EternalSoul

      

                                                                         Genesis 2:7 God breathes into man

     This is the Sabbath that occurs this year before/on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, which is one of the fall Feasts of the LORD. The title of this Sabbath reading portion is Ha'azinu, which means "Listen/Give ear." This Sabbath is also called Shabbat Shuvah, a Sabbath of Return/Repentance (to the LORD). 

     Yom Kippur, or the Day of Atonement, is treated as a very solemn and pivotal feast that the LORD commanded repeatedly for all (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-souls to keep. This is the only feast of the LORD in which He specifically and repeatedly commands "souls" to observe and keep (see Lev. 23:26-32). The Hebrew word translated as "souls" is the word nepes, which means "soul, life, person, mind, will, emotions, desires, heart, body, that which breathes, inner being, living being with life in the blood, to take breath, to breathe, to be breathed upon, refreshed." The soul with the blood, as mentioned in the definition of nepes above, is the life in a person, rather than their physical body. The soul is created by the breath of God, which gave the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-man life (see Gen. 2:7). Therefore the outer body may die, awaiting resurrection, but the inner soul cannot die. In the New Testament Greek, "soul" is the word psyche meaning "breath, breath of life, the soul as an essence which differs from the body and is not dissolved by death."

     We can see the meaning of the soul as mentioned above in the Hebrew and Greek definitions in these verses from scripture. 

     Regarding the soul as life: 

"O LORD, You brought my soul up from the grave; You have kept me alive that I should not go down to the pit (bor - pit, cistern, dungeon, prison, pit hole)." (Ps. 30:3). And: "For You have delivered my soul from death. Have You not kept my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living?" (Ps. 56:13, also Job 33:29-30).

     The LORD's redemption of the soul:

"The LORD redeems the soul of His servants, and none of those who trust in Him shall be condemned." (Ps. 34:22). And: "Like sheep they are laid in the grave; death shall feed upon them...And their beauty shall be consumed in the grave, far from their dwelling. But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave, for He shall receive me. Selah." (Ps. 49:14-15). And: "He keeps back his soul from the Pit (sahat/suah - pit, snare, trap, destruction, cistern of mud/to sink down, sunk into mire, sink down into Hades) and his life from perishing by the sword....He will redeem his soul from going down to the Pit, and his life shall see the light." (Job. 33:18, 28).

     The LORD shows mercy upon the soul:

"I said, 'LORD, be merciful to me; heal my soul, for I have sinned against You...But You, O LORD, be merciful to me, and raise me up..." (Ps. 41:4, 10).

     The soul of man was not created from the breath of God in order to sink down into the mire and quicksand of sin into the place of death. The snare of sin are the hands that pull what was meant to be the glorious and divinely breathed soul of man into the pit. This feast of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, deals with the Atonement (kipur/kapar - atonement, sin offering, redemption/atonement, purge, reconciliation, forgive, merciful, cleansed, pardon, to cover, be covered) of the (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-soul of man. The Feast of Yom Kippur/Atonement occurs ten days after the Feast of Trumpets, during which repentance and return to the LORD are solemnly sought. 

     As believers in Jesus Messiah/Christ, we must know that His blood, given in sacrifice for us, is our Atonement covering and the cleansing from our sins. Jesus asked us all this question: "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? (Mark 8:36-37). There is not enough money on the whole earth or in any earthly power or authority that can redeem even one soul. The richest man in the world today, whose wealth is currently valued at 950 billion USD, cannot redeem his own soul nor anyone else's with even all of his wealth.

     Billy Graham said this regarding the value or redemption price of a soul: "God places the value of the soul at an incalculable price, for by the blood of His only Son, Jesus Christ, are sins forgiven and souls cleansed."

     This solemn and serious Day of Atonement or Yom Kippur, when we bow down our souls before God, from whose breath the soul was created, comes before, and in its way is the pre-requisite of, the Great Feast, which is the Feast of Tabernacles. That feast takes place five days after Yom Kippur. We will hopefully get a chance to study that feast next time. It is the Feast of the LORD in which the redeemed soul of Yom Kippur, Atonement, becomes one with God and His habitation in His realm of glory.

