hearts joys

hearts joys

Sunday, April 28, 2013

Flooring Being Put In

Today we continued work on our future home.  We started to put the new flooring in.

Here we have the flooring being prepared to put in the camper and also the supervisor looking over the materials.
The subfloor has been swept and cleaned to put down the new floor


The supervisor helping me to spread the vapor barrier
This stuff is slippery and hard to spread.  Sure is fun to attack and hide in

Hey, where did all the hired help disappear to?



The hired help is just mowseying along.  Must be on break


First row in and figured out for the rest.  Halfway done with the living area.


My hard working helpers installing the floor in the dining area.  Esther and Charisa
Taking a breather

It's finished!!.  Joanna in the back preparing the last half of the subfloor

The finished living area and dining area

It looks like the supervisor is satisfied with a hard days work.

time for a nap.  We are half way done with the floor.  Looking forward to having it all done.

Saturday, April 27, 2013

Scriptural Definitions 101

If we desire to reclaim the integrity of Scripture we must allow Scripture to speak for itself.  We cannot use man made definitions to define spiritual terms.  Yahweh Elohim must speak for Himself through His word.
It is only in this way of approaching the Scriptures, with a fresh clean slate, apart from our preconceived theological biases, that we can begin to see the truth of what the Word of Elohim actually teaches.
Most evangelical preachers teach to start at the New Testament.  However, I believe we must start at the beginning and any of our beliefs which do not line up with the totality of Scripture must be reworked in order that they do line up without any contradictions.  

Definitions:
1.  Sin:
        How did sin enter the World and death by sin?
           Adam and Eve disobeyed the instructions the Yahweh Elohim gave them concerning eating of the fruit of a certain tree.  So here we see that sin is the direct disobedience of Yahweh Elohim's instructions.
 
   1Jn 3:4 Everyone doing sin also does lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.
  The Law could be said to be Torah.  Torah is actually Yahweh's instructions to His people.  We will see later the old and new covenants are actually the same however, it is the ratification of the covenant which is different.

1Sa 15:24 And Sha’ul said to Shemu’ĕl, "I have sinned, for I have transgressed the command of יהוה and your words, because I feared the people and listened to their voice.
Dan 9:11 "And all Yisra’ĕl have transgressed Your Torah, and turned aside, so as not to obey Your voice. So the curse and the oath written in the Torah of Mosheh the servant of Elohim have been poured out on us, for we have sinned against Him.
Rom 3:20 Therefore by works of Torah no flesh shall be declared right before Him, for by the Torah is the knowledge of sin.1 Footnote: 1Ex. 20:20, Rom. 4:15, Rom. 7:7.
If it is the Torah which shows us what sin is, how in the world can we say it does not matter? 

Jas 2:9 but if you show partiality, you commit sin, being found guilty by the Torah as transgressors.
So people, sin is the transgression of the law.  The law cannot, will not and never has been given to us for salvation.  Salvation only comes through the atoning work of Yahshua Messiah on the stake for us. 
So then, why do we observe Torah?
Joh 14:15 "If you love Me, you shall guard My commands.1 Footnote: 1See Ex. 20:6, vv. 21&23, 1 John 5:2-3, 2 John v. 6.
We follow the instructions for believers as an act of love for Yahweh  Elohim and Yahshua Messiah.  See also the Hebrew definition of Guard coming soon in another post.

http://119ministries.com/videoteachings.aspx?viewcontentpageguid=be1a7cbe-3ca0-4e45-8116-b0a5daa19993&parentnavigationid=28668

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Churchianity and Scripture

As someone who formerly was a preacher of churchianity and now embraces the observation of Torah or Yahweh's instructions for His people, I find it interesting when those involved in churchianity begin to make connections but don't take their connections far enough.  I have been reading several books and was amazed that two of them were saying the same thing.  As I begin to study at the beginning of Torah I am incorporating several books from authors steeped in churchianity:
Pink and his book Gleanings in Genesis
The Expositor's Bible: The Book of Genesis
Ken Ham: Understanding the Times

Both of the last two sources are saying, in order to make a difference we need to take Scripture as it says.
Rules for interpreting Scripture are as follows.
1.  Scripture defines Scripture.
2.  Where Scripture seems to be contradicting Scripture the interpretation is wrong as Scripture cannot contradict itself.

