Raising The Bar of Faith

Raising the Bar of Faith

“Immediately Yahshua made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away.  And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray.  Now when evening came, He was alone there.  But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.

Now in the fourth watch of the night Yahshua went to them, walking on the sea.  And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, ‘It is a ghost!’ And they cried out for fear. But immediately Yahshua spoke to them saying, ‘Be of good cheer!  It is I: do not be afraid.’

And Peter answered Him and said, ‘Master, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.’  So He said, ‘Come.’  And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Yahshua.  But when he saw the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, ‘Master, save me!’

And immediately Yahshua stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, ‘O you of little faith, why did you doubt?’  And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.  Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, ‘Truly You are the Son of YHWH.’”  Matthew 14:22-33

Most messages we’ve heard about this passage have always emphasized Peter’s failure.  While he was walking on the water he took his eyes off Yahshua, he focused on the circumstances around him and he began to sink.  I suggest  there is a much bigger failure that takes place in this story than Peter’s.  Peter’s failure is nothing compared to the failure of the Eleven who remained in the boat.

The way that the world measures success and failure is vastly different from YHWH’s method.  The world measures  success by physical standards: how much money we have in the bank, the house we live in, the car we drive and the world doesn’t really care how we achieve those things.  The world believes that the end justifies the means.  Principles are negotiable on the way to success.  “Look at the good we are doing”  is reasoning for corrupt tactics.

But YHWH says the way to esteem is humitly..  Humble yourself and YHWH will exalt you.  The way to greatness is by serving others.  The greatest person who ever lived washed the feet of the twelve men who were inside that boat.  How we treat other people is extremely important to YHWH.   In John’s gospel we read that the way we treat others is the way we’ve treated Him.  “In as much as you’ve done it to the least of these, you’ve done it to Me.”

The key to success from YHWH’s standpoint is faithfulness.  YHWH doesn’t measure failure by how many times we have tried to obey and failed.  YHWH measures failure by how many times we do not bother trying.  Failure in the kingdom is measured by our refusal to take steps of faith and obedience to YHWH.  The scriptures say that without faith it is impossible to please YHWH.

In the parable of the servants and the talents: one servant was given five, one was given two and one was given one talent.  The failure was the servant who buried his talent and did nothing with it.  The two who were commended by Yahshua were not commended because they had doubled their money, that’s the world’s standard.  They were commended because they were faithful.  They were faithful in the little and because of it they were given much more! That is the Heavenly standard.

Focus on Peter’s failure while walking on the water with Yahshua is incorrect..  Opinion of who failed has been wrong.  But Peter’s sinking was nothing compared to the failure of the other eleven who never set foot out of the boat.

The boat symbolizes comfort zones, routines, physical security,  present circumstances that we feel secure in.  We expend vast amounts of money and energy trying to prevent boat rocking .  We take great steps to avoid challenges, control all circumstances and insure ourselves against the waves.  We do not want anyone to cause waves or rock our boat.

But YHWH is about rocking the boat…challenging the status quo…moving us into new, uncharted water.  YHWH wants us to take grand steps upward in our  life.  HE wants to challenge us to leave our comfort zone. YHWH wants to stretch us and cause us to grow.  It takes faith to step out of the boat and leave behind what’s familiar and comfortable and to step out into obedience into the unknown.  And without faith, it is impossible to please YHWH.

Staying in the boat makes us feel safe and secure. It keeps us dry.  But it also prevents growth.  Many have been going through the routine of their beliefs without any actual spiritual growth for many years. Staying in the boat  deceives us into thinking we “are chosen, we are the first fruits, the 144,000, we: have arrived”.  That was the failure of the Eleven who stayed in the boat.  It is our failure when we refuse to step out of the boat.

The Eleven wouldn’t step out in faith.  They allowed fear to hold them back.  Taking a step out in faith is frightening only when we focus on the possible negative aspects and not on the rewards. That is why we stay in our boats and hesitate when YHWH calls us out. But scriputrue tells us the fearfull are not written in the book of life.

We fault Peter for many of the things he did.  He was often wrong in his walk.  But his passion and zeal gave him the courage to step out. Sometimes he was chastened for his missteps.  And Peter was shamed for his denial. But he learned through those errors to be fearless in his walk with Yahshua and he was never lukewarm.  This strength of faith and belief r was rewarded by being the rock on which Yahshua built his assembly.  .

Familiar surroundings give us a sense of predictabilitycomfort and security.  We think we’re safe in our boat.  It is a comfort zone.  But it is actually a false sense of comfort and security.

True peace, true comfort and security is wherever Yahshua is. And Yahshua wasn’t in the boat, He was walking on water.