     The title of this Sabbath's reading portion, Ha'azinu, "Listen/Give ear," comes from Deuteronomy 32:1 as (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-words sung by Moses: "Give ear O heavens, and I will speak; And hear, O earth, the words of my mouth." It is a song commanded by God to be taught to all of the assembly of Israel detailing the perfect goodness of God extended towards them, and their resulting rejection of Him. The song ends with the promise of God's mercy and kapar atonement being extended towards Israel. (see Deut. 32:43).

     In another scripture portion from this Ha'azinu, "Listen/Give ear" Sabbath, we read Psalm 78, which describes the rebellious hearts of God's people towards Him even though He had on many occasions miraculously delivered them from harm. These words were to be told to the generation to come, the children who would be born: "that they may set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God...and may not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that did not set its heart aright, and whose spirit was not faithful to God...And they tested God in their heart...they spoke against God...they did not believe in God, and did not trust in His salvation...they flattered Him with their mouth, and they lied to Him with their tongue; for their heart was not steadfast with Him, nor were they faithful in His covenant." (excerpts Ps. 78).

     This rebellious condition of God's people described above stemmed from issues of sin in the heart (see also nepes "soul" above). The rebellion against God began in the soul, the very living breath given to man that had come from the Almighty.

     Then the Psalm says: "But He (God), being full of compassion, forgave (kapar - see "atonement" above) their iniquity and did not destroy them...." (v. 38).

     It is important that we look at the meaning of God's "compassion" used in the verse above. It is the Hebrew word rahum/raham, which means "compassion and mercy only used of God/to love deeply, have mercy, have tender affection, show compassion, to be soft and soothing and cherishing in a gentle emotion of the mind, to behold with tenderest affection, the love of parents towards their children, to obtain mercy." Looking at this meaning, we can say that the LORD ministered His kapar atonement forgiveness and cleansing to the souls of His people from His soul, the seat of His heart (see nepes soul above) or strong emotions.

     We also know that God would provide His eternal kapar Atonement covering of sin through His Son, Jesus, from the realm of His heart, His soul: "For God so loved (agapao - to love dearly - see also rahum/raham above) the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved (sozo - keep safe and sound, rescue from danger or destruction, to save from perishing, to heal, restore to health, to deliver from the penalties of judgment, to preserve, make whole)." (Jn. 3:16-17).

     Do we have a moment, an hour, a day (yom - day, time, daily, ever, year, continually, always, whole, lifetime, yesterday-today-tomorrow), to bow our souls before the Lord, as David did, with love, gratitude and the repentance renewal that comes in knowing that "He (the LORD) restores (sub - return, turn back to God, repent, bring back, restore, relieve, refresh, recover, circumcise, rescue) my soul (nepes - see above)" (Ps. 23:3)?

     Heavenly Father, You poured Your soul into my soul with Your breath of life in my nostrils. I lift my hands, dear Lord, and I lift up my soul, to magnify You, to turn to You with all my heart, to ask and receive Your forgiveness, Your pardon, and Your Atonement covering and cleansing by the blood of Your Son, Jesus, my Savior and the Redeemer of my soul. Rescue, restore, renew, and revive my soul within me so that I may love You with all my heart, mind and strength, with all my soul. Circumcise my heart anew within me. Purify my heart, purging it of sinful ways. You appointed the Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur, as a holy convocation, to call me to bring my heart and soul back to Your heart and soul, which have always awaited my return to You. I ask this in the name of Jesus. AMEN.

*NOTE: aleph-tav written in Hebrew as אֶת, are the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet. The meaning of the two pictographic Hebrew letters can also be interpreted "Adonai (Lord) of the Cross/Covenant". In the New Testament, these letters are translated as Alpha and Omega written as ΑΩ, the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. These letters are those by which Jesus Christ identifies Himself in the Book of Revelation: see Rev. 1:8, Rev. 21:6, Rev. 22:13. 

