The Sign that we are His Disciples
05/20/17 (02/23) Video Broadcast
We are ready to begin the
study portion for today's
broadcast.
I'm gonna start this study
portion today with a
question.
How will others know that
we are true believers?
Now I know there are
certain things that the
Messiah said.
He taught us, he said you
know "you will know them
by their fruits".
But how about those who
are not believers, maybe
people don't quite
see our way of life?
But how are they, what
would be the one thing
they can look at and say
"oh, they must be the
people that
follow Yahushua"?
What would be the thing
that they can look at and
say "yeah those Yahweh
people you know, Sabbath
keeping people"?
But there should be
something standing out and
being a bright light while
people might say maybe
it's a Sabbath a sign
between Yahweh and his
people.
Well, that's Yahweh's sgn
we're his people.
Now, what about what
the world would be saying
about us, how
will they know?
In John chapter 13 and
verse 34 it says this, A
new commandments I give
to you, that you love one
another as I have loved
you, that you also love one
another. By this all will
know, think about that,
everybody will know oh
that must be people who
follow the savior, that
must be the people that
follow Yahushua that's
how they are gonna know.
They gonna know by this
one distinguishing mark
unmistakable they are
going to know, we are his
disciples if you have
love for one another.
Doesn't say anything
about, "O they keep the
feasts they must be
Yahushua's disciples".
The one thing he wanted
to, the people of Yahweh
to be distinguished by, to
be seen by, to be, to see
a difference in how they
operate in how they live
would be our love
for one another.
Not how vest we are in the
bible, how much Hebrew we
know, not whether we have
our I's dotted and our t's
crossed and every tiny
little thing except that
we will love one another.
And so our study topic for
today is; The Sign that we
are His Disciples.
I'm going to talk about
some practical things
here, I'm also going to
talk about some of the
hindrances because I
really believe that
sometimes what happens as
people move from a more
traditional form of
worship and understanding
and to what's called the
Hebrew Roots or let's walk
as Yahushua walked
kind of a mentality.
That, there is a real
danger, a danger is pride
and in that pride there is
problems. Knowledge puffs
up but love edifies.
And so we have to make
sure that this stands out,
people may not understand
our festivals or the
strings hanging
off our shirts.
They may not understand
the Hebrew names we use or
the why we sing our
praises to the name of
Yahweh but there is one
thing they can look at and
say, "You know what
that's awesome.
I like that about them,"
even the unbeliever, and
that is our love for one
another, brotherhood, the
sisterhood, the
camaraderie, the care and
the concern we have for
one another's lives.
Those things that they can
behold and look at and
know its praise-worthy and
something that maybe they
would like to be a part
of, think about that.
You know the world
has their clubs the
associations their own
ways of creating a sense
of belonging even though
streets of high crime
cities have gangs they
call each other brothers
and they have a
sense of belonging.
They look out for each
other because they
understand the innate
need within our hearts to
connect with other people
in a deeper way, in a
broader way and so they
are looking at this far
deeper connection, they
want that, something they
can relate to.
Too often, I hear people
going into congregations
and they walk in and they
are, you know, people of our
persuasion and people that
desire to keep the feast
days and such and they
go in they connect with
people like us and
what do they see?
Now, sometimes, they see
conflict, they see
problems; they see people
at odds with one another.
Maximizing the finer
points of the Law while
minimizing the weightier
matters of the Law,
majoring on the minor and
minoring on the majors.
Too often we see that walk
into a group not really
feeling very welcomed and
some of the larger groups
I even hear people walking
in and no-one even says a
word to them.
Where is the love?
People get caught up in
little cliques; in little
you know, their own little
club within the club.
It becomes very political
and very problematic.
And so, you know, we all
want the strength that
comes with fellowship; than
someone to create a little
club, "Awww, your
kind just coming in here,
we know your kind brings
problems and so we are
going to just kind of
ignore you.' But, you know,
feast of tabernacles we
host every year, me and 11
other men on the council.
We try to put all emphasis
on making sure that
everybody feels welcomed
because we believe it's
extremely important that
everybody gets that touch
from the Holy Spirit of
love from the brotherhood.
You know think about the
blessing of the feast
imagine how connected to
each other the 12 tribes
would have been if they
consistently kept their
feasts together, 3 times a
year friendships will be
built and rekindled as
they sought one another
out at each feast.
The family togetherness
that each would feel as a
nation, that was Yahweh's
vision for his people.
It's at these kinds of
events that are love for
another can take on
a whole new level.
We need that on a weekly
basis. We need that kind
of brotherhood on
a weekly basis.
Think about the sense
of brotherhood Yahushua
established with his 12
disciples walking together
for 3 years.
12 men living, doing
things and there were a whole
lot more than 12, I mean
he sent out 70 at one point.
But joining together and
living together 3 years
day in and day out and
then women joined them also.
And so he said, "These
things I command you that
you love one another" and
love as he loved, right?
John 13?
And it's extremely
important commandment
Yahushua said: "by
this, all will know".
Think about this for a
moment--a non-believer or a
brand new believer walks
into a congregation to
attend, home fellowship or
a congregation somewhere,
and he sees people, you
know, sort of distant from
each other sort of
unconnected and when they
talk, they debate over
little things, you know, how
this needs to be right, and
that needs to be right, and
these little things that
are not weighty--just
minor things.
And they walk into that
congregation and they are
like "you know these
people are picking up
apart over that?
Boy, I don't know if I can
survive here I got a whole
lot problems in my life,
I've got a whole lot more
overcoming to do in my
life than that little
minor detail I mean how
could I ever be accepted
here?"
Let me tell you something
unity of doctrine and
unity of spirit are not
necessarily the same.
I mean, Yahweh is going to
lead us all to the truth
and we are all at
different places along
that journey.
And so what I mean is, we
need to unite under the
banner of repentance
and faith in Yahushua.
If we put our faith...we
believe that we are
together because we are
believers in Yahushua and
we are also together
because we have a
repentant attitude and we
are seeking righteousness.
Then we can, we can accept
one another right where we
are at.
We really can,
are we willing to?
I know of people who won't
meet anymore over the
silliest little things,
"well they believe this
way and so I'm not going
to meet with" they and I
say you are divided
over that little thing?
I mean how can you ever...
I mean you are just gonna
be by yourself, you know
no-one could ever meet
your expectations if that
is the way you treat other
people and connect with
other people and you
reject other people over
something so little, I
would say "you don't meet
anymore because of that?
Wow!"
And so we need to unite
under the banner of: we
believe in repentance
and faith in Yahushua.
And repenting of whatever
we currently understand to
be wrong and that maybe
different for each person
because we know it's not
like the first century
when Yahushua and his
disciples, you know, they
had all the truth and they
are trying to preserve it,
you know.
We live in a generation
that lost the truth years
and years and years ago. We
are trying to get back to it.
And we can tear each other
down over our differences
and bite and devour and
consume one another or we
can unite under the banner
of repentance and faith in
Yahushua.
You know even Yahushua
loved the worst of the
worst. Greater love
has no one than this,
to lay down one's life for
his friends, right?
1 John 3:18 my little
children let us not love
in word or in tongue, but
in deed and in truth.
And by this, we know we
are of the truth and shall
assure our hearts
before him.
That's how we know whether
we are loving in deed and
in truth.
What kind of kind deeds
would show forth
Yahushua's love?
Let's take a look.
Romans 12:10, be kindly,
affectionate to one
another with brotherly love.
Loving one another
comes with affection.
I don't know about you,
now some people don't feel
comfortable with it, but it
seems to me that brothers
ought to come
together with more than a
handshake.
I mean should it seems
like we should be maybe one
level higher than your
local car salesman.
You know even if it's
a one arm bump hug or
something that show,
"This is my brother over here;
it's my sister over here.
Now, between brothers and
sisters, some people wanna
keep distance and I can
respect that and I let
others initiate.
But we are supposed to
consider one another
brothers and sisters in
honor giving preference to
one another.
If somebody wants
something and it's not
really something that you
want, you give preference
to the other person.
Not lacking in diligence,
fervent in spirit serving
Yahweh.
This diligence means
serving one another,
serving Yahweh, serving
the body of Messiah.
Not being lazy and seating
back and waiting on
somebody else to serve
you, but you get up off
your easy chair and go out
and serve other people.
Rejoicing in hope; patient
in tribulation; continuing
steadfastly in prayer.
This is one area I think
the body of Messiah needs
to be stronger in, as our
prayer lives.
Distributing to the needs
of the saints; how many
people are out there right
now are distributing to
the needs of the saints
and not lacking diligence
in doing so?
If you are not
distributing to the needs
of the saints then you are
not loving with action.
It's just you know "Oh!
I love you brother." But,
then you don't do anything
to show it.
And it says given to
hospitality that means
hey, your house should be
a house of fellowship,
your house should be a
house of where everyone
can feel welcomed and
blessed and served.
And some of you say "Wow!
We tried that and people
they had problems you
know".
But he says "Bless those
who persecute you: bless
and do not curse".
Someone wants to put you
down because of something
you are doing?
They might even consider
themselves a brother, you
might have considered them
a brother but then they
are like persecute you
because you do something
in a certain way or
believe something in a
certain way, bless them.
Rejoice with those who
rejoice, and weep with
those who weep.
How many of us do that?
I mean really, are you
that connected with your
brothers and sisters that
you rejoice when they
rejoice you weep
when they weep?
Are you so
connected to them?
Or are you just sort of
like "Well, you know, there
is that person over there
they have got problems"?
Be of the same mind toward
one another; do not set
your mind on high things,
but associate with the
humble.
Do not be wise in
your own opinion.
Here's a hard lesson I've
learned, associate with the
humble.
I accept everyone as
brothers; my closest
brothers are gonna be
the ones who are humble.
Do not be wise in your own
opinion, repay no one evil
for evil, have regard for
good things in the sight
of all men.
If it is possible as much
as it depends on you live
peaceably with all man.
If you have a long trail
of broken relationships in
your past with people of
this faith or the people
who consider themselves
believers, maybe the
common denominator is not
the other people, but
it maybe there is something
you are doing that's
bringing it about,
pray about it.
But as much as it depends
on you try to live at
peace with all.
Some people they don't
want peace they want war.
You can't do anything
about it, but you try to
live peaceably with all.
Beloved, do not avenge
yourselves, but rather
give place to wrath for it
is written, vengeance is
mine, I will repay.
You are not supposed
to take vengeance.
Therefore if your enemy is
hungry feed him, if he's
thirsty give him a drink,
for in so doing you will
heap coals of
fire on his head.
Do not be overcome by
evil, but overcome evil
with good.
That's the way Yahushua
overcame the evil that we
had in us, was he chose to
love us when we were not
being very loving.
That was beautiful; it
compelled us to want to be
like him.
So our love to one another
is actually a service to
Yahweh, do you know that?
If you are not loving,
your fellow men in the
body of Messiah then
you are failing to love
Yahushua himself, and you
are failing to love as
Yahushua loved, who loves
us even when we are not
perfected yet.
