Friend, walking free from condemnation!

Romans 8:1-2 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.  For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.

Condemnation is one of the enemy’s most effective tools against the people of God. It does not always shout; often it whispers. It speaks in the language of shame, regret, and accusation, quietly trying to pull the believer back into an identity that Yeshua (Jesus) has already buried. But the new creation life begins where condemnation ends. Freedom is not a future promise—it is a present reality for those who are in Yeshua.

Paul’s declaration in Romans 8:1–2 is not conditional or tentative. It is absolute: “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Messiah Yeshua, for the law of the Spirit of life in Messiah has set you free.” Condemnation does not coexist with the cross. It has no legal authority where the blood has spoken. Shame may attempt to revisit the past, but it no longer holds jurisdiction over the redeemed.

New creation people learn to recognize the voice of condemnation and refuse it. Conviction draws us toward God; condemnation drives us away from Him. Conviction leads to repentance and restoration; condemnation leads to hiding and despair. The Spirit exposes in order to heal, while the enemy accuses in order to imprison. When we mistake condemnation for conviction, we surrender ground that was never meant to be lost.

Walking free from condemnation requires agreement with heaven. It means believing what God says over what we feel, and standing on truth when emotions rise up in protest. The mind may remember failure, but the Spirit declares freedom. The conscience may tremble, but the Word stands firm. Identity in Messiah silences the accuser and restores boldness to approach God without fear or shame.

Freedom from condemnation does not lead to careless living—it leads to confident obedience. When shame is broken, intimacy deepens. When accusation is silenced, joy returns. When the soul is no longer burdened by guilt, righteousness becomes a delight rather than a duty. The new creation does not walk bowed under yesterday’s failures; they walk upright in the victory of today’s grace.

Friend, cast off the voice of condemnation and stand in the truth of who you are in Messiah. Break agreement with shame, regret, and every accusing thought that rises against you. The cross has spoken, and its verdict is freedom. Lift your head and walk boldly into the presence of God without fear. You are not condemned—you are redeemed. You are not defined by your past—you are anchored in His righteousness. Let the Spirit of life breathe liberty into your soul and restore joy to your steps. Refuse the voice of shame, embrace the truth of grace, and walk forward as a new creation—free, forgiven, and fully alive.

Shabbat Shalom, until Monday! Enjoy the holiday season!

Your family in the Lord with much agape love,

George & Baht Rivka (Mississippi)

Friend, the Father's delight: living from love, not for it!

Matthew 3:16-17  And Jesus, when He had been baptized, went up immediately out of the water. And lo, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting upon Him. And lo, a voice from Heaven, saying, This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

Before Yeshua (Jesus) healed the sick, cast out demons, preached a sermon, or endured the cross, the Father spoke words that settled His identity forever: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” These words were not spoken after achievement, but before assignment. They reveal a Kingdom order that reshapes the entire life as a believer — love precedes labor, delight precedes obedience, and identity precedes calling.

To live as a new creation is to learn how to rest in the Father’s delight. Many believers know they are saved, yet still live as though they must earn God’s approval. We strive, perform, and exhaust ourselves trying to prove what has already been declared. But the Father does not love us because of what we do; He loves us because of who we are in Yeshua. When identity is secure, striving loses its grip. When delight is received, obedience flows naturally.

The Father’s delight is not fragile. It does not fluctuate with success or failure. It is anchored in covenant, sealed in blood, and spoken over us because we are in His Son. The enemy works tirelessly to convince believers that love must be chased and approval must be earned, but heaven declares something entirely different. We do not work for love -- we work from love. We do not obey to be accepted -- we obey because we are accepted.

Living from the Father’s delight transforms us internally. Fear loses its authority. Comparison loses its power. The need for validation fades as the soul finds rest in being known and loved. From this place of security, obedience becomes joyful rather than burdensome. Faith becomes bold rather than fragile. Service becomes overflow rather than exhaustion. Resting in His delight is not passivity -- it is the most powerful position a believer can stand in.

This is the posture of the Son, and it is the inheritance of every child of God. When we live from love, we reflect the heart of the Father to the world. We become steady, grounded, and unshaken. Our lives bear witness not to striving, but to intimacy -- not to pressure, but to peace. This is the freedom of the new creation.

Friend, come out of striving and step into rest. Lay down the weight of performance and receive the truth spoken over you from heaven. You are beloved. You are pleasing to the Father -- not because of your effort, but because you are in His Son. Let His delight quiet your fears, silence your insecurities, and anchor your soul. Stop chasing what has already been given. Stand in the love that cannot be earned or lost. Live from His delight, and let obedience rise as the natural overflow of a heart at rest. This is your place. Remain here -- and be free.

Your family in the Lord with much agape love,

George & Baht Rivka (Melbourne, Florida)

Friend, practicing the presence: abiding as a lifestyle!

John 15:4-5  Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. 5  I am the Vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. 

The life of the new creation is not sustained by effort, discipline, or religious activity—it is sustained by abiding. Identity in Messiah does not drive us into striving; it draws us into intimacy. When we know who we are, we are no longer desperate to perform. We are free to remain. And it is in remaining -- dwelling, abiding, staying -- that transformation quietly but powerfully takes place.

Yeshua's (Jesus') words in John 15:4–5 are not a suggestion; they are a spiritual law. “Abide in Me, and I in you.” Fruit does not come from striving branches but from connected ones. Life flows not from effort, but from union. Identity nurtures intimacy, and intimacy fuels obedience. When we abide, obedience becomes a response of love rather than a requirement of pressure. What once felt difficult becomes natural, because it flows from relationship, not resistance.

Practicing the presence of God is learning to live aware of Him in every moment. It is not confined to prayer rooms or worship gatherings; it is carried into ordinary life. It is learning to listen before reacting, to acknowledge Him in every decision, to invite His presence into every thought and conversation. Abiding turns the ordinary into holy ground. The believer who abides does not visit God—they dwell with Him.

As intimacy deepens, obedience follows. Not forced obedience, but willing obedience. Not fearful compliance, but joyful alignment. When the heart is anchored in His presence, sin loses its appeal, distractions lose their power, and the voice of the Spirit becomes unmistakably clear. The branch does not struggle to bear fruit; it simply stays connected to the vine. In the same way, the believer who abides finds that holiness grows organically, and faithfulness becomes the overflow of love.

Abiding as a lifestyle reshapes everything. It changes how we respond to pressure, how we walk through suffering, and how we carry responsibility. It teaches us to draw strength from the nearness of God rather than from our own reserves. The more we abide, the more we become aware that apart from Him we can do nothing—but in Him, everything He intends flows freely through us.

Friend, slow your soul and settle into His presence. Release the need to strive and choose to remain. Abide until His nearness becomes your atmosphere and His voice becomes your anchor. Let intimacy silence distraction, and let connection replace effort. Stay in the Vine until life flows freely through you and fruit becomes inevitable. This is your invitation—dwell, remain, abide. Practice His presence until obedience becomes joy and your life becomes living proof of union with Yeshua. Do not rush ahead—stay close, and let His life carry you.

Your family in the Lord with much agape love,

George & Baht Rivka (Jacksonsville, Florida)

Friend, renewing the mind: thinking heaven's thoughts!

2 Corinthians 10:4-5 For the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds, 5  pulling down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought into the obedience of Christ; 

The life of the new creation is lived from the inside out, and the primary battleground is the mind. Salvation transforms the spirit in a moment, but transformation of the mind is a daily work of the Spirit. The new creation cannot be sustained with old thought patterns. If identity is to be lived out fully, the mind must be renewed to agree with heaven rather than echo the world.