When we look at the truth concerning success and failure, we will never succeed in this walk of faith if we’re not where Yahshua is.  Yahshua is not in the boat.  He’s not in the so-called place of comfort and security.  To have true comfort and security, you need to be where He is.  To get to where He is you have to get out of the boat!

Sometimes that means we must step out onto a sea with rough waves.  Peace is not the absence of storms and waves but it is a confidence and faith in Yahshua to keep us in spite of the storms.

Don’t be like the Eleven! Be willing to get out of the boat no matter how uncomfortable it may be.  The wind will seem to blow hardest when we’re taking steps of faith. Satan knows when we are exercising our faith and will put as many obstacles in our path as possible.

When you step out of the boat, keep your eyes on Yahshua.  That is the only way to walk on the water.

Peter learned something that the others will never know.  He knew the thrill of walking on water.  Scripute does not tell us how long or how far he walked toward Yahshua before he began to sink. The others would never know that thrill.

Peter also experienced the joy of being lifted by Yahshua in a moment of despair.  He knew in a way that the other Eleven couldn’t that if he were to sink, Yahshua would save him.

Yahshua wants us to step out.  He rewards water-walking faith.  Faith is like a muscle in our body that either grows stronger through exercise or atrophies from disuse.

Walking on Water – Matthew 14:22-33

Matthew, Mark, and John all follow the feeding of the five thousand with a story of Yahshua walking on the water. Matthew’s version is most developed and includes the account of Peter also walking on the sea.

The conclusion of verse 33 suggests the main line of understanding we should follow. The confession of the disciples, “Truly you are the Son of YHWH,” and the echoes of Old Testament scriptures in this passage suggest that the point is to be found in the relationship of Yahshua and YHWH the Father.

Matthew’s point is not simply that we are to respond in awestruck wonder, “Wow! This Yahshua can walk on water. He is awesome.” Rather, we should respond as the disciples do in verse 33. In worship, we echo the words of Jacob in Genesis 28:16, “Surely YHWH was here and we did not realize it.”

Structurally, Matthew 14:22-33 contains two basic scenes or acts to a single a drama. The first appears in verses 22-27 and the focus is on Yahshua coming to his frightened disciples and speaking a word of peace and encouragement. The second scene occurs in verses 28-33 and focuses on the dialog between Yahshua and Peter.

The “hinge” that connects the two scenes is the statement of Yahshua in verse 27, “Have courage! It is I. Do not be afraid!” Though scholars commonly regard Yahshua as the central character of the first scene and Peter as central in the second scene, Yahshua is the central character of both scenes and of the story as a whole.

Matthew states that Yahshua “compelled” the disciples to embark in the boat. The word suggests reluctance on their part, but no explanation is given. The disciples are simply to go before Yahshua to the other side. In this way, Matthew lets us know there is no danger to the disciples in what lies ahead.

The sending of the disciples across the sea and the dismissal of the crowd left Yahshua alone. Matthew emphasizes that fact by stating in verse 23 that Yahshua went up into the mountain to pray “by himself.” The emphasis on Yahshua praying alone shows Yahshua modeling the prayer life that he had commanded his disciples to have. This life of prayer is an important part of discipleship. The aloneness of Yahshua also contributes to a sense of mystery or awe that is important if we are to realize who Yahshua really is according to this passage. The prayer emphasis also suggests that the miracle was enabled by the intimate union of the Yahshua with the Father.

Verses 25 and 26 describe Yahshua as walking on the sea. Matthew’s first readers would have recognized that in the Old Testament it was YHWH and YHWH alone who could stride across the sea. Job 9:8; 38:16; Psalm 77:19; Isaiah 43:16; and Habakkuk 3:15 make this clear. The point is clear. When the disciples saw Yahshua walking on the water the correct conclusion to draw is that Yahshua was YHWH himself. If this was not clear in verses 25-26, verse 27 will make it clear. Yahshua responds to the disciples’ cry of fear by saying, “Take courage,  I AM. Fear not.” His words echo the name I AM WHO I AM given to YHWH in Exodus 3:14.

The story of the walking on the water is designed to teach us the deity of Messiah. However, it is also designed to teach us the practical application of that theological truth. If Messiah is, in fact, elohim, then his command, “Fear not,” both makes sense and is the only appropriate way for Messianics to live our daily lives.

Fasting On Yom Kippur

In a culture striving for permissiveness, the self-critical mood of Yom Kippur strikes a note of jarring counterpoint. The tradition’s answer is that guilt in its right time and place is healthy; it is crucial to conscience.  Moral maturity lies in a willingness to recognize one’s own sins . . . Concrete acts can be corrected; bad patterns can be overcome. Against the brokenness of guilt and the isolation of sin, Yom Kippur offers the wholeness of living. To this end confession of sins on Yom Kippur is imperative.