I know this is long but please take note, as the foundations crumble around churchianity remember this
1.  What day did Yahweh set aside for worship and rest?  Where did this day of the sun worship start?
2.   What days of celebration did Yahweh institute for his people and where did the special days that churchianity celebrates come from?  Even faithful preachers of old told of the evils of Christmas (Spurgeon for one the Puritans for another).
If churchianity wants to succeed thay must start over in all of their theology and base the definitions and theological treatises upon Scripture following the rules of interpretation.  They must discard all preconcieved ideas concerning what they desire the Scriptures to say and come at Scriptural interpretation as a child does in discovering the world around them.  They must build a firm foundation starting at the beginning of Scripture and then go from there making sure there are no contradictions.


Of a creation of sun, moon, and stars, subsequent to the creation of this earth, science can have but one thing to say. Of the existence of fruit trees prior to the existence of the sun, science knows nothing. But for a candid and unsophisticated reader without a special theory to maintain, details are needless. Accepting this chapter then as it stands, and believing that only by looking at the Bible as it actually is can we hope to understand God’s method of revealing Himself, we at once perceive that ignorance of some departments of truth does not disqualify a man for knowing and imparting truth about God. In order to be a medium of revelation a man does not need to be in advance of his age in secular learning. Intimate communion with God, a spirit trained to discern spiritual things, a perfect understanding of and zeal for God’s purpose, these are qualities quite independent of a knowledge of the discoveries of science. The enlightenment which enables men to apprehend God and spiritual truth, has no necessary connection with scientific attainments. David’s confidence in God and his declarations of His faithfulness are none the less valuable, because he was ignorant of a very great deal which every school-boy now knows. Had inspired men introduced into their writings information which anticipated the discoveries of science, their state of mind would be inconceivable, and revelation would be a source of confusion. God’s methods are harmonious with one another, and as He has given men natural faculties to acquire scientific knowledge and historical information, He did not stultify this gift by imparting such knowledge in a miraculous and unintelligible manner. There is no evidence that inspired men were in advance of their age in the knowledge of physical facts and laws. And plainly, had they been supernaturally instructed in physical knowledge they would so far have been unintelligible to those to....

Here then instead of anything to discompose us or to excite unbelief, we recognise one great law or principle on which God proceeds in making Himself known to men. This has been called the Law of Accommodation.
Dods, Marcus (2012-12-18). The Expositor's Bible: The Book of Genesis (Kindle Locations 139-140). . Kindle Edition.

accommodating yourself to his condition, and winking at much ignorance while you instil elementary knowledge. You must found all you teach on what is understood by your pupil, and through that you must convey further knowledge and train his faculties to higher capacity. So was it with God’s revelation.

Dods, Marcus (2012-12-18). The Expositor's Bible: The Book of Genesis (Kindle Locations 143-144). . Kindle Edition.

He laid a firm foundation for the history of God’s relation to man. This was his object, and this he accomplished. The Bible is the book to which we turn for information regarding the history of God’s revelation of Himself, and of His will towards men;

Dods, Marcus (2012-12-18). The Expositor's Bible: The Book of Genesis (Kindle Locations 165-167). . Kindle Edition.

But we need to understand something. We live in a different era of history, and there has been a new and more vicious attack on God’s Word. It is the same attack as in Genesis 3;  I call it the “Genesis 3 attack.” It is to create doubt regarding the Word of God—to undermine the authority of the Word. We all must understand the nature of this attack, and it is this: We get the message of the gospel from the Word of God. So if you attack the Word of God, if you can undermine the authority of the Word, you are undermining the gospel—because the gospel itself comes from the Word of God. This is the point that we need to understand.

Ham, Ken (2013-01-28). Understanding the Times (Kindle Locations 124-125). Chapel Library. Kindle Edition.