Paul declares in 2 Corinthians 10:4–5 that the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to demolish strongholds, to cast down imaginations, and to take every thought captive to the obedience of Yeshua (Jesus). This tells us something vital: not every thought we have belongs to us, and not every thought deserves permission to remain. Thoughts shape beliefs, beliefs shape actions, and actions shape lives. Left unchallenged, the mind becomes a stronghold; surrendered to the Spirit, it becomes a sanctuary.

Renewing the mind is not positive thinking—it is truth thinking. It is learning to recognize which thoughts are formed by fear, pride, offense, shame, or past wounds, and refusing them access to our inner life. It is replacing lies with truth, reactions with revelation, and assumptions with obedience. The Spirit does not merely comfort the mind; He reorders it. He trains us to think according to the Word, to respond according to truth, and to see according to heaven’s perspective.

When the mind is renewed, captivity breaks. Old narratives lose their authority. The voices of accusation, insecurity, and compromise grow quieter as the voice of the Spirit grows stronger. We stop living from old agreements and begin living from our new identity. The renewed mind becomes the gateway through which peace flows, discernment sharpens, and obedience becomes joyful rather than burdensome.

To think heaven’s thoughts is to align our inner world with God’s reality. It is to let the Word of God govern our emotions, guide our decisions, and shape our expectations. This is not a one-time act but a lifelong discipline—a holy resistance against anything that exalts itself above the knowledge of God. The renewed mind becomes the lens through which the new creation sees, interprets, and engages the world.

Friend, take authority over your mind. Tear down every stronghold built on lies, fear, and old agreements. Refuse every thought that exalts itself above the truth of who God says you are. Bring your mind into submission to Messiah and let the Spirit rewire your thinking with heaven’s truth. Let peace replace chaos, truth silence deception, and obedience overtake impulse. This is your hour to think differently, live differently, and walk boldly as a new creation. Align your thoughts with heaven, and watch your life follow. Renew your mind—and step fully into freedom.

Your family in the Lord with much agape love,

George & Baht Rivka (Mississippi)

Friend, the remnant and the flame!

Revelation 12:11  And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. 

Chanukah reveals a pattern written into the heart of God: He preserves His purposes through a remnant. When the Temple was defiled and the nation fractured, deliverance did not come through the many, the powerful, or the celebrated, but through a small company of faithful men who refused to bow.

While each year the legend of the miracle of the oil is remembered, the deeper testimony of Chanukah is the unwavering obedience of the Maccabees themselves. Outnumbered and outmatched, they stood against overwhelming odds, and what should have been extinguished endured—not because circumstances shifted, but because God was with those who would not surrender their allegiance.

Scripture consistently reveals this way of God. When Elijah believed he stood alone, the Lord declared that seven thousand had not bowed the knee to Baal—hidden, faithful, unrecognized by the world, yet fully known by heaven. In the same way, the Maccabean remnant was unimpressive by worldly standards, yet immovable in devotion. God has never required large numbers to fulfill eternal purposes—only consecrated hearts.

Yeshua (Jesus) carried this truth forward when He warned that the end of the age would be marked by endurance. He spoke of delay, pressure, and love growing cold, declaring that only those who endure to the end will stand. In the parable of the virgins, the Bridegroom tarried, and only those who had prepared endured the night. The difference was not visibility or zeal, but perseverance—faith guarded over time.

The remnant is defined not by size, but by loyalty. Their light is sustained not by hype or momentum, but by obedience in obscurity. Revelation declares that they overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony, loving not their lives even unto death. This is faithfulness when deliverance is delayed and the night stretches long.

Friend, Chanukah speaks directly to this hour. The flame does not need to be loud—it must be alive. You were never called to be many, only faithful. The victory of Chanukah was won not by strength or strategy, but by consecration. A handful stood firm, and heaven answered. The same God who strengthened the Maccabees still sustains His people today. Stand your ground. Keep your allegiance pure. Hold your faith unshaken. The King is returning, and He is coming for those who remain faithful when the odds are against them.

Shabbat shalom, until Monday! Have a great weekend in the Lord!

Your family in the Lord with much agape love,

George & Baht Rivka (Mississippi)

Friend, the war for worship: when light confronts idols!

Daniel 11:32  He shall seduce with flattery those who violate the covenant, but the people who know their God shall stand firm and take action. 

Revelation 13:6-8  And it opened its mouth in blasphemy toward God, to blaspheme His name and His tabernacle, and those dwelling in Heaven. 7  And it was given to it to war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given to it over every tribe and tongue and nation. 8  And all dwelling on the earth will worship it, those whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain, from the foundation of the world. 

Chanukah reveals a truth that echoes across every generation: the greatest battles are never merely between light and darkness, but between true worship and counterfeit allegiance. Darkness is not the root -- it is the fruit. At the core of every spiritual conflict is a contest over who or what will be worshiped.

The spirit behind Antiochus Epiphanes was not simply political tyranny or cultural domination—it was enforced worship. His goal was not just to control territory, but to seize the holy place, replace the altar, and enthrone false gods where the presence of the Holy One belonged. By outlawing Torah, desecrating the Temple, and compelling obedience to Greek idol worship, Antiochus revealed the ancient strategy of darkness: remove covenant, redefine truth, and demand allegiance.

This same spirit reappeared in Roman emperor worship, where loyalty to Caesar was framed as civic duty and refusal was labeled treason. And Scripture makes clear that it will rise again in the last days, when systems of power will not merely oppose God -- but demand worship in His place. Revelation declares that all the earth will be pressed to bow, not by persuasion alone, but by survival itself.

Idolatry rarely announces itself as rebellion. More often, it disguises itself as culture, convenience, progress, and compliance. It speaks the language of peace and unity while quietly shifting allegiance away from God. Worship, in the biblical sense, is not primarily music or ritual—it is loyalty. It is obedience. It is who sits on the throne of the heart when obedience becomes costly.

This is why God allows pressure. Testing does not create devotion -- it reveals it. When faith is challenged, when obedience costs comfort or reputation, the true object of worship is exposed. Daniel declares that "the people who know their God shall stand firm and take action." History turns on this dividing line. Those who know God do not merely endure -- they resist, they refuse, and they remain faithful.

Chanukah stands as a prophetic witness that light confronts idols not by negotiation, but by consecration. The Maccabees did not debate the idols -- they tore them down. They did not blend worship -- they restored it. Their stand reminds us that worship cannot be shared, diluted, or postponed without consequence.

Friend, on the last days, worship will not be optional -- it will be demanded. Allegiance will be tested, and neutrality will disappear. Chanukah prepares a people who already know whom they serve, whose loyalty has been settled before the pressure comes. When false gods rise, and the world calls for compliance, may your answer be unmovable: the altar belongs to the Lord alone. Let your life declare it. Let your obedience prove it. And let the light you carry expose every idol that dares to stand in the holy place.

Your family in the Lord with much agape love,

George & Baht Rivka (Mississippi)

Friend, dedication and identity: you are the Temple!

1 Cor. 6:19-20  Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit in you, whom you have of God? And you are not your own, 20  for you are bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's. 

The rededication of the Temple in the days of the Maccabees was more than the restoration of a building -- it was a prophetic declaration that God had not abandoned His people. Though the holy place had been defiled, heaven had not withdrawn. The cleansing of the Temple announced that the Presence of the Holy One still desired to dwell among a consecrated people. What was polluted was removed. What was holy was restored. Light returned where darkness had ruled.

