Spiritual Warfare and sleeping

Psalm 3:5

I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the LORD sustained me.

Psalm 4:8

I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.

Psalm 16:9

Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices;

My flesh also will rest in hope.

Shalom and Good Morning

I wanted to share thoughts and understanding in how Great and intimate our God wants to participate in our lives. How much he knows what we need and to include our rest.

First, its very important that as people , to be able to get the proper rest for our bodies to rebuild and recharge. Through proper sleep it is proven that muscles rests and hormones are released. Its also proven without proper rest our bodies can suffer heart attack and many other health issues.

You can google this topic all day and plenty of articles will address this issue . Sleeping effects , Better moods, better sex, better exercise etc, and the list will go on.

https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/sdd/why

But my concern for bringing this to your attention is because I have dealt with the lack of sleep in the past and what it does to you physically spiritually and emotionally , so you can address it in these 3 key areas of your life properly.

If your reading this article and have dedicated your life to Yeshua Hamosiach ( Jesus Christ) then you will have to understand a basic and simple thing in your walk. You are a soldier now in the Kings army in heavenly places. In the spiritual realm and in the physical realm, sleep depravation is used to weaken the enemy. If your a believer in Jesus Christ and is trying to dive deeper into your relationship with God, you will come to may obstacles trying to knock you off that path.

It is easier for the enemy to divert and deceive you , if your frustrated with sleep depravation. It is a trick of the  enemy. Being sleep deprived can manipulate many people to use sleeping type drugs and use alcohol where they not normally would do. Again this can alter ones thinking pattern and bodily health.

God knows this , he created you in His image. He even gives us scriptures about  our health  and sleep and resting. In the Lord there is freedom , rest, and protection. He gives us plenty of tools to go to battle with. However, the enemy doesn't want you to know these things and use all of God's fullest and sufficient tools that He provides for us.

In the Freedom of Jesus Christ, the enemy will be on a continuous rampage against your soul, using all areas of your life where you have been weak in . However first, it is easier to weaken your weak areas , if the foundations of strong areas are broken down spiritually and physically and emotionally. That is your sleep.


So let me draw your attention to the whole amor of God :

Ephesians 6:10-12 (AMP)

The Armor of God

10 In conclusion, be strong in the Lord [draw your strength from Him and be empowered through your union with Him] and in the power of His [boundless] might. 11 Put on the full armor of God [for His precepts are like the splendid armor of a heavily-armed soldier], so that you may be able to [successfully] stand up against all the schemes and the strategies and the deceits of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this [present] darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) places. 

The Importance of continuous prayer and battle is our life line and connection that God gives us and our tools that is need for us. God promises our rest and health in Him. Through our constant pressing in and faith in Him through our struggle everyday in every situation. Our understanding will be able to rest in Him and His promises. With that He will give you peace. This builds our faith and trust in Him at greater levels so our peace and our rest is not stolen. Each level we pass through in Christ the battle seems to get worse and the test seems to be harder. However, the basic foundations to our Faith do not Change. It will grow our Faith to levels we haven't seen before and didn't  realize we needed to gain. BUT God knew! He has a blessing and a promise for you around that corner. its up to us to press in and forth in HIM.

If you  Have not dedicated your life over to Jesus and struggling with many issues in your life, God has not turned His back on you. He hasn't Forgotten you. He doesn't say he could careless about you. He cares much about you and is hoping you reach out to Him and is waiting on you to do so. The spiritual realm will still attack you, to keep you in a continuous loop of Sin and failure. So that you don't dedicate your life to Jesus for that freedom. Jesus Christ, means "God's Salvation."It is through His salvation you find freedom of sin , freedom of sickness and especially you find his rest. 

Jesus Said :

Matthew 11:28-30Amplified Bible (AMP)

28 “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavily burdened [by religious rituals that provide no peace], and I will give you rest [refreshing your souls with salvation].29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me [following Me as My disciple], for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest (renewal, blessed quiet) for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy [to bear] and My burden is light.”

This " rest " is a true rest in every sense of this word. If your not resting and have been frustrated with the lack of sleep and peace and Haven't Given your life over to Jesus , its because you are in the way of allowing God to do his work in you. You are the one that is blocking what God is wanting and will  do for you. Thats why God tells us not to do this or that . Those things blocks our relationship with Him. It Pushes Him aside. God will not force anything on you. He will watch and wait for you to reach out to Him so he can snatch you out of the bad situation. Hoping that you will turn your life over to HIM so he can rescue you from what you don't see or understand that are dangerous for you physically and spiritually.

