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Awakening: The Deep Sleep” Victoria Boyson, Montgomery, TX
Awakening: The Deep Sleep” Victoria Boyson, Montgomery, TX
Excerpt from Chapter 1, Awakening: The Deep Sleep. The main character is named “Beloved”:
…time is running out. Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. Romans 13:11 NLT
It was dusk when Beloved awoke and, standing in the middle of a vast sea of wildflowers, she saw purple and pink blossoms as far as her eyes could reach. Her mind was filled with confusion, making her unsure of where she was or why she was there. (Photo via Pixabay)
Before her lay rolling fields of beautiful flowers, yet there was an ominous weightiness in the atmosphere that disturbed her. The remains of slumber tried its best to cloud her vision and pull her back to sleep, to overwhelm her with its lethargy. Beloved struggled to shrug off the drag of numbness she felt in her mind as she fought to comprehend the truth of her situation.
As the reality of her condition set in, she realized she had been asleep. She didn’t remember having fallen asleep but did recall a faint dream she’d had that had awoken her. It had been about a world in desperate need for her help – she knew she was needed, but by whom and for what purpose?
Beloved noticed the flowers she stood in and was immediately made quite aware of the sinister scene all around her. Studying more closely, she discovered people lying fast asleep in the flowers. She stared in amazement at thousands of men and women, even some children, sleeping amongst the captivating field of blossoms.
The landscape was so stunningly beautiful it took her breath away. Yet in it lay a whole world of people sleeping as though they’d been caught in the middle of their lives.
Her shock compelled her to wonderment. As if being drawn into their lives, Beloved felt the urge to discover who or what had caused this plague of slumber.
She sensed that many of those asleep had, at one time in their lives, clarity of destiny, yet had lost their way. Stopping too long, they were caught by the lull and beauty of the flowers until they could no longer remember their purpose and fell captive to an unshakable sleep. (Photo via Pixabay)
The immensity of what seemed to her to be an unparalleled epidemic of afflicted narcosis sent her mind whirling.
“Were they held captive by the pull of the world?” she wondered as questions flooded her heart.
“We Are the Angelic Who Serve Those Sleeping Here”
Beloved stood bewildered, watching and questioning. While she was preoccupied with the mystery of what she was experiencing, she suddenly realized she was being watched.
Startled, she swung around and discovered, standing quite near her, a large, beaming, angelic being full of light and wonder. Watching her, his warm eyes waited expectantly, as if wanting her to notice him.
He was radiant with an intensely brilliant yet tranquil light and something about him made her feel completely comfortable in spite of his astonishing appearance. Something in Beloved gave her the feeling she had always known him…he seemed quite familiar.
Stunned by his magnificence, she stepped back to adjust to the alarming affect he had on her. Looking at him with large, wondering eyes, she instinctively felt he seemed to be waiting for something.
As if in response to her unspoken questions, he motioned out over the endless scene and asked, “Will you help us?”
“Us?” Beloved questioned.
He seemed surprised at her question. “Yes, us,” he answered as he bent down and tenderly held the hand of one sleeping woman. “We are the angelic who serve those sleeping here.”
Suddenly, Beloved’s eyes were opened to the extraordinary assembly of angelic beings all around her, waiting as he had been. Now in sight were thousands of beautifully bright Elysian beings towering over her, radiating confident peace in spite of their concern for those asleep.
Some of the angelic knelt down to speak to those sleeping. Lovingly, yet earnestly, they tried to awaken those held captive by the deep sleep. The great care they expressed for those sleeping stirred a compassion in Beloved for them as well – she wanted to help if she could.
Looking again to the being who had addressed her, Beloved asked, “How can I help you?”
He rose and stood again beside her and said, “We’ve been unable to wake them because we cannot enter their world of dreams.”
As she approached each precious person, her spirit felt the impressions of what their lives were like. Beloved thought for a while, then realized she had been given grace to decipher the hearts of man, yet seeing only what the Father wanted to show her. She could see glimpses into their past, present and future, and sensed the pain they’d experienced in the world they lived in. (Photo via Pixabay)
Sitting down in the flowers near the woman whose hand the angel had clasped, Beloved was drawn to help this very sweet and gentle woman. She brushed the woman’s hair from her face and felt a wave of peace as her hand grazed her face.
Beloved was then gripped by a rapid succession of pictures that flew through her mind. The woman had been an avid follower of Jesus as a child but had fallen in love very young, and an abortion in her teens had aged her and injured her heart. She still wanted God, but grew cynical and mistrustful of Him.
Though the woman grew up and eventually married, Beloved saw that she never regained the passion for her First Love. Instead, she kept up with what she felt was expected of her as a Christian woman and hid her true yearnings. Subsequently, she was led astray – finding her worth not in her heavenly Father but in a temporal world of power and importance.
