START
Day 1.
“START here.”
Marqus (Mark) 1 | “Follow Me”
Hello and welcome to Start. If you’re just getting started - or maybe restarted – with Yahusha, known to most as Jesus, or if you’re just curious about faith, you’re in the right place.
So, where do we begin? Well, for the Talmidiym, the disciples, it all began with two simple words from Yahusha, “Follow me.” And the journey ahead would change everything.
So that’s where we’ll start too: following Yahusha. Our plan is simple. We’ll read 2 Cephers, two books, of the Holy Scriptures, the Bible. First we’ll follow Yahusha’s story in the Besorah of Marqus, the Gospel of Mark; then we’ll talk about our story in the cepher Qolasiym, the epistle to the Colossians. In Marqus’ besorah we’ll see, what it meant to follow Yahusha back then, and in the epistle to the Qolasiym we’ll see, what it means to follow Him today. The Scripture quotes I will supply in the translation of the את CEPHER, which is a comprehensive restoration of sacred scripture in the English language.
The most important part of this plan is the reading of the Scriptures, but I’ll be here to keep you company and explain things as we go. After all, journeys are better together. Invite a friend, and you’ll get to know Yahusha, while you get to know each other! You can read on your own, then check in to talk about it each day - or each week. Or it can just be me and you.
Okay, let’s jump in. Today, Marqus chapter 1, starting at verse 1:
“THE beginning of the Besorah of YAHUSHA HA'MASHIACH, the Son of ELOHIYM;”
That’s quite an opening. First, it’s good news, and I love good news. It’s about Yahusha, the Mashiach. Mashiach means “anointed one” - as in the one, Yahuah's (The LORD’s) chosen. And Yahusha is Ben Elohiym (the Son of God).
Verse 2 begins with a prophecy from centuries earlier:
“As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before your face (ahead of you), which shall prepare your way before you.”
Yahuah's messenger was a man named Yahuchanon (John), sent to preach and to prepare hearts for Yahusha. How did he prepare them? Well, verse 4 says that he preached the “immersion of repentance for the remission of sins" (a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins). Repentance is the key. To repent is to change your mind and change your direction. Recognize, “What I did was wrong,” then turn away from it to follow a whole new direction. And so people came from far and wide to hear Yahuchanon, to repent, and get immersed.
This is key. The first step to following Yahusha is a change of direction. Confess the wrong you’ve done, turn away from it, and turn towards Yahusha. Yahuchanon immersed with water as a sign of repentance, but he also told them that Yahusha was coming and “he shall immerse you with the RUACH HA'QODESH (the Holy Spirit).”
Then in verse 9, Yahusha came from Natsareth (Nazareth), and Yahuchanon immersed Him. But Yahusha’s baptism was different. The RUACH descended on him like a dove, and in verse 11:
“And there came a voice from heaven, saying, You are my yachiyd, in whom I am well pleased.” (“Yachiyd” means “Beloved Son")
There is so much to see here, but I want you to read for yourself. That’s how this works. I’ll focus on the big picture, then you read the details.
Verse 14 and 15: “Now after that Yahuchanon was put in prison, YAHUSHA came into Galiyl, preaching the Besorah of the Kingdom of YAHUAH, (Galiyl means Galilee, Besorah means good news of God) And saying, The time is fulfilled (The time has come), and the Kingdom of YAHUAH is at hand (has come near): repent ye, and believe the Besorah.”
Yahusha came with a message: Yahuah's Mamlakah (God’s Kingdom) - the place where Yahuah rules as King - is near. It’s at hand, within reach. And He invited people to repent - to turn from their sin - and believe the Besorah, the good news.
But if the Mamlakah, the Kingdom was near, how would they reach it? Verse 16 and 17:
“Now as he walked by the Sea of Galiyl, he saw Shim`on and Andrai his brother casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And YAHUSHA said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men.”
Take note. The key to reaching Yahuah's Mamlakah is in two little words: follow Yahusha.
Verse 18: “And straightway they forsook their nets, and followed him.”
Notice that they had to leave something in order to follow. Yahusha moved on and found Ya'aqov (James) and Yahuchanon (John) – not Yahuchanon the immerser -, and they too left what they had and followed Yahusha.
I wonder sometimes if the Talmidiym (disciples) knew that their lives were about to change, or that the whole world would change. I don’t know how much they understood just yet, but they trusted Yahusha enough to take the first steps.
So let’s join them. Read Marqus 1. Watch Yahusha’s authority as He casts out demons. Feel His compassion as He heals the sick. Hear His wisdom as He teaches. And as you read, understand that Yahusha does not invite us to simply believe a set of facts or ponder some philosophy. And He doesn’t invite us to join an institution. He invites us to join Him on a journey. He invites us to follow.
For Reflection & Discussion:
1. What do you think Yahusha means when He says, “Follow Me”?
2. How is that different from saying “listen to me” or “believe me”?
3. Which of these words do you think best describe what it means to be a Mashiachiy, a Christian: religion, faith, philosophy, rules, journey, relationship? Why? How did you come to know about Yahusha (Jesus)? Share your story.
Day 2.
This is part of a series.
So, if you aren't following it from the beginning, please start at Day 1.
Thanks.
Marqus (Mark) 2-3 | Forgiven & Chosen
Welcome back to Start. We’re in Marqus (Mark). 2 today. In the Sacred Scriptures, the Bible, Yahusha (Jesus) makes some big claims - big enough to get Him killed. But anyone can claim to be anything. The question is - does Yahusha prove it?
In Marqus 2, we find Yahusha teaching in a home in Kapharnachum (Capernaum), and the word gets out.
Verse 2: “And straightway many were gathered together, so much so that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door: and he preached the word unto them.”
So there’s a huge crowd, and Yahusha preaches the Word - that’s the Sacred Scriptures. Yahusha always focused on YAH,s (God’s) Word. He also performed miracles, but Yahusha called those miracles signs, and a sign points to something else. Perfect example: today’s story.
Verse 3: “And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four. And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay. When YAHUSHA saw their belief, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, your sins be forgiven you.”
Hold on. Rewind that tape. Did he just say, “Your sins are forgiven?” The man showed up for healing, not forgiveness. But Yahusha knows something: there is no issue in life as big as sin and forgiveness. And watch what happens next. Some Yahudic rabbis (Jewish teachers) are there, and they are shocked.
“Why does this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but YAHUAH only?” (Marqus 2:7).
And on that last part, they’re right. To claim to forgive sins was to claim the authority of YAHUAH (God). If it’s not true, it’s blasphemy - a very serious sin. Yahusha knows their thoughts, so he poses a question.
Verse 9: “Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, ‘Your sins be forgiven you’; or to say, את eth ‘Arise, and take up your bed, and walk’?”
I love this question. Think about it. Which one is easier to say? “Your sins are forgiven.” That’s easy to say because no one can see it. But it’s much harder to do! Only God can forgive sin! But to say to a paralyzed man, “Get up, take your mat and walk” - that puts it all on the line. Everyone’s watching. So in verse 10 Yahusha continues,
“‘But that ye may know that it is Lawful for the Son of A'dam to forgive sins on earth, (he says to the sick of the palsy,) I say unto you, Arise, and take up your bed, and go your way into your house.’ And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; so much so that they were all amazed, and glorified YAH, saying, ‘We never saw it on this fashion.’”
The miracle here is awesome: a paralyzed man walks! But don’t miss the sign, it points to Yahusha's authority. Yahusha has YAH’s authority to forgive sins, and he proves it. And he uses it again in the very next story. In verse 13, Yahusha is teaching beside a lake, and he sees Leviy (Levi) working as a tax collector. Now tax collectors were despised in that time, corrupt men who pocketed more than they gave the government. Wicked greed. And yet Yahusha approached Leviy,
“‘Follow me,’ Yahusha told him, and Leviy got up and followed him” (2:14).
There are those words again, that same invitation. But this time Yahusha invites a sinner - a very bad person. And Leviy follows! And when Leviy invites Yahusha and the talmidiym (disciples) for dinner, there are even more sinners. Now this was especially difficult for the Parashiym (Pharisees) to understand. The Parashiym were religious leaders - the judgmental and self-righteous kind - who just couldn’t understand. If Yahusha is a good rabbi (teacher), “Why does he eat with publicans (tax collectors) and sinners?” (2:16).
Verse 17 is a profound statement:
“When YAHUSHA heard it, he said unto them, ‘They that are whole (healthy) have no need of the physician (doctor), but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.’”
