Controlling Our Emotions for the Work of the Gospel–STAR-90

by | Aug 13, 2017 | Blog, Podcasts

Controlling Our Emotions for the Work of the Gospel–STAR-90

Controlling our Emotions for the Work of the Gospel

by Rod Thomas--The Messianic Torah Observer | Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections-90

Shabbat Shalom fellow saints in training. Greetings and blessings to you on this day that Yahuah our Elohim has made—one that we were admonished by the psalmist to be glad and rejoice in it. This is especially so given that the Sabbath is a most sacred day to us Torah Observant Believers in Yeshua Messiah. This 7th day was the only day of the 7 days of our week that was blessed and sanctified by Father and we have been commanded by Abba to maintain its holiness (Genesis 2:3 and Exodus 20:8 respectively). And how do we keep it holy? Well, the best place to start is to treat the day unlike any of the other 6-days of our week by not participating in any servile labors and to set our focus squarely upon Him and His Word. The lighting of candles, citing of rote prayers and the serving of traditional meals are not commanded of us to do. Thus, it is between each of us as individuals and Yahovah our Elohim to flesh our the mechanics of how we observe and honor Sabbath. Regardless, let us guard this gift of the Sabbath with zeal, love, peace and obedience.

In case you are new to this podcast series, allow me to introduce myself: I’m Rod Thomas, your Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections partner and fellow disciple of Yahoshua our Messiah. Whether you are a veteran Torah Observant Believer in Yeshua or not, you are welcome here. All I ask is that you share these moments with me with an open heart, mind and spirit and whatever is presented here, that you take it in the spirit that it’s delivered and that you do your own research, prayer and meditation on the content herein.

As always, it is my hope, trust and prayer that this episode of Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections finds you, your families, and fellowships well and blessed.

Well, how goes it? How was your week? It is my hope and heartfelt desire that if you went through any hardships, trials or tribulations this past week, that your deliverance and healing is on its way. As I’ve said countless times on this program, this is an arduous journey that we’ve embarked upon as disciples of Yeshua and when you add to that difficult walk the cares and trials of this life, there can be moments in time when we simply want to throw in the towel; that we want to walk away from it all and find a corner or hole somewhere other than where we are at the moment and just let the world pass us by.

The enemy has studied and analyzed each and everyone of us and he knows our vulnerabilities. He is not above exploiting those weaknesses of ours to further his kingdom goals. I’ve come across a number of dear brothers and sisters over the course of the last couple weeks who are going through stuff: debilitating and consuming illnesses; financial struggles; family strife; depression; confusion and uncertainty. Why is this stuff happening to us in the midst of everything else that is going on in the world? Well, the Spirit (i.e., Father’s Ruach) clearly wants us to be aware of the ploys and tactics of hasatan that we not be fooled or taken off our established spiritual course. You see, if the serpent can distract us with stuff, then our effectiveness as workers in the Kingdom of Yahuah will have been successfully compromised.

Father’s plan for mankind includes us as essential workers in His fields, working the waiting harvest; fulfilling Master’s Great Commission (reference Matthew 28:19, 20). No, contrary to traditional/fundamental Christianity, we’ve not been commissioned to go out and get people saved nor teach and preach a gospel about the death, burial and resurrection of Master Yahoshua. Instead, we’ve been commissioned to go out and make disciples for Master and to teach them all that He’s taught us. And when we become beset by the cares of this world, our effectiveness in that Greatest of Commissions is severely diminished. Somehow, some way, we must not allow our lives to be waylaid by the enemy and the primary way we accomplish this is by our maintaining a steadfast vigilance; developing and maintaining a complete reliance upon the provision and guidance of Father; and obedience to His Word.

On this subject, the Apostle Peter (i.e., Kepha) wrote in his first letter to the first-century saints: “Submit yourselves to those who are elders. Yes, all (i.e., all of you) be subject one to the other, and be clothed with humility; for Yahweh resists the proud, but gives mercy to the humble. Therefore, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of Yahweh, in order that He may exalt you in due time; casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom she may devour; resist her by remaining firm in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are fully endured by your brothers in the world. But may all merciful Yahweh Himself—Who has called us to His eternal glory in Yahshua Messiah, after you have suffered a while—perfect, establish, strengthen and settle you (I Peter 5:5-11, The Book of Yahweh)”

Saints, troubles are going to beset us, it’s just a fact of our spiritual life. But we’ve been given a method of overcoming troubles and that is humbling ourselves before our Creator through a strict regimen of obedience and honor; remain vigilant and knowledgeable of the ways hasatan goes about tripping us up; resist the tugs and pulls of hasatan and not give him one inch in our lives; and then casting our cares upon Him and trusting Him to deal with those issues on our behalf.

This is just as much a lesson on trusting in the Almighty for me as it hopefully is for you.

 

Part-1-Microchipping and the Mark of the Beast

Have you all seen the articles that have been written regarding microchipping that is being reported in the various news media around this country?

Over the last couple weeks, I’ve heard and read stories of companies that are pushing and even requiring their employees to be chipped—that is, to have a microchip placed in their bodies for purposes of tracking them and allowing them access to various electronic systems in their company’s facilities.

The troubling thing here is not that microchipping of people is actually being done out there in the world today (for we knew this was coming a long time ago and that for years it has become an expectation in our society to microchip our pets), but that mainstream media is not picking up on stories of companies and entities that are now microchipping their employees as common practice and not sounding an alarm to their readers and listeners to beware of this coming trend. This is something that the world needs to be made aware of, especially members of our Faith Community and Fundamental/Evangelical Christianity who subscribe to the concepts of freedom, truth, Faith and righteousness. Seems that the press is too concerned these days with what President Trump is doing at any given moment; so much so that they are missing and even intentionally bypassing stories of existential importance like the ones I’m about to speak briefly to you about.

In an article written 8/2/2017 by InfoWars Steve Watson entitled, “Creepy: Wisconsin Tech Company Parties After Implanting Employees with Microchips—Citing Need to Control Our Employees,” Watson reported that Wisconsin company “Three Square Market” got consent from her 41-employees to have RFID chips (i.e., Radio Frequency Identification chips) implanted in their hands. Company spokespersons cited a need to give their employees access and control of certain electronic devices and doors to various spaces in the company’s facility.

The company wanted to make it clear that the chipping of Three Square Market employees was purely voluntary. And isn’t that the way the introduction of most technologies and innovations are introduced to the public; that the implementation of such things are initially voluntary with a focus on communicating to the public how and why these products are going to greatly benefit society in the end.

This company cites that microchipping would conceivably be used to identify and even track people by law enforcement personnel as well as entities with a need to know who you are and what your business is in the place that you are found by them at any given moment.

So I thought to myself: well, that’s somewhat disconcerting, but knowing what I know about scripture and the high probability that the mark of the beast as mentioned in Revelation 13:16,17 could actually be implanted microchips, I will certainly not fall for such a shenanigans when microchipping goes full blown mainstream.

Well, that was the sentiment I had until I came across an article posted on qpolitical.com entitled, “NBC Warns All Americans Will Be Microchipped in 3-Years.” The unnamed author gives commentary on the Mark of the Beast and possible connections to that mark being that of microchips. However, I found that the real meat is found in the last two paragraphs of the article. The author rightly says that the government is quietly preparing the public to accept the implantation of microchips in every citizen of this nation.

The article goes on to describe how once the benefits of the new technology is sold to the public by our governments and you then get a few carefree individuals to partake in the technology implementation, all it takes is one major catastrophe like 911 to set the public into panic which in turn would cause the public to demand their government do something to protect her citizens. (Remember how 911 gave birth to the TSA because we demanded that our government protect us and assure us that another 911 would never occur. And it was not long before we citizens gave over total and complete control of our basic human rights to these goons who take great pleasure in demeaning and disrespecting the traveling public.) For the next such catastrophe, our government has an easy solution to address the problem—microchip every citizen of the United States.

The microchipping of every soul in the world becomes no longer a question of “what if” but of “when;” and according to this article we are just 3-years out from the microchipping of every U.S. citizen. It is a fair bet that the rest of the world will not be too far behind in their implementation of microchipping their citizens, if not that they beat the U.S. to the punch and begin microchipping their folks first.

Is microchipping the infamous Mark of the Beast? I don’t rightly know, but it certainly seems suspiciously so right about now, doesn’t it? Our Faith Community as well as Churchianity as a whole, has gone round and about on this question of just what is the Mark of the Beast. For years the prevailing theory of what the Mark of the Beast would be was something akin to what we’re talking about here—at the very least it was surmised to be something like a bar-code that would be imprinted on the hands and heads of every individual in the world in the end times.

Recently a new theory began to emerge throughout many Faith Communities that the Mark of the Beast would not be microchips or bar-codes as originally postulated; instead, the Mark of the Beast would be a written or stenciled form of Allah on the persons of this world and that Islam would control the citizens of this world and by not having this mark, one would be prohibited in buying or selling or working or whatever; that the world’s citizens would have to give over their independence and life to the tenets of Islam or die. And given all that has gone on the last couple years, especially in Europe with the refugee crisis and in the middle east with the Syrian and Iraqi conflicts involving ISIS, this current line of thinking seemed quite compelling to me. In fact, I watched a teaching series by Hebrew Roots teacher Rico Cortes entitled, “Is Islam the Beast?”, aired on the Hebrew Roots Network (i.e., HRN), in which Mr. Cortes’ presented a very compelling argument in favor of the Mark of the Beast being that of Islam.

Regardless which of these theories turns out to be true in the end (or for that matter, maybe it will be a combination of the two), there is no getting around the profound concern that we all should have as it relates to microchipping. At the very least, this thing when fully implemented and foisted upon the citizens of the world, will certainly be a tool to effectively control us and ultimately take our focus away from Yahuah our Elohim.

Let us stay informed, well and blessed as we continue on in this journey. Let us know with the greatest of shalom that our Father remains on the throne and that we have nothing to fear—as long as we stay within the confines of His perfect will.

Part-2-Wars and Rumours of Wars

6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.

7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: (Mat 24:6-7 KJV)

Have you all been keeping up with the disturbing exchange of inflammatory rhetoric between the United States and North Korea the last week or so? The news media is certainly making much to do about these exchanges, choosing to focus more and criticize President Trump’s eyebrow raising statements related to this crisis.

While addressing reporters’ questions at a news conference in New Jersey this past Tuesday, President Trump stated that North Korea’s threats to use nuclear weapons on the United States would be met with “fire and fury,” the likes of which this world has never seen before. This statement from the president came in response to reports produced by various U.S. intelligence agencies that North Korea possesses miniature warheads that could fit atop some of her ICBM (Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles) and after a few successful test missile launches by North Korea’s military.

Then it was reported yesterday that China is threatening to stop the U.S. if she preemptively strikes North Korea, but that she would stay out of the way if the U.S. were to respond to a first-strike by North Korea on U.S. territories. China also called both sides—the U.S. and North Korea—to remain calm during this crisis.

China is taking the above position for a few reasons: (1) China is North Korea’s primary ally and trading partner and does not want to see any harm come to that relationship. (2) China does not want to see an immigration crisis emerge from a potential war between the U.S. and North Korea nor does China want to see a reunified Korea (i.e., North and South become officially reunited). Both an immigration crisis and reunification of the two Koreas would place tremendous stress upon China and her political and economic systems. Yet China seems to not have enough sway with her trading partner and ally to rein in North Korea’s aggressiveness towards the United States and that creates a problem for the entire world to have to deal with.

North Korea made matters worse this past Thursday by stating her intentions of using Guam as a test target of her nuclear missile program in coming days and weeks. Thus, the U.S. administration is hard pressed to find a military solution to this problem, and there is extremely high risks ramifications associated with any potential U.S. military response. The most glaring risk associated with any potential strike against North Korea’s missile arsenal is a full blown retaliatory military strike or invasion of South Korea by the North.

Having served as a reservist and participated in a couple of Korean military exercises in the 90’s, I can attest to the horrendous problems associated with a Northern strike and invasion of the South—untold lives would be lost and the threat of the conflict spreading beyond the confines of the Korean peninsula to other nations in the region is a certainty. Clearly this Korean conflict has the potential to be a world war igniter and no one wants that—well, with the exception of the military-industrial complex, but that’s a debate for another time and place.

Nevertheless, we were taught by Master that as we draw nearer towards the end times, there would be an uptick in the number and intensity of wars. Where such wars and rumours of wars would take place was not revealed to us by Master. All that Master would say to us is that these things such as we are currently witnessing on the world stage today, are things that must come to pass. He instructed us to not be troubled by such news and to understand that such occurrences are simply means to an end—literally.

As scary and troubling as news like the North Korean conflict may appear to us these days, these things serve as guideposts; landmarks; opportunistic markers for us to take advantage of as we continue on our walk and journey with Yeshua our Messiah. I believe it behooves us to be acutely aware of all that is going on about us and to process these things into their proper Biblical and spiritual perspectives so that we stay focused on the tasks set before us and not be easily distracted.

Thus, let us stay focused, prayed up, fasted up, studied up and understanding of the things that are going on about us at any given time. It is up to us to remain Master’s steadfast servants and disciples.