Beloved could feel the longing in the woman’s heart for something more – something real that had eluded her in her pursuits. But she had been unable to shake the sleep of the world she believed was her reality.
As Beloved knelt by the woman, she dropped her head in her hands and cried. Turning to the awaiting angelic and shaking her head, she exclaimed, “She was so close.”
“Close to what?” he asked her.
“True reality,” Beloved cried.
“What is This Life Really About?”
She then turned and touched the hand of a man asleep near her on her other side. She saw a large building filled with people who admired him, yet he felt empty. He was so busy running and working continually, trying desperately to attain a satisfactory measure of peace that seemed to elude him. It appeared no level of success would ever be enough to ease the force in his life that was recklessly driving him from one project to the next.
From one need to another, this man gave himself to his work. Only occasionally in his down time would he question himself as to what was driving him. He wondered, “Why am I still so empty?” (Photo via Pixabay)
Beloved went from person to person, and each individual had a history of trials and successes, driven by unseen forces within them. Yet all had the internal question in their heart they had not given themselves time to dwell on: “What is this life really about?”
As they worked and lived in their perceived realities, questions drifted in and out of their thoughts only occasionally in their busyness. The questions seemed to come as the heavenly creatures tried to awaken them.
Unfortunately, as soon as they would attempt to struggle with their slumber, they were captivated again by the poisonous fragrance of the wildflowers of the world and, again, busied themselves in what they believed to be of true importance.
Overwhelmed by the seemingly beguiled condition of those caught in the deep sleep, Beloved wept. She wanted to run away but was surrounded by a crowd of the angelic who were anticipating her help.
Her face sank into her hands once again as she suddenly realized, “This is the Lord’s last-days army!”
These poor, cleverly deluded people were those He was counting on to fulfill His great mandate. These noble warriors of immense importance to God were presently living in a dream reality – a distraction from their true life and purpose. Increasing her anxiety, she knew these essential warriors did not even realize they were at war.
She could see it was a clever lie for, effectively, they had forgotten who they were. They had lost sight of Heaven and the reality of its realm and were, indeed, held captive in a temporal world apart from their eternal Source.
~O~
Heaven and earth are indeed one, separated only by an expanse of sky. Yet so much of the earthly world is believing its own reasonings and has rationalized its own “truth,” that it belongs only to itself, existing independently from the realm of its Creator.
Unfortunately, many of this world’s inhabitants found out too late they had believed a deceptive version of reality, as if living in a dream world. They lived their lives serving an illusion that this earthly life was all that mattered, without really considering its origin, and thus were driven by a tricky delusion keeping them isolated from the truth of its blessed union with Heaven. (Photo via Pixabay)
Beloved considered all she was discovering, yet it only deepened her sadness and seemed to increase the terrible difficulty she was faced with. She needed help; she could not fight this battle on her own. It was too much for her.
“You Are Not Alone”
Sensing her burden, the angelic host drew near and comforted her with their support.
“You are not alone,” they informed her.
“I’m not?”
“No, Beloved. There are other seekers just like yourself who’ve discovered true reality is not found in this earthly realm; they are like you and they know of you.”
“Why, if they know me, do they not show themselves?” She felt frustrated and befuddled, almost angry at hearing what he had told her.
He placed his hand gently on her shoulder and she could now see a vision of what had previously been hidden from her. “A prophetic host!” she exclaimed with whispered excitement.
She could see in the spirit realm a relatively small but intensely powerful army of the King’s seekers who were hidden in plain sight. They were concealed for their protection as well as for the significance of the battle they were to fight. Many of them were even unaware of the destiny that lay before them; they had no idea of their importance.
The angel answered her thoughts, “Yes, Beloved. They are hidden. The Father has hidden them for the next great battle…the battle to awaken His Son’s precious Bride.” (Photo by Mike De Lorenzo “Jesus Return on the White Horse” via elijahshopper.com)
Now, seeing them through the eyes of the Spirit, she no longer felt alone. For the first time since awakening, she felt hope rise in her heart.
This article is an excerpt from the first chapter of Victoria Boyson’s new book, “Awakening: The Deep Sleep”.
Victoria Boyson
Speaking Life Ministries
Email: victoria@boyson.org
Website: victoriaboyson.com
Victoria Boyson met Jesus at the age of seven. At thirteen, she started ministering using music as a platform to tell others about Jesus. She and her husband, Steve, ministered as pastors in the mid-west, but in 1999, the Lord told them to move to work for Francis Frangipane, who was extremely influential in their development as Christians and as ministers.
Victoria is a powerful prophetic voice to this generation and co-founder of Speaking Life Ministries. Based out of the Houston, Texas area, she is called to awaken and prepare the Bride of Christ for the end-time harvest and compel His Church to embrace a passionate relationship with their Heavenly Father. She is the author of The Birth of Your Destiny and His Passionate Pursuit and her latest book Awakening: The Deep Sleep.