Covenant Believers, like the Jews, need the annual summon of the Day of Atonement to self-examination, repentance, and cleansing. We need to search our hearts and see if the sins we have confessed and asked to be forgiven have also been forsaken. If we sense sinful tendencies in our lives, the Day of Atonement offers an annual opportunity to seek and experience divine forgiveness and cleansing.

Leviticus 23:26-32

(26)  And YHWH spoke to Moses saying,

(27)  Also, on the tenth of this seventh month shall be a day of atonement; there shall be a holy gathering, and you shall humble your souls and shall bring a fire offering to YHWH.

(28)  And you shall do no work in this same day, for it is a day of atonement, to atone for you before YHWH your Elohim.

(29) For any person who is not humbled in this same day shall be cut off from his people.

(30) And any person who does any work in this same day, I shall even destroy that person from the midst of his people.

(31) You shall do no work; it is a never ending statute throughout your generations, in all your dwellings.

(32) It is a Sabbath of rest to you, and you shall humble your souls in the ninth of the month at evening; from evening until evening you shall keep your Sabbath.

Jonah 3:1-10

(1) And the Word of YHWH was to Jonah the second time, saying,

(2) Rise up, go to Nineveh, the great city, and cry out to it the proclamation that I am declaring to you.

(3) And Jonah rose up and went to Nineveh according to the Word of YHWH. And Nineveh was a great city to Elohim, of three days’ journey.

(4) And Jonah began to enter a day’s journey into the city. And he cried out and said, Yet forty days and Nineveh shall be overturned!

(5) And the men of Nineveh believed in Elohim, and they called a fast and put on sackclothes, from the greatest of them even to the least of them.

(6) And the word touched even to the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he took his robe from him and covered himself with sackcloth and sat on the ashes.

(7) And he cried and said in Nineveh by the decree of the king and of his great ones, saying, Do not let man or beast, herd or flock, taste anything; do not let them feed nor let them drink water.

(8) But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth. And let them call with strength to Elohim. And let them each one turn from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands.

(9) Who knows? He may turn, and Elohim may have pity and turn away from the glow of His anger, that we do not perish.

(10) And Elohim saw their works that they turned from their evil way. And Elohim was compassionate over the evil that He had spoken to do to them, and He did not do it.

Micah 6:6-8

(6) With what shall I come before YHWH, to bow myself before the loftiness of Elohim? Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings, with calves, sons of a year?

(7) Will YHWH be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of torrents of oil? Shall I give my first-born for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?

(8) O man, He has declared to you what is good. And what does YHWH require of you, but to do justice, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your Elohim?

Micah 7:18-20

(18) Who is an Elohim like You, forgiving iniquity and passing by the transgression of the remnant of His possession? He does not make strong His anger forever, for He delights in grace.

(19) He will return to pity us; He will subdue our iniquities. Yea, You will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.

(20) You will give faithfulness to Jacob, kindness to Abraham, which You have sworn to our fathers from the days of old.

Isaiah 58:1-14

(1) Call out with the throat! Do not spare. Lift up your voice like the ram’s horn! And declare to My people their rebellion, and their sins to the house of Jacob.

(2)  Yet they seek Me day by day, and desire knowledge of My ways. As a nation that has done right, and not forsaking the judgment of their Elohim, they ask Me about judgments of righteousness; they desire to draw near to Elohim.

(3) They say, Why have we fasted, and You did not see? We have afflicted our soul, and You did not acknowledge. Behold, on the day of your fast you find pleasure; and you drive all your laborers hard.

(4) Look! You fast for strife, and for debate, and to strike with the fist of wickedness. Do not fast as today, to sound your voice in the high place.

(5) Is this like the fast I will choose, a day for a man to afflict his soul? To bow his head down like a bulrush, and he spreads sackcloth and ashes? Will you call to this as a fast and a day of delight to YHWH?

(6) Is this not the fast I have chosen: to open bands of wickedness, to undo thongs of the yoke, and to send out the oppressed ones free; even that you pull off every yoke?

(7) Is it not to break your bread to the hungry, that you should bring the wandering poor home? When will you see the naked and cover him, and you will not hide yourself from your flesh?

(8) Then your light shall break as the dawn, and your healing shall spring up quickly; and your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of YHWH shall gather you.

(9) Then you shall call, and YHWH will answer; you shall cry, and He shall say, Here I am. If you put the yoke away from among you, the sending out of the finger, and the speaking of iniquity;

(10) And if you let out your soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then your light shall rise in the darkness, and your gloom shall be as the noonday.

(11) And YHWH shall always guide you, and satisfy your soul in dry places, and make strong your bones. And you shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water whose waters do not fail.