Part-3-Holiness and Righteousness-Inputted or Practiced

This past week I came across a FaceBook post, along with that posts’ various responses, related to the question of one’s holiness and righteousness and whether or not one should be obedient to Torah. The writer of the post simply posted a commentary on the efficacy and validity of obeying and honoring the food laws and that post of his was met with a great deal of criticism and challenge.

Now the poster of the commentary I believe is an established and learned Torah Observant Believer in Yeshua Messiah and his intentions in posting the commentary was strictly to edify and encourage the Body of Messiah to not abandon this area of Torah—that being the instructions given to us by Yahovah relating to what He has deemed as food and what He has deemed as not food. I personally found his commentary to be sound as it relates to my understanding of this aspect of Torah.

The poster’s commentary was met, as I said, with a great deal of criticism and challenge by individuals who I have no idea as to their religious affiliation or Faith Communities. Nevertheless, what was being posted in opposition to this brother’s commentary was nothing short of the standard talking points and retorts to general keeping of Torah and how any thought of believers keeping any aspect of the Law was indicative of that individual’s fall from grace.

I felt bad for this fellow who I believe exercised nothing but noble intentions. So I came to his defense and stated in my often verbose way that that which the man is stating is spot on and instead of members of this FaceBook community criticizing and maligning this gentleman for doing what he as a believer was led by the Spirit to do, consider what the Bible has to say on the subject and not argue their denomination’s stance on the subject.

Much of the opposing side’s arguments against the poster’s food Laws comment involved the concept of holiness and righteousness. The contesters’ positions on the subject of the food laws and whether believers in Yeshua (really believers in Jesus) should continue to honor our Elohim by abstaining from consuming foods that were banned by Father centered upon the doctrines of “grace.”

Liberal, churchianity, as we all know, strongly feel that Torah was done away with upon the death, burial and resurrection of our Master 2,000-years ago. That doing away with the “Law” by the work of the Master was replaced by “grace,” which many have taken upon themselves to fashion into a belief that all righteousness and holiness is inputted—that is granted or bestowed upon us. Thus, there is no reason or purpose in continuing to observe and obey Torah, or as the Church likes to refer to Torah, the Law.

But the truth of the matter is that the Bible makes it clear that we are to be holy. Abba stipulated in His Torah that we are to be holy as He is holy (reference Leviticus 20:7). So as to not incur the criticism of those who would say that Christ had not done away with Torah or the Law when this portion of Leviticus was written, the same sentiment of being holy was spoken and written of by both apostles Paul (Shaul) and Peter (Kefa): that as Spirit-Filled-Torah Observant Believers in Yeshua Messiah, from the foundations of the world, we were called to be holy in love (Ephesians 1:4); that we be obedient children who do not conform to the former lusts we had when we lived in ignorance (I Peter 1:14-16). Where is this imputed holiness that churchianity demands that we hang our spiritual hats upon so that we can toss Torah into the scrapheap of history? Not in there now is it?

In terms of righteousness, Paul (Shaul) and James (Ya’achov) taught that Abraham’s faith was of such a high caliber that Father imputed righteousness unto him. Nevertheless, there is no one individual in and of themselves who is righteous according to the writer Paul (Romans 3:10), and the prophet Isaiah goes so far as to insinuate that that which we deem as righteousness when compared to the requirements of righteousness as dictated to us by Father, is as filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6). Thus righteousness, according to such individuals, as part of the plan of salvation, has been imputed to us. However, for us to exist and live holy and righteous lives, it becomes a must for every Torah Observant Believer in Yeshua Messiah. Peter (Kefa) wrote that we must die to sin and live righteous lives (I Peter 2:24). In other words, we cannot on our own achieve an acceptable level of righteousness to match the requirements of our Heavenly Father. Thus Father, through the agency and work of His Son, Yahoshua Messiah, we were given right standing before Him—that is, righteousness was imputed unto us. This was a gift of the Father to us. Therefore, as a response to that imputed righteousness, we are to tap into Torah as our instruction manual and walk out this walk as Father has prescribed and in so doing we live righteous, holy lives. The Holy Spirit (the Ruach Kodesh) empowers and enables us to live righteous and holy lives in the midst of a perverse and evil world.

Thus when it comes down to something in Torah as simple as eating pork or any other prohibited items deemed not food by the Almighty, it behooves us under the auspices of living holy and acceptable lives unto the service of Yahovah our Elohim, to be obedient to the instructions of Yahuah.

In coming in to this Faith, we gave up our independence and became bond slaves unto the Almighty. Thus we are not our own (I Corinthian 6:19). Whenever I read or hear of anyone saying that we can eat swine, dog, cat, buzzard, shrimp, possum, or any other forbidden items, I understand them to say to all of us in the clearest and loudest of voices, that they belong to themselves and not to Yahovah our Elohim. For Master admonished those of us who belong to the Father and who are His disciples, “ If you love me you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15; 2 John 1:6).

Maybe some of us should keep our thoughts to ourselves and not be so quick to reveal our true selves and intentions. Just saying.

Part-4-Controlling our Emotions for the Work of the Kingdom

In episodes 88 and 89 of Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections, I touched upon a very important topic and issue to me and that has to do with emotions and how emotions when exploited and improperly displayed can blind us to Truth and steer us off course in the work of the Gospel.

I drew a great deal of my content in these two episodes from my recent experiences having newly arrived here in North Carolina and re-experiencing the Baptist Church of my youth with all her traditions and practices. In these episodes I spoke to a common practice employed by the church of exploiting and manipulating members’ emotions for various and sundry reasons. I also touched upon how some emotions, when sparked, can bring out a side of us that would not be pleasing to Father and that makes for a bad witness for the sake of the Gospel.

Bottom line, our emotions can be problematic and a hindrance to us in the work of the Gospel and in our day-to-day walk with Messiah, if we do not somehow, get control of them. Envy, anger, hatred, fear, self-loathing and the like, are emotions that can often manifest within us and cause us to be blown off spiritual course.

So my thing this week, as I pondered this issue further is to figure out, through Yah’s Word, how we get firm control over our emotions.

When I first began researching this, I came straight away to the 5th chapter of Paul’s letter to the Galatian Assemblies of Believers. Now Galatians has to be one of the most feared books in the Brit HaDashah (the New Testament) to Messianics, for this is the stronghold book of the anti-Torah crowds of churchianity. But we are not here to discuss whether or not the Book of Galatians contains proof positives that we are not to obey Torah. What we are here for today is to consider ways to get a hold of our emotions

As it turns out, Paul’s letter to the Galatian Assemblies, is believed to have been written in great part by him for purposes of directly addressing the insidious activities of embedded Judaizers in the various Galatian Assembly. Whether it was a single offender or a handful of them, Paul (Shaul), identified a problem that needed addressing by him as the assembly’s spiritual leader.

The specific issue facing the Galatian assemblies appears to be the issue of whether or not it was required of all male converts to the Faith once delivered to be circumcised in order for them to enter into the Faith Community and to be saved. We know that Shaul was addressing a precise issue in his letter here and it was that one issue that was confusing the members of these communities and that issue was circumcision. However, churchianity has taken that specific issue that was being addressed by Paul to develop and spread an anti-Torah agenda to the entire Body of Messiah and they are using Paul’s brilliant prose contained in this letter as the instrument by which they will further their anti-Torah agenda.

For my purposes here today, however, I wish to reflect upon the concept of temperance, which means self-control. Temperance is a behavior that is mentioned as being a “Fruit of the Spirit.” The larger concept of the Fruit of the Spirit is contained in the 5th Chapter of Galatians and they are as follows: 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering (patience), gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness (humility), temperance (self-control): against such there is no law. (Gal 5:22-23 KJV)

When we talk about being Spirit Filled Torah Observant Believers in Yeshua Messiah, the Fruit of the Spirit, these 9 or so fruits (if you will), become expected byproducts of our obedience and honoring of Torah as Yeshua modeled and taught. Why? Because we perfect love for Father and love for one another that we as True Believers and Followers of Yeshua HaMashiyach have been commanded to possess and exercise. Allow me to comment briefly on each of these fruits:

  • Love comes from our worshiping and honoring Abba as He instructed and stipulated in His Torah. Love comes from our treating brother and sister according to the tenets of Torah and denying ourselves the opportunity to covet, envy, taking that which does not belong to us, providing assistance to a brother or sister in need, etc. Love is in great many respects an emotion that is critical to our day-to-day walk in Messiah. However, the emotion of love can easily be influenced, manipulated and exploited in so many different ways. It is up to us as disciples of the Most High to identify what true love is all about and to enact that love accordingly and without compromise.
  • Joy is one of those natural outcroppings that we experience when we are in the complete and full embrace of Yahuah our Elohim—when we know that we are operating in His perfect will; when we honor and obey Him and His Torah and we sense within our very being that we’ve pleased Him. That joy is a joy that the world did not give nor can the world take away from us. The only way that we loose that joy is through the consequences that come out of our own works—especially so when we give that joy over to the enemy. Like love, joy is an emotion that can be easily manipulated, exploited and influenced by the enemy. Joy is a wonderful gift that we must guard and exercise within the confines of the True Faith.
  • Peace becomes a natural outcropping of the love we experience from Abba as He has instructed us to love Him and then love neighbor to the same extent that we love ourselves. Granted, the peace that we receive may be lopsided from time to time as not everyone we love according to Spiritual Torah will reciprocate the same love and behavior. But at least there will be peace within our souls and minds, knowing that we’ve pleased our Father in heaven and did what we were supposed to do as His beloved children.
  • Patience comes once we realize that we are living amongst and dealing with individuals from the human race: we are flawed creatures who are continuous works in progress and not all of us are where we should be in terms of a being like our Master. Thus, we must learn forgiveness and patience and understanding. Otherwise, we stand always in a place of impatience and frustration and that is not a good place to be.
  • A natural outcropping of treating one another the way Spiritual Torah instructs us to is the gentleness that we display towards one another. We become patient and kindness toward those who may not be at a similar place in the Faith that we are. At some level we understand what may be going on with and within them as they seek Truth; we see that we were in their current position at one point in our journey; we better appreciate that Abba has delivered us and fashioned us and moved us from the place that a struggling brother or sister may currently be holed up in. Thus we empathize and maybe even sympathize with one another. Besides, being jerks towards one another only exacerbates an already miserable situation and opens the door for the enemy to do his thing in our lives.
  • Living and walking and loving Spiritual Torah can only bring about good things—goodness—nuf said.
  • Trusting—having an unshakable faith–that Abba will deliver and sustain and provide for all our needs is part and parcel of the relationship we are to have with the Most High—nuf said.
  • Humility comes when we abandon the stuffiness that so many of us carry around with us, especially those of us who take pride in accumulating knowledge and understanding that we use to beat one another over the head with whenever such opportunities present themselves. Such behavior actually nets us very little in the Kingdom. Such behavior only serves to puff us up and cause us to loose track of our purpose in the work of the Gospel. Have we not been called to be servants and to serve (Matthew 20:27; 23:11).
  • Self-control is essentially dying to self and being led by the Ruach Kodesh (i.e., the Holy Spirit). Bottom line: this is what this portion of the post is all about—self-control—something that I definitely need to constantly monitor and exercise as it relates to my emotions.

Galatians 5, verses 19-21 lists unGodly behaviors that should not be named among the true people of Yahuah. Paul warns that the exercising of these behaviors, and I should mention a few of these behaviors are considered emotions; that the exercising of these behaviors places us in the terrible position of eventually not having the opportunity of sharing in the Kingdom of Yahovah.

Yet so many of us go about each day of our lives, being emotional about so many things, and actually making a spiritual fool of ourselves. In so doing, we sully our witness as disciples of Yeshua Messiah and slowly but surely lose our place in the coming Kingdom of Yahovah.

Folks, this is serious stuff. If we are constantly envious of others; if we are always bitter and angry and disgusted of others, and we allow our emotions to consume us to the point that we are no longer any good to the cause of the Kingdom, then we can say goodbye to the bright future that was promised to us in the world tomorrow by Master Yahushua. We have to get a hold of our emotions and practice temperance—self-control—and that is facilitated in great part by the working of the Holy Spirit (i.e., the Ruach Kodesh) in our lives (verses 22 and 23).

Paul reminds us in verse 24 of the same 5th chapter, that if we have truly become Yahushua’s disciples; that we’ve forsaken our old master—self and hasatan—if we are truly Master Yeshua’s disciple, then we should have left our old natures at the spiritual door when we signed up to serve. In verse 26 of the same 5th chapter, Shaul counsels us that if we’ve not done so, that we abandoned those things–those habits and emotions that hinder our walk in Messiah.

I know that this may seem like an impossible task, but gaining control over those troublesome emotions I have found is doable if we are willing to give it all up for the work of the Gospel of the Kingdom and for the love of Yeshua our Messiah.

So I’ve taken the liberty of sketching out a personal plan of action to deal with my emotions that I hope will somehow aid you in your journey towards achieving complete control of your emotions.