In Yeshua (Jesus), this truth reaches its fullness. The apostle Paul declares that you are now the Temple of the Holy Spirit, bought with a price and inhabited by God Himself. The dwelling place of heaven is no longer confined to stone and gold -- it now resides within surrendered hearts. Chanukah, therefore, moves from history into identity. The question is no longer merely about a building in Jerusalem, but about the condition of the sanctuary within you.

Chanukah becomes personal -- and unavoidable. What altars have been allowed to stand in the holy place of your life? What compromises have quietly taken root where only the Presence of God belongs? Dedication is not a moment of emotion; it is a posture of obedience. It is the daily, intentional choice to tear down what defiles and to align every part of life with the authority of heaven. Cleansing always precedes filling.

Friend, before God fills the Temple, He cleanses it. Before light shines outward, surrender must happen inward. Chanukah calls us to rededicate the holy place within—to remove what does not belong, to guard what is sacred, and to allow the Light of Messiah to dwell fully and without rival.

Your family in the Lord with much agape love,

George & Baht Rivka (Mississippi)

Friend, oil, light, and the hidden miracle!

Matthew 25:6-13  And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom comes! Go out to meet him. 7  Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. 8  And the foolish said to the wise, Give us some of your oil, for our lamps have gone out. 9  But the wise answered, saying, No, lest there be not enough for us and you. But rather go to those who sell, and buy for yourselves. 10  And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came. And they who were ready went in with him to the marriage, and the door was shut. 11  Afterwards the other virgins came also, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. 12  But he answered and said, Truly I say to you, I do not know you. 13  Therefore watch, for you do not know either the day or the hour in which the Son of Man comes. 

The best-known miracle of Chanukah, preserved in Jewish tradition rather than recorded in the Hebrew Scriptures, tells of a single, undefiled cruse of oil—enough for only one day—yet it burned for eight. Whether remembered as history or received as sacred legend, its message is relevant for us.  In the aftermath of desecration, when compromise had polluted nearly everything in the Temple, the issue was never abundance but holiness. Heaven did not count how much oil remained; it honored what had not been defiled. What endured was not the quantity of oil, but the purity of what was left.

Throughout Scripture, oil represents anointing, consecration, and the life of the Spirit of God. The menorah was never merely just a functional source of light—it was a living testimony that the presence of God still dwelt among His people. When the Temple was defiled, the true crisis was not darkness alone, but the threat of an extinguished presence.

It is here that Chanukah reaches forward into the words of Yeshua (Jesus) Himself. In Matthew 25, He spoke of ten virgins awaiting the Bridegroom—five wise and five foolish. All carried lamps. All had light at one time. Yet only those who carried oil in reserve were able to endure the delay. The foolish were not excluded for lacking lamps, but for neglecting oil. In the last days, Yeshua warned, lawlessness would increase, and the love of many would grow cold. The flame does not vanish in a moment—it fades slowly when oil is neglected.

God did not multiply what was diluted—He honored what was undefiled. This is the hidden miracle of Chanukah: faithfulness sustains light longer than reason says it should. What the world calls insufficient, heaven calls enough—if it remains pure and consecrated.

Zechariah’s vision declares, “Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit.” Chanukah reminds us that revival does not begin with crowds, resources, or momentum—it begins with devotion. It begins with those who refuse to let their oil run dry in an age marked by delay, distraction, and compromise.

Friend, Chanukah, then, stands as a holy summons for us to examine our lamps and ensure they are filled with oil. It calls us to shine with a love the world can see, even under pressure, remaining unblemished by the world and untouched by compromise. Undeterred, resolute, and strong, we are to stand as living menorahs in dark days—bearing a light so steady and pure that all may know our lamp is not flickering, but burning brightly before God and before men.

Your family in the Lord with much agape love,

George & Baht Rivka (Mississippi)

Friend, a light in dark times: why Chanukah matters!

Matthew 24:15 “Therefore when you see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (whoever reads, let him understand).”

As people around the world gathered last night to light the first candle of Chanukah, I want to explain that this feast is far more than a historical remembrance—it is a prophetic key. For this reason, I am stepping aside briefly from the current series to focus on Chanukah and why it must be studied, discerned, and understood for its end-time significance.

Yeshua (Jesus) did not casually reference the abomination of desolation in Matthew 24. When He warned of what would unfold in the last days, He deliberately anchored His words in history and added a sobering instruction: “whoever reads, let him understand.” He was not speaking in riddles -- He was pointing back to the desecration of the Temple under Antiochus Epiphanes, the very crisis that gave birth to Chanukah. In essence, Yeshua was declaring that the pattern for the end is revealed in the events that preceded the Feast of Dedication. If we want to understand what is coming, we must understand what has already been.

Chanukah does not arise from ease or celebration, but from violent collision. In the second century BC, the Jewish people faced an existential threat that went far beyond armies or politics. This was a direct spiritual assault aimed at the heart of covenant faith. Antiochus IV Epiphanes sought to erase Jewish identity by enforcing Greek idol worship, outlawing Torah, desecrating the Temple, and enthroning pagan gods where the Presence of the Holy One had dwelt. This was not a cultural exchange—it was enforced apostasy.

Altars to Zeus were raised in the holy place. Swine were sacrificed on God’s altar. Circumcision was criminalized. Torah obedience was punishable by death. The objective was unmistakable: to replace the worship of the living God with the worship of human reason, beauty, power, and false gods. The war was not merely over land—it was over worship. It was a battle to determine who would be exalted and who would define truth.

The name Chanukah (חֲנֻכָּה) means dedication. It speaks of the cleansing and rededication of the House of God, but even more powerfully, of a people who refused to bow their knees to idols. They chose covenant over convenience, obedience over survival, faithfulness over fear. Chanukah proclaims a timeless truth: identity is not preserved through compromise, but through consecration.

Every generation is summoned to its moment of decision. The spirits that drove Antiochus never disappear—they change their garments. Idols no longer demand incense; they demand agreement. They speak the language of culture, progress, intellect, and self-preservation, yet they still require the same offering: surrender. Chanukah rises like a prophetic alarm in the night, refusing to negotiate with darkness. It does not whisper—it issues a verdict.

Friend, will you bow to what is celebrated by the world, or will you stand consumed by the fire of God? For when pressure intensifies, and compromise feels safest, heaven searches the earth for men and women who will not bend, who will not blend, who will not betray their consecration. These are the ones who carry the light—not because the darkness is weak, but because the God who dwells within them is unyielding.  Chanukah is a reminder that those who know their God shall stand firm, refuse compromise, and take decisive action -- lighting the darkness with uncompromising faith and holy obedience.

Your family in the Lord with much agape love,

George & Baht Rivka (Mississippi)

Friend, putting on Messiah: dressing in the new creation!

Colossians 3:12-17  Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender feelings of mercy, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering, 13  forbearing one another and forgiving yourselves, if anyone has a complaint against any. As Christ forgave you, so also you do.  14  And above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfectness.  15  And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which you also are called in one body, and be thankful. 16  Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17  And everything, whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him. 

Once identity has been embraced, and once the old nature has been put off, Scripture calls us into the next movement of transformation: putting on Yeshua (Jesus) Himself. Identity is not merely something we believe -- it is something we wear. It becomes visible, tangible, and unmistakable as we clothe ourselves in the character of the One who redeemed us.

Paul urges us in Colossians 3:12–17 to “put on” compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forgiveness, and above all, love -- which binds every other virtue together in perfect unity. These qualities are not accessories we add to our lives; they are the very garments of the new creation. They reveal who we belong to. They reveal who we are becoming. They reveal Yeshua living His life through us.