Throughout the public education system and the media, we are being taught geological history, biological history, anthropological[16] history, and astronomical[17] history that totally contradicts the history in the Bible. Now, the Bible is a book of history. Histories that conflict cannot all be correct. People often say to me at this point, “But the Bible is not a science textbook.” And I say, “You are right, and I am glad about that;  if it were, we would be in trouble—because science textbooks change every year!” The point is that the Bible is a book of history, and it does not change. It

Ham, Ken (2013-01-28). Understanding the Times (Kindle Locations 132-137). Chapel Library. Kindle Edition.

It is a book that tells us who we are, where we came from, why everything is here, what is wrong with this world, why there is death in the world, and what the solution is to our problem. It also gives us the right foundation to build a right way of thinking to understand reality.

Ham, Ken (2013-01-28). Understanding the Times (Kindle Locations 138-140). Chapel Library. Kindle Edition.

In our day and age, there has been an incredible attack on that history. Sadly, much of the Church has succumbed[18] to that attack. I can tell you from thirty years of experience in this ministry and from other surveys, that the majority of Christian leaders will not take a stand on the history in Genesis 1-11 as literal history. The majority of Christian leaders will not take a stand on the six days of creation as literal ordinary days. The majority of Christians, not just the leaders, the majority of people in our churches will not take a stand on Genesis as literal history. They say, “Well, it doesn’t matter,” or “Who cares?,” or “You can believe in millions of years or evolution, it doesn’t matter. The most important thing is that you trust in Jesus.” But the message of Jesus comes from that Book, the Word of God. If you undermine the authority of that Word, eventually you will undermine the whole of biblical truth!

Ham, Ken (2013-01-28). Understanding the Times (Kindle Locations 147-152). Chapel Library. Kindle Edition.
When the foundation collapses, the structure collapses. The foundation is essential;  it must be protected at all costs.

Ham, Ken (2013-01-28). Understanding the Times (Kindle Location 156). Chapel Library. Kindle Edition.

ultimately, every single biblical doctrine of theology directly or indirectly is founded in Genesis 1-11? Why did Jesus die on a cross?—Genesis 1-11. Why is He called “the last Adam” (1Co 15:45)?—Genesis 1-11. Why do we sin?—Genesis 1-11. Why is there death in the world?—Genesis 1-11. Why do you have a seven-day week?—Genesis 1-11. Why do we need new heavens and a new earth?—Genesis 1-11. Why is marriage between one man and one woman?—Genesis 1-11. Is it therefore important? Genesis 1-11 is the foundational history for the whole rest of the Bible! Over the past thirty years, I have been asked by the

Ham, Ken (2013-01-28). Understanding the Times (Kindle Locations 178-182). Chapel Library. Kindle Edition.

It is faith alone in Christ alone that saves you;  that is the doctrine of Scripture. But then people say, “Oh, so it doesn’t matter what you believe about Genesis. It doesn’t matter if you believe in ‘millions of years’ or evolution or that Genesis is literal history.” Please hear me: I did not say it did not matter;  it does matter, for the reason that follows. I had somebody recently say to me, “The gospel does not rise or fall on the six days of creation.” And I said, “You’re right. The gospel rises or falls on the authority of Scripture.” Right! But now here is the essential question: Does the authority of Scripture rise or fall on the six days of creation? This is the key question. This is the fundamental question facing us today for the following reason: If you are taking Genesis as Jesus took it, as literal history, and then you say, “But it doesn’t really mean what Genesis says, even if it clearly says it,” then you are reinterpreting the Scriptures on the basis of man’s ideas! You are unlocking a door to say, “You don’t have to take the Bible as written”! It is the Genesis 3 attack. It is the Genesis 3 attack of our day, and the Church has succumbed to it!

Ham, Ken (2013-01-28). Understanding the Times (Kindle Locations 194-199). Chapel Library. Kindle Edition.

Paul answers all these questions for us in Romans 5 and 1 Corinthians 15: it is all because every human being is a son or daughter of Adam and Eve. We are all sinners because Adam sinned;  we all sinned in Adam. “Oh, but Adam and Eve are not real,” someone might say. If that is so, then for whom is the gospel? The gospel is for someone, is it not? But who? You see, it is important what you believe about the Book of Genesis.

Ham, Ken (2013-01-28). Understanding the Times (Kindle Locations 205-209). Chapel Library. Kindle Edition.

