The Sleeper
Awake, my glory! Awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn. Psalm 57:8 NASB
Awake – So you’re hiding from your enemies. You’ve found a nice hole in the ground and you’ve covered yourself in darkness. You’re safe. Then you realize, just as Elijah did, that all the threats that seeks to harm you are inconsequential in the face of YHWH. What are you doing in this hole in the ground? Your flight from your enemies is an expression of your lack of trust in the One you serve. Unless He tells you to hide, there is nothing to hide from. The fact that you have covered yourself with the dark simply means that you aren’t available to be the light He intended.
Awake! “The sleeper must awaken,” as Frank Herbert would say. When fearful David realizes that God’s name is to be exalted, it is no longer possible to remain asleep in the cave. “If it is not possible for this cup to be taken from me, then not my will but yours be done,” sounds vaguely familiar. Night sweats become day triumphs.
The Hebrew verb ‘urah means, “to be awake, to stir, to start to move, to agitate, to disturb.” Perhaps the solution to our fears is not protection but projection. We need to get going with God. If we are to follow Paul’s advice, we have nothing to fear at all so we better stir ourselves to action. In true Hebraic fashion, the solution to my problem is not further consideration of the options or self-examination of my condition. The solution is to do something!
Ah, does that mean we pick up the sword and charge into battle? Maybe David’s choice needs to mollify our ardor. Does David head for the armory? No! He picks up the harp and plays praises to the Lord. David isn’t called to slay the enemy. He is called to glorify God. God is perfectly capable of taking care of His servants when they are committed to honoring Him. David demonstrates his confidence in that truth by doing nothing about the enemy but rather doing something about God’s faithfulness. David will sing (Hebrew shir) and make melody (zamar), two words that express the same joyous exuberance. David’s praises peal forth in song. Ours may not be musical, but the idea is the same. When surrounded by apparent overwhelming evil, praise is the weapon of choice. To honor God is to defeat the enemy.
By the way, that does not mean the arrows and swords of the enemy are removed. It does not guarantee escape from physical harm, as the Garden of Gethsemane clearly demonstrates. But it does guarantee redemptive purpose no matter what the cost. We sing praises not because God will always remove the sting but because God will use us for His glory.
Topical Index: awake, ‘urah, sing, shir, make melody, zamar, Psalm 57:8
Thank you Skip, truly a word in season for me on the way forward. Especially in light of the news over Tish’B Av this year. The directive from the EU re Israel. living in the UK this means we are directly implicated as God has promised Blessing and Cursing upon all in their response to His People Israel. We each carry a responsibility to respond. The consequences are in the hands of our G-D. Many folk are afraid and I believe rightly so, but we will trust our Holy Father who loves His people who are called by His Name (Acts 21:13).
Shalom brother we are looking forward to your visit in Sept to Gathering Stones.
http://www.israelvideonetwork.com/israeli-pm-netanyahu-to-eu-we-will-not-accept-external-dictates-on-borders
Shalom Dave,
Thank you for this info on Skip’s visit to UK, I have folks there whom I would encourage to listen to Skip.
Please give me date, location and address of meeting? Appreciate this.
Hello Ester with pleasure; all the details are on http://www.gathering-stones.org.uk you can email office@gathering-stones.org.uk for any questions. I hope this is ok. Shalom
This TW brought me tremendous comfort.
Truly what can you do when you battle cancer except trust Abba? You do what the doctors say but it’s still a crap shoot. Chemo and radiation might work but it is no guarantee that the cancer won’t come back.
TW was a reminder to me to keep my eyes firmly fixed on Jehovah Rapha. I will praise Him no matter what the end may be 🙂
See you tomorrow Skip!
Sandy
Sandra,
Check out this website and testimony and look for the healing cancer cd.
http://cancerwarsmaarsjourney.com/
May G-d bless you with healing.
Hi Sandra,
There are many testimonies of even terminal cases of cancer being healed by huge doses of liquid Vit C
Link here to make your own, ABBA give you strength and energy!
http://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread915507/pg1
No side effects on overdosage, unless you drink a gallon! lol
Try fresh lemon grass if you can find them, bash the stems and roots, put them in boiling water, steep as like tea, drink as water through the day/s. Lemon grass grown in a farm in Israel is drawing crowds to its healing power.
Fresh lemon grass fields in Israel become mecca for … – ISRAEL21c
Apr 2, 2006 … “And this is the place you go to in Israel for fresh lemon grass.” … them to both
cancerous cells and normal cells that were grown in a petri dish.
israel21c.org/health/fresh-lemon-grass-fields-in-israel-become-mecca-for-cancer-patients/
If its fig time, store up figs to dry; eat fresh figs if in season, kills cancer cells. 2 Kings 20:7
ABBA’s healing upon you!
Shalom!
Fresh ginger tea is another-
grate fresh ginger stem into boiling water, steep. Add a little organic honey if desired. Enjoy as a drink in the morning and evenings, fights inflammation as well as cancer.
Shalom to you, Sandy.
Anybody can sing after the battle is over. We don’t need much of a spirit to do that. The difference between an ordinary soldier and a soldier of the cross is this: a Christian/Believer shouts before the victory, because, by faith, he knows it is sure to come.
Remember how the people gave a shout of triumph before the wall of Jericho before it fell down.
Levitical musicians arrayed in sacred vestments (the praise band) leads the armies to victory.
The choir and all the people together still sing before the message is delivered to knock down walls around hearts at my church.
2 Chronicles 20:21-22
. . . they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and you inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the LORD your God, so shall you be established; believe his prophets, so shall you prosper.
And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers to the LORD, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the LORD; for his mercy endures for ever.
And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushes against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten . . .
– – – –
Wherever we war, we must do as Jehoshaphat — be clothed with the Spirit of holiness.