Just as clothing distinguishes identity in the natural, spiritual clothing distinguishes identity in the Kingdom. When we put on Yeshua, our responses change. Our reflexes soften. Our priorities shift. Our language becomes seasoned with grace. Our hearts become moved by compassion. We begin to embody the very nature we have received. The world does not see our theology -- they see our garments. They discern Yeshua not by our declarations, but by our demonstration.

Putting on Yeshua is not passive -- it is intentional. It means choosing gentleness when we feel justified in harshness, choosing patience when we’re tempted to rush, choosing humility when pride knocks loudly at the door. It is the daily decision to let the peace of Messiah rule in our hearts and the Word of Yeshua to dwell richly within us. It is dressing ourselves with the life of the Spirit so fully that the old garments cannot cling to us anymore.

To put on Yeshua is to allow His character to shape our conduct. It is to walk through this world not as those uncertain of who we are, but as those whose identity shines through every action. It is to carry the fragrance of His presence, the tone of His mercy, the strength of His gentleness. It is to become, day by day, a visible expression of the invisible God.

Friend, it is time to clothe yourself with Yeshua. Cast aside every garment that belongs to the old life and wrap yourself in the virtues of the new. Put on compassion until your heart beats with His. Put on humility until pride finds no resting place. Put on love until it becomes the language of your very being. Let the peace of Yeshua rule you, let the Word of Yeshua fill you, and let the life of Yeshua shine through you. Rise and dress yourself in the radiance of the new creation, for the world is waiting to see Him in you. Do not delay -- put on Yeshua, and walk in the beauty of the One whose image you bear.

Shabbat Shalom ... have a great weekend and we'll see you the first thing on Monday morning!

Your family in the Lord with much agape love,

George & Baht Rivka (Mississippi)

Friend, from 'wretched man' to victorious son!

Romans 7:24-25 Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin. 

Romans 8:1-2  There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.  2  But the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. 

Every believer walking the path of sanctification soon discovers that the Christian life is a battleground—not because we are weak, but because we have been awakened. When the Spirit makes us alive, the war between flesh and Spirit intensifies. This inner conflict is not evidence of failure; it is evidence of formation. It means the Spirit is at work, confronting what once ruled us.

Paul himself understood this war well. The apostle cried out with honesty: “The things I want to do, I don’t do… and the things I hate, I do.” (Romans 7:15-25) An unbeliever did not speak these words; they came from a man being refined by the fire of holiness. And then he reaches the breaking point of every soul that longs to be fully surrendered: “O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from this body of death?” (Romans 7:24) In that cry, human strength collapses, and divine grace steps forward.

But Paul does not remain in the agony of Romans 7. He refuses to let the struggle speak louder than the Savior. Immediately, he lifts his eyes from his weakness to his Redeemer and declares: “I thank God—through Yeshua the Messiah our Lord!” This is the turning point of every believer’s journey. Identity rescues us where self-effort fails. Grace steps in where striving ends. What the flesh cannot overcome, union with Yeshua (Jesus) secures.

Romans 7 exposes the battle, but Romans 8 reveals the victory. Paul steps forward with boldness and proclaims: “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Messiah Yeshua… for the law of the Spirit of life in Messiah has set me free.” The struggle is real, but the victory is more real. The flesh is loud, but the Spirit is stronger. The conflict runs deep, but our identity in Yeshua runs deeper still.

Our wrestlings do not define us; we are defined by our union with Yeshua. Our failures do not shape us; we are shaped by His righteousness. We are not condemned in our weakness; His Spirit empowers us. The walk of a believer is not perfection—it is perseverance. It is the daily choosing of truth over temptation, Spirit over flesh, and identity over impulse. And slowly, steadily, the inner man is transformed into the image of Yeshua. We may groan like Paul, but we will also rise like Paul. We may struggle, but we will not be overcome.

Friend, do not fear the battle within you, for the very struggle you feel is the proof that the Spirit of the Living God dwells inside you. Do not bow to shame—rise in your identity. Do not let the voice of the flesh define what the blood of Yeshua has already settled. Lift your eyes from weakness to the One who is your strength. In Yeshua, there is no condemnation, no defeat, no final fall. The same Spirit that raised Yeshua from the dead is breathing victory into you now. Shake off every label of failure and stand as the redeemed son or daughter you truly are. Declare with Paul, “Thanks be to God—through Yeshua the Messiah my Lord!” Rise, beloved—your struggle is real, but your triumph is assured.

Your family in the Lord with much agape love,

George & Baht Rivka (Mississippi)

Friend, rejecting the old nature: a holy defiance!

Ephesians 4:22-24  to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23  and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds,  24  and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. 

As we walk deeper into our walk, we come face to face with a reality that cannot be ignored: the old nature does not quietly step aside. It must be put off. It must be denied. It must be crucified. Identity in Yeshua (Jesus) reveals who we are. Still, surrender begins to reshape us—and now we learn that walking in the Spirit requires a holy defiance against everything in us that belongs to the old life.

Paul commands us in Ephesians 4:22–24 to “put off the old self,” which is corrupted by deceitful desires, and to “put on the new self,” created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Notice the language: put off, be renewed, put on. This is intentional, decisive, and daily. The old nature does not die by neglect; it dies by rejection. It loses power when we refuse its voice, starve its habits, and strip it of authority. You cannot carry the old life into the new creation—one must yield to the other.

The old nature is built on lies—lies about God, lies about ourselves, lies about what will satisfy us. It pulls us toward patterns we have outgrown, mindsets we no longer belong to, appetites that no longer fit the new creation. When God calls you forward, the enemy will always try to pull you back into the familiar. But identity demands movement. Calling demands separation. The Spirit demands that the old garments be removed so the new can be seen.

Putting off the old nature is not a work of shame—it is a work of freedom. You are not rejecting yourself; you are rejecting what no longer belongs to you. You are not fighting for identity; you are fighting from identity. You are not trying to become someone new; you are aligning with who you already are in Yeshua. Every time you reject the old nature, you declare with your life: “I am not who I was—I am who He made me to be.”

The new creation life is not timid. It is bold. It is fierce. It is deliberate. It chooses righteousness over impulse, truth over deception, holiness over compromise. It refuses to negotiate with darkness. It refuses to revisit what God has buried. It refuses to let the grave speak louder than resurrection. To reject the old nature is to honor the price Messiah paid to make you new.

Friend, rise in holy defiance. Cast off the remnants of the old life. Break agreement with every lie, every memory, every appetite that calls you back to what died at the cross. Stand firm in the power of the Spirit and strip the old nature of its influence. You are not a prisoner—you are a new creation. You are not defined by what was—you are marked by what is eternal. Put off the old, and let the new blaze forth. Let righteousness clothe you. Let holiness crown you. Let truth reshape you. Step fully into the life Messiah has secured for you. Do not look back. Do not hesitate. What you reject loses power; what you embrace comes alive. Walk in the new creation with fire, resolve, and purity—this is your hour to arise.

Your family in the Lord with much agape love,

George & Baht Rivka (Jacksonsville, FL)

Friend, the surrendered will: yielding daily to the Spirit!

Galatians 5:16-25  I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17  For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18  But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19  Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20  idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21  envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.  22  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23  gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24  And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25  If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 

Now that we have laid the foundation—that identity becomes calling—we move into the first and most essential expression of our response: surrender. Identity without surrender becomes theory. Identity with surrender becomes transformation. Knowing who you are in Yeshua (Jesus) must lead to a yielded life, because the Spirit does not shape what we withhold. He forms what He fills, and He fills what is fully surrendered.