Giving your life over to God is simple. Its trusting in the Lord. Its holding on to His promises. Its repenting all your sins in your life and asking for forgiveness To God himself. Through that its also forgiving. Its allowing God to take all your worries , fears and burdens and carrying it for you. 

How does that look like. An example of that is when a child scrapes his knee, starts bleeding, cries, worries and the child's mother quietly cleans the knee up and puts an bandage on it,  then kisses the knee. The child says it still hurts . But she says it won't for too much longer and the tears dry up from the child. The Child unconditionally trusts their parent . It the same for us too with God. Its that unconditional trust with God. 

 Shalom and Amen!

In Yeshua Ha-Moshiach

Jay Isaac Grebin

Let The Sunshine In!

Matthew 6:33Amplified Bible (AMP)

33 But first and most importantly seek (aim at, strive after) His kingdom and His righteousness [His way of doing and being right—the attitude and character of God], and all these things will be given to you also.

Shalom and Good evening:

Im writing to you tonight to help encourage and sharpen you as a  mishpacha ( Hebrew word for Family) in Yeshua Hamoshiach ( Jesus Christ - [{The annointed one of Israel}-The Messiah]). Usually when I write its in the early morning hours and I tend to send this out  sometimes prior to some getting up. So tonight its for my older crowd being sent out this evening. 

Just want to share something about seeking God and His kingdom out and all things being added. It is taught through bible teachings to allow the Bible define itself. So Here are two different scriptures doing Just that. 

Often in my walk with God and His Son Yeshua, I  hear and then read scriptures and wonder what does that mean or how do we do just that? So King David, in psalm 15 below, does that in the Tanakh ( old Testament) for which is being stated in the Gospels. 

As believers and followers of Yeshua, we are going to make mistakes and fail, but what makes us different is our genuine heartfelt repentant heart and prayer so we don't repeat those same mistakes. Also when we do make them and fall and fail we get back up and keep it moving forward chasing after GOD. 

Today, with all sorts of wickedness abounding on the earth. A time of great darkness. Our Job is to be the Light and bring it to the darkness. The Darkness can't extinguish the light but the light extinguishes the darkness. 

I pray for you in your continued walk in Yeshua and the promises of God that He fulfills in you daily. Shalom and I pray for your peace that only God Gives that is beyond our human understanding. Amen!

In Ministry of Yeshua HaMoshiach

Jay Isaac Grebin

Psalm 15Amplified Bible (AMP)

Description of a Citizen of Zion.

A Psalm of David.

15 O Lord, who may lodge [as a guest] in Your tent?
Who may dwell [continually] on Your holy hill?
2 
He who walks with integrity and strength of character, and works righteousness,
And speaks and holds truth in his heart.
3 
He does not slander with his tongue,
Nor does evil to his neighbor,
Nor takes up a reproach against his friend;
4 
In his eyes an evil person is despised,
But he honors those who fear the Lord [and obediently worship Him with awe-inspired reverence and submissive wonder].
He keeps his word even to his own disadvantage and does not change it [for his own benefit];
5 
He does not put out his money at interest [to a fellow Israelite],
And does not take a bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things will never be shaken.

The prayer of Jabez (Tribulation)

1 Chronicles 4:9-10Amplified Bible (AMP)

9 Jabez was more honorable than his brothers; but his mother named him Jabez, saying, “Because I gave birth to him in pain.” 10 Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, saying, “Oh that You would indeed bless me and enlarge my border [property], and that Your hand would be with me, and You would keep me from evil so that it does not hurt me!” And God granted his request.

Shalom and Good Morning,

Yesterday I went to buy some bibles at the Christian book store and I was looking around to see what interested me for other people. I came across a book Authored By Ann Graham Lots , who is the famous Billy Graham’s Daughter. I have listened to her speak several times,  she is a powerful woman of God. So on the shelf was a book she had written called the Prayer of Jabez. I am very Familiar with this scripture but never really dove into it before as a study

I didn’t buy the book for the simple reason , when I was being mentored, I was  taught a very special lesson ;  the best book to refer too is the bible itself and the best teacher is the Holy Spirit . This doesn’t mean that other people cannot help with their  experiences and revelations of these things it means allow God to do a work in you first, then allow others to either help confirm these things that your being taught by God, the Holy Spirit through His Son Jesus Christ. 