Don’t miss this. Yahusha chose sinners. Leviy was a sinner. So were his friends. But just as a doctor comes to heal the sick, Yahusha comes to forgive and restore sinners - to make them righteous. Righteous means right with YAH (God). That’s an important word. You know that feeling between two people when your relationship is right - when nothing stands between you? And you probably know that feeling when a relationship is not right - when a wall is between you because you messed up. Well, that’s where we are with YAH. Sin separates us. We did wrong. But the Besorah (gospel) - the great news - is that Yahusha came to make us right again. He forgives sins, and calls us righteous. What he asks from us is faith. Righteous by faith. And even more amazing, Yahusha chooses sinners, makes them right, and sends them out to serve YAH.
In chapter 3, we’ll read as Yahusha calls to Himself a group of twelve, and appoints them to be apostles. A talmidiy (disciple) follows, an apostle is sent - like an ambassador. And there in that list of twelve is Leviy, only his name is changed to Mattityahu (Matthew). Yahusha chooses sinners, forgives them, heals and changes them, and he sends them out to tell all the other sinners the good news: YAH loves you. Amazing. And he still does it today. Read Marqus 2 and 3 today, to get the whole story. And I’ll meet you back here in chapter 4.
For Reflection & Discussion:
1. Why do you think it was so hard for the religious leaders to accept that Yahusha ate with sinners?
2. Yahusha makes a profound statement in 2:17, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” What does that mean to you?
3. What role has forgiveness played in your life? Share your story.
Day 3.
This is part of a series.
So, if you aren't following it from the beginning, please start at Day 1.
Thanks.
Marqus (Mark) 4-5 I "Good Seeds & Good Dirt"
Yahusha (Jesus) is a phenomenal storyteller. In Marqus (Mark) 4 and 5, Yahusha tells parables - stories that teach a lesson. Yahusha’s first parable will help us answer two essential questions: what is the Sacred Scriptures, the Bible, and why should we read it?
Let’s start in at Mark 4, verse 3:
“‘Hearken (Listen); Behold, there went out a sower to sow: And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up. And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth: But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit. And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some a hundred.’”
Then Yahusha said, “And he said unto them, He that has ears to hear, let him hear.” (verse 9)
So it’s a farming story. A farmer is planting seeds; some seeds grow and some don’t, depending on the soil. Not too exciting, but Yahusha gives us the key to this parable in verse 14:
“The sower (thefarmer) sows the word.”
In Luqas (Luke) 8 Yahusha says:
“Now the parable is this: The seed is the Word of YAHUAH.” (Luqas 8:11).
So Yahusha compares Yahuah’s Word to a seed. Think about seeds. They’re not much to look at. The fruit is much more interesting. But the seed inside, that unassuming little speck, has hidden inside of it all the blueprints and all the construction tools necessary to build an entire bush, plant, or tree - from roots to branches to fruit - and all out of dirt. A seed is amazing: you bury it and it creates life.
And Yahusha tells us: the Word of Yahuah is a seed. May not look like much, but the blueprints of life are in there. All it needs is good dirt.
The Sacred Scriptures (the Bible) are more than a book. It’s actually 66, or more, books. But much more than that, they are the Word of Yahuah. Timotheus Sheniy (2nd Timothy) says,
“All Scripture is given by the RUACH YAHUAH, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” (2 Tim 3:16).
That means that “the Bible” claims to be “Yahuah's Word”.
So if the Word is a seed, what’s the soil? That brings us back to the parable.
Yahusha explains that the soil is the ones who hear the word. The soil is you and me. It’s our hearts, and there are four kinds of soil - four different hearts when it comes to hearing Yahuah's word.
Some hearts are as hard as solid road. The word hits and doesn’t get in. Other hearts are like the rocky soil. There’s a little loose dirt, and the seed grows a little, but the roots can’t grow deep. When trouble comes, they give up on faith. Then some hearts are like that soil with thorns and weeds, so caught up in the pleasures and worries of life, there’s just no room to grow faith. But then there are some hearts that… Well, have you ever seen a field of plain old dirt turn into a garden? Amazing.
So how can you make sure that your heart is the kind that grows? To find out, read Mark 4. Remember, the power is in Yahuah's words, not mine. I’m here to get you started, but my real goal is for you to open the Sacred Scriptures (the Bible) and read it for yourself.
My hope for you is a healthy “Bible habit”. That’s an essential part of following Yahusha. Read the Sacred Scriptures daily. Plant good seeds in good dirt and grow good fruit.
So read Marqus 4 and 5, and consider which kind of soil you want to be. If you have time, read the full chapters, and follow Yahusha as He tells more amazing stories. And watch as He speaks to a huge storm and calms it, as He casts out demons, heals the sick, and even calls the dead back to life. And all of that, with the power of His word. And if Yahusha's words can do all that, just imagine what they’ll do in your life. All you need - is good dirt.
For Reflection & Discussion:
1. Why do you think Yahusha pictures the Word of Yahuah as a seed?
2. How are they similar? If the dirt represents your heart, what can you do to make sure that Word is planted in good dirt and has room to grow and bear fruit?
3. How have you seen the word of Yahuah affect you and people in your life?
Share your story.
Day 4.
This is part of a series.
So, if you aren't following it from the beginning, please start at Day 1.
Thanks.
Marqus (Mark) 6-7 | "Sent to Serve"
We are in Marqus 6 today, and it’s time “to get in the game”. Following Yahusha (Jesus) was never meant to be a spectator sport, and the talmadiym (disciples) are about to get some “playing time”.
That goes for you too. If you follow Yahusha, you are called to ministry, no exceptions. Now if you’re not a believer, the invitation is open. But keep in mind, you’re not invited to join an institution, you’re called to a movement.
What does that mean for the talmidiym? They’re about to find out. Mark 6, verse 7:
“And he called unto Him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and gave them power over unclean ruachoth (impure spirits).”
Notice that Yahusha sends them out. Ministry doesn’t wait for people to come in, it goes out where the need is. And He sends them in twos - ministry is a team “sport”. And He gives them authority - Yah's (God's) authority - to go.
And He gives them instructions. Verse 8:
“And (He) commanded them that they should take nothing for their journey, save a staff only; no scrip (bag), no bread, no money in their purse.”
So their first mission is a lesson in faith. No provisions - just faith. However, the instructions are not the same every time. Later Yahusha will send them on another mission with provisions. Mission is not a formula or recipe, it’s an adventure, and the real key is getting your directions from the Adonai (Lord) every time. Following Yahusha means following instructions, and always trust Yah. Empty handed or fully supplied, trust in Yahuah to provide.
So how’d it go? Verse 12 and 13:
“And they went out, and preached that men should repent. And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them.”
So they did it! They trusted, and Yahuah provided. They returned to Yahusha to give their report, but pretty soon a crowd gathered, and in verse 31, He said to the talmidiym,
“Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while….”
Essential rule of ministry here: get rest with Yahusha. So they get to a solitary place, but the crowd gets there first! Sorry guys - no rest this time. Thirty-four:
“And YAHUSHA, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, …”
I’m always amazed at Yahusha's capacity for compassion. Compassion means “suffer with” - and Yahusha did just that. He saw people’s needs and cared. And he taught the talidiym to care.
Well, Yahusha taught and it got late. Lots of people - remote location - and they need food. The talmidiym tell Yahusha to send them all away. Reasonable. Verse 37:
“He answered and said unto them, ‘Give ye them to eat.’ …”
Pay attention. The disciples see the need, and Jesus tells them to feed the people. But there’s not enough. Not nearly! And it’s the middle of nowhere.
But remember what they just learned: empty handed or fully supplied, trust in Yah to provide. Verse 38:
“‘How many loaves have ye? go and see.’ And when they knew, they say, ‘Five, and two fish.’”
That’s bread and fish for just a few, not thousands. But watch carefully. They tell the people to sit down, and in verse 41,
“And when He had taken the five loaves and the two fish, He looked up to heaven, and blessed, and broke the loaves, and gave them to His Talmidiym to set before them; and the two fish divided he among them all.”
Hold there. Pause the tape and look carefully. Yahusha gave thanks, broke the loaves, and gave each disciple - how much?
Step in their shoes. Look in your hands - half a loaf of bread maybe, little bit of fish. Look up - hundreds of people. But Yahusha said feed them, so you feed them. 42-44:
“And they did all eat, and were filled. And they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments, and of the fish. And they that did eat of the loaves were about five thousand men.”
That is awesome. And it still happens. I have heard many real-life loaves and fishes stories from my friends in ministry. Hurricane relief work in the South, feeding the poor in Mexico, and countless more. Sometimes a truck shows up out of nowhere. Sometimes a small supply lasts way longer than it should. Genuine miracles - but always in the midst of meeting a need. Always in the ministry of compassion.
As you read Mark 6 and 7, watch Yahusha's miracles. Is He showing off - or showing compassion? Is He teaching the talmidiym to perform miracles, or to care and help even when the need is far more than they can provide?
I learned a long time ago that I am not enough. But ministry is a call to something greater than ourselves, something we cannot do alone.