Paul lays out this Kingdom reality in Galatians 5:16-25, calling us to walk by the Spirit so that we do not fulfill the desires of the flesh. The flesh pulls us downward; the Spirit sends us heavenward. The flesh moves us toward self; the Spirit moves us toward Yeshua. The flesh demands control; the Spirit demands surrender. And the two are at war within us -- not because we are weak, but because we are being transformed. The presence of conflict is not a sign of failure; it is a sign of transformation.

To walk by the Spirit is not a one-time choice—it is a daily yielding, a moment-by-moment surrender of our will. Every day we lay our preferences, our impulses, our reactions, and our desires before God and acknowledge that His way is better. Every day we choose the voice of the Spirit over the voice of the world, the voice of truth over the voice of impulse, the voice of obedience over the voice of convenience.

For when we yield, the Spirit produces His fruit in us—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. These are not the results of human effort; they are the evidence of divine occupancy. They are proof—not of our discipline—but of His dominion. The fruit of the Spirit is the fragrance of a surrendered life. And as we yield daily, the inner war begins to shift. Desires change. Reactions soften. Thoughts align. And slowly, the life of Yeshua becomes visible within us.

To surrender is not to lose yourself—it is to discover who you truly are. It is to allow the Spirit to bring your Kingdom identity into full expression. It is to give Him access to every hidden corner so that nothing within you resists His shaping hand. True identity always leads to Spirit-led obedience, and true calling always flows from Spirit-filled surrender.

Friend, this is the hour to yield. Lay down the illusion of control and break agreement with every impulse that resists the Spirit. Open the gates of your will and let the King of Glory come in. The Spirit cannot fill what you clutch, nor form what you refuse to surrender. Yield—fully and fearlessly—until the old nature loses its grip and the fruit of the Spirit burns within you. This is the divine exchange: your will for His, your strength for His power. Step into the river of surrender and let the Spirit carry you into the fullness of your calling.

Your family in the Lord with much agape love,

George & Baht Rivka (Jacksonsville, FL)

Friend, when identity becomes calling!

Romans 12:1-2  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

If you’re just joining us on this journey, welcome. I’ve just completed a month-long series exploring our identity in the Messiah -- who we are because of His finished work, His love, His calling, and His transformative grace. We discovered that identity is not something we earn; it is something we receive. It is not fragile; it is rooted. It is not changing; it is anchored in the eternal purposes of God. But now we turn a corner, because identity is never meant to be the destination. It is meant to be the foundation. Identity is not the finish line -- it is the starting gate. And now that we know who we are in Messiah, we step into the next essential revelation: identity becomes calling.

Paul urges us in Romans 12:1–2 to present our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is our spiritual worship. He calls us not to be conformed to this world, but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds, so we may walk in the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God. Mercy comes first -- God reveals who we are; surrender follows -- we offer Him our whole lives; transformation unfolds -- our minds are renewed; and calling emerges -- we step into His will. Identity is the soil; calling is the fruit. You cannot live out your purpose until you’ve embraced your identity, and you cannot fully walk in your identity until you surrender to your calling.

Identity demands a response. When God reveals who you are, He is inviting you into something greater. If you are beloved, live loved. If you are chosen, walk set apart. If you are redeemed, stop living like a captive. If you are His workmanship, step into the works prepared for you. If you are a temple of the Spirit, honor the Presence you carry. If you are a new creation, walk as one whose old life has died. Identity is a holy summons -- calling you away from the patterns of this world, into the renewing power of the Spirit, into a life of worship expressed not merely in song, but in surrender.

Friend, your identity in Yeshua (Jesus) was never meant to sit unused like a forgotten gift. It was meant to shape how you think, how you speak, what you pursue, what you refuse, and how you live your life before God and before the world. In the Kingdom, identity is always connected to assignment. You are not just saved -- you are sent. You are not just forgiven -- you are formed. You are not just redeemed -- you are recruited into God’s purposes. And now begins the journey of walking this out in practical, daily obedience, letting the truth of who you are ignite the life you are called to live.

Your family in the Lord with much agape love,

George & Baht Rivka (Jacksonsville, FL)

Friend, the bride made ready -- identity in covenant love!

Revelation 19:7  Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready." 

Ephesians 5:25-27  Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her,  26  that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, 27  that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. 

Every journey of identity culminates in this: you are the Bride of Messiah. Not merely a servant, not merely a disciple, not merely a child — but a Bride being prepared for eternal union with the King. Revelation declares, “The bride has made herself ready,” and Paul reveals how: Messiah “loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify her… and present her to Himself a glorious church.”

Your identity is rooted in love — not human love, but covenant love, eternal love, bridal love. The Bride is not chosen because she is perfect; she becomes perfect because she is chosen. The Bride is not radiant because she strives; she is radiant because she is loved. The Bride does not prepare herself in fear, but in affection — responding to the One who laid His life down for her.

Identity becomes destiny when love becomes union. You are being made ready — washed by the Word, strengthened by the Spirit, adorned with righteousness, purified by His presence. And the more you understand who you are to Him, the more your life aligns with the purity and passion of the Bride.

Friend, awaken to the love that chose you before time began. Respond to His pursuit with your whole heart. Let His affection become the measure of your worth, His gaze the fire that purifies you, and His voice the invitation that draws you deeper into intimacy. Shake off every lesser identity and rise into the one He has spoken over you. You are the Bride of the Lamb — desired, cherished, pursued, and destined for unbreakable union with your Bridegroom King. And with the Spirit burning within you, lift your voice in harmony with heaven’s deepest cry: “Come, even so, come Lord!”

Shabbat Shalom ... have a wonderful weekend! We'll see you first thing on Monday!

Your family in the Lord with much agape love,

George (Jacksonsville, FL) & Baht Rivka (Jerusalem, Israel)

Friend, destiny and eternal glory -- when we see Him, we become like Him!

Colossians 3:4  When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. 

1 John 3:2  Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. 

Your identity is grounded in the present, but its fullness is revealed in the future. John writes, “Beloved, now we are children of God,” but also, “when He appears, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.” Identity begins now, but destiny is unveiled then — at the moment you behold the Bridegroom in glory.

Colossians echoes this truth: “When Yeshua (Jesus), who is our life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.” Your life is hidden with Him now, but one day it will be revealed in brilliance. Everything you have become in the secret place will shine openly. Everything He has formed within you will rise in splendor. The identity we discover by faith today will be seen in fullness on that Day.

Your destiny is not merely heaven — it is union. Every moment of your journey is preparing you for the unveiling of eternity. You are being fashioned as a Bride adorned for her Bridegroom — radiant, pure, and filled with the very glory of God. The Spirit is shaping you, refining you, and clothing you with splendor for that holy moment when the heavens open, the Bridegroom calls, and you appear with Him in glory. Redemption, transformation, adoption, sanctification — all of it is leading to one breathtaking revelation: you, fully restored, fully radiant, fully like Him.

Friend, so set your hope with unwavering certainty on that glorious day. Let every heartbeat lean toward His appearing. For when you behold the Bridegroom in His glory, you will step into the fullness of who you were created to be — perfected in love, crowned with light, and united forever with the One your soul loves.

Your family in the Lord with much agape love,

George (Baltimore) & Baht Rivka (Jerusalem, Israel)

Friend, transformed from glory to glory -- becoming what we behold!

2 Corinthians 3:18  But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. 

You become like whatever you behold. Identity is not shaped by striving but by seeing -- by gazing upon the glory of Yeshua (Jesus). Paul writes that as we behold "the glory of the Lord," we are "being transformed into the same image from glory to glory." Identity begins with revelation, but it matures through beholding.