There is not a single
person I know in the body
of Messiah who's
absolutely perfect in all
their ways and never makes
a mistake or has a weak
moment, and yet Yahushua
is willing to be patient
with you, with
me, with everyone.
Matthew 25:37 says all the
righteous will answer,
"well, Master when did we
see you hungry, and feed
you, or thirsty
and give you drink?
When did we see you a
stranger and take you in
or naked and clothe you?
When did we see you sick,
or in prison and come to you?"
And the King will
answer and say to them,
"Assuredly I say to you in
as much as you did it to
one of the least of these
my brethren you did it to
me." So I have a question
for people of this faith,
of our walk, Do you see
the hungry, the thirsty?
Do you see the stranger?
Do you see this one
sick and in prison?
We have plenty of clothing
in our culture but there
is not only who are
physically so, but a few
some who spiritually also
in need of being fed, not
just the physical body but
the soul needs to be fed.
The spirit within them
needs to be fed and
Yahushua knows that they
need it, what are we doing
about it?
He wants us, Yahushua
wants to express himself
through us. He doesn't come
down in a big, you know,
glorious ball of fire or
whatever and show up and
say "here, let me
give you some food".
No, he's counting on us to
do it for him, to be an
expression of
him, that's love.
Too often we are
caught up in politics.
John 3:17 whoever has this
world's goods and sees his
brother in need and shuts
up his heart from him, how
does the love of
Elohim abide in him?
You can figure that out,
you see someone in need
and you don't do anything,
how does it even happen
that you have
Yahweh's love?
My little children, let's not love in word or in tongue but in deed and in truth. And by this, we know that we are of the truth and shall assure our hearts before Him. So how do you know? If you have this world's goods and you don't share it, where's your love? That's the question; we are called to be servants, are we not? We are called to be servants and Yahushua said: "the greatest one among you is the one who serves". You ever think about this, who's the greatest servant of every being in the universe? It will be Yahweh himself, you ever think about that? He's actually serving us all the time, providing our food, our every need. He's the greatest servant of all; when we pray to him, Yahweh will you do this, please? Yahweh, will you do that for us, please? Oh Father in Heaven, please do this for us and he does it, he's serving us. Now if he dwells in you, what acts of service are you doing for others or you are just mainly focused on building your own little place of dominion?
Do we see our brother in need and not ask to help?
Do we pass by opportunities to show someone love?
Do we pray for one another daily, are we truly taking notice of the needs around us? Are we caring to notice? You know, loving and serving go hand in hand they are like partners. One is an expression of the other.
How will someone know you love them unless you are willing to bless them unless you are willing to engage them? You know some may look at our lives and wonder why we are so concerned about following commandments as if doing so were a burden in some way. But if we open and realize, open our eyes just realize how much our Father in Heaven is doing what we ask him to do, every minute of every day. And we realize if he's willing to serve us and he's the most powerful entity in the universe, above all things, then how can we serve him back? e saved our lives and do we just go on about like nothing happened? We are supposed to look at what he's doing and then emulate it. And some say "well man you try to love someone and all they do is spit in your face". But I say to you love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in his Heaven for He makes the sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. This is how we express ourselves as sons you see most of the world loves those who love them but we love those who don't love us. And if we are loving someone here who's supposed to be our enemy how much more are we hard to love our brothers? And some say "well, they are not acting like a brother, so how can I be a brother?" All right they are not acting like a brother, what does it say? Then love your enemies. And there are some who, you know, may even have difficulty loving their children and their own spouse, let alone their brother or let alone their enemies. But you know something? A lot of marriage problems come when someone says "2well they are not doing it for me, so I'm not gonna do for them". The wife may say "well, he's not loving me, how can I respect him?" And he says "Well, she's not respectful toward me, how can I love her"? How you say? By being an expression of Yahushua the Messiah, He does it for you all the time; He loves you even when you fail. So do we love our brother as he did that is the commandment that we love another as he's loved us? It's part of our calling that we are willing to suffer when someone wrongs us. Ephesians 4:1 says I, therefore, the prisoner of Yahweh, the one master, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called. With all lowliness and gentleness, with long suffering, bearing with one another in love. Now if all the first-century believers were all just perfect and [inaudible 00:28:27.21], then why would they have to bear with each other? Why would they have to be long suffering? Why would they have to be told to be gentle with each other unless they were people who were not acting correctly? You're gonna find that as part of our experience as disciples of Yahushua there will be people who will you know call themselves believers but not act like one, in how they treat other people. And that's normal, they had it in the first-century look he says "you gotta bear with each other in love and endeavor to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace. "You've got to just roll with it because the unity of the spirit is most important. Being lowly, gentle, long suffering, bearing with one another in love and maybe we are not all pure in doctrine, in unity and doctrine but, we know this is true we are supposed to be gentle and long suffering and loving towards one another. You know maybe Yahweh will come, you know when Yahushua returns and he'll correct us on whatever calendar thing you got going on or whatever minor thing you got going on. But, you know, if you didn't show love for your family members, for your brothers and for the people in this world around you. And if he wasn't even willing to do that...then there's no correcting--you should know that already. You already know that's what you are supposed to do and it's a beautiful thing. When we are in unity of the spirit Psalms 133 verses 1 through 3 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It's like the precious oil upon their head running down on their beard, the beard of Aaron, running down on the edge of his garments. It's like the dew of Hermon, descending upon the mountains of Zion, for there Yahweh commanded the blessing, life forevermore. Beautiful, we should be taught by Yahweh these things, we need to know and practice these things its so, so, so important. And I'm concerned, too many of us miss this. This is really what it's all about. And it's beautiful when we are in unity. 1 Thessalonians 4:9 concerning brotherly love, you have no need that I should write to you, for yourselves are taught by Elohim to love one another. And so let's stir up love, how about that? How about, we stir up love and not strife in debate? Let's not waste away our time, stumbling and arguing and getting in carnal disagreements over things. And if there is strife that we witness, don't stumble into disunity, don't... You know, I was talking last night. You know, people will say "the body of Messiah is so judgmental, you know, and, you know, and I walked in there and I did this one thing wrong, and they judged me I'm so, I tell you what, I don't wanna be around them kind of people". You know sometimes you can't see the forest because the trees are in the way. Because as you judge them for how they are acting, you are acting just like them.
Yeah, they are judgmental, but now you decide you gonna be judgmental towards them for being judgmental. And you don't realize it, you know. So we can be judgmental by being judgmental towards those who are judgmental. And so you think you can't be around them kind of people. And so that's what the enemy wants, divide and conquer. Divide and conquer gets you on an island somewhere, gets you by yourself, when a wolf is going after flock of sheep, he starts to run on them the wolves do, they start to run them sheep and they look for the ones that are slow, the ones that are weak and they try to get that one by themself, so they can attack the one, and consume them. And sometimes the enemy operates the same way he gets us all running, he looks for the weak ones. First picking them off, start separating them. But what Yahweh wants is for us to love one another so much, we don't let that one fall behind, we stick together. We'll go after the one that's getting lost and vulnerable, will pursue them like Yahushua says "I'll leave the 99 to go for the one" because he knows that one is gonna be the most vulnerable of all of them. You know, one of the signs of the end time people, I think... Malachi 3:16 says then those who feared Yahweh spoke to one another, and Yahweh listened and heard them, so a book of remembrance was written before him, for those who fear Yahweh and who meditate on His name. We do that, we meditate on His name, we fear Him I hope. And what he says is that he heard them because they were in communication with each other and He's listening. When you are talking to a brother or a sister, Yahweh is in attendance and He's listening and in book of remembrance, He will write for those who fear him and meditate on his name. He says they shall be mine, says Yahweh of hosts, on the day that I make them my jewels or special treasure, and I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him. Why would we have to be spared from what?
He knows we are not perfect yet, but he sees that we love one another, we care for one another and we fear him and so he'll spare us. Then you shall again discern between the righteous and the wicked, between the one who serves Elohim and one who does not serve him. So Yahweh is so pleased when he sees our fellowship, he writes this book of remembrance. So whether you are in a home fellowship or on a telephone fellowship, or internet fellowship and you are communicating with each other Yahweh is listening, so let's make our conversation a holy offering a pleasing thing to him.
Yahushua says "where ever two or three are gathered in my name together, I am there in the midst of them", He likes our fellowship, he wants to be a part of it.
So though we might not think much about it, but the Father and the Son are very interested in being a part of our fellowship and they are... 1 John 1:1 through 3, That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands of have handled, concerning the Word of life. The life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us. That which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Yahushua the Messiah. He's a part of our fellowship and so we'll say, "Hey, Yahweh and Yahushua, welcome to our fellowship. May it be pleasing in your sight". So let's be careful how we conduct ourselves in our fellowship. And practice 1 Peter 3:8. "Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another, love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous. Not returning evil for evil, or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing; knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing. You were called to what?
Bringing blessing to those who are not being a blessing to you. And being of one mind having compassion for one another, loving as brothers and being tenderhearted and being courteous. Listen, our enemy is not our brother, maybe he doesn't do everything like you want him to, maybe he's not a perfected person yet, but are you? This is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of the Son, Yahushua the Messiah, and love one another, as he gave commandment, 1 John 3:23. 1 John 4:7 through 8 beloved, let's love one another for love, for love is of Elohim and everyone who loves is born of Elohim and knows Elohim. He who does not love does not know Elohim, for Elohim is love. hat's what he is, that's what He's all about, and if you don't have it, how can He be in you? That's what he keeps asking; if you don't have that love, you don't have him. Or you might be following a list of rules or a bunch of do's and don'ts that may or may not be out of love. Beloved if Elohim so loved us so we also are to love one another, and no one seen Elohim at any time, if we love one another Elohim abides in us and His love is being perfected in us, beautiful words . 2 John 1:5 And I plead with you, lady not as though I wrote a new commandment to you, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another, over and over, and over. The Disciples are saying honor all people, love the brother, fear Elohim, and honor the King of brotherhood, 1 Peter 2:17. 1 Peter 4:8, above all things have fervent love for one another, for love will cover a multitude of sins. Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. Oh, someone will open up their home and someone will host some kind of a gathering and then spend the next two years complaining about it. Do it without grumbling, just to accept as a service to Yahweh. As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of Elohim. If you wanna be a good steward of Yahweh's grace then minister that gift he has given you. Some people got the gift of hospitality, use it;
You know, a lot of people do have problems finding fellowship because they can't seem to find anybody up to their standards. And so they find themselves in a spiritual island somewhere, because no one is good enough for them. I've heard it said "If you ever find the perfect congregation, you wouldn't be able to attend and neither would I," because none of us are perfect. Matthew 12:10 but whoever, does the will of my Father in Heaven is my brother, and my sister, and my mother. Luke 8:21, He answered "my mother, my brother or those who hear the Word of Elohim and do it". I know with somebody, some people are gonna say "well, you know that person is not my brother because they are doing this and they are doing that. He didn't obey the command in that area over there and he did not obey that command over that area there, and so how can they be a brother?" And the question that often comes forth from their lips is "how can someone who calls himself a brother do...?" blank fill in the blank.,I mean I don't care what it is. 'How can someone who calls himself a believer do...?" Whatever it is that you are not happy with. In other words, you've already judged them as probably not being a believer. I tell you what... you got to be very, very careful what you do when you say something like that, it's being judgmental, you judging whether someone has salvation and if you at any point in your life don't come up to this higher standard than they are living by, look out. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged and the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. So for the rest of your life, your own righteousness better exceed the righteousness of the one you are judging. I don't care how weak you get later on; you don't know how weak you might get later on. The truth is we don't really know the hearts of men, you know. Some people's problems are just right there on their shirt sleeve and you can see it it's so evident you are just like" wow, that's really... there it is". Other people, their issues are behind closed doors or something going on in their heart or something not so evident, so obvious. Only Yahweh himself knows the hearts of everyone and maybe you are judging them because they haven't reached a certain spiritual level yet. But Yahweh in his perspective they are actually on a higher spiritual level than you are. Because yeah, they got problems but they've already ... You don't know how far they've come.