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Baja Kids
Some of the kids who come to play ,
Playground Sucess
hey,
yesterday, a Monday (usually I just loathe. me a Monday) but yesterday was really the bees knees, you guys.
Frank started out painting on the playground stuff as soon as the fog dried up and this day it drief early., about 7. No sooner than he was put there, kids started filing up the road.
Evidently, there was a miscommunication, because they were of the idea that the playground was open for business starting yesterday. They were so bummed out when he told them. , not yet.He explained that he was painted and going to using the skilsaw and it no place for them to be. There were about 20 of them of age 2 & up.
They were not to be deterred though and they all sat down behind the red tape that marks the do not enter boundary to watch the paint dry. By then I was down there with my paintbrush, too.
After an hour of working and being watched, neither of us could take it anymore.
Frank told the older ones they could help by spotting rocks and marking them with cal so he’d be able to see them in the weeds. (he still has to gather really big ones because the truck will only bring an assortment of mostly mediums) So he srmed Lucia, Pablo, and Javier with brushes and a small bucket of white wash. They took off in a flash looking for and slapping. white x’ s. on every big rock in a mile radius. The little kids on their own. started bringing every little rock they could carry which was hilarious because you can imagine how big of a rock a toddler can carry.
they wore themselves out and had to be fed. I wasn’t going to cook yesterday I wss going to paint but I ended up having Theo set up tables and I made a huge mess of pancakes and eggs. we figured they’d leave for sure after pancakes. Wrong. They sat down again to watch us paint.
At the same time about 12 , we couldnt handle their mopey faces sitting there. We looked at each other and said simultaneously, “What can it hurt if…” and we both busted out laughing. We agreed the merry go round was dry enough for a test run. We told them “one time.” and that they’d have to clean the dirt off after so I can take pics. It was like the day after thanksgiving at Macy’s my friends.
there was a stampede so bad that I split them into three groups and they got on. they didn’t know how it worked so Frank started them off in a good spin. It superceeded. my wildest imaginings. They laughed and laughed and. got dizzy and asked PLEASE ONE MORE TIME……
For them I guess it was like the teacup ride at Disneyland. It made my heart tight with joy to see them have so much fun and just on that one ride. Kids that I have never seen laugh were overjoyed. I had been a bit taken aback to pay $500 dollars to have the thing made but it was worth every penny.
The older kids that had the most fun, well they’ll be working and married next year. This was important for me to see them have fun……this was the WHY behind what had become a big project. …..Jesus was right in the midst of it.
After an hour of turns we had to stop them and go back to work. Lucia on her own got rags distributed and they wiped it down just like new. The lil guys fell aseep under the tree and some wandered on home but the bigger ones wanted to help. They stayed all day . Frank taught them how to use the drill. Boy were they proud of that. We literally had to run them off at 6pm……….
They’re back already though, so looks like we have “help” again.
That’s all for now……thank you to everyone who has contributed.
love sd
I took pics and am trying to send just a few later.
Miracles in Baja
Hey Everyone……………………
It seems that either thru my own ignorance of other interference most
everyone missed last weeks miracles. The original which I wrote on my
laptop has disappeared and it bums me out, because when I am truly writing
inspired things seem to come out so easily. Those of you who know me know
that I can only really write anything worth reading when I am in the
Presence. At times I pressure MYSELF to make things/whatever flows thru my
fingers to this keyboard ends up unreal and not really exact. d of story.
……………….I have to be in His Presence to write . End of story.
No other way. But when something so magnificent happens and I write it,
it is to encourage my brethren and I feel ripped off that it disappeared
into cyber-space. Usually , I’ll just sadly just let it go. But this was so
bizarre that I feel the need to attempt to re-create what I wrote on
Monday…which no-one received….I hope I can. Here I go.
Last Sunday, we had several of the indigenous men come here to the mission
and help with heavy work. Landscaping, planting , mixing cement and
generally banging on things, too. Forget sleeping till 5:30am, Pas. Frank
wanted to be ready so I set to making food for the coming workers.
Around 12ish, the men we never see but know their children started arriving
from their own regular jobs, and they set to mixing cement and planting
(they are best at planting it seems). So by about 2pm , the women folk,
wives upon wives started showing up. We had a 25lb hunk of frozen chicken
legs that I had marinated my way, but I turned it over to them. They, the
women and girls started gathering firewood and got a good fire
going.offering. Then put on the pollo and so very much lovely asparagus.