Monday, April 22, 2013

Visit and fashion police

It was a short visit but a long trip to Michigan for my older brothers funeral.  Fourteen hours by car, one way.  It felt great to reconnect with people back home.  I am sure that now things are beginning to settle for my sister in law and nieces and nephews.  The hard work is now ahead.  That of beginning life without husband and father. 
I never dreamed that one of us kids would die after so short a life.  No one knows when his time has come.  Life itself is short.  We must make the most of the time that Yahweh Elohim gives us here in this world.  However, nothing takes Yahweh by surprise.  He has planned since the foundation of the world each one of our steps.  For my sister in law and her children, Yahweh tells us that He is father to the fatherless.  I too would do what I can in the future for them.  Now, it is to keep them in my prayers on a daily basis. 
An obstacle I had when I was in Michigan was the fashion police.  I tried to wear a shirt and tie I had purchased for the occasion and was told the tie didn't go.  (I had to purchase these as the ones I had previously were of mixed threads).  Ok, so, I didn't have another tie that was ok by the fashion police either.  So then, the tie went and I had a wonderful time visiting without a tie.  Here let me show you...
Now I will show a photo of my older brother.  This picture was taken in his younger days.
He will be missed.  But I think the fashion police were absent when this photo was taken.

Dave, I love you.  You will be missed.  Shalom, brother, shalom.

Saturday, April 13, 2013

Common for all

There are two things in this life that each and everyone of us has experienced or will experience in our futures.  They are birth and death.  While some births are determined for us through the intervention of C-sections, no one knows when they will pass from this life to death. 
This past week has been difficult.  My older brother, only 52, had a stroke Monday evening and then this morning passed away.  Our prayers had been that Yahweh Elohim would keep him from suffering and that prayer and many others were answered this morning. 
  Until yesterday, I had not spoken to or been spoken to by my brother for 12 years.  It was not by my choice and I wish so very deeply that things had been otherwise.  I am very thankful that even though my brother could not be woken from his sleep, I had the opportunity to express my love for him.  I am convinced that he could still hear as he could earlier in the week. 
  My wife and I have tried over the course of our marriage, to instill in our children the household rule of making brothers and sisters best friends.  In talking with my children about this, things came up to aid us in the doing of it.
1.  Love forgives all offenses.
Eph 4:26
"Be wroth, but do not sin." Do not let the sun go down on your rage,
2.  Forgiveness is essential no matter who is wrong.
Mat 18:22 יהושע said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.
3.  let's go the extra mile.
4.  turn the other cheek.
5.  The decisions we make today have consequences for tomorrow.

Rom 5:8 But Elohim proves His own love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Messiah died for us.
Rom 5:9 Much more then, having now been declared right by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.
Rom 5:10 For if, being enemies, we were restored to favour with Elohim through the death of His Son, much more, having been restored to favour, we shall be saved by His life.
Rom 5:11 And not only this, but we also exult in Elohim through our Master יהושע Messiah, through whom we have now received the restoration to favour.

Rom 5:12 For this reason, even as through one man sin did enter into the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned –

David, my brother, May Yahweh Elohim grant you peace!  Shalom, my brother, you will be deeply missed.  Shalom.

Thursday, April 11, 2013

The Greatest is...

Love is, arguably, the most popular subject in the world today. Millions of magazine articles, books and TV plays are about ‘love.’ But most are about ‘romantic love;’ the well known attraction between lovers and spouses. This article, however, is not about romantic or sexual love. Nor is it about maternal love, that wonderful bond that dwells in the heart of a mother for her child. This is about love for Elohim and  Yahweh Elohim's command concerning this type of love is as follows:


Deu 6:5 "And you shall love יהוה your Elohim with all your heart, and with all your being, and with all your might.

