Serving Yahweh with Zeal and Passion
06/09/18 (03/24) Video Broadcast
Blessed be the name of
Yahweh and we praise
Yahweh for his
goodness toward us.
Where would we be
without his grace?
How many of you know
Yahushua HaMashiach, how
many of you are in a
relationship with our
father in heaven and
the son Yahushua?
If you have never taken
a moment and say I
absolutely renounce
anything that is not of
Yahweh and I embrace the
truth of the good news,
Messiah Yahushua died for
my sins apart from him I
am unworthy to even is
called his servant.
But through him I am one
of the children the most
high.
If you've never taken a
moment and turned away
from what you know is
wrong but you're doing and
confess your sins before
him with humility and with
trust in his mercy.
I encourage you to do so
most important decision
you'll ever make in your
life and there are some
folks who are confident
that they are in that
position and I praise
Yahweh for that, as long
as that confidence
is based on truth.
And we're going to talk today about the importance of our relationship with our heavenly father, I'd intended on sharing another segment on our 10 commandments but for various reasons time would not allow me to do so. And so Yahweh is apparently directing me to share today's study which I do feel is something he wants me to share.
But first of all it's very very important if you've never taken that time, if you've never taken a moment and dedicated your life to Yahweh our Mighty One. I don't care if you're 10 years old or 70 years old or how old you are or how long you been doing this or if you've raised in the faith and you're single of course. Of course I am in a relationship with the father but there are things perhaps you're struggling with, you're not sure about things that you're questioning, I encourage you to get into some kind of counsel with a mature believer and or
your parents if it's your parents who have raised you in this. You know a lot of times the study I'm about to
share, it is the children of Torah observant believers in Yahushua sure who can be lacking this part that I'm about ready to share the most. Their parents were trailblazers, they sought
in pursuit of truth, they loved it and the word was to them the joy and rejoicing of their hearts and the children become inheritors of this belief system. But our belief system is not just a belief system our belief system is a relationship, a relationship that is based on love.
You cannot serve your father Elohim as if to say
well that's his Elohim and that's the one I'm going to serve, he needs to be your Elohim, he needs to
be the Elohim of you. He is your Elohim, he is your Mighty One, he is your strength and with the beautiful zealousness that
perhaps your parents had in their service to the father how much more so you can go further than we
ever thought possible? You can surpass us in understanding the words of Elohim in the ways of light, in the ways of truth but sometimes young people are content to
serve their father Elohim and that's where it stops. Listen I encourage you today and I encourage all of us don't just play church, don't just well I like this faith and therefore you need to serve Yahweh with zeal and passion, that's what he
wants from you whether you're 17 years old or you're 20 years old or you're 75 years old or 82 years old. Listen there are no retired believers, there's no retirement system with our zeal and passion and needs to continue. It needs to continue until we draw our last breath on the earth, Yahweh is calling us to love him with all our hearts, with all our soul, with all our strength, everything you got. He wants it all, he deserves it all, and he does not deserve to be in the second place he wants everything. Are you willing to give him that?
You know he loves you that way, Yahweh loves you that way, don't just go through the motions; serve him
with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength. This word strength, what does that mean? Let's take a look, Meod means exceeding or much
with all you might force abundance and here's the word I like here muchness has to be a part of your
love, that loving him very much much much much much much more than anything else. It's what he wants that passion, Melca your muchness, force, abundance up to a great degree, Brown-Driver-Briggs suggests exceedingly holiday has in the highest degree the logical word book of the Old Testament: exceedingly, much, force, abundance...lebab denotes the intention or will of the whole man. Nephesh means whole self, a unity of flesh, will, and vitality and moed accents the superlative highest degree of total commitment to Yahweh. Does that describe our walk?
Only you personally can answer that, I wouldn't judge one way or the other I wouldn't dare do so. This is a personal thing between you and your father in heaven. Do you love him the way he loves you? It says we love him because he loved us first right, Yahushua was asked the question: "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?" Yahushua said to him, "You shall love Yahweh your Elohim with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your (muchness) mind. This is the first and great commandment.
The scribe said to him, Well, Teacher, you have spoken the truth: for there is but one Elohim; there is no other but he. And to love him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. And when Yahushua saw he answered wisely, he said to him, you are not far from the kingdom of Elohim. But after that no one dare question him. So there is wisdom in these words, scripture
says in 1 John 5 verse 3 says; this is the love of Elohim, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not burdensome.
His commandments are not burdensome, you know for a
person who: let's say there was somebody out there who didn't love you very much and they treated you very despitefully and hated you.
It might be difficult to love them so we think but
think about Yahweh how much he loves you, it should be so easy to love him back right. Well maybe there are some people who are not exhibiting his character traits and you say how I can love someone who treats me this way or that way. You need to realize Yahweh allows them to live, Yahweh puts them on the earth, and Yahweh has compassion on them, can't we also? Will we do it for him; will we do it to manifest true love, a true love for our fellow men? It's easy to love those who love you, it should be and it shouldn't be burdensome to keep the commandments of Yahweh because he's always loving us, he's loving everybody so should be easy to love him. And I don't like it when people say, oh this is so hard to keep the law it's so hard, it's so impossible you can't do it. I don't like the attitude I think you ought to aim for it, aim for the best, aim for the bullseye, aim for the just lazily aim for the target you might miss the whole thing, aim for the bullseye.
Yahushua said he who has my commandments, and keeps them, it is he who loves me: and he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him, and manifest myself to him. Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, Master, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world? Yahushua answered and said to him, If anyone loves me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come to him, and make our home with him. You will be his house and he will manifest himself to you and the world won't know, but you'll know.
2 Corinthians 5:14; For the love of Messiah compels us; because we judge thus, that if one died for all, then all died, because we're connected to him. And he died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for him who died for them, and rose again. Are you living for yourself?
When you get up in the morning are you thinking what can I do for myself today? Those claiming to be believers but are still willingly living for themselves might have their conscience pricked by seeing someone who is completely sold out for Yahweh and serving him with great zeal and you might hear them sometimes making negative comments, saying Oh that person is going overboard man, come to some kind of legalism. I think there may be an extremist, let me share with you some men who were extremists in the bible, not violent extremists that you're seeing today. But one of the first extremists would be a man named Noah, Noach is his name in Hebrew he was different than other people spending decades together building a boat with his family. We don't know what other people were saying about this project but knowing how people are probably some people thought he was an extremist, a lunatic someone who's gone off their rocker building a 500-foot long boat. He and his sons and their wives were convinced to join and he's probably accused of being like some kind of strange cult leader or something. Do we realize what kind of work would be involved in building something of that magnitude? How many trees would need to be found, cut down, planed and piece together?
He had to be a very zealous and passionate man in his family to take on a project like this, amazing. Another extremist in the bible his name was originally Abram, Yahweh said to Abram, Get out of your country, from your father, and from your father's house, to a land I will show you.
Now Abraham was willing to do whatever Yahweh asked of him and did not hesitate.
Another example is Genesis 22 verse 1-3; it came to pass after these things, Elohim tested Abraham, and said to him, Abraham: he said, here I am. He said, Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah; and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains which I will tell you.
Now some people might be like oh, let me think this one for a minute, he will say maybe next week, maybe next month maybe next year, nope. Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, he split the wood for the burnt offering, and he rose, and went to the place of which Elohim had told him. He didn't waste time did he?
He just, talk about extremists someone who was in the minds of many going overboard maybe even a legalist, I can hear now Abraham. Yahweh wouldn't tell you to go that far isn't he the son that Yahweh made all these promises about, the son of your old age, the miracle child surely he does not require that of you: next thing you know by faith, by faith Abraham when he was tested to offer up Isaac and he would receive the promises offered his only begotten son of whom it was said in Isaac your seed shall be called concluding that Elohim was able to raise him up even from the dead from which he also received in a figurative sense. There is an extremist, zealous man: oh there's another guy I know too his name was Moshe, Moses a man with a message and a plan from Yahweh to bring Israel out of slavery. There he was in the wilderness, probably content to just mind his own business and turn to the sheep and live out the rest of his life as a herdsman. Yahweh called him out of that; he served with zeal and passion.
About us I think we need more Abrahams and more Noahs and the body of Messiah today but people are just too busy tending to their own flocks, too busy to focus on the things of the kingdom, too busy building their paneled houses while ignoring the kingdom and the house of Elohim. Maybe some of you may feel unworthy to do so, I mean hey, I understand that though I have that thought sometimes who am I to take it upon myself to get behind this microphone and teach the word of Yahweh there is a spirit in me that drives me. The same spirit that cleanses me from all my iniquities, I'm not worried to sit in this chair and do this. But the same spirit empowers me to be an overcomer, the truth is Yahushua isn't looking for a few good men to be enlisted in his army. He is just looking for some people who have the humility to recognize their own unworthiness and he will cleanse them, empower them from there,
right. He's looking for a few humble men who will humble themselves before him, sort of like Peter, Simon
Peter saw it, he fell down at Yahushua's knees, and says, Depart from me; I am a sinful man, O Master. And yet he was the one chosen to build a
congregation, to speak to the people in Acts chapter 2, the first one to go to the Gentiles, he held the keys. And maybe you think you're not worthy to question how someone like you could be used by Elohim Moshe thought that too, Oh I can't speak well, how can I be the voice for the people I mean how can how can I be used. Yep and Abraham was too old to have a child too wasn't he? Did I mention he told a half-truth and allowed his wife to be in the hands of a foreign king, his wife laughed at Yahweh's promises and then lied about it saying she didn't laugh. Wasn't David too young to be a soldier and too unworthy to be a king having committed murder and adultery? Wasn't Timothy supposed to be too young and Gideon too afraid? And wasn't Samson just a womanizer and Joseph a prisoner? Weren't the disciples of Yahushua just a bunch of rag-tag team of a homeless man, carnal sometimes, earthly minded? And wasn't Paul the chief of sinners? 1 Timothy 1:12; I thank Messiah Yahushua our Master, who has enabled me, because he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry. Though I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Master was exceedingly abundant with faith and love which are in Messiah Yahushua. Think about whom Paul had, Yahweh had Paul ministering to and Paul ministered to the gentiles steeped in idolatry, some of the worst sins that could possibly be committed. They can look at Paul and say here's the man that murdered believers, stood by those who did. If he could be saved and be used by Yahweh in a mighty way maybe there is hope for me, maybe there is grace for me.