How about you? Do you have what it takes to help all these people? No? Neither do I. But Yahusha said go, so let’s go. Empty handed or fully supplied, trust in Yahuah… and get in “the game”.
For Reflection & Discussion:
1. What do you think Yahusha was teaching the talmidiym when he sent them without money? How about when he told them to feed 5,000 people without enough food? Do those lessons apply today?
2. What is your experience with serving Yah and helping others? Share your story.
3. If you could do anything for Yah, what would it be?
Day 5.
This is part of a series.
So, if you aren't following it from the beginning, please start at Day 1.
Thanks.
Marqus (Mark) 8-9 | "Who Yahusha (Jesus) Is"
Today Marqus (Mark) 8 brings us to the very core of the Mashiachiym Assemblies (Christianity). We’ve been following Yahusha (Jesus) and His talmidiym (disciples) for some time. They’ve seen His miracles, felt His compassion, heard His teaching. Now it’s decision time. There are two key questions here: Who is Yahusha? And what does it take to follow Him?
We begin at verse 27:
“And YAHUSHA went out, and his את eth- Talmidiym, into the towns of Qeycaryah Philippi (Caesarea Philippi): and by the way he asked his Talmidiym, saying unto them, Whom do men say that I am?”
A simple question. And really this is where we all begin when trying to figure out what we believe. We start with what we’ve heard from others. The talmidiym give a few answers they’ve heard: Some say Yahusha is Yahuchanon the immerser (John the Baptist) reborn, or Eliyahu (Elijah), or a Navi (prophet).
And today people have many opinions on who Yahusha (Jesus) is. Muslims honor “Jesus” as a great prophet of Allah - sinless and born of a virgin. Jews are mixed about “Jesus” - some see a good rabbi (teacher), others see a heretic, while many see Mashiach (Messiah). Many Hindus respect “Jesus” as a guru to the Jewish people, while many Buddhists regard “Jesus” as an enlightened being. So there are lots of ideas about Yahusha (Jesus) - mostly positive. But in verse 29, Yahusha presses the matter:
“But whom say ye that I am?”
This is the question that counts. For faith to mean anything, it has to be personal. It’s not enough to know what others say. It has to come from you: Who do you say Yahusha (Jesus) is?
It’s decision time, and Kepha (Peter) makes his:
“And Kepha answered and said unto him, ‘You are HA'MASHIACH (the Messiah).’”
This is a big moment. Messiah means anointed one. He is Yahuah's chosen one to fulfil His promises and complete His great plan to save. We’ll dig into Yahuah's promises and prophecies in our next journey. For now, understand that Kepha's declaration is the foundation stone for faith. Our walk with Yah begins with who we say that Yahusha is.
And in verse 31, Yahusha teaches them that the Mashiach...
“...must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders….”
Yahusha doesn’t want them surprised when Yahuah's chosen one is rejected by the hypocritical leaders,
“...and that he must be killed and after three days rise again.”
So Yahusha lays it all out. He will be killed and rise again. It was prophesied for centuries, in Yesha,yahu (Isaiah) 53, Tehilliy (Psalm) 22, Zakar'yahu (Zechariah) 12. It is Yahuah's plan. The cross is coming.
Interesting, it is the cross that separates the Yahusha of the Sacred Scriptures (the Bible) from what the others say. Muslims reject the cross story; Hindus speak of “Jesus” passing into peaceful samadhi; and for Buddhists who don’t believe in sin, the cross is just cruel.
At first, Kepha has a similar reaction. He takes Yahusha aside to rebuke Him. But Yahusha rebukes Kepha for thinking like a man, and ignoring the things of Yah. Man’s thinking would save the good guy from suffering, and let the bad ones get what they deserve. But not Yahusha. Yahusha lived righteous, and took a sinner’s death. He took our place.
Then in verse 34, Yahusha explains what it takes to be His talmidiy (disciple). Read carefully:
“…Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.”
If you want to follow Yahusha, memorize this verse. This is the cost. To follow Yahusha, you must:
Deny yourself: You cannot save yourself, you cannot be good enough. You need Yahusha.
Take up your cross: Every Mashiachiy (Christian) bears a burden, a sacrifice. Life won’t be fair to you.
And follow Yahusha: Where Yahusha leads, you follow.
Following Yahusha is more than belief, just like marriage is more than a feeling. It’s a continual commitment, a covenant in His blood. Verse 35-37:
” For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the Besorah's, the same shall save it. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”
I love that verse. You know what Yahusha is saying? He’s saying that your soul is worth more than the whole world. So let go of the world, and hold on to Yahusha. For Yahusha, your soul is worth dying for. What is it worth to you?
Someone wasted a lot of years content to leave faith to other people, “They believe this and that.” But there came a day for decision - for his own faith. There’s a big difference between believing in marriage and being married. And there’s a big difference between believing something about Yahusha and following Yahusha. The difference is commitment and sacrifice. In short, the difference is your life. And it’s worth every second.
Read Marqus 8, and answer today’s questions. Who do you say Yahusha is, and are you ready to follow Him?
For Reflection & Discussion:
1. Who do you say that Yahusha is?
2. What will it take for you to follow Yahusha? Write verse 34 in your own words for your life.
3. Is following Yahusha worth the price? Write verses 35-36 in your own words for your life.
Day 6.
This is part of a series.
So, if you aren't following it from the beginning, please start at Day 1.
Thanks.
Marqus (Mark) 10-11 | "Eternal Life"
Today a young man asks Yahusha (Jesus) a big question. Marqus 10, verse 17:
"And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, ‘Good Rabbi (teacher), what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?’”
Now that's a question. The Sacred Scriptures (the Bible) teaches us that, what we do in this short life, determines how we spend eternity. And this young man wants to know - what must I do to inherit the life that's eternal? How do I get to Heaven?
So he asks the good teacher. And watch how Yahusha responds. Verse 18:
"And YAHUSHA said unto him, ‘Why do you call me good? there is none good but one, that is, YAHUAH.’”
Notice that Yahusha doesn't go straight to the answer. Why? Because he wants to clear up the man's wrong beliefs before he explains the right answer. So Yahusha tells him, "No one is good except Yahuah (God)." That's important.
We tend to split the world between good people and bad. But the Scriptures (the Bible) tells us that all have sinned, and not one person is righteous apart from Yah Himself (Romans 3:23). Righteous means right with Yahuah, and in the Ancient Covenant (the Old Testament), the only way to eternal life is righteousness (Mishlei, Proverbs, 12:28).
And watch what Yahusha says next. Verse 19:
"You know the commandments…”
And he lists: don't kill, no adultery, don't steal, no false testimony, honor parents. You may recognize these from the Ten Commandments. Verse 20:
"Rabbi," he declared, "all these I have kept since I was a boy."
Clearly this guy thinks he's good. And I can relate. Before I knew Yahusha, I really thought I was a good person. I tried not to hurt anyone, and I was a pretty nice guy.
But notice what Yahusha leaves out. He lists commands about loving others, but he doesn’t mention the commandments about Yahuah: "You shall have no other elohiym (gods)" and "You shall not make idols" in place of Yahuah. Why does He skip those?
Verse 21: "Then YAHUSHA beholding him loved him,…."
Pause there. For Yahusha, this conversation is more than theological Q&A.
Yahusha loves him. So he tells him:
"One thing you lack: go your way, sell whatsoever you have, and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven: and come, take up your cross, and follow me.”
Wow. He only lacks one thing for eternal life. Just one. But read carefully - what is the one thing? Is it giving everything to the poor? I don't think so. It's the last phrase - those two words: "Follow me."
There is only one way to inherit eternal life: follow Yahusha.
Romaiym (Romans) 3:20 tells us that
"Therefore by the works of the Torah (Law), no flesh is justified in His sight: for by the Torah is the knowledge of sin.”
That means good deeds are not enough.
“Even the righteousness of YAHUAH which is by belief of YAHUSHA HA'MASHIACH unto all and upon all them that believe:…” (Romaiym, Romans, 3:22).
In other words, Yahusha makes us right with Yahuah when we follow Him by faith. He took our sin to the cross and gave us His righteousness (Qorintiym Sheniy, 2 Corinthians, 5:21).
So why did Yahusha tell the man to sell all that he had? Well, watch his reaction:
"And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.” (Marqus 10:22).
So he was rich. And his reaction is a clue. He was sad because he loved his riches. Money is not evil, but the love of money is dangerous. Riches can easily become an idol - a replacement for Yahuah. Perhaps Yahusha bypassed the first commandments to show the young man that he was doing the same.
And again, I can relate. I thought I was pretty good, but pride was my idol, and it kept me from Yahuah. For this man, money was his idol. So Yahusha told him: first let go of the idols, then follow me.
