Not Much News

What is Yahweh Elohim doing in our lives?  There is not a whole lot taking place right now that I can see on the surface.  I continue to get the camper ready to move into.  Laurie is in the process of trying to sell our whole homeschool library ( if anyone is interested in some great books ask for Laurie's 19 lists of homeschool curriculum, that doesn't include the 4 bookcases of great books).  Every morning I pray and ask that Abba El will sell these books for us.  Almost one bookcase full has been sold.  But even that has just barely made a dent in it.  So, on my part I take time away from remodeling to package up books and take them to the post office.  I think there has been about 60 packages sent, perhaps a bit more.  Praises to Abba El for His goodness to us. 
   Just this morning as I was finishing up my devotions my 13 year old came to me with a discovery from her own time with Him.  This is a fantastic promise as we head into a life walking by faith.  She was reading the faith chapter of Hebrews and found this gem.
Heb 11:39 And^{G2532 theseG3778 all,G3956 having obtained a good reportG3140 throughG1223 faith,G4102 receivedG2865 notG3756 theG3588 promise:G1860 Heb 11:40 GodG2316 having providedG4265 someG5100 better thingG2909 forG4012 us,G2257 thatG2443 they withoutG5565 usG2257 should notG3361 be made perfect.G5048} Heb 11:39 And having obtained witness through the belief, all these did not receive the promise,¹ Footnote: 1See v. 13.
Heb 11:40 Elohim having provided what is better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.
Heb 11:40 GodG2316 having providedG4265 someG5100 better thingG2909 forG4012 us,G2257 thatG2443 they withoutG5565 usG2257 should notG3361 be made perfect.G5048

She looked up the word provided in the dictionary and them came and asked me if I knew what the definition of provided meant.  I told her the beginning "pro" means before and I wasn't sure about the second part "vide" would mean.
Now Rare to get ready beforehand; to make available; supply; to supply (someone) with something · to prepare ( for or against some probable or possible situation ...

It is not just the supplying or making available.  In the 1828 Websters it has the meaning of getting ready before hand.  Now let's take a look at the Greek.
προβλέπω
problepō



Thayer Definition:
    1) to foresee
2) to provide
 προβλέπω
 problepō
 prob-lep'-o  From G4253 and G991; to look out beforehand, that is, furnish in advance: - provide.

so we have Elohim  having looked out beforehand and furnished in advance what is better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.

so, can this also be applied to our walk of faith?  What about prayer and the needs we bring before Elohim?  I will have to look into the Scriptures and see.

Mat 7:7 "Ask and it shall be given to you, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened to you.

Mat 7:8 "For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it shall be opened.

Mat 7:9 "Or is there a man among you who, if his son asks for bread, shall give him a stone?

Mat 7:10 "Or if he asks for a fish, shall he give him a snake?

Mat 7:11 "If you then, being wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Father who is in the heavens give what is good to those who ask Him!

Mat 7:12 "Therefore, whatever you wish men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Torah and the Prophets.
Mat 21:22 "And whatever you ask in prayer, believing, you shall receive.

Mat 6:5 "And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the congregations and on the corners of the streets, to be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have their reward.

Mat 6:6 "But you, when you pray, go into your room, and having shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place. And your Father who sees in secret shall reward you openly.

Mat 6:7 "And when praying, do not keep on babbling like the gentiles. For they think that they shall be heard for their many words.

Mat 6:8 "Therefore do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.
πρό
pro


Thayer Definition:
1) before
Wow, Before we ask.  But the thing is... WE MUST ASK.Luk 6:38 Give,^{G1325 andG2532 it shall be givenG1325 unto you;G5213 goodG2570 measure,G3358 pressed down,G4085 andG2532 shaken together,G4531 andG2532 running over,G5240 shall men giveG1325 intoG1519 yourG5216 bosom.G2859 ForG1063 with theG3588 sameG846 measureG3358 thatG3739 ye meteG3354 withal it shall be measured to you again.G488 G5213}

Mat 6:19 "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal,

Mat 6:20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.

Mat 6:21 "For where your treasure is, there your heart shall be also.

Mat 6:22 "The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, all your body shall be enlightened.