And anyone out there who wonder whether or not Yahweh has a plan for you and can use you please understand Peter denied the Messiah completely, flatly denied him with Yahushua looking on, right in front of him. 1 Timothy 1:15-17, this is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance that Messiah Yahushua came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. John 21:15; so eating breakfast, Yahushua said to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, do you love me more than these? He said to him, Yes, Master; you know that I love you. He said to him, Feed my lambs. He said to him the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, do you love me? He said to him, Yes, Master; you know that I love you. He said to him, tend my sheep. He said to him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, do you love me? Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, do you love me? And he said to him, Master, you know all things; you know that I love you. Yahushua said to him, Feed my sheep. Yahweh may be asking some of us the same question, do you love him? Maybe you've had a difficult time with your faith, challenging time and challenging trial in your life. You wonder whether you're worthy to be called into ministry of some kind. As I've heard it said he doesn't necessarily call the qualified he qualifies the called.
Sometimes those who have done a lot of wrongs will be given some very hard things to work through. Yahushua even told Paul, Acts chapter 9; then Ananias answered, Master, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem. How much harm he had done. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name. The Master said to him, Go: for he is a chosen vessel of mine, to bear my name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. For I will show him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake.
And what were those things? 2 Corinthians 11:24; from the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have been in the deep. In journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils by the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren.
In weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Besides the other things, what comes upon me daily, my deep concern for other congregations. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation? If I must boast, I will boast in the things which concern my infirmities. He went through a lot but he also gained a lot. Scripture says unless I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing and I pleaded with the Master three times, that it might depart from me. And he said to me, my grace is sufficient for you: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Messiah may rest upon me. Therefore, I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses for Messiah's sake: for when I am weak, then I am strong.
They want to talk about a man who was a zealot, an extremist you need look no further than Paul here who ended up writing nearly half the books of the New Testament. And we see the bible is full of extremists and they often ended up writing scripture David, Moshe, Peter, James, John none of these men were perfect but you know what Yahweh used them anyway and they were zealots, loving Yahweh with all their heart, soul and strength. How about you? How about me? If someone puts you down for you zeal or lack of perfection, ask them whether or not they would put down these men also. Would you also put down David? How about Peter? How about Paul? Who did Yahushua die for? The perfect? No, he died for imperfect people, now I say that but don't assume that Yahweh doesn't care about our sin and he's going to comfort us in our sin, he will never do that. Part of our zeal and our love for him is repentance and a sincere passion to overcome whatever that is. War against it, strive against it, seek understanding, seek wisdom and be willing to obey him even if it cost you everything.
Part of loving Yahweh with all of our heart, soul and strength is to make an all-out effort to be an overcomer in every aspect of our lives, putting Yahweh first every day.
Some are saying well yeah as soon I get this done over here, I'm gonna do that.
Would Yahushua say oh first let me go do this, first let me go do that, then I'll come back, then I'll follow you. But listen if you're waiting around on circumstances to change or for you to overcome certain things before you begin doing great things for Yahweh I dare say it's more likely you're probably going to be in that waiting a long time. It's often found if you just delay the enemy has
one thing after another he will put in your way. Here you got to get this done first, Oh wait about this over, oh here's a fire over here, here's something else you gonna do, wait a minute here's something over here you forgot about this, wait and it never ends.
The more you excuse yourself due to circumstances the more likely the enemy will want to come in and cause trouble. But the more you start to move forward and sometimes it'll be a kickback, Moshe came to deliver Egypt what happened? Egyptians made it harder on the Israelites.
Abraham went to a land Yahweh promised guess what there's a famine here. David was anointed a king and there he was chased around the land of Israel for years being hounded and hunted by King Saul.
Yahushua was baptized by father Yahweh he's so well pleased with him. But the spirit led him into the wilderness to be tempted for 40 days and 40 nights no food nothing. The 12 disciples thought Yahushua was going to restore the king into Israel but then they watched in horror as he was tortured and killed.
Opposition often produces blessing in the end, opposition often means a great work is around the corner. Yahweh just wants to know whether we're serious about this and so he allows us to be tested. Whether we're really gonna put him first and what he's doing, he's qualifying us. You ever saw race cars they go through these competitions and they go through qualifying runs to see whether they are gonna make it for the race. Well Yahweh is qualifying, he's checking us out, and he's refining and preparing us for the work.
But Yahweh wants to know is he first and sometimes he's preparing us for something ahead. There are things in our character that need refinement first.
Don't let opposition or difficult times because you to lose your zeal fight through it like Jacob would not let go of the angel until he got that blessing.
It's sometimes in these difficult moments that our love for Yahweh is actually revealed for what it is and sees what it really made of, see count the cost. Yahushua says you got to count the cost and what it takes to be his disciple are you willing to give up everything consider it all is just temporary stuff? Some of us have no roots, there's too many rocks in our stoney hearts. Seed come in, plant grows up immediately, but there's not enough soil in our heart for the plant to flourish. And so it withers away back and forth we go. Others of us have inherited what I call a churchgoer mentality. Almost every congregation has people like this in the group. They are the ones who are in attendance, paying their dues, uploading the message, smiling at others but inside they can't wait till service is over, Sabbath is over so they can go on about their business serving themselves, chasing things that don't really profit in the end there are some like that among us. They feel let me okay, I've got the Sabbath, I've got to avoid the unclean foods, I observe the festivals, use the right names, punch my ticket I'm going to the kingdom. Sorry, the scriptures never say, a believer is saved because of what church or congregation they attend or how many Sabbaths they've kept or what broadcasts they listen to or Bible teacher to listen to. Yahweh wants everything he's not a part-time Elohim, he isn't on the throne some of the time and he's always on the throne 24/7 Elohim. He doesn't stop being Elohim when Sabbath services end, he doesn't stop being Elohim while you go out and do what you want. If you're part-time believer trying to serve a full-time Elohim you're in big trouble. Yahushua had a word for that, it's called hypocrisy. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men's bones, and all uncleanness. Even so you outwardly appear to be righteous to men, but inside full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
Maybe you're not that bad, maybe you're not maybe we don't understand the zeal that Elohim desires from us. Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to that is good.
Hate what is evil because you love Yahweh, if you
love Yahweh you'll hate what is evil, you wont to enjoy it, you won't be entertained by it, you won't like it, you won't love it, you'll hate it.
You can't love Yahweh and evil at the same time, you can't love Yahweh and your sin at the same time.
Therefore laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speakings. As new-born babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby. If indeed you have tasted Yahweh's gracious.
So Yahweh is looking for full-time believers in the midst of part-timers, he's looking for those who have a sincere faith and willing to put him first in their life.
Listen Yahweh already is first and whether you want to live your life in recognition and that is up to you. But he needs to be first in every decision not you,
in your purchasing decision is the first or is this all about you and your comfort?
Every expression of will, a reaction, every thought Yahweh first so the question here is: is Yahweh really first in our life or really or is it really we're first? Comes down to it yeah out we put ourselves first that's the question. Do you have a passion for the things he has a passion for? Do you have a passion for the things that have zero eternal value? You know some of us may lack that zeal not because we feel unworthy but because we really don't have an appreciation for Yahweh's grace in our life. You know pride can blind us to the seriousness of our own sin and we think well maybe you know yeah I gave my life to Yahweh back on this day, back this time. But you know before that I really wasn't that bad of a person you know. I mean I never went out and murdered anybody or try to hurt anybody, so really I wasn't all that, I really didn't need a whole lot of grace, I needed some but I didn't need a whole lot like some people I know you know.
Yahushua spoke about this in Luke chapter 7 verse 40; Yahushua answered and said to him, Simon, I have something to say to you. He said to him, Teacher, say it.
There was a certain creditor who had two debtors: one owed five hundred denaries, the other fifty. And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him more?
Simon answered and said, I suppose the one, whom he forgave more. He said to him, you hast rightly judged. Then he turned to the woman, and said to Simon, Do you this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet: but she has washed my feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head. You gave me no kiss: but this woman has not ceased to kiss my feet since the time I came in. You did not anoint my head with oil: but this woman has anointed my feet with fragrant oil. Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to who little is forgiven, the same love is little. Now I have often wondered does that mean we have to go out and just do a lot of evil stuff so we will appreciate his grace even more, do evil that good may come. No, see some of us don't love Yahweh all that much because we don't realize how much we have done against him. We all realize how evil we have been, we have not really understood the bad news that we are not worthy of anything except the lake of fire, that's it that's the only thing worthy of.
And maybe you think you haven't done that much wrong in your life maybe you grew up in this faith holy hallelujah I'm glad. For that reason you think well you know there was not all that much for Yahweh to forgive when you know maybe by society's standards you weren't that bad of a person, maybe he didn't rob banks and commit rape or murder or violence maybe you're generally an honest person for the most part and you treat your parents well with respect and honor and you feel that as a non-believer at one time maybe you weren't all that bad. And maybe you've really been a believer all your life and it's not really that much to forgive. But listen don't measure yourself by the standards our culture says we should live by, where are you and
me and all of us have really messed up is in our relationship with our father in heaven Yahweh.
Now compare your righteousness to Yahushua's righteousness that's the standard. How close have you come to that?
That's the question; the most important command really is that we love Yahweh, why? Is there anyone more deserving? All men will fail us in their love for us but Yahweh never has, it is his love that has been constant and unwavering. It is he who made us, it is he who provided for us, it is he who watched over us and protected us from our own wayward ways, it is he who created everything you see and there isn't anything that exist apart from his will has power, it is he who holds our breath in the palm of his hands. And you know what even though he loved us that way with a perfect love we didn't return it.
For those of you who were unbelievers at one time before you gave her life to Yahweh you could have died at any moment and entered into judgment and the lake of fire. There's nothing that kept you or any of us any time from slipping into the lake of fire with the mercies of our Mighty Yahweh and unbelievers don't realize it but they're like walking on a slippery slope and at any moment their feet could slip out from underneath him and fall into the lake of fire below. And while we were unbelievers Yahweh was
restrained by no obligation whatsoever
except he chooses to have abundant mercy upon our soul, you and I would have had no defense, none. Divine justice would have declared as guilty and just as easily as you trample on it and crawling along the sidewalk you and I could have died just as easily and quickly where it not for Yahweh's decision to save us. We deserved nothing and while ignoring him chasing our own pursuits involving our own ways, our own lives he chose to love us anyway while we ignored him, while we just totally indifferent to him. And yet he sends his own beloved, precious, amazing son Yahushua HaMashiach the most loving person who ever lived: knowing this world would not receive him, knowing they would torture him, knowing they would mercilessly nail his body to a tree. He died a gruesome, slow, painful, suffocating death. Why? Why would Yahushua leave the comforts of heaven and come into this world and bear this for us? Why would a perfectly innocent, blameless and holy man come and be whipped and slapped and spit on and mocked and allow his body being nailed to a bunch of filthy rotten sinners on a tree, next to bunch of filthy rotten sinners who couldn't care less about who made them? Why would he do that? Why would he do that for filthy rotten sinners who wouldn't give him the time of day, they didn't care, didn't pray, just took advantage. Yahweh gave a blessing, take advantage just take advantage and not say a word of thanks or care to live a life of thanksgiving. Sometimes we got to realize the bad news before we understand the goodness, before we appreciate the good news, before we value the good news, he still loved you anyway.