And watch Yahusha's words. He describes Heaven as "entering Mamlakah Yahuah, the Kingdom of Yahuah." That changes things. If Heaven were simply a good place, then entrance would require being good; but if Heaven is Yahuah's Kingdom, then entrance requires being right with the King.
Yahuah is the King, and the only way to Yahuah's Kingdom is to follow Yahusha. He is good, and only he can make us righteous. But you can't follow Yahusha until you leave your idols. You cannot serve two masters, and you cannot follow in two directions.
So what happened to the man? Did he ever follow Yahusha, or did he gain the world and lose his soul? We don't know. But I do know there's still time for you.
I wonder how Yahusha would respond if you asked him that same question. We all have different idols: money, pleasure, drugs, success, pride, lust. To find your idol, just ask yourself: When Yahusha says "Follow me," what holds you back?
Read Mark 10, and consider what you need to let go so that you can follow.
For Reflection & Discussion:
1. Which part of Yahusha's response really answers the man’s question? (Read 10:17 & 10:21).
2. Why does Yahusha say it is so difficult for the rich to enter Yahuah's Kingdom? (Read 10:25).
3. When Yahusha calls you to follow Him, what things hold you back? Share your story.
Day 7.
This is part of a series.
So, if you aren't following it from the beginning, please start at Day 1.
Thanks.
Marqus 12-13 | "For the Love of YAH (God)."
Welcome back everyone. Today we take on two topics in stark contrast: religious hypocrisy and unconditional love. The disparity between those two is as striking today as it ever was. Hypocrisy drives us away from religion in disgust - yet the extraordinary love of YAH calls us back. But how do we reconcile such a divide?
Here in Marqus’ Besorah (Mark’s gospel), it is that very division that brings our story quickly to a head. We've been following Yahusha’s (Jesus') story for a week now, but for the talmidiym (disciples), three years have passed, and Marqus 12 brings us to the final week of Yahusha's life. The setting is Yerushalayim (Jerusalem), and large crowds have gathered from all Yashar'el (Israel) to celebrate the feast of Pecach (Passover).
Pecach is a religious celebration, as the Yahudiym (the Jews) commemorate how Yahuah (The LORD God) rescued them from slavery and saved them from death by the blood of a lamb. For now, just know that the city is packed for the festival, and everyone is talking about Yahusha. Yet the opinions on Yahusha are deeply divided. Many are amazed by his miracles and teaching, but the religious leaders are angry. They scorn Yahusha's compassion - they cannot understand His love for sinners.
How is it that some people can appear so devoted to Yah and yet so devoid of love? They studied Yah's Torah (law), yet missed the point badly. Yahusha called them hypocrites, honoring Yah with their lips while their hearts were far away (Marqus 7:6). When Yahusha arrived earlier in the week, He found that they had transformed Pecach into one more opportunity to take money from people.
For me, the conflict here captures a deep divide in “Christian” practice to this day. Yahusha commanded us to love. Mashiachiym (Christians) are to be marked by love. Yet so often we are known for judgmental, compassionless hypocrisy. We resemble the very ones that Yahusha spoke against. It should not be.
As for the religious leaders, Yahusha exposed their greed and arrogance time and again, and now they're looking for a way to kill him. In chapter 12, they challenge Yahusha with a barrage of questions. They question Yahusha's authority, and try to trip him up with some tricky particular of Yah's Torah. The irony in all this is that these men, who were so devoted to the minutiae of Yah's Torah, missed the very heart of that Torah.
However, there was one not like the others. Look at verse 28:
"And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, ‘Which is the first commandment of all?'"
Great question.
“‘The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Yashar'el; YAHUAH ELOHAYNU, YAHUAH is one: And you shall love את eth YAHUAH ELOHAYKA with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength: this is the first commandment.” Is the answer he gets.(Marqus 12:29-30).
So the greatest commandment begins with the reminder that Yahuah (The LORD God) is one. Now the Sacred Scriptures (the Bible) teach that Father Yahuah, His Living Word Yahusha, and His Ruach HaQodesh (the Holy Spirit) are One YAH (GOD). And the command is to love Him with everything!
Yahusha goes on:
"And the second is like, namely this, You shall love your neighbour as yourself. There is none other commandment greater than these.” (Marqus 12:31).
So the Torah (the law) is summed up in love. God's will for us is more than a book of rules. It is love: love God, love others. Verse 32:
“And the scribe said unto him, Well, Rabbi, you have said the Truth: for there is one YAH; and there is none other but he.”
Wow. In a sea of hypocrites, one man asks a genuine question, and takes the answer to heart. He shows humility, and when Yahusha sees the man's wisdom, he tells him, “You are not far from the Kingdom of Yahuah."
Now watch the contrast. The hypocrites talked about law with their hearts far from Yah. But this man drew near to Yah's Kingdom when he understood that love is the very heart of the Torah. Love Yah and love others.
The love that Yahusha calls us to is a revolution. Love our neighbor, love sinners, love our enemies.
Love unconditionally - with unreasonable grace and overflowing mercy.
Our greatest works for Yah are worthless and empty if we do not love (Qorintiym Ri'Shon, 1 Corinthians, 13:1-3).
And here we find another side to the Mashiachiym (Christian) story. People who show not judgment, but compassion. Who undertake the most astonishing acts of self-sacrificing love imaginable - caring for the orphan and widow, for the last and the least and the marginalized - regardless of race or creed or religion or gender or sexuality or anything. They lay their lives down. These people amaze me. They just… love.
I pray that you will have the blessing to know some of those people. I pray even more that we will be these people. And where on earth can we learn this sort of love? Keep following Yahusha, and we’ll find out soon.
For Reflection & Discussion:
1. What does Yahusha say are the two most important commandments? (v. 29-31). Why do you think these two are so important?
2. Have you known people who focus on Yah's Torah yet miss the heart of Yah's love?
How do you think that happens?
3. Have you known people who show Yahuah's unconditional love in real and practical ways? Share your story.
Day 8.
This is part of a series.
So, if you aren't following it from the beginning, please start at Day 1.
Thanks.
Marqus 14-15 | "The Cross"
Welcome back friends. Today our journey brings us to Marqus (Mark) 14 and the very crossroads of history. The crowds of Yerushalayim (Jerusalem) grow as the feast day arrives. A conspiracy is brewing among the Yahudiy (Jewish) leaders - a plot to eliminate Yahusha (Jesus). And as the tension mounts, Yahusha takes His talmidiym (disciples) aside to celebrate the Pecach (Passover) together in an upper room.
As the talmidiym recline for the feast, Yahusha reveals that one of them will betray him. Betrayal is a deep wound, and Yahusha knows it well. For now, Yahudah (Judas) sits with Yahusha as a friend. And in verse 22-24:
"And as they did eat, YAHUSHA took bread, and blessed, and broke it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: this is my body. And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank of it. And he said unto them, This is my blood of the Renewed Covenant, which is shed for many.” MARQUS (MARK) 14:22-24 את CEPHER
We call it Communion. Mashiachiym, also known as Christians, honor it all over the world to this day, with bread to remember Yahusha's body broken on the cross, and with wine to remember Yahusha's blood. Yahusha is establishing a renewed covenant - a renewed relationship between Yah (God) and humans - in his blood. There is deep symbolism and meaning here, but for now, it is enough to remember Yahusha.
The night proceeds. Yahudah leaves with evil intent. They finish the meal, Yahusha prays, and He leads them to a garden nearby called Gethsemane.
It’s the middle of the night now, but a full moon lights the darkness. Yahusha takes three talmidiym aside, and shares His heart,
“My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death …” (verse 34)
He asks them to pray, then gets time alone in prayer, and asks the Father “that if possible the hour might pass” from him.
He returns to find the talmidiym asleep. He wakes them, and goes to pray again. Return. They’re asleep again. But now the time is up, and Yahudah has returned with a battalion of soldiers. The betrayal is complete. They arrest Yahusha and take Him to trial before the Cohen HaGadol, the high priest.
It is now the day before Pecach, just before sunrise. Jesus stands before Qayapha (Caiaphas), the Cohen HaGadol. In verse 56:
“For many bore false witness against him, but their witness agreed not together.”
Accusations flew, but in verse 61,
" But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Are you HA'MASHIACH, the Son of the Blessed?"
And for this, and this only, the Cohen HaGadol condemns Yahusha for blasphemy - for who He claimed to be.
So the Jewish leaders bind Yahusha and lead Him away to the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate. Mark 15, verse 2:
"And Pilate asked him, Are you the King of the Yahudiym? And he answering said unto him, You say it.”
Again accusations are hurled at Yahusha, but He won't answer. Through it all, He answers only the questions about who He is. This is the one thing that matters.
The accusations just don't add up, and Pilate resists convicting an innocent man. But the Coheniym (the priests) threaten a rebellion. In verse 12,
" And Pilate answered and said again unto them, What will ye then that I shall do unto him whom ye call the King of the Yahudiym?”