Mat 6:23 "But if your eye is evil,¹ all your body shall be darkened. If, then, the light that is within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! Footnote: 1This is a Heḇrew idiom – a good eye means to be generous, while an evil eye means to be stingy.

Are we just selling books?  No, we have also gifted individuals with books.  We have given as Yahweh has given to us.  Our goal here is not just be be blessed by Yahweh but to bless others that He brings into our lives. 
I trust that you will be encouraged to bring to Yahweh Elohim all your needs even though He already knows of them and is preparing in advance to the meeting of those needs.
Shalom.

One Portrait

Well, I finished John and Sarah's wedding portrait.  Now It's waiting time while it dries.

 

I took this photo and then did this oil from it

 

 

Teach Us To Pray

Joh 4:20 "Our fathers worshipped on this mountain, but you people say that in Yerushalayim is the place where one needs to worship."

Joh 4:21 יהושע said to her, "Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you shall neither on this mountain, nor in Yerushalayim, worship the Father.

Joh 4:22 "You worship what you do not know. We worship what we know, because the deliverance is of the Yehuḏim.¹ Footnote: 1Ps. 147:19, Isa. 2:3, Isa. 14:1, Isa. 56:6-8, Ezek. 47:22-23, Zech. 2:10-11, Zech. 8:23, Rom. 2:20, Rom. 3:2, Rom. 9:4, Rev. 21:12 & 24.

Joh 4:23 "But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father also does seek such to worship Him.

Joh 4:24 "Elohim is Spirit, and those who worship Him need to worship in spirit and truth."

Joh 4:25 The woman said to Him, "I know that Messiah is coming, the One who is called Anointed. When that One comes, He shall announce to us all."

Joh 4:26 יהושע said to her, "I who am speaking to you am He."

The story of the woman at the well is the first mention of Yashua's teaching on prayer.
What we find here is that Abba El (daddy God) is seeking out worshippers, true worshippers.
Our worship is worship that satisfies His heart and is a joy to Him.
It is His son that has come to open the way for this kind of worship and to teach it to us.  So what does this kind of worship look like?
  We find three kinds of worship listed here.
1.  Ignorant:  Samaritans
2.  Enlightened:  Jews
3.  New:  Now, in spirit and in truth.

In spirit and in truth is not speaking of earnestly from the heart and in sincerity kind of worship.
The Samaritans had the Torah and some knowledge.  Some had no doubt sought out Elohim in this way - from the heart.
The Jews had the full revelation of Elohim in His Word (Tanach) as thus far given.  There were men who called upon Elohim with their whole heart yet not in Spirit and in truth.
The New:  The hour is coming and now is...  It is only in and through Yashua that the worship of Elohim can be in Spirit and truth.
Today we still have the same three classes.  We need to ask to be taken to this 3rd class to be taught how to pray, how to worship in spirit and truth.  This is what Abba El desires and seeks. 
Elohim is Spirit...
    1. Harmony.  Because El is Spirit we must worship in Spirit.  We are no longer limited to worship in a certain time at a certain place.  The Spirit is not bound by certain places and times.  Worship in Spirit involves our whole being.  The Spirit of our life.  Our life must be that of worship. 

Rom 12:1 I call upon you, therefore, brothers, through the compassion of Elohim, to present your bodies a living offering – set-apart, well-pleasing to Elohim – your reasonable worship.

Rom 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you prove what is that good and well-pleasing and perfect desire of Elohim.

This Spirit must come from Elohim.  El is Spirit and He alone has His Spirit to give.  He sent His Son then Sent His Spirit. 

Joh 1:33 "And I did not know Him, but He who sent me to immerse in water said to me, ‘Upon whom you see the Spirit coming down and remaining on Him, this is He who immerses in the Set-apart Spirit.’

Joh 7:37 And on the last day, the great day of the festival, יהושע stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me, and let him who believes in Me drink.