If we had bought the asparagus it would have cost at least $50 dollars, but
they are cutting the first fields so it was an offering. By 4pm serious
workers were laid out under the few trees we have , and on picnic tables
and just having a siesta. The women were laughing and admiring their
offspring. Had to of been maybe 60 people hanging around……
Out of nowhere I thought it was either a dying cat or a kitty wishing for
death. I looked down by the new playground under the miracle tree and
there was an old fellow banging on an instrument that looked like a mix
between a guitar and a banjo and a bizarre looking harp. (When he first
started playing it sounded like Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody……….I know I
sound totally nuts, okay…)but it did.It was something I’ve not been able
to find on Google. But this guy was banging away an banging fiercely on
this odd instrument.
Honestly, at first I was just overcome with laughter. (I know it sounds
irreverent) But hey, the noise was wild. But suddenly I felt a burning
need to SING in the Spirit. An d I did. The women looked and laughed
shyly, the men seemed cool with it. The many kids , well they thought it
was better than the tortilla. They were watching me and this old guy (at
least like 70?) just in the Presence. Within a few minutes I guess, I do
not really know, I started gathering the kids and whichever mamas that
wanted to follow. I had them rounded up and started praying for each one,
and I was praying for the Infilling, because I knew who had recognized
Yeshua as King.
Within say 30 minutes I’d touched their throats and sang (accompanied by
this great instrument man) for all of the kids. Now about 16 children
were singing in tongues. Some mothers, too.
Realize this was OUTSIDE at the mission, people wandered about eating
chicken legs and getting ministry. The neighbors saw and heard it all.
By about 6pm, as twilight set and people began to go their ways, I asked
Theo who the guitar man was. She responded that she had assumed he was our
“Tio”, (which to Mixtecs,means any man who is not your father or
husband….. In Spanish it means “Uncle”). I told her he waS NOT my Tio)
she said it wasn’t hers either. I lit out after the old guy. WHO WAS HE? I
was thinking “dang we can use him every week for worship. But as I ran
from dish duty under the Pila(cistern) asking, “Hey where’s that guy??”
People looked at me like , “What guy?” Your Tio?” I’m like NO YOUR TIO!.
In the end he was never found. The people who got filled with the Holy
Ghost recall him, those who just came to eat do not. In all I think I had
16 total either saved, or filled. They all recall him. But even tonite, he
is fading from my memory. I can’t really tell you what he looked like, how
tall or short he was. I just know he was here. It was one of the most
awesome times in Yahweh’s Presence i have ever experienced. I was pain free
from my torturous bladder for a whole day. PAIN FREE. Had a bit of a a holy
Ghost hangover, but not suicidal pain. I find that only being in the
Presence His anointing is when I am free.
All week we’ve had those kids a lot of new ones returning to watch the
work and listen to stories we tell;some about Noah, some about the Son and
the Father and their Spirit.
I keep looking out for that old guy. But he hasn’t come back. BUT HE WAS
HERE..
It was the best afternoon I have had in a long time. IT IS MOSTLY
INEXPLICABLE. I know if you only believe what you can see and touch you
won’t get it But I pray that whoever reads this WILL understand the
necessity of putting yourself in Yahweh’s Presence.
As you gather with the Ekleesia tomorrow or as you gather with your mate
or child at home, seek Him. He desires to be found.
The account I have now written is not close to the inspired Word I wrote
and lost, but you get the gist……………..
Love each other, in deed and word and appreciate the Presence, We love you
all so much in Christ,
Sis, Detra
Baja Report Sept 20 2014
Had no internet yesterday. The storms down in Los Cabos (#1 Odile and
now #2 Polo) are messing up my internet connection thru the Hughes
/Starband system I have.
It’s a mess down there. I mean a true cluster-mug. So far they have
evacuated 18,000
tourists/foreigners……the Army is in charge and they have such
antiquated equipment it is not even believable. Cell towers are down
all over and no-one can call relatives to verify they are okay or
where they are. The refugees are being transported in troop carriers
on that long long 2 lane highway 1, so u can imagine. Hotels have
been commandeered in TJ , Rosarito and even some here in Ensenada.
I feel bad for the folks but it still concerns me that people don’t
really understand that Mexico is really not all that advanced and they
don’t seem to get why they cant just pick up a phone or email somebody
and they get all worked out, which gets the Mexicans all worked out
and well it does no good. I am just praying that people have patience
and get home safe. I am growing weary of hearing idgits on the telly,
in high-pitched voices with bad comb overs (which after 5 day trips in
troop carriers on Highway 1 look more like a porcupine than a comb
over and I am not sure which is worst.) But I am tired seeing them
filmed by news crews in those tinny fear laden voices how “they damn
well wont be treated like THIS! Why the Australian Consulate will have
someone’s hide.”
In my experience threatening to call one’s Consulate (as if it is
their own mercenary group at beck and call 24/7) these threats really
piss Mexican authorities, especially the sort who carry guns,totally
off. Best just let it roll off your back like a duck or whatever rolls
off a duck . I forget.
So, Clinic went great. Dulce was out of town for like two weeks , so
I had another Doctora. come in. Her name is Delilah Kennedy Garcia
(and yes she is a Mexican) .