(12) And those who come of you shall build the old ruins; you shall rear the foundations of many generations; and you shall be called, The Repairer of the Breach, the restorer of paths to live in.

(13) If you turn your foot away because of the Sabbath, from doing what you please on My holy days, and call the Sabbath a delight, to the holiness of YHWH, glorified; and shall glorify Him, to the holiness of not doing your own ways, from finding your own pleasure or speaking your word;

(14) Then you shall delight yourself in YHWH. And I will cause you to ride on the heights of the earth, and make you eat with the inheritance of your father Jacob. For the mouth of YHWH has spoken.

Matthew 5:5-6

(5) Blessed are the meek! For they shall inherit the earth. Psalm 37:11

(6) Blessed are they who hunger and thirst after righteousness! For they shall be filled.

Romans 5:8-11

(8) But YHWH commends His love to us in this that we being yet sinners, Messiah died for us.

(9) Much more then, being justified now by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath through Him.

(10) For if while being enemies we were reconciled to YHWH through the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life;

(11) And not only so, but also glorying in YHWH through our Master Yahshua ha Mashiach, through whom we now received the atonement.

1 Peter 5:6

(6) Then be humbled under the mighty hand of YHWH, that He may exalt you in time;

James 4:8-10

(8) Draw near to YHWH, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, sinners! And purify your hearts, double minded ones!

(9) Be distressed, and mourn, and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy into shame.

(10) Be humbled before YHWH, and He will exalt you.

2 Corinthians 5:17-19

(17) So that if anyone is in Messiah, he is a new creation; the old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new!

(18) And all things are from YHWH, the One having atoned us to Himself through Yahshua Messiah, and having given to us the ministry of atonement,

(19) as, that YHWH was in Messiah atoning the world to Himself, not charging their deviations to them, and having put the Word of atonement in us.

Isaiah 61:1-3

(1) The Spirit of YHWH Elohim is on me, because YHWH has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the meek. He has sent Me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to captives, and complete opening to the bound ones;

(2) to proclaim the acceptable year of YHWH, and the day of vengeance of our Elohim; to comfort all who mourn;

(3) to appoint to those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of the spirit of infirmity, so that one calls them trees of righteousness, the planting of YHWH, in order to beautify Himself.

Psalms 51:16-17

(16) For you do not desire sacrifice, or I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering.

(17) The sacrifices of YHWH are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O YHWH, You will not despise.

The challenge of the Day of Atonement is to take an annual spiritual inventory of our lives and to acknowledge and forsake our sinful ways.  It is especially needed today when sin is excused, explained away, and relativized, rather than being acknowledged, confessed, and forsaken.

Although heart repentance was implied in the observance of the other feasts, on no other occasion is repentance so central as in the Day of Atonement. The Biblical basis for the emphasis on repentance and confession of sins is evident in the Biblical instructions: “And it shall be a statute to you for ever that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall afflict yourselves, and shall do no work” (Lev 16:29; cf. Lev 23:27, 29, 32).

The “affliction of soul” is generally understood to mean fasting. This is a great tradition and often is quite effective. The emphasis, however, should be on the correct attitude of the heart. And fasting is truly spiritually effective only with practice and forethought.

If the general atonement made on this day is not to pass into a dreaded ritual to simply be endured, we must recognize the spiritual significance of the act of expiation.  We must begin with penitential feelings, and manifest this penitential state by abstinence from ordinary enjoyments of life.

The message of the Day of Atonement for Covenant Believers today is the message of holy living in the present life in order to experience the final cleansing and renewal in the future Day of Yahshua Messiah’s coming.

Prior to the resurrection, only those who had repented, confessed, and forsaken their sins experienced the cleansing and renewal of the Day of Atonement. In the same way, only those Covenant Believers who repent, confess, and forsake their sins now will experience the final cleansing and removal of the “consciousness of sin” (Heb 10:2) when Yahshua Messiah will appear on the final Day of Atonement.

The Day of Atonement in the Old and New Testaments embodies the Good News of YHWH’s provision for the cleansing of sins and restoration to fellowship with Him. “On this day shall atonement be made for you, to cleanse you; from all your sins you shall be clean before the Lord” (Lev 16:30).

What a marvelous provision YHWH has made for His people to experience a cleansing and a new beginning through His atonement! This new beginning of the Day of Atonement is made possible through Yahshua Messiah’s atoning sacrifice. “Therefore, if any one is in Yahshua Messiah, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, behold, the new has come” (2 Co 5:17). The ultimate fulfillment of the precious promise will be realized at the antitypical Day of Atonement when YHWH will dispose permanently of our sins and make all things new.