Return&Reward

                                                                    Blowing the Shofar 

(click link above to listen)

      This week's Sabbath reading is a continuance of last week's title Va-yelech, meaning "Then he went out" from Deuteronomy 31, as well as being the time of Shuvah, meaning "Repent/Return." It is Shuvah because this Sabbath is also the Feast of Trumpets, in Hebrew: Yom Teruah, also know as Rosh Hashanah. This Feast of the LORD is known for the blowing of the shofar trumpet. This date of the Feast this year also coincides with the 25th anniversary of the September 11th attacks, which impacted not only one nation, but the world.

     In Deuteronomy 31, the LORD gives Moses a song which he must teach to the Israelites who are about to enter the Promised Land. The LORD told Moses that the purpose of the song is to lead the people back to Him because, the LORD prophesies, "Behold, you (Moses) will rest with your fathers; and this people will rise and play the harlot with the gods of the foreigners of the land, where they go to be among them, and they will forsake Me and break (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-My-covenant which I made with them. Then My anger shall be aroused against them in that day, and I will forsake them, and I will hide My face from them, and they shall be devoured...Now therefore, write down this (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-song for yourselves, and teach it to (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-the children-of-Israel; put it in their mouths, that this (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-song may be a witness for Me against the children of Israel...Therefore Moses wrote this song the same day, and taught it to the children of Israel." (v. 16-22, excerpt).

     This song was an *aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega son for the *aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega children of Israel. It is a song that calls upon heaven and earth to testify of the truth that the LORD found Jacob/Israel in the wilderness, taught him, encircled him, instructed him, kept him as the apple of His eye. The LORD carried them on His wings to the heights of the earth and supplied them with every good thing. Then they forsook the LORD and scorned the Rock of their salvation. They worshipped demon gods. The LORD turned away from them and hid Himself because they were children of no faith. They would suffer disasters: arrows, hunger, pestilence, beasts, serpents, the sword. Their vine was of the vine of Sodom and Gomorrah. However, the LORD will judge His people with compassion. He will turn His anger on their enemies instead. Then there will be rejoicing instead of calamity: "Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people; for He will avenge the blood of His servants, and render vengeance to His adversaries; He will provide atonement (kapar - atonement, reconciliation, forgive, purge away, merciful, cleansed, pardon, to cover over) for His land ('adama - ground, land, whole inhabited earth/red/blood) and His people." (Deut. 32:1-43, excerpt).

     We can see that the purpose of this *aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega-song is to cause the *aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega-children-of-Israel to return to the LORD, even from the most corrupt sins, where the LORD provides His merciful atonement (see kapar above) healing and restoration. We understand that Jesus Messiah/Christ is the blood Atonement covering that purges, cleanses and pardons us of sin and causes us to return to the Shepherd of our souls. (see 1 John 2:2 and 1 Pet. 2:24-25). John wrote: "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us." (1 Jn. 1:9-10).

     As part of this Shuvah (Return/Repentance) Sabbath, the reading portion includes the Word of the LORD from the prophets Hosea and Micah. From Hosea 14: "O Israel, return (sub - return again, turn back, revive, restore, refresh, recover, deliver, recompense) to the LORD your God, for you have stumbled because of your iniquity; Take words with you and return to the LORD." (v. 1-2). As a result, the LORD promises to heal them, to love them, to make them fruitful and beautiful. Also: "Those who dwell under His shadow shall return; they shall be revived like grain, and grow like a vine. Their scent shall be like the wine of Lebanon." (v. 7).

     From Micah 7, the prophet proclaims that he will arise out of darkness and the LORD will be a light to him. Even though the prophet has sinned against the LORD, the LORD will plead his case for him and execute justice for him. Also: "He will bring me forth to the light; I will see His righteousness." (V. 8-9).

     As we can see in the Hebrew word sub above, meaning "return", the return is directly connected to reward: miraculous revival and the restoration. The concepts cannot be separated. One must follow the other. There is a reward received upon the sub return to the LORD.