You know, someone who has started way down here at the bottom they have got a long way to go before they get to this certain level. Whereas you may have just... You didn't have their childhood, you didn't have their upbringing, you didn't have the abuse that they went through and so maybe you are a little further along because of that and they've come all this way, they've made so much progress and all the progress you've made keep going a little bit higher and yet they have made more progress than you have. They have overcome more things than you have, they've cast away even more of bad habits that you ever needed to, just because they didn't have the parents you have. So don't judge people that way. You don't know where they are at or where they've been, they may be higher than you are. The truth is this: 2 Timothy 2:19 Nevertheless the solid foundation of Elohim stands, the Master, or Yahweh, knows those who are his. He knows, so let him decide that, and let everyone who names the name of the Messiah depart from iniquity. And yet we have these divisions. People say, "well, that person can't be a believer because they don't do this, this and that the way I do it'.
But maybe you are failing in another area. They might be failing in that area but you are failing in a different area. You don't even realize you are, you are blinded by your own pride. So the key is this, has this person while they may have some problems, are they seeking to do the will of Yahweh, do they have the Word of Yahweh, do they love the word? That's a big one right there, do they love the word? If they love the Word they love Yahushua because he is the word that was made flesh and dwelt among us, John 1:14. Now, maybe you think they haven't, but so you take the position they are sort of like an enemy among us or something. And what I said; you got to love him anyway. Love your enemies and then you will be sons of Yahweh. There is no way around it, we have to love our brothers and our neighbor and even our enemies. You know, there is actually the scripture though and some people bring this up, some wanna go over this, where David says he hated.
Psalm 139:21 "Do I not hate them. O Yahweh who hate you? Do I not love those who rise up against you? I hate them with a perfect hatred, I count them, my enemies". So there are those who are your own personal enemies and those who are Yahweh's enemies. Now, Yahweh only knows whether that person who is conducting themselves in such a way, that they are expressing enmity with Yahweh. Only Yahweh knows whether one day they will respond to what? Yahweh's hatred? No--To Yahweh's love. Elohim so loved the world, he gave us his only begotten son, right? So, Yahweh starts with love and there are people who will not respond to Yahweh's love, and they will die in their sins having never become a believer, having heard it and rejected it. Those are the people that David hated. Because he speaking by the Holy Spirit would know those who will never...are gonna be reprobate they are just not going to change, but we don't necessarily know the answer to that question. And so we have to manifest the love of Yahushua because we just don't know. Yeah, there are some people that just will never change, they are not going to. But you don't know what their last breath with they are going to do with that last breath. So we have to be defaulting toward love. Now Yahweh by his spirit comes down and says that person is a reprobate they will always be reprobate and they will never change, then maybe you can follow David's pattern here, Okay? But apparently, there was a higher percentage of people like that in his day and age. But they were Yahweh's enemies, one's that will never repent, ones that will never change. So what do we do when a person calling himself a believer decides to do something wrong to us and they are not kind to us, how do we treat them? What are we supposed to do?
Yahushua told us this: "Take heed to you" take heed to what? yourselves, look out it's for your own benefit "if your brother sins against you rebuke him and if he repents forgive him, and if he sins against you 7 times in a day and 7 times in a day returns to you and saying to you I repent, you shall forgive him" You have to do it it's not an option, it's not a question take heed to yourself, it's for your own benefit that you reprove somebody and forgive him upon his declaration of repentance. nd you might wonder how can he really be repenting when he did it 7 times in day? You really might wonder that.
But I wonder, this may be I'm just gonna guess, there's probably being times where you sinned against Yahweh more than 7 times in a day. What does he do with you? Does he cast you out? Now, what if we are the one was being rebuked by someone else? It's important that we don't confuse a rebuke with a desire to argue and fight, in strife. It's wise to consider someone's rebuke even if we completely disagree with it or if would as a personal attack. Psalm 141:5 says, let the righteous strike me, it shall be a kindness, let him rebuke me, it shall be his excellent oil, let my head not refuse it, for still, my prayer is against the deeds of the wicked. Go ahead slap me around, I might need it, rebuke me, "hey that could be excellent oil yeah thank you for telling me.
Oh, I appreciate you rebuking me so sharply I needed that, someone to shake me and wake me up". You don't see that too often, I like David's attitude he always after Yahweh's own heart, he's like "hey, you know at the end of the day I needed the correction and even if they are kind of rude about it and slapping me around with their words, I'll take it, because then it's considered kindness. that you would change something negative that I've got going". But then we have the opposite here, Proverbs 9:8 do not correct a scoffer lest he hates you; rebuke a wise man he'll love you.
Give instruction to a wise man, he will be still wiser, teach a just man and he'll increase in learning. So don't scoff and beware that there are some who will scoff, believers will not scoff, believers will weigh, it considerate. This is what we are supposed to do Proverbs 15:32 He who disdains instruction despises his own soul. They actually hate themselves, but he who heeds rebuke understands.
Proverbs 17:10 Rebuke is more effective for a wise man than 100 blows on a fool.
Proverbs 19:25 Strike a scoffer, and the simple will become weary, rebuke one who has understanding and he will discern knowledge. Proverbs 27:5 Open rebuke is better that love carefully concealed. Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.
Sometimes we gotta tell people things they don't wanna hear, but it's all because we love them. Jeremiah 15:15, O Yahweh, you know, remember me, and visit me and take vengeance for me of my persecutors, and your enduring patience, do not take me away and know that for your sake I have suffered rebuke. Sometimes we get rebuked because we are doing the right thing, and whoever is trying to correct us is not being correct with their correction. So corrections need to be correct and reproof you need to have proof. So if you are going to approach someone with some corrections make sure it's correct and if you have reproof make sure you have proof. And the best way to do it say "this is what I personally saw the other day, this happened, that happened, that happened and I don't know, did I misunderstand something or was there a problem there? And they can respond, well I don't see anything wrong with that, well here let me show you what it says here in the scriptures that, "you know and believe me I've got my own overcoming to do you know, I'm not perfect either and maybe one day you can see something in me that I can be corrected but I saw this the other day and I've wanted to bring it to your attention. Because I know you are trying to live right. You are trying to live for Yahweh and so I'm bringing this to you because I care about you. I wanna see you be all that Yahweh wants you to be. And I know that's what you want so I noticed this". So we can correct someone in love, we can correct someone in humility, we can correct someone in gentleness, and wow it does get received a whole lot better than someone slapping. So, you are supposed to be...There's a biblical way of correcting and there is the unbiblical way. "Unbiblical" would be the correction isn't even correct. It's coming from the enemy. The enemy is whispering stuff in your ears and you are like this person is doing this wrong and that wrong and you are against them and you are offended and you are coming up to them and you're with anger rather than with the spirit of Elohim. But correction is a good thing and sometimes we'll get corrected from other people who even when we are not doing anything wrong, that's just the way it is. We need to consider it, Yahushua says "as many as I love, I rebuke and chasten." How about that? Sometimes we get chastening, even chastening is out of love. He's the righteous one who will smite you, strike you with his chastening and you need to receive it and accept it. He has ways of getting your attention. All right. Proverbs 29:1 He who is often rebuked and hardens his neck will suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy. Wow! They get rebuked for something over, and over, and over again and suddenly BLAMO! And I actually had an email one time from a man who, his wife you know recognized that you know, she's probably in an adulterous marriage but she didn't want to accept it. And she would even say "I would never serve a God who calls my marriage adultery'. She would get angry about it and one time they were driving in the car, in the middle of her sentence "I would never serve a God that..." she was killed instantly--true story. And this man begged me to know, is my wife going to hell and was I, you know, in this relationship wrongly? And he told me the situation and it was an adulterous marriage. And so I don't know, Yahweh knows where she's gonna be but it doesn't look good. He was often rebuked and hardens his neck, this lady had many people telling her and she wouldn't listen. Now if we do reprove someone and they do repent, it's very important that we forgive. If we don't forgive Yahushua, says we are in big, big trouble. Matthew 18:21 Peter came to him, and said, "Master how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to 7 times? Yahushua said to him, "I did not say to you up to 7 times, but up to seventy times seven. Therefore the Kingdom of heaven is like a certain King; he wanted to settle accounts for his servants. And when he began to settle accounts one was brought to him, he owed him ten thousand talents. But as was not able to pay, his Master commanded he be sold with his wife and children and all they had and that payment be made. The servant, therefore, fell down, before him saying 'Master have patience with me and I will pay you all'. Then the Master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him and forgave him the debt. But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servant who owed him a hundred dinar, and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat saying 'pay me what you owe'. So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, 'have patience with me and I will pay you all.' And he would not: but went and threw him into prison until he should pay the debt. So when his fellow servants saw what had been done they were very grieved and came and told their Master all that had been done. And his Master after he had called him, said to him, 'you wicked servant, I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. Should you not have also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?' And his Master was angry and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him. Now, look at verse 35 very, very closely "So my heavenly Father also will do to you, if each of you from his heart does not forgive his brother, his trespassers". That's a very stern warning, a wakeup call to those who were not. It's a serious matter and do not take this lightly brothers and sisters. Next time you have a hard time forgiving someone for some wrong they have done against you, take a moment, do an inventory and consider how many times you've sinned against Yahweh and he has forgiven you. A hundred days wages versus ten thousand talents, he has forgiven you far more than you could ever have opportunity to forgive your brother of whatever it was. We don't want to be delivered to the tormentors, some are already being tormented because of the bitterness they are holding in their hearts, over what other people have done or said and so we must forgive our brother from the heart. Whether we forgive a brother from the heart can make the difference whether you are going to inherit eternal life or not. And so, un-forgiveness is very dangerous. So, do you really forgive from the heart? When you stand praying he says forgive. If you have anything against anyone, when you stand praying if you have anything against anyone, forgive him. Someone say "well they never came to me and ask to be forgiven". So what? Do you list all your sins you do to Yahweh and not mention, maybe you forgot one or two and yet he forgives you anyway. He says "forgive him that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses". And whenever I see someone you know...they mistreat me, and mistreat me, and mistreat me, on multiple occasions, and I just think "yeah I've got to forgive him because I know I have done far worse to Yahweh. And yet He sent Yahushua to die for me, so how can I, you know, not give to them what I so freely expect to receive from Yahweh?" Because forgiveness is nothing more than an unwillingness to give something that you so freely expect Yahweh to give you.