She is in her 50’s, not a
Christian (yet) and referred by Dr. Vasquez. It worked out well,
although it’ll be better when Dulce returns because the people really
have a relationship with her.
We had 10 patients. Two newborn (5 day old both) exams. Both were born
in a nearby camp, one I don’t think I’ve taken you to.it is down in
the riverbed and pretty big. 50 or so families. We’ve been reaching
out to them with food. and were blessed to give away 6 solar power
mp-3 New Testaments that we were given by a Wycliff Translation couple
who has been down in Guerrerro for 40 or so years. The mp-3’s are
neat because they require no batteries, and they can reach people in
their own dialect and no reading is required. They are also sturdy
little things that seem to resist water. I saw one lady listening to
hers as she washed clothes on her washboard yesterday. Water was
being flung willy-nilly and the guy just kept on doing his best “Paul the Apostle” which I must say, was pretty good. I need to procure some
more of
these little jewels.
Back to Clinic…………we had those two new babies in great shape,
we had 5 ear infections a PID in a younger girl (13) and one child
that just comes every time , like clock work, for vitamins. He is only 5, but
quite consumed with those chewables, not those new fangled
gummi-vites either, he prefers the
old Flintstone kind. The ones that taste like a sugary dirt substance
and leave your chopppers orange, purple or green with no apparent
correlation to whatever the color was of the little figure that you
ingested. (I am not big on vitamins for myself but part of the job as
pharmacy director requires that I actually must consume at least one
of each thing prescribed to each patient, just so I can be POSITIVE
they “get it.” (I learned this the first time I ever gave out a bottle
of ear drops that the mama put in the childs mouth instead. She kept
coming back saying “It isn’t working. It isn’t working.” I finally
figured it out and there was born a new procedure. I guess there is in
fact a reason for every little annoying thing we must learn in
elementary school afterall.
Back to VIta-muchacho (as I call the vitamin boy) I have to
practically scare the beejeezis out of him to make sure he
doesn’t just eat them like candy as soon as he is out of my sight.
He’s cute as a button and healthy as a horse, but has a sneaky-gene.
Whenever we have leftover tortillas after mealtime, he’ll get me by
myself and ask me for exactly 8 of them .’ OCHO, Hermana. GRACIAS
HERMANA!GRACIAS YAHWEH!” (ALL RUN TOGETHER LIKE ONE BIG WORD.) Then if I don”t give him a bag fast enough, he’ll roll em up and place them in
a back pocket and off down the hill he goes, dragging a milk crate on
wheels with 5 2 liter plastic bottles of water and his little sister
who hangs on for dear life (she’s about 18 months and he watches her
everyday) anyway she hangs on tight because he likes to push the milk
crate down the hill and let go and it goes pretty quick for an 18
month old. Not to mention it at times fails to make that sharp turn at
the bottom and upends everything requiring him another gruelling trip
back up the hill for band aids (he likes those too, the more the
better.)
I’ll try to video it. It is really like something out of a
Peanuts cartoon, the brother with that Pig-pen aura and the baby
girls crooked and tangled pigtails flying out behind her. (I keep
expecting Snoopy too sweep down in his bi-plane and pluck her up but
it hasn’t happened thus far. And I probably never will video it. It’s
one of those things you would have to set yourself up in the brush,
pestered by scorpions and snakes for hours only to find out he isn’t
coming that day. So maybe best just imagine it. It would probably be
more entertaining for you that way. Bosh that, “I picture paints a
thousand words, I’ve learned what you can imagine paints a jillion
things that probably did not even happen.
Jose has a great new job now, praise God. They have a black and white
tv, too. WE miss his help but he needs to support his family and I
think Theo is on baby # four , not SURE, but time will tell.
The playground is almost ready for me to send pictures. We have the
welder making the last two toys, a merry-go-round and two big teeter
totters. Things are being delivered and the kids just think we can’t
move fast enough. The big metal stand for clubhouse One is in the
front yard and has been for a while. When delivered it came wrapped in
plastic, well, somehow someone took it off. So yesterday evening I see
Ivan, age 7, but tiny and
Pablito same age but bigger. They have absconded from downstairs my
huge roll of saran wrap and in 35 mile an hour hot sandy winds are
trying to wrap the stand back up. At first I was ticked off because
they had my saran wrap (of which I consume a lot of) and where
attempting to rewrap this 12 foot metal stand . It was hilarious. I
didn’t let on that I was watching but just left them to their
methods.Now , see I have a fairly good idea of who unwrapped it in the
first place. Anyway, they went round and round that things with a
COSCO sized box of Saran Wrap and by twilight Pablito had enrolled
some help from his little friends and I HAD to go down their because
all they succeeded in doing was wrapping up Ivan in quite a think
layer of plastic. NONE was stuck to the stand. I acted all mad, and
tried to simultaneously wave a broom around in a menacing manner
while tears of laughter oozed out of me– and put them on rock
gathering duty today.