Joh 7:38 "As the Scripture said, out of His innermost shall flow rivers of living water."¹ Footnote: 1Isa. 44:3, Jer. 2:13, Jer. 17:13, Zech. 14:8, Ps. 36:8,9, Prov.14:27, John 4:10, John 6:63, 1 Cor. 10:4, Rev. 7:17, Rev. 21:6, Rev. 22:1 & 17

Those who are redeemed, those who have repented, in Messiah receive a new position of children, the Father then sends the Spirit of His Son to dwell in our hearts.
Hei   Hei (He, Hey) is the fifth letter of the Hebrew alphabet. It can refer to His glory. It is also used as an abbreviation for Hashem (His name). It is found in the tetragrammaton (Yahweh, more specifically Yud Hei Vav Hei), which also is indicative of divine revelation. In the Talmud, Hei is important also within teshuvah (repentance), more specifically the combination of the word teshuv and the letter hei. In a sense, it is to bring one back to hei (as an abbreviation of Hashem).
Millhouse, Roger (2012-12-17). Prepared in The Wilderness (Kindle Locations 734-739).  . Kindle Edition.

Worship is Spirit is then the Spirit of Messiah, the Spirit of Sonship.  Only the Messiah is able to open the way for worship in Spirit as He reveals the Father and sends the Spirit of sonship.

Notes from the Book Lord Teach Us To Pray by Andrew Murray.

His holiness, Our set-apartness

This weeks post from Kyle takes a different view on why we guard and keep Yahweh's Torah.

FIRST THOUGHT

 

YHVH has an “issue” … He is Holy and we are not, but He desires to have a relationship with us!

 

Today’s “Torah (Law) reading” was from Numbers 4 regarding the sons of Aaron and the family of Kohath.  Everybody had a job to do and one of the jobs of Aaron’s sons was to make sure none of the Kohathites perished by touching or gazing upon the Holy objects within the Holy place or the Holy of Holies.  So, when it was time to move the tabernacle, the sons of Aaron had to first enter and cover all the Holy objects within these two rooms, and then assign a Kohathite to move them across the desert until they reached the place YHVH desired them to go.

 

Get this, though:  If a son of Aaron did not do his job correctly, and a Kohathite gazed upon a Holy object because a corner of it was exposed, or the wind blew a corner to expose it … the Kohathite would die.

 

“That is not fair” … “That is not just,” many may cry.

 

Oh, and remember Uzzah in 2 Samuel 6:6-7?  The oxen nearly upset the Ark so that it almost fell.  Uzzah reached out and took hold of it so it wouldn’t fall… and YHVH struck Him dead.

 

“That is not fair” … “That is not just,” many may cry.

 

Then there was Aaron’s own sons who sacrificed to YHVH, but used the wrong fire.  Zap … dead!

 

“That is not fair” … “That is not just,” many may cry.

 

LET US LOOK AT THESE EXAMPLES FROM A DIFFERENT POINT OF VIEW!

 

The reason many people today do not obey God’s Laws as given to Moses is because they have no fear of Him and no understanding of His Holiness.  YHVH chooses people to protect His name and holiness, and we are to do so as His anointed.  For those who think the examples above are “not fair,” they are looking at it all wrong!  They are missing the point!  The point is:  So why, really did they die?  They did what was forbidden.  They were specifically warned, yet for whatever reason, they disobeyed (This does NOT mean are no longer His children … just the consequents of their actions.  Remember Moses and the rock?  He was forbidden to enter the promised land because “in front of others He did not show YHVH as Holy” … but we know that Moses in in the coming Kingdom) .   That is how Holy YHVH is!  He warns us … He shows us … He even gives us examples of what happens if He is approached wrong or not obeyed … so that we will not die (many will not realize this until it is too late, though).  He explained how to protect His holiness so that He could dwell among us.  Remember, this is how Holy God is:

 

“But He said, ‘You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live!’”  (Exodus 33:20)

 

What more could He do?  Now that He has sent His Son, many men think God has changed.  However, God does not change nor does He lie about what He desires.  His Son has even said that HE can do nothing but what the Father says to do, as well as who is in the family “those who do the WILL of the Father” (Matthew 12:50).  The Son did not eliminate the holiness of God, but highlighted it.   Take for example, His Laws.  They are Holy! 