     We can see from the presence of *aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega above that the provision for return and reward is not limited to the "Old Testament", also called the Tanakh. Jesus applies the same concept to His Churches in the Book of Revelation, Chapters 2 and 3 as He calls those Churches to return to Him and repent and promises the rewards they will receive as a result of following the voice of repentance and the voice of the Holy Spirit.

     There are several interpretations as to what these seven churches of Revelation mean or represent, but, at face value, we can perhaps agree that Jesus chose to speak to these churches because the challenges, successes and failures that had beset them also besets many churches and believers today. He reminds several that they are sitting in the middle of the place of Satan's throne. These churches were in danger of falling under the challenge of evil and darkness rather than standing against it in Christ and in His works, His Name, His Word and the Spirit. This same challenge is eternal and present with us today. This time of the holy fall Feasts of the LORD is accompanied by the call of the shofar trumpet to repentance, return to the LORD and the receiving of His rewards for us if we will hear and obey.

     According to articles written by rabbis, the sound of the shofar trumpet calls to God's people as a loud voice - a prophetic voice and the voice of the LORD Himself. (see Isa. 58:1, Rev. 1:10, Rev. 4:1-2). It's a call of warning and judgment, of gathering together, of return to the LORD and repentance. The sound of the shofar, the rabbis wrote, is the voice of heaven forming a bridge between heaven and earth. The voice of the shofar leads to revelation and causes closed hearts to be opened and repentant. The sound of the shofar stirs God's compassion and mercy. The sound of the shofar stirs Jewish hearts to call for the appearance of Messiah/Christ. The shofar proclaims the birth of creation and man and is the sound of rebirth and new life that comes forth from repentance and a changed or transformed heart. The breath of the shofar joins with the breath of the Spirit of God bringing forth divine breath into the world. The breath going forth from the shofar becomes spirals of light in the world, and darkness flees.

     In the Book of Acts, the disciples said that they were compelled to speak forth (laleo - to utter a voice or to emit a sound) the Name of Jesus when religious leaders tried to silence them. They were compelled to make the sound. (Acts 4:18-20).

     If you would like to learn more about the return to the LORD and His awaiting rewards, you can join my prayer: "Heavenly Father and Great King above all the earth, Your voice goes forth like a trumpet summoning me to return to You and to repent through Your Son of Atonement and Forgiveness, Jesus. Lord Jesus, Your voice as a trumpet is calling me to return to my first love - a love and devotion to You. I hear the shofar trumpet of Your Holy Spirit. Lord Jesus, please give me a heart to obey what the Spirit is saying to me. Although You are a Rewarder of those who diligently seek You, Lord, I return to You because You are worthy. I return to You because You have not forsaken me, nor lost me out of Your Good Shepherd's hand. Even when I have been in the darkness of iniquity and worldly cares, You have been a Light to me, showing me the way back to You and beckoning me into Your Presence. Especially in this season, I pray that the whole earth would hear the voice of the shofar trumpet and would return to their Creator, to their Savior, because this is the season of great harvest. I ask this in the Name of Jesus. AMEN."

*NOTE: aleph-tav written in Hebrew as אֶת, are the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet. The meaning of the two pictographic Hebrew letters can also be interpreted "Adonai (Lord) of the Cross/Covenant". In the New Testament, these letters are translated as Alpha and Omega written as ΑΩ, the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. These letters are those by which Jesus Christ identifies Himself in the Book of Revelation: see Rev. 1:8, Rev. 21:6, Rev. 22:13. 

Standing

      This is the Sabbath before the great Feast of Trumpets. That Feast of the LORD contains the multiple blasts of the shofar ram's horn trumpet that sound out to all the earth, but particularly to God's people. The blasts signal the urgent call to repentance and return of hearts to the LORD.