For scarcely for a righteous man will one die yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But Elohim demonstrates his own love toward us in that while we were yet sinners Messiah died for us, I think it's pretty awesome; I think that's pretty amazing. If you ever see something called love that's him because Elohim is love.
If you don't love you don't know Elohim because Elohim is love, the absence of love is the absence of him.
So you will think well I haven't been all that bad well he deserves nothing, only one sin is all it
takes and you're in transgression, you're in rebellion, you're in disobedience. But Yahweh in his mercy open your eyes in spite the fact you didn't think you're all that bad, he opened your eyes. You know the worst thing to be? Die thinking you're not all that bad and therefore
in no need of a Savior. Those of you who were raised in this faith count your blessings, there are 7 billion people in this world and how many have their eyes opened to the things that Yahweh has shown you wow, count your
blessings. And out of thanksgiving serve him with zeal and passion. It is he who came up with the idea of an earth and trees and creatures and life and love and yet people treat him as if he didn't exist. You didn't care to have a real relationship with him but listen whatever evil you will see in the world is the result of a man ignoring him and setting him aside and treating him as if he didn't exist. To ignore the one who created all things and has your breath in the palm of his hands a serious matter. You ever looked at someone that really didn't care about you and just kind of ignored you most the time? You're sitting there trying to talk to him and he just kind of ignores you. Doesn't it infuriate you, you're trying to talk to him and he just ignores you? Ever done something to somebody and did all these things with somebody and you love them and they acted like they didn't give the time of day after you did all these things for them. Tell you what that rejection can be painful
right, you do all these nice things, you go out of your way, you try to help somebody and they act like there's nothing, they ignore it even happened just ignore you and that's how people are treating Yahweh there isn't anything we own, anything that's in our possession, anything we value where we were not the provider he was a provider of it, he created the life we live, the earth, everything that's in it and yet people are indifferent and ignore him like they just don't really care.
That is almost the height of evil, so, yes, you have much that needs to be forgiven so do I. If you don't realize it how much you have been forgiven your love may be little too, your zeal maybe little too, your passion may be little also. The question is do we, like the woman who washed Yahushua's feet with her tears, love much? And he says she loves much, do we love much?
She loves much, he said there your sins are forgiven then he said to the woman your faith has saved you go in peace. Imagine Yahushua saying this to your right, in spite of everything you've done to me I'm gonna be tortured and killed and give everything I have for you, my own life. And then people say I'm going by my way, how can we ever do that? It was her faith that saved her faith and love
go hand in hand you know I keep hearing these words,
your faith has saved you; he would say that sometimes, your faith has healed you.
She recognized her sin and she put her faith that Yahushua was going to forgive her.
Put your faith in Yahushua who is willing to forgive you, but he wants you to show that, meet that passion and that love.
And sometimes it's our lack of appreciation that keeps us from being zealous. Imagine you're drowning in a riptide or a whirlpool, someone risks their own life and nearly died trying to save you and you were saved barely and they
suffered.
Appreciation and thanksgiving and recognition of the love the person has for you and risking their own life to save yours is a prime motive you say like hey anything for you to say the word, anything I could ever do for you just say the word right. I would hope so, well there is someone who
actually did die trying to save you his name is Yahushua, can you say to him, anything for you I'll do it, you name it anything? We have spent enough of our past lifetime doing the will of the Gentiles. See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise. Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. We got to redeem the time, redeem the time, we have done so much of our life doing things we ought not, it's time that we redeem the time because the days are evil. We spent enough time chasing worldly pursuits what does that got us? Emptiness, what are we going to do to redeem the time? Today those who want to spend their lives redeeming the time are called fanatics, people tell you oh you're too extreme, you are an extremist, a legalist if you devote a lot of time, a lot of attention, a lot of care, a lot of concern about walking in holiness, uprightness and truth most people think you are just taking this religion thing too far. You know it's interesting because they never say that about other things you know, look at the emphasis people put on sports, people give up their lives and sometimes even their childhood so they can train and train and practice and practice and fight their blood, sweat and tears so one day they have this little shiny trophy which they may never get, they don't even get the trophy and people will applaud them oh good effort, good effort. Who has ever called them fanatics and extremists? Yet if you put the same amount of emphasis on spiritual things a lot of people will have a problem with that.
Paul said, bodily exercise profits a little bit: reverence is profitable for all things having the promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. A reverence toward Yahweh is what's actually profitable, that's what we need. That's what we need. Do you not know that those who run in a race all, run that one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things (that means self-controlled, maintains his composure). Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown; but we do it for an imperishable. Therefore I run thus, not with uncertainty; thus I fight not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body, and bring it into subjection: lest when I preach to others, I myself should become disqualified.
Yahweh helps us all discipline this body and bring into subjection because this body wants to take us places we should never go. We were made for greater things and we are striving for perishable crowns, those things are not going to satisfy us and make us happy anyway. It's the imperishable crown we need to pursue. For the grace of Elohim that brings salvation has appeared to all men. Teaching us that, denying a reverence toward Elohim and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and reverently, in the present age. Looking for the blessed hope, and glorious appearing of our great Elohim and Savior Yahushua Messiah. Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from every lawless deed, and purify for himself for his own special people, zealous for good works. Hallelujah that what he wants, zeal and passion.
His grace is supposed to teach us something, see look the grace of Elohim teaches us something, and
be zealous for good works among the other things on the list here. Deuteronomy 10:12; now, Israel, what does Yahweh your Mighty One require of you, but to fear Yahweh your Mighty One, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, to serve Yahweh your Mighty One with all your heart and with all your soul.
And to keep the commandments of Yahweh, and his statutes, which I command you today for your good? For your benefit, I read about man in the book
Kings who turned to Yahweh with all of his heart, soul and muchness. 2 Kings 23 verse 24; moreover Josiah put away those who consulted mediums and spiritists, the household Mighty Ones and idols, all the abominations that were seen in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, that he might perform the words of the law which were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest found in the house of the YAHWEH. Now before him there was no king like him, who had turned to Yahweh with all his heart, with all his soul, and with all his might (muchness), according to all the Law of Moshe; nor after him did any arise like him. Chapter 23: now the king sent them, to gather all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem to him. The king went up to the house of Yahweh, with all the men of Judah and with him all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the priests and prophets, and all the people both small and great: and he read in their hearing all the words of the book of the covenant which have been found in the house of Yahweh. Then the king stood by a pillar, and made a covenant before Yahweh, to follow Yahweh, and to keep his commandments and his testimonies and his statutes with all his heart and with all his soul, to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people took a stand for the covenant. That's us we're making a stand for Yahweh and for his words. And the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, the priests of the second order, and the doorkeepers, to bring out of the temple of Yahweh all the oracles that were made for Baal, for the grove, and for all the host of heaven: and he burned them outside Jerusalem in the fields of Kidron, and carried the ashes of them to Bethel. Then he removed the idolatrous priests, whom the kings of Judah had ordained to burn incense on the high places in the cities of Judah, and in the places all around Jerusalem; those who burned incense to Baal, to the sun, to the moon, to the planets, and to all the host of heaven. And he brought out the wooden image from the house of Yahweh, without Jerusalem, to the brook Kidron, burned it at the brook Kidron, and ground it to ashes, threw its ashes on the graves of the common people. He tore down the ritual booths of the perverted persons that were in the house of Yahweh, where the women wove hangings for the wooden image.
Nevertheless, the priests of the high places did not come up to the altar of Yahweh in Jerusalem, but they ate unleavened bread among their brethren. And he defiled Topheth, which is in the valley of sun of Hinnom, that no man may make his son or his daughter to pass through the fire to Molech. Then he removed the horses that the kings of Judah had dedicated to the sun, at the entrance to the house of Yahweh, by the chamber of Nathanmelech, the officer who was in the court, and he burned the chariots of the sun with fire. The altars that were on the roof the upper chamber of Ahaz, which the kings of Judah had made, and the altars which Manasseh had made in the two courts of the house of Yahweh, the king broke down, and pulverized them, and threw their dust in the brook Kidron. Then the king defiled the high places that were east of Jerusalem, which were on the south of the mount of corruption, which Solomon the king of Israel had built for Ashtoreth the abomination of the Zidonians, for Chemosh the abomination of the Moabites, for Milcom the abomination of the people of Ammon. And he broke in pieces the sacred pillars, and cut down the wooden images, and filled their places with the bones of men. Moreover the altar that was at Bethel, and the high place which Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel sin, had made, both that altar and the high place he broke down, he burned the high place, and crushed it to powder, and burned the wooden image. As Josiah turned, he saw the tombs that were there on the mountain, and he sent, and took the bones out of the tombs, and burned them on the altar, and defiled it, according to the word of Yahweh which the man of Elohim proclaimed, who proclaimed these words.
Then he said what gravestone is this that I see? So the men of the city told him, It is the tomb of the man of Elohim, who came from Judah, and proclaimed these things which you have done against the altar of Bethel. And he said, let him alone; let no one move his bones. So they let his bones alone, with the bones of the prophet who came from Samaria. Now Josiah also took away all the shrines also of the high places that were in the cities of Samaria, which the kings of Israel had made to provoke Yahweh to anger, and did it to them according to all the deeds he had done in Bethel. He executed all the priests of the high places who were there on the altars, and burned men's bones on them, and returned to Jerusalem. And the king commanded all the people, saying, Keep the Passover to Yahweh your Mighty One, as it is written in the book of the covenant. Such a Passover surely had never been held since the days of the judges who judged Israel, nor in all the days of the kings of Israel, and of the kings of Judah. But in the eighteenth year of the king Josiah, this Passover was held before Yahweh in Jerusalem. Moreover Josiah put away those who consulted mediums and spiritists, the household Mighty Ones and idols, all the abominations that were seen in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem that he might perform the words of the law which were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest found in the house of Yahweh. Now before him there was no king like him, who turned to Yahweh with all his heart, with all his soul, and with all his muchness, according to all the Law of Moshe; nor after him did any arise like him. Look this has some serious zeal and the actions
showed it he was an extremist. Oh some of you might be saying well he's a king and he lived in the land with a lot of idolatry and wickedness. He had a lot to do, so what do we do, excuse me don't we live in a land with a lot of adultery and wickedness. Yeah it used to be people bow down to idols and graven images. Most people even unbelievers now realize idols are nothing, but Satan has come up with a new tactic. Men have now come up with a new idol it's called self. Man, instead of bowing before the one they believe is greater than himself, now believes there is no one greater than themself and so he acts like it--his attitude. And because of this there's a lot of wickedness on the land and Yahushua is calling his people to go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Teaching them to observe all things that were commanded.
