This will be short and to the point, and I encourage you to research it for yourself.
Don’t let people tag you with the label of their choice…
I love Yahuah our Elohim (who people call god) through His Son and our eternal High Priest Yahusha HaMashiach/Messiah (who people call Jesus).
Those who believe in Yahusha were first called Christians at Antioch (Acts 11:26).
This was meant to be a derogatory insult of a sect of which they did not approve.
Those who called them ‘Christians’ DID NOT believe in or accept Yahusha as the Messiah. This is easily confirmed through simple research. And, it’s clear today many people claim the label Christian who in no way resemble The Messiah. Christianity is fragmented into countless identities and extremes.
The 1st Century believers never called themselves or identified by the term Christian. They identified by ‘The Way’. (Acts 9:2, 19:9, 24:14).
Think of how Yahusha referred to Himself. (John 14:6)
The term ‘Christian’ back then was an insulting label that is an apples-to-apples comparison to ‘The N-Word’ today.
When we identify with a label, we identify with the positive and negative aspects of that label. And, when that label evolves (and they all do) you become and accept the identity as it changes.
The ideologies of the labels Democrat and Republican shifted during the 20th Century. And, the label ‘Christian’ is being shifted today to conflate it with political identity.
Remember, the Pharisees and Sadducees began as political sects.
I don’t accept any labels because they put you ‘in a box’.
Christian…
Black…
White…
Baptist…
Catholic…
Conservative…
Liberal…
Protestant…
Hebrew Israelites…
Evangelicals…
People ask me, what do you call yourself if you aren’t a ‘Christian’? They want a label.
I say, “I’m a part of The Way, a disciple of Yahusha the Messiah. I’m a ‘Qodeshim’, the Hebrew term that means ‘set-apart ones’ that has been translated to holy or saint. Any time you see the word holy in scripture, it was originally written quodesh (set-apart).
Don’t let people tag you with the label of their choice.
If you’re in a crowd of people outside, in a meeting, at a ball game, or in church YOU WON’T stop and use it right then and there.
Why?
Because you have RESTRAINT.
No matter HOW strong the urge, how painful, you would rather hold it in rather than disgrace and embarrass yourself.
Too many times those of us who claim to love Yahuah use the excuse, “I just couldn’t help myself!”
Too many people who call themselves ‘Christians’ are perfectly content using profanity…retaliating…and giving in to their flesh, and quickly use the excuse, “I just couldn’t hold it in”!
Peter is well known for his lack of restraint. On the Mount of Transfiguration he quickly blurted out, “Let us build three tabernacles, one for Yahusha , Moshe and Eliyahu!(Mattityahu 17:4).
After Yahusa was arrested, when accused of knowing Him, Peter cursed (Mattityahu 26:74, Mark 14:71). But, Yahusha knew of Peter’s spontaneity, and had already prayed for him and told him that when he is converted to strengthen his brothers (Luke 22:32). One of the things Peter was going to have to do was learn RESTRAINT.
One of the fruit of the Spirit is TEMPERANCE or SELF-CONTROL (Galatians 5:22).
It’s true we can’t do anything without the help of Yahuah, but he has given us the power to restrain our flesh as well.
You don’t have to use profanity (cuss).
You don’t have to get even.
You don’t have to let everybody know EXACTLY HOW YOU FEEL.
Just the same as you can HOLD BACK when you have to use the bathroom (flesh), you can hold back when that person of the opposite sex is trying to tempt you.
Let’s be just like our heavenly Father. Because when you think about it, that’s what MERCY is…Yahuah holding back the wrath and judgment we deserve.
How many times have you typed something on a device and decided that wasn’t what you wanted to say?
How many times have you done something on a device and decided it wasn’t an action that you wanted to do?
Did you throw away your device?
No.
You clicked UNDO.
Clicking UNDO allows you to totally wipe out what you didn’t want without affecting anything else you’re working on.
When you’ve typed or done something wrong, it allows you the opportunity to ‘change directions’ and do it right.
When you confess your sins to Yah, and commit to change directions, you’ve clicked Yahuah’s UNDO button.
When you repent, Yah wipes out what you’ve said, done or thought.
When you repent, Yah doesn’t hold what you said, did, or thought against you anymore…
When you repent, Yah allows you to continue with your life as if you’ve never did what you did…
When you repent, Yah allows you to start over and do it the right way…
As long as you don’t RETYPE the SAME thing again.
