken and contrite (Psalm 51:17 AMP).

If you are wondering why you feel distant from Him, ask yourself: have you died today? Have you laid it all down? Or are you still clutching your own will, your own strength, your own script?

Beloved, crawl up again. Let it all go. And meet Him there.

He does not ask for perfect words. He asks for a laid-down life. The Cross is not just where Yeshua died—it is where you must die so that He might live in you.

“I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me” (Galatians 2:20 NASB).

This is not a metaphor. It is your invitation. True prayer is your cross. And the fire falls on sacrifice.

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Upon the altar still I lay,
My pride now ashes swept away.
No crown I wear, no boast I bring—
Just thirsting for my risen King.

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Closing Prayer:

Father, teach me to pray by way of the Cross. Let me not come with empty words, but with emptied hands. I crawl up on the altar again. Not with fear, but with longing. Burn away all that is false. Strip me of self. Let my groans rise like incense. Let Your Spirit pray through me. I do not want a form of godliness without power. I want You. All of You. More of You and less of me. Meet me on the Cross. In Yeshua’s name, Amen.

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See Also

Silence

The Silence Before Joy

Weeping may endure for a night, but a shout of joy comes in the morning.
— Psalm 30:5b (NASB)

Joy comes in the morning. This is not a poetic phrase for difficult days—it is a declaration carved into the heart of every believer. This Saturday, the world waits in silence. The cross has done its work, and the tomb is sealed. The disciples are scattered, their dreams crushed beneath the weight of grief. But heaven is not anxious. God is not finished. And even in the shadows of uncertainty, He is still working.

This is the holy hush before the victory shout.

The Saturday before Easter is a mystery. Scripture is nearly silent about it, just as the tomb was silent. But the silence does not mean nothing was happening. On the contrary, behind that heavy stone, life was preparing to break forth. Yeshua, having cried out “It is finished,” had descended to the lower parts of the earth, proclaiming His triumph. “When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him” (Colossians 2:15, NASB). In this silence, we know joy comes in the morning.

Let this be your confidence today: what looks like the end is often just a hidden beginning. What appears buried is not lost—it is planted. Yeshua told us, “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit” (John 12:24, NASB). The Son of God was not defeated. He was planted in faith. And with Him, every promise of God was placed in the ground to rise again in power.

We, like the first disciples, often live through Saturdays—those in-between spaces where hope feels fragile, and answers are hidden. But the Spirit speaks still: joy comes in the morning. The Word of God is living and active. It does not end in a sealed tomb. “Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me” (Psalm 23:4, NASB). God is present in the waiting. He is forming resurrection where we see ruin.

And just as Yeshua rose on the third day, so shall He raise up every weary heart who clings to Him in faith. “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18, NASB). Do not let your soul be discouraged today. Press into the promise. Our Redeemer lives. “Let us hold firmly to the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful” (Hebrews 10:23, NASB).

This day may be quiet, but it is not hopeless. Joy comes in the morning. Not the fleeting happiness of men, but the eternal joy of God’s resurrection power. A joy that no man can steal, no tomb can trap, no devil can stop.

So, beloved of God, wait with purpose. Hold fast to hope. Your King is not in the grave—He is about to rise.

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Though night may cloak the promised light,
And grief may steal the song from sight,
Still will I trust the break of day,
For joy shall rise and chase dismay.

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Prayer:

Abba Father, we stand in the stillness of this holy day with hearts that choose hope. Though we do not yet see the dawn, we believe Your Word. You are the God who raises the dead, who speaks life into what was lifeless, and joy into what was broken. As we wait between Friday and Sunday, fix our eyes on Yeshua, the Author and Perfecter of our faith. Let resurrection hope rise in us even now. Teach us to trust in Your silence and believe in Your goodness. Let every buried dream come alive again, for joy comes in the morning. In Yeshua’s mighty name, Amen.

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See Also

Renewal

The Vow Remembered

Returning to the God Who Called You

Beloved, stop for a moment and breathe. Not the shallow breath of busyness or burden, but a deep soul-breath that whispers, “God is near.” This day—this Holy Thursday—is more than remembrance. It is a summons. A sacred trumpet blast echoing from the Upper Room through the centuries, calling you to renew your vow to God.

Do you remember the moment you first said yes to Him? It was the start of renewing your vow to God.

The moment you felt His love break through your shame, when you wept, when your knees buckled beneath the weight of mercy, when you swore—“Wherever You lead, I will go”? That vow was not just emotion. It was covenant. Heaven recorded it. Angels rejoiced. God smiled.

But what has become of it?

Perhaps you still go to church. Perhaps your Bible still lies open in the morning light. But has your heart grown cold beneath the surface? Has routine dulled the flame? Has the voice of the world crept into your spirit, quieting the voice of the Lord?

This day is not for condemnation, but for consecration. Return to your first love. The table is still set. The towel is still in His hands. And His eyes still burn with the same fire that called Peter from the nets and Mary from the crowd. He is calling you—yes, you—to renew your vow to God.

The apostle Paul did not run half a race. He did not make half a vow. He said, “I die daily” (1 Corinthians 15:31, NASB). Why? Because the path of following Yeshua requires daily surrender, daily submission, and daily intimacy. Paul also declared, “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me” (Galatians 2:20, NASB). Have you made peace with the crucified life? Perhaps it is time to renew your vow to God.

You see, the vow you made wasn’t just to believe. It was to belong. To belong wholly to Him. To hold nothing back. To follow Him into gardens of sorrow and mountains of transfiguration, to feast and to fast, to rejoice and to suffer, all for the joy set before you—Him.

So today, renew it. Not with shallow words or emotional fluff, but with trembling awe. Say it again:

“I am Yours. All I have is Yours. All I hope to be is Yours.” Take this chance to renew your vow to God.

Let your soul say, “I will follow even if no one else does. I will walk with You even when I do not understand. I will obey even when it hurts.” These are the vows of a disciple. These are the vows of the Bride.

Beloved, this night we remember how Yeshua took bread and broke it. He lifted the cup and said, “This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins” (Matthew 26:28, NASB). And in doing so, He invited us not to comfort, but to covenant. Not to casual belief, but to costly love. With this, He calls us to renew our vows to God.

Will you make that vow again?

Will you weep where you once wept? Will you serve where you once served? Will you repent where you once repented? Will you renew your vow to God?

Let the altar of your heart be rebuilt. Let the fire of first love be reignited. Let your knees find the floor once again. He is worthy. He who washed feet still washes hearts. He who poured out blood still pours out grace. He who died for you still lives to walk with you.

This Holy Thursday is your moment to step back into the flame. Not tomorrow. Not next week. Now.

Prayer

O Lord my God, I return to You with my whole heart. I renew the vow I once made and confess that I have strayed in ways I did not even see. Forgive my apathy. Forgive my pride. Forgive my self-reliance. I give You my allegiance again—not with mere words, but with my life. Help me to run this race with perseverance. Help me to die daily that You might live through me. Wash me again, renew me again, and anoint me to walk in Your will. I vow this day to follow You, no matter the cost, for You alone are worthy. In the name of Yeshua, my Savior and King. Amen.

See Also