Transformation is not self-improvement -- it is spiritual metamorphosis. Just as Moses' face shone when he encountered God on the mountain, your inner life shines when you behold the face of Yeshua. Beholding Him is not a moment; it is a posture. It is fixing your eyes on the One whose glory redefines your own.

Every glimpse of His love transforms your heart.
Every revelation of His truth renews your mind.
Every encounter with His presence reshapes your identity.

This is why the enemy fights to distract your attention -- because whatever captures your gaze eventually captures your nature. But when you behold the Lord, you rise into the identity He prepared for you.

Friend, lift your gaze and fix it upon Him day after day, moment by moment. Do not let the distractions of this world dim the radiance of His presence. Let His glory wash over you like a consuming fire and a cleansing river — reshaping your desires, renewing your mind, and awakening your spirit to who you truly are. For as you behold Him — deeply, consistently, intentionally — you will become like Him. His nature will mark you, His light will fill you, and His beauty will be reflected through your life. Behold Him… and watch His glory transform you from the inside out.

Your family in the Lord with much agape love,

George (Baltimore) & Baht Rivka (Jerusalem, Israel)

Friend, overcoming the accuser -- standing firm in your true identity!

Revelation 12:10-11  Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, "Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. 11  And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.

From the beginning, the enemy’s strategy has never been raw power — it has always been accusation. The serpent did not overpower Adam and Eve; he distorted their identity. He didn’t attack their strength; he attacked their perception of who they were and who God is. The battle has never changed. Revelation calls Satan “the accuser of our brethren,” whose weapon is the distortion of identity, shame, and fear. But it also declares his defeat: “They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony.”

The blood answers every accusation. The testimony establishes who you now are. The accuser speaks from your past, but the blood speaks from your redemption. The enemy whispers, “You are what you did,” but heaven declares, “You are who He made you to be.” Overcoming happens when you refuse to agree with the lie and stand firm in the truth — that you are forgiven, cleansed, righteous, beloved, and sealed by God.

The accuser seeks to remind you of who you were, but the Spirit reminds you of who you have become. Every time you declare your identity in Yeshua (Jesus) rather than your identity in the flesh, you strike a blow against the kingdom of darkness. Overcomers silence the accuser not by shouting louder, but by agreeing with the blood that speaks a better word.

Friend, rise up and stand unshakable in the identity the Lamb purchased with His own blood. Let His voice define you and silence every lie of the accuser. The blood speaks a better word — let that word thunder through your spirit. The enemy has no authority over what God has redeemed. So claim your victory, walk in that victory, and live from that victory — for you are redeemed, you are made new, and you belong wholly to Him.

Your family in the Lord with much agape love,

George (Baltimore) & Baht Rivka (Jerusalem, Israel)

Friend, co-heirs with Messiah -- sharing His inheritance and destiny!

Romans 8:16-17  The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17  and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. 

One of the most breathtaking truths of your identity in Yeshua (Jesus) is this: you are not merely forgiven — you are an heir. Not a servant in the house, not a distant relative, and not an outsider tolerated at the table, but a co-heir who shares the inheritance, authority, and destiny of the Son Himself. Paul declares, “If children, then heirs — heirs of God and joint heirs with Messiah” (Romans 8:17), a truth that reshapes everything about who you are.

You do not inherit from God; you inherit with the Son of God, and whatever belongs to Him He joyfully shares with you. This is not poetic imagery but heaven’s legal decree — you are written into the Father’s will because you are united with His Son. In ancient times, to be a co-heir meant full equality of inheritance, shared rights, and shared access. The Father placed everything in Yeshua’s hands and then placed you in Him, meaning you share in His life, His promises, His authority, His righteousness, His destiny, and even His glory.

You are not standing outside the gates; you are seated at the table of royalty. Your inheritance is both future and present — you walk in the Son’s authority today, steward His Kingdom on earth now, and carry the Spirit as the down payment of what is to come. Scripture says, “We will reign with Him” (2 Timothy 2:12), revealing that your destiny is royal and your life is meant to reflect His rule. Being a co-heir crushes every lie of insufficiency; you are not lacking, powerless, or insignificant. You carry the wealth of heaven, the authority of the Son, and the destiny of the Kingdom. Everything you need for your calling has already been placed in your inheritance.

Friend, lift your eyes — you are royalty. You are not striving to earn blessing; you are learning to steward it. You are not begging for access; you are living from it. You are not trying to create a destiny; you are stepping into the one He already prepared. Walk with the confidence of a son, stand with the authority of a royal heir, and live with the expectation of one who shares the destiny of Messiah Himself. You are not merely in the Kingdom — you are a co-heir with the King, sharing His inheritance, His authority, and His glory.

Your family in the Lord with much agape love,

George (Baltimore) & Baht Rivka (Jerusalem, Israel)

Friend, co-laborers with God - identity in divine partnership!

1 Corinthians 3:9  For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, you are God's building. 

From the very beginning, God’s intention for humanity was not simply to live before Him, but to work with Him. In Genesis, before sin ever touched the world, the Lord placed Adam in the garden “to tend it and keep it” (Genesis 2:15). This was not a curse or a burden — it was a sacred partnership. God formed the garden, but He entrusted its cultivation to man. From the start, heaven and earth were designed to operate together, united in purpose, reflecting divine collaboration rather than human independence.

This reveals something profound about your identity: you were created to co-labor with God.

You were crafted to steward what He creates, cultivate what He plants, expand what He initiates, and manifest what He desires. The very first commission ever given to humanity was not to rest, nor to escape responsibility, but to join God in His work and extend His order across creation. Partnership wasn’t added later — it was built into your design.

And even when the fall fractured humanity’s ability to steward creation, the design itself was never lost. In Yeshua (Jesus), it has been fully restored. Paul declares this stunning reality: “We are God’s fellow workers” (1 Corinthians 3:9). Not spectators on the sidelines. Not passive observers. Not servants who only obey commands. Fellow workers — partners in the Father’s business, sons and daughters trusted with Kingdom responsibility. Salvation did not rescue you from purpose; it restored you to purpose. The cross didn’t remove your calling; it redeemed it. The Spirit wasn’t given so you could stand still; He was given so you could co-labor with heaven on earth.

Just as Adam was entrusted with a garden, you have been entrusted with a field — the field of your calling, your influence, your relationships, your gifts, your assignments, your ministry, and the sphere of authority God has given you. Stewardship was humanity’s first mandate in Genesis, and in Messiah it becomes the first expression of your true identity. What God entrusts to you, heaven expects you to cultivate. What He places in your hands, He intends to multiply. What He plants in your heart, He desires to see bear fruit.

To co-labor with God means you are carrying His heart into the world, working with His strength rather than your own, building what He initiates, planting what He provides, watering what He entrusts, and harvesting what He brings to maturity. Every step, every assignment, every act of obedience is divine partnership in motion. Your stewardship today is preparation for your stewardship in eternity. Yeshua said, “You have been faithful over a few things; I will make you ruler over many” (Matthew 25:21). Earthly faithfulness becomes heavenly authority. Co-laboring now becomes co-reigning later. You tend fields in this age so you can receive kingdoms in the next.

You are not called to wander aimlessly through this world. Rather, you are partnering with the Creator of the universe. Heaven does not see you as weak, insignificant, or incapable. Heaven sees you as a trusted steward of divine assignments — one worthy of receiving tasks that carry eternal weight. God does not need you to accomplish His will — yet He chooses to accomplish His purposes through you. This is an honor beyond comprehension: the God who spoke galaxies into existence calls you His co-worker.

And you do not labor alone. The Spirit empowers you from within, the Son works through you, and the Father guides you alongside His own purposes. Your labor is not striving — it is synergy. It is a divine partnership unfolding in real time. You carry heaven’s resources, heaven’s authority, and heaven’s mandate into every task you undertake.