2 Corinthians 7:9-10
9 Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing. 10 For sorrow towards Elohim produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.
John 1:9
9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
What do people say when confronted with doing what Yahuah expects of them or has called them to do?
Why don’t you worship?
Let’s go feed the homeless.
Let’s go visit and minister people in prison and hospitals…
Why don’t you give the firstfruits of all your increase to Yah?
Usually before we make an excuse, we usually give a big BUT…
“I would, BUT I worship Him my own way…”
“I would, BUT those homeless people will just spend it on drugs,
cigarettes and alcohol…”
“I would, BUT I can’t afford to…”
“I would, BUT I don’t have time to visit…”
“I would, BUT my kids have sports…”
Yahusha, gave us a parable to illustrate how much He hates our excuses. He let us know how much He hates our BIG BUTS…
Luke 14:18-24 (NKJV)
18 BUT they all with one accord began
to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a piece of ground, and I
must go and see it. I ask you to have me excused.’ 19 And another said, ‘I
have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them. I ask you to have
me excused.’ 20 Still
another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’ 21 So that servant came and
reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house, being angry,
said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city,
and bring in here the poor and the[a]maimed and the lame
and the blind.’ 22 And the servant said, ‘Master, it is done as you
commanded, and still there is room.’ 23 Then the master said to the servant, ‘Go out into
the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my
house may be filled. 24 For
I say to you that none of those men who were invited shall taste my
supper.’ ”
Notice that each of these excuses addressed the same excuses
we give today.
BUSINESS. WORK. CAREER
“I bought a piece of ground…”
“I bought a yoke of oxen…”
SPOUSE. CHILDREN. FAMILY
“I have married a wife…
These excuses made the master of the house (Yahusha) angry. So, He invited the very people who those who were initially invited were called to serve instead.
He then said those who makes excuses and rejected His
invitation will not ‘taste His supper’ (will not enter His Kingdom).
Yahuah hates our excuses! However, the enemy loves our BIG BUTS! He loves our excuses.
Don’t let your BIG BUT keep you out of the Kingdom of Yah!
Anyone who believes in Yahuah has been asked these questions.
Most if not all believers, if they are willing to admit it to themselves, have asked some of these questions.
Not only are there some difficult things to understand in the Bible, but there are things our Elohim does today that are difficult to explain.
Why does Yah allow babies and children to suffer with terminal illnesses?
Why does the bible not explicitly forbid slavery?
Why does Yah allow abusive parents to have children, while others who would be loving, nurturing parents to go childless?
Why does Yahuah allow some people to be healed but other people, some we would even call ‘good’ people, to not be healed?
Luke 4:27
27 And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.”
There are countless questions that atheists and some believers ask concerning Elohim, either arrogantly or anxiously waiting for answers.
Yahuah gave us the example through the Psalms that He will allow us to question Him in humility, as long as we continue to trust Him…
Psalm 13:1-2 (NKJV)
How long, O Yahuah? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me? 2 How long shall I take counsel in my soul, Having sorrow in my heart daily? How long will my enemy be exalted over me?
3 Consider and hear me, O Yahuah my Elohim; Enlighten my eyes, Lest I sleep the sleep of death; 4 Lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed against him”; Lest those who trouble me rejoice when I am moved.
5 But I have trusted in Your mercy; My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation. 6 I will sing to the Yahuah, Because He has dealt bountifully with me.
If you’re like me, sometimes you feel pressured to give a quick and definite answer to ‘defend’ our Elohim. Sometimes you want a definite answer to satisfy yourself.
But the truth is that some things we simply don’t know.
That means sometimes the best answer is…
I DON’T KNOW!
Even those who depend on science to shape their beliefs have to admit that with all of our advances in science and medicine, there is still more that’s unknown than is known.
Scientists still have to sometimes say…
I DON’T KNOW!
Doctors have to sometimes admit…
I DON’T KNOW!
There are times that after a deadly diagnoses that the illness sometimes disappears and the physician has to admit…
I DON’T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED!
So, no one should really scoff when a believer says they simply don’t know.
The fact is, there is great peace in admitting that even though you don’t know…you still trust Yahuah. He has told us that there are things that will be beyond are human minds, and even science helps prove that. There is much in science well beyond the reach of scientific knowledge.