      The title of this week's Sabbath reading is a double title. The first title is Nitzavim, meaning "Are standing," found in Deuteronomy 29:10-15, which are the words of Moses to the Israelites: "All of you stand (nasab - stand, appointed, establish, upright position, fixed, stationary) today before the LORD your God...that you may enter into covenant (berit - covenant, alliance, league, agreement, pledge, alliance of marriage or friendship) with the LORD your God, and into His oath ('ala - oath, a covenant confirmed by an oath, an oath joined with an imprecation or curse, to swear, to curse, to put under a curse bound by an oath), which the LORD your God makes with you today, that He may establish you today as a people for Himself, and that He may be God to you, just as He has spoken to you, and just as He has sworn to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I make this (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-covenant and this (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-oath, not with you alone, but with him (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-who stands ('amad - raise up, stand up, withstand, waited, remain, continue, establish, abide, endure, be steadfast, be upright, be appointed) here with us today before the LORD our God, as well as with him who is not here with us today."

     There are two different Hebrew words used in the above verses that are translated as "stand." The first, nasab, from which the Sabbath title comes, refers mostly to a physical position of standing. The second word, 'amad, seems to mean more of a spiritual standing: an abiding, enduring, remaining and steadfastness. Jesus also spoke of the blessings and the curses attached to abiding and remaining (see 'amad "standing" above) in Him and in His words, or the failure to do so. The blessings of abiding in Christ are fruitfulness, answered prayer, His love, and His joy. The curse includes being fruitless, cast out, withered and thrown into the fire. (see Jn. 15:4-11). Jesus was dealing here with issues of life and death.

     The LORD's oath mentioned in the above verses from Deuteronomy which accompanies the covenant includes the idea of an attending curse according to the Hebrew meaning above. Moses told the people of Israel that both blessings and curses attend the covenant of the law: blessings if the people follow the LORD and His Word, and curses if a man turns away from the LORD to follow other gods or to follow the ideas of his own heart instead of the LORD. Moses warned that the consequence of doing this would be that every curse of the law would fall upon the land until it is brimstone, salt and burning like Sodom and Gomorrah. (see Deut. 29:18-23). 

     As Jesus dealt with issues of life and death as mentioned above, Moses also connected the spiritual "standing" of God's people with life and death: "And the LORD your God will circumcise (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-your-heart and (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-the-heart of your descendants, to love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live...The LORD your God will make you abound in all the work of your hand, in the fruit of your body, in the increase of your livestock, and in the produce of your land for good....if you obey the voice of the LORD your God to keep His commandments and His statutes which are written in this Book of the Law, and if you turn (sub - return, turn back to God, come back, repent) to the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. For this commandment which I command you today...the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it. See, I have set before you today (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-life and (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-good, (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-death and (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-evil, in that I command you today to love (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-the-LORD your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, His statutes, and His judgments, that you may live and multiply; and the LORD your God will bless you in the land which you go to possess." (Deut. 30:6-16, excerpt). This is not about "standing" legalistically or religiously, this is about the heart, and Who our hearts worship in love. It is not just about what or how much you know, but WHO you know and LOVE with an (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-heart that only He can circumcise. Sometimes we lose track of that "WHO and the LOVE for Him." (see Rev. 2:4-5). It is a matter of life and death, and good and evil. We also see above that the LORD makes room for His people who have turned away from Him to turn back to Him. We all need to return to the LORD so that we may live and dwell in His blessing.

     The oath of the curse that came with the covenant was never meant for God's people, but for their enemies: "Also the LORD your God will put (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-all-these-curses on your enemies ('oyeb/'ayab - enemy, adversary, foe, to persecute, to hate/to be hostile to, to hate, to treat as an enemy) and on those who hate you, who persecuted you." (Deut. 30:7). His people were not to fall into the same ways as these enemies, forgetting to love God with all of their hearts. Moses was warning them not to choose this way that leads away from the LORD. Paul wrote the same principle, saying, "But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. For God did not appoint (tithemi - to set, fix, establish, place, ordain, set forth) us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him. Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing." (1 Thess. 5:8-11). Jesus redeemed us from the curse of the law so that we would receive the blessings of Abraham.  (Gal. 3:13-14). Paul, the highly trained Pharisee, knew his Torah, and he knew the fulfilment of the Torah through the salvation of Jesus Messiah/Christ.