It doesn't work that way, if you do not forgive either, will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses? So having your own sins forgiven is a prerequisite to that even being a reality. If you are holding a grudge in your heart against another person, you are in serious danger, my friend. Because neither will your heavenly Father forgive you of your trespasses. Forgiving others should be a normal part of our existence our life here on the earth. That's how Yahushua taught his disciples to pray. In Matthew chapter 6 in verse 9 he said, "In this manner, therefore, we pray our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your Kingdom come, your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven, give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors". A normal part of our daily prayer, give us this day a daily bread, it's a daily thing you've asked forgiveness and you give forgiveness. "And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one, for yours is the Kingdom of power and glory forever, Amein". He knew the thing that was going to stand out with that prayer, he just knew it. So he said, "all right, for if you forgive man their trespasses your heavenly Father will also forgive you". Now, how about that for a promise? You wonder "well, are my sins forgiven?" Ask yourself this question, do you forgive others for their trespasses and their wrongs? If you do then, we have a promise from Yahushua the Messiah that your Father will forgive you of your trespasses. But if you do not forgive man their trespasses neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. So don't let the root of bitterness spring up, through unforgiveness and through bearing grudges. Hebrews 12:12, Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated but rather be healed. Pursue peace with all and holiness, without which no one will see the Master. Looking carefully, lest anyone fall short of the grace of Elohim; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble and by this many become defiled. Many become defiled. Bitterness defiles, the defilement affects how the bitter person treats others. And the lack of love comes through once actions and attitude, that's the fruit that comes out of the root of bitterness, unloving spirit, unloving attitude, a grumbling against a person, An "oh this person that, this person this, this person the other".
And there is bitterness there, there is bearing grudge there, holding it against them.
And they go around and tell everybody about it in many cases. James 5:9 says; do not grumble against one another brethren lest you be condemned. Lest you be condemned. You grumble against the other person you could be condemned because we will not forgive them their trespasses, neither will your heavenly Father forgive you of your trespasses. I remember years ago, a shooter went into an Amish elementary school or school and just indiscriminately killed children.
The news media was in total awe when they heard from the parents of these children who were killed, say "we have already forgiven the man who did this." They just couldn't believe what they were hearing, and we have already forgiven? How could you forgive someone who just murdered your children like that? But they did, it was a light, in my opinion, it was a light. So whenever you feel compelled to just, grumble, grumble, grumble about somebody else remember the door, remember the door and the judge, who's standing there at the door, and no complaint about him. Just pray for them, they need it. Yahushua takes the beatings and spitting and mocking of the enemy and being tortured and says "Father forgive them". And yet sometimes you see among us one brother just failed...just one level lower than the ideal of respect, and they get offended and they lash out like they have been slain. It should not be, so if you wanna talk about being a Torah Keeper, you wanna be a Torah Keeper? Here's the greatest evidence that you are a Torah keeper, a keeper of the law and that is all the laws fulfilled in one word even in this you shall love your neighbor as yourself. But if you bite and devour one another beware lest you be consumed by one another, I say then walk in the spirit and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. So you don't walk in the spirit it's gonna be evidenced by your love toward others. Listen brothers and sisters we are in a battle together against the adversary, we all have the same enemy, and sometimes that enemy has a victory in some area your brother you wish he wouldn't have a victory And sometimes the enemy may have a victory in your heart over something you don't want him to be victorious. But here's the thing you gonna compound the issue by offering up rejection, by offering up un-forgiveness in grudges toward the other brother to whom who has fallen victim to Satan's ways. You would compound it to where now the enemy is using that to harm you because un-forgiveness doesn't hurt the other person if you don't even care to offer repentance or anything. Because here's what happens, let's suppose someone who is abused in their childhood by a parent, by a relative by an older brother or a sister whatever, the only way that abuser can continue to abuse is if you don't forgive, but as there is un-forgiveness there's gonna be this re-telling, re-remembering, this re washing machine, it's not even a washing machine it's a mud machine. Re-telling of this event that happened, getting re-offended all over again and the best thing to do is realize Satan had a victory over that person in that particular area and you happen to be the victim. We don't wrestle against flesh and blood but against principalities in powers, you know the story, you know the scripture. And if it is something bad to your body it was Yahweh's body they did it to, it was Yahushua's body that they harmed, and it's no longer you who live its Yahushua who lives in you. So if we wanna be a soldier in Yahweh's army we need to be willing to recognize where the enemy actually is.
Choose righteousness, choose love, choose humility, choose service to one another and band together as soldiers with Yahushua being the head of the army. Because, listen, when we are all in battle against the enemy and someone overhears on your side, he's getting beat up by the enemy, do you start screaming at the guy that's getting beat up by the enemy and say" look at you he's just beating you to a pulp. Why don't you fight back? You shouldn't be doing that you are letting the army you are causing us to lose this battle" Do you scream at him and yell at him, and argue with him, and criticize him or do you go over there and help him? Think about it, what army would stand if they were fighting and devouring each other? Rather than fighting the real enemy and someone is getting beat up by the enemy you walk over there and all you do is stand and criticize him. What good is that gonna do? He knows he's losing it, walk over there, pick up your sword and give him a hand. Brothers and sisters, we got to think in spiritual terms. It's not flesh and blood, its principalities in powers and wicked things in higher places. You know Yahweh, would often throw his enemies in confusion during wars and get them all fighting each other. We need to act like Yahweh's army not the army of his enemies and realize it's very important that we keep the peace between each other. Dissension among ranks no army would allow that, no general would permit that. We got to band together and fight the real enemy. And thus Yahweh says there are six things that he hates; seven are an abomination to him. A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood. A heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift to running the evil, a false witness that who speaks lies, and one sows discord among brethren, right there. One who sows discord among brethren; we don't wanna be that one. I tell you what? That's an abomination, don't stir the pot. Don't make it worse, oh that person he said this about you and that about you. Don't stir the pot. Stir up peace, and stir up love. Proverbs 10:12 says, hatred stirs up strife, hatred stirs up strife but love covers a multitude of sins. Leviticus 19:17, you shall not hate your brother in your heart, this is Levitical law here. Don't hate someone in your heart; some people think Yahweh was only concerned about the external. No, he was very concerned about what's going on in the heart. There was no nation on the planet that had laws like these. This was radical; you shall surely rebuke your neighbor and not bear sin because of him. You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudges against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am Yahweh. Don't hate in your heart, surely rebuke him, don't take vengeance, don't bear any grudge, love, love him; love him that's the commandment that you should love one another. Now when someone rebukes you have to love them, you know the world doesn't like rebuke and they think you are being hateful because you rebuke them. But rebuking our neighbor is a part of loving him. If we love our neighbor we will not want to see them bearing sin and having problems. And so rather than hate, and vengeance, and grudges we rebuke and thereby we love. But it must be done in a loving manner. Galatians 6:1 Brethren, if a man has overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one is a spirit of gentleness; considering yourself, lest you also be tempted. If you are spiritual then you gonna restore them with the spirit. The fruits of the spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faith, all those are good fruits right. So you who are spiritual restore them in a spirit of gentleness considering yourself, lest you also be tempted. See, when you get all high and mighty and you are a reproof of somebody else, Yahweh in heaven doesn't like that, Yahweh made this say "okay, I wonder how this man will do on those circumstances since you so prideful about it". And allow the enemy to come in and do something to show just how difficult that can be to avoid that temptation to commit that sin and thereby you being tempted now. Because you were pride- fully reproofing somebody else. Matthew 5:22, I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother without a cause, shall be in danger of the judgment: and whoever says to his brother, "Raca", shall be in danger of the council: but whoever says "you fool", shall be in danger of Gehenna fire. We should never rebuke out of hatred or wild and false accusations, it's very dangerous, hatred toward a brother would cause the first murder, ever committed when Abel was killed by Cain. You should know that you cannot love Yahweh until you love the brother. 1 John 3:10, In this the children of Elohim and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of Elohim nor is he who does not love his brother. If you don't love your brother, the bible says you are a child of the devil or at least you are acting like one. Whose child do you wanna be?
That's the question. Now think about this, when we forgive we want our forgiveness to be like Yahweh's forgiveness, right? Look how Yahweh's forgiveness is, Psalms 103:11, For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is his mercy towards those who fear him, as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. Is that how you regard other sins as well? The sins are as far removed from them as the heavens are higher than the earth and the east is from the west you know. As I've often shared, if you go east around the globe, you'll never stop going east, if you go west around the globe you'll never stop going west. They are eternally distant from one another. And so Yahweh does not bear grudges, He forgives with a complete forgiveness. As a father pities his children, so Yahweh pities For he knows our frame, he remembers that we are those who fear him. dust. He knows, Proverbs 17:9 He who covers the transgressions seeks love but who repeats a matter separates friends. To repeat what happened over, and over again rather than covering their transgressions, two opposites, don't bring it up, forgive.
Matthew 18 verse 15 is the way we put Leviticus 19 back here into actual practice. Remember in Leviticus 19 we read... Going back here, oh I guess I missed it. Yeah here it is Leviticus 19:17 don't hate, don't take vengeance, don't bear grudges, we'll all of these things are resolved if we take the steps that we are commanded by Yahushua to take in Matthew 18. Okay, it says Moreover if your brother's sins against you, go and tell him his faults between you and him alone. That's a private rebuke and reproof, don't go around as a tale bearer as it says in the earlier verses of Leviticus 19. But tell him his faults between you and him alone. I can't tell you how many times, countless times, that I see, not that happening, but that brother going to a different brother and saying "you know, I need counsel this person did this to me and I don't know what to do and you know". You don't need counsel; you need to go tell them, that you are offended by that. But do it in a Messiah like, loving manner. You know, tell them, "Hey you know I was hurt the other day". "You were hurt why you were hurt?" "Well when this happened and that happened and I saw you did this, I have to admit. I was hurt by that. I'm having a hard time with it". "What do you mean you having a hard time about it"? "Well, you know, this happened, that happened and I tried to at least overlook it and let it go, but I just I'm having a hard time". And then the other person can say, "Well, you know what? I'm sorry, I didn't realize that it hurt you that way and will you forgive me?" "Yes, I will forgive you". "Thank you". And, beautiful peace is made. When the person goes "wow No, I don't see what you are talking about, I mean I didn't do anything wrong. I was just this, I was doing that and I don't know what you talking about". All right, take step number 2. If he hears you have gained a brother. If he will not hear, take with you one or two more. Now, you can let it go, you can forgive him anyway even though... But if you can't seem to do it, you can't seem to shake it and that memory is just hurting you over, and over again then bring with you one or two or more. Make sure it's a clear cut sin, it's definitely no question but bring with you one or two more.