 

“So then, the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.”  (Romans 7:12)

 

We are told many times and many ways to protect His laws and guard them.  These are HIS Laws for HIS set-apart people to show the world that HE is a set-apart God who desires to dwell among His people.  I obey His laws because they are Holy, and I am showing those around me that YHVH is unchangeable and does not lie.  I am protecting His character and holiness … like His Son did.

 

Do you really think that things have changed?  Let us look at just ONE New Testament example of “it is not fair”.  Look at Acts 5:1-11 about Ananias and his wife Sapphira.  It was their property to basically do with what they wanted.  That is the truth!  But once they decided to dedicate it to YHVH and then did not give all of it to the work of the apostles,  YHVH’s Spirit took their lives!

 

“That is not fair” … “That is not just,” many may cry.

 

They did not have to sell their land!  But they gave a vow that they will and that they dedicated the proceeds to YHVH’s work … that is when it no longer was theirs to do as they please!  Once they dedicated it, it became holy-set-apart unto YHVH.  They were now not to touch it!  But they did!

 

We are to protect His holiness and character.  Oh, do you want to know when many will cry, “That is not fair” … “That is not just”?  It is when the Messiah, the Son of God, returns and those who served Him, but disregarded the Father’s Laws are cast away:

 

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. ²² Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ ²³ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’”  (Matthew 7:21-23)

 

“That is not fair” … “That is not just,” many WILL cry.  Well, we cannot say He did not warn us and explain carefully how to protect His Laws and guard them by doing them!  If I tell you, “Do not touch the hot oven,” yet you do … whose fault is it?  Yep … He warned us, so I am doing the WILL OF THE FATHER … protecting and guarding His holiness!  Not perfectly, but He never said we have to be perfect, just to practice them!

Legalism or Love

A couple of years ago I was having a facebook conversation with a friend from a church I grew up in.
He mentioned he worked with someone who observed the Sabbath but that person couldn't tell him why.  I then told him I observed Sabbath out of love for Messiah.  He commented the law had been done away with and I was putting myself back under the bondage of the law.  I mentioned that Yahshua told us in John 14:
Joh 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
I told him I would love to talk more about this with him in private.  After that I never heard from him and later found that both he and his parents had removed me as a friend on facebook. 
  I still would love to be able to talk to those from my past about why I changed what I believe concerning the Scriptures.  I think I may possibly feel some responsibility as I had been president of the youth group my senior year.  Just as I feel a responsibility for not teaching what I now perceive as the whole truth when I was a youth pastor and pastor and a father/shepherd of my family.
    There is so much I need to relearn if I desire to teach/disciple in the whole truth of Scripture.  I need to stop looking at Scripture through the lens of my Baptist up-bringing and allow the Scriptures to speak for themselves.  This is not bondage or legalism. 
   Why obey the commands of Yahweh Elohim?  Isn't that legalism?
I say with a resounding "No"  this is not legalism. 

le·gal·ism

/ˈligəˌlɪzəm/ Show Spelled [lee-guh-liz-uhm] Show IPA

noun

1.

strict adherence, or the principle of strict adherence, to law or prescription, especially to the letter rather than the spirit.

2.

Theology .

a.

the doctrine that salvation is gained through good works.

b.

the judging of conduct in terms of adherence to precise laws.

3.

( initial capital letter ) (in Chinese philosophy) the principles and practices of a school of political theorists advocating strict legal control over all activities, a system of rewards and punishments uniform for all classes, and an absolute monarchy.

 

So, why then do we observe and keep the commands of Yahweh Elohim?  Personally we guard to do or keep Torah not because we feel an obligation or coercion or because we put ourselves in bondage.  It comes from love struck obedience as in John 14.  We grieve much to knowingly disobey what Yahweh Elohim asks of His set apart ones. 

   To honor, guard or keep the Sabbath does not make us legalists or make us better than anyone else and it can in no way bring about salvation of our souls as salvation is by faith alone.  To be obedient is simply to acknowledge our love and devotion to our King.  It is part of our uniqueness of being a called out, set apart people of faith as He molds us and shapes us into the image of His Son.  As a result of our guarding and keeping to do His commands He in turn then promises to guard and keep us for 1000 generations.