Thankfully for them, it only took two hours of brutal rock-searching
for the wheelbarrow tire to pop and they got off easy for now
anyway. Till Frank gets back today anyway. Wheelbarrow tires are super
expensivo down here and also pretty sturdy and also pretty
necessary right about now.
I’m sure they’ll get the moral of some story when Frank arrives,
although they’ve been rather scarce since they turned in their busted
barrow and about 8 medium sized rocks,
What else? What else? Oh,tomorrow about 5 of the men who work just
till noon on Sundays are coming to help with landscaping the
playground perimeter. I am shocked and amazed by this. It will also
leave room for a message and prayer.
Carlos (guy with broken leg) is doing nicely. He’s coming to spend
the night tonight. He is returning to his home,, he still can’t work
and so has no place to live. He has to be at the bus depot at 5:15am
and Frank is taking him. Sad to see him go, but glad he got some of
the Eternal Seed really implanted in him. I’ve held back one mp-3 New
Testament as a going away gift and Theo will make him food for the
3 day trip (at least) home.
For now, I’d better go. I am amazed the internet has stayed working
this long because the winds are whipping up dust devils and one of
my wicker chairs just got whisked off of the
porch……………………..
Love and Blessings to all,
Sis Detra
The Blood Covenant
THE BLOOD COVENANT
I n ancient times the blood covenant was common among
almost all of the people of the middle east. It was a way of
establishing a binding contract between two men. What we call the
Old and New Testaments could easily be called the Old and New
Covenants. The typical blood covenant contained nine parts, or steps.
These steps are as follows,
1) The two people exchange coats or robes. To a Hebrew, the
coat or robe represented the person himself; so when he offered the
other person his robe, he was offering himself; even his very life itself.
2) They take off their belt and offer it to the other person. The
belt, also called the girdle, was used to hold your sward, your knife,
and other fighting instruments. In this way you were saying to the
other person that you were offering him your protection. If someone
attacks you, they also have me to deal with. Your battles are my
battles.
3)”CUT THE COVENANT”. In this part, an animal is killed
and cut down the middle and the two halves are laid opposite each
other. The two parties to the covenant pass between the two halves
of the animal and are saying, “May God do so to me and more if I
break this covenant. This is a blood covenant, and can not be broken.
4) Raise the right arm and cut the palm of the hand and clasp
each other’s hand and mingle your blood. This is saying to the other
person, “We are becoming one with each other. To intermingle the
blood is to intermingle the very life of both people.
5) Exchange names. Each one takes part of the others name and
incorporates it into their own.
6) Make a scar or some identifying mark. The scar was the
outward evidence of the covenant that others could see and know
that the covenant was made. Some times they would rub the cut in
the hand to make the scar, then anyone who wanted to fight you
would know that he not only had to fight you but another as well.
7) Give terms of the covenant. Both parties to the covenant
stand before a witness and list all of their assets and liabilities, because
each one takes all of these upon the himself. You are saying, “Every
thing I have is yours and everything you have is mine. If something
happens to you, your covenant partner will see to it that your wife
and children are taken care of.
8) Eat the memorial meal. A loaf of bread is broken in half. Each feeds his half to the other saying, “This is my body, and I am now
giving it to you.” Then they take wine as a symbol of his blood and
says, “This is my blood which is now your blood.”
9) Plant a memorial tree. The two then plant a tree as a
memorial to the covenant and sprinkle it with the blood of the animal
that was killed for the covenant offering.
These nine steps do not have to take place in the same order
that they are listed here. There are a lot of covenants listed in the
Bible and there is not great detail about them because everyone is
familiar with the procedure and the writer assumes that we know
what was done.
In our Bible we have the old and new testament,(or covenant).
The old covenant was made with Abram and we have a record of it in
the Bible. We can look in on it starting in the fifteenth chapter of
Genesis. In verse one we read; “After these things the word of the
Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, `Do not fear, Abram, I
am a shield to you; Your reward shall be very great.’.” Here we
see God offering His robe and belt to Abram. He offers to be his shield
and His rewards. He cuts the covenant in Genesis 15:7-21 “And He
said to him, `I am the Lord who brought you out of Ur of the
Caldeans, to give you this land to possess it.’ So He said to him,
`Bring Me a three year old heifer, and a three year old male
goat, and a three year old ram, and a turtle dove, and a young
pigeon.’ Then he brought all these to Him and cut them in two,
and laid each half opposite the other; but he did not cut the
birds. And the birds of prey came down upon the carcasses,
and Abram drove them away. Now when the sun was going
down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, terror and
great darkness fell upon him.” And God said to Abram, `Know
for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a land
that is not theirs, where they will be enslaved and oppressed
four hundred years. But I will also judge the nation whom they
will serve; and afterward they will come out with many
possessions. And as for you, you shall go to your fathers in
piece; you shall be buried at a good old age. Then in the fourth
generation they shall return here, for the iniquity of the
Amorite is not yet complete.’ And it came about when the sun
had set, that it was very dark, and behold, there appeared a
smoking oven and a flaming torch which passed between
these pieces. On that day the Lord made a covenant with
Abram, saying, `To your descendants I have given this land,
from the river of Egypt as far as the great river, the river
Euphrates; the Kenite and the Kenizzite and the Kadmonite
and the Hittite and the Perizzite and the Rephaim and the
Amorite and the Canaanite and the Girgashite and the
Jebusite.’.” Here God is giving the terms of the covenant to Abram.