The promise of cleansing of the Day of Atonement has both a present and future phase. In the present, the Day of Atonement summons us to search our hearts and forsake our sinful ways by the power of Yahshua Messiah’s blood which can purify our lives (Heb 9:14). The moral cleansing we experience in the present reassures us of the future and final cleansing from the presence and consciousness of sin that will be accomplished on the antitypical Day of Atonement, when Yahshua Messiah “will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him” (Heb 9:28).

At a time when many are experiencing the crushing isolation of sin, the Day of Atonement has a message of hope. It reassures Covenant Believers that Yahshua Messiah will soon appear the second time, like the High Priest on the Day of Atonement, to punish unbelievers, to bind Satan, to cleanse believers and restore them to an harmonious relationship with YHWH. Such a hope gives us reasons to rejoice and encourage “one another, and all the more as . . . [we] see the Day drawing near” (Heb 10:25).

Strict food and water fasting to curb bodily appetites to heighten the awareness of spiritual needs is a good way to afflict the soul, but it can often miss the mark. It can cause the focus to be solely on the physical discomfort and divert the attention from spiritual growth.  The exercise of physical affliction without the spiritual effect is a useless exercise and fails to reach the goal and intent of the law.

However, spiritual fasting from carnal life by silence, meditation, prayer, self-examination, and confession of sins avoids the pull of the physical needs away from the main focus.  There are many instances in scripture where a “word fast” shows deference to YHWH.

Proverbs 30:32 If you have been foolish in lifting yourself up, or if you have thought evil, lay your hand on your mouth!

Job 40:4 Behold, I am vile! What shall I answer You? I will put my hand to my mouth.

Job 29:9 the rulers held back with words, and they laid a hand on their mouth;

Job 21:5 Turn toward me and be astonished, and put your hand on your mouth.

Spiritual fasting followed by deep, heart-felt rejoicing and thanks for the sacrifice of Yahshua and the cleansing of our sin by His blood is a better method of commemorating the Day of Atonement.

We have found that the practice of a total “word fast” for the first part of the day (sunset until the following noon) helps accomplish the goal of being YHWH focused and being humbled before HIM.  We follow the “word fast” with praise from noon until sunset rejoicing for the expiation (payment for our sin that is made on our behalf) by the blood of Yahshua.

