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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