Friend, rise and take your place in the story God is writing. Lift your head and recognize that you are entrusted, empowered, and anointed to build with Him. Do not minimize the field God has given you, and do not bury the gifts He has planted within you. Everything He entrusts to you carries eternal purpose and Kingdom significance. Work with heaven’s strength, steward with heaven’s wisdom, labor with heaven’s love, and build with heaven’s authority.

You are not only saved; you are sent.
You are not only redeemed; you are commissioned.
You are not only loved; you are trusted.

You are a co-laborer with God — created to cultivate His Kingdom on earth and destined to steward His glory in the age to come.

Your family in the Lord with much agape love,

George (Baltimore) & Baht Rivka (Arad, Israel)

Editor's Note: Happy Thanksgiving to all our U.S. readers! Have a blessed holiday!

Friend, the new creation: identity beyond the old self!

Colossians 3:1-3  If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2  Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3  For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 

One of the most powerful truths of the gospel is this: when you came to Yeshua (Jesus), God didn’t upgrade your old life — He ended it. Salvation is not renovation; it is resurrection. Your old identity didn’t get repaired — it got crucified. Scripture declares, “If anyone is in Messiah, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

This is not a metaphor — it is heaven’s legal record of your life. The day you believed, the old you died. Your past was buried with Messiah, and your new identity was raised with Him. “For you died, and your life is hidden with Messiah in God” (Colossians 3:3). You didn’t just receive forgiveness — you received a completely new nature, born from resurrection life, not from your past story.

Your heavenly identity is no longer tied to old wounds, old patterns, old labels, or old failures. Those belonged to a version of you that no longer exists. The enemy can only whisper to the corpse of your old self — but heaven speaks to the new creation you have become. The accuser calls from the grave; the Spirit calls from the empty tomb.

To walk as a new creation is to stop digging up what God buried. You cannot carry grave clothes while trying to live in resurrection life. The renewed mind doesn’t try to fix the old man — it awakens to the new one. “It is no longer I who live, but Messiah lives in me” (Galatians 2:20). Your identity is now found in His life, His Spirit, His power, His righteousness. Heaven sees Christ in you — and sees you in Christ.

You are not a sinner trying to be righteous — you are the righteousness of God learning how to walk. You are not a prisoner trying to escape — you are the free learning how to live free. You are not an orphan searching for home — you are a son or daughter discovering your inheritance. You are not the old creation striving into the new — you are the new creation shedding the memory of the old.

Your identity is not the sum of your past — it is the fruit of His resurrection. You are new because He is new. You live because He lives in you. You are whole because He has restored you. Heaven does not see you as improving — heaven sees you as reborn.

Friend, stop wrestling with a ghost — the old you is gone. Step out of the graveyard of who you once were and into the resurrection life you have been made new to walk in. Let the Spirit renew your mind until every thought, every word, and every step flows from the truth of who you are in Him. So rise and walk in resurrection life — alive with His power, clothed in His righteousness, and radiant with His image. The old has passed away, the new has come, and heaven rejoices over the new creation you have become in Him.

Your family in the Lord with much agape love,

George (Baltimore) & Baht Rivka (Arad, Israel)

Friend, the Father's delight: identity rooted in His love!

1 John 3:1  Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. 

One of the most neglected truths in the Body of Messiah is also one of the most transformative: You are the Father’s delight. Not His burden, not His disappointment, not His afterthought -- His delight.

Identity does not begin with what you do for God; it begins with how God feels about you. Before you lifted a hand in worship, prayed your first prayer, or took your first breath, the Father loved you with an everlasting love. His delight in you is not based on your performance but on your position in His Son.

At Yeshua’s baptism, before He healed a single person, preached a single sermon, or performed a single miracle, heaven opened and the voice of the Father thundered: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:17)

Notice this divine pattern:
Identity first, assignment second.
Belovedness first, ministry second.
Delight first, destiny second.

The Father speaks the same identity over you. Because you are in Yeshua (Jesus), the words spoken over Him are now spoken over you. Heaven’s declaration over your life is not, “Do better.” It is: “You are My beloved child, and My delight is in you.”

Many believers live their entire lives trying to earn what God has already given -- love, approval, acceptance. But you cannot earn what was freely bestowed before your beginning. You didn’t enter God’s love through your behavior; you entered through your birth -- your spiritual birth into His family.

Identity rooted in love is unshakable. It silences shame, heals wounds, and crushes the orphan spirit. When you know the Father delights in you, fear loses its voice, striving loses its grip, and insecurity loses its power. You no longer live to be loved -- you live from love. You no longer fight for approval -- you move from approval.

This love is not fragile or fleeting. It is eternal, unchanging, anchored in the very nature of God. "See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!" (1 John 3:1). The Father doesn’t love you minimally -- He lavishes love upon you. He pours it out in abundance. His pleasure rests on you, not reluctantly, but joyfully.

The Father’s heart is not distant or guarded. He rejoices over you with singing (Zephaniah 3:17). He has engraved your name on the palm of His hands (Isaiah 49:16). He numbers every hair on your head (Luke 12:7). His thoughts toward you outnumber the grains of sand (Psalm 139:17–18). You are not merely accepted -- you are celebrated.

And when the Father delights in you, He speaks blessing over you. In Jewish tradition, fathers bless their children weekly -- not based on behavior, but identity. The heavenly Father does the same. He speaks life over your destiny, affirmation over your identity, and joy over your future.

The enemy attacks where identity is unclear because he knows that a son or daughter convinced of the Father’s love is unstoppable. You will never walk in your full identity until you know the Father’s heart for you. You will never walk in confidence until you know you are cherished. And you will never walk in freedom until you receive the love that sets you free.

Friend, let the striving cease. Let the fear dissolve. Let the orphan spirit be silenced. You are not fighting for a place in the Father’s heart—you already have one. Stop measuring His love through your failures and start receiving it through His faithfulness. Lift your eyes and let His delight wash over you until every lie of unworthiness breaks. You are His beloved child. You are His delight. You are His joy. Rest in the embrace of the Father who loved you first, loves you now, and will love you forever. Let His delight define your identity -- because the One who formed you has called you His own.

Your family in the Lord with much agape love,

George (Baltimore) & Baht Rivka (Arad, Israel)

Friend, citizens of heaven: living from a higher kingdom!

Philippians 3:20-21  For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21  who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself. 

When you came to Yeshua (Jesus), everything about your identity shifted -- even your citizenship. You may still walk upon earthly soil, but heaven has become your true homeland. Paul reveals this profound reality when he writes, “Our citizenship is in heaven, from which we eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Yeshua Messiah” (Philippians 3:20). This is not poetic language; it is a legal and spiritual identity. The limitations, systems, or identity markers of this world no longer define you. You belong to another Kingdom -- a Kingdom that cannot be shaken, governed by a King who cannot be dethroned, and marked by a glory that cannot fade.

Heaven is not simply your future destination; it is your present identity in Messiah. You were born from above, sealed by heaven, filled with heaven’s Spirit, and assigned heaven’s purpose. You carry the DNA of the Kingdom. You operate under its authority. This means you live differently because you see differently. While earth reacts, heaven rules. While earth fears, heaven trusts. While earth clings, heaven releases. While earth fights for position, heaven walks in purpose. While earth seeks recognition, heaven rests in identity.