 

Deu 4:2 "Do not add to the Word which I command you, and do not take away from it¹, so as to guard the commands of יהוה

your Elohim which I am commanding you.
Deu 4:6 "And you shall guard and do them, for this is your wisdom and your understanding before the eyes of the peoples who hear all these laws, and they shall say, ‘Only a wise and understanding people is this great nation!’ Deu 4:9 "Only, guard yourself, and guard your life diligently, lest you forget the Words your eyes have seen, and lest they turn aside from your heart all the days of your life. And you shall make them known to your children and your grandchildren.

Deu 7:9 "And you shall know that יהוה

your Elohim, He is Elohim, the trustworthy Ěl guarding covenant and kindness for a thousand generations with those who love Him, and those who guard His commands,

Deu 7:11 "And you shall guard the command, and the laws, and the right-rulings which I command you today, to do them.

Deu 7:12 "And it shall be, because you hear these right-rulings, and shall guard and do them, that יהוה your Elohim shall guard with you the covenant and the kindness which He swore to your fathers,
 
My desire is to be an obedient child of Abba El (daddy God) just as I desire my own children to be obedient to my wife and myself.  It is a demonstration of our deep love for Abba.

 

 

Why? Our journey of faith continues.

Many of us wonder why things happen the way they do. 
Scripture tells us we are not in control of the way our path leads, it is Yahweh Elohim who is.

Psa 37:23 The steps of a man are ordered by יהוה, And He delights in his way.

Psa 37:24 Though he falls, he is not cast down, For יהוה is supporting his hand.

Pro 3:1 My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:

Pro 3:2 For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.

Pro 3:3 Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:

Pro 3:4 So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.

Pro 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

Pro 3:6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Pro 3:7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.

 

 

We had originally been going to have our moving sale this week.  It would have been the 2nd day of the sale today.  Unbeknownst to us Yahweh was looking out for us.  The camper renovations are not done so we are not able move in yet.  So we did not have the sale yet.  This morning around 8 there was a tremendous terrifying sound coming from down the road.  It came in front of our home along with the smell of tar and diesel fuel.  The work continued all morning.  As we continue to wait upon Yahweh to lead us and guide us things like this should not be a surprise to us.  We just ask the question "Why?" and then wait to learn the answer.

 
 

 

 
 

 

 

 
 
 

 

 

So now our road is torn up.  I am so glad we were not trying to have a moving sale today.  Praise Yahweh our Elohim who is watching out for us.

Oh and yes I just found out this was an answer to a prayer my little ones had  a couple of years ago.

The main state highway through town was torn up and the girls wanted to see it take place up close and personal.  At the time they were not able to get very close to see all that was taking place.  They asked for an opportunity at some point and time in the future to be able to view this process again.

So, now you have the rest of the story.

Relaxing

Well, things are slowly getting done.  For two weeks now I have been working hard getting things ready for our next step in faith.  I have just a couple more renovations to make on our next home, the camper.  I am making a space to put Laurie's cedar chest in around our table and then I have a couple book cases to put in our living room.  I also have some joist boxes I made to put between the joists of the older girls upper bunk.  They will swing down from the joists into the little girls bed then swing back up out of the way when not needed.  The painting has been started as well.  The girls bed rooms have been finished.  I hope to be in the camper next week (probably toward the end) and then have our moving sale the following week and hopefully be on the road sometime the end of August or first part of Sept.  Laurie is busy trying to get our entire home school library sold off.  Amazing how everything thing seems to take more time than we would like.  I have been taking pictures of us making our camper into our home and when it is completed I will post those pictures here as well.  Amidst all of my busy days working around here I try to relax for a short time before bed.  I have been working on a wedding portrait for my daughter and new son-in-law.  This is how it is coming along.  First the original and then the beginning of the painting.  I think it looks better in person than from the photo's that I have taken.  I moved Sarah up closer to her husband and took out Laurie and myself from the photo.

