An example of this is when Yahushua speaks about fasting which has many health benefits but denying the flesh dives you deeper into the spiritual side.
Yahushua says :
Matthew 6:16-18
[16]“When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.
[17]But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face,
[18]so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
It is the ability to do this and keep it between you and Father that earns the reward.
I know for me because I'm homeless people automatically give food or offer food. Even when I say I am fasting ( to my husband only ) I immediately am offered food and in my situation because this is a spiritual journey the enemy is a tempter. The more I deny my flesh the closer I am to the spirit realm. As with Yahushua when He fasted for 40 days and nights Satan also tempted Him.
Matthew 4:1-4
[1]Then Yahushua was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.
[2]After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.
[3]The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of Yahuah, tell these stones to become bread.”
[4] Yahushua answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of Yahuah.’ ”
As we fast we should also be focusing on Father's words through Scripture. Of course sometimes it's not that easy if you are just starting out but over time with practice it helps to keep meditating on the word. It's bread for your spirit.
Yahushua also teaches about how to behave when giving to the less fortunate. I'd rather not say needy because for me although I'm homeless I don't consider myself needy. The reason is because I believe that Father provides what I need not Man.
Matthew 6:1-4
[1]“Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.
[2]“So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.
[3]But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,
[4]so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
It's a blessing to receive any (financial) blessings 🙏 but when it's done secretly it's more powerful in the spiritual realm. Sometimes people give to get information out of you or feel that because they have given something it is THEIR "right" to follow you or do something against you. This is not a true spirit of faith or someone that has produced good fruit. But this needs to be noted because if you decide to give to a person that giving should be because you are led by the Holy Spirit to do so. What the person decides to do with it is on them no longer your responsibility. Of course when I have the ability myself I will give too. If someone asks I will give anything extra that I can spare. But it goes along with testing the fruit of the spirit.
As for me any blessings I receive goes towards food and shelter for me and my little family. Father is faithful and continues to provide what we need daily.
Prayer is another thing that Yahushua tells us to do in private keeping it between you and Father.
Matthew 6:5-8
[5]“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.
[6]But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
[7]And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.
[8]Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
For me personally I pray as often as possible for one to release what is bothering me and is on my heart and I don't have a private room to go to. So my way of doing this is when I'm walking around of course I look like a crazy person but that's when I pray and it helps me to do it out loud in a whisper as I walk. Sometimes I need to hear myself say what is bothering to realize how silly it is to be concerned about it.
I am simply showing you how these verses apply to my own life. I encourage you to see how they apply in your life as well.
Yahushua continues by talking about treasures on earth vs in Heaven.
Matthew 6:19-21
[19]“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.
[20]But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.
[21]For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Being able to let go of "Earthly" treasures is incredibly hard to do because it's a human enjoyment although temporary.
I've said in previous posts that I once was a hoarder of all types of art supplies and office supplies specifically. To the point I was afraid to use these items or even bought multiples because I forgot where I put the first ones I bought. A collector of things that don't matter in the spiritual realm. Most people collect electronics, jewelry, fashion items, furniture, video games ect. All of which have no value in the spiritual realm. But we as humans hold on to these fleshly desires of owning such "treasures" in our eyes that the spiritual realm is not even a consideration at that point.
In the following verse Yahushua explains how we are to have Light within us and light I believe can only come from the spiritual. What we choose to see with our physical eyes 👀.
Matthew 6:22-24
[22]“The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light.
[23]But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
[24]“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both Yahuah and money.
Many of the collections of "treasures" here on earth can cause us to want more of it and serving money. Working towards getting more money to buy more of that "treasure" which also in my opinion causes one to be attached to these "treasures" and forgetting about the spiritual side of things. I say this because that was where I was at when I was a hoarder and collector of what were Earthly treasures to me.
We are human beings naturally and we have been conditioned to worry about many things like not having enough (based on what society tells us is enough).
When I first became homeless this verse is something I meditated on constantly as a reminder not to worry about anything and that Father will always provide. It's a progression as I do not get the same things I did in the beginning but it was part of my spiritual growth and ability to trust and keep trusting in Father to provide.
Matthew 6:25-34
[25]“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?
[26]Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?
[27]Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life ?
[28]“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin.
[29]Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.
[30]If that is how Yahuah clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?
[31]So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’
[32]For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.
[33]But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
[34]Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
My family and I have survived 3 winters homeless. This last winter we endured outside on some cold nights. But we have always been provided for. We have warm clothes, warm blankets, at times hand warmers, funds to get a warm drink, and a place to lay out heads keeping us protected from the elements of the weather.
That said Father knows what we can handle and only gives us up to what He knows we can handle. On the coldest nights we have been blessed with the ability to go to an indoor location to be warm.
Again this is how these verses are applied to my own life. By meditating on the word and looking at how they are applied to my life I'm able to write ✍️ these on my heart. It's not about memorizing word for word or in which verse or book it's from but it's more of a reminder of Father's words and promises. Who's to say that one day soon we may not have a physical copy of the Bible in our hand but have to rely on our Faith because the word has been applied to our daily life and written on our heart to know that Father is real, His words are real and so are His promises. I believe this deepens my love for Him and His son Yahushua.
This is all from chapter 6 so in chapter 7 Yahushua teaches about judging others.
As well as asking Father what we need and building a trusting relationship with Him through our Faith and building our hope that our requests and prayers will be answered.
I'm not going to lie it has been a struggle for me and often times I ask, seek and knock a lot for awhile to me but my prayers are not answered. And I then question if they are even heard. I'm reminded of the book of Psalms.
So your requests are not always going to be answered right away and I know this. Perhaps my human side has yet to accept it... Everything needs to be aligned for your requests and prayers to be answered and it some times requires other people to be aligned in order for your prayers to happen. You have to be at the right place, and time for things to occur as Father intended them to occur. We may see this as coincidence but there is no such thing. It's all in Father's timing not ours.
In the next several verses Yahushua talks about false Prophets. What I take away from this is judging not the person but the fruit of the spirit (the actions of the individual) if it aligns with Father.
Matthew 7:20
[20]Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
The next verse talks about false disciples and true disciples. For me it's important to remember the fruit of your own spirit and does it align with scripture and Yahushua's teachings.
Matthew 7:21-23
[21]“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
[22]Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’
[23]Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
It matters where you are in spirit. I truly believe that because that also has to align with where you are in your heart. Father knows the hearts of the people and if you are one to say you are of faith and do things give to the less fortunate and make it a scene in front of Men then your heart and spirit is not in the right place. In other words doing things for your own glory not Father's.
I think this is a really long post but I feel like now it's important to listen to these verses or read them for yourself and apply them to your life where you are now.
I am going to link the video to my Rumble channel below 👇
Much Love
Ruth4Yah
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