So this morning I woke up early with hearing the word “the prayer of Jabez.”  I decided to look it up and do a small study on it. What I learned is very deep and powerful and extremely helpful.  I've learned in prayer and fasting but didn’t realize that the lesson of Jabez could of been assistant to  us if only we dig deeper and strive harder  into God and His word. 

Through  reading and studying this , I was reflecting on my own struggles I have went through and what I was led to do and because  of going through a great time of tribulation. This is where The prayer and understanding of the Prayer of Jabez comes to life. 

This prayer of Jabez seems very unlikely to be a prayer that helps people in great distress and needing great miracles in there life that are going through great tribulations and sufferings . It seems like a prayer that would be very selfish in fact, and especially today , it would seem like a part of scripture that people would use to tickle the ears to get God just give them what they want. 

However, let me assure you from what I learned from this very short passage of scripture its quiet the opposite……

If I could do anything to help you understand the importance of Gods great love and understanding in the power of prayer fasting and petition what it does, comes from this man, Jabez and the account of this man, his prayer to seek God with fervent prayers and petitions.  Unlike everyone around him, that brought him up and above everyone else,  God breathed a great and important passage of scripture, to greatly understand in such a way,  the writer had to acknowledge it.

The only other person I could think of who fulfills this, in any example, is Jesus Christ Himself. Jesus Goes away to pray and fast for 40 days and goes through great trials and tribulation as outlined in scripture, defeats satan at every crossroad. Here , its not told what Jabez actually did in this short passage , to catch Gods attention, but the writer deeply extenuates this description as the prayer of Jabez, as very heavy, in the translation in the Hebrew context. To understand this in context you would have to study the traditions of these people and their pray time to get a greater understanding of this . Their fast was prayer and fasting. It was not  watching tv for certain time frame or giving up coke products for a week or smoking. Their prayer time was for the whole day on the short side, if not for several days weeping and petitioning GOD .

So without going into a long dissertation about this man and the prayer I will jump into the points that is  important to God and how  Jesus broke it down  in Mathew Chapter 6.

1st…..the only way I can point to this prayer to summarize it very quickly is I would have to rename the passage of scripture and call it something else , i would call it the "Prayer of Tribulation.”

You see Jabez was struggling with great tribulation.  He understood that he was part of the plans of God, however he was faced with great struggles of his time and that he sought God for help. He understood that he was going to Have to go through somethings that God either allowed and or orchestrated.  He wanted to be on the proper side of God for this and instead of doing it the hard way , He wanted Gods favor. Jabez didn’t know how he was going to do it all , he knew that he was going to face things in such a way,  it could be His own death as well, and possibly his family too if he didn’t seek God on this with great morning, petitions  and prayer.  Gods plan would be fulfilled anyways, Jabez would still part of the plan, but it may not end good for him, he would just be a blimp on the radar screen and that would be it. Yet Jabez knew this, so he went and sought God out heavily . As I study to understand what was the meaning to all this ,  it shows that  Jabez travailed, mourned and cried out to God heavily, greater then many of his time, God himself wanted us to know what caught his attention .

Those days it wasn’t  uncommon for a man like Jabez to pray for the whole day and weep unending from morning to night . He was faced with certain death for everyone in his family if he didn’t seek God out .

What was the issues he faced? See during those times God ordained that Israel was to be blessed and that he was apart of those times and plans.  The land that he was occupying and to be occupied by him were full of people who were pagans and under his leadership, was telling them to go into the areas and take what God has given over to them. However, you have to see it for what it is ; this wasn’t something that could be googled and how many people lived their or the maps of the areas . They didn’t have tanks and guns . They had to spy the land for months at a time,  make elaborate plans and go into those areas, and defeat them and get  them to leave. This was a great undertaking. 

So how does this pertain to you, today? How do I tell you that your situation can be defeated if you seek God in this same way? How can I understand you ?  I'd have to be very cold and unsympathetic to  you, to tell you something that I don’t have a first hand experience with, right? 

Well the only thing I can tell you in my experiences is this , when I was at a very low point,  I knew  I had to seek God Fervently like at no other time . He even let me feel what its like when heavens doors are shut to my prayers . It is the worst time ever,  especially for someone like me , who claimed to be a christian . 