Stepping into Prayer

As we contemplate leaving our house and home to travel who knows where, to be of service to Yahweh Elohim, I have begun to immerse myself in prayer.  Not just taking a few minutes here and there to pray but to actually take time to study the subject and to take time to put it into practice.  I am ashamed to say that I have actually spent very little time in prayer over the course of the last few years.  I can remember when my wife and I were going through a very difficult time in our marriage.  I spent so much more time in prayer and on my knees back then.  But when things are going well...
It is so easy to let it go and not spend the time with Elohim that a good relationship deserves.
  When we begin to contemplate living a life by faith, that faith requires us to be on our knees asking, seeking, and listening to the words of Abba El.  So, now I would like to share with you some of the quotes that have been meaningful to me as I study this subject.

we must learn how to walk at God’s pace if we desire to truly hear God and discern His best for our lives. Ben Patterson describes what this tension is like in a direct but helpful way: For many of us, on an almost subconscious level, there is a lack of confidence that something like prayer can actually get anything done. Therefore, since our lives are full of things that need to be done, prayer naturally gets pushed out to the edges of the day . . . God said it would be that way: “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it. You said, ‘No, we will flee on horses.’ Therefore you will flee!” (Isaiah 30: 15– 16). Flight is a good image of the kind of activity that dominates prayerless people and churches.[ 43]
Banks, James (2010-11-10). The Lost Art of Praying Together (Kindle Locations 846-847). Discovery House Publishers. Kindle Edition.

When we watch and pray, we learn to be sensitive to the Spirit and move with God’s promptings.
Banks, James (2010-11-10). The Lost Art of Praying Together (Kindle Location 851). Discovery House Publishers. Kindle Edition.

Spurgeon gives this practical explanation of what the rhythm of prayer and action look like in the Christian’s day-to-day life:
We shall not fly into a passion with the Lord, and refuse to believe Him any more, neither shall we run off to novelties, and fall into the fads and crazes of the day, to try this and to try that, because God’s own way is a failure; but we shall say, I have done what God bade me. I have done it in dependence upon His Spirit, and I believe good will come of it; therefore I shall wait and watch. I shall be found moving when God moves; or sitting still when the Lord tarries; but I am sure that He will not fail the soul that waits upon Him; all will be well; the blessing will come. What a sweet thing is the calm leisure of faith![ 44]
Banks, James (2010-11-10). The Lost Art of Praying Together (Kindle Locations 861-863). Discovery House Publishers. Kindle Edition.
There should be a rythem in our daily lives if we are living a life that pleases Yahweh Elohim 

Pray. Wait. Act. Action follows prayer. Prayer discovers what action to take. Prayer and action should never exclude each other.
Banks, James (2010-11-10). The Lost Art of Praying Together (Kindle Locations 874-876). Discovery House Publishers. Kindle Edition.

In a world that is steeped in self-reliance prayer tells us that our time and energies do not belong to us but to Elohim.  Prayer gives first of all priority to Elohim.  When we are constantly on our knees before His throne where ever we are and whatever we are doing we are consciously living our lives in His presence. 

If we are attempting to do things for Yahweh without prayer we are heading for disaster.

E. M. Bounds describes what this looks like: Sacred work— church activities— may so engage and absorb us as to hinder praying, and when this is the case, evil results always follow. It is better to let the work go by default than to let the praying go by neglect. Whatever affects the intensity of our praying effects the value of our work. “Too busy to pray” is not only the keynote to backsliding, but it mars even the work done. Nothing is well done without prayer for the simple reason that it leaves God out of the account. It is so easy to be seduced by the good to the neglect of the best.[ 48]
Banks, James (2010-11-10). The Lost Art of Praying Together (Kindle Locations 898-901). Discovery House Publishers. Kindle Edition.

Action in response to Elohim's leading through prayer then becomes us being His ambassadors of light and salt.  It no longer is about our agenda but His. 

I have repented of living a life that is less than powered by Yahweh Elohim.  This journey we are on is filled with fear and trepidation.  But Scripture teaches us perfect love casts out fear.  Yahweh Elohim's Word and character are on the line.  Is He big enough for me to serve Him in this way?  Or do I just think of Him as being too small to care about my living by faith?  So I put my little mustard seed out and wait for His sunshine and rain to increase this little bit I have.  I look forward to praying and watching what Elohim can do.

More to come

Traffic in India

My son in India posted this video from India.  If you want to know what traffic is like there go ahead and watch.