 

An amazing command by any standard, you will agree. But what does the word ‘love’ mean in this context? What must one do or feel towards Elohim to love Him with all one's heart, soul and might? Obviously romance and sex are totally excluded here. Sexual love and romantic feelings have absolutely nothing to do with the kind of ‘love’ Elohim is requiring of us. So what does Elohim mean when He uses the word love? What does He want us to do, or not do to show our love for Him? To arrive at the answer we must turn to other Bible texts where Yahweh couples this word ‘love’ with certain actions and mental attitudes. Searching the Scripture we find many, many texts that help us understand what Elohim means when He commands us to love Him with heart, soul and might. I will list just a few texts for the reader's benefit. Study them carefully: because this command concerning ‘love for Elohim’ is the most important commandment in the whole Bible. It is referred to in Scripture as the ‘great commandment.’ When Messiah was asked which commandment was the greatest, he quoted this commandment. So you will agree it is important.

Mat 22:36 "Teacher, which is the great command in the Torah?"

  Mat 22:37 And יהושע said to him, “ ‘You shall love יהוה your Elohim with all your heart, and with all your being, and with all your mind.’


Mat 22:38 “This is the first and great command.


Now to those verses which explain what Elohim desires His followers to do in order to show that they love Him with heart, soul and mind.

Deu 11:13 ‘And it shall be that if you diligently obey My commands which I command you today, to love יהוה
your Elohim and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your being

 

Deu 11:22 ‘For if you diligently guard all these commands which I command you, to do it, to love יהוה your Elohim, to walk in all His ways, and to cling to Him,

 

Deu 13:1 "When there arises among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams, and he shall give you a sign or a wonder,

  Deu 13:2 and the sign or the wonder shall come true, of which he has spoken to you, saying, ‘Let us go after other mighty ones – which you have not known – and serve them,’


Deu 13:3 do not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams, for יהוה your Elohim is trying you to know whether you love יהוה your Elohim with all your heart and with all your being.

Deu 13:4 “Walk after יהוה your Elohim and fear Him, and guard His commands and obey His voice, and serve Him and cling to Him.


Jos 22:5 "Only, diligently guard to do the command and the Torah which Mosheh the servant of יהוה
commanded you, to love יהוה your Elohim, and to walk in all His ways, and to guard His commands, and to cling to Him, and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your being."

 

Did you carefully read all those texts? If you did you will have noticed that to ‘love the Lord thy Elohim with all thy heart and with all thy soul’ means to keep His commandments. In other words to love Elohim is to obey Him, to do what He says, to carry out His will. Before you can do this you must you first acquaint yourself with His commandments; just as a motorist must first learn the highway code before he can obey it. In the new testament the word ‘love’ is used in exactly the same way as in the old. Love means obedience. Obedience proves that we love Elohim. Disobedience proves that we do not love Him. Yahshua said to his disciples:

Joh 14:21 "He who possesses My commands and guards them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me shall be loved by My Father, and I shall love him and manifest Myself to him."
 


1Jn 2:4 The one who says, "I know Him," and does not guard His commands, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

 

1Jn 5:2 By this we know that we love the children of Elohim, when we love Elohim and guard His commands.
.
1Jn 5:3 For this is the love for Elohim, that we guard His commands,1 and His commands are not heavy, Footnote: 1See 5:2, 2 John v. 6, John 14:15.

 

Joh 14:15 "If you love Me, you shall guard My commands.1 Footnote: 1See Ex. 20:6, vv. 21&23, 1 John 5:2-3, 2 John v. 6.

 



Some Christians assume that the commandments Yahshua refers to are different from those of his father. They are mistaken. As mentioned above, Yahshua didn't formulate a new set of commandments. When he spoke of ‘the law,’ he always meant his Father's commandments - ‘the commandments of Yahweh Elohim.’ In the New Testament we find that the church is advised to, and does keep - the ‘commandments of Elohim’ (1 Corinthians 7: 9, Revelation 12: 17, Revelation 14: 12)