Now just in case you think this commandment is just for the 12 disciples let me ask you some things.
If you were a doctor and you saw someone who needed to be healed and you knew that the way that they could be healed would, would you take the time to heal them? If you're a lifeguard you saw somebody drowning would you go out and save them?
If you were a fireman and you see someone in a burning building would you ignore it?
I venture to say any failure upon one to save these people will be a failure to love, a failure to care. What if the fireman says oh man I forgot, I need to call my buddy about our tennis match this evening. Then he goes gets his cell phone, the guy in the fire dies? What if a lifeguard says oops I'm getting a text right now, I'm sorry I need to answer this text?
What if a doctor says well yeah I know how you can get healed of that but right now I just I've got to finish his golf game this afternoon?
I venture to say it's a failure to love when we put other things in higher priority than another person's life.
And those are situations where someone would die physically. What's more dangerous will be a failure to do what we need to do to save another person's life who is on the road to spiritual destruction. That's what is dangerous, that's what we need to really be concerned about, you see somebody who is on the road on the way to the lake of fire, you just kind of wave see you later. I'm going this way. And you don't take the time to show him a better way where's your love, where is the love? You just smile and it could be your friend and you're just too afraid to rock the boat one, you don't wanna lose your friendship, gonna be careful. Now I'm all for meekness, I'm all for compassion, I'm all for patience, I'm also all for caring.
Sometimes you have to warn people; even failing to
provide someone's basic necessities is a lack of love. What does it profit my brethren, if someone has faith, and does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food. And one of you say to him, depart in peace, be warmed and be filled; but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body; what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works is dead. Someone will say you have faith and I have works show me your faith without your works, I'll show you my faith by my works. You do you believe there is one Elohim; you do well: but even the demons believe and tremble. Believing there's one Elohim there's a whole lot more to it than that brothers and sisters. Do you want to know, O foolish man, faith without works is dead? Our faith and love as opposed to having an action too like Josiah. Will have much action to our faith, we don't have much faith at all in fact our faith is probably quite dead, in reality is we don't really have love. If we don't have much love we don't have the love of Elohim abiding in us and we need to change our ways, we need to be zealous and repent. The problem is we live inland to see Revelation
3:15; I know your works, that you neither cold nor hot: I could wish you were cold or hot. So then because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of my mouth. Separate you from his body you won't be a part of him; because you say, I am rich, have become wealthy, having need of nothing; and do not know that you're wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy for me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich (pursue spiritual treasures not earthly treasures); and white garments, that you may be clothed (the robe of righteousness Yahushua wants to place on you), that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. Pursue spiritual truth, pursue light, pursue holiness, pursue the right way to live otherwise you're blind. Don't take my rebuke as anything but love, Yahushua says as many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: therefore be zealous and repent. What is zeal? Being zealous, what does that mean to be zealous and repent? Zeal comes from the zealous excitement of mind ardor fervor in spirit, zeal ardor in embracing and pursuing defending anything. Zeal on behalf of a person or thing the fierceness of indignation in some cases, a punitive zeal but it is zeal. It can be misdirected oh I've seen lots of zeal misdirected and my time I've been a part of it myself sometimes, lacking compassion. So we temper our zeal on our passion with meekness and compassion. Yahweh wants us to be zealous, he wants us to care, he wants us to pursue him, he wants us to love him. Let's not place our eyes and affections and concerns on things that are not of him, Yahweh has
all of his attention on us not because he hates us, because he wants to show love to us. Show himself strong toward those who are loyal to him ,he wants to bless us for our good works, he wants to care about us and our afflictions. If we would only turn away our eyes from the worthless things that don't profit and keep our eyes focused on the maker of heaven and earth the one who's in control of all things. Really then we'd have everything we need, we would find we have someone to finally love us and care about us without fail.
Yahushua tells us to be zealous and repent, be zealous and repent. One day Yahweh is going to come, he's gonna look at
this world and say you know what it's enough I've had enough.
Let the wilderness its cities lift up their voices, the villages that Kedar inhabits: let the inhabitants of the rock sing, let them shout from the top of the mountains. Let them give glory to Yahweh, and declare his praise in the coastlands. Yahweh shall go forth like a mighty man, he shall stir up his zeal like a man of war: he shall cry, yes, roar; he shall prevail against his enemies. I have held my peace a long time; I have been still, and restrained myself: now I will cry like a woman in labor; I will pant and gasp at once. I will lay waste the mountains and hills, and dry up all their vegetation; I will make the rivers coastlands, and I will dry up the pools. I will bring the blind by a way that they did not know; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things I will do for them, and not forsake them. You see judgment is coming and it's time that we go forth and tell the world before it's too late, Yahweh is willing to hold his peace and restraint himself off for a time and he has. But the day is going to come when he's had enough and those who are in a slippery slope, who have provoked him long enough and people have hurt each other and abused each other long enough and it's time for him to judge the world in righteousness. And set up a king over the earth who will rule and reign in righteousness and wisdom and put an end to all this nonsense. For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government will be upon his shoulder: and his name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty Elohim, The everlasting Father, and The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David, and over his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from this time forth and forever. The zeal of Yahweh of hosts will perform this. So what we do in the meantime, do our priorities and the things that we are zealous for, reflect an understanding of all this? Are we in hot pursuit of seeking righteousness within ourselves and for righteousness to be established on the earth and the hearts of other people around us or are we just indifferent, content for the way things are? Psalm 119:138, your testimonies which you commanded are righteous and very faithful. My zeal has consumed me, because my enemies have forgotten your words. Your word is very pure: therefore your servant loves it. I opened my mouth, and panted: for I longed for your commandments. Look upon me, and be merciful to me, as your custom is toward those who love thy name. Correct my steps by your word: and let no iniquity have dominion over me. Redeem me from the oppression of man: that I may keep your precepts. Make your face shine upon your servant; and teach me your statutes. Rivers of water run down from my eyes, because man do not keep not your law.
Do they? Do we care? It's time to seek righteousness for ourselves and for others; Satan has stolen the hearts of billions of people and we have been sent on a search rescue and recovery mission. How seriously are we taking the command to be that doctor to the sick, that lifeguard to the drowning, that fireman to the one who's in danger of being consumed by the lake of fire?
How seriously are we taking Yahushua's expectation that we be the sheep that feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, visit those in prison and care for the sick?
Or we are going to be like the goats just indifferent. The goats weren't necessarily out there murdering and killing and stealing and they were just indifferent.
That's all too busy doing their own thing, surrounded by thorns it shook the word.
Yahweh is calling us to war he's looking for a few humble men, we may lose a few battles here and there but according to the end of the book we win. And as soldiers in the army of Yahweh we've been called to do exploit for the king of kings as a people in exile in Babylon were looking to gather together an army of foot soldiers in war years. We're not in a time of peace, we're not in a time of rest there is a war going on and it's the most important war in the world. The ramifications of this war my brothers and my sisters will have eternal consequences. Who among us will be zealous and repent? Who among us will walk with zeal and passion for the things of Elohim? Who among us will put down their toys and pick up the armor of Yahweh? Who among us will tear down their own life? They may save it tear down the things that have made
up your former life, ripped down the altars, cast down the idols, and put Yahweh first. Who among us will walk in love and mercy and passion and meekness and compassion for the lost and dying people of this world?
Who among us will love Yahweh with all their hearts, soul and everything they have
that's my question for all of us today including myself? Who's with me, who's with me, will it be you? If you say yes, say it loud YES and those of you who say yes I say to you find some kind of ministry to do. You don't have to be behind a microphone, every city in America has a nursing home where there are old people who would just love to have someone come and talk to them. But no one comes and they need Yahushua in their
life, they're bitter. There are children who are fatherless who need
someone to be a dad to them, the father-like figure to them. There are little girls who need encouragement from an older sister.
There are babies who are dying every day as a mother hires a hit man to murder them in the womb.
There are people who are addicted to drugs and
can't seem to break free.
There are pastors who are teaching error and putting their stake in the ground saying old-time Christianity is where it's at, church fathers that's where it's at. We need to tell them to go further back look to the first century, there are so many needs out there I
could sit here for 45 minutes pray pray pray Yahweh shows you how you can love your fellow man
and by that love Yahweh. And as you do so brothers and sisters Yahweh will be
with you, I'm with you, all of Yahweh's zealous servants are with you because we need laborers. We got a coffee house and soup kitchen here in Urbana Missouri we need laborers, I need a manager I can't manage this ministry and a coffee house, soup kitchen at the same time, physically impossible.
Yahweh is doing the work, met a lady this week elderly lady she just, she said I have never met anybody like you guys, so we've been feeding her. She was rejected by a pastor years ago, lost her son to a murderer, lost her husband years ago and
her present husband is in a nursing home. She needed someone to show love to her, there are
people out there who need a touch from Yahushua's love, flow through you to them.
Here in Urbana Missouri there's a little boy, 16-year-old boy walk down the front yard put a gun to his head and pulled the trigger and didn't make it.
Because his dad was abusive that's what he wrote in the suicide note. He had a bruise right here in his chest where his dad had punched him in the chest.
There are young people out there who need a touch of Yahushua's love. 5 other people in our community tried after this, 5 young people tried to kill themselves after he did it copycat and the pastor had the nerve to say, he'll be in heaven anyway. Only Yahweh knows that, only Yahweh knows that.
And so all the other kids think well I'll go to heaven no matter what I do, I'll just go and pull the trigger. So much wrong and deception out there. There are so many problems and I have found as I work here in our community, there is a serious battle going on for the hearts of our children.
There are so many needs may Yahweh open our eyes.
O Father raise up a generation that will serve
you with zeal and passion and muchness in their love. Smoke away from complacency and grab a hold of the example of Yahushua HaMashiach and the disciples who followed him and the men of Elohim we read about in scripture and choose to put their hand to the plow and not look back.