He says it is not the best quality due to the rain.  It is the monsoon season.  He is with his friend Gabe and Gabe's sister.

Is the 7th day Sabbath Important?

Our Friend Kyle has had another great post.  I will share it here for you.
This goes with what I was saying concerning Guarding/Keeping the commands.

“So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. ¹⁰ For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His. ¹¹ Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience.”

 

(Hebrews 4:9-11)

 

I guess the question is:  Are YOU a “people of God”?

 

 

08 / 03 / 13

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

 

I don’t know why, but we have the power at our fingertips to know Truth, yet do not use it! 

 

Do you care if you or your brother next to you are sinning?  Does God care?  This is a scary thought, because if God DOES care if His children sin … and we know that Yeshua (Jesus) taught this … what do we do with the Truth?

 

If everyone else in the world is in a sin, would you do the same?  I am going to pick just ONE of the many Laws that were changed AFTER apostles died, AFTER Paul was long buried and waiting for the return of His messiah … matter of fact, for at least 321 years after Yeshua (Jesus) was resurrected we KNOW for SURE that they continued to celebrate the Sabbath like Yeshua (Jesus) and those who followed Him kept it … on the seventh day!  Below was a simple search “When was the Sabbath changed” and here is just ONE of the results (You must ask, “Jesus obeyed it, His followers obeyed it, and even Christians obeyed it for 321 years after … does it matter if I obey it now?”

 

From:  Logos Apostolic Church of God and Bible College

#5.1 WHO CHANGED THE SABBATH TO SUNDAY?

#5.11 Secular Legislation for changing the Sabbath to Sunday

There was no change made from the Sabbath to Sunday in the time of the apostles. However, after the death of the apostles, Sunday was substituted for the Sabbath day through the commandment of men, but not by any commandment of God. It is possible that the transfer may have taken place gradually after the death of the apostles, but concerning secular or church legislation history records the following:

 

"Unquestionably the first law, either ecclesiastical or civil, by which the sabbatical observance of Sunday is known to have been ordained is the sabbatical edict of Constantine, A.D. 32I."  (Chambers" Encyclopaedia, Article "Sunday.")

 

Here is the first Sunday Law in history, a legal enactment by Constantine 1 (reigned 306-331):

 

"On the Venerable Day of the Sun ["venerabili die Solis"--the sacred day of the Sun] let the magistrates and people residing in cities rest, and let all workshops be closed. In the country, however, persons engaged in agriculture may freely and lawfully continue their pursuits; because it often happens that another day is not so suitable for grain-sowing or for vine-planting; lest by neglecting the proper moment for such operations the bounty of heaven should be lost--Given the 7th day of March, [A.D. 321], Crispus and Constantine being consuls each of them for the second time."  (The First Sunday Law of Constantine 1, in "Codex Justinianus," lib. 3, tit. 12, 3; trans. in Phillip Schaff "History of the Christian Church," Vol. 3, p. 380.)

 

What did Constantine's law require?

 

"Let all the judges and town people, and the occupation of all trades rest on the venerable day of the sun; but let those who are situated in the country, freely and at full liberty attend to the business of agriculture; because it often happens that no other day is so fit for sowing corn and planting vines; lest the critical moment being let slip, men should lose the commodities granted by Heaven."  (Translated from the original edict in Latin, now in Harvard College U.S.A.)

 

Constantine's empire was predominantly for Sun worship, so this was not a law to favour Christianity, but rather the "venerable day of the sun", which was the day of the dominating sun worship religion of that time.

 

#5.12 Church Legislation for changing the Sabbath to Sunday

 

The Church of that day, then followed suit, and legislated on Sunday worship at the Council of Laodicea.

 

"The Council of Laodicea ... forbids Christians from judaizing and resting on the Sabbath day, preferring the Lord's day, and so far as possible resting as Christians."  (Encyclopaedia Britannica, 1899 Edition, Vol. XXIII, page 654.)