The only thing I knew to do was to continue to seek Him fervently through fasting and praying. To continue to purpose everything in my life to be for His purpose ,not mine any longer. That He would hear me, restart me again and let me break thorough those times that were very dark and hurtful. He allowed me to get back up in Him and start over. But my story is not over , he has allowed me much breakthroughs but  I still have much to  breakthrough in Him and continue to seek him in. These things I need help in  are not hills in my life , they are mountains I still have to climb.

Jabez knew that he was not a mistake in God's overall plan. Like a runner who needed that extra push to finish, He dug deep within himself, to dig deep into God, the only way he understood how.

Jesus states in Mathew 6 , don't be like hypocrites in prayer and fasting. Don't do it to be seen by others. For their reward is on earth and not in Heaven. Don't pray with many words and repetitions. For they think that many words and repetitions will be heard.

So Jesus Gives us a template of prayer. He tells us what not to be in prayer and fasting. So the opposite has to be true for it to be a genuine prayer and fast.  The words and actions must be from a deep place in your heart . it must come from a place of much feeling . It must be open and honest to God . Even if the feelings are of a place where your struggling with sinful desires in your heart. This must be exposed with your prayer and fasting to God. The scriptures  state that God already knows your need. If this is true , why prayer and fasting?

The only way I understand this myself , is using a court of law as an example. There you are , in Heavens court, your on trial. God is sitting on the Judgment seat. The angels are in the jury box. Jesus is your attorney and the Satan is the prosecuting attorney.  Satan opens up with Charges against you. God asks Jesus  what sins has your client put under the blood. Jesus goes down his list of sins that you have prayed and petition  the Lord over and the sins that you have committed and repented for. Then Satan then steps up and states that you may have prayed with words about some sinful desire that you have a problem with but still engaged in without remorse and repentance. So Even though in the early stages of your walk with Christ you did repent of that sin(s), However you re-engaged in those things which constitutes repeat offender. Although , you go to church and look like a Christian there is a hidden thing you have been warned about and continue to engage in. God then questions Jesus about these charges. Jesus will either state that these things are covered by His atonement blood  , this man does struggle with that sin and has prayed to me about it and its struggles and I have heard his prayer and I have been working with him on this direct issue so his heart has been changing and so has actions and he has been a great testimony to the Kingdom of heaven; or he will say , No that they haven't been brought to his attention in that way and no there has been no verbal repentance , so there has been no change in his heart and there has been no change in this sinful action and is not worthy of the Kingdom of heaven .

In my experiences, God will do something supernaturally and meet you where your at with a sincere prayer. Within a sinful desire exposed in prayer , will allow God in to do a work in you. It removes any obstacles from God working with you and you being stubborn and stiff necked to allow God in. I believe Jabez knew this. His Prayer was within all His Might and sincerity from within Him and God wanted you to understand that in His prayer. 

So I tell you all this for this reason. Your not a mistake in His overall plan. He loves you as much as He loves me or anyone else. You are here for a great reason . Yes you are going through much and seems like the impossible to Get through. But the scripture and His promise states this very specifically , that what is impossible for man is possible for God. 

Your mistakes in sin has many consequences that you are dealing with today. I can’t tell you what to do or how to do it. All I can tell you is what you already know . Is that God has a plan for you . I can’t take away your pain but what I do know from reading the bible and praying , that in  pain, sorrows and  fear is to praise God for this time. What ever the reason you are dealing with these things, God is reaching out to you greater the you have ever known before . It is  in these times  God has defeated all of them . He is wanting you to seek at a greater level of crying out and mourning and weeping and heaviness . So that He can bring you forth and show His strength in you and through you.  Your blessing is greater then you can see and He has you in His hand , even if you don’t feel like He is there . This is his promise for you in this life and the next . 

 Psalm 88 seems to be a  horrible horrible scripture to give someone for encouragement and promise. It was at this time in Psalm 88 , that seems  most depressing prayer and loss of Hope , However, it was the closest time that King David was to God. In this Psalm unlike all the other prayers this is where the writer understood that not only was King David the closest to God but this is where King David understood God was very specifically hearing from God.

Maybe we cant see all that Jabez prayed and how long he prayed , we can understand that through King David's prayer in this Psalm 88 , we can understand , the drive of the prayer and the understanding of the result. That is the application God wants you to understand. It is what is needed today in such and terrible time of trouble, that seems to be getting expounding worse by the day. Our prayers and petitions must be like How Jabez, King David and Jesus all Prayed. Amen!