Forgive us father where we've chosen to look back, forgive us father where we've not bothered to even plow. Forgive us father where we acted with indifference to people who had needs. Strengthen the weak, heal the sick, raise the spiritually dead and sometimes physically dead, pour out your spirit upon your people and glorify your name through it all.
Truly yours is the kingdom and the power and glory and majesty forever and ever in Yahushua's great name we pray, Amein.
And we're going to talk today about the importance of our relationship with our heavenly father, I'd intended on sharing another segment on our 10 commandments but for various reasons time would not allow me to do so. And so Yahweh is apparently directing me to share today's study which I do feel is something he wants me to share.
But first of all it's very very important if you've never taken that time, if you've never taken a moment and dedicated your life to Yahweh our Mighty One. I don't care if you're 10 years old or 70 years old or how old you are or how long you been doing this or if you've raised in the faith and you're single of course. Of course I am in a relationship with the father but there are things perhaps you're struggling with, you're not sure about things that you're questioning, I encourage you to get into some kind of counsel with a mature believer and or
your parents if it's your parents who have raised you in this. You know a lot of times the study I'm about to
share, it is the children of Torah observant believers in Yahushua sure who can be lacking this part that I'm about ready to share the most. Their parents were trailblazers, they sought
in pursuit of truth, they loved it and the word was to them the joy and rejoicing of their hearts and the children become inheritors of this belief system. But our belief system is not just a belief system our belief system is a relationship, a relationship that is based on love.
You cannot serve your father Elohim as if to say
well that's his Elohim and that's the one I'm going to serve, he needs to be your Elohim, he needs to
be the Elohim of you. He is your Elohim, he is your Mighty One, he is your strength and with the beautiful zealousness that
perhaps your parents had in their service to the father how much more so you can go further than we
ever thought possible? You can surpass us in understanding the words of Elohim in the ways of light, in the ways of truth but sometimes young people are content to
serve their father Elohim and that's where it stops. Listen I encourage you today and I encourage all of us don't just play church, don't just well I like this faith and therefore you need to serve Yahweh with zeal and passion, that's what he
wants from you whether you're 17 years old or you're 20 years old or you're 75 years old or 82 years old. Listen there are no retired believers, there's no retirement system with our zeal and passion and needs to continue. It needs to continue until we draw our last breath on the earth, Yahweh is calling us to love him with all our hearts, with all our soul, with all our strength, everything you got. He wants it all, he deserves it all, and he does not deserve to be in the second place he wants everything. Are you willing to give him that?
You know he loves you that way, Yahweh loves you that way, don't just go through the motions; serve him
with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength. This word strength, what does that mean? Let's take a look, Meod means exceeding or much
with all you might force abundance and here's the word I like here muchness has to be a part of your
love, that loving him very much much much much much much more than anything else. It's what he wants that passion, Melca your muchness, force, abundance up to a great degree, Brown-Driver-Briggs suggests exceedingly holiday has in the highest degree the logical word book of the Old Testament: exceedingly, much, force, abundance...lebab denotes the intention or will of the whole man. Nephesh means whole self, a unity of flesh, will, and vitality and moed accents the superlative highest degree of total commitment to Yahweh. Does that describe our walk?
Only you personally can answer that, I wouldn't judge one way or the other I wouldn't dare do so. This is a personal thing between you and your father in heaven. Do you love him the way he loves you? It says we love him because he loved us first right, Yahushua was asked the question: "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?" Yahushua said to him, "You shall love Yahweh your Elohim with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your (muchness) mind. This is the first and great commandment.
The scribe said to him, Well, Teacher, you have spoken the truth: for there is but one Elohim; there is no other but he. And to love him with all the heart, with all the understanding, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. And when Yahushua saw he answered wisely, he said to him, you are not far from the kingdom of Elohim. But after that no one dare question him. So there is wisdom in these words, scripture
says in 1 John 5 verse 3 says; this is the love of Elohim, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not burdensome.
His commandments are not burdensome, you know for a
person who: let's say there was somebody out there who didn't love you very much and they treated you very despitefully and hated you.
It might be difficult to love them so we think but
think about Yahweh how much he loves you, it should be so easy to love him back right. Well maybe there are some people who are not exhibiting his character traits and you say how I can love someone who treats me this way or that way. You need to realize Yahweh allows them to live, Yahweh puts them on the earth, and Yahweh has compassion on them, can't we also? Will we do it for him; will we do it to manifest true love, a true love for our fellow men? It's easy to love those who love you, it should be and it shouldn't be burdensome to keep the commandments of Yahweh because he's always loving us, he's loving everybody so should be easy to love him. And I don't like it when people say, oh this is so hard to keep the law it's so hard, it's so impossible you can't do it. I don't like the attitude I think you ought to aim for it, aim for the best, aim for the bullseye, aim for the just lazily aim for the target you might miss the whole thing, aim for the bullseye.
Yahushua said he who has my commandments, and keeps them, it is he who loves me: and he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him, and manifest myself to him. Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, Master, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world? Yahushua answered and said to him, If anyone loves me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come to him, and make our home with him. You will be his house and he will manifest himself to you and the world won't know, but you'll know.
2 Corinthians 5:14; For the love of Messiah compels us; because we judge thus, that if one died for all, then all died, because we're connected to him. And he died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for him who died for them, and rose again. Are you living for yourself?
When you get up in the morning are you thinking what can I do for myself today? Those claiming to be believers but are still willingly living for themselves might have their conscience pricked by seeing someone who is completely sold out for Yahweh and serving him with great zeal and you might hear them sometimes making negative comments, saying Oh that person is going overboard man, come to some kind of legalism. I think there may be an extremist, let me share with you some men who were extremists in the bible, not violent extremists that you're seeing today. But one of the first extremists would be a man named Noah, Noach is his name in Hebrew he was different than other people spending decades together building a boat with his family. We don't know what other people were saying about this project but knowing how people are probably some people thought he was an extremist, a lunatic someone who's gone off their rocker building a 500-foot long boat. He and his sons and their wives were convinced to join and he's probably accused of being like some kind of strange cult leader or something. Do we realize what kind of work would be involved in building something of that magnitude? How many trees would need to be found, cut down, planed and piece together?
He had to be a very zealous and passionate man in his family to take on a project like this, amazing. Another extremist in the bible his name was originally Abram, Yahweh said to Abram, Get out of your country, from your father, and from your father's house, to a land I will show you.
Now Abraham was willing to do whatever Yahweh asked of him and did not hesitate.
Another example is Genesis 22 verse 1-3; it came to pass after these things, Elohim tested Abraham, and said to him, Abraham: he said, here I am. He said, Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah; and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains which I will tell you.
Now some people might be like oh, let me think this one for a minute, he will say maybe next week, maybe next month maybe next year, nope. Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, he split the wood for the burnt offering, and he rose, and went to the place of which Elohim had told him. He didn't waste time did he?
He just, talk about extremists someone who was in the minds of many going overboard maybe even a legalist, I can hear now Abraham. Yahweh wouldn't tell you to go that far isn't he the son that Yahweh made all these promises about, the son of your old age, the miracle child surely he does not require that of you: next thing you know by faith, by faith Abraham when he was tested to offer up Isaac and he would receive the promises offered his only begotten son of whom it was said in Isaac your seed shall be called concluding that Elohim was able to raise him up even from the dead from which he also received in a figurative sense. There is an extremist, zealous man: oh there's another guy I know too his name was Moshe, Moses a man with a message and a plan from Yahweh to bring Israel out of slavery. There he was in the wilderness, probably content to just mind his own business and turn to the sheep and live out the rest of his life as a herdsman. Yahweh called him out of that; he served with zeal and passion.
About us I think we need more Abrahams and more Noahs and the body of Messiah today but people are just too busy tending to their own flocks, too busy to focus on the things of the kingdom, too busy building their paneled houses while ignoring the kingdom and the house of Elohim. Maybe some of you may feel unworthy to do so, I mean hey, I understand that though I have that thought sometimes who am I to take it upon myself to get behind this microphone and teach the word of Yahweh there is a spirit in me that drives me. The same spirit that cleanses me from all my iniquities, I'm not worried to sit in this chair and do this. But the same spirit empowers me to be an overcomer, the truth is Yahushua isn't looking for a few good men to be enlisted in his army. He is just looking for some people who have the humility to recognize their own unworthiness and he will cleanse them, empower them from there,
right. He's looking for a few humble men who will humble themselves before him, sort of like Peter, Simon
Peter saw it, he fell down at Yahushua's knees, and says, Depart from me; I am a sinful man, O Master. And yet he was the one chosen to build a
congregation, to speak to the people in Acts chapter 2, the first one to go to the Gentiles, he held the keys. And maybe you think you're not worthy to question how someone like you could be used by Elohim Moshe thought that too, Oh I can't speak well, how can I be the voice for the people I mean how can how can I be used. Yep and Abraham was too old to have a child too wasn't he? Did I mention he told a half-truth and allowed his wife to be in the hands of a foreign king, his wife laughed at Yahweh's promises and then lied about it saying she didn't laugh. Wasn't David too young to be a soldier and too unworthy to be a king having committed murder and adultery? Wasn't Timothy supposed to be too young and Gideon too afraid? And wasn't Samson just a womanizer and Joseph a prisoner? Weren't the disciples of Yahushua just a bunch of rag-tag team of a homeless man, carnal sometimes, earthly minded? And wasn't Paul the chief of sinners? 1 Timothy 1:12; I thank Messiah Yahushua our Master, who has enabled me, because he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry. Though I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Master was exceedingly abundant with faith and love which are in Messiah Yahushua. Think about whom Paul had, Yahweh had Paul ministering to and Paul ministered to the gentiles steeped in idolatry, some of the worst sins that could possibly be committed. They can look at Paul and say here's the man that murdered believers, stood by those who did. If he could be saved and be used by Yahweh in a mighty way maybe there is hope for me, maybe there is grace for me.
And anyone out there who wonder whether or not Yahweh has a plan for you and can use you please understand Peter denied the Messiah completely, flatly denied him with Yahushua looking on, right in front of him. 1 Timothy 1:15-17, this is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance that Messiah Yahushua came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. John 21:15; so eating breakfast, Yahushua said to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, do you love me more than these? He said to him, Yes, Master; you know that I love you. He said to him, Feed my lambs. He said to him the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, do you love me? He said to him, Yes, Master; you know that I love you. He said to him, tend my sheep. He said to him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, do you love me? Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, do you love me? And he said to him, Master, you know all things; you know that I love you. Yahushua said to him, Feed my sheep. Yahweh may be asking some of us the same question, do you love him? Maybe you've had a difficult time with your faith, challenging time and challenging trial in your life. You wonder whether you're worthy to be called into ministry of some kind. As I've heard it said he doesn't necessarily call the qualified he qualifies the called.