  1. Like with any 12-step like recovery program, the first step in gaining control of one’s emotions is to first acknowledge that I have a problem controlling my emotions. I love Paul’s commentary on this step: CJB Romans 12:3 For I am telling every single one of you, through the grace that has been given to me, not to have exaggerated ideas about your own importance. Instead, develop a sober estimate of yourself based on the standard which God has given to each of you, namely, trust. (Rom 12:3 CJB) Thus Paul is saying to me that I must get past my own perceived self-importance and conduct a “sober (serious) estimate of myself based upon the standard which Yahuah our Elohim has give to us which is trust” and Torah the way Master taught and modeled it.
  2. Understand how our lack of control over our emotions hinders our walk with Messiah by sullying our witness; taking the focus away from Abba and placing it on us as individuals and others; hiding Truth from us; and causing us to stumble and violate Torah and the instructions of our Master. I do not have a scriptural backing for this step, but this should regardless be obvious. In my case if I am constantly dealing with my internal struggles and I squirrel myself off to the side and away from the place where I should be operating, then I am forfeiting my identity and purpose in the kingdom. If I allow my emotions to control my behavior and worldview, then the Spirit (i.e., the Ruach) cannot effectively guide my steps nor can I identify Truth when it stares me in the face.
  3. Determine to do something about the problem—whatever it takes—to mitigate or completely eliminate the threat. I say to develop a plan of action that would address each emotional issue that I’m struggling with. If I know that I am a hothead, then maybe I need to start looking at the situations where my hotheadedness stand the greatest chances of being manifested and maybe avoid those places and situation for instance.
  4. Take action to address the problem:
  5. Prayer and fasting.
  6. Study of Scripture to better understand that which is expected of us. Certainly being a hothead is not conducive to being an effective witness for Yeshua Messiah. If someone contradicts me or maligns me and my character, for instance, over something I may say or write, it benefits the Kingdom of Yahuah if I simply walk away and choose to disagree with that individual; to no longer engage that individual; to instead pray for that individual to eventual come to see the error of his or her ways. I have witnessed way too many FaceBook fights over the last few years; fights over issues and topics that in the big scheme of things mean very little to the Body of Messiah. Yet hot heads feel that they have to defend their understanding of the Gospel and they launch into a tirade against the opposing individual over the contested issue. All that results from the brutal exchange is bruised egos and unbridled anger and resentment for all concerned. The Bible takes emotions out of the equation. Our work in the Kingdom is not nor should it not be fueled by our emotions, with the sole exception of love, where love of Father and love of one another is the overarching foundation of Torah itself.
  7. Avoid situations, places and even people that create the potential of igniting my emotions.
  8. Let the Ruach take full control of my life—walk in the Spirit—operate in the Spirit—pray in the Spirit. Paul (Shaul) writes in Galatians 5, verse 16, that if I walk in the Spirit of the Most High, then I will not run the risk of defaulting to my old ways.
  9. Exercise militaristic self-control—yet remain vulnerable enough that I may work the work that has been given to me to do and not be numb to the leading of the Holy Spirit and the needs of others.

A more encapsulated method for controlling my emotions is by seeking the Kingdom of Yah first and foremost in my life along with seeking out His righteousness. In so doing, everything else of any concern will otherwise fall right into its proper place, including any needed control of my emotions or other troublesome behaviors.

Part-5-Closing Thoughts and Reflections

This Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections episode was more a lesson to me than a lesson to anyone else. Yet it is my heartfelt hope, trust and prayer that the content of this episode will be of some eternal spiritual use to you as you walk this narrow arduous path with Yeshua Messiah.

As I’ve said in so many previous episodes of this program, we are all on individual journeys with Messiah, but we are also a body—a living breathing body that happens to be also on a journey with Mashiyach. Whatever I can do to help edify and exhort the Body of Messiah as I explore these topics and issues of relevance to our Faith is in accordance with my obedience to Messiah and my good pleasure as I serve the Kingdom of Yahovah.

As we embark upon a new week and ask Father for the strength to make it through to the next Sabbath, I ask Father to let not His precious Holy Spirit leave us; that His Spirit abide in us ever so strongly such that our way is made clear and our obedient efforts remain effective and true. The funny thing is that I, like all of you hopefully, have the Spirit dwelling within me and thus I have available to me all the strength and authority required to overcome my old nature and to control my emotions. I just need to get out of the way and allow the Spirit to work His work in me unimpeded. Unfortunately, a great deal of the time I don’t get out of the Ruach’s way or I end up second guessing or even ignoring the leading of the Ruach when I most need Him in my life. Again, it’s that temperance—that self-control—that comes into play here.

May you walk in the power and might of His Holy Spirit this week. Until next time, may you be most blessed fellow saints in training. Shavuatov. Warmest shalom. This is Rod signing out.

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The Rule of Emotions Over the Lives of Certain Christians-STAR-89

by | Aug 6, 2017 | Blog, Podcasts

The Rule of Emotions Over the Lives of Certain Christians-STAR-89

The Rule of Emotions Over the Lives of Certain Christians--STAR-89

by Rod Thomas | Sabbath Thoughts & Reflections

Part-1–The Rule of Emotions Over the Lives of Certain Christians

In following up with my last Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections post (episode 88—”When Tradition Overrides Truth and Reason”), I explored how some of the traditions of the church (namely the modern Southern Baptist Church) seemed to override and supersede many biblical truths and in some cases even commonsense and spiritual reasoning. I reflected upon the things that I had witnessed that transpired in and around the passing of one of my close, dear family members and how many of the traditions and practices of the Baptist Church related to the passing of members of the Baptist Community are not in any way biblically-based and that some of those things defied what I would say is general reasoning. These things—these traditions and practices–are part and parcel of my upbringing in the Baptist Church of my youth and at the time of my upbringing, I of course, bought into all of these traditions and practices lock-stock-and barrel without question. Why would one question such sketchy traditions and practices when members of the Baptist Community have been taught from birth to not question the ways and things of the Church because those ways and things were biblical and had always been. Questioning the traditions and practices of the Church was tantamount to questioning God Himself, and everyone knows that one does not question God—for the Church and God are essentially one and both are sovereign and authoritative.

In many parts of this community, the pastors, ministers, evangelists, and teachers of the church are believed to hear directly from God and Jesus Christ and what they say and do is relatively infallible. Thus those anti-biblical traditions and practices remain entrenched in the fabric of the Baptist Church Community to this day.

I must mention one thing that I did witness throughout the course of this journey of mine related to the Baptist Community: there are a small handful of members of this community that are becoming more and more emboldened to question many of those established practices and traditions. This I found to be a relatively positive thing, for when one is able to move beyond the fear of questioning why he or she do the things he or she does or believe the things that are taught in one’s chosen Faith they’ve taken the first step in establishing their journey on the path towards finding Truth—that is, if finding Truth is important to that individual. Indeed, I have come across many folks during my stay here who are in absolutely no rush to find Truth, or for that matter, to establish a true and substantive relationship with the Creator of the Universe. For these individuals, it is more important to maintain traditions, practices and culture than to find and live out Truth and have a personal relationship with the Almighty. Nevertheless, I am encouraged that there appears to be that remnant that is actually reading their bibles and who are beginning to perceive that the things that they once held as sacred in the Church may not be as sacred as they’d always been taught or have believed them to be.

In my reflections on some of the traditions of the Baptist Church of my youth (mainly centered around death and eternal life), I touched upon how some of these traditions and practices that I observed seemed to target the emotions of the members of Baptist Faith Community. I found this focus and targeting of emotions to be such a powerful and prominent thing that I have been led to reflect upon it in this episode of Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections. It is clear to me, dear Saints of the Most High, that human emotions have such massive potential to be exploited by people and things that may be good and holy and beneficial, just as they can be exploited by people and things that are bad, evil and damaging to us.

Clearly, the enemy from the very beginning identified the power that emotions can and do have over us as human beings. This is of course not to say that emotions are a bad thing: on the contrary, I believe that our emotions were implanted in us by our Creator and they were given to us for purposes that would glorify and honor Yahweh/Yahovah/Yahuah—as strange as that may seem.

Part-2–Just What Are Emotions Anyway?

 

Google defines emotions as that of “a natural instinctive state of mind deriving from one’s circumstances, mood, or relationships with others.” They are described as feelings and sentiments. They are instinctive and intuitive and are separate from reasoning and knowledge.

In episode 88 of this program I mentioned that traditions and many of the practices of the Baptist Church played heavily upon the emotions of the members of the community, which I believe in great part has blinded the members from Truth and distracted them from sound reasoning. Now, this reality does not only apply to the Baptist Church; it applies to any denomination, faith or religion in existence today. The difference between them, us and the world is that Abba’s grace was extended to us such that we received the True Gospel and committed to walk according to the covenant and provisions set forth in His Torah.

So it’s not that these well meaning, precious believers in Jesus Christ are bad people; on the contrary, they are simply blinded to the Truth and it will take an outright act of Yahovah to loosen the scales from their eyes just as happened to Shaul (i.e., Paul) on that Damascus road shortly after the ascension of our beloved Master (i.e., reference Acts 9).

 

But back to emotions. The definition contends that emotions are natural and instinctive feelings and sentiments that are derived from one’s circumstances, moods and relationships with others. The traditions and practices of churchianity certainly attach themselves to members’ emotions and they work effectively to keep members of the denominational community in spiritual bondage.

Question: Why do so many people in this community go to church every Sunday? What are they looking for?

Well, there are a number of reasons why members of this community go to church each week, but the primary reasons I believe are to get an emotional fix for the week ahead and get an emotional release from past, present and perceived future challenges and problems. They want to feel better about themselves and their life’s situations. So they want their souls to be stirred and their fears allayed. Mind you, there is no obvious stated desire to learn the ways of their Creator. It’s all about having their emotions tickled and manipulated and  I would submit that many of these folks are addicted to having their emotions tickled and manipulated. Thus, the point of attending church each week is all about them as individual members of their Faith Community and God is relegated to a secondary and even a tertiary place in the reasoning matrix of their minds and souls.

The other primary reason why these individuals attend church each week is because the local culture requires it. Many individuals attend churches down here each week because that is what you do every first-day of the week—you go to church—it’s the proper thing to do. Again, God is found nowhere in their decision-making matrix for attending.

Now, I came across a few lists of emotions on the internet and most of the listed emotions are pretty obvious. There seems to be three-general lists that are regarded in the realm of psychology: “Plutchik’s Wheel of Emotions;” “Aristotle’s Rhetoric;” and Darwin’s, “The Expressions of the Emotions in Man and Animals.” Many of the individual emotions found on these three-lists are repeated on these respective lists. I will not burden you by mentioning and exploring all of the emotions from these three-lists, but I would like to explore just two of these emotions that denominational churchianity seems to target most. Unfortunately the fallout from the exploitation of these emotions sadly impedes the True Gospel message from reaching the ears of the members of the Church Community.

Joy--The Fun Emotion--Right?

Part-3–Joy—The Fun Emotion—Right

The first emotion that I’ve seen exploited is “joy.” Certain church traditions and practices target the members’ desire to feel better about their present life situation. Thus the preaching and singing is fashioned to incite joy in the members.

I came across 155-verses in the KJV (i.e., King James Version) where joy is mentioned.

Joy denotes “gladness,” “exaltation,” and “rejoicing.” And if you’ve never had the experience of attending charismatic Christian denomination services, you’ve missed something that is distinctively American and generally of African American origin. Joy, exaltation and rejoicing is part-and-parcel of charismatic church services. There is customarily a feeling of exuberance and happiness that spreads throughout the congregation like a wildfire as a result of the heart-pounding, soul-stirring music and forceful preaching that is expertly dispensed by some very talented and motivated individuals.

Clearly, joy is a welcomed and revered emotion in this setting. The healthy-minded individual would prefer to be joyful than sad, grief-stricken or in despair. Thus the leaders of denominational churchianity realize this and they seize upon every opportunity during such church gatherings to elicit joy from their members for various and sundry reasons to include dropping a few more dollars into the offering plates. The methods employed by the singers and preachers to bring about joy among members of their congregations are generally centered around well-crafted promises to members that everything in their members’ lives is going to be alright—one way or another—and that there is coming a day when they will live out eternity in the happiest place in existence—heaven. The problem with this situation is that 9-times out of 10, the story lines that are being put forth to these members as a means to elicit joy, are not based on biblical Truths and or sound reason. Promises that members are going to heaven and that things are going to be alright in the morning, regardless how bad those things might be at the moment; regardless the lawlessness that reigns in the members’ lives; regardless the lack of obedience to Yahovah’s instructions defy commonsense and established biblical principles.

I guess it is preferable to hear about happy and fun things than to hear of stark truths that require us to conform to Father’s instructions and not our own. The joy that comes from true service to Father lasts throughout one’s earthly life—as opposed to joy that is based upon lies and misinterpretations.

Although joy is not mentioned in Torah, joy is mentioned throughout the remainder of the Tanakh (i.e., the Old Testament) and the writers firmly suggests that true joy is had by the people of Yahuah who focus their attention upon Father. In other words, joy that is centered on the individual and what that individual is going to get from God is not of Abba, but biblically-based joy is focused on Yahuah our Elohim exclusively and it is that exclusive focus on the Creator of the Universe that pays dividends to the worshiper whereby they receive a happiness and joy that the world can not fully and truly comprehend.

