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Scripture
“Yeshua (Jesus) said to them again, “ Shalom aleichem (peace be unto you)! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” And after He said this, He breathed on them. And He said to them, “Receive the Ruach ha-Kodesh (Holy Spirit)! If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven; but if you hold back, they are held back.””
John 20:21-23 TLV
Reflection
Jesus (Yeshua) returned to his disciples after being crucified and placed in a tomb where everyone assumed he was dead. The disciples had hidden out of fear of persecution. Mary had already told them that Jesus had resurrected, but they dismissed her.
Then Jesus walks in and shows them (all but Thomas, who wasn’t there that day) the proof their eyes needed to see for their minds to accept that he was Jesus. He had already begun his transformation, and their limited minds could not see past what they thought they knew to embrace what he had taught them. They couldn’t see past the flesh to realize the spiritual body.
He breathed on them and told them to take in the Holy Spirit. Even then, they didn’t understand what he meant. They were more elated with him being back with them than with what he was trying to impart before the next stage in his transformation.
Jesus came in with a purpose to further embed in them his teachings, so they saw the urgency to remain engaged, committed, and faithful. Had he not returned, we would have no branches of faith called Christianity. The disciples would have fearfully dismissed and tucked away all that they knew, learned, and practiced in order to avoid persecution and death. To further fulfill prophecy, Jesus returns as a testimony that has to be shared.
He leads the conversation with forgiveness of sins. Let’s think about that. He’s reminding them that if they don’t forgive each other, forgive other people, and the underlying reminder to forgive oneself—then those who they don’t forgive are held back from receiving grace and the richness God has to offer. That richness is a relationship with God.
Without forgiveness, we feel nothing but lack and darkness, and in that environment, it creates the perfect pathway for the enemy to create greater havoc. God wants to reconcile us in His love and in His ways. He wants us to heal and be healed in Love. Jesus was reminding his disciples that on the cross, he asked God to forgive the persecutors, hecklers, betrayers, liars, cowards, and hypocrites.
Jesus asked God to forgive the people for not seeing who he was and Who sent him; that he was the King, they prayed several hundred years for; he was the Messiah they kept eagerly hoping for. He was asking God to forgive them because he knew that they wanted to see proof of who he was through magical theatrics. It was all about wanting him to prove himself, wanting God to prove Himself—when faith is all about believing without having to see.
They killed his human being-ness yet were too blinded by the flesh to see, hear, and feel his spiritual beingness—the Truth of him—the Truth of all of us.
Jesus tried embedding into his disciples the way to live and lead, to gain eternal life, and to restore life before the Fall of mankind.
To save the people, the people must open their spiritual eyes to see that being in the image and likeness of God isn’t what’s on the surface but what lies within. The outside is a shell, a tent we carry from location to location. Our life force is within. Our being-ness is within. The revelation is the awakening of what lies dormant in so many of us. We don’t allow our minds to go beyond the boxes and limits we have created and accepted from society, religions, churches, and family. That is why God sent Jesus to disrupt and divide our way of thinking, processing, seeing, and feeling things.
It takes courage to dig inside and reveal your true self, your truth, especially in a world that is bloodthirsty and is always seeking to destroy that which it doesn’t understand.
What makes it possible to have Heaven on Earth is the full embrace of who and what we are and the full understanding and enlightenment that this so-called life we have been living has all been the aftermath of sin not reconciled and the daily battles for our souls between the Creator (with His army) and those (Satan and his crew) who didn’t like not being the chosen ones.
The debits and credits must be reconciled. Those on team God must be reconciled to Him. The love, light, and goodness that God has been trying to help us align with are what will help us to see and understand our true identity.
Satan claims he wants humans to know their truth because he says God has been blocking it from us (like the Tree in the garden), and he (claims) wants us to be free in knowing that we are equal to God. But look closely at one of the vines that are woven throughout the Bible.
Who was God thinking about when He created this planet and filled it with all of these wondrous things? Who did He create to steward this planet and everything on it?
Us. Humankind.
And if you look closely at the vine, the lesser (humans) would inherit God’s Kingdom, while the greater (angels) were called to serve and protect us. They would get gifts—just like Ishmael (and his half-brothers), like Esau, Joseph’s brothers, etc. The firstborns received gifts, but it was the younger sons that inherited the wealth, the greatness, the legacy, and all that helped in building God’s Kingdom.
God’s plan succeeding means Satan and his crew lose. Peace is restored. Alignment is fulfilled. The disease is uprooted and plucked out, to never return.
Do you really think Satan and his crew want a life where they play second fiddle to those who were created after them? Heck no. He didn’t reveal the truth to Adam and Eve for their benefit. It was to start a coup, and his plan backfired somewhat. That’s why we’re surrounded by chaos and destruction. That’s why we’re encouraged not to forgive or to be vulnerable, honest, inclusive, merciful, humble, and graceful.
We spend our days seeking revenge, judging, oppressing, suppressing, and persecuting others. Satan is trying to recruit us and make us minions in his twisted ego-driven plot against God. Do you really think that you can trust someone who would betray his own Father?
Whose plan are we executing? That’s not God’s plan for Earth and us. That’s not how Heaven and Earth will be merged. Don’t confuse God’s Light with other sources. The enemy can trick you into believing it’s God’s Light when it’s actually a consuming flame. Strengthen your discernment and call Truth to lies!
Prayer
Father, thank You for the gift of today. I pray to be present and actively engaged. I pray for discernment to distinguish the vines, branches, and paths that align me to You versus those that align me to the enemy. Help me to see and avoid the tricks, traps, and games. I pray for revelation of self, used for goodness and Your glory, to restore order and reconciliation with Your plan.
Use me in whatever way You see fit because I want to enjoy the promises that You have made for a life free of darkness, disharmony, sin, disease, and death. I want the world to be free from the enslavement of sin. I want to do my part by forgiving myself and others of our sins, and remembering my role as servant not Lord. I pray that I walk in humbleness with a laser-focus on my daily responsibilities as Your servant, steward, and builder. Father, realign me when I misstep. I praise You always. Amen.
And with that family, I pray that you are blessed, that you see and embrace your blessings, and that you are a blessing to others.
Copyright 2011-2023. Natasha L. Foreman. Some Rights Reserved. All Prayers and Reflections are Copyright Protected by Natasha L. Foreman. BreakingBreadWithNatasha.com
Music: Climb by Shane Ivers; Quiescent In Time by Shane Ivers – https://www.silvermansound.com
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