That by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established and so then the one or two more coming with you, you wanna choose some spiritually minded brethren that you know that person will respect. And then you bring it to him, and the man hopefully will see what he's doing. It is not just you saying it, it's other men saying it and he will make the change needed. But the one or two more must come in that gentle way as well. We don't want to provoke the flesh and provoke pride and those kinds of things; we wanna provoke conscience and bring the Holy Spirit to speak to them about the error that they have made. But what if the man still doesn't wanna listen? Then you can tell it to the whole congregation. If he refuses to even hear the congregation, at that point he's obviously not a repentant person. He would be treated like a non-believer. You know, very rarely do I ever see this really practiced correctly, I mean sometimes it is but too often it's done all wrong and or not done at all. But if the man does hear you... James 5:19, Brethren if any among you wanders from the truth and someone turns him back. Let him know, he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and cover a multitude of sins. The goal was to turn him back, to Yahweh, to righteousness again. Philippians, chapter 2 verse 3, let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit. But in lowliness of mind that each esteem others better than himself. I wonder how much conflict will be resolved in the body of Messiah if everyone would just consider the other person, that will be better than they are, and accept it. That person, you are actually better than I am in many ways probably. Maybe I don't see it right now but if I got to know the more I'd realize how they have very admirable, positive qualities, you know. I don't claim to be better than they are. So let each of you look out not only for his own interests but also for the interests of others. So never become prideful or do anything with selfish ambition or conceit (that's pride), but in lowliness of mind. You know even if you bringing somebody off the streets and they just, heroin, narcotics or alcoholics and you try to help them, get underneath them, bear them up. Say "look I don't claim to be any better than you are, we all got overcoming to do and maybe you can teach me some things through this whole process too and you just never know I mean we all have positive character, traits and maybe you got something I can pick up too." his can be a mutual effort because it's very easy to get prideful in correcting someone who's totally, you know and some kind of sin that almost all society realizes a major problem. Just remember we have all failed Yahweh, we all have to have his attitude seeking to help someone. The purpose is not to point the finger and lift yourself up. The purpose is to actually help them become closer to the Father. And so let's walk in love, let's walk in humility, and let's have that sincere, true love and care and concern for our fellow men. And we'll know that we pass from death to life because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death. Whoever hates his brother is a murderer and you know no murderer has eternal life abiding in Him. By this, we know love, because he laid down his life for us and we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. It's not worth it, to get caught up in being offended over everything. It's not worth it. Let's lay down our lives for each other when you take the approach "I'm going to love someone no matter what", he who says he is in the light and hates his brothers, is in the darkness till now. He who loves his brother abides in the light; there is no cause for stumbling. Too many of us are stumbling, not because of some other reason. But the reason why is because we are not really loving others. We are called to give up our own lives if necessary for each other and some people won't even give up the smallest thing for somebody else, their time, their resources, and yet we are supposed to lay down our whole lives for each other. And we do actually go out and do some kind of fine deed, don't grumble and complain about it, you know, don't do that. Does Yahweh, can complain about helping you? No, if His spirit is in you then you won't either. You know where the big test of all this really is? I've spoken in the context of your fellow men, your fellow brother you know, maybe somebody in the congregation which you have been thinking about. But think about applying this in a very real way, toward how you treat your spouse, how you treat your children, how young people treat their brothers and sisters in their family. Because home is the real testing ground where a man of Yahweh can become a hypocrite or a light to all nations. And so brothers and sisters, let's walk in the light, as he is in the light and have fellowship with one another and the blood of Yahushua the Messiah will cleanse us from all sin.
Let's not walk in darkness, where grudges and bitterness and ugliness toward each other exist. If you've got a grudge then cast it from your heart, do not transgress the law of Elohim, love them as yourself. Yahushua is coming for a pure bride; let's not risk our spiritual lives by failing to heed his precepts. Let's put away the flesh and walk in the spirit, let's purify ourselves for the coming again of Yahushua ha Mashiach that his bride might be truly without spot and without blemish. Where a newcomer can come to our home to our congregation and feel loved, not ignored, not set aside, not seeing a bunch of fighting and arguing going on. You know what, I could never live up to these people's expectations, I'm out of here.
But instead acceptance, pleasant speech, hospitality, speaking to one another in love, serving one another in honour, preferring one another, considering others better than themselves, being courteous, being tender-hearted, out doing one another in love with peace and a joyful willingness to lay down our lives for one another and long suffering in patience, in gentleness and in love for one another. Blessed are those who are so doing when our Master comes. Let's pray; , Father Yahweh in the name of Yahushua Ha Mashiach, Kadosh, Kadosh, Kadosh be your awesome name. Thank you for setting such an awesome example of love through Yahushua. Oh Father, I just pray the body of Messiah will conduct themselves like the body of the Messiah did when he was on the earth. Let his life flow through us, his patience, his goodness, his gentleness. And Father I ask for forgiveness where we have failed to do that, establish your Kingdom in our hearts.
I pray Father for any who are holding things against others, that you will cause them to come under conviction and they will let it go and they will put it all, put all their sin on Yahushua who bore it 2000 years ago and forgive and be set free. And the weight just be lifted off of them and that Yahushua now comes into in his yoke be upon them. For in him the yoke is easy and the burden is light. And I pray Father any who are holding grudges they'll just let it go right now, at this moment, they would realize maybe the enemy had success against that person that day, or maybe multiple occasions, but we don't wrestle against flesh and blood. I pray Father Yahweh that the love of Yahushua be manifested in the way husbands treat their wives and Yahushua will be manifested in his glorious form and how a wife treats her husband with long suffering, with forgiveness, with gentleness.
Thank you, Father Yahweh, for your Word, I pray Father that all the people in this lost and dying world will see our love for one another and say "I wanna be a part of that, I need that in my life", let it be so Father. Through and your Son Yahushua Ha Mashiach we pray these things. For truly yours is the kingdom and power and glory and majesty and all praise honor and worship belongs to you Yahweh Elohim forever and ever, Amein.
My little children, let's not love in word or in tongue but in deed and in truth. And by this, we know that we are of the truth and shall assure our hearts before Him. So how do you know? If you have this world's goods and you don't share it, where's your love? That's the question; we are called to be servants, are we not? We are called to be servants and Yahushua said: "the greatest one among you is the one who serves". You ever think about this, who's the greatest servant of every being in the universe? It will be Yahweh himself, you ever think about that? He's actually serving us all the time, providing our food, our every need. He's the greatest servant of all; when we pray to him, Yahweh will you do this, please? Yahweh, will you do that for us, please? Oh Father in Heaven, please do this for us and he does it, he's serving us. Now if he dwells in you, what acts of service are you doing for others or you are just mainly focused on building your own little place of dominion?
Do we see our brother in need and not ask to help?
Do we pass by opportunities to show someone love?
Do we pray for one another daily, are we truly taking notice of the needs around us? Are we caring to notice? You know, loving and serving go hand in hand they are like partners. One is an expression of the other.
How will someone know you love them unless you are willing to bless them unless you are willing to engage them? You know some may look at our lives and wonder why we are so concerned about following commandments as if doing so were a burden in some way. But if we open and realize, open our eyes just realize how much our Father in Heaven is doing what we ask him to do, every minute of every day. And we realize if he's willing to serve us and he's the most powerful entity in the universe, above all things, then how can we serve him back? e saved our lives and do we just go on about like nothing happened? We are supposed to look at what he's doing and then emulate it. And some say "well man you try to love someone and all they do is spit in your face". But I say to you love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in his Heaven for He makes the sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. This is how we express ourselves as sons you see most of the world loves those who love them but we love those who don't love us. And if we are loving someone here who's supposed to be our enemy how much more are we hard to love our brothers? And some say "well, they are not acting like a brother, so how can I be a brother?" All right they are not acting like a brother, what does it say? Then love your enemies. And there are some who, you know, may even have difficulty loving their children and their own spouse, let alone their brother or let alone their enemies. But you know something? A lot of marriage problems come when someone says "2well they are not doing it for me, so I'm not gonna do for them". The wife may say "well, he's not loving me, how can I respect him?" And he says "Well, she's not respectful toward me, how can I love her"? How you say? By being an expression of Yahushua the Messiah, He does it for you all the time; He loves you even when you fail. So do we love our brother as he did that is the commandment that we love another as he's loved us? It's part of our calling that we are willing to suffer when someone wrongs us. Ephesians 4:1 says I, therefore, the prisoner of Yahweh, the one master, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called. With all lowliness and gentleness, with long suffering, bearing with one another in love. Now if all the first-century believers were all just perfect and [inaudible 00:28:27.21], then why would they have to bear with each other? Why would they have to be long suffering? Why would they have to be told to be gentle with each other unless they were people who were not acting correctly? You're gonna find that as part of our experience as disciples of Yahushua there will be people who will you know call themselves believers but not act like one, in how they treat other people. And that's normal, they had it in the first-century look he says "you gotta bear with each other in love and endeavor to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace. "You've got to just roll with it because the unity of the spirit is most important. Being lowly, gentle, long suffering, bearing with one another in love and maybe we are not all pure in doctrine, in unity and doctrine but, we know this is true we are supposed to be gentle and long suffering and loving towards one another. You know maybe Yahweh will come, you know when Yahushua returns and he'll correct us on whatever calendar thing you got going on or whatever minor thing you got going on. But, you know, if you didn't show love for your family members, for your brothers and for the people in this world around you. And if he wasn't even willing to do that...then there's no correcting--you should know that already. You already know that's what you are supposed to do and it's a beautiful thing. When we are in unity of the spirit Psalms 133 verses 1 through 3 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It's like the precious oil upon their head running down on their beard, the beard of Aaron, running down on the edge of his garments. It's like the dew of Hermon, descending upon the mountains of Zion, for there Yahweh commanded the blessing, life forevermore. Beautiful, we should be taught by Yahweh these things, we need to know and practice these things its so, so, so important. And I'm concerned, too many of us miss this. This is really what it's all about. And it's beautiful when we are in unity. 1 Thessalonians 4:9 concerning brotherly love, you have no need that I should write to you, for yourselves are taught by Elohim to love one another. And so let's stir up love, how about that? How about, we stir up love and not strife in debate? Let's not waste away our time, stumbling and arguing and getting in carnal disagreements over things. And if there is strife that we witness, don't stumble into disunity, don't... You know, I was talking last night. You know, people will say "the body of Messiah is so judgmental, you know, and, you know, and I walked in there and I did this one thing wrong, and they judged me I'm so, I tell you what, I don't wanna be around them kind of people". You know sometimes you can't see the forest because the trees are in the way. Because as you judge them for how they are acting, you are acting just like them.