 

Here is the first Sunday Law decree of a Christian council. It was given about 16 years after Constantine's first Sunday Law of A.D. 321:

 

"Christians shall not Judaize and be idle on Saturday [in the original: "sabbato" shall not be idle on the Sabbath], but shall work on that day; but the Lord's day they shall especially honour, and as being Christians, shall, if possible, do no work on that day. If, however, they are found Judaizing, they shall be shut out ["anathema,"--excommunicated] from Christ."  (Council of Laodicea, c. A.D. 337, Canon 29, quoted in C.J. Hefele, "A History of the Councils of the Church," Vol. 2, p. 316.)

 

By the term "Judaize" they mean keeping the Sabbath day. By the term "the Lord's day" they mean Sunday, which seems to have become a term for that day, although there is no scriptural basis for calling it so.

 

So, like I asked in the beginning:

 

Does it matter? 

Were we not warned of this during the time of Yeshua (Jesus)?

 

Paul and Peter both predicted false teachers would come after their death:

 

“For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.  Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.”  (Acts 20:29-30)

“Now the Spirit speaks expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of demons;”  (1 Timothy 4:1)  (Remember, THEY were obeying the Laws, therefore, the doctrines we read about are considered by demons!)

“But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privately shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.”  (2 Peter 2:1-2)

 

Doctrines of Demons and False teachers: They teach that Yeshua (Jesus) rose on Sunday, and that Sunday is the day of worship and rest.

 

Privately shall bring in damnable heresies: In the privacy of the council of Laodicea, they substituted Sunday for the Sabbath.

 

Denying the Lord: It was Yeshua (Jesus) who said, "keep the commandments." (Matthew 19:17), "but in works they deny him," (Titus 1:16), by not keeping them.

 

Many shall follow their pernicious ways: Almost all of Christianity keeps Sunday as a day of worship, instead of the Sabbath.

 

The way of truth shall be evil spoken of: Almost all of Christianity speaks against keeping the Sabbath commandment, which is the truth (Psalm 119:151).

 

The scripture has this to say on the matter:

 

(Romans 6:16) "Do you not know, that to whom you yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants you are to whom you obey;"

 

So who are we obeying when we keep Sunday as a day of worship instead of the seventh day (Saturday)?

 

We are obeying men, because men changed the Sabbath commandment for Sunday, and we are told not to do this:

 

(Acts 5:29) "Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men."

 

(1 Corinthians 7:23) "You are bought with a price; do not you be the servants of men."

 

God commanded the Sabbath, and men commanded Sunday.

 

Those (even I at one time) who are obeying Sunday sabbath, are obeying the spirit of Antichrist, because it is the Antichrist, who will "think to change times and laws:" (Daniel 7:25). This spirit was already in the world in the time of the apostles, for John wrote, "this is that spirit of antichrist, of which you have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world." (1 John 4:3). The spirit of antichrist is really the spirit of the Devil, because he is the one who gives the antichrist his authority:

 

(Revelation 13:2) "the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority."

 

Therefore, when we obey the commandments of men (keeping Sunday), which is inspired by the spirit of antichrist, we are really bowing to Satan because we keep his law instead of God's.

 

Yeshua (Jesus) had things to say about honouring man's tradition:

 

(Matthew 15:1-9) "Then came to Yeshua (Jesus) scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying, ² Why do your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they do not wash their hands when they eat bread. ³ But he answered and said to them, Why do you also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? ⁴ For God commanded, saying, Honour your father and mother: and, He who curses father or mother, let him die the death. ⁵ But you say, Whoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatever you might be profited by me; ⁶ And does not honour his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition ⁷ You hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying, ⁸ This people draws near to me with their mouth, and honours me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. ⁹ But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men."

 

Yeshua (Jesus) severely rebuked the Pharisees, and called them hypocrites (v7), for pretending to love God, while at the same time breaking one of the Ten Commandments by their tradition.

 

Where does this leave you? Do you say that you love God, while at the same time break the Sabbath commandment when we clearly see Yeshua (Jesus) and those who followed Him obeying it? Are you honouring the tradition of men (keeping Sunday), or honouring the commandment of God (keeping the Sabbath)?

 

Just something to think about this Sabbath rest (smile) … I only bring it forward  BECAUSE I love each of you, not to show how “obedient” I am … for I am still a work in progress (but I am allowing him to “progress” in me).