Sunday, April 7, 2013

The Riches of Yahweh


· ..Several weeks ago, I got an email that said Scripture implied and hinted very discreetly that OIL WILL BE FOUND IN ISRAEL IN THE LAST DAYS!!! If I remember correctly Michael Race told us that OIL IS what WILL bring RUSSIA down to attack Israel (Ezekiel 38). I deleted the email and failed to realize its implications.... Until today. I was reading Joel Rosenberg's non-fiction book called Epicenter. Like my Dad and myself, Joel also believes oil will bring Russia to Israel. Here are some quotes from Epicenter: "Golda Meir once put it, 'Moses dragged us for forty years through the desert to bring us to the one place in the middle east where there was no oil.'" Pg 55. "A few months later came even more stunning news: new testing had revealed that the Gilot Olam site contained not 100 million barrels but upward of A BILION BARRELS,". Pg. 57 "That night Spillman made a similar case to brown and the rest of the assembled congregation, then walked them through a series of Old Testament passages describing God's ancient promise to unlock enormous wealth and treasures for the children of Israel in the last days." Pg 61 For those who may be interested, Rev. James Spillman wrote a book on this subject called The Great Treasure Hunt. Here are a few verses that seem to hint that oil will be found in Israel and the last days. After the verses I will put a link to a map. After I saw the map my jaw dropped!! IT WILL ASTOUND YOU!!! And I whole heartedly believe that it IS PROPHESIED in Scripture that Israel will find vast amounts of oil in the last days. SCRIPTURE EVEN SAYS WHERE some of it will be found!!!



Gen 49:1 And Ya'akov called his sons and said, "Gather together, so that I declare to you what is to befall you in the LAST DAYS:

Gen 49:25,26b From the El of your father who helps you, and by El Shaddai who blesses you with blessings of the heaven above, blessings of THE DEEP THAT LIES BENEATH, blessings of the beasts and of the womb...They are ON THE HEAD OF YOSEPH.

Duet 33:13, 19, 24 And of Yoseph he said, Blessed of Yahweh is his land, with the choicest from the heavens, with the dew, and the deep lying beneath. They call peoples to the mountain, there they bring offerings of righteousness, for they draw from the riches of the seas, and the treasures hidden in the sand. And of Asher he said, Asher is most blessed of sons. Let him be accepted by his brothers, and DIP HIS FOOT IN OIL.

Duet 32:13 He made him ride in the heights of the earth, and he ate the fruit of the fields, and He made him to draw honey from the rock, and OIL from the flinty rock.

Is 45: 3 And I shall give you the TREASURES OF DARKNESS and HOARDED WEALTH OF SECRET PLACES, so that you know that I, Yahweh, who are calling you by your name, am the Elohim of Yisra'el. These are just a few, but before I post the map here is one more quote from Joel's book: "As he described where they were drilling, I realized that it was only a few miles from the Jezreel Valley and the ancient city of Megiddo. 'Wait a minute,' I said. 'Are you telling me you think you've found oil under Armageddon?'" Later Joel's suspicion was confirmed. Pg 62. Now notice the verses above say Asher will dip his foot in oil and these blessing will be on Joseph's head. Take a look at the map in this article. It is a map of the land that was divided among the tribes of Israel as their inheritances. http://www.wnd.com/2006/02/34871/

Will Bible lead to oil reserve under Israel?

www.wnd.com

A Free Press For A Free People Since 1997.  

How Do You Know You Please Yahweh?


The way you see people is the way you treat them,
and the way you treat them is what they become.
Johann von Goethe

From: Kyle Humphrey kylebuilders@sbcglobal.net

Many of you are probably wondering, “No wonder Kyle doesn’t have many friends” (smile)
Well, to that I say, “Neither did my Brother (Yeshua)” (a bigger smile)
(I do love you all with an unconditional love!)

(Comments in parentheses and emphasis within Scriptures are mine.)

TODAY’S THOUGHTS:

We know that there are those who please Yah with what they do …
“… trying to learn what is pleasing to YHVH.” (Ephesians 5:10)
“It was pleasing in the sight of the Lord that Solomon had …” (1 Kings 3:10)
“When a man's ways are pleasing to YHVH, ….” (Proverbs 16:7)
and those who do not (or did not) …

“But what he did was displeasing in the sight of YHVH;” (Genesis 38:10)

“Now YHVH saw, And it was displeasing in His sight that there was no justice.” (Isaiah 59:15)

“But the thing that David had done was evil in the sight of YHVH.” (2 Samuel 11:27)