So How Do I Prepare For End Times? Isaiah 35:3-4 Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the weak knees.  Say to those with anxious heart, “Be strong, do not fear! See, your Elohim comes with vengeance, with the recompense of Elohim. He is coming to save you.” 1. Stop Blatant Sin: 1Co 6:9-10 Do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the reign of Elohim? Do not be deceived. Neither those who whore, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor greedy of gain, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers shall inherit the reign of Elohim. Gal 5:1-21 And the works of the flesh are well-known, which are these: adultery , whoring, uncleanness, indecency, idolatry, drug sorcery, hatred, quarrels, jealousies, fits of rage, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions, envy, murders, drunkenness, wild parties, and the like – of which I forewarn you, even as I also said before, that those who practice such as these shall not inherit the reign of Elohim. A. Drunkenness and recreational drugs. Eph 5:18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is loose behavior, but be filled with the Spirit, Isa 28:1 Woe to the proud crown of the drunkards of Ephrayim, and to the fading flower of its splendid comeliness that is on the head of the fertile valley, to those who are overcome with wine! B. Gluttony and food obsession. Pro 30:12 There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness. C. Sarcasm, Jesting, Joking. Jas 1:26 If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is worthless. D. Materialism, Covetousness, Work-A-holism . Heb 13:5 Let your way of life be without the love of money, and be satisfied with what you have. For He Himself has said, “I shall never leave you nor forsake you,” Luk 12:22-23 And He said to His taught ones, “For this reason I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you shall eat; nor about the body, what you shall put on. The life is more than the food, and the body is more than the clothing.” Luk 12:34 “For where your treasure is, there your heart shall be also. E. Sorcery, Witchcraft, Potions. Rev 22:15 “But outside are the dogs and those who enchant with drugs, and those who whore, and the murderers, and the idolaters, and all who love and do falsehood.” 2. Become Humble: Jas 4:6B Because of this He says, “Elohim resists the proud, but gives favor to the humble.” Eze 16:49-50 Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fullness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I saw good. 3. Resist the Devil Jas 4:7 So then subject yourselves to Elohim. Resist the devil and he shall flee from you. 1Jn4:2-4 By this know the Spirit of YHWH: every spirit which confesses that Yahshua Messiah has come in the flesh is from YHWH. And every spirit which does not confess that Yahshua Messiah has come in the flesh is not from YHWH; and this is the antichrist which you heard is coming, and now is already in the world. Little children, you are of YHWH and have overcome them, because He in you is greater than he in the world. 4. Persist / Overcome Our Sin: 1Jn 3:8 The one doing sin is of the devil, because the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of Elohim was manifested: to destroy the works of the devil. Heb 3:13-15 But exhort yourselves each day, as long as it is being called today, that not any of you be hardened by the deceit of sin. For we have become partakers of Yahshua, if truly we hold the beginning of the assurance firm to the end; as in the saying, “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts, as in the provocation.” Rom 12:21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. 5. Exercise Faith: Act 26:8 “Why is it considered ‘unbelievable’ among you if Elohim raises the dead? 2Ki 6:5-6 And it came to be, as one was cutting down a tree, that the iron axe head fell into the water. And he cried out and said, “Oh my master, for it was borrowed!” And the man of Elohim said, “Where did it fall?” And he showed him the place. And he cut off a stick, and threw it in there, and made the iron float. Gen 18:14 Is any thing too hard for YHWH? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son. Rom 14:23b … for whatsoever is not of faith is sin. 6. Discover and Use Talents: Heb 10:24 And let us be concerned for one another in order to stir up love and good works, 1Co 12:4-7 And there are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of services, but the same Master. And there are different kinds of workings, but it is the same Elohim who is working all in all. And to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for profiting, 7. Reduce Attachment to Babylon/System: Rev 18:2-7 and he did cry in might–a great voice, saying, `Babylon the great is fallen is fallen, and she became a habitation of demons, and a hold of every unclean spirit, and a hold of every unclean and hateful bird, because of the wine of the wrath of her whoredom have all the nations drunk, and the kings of the earth with her did commit whoredom, and merchants of the earth from the power of her revel were made rich. And I heard another voice out of the heaven, saying, `Come forth out of her, My people, that ye may not partake with her sins, and that ye may not receive of her plagues, because her sins did follow–unto the heaven, and YHWH did remember her unrighteousness. Render to her as also she did render to you, and double to her doubles according to her works; in the cup that she did mingle mingle to her double. `As much as she did glorify herself and did revel, so much torment and sorrow give to her, because in her heart she says, I sit a queen, and a widow I am not, and sorrow I shall not see; 1Jn 2:15-16 Do not love the world nor that which is in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. Because all that is in the world – the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life – is not of the Father but is of the world. 8. Practice Pure Religion: Jas 1:27 Clean and undefiled religion before Elohim and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world. Jas 3:17-18 But the wisdom from above is first clean, then peaceable, gentle, ready to obey, filled with compassion and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.  And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. 9. Seek Purity. Tit 2:11-13 For the saving grace of YHWH has appeared to all men, instructing us that having denied ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live discreetly and righteously and devout in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and appearance of the glory of our great Elohim and Savior Yahshua Messiah, Mat 5:8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, because they shall see Elohim. 10. Fear NOT, Be Assured of Your Salvation. 2Pe 3:13-15 But according to His promise we wait for a renewed heavens and a renewed earth in which righteousness dwells. So then, beloved ones, looking forward to this, do your utmost to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless,  and reckon the patience of our Master as deliverance, as also our beloved brother Sha’ul wrote to you, according to the wisdom given to him, Joh 20:31 And these have been written so that you believe (iStrong’s #4100 ina pisteuhte-you keep on believing) that Yahshua is the Messiah, the Son of Elohim, and that, believing, you might possess life in His Name. Exo 14:14 YHWH shall fight for you, and you shall hold your peace. 1Jn 2:28 And now, little children, stay in Him, so that when He appears, we might have boldness and not be ashamed before Him at His coming. Luk 12:31-32  But rather seek ye the kingdom of YHWH; and all these things shall be added unto you.  Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

Doctrinal Disputes

We have tired from the hashing and re-hashing of basic issues and minutia that many love to do perhaps compelled to have the others “raise their level of righteousness”…as we once were guilty of doing.

So we avoid doctrinal discussion as a rule unless someone asks why we do what we do… then we simply explain without condemnation. 

But, we would much rather focus on the faith walking and the everyday working of YHWH in believer’s lives.    Scripture plainly says Yahshua’s followers are known by their love.

Love does not mean acceptance of unrighteousness or heresy…but it does mean acknowledging that those with differences are not labeled, condemned, ridiculed or beat up. We don’t have to actively associate or live with them, many of the differences tend to separate us anyway, But we do have to love them. 

Scripture does say the love of many waxes cold. And that seems to be a common trait today among the heathen as well as the believers.

Never Again: What You Do Matters

“There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest.”

- Elie Wiesel

The United States Congress established the Days of Remembrance as our nation’s annual commemoration of the Holocaust and created the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum as a permanent living memorial to the victims. This year Holocaust Remembrance Day is Tuesday, April 21. The Museum has designated Never Again: What You Do Matters as the theme for the 2009 observance.