"Crucify him!..."
"Why? What evil has he done?..."
But they shouted all the louder, "Crucify him!"
And Pilate gives in. Yahusha is beaten brutally, and led away to the palace with a whole company of soldiers. They mock him with a crown of thorns, a purple robe, and then beatings and spit. Yahusha has made it clear who He is, and the guards are just as clear about what they think of it.
They finish their sadistic fun, and lead Yahusha out to Gulgoleth (Golgotha). In verse 24 and 25:
"And when they had crucified him, they parted his garments, casting lots upon them, what every man should take. And it was the third hour, and they crucified him.”
Crucifixion is a testament to the unashamed cruelty of mankind. It was a hideous punishment for crime, and the Romans wanted everyone to know exactly why each man was crucified. So they post a sign with his “crime.” The charge against him read simply: “Yahusha HaNetseriy VeMelech HaYahudiym”, “Yahusha The Netseriy and King of the Jews.”
(Note that this actually portrayed Yahusha as Yahuah Himself, because the acrostic formed by the first letters of each word of the sentence is י ה ו ה , that is YHWH, pronounced as YAHUAH! [The ו , Waw, being also written as Vav and pronounced as U, that is OO as in school.])
Three hours pass in torturous pain. And in verse 33:
“And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.”
Step through history a moment, and stand there in the darkness. Hear the cynical mockers, the women weeping, and the cold confidence of the guards. And there before you a man on a cross. The sign over his head reads, “King of the Jews.”
Who is this man?
And as you stand there and wonder, verse 37-39:
“And YAHUSHA cried with a loud voice, and gave up his ruach. And the veil of the Temple was rent in two from the top to the bottom. And when the centurion, which stood over against him, saw that he so cried out, and gave up his ruach, he said, Truly this man was the Son of ELOHIYM.”
It’s over now. Another centurion is sent by Pilate to confirm the death with a long blade to the side. Whoever He was, He’s dead now. And as you turn to walk away from it all, a stranger stops you. “Who do you think He was?”
So, what do you say? Who was Yahusha (Jesus)?
For Reflection and Discussion:
1. At His trials, why do you think that Yahusha would only answer the questions about who He is? Why was that so important?
2. What does the crucifixion of Yahusha mean to you? Share your story.
Day 9.
This is part of a series.
So, if you aren't following it from the beginning, please start at Day 1.
Thanks.
Marqus 16 & Luqas 24 | "Risen"
Welcome back my friends. Today is a big one. We left off at the cross. The body of Yahusha (Jesus) confirmed dead, wrapped in linen, and placed in a tomb. A large stone was rolled in front, and a Roman guard set in place for good measure. Several days passed. The Yahudiym (Jews) rested for the Shabbatoth (Sabbaths), the Shabbat of Pecach (Passover), which was that year on the 5th day of the week (Thursday) and the Regular weekly Shabbat on the 7th day of the week (Saturday), and we begin early on the 1st day of the week (Sunday morning), which was Bikkoor (the Day of First Fruits). That year this was the third day of the Feast of Matstsah (Unleavened Bread), three days and three nights after Yahusha was laid in the grave.
Marqus (Mark) 16 opens just after sunrise. Several of the women carry spices to the tomb to honor the deceased. And they wonder: how will they move the stone? Verse 4-7:
“And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great. And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were frightened. And he said unto them, Be not frightened: Ye seek YAHUSHA the Netseriy (Jesus of Nazareth), which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him. But go your way, tell his Talmidiym (disciples) and Kepha (Peter) that he goes before you into Galiyl (Galilee): there shall ye see him, as he said unto you.”
Verse 8 tells us that the women are “trembling and bewildered.” No kidding. They’re expecting a dead body and find a live angel! And they’re told to go tell the talmidiym. What does it all mean?
And was this all a surprise? Notice the last phrase in verse 7, “Just as he told you.” Yahusha talked about this - He told the talmidiym that He had to die and rise again! But sometimes
we don’t listen to hard truth. Remember how Kepha tried to talk Yahusha out of it. They didn’t understand. So why did Yahusha have to die?
The story of the resurrection is captured in all four gospels, and each writer shares different parts of that day. So let’s move to Luqas’ (Luke’s) account to help us answer that question. Luqas 24:13-17:
“And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Yemiym (Emmaus), which was from Yerushalayim (Jerusalem) about threescore stadion (about 7 miles). And they talked together of all these things which had happened. And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, YAHUSHA himself drew near, and went with them. But their eyes were held that they should not know him. And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad?"
he story that follows is phenomenal. Two talmidiym walk together, broken and distraught because Yahusha died. They just can’t make sense of it. A stranger joins them - asks what they’re talking about. And they tell him about Yahusha, “a navi (prophet), powerful in word and deed before Elohiym (God) and all the people.” But He was crucified. He died. Verse 21 is telling,
“But we had hoped that He was the one…”
We had hoped. But they also tell him about the news they got from some of the women who went to the tomb. Now they don’t know what to think. And this whole time, they don’t know that they’re talking to Yahusha! In verse 25-27:
“Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: Ought not MASHIACH (Christ) to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? And beginning at Mosheh (Moses) and all the prophets (Navi'iym), he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.”
This is beautiful. Yahusha delivers the message of a lifetime, and weaves the entire Sacred Scriptures (the Bible) together to show them - it was always all leading up to the cross and the resurrection. Mashiach (Messiah, Christ) had to die. Why?
That question brings us back to the heart of the matter: “love”. Yah (God) loves us.
“Hereby perceive we the love of YAHUAH, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.” (YAHUCHANON RI'SHON (1 JOHN) 3:16 את CEPHER)
Not as many other translations represent this verse:
“This is how we know what love is, Jesus Christ laid down his life for us” (1st John 3:16).
Yahuah, our Heavenly Father, loves us, humans, so much that He became a human being, Who was called Yahusha, the Immanuel (God being with us), and was willing to die for us as an atoning sacrifice for our sins, because He loves us. He died so we could be forgiven. The epistle to the Romaiym (Romans) explains it this way:
“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of YAH is eternal life through YAHUSHA HA'MASHIACH our ADONAI.” (ROMAIYM (ROMANS) 6:23 את CEPHER)
That means that all of our sins against Yah deserve death. He gave us life, we abused it and misused it, and the just punishment is death. But Yah loves us. He loves us so much that he became a man, Who He called His Yachiyd, His Beloved, to take our place.
You might wonder how this can be. Well, that is the mystery of Yah, of what Yah is able to do, to be. It seems as if Yah, for Who nothing is impossible, was (and is) able to let part of Himself become a man called Yahusha HaMashiach, while still being Yahuah, the Heavenly Father Yah in another dimension called HaShamayim, the Heavens.
On the cross, Yahusha - who never sinned - took all of our sin, and died in our place, paid the full price.
But death wasn’t the end. Yahusha came to conquer death. He took back His life, just as He had said, as recorded in the Besorah according to Yahuchanon, chapter 10, verses 17 and 18:
“Therefore does my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man takes it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.” (YAHUCHANON (JOHN) 10:17-18 את CEPHER)
And the power Yahusha was raised from the dead is the same power that raises us. Yahusha makes us new. The old is gone, the new is here.
And consider the timing. Yahusha died for us while we were sinners (Romaiym 5:8). He didn’t wait for us to be good. He loved us at our worst - when we were his enemies. That’s some serious love.
This - this phenomenal sacrifice, this unimaginable love - this changes everything. This is hope. Hope for anyone. This love transforms people. Those people I told you about - who love with self-sacrifice - they weren’t always that way. But the love that held Yahusha to the cross and the power by which He was raised from death are alive and active today. And when they get hold of a life - it is something to behold.
How do we live that out today? Read Luqas (Luke) 24, and I’ll meet you back here for Qolasiym (Colossians).
For Reflection & Discussion:
1. Why did Yahusha have to die on the cross?
2. Romans 5:8 says that Yah demonstrates his love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Yahusha died for us. What does that love mean to you?
3. Romans 8:11 says that the same Ruach (Spirit) that raised Yahusha from the dead will also give you new life. Have you seen evidence of that in your life?
Day 10.
This is part of a series. So, if you aren't following it from the beginning, please start at Day 1.
Thanks.
Qolasiym (Colossians) 1 | “Live It”
Welcome back friends - we did it!
We followed Yahusha (Jesus) through the Besorah according to Marqus (Mark's gospel).
So, what's next?
Well, next we follow Yahusha.
I know - we did that before. But now it's different. At the end of Marqus' Besorah, the talmidiym (disciples) watched as Yahusha ascended to Heaven. Awesome! But after three years of following His footsteps, what do they do now?