I was talking with an acquaintance who does not think he should be obeying the Laws of God, yet he claims that he is pleasing God. I asked him, “How do you know you are pleasing Him”?
I mean: There are people whose lives are without pain and injustice who claim YHVH as their God. Yet, there are also people whose lives are without pain and suffering who deny Him. The converse is also true, that there are both those who claim YHVH and those who deny Him among those whose lives are full of pain and suffering. However, many people have notions that a person suffering difficulty must certainly not be pleasing God. As a matter of fact, Paul’s life would have been proof to many that he was NOT pleasing God. Even the Son of God was thought to be displeasing God because of His life:

“Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted.” (Isaiah 53:4)

BY FAITH WE DO WHAT HE TELLS US, TRUSTING IN HIM TO SAVE US:

My friend shrugged this off and said he prays all the time. I, of course, asked him, “How do you know He hears your prayers?” I mean, sometimes He seems to hear and respond, and sometimes not. What if a true follower was praying about something and one who does not please God was praying for the same thing … if it came about, whose prayer was heard? If it did not come about, whose prayer was being rejected?
When we read from the beginning of the book (Genesis) with a heart to do as He says (not simply to read the stories yet hold onto the teachings of men), then we will “find out what pleases God”.
(Hmmmm … I wonder why I don’t have many friends – smile)

I was reading in this week’s Torah reading (Books of Moses section assigned to read) about Aaron’s two sons who were worshipping YHVH, but they were doing it THEIR way (they were consumed by God’s fire). Here is the reason:

“It is what YHVH spoke, saying, ‘By those who come near Me I will be treated as holy, And before all the people I will be honored.’” (Leviticus 10:3)

Moses and Aaron (of all people!!) could not enter the promised land because of the same reason … in front of others, they did not treat YHVH as holy!

“But YHVH said to Moses and Aaron, ‘Because you have not believed Me, to treat Me as holy in the sight of the sons of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.’” (Numbers 20:12)

Really? Yes, really! We, as representatives of the Most High Elohim (God) who are not to be living to please our flesh, are to be like His Son … living in obedience to the commands and statutes of the Father. THIS is why it is written (and how we accomplish this):

“For I am YHVH your God. Consecrate (dedicate / purify / sanctify) yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy … 45 For I am YHVH who brought you up from the land of Egypt to be your God; thus you shall be holy, for I am holy.” (Leviticus 11:44-45)

Is His perfect Laws and commands no longer needed?

Is practicing obedience, holiness, and being blameless no longer a requirement of a child of God? Can someone who rejects His Laws claim to walk like His Son (1 John 2:6) and be holy? Of course not! Rejecting these Laws that were given to Moses is to have a mind set on the flesh, and not on the spirit of God. Romans 8:7-8 tells us clearly that, “because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so,”. We are told to walk by faith, not by sight. Therefore, we obey Him and all of His laws simply because He has commanded us to, not because we understand the logic and see how they are beneficial, although that may often be the case. All we need to do to be holy is, by faith, uphold the Laws as given to Moses, obeyed by His Son, and practiced by those who followed Him:

“ just as He (YHVH) chose us in Him (Yeshua) before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him.” (Ephesians 1:4) Are you one HE chose to be IN Yeshua? Then are you holy and blameless? Do you have the evidence of being Christ like? A brother of mine once said, “Can the world convict you of following the Messiah? If all we have to do is love our neighbor, then many other religions would be falsely convicted.

“but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; 16 because it is written, "YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY.’” (1 Peter 1:15-16) What? Why is Peter, a New Testament Apostle of Yeshua (Jesus) quoting something that is done away with? Because it is NOT done away with … that is a teaching of man! So much for we “simply are seen with the clothing of Christ. YHVH cannot see our filthiness through His veil” … really? Then why does it say, “Be holy in what you do (your behavior)?” We are to be holy as He is Holy, as it is written in Leviticus 11:45! Interestingly, this statement comes right after the commands regarding which animals are clean for human consumption and which are not! Just something to think about (smile).