Women and children survivors in Mauthausen speak to an American liberator through a barbed wire fence. Mauthausen, Austria. May 05, 1945-May 07, 1945. USHMM, National Archives and Records Administration

Few stories illustrate more powerfully the difference an individual can make in creating a more just and humane world than that of Raphael Lemkin. This year marks 50 years since the death of this Polish-Jewish lawyer who watched from the shores of the United States as the Nazis persecuted and murdered members of his family along with millions of other Jews, solely on the basis of their identity-Winston Churchill described this mass murder as a “crime without a name.” Lemkin was a prominent attorney and an expert in international law working in Warsaw when Germany invaded Poland in September 1939. He answered his country’s call for able-bodied men to go eastward in the hopes of forming a new defensive line against Germany, but all hope collapsed when the Soviet Union suddenly occupied eastern Poland. Lemkin escaped to Sweden by way of Lithuania. There he completed arrangements to immigrate to the United States. He began work at Duke University in North Carolina in April 1941, shortly before the United States entered World War II.

In 1944, Lemkin became increasingly alarmed as the extent of the destruction of Europe’s Jewish communities became apparent. He was determined to name the crime that had killed his family. He coined the word “genocide” as a first step in his relentless personal drive to help prevent its repetition. Lemkin next conceived the Genocide Convention and wrote its first draft. In the shadow of the Holocaust and in no small part due to his tireless efforts, the United Nations approved the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in 1948. Lemkin did not celebrate but called it “an epitaph on his mother’s grave.” He continued his efforts to prevent genocide until his death of a heart attack in 1959. Many others took up his passion and commitment to prevent genocide. One notable example was the late U.S. Senator from Wisconsin, William Proxmire. Starting in 1967, Senator Proxmire waged a singlehanded campaign to get the Genocide Convention ratified by the U.S. Senate. For 19 years Proxmire made a speech every day that Congress convened-a total of 3,211 speeches-until the Senate ratified the Convention in 1986.

The Holocaust demonstrates one of the greatest lessons about individual responsibility-that each of us has the choice to act or not to act, and that there are consequences to our decisions.

The evidence of this “crime of all crimes” against humanity demonstrates that the Holocaust was not inevitable; it happened because ordinary people became accomplices to the process of targeting groups of people and eventually to mass murder. Whether through sheer indifference or motivated by career advancement, peer approval, or antisemitic prejudice, in the long span between words of hate and the machinery of death at Auschwitz, many had the opportunity to affect the outcome. Neighbors and friends, doctors and judges, businessmen and clergy, educators and policemen and, ultimately, even other governments chose not to act. Legions of others-government workers and professionals-enabled and assisted in the implementation of policies and practices targeting Jews and others.

Remembrance obligates us not only to memorialize those who were killed but also to reflect on what could have been done to save them. Those who survived tell us that as many faced their horrific deaths, their last words were “Remember us. Tell our story.” Survivors promised that they would, and that never again would the world stand silent or look the other way. That was the promise that drove Lemkin’s lifetime of commitment.

The Holocaust reminds us of the fragility of democracy and the need for citizens to be both well-informed and vigilant about the preservation of democratic ideals. An engaged citizenry that embraces the power of the individual to make a difference is the frontline defense for strong, just societies. What we do-or choose not to do-matters.

Calendar for Passover 2009

YHWH is consistent and utilizes judicial order in all HE does.  In calculating the calendar, it is logical that we too should be consistent and orderly.  We do not begin another time period before the previous one is finished.

We begin a new year when the old one is over , so the new year begins the first month after the equinox.

We begin a new month when the old one is over , so the new month begins the first sunset after the conjunction.

We begin a new day when the old one is over , so each day begins immediately after sunset of the previous day.

We do not use postponements of days, months, or years; nor do we begin them prematurely.

The law goes forth from Jerusalem (Isaiah 2:3. Micah 4:2), thus the dates are determined there and as the earth rotates we simply wait for them to arrive at our locale .

Sunset in Jerusalem March 26th 5:53 P.M.

Conjunction Jerusalem March 26th 6:06 P.M.

First Day of New Month and new year (Abib 1) begins at Sunset March 27th

Passover (Abib 14) Starts  after Sunset April 9th

Mar 26, 2009

5:07 AM

5:53 PM

11:26 AM

63.0°

383,515

0.2%

New at 6:06 PM

http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/astronomy.html?n=110

Terminated Affiliation

 We believe that Congregation of YHWH, Jerusalem has valid teachings but has a problem in the leadership. Therefore, we have terminated our  affiliation until the situation is rectified.