Well, before He left, Yahusha gave them the “Great Commission”:
"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, …..” (Mattityahu (Matthew ) 28:19)
Remember – talmidiy (disciple) means “taught one” and “follower”. So, the first talmidiym were called to make more talmidiym - like us.
And they did! The Cepher of Ma'asiym (the Book of Acts) tells their amazing stories as they reached their world with the Besorah.
Now I wish I could say that everything has been great since then. But it hasn't. The Ecclesia, or Called out Assembly of Believers in Yahusha HaMashiach (Jesus Christ), which is known as the Christian church, has done tremendous good in the world, but we've also done some real harm. And it started way back then - corruption, greed, hypocrisy - they got in early. But there was also good: compassion, hope, and grace. So, if we're going to do this, let's get it right. Let's live it.
But how do we live it? I could say, "Stop doing bad things and start doing good." But that's working from the outside in - it's a recipe for hypocrisy. Yahusha changes us from the inside out. How does that work? Let's go to the Sacred Scriptures, the Bible, to find out.
After the Cepher of Ma'asiym, the Sacred Scriptures have a series of personal letters written by the apostles - with instructions on how to follow Yahusha now. Bad teaching got into the church early, so the letters were written to help believers know the truth from lies - and to live it out.
So that's where we're going next: to the epistle to the Qolasiym (Colossians). It was written by the apostle Pa'al (Paul) to Mashiachiym (Christians) in Qolosse. They were brand new believers, so it's perfect for us. Today in chapter one, we'll find three essentials to getting it right: grace, the Ruach HaQodesh (Holy Spirit), and knowing Yahusha.
The letter begins with a friendly greeting from Pa’al, and I love how personal these letters are. And almost every letter begins with grace. It was a common greeting, but it's also a foundational truth. Grace is a gift - we don't earn it, don't deserve it, Yah (God) just loves us because he loves us - grace. And living out our faith begins with understanding grace.
Here in the epistle to the Qolasiym, Pa’al begins by thanking Yah for the amazing work that He is doing in the lives of these new Mashiachiym: their faith, their love, and their hope. And Pa’al says that it all started the day they heard the Besorah,
"... and knew the grace of YAH in truth:" (Qolasiym (Colossians) 1:6).
This is step one. Understand that Yah saved us because He loves us. Not because we earned it - we can't earn it. Not because we deserve it - we don't. Yahusha paid the full price, and we can't add to it. In another letter, to the Eph'siym (Ephesians), Pa’al puts it this way: "For by grace are ye saved through belief; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of YAH: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” (2:8,9).
There is incredible peace and real freedom in this simple truth: we are saved by grace. "Not by works" means that we don't earn salvation. Trying to earn salvation leads to boasting, arrogance, and judgmentalism - just like the hypocrites. Understanding grace brings humility. We still do good works, but we do them with the same grace that Yah gave us. Pa’al calls it "bearing fruit" - the natural outgrowth of the change within.
Speaking of within, what exactly is happening inside? How does that change happen and where does the understanding come from? In Qolasiym 1:8, Pa’al says that the new love happening among the believers is "love in the Ruach (Spirit)." And in verse 9, he prays that ... "... ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will through all wisdom and understanding (that the Ruach gives)."
This is our next key: the Ruach HaQodesh (the Holy Spirit). The Ruach is Yah. The Ruach works within us, gives us love and compassion, helps us with conviction and strength to resist evil, and guides us with knowledge and wisdom for life. The Ruach is how we live it.
The result, in verse 10, is "a life worthy of Yahuah (the LORD)." That's the key. Not earning his love, but living worthy of the amazing love He already showed us. Grace takes the focus off our work and puts it on His worthiness, and on "growing in the knowledge of Yahuah" (1:10).
After all, that's what following Yahusha is about: knowing Him. Remember - love Yah and love others. And that brings us to our third essential: grace, the Ruach HaQodesh, and knowing Yahusha. And the chapter ends with a powerful reminder of who Yahusha is. I'll close with it, but I encourage you to read Colossians 1, and spend time here especially. Get to know the Son of A’dam. In verse 15-17:
"(The Son of A'dam) is Who is the image of the invisible YAH, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist (are held together).” ( את CEPHER)
For Reflection & Discussion:
1. Today's guide said that trying to change from the outside in is a recipe for hypocrisy.
Why do you think that is?
2. It’s been said that working for salvation leads to either guilt or arrogance, while Yah's grace leads to peace and humility. Do you think that’s true?
3. Qolasiym 1:10 calls us to live “a life worthy of Yahuah.”
What do you think that life looks like?
4. Qolasiym 1:1-20
5. Eph'siym 2:8-10
Day 11.
This is part of a series.
So, if you aren't following it from the beginning, please start at Day1.
Thanks.
Qolasiym (Colossians) 1:19-2:5 | "Read It"
Welcome back everyone.
Today we talk about the Sacred Scriptures (the Bible) and the importance of a healthy reading habit. The Sacred Scriptures are a way how Yah (God) speaks to us, and reading the Sacred Scriptures is how we stay on the right path as we follow Yahusha (Jesus). You've probably met people who say they follow Yahusha but their life just doesn't match up. It happens a lot. So how do we get it right?
The Sacred Scriptures are key. I’m sure you’ve noticed that this whole journey has been grounded in the them. The Sacred Scriptures are amazing. Epic stories, awesome heroes, deep wisdom, and powerful guidance for life. There is so much here. And the Sacred Scriptures keep us grounded. They give us an anchor of truth in a world of confusion. There are a lot of lies out there - even lies about Yahusha - and the Scriptures keep us walking in truth and following the real Yahusha.
So let's get back to it. We left off in Qolasiym (Colossians) 1 with a powerful reminder of who Yahusha is. Let's pick up at verse 19 and 20:
“For it pleased the Father that in him (Yahusha) should all fulness dwell; And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.”
That's powerful. The fullness of Yah is in Yahusha. And through Yahusha we are reconciled. Reconcile refers to a wrong relationship made right. We make peace with Yah...
"...through his blood, shed on the cross" (See 1:20).
Yahusha made us right with Yah, and Pa'al (Paul) wants us to stay right with Yah. So he encourages you to...
"... continue in the belief grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the Besorah (Gospel), which ye have heard, …”
Why did Pa’al say that? Because the Ecclesia at Qolosse (Colossian church) was getting hit with false teaching about Yahusha. Deceivers got in. So Pa’al wrote to keep the believers grounded in truth. In verse 25 he says, .
"Whereof I am made a minister, according to the stewardship of YAH which is given to me for you, to fulfil the Word of YAHUAH;”
Yah commissioned Pa’al to serve the called out Assembly by teaching the full Word of Yahuah. That means the whole Sacred Scriptures. Often the false teachers quote the Scriptures, but they take one verse here and there and twist them out of context. So read the Scriptures for yourself - it will keep you in the truth and away from lies.
Now if you have trouble understanding the Sacred Scriptures, that's what good teachers are for. Yah gave teachers to help explain and apply the Scriptures. But the teacher should never replace the Sacred Scriptures - only help you understand it.
Back in Qolosse, the false teachers said that the truth was full of mysteries that you can't understand. So Pa’al says that Yah has revealed the mystery - He's made it known to us. In verse 27, that mystery
"... is MASHIACH in you, the hope of glory:"
That's the real secret. The Bible is about Yahusha. The secret to living for Yah is "Mashiach in you." He leads us from the inside by the power of the Ruach HaQodosh (Holy Spirit). It's all about Yahusha. So in verse 28, Pa’al says,
"Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in MASHIACH YAHUSHA.”
Teaching is important because it helps us understand the Sacred Scriptures. And good teaching of the Sacred Scriptures proclaims Yahusha. You know it's good teaching if its focus is Yahusha and its foundation is the Word of Yah, the Sacred Scriptures.
Then in chapter 2, Pa’al explains the goal of teaching:
"That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of YAHUAH, and of the Father, and of MASHIACH;”
So, Pa’al wants you to understand the Sacred Scriptures, because when you understand you get to know Yahusha. Now the Scriptures are also full of wisdom and knowledge, but verse 3 reminds us that "all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" are found in Yahusha.
So how do we stay on the right path? How do we make sure we're following the real Yahusha? Read the Sacred Scriptures and listen to good Scripture teaching.
There are just a few essential habits of following Yahusha. The first is a healthy Scripture reading habit. Now reading the Scriptures is not a step to Heaven, nor is it a way to make Him love you more. He already loves you perfectly. But it will draw you closer to that love, and help you understand it and walk in it. It's not a got-to, it's a get-to. Remember, Yah's Word is a seed - it plants life in your heart. So plant some every day!
And how do you start a reading habit? If you're on this plan, you're already doing it! So set a little time each day to read the Sacred Scriptures and pray. And of course, read Qolasiym now, and I'll meet you back here in chapter 2.