In the Ministry for Yeshua Hamoshiach

Jay

WHY ME, GOD??!!

Job1:1

There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job, and that man was sincere and upright, God-fearing and shunning evil.

Job 1:20-22 (AMP)

Then Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head [in mourning for the children], and he fell to the ground and worshiped [God].  He said,

“Naked (without possessions) I came [into this world] from my mother’s womb,

And naked I will return there. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away;

Blessed be the name of the Lord.” Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God.

Good Morning and Shalom:

As I study, Pray and read, my spiritual growth and journey, I will continue to bring forth those things that I have learned to apply them to my continued life span. My prayer and hope for myself is that I continue to grow close to the Lord and in doing so, I reflect HIM; I might be found blameless before HIM too. With Faith, be in an act of obedience and worship to HIM.

I have heard it once said long ago by a preacher, “putting my feet to my Faith.”

My prayer for you and writing these blogs, is to open up revelation of what the Holy Spirit is showing and teaching, so that it will continue and show you as well for your continued blessings. Also to pull down that veil from over my eyes and yours for our walk in this continued walk in GOD(YHVH) and in Yeshua Hamoshiach (Jesus Christ)!

As I write these things, my study has come to the book of JOB. What is interesting about JOB in this first Chapter is so much it would be hard to keep this blog entry short, however, I will try to condense it.

JOB’s name means “The Hated one.” Interesting enough He was accused by Satan Himself that God had a special “Hedge” of protection around him, thus God himself allowed the testing to begin, To which the insight of the Holy spirit reveals.

The book of Job is said to be the oldest book of the bible, as well as the writer of this book is unknown. However, one of the possible understandings of the writer could be Moses, who had heard the stories of JOB and how Great of Faith this Man was and asked GOD about it and GOD revealed it to Moses to write.

Job was similar to Abraham, of his time, there were no Jews or Israelites. He was from a land of many pagan gods yet GOD Himself, Chose JOB from his continued fear and reference to the ONE TRUE ALMIGHTY GOD.

You have to find this little information revealing. There weren’t any scriptures to refer to. No Law or commandments. Just the Fact that this man JOB who lived among a people who worshipped and feared many pagan gods, the ONE TRUE GOD was revealed and feared by this man JOB and GOD not only recognized it but exceedingly blessed him.

The revelation to this is our testimony and responsibility of oneself to GOD, is met with its portion of Blessings and curses.

However, Job recognized that with his continued blessings come time of trial. I like this part so much because of the fact, I, myself have been faithless in the past when trials have come.  Trials and tribulations often don’t feel good at all. I have cried out, WHY ME! I want to run, hide and blame everyone else! I have often sinned and been so angry to a point of hatred against people close to me and hurt them emotionally.

  

I have had heard it once said recently, that “they were surprised that JOB didn’t hate GOD for this time frame in his life”.

JOB recognized this time frame of his life as a GIFT and a blessing of responsibility through his actions of faith. The same as when you’re being blessed with a newborn child, new career or a major obstacle being removed from your life.

If your going through life and nothing has happened, I would have to examine my Christ like walk truly is. We shouldn’t be looking to get ourselves into trouble. However, Yeshua  (Jesus ) stated that they will hate you because they hated Yeshua first. The closer we come and to Yeshua Hamoshiach (Jesus Christ) and we become more Christ like. If the world hated Christ then the world will hate you too. We become as the JEWS did, a peculiar people unto GOD our Heavenly Father (YHVH).  We then have to be recognized as different, we wont fit in the same way. We wont be able to do the same things. We wont be able to talk like them either.

My background in Law Enforcement, I’m always working around rough men who use profane language and words in every other sentence.  I have chosen to carefully to choose my words to describe what it is I am trying to explain or describe. I have found not to engage in many of the stories and talk that do not edify but destroy.

The reason I say this is because I’m always asking GOD to guard my heart. The scriptures state out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. There is life and death in the tongue. To guard my heart and to purpose myself to be Christ like I choose to be separate from this. The same could go for anything that we surround ourselves with.

All of the scriptures attest that God is examining our heart. Its our heart that shows our-self with sinful intent or with GOD’s Holy pure living. If we allow our-self to be around things, places, and people who do not strive to be Christ Like and we are not separating our-self from these things, then we can be overtaken by worldly desires. Our heart can be no longer guarded properly. It’s our heart that GOD and Satan is after. God wants us to return to HIM. Satan hates GOD therefore he hates you and wants nothing more then your demise.