When the reality of your heavenly citizenship truly takes hold, everything begins to shift. You stop striving for human approval and begin walking in divine assignment. You stop being shaped by culture and instead become one who shapes culture. You stop interpreting your life through the pressure of earthly circumstances and start seeing from the perspective of heaven. As Paul exhorts, "Set your minds on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Messiah in God" (Colossians 3:2–3). To live as a citizen of heaven means your viewpoint rises to where your spirit already sits -- with Him in heavenly places. You no longer view life from the valley but from the throne room. You no longer interpret identity through adversity but interpret adversity through identity.

As citizens of heaven, we are also ambassadors of heaven on earth -- representatives of divine justice, peace, authority, and reconciliation. Heaven has assigned you to reveal its values, express its culture, carry its power, and demonstrate its heart. This world does not shape you; you are sent into it with the culture of another Kingdom. And as a citizen of heaven, you live under heaven’s protection. Earthly kingdoms may rise and fall, but your citizenship is eternal. Earthly identities may shift and change, but your heavenly identity is immovable. Earthly nations may be shaken, but the Kingdom you belong to stands forever.

This world is not your home; it is your assignment. Your loyalty is to your King. Your identity flows from above, not below. Your destiny is shaped by eternity, not time.

Friend, lift your eyes and live from where you truly belong. Once you realize that you are a spiritual being having an earthly experience — not an earthly being trying to reach heaven — everything changes. You begin to live as a heavenly citizen with a divine purpose for this brief and temporal world. Let heaven define your priorities, decisions, values, and vision. Do not let the noise of this world drown out the voice of your King. Walk with the dignity of one who belongs to a royal Kingdom; speak with the authority of heaven’s ambassador; live with the purity of one set apart; and move with the confidence of one protected by His reign. You are not simply journeying toward heaven — you already belong to it. So live as a citizen of the Kingdom that cannot be shaken, for the King Himself lives within you.

Your family in the Lord with much agape love,

George & Baht Rivka (Arad, Israel)

Friend, kingdom authority: power to overcome darkness!

Luke 10:19-20  Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. 20  Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven."

When you were born into the Kingdom of God, you were not placed into a position of spiritual survival — you were placed into a position of spiritual authority. Yeshua (Jesus) didn’t merely save you from darkness; He empowered you to overcome it. Your identity in Messiah includes not only love, adoption, and righteousness, but also kingdom authority to tread on the powers that once tried to destroy you.

Yeshua declared this authority plainly: “Behold, I give you authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you” (Luke 10:19). Authority is not a feeling — it is a position. It is not something you earn — it is something you receive. It flows from who you are in Him, not from what you do for Him.

Heaven sees you seated with Messiah in heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6). From that position, all forces of darkness are under your feet because they are under His feet — and you are in Him. This is why you do not fight for victory; you fight from victory. You do not strive to overcome; you stand in the One who already has.

Many believers walk in fear because they do not understand the authority they carry. The enemy knows what you have been given — he only hopes you do not. But the moment a son or daughter of God recognizes their authority, hell trembles. When you speak in the name of Yeshua, demons must flee. When you resist the devil, he must run. When you stand in faith, darkness loses its grip.

You are not a victim of spiritual warfare — you are equipped for it. The same Spirit that empowered Yeshua in the wilderness now empowers you. The same authority that silenced demons, healed the sick, and crushed the works of darkness is the authority placed upon your life. For Scripture says, “The weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for the pulling down of strongholds” (2 Corinthians 10:4).

But kingdom authority is not harsh or arrogant — it is rooted in identity, steeped in intimacy, and expressed through love. Kings rule; priests intercede — and you are both. You carry the authority of a king and the heart of a priest. Authority without intimacy becomes cold; intimacy without authority becomes timid. In Messiah, you are called to walk in both — the tenderness of the priest and the boldness of the king.

When you speak forgiveness, the shackles of guilt break.
When you speak truth, deception is shattered.
When you speak life, death loses its voice.
When you speak the Word, darkness bows.

And you do not fight alone — heaven fights with you. The Captain of the Lord’s host stands behind your decree. Angels are sent forth on assignment when you pray according to His will. You are not swinging earthly weapons — you are wielding heavenly authority.

Authority is not the absence of battle — it is the guarantee of victory. The enemy will challenge you, but he cannot defeat the One who lives within you. You carry the name above every name, the blood that silences accusation, and the Spirit who cannot be overcome.

Friend, rise up in the authority given to you by your King. Do not shrink back when darkness presses — advance in the power of the Spirit. Speak the Word. Stand your ground. Take dominion over every lie, every attack, and every shadow.

You are not powerless.
You are not vulnerable.
You are not weak.

You are a king-priest in the Kingdom of God — anointed, empowered, and commissioned to overcome every work of darkness. Walk in your authority. Declare His victory. Advance His Kingdom. For the One who reigns lives in you — and His victory is now your identity.

Shabbat Shalom -- walk in His victory this weekend as you rest in Him! Be blessed and we'll see you first thing on Monday!

Your family in the Lord with much agape love,

George & Baht Rivka (Arad, Israel)

Friend, a new name: identity defined by God's declaration!

Revelation 2:17  "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it."

All throughout Scripture, when God called someone into a new destiny, He gave them a new name. A name wasn't merely a label -- it was an identity, a calling, a destiny spoken into being by the mouth of God Himself. When the Almighty changes a name, He is not describing who you were -- He is declaring who you are in Him.

Abram became Abraham -- exalted father became "father of many nations."
Sarai became Sarah -- barren became "mother of nations."
Jacob became Israel -- deceiver became "one who prevails with God."

Each new name carried divine purpose and heavenly authority. It was God's way of rewriting a person's story, breaking the identity of the past, and revealing their destiny in the Kingdom.

And beloved, the God who renamed them also renames you. In Yeshua (Jesus), you are no longer called by the names your past gave you -- sinner, broken, rejected, unworthy, forgotten. Heaven calls you by a name that reflects who you are in Christ, not who you were in Adam. God does not speak to your failures; He speaks to your future.

Revelation 2:17 unveils this mystery: "To the one who overcomes... I will give a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it."

Think of this -- heaven has a name for you that no one else knows. A name whispered from the heart of God, spoken in love, tailored to your identity, your calling, your story. A name that only your Father can give. A name that carries your destiny.

Yeshua Himself promised that His sheep would be called by name. "He calls His own sheep by name and leads them out" (John 10:3). He does not lead you with labels -- He leads you with identity. The world may call you one thing, but the Shepherd calls you by the name heaven has written over your life.

In Yeshua you have been given names that reflect your true nature: Chosen. Redeemed. Beloved. Son. Daughter. Priest. Overcomer. Bride.

But these are only the beginning. Above all of them, the Father has spoken something personal, unique, eternal -- a name no one else knows but you and Him. This name carries your identity, your purpose, your calling. It breaks the power of every false name spoken over you -- every insult, every wound, every lie the enemy ever used to shape your identity.

The new name God gives is not earned -- it is received. It is the fruit of intimacy, identity, and transformation. As you walk with Him, the more clearly you hear it. The closer you draw, the more deeply it shapes you.

Heaven's name over you is stronger than every label the world has tried to place on you. It is louder than the voice of shame, bolder than the wounds of your past, and more enduring than any earthly identity.

Friend, lift your heart today and ask the Father to speak His name over you. Silence the voices of the past, the accusations of the enemy, and the labels of men. Listen for the whisper of heaven -- the name spoken from the throne, the name written on the white stone, the name that reveals who you are in Him. You are not who you were. You are who He says you are. You carry a new identity, a new destiny, a new name. Let heaven's declaration define you -- for the Father has named you, and His word is final.

Your family in the Lord with much agape love,

George & Baht Rivka (Arad, Israel)