Isaiah 55:8-9 (NKJV)
8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Yahuah. 9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.
Don’t deny yourself the blessing and peace of simply saying…”I DON’T KNOW!”
Psalm 131:1 (NKJV)
Yahuah, my heart is not [a]haughty, Nor my eyes [b]lofty. Neither do I [c]concern myself with great matters, Nor with things too [d]profound for me.
Admitting that you don’t know doesn’t confirm Yahuah isn’t Elohim, it just confirms that we are human.
Relationships are complicated and difficult, even good ones. But as we all know some relationships can slip into the category of ‘abusive’. And, abusive doesn’t always mean physical abuse.
When someone takes advantage of someone else’s love and mistreats them verbally or emotionally, that’s abusive.
When someone loves you enough to allow you to hurt them over and over again while always willing to forgive and move forward as if nothing happened, that’s abusive.
Micah 7:19
19 He will again have compassion on us, And will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all [a]our sins Into the depths of the sea.
Isaiah 43:25-26
25 “I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; And I will not remember your sins. 26 Put Me in remembrance; Let us contend together; State your case, that you may be [a]acquitted.
That’s how powerful Yahuah’s loves is for us.
How many times have we abused Him verbally by taking His name in vain, or simply not giving it proper reverence and respect?
Every time we call Him the titles ‘God’ or ‘Lord’ which replaced His sacred Hebrew Name, Yahuah over 6,000 times, we break the 3rd Commandment. Yet people refer to The Adversary, Satan, in Hebrew.
How many times have we taken advantage of His love by promising we wouldn’t do something again, only to do it again…numerous times?
Psalm 103:10-14 (NKJV)
10 He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor punished us according to our iniquities.
11 For as the heavens are high above the earth, So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; 12 As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us. 13 As a father pities his children, So Yahuah pities those who fear Him. 14 For He [a]knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust.
How many times have we hurt Him emotionally buy putting others and things before Him?
How many times have we provoked Him to jealously?
Psalm 78:58 (NKJV)
58 For they provoked Him to anger with their high places, And moved Him to jealousy with their carved images.
How many times has He witnessed us committing spiritual adultery right in front of Him only to stand with His arms wide open welcoming us back into His love?
Notice how sometimes in the bible, Yahuah sounded almost like a hurt lover before He got angry at Israel’s sin…
Judges 2 (NKJV)
2 Then the Angel of the Yahuah came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said: “I led you up from Egypt and brought you to the land of which I swore to your fathers; and I said, ‘I will never break My covenant with you. 2 And you shall make no [a]covenant with the inhabitants of this land; you shall tear down their altars.’ But you have not obeyed My voice. Why have you done this?
How many times have we put Him to open shame before His enemy and our adversary, choosing the devil over Him in our decisions.
How many times has the enemy had the same conversation with Yahuah about us that he had concerning Job? Have we always maintained Yah’s character through our trials?
Job 1:9-11 (NKJV)
9 So Satan answered Yahuah and said, “Does Job fear Yahuah for nothing? 10 Have You not [a]made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. 11 But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse[b] You to Your face!”
How many times have we physically abused Yahuah?
Isaiah 53:5 (NKJV)
5 But He was wounded[a] for our transgressions, He was[b]bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes[c] we are healed.
Hebrews 6:4-6 (NKJV)
4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 [a]if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.
Have you crucified Yahusha the Messiah again today?
The fact is that if this were a marriage (and our relationship with Him actually is) many of us would have ended it a long time ago.
2 Corinthians 11:2 (NKJV)
2 For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present youas a chaste virgin to Ha Mashiach (The Messiah).
Isaiah 54:5 (NKJV)
5 For your Maker is your husband, The Yahuah Sabaoth is His name; And your Redeemer is the Kodesh One of Yasharel; He is called the Elohim of the whole earth.
Yahuah loves us with a relentless love. He allows us to hurt Him over and over again. Quite frankly, that’s abuse.
Never take for granted Yah’s grace, mercy and faithfulness to us. He endures our ‘abuse’ every day and allows gives us brand new mercies every morning.
Lamentations 3:22-23 (NKJV)
22 Through the Yahuah’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. 23 They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.
The first thing we tell people in abusive relationships is to GET OUT! Aren’t you glad that Yahuah hasn’t gotten out of His relationship with you?
Growing In Yahuah 