Please make a special note to this:

 Know that we all are charged to be the light of the world and allow that light to shine into the darkness. This also means you cant live under a rock and not go anywhere because sin abounds. This means that we are to be examples to the world in love and show our discipline in Christ because of His great love.

As you go about your daily activities continue to be a blessing to those around you. Your ministry starts at Home between you and God; it moves on from there, between your spouse and family then onto friends coworkers etc.

Your ministry will then grow from there to the unknown that God will lead you into. However, in contrast, if your going to concerts, fighting events, bars, clubs, that promote what is hard core and full of sinful lustful and detestable acts and volatile emotions and partake in any of it, you cannot be distinguished between the world and Godly, and call yourself Christ like, God looks at this as a hypocrite. He takes this very seriously. Even our appearance to him, as his ambassadors to the GOD’s kingdom, is taken very serious.

If we say we pray, have a relationship with HIM, ask for things for ourselves and others, how could this be edification to HIM? How could this reflect HIS love from HIM through YOU? What this does is grieve HIM because He wants to bless your socks off, but know the accuser of brethren, is standing before HIM and pointing the finger at you and HIM. Which ties his hands to HIS promises of those blessings and curses.

Again with our levels of Faith comes our portion of responsibility. With our level responsibility, our ministry, jobs, obedience and our blessings come. One cannot come without the other.

JOB recognized it and worshipped GOD and did not sin, the scriptures state. How do you worship GOD through times of trouble? You worship and thank HIM the same way you would if you won a million dollars. The reason I say this is because in Hebrews chapter 12 and Pslam 23 , we can recognize that GOD loves us as HIS own children through his discipline! His discipline brings forth HIS righteousness. Our righteousness doesn’t bring forth anything but filthy rags. But HIS brings forth HIS Shalom, which is a FRUIT of THE HOLY SPIRIT. All fruit must take time to grow and mature. Once matured it becomes sweet to our senses, but the Fruit of The Holy Spirit becomes sweet to GOD’s nostril’s and HIS senses.

So the Promises of GOD is fulfilled in the scriptures that we can hold onto because we now are allowing his discipline into our lives to grow and we can openly state that HIS ROD and HIS Staff is our buckler. We now know GODS trials brings forth GODS discipline and it that we can rest assured, if were obedient and do not sin, in this time of trial and tribulation, a greater thing GOD will do in us, through us and with us.  AMEN!

In Service to Yeshua Hamoshiach(Jesus Christ)

Jay(Jacob) Isaac Grebin

Forgiveness is the greatest act of love !