Yeah, they are judgmental, but now you decide you gonna be judgmental towards them for being judgmental. And you don't realize it, you know. So we can be judgmental by being judgmental towards those who are judgmental. And so you think you can't be around them kind of people. And so that's what the enemy wants, divide and conquer. Divide and conquer gets you on an island somewhere, gets you by yourself, when a wolf is going after flock of sheep, he starts to run on them the wolves do, they start to run them sheep and they look for the ones that are slow, the ones that are weak and they try to get that one by themself, so they can attack the one, and consume them. And sometimes the enemy operates the same way he gets us all running, he looks for the weak ones. First picking them off, start separating them. But what Yahweh wants is for us to love one another so much, we don't let that one fall behind, we stick together. We'll go after the one that's getting lost and vulnerable, will pursue them like Yahushua says "I'll leave the 99 to go for the one" because he knows that one is gonna be the most vulnerable of all of them. You know, one of the signs of the end time people, I think... Malachi 3:16 says then those who feared Yahweh spoke to one another, and Yahweh listened and heard them, so a book of remembrance was written before him, for those who fear Yahweh and who meditate on His name. We do that, we meditate on His name, we fear Him I hope. And what he says is that he heard them because they were in communication with each other and He's listening. When you are talking to a brother or a sister, Yahweh is in attendance and He's listening and in book of remembrance, He will write for those who fear him and meditate on his name. He says they shall be mine, says Yahweh of hosts, on the day that I make them my jewels or special treasure, and I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him. Why would we have to be spared from what?
He knows we are not perfect yet, but he sees that we love one another, we care for one another and we fear him and so he'll spare us. Then you shall again discern between the righteous and the wicked, between the one who serves Elohim and one who does not serve him. So Yahweh is so pleased when he sees our fellowship, he writes this book of remembrance. So whether you are in a home fellowship or on a telephone fellowship, or internet fellowship and you are communicating with each other Yahweh is listening, so let's make our conversation a holy offering a pleasing thing to him.
Yahushua says "where ever two or three are gathered in my name together, I am there in the midst of them", He likes our fellowship, he wants to be a part of it.
So though we might not think much about it, but the Father and the Son are very interested in being a part of our fellowship and they are... 1 John 1:1 through 3, That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands of have handled, concerning the Word of life. The life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us. That which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Yahushua the Messiah. He's a part of our fellowship and so we'll say, "Hey, Yahweh and Yahushua, welcome to our fellowship. May it be pleasing in your sight". So let's be careful how we conduct ourselves in our fellowship. And practice 1 Peter 3:8. "Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another, love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous. Not returning evil for evil, or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing; knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing. You were called to what?
Bringing blessing to those who are not being a blessing to you. And being of one mind having compassion for one another, loving as brothers and being tenderhearted and being courteous. Listen, our enemy is not our brother, maybe he doesn't do everything like you want him to, maybe he's not a perfected person yet, but are you? This is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of the Son, Yahushua the Messiah, and love one another, as he gave commandment, 1 John 3:23. 1 John 4:7 through 8 beloved, let's love one another for love, for love is of Elohim and everyone who loves is born of Elohim and knows Elohim. He who does not love does not know Elohim, for Elohim is love. hat's what he is, that's what He's all about, and if you don't have it, how can He be in you? That's what he keeps asking; if you don't have that love, you don't have him. Or you might be following a list of rules or a bunch of do's and don'ts that may or may not be out of love. Beloved if Elohim so loved us so we also are to love one another, and no one seen Elohim at any time, if we love one another Elohim abides in us and His love is being perfected in us, beautiful words . 2 John 1:5 And I plead with you, lady not as though I wrote a new commandment to you, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another, over and over, and over. The Disciples are saying honor all people, love the brother, fear Elohim, and honor the King of brotherhood, 1 Peter 2:17. 1 Peter 4:8, above all things have fervent love for one another, for love will cover a multitude of sins. Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. Oh, someone will open up their home and someone will host some kind of a gathering and then spend the next two years complaining about it. Do it without grumbling, just to accept as a service to Yahweh. As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of Elohim. If you wanna be a good steward of Yahweh's grace then minister that gift he has given you. Some people got the gift of hospitality, use it;
You know, a lot of people do have problems finding fellowship because they can't seem to find anybody up to their standards. And so they find themselves in a spiritual island somewhere, because no one is good enough for them. I've heard it said "If you ever find the perfect congregation, you wouldn't be able to attend and neither would I," because none of us are perfect. Matthew 12:10 but whoever, does the will of my Father in Heaven is my brother, and my sister, and my mother. Luke 8:21, He answered "my mother, my brother or those who hear the Word of Elohim and do it". I know with somebody, some people are gonna say "well, you know that person is not my brother because they are doing this and they are doing that. He didn't obey the command in that area over there and he did not obey that command over that area there, and so how can they be a brother?" And the question that often comes forth from their lips is "how can someone who calls himself a brother do...?" blank fill in the blank.,I mean I don't care what it is. 'How can someone who calls himself a believer do...?" Whatever it is that you are not happy with. In other words, you've already judged them as probably not being a believer. I tell you what... you got to be very, very careful what you do when you say something like that, it's being judgmental, you judging whether someone has salvation and if you at any point in your life don't come up to this higher standard than they are living by, look out. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged and the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. So for the rest of your life, your own righteousness better exceed the righteousness of the one you are judging. I don't care how weak you get later on; you don't know how weak you might get later on. The truth is we don't really know the hearts of men, you know. Some people's problems are just right there on their shirt sleeve and you can see it it's so evident you are just like" wow, that's really... there it is". Other people, their issues are behind closed doors or something going on in their heart or something not so evident, so obvious. Only Yahweh himself knows the hearts of everyone and maybe you are judging them because they haven't reached a certain spiritual level yet. But Yahweh in his perspective they are actually on a higher spiritual level than you are. Because yeah, they got problems but they've already ... You don't know how far they've come.
You know, someone who has started way down here at the bottom they have got a long way to go before they get to this certain level. Whereas you may have just... You didn't have their childhood, you didn't have their upbringing, you didn't have the abuse that they went through and so maybe you are a little further along because of that and they've come all this way, they've made so much progress and all the progress you've made keep going a little bit higher and yet they have made more progress than you have. They have overcome more things than you have, they've cast away even more of bad habits that you ever needed to, just because they didn't have the parents you have. So don't judge people that way. You don't know where they are at or where they've been, they may be higher than you are. The truth is this: 2 Timothy 2:19 Nevertheless the solid foundation of Elohim stands, the Master, or Yahweh, knows those who are his. He knows, so let him decide that, and let everyone who names the name of the Messiah depart from iniquity. And yet we have these divisions. People say, "well, that person can't be a believer because they don't do this, this and that the way I do it'.
But maybe you are failing in another area. They might be failing in that area but you are failing in a different area. You don't even realize you are, you are blinded by your own pride. So the key is this, has this person while they may have some problems, are they seeking to do the will of Yahweh, do they have the Word of Yahweh, do they love the word? That's a big one right there, do they love the word? If they love the Word they love Yahushua because he is the word that was made flesh and dwelt among us, John 1:14. Now, maybe you think they haven't, but so you take the position they are sort of like an enemy among us or something. And what I said; you got to love him anyway. Love your enemies and then you will be sons of Yahweh. There is no way around it, we have to love our brothers and our neighbor and even our enemies. You know, there is actually the scripture though and some people bring this up, some wanna go over this, where David says he hated.
Psalm 139:21 "Do I not hate them. O Yahweh who hate you? Do I not love those who rise up against you? I hate them with a perfect hatred, I count them, my enemies". So there are those who are your own personal enemies and those who are Yahweh's enemies. Now, Yahweh only knows whether that person who is conducting themselves in such a way, that they are expressing enmity with Yahweh. Only Yahweh knows whether one day they will respond to what? Yahweh's hatred? No--To Yahweh's love. Elohim so loved the world, he gave us his only begotten son, right? So, Yahweh starts with love and there are people who will not respond to Yahweh's love, and they will die in their sins having never become a believer, having heard it and rejected it. Those are the people that David hated. Because he speaking by the Holy Spirit would know those who will never...are gonna be reprobate they are just not going to change, but we don't necessarily know the answer to that question. And so we have to manifest the love of Yahushua because we just don't know. Yeah, there are some people that just will never change, they are not going to. But you don't know what their last breath with they are going to do with that last breath. So we have to be defaulting toward love. Now Yahweh by his spirit comes down and says that person is a reprobate they will always be reprobate and they will never change, then maybe you can follow David's pattern here, Okay? But apparently, there was a higher percentage of people like that in his day and age. But they were Yahweh's enemies, one's that will never repent, ones that will never change. So what do we do when a person calling himself a believer decides to do something wrong to us and they are not kind to us, how do we treat them? What are we supposed to do?
Yahushua told us this: "Take heed to you" take heed to what? yourselves, look out it's for your own benefit "if your brother sins against you rebuke him and if he repents forgive him, and if he sins against you 7 times in a day and 7 times in a day returns to you and saying to you I repent, you shall forgive him" You have to do it it's not an option, it's not a question take heed to yourself, it's for your own benefit that you reprove somebody and forgive him upon his declaration of repentance. nd you might wonder how can he really be repenting when he did it 7 times in day? You really might wonder that.
But I wonder, this may be I'm just gonna guess, there's probably being times where you sinned against Yahweh more than 7 times in a day. What does he do with you? Does he cast you out? Now, what if we are the one was being rebuked by someone else? It's important that we don't confuse a rebuke with a desire to argue and fight, in strife. It's wise to consider someone's rebuke even if we completely disagree with it or if would as a personal attack. Psalm 141:5 says, let the righteous strike me, it shall be a kindness, let him rebuke me, it shall be his excellent oil, let my head not refuse it, for still, my prayer is against the deeds of the wicked. Go ahead slap me around, I might need it, rebuke me, "hey that could be excellent oil yeah thank you for telling me.
Oh, I appreciate you rebuking me so sharply I needed that, someone to shake me and wake me up". You don't see that too often, I like David's attitude he always after Yahweh's own heart, he's like "hey, you know at the end of the day I needed the correction and even if they are kind of rude about it and slapping me around with their words, I'll take it, because then it's considered kindness. that you would change something negative that I've got going". But then we have the opposite here, Proverbs 9:8 do not correct a scoffer lest he hates you; rebuke a wise man he'll love you.
Give instruction to a wise man, he will be still wiser, teach a just man and he'll increase in learning. So don't scoff and beware that there are some who will scoff, believers will not scoff, believers will weigh, it considerate. This is what we are supposed to do Proverbs 15:32 He who disdains instruction despises his own soul. They actually hate themselves, but he who heeds rebuke understands.
Proverbs 17:10 Rebuke is more effective for a wise man than 100 blows on a fool.
Proverbs 19:25 Strike a scoffer, and the simple will become weary, rebuke one who has understanding and he will discern knowledge. Proverbs 27:5 Open rebuke is better that love carefully concealed. Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.
