Heaven's Leaven

Heaven's Leaven
The River of Life
The Witness in the World
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Jesus spoke a parable, “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three pecks of meal until it was all leavened.” (Matthew 13:33)

The kingdom of heaven is the rule and reign of God. It is found in every place that is touched by the ways of Adonai, the Master and Lord of the universe. He has allowed His beautiful, perfect creation to be spoiled by the sin of man until that day when “He Who sits on the throne says, ‘Behold, I am making all things new.’” (Revelation 21:5a)

The kingdom of heaven is found where His love rules. It is likened to leaven in bread dough. Leaven (usually yeast) permeates the dough slowly and hiddenly until it is completely changed (raised). Leaven is defined as a spreading, permeating influence that transforms something negatively or positively. (Jesus warned His disciples to beware of the negative leaven of the Pharisees. See Mark 8:15)

God’s positive reign of love infiltrates the world in small whispers and acts that seem insignificant and are often unnoticed; yet they are a powerful, transforming, unstoppable force in this world. Jesus prayed, “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is I heaven.” (Matthew 6:10)

The events of this world swirl around us. Evil, ugly, frightening leaven backed by money and multiplied by greed and deceit schemes to back us in a corner and rule over us. All this foulness is accompanied by personal trials in our health, finances, and relationships. Each day brings new grief and injustice.

The River of Life
Ahh! But “There is a River whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy dwelling places of the Most High.” (Psalm 46:4) Heaven’s leaven is a River of truth and grace that pervades the world with God’s rule, the kingdom of heaven. When we received God’s Gift in Jesus, we immersed ourselves to swim in this River. We became an unstoppable part of His kingdom on earth. At the sound of His voice, we follow Him. Every gentle word, prayer, thought, and act unleashes the power of His love on this earth!

The morning after I was born again in 1980, I realized that My Creator had taken a hold of my heart and made me new! I will never forget that morning! It felt as if (and I was) swimming in a river of love completely covered by Love Himself and flowing in His purposes. No matter the joy or pain of these past 40 years, I have been covered, hidden in His stream, part of His flowing, effective leaven in the world. You are, too!

The Witness in the World
Like leaven, this flowing, permeating love of His kingdom is a witness. A witness is the voice of truth expressed.

Jesus teaches that we witness truth and give voice to truth only when the Truth is in us. Truth witnesses to truth. Jesus is Truth. The Truth is in us when we receive Jesus (John 1:12) The Truth guides us as we let His words saturate our mind and heart.

The Apostle John wrote to his children in the Lord, “But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know. I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it, and because no lie is of the truth.” (1 John 2:20-21)

Many of the religious rulers did not recognize Jesus, because the truth was not in them. They demanded proof of His claims. If they had had a heart toward truth, they would have witnessed the truth in Him. They would have known He was/is the Truth (See John 5:38; 7:17; 8:18-19; 8:42-47.) They hated Jesus because the truth in Him was in stark contrast to the untruth in them. Truth exposes evil. Jesus said, “The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it that its’ deeds are evil.” (John 7:7)

Jesus said, “This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light for their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the Light and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.”  (John 3:19-21)

A Prayer
Our Father Who is in heaven, Father of Love, Heaven’s Leaven, fill us! Let our words, thoughts and actions infiltrate the world with Your powerful, transforming, conquering love. We pause to think of each person in our lives who does not know You. We pray according to Jesus’ words in John 6:44 and 6:65 that you would draw them into Your love. Draw them into Your River of Life! Take our words and multiply them in this world. Take our thoughts and let them give birth to actions that bring healing and life in the dark places. Stay our minds on Your word. Stay our hearts away from fear and into Your love. We abide in Jesus, the Messiah and Savior of the world! We eagerly await that day when we will see Him face to face. Maranatha! Come, Lord Jesus!

“For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.” (Habakkuk 2:14)

Shale Fragments™ - devotionals by Beth Ann Phifer is a division of Flower Girl Greetings, LLC. ©2020, All Rights Reserved.
Blessings and love in Him,
Beth Ann