Genesis 20 (AMP) Abraham’s Deception Now Abraham journeyed from there toward the Negev (the South country), and settled between Kadesh and Shur; then he lived temporarily in Gerar.  Abraham [a]said [again] of Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.” So [b]Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took [c]Sarah [into his harem].  But God came to Abimelech in a dream during the night, and said, “Behold, you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken [as your wife], for she is another man’s wife.”  Now Abimelech had not yet come near her; so he said, “Lord, will you kill a people who are righteous and innocent and blameless [regarding Sarah]? Did Abraham not tell me, ‘She is my sister?’ And she herself said, ‘He is my brother.’ In the integrity of my heart and innocence of my hands I have done this.” Then God said to him in the dream, “Yes, I know you did this in the integrity of your heart, for it was I who kept you back and spared you from sinning against Me; therefore I did not give you an opportunity to touch her.  So now return the man’s wife, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you will live. But if you do not return her [to him], know that you shall die, you and all who are yours (your household).” So Abimelech got up early in the morning and called all his servants and told them all these things; and the men were terrified. Then Abimelech called Abraham and said to him, “What have you done to us? And how have I offended you that you have brought on me and my kingdom a great sin? You have done to me what ought not to be done [to anyone].”  And Abimelech said to Abraham, “What have you encountered or seen [in us or our customs], that you have done this [unjust] thing?”  Abraham said, “Because I thought, ‘Surely there is no fear or reverence of God in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife.’  Besides, she actually is my [half] sister; she is the daughter of my father [Terah], but not of my mother; and she became my wife.  When God caused me to wander from my father’s house, I said to her, ‘This kindness and loyalty you can show me: at every place we stop, say of me, “He is my brother.”’”  Then Abimelech took sheep and oxen and male and female slaves, and gave them to Abraham, and returned Sarah his wife to him [as God commanded].  So Abimelech said, “Behold, my land is before you; settle wherever you please.”  Then to Sarah he said, “Look, I have given this brother of yours a [d]thousand pieces of silver; it is to compensate you [for all that has happened] and to vindicate your honor before all who are with you; before all men you are cleared and compensated.”  So Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech and his wife and his maids, and they again gave birth to children, for the Lord had securely closed the wombs of all [the women] in Abimelech’s household because of Sarah, Abraham’s wife. Shalom Family and Friends: Today I write to you and I pray that my Father in Heaven ,YHVH (יְהוָה), Yeshua Ha-Moshiach יְהוֹשׁוּעַ ( Jesus Christ) and the  Holy Spirit ( Ruach Ha-Kodesh) רוח הקודש,Guides me and enlightens you in this understanding. In the story of Genesis Chapter 20 , we see a great deception and revelation in the midst of the story. Abraham feared his own death if he made it known Sarah was his wife because of her beauty. So he used some truths to mix in with lies . This is sinful in the eyes of the Lord.  Sarah was taken from Abraham for a time being. Its not stated in the passage how long however  sometime  passed due to the passage as stated,  where God Tells Abimelech, It was GOD Himself which prevented Sarah from being defiled. What we don't see through this chapter, How did God deal with Abraham throughout this time frame when Sarah was taken from him.  From my perspective Abraham would have went into a lot of prayer of this event. Asking God for Forgiveness for His sins. Praying fervently for his lack of Faith in this time.  Asking God to Intercede. We do see that God does intercede on both Abraham's and Sarah's standing, as well as Keeping Abimelech from harm. Furthermore God tells Abimelech to return Sarah to Abraham so Abraham will pray for Abimelech, for Abraham is a Prophet, a person God, uses for His purposes. Could you imagine the tensions in all of this? Here deceptions, fear,  a wife being taken, revelations of lies being uncovered.  Jerry Springer would have a field day with this if he could.  In the End of this story the one thing remained was forgiveness and reconciliation. God was not pushed aside and was allowed to Flow in the midst of these individuals. On top of all that happened in this forgiveness and reconciliation, Abimelech gave more then what the scriptures state God told him to do. He gave  Abraham back his wife , plus money , land and animals. Abraham then Prayed and asked God to restore Abimelech the greatest value, childbearing amongst his wife and all the women in his midst. The point of the story is this. This was a great time of testing for everyone involved. We see lies, deception of the time that could have ended very badly for everyone. However , these two men honored and feared God so much that they put there person differences aside to correct the wrongs and move forward.  It doesn't say they ended up as friends , drank coffee and sang songs together . It does show a great reverance of How much they Honored and feared God of the Universe. The One Creator. This was a time before The Law of Moses . So there wasn't a written scroll to refer to. However there was the understanding of What and How God worked and what He demanded from us and for each other. The same hasn't  changed for  us today. However, the differences are only in how people want to use and understand right and wrong truths. There is so much information out there anything can be used to justify anything today. There is the a difference in all those things and the  Bible.  The bible clearly shows and states that forgiveness if the greatest of how Love is shown.  Jesus stated :For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. ( Mathew 6:14) The bible clearly states that Jesus Christ died on the the cross for the forgiveness of our sins. The payment , atonement of our deserved sins. This is the greatest act of love.  So in respect to the story, we as humans are only here on earth for a short time. All of our cares , worries, and fears will come to an end one day. they will be remembered no more.  However, in all that we do in life , problems and disputes will arise with our fellow man or women. These things are only there to be a test . To pass the test is to let these things go into the eternity of the past of forgetfulness and forgiveness. When we don't do that , we continue to carry them with us . These things will continue to drag us down.  There is nothing in life that will reveal any greater Love and the move of God in your life then the Humility of forgiveness. This doesn't mean to repeat the action that caused the problem or to allow people in your life to continue to cause problems. It just means to love them in forgiveness even if they don't reciprocate it. As we see se in the story of Genesis Chapter 20 when we become obedient to God in Forgiveness , God will bless beyond what we could see in our natural eyes.  I pray that blesses you and you continue to push through those areas in your life that weigh you down. Amen! In Service to Yeshua Hamoshiach Jay Isaac Grebin