See that? Habit started. That was easy.
For Reflection & Discussion:
1. What role do habits play in your life? What do you see as essential habits of following Yahusha?
2. The author of this Reading Plan said, “The Sacred Scriptures keep us walking in truth and following the real Yahusha.” How do you think that reading the Sacred Scriptures do that? 3. 3. What is your experience with reading the Scriptures? Share your story.
4. Qolasiym 1:19-29
5. Qolasiym 2:1-3
Day 12.
This is part of a series.
So, if you aren't following it from the beginning, please start at Day 1.
Thanks.
Qolasiym 2 | "Stay on Course"
Welcome back my friends. Today a warning about deception. We're in Qolasiym (Colossians) 2, and verse four says,
"And this I say, lest any man should beguile (deceive) you with enticing words (fine sounding arguments).”
I hate being lied to. Yet there are deceptions - false teachers or misguided teachers - and their arguments can sound right. But don't be deceived. Because deception can send you in the wrong direction. Ever get on a bus going the wrong way? Or worse yet, back in school I took a wrong turn in a 5k race and ran away from finish line for the home stretch. At that point speed doesn't matter - I'm going the wrong way! And the same thing can happen spiritually.
As we follow Yahusha, we have to stay on the path - going the right way. And the right way to follow Yahusha - is to follow Yahusha. He is the way. Now that may sound obvious, but sometimes we get distracted. Or worse - deceived. So to keep us on track, let's start in the Word of Yah. Qolasiym 2, verse 6:
"As ye have therefore received את eth- MASHIACH את eth YAHUSHA our ADONAI, so walk ye in him.”
I like that. Start with Yahusha - and stay with Yahusha. The false teachers push believers away from the simplicity of just following Yahusha. So continue in Him, in verse 7,
"...rooted and built up in him...”
Think about this. When you plant a tree, you tie a guidestick to a baby tree to get it started. Some people treat Yahusha as if He were that little guidestick. They grow up and leave Him behind. Don't do it. Yahusha is our very roots. He is the vine, we are the Natsarim (branches). Roots provide nutrients for growth and keep us grounded in a storm. We are "rooted and built up" in Yahusha. So again Pa’al warns us: don't be taken captive by "hollow and deceptive philosophy" that isn't rooted in Yahusha. Verse 9:
"For in him dwells all the fulness of ELOHIYM bodily.”
Wow. The fullness of Yah, Elohiym, in a body. That's Yahusha. Fullness - not just a little bit, one hundred percent. And verse 10:
"...ye are complete in Him..."
In other words, Yahusha is fully Yah, and when you are rooted in Him, you become fully you - the person you were meant to be.
So the false teachers were pushing Mashiachiym off track by teaching that Yahusha was only partly Yah. And instead of following Yahusha, they focused on following rules. They said you have to do these things to go to Heaven. Things from the ancient scriptures, like circumcision.
Alright, stop giggling. Circumcision was meant as a physical picture with spiritual meaning. Cutting away the flesh pictured how our flesh - our sinful nature - is cut away by Yah. But physical circumcision was for the children of Yashar'el (Israel), it was never commanded for Mashiachiym. Yet the false teachers insisted that Mashiachiy men get circumcised, and they turned following Yahusha into a bunch of do's and do-not's, working to be good. Yet Pa’al says that Yahusha did the work - He cut away our flesh - spiritually, not physically.
And verse 12 brings up immersion (baptism). If you belong to Yahusha, He calls you to get immersed. Immersion is not a work to get you saved, it's something you do because Yahusha saved you. In immersion, we identify with Yahusha: my old life died with Yahusha on the cross, and His resurrection brought me new life. So immersion pictures burial - down into the water, and resurrection - up out of the water.
And that new life is how we follow Yahusha now. The old is gone. We're not working to pay off all our sins. Verse 13 says that Yahusha
"... having forgiven you all transgressions …”
He cancelled our entire debt - there's nothing more to pay. Your sin has nothing on you.
And that's why following Yahusha is not just a set of rules. In verse 16, it's not about "what you eat or drink," or about "religious festivals" or special Shabbath days. Those things were in the Ancient Torah (Old Law), and they were important, but verse 17 explains that they were all...
"...a shadow of the things that were to come."
Shadows are useful - they give you a an outline of what's coming. But Pa’al says that the reality - the substance "is found in Mashiach."
Yahusha is the real thing. The rules and traditions were a shadow.
When we get caught up in have-to's - like "You have to worship, you have to pray" - we turn worship into a guilt trip. Then we add more rules like verse 21,
"Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!"
Pa’al says those rules have "an appearance of wisdom," but they don't work. You can't make yourself good with strict rules and forced worship. And life is not a box of do-nots.
Listen. When we follow Yahusha, there are a lot of things that we used to do that we don't do anymore. But not because of rules. We change because we are made new. We are rooted in Yahusha and filled with the Ruach HaQodesh (Holy Spirit), Who helps us leave sin and live righteous. That's not a shadow - that's reality.
Following rules is a guilt trip. Following Yahusha is a grace trip. Read Qolasiym 2, and make sure your bus is going in the right direction.
For Reflection & Discussion:
1. Pa’al tells us to continue in Yahusha, just as we started. What dangers and deceptions do you see that can distract you from following Yahusha?
2. How is following Yahusha different from following rules? (Read 2:16-17)
3. Does your experience following Yahusha feel more like a guilt trip or a grace trip? Share your story.
Day 13.
This is part of a series.
So, if you aren't following it from the beginning, please start at
Thanks.
Qolasiym (Colossians) 3 | "Remade In His Image"
Hello and welcome back friends. We start with a question: Is following Yahusha (Jesus) about new habits or a new self? Is it about living different or being different. Well, the answer is both - but the order makes all the difference.
Back in Qolasiym (Colossians) 2, Pa'al (Paul) explained that following Yahusha is not just a set of rules to live by, it’s a new life. Bury the old and put on the new. And today in chapter 3, he tells us how to live that new life. Verse 1 and 2:
"IF ye then be risen with MASHIACH, seek את eth those things which are above, where MASHIACH sits on the right hand of YAHUAH. את eth Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.”
Here's the key: set your heart - and set your mind - above. Think about Yahusha. Think about HaShamayim, Heaven. Store all your treasures there. Make your biggest investments in Heaven. When life gets you down, always remember to look up. Verse 3:
"For ye are dead, and your life is hid with MASHIACH in YAHUAH.”
I like that. "Your life is hidden.” People will wonder what it is that makes you so alive - and it's Yahusha. He is your life.
The Nazi-concentration-camp survivor Corrie ten Boom made this verse of scripture visible by comparing her thumb to her life, folding her hand around her thumb as a symbol of being in Mashiach, and putting this fist in her other hand symbolizing Him being in Yahuah. She then would say, “Now let the devil try to get to me!”
Of course to enable this measure of protection, we have to be sure to stay in Yahusha HaMashiach (Jesus Christ).
The rest of the chapter is about one thing: die to the old life, and live in the new. Verse 5:
"Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil lusting, and covetousness, which is idolatry.”
Pay attention to how this works. Mashiachiym (Christians) stop doing bad - not by following rules, but by killing that part of us that wants to do bad. So in verse 8:
“…But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.”
Now stopping sin is easier said than done. So I want to recommend two things.
First, study Romaiym (Romans) 6 through 8. The key there is to be filled with the Ruach HaQodesh (Holy Spirit).
Second, start a healthy habit of confessing your sins to Yah (God) and to someone you trust.
Ya'aqov (James) 5 says this: “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” (5:16).
Healing from sin starts with confession and prayer.
And back here in verse 9 and 10: " Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:”
That's the heart of it. Put on the new self. Be the new person that Yah is renewing. Yah is continually remaking you in His image. In Genesis 1, Elohiym (Yah, God) made mankind in His image, but that likeness was broken by sin. Then Yahusha came. Yahusha is Yahuah's image. And He came as a man to give us new life and remake us in Him, restored to the image we were meant for.
And that changes everything. In verse 11, it destroys the divisions between us - divisions of race, color, gender, and status that drive men to hatred, oppression, and war. Galatiym (Galatians) 3 says,
"There is neither Yahudiy (Jew) nor Yavaniy (Gentile), there is neither bond (slave) nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in YAHUSHA HA'MASHIACH.” (3:28)
We are equal, and we are one in Mashiach. Unity is our calling. Mashiachiym (Christians) have failed at this for too long, but this is our calling.
And Pa’al gives us a picture of this new life, clothed in... “…hearts of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;” (3:12)
In other words, treat people the way Yahusha treated people. And forgive as Yah forgave us. And over all these - love. To follow Yahusha is to love.