But who are the ones passing between the pieces while Abram is in
the deep sleep? I submit to you that it is the pre-incarnate Christ. In
the Revelation 1:14-15 we see a description of Christ as
follows, “And His head and His hair were white like wool, like
snow, and His eyes were like a flame of fire; and His feet were
like burnished bronze, when it has been caused to glow in a
furnace, and His voice was like the sound of many waters,”
Here we see Christ, a descendant of Abram, standing in for Abram in
the covenant procession. In Genesis 17:4-5+15 we see the exchange of
names as follows, “As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you,
and you shall be the father of a multitude of nations. No
longer shall your name be called Abram, But your name shall
be Abraham; for I will make you the father of a multitude of
nations….Then God said to Abraham, as for Sarai your wife,
you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name.”
In Hebrew, God was called YHWH. Here we see Him taking part of His
name and combining it with that of Abram and Sarai. From that time
on God was known as, “The God of Abraham”. Next we see the
making of a scar or symbol of the covenant. In Genesis 17:10-12 we
see, “This is My covenant, which you shall keep, between Me
and you and your descendants after you; every male among
you shall be circumcised. And you shall be circumcised in the
flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be the sign of the covenant
between Me and you. And every male among you who is eight
days old shall be circumcised throughout your generations, a
servant who is born in the house or who is bought with
money from any foreigner, who is not of your descendants.”
The scar of circumcision bears witness of the covenant. Abraham was
tested when God told him to sacrifice his only son Isaac on a small
mountain called mount Mariah near the town of Salem. Abraham
passed the test. Two thousand years ago, the other party to the
covenant was to sacrifice His only Son. The names had been changed
by then; Salem was then called Jerusalem, and Mariah had been
changed to Calvery, but the places were the same.
The new covenant took place in the same area of the world and
contained some of the same players. God was there, of course, and
Jesus; now incarnate, and the descendants of Abraham. This time
Jesus was not only the representative of Abraham’s descendants but
He was also the offering; the Lamb that was slain. This time it was
God’s only Son and not Abraham’s. Let us see how the new covenant
was completed in Christ.
1) EXCHANGE COATS OR ROBES. We come to this covenant
clothed in sin and unrighteousness. He comes clothed in holiness and
righteousness. We put on His righteousness. IICorinthians 5:21, “He
made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we
might become the righteousness of God in Him.” He takes our
sins upon Him and we take His holiness for ours. What an exchange!
2)TAKE OFF BELT: He protects us and provides us with
protection. Luke 10:19, “Behold, I have given you authority to
tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of
the enemy, and nothing shall injure you.” Ephesians 6:13-17
“Therefore, take up the full armor of God, that you may be
able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to
stand firm. Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with
truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and
having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of
peace; in addition to all, take up the shield of faith with which
you will be able to extinguish all the flaming missiles of the
evil one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sward of
the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
3)CUT THE COVENANT: Hebrews 10:14-18, “For by one
offering He has perfected for all time those who are
sanctified. And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for
after saying, `This is the covenant that I will make with them
after those days, says the Lord: I will put my laws upon their
heart, and upon their mind I will write them, And their sins
and their lawless deeds I will remember no more. Now where
there is forgiveness for these things, there is no longer any
offering for sin.” Jesus was not only the one making the covenant,
but he was also the sacrificial lamb.
4)RAISE RIGHT ARM & MIX BLOOD: Jesus was both man and
God. He was holy and also human. As we have the shed blood of
Jesus Christ applied to our hearts, His blood cleanses us from all sin
and we are also made holy. Our lives are forever intermingled with His. 5) EXCHANGE NAMES: Jesus took on the name, “Son of Man”
and we take on the name Christian. We are forever in the family of
God.
6) MAKE A SCAR: Jesus has the scars of the nails in His hands
and the feet and the spear in His side. We have the circumcision of the
heart. Romans 2:29, “But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and
circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by
the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God.”
7) GIVE THE COVENANT TERMS: Jesus gives the terms of the
covenant in the whole Bible. It is our responsibility to know it so that
we can live by it.