The apostle John was not ready for the great work he was called to until he had put on the power from on high, which was the Spirit of holiness.
What happened at Pentecost? They were filled with the Holy Ghost. What followed? They were delivered from cowardice and selfishness.
But what is the battle? Its that the Gospel of Christ may go forth and cover the earth. Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. What things? What you have need of.
Do you need health restored to do it? Then surely health will be given you. If your days of battle are over, God uses death as a mere servant to gather His people home.
At first death looks scary, as a father playing with his child may slip a paper bag over his head and appear in the doorway, but soon he peeks around the mask and shows his familiar smiling face behind it, — and with gladness and joy, the child recognizes his trusted faithful dad and rushes to his arms, all fear dissolved in confidence and love! And then he is gathered up in his father’s embrace, and all is well.
The hard fact is we all battle death from the moment we are born. Disease and accident repeatedly try to take us out. But God has our days numbered. For some — like my only sister — the battle rages hard and long with cancer, and her body was frail and ravaged, but SHE wasn’t conquered. She simply moved on to her Father’s arms, still strong inside, like a conqueror on horseback surveys the smoldering ruins, he is still Victor and he moves on to set his camp on a high hill where it is peaceful and the air is clean and the little birds sing. Not the loser at all. Many a brave soldier leaves the battle field just this way and so goes to his rest.
Fear nothing with Jehovah as Leader and Commander Ps.27:1
From Victory Unto victory..
>> Anybody can sing after the battle is over. We don’t need much of a spirit to do that. The difference between an ordinary soldier and a soldier of the cross is this: a Christian/Believer shouts before the victory, because, by faith, he knows it is sure to come.
Remember how the people gave a shout of triumph before the wall of Jericho before it fell down?
So many wounded soldiers! Many among us who have “suffered the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune!”
Job, after the loss of everything he once held dear- certainly had no “reason to sing” and the song in his heart was (if anything) was reduced to a flicker of a flame. But the spark remained and God was able “after he suffered awhile”- to blow upon the ember, and restore unto Job, this wounded soldier, even “more” than he ever had to begin with. Yes, there was the loss of his family, and yes, there was his “aloneness” in his affliction, (more about the wife shortly!), and yes, there was the pseudo-comfort of his (supposed) friends. (thanks for all your help!). But one thing Job learned through all this.. he was one of the very students enrolled in The University of Hard Knocks) and one of the first of many graduating students! Job helps us to see, we are not alone in our suffering! And why are we so quick to forget, -~ there was no suffering like unto His suffering? ~ None of us ever suffered like He suffered! I know of no one who has!
Have I personally suffered? Yes, and no. Yes, I have, but no- not like anything like Him! “I complained because I had no shoes, until I met a man who had no feet!”- pretty much sums it up for me! Or these three choice words: “but I have learned..”
When, where and how does the “best” learning take place? – How do you say “ouch” in Hebrew? or Japanese? – or Spanish? Suffering is universal, suffering is world-wide and far more importantly, the Captain of our salvation was “made perfect”- how? Where’s Vanna White when you need her? As Vanna might say..”Voila!” – a very loose paraphrase of “lo, and behold!”- Yes, take a good, long look at this one for our Savior was (Himself!) “made perfect” by suffering! Our Savior, (Himself) also suffered!
Do we now “see” suffering differently? Pain perfects perspective, people. Oh yes..- it do.
Now child, are you going to listen this time, or do we have to ‘muss you up?’ ~ Chasten your child while there is yet hope! ~
Chastening is NOT punishment! (Please!) While we may “punish” prisoners, we chasten our children and (yes) we do it because we love them and would love to have them (please) listen to mom and dad! Who loves us more than mom and dad? Only ONE!
Faith is our “right-response” to what God says. God says to His people- on the seventh day march around seven times and then.. Explicit instructions to be followed. The people obeyed God and what then “occurred?”
God asks (does not demand!) our obedience. Love is voluntary surrender. We obey God because we love Him. We love Him because He first loved us!- Calvary was the demonstration of His love toward us- our obedience to “what He says”- is our demonstration of our love to Him! His words? ~ love one another~ ! What then, is our (only) “right-response?” Yes, LORD, I will hear and I will obey. I have decided to “shema” the Savior!! I will listen and I will obey. I will give unto Him my “Yes!” Whatever, whenever.. whereever- the answer is always “Yes, LORD!!” Adam, abad ADONAI always!- Amein!
And adam, you must remember this: (Go ahead, – make my day!!)
“We do not pray for victory- we pray from Victory!”
“David will sing (Hebrew shir) and make melody (zamar), two words that express the same joyous exuberance. David’s praises peal forth in song.”
This is another reason that YHWH said Dawid is a man after His heart! I am reminded of his laying aside his kingly robes to dance before YHWH, thus being despised by his wife who has a wrong spirit, when she watched him absolutely absorbed in blessing YHWH, dancing in the streets! What a man of YHWH!
In circumstances beyond our ‘control’ I/we would hide ourselves too. I hide myself all the time when I am overwhelmed! But in the closet of my ‘prayer shawl’ or under the sheets 🙂 and not willing to get out of bed to face another dreary day! But, awake, ABBA would say, I Am in control! Amein! Thank You, ABBA YHWH.
And HE would bring troubled folks to see me, to get me out of myself into another’s problems to guide them out! And that would be turned into a beautiful day for me.
Singing in praising ABBA is such an uplifting way to set things right. It dispels all fear and anxiety.
Music has such a strong effect upon our spirits and all of creation, as scientific experiments have shown with cattle, animals and plants; all of YHWH’s creation respond joyfully to praise music.
So, when we praise, all creation praise with us! As Dawid sang, as he danced, so will we!
Shalom!