For us Spirit-Filled Torah Observant Believers in Yeshua Messiah, obedience to Abba’s way of life as stipulated in His perfect Torah, brings about a joy that is indescribable—certainly contrary to the understanding of the secular world and denominational churchianity. These entities see any adherence to Torah as bondage and legalistic drudgery. But the truth of the matter is that observance and obedience to Torah—Torah observance from the heart that is done by the Believer in Yeshua because he or she truly loves the Father and wants to please Him at every opportunity—brings about true everlasting joy. Reliance upon the protection, provision and spiritual guidance of Yahuah our Elohim brings about joy. Knowing that we are Abbah’s chosen and that we have a special purpose in His plan for mankind brings about joy. Our joy is not born on lies and scriptural misinterpretations.

Just a simple perusal of the 155 or so verses where joy is found in the Holy Writ strongly suggests that joy—true joy—comes from Yahweh, our Elohim. True joy does not come from man nor does it come from convenient man-centered circumstances such as stirring Church services. That joy is fleeting at best and is easily diminished and even destroyed once reality kicks in.

As it relates to our responsibility in this joy thing, it certainly does not fall upon a reliance of man to bring us joy. Instead, the Prophet Habakkuk, suggests that we rejoice and find joy in the God of our salivation (Habakkuk 3:18). Furthermore, one’s joy should not be contingent upon the preaching and singing of the Church, but instead, it must flow from Yahuah our Elohim to us and from us outward to Yahuah. Shaul (i.e., Paul) wrote that we should rejoice in Yahovah always (reference Philippians 4:4), regardless what is going on in our lives at any given time. This is certainly not an easy thing to do and it stands to reason why so many Christians default and turn to the Church to find joy. We humans love to take paths of least resistance don’t we?

I am working each day to be joyful in the things of Yahuah and my Master. It is that joy that we have within us through our obedience and relationship with the Most High that wins the spiritual battles that each of us must fight in each day.

Part-4–Fear—The Darkest Emotion

The fact that joy and other emotions are not given much parchment space in Torah tells me that being a Spirit Filled Torah Observant Believer in Yeshua Messiah is not—should not—be influenced by his or her emotions. Emotions when they are activated have a tendency to turn one’s focus to self and away from the Almighty and that just doesn’t end well for anybody now does it? No it does not.

That’s not to say that we, then, exist as lifeless, one-dimensional creatures that portray our beloved Faith as appealing as a root-canal to the outside world. The joy that we naturally receive from honoring and pleasing Abba will sufficiently fuel the essential Gospel message to an evil, dying world, to turn from lawlessness to Yahovah’s way of life and to lean not to the Church’s understanding.

The second emotion that comes readily to mind when we speak of the Church along with her traditions and practices and the influence that they have over the emotions of her members and the community is fear.

I would venture to guess that fear has probably been the most exploited of emotions in all of Church history. The one thing that generally incites fear in members of the Church is the tradition and doctrine of heaven and hell—that is, if you are saved, you go to heaven; if you are not saved, you burn for an eternity in hell. No one wants to spend an eternity burning in the fires of hell, especially if you’ve been taught since birth these traditions and doctrines. Using such erroneous teachings by leaders of the Church that are devoid of any Biblical support, is tantamount to witchcraft. It is essentially a ploy to control the members of the Church Community and Master taught against that.

Fear of eternal damnation then becomes a powerful motivator for the members of the community to “straighten up and fly right;” and it doesn’t hurt the Church’s bottom line either as people will give a little more to the organization to ensure that their fears of going straight to hell are allayed. It then becomes a practice of buying one’s salvation from the Church.

Back in the day, the Universal Church (i.e., the Catholic Church) used fear of being excommunicated from the Church or denying certain individuals communion to keep the people in check.

There are some 395-verses in the KJV where the term fear is mentioned in one form or another. In some instances, fear is used to denote a concern that something or someone is a threat to one’s wellbeing. In other instances, fear is used to denote more of a reverence and high regard for our God or some individual of influence and power.

The common theme that plays out throughout most of the Bible is one of not exercising fear of men or things from the perspective that one has concern for his or her wellbeing. Scripture teaches that our God will protect, provide and rescue us from any potential problems we may encounter in life. This of course requires that the individual in question is obedient to Yahuah our Elohim and that he or she is completely reliant and subservient to Him and Him alone.

The second part of the biblical concept of fear has to do with reverence and high regard for our God and it is Him that we are to honor and fear in like manner.

Yet the Church Triumphant, instead of training and teaching her parishioners how to fear God through Torah observance, chooses to teach her people to fear what will happen to them if they don’t say a sinner’s pray; join the rolls of the Church; give offerings and tithes; and attend Church every Sunday. Father has stipulated in the tenets of His perfect Torah how He wishes to be treated as our Sovereign. Man has chosen to step in and usurp the authority of Scripture and tell man what and how they are to fear both man and our God.

In the 25th chapter of Leviticus, Father instructs us to treat one another fairly, according to the provisions set forth in His Torah, such that no individual should ever fear harm from another. The only Being to be feared, more so from a reverence standpoint, but also from the standpoint of being concerned that we might cross Him by violating His Torah is Yah. There are instances strewn throughout Torah where Abba instructed us not to fear the enemy but instead rely upon His strong arm to protect and deliver (cf. Deuteronomy 1:21 and others). We see an example in Torah where the nations once feared us because of our God (Numbers and Deuteronomy). Further along in the Book of Revelation we see that two mighty men of Yahuah will bring the fear of God back to the nations of this earth (Revelations 11:11).

Bottom line: fear has a proper place in the lives of God’s people and it is not up to man to exploit this essential emotion for purposes of furthering the ambitions of the Church. If anyone should be fearful it is those who profess to know the Creator of the Universe and who have vowed to teach and preach the Truth, but who, instead, have chosen to replace Yahovah’s authority over their members’ lives with that of the Church and to seek personal gain in the form of influence and power over the people. These individuals have a very dark and miserable future ahead of them if they do not teshuvah–that is turn to Yah’s way of life for mankind.

I pray for those confused and encumbered souls in Churchianity who have succumbed to fear and given their lives over to the influences of denominationalism. These are victims of hasatan and slaves to religion who don’t know any better. It is up to us to somehow get out into the rippened fields and work and tell the Truth to these enslaved souls.

 

I have decided to answer the call and challenge denominationalism as Yahuah my Elohim leads and directs. It is one thing for me to stay within the relatively safe confines of Torah Observant Believers in Yeshua Messiah fellowship, but is that truly fulfilling the great commission of Master Yahoshua as recorded in Matthew 28:19. This is exactly what Master did when He walked the dusty highways and byways of Judea and surrounding provinces—he taught and preached the True Gospel message with power and authority to imprisoned souls. He didn’t keep that message exclusively within the confines of His inner circle, nor did His handpicked disciples who became the great Apostles of Yeshua Messiah. They went out into a hostile Jewish environment and delivered the Gospel.

So many of us fear going out into the highways and byways of the world and enacting the Great Commission as instructed. Instead, many of us stay only within the safe confines of our fellowships or to ourselves. That’s not what we’ve been commissioned to do and I personally am fearful that I stand to miss that precious opportunity to do what Master has instructed me—us–to do. Time is quickly passing us by and eventually each of us is going to have to give an account for that which Master has appointed us to. I reflect upon the parable of the talents as recorded in Matthew 25. We have each been given a set of unique gifts and opportunities that more times than naught have been left unused and not worked. That’s not something that we can afford to squander. Master is counting on us to do that which we agreed to do when we signed up for this journey.

Fear--The Darkest Emotion

Part-5–The Rule of Emotions in the Hebrew Roots Community

Far too many of us erroneously believe that simply filling our heads with the latest and greatest Torah tidbits—minutia—the net result of going deep; of digging; of splitting scriptural atoms—far too many of us believe that we are effectively doing the will of Master Yahoshua. Some of us who fall into this realm ultimately come to a place in our walk where we abandon the teachings and example of Master and dive headlong into Judaistic, religiosity; and we engage in pointless babble and debate that does not serve the Kingdom of Yahuah at all. What does the accumulation of too much knowledge do? It puffs up (reference I Corinthians 8:1). The Apostle Paul (i.e., Shaul) suggested that instead of valuing head knowledge as it relates to Torah, it is better to exercise charity.

Emotions not only harm our cousins in churchianity, they also create havoc in the Hebrew Roots Community. Our community has some of the most angry, bitter, sad, disgusted, envious, shameful, grief-stricken and hateful people you could ever find in any religious circle outside of radical Islam. It is truly a sad situation to behold.

Simply consider FaceBook where we have so many Hebrew Roots-based communities in existence, and the members of these various communities are constantly at war with one another. We tend to wear our Faith on our sleeves in such communities and it doesn’t take much to fire some of us up over some of the most innocuous issues and topics. Just a few months ago, I had one brother who I had been FaceBook friends with for well over a year, swapping varying and frequent posts on various issues and topics related to our Faith, who out of the blue berated me for using the title “God” in one of my posts. I mean he lit into me and ceremoniously unbefriended me in FaceBook public—so to speak. I had another so-called brother in the Faith call me a heretic and heathen in FaceBook public because I did not agree with his posted Lunar Sabbath ideas. And still, there are countless others in our Faith who have been beaten down by other members of our beloved Faith for the goofiest of things. 

As supposed Spirit Filled Torah Observant Believers in Yeshua Messiah, we should not in the least be influenced by our emotions. If anything and if one considers love to be an emotion (which Aristotle considered it to be), then that is the one emotion that we should constantly be displaying towards one another. We can never love Father and one another enough.

Our Faith Community cannot stand the coming storm of the end times if we are slaves to our emotions. It’s quite clear to me: if we fear; if we are always angry; if we are constantly sad and disgusted; if we are envious of others those who have this and that and we don’t; if we have low self-esteem, then we are essentially setting ourselves up for spiritual and even physical failure.

You see, the carnal world doesn’t have time to deal with all our insecurities and lack of integrity. The world is secure in their way of life and if we are trying to show the world that what we have is better than what they currently have, yet we are living contrary to the acclamation that Abba’s way is the one true path to the life abundant, then we will be made to appear as fools in the eyes of the nations.

Rod Thomas

Part-6–Closing Thoughts and Reflections

I don’t know about you, but I do not want to fail Master. I don’t want to finish this life that Abba has given me and not accomplish something of eternal significance. There are many things that can stymie the accomplishment of Yah’s will for our lives. I hope I have competently shown in this post, the negative influence that emotions have over our lives and how they have the potential to impede Abba’s will in our lives.

One of the things that every Believer is wanting to hear when they stand before the King is “well done thy good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things; I will make you ruler over many things; enter into the joy of the Master (reference: Matthew 25:21-23).” If we allow emotions to rule over our lives, there is a good chance that many of us will not hear these words from the Master, but instead hear “depart from me you worker of lawlessness (reference Luke 13:27).” Now that is something to genuinely fear.

I personally have a problem controlling some of my emotions. I am not afraid to admit this. I don’t want you to think that I am an emotional basket case because that is certainly not me. But I must confess that I have need of the Spirit (i.e., the Ruach) to mold me into image of Master Yahoshua such that I am able to control my emotions better and that they do not interfere in my day-to-day walk with Master. I don’t wish to lack in anything in this Faith. I am in this for the long haul and in this to win it. I seek to see this thing to its perfect end so that I can hear my Savior say to me well done good and faithful servent.

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When Tradition Overrides Truth and Reason–Sabbath Thoughts & Reflection-88

by | Jul 30, 2017 | Blog, Podcasts

When Tradition Overrides Truth and Reason–Sabbath Thoughts & Reflection-88

When Tradition Overrides Truth and Reason

by Rod Thomas | Sabbath Thoughts & Reflections 88

KJV Mark 7:1 Then came together unto him the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, which came from Jerusalem.

2 And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is to say, with unwashen, hands, they found fault.1

3 For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders.1

4 And when they come from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups, and pots, brasen vessels, and of tables.1

5 Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands?

6 He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.

7 Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

8 For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.

9 And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.1

(Mar 7:1-9 KJV)

This is Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections—episode 88—When Tradition Overrides Truth and Reason—Shalom and Welcome.

Part-1-When Tradition Overrides Truth and Reason

If you by chance listened to or read the previous two or so episodes of this program, you may recall that I had embarked upon a new chapter in my life and that is relocating to the extreme opposite end of the country to care for my ailing folks. I also mentioned in the previous episode that one of those family members had actually passed away, now going on two-weeks ago. Needless to say, it was quite a jolt to my family and I, especially to me, not expecting the death to occur at all. Things took such a quick turn for the worse within a very abbreviated period of time such that I could not catch my breath before my loved one’s passing became a reality. I was not devastated over the loss, but I was profoundly affected and I have since had my time of mourning and grief and am looking to move forward in life, within the Will of Yahuah my Elohim, carrying with me the memories of my lost loved one.

The loss of my loved one, as sudden and profound as it was to me personally, it did not devastate me as I thought that it might. It did not take long for me to have peace about about the loss, even shortly after learning that he had taken his last breath during the early hours of two-Sunday mornings. The only regret I have was that I was not there physically by his side when he transitioned from this life.