8) EAT MEMORIAL MEAL: I Corinthians 11: 23-26, “For I
received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that
the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took
bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it, and said,
`This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of
Me.’ In the same way He took the cup also, after supper,
saying, `This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as
often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.’ For as often as
you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.”
9) PLANT A MEMORIAL TREE: The cross that Jesus died on was
the tree that the blood of the sacrifice was sprinkled on and it still is a
memorial of His covenant with us to this day.
This is our covenant with the God of the universe. He will live up
to His end and He expects us to live up to ours.
Paul Ziegler
Victory in Baja
We had a good Meeting today. (Friday) . We have been bringing in a few new people from a work camp in Maneadero. They met us thru the Clinics that we have This one man heard about free medical care from some relative who lives over here in the local Cuarteria.
> >> The poor guy had broken his leg when he fell somehow attempting to cross the US border. It happened days prior to finally getting to the Clinic…..he had been gimping along in unimaginable pain until he showed up at the last clinic.
> He didn’t know his leg was broken….. just knew it hurt really bad and he had no money.
> The *coyotes* stole what money he had (plus obviously kept the $4000 his family was extorted up front) and left him for dead in the desert. So, he and his family are having a very hard time. They were so happy to get the beans, rice and other foods we give out. He was so hungry he was eating raw oatmeal as we passed out food. I’ve seen quite a few people adults and children alike, do this over the years, but it is always unsettling.
> They were so broken by the whole experience which had engulfed them, that their hearts were totally open and receptive to the Word. FRANK had laid hands on him at the last Clinic, but today he heard the Gospel of Resurection and got saved along with his 12 year old son. My belief honestly, is that had we just preached salvation and.not focused on Resurrection, this man would not have responded. For I see now, that his concern; at that moment was; his age and the condition of his body and what, if anything, ( besides chubby little Raphael-esque Cherubim angels floating lazily on a sea of puffy clouds, some playing instruments in the nude) which to people who are actively suffering and reaping abuse) seems superfluous and even possibly painful…. No, this man was wondering what for him, lay beyond.
> This boy , Carlos’s son, had actually gotten placed in a different group than his dad, (it is common practice with coyotes to know in advance that they are going to place certain people in a ‘bait group ‘or a ‘diversion group’ and usually they use the older people or weaker individuals for this purpose. ) Carlos is a very old version of 65 and thus an easy target for mistreatment by hid fellow man.
> The sad part is that even knowing this is a very real possibility, ( being used and abused) people will continue to pay coyotes and try, time and time again, to cross illegally ….nevermind horrifically daunting obstacles, because the allure of the American Dream is so strong.
>
> >> So , his son, a 12 year old boy, DID make it across ; all the way in to the USA, to the rondevoux point in L.A.. . Upon finding that his father did not succeed, he panicked , THANKFULLY escaped his ‘guides’, and returned to distant relatives in Maneadero, where, as the Lord would have it, he was was reunited with his father eventually.
> >> So, all of this, plus the broken and now infected leg had put them in a place of such humility,such a state that their hearts were opened to the idea that “some god” (Carlos’s words) was at work….FRANK explained it was the Great I AM.
> >> For a guy who has been through such a bitter experience, Carlos holds absolutely no bitterness against anyone! (and this humble acceptance of failure I find as a common denominator smong the Indians here )
> The Lord told him, thru Frank, that this attitude of humility,(not acceptance), is going to cause a huge blessing to come upon his entire family in addition to being healed. It was magnificent to see and hear. Yahweh is great. I was so amazed to find Carlos touched that we, being strangers expecting no return would GIVE him food and care…..it was so heartbreaking to be appreciated so much….I dont know if I can get across how happy and at the same turn broken, i felt, being in the presence of this man’s gratitude….its has had me weeping on and off all day.
> >> And not that God caused any of these bad things to happen to the man, for He did not, but it was a great showing of the Lord working all these things together for the Good, you know?
> I mean he COULD have died alone in the desert. He COULD have been separated from his son forever, and likewise his son could of fallen into yhe hands of every type of evil awaiying the innocent in Los Angeles, alone. The coyotes could have killed the son to make an example of what happens when families don’t or can’t pay the extravagant fees that they charge. Apny number of horrible alter- endings could have come to pass……
> But even as horrifying as the situation was, Yahweh was mercifully working every circumstance together for His Good. And ours. He remains Ever Faithful, Ever Loving, no matter how grave our circumstances appear, He will work it all out for our good, At times we just need to rest in Him and allow that.
>
> love and blessings, sis dee
>
> coyotes-
> ** people who make their livelihood charging huge sumd of cash to guide other individuals across the Mexico/ USA Border. Their services are wildly illegal and their motivation is greed. They are unequivocally dangerous and not to be trifled with & are usually affiliated with drug cartels.
>
Harvest of Faith 