Sometimes those who have done a lot of wrongs will be given some very hard things to work through. Yahushua even told Paul, Acts chapter 9; then Ananias answered, Master, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem. How much harm he had done. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name. The Master said to him, Go: for he is a chosen vessel of mine, to bear my name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. For I will show him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake.
And what were those things? 2 Corinthians 11:24; from the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have been in the deep. In journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils by the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren.
In weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. Besides the other things, what comes upon me daily, my deep concern for other congregations. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation? If I must boast, I will boast in the things which concern my infirmities. He went through a lot but he also gained a lot. Scripture says unless I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing and I pleaded with the Master three times, that it might depart from me. And he said to me, my grace is sufficient for you: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Messiah may rest upon me. Therefore, I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses for Messiah's sake: for when I am weak, then I am strong.
They want to talk about a man who was a zealot, an extremist you need look no further than Paul here who ended up writing nearly half the books of the New Testament. And we see the bible is full of extremists and they often ended up writing scripture David, Moshe, Peter, James, John none of these men were perfect but you know what Yahweh used them anyway and they were zealots, loving Yahweh with all their heart, soul and strength. How about you? How about me? If someone puts you down for you zeal or lack of perfection, ask them whether or not they would put down these men also. Would you also put down David? How about Peter? How about Paul? Who did Yahushua die for? The perfect? No, he died for imperfect people, now I say that but don't assume that Yahweh doesn't care about our sin and he's going to comfort us in our sin, he will never do that. Part of our zeal and our love for him is repentance and a sincere passion to overcome whatever that is. War against it, strive against it, seek understanding, seek wisdom and be willing to obey him even if it cost you everything.
Part of loving Yahweh with all of our heart, soul and strength is to make an all-out effort to be an overcomer in every aspect of our lives, putting Yahweh first every day.
Some are saying well yeah as soon I get this done over here, I'm gonna do that.
Would Yahushua say oh first let me go do this, first let me go do that, then I'll come back, then I'll follow you. But listen if you're waiting around on circumstances to change or for you to overcome certain things before you begin doing great things for Yahweh I dare say it's more likely you're probably going to be in that waiting a long time. It's often found if you just delay the enemy has
one thing after another he will put in your way. Here you got to get this done first, Oh wait about this over, oh here's a fire over here, here's something else you gonna do, wait a minute here's something over here you forgot about this, wait and it never ends.
The more you excuse yourself due to circumstances the more likely the enemy will want to come in and cause trouble. But the more you start to move forward and sometimes it'll be a kickback, Moshe came to deliver Egypt what happened? Egyptians made it harder on the Israelites.
Abraham went to a land Yahweh promised guess what there's a famine here. David was anointed a king and there he was chased around the land of Israel for years being hounded and hunted by King Saul.
Yahushua was baptized by father Yahweh he's so well pleased with him. But the spirit led him into the wilderness to be tempted for 40 days and 40 nights no food nothing. The 12 disciples thought Yahushua was going to restore the king into Israel but then they watched in horror as he was tortured and killed.
Opposition often produces blessing in the end, opposition often means a great work is around the corner. Yahweh just wants to know whether we're serious about this and so he allows us to be tested. Whether we're really gonna put him first and what he's doing, he's qualifying us. You ever saw race cars they go through these competitions and they go through qualifying runs to see whether they are gonna make it for the race. Well Yahweh is qualifying, he's checking us out, and he's refining and preparing us for the work.
But Yahweh wants to know is he first and sometimes he's preparing us for something ahead. There are things in our character that need refinement first.
Don't let opposition or difficult times because you to lose your zeal fight through it like Jacob would not let go of the angel until he got that blessing.
It's sometimes in these difficult moments that our love for Yahweh is actually revealed for what it is and sees what it really made of, see count the cost. Yahushua says you got to count the cost and what it takes to be his disciple are you willing to give up everything consider it all is just temporary stuff? Some of us have no roots, there's too many rocks in our stoney hearts. Seed come in, plant grows up immediately, but there's not enough soil in our heart for the plant to flourish. And so it withers away back and forth we go. Others of us have inherited what I call a churchgoer mentality. Almost every congregation has people like this in the group. They are the ones who are in attendance, paying their dues, uploading the message, smiling at others but inside they can't wait till service is over, Sabbath is over so they can go on about their business serving themselves, chasing things that don't really profit in the end there are some like that among us. They feel let me okay, I've got the Sabbath, I've got to avoid the unclean foods, I observe the festivals, use the right names, punch my ticket I'm going to the kingdom. Sorry, the scriptures never say, a believer is saved because of what church or congregation they attend or how many Sabbaths they've kept or what broadcasts they listen to or Bible teacher to listen to. Yahweh wants everything he's not a part-time Elohim, he isn't on the throne some of the time and he's always on the throne 24/7 Elohim. He doesn't stop being Elohim when Sabbath services end, he doesn't stop being Elohim while you go out and do what you want. If you're part-time believer trying to serve a full-time Elohim you're in big trouble. Yahushua had a word for that, it's called hypocrisy. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men's bones, and all uncleanness. Even so you outwardly appear to be righteous to men, but inside full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
Maybe you're not that bad, maybe you're not maybe we don't understand the zeal that Elohim desires from us. Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to that is good.
Hate what is evil because you love Yahweh, if you
love Yahweh you'll hate what is evil, you wont to enjoy it, you won't be entertained by it, you won't like it, you won't love it, you'll hate it.
You can't love Yahweh and evil at the same time, you can't love Yahweh and your sin at the same time.
Therefore laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speakings. As new-born babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby. If indeed you have tasted Yahweh's gracious.
So Yahweh is looking for full-time believers in the midst of part-timers, he's looking for those who have a sincere faith and willing to put him first in their life.
Listen Yahweh already is first and whether you want to live your life in recognition and that is up to you. But he needs to be first in every decision not you,
in your purchasing decision is the first or is this all about you and your comfort?
Every expression of will, a reaction, every thought Yahweh first so the question here is: is Yahweh really first in our life or really or is it really we're first? Comes down to it yeah out we put ourselves first that's the question. Do you have a passion for the things he has a passion for? Do you have a passion for the things that have zero eternal value? You know some of us may lack that zeal not because we feel unworthy but because we really don't have an appreciation for Yahweh's grace in our life. You know pride can blind us to the seriousness of our own sin and we think well maybe you know yeah I gave my life to Yahweh back on this day, back this time. But you know before that I really wasn't that bad of a person you know. I mean I never went out and murdered anybody or try to hurt anybody, so really I wasn't all that, I really didn't need a whole lot of grace, I needed some but I didn't need a whole lot like some people I know you know.
Yahushua spoke about this in Luke chapter 7 verse 40; Yahushua answered and said to him, Simon, I have something to say to you. He said to him, Teacher, say it.
There was a certain creditor who had two debtors: one owed five hundred denaries, the other fifty. And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him more?
Simon answered and said, I suppose the one, whom he forgave more. He said to him, you hast rightly judged. Then he turned to the woman, and said to Simon, Do you this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet: but she has washed my feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head. You gave me no kiss: but this woman has not ceased to kiss my feet since the time I came in. You did not anoint my head with oil: but this woman has anointed my feet with fragrant oil. Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to who little is forgiven, the same love is little. Now I have often wondered does that mean we have to go out and just do a lot of evil stuff so we will appreciate his grace even more, do evil that good may come. No, see some of us don't love Yahweh all that much because we don't realize how much we have done against him. We all realize how evil we have been, we have not really understood the bad news that we are not worthy of anything except the lake of fire, that's it that's the only thing worthy of.
And maybe you think you haven't done that much wrong in your life maybe you grew up in this faith holy hallelujah I'm glad. For that reason you think well you know there was not all that much for Yahweh to forgive when you know maybe by society's standards you weren't that bad of a person, maybe he didn't rob banks and commit rape or murder or violence maybe you're generally an honest person for the most part and you treat your parents well with respect and honor and you feel that as a non-believer at one time maybe you weren't all that bad. And maybe you've really been a believer all your life and it's not really that much to forgive. But listen don't measure yourself by the standards our culture says we should live by, where are you and
me and all of us have really messed up is in our relationship with our father in heaven Yahweh.
Now compare your righteousness to Yahushua's righteousness that's the standard. How close have you come to that?
That's the question; the most important command really is that we love Yahweh, why? Is there anyone more deserving? All men will fail us in their love for us but Yahweh never has, it is his love that has been constant and unwavering. It is he who made us, it is he who provided for us, it is he who watched over us and protected us from our own wayward ways, it is he who created everything you see and there isn't anything that exist apart from his will has power, it is he who holds our breath in the palm of his hands. And you know what even though he loved us that way with a perfect love we didn't return it.
For those of you who were unbelievers at one time before you gave her life to Yahweh you could have died at any moment and entered into judgment and the lake of fire. There's nothing that kept you or any of us any time from slipping into the lake of fire with the mercies of our Mighty Yahweh and unbelievers don't realize it but they're like walking on a slippery slope and at any moment their feet could slip out from underneath him and fall into the lake of fire below. And while we were unbelievers Yahweh was
restrained by no obligation whatsoever
except he chooses to have abundant mercy upon our soul, you and I would have had no defense, none. Divine justice would have declared as guilty and just as easily as you trample on it and crawling along the sidewalk you and I could have died just as easily and quickly where it not for Yahweh's decision to save us. We deserved nothing and while ignoring him chasing our own pursuits involving our own ways, our own lives he chose to love us anyway while we ignored him, while we just totally indifferent to him. And yet he sends his own beloved, precious, amazing son Yahushua HaMashiach the most loving person who ever lived: knowing this world would not receive him, knowing they would torture him, knowing they would mercilessly nail his body to a tree. He died a gruesome, slow, painful, suffocating death. Why? Why would Yahushua leave the comforts of heaven and come into this world and bear this for us? Why would a perfectly innocent, blameless and holy man come and be whipped and slapped and spit on and mocked and allow his body being nailed to a bunch of filthy rotten sinners on a tree, next to bunch of filthy rotten sinners who couldn't care less about who made them? Why would he do that? Why would he do that for filthy rotten sinners who wouldn't give him the time of day, they didn't care, didn't pray, just took advantage. Yahweh gave a blessing, take advantage just take advantage and not say a word of thanks or care to live a life of thanksgiving. Sometimes we got to realize the bad news before we understand the goodness, before we appreciate the good news, before we value the good news, he still loved you anyway.