Contrary to the statements and multitude of emotional pronouncements made by various members of the family and friends upon learning of the passing, I of course knew that my loved one’s soul had not gone up to heaven or that he had entered the glory of Jesus Christ. This was the traditional belief of the Baptist Church of my youth: that when one dies, if they have said the sinner’s prayer and are members of the local church and have been baptized in Jesus’ name and live a moderately holy and righteous life (whatever that actually means to individuals in the church), they are destined for heaven and the glory that is Jesus Christ. Of course, those who had not said the sinner’s prayer, who had not affiliated with the local church, had not been baptized and who had continued throughout their lives to live unrighteously (whatever that actually means to individuals in the church), would be destined to spend an eternity in hell. Yet, in all the years that I spent in the Baptist Church of my youth, and despite all of the funerals that I had attended over the course of those years, I had never heard a eulogy or passing words from family and friends condemning such to hell. Even the most ardent anti-church, anti-religion folks were happily assigned to spend eternity in heaven. I am not sure how that could be, given the foundational teachings and doctrines related to heaven and hell in the Baptist Church, but everyone seems to be getting a free pass to heaven and of course, they are said to have fought the good fight and ran that tough race that leads to eternity in heaven, regardless how they lived their life on this planet, or how much they rejected the things of God throughout their lives.

And we’re just talking about the deceased loved one; the ones left behind and how they process and react to the passing is another story altogether. Having been absent from the Baptist Church with all her trappings for 30+-years, I had not thought much about the traditions of the Baptist Church, especially the traditions that encapsulate death and dying. Having been suddenly reintroduced to many of those traditions at the passing of my family member, I found myself catapulted back to a time of innocence when I readily accepted all the things that I was now witnessing transpire in front of me; the traditions; the trappings; the practices; the talk about death and dying. And all these traditions, trappings, practices and talking carry with them the power and authority of the Holy Scriptures and the Baptist Church—or so everyone seems to think.

As I was watching and experiencing all these things transpire before me over the course of a week, I found myself utterly amazed that I had once bought into these things lock-stock-and barrel. And there I was, sitting off to the side, and watching and listening, as these traditions took center-stage and people were tightly embracing and exploiting them to their greatest potential—all seeming to incite and tickle and manipulate the emotions of all in attendance. Indeed, at the end of the proverbial day, it all came down to emotions—everything was based upon emotions. Unfortunately, reason and truth were left outside in the heat of the day, never once being invited in to help bring us mourners to a place of peace and hope and love in Yeshua Messiah. It was an eye-opener for me; yet more so, it was an invaluable experience that showed me just how monolithic and all encompassing traditions were in this region of the country. For no where in the Holy Writ could one find, not even remotely find, the things that the pastors, ministers, teachers and laity were putting forth to the family during their hour of grief. Yet the things that these individuals were serving up to the family and friends of our dearly departed, carried with them the same, if not greater, authority than that which is recorded in the Bible.

Judge Not Lest Ye Be Judged

Before I continue, I wish to make it perfectly clear that this reflection is in no way an indictment or judgment against Baptist Christians. Most of the individuals who I witnessed as being part and parcel of the traditions displayed in response to my loved one’s death are well meaning and sincere individuals who happen to be sincerely misguided and blind to the errors of their ways. These various practices and traditions have been passed down from generation to generation and for all practical intents and purposes, these traditions and practices are all they know. They have been trained not to question denominational authority (namely the bishops, pastors and ministers) in any perceived theological matters.

Thus, with this belief and tradition of not questioning the teachings and beliefs of the church, add to that the perceived primacy of the church’s leadership on all things related to the Baptist faith, the folks who are part and parcel of these practices and traditions are essentially in bondage to their religion: it’s just that simple and obvious to me. The tragedy in all this is that few to none of the laity are interested in cracking open the dusty and yellowed pages of their bibles to actually read and understand “thus says Yahuah.” Apart from general laziness, one wonders why, given the importance of church life to the majority of citizens in this region of the country, why does the average lay member refuse to read and or study their bibles? Well, the answer is relatively obvious: the lay members have been trained from virtually birth, that one must have a teacher (namely the Pastor or a minister) to explain the bible to them in order for them to understand what the Creator of the Universe is saying to His people.

Hmmm, this sounds so familiar, doesn’t it? Did not the universal church (i.e., the Roman Catholic Church) during her infancy and even into her adolescence and young adulthood, forbid the laity from reading their bibles; teaching them instead, that all they will ever need to know about things of the faith will be revealed and taught to them by the church leadership? Although nowhere near the dire straits that members of the universal church found themselves facing if they were caught with a copy of the scriptures in their possession back in the day, today, one may possess several copies and translations and or iterations of the Holy Writ, but the church for all intents and purposes discourages her members from reading their bibles outside the doors of their communities’ sanctuaries. Oh, the church may host bible studies and Sunday School classes each week, but the bible passages being studied during those sessions are canvased over with denominational commentary and instructions; so much so that the actual bible passage in question is just a very small side note to the whole study.

So then, it seems pretty obvious to me that there is a firmly ingrained system in full operation here, as there is no doubt a very similar system operating in hundreds if not thousands of communities throughout the Bible-belt and around the nation. Denominational religion fosters traditions that cannot be easily challenged and certainly not overturned, even when truth and reason clearly trumps the viability and sanctity of the dozens of traditions and practices of these churches.

Therefore, who am I to judge or spiritually indict anyone for following the traditions and practices and belief system of their chosen religion, especially in the Baptist Church of my youth? Master taught that making judgments of others is not the job of the Torah Observant Believer in Yeshua Messiah, contrary to what so many in our Faith community practice. Master taught: KJV Matthew 7:1 Judge not, that ye be not judged. 2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. 3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? 5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye. (Mat 7:1-5 KJV)

Thus I am convicted to watch my thoughts, words and heart as it relates to the cultural traditions of the people that I grew up around and even participated in. It was by the grace of Abba that the True Gospel message was revealed to me and that the Ruach HaKodesh moved within me to open my eyes and heart to accept those truths. Otherwise, I could just as well be embracing the many traditions and practices of the dear folks that I am now living amongst here in the Southeastern U.S. And let me just say: these are truly dear and genuine (in most cases) people who in many ways, put some of us to shame as it relates to their zeal for their Faith and their love for one another and the god they worship. Despite their lack of understanding of the truth as recorded in our bible and delivered to us by Father’s appointed ones, the lives they live—absent their sinful ways, just like us—speaks volumes about the caliber of individuals they are. I just think in the most wishful and hopeful of ways, that if these individuals were in the position to hear and accept the true Gospel message, oh what mighty warriors would the Kingdom of Yahuah gain!

Tradtions that Snuff Out the Truth

The very thing that came to my mind in the midst of my observing the various traditions and practices of the church and the people in this community, reacting to the passing of my loved one, is the passage of the Brit HaDashah where Master was confronted with a similar reality of traditions that stifle and snuff out Truth, was the event where He confronted the sages and Pharisees over their assigning primacy of tradition over that of Torah.

Yeshua here confronts the so-called sages and Pharisees about their traditions and practices that snuff out the Truth of Torah and the ways of the Creator. Rood’s Chronology places this event on the high-holy day of the Feast of Trumpets (sometime around 9/21/27) in Kfar Nahum. Of course this would seem most appropriate in terms of timing, assuming Rood’s Chronology is accurate, because Trumpets is a reminder of Yahuah verbally delivering Torah to us as we stood at the base of Mount Sinai.

As we stood there, huddled together, trembling at the sights and sounds transpiring before our uninitiated eyes and ears and souls, and knowing from the very depths of our being, that we were having an undeniable encounter with the Creator of the Universe, it became clear that our acceptance of Yahovah’s ways—His Torah—His instructions—was an all or nothing contract that was signed in blood (Exodus 24:8). With that covenant and instruction came also the understanding that we were not to add to or subtract from Abba’s instructions and commandments and that we were simply to trust Him and do according to His Word without question and without compromise. And looking ahead in the future, as Rood writes: “…the Almighty promised to send The Prophet in the future to show us the true path.” (Rood, Chronological Gospels)

The passage reads: “Then sages and Prushim, which were from Yerushalayim, came to Yahoshua saying, ‘Why do your disciples transgress the takanot of antiquity (i.e., the traditions of the elders in the authorized versions), because they do not wash their hands when they eat bread?’ Yahoshua answered them, ‘Why do you transgress the commandment of Yahovah by your takanot (i.e., for the sake of your traditions you bypass the commandments of Yahuah)? For Yahovah commanded, saying, ‘Honor your father and mother, and he that curses father or mother shall be put to death.’ But you say, ‘Whoever shall say to his father or mother that whatever support they might have received from him is corban [a gift dedicated to the Temple], he is free [from his responsibility to care for his parents].’ In so doing, he does not care for his father or his mother. Thus, you have made the commandment of Yahovah of no effect by your takanot. You hypocrites! Well did Yeshayahu prophecy of you, saying, ‘These people draw near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. But in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men (reference: Isaiah 29:13).’” (Matthew 15:1-9, Rood’s Chronology)

The companion passage to this is found in Mark 7, with the added flavor of verse 9, “With full knowledge you reject the commandment of Yahovah that you may keep your man-made takanot.” (Rood’s Chronology) Here, Master was insinuating that these so-called experts of Torah and of course the Talmud knew very well that they were not following and teaching Torah but instead takanot—tradition-man made laws, all which they extolled with the same authority if not greater authority than Torah.

Indeed, the Pharisees of Churchianity haven’t changed much apart from their established systems of worship and belief systems, for they still wreak havoc upon the millions of followers that have entrusted unto them their very souls. For many of the church leaders have gone through formal training in various seminaries and have been taught church history and have no doubt read through the bible a few times, yet they continue to prop up the traditions and practices of the Baptist Church: Sunday worship; rejection of Torah; and the doctrines surrounding death and dying just to name a few. Yet the people, the worshipers and lay-folks, are fully asleep at the wheel and not in a spiritual and intellectual position to read their bibles from a contextual, historical and literal sense such that the light of Yahuah’s Word shines down upon them and completely turns their worlds upside down.

It can happen. It has happened to each and everyone of us. It takes the planting of the seeds of the true Gospel and a move of the Holy Spirit to topple the traditions of men and free the people from the bondage of religiosity.

Now the things that readily came to mind as I observed and watched the people in the community and of the church rally around members of my family, were varied yet consistent and common amongst all in attendance. Allow me to mention and comment on just a few of those traditions and practices that defy scripture and the instructions of Father:

    • The singing of songs during the funeral service that mislead the attendees and incite an emotional response that has very little to do with the leading of the Holy Spirit or the True Gospel message and Father’s instructions. Two such songs that elicited a great deal of emotional outpouring from the attendees were entitled “God is on your side” and “May the Work I’ve Done Speak for Me.” Both songs were founded almost entirely upon the hijacked doctrine of “grace” that espouses all one has to do to receive God’s favor is affiliate with the church in one form or another and sort of live a good life (whatever that truly looks like) and God will be on your side (whatever that looks like) and when you die, you will go to heaven. Nothing is ever mentioned in either of these songs that one adheres to a life of Faith in Yeshua Messiah and live Torah as Master taught us. It’s, do the best you can, affiliate with a church, and you are good to go. And when things get tough, God will be on your side. Seems as though the lyricists failed to read and understand Deuteronomy 28 and 29, blessings to be had for obedience and curses to be expected for disobedience, respectively. Despite teachings to the contrary by churchianity, the principles of these two chapters still apply to every self-professing follower and believer in Yeshua Messiah.
    • He is in heaven looking down upon us and he has entered into the glory of Jesus Christ, despite him having no interest whatsoever in things of God throughout much of his life. Again, I am not judging my loved one and any possible relationship he may or may not have had with Father. All I know is that he was not a Spirit-Filled Torah Observant Believer in Yahoshua Messiah. I have no idea if he will spend eternity in the Kingdom of Yahovah, that’s left up to Master. But I do know that he is not in heaven looking down upon anyone. Scripture seems very clear as it relates to what happens to us when we die: 7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it. (Ecc 12:7 KJV) Ecc 3:20 All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again. Gen 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. Job 34:15 All flesh shall perish together, and man shall turn again unto dust. Ecc 3:21 Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth? Gen 3:19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. Zec 12:1 The burden of the word of the LORD for Israel, saith the LORD, which stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him. Job 34:14 If he set his heart upon man, if he gather unto himself his spirit and his breath; Psa 90:3 Thou turnest man to destruction; and sayest, Return, ye children of men. Psa 103:14 For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust. When we die, whether we die in the will of our Creator or not, our bodies and souls cease to be living and functioning entities and the breath of life goes back to the Creator who gave it in the first place. Pure and simple. And as sad and in some cases as disappointing as this may sound to the uninitiated who’ve been taught for generations that believers when they die go immediately to heaven, the truth still remains and no tradition or forced docrine can alter Yah’s Truth. Yet, we have a hope that is found in the coming resurrection and the advent of the Kingdom of Yahovah here on earth. I of course reflect back to Shaul’s letter to the Assembly of Believers in Corinth where he wrote of death: 12 Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: 14 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. 15 Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. 16 For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: 17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. 18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. 19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. 20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. 21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming. 24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. 25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. 27 For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him. 28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all. (1Co 15:12-28 KJV) And furthermore, the mystery of what will happen to us after we die at the time of the resurrection is revealed in the Cepher of Revelation: 7 And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne. 8 And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints.1 9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; 10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. (Rev 5:7-10 KJV) Now some might contend that a belief in the doctrine of death and heaven are harmless and without consequence. I beg to differ. This lie has led and continues to lead millions down a path towards destruction for under this teaching and doctrine and tradition, there is no need to obey the instructions of Yahuah our Elohim and one gets to spend an eternity in heaven simply by having their names written on the local church’s roster of members and maybe saying the sinners’ prayer and getting dunked in some water. In fact, one can live however he or she chooses because God’s grace is all encompassing and there is no expectations whatsoever for us to live in accordance with the will and purpose of Yahuah. Talk about a dangerous game the leaders of these churches are playing with the lives of their members. And since being here, I have engaged at least one individual on this issue of death and dying and the resurrection of the dead, giving them my position on the subject based upon what the Bible teaches and that individual flat out told me that they choose to believe what they want to believe and that the rest of us can believe what we want to believe. Well, what can one say to that other than, so be it?
  • Rearranging furniture in the home so that if the spirit of the loved one returns, he or she won’t recognize the place and will leave, I guess. Well, what else is there to say other than: what????!!!!
  • The taking Scripture out of context and applying them as handy soundbites to the situation at hand: namely, to allay the family’s grief and mourning. The one passage that was used quite often throughout the funeral service was the passage: “Weeping endures for a night but joy comes in the morning (Psm 30:5).” This psalm of David spoke to David’s dire situation that He was trusting Father to deliver him from. Here this verse has been stripped from its contextual meaning and applied to the mourning of a deceased individual. The whole practice of taking scripture out of context and applying them to situations so that the people can be moved from a state of mourning to that of peace, hope and ultimately joy to me brings mixed feelings. I get the noble effort to lighten the emotional burden of those who are suffering using whatever techniques one can muster. Yet does the means always justify the ends? The bible was never meant to be an emotional and situational pharmacy as churchianity has over the centuries made it. The scriptures were given to us as a manual of instruction such that we have recorded for our convenience the elements necessary to live in accordance with the ways of Yahuah our Elohim (reference: John 13:15; Hebrews 4:11; 8:5; James 5:10; I Peter 2:21; Jude 1:7). Nevertheless, I see how such practices not only are inherently wrong at various levels, but that such practices serve to nullify the Word of Yahuah and lead people away from and off the straight gate and narrow path/way (Matthew 7:14).
  • There was no encouragement of people to be obedient to the Word of Yahovah. If anything, the emphasis was that we stay the course in whatever station we currently exist in our lives, for God overlooks our situation and supplies our eternal needs. Indeed, Abba does supply our many needs and at times even our desires. However, living outside the will of Yahuah and continuing to live whatever way we want to live, is not going to spiritually prosper us and it certainly is not going to bring about eternal life.
  • The play on emotions using music followed by carefully crafted and stirring words of encouragement and optimism pushed aside the vital truths of Yahovah. In fact, everything that occurred seem to be aimed at manipulating and controlling one’s emotional reactions to the passing of our loved one. What I have come to realize and understand, all of which is foreign to much of churchianity that places so much emphasis upon the emotions of the membership, is that emotions have nothing to do with the True Faith once delivered. The True Faith once delivered is all about Spirit and Truth and emotions is a byproduct of being human. We’ve been called to transcend the carnal and ascend towards the spiritual. Emotions, although one cannot nor should they completely discard them from their lives, must be held in check at all times unless they are to be employed by the Ruach Kodesh. Hasatan is a master at manipulating our emotions. Sadly, emotions have the tendency of getting the best of us and at times, in extreme cases, derailing us from the purpose and will of Yahovah. Now, I am not saying that we somehow destroy or discard our emotions and become like Borgs. No indeed. What I am saying is that Truth and Tradition must always be front and center at every turn of our lives. I have done more harm than good throughout my walk with Messiah by allowing my emotions to get the best of me which only serves to take control away from the Ruach Kodesh in my life and hand over control to self. Emotions have their place in our lives; we just have to figure out the proper times and situations in which emotions are best displayed and used.

Closing Thoughts and Reflections

Now this is certainly not intended to be an exhaustive treatment of the many traditions and practices of the Baptist Church and her members and how those traditions and practices and doctrines override truth and reason. Such a thing would go into hours of discourse and discussion and I would still not fully exhaust the subject or do the subject full justice. I simply wanted to highlight a few of the more prominent traditions and practices that I recognized seemed to override truth and reason. I invite you to consider some of the things that I have mentioned here and maybe compare and contrast them with the things that you have experienced and witnessed in your life prior to coming in to the Truth or even during your current walk with Messiah.

So then, what? What am I to do with the things that I have mentioned here in this episode of Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections? Why does any of this matter? Certainly some would feel and suggest that the people I described in this post have made their spiritual beds, let them lay in them. Others may see a shake the dust from your feet and move on to the the next opportunity type situation here and why give any further thought to the matter or these people.

I see things a little different. I see opportunity. I see an opportunity to share my Faith with the people of this community despite the massive opposition and traditions and beliefs and practices that are sure to cause me a great deal of grief. Indeed, I anticipate that there will come a great number of those shake the dust from your feet moments throughout my sharing opportunities, but I fear that I cannot exist in this environment and not somehow show the True Messiah in me through uncompromising Spirit-Filled Torah Living the way Master taught us and seizing upon teaching opportunities as the Ruach presents the opportunities. What seeing these traditions being practiced and manifested before me these last few weeks has prompted me to do is to delve deeper into the Word of Yahovah—deeper than I have ever done before. I am intending to spiritually equip myself for the work of the Kingdom while it is still day (John 9:4).

Prior to relocating here, my life in Southern California as a Netsarim was pretty cut and dry: I associated only with fellow Netsarim and I tried to carry myself as a Netsarim during the course of my workdays. My ways did not clash with those around me for the most part. Now, being here in the liberal bible belt (and yes, I did say liberal bible belt because people here have very liberal political leanings despite those liberal leanings being in conflict with the ways of Yahovah—I simply chalk this up to culture and tradition) where the citizens here reject Torah and the True Gospel and tightly hold to their traditions, I am faced with having to be perfect in my walk and ready at every turn to give an explanation to any who would ask me about my Faith and why I do the things I do and believe what I believe. Peter, in his first general epistle wrote of such an existence: 8 Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:1 9 Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. 10 For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: 11 Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it. 12 For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.1 13 And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? 14 But and if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled; 15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:1 16 Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ. 17 For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing. (1Pe 3:8-17 KJV)

It is my hope that these thoughts and reflections will bring us closer together as fellow Netsarim and that my experiences and observations will be of help to someone who is in some type of spiritual need. Again, I do not pretend to have all the answers nor am I a Torah expert or teacher: I’m simply a Netsarim just like you trying to live and do the Will of our Father and looking forward to that blessed hope. Shaul wrote to his evangelist apprentice Timothy: 13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;1 14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. 15 These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee. (Tit 2:13-15 KJV)

Have a blessed and powerful week in Messiah—walk in the power and might of His Ruach HaKodesh and Abba willing, let us fellowship at the next Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections. Shavuatov. Shalom.

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Why Aren’t We Wearing Tzitzits or Fringes?

by | Jun 28, 2017 | Blog

Why Aren’t We Wearing Tzitzits or Fringes?

38 “Speak to the sons of Israel, and tell them that they shall make for themselves atassels on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and that they shall put on the tassel of each corner a cord of blue.
39 “It shall be a tassel for you 1to look at and aremember all the commandments of the LORD, so as to do them and not 2follow after your own heart and your own eyes, after which you played the harlot,
40 so that you may remember to do all My commandments and abe holy to your God.
(Num 15:38-40 NAU)

 

A Million-Dollar Question

One of several things that interest me greatly as it relates to present-day practices of members of our Faith Community is the overwhelming number of us who do not wear tzitzits as commanded of us by Yahuah our Elohim. I guess the question I have for our community is: why is the wearing of tzitzits by members of our community such a rare thing?

Likely Excuses

I would imagine a great many in our community who choose not to wear these divinely commanded implements would offer as a defense that we, living in 21st-century western society, no longer wear four-cornered garments; ergo, the expectation that one wear tzitzits is at best a moot assumption.

I would concede that, yes, we generally do not wear four-cornered garments in 21st-century western society. Thus, we must reconcile the practicality of wearing tzitzits with articles of western attire that are not cornered.

Others might contend that when Abba gave the command to wear these implements as reminders of Him and His Torah in our day-to-day walk, as it relates to 21st-century western life, with the Spirit writing Torah on our minds and in our hearts, the tzitzit is now an archaic relic of our desert dwelling forefathers and would no longer be a requirement for us.

I guess this particular line of thinking is similar to the logic that argues an adherence to the Calculated Jewish Calendar over that of the Biblically inspired Observational Calendar. A fellow Hebrew Rooter and staunch adherer to the Calculated Jewish Calender once criticized: why rely upon an observational calendar when we have a perfectly good calculated calendar that we can reference today and even a hundred years in the future if need be; beside, the observational calendar is too subjective whereas the calculated calendar is much more accurate.

Yep–I would contend that under the renewed covenant, Torah should exist in our hearts and dwell eternally on our minds (Hebrews 8:8 and 10:16). Nevertheless, does the renewed covenant negate every element of Torah?

Questions Begging Answers

As with so many aspects of Torah as it relates to applicability and relevancy to the 21st-century Netsarim’s day-to-day walk, our wearing of tzitzits also poses a lot of questions. And the funny thing about Torah and our Community/Movement is that when questions arise over applicability and relevancy in our modern-day lives, we tend to take the path of least resistence and ignore the issue altogether. I would contend that the issue of tzitzit wearing by Netsarim in 21-century western society is probably one of those issues that the majority of us choose to ignore rationalizing that there are just too many questions without good answers to justify wearing them. Right?

What I am finding to be most helpful when it comes to my adherence or non-adherence to Torah commands, particularly as it relates to those questions of Torah that have no good answers attached to them, is to answer those answerless questions with follow-up questions. Those follow-up questions often clarify an issue and settle them in my mind better than simply taking a non-comforming stance on the issue in question.

I have some follow-up questions to the questions posed above regarding the wearing of tzitzits by modern-day Torah Observant Believers in Yeshua Messiah:

  • Should our wearing (or non-wearing) of tzitzits be wholly contingent upon the existence of four-cornered-garments common to 21-century western garb?
  • Does the existence of the Renewed/New Covenant negate the commandment to wear tzitzits? (And yes, I realize that many of you may disagree with me that the renewed covenant has not been implemented yet and to those of you who hold to this belief, then it stands to reason that there is no good sense to ignore this commandment. Right?)

Somehow I believe that the non-existence of four-cornered garments and the renewed covenant are not deal breakers as it relates to this commandment. I mean, if one desires to debate the present day relevancy of individual commandments such as the wearing of tzitzits by Torah Observant Believers in Yeshua Messiah, then I would argue that one must be prepared to turn over their Torah-Keeping card because he or she has officially entered the realm of picking and choosing which applicable Torah commandments he/she will be keeping at any given time of their lives based upon preferences and personal opinions.

What Part of “In All Our Generations…” Don’t We Understand?

Abba stipulated that this mitzvah was non-negotiable since it was to be followed “in all our generations.” We have no problem keeping the seven-mandated-feasts of Yahovah/Yahweh/Yahuah, but tzitzit wearing appears to be one of those negotiable items of Torah that we have chosen to keep or ignore as a community.

I further contend that tzitzit wearing for some in our community may be too much of a challenge for our fragile 21st-century Hebrew Roots egos and could be one of the primary reasons why tzitzit wearing by members of our community is such a rare occurrence.

The Virtues of Tzitzit Wearing

Tzitzit wearing is a conspicuous practice. As a result of that conspicuousness, those simple but strangely adoring little buggers have the capacity to any wearer in our society. Not do tzitzits appear foreign to virtually every member of our society (with the exception of the Jew) and not only do they cause people to wonder what in the world those things are hanging from the wearer’s person, they also force the blessed and obedient wearer to be everso prepared to give an explanation to any who ask why he or she is wearing them.

I can readily attest that this virtue was one of the biggest impediments to my diving headlong into the wearing of these implements in the first place, until just recently (i.e., just in the last four-years). The wearing of tzitzits out in public certainly places an often unwanted spotlight light on you and it tends to do so at the most inopportune times. It is not uncommon to have some random individual come up to you on the street or in a workplace or a business and inquire what those things hanging from your waist are and why are you wearing them.

Yet, tzitzit wearing probably offers one of the greatest witnessing opportunities available to us, short of engaging in old-fashion street-corner evangelism and personal, individual witnessing.