My Grace is Sufficient

 

Our Daily Bread

While most routinely thank YHWH for leading us each day and giving us “our daily bread”, few actually know the reality of what that means. 

This concept can only be understood when we are immersed in a situation in which YHWH is the only form of support, relief, and deliverance.

Only then can we internalize the reality that YHWH is the source for all good, and not we ourselves.  When faced with a trying situation, too often the independent believer will rally to inject worldly actions to alleviate any form of discomfort and to guide and control the events.  

Instead, we must accept the situation that YHWH has put us into with thanksgiving, understand that any dissatisfaction with the circumstances is tantamount to questioning YHWH.  We must look immediately to our Creator for direction and resolution. We must resist the temptation to take matters into our own hands.

This grasp of a concept foreign to the independent, self-sufficient western mindset is a critical precursor to spiritual preparation for troubled times.   It is a vital step to obtaining the degree of humility which is necessary to be meek enough to inherit the earth. 

Blessings to the faithful few.

Are You An Ahab?

King Ahab of Israel….most often known as Jezebel’s Husband was the namesake for an evil spirit that plagues many men today.  They shirk their responsibilities because they are weak and allow women to do their dirty work.   These are some of the characteristics of Ahab’s.  Are you an Ahab?

1.     Ahab was Ambitious. Many men are extremely successful by the world’s standard of life, but weak in the spiritual department.  Their wives take the lead.

2.     Ahab was opportunistic. Many Ahab’s let someone else ease the pressure by taking care of unpleasant tasks. Have you been inattentive and allowed someone else to take care of things you are supposed to do?

3.     Ahab was self-serving.  Men with Ahab Spirits neglect family and scriptural matters because of their selfish focus on self,  career and the world?

4.     Ahab focused on the worldly.  In today’s society men are considered successful if they have good jobs, make plenty of money, and provide a nice home.  Success is defined solely by material standards.

5.     Ahab compromised his beliefs.   Men with the Ahab spirit make unholy alliances for earthly gain?

6.     Ahab abdicated his spiritual responsibility. Men allow their children to be educated by others, whether it be public schools, church schools, or even the wife alone in home schooling. Yahweh makes parents, fathers specifically, responsible for the training and admonition of their children

7.     Ahab ignored evil.  Men with the spirit of Ahab refuse to stand against abortion, homosexuality, false doctrines, political correctness, immodest dress, teen sex, immorality, violence, or dishonesty?

8.     Ahab had no fear of Yahweh. Men’s lives show fear of their Creator by their actions…not just the words of their mouths.

The way for YHWH’s people to exhibit faith is by living the scripture 24/7 and not compromising or compartmentalizing our beliefs.  The good news is that we are given the opportunity to repent from our ways and start afresh. Begin today!

What’s In A Name

“…He saved them for His name’s sake.”
Psalm 106:8

      The Name of YHWH (Yahweh) is endowed with power. The Name and the power are synonyms. “By what power or by what name have you done this? (Acts 4:7)” As Messianic Believers, we have the covenant through the Messiah YahShua to call on the name Yahweh. There is power in the name of YHWH (Yahweh).

El is the general title for YHWH (Yahweh). It is used 250 times in the Tanach. The earliest combination of El Yah inscription (Late Bronze Age) was found on a beautiful Ewer, discovered in a rubbish heap of a temple at Lachish in 1934. The Lachish Ewer (1220 BCE) bares the title El coupled with the abbreviated name Yah embossed with the Menorah and a sacrificial ram.

      This title draws attention to the fact that one is worshipping the one true El. This is the most common title for Yahweh and comes from the ancient Hebrew word “ul” meaning, “to be strong.” In other Semitic tongues El is referred as Ellah (Ancient Hebrew – Ezra 5:11), Eloah (Hebrew – Deut. 32:17), Ilu (Akkadian), Elahh (Chaldean), and Allah (Arabic – though this was applied to the Arab moon deity also called Sin of Sinai). 

“If this were an authentic history, the textbook would explain that the god of Muhammad was man’s creation. Arabia was a pagan nation that worshiped over 300 gods. One of those was the moon god named, al-ilah. Legend has it that the moon god mated with the sun god and had two daughters, both of whom were worshiped as goddesses. When Muhammad claimed to have had his `vision’ and `revelation from Gabriel’ he chose al-ilah as the god to build his army around. Muhammad shortened the name, al-ilah, to, Allah, and declared that he alone should be worshiped. He forbade the worship of the daughters. To this day, a crescent moon can be found at the front of every mosque, acknowledging that Allah was, and is the moon god.”

     Earlier Arabs used the word El as a single name for the deity the same way it is used in the Hebrew Scriptures. The word became iyal as a plural form of majesty like many use Elohim.

Robert Miller – Understanding Yahweh