Sometimes we gotta tell people things they don't wanna hear, but it's all because we love them. Jeremiah 15:15, O Yahweh, you know, remember me, and visit me and take vengeance for me of my persecutors, and your enduring patience, do not take me away and know that for your sake I have suffered rebuke. Sometimes we get rebuked because we are doing the right thing, and whoever is trying to correct us is not being correct with their correction. So corrections need to be correct and reproof you need to have proof. So if you are going to approach someone with some corrections make sure it's correct and if you have reproof make sure you have proof. And the best way to do it say "this is what I personally saw the other day, this happened, that happened, that happened and I don't know, did I misunderstand something or was there a problem there? And they can respond, well I don't see anything wrong with that, well here let me show you what it says here in the scriptures that, "you know and believe me I've got my own overcoming to do you know, I'm not perfect either and maybe one day you can see something in me that I can be corrected but I saw this the other day and I've wanted to bring it to your attention. Because I know you are trying to live right. You are trying to live for Yahweh and so I'm bringing this to you because I care about you. I wanna see you be all that Yahweh wants you to be. And I know that's what you want so I noticed this". So we can correct someone in love, we can correct someone in humility, we can correct someone in gentleness, and wow it does get received a whole lot better than someone slapping. So, you are supposed to be...There's a biblical way of correcting and there is the unbiblical way. "Unbiblical" would be the correction isn't even correct. It's coming from the enemy. The enemy is whispering stuff in your ears and you are like this person is doing this wrong and that wrong and you are against them and you are offended and you are coming up to them and you're with anger rather than with the spirit of Elohim. But correction is a good thing and sometimes we'll get corrected from other people who even when we are not doing anything wrong, that's just the way it is. We need to consider it, Yahushua says "as many as I love, I rebuke and chasten." How about that? Sometimes we get chastening, even chastening is out of love. He's the righteous one who will smite you, strike you with his chastening and you need to receive it and accept it. He has ways of getting your attention. All right. Proverbs 29:1 He who is often rebuked and hardens his neck will suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy. Wow! They get rebuked for something over, and over, and over again and suddenly BLAMO! And I actually had an email one time from a man who, his wife you know recognized that you know, she's probably in an adulterous marriage but she didn't want to accept it. And she would even say "I would never serve a God who calls my marriage adultery'. She would get angry about it and one time they were driving in the car, in the middle of her sentence "I would never serve a God that..." she was killed instantly--true story. And this man begged me to know, is my wife going to hell and was I, you know, in this relationship wrongly? And he told me the situation and it was an adulterous marriage. And so I don't know, Yahweh knows where she's gonna be but it doesn't look good. He was often rebuked and hardens his neck, this lady had many people telling her and she wouldn't listen. Now if we do reprove someone and they do repent, it's very important that we forgive. If we don't forgive Yahushua, says we are in big, big trouble. Matthew 18:21 Peter came to him, and said, "Master how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to 7 times? Yahushua said to him, "I did not say to you up to 7 times, but up to seventy times seven. Therefore the Kingdom of heaven is like a certain King; he wanted to settle accounts for his servants. And when he began to settle accounts one was brought to him, he owed him ten thousand talents. But as was not able to pay, his Master commanded he be sold with his wife and children and all they had and that payment be made. The servant, therefore, fell down, before him saying 'Master have patience with me and I will pay you all'. Then the Master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him and forgave him the debt. But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servant who owed him a hundred dinar, and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat saying 'pay me what you owe'. So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, 'have patience with me and I will pay you all.' And he would not: but went and threw him into prison until he should pay the debt. So when his fellow servants saw what had been done they were very grieved and came and told their Master all that had been done. And his Master after he had called him, said to him, 'you wicked servant, I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. Should you not have also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?' And his Master was angry and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him. Now, look at verse 35 very, very closely "So my heavenly Father also will do to you, if each of you from his heart does not forgive his brother, his trespassers". That's a very stern warning, a wakeup call to those who were not. It's a serious matter and do not take this lightly brothers and sisters. Next time you have a hard time forgiving someone for some wrong they have done against you, take a moment, do an inventory and consider how many times you've sinned against Yahweh and he has forgiven you. A hundred days wages versus ten thousand talents, he has forgiven you far more than you could ever have opportunity to forgive your brother of whatever it was. We don't want to be delivered to the tormentors, some are already being tormented because of the bitterness they are holding in their hearts, over what other people have done or said and so we must forgive our brother from the heart. Whether we forgive a brother from the heart can make the difference whether you are going to inherit eternal life or not. And so, un-forgiveness is very dangerous. So, do you really forgive from the heart? When you stand praying he says forgive. If you have anything against anyone, when you stand praying if you have anything against anyone, forgive him. Someone say "well they never came to me and ask to be forgiven". So what? Do you list all your sins you do to Yahweh and not mention, maybe you forgot one or two and yet he forgives you anyway. He says "forgive him that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses". And whenever I see someone you know...they mistreat me, and mistreat me, and mistreat me, on multiple occasions, and I just think "yeah I've got to forgive him because I know I have done far worse to Yahweh. And yet He sent Yahushua to die for me, so how can I, you know, not give to them what I so freely expect to receive from Yahweh?" Because forgiveness is nothing more than an unwillingness to give something that you so freely expect Yahweh to give you.
It doesn't work that way, if you do not forgive either, will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses? So having your own sins forgiven is a prerequisite to that even being a reality. If you are holding a grudge in your heart against another person, you are in serious danger, my friend. Because neither will your heavenly Father forgive you of your trespasses. Forgiving others should be a normal part of our existence our life here on the earth. That's how Yahushua taught his disciples to pray. In Matthew chapter 6 in verse 9 he said, "In this manner, therefore, we pray our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your Kingdom come, your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven, give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors". A normal part of our daily prayer, give us this day a daily bread, it's a daily thing you've asked forgiveness and you give forgiveness. "And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one, for yours is the Kingdom of power and glory forever, Amein". He knew the thing that was going to stand out with that prayer, he just knew it. So he said, "all right, for if you forgive man their trespasses your heavenly Father will also forgive you". Now, how about that for a promise? You wonder "well, are my sins forgiven?" Ask yourself this question, do you forgive others for their trespasses and their wrongs? If you do then, we have a promise from Yahushua the Messiah that your Father will forgive you of your trespasses. But if you do not forgive man their trespasses neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. So don't let the root of bitterness spring up, through unforgiveness and through bearing grudges. Hebrews 12:12, Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated but rather be healed. Pursue peace with all and holiness, without which no one will see the Master. Looking carefully, lest anyone fall short of the grace of Elohim; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble and by this many become defiled. Many become defiled. Bitterness defiles, the defilement affects how the bitter person treats others. And the lack of love comes through once actions and attitude, that's the fruit that comes out of the root of bitterness, unloving spirit, unloving attitude, a grumbling against a person, An "oh this person that, this person this, this person the other".
And there is bitterness there, there is bearing grudge there, holding it against them.
And they go around and tell everybody about it in many cases. James 5:9 says; do not grumble against one another brethren lest you be condemned. Lest you be condemned. You grumble against the other person you could be condemned because we will not forgive them their trespasses, neither will your heavenly Father forgive you of your trespasses. I remember years ago, a shooter went into an Amish elementary school or school and just indiscriminately killed children.
The news media was in total awe when they heard from the parents of these children who were killed, say "we have already forgiven the man who did this." They just couldn't believe what they were hearing, and we have already forgiven? How could you forgive someone who just murdered your children like that? But they did, it was a light, in my opinion, it was a light. So whenever you feel compelled to just, grumble, grumble, grumble about somebody else remember the door, remember the door and the judge, who's standing there at the door, and no complaint about him. Just pray for them, they need it. Yahushua takes the beatings and spitting and mocking of the enemy and being tortured and says "Father forgive them". And yet sometimes you see among us one brother just failed...just one level lower than the ideal of respect, and they get offended and they lash out like they have been slain. It should not be, so if you wanna talk about being a Torah Keeper, you wanna be a Torah Keeper? Here's the greatest evidence that you are a Torah keeper, a keeper of the law and that is all the laws fulfilled in one word even in this you shall love your neighbor as yourself. But if you bite and devour one another beware lest you be consumed by one another, I say then walk in the spirit and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. So you don't walk in the spirit it's gonna be evidenced by your love toward others. Listen brothers and sisters we are in a battle together against the adversary, we all have the same enemy, and sometimes that enemy has a victory in some area your brother you wish he wouldn't have a victory And sometimes the enemy may have a victory in your heart over something you don't want him to be victorious. But here's the thing you gonna compound the issue by offering up rejection, by offering up un-forgiveness in grudges toward the other brother to whom who has fallen victim to Satan's ways. You would compound it to where now the enemy is using that to harm you because un-forgiveness doesn't hurt the other person if you don't even care to offer repentance or anything. Because here's what happens, let's suppose someone who is abused in their childhood by a parent, by a relative by an older brother or a sister whatever, the only way that abuser can continue to abuse is if you don't forgive, but as there is un-forgiveness there's gonna be this re-telling, re-remembering, this re washing machine, it's not even a washing machine it's a mud machine. Re-telling of this event that happened, getting re-offended all over again and the best thing to do is realize Satan had a victory over that person in that particular area and you happen to be the victim. We don't wrestle against flesh and blood but against principalities in powers, you know the story, you know the scripture. And if it is something bad to your body it was Yahweh's body they did it to, it was Yahushua's body that they harmed, and it's no longer you who live its Yahushua who lives in you. So if we wanna be a soldier in Yahweh's army we need to be willing to recognize where the enemy actually is.