     The LORD God was warning His people through Moses to stand before Him, to remain and abide in Him in love because He is the life and the blessing, and not to fall into the same curse as their enemies. Paul also wrote that we should not be conformed to the world (and its ways) but to be transformed in our minds (see Rom. 12:1-2). Jesus said that while we were physically in the world, we were not of this world (see Jn. 17:14-19). God's people are separated, consecrated, sanctified unto Him. (see Deut. 7:6, Jn. 17:17-19).

     As we look at the corresponding reading portion to Nitzavim, "Are standing", the blessings of the LORD are unlimited through the Person filled with the anointing (masah - root of the Messiah/Christ) of the Holy Spirit. They are earth-changing. Where once the curse that brought mourning, darkness, being stricken, forsaken and hated covered the people, now the light of the glory of the LORD has risen upon them for all to see. The Person in whom the anointing of the Spirit of the LORD resides preaches and proclaims healing, liberty, comfort, beauty, joy, righteousness, rebuilding and restoration, double honor, everlasting joy, truth, an everlasting covenant, garments of salvation, robes of righteousness, a crown of glory, a new name, delight, and being married. "So the LORD God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all nations...Indeed the LORD has proclaimed to the end of the world: 'Say to the daughter of Zion, 'Surely your salvation is coming; Behold, His reward is with Him...And they shall call them The Holy People, The Redeemed (see Gal. 3, above) of the LORD..." (Isa. 61 through Isa. 62, excerpt). Isaiah refers to salvation as a Person, as the prophet uses "His" and "Him" to describe salvation above. Jesus referred in part to this above blessing as being fulfilled on the day that He read it from the scriptures in the synagogue on the Sabbath. (see Lk. 4:16-19). He had come to announce to the ends of the world the redemption from the curse and the coming of the blessing through Himself, who is the Messiah/Christ, the Salvation anointed with the Spirit of the LORD. Jesus' name in Hebrew means "Salvation of the LORD."

      Moses' time was running out. The second title of this double-titled Sabbath is Va-yelech, meaning "Then he went out." This title comes from Deuteronomy 31:1: "Then Moses went and spoke these (*aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega)-words to all Israel." Moses, now one hundred and twenty years old, had little time left before he would die, and Joshua would then lead the people over the Jordan River and into the land. In part, Moses tells Israel regarding the tribes that were currently inhabiting the land: "The LORD will give them over to you, that you may do to them according to every commandment which I have commanded you. Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you." (Deut. 31:5-6). These were some of Moses' last words to Israel telling them to stand in the LORD in courage and trust in Him. The LORD was sending His people into the land with His presence and authority going with them.

     Jesus also sent His disciples, which includes us, into the "land" or world in the same manner: "And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, 'All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age (aion/aei - forever, an unbroken age, perpetuity of time, eternity, the worlds, the universe/perpetually, incessantly, at any and every time, always).' Amen." (Mt. 28:18-20).

     If you would like to learn more about standing and abiding in the Lord with all of your heart and soul, you can join my prayer: "Dear heavenly Father, circumcise my heart so that I will stand before You and in You always, and that I will love You with all my heart and soul. LORD - Father, Son and Holy Spirit - You are with me always because of the abundant and eternal blessings of Your new covenant with me, written in the broken Body and the poured-out Blood of Your Son, Jesus. You have redeemed me from the curse! Let my heart, mind and will be staid upon You, loving and trusting You in worship and thanksgiving. I ask this in the name of Jesus. AMEN."

*NOTE: aleph-tav written in Hebrew as אֶת, are the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet. The meaning of the two pictographic Hebrew letters can also be interpreted "Adonai (Lord) of the Cross/Covenant". In the New Testament, these letters are translated as Alpha and Omega written as ΑΩ, the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. These letters are those by which Jesus Christ identifies Himself in the Book of Revelation: see Rev. 1:8, Rev. 21:6, Rev. 22:13.