For scarcely for a righteous man will one die yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But Elohim demonstrates his own love toward us in that while we were yet sinners Messiah died for us, I think it's pretty awesome; I think that's pretty amazing. If you ever see something called love that's him because Elohim is love.
If you don't love you don't know Elohim because Elohim is love, the absence of love is the absence of him.
So you will think well I haven't been all that bad well he deserves nothing, only one sin is all it
takes and you're in transgression, you're in rebellion, you're in disobedience. But Yahweh in his mercy open your eyes in spite the fact you didn't think you're all that bad, he opened your eyes. You know the worst thing to be? Die thinking you're not all that bad and therefore
in no need of a Savior. Those of you who were raised in this faith count your blessings, there are 7 billion people in this world and how many have their eyes opened to the things that Yahweh has shown you wow, count your
blessings. And out of thanksgiving serve him with zeal and passion. It is he who came up with the idea of an earth and trees and creatures and life and love and yet people treat him as if he didn't exist. You didn't care to have a real relationship with him but listen whatever evil you will see in the world is the result of a man ignoring him and setting him aside and treating him as if he didn't exist. To ignore the one who created all things and has your breath in the palm of his hands a serious matter. You ever looked at someone that really didn't care about you and just kind of ignored you most the time? You're sitting there trying to talk to him and he just kind of ignores you. Doesn't it infuriate you, you're trying to talk to him and he just ignores you? Ever done something to somebody and did all these things with somebody and you love them and they acted like they didn't give the time of day after you did all these things for them. Tell you what that rejection can be painful
right, you do all these nice things, you go out of your way, you try to help somebody and they act like there's nothing, they ignore it even happened just ignore you and that's how people are treating Yahweh there isn't anything we own, anything that's in our possession, anything we value where we were not the provider he was a provider of it, he created the life we live, the earth, everything that's in it and yet people are indifferent and ignore him like they just don't really care.
That is almost the height of evil, so, yes, you have much that needs to be forgiven so do I. If you don't realize it how much you have been forgiven your love may be little too, your zeal maybe little too, your passion may be little also. The question is do we, like the woman who washed Yahushua's feet with her tears, love much? And he says she loves much, do we love much?
She loves much, he said there your sins are forgiven then he said to the woman your faith has saved you go in peace. Imagine Yahushua saying this to your right, in spite of everything you've done to me I'm gonna be tortured and killed and give everything I have for you, my own life. And then people say I'm going by my way, how can we ever do that? It was her faith that saved her faith and love
go hand in hand you know I keep hearing these words,
your faith has saved you; he would say that sometimes, your faith has healed you.
She recognized her sin and she put her faith that Yahushua was going to forgive her.
Put your faith in Yahushua who is willing to forgive you, but he wants you to show that, meet that passion and that love.
And sometimes it's our lack of appreciation that keeps us from being zealous. Imagine you're drowning in a riptide or a whirlpool, someone risks their own life and nearly died trying to save you and you were saved barely and they
suffered.
Appreciation and thanksgiving and recognition of the love the person has for you and risking their own life to save yours is a prime motive you say like hey anything for you to say the word, anything I could ever do for you just say the word right. I would hope so, well there is someone who
actually did die trying to save you his name is Yahushua, can you say to him, anything for you I'll do it, you name it anything? We have spent enough of our past lifetime doing the will of the Gentiles. See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise. Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. We got to redeem the time, redeem the time, we have done so much of our life doing things we ought not, it's time that we redeem the time because the days are evil. We spent enough time chasing worldly pursuits what does that got us? Emptiness, what are we going to do to redeem the time? Today those who want to spend their lives redeeming the time are called fanatics, people tell you oh you're too extreme, you are an extremist, a legalist if you devote a lot of time, a lot of attention, a lot of care, a lot of concern about walking in holiness, uprightness and truth most people think you are just taking this religion thing too far. You know it's interesting because they never say that about other things you know, look at the emphasis people put on sports, people give up their lives and sometimes even their childhood so they can train and train and practice and practice and fight their blood, sweat and tears so one day they have this little shiny trophy which they may never get, they don't even get the trophy and people will applaud them oh good effort, good effort. Who has ever called them fanatics and extremists? Yet if you put the same amount of emphasis on spiritual things a lot of people will have a problem with that.
Paul said, bodily exercise profits a little bit: reverence is profitable for all things having the promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. A reverence toward Yahweh is what's actually profitable, that's what we need. That's what we need. Do you not know that those who run in a race all, run that one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things (that means self-controlled, maintains his composure). Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown; but we do it for an imperishable. Therefore I run thus, not with uncertainty; thus I fight not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body, and bring it into subjection: lest when I preach to others, I myself should become disqualified.
Yahweh helps us all discipline this body and bring into subjection because this body wants to take us places we should never go. We were made for greater things and we are striving for perishable crowns, those things are not going to satisfy us and make us happy anyway. It's the imperishable crown we need to pursue. For the grace of Elohim that brings salvation has appeared to all men. Teaching us that, denying a reverence toward Elohim and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and reverently, in the present age. Looking for the blessed hope, and glorious appearing of our great Elohim and Savior Yahushua Messiah. Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from every lawless deed, and purify for himself for his own special people, zealous for good works. Hallelujah that what he wants, zeal and passion.
His grace is supposed to teach us something, see look the grace of Elohim teaches us something, and
be zealous for good works among the other things on the list here. Deuteronomy 10:12; now, Israel, what does Yahweh your Mighty One require of you, but to fear Yahweh your Mighty One, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, to serve Yahweh your Mighty One with all your heart and with all your soul.
And to keep the commandments of Yahweh, and his statutes, which I command you today for your good? For your benefit, I read about man in the book
Kings who turned to Yahweh with all of his heart, soul and muchness. 2 Kings 23 verse 24; moreover Josiah put away those who consulted mediums and spiritists, the household Mighty Ones and idols, all the abominations that were seen in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, that he might perform the words of the law which were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest found in the house of the YAHWEH. Now before him there was no king like him, who had turned to Yahweh with all his heart, with all his soul, and with all his might (muchness), according to all the Law of Moshe; nor after him did any arise like him. Chapter 23: now the king sent them, to gather all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem to him. The king went up to the house of Yahweh, with all the men of Judah and with him all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the priests and prophets, and all the people both small and great: and he read in their hearing all the words of the book of the covenant which have been found in the house of Yahweh. Then the king stood by a pillar, and made a covenant before Yahweh, to follow Yahweh, and to keep his commandments and his testimonies and his statutes with all his heart and with all his soul, to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people took a stand for the covenant. That's us we're making a stand for Yahweh and for his words. And the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, the priests of the second order, and the doorkeepers, to bring out of the temple of Yahweh all the oracles that were made for Baal, for the grove, and for all the host of heaven: and he burned them outside Jerusalem in the fields of Kidron, and carried the ashes of them to Bethel. Then he removed the idolatrous priests, whom the kings of Judah had ordained to burn incense on the high places in the cities of Judah, and in the places all around Jerusalem; those who burned incense to Baal, to the sun, to the moon, to the planets, and to all the host of heaven. And he brought out the wooden image from the house of Yahweh, without Jerusalem, to the brook Kidron, burned it at the brook Kidron, and ground it to ashes, threw its ashes on the graves of the common people. He tore down the ritual booths of the perverted persons that were in the house of Yahweh, where the women wove hangings for the wooden image.
Nevertheless, the priests of the high places did not come up to the altar of Yahweh in Jerusalem, but they ate unleavened bread among their brethren. And he defiled Topheth, which is in the valley of sun of Hinnom, that no man may make his son or his daughter to pass through the fire to Molech. Then he removed the horses that the kings of Judah had dedicated to the sun, at the entrance to the house of Yahweh, by the chamber of Nathanmelech, the officer who was in the court, and he burned the chariots of the sun with fire. The altars that were on the roof the upper chamber of Ahaz, which the kings of Judah had made, and the altars which Manasseh had made in the two courts of the house of Yahweh, the king broke down, and pulverized them, and threw their dust in the brook Kidron. Then the king defiled the high places that were east of Jerusalem, which were on the south of the mount of corruption, which Solomon the king of Israel had built for Ashtoreth the abomination of the Zidonians, for Chemosh the abomination of the Moabites, for Milcom the abomination of the people of Ammon. And he broke in pieces the sacred pillars, and cut down the wooden images, and filled their places with the bones of men. Moreover the altar that was at Bethel, and the high place which Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel sin, had made, both that altar and the high place he broke down, he burned the high place, and crushed it to powder, and burned the wooden image. As Josiah turned, he saw the tombs that were there on the mountain, and he sent, and took the bones out of the tombs, and burned them on the altar, and defiled it, according to the word of Yahweh which the man of Elohim proclaimed, who proclaimed these words.
Then he said what gravestone is this that I see? So the men of the city told him, It is the tomb of the man of Elohim, who came from Judah, and proclaimed these things which you have done against the altar of Bethel. And he said, let him alone; let no one move his bones. So they let his bones alone, with the bones of the prophet who came from Samaria. Now Josiah also took away all the shrines also of the high places that were in the cities of Samaria, which the kings of Israel had made to provoke Yahweh to anger, and did it to them according to all the deeds he had done in Bethel. He executed all the priests of the high places who were there on the altars, and burned men's bones on them, and returned to Jerusalem. And the king commanded all the people, saying, Keep the Passover to Yahweh your Mighty One, as it is written in the book of the covenant. Such a Passover surely had never been held since the days of the judges who judged Israel, nor in all the days of the kings of Israel, and of the kings of Judah. But in the eighteenth year of the king Josiah, this Passover was held before Yahweh in Jerusalem. Moreover Josiah put away those who consulted mediums and spiritists, the household Mighty Ones and idols, all the abominations that were seen in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem that he might perform the words of the law which were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest found in the house of Yahweh. Now before him there was no king like him, who turned to Yahweh with all his heart, with all his soul, and with all his muchness, according to all the Law of Moshe; nor after him did any arise like him. Look this has some serious zeal and the actions
showed it he was an extremist. Oh some of you might be saying well he's a king and he lived in the land with a lot of idolatry and wickedness. He had a lot to do, so what do we do, excuse me don't we live in a land with a lot of adultery and wickedness. Yeah it used to be people bow down to idols and graven images. Most people even unbelievers now realize idols are nothing, but Satan has come up with a new tactic. Men have now come up with a new idol it's called self. Man, instead of bowing before the one they believe is greater than himself, now believes there is no one greater than themself and so he acts like it--his attitude. And because of this there's a lot of wickedness on the land and Yahushua is calling his people to go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Teaching them to observe all things that were commanded.