As unwelcoming and as disconcerting as such random inquiries may be, especially to natural introverts such as me, it is those opportunities that that tzitzit wearing offers to the Torah Observant Believer in Yahoshua Messiah that is one of greatest virtues associated with the wearing of these commanded implements. The other great virtues of wearing tzitzits, of course, are the opportunities to obey Yahuah/Yahovah/Yahweh our Elohim  and to be reminded of Him and His commandments and desired way of life that He has set out before us throughout each and everyday.

 Where do you Stand on Tzitzit Wearing?

So I must ask you, dear Saint, dear Son and Daughter of the Most High Elohim: If you do not wear tzitzits in public, each and everyday, and you are a Torah Observant Believer in Yahoshua Messiah, may I ask you why you do not wear them? I would love to hear your perspective on this matter. Simply write your position in the comment section that proceeds this post.

Bear in mind: I do not judge nor condemn any who chooses not to wear tzitzits: wearing or not wearing tzitzits is between you and our Creator.

I will touch upon this subject in coming postings and I hope that you will return and read, reflect, share and opine at your convenience and leisure. We are all in this walk both individually and collectively and it is my greatest desire that this journey of mine (for lack of a better discriptor) wil not so much “talk at you” about issues and topics that I find to be of significance to us as Torah Observant Believers in Yeshua Messiah, but moreso to encourage you and cause you to reflect upon these issues; and as a result, that you, like me, will seek Abba Father regarding His eternal will for our lives that will glorify Him and bring a smile to His Face.

Until next time me friend and brother and sister in the Faith Once Delivered, I bid you Shalom.

Faithfully Yours in Yahoshua our Master,

Rod Thomas

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Post Passover–Feast of Unleavened Bread Thoughts and Reflections–STAR-85

by | Apr 29, 2017 | Blog, Podcasts

Post Passover–Feast of Unleavened Bread Thoughts and Reflections–STAR-85

Post Passover-Feast of Unleavened Bread Thoughts and Reflections--STAR-85

by Rod Thomas | The Messianic Torah Observer's Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections

This is Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections—Episode 85—My Post-Passover-Feast of Unleavened Bread Thoughts and Reflections

 

Greetings fellow Saints in Training. I am trusting that this episode of Sabbath Thoughts and Reflections finds you, your families and fellowships well and bless.

 

Hey, how was your Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread celebration? I hope they were spiritually enriching and that you received the blessings that you were hoping and looking for.

 

As I am posting this episode, we find ourselves just having entered the second Biblical Month of the Creator’s Calendar Year, with the renewed moon sighted over the land of Israel yesterday, 4/28/2017. Having just concluded Passover and the 7-Day Observance of the Feasts of Unleavened Bread (aka Matzah) less than 2-weeks ago, we now turn our sights to Shavuot (aka Pentecost), the final installment of the Spring Feasts of Yahuwah, which will hit us on 6/4/2017.

 

As it relates to my Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread observance this year, Hilary and I stayed local, but we did vacate our home and checked in to a hotel for the week. We realize that we cannot keep Passover and Unleavened Bread the way Torah expressly lays out for us given that the Romans in 70 C.E. destroyed the Temple in Jerusalem and that Yeshua’s sacrifice replaced the animal sacrifices. Nevertheless, the once majestic temple that once stood in Jerusalem is gone but has been replaced by these bodies of ours  and it is our bodies that Abba’s Ruach dwells (I Corinthians 3:16; 6:19). Thus we honor the Feasts of Yahuwah as Abba commanded (Leviticus 23) through fellowshipping with other like-minded Believers in Yeshua Messiah as Father provides. It becomes our greatest pleasure, or it should be, to welcome each feast as it comes with joy and great anticipation, for these are Abba’s appointed times—the sacred moedim of Yahuwah. Father did not abolish His feasts as so many of our cousins in Christianity are quick to point out to us. They are to remain in perpetuity and they serve a divine purpose of reminding us of the great things that Father has done for us through His Son Yeshua Messiah and the great things to come for those who are His and await His coming and the establishment of His Kingdom here on earth.

 

We know for a fact that Yeshua kept the feasts as did the apostles, especially Paul who wrote to the Corinthian Assembly of Believers: “Therefore, let us celebrate the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth (I Corinthians 5:8, NAS).’

 

So who are we to shirk the feasts? While the world is falling apart by its seams, we are blessed to have Yeshua, Torah and the Feasts of Yahuwah. Amein.

 

With that my beloved, let us get on with some post Thoughts and Reflections on Passover and Unleavened Bread.

In Love With the Feast of Yah!

 

I am a “down-right,” “bought and paid-for,” fanatic when it comes to the Feasts of Yahuwah/Yahovah/Yahweh. Ever since I officially began observing the feasts back in 2004, I take the greatest joy in their observance and the celebratory opportunities they provide the Torah observant believer in Yeshua Messiah.

 

Looking Back at the Beginning

 

When I first began observing them, I, as I am certain any new believer to our Faith has experienced, met each Feast with somewhat of a tense sense of anticipation. What I mean by this is that, we begin our “Feasts-honoring-careers” (if you will) with a deep, heartfelt desire to “do the Feasts” properly (knowing now that there is no Biblical-specifics as to what constitutes “proper” when it comes to 21st-century Feast observances) and in such a manner that it would be pleasing to Abba; we did not want to screw any of these celebrations up.

 

So at the beginning of my Feasts-honoring-career,” I began to over-do them (the Feasts that is) to such an extent that the Feasts became somewhat burdensome for me and I began to question: were we doing this thing correctly; were we dishonoring Father in the way we were observing the Feasts; what will my family members and co-workers think of me taking off so much time from work and life in general to observe—what?—dead Jewish holidays that even the Jews don’t truly observe anymore; do we have the correct dates for the Feasts; would we be ready in time to begin the observance; what is the point behind the observances anyway? Yaddy…yaddy…yaddy.

 

Still Concerned About the Feasts

 

These questions and concerns haunted me in the first couple years back when I first converted, and to a lesser extent, they still haunt me even to this day. Oh, these questions and concerns have somewhat morphed over the years, I’ll be honest to say, taking on more of a deeper, personal concern: will we squander the opportunities the feasts provide by not seeking out every possible opportunity; what does Abba want us to gain from the experience; who are the best persons to observe the feasts with—just Hilary, friends or a particular fellowship-gathering; what is reasonable to spend (money-wise) in order to honor Yah through observing His feasts in the spirit that Abba would justly require?

 

This Passover a Bust?

 

This particular Passover celebration season proved a challenging one for me in terms of these and other stated concerns. This particular year was quite odd in that my concerns centered upon what Abba wanted me to gain from the celebration period. (Yes, I know, touching on being a bit inwardly focused in my concerns, but I am giving you my sincerest thoughts.)

 

I will be honest with you: for much of the 8-day observance period (i.e., the day we identify as Passover, followed by the 7-days of Unleavened Bread), I felt troubled and frankly, empty. I just could not identify what I was supposed to be getting out of the weeklong observance. Oh, I delved into some moderately deep Scriptural studies; some teachings online; and some personal reflections and prayer throughout the week, yet by week’s end, I was still unclear what I gained (spiritually speaking that is) from the celebration week.

 

Yes, I believe (it’s a quirk of mine) that we are to gain or get something out of each feast observance—that we must leave each feast celebration in a better spiritual place than when we began the feast, otherwise I feel as though I’ve missed what Father would have in store for me. Moreover, I do not want to miss a thing that Father has for me.

 

Father’s Feasts

 

These are supposed to be Abba’s appointed times that He established at the very beginning to meet with us (Genesis 1:14; Leviticus 23:4; Psalm 104:19; Daniel 2:21) collectively and individually, especially during the three-pilgrimage Feasts of Unleavened Bread (Leviticus 23), Shavuot (aka Pentecost or Feast of Weeks) and Sukkot (aka Feast of Tabernacles or Booths). I believe that is one of the distinct reasons Father commanded us to pack up and go to where He chose to place his Name and to celebrate these times before Him in joy and in reverence and in anticipation of a spiritual blessing (Leviticus 23; Deuteronomy 12, 14, 16 and 26). These feasts gatherings are “dates” we are privileged to have with the Most High and they should be some of the most memorable, beautiful, spiritually romantic, substantive periods in our lives.

 

A Date with the Creator

 

I remember when I was courting my lovely wife, Hilary, back in the day: oh, how I looked forward with indescribable anticipation the dates we would have. Each date we’d set would result in my mind being almost entirely focused upon the plans that we’d made and how I could make those plans even more special for her. When the time came for our date to begin, there was a joy and an anticipation of a wondrous time that I would have with her and how much closer we would become because of the experience. Those were heady and crazy times, looking back 36-years ago. Talk about “first love.”

 

Somehow, I believe my dates—those set, annual, appointed times with Yahuwah—must exceed the dating experiences I used to experience with Hilary three and a half decades ago.

 

The question for me becomes–how do I capture that same sense of anticipation and joy in my celebration of the feasts, and for that matter, exceed them?

 

Not Much Joy this Passover

 

Sadly, I was lacking that sense of anticipation and joy this year and that has somewhat disappointed me. Do I feel that the entire Passover period was a spiritual bust for me? No, not in the least, but it was not joyous nor inspiring. I will explain in just a second.

 

Introspective—Testing—Bitter Sweet—Revelatory Type Passover

 

This Passover for me was more of introspection and a time of testing and spiritual self-inventory; it was more of a bitter experience than a pleasant one. Now this does not mean that the experience was not spiritually good for me. On the contrary, I believe it proved to be a most spiritually beneficial feast for me as a Spirit-Filled Torah Observant Believer in Yeshua Messiah. No, it was not one of those “hang out with the brethren” Feasts this year—it was something else: revelation; introspection; inquiry; concern; regrets are just a few of the descriptors of my time last week. Again, it all came down to what I gained from the experience. It is all about spiritual gain: growth; spiritual development; spiritual and personal insight; fellowship (when available); rest, both spiritually and physically; peace; opportunity; worship; and celebration—celebration of life, who I am as a Son of the Most High, of my redemption, of my tremendous good fortune in Father’s adoption of me as His child. Of course, there is much more.

 

So what did I come away with—or what did I gain—from this year’s Passover? I came away with the following things that, quite frankly, I’m still working through even as I write this post: first, the “love of the many” has seemingly “waxed cold” in our Faith Community and I’m afraid to say that even I may also be infected with this malady; secondly, the Passover-Unleavened Bread observance was more than just a reminder that sin must be purged from our lives; and thirdly, as much as I prefer introversion as my primary framework for worship, I found that I missed fellowshipping with other like-minded believers apart from Hilary.

 

I know, a bummer, right? Well, not exactly. What these elements have begun to teach me is that I, Rod, have a ton of work that needs to be completed in my life and that I must decide where my heart, mind and soul truly will lay in my remaining years on this earth before Master returns.

 

Allow me to reflect upon each of these 3-areas if you don’t mind.

The Love of the Many…in Hebrew Roots

 

The first of these 3-reflective areas of Passover has to do with my perception—dare I say heartfelt concern—that love is quickly vanishing from the ranks of our Faith Community, if it has not already done so by now.

 

Despite the reality of our abject preoccupation with Torah, one of the central, dare I say essential criterion of being a member of the Hebrew Roots Community, is that Yahoshua/Yahshua is our Master and we are compelled to obey Him as we obey our Creator Yahuwah. For some odd reason, a huge swath of Torah-keeping believers have all but abandoned Yeshua and have turned their lives almost entirely to a radical form of Judaism or have adopted a Judaistic-like worldview. One believer that I came across in social media aptly dubbed these individuals as “Yeshua-haters;” and indeed, given the excessive venom and vile disdain these individuals have for anyone who doesn’t see the things of our Faith as they do, this title certainly fits these individuals to a tee.

 

Nevertheless, Master Yeshua and His teachings if ignored will have eternal repercussions.

 

Shaul (aka the Apostle Paul), in his letter to the Assembly of Believers in Philippi, so eloquently wrote of our Master: “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Messiah Yahoshua, who, although He existed in the form of Yahuwah/Yahweh/Yahovah (i.e., having the qualities and characteristics of His Father), did not regard equality with Yahuwah a thing to be grasped (i.e., a thing to take hold of), but emptied Himself (He essentially set aside His favored status with the Father), taking the form of a bond-servant and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. For this reason also, Yahuwah highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name (i.e., above every authority), so that at the name of Yeshua every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth (i.e., every created being that has ever existed), and that every tongue will confess that Yeshua Messiah is Master, to the glory of Yahuwah the Father (Philippians 2: 5-11; NAS, amended by me).

 

So with this knowledge being set firmly in our hearts and minds, it makes undeniable sense that we should do what Yeshua tells us to do; that of course assumes that He is indeed Master over our lives, having been appointed as such by Yahuwah His Father. I would further submit that this point is not up for debate, nor is it optional.

 

Now, Master gave us a commandment, that He stipulated as a “new” instruction or commandment, and that instruction is found exclusively in John’s gospel, chapters 13 and 15 which reads: “A new commandment I give to you that you love one another just as I have loved you; you also are to love one another” (13:34, ESV); and “This is my commandment: that you love one another as I have loved you” (15:12; ESV).

 

As an aside, I find it fascinating how this concept of love for one another seemed to resonate so profoundly with John, whom the writing suggests the Master loved exceptionally so. This commandment resonated with John so much that he even referenced it in his first and second general epistles—I John 4:21; 2 John 1:5.