Choose righteousness, choose love, choose humility, choose service to one another and band together as soldiers with Yahushua being the head of the army. Because, listen, when we are all in battle against the enemy and someone overhears on your side, he's getting beat up by the enemy, do you start screaming at the guy that's getting beat up by the enemy and say" look at you he's just beating you to a pulp. Why don't you fight back? You shouldn't be doing that you are letting the army you are causing us to lose this battle" Do you scream at him and yell at him, and argue with him, and criticize him or do you go over there and help him? Think about it, what army would stand if they were fighting and devouring each other? Rather than fighting the real enemy and someone is getting beat up by the enemy you walk over there and all you do is stand and criticize him. What good is that gonna do? He knows he's losing it, walk over there, pick up your sword and give him a hand. Brothers and sisters, we got to think in spiritual terms. It's not flesh and blood, its principalities in powers and wicked things in higher places. You know Yahweh, would often throw his enemies in confusion during wars and get them all fighting each other. We need to act like Yahweh's army not the army of his enemies and realize it's very important that we keep the peace between each other. Dissension among ranks no army would allow that, no general would permit that. We got to band together and fight the real enemy. And thus Yahweh says there are six things that he hates; seven are an abomination to him. A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood. A heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift to running the evil, a false witness that who speaks lies, and one sows discord among brethren, right there. One who sows discord among brethren; we don't wanna be that one. I tell you what? That's an abomination, don't stir the pot. Don't make it worse, oh that person he said this about you and that about you. Don't stir the pot. Stir up peace, and stir up love. Proverbs 10:12 says, hatred stirs up strife, hatred stirs up strife but love covers a multitude of sins. Leviticus 19:17, you shall not hate your brother in your heart, this is Levitical law here. Don't hate someone in your heart; some people think Yahweh was only concerned about the external. No, he was very concerned about what's going on in the heart. There was no nation on the planet that had laws like these. This was radical; you shall surely rebuke your neighbor and not bear sin because of him. You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudges against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am Yahweh. Don't hate in your heart, surely rebuke him, don't take vengeance, don't bear any grudge, love, love him; love him that's the commandment that you should love one another. Now when someone rebukes you have to love them, you know the world doesn't like rebuke and they think you are being hateful because you rebuke them. But rebuking our neighbor is a part of loving him. If we love our neighbor we will not want to see them bearing sin and having problems. And so rather than hate, and vengeance, and grudges we rebuke and thereby we love. But it must be done in a loving manner. Galatians 6:1 Brethren, if a man has overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one is a spirit of gentleness; considering yourself, lest you also be tempted. If you are spiritual then you gonna restore them with the spirit. The fruits of the spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faith, all those are good fruits right. So you who are spiritual restore them in a spirit of gentleness considering yourself, lest you also be tempted. See, when you get all high and mighty and you are a reproof of somebody else, Yahweh in heaven doesn't like that, Yahweh made this say "okay, I wonder how this man will do on those circumstances since you so prideful about it". And allow the enemy to come in and do something to show just how difficult that can be to avoid that temptation to commit that sin and thereby you being tempted now. Because you were pride- fully reproofing somebody else. Matthew 5:22, I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother without a cause, shall be in danger of the judgment: and whoever says to his brother, "Raca", shall be in danger of the council: but whoever says "you fool", shall be in danger of Gehenna fire. We should never rebuke out of hatred or wild and false accusations, it's very dangerous, hatred toward a brother would cause the first murder, ever committed when Abel was killed by Cain. You should know that you cannot love Yahweh until you love the brother. 1 John 3:10, In this the children of Elohim and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of Elohim nor is he who does not love his brother. If you don't love your brother, the bible says you are a child of the devil or at least you are acting like one. Whose child do you wanna be?
That's the question. Now think about this, when we forgive we want our forgiveness to be like Yahweh's forgiveness, right? Look how Yahweh's forgiveness is, Psalms 103:11, For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is his mercy towards those who fear him, as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. Is that how you regard other sins as well? The sins are as far removed from them as the heavens are higher than the earth and the east is from the west you know. As I've often shared, if you go east around the globe, you'll never stop going east, if you go west around the globe you'll never stop going west. They are eternally distant from one another. And so Yahweh does not bear grudges, He forgives with a complete forgiveness. As a father pities his children, so Yahweh pities For he knows our frame, he remembers that we are those who fear him. dust. He knows, Proverbs 17:9 He who covers the transgressions seeks love but who repeats a matter separates friends. To repeat what happened over, and over again rather than covering their transgressions, two opposites, don't bring it up, forgive.
Matthew 18 verse 15 is the way we put Leviticus 19 back here into actual practice. Remember in Leviticus 19 we read... Going back here, oh I guess I missed it. Yeah here it is Leviticus 19:17 don't hate, don't take vengeance, don't bear grudges, we'll all of these things are resolved if we take the steps that we are commanded by Yahushua to take in Matthew 18. Okay, it says Moreover if your brother's sins against you, go and tell him his faults between you and him alone. That's a private rebuke and reproof, don't go around as a tale bearer as it says in the earlier verses of Leviticus 19. But tell him his faults between you and him alone. I can't tell you how many times, countless times, that I see, not that happening, but that brother going to a different brother and saying "you know, I need counsel this person did this to me and I don't know what to do and you know". You don't need counsel; you need to go tell them, that you are offended by that. But do it in a Messiah like, loving manner. You know, tell them, "Hey you know I was hurt the other day". "You were hurt why you were hurt?" "Well when this happened and that happened and I saw you did this, I have to admit. I was hurt by that. I'm having a hard time with it". "What do you mean you having a hard time about it"? "Well, you know, this happened, that happened and I tried to at least overlook it and let it go, but I just I'm having a hard time". And then the other person can say, "Well, you know what? I'm sorry, I didn't realize that it hurt you that way and will you forgive me?" "Yes, I will forgive you". "Thank you". And, beautiful peace is made. When the person goes "wow No, I don't see what you are talking about, I mean I didn't do anything wrong. I was just this, I was doing that and I don't know what you talking about". All right, take step number 2. If he hears you have gained a brother. If he will not hear, take with you one or two more. Now, you can let it go, you can forgive him anyway even though... But if you can't seem to do it, you can't seem to shake it and that memory is just hurting you over, and over again then bring with you one or two or more. Make sure it's a clear cut sin, it's definitely no question but bring with you one or two more.
That by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established and so then the one or two more coming with you, you wanna choose some spiritually minded brethren that you know that person will respect. And then you bring it to him, and the man hopefully will see what he's doing. It is not just you saying it, it's other men saying it and he will make the change needed. But the one or two more must come in that gentle way as well. We don't want to provoke the flesh and provoke pride and those kinds of things; we wanna provoke conscience and bring the Holy Spirit to speak to them about the error that they have made. But what if the man still doesn't wanna listen? Then you can tell it to the whole congregation. If he refuses to even hear the congregation, at that point he's obviously not a repentant person. He would be treated like a non-believer. You know, very rarely do I ever see this really practiced correctly, I mean sometimes it is but too often it's done all wrong and or not done at all. But if the man does hear you... James 5:19, Brethren if any among you wanders from the truth and someone turns him back. Let him know, he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and cover a multitude of sins. The goal was to turn him back, to Yahweh, to righteousness again. Philippians, chapter 2 verse 3, let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit. But in lowliness of mind that each esteem others better than himself. I wonder how much conflict will be resolved in the body of Messiah if everyone would just consider the other person, that will be better than they are, and accept it. That person, you are actually better than I am in many ways probably. Maybe I don't see it right now but if I got to know the more I'd realize how they have very admirable, positive qualities, you know. I don't claim to be better than they are. So let each of you look out not only for his own interests but also for the interests of others. So never become prideful or do anything with selfish ambition or conceit (that's pride), but in lowliness of mind. You know even if you bringing somebody off the streets and they just, heroin, narcotics or alcoholics and you try to help them, get underneath them, bear them up. Say "look I don't claim to be any better than you are, we all got overcoming to do and maybe you can teach me some things through this whole process too and you just never know I mean we all have positive character, traits and maybe you got something I can pick up too." his can be a mutual effort because it's very easy to get prideful in correcting someone who's totally, you know and some kind of sin that almost all society realizes a major problem. Just remember we have all failed Yahweh, we all have to have his attitude seeking to help someone. The purpose is not to point the finger and lift yourself up. The purpose is to actually help them become closer to the Father. And so let's walk in love, let's walk in humility, and let's have that sincere, true love and care and concern for our fellow men. And we'll know that we pass from death to life because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death. Whoever hates his brother is a murderer and you know no murderer has eternal life abiding in Him. By this, we know love, because he laid down his life for us and we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. It's not worth it, to get caught up in being offended over everything. It's not worth it. Let's lay down our lives for each other when you take the approach "I'm going to love someone no matter what", he who says he is in the light and hates his brothers, is in the darkness till now. He who loves his brother abides in the light; there is no cause for stumbling. Too many of us are stumbling, not because of some other reason. But the reason why is because we are not really loving others. We are called to give up our own lives if necessary for each other and some people won't even give up the smallest thing for somebody else, their time, their resources, and yet we are supposed to lay down our whole lives for each other. And we do actually go out and do some kind of fine deed, don't grumble and complain about it, you know, don't do that. Does Yahweh, can complain about helping you? No, if His spirit is in you then you won't either. You know where the big test of all this really is? I've spoken in the context of your fellow men, your fellow brother you know, maybe somebody in the congregation which you have been thinking about. But think about applying this in a very real way, toward how you treat your spouse, how you treat your children, how young people treat their brothers and sisters in their family. Because home is the real testing ground where a man of Yahweh can become a hypocrite or a light to all nations. And so brothers and sisters, let's walk in the light, as he is in the light and have fellowship with one another and the blood of Yahushua the Messiah will cleanse us from all sin.
Let's not walk in darkness, where grudges and bitterness and ugliness toward each other exist. If you've got a grudge then cast it from your heart, do not transgress the law of Elohim, love them as yourself. Yahushua is coming for a pure bride; let's not risk our spiritual lives by failing to heed his precepts. Let's put away the flesh and walk in the spirit, let's purify ourselves for the coming again of Yahushua ha Mashiach that his bride might be truly without spot and without blemish. Where a newcomer can come to our home to our congregation and feel loved, not ignored, not set aside, not seeing a bunch of fighting and arguing going on. You know what, I could never live up to these people's expectations, I'm out of here.
But instead acceptance, pleasant speech, hospitality, speaking to one another in love, serving one another in honour, preferring one another, considering others better than themselves, being courteous, being tender-hearted, out doing one another in love with peace and a joyful willingness to lay down our lives for one another and long suffering in patience, in gentleness and in love for one another. Blessed are those who are so doing when our Master comes. Let's pray; , Father Yahweh in the name of Yahushua Ha Mashiach, Kadosh, Kadosh, Kadosh be your awesome name. Thank you for setting such an awesome example of love through Yahushua. Oh Father, I just pray the body of Messiah will conduct themselves like the body of the Messiah did when he was on the earth. Let his life flow through us, his patience, his goodness, his gentleness. And Father I ask for forgiveness where we have failed to do that, establish your Kingdom in our hearts.
I pray Father for any who are holding things against others, that you will cause them to come under conviction and they will let it go and they will put it all, put all their sin on Yahushua who bore it 2000 years ago and forgive and be set free. And the weight just be lifted off of them and that Yahushua now comes into in his yoke be upon them. For in him the yoke is easy and the burden is light. And I pray Father any who are holding grudges they'll just let it go right now, at this moment, they would realize maybe the enemy had success against that person that day, or maybe multiple occasions, but we don't wrestle against flesh and blood. I pray Father Yahweh that the love of Yahushua be manifested in the way husbands treat their wives and Yahushua will be manifested in his glorious form and how a wife treats her husband with long suffering, with forgiveness, with gentleness.
Thank you, Father Yahweh, for your Word, I pray Father that all the people in this lost and dying world will see our love for one another and say "I wanna be a part of that, I need that in my life", let it be so Father. Through and your Son Yahushua Ha Mashiach we pray these things. For truly yours is the kingdom and power and glory and majesty and all praise honor and worship belongs to you Yahweh Elohim forever and ever, Amein.