We are called to peace, so let the peace of Mashiach rule in your hearts. We are called to unity, so serve one another with humility. You may notice that most of the words describing your new self are about the way you act toward others. The new you inside affects how you treat others outside. So serve one another in love. And that's your next new habit: serve others.
Then in verse 18, your relationships are made new at home and at work. Marriage has a new dynamic: "Wives, submit..." and "Husbands, love..." (3:18-19).
Now watch those words carefully, and remember what we just read in Galatiym: male and female are equal in Mashiach. Yet husband and wife are both called to submission and sacrifice. But submit is not the same as obey. Submission is an act of respect shown among equals, a voluntary attitude of giving in and cooperating. Submission is an act of noble humility, showing respect and honor. That is the high calling of the Mashiachiy wife.
And the husband is called to love. Not just feeling, but real sacrifice. Love like Yahusha, laying your whole life down for your bride. In other words, the wife gives in, while the husband gives all.
For more detail, read Eph’siym (Ephesians) 5 and Kepha Ri'Shon (1 Peter) 3.
And for today, read Qolasiym 3. And start some new habits – Reading habit, confession habit, service habit - not to become a new person, but because you are a new person. You are remade in His image.
For Reflection & Discussion:
1. What do you think it means to take off the old self and put on the new? (Verses 9-10).
2. What changes have you seen in your life that show you are being "renewed" in the image of your Creator? (Verse 10).
3. Today we added two new habits: confession and service. Why are those important?
Day 14.
This is part of a series.
So, if you aren't following it from the beginning, please start at Day 1.
Thanks.
Qolasiym 4
Hello my friends.
Qolasiym (Colossians) 4 today, and back to basics. Yahusha (Jesus) taught us two simple commands: love Yah (God) with all you’ve got and love your neighbor as yourself. And those simple keys guide every step as we follow Yahusha.
Chapter 4 starts where 3 ended: with directions for relationships. Here - slaves and masters. Now you have to ask: do the Sacred Scriptures (the Bible) support slavery? Does it condone inequality, racism, and oppression?
Let me be blunt. No. The Scriptures do not support slavery, and anyone who uses them to support oppression or human inequality is abusing and misusing the words - to their shame. Now the Scriptures address slaves and masters because slavery was a reality of the time, and Pa'al (Paul) offers instruction on how to live in real life. To slaves, he says: work hard - like you’re working for Yah (God) because He is your true master.
And in verse 1:
“MASTERS, give unto your servants that which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven.”
Here and elsewhere the Sacred Scriptures reminds masters and slaves that they are equal in Yah's measure, no matter how society separates them. Still, you have to wonder why Pa’al doesn’t just abolish slavery by mandate of Yah.
This is important. Yahusha, in His first coming, did not come to fix the system and set our world right. He came to fix our hearts, and set our hearts right with Yah. In His second coming, Yahusha will establish His Kingdom in the world, but He first came to establish His Kingdom in us. First: King of your heart. Second: King of the world.
So Pa’al teaches us to live right in a world that’s still wrong. Slaves and masters, workers and employers, do what’s right. Later Pa’al tells slaves to get their freedom if they can, and his letter to Philemon tells a slave master to set his slave free and call him brother - a huge statement in that day.
Fast-forward through history, and we find that so many of the heroes who fought and sacrificed to end slavery were inspired and driven by their faith in the Sacred Scriptures. Yah changed their hearts, then they changed their world.
Back in Colossians, verse 2: " Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;”
And that gives us our next new habit: prayer. Read your Scriptures and pray every single day. Again, it's not a got to, it's a get to. Prayer is amazing. We get to talk to Yah - the Creator of the universe - directly. Pa’al says "devote yourself" to it. Make it a priority.
What should you pray about? Everything. What you need, what you're thankful for, what you're thinking or confused about or hoping for. Pray for people. Pray for me! I need it. Pray - about - everything.
Think about it. Communication is vital to every relationship. Talking is how we get to know each other. The great thing about a journey together is time to talk, open up, grow deep. It's the same with Yah. As we follow Yahusha, we talk along the way. We get real, share hopes and fears. We open doors and let Yahusha in.
Think about prayer like talking to a good friend. When it’s unhealthy, it’s all about getting what you want. When it’s healthy, it’s about getting to know each other. Prayer isn't homework or an essay that gets graded, so don't worry about praying "the right way." Just be genuine. Approach Yahuah's throne humbly and reverently - He is Yah; but also confidently – Yahusha made you right with Yahuah. And Romaiym (Romans) 12 says to be "constant in prayer" - like a phone call that never hangs up.
Now the rest of Qolasiym is greetings. Remember, this is a real letter between real people. And those people loved each other! So they send greetings. I love this about the Scriptures. It's personal. Yah could have carved His word directly in stone, but He chose to write it first on human hearts who loved. And that love shines through the page.
And it brings us to one more habit: fellowship. Spend time with other Mashiachiym (Christians). Dig into life together. Love Yah and love others. Ivriym (Hebrews) warns us not to forsake the gathering of your Mashiachiym family - the Ecclesia, the Called out Assembly of Believers in Yahusha HaMashiach (Jesus Christ).
Now the word Ecclesia in the Bible is not a building, it's the people who follow Yahusha. Ecclesia can meet in a building, but if we're not connecting with each other in a real way, we're missing the point. As you read through chapter 4, watch the names - people who care personally – Marqus (Mark), Yoctoc (Justus), Epaphras, Luqas (Luke), Nymphas and notice,
“...the church in his house” (4:15).
Back then, churches met in houses - like family.
So those are the basics: love Yah and love others. To do that, start a prayer habit: get to know Yah. And start a fellowship habit: get to know others. Maybe invite someone at work or school to follow this Reading Plan with you, talk through the discussion questions, and pray together. That's a Scripture reading habit, prayer habit, and fellowship habit. Wow. That was really easy.
Now if you need help getting started, we'll go over it tomorrow.
For today, read Qolasiym 4, and keep it simple: love Yah and love each other.
For Reflection & Discussion:
1. Why do you think prayer is essential to following Yahusha? How does prayer affect your walk with Yah?
2. Why do you think fellowship is essential to following Yahusha? How does fellowship with other Mashiachiym affect your walk with Yah?
Day 15.
This is the last part of a series.
So, if you aren't following it from the beginning, please start at Day 1.
Thanks.
Qolasiym 4:17 | "Finish What You Started"
Hello my friends.
Today is our last day. Well done!
You finished what you started - that's a real sign of character. Seriously.
And you're probably wondering - what's next?
So today we review what we learned, and plan your next steps.
There's a verse at the end of Colossians that fits well. Verse 17: "And say to Archippus, Take heed to the ministry which you have received in YAHUAH, that you fulfil it.”
Interesting. We don't know Archippus, and we don't know his ministry. But we know it mattered. One person matters immensely to Yah, and Yah's calling in one person's life matters to their world. So Pa'al (Paul) tells him, "complete the ministry." Finish what you started.
And that's my message for you. I don't know you personally, but I know you matter to Yah, and I know your ministry will make a difference. You have a purpose and a calling - so finish the work.
First, let's review.
Our journey began with two simple words: "Follow me." And that's been our story from beginning to end - following Yahusha. Along the way, we saw Yahusha heal the sick, calm the storm, forgive wretched sinners and truly restore people. And the talmidiym (disciples) were part of the work, and so are you.
In Marqus (Mark) 8, Yahusha called the talmidiym to commitment:
"And when he had called the people unto him with his Talmidiym also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” (8:34).
And the talmidiym followed. With the rich young ruler, we learned that following Yahusha means letting go of idols like money and pride. And we learned Yah's greatest commands: love Yah and love your neighbor. And above all, we learned just how much Yah loves us. Yahusha gave his very life for to save us.
And remember - we don't earn it. We don't pay the price for our sins, and we don't make ourselves good. Yahusha died to pay the full price, and He rose again to give us new life. Grace. Our job is to live a life worthy of His calling.
That brings us to Qolasiym. How do we live it? Two simple words: follow Yahusha. Only now instead of following footsteps, you have Mashiach in you. Now the Ruach HaQodesh (Holy Spirit) guides you through life, as you take off the old self and put on the new.
And the Ruach gives you a new set of habits. Remember - these aren't got-to's, they're get-to's. And they’re a great place to start your next steps:
Start a Scripture reading habit. Set a time each day to open the Sacred Scriptures and read. They have great reading plans on the “YouVersion” Bible app to keep you going, and I especially like the plans that walk through one “Bible-book” at a time. Or you could start this plan over again. This time invite a friend to join you. And that brings me to…
Start a fellowship habit. Get connected with other believers. We are called to love, and that requires time together. That's what Ecclesia is for. Remember, Ecclesia is not a performance that you watch, it's a fellowship. So get involved. Get real and personal, share your heart, confess your sins, pray together and find healing. And it's a great place to…
Start a service habit. That