 

So the question I have for our community today is–where is the love? Why is our Faith Community so devoid of love for one another? Why do we persistently hate on one another? Why do we despise one another over the most innocuous things and cut off fellowship with one another because we interpret elements of our Faith differently from one another? This thing is worse than money and politics in the carnal world, for these are just two examples of things that have the potential to sever most relationships between once respecting and even loving peoples.

 

For some bizarre reason we have many angry and mean folks attaching themselves to our community who seem quite obtuse to the aforementioned Johannine passages.

 

Yes, people in our Faith Community can be exceptionally mean and these exceptionally mean people have no problem eating you alive in person or online over the most innocuous Torah topics. I got into, yet, another fight on Facebook the week of Passover, this time over the Biblical validity of what I often refer to as the Lunar Sabbath debacle. That on-line conflict essentially ruined an entire day of the Feast for me; I was outraged at the arrogance of the two individuals who insisted that we Torah-keepers are for all-intents and purposes lower forms of life and, as one of them called me, infidels, for not adopting this evil, baseless doctrine that seems to be setting up shop in our community. How does such a ridiculous doctrine, obviously from the pit of hades itself, find such a zealous home in the hearts of once devout Hebrew Rooters? I just do not get it. Then those very same Hebrew Rooters, now converted Lunar Sabbatarians, take on a sense of brutal arrogance that seeks to shut down those of us who do not agree with it.

 

Another Facebook conflict happened to me just this week, although I was not a willing participant in this conflict, which involved a long-time Facebook friend (whatever that actually means these days), who posted a scathing retort on my Facebook page over my referring to Abba as—wait, here it comes—God! Yes, I dared to refer to Yahuwah, our Elohim, by the title of God. Okay, since when did it become a crime in Hebrew Roots to use the title God? Honestly, how many of us grew up calling our Creator by what we presume to be His true name today—Yahweh—Yahovah—Yahuwah? I can pretty much guess, not very many of us, and oh, by the way, our best guesses at the Creator’s Name is just that—best guesses. No one alive today truly knows the correct pronunciation of the Creator’s Name. However, there are certain members of this sacred names sect that will cut you down just as quick as the lunar Sabbatarians. Again, where is the love that Master commanded us to show towards one another? Indeed, the love of the many in our community has waxed ever so cold.

 

Nevertheless, what Father has revealed to me in the midst of my outrage and disappointment (in those who are supposed to be Spirit-filled and possess love for God and for brother/sister) is that the tares and wheat MUST grow together until the time of harvest, otherwise in uprooting the tares to free the wheat, the wheat will be uprooted in the process (Matthew 13:24-30). Furthermore, it’s too bad that my little feelings were hurt as a result of a couple of personal attacks over such non-issues and topics as the Lunar Sabbath debacle or even the Pharisaic attempts by some to stamp out the use of the term God from all Hebrew Rooter vernacular. In addition, I am almost certain that many of you listening to me today have endured such attacks from the ultra-conservative, radical arm of our community. These and other such fights are not mine to wage, as much as my ire towards those who seek to harm our Faith Community with their lies is so easily kindled when they so arrogantly go about their trolling for new converts to their confederacy of evil.

The Bread of Affliction

Unleavened Bread—A Time to Embrace Affliction

 

The second of my three reflective areas for this Passover season has to do with the concept of affliction. Allow me to explain.

 

This past Passover and Unleavened Bread season was particularly challenging for me on a couple of levels. To begin with, Hilary and I are working through some major life-changes that involve relocating cross-country to attend to ailing family members and initiate a full-time ministry. Can I just say—this is one of the most challenging things we have ever done in our 3-1/2-decades of married life. I will not bore you with the particulars, but suffice to say, this is turning out to be something that I will be happy to see come to a complete end here shortly, Abba willing and the crick don’t rise.

 

Along with that, the situation back East with my aging and ailing loved ones seems to have taken quite a turn for the worse and I’m having to deal with a great deal of guilt over not being there, and of course, the tremendous anxiety of not getting this whole “relocation” thing over and done with fast enough. I guess it comes down to a “woe is me” situation playing out in my head. It is weighing heavy on it adversely affected, not just and me how I was relating to my beloved Hilary, but it was weighing heavy on my focus during the entire Passover week.

 

Therefore, I struggled to maintain a positive focus during the week of Passover and Unleavened Bread in the midst of my guilt and worries, while at the same time fighting to identify what it was I was supposed to be learning for the Feast-week.

 

With all, that I have mentioned that was going on with me during that week, turns out that I did not gain an understanding of what Father had for me in terms of that Passover week until the Last Day of Unleavened Bread. Upon tuning in to House of Israel in Charlotte North Carolina from Hilary and my hotel room (having vacated our home in honor of the Feast week), I received the understanding I was searching for. That understanding was something that I have always known about in the back of my mind, but never thought to apply it to myself, David, a minister at House of Israel, delivered it to me.

 

David reminded me that most of us place quite a bit of focus on sin as it relates to the Feast of Unleavened Bread; that is, the elimination of sin from our lives. The popular teaching in our Faith Community is that the Feast of Unleavened Bread provides a prophetic-framework that reminds us that Abba’s plan of salvation and His purpose for sending us Master Yeshua was to vanquish sin from our lives—both imputed vanquishing of past sins through Abba’s grace and Yeshua’s sacrifice, and our daily work of eliminating sin from every aspect of our lives through obedience to Torah and the transformative work of the Ruach HaKodesh (i.e., the Holy Spirit) in our lives.

 

Indeed, this is a crucial aspect of our lives that I believe we must keep in the forefront of our thoughts, and thus we fight the good fight daily of dying to self.

 

Yet until David’s teaching, I felt as though Abba was shortchanging me this Feast. Oh, how wrong could I have been!

 

The other aspect of Unleavened Bread we tend to overlook in our Faith Community is the historical link between the consumption of Unleavened Bread during the 7-day Feast week and the years of horrendous bondage that we endured in Egypt. Abba referred to those years of bondage as “affliction” (that is, “oniy”) (Exodus 3:17) and that affliction is memorialized in the leavened bread that we consume during the week and the bitter herbs we cringe to eat during the Pecach meal (Deuteronomy 16:3).

 

Affliction, the consuming of matzah and the Feast of Unleavened Bread are intricately linked. Unleavened bread is symbolic of affliction. Let us face it, leavened products can be quite pleasing to the pallet and appealing to the eyes; whereas unleavened products tend to appear bland and taste equally so. It is often a challenge to willingly submit oneself to consuming something that is as distasteful as unleavened bread (aka matzah) for seven days, especially when there is so many other options readily available to us.

 

Have you noticed breads, cakes and cookies seem to find their way in our line of vision annoying so during the week of Unleavened Bread? Fortunately, I love the celebrating this feast more than I care for leavened foods.

 

What then is the nexus between unleavened bread and affliction? Well, for me, affliction is certainly not something that I relish taking place in my life. Yet I am not so naive to know that bad times come upon us when they come and often there is little that we can do about them. Often times they come as a result of something bad that we’ve done, thus affliction is the reaping of that which we’ve badly sown (Galatians 6:7-9). The Tanakh is filled with examples of affliction brought about through disobedience or evil deeds.

 

Afflictions come to us at times to prove us and build us up in the areas of our lives that are spiritually lacking and if those areas are not refined and molded properly, we become useless to Father (Job 4, 8, 11, 18), and this my dear friends is one of the areas of affliction that seems to applied to me the most. There are many areas of my life that need refining and strengthening in order for me, and yes you, to be the vessels that Father is desirous of us to work out His purpose in the earth.

 

Afflictions come to us at times to test us—to show to Father, the world and to us, that we’ve overcome our weaknesses and have died to self and are ready to truly be Yahushua’s disciples (again, see the story of Job).

 

Afflictions come to us at times to bring Abba glory. I know, how strange to apply such a concept—affliction—to the glory of Yahuwah, but David did a fantastic job pointing out that the Scriptures are filled with examples of people being healed and miracles transpiring all over the place for the express purpose of our God gaining the glory He so justly deserves (John 9:1-5).

 

Afflictions come to us at times to draw us closer to Father and to put us into “a right relationship with Yahuwah.”

 

In the case of our Master, afflictions came to Him to atone for the sins of the world. We deserved to be on that execution stake, but our Master took on that penalty for us and thus we’ve been gloriously released from the eternal sin debt that haunts all mankind from birth (Isaiah 53:3-7).

 

The first thing that comes to my mind whenever I sense affliction has come to my world is that God is out to get me. I recall growing up in Baltimore during the 1960’s and 1970’s, in a Southern Baptist environment, and whenever someone would be afflicted with whatever, the common thinking amongst the holy rollers was that God was getting some payback. In some cases, this may have been true, but the more accurate way of looking at these situations should have been that Father was not intending to destroy those who were being afflicted (as with us today), but was simply working these individuals through any of the above noted situations.

 

What I came away with this Unleavened Bread season was that afflictions are a big part of our walk with Messiah and as distasteful as afflictions may be (just like the taste of matzah), there is a divine purpose behind them. Our desire should be, then, to readily accept those afflictions and endure them (2 Timothy 2:10), no matter how bad they may get. As the affliction progresses, it then becomes our responsibility to turn fully to Yahuwah and resist the temptation to complain to the world about our issues (Colossians 1:24); to rejoice  in Yahuwah for the great things He is presently doing and is going to do in our lives (Philippians 4:4) and give Abba thanks, even though when afflictions hit, it’s often a challenge to do so (I Thessalonians 5:18).

 

This is the life we signed up for and it took this Unleavened Bread season for me to have this reality revealed to me. Praise Yahuwah for David’s teaching and for delivering to me that missing piece of the Unleavened Bread puzzle that eluded me for most of the Feast this past season.

 

Missing Fellowship

 

The last reflection has to do with my missing the joy of formal fellowship this Passover season. This was one of the first years in a few years where we, Hilary and I, celebrated Pecach and the Feast of Unleavened Bread alone, outside of a formal fellowship-type gathering. I must admit that I missed having that formal-fellowship this season. We were blessed to be able to tune into the Michael Rood Passover celebration, broadcasted on the internet for a fee by the Rood organization. I have some personal misgivings about this whole thing that I will save discussing for another time, but we did get some semblance of fellowship through this live-internet broadcast. Additionally, House of Israel broadcasts first and last day of Unleavened Bread teachings and praise and worship services that I found helped lessen my feelings of missing fellowship.

 

It was not the same, and I am hoping that next year, if Master tarries, Hilary and I will have the blessing of fellowshipping with a group of like-minded Spirit-Filled Torah Observant Believers in Yeshua Messiah.

 

King David wrote, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity” (Psalm 133:1, KJV). As convenient and cost effective as on-line programs such as was offered by House of Israel and the Rood organization, I can attest that tuning in to on-line programs during the feasts does not compare to actually being with and in the midst of the brethren.

Concluding Thoughts and Reflections

 

I’ve shared with you just a few thoughts and reflections that I gained from last week’s Passover/Feast of Unleavened Bread celebration. Looking back to that week, I can honestly say that it was bitter sweet for me. Part of me wished that it would have been different; that it would have been like in years past when we fellowshipped with other like-minded believers in a formal fellowship setting and that things were going along in our lives swimmingly and without the problems that I described to you earlier. Turns out, I did not have such a pleasant experience this go-round.

 

I should say that I cannot attest for Hilary’s experience this season, but I think she spent a great amount of time putting together some teachings that you might find of spiritual value; and you may find them at www.itsnotasyouperceive.com.

 

The other part of me, however, is thankful for the week. I can say, without reservation that I’ve gained more spiritually from this year’s Passover/Unleavened Bread season than I’ve gained spiritually in past years. I’m still “feasting,” if you will, from the various elements of this year’s feast, as bitter as those elements turned out to be, and I am seeing myself from the perspective of someone who remains a “work in progress” and who has a long ways to go as it relates to meeting that mark for the prize of the high calling of Yahuwah in Messiah Yeshua.

 

It is my hope and trust that you too had a blessed Passover/Unleavened Bread season, not just celebratory-wise, but spiritual-wise. I do not know what is going on in your life today nor do I know what transpired in your life during the Feast last week. All I know is that Father is preparing for Himself a people who will finally fulfill the void left behind by our forefathers who chose to follow other elohim. Father is going to fix that problem soon and eventually, all Israel will be saved (Romans 11:26). As it relates to us today, Abba is preparing a nation of priests for this world and it is my sincerest hope that we all find ourselves busy at work doing that which Father has commanded us to do and that we ultimately find ourselves happily and eternally housed in the soon coming Kingdom of Yahuwah.

 

I would have once said, hasten and come now Master Yahoshua, come now, but after this past feast season, I’m hoping He tarries just a little longer so that I can get my act together and fulfill the mission that He’s given me; there’s just so much remaining that needs to be done.

 

Nevertheless, may Yahuwah bless you and keep you and may His glorious face shine ever so brightly upon you and that you live in complete shalom. Until next week my dear friends and fellow saints in training.

 

Faithfully

 

Rod Thomas

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