Oh, this is another good reminder which will be in all of our futures: “Let the one who does wrong, still do wrong; and the one who is filthy, still be filthy; and let the one who is righteous, still PRACTICE righteousness; and the one who is holy, still KEEP HIMSELF holy. 12 Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done.” (Revelation 22:11-12)



Maybe this was a typo? Because I wonder why it did not say, “To render to every man according to how he has loved and feels about Me?” Hmmmm … if I were following man’s interpretation and still rejecting the Laws as given through Moses, this would really make me cringe. Because the truth is, we are saved by faith (our forefathers were given the Law AFTER they were redeemed / saved by the blood) … so too. Those who do not obey are proving that they have not been truly saved … as it is written:



“But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, 6 who WILL RENDER TO EACH PERSON ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS: 7 to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life; 8 but to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation.” (Romans 2:5-8)



Wow … I thought we could disregard God’s Old Testament Laws, now? I thought all we had to do was “love” God and our neighbors however we think that looks. No … Aaron’s two sons THOUGHT they could worship YHVH another way (wrong)! YHVH is not looking for those who come up with new and “better” ways to worship Him. He is not looking for innovative gimmicks that can “add fun” to church and bring in the multitudes … nope … YHVH is coming for those who obey His commands (by practicing them … He is not looking for perfection- that will come in the new Kingdom). He is looking for hearts bent on doing what He says and commands and it is THOSE that He hears (Proverbs 28:9).



Just something to think about! So … how are you displaying YHVH to those around you? As holy as His Son did? Or are you displaying a changing God who no longer desires obedient children like His perfect Son Whom we are supposed to imitate?



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Saturday, April 6, 2013

Forgotten Truth 2


Continuing on from a previous post concerning the life of Joseph and how Yahweh Elohim is in control of every situation He places us in in our lives.
The book goes on to explain that nothing in our lives is random.  Everything has been preplanned for our benefit and for the esteem of Yahweh's Kingdom.


Jer 1:5
"Before I formed you in the belly I knew you, and before you came out of the womb I did set you apart – I appointed you a prophet to nations." Eph 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Messiah יהושע
unto good works, which Elohim prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.




John Calvin once said

"when God wants to judge a nation, he gives them wicked rulers."
















I say this to bring a point here.  The nation of Israel had a wicked king and queen,  Ahab and Jezebel,  Ahab tried to get around a prophecy regarding his death.  Yahweh brought it about just as He said anyway.  You can read about this in I Kings 21. 
So even when things seem out of control, they are still very much under His perfect control.  Joseph's life was very much out of control.  For all practical purposes his life was ended.  He was a slave.  But his life was very much under the perfect control of Elohim.
Does your life seem out of control?  Perhaps, not a whole lot more to live for or just trying to get through another day?  Perhaps your goals, and dreams and vision for life have been ripped away from your life and you are just wondering how you can keep going or the only thing keeping you going is that others are depending on you so you just go through the motions.  Remember this Yahweh Elohim is in control of your life, perfect control.  He is preparing you for something that is ahead of you and you just can't see it right now. 
Psa 139:16 Your eyes saw my unformed body. And in Your book all of them were written, The days they were formed, While none was among them. Job 14:1 "Man born of woman is of few days and turmoil-filled. Job 14:5
Since his days are decided, the number of his months is with You, You have appointed his bounds which he does not pass over. Eph 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Messiah יהושע unto good works, which Elohim prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
So, do we live as we please?  No, We do what we can to live as Yahweh Elohim desires us to live.
Where you are right now in life is your assignment from Elohim.  How do you feel about your assignment?
Pleased?  Hate it?  (By the way I do not like milking cows, but that is where my assignment is now) Drifting along?  Is your assignment welcome or unwelcome?
Know this:  Your assignment is from Yahweh.  Does that change how you view it?  I know it is changing it for me.  He is in control of our journey.  He is in control of our ultimate destination.  He is preparing us ahead of time for that which He desires us to do.  He assigns our posts.  How are we handling our post?

Three observations:
1.  Sometimes Yahweh Elohim gives a deadend assignment. 
Deu 29:29
"The secret matters belong to יהוה our Elohim, but what is revealed belongs to us and to our children forever, to do all the Words of this Torah. 2.  Sometimes there will be an assignment within an assignment
3.  Sometimes Yahweh will refuse your desired assignment.

More to come.