Now just in case you think this commandment is just for the 12 disciples let me ask you some things.
If you were a doctor and you saw someone who needed to be healed and you knew that the way that they could be healed would, would you take the time to heal them? If you're a lifeguard you saw somebody drowning would you go out and save them?
If you were a fireman and you see someone in a burning building would you ignore it?
I venture to say any failure upon one to save these people will be a failure to love, a failure to care. What if the fireman says oh man I forgot, I need to call my buddy about our tennis match this evening. Then he goes gets his cell phone, the guy in the fire dies? What if a lifeguard says oops I'm getting a text right now, I'm sorry I need to answer this text?
What if a doctor says well yeah I know how you can get healed of that but right now I just I've got to finish his golf game this afternoon?
I venture to say it's a failure to love when we put other things in higher priority than another person's life.
And those are situations where someone would die physically. What's more dangerous will be a failure to do what we need to do to save another person's life who is on the road to spiritual destruction. That's what is dangerous, that's what we need to really be concerned about, you see somebody who is on the road on the way to the lake of fire, you just kind of wave see you later. I'm going this way. And you don't take the time to show him a better way where's your love, where is the love? You just smile and it could be your friend and you're just too afraid to rock the boat one, you don't wanna lose your friendship, gonna be careful. Now I'm all for meekness, I'm all for compassion, I'm all for patience, I'm also all for caring.
Sometimes you have to warn people; even failing to
provide someone's basic necessities is a lack of love. What does it profit my brethren, if someone has faith, and does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food. And one of you say to him, depart in peace, be warmed and be filled; but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body; what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works is dead. Someone will say you have faith and I have works show me your faith without your works, I'll show you my faith by my works. You do you believe there is one Elohim; you do well: but even the demons believe and tremble. Believing there's one Elohim there's a whole lot more to it than that brothers and sisters. Do you want to know, O foolish man, faith without works is dead? Our faith and love as opposed to having an action too like Josiah. Will have much action to our faith, we don't have much faith at all in fact our faith is probably quite dead, in reality is we don't really have love. If we don't have much love we don't have the love of Elohim abiding in us and we need to change our ways, we need to be zealous and repent. The problem is we live inland to see Revelation
3:15; I know your works, that you neither cold nor hot: I could wish you were cold or hot. So then because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of my mouth. Separate you from his body you won't be a part of him; because you say, I am rich, have become wealthy, having need of nothing; and do not know that you're wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy for me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich (pursue spiritual treasures not earthly treasures); and white garments, that you may be clothed (the robe of righteousness Yahushua wants to place on you), that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. Pursue spiritual truth, pursue light, pursue holiness, pursue the right way to live otherwise you're blind. Don't take my rebuke as anything but love, Yahushua says as many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: therefore be zealous and repent. What is zeal? Being zealous, what does that mean to be zealous and repent? Zeal comes from the zealous excitement of mind ardor fervor in spirit, zeal ardor in embracing and pursuing defending anything. Zeal on behalf of a person or thing the fierceness of indignation in some cases, a punitive zeal but it is zeal. It can be misdirected oh I've seen lots of zeal misdirected and my time I've been a part of it myself sometimes, lacking compassion. So we temper our zeal on our passion with meekness and compassion. Yahweh wants us to be zealous, he wants us to care, he wants us to pursue him, he wants us to love him. Let's not place our eyes and affections and concerns on things that are not of him, Yahweh has
all of his attention on us not because he hates us, because he wants to show love to us. Show himself strong toward those who are loyal to him ,he wants to bless us for our good works, he wants to care about us and our afflictions. If we would only turn away our eyes from the worthless things that don't profit and keep our eyes focused on the maker of heaven and earth the one who's in control of all things. Really then we'd have everything we need, we would find we have someone to finally love us and care about us without fail.
Yahushua tells us to be zealous and repent, be zealous and repent. One day Yahweh is going to come, he's gonna look at
this world and say you know what it's enough I've had enough.
Let the wilderness its cities lift up their voices, the villages that Kedar inhabits: let the inhabitants of the rock sing, let them shout from the top of the mountains. Let them give glory to Yahweh, and declare his praise in the coastlands. Yahweh shall go forth like a mighty man, he shall stir up his zeal like a man of war: he shall cry, yes, roar; he shall prevail against his enemies. I have held my peace a long time; I have been still, and restrained myself: now I will cry like a woman in labor; I will pant and gasp at once. I will lay waste the mountains and hills, and dry up all their vegetation; I will make the rivers coastlands, and I will dry up the pools. I will bring the blind by a way that they did not know; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things I will do for them, and not forsake them. You see judgment is coming and it's time that we go forth and tell the world before it's too late, Yahweh is willing to hold his peace and restraint himself off for a time and he has. But the day is going to come when he's had enough and those who are in a slippery slope, who have provoked him long enough and people have hurt each other and abused each other long enough and it's time for him to judge the world in righteousness. And set up a king over the earth who will rule and reign in righteousness and wisdom and put an end to all this nonsense. For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government will be upon his shoulder: and his name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty Elohim, The everlasting Father, and The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David, and over his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from this time forth and forever. The zeal of Yahweh of hosts will perform this. So what we do in the meantime, do our priorities and the things that we are zealous for, reflect an understanding of all this? Are we in hot pursuit of seeking righteousness within ourselves and for righteousness to be established on the earth and the hearts of other people around us or are we just indifferent, content for the way things are? Psalm 119:138, your testimonies which you commanded are righteous and very faithful. My zeal has consumed me, because my enemies have forgotten your words. Your word is very pure: therefore your servant loves it. I opened my mouth, and panted: for I longed for your commandments. Look upon me, and be merciful to me, as your custom is toward those who love thy name. Correct my steps by your word: and let no iniquity have dominion over me. Redeem me from the oppression of man: that I may keep your precepts. Make your face shine upon your servant; and teach me your statutes. Rivers of water run down from my eyes, because man do not keep not your law.
Do they? Do we care? It's time to seek righteousness for ourselves and for others; Satan has stolen the hearts of billions of people and we have been sent on a search rescue and recovery mission. How seriously are we taking the command to be that doctor to the sick, that lifeguard to the drowning, that fireman to the one who's in danger of being consumed by the lake of fire?
How seriously are we taking Yahushua's expectation that we be the sheep that feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, visit those in prison and care for the sick?
Or we are going to be like the goats just indifferent. The goats weren't necessarily out there murdering and killing and stealing and they were just indifferent.
That's all too busy doing their own thing, surrounded by thorns it shook the word.
Yahweh is calling us to war he's looking for a few humble men, we may lose a few battles here and there but according to the end of the book we win. And as soldiers in the army of Yahweh we've been called to do exploit for the king of kings as a people in exile in Babylon were looking to gather together an army of foot soldiers in war years. We're not in a time of peace, we're not in a time of rest there is a war going on and it's the most important war in the world. The ramifications of this war my brothers and my sisters will have eternal consequences. Who among us will be zealous and repent? Who among us will walk with zeal and passion for the things of Elohim? Who among us will put down their toys and pick up the armor of Yahweh? Who among us will tear down their own life? They may save it tear down the things that have made
up your former life, ripped down the altars, cast down the idols, and put Yahweh first. Who among us will walk in love and mercy and passion and meekness and compassion for the lost and dying people of this world?
Who among us will love Yahweh with all their hearts, soul and everything they have
that's my question for all of us today including myself? Who's with me, who's with me, will it be you? If you say yes, say it loud YES and those of you who say yes I say to you find some kind of ministry to do. You don't have to be behind a microphone, every city in America has a nursing home where there are old people who would just love to have someone come and talk to them. But no one comes and they need Yahushua in their
life, they're bitter. There are children who are fatherless who need
someone to be a dad to them, the father-like figure to them. There are little girls who need encouragement from an older sister.
There are babies who are dying every day as a mother hires a hit man to murder them in the womb.
There are people who are addicted to drugs and
can't seem to break free.
There are pastors who are teaching error and putting their stake in the ground saying old-time Christianity is where it's at, church fathers that's where it's at. We need to tell them to go further back look to the first century, there are so many needs out there I
could sit here for 45 minutes pray pray pray Yahweh shows you how you can love your fellow man
and by that love Yahweh. And as you do so brothers and sisters Yahweh will be
with you, I'm with you, all of Yahweh's zealous servants are with you because we need laborers. We got a coffee house and soup kitchen here in Urbana Missouri we need laborers, I need a manager I can't manage this ministry and a coffee house, soup kitchen at the same time, physically impossible.
Yahweh is doing the work, met a lady this week elderly lady she just, she said I have never met anybody like you guys, so we've been feeding her. She was rejected by a pastor years ago, lost her son to a murderer, lost her husband years ago and
her present husband is in a nursing home. She needed someone to show love to her, there are
people out there who need a touch from Yahushua's love, flow through you to them.
Here in Urbana Missouri there's a little boy, 16-year-old boy walk down the front yard put a gun to his head and pulled the trigger and didn't make it.
Because his dad was abusive that's what he wrote in the suicide note. He had a bruise right here in his chest where his dad had punched him in the chest.
There are young people out there who need a touch of Yahushua's love. 5 other people in our community tried after this, 5 young people tried to kill themselves after he did it copycat and the pastor had the nerve to say, he'll be in heaven anyway. Only Yahweh knows that, only Yahweh knows that.
And so all the other kids think well I'll go to heaven no matter what I do, I'll just go and pull the trigger. So much wrong and deception out there. There are so many problems and I have found as I work here in our community, there is a serious battle going on for the hearts of our children.
There are so many needs may Yahweh open our eyes.
O Father raise up a generation that will serve
you with zeal and passion and muchness in their love. Smoke away from complacency and grab a hold of the example of Yahushua HaMashiach and the disciples who followed him and the men of Elohim we read about in scripture and choose to put their hand to the plow and not look back.
Forgive us father where we've chosen to look back, forgive us father where we've not bothered to even plow. Forgive us father where we acted with indifference to people who had needs. Strengthen the weak, heal the sick, raise the spiritually dead and sometimes physically dead, pour out your spirit upon your people and glorify your name through it all.
Truly yours is the kingdom and the power and glory and majesty forever and ever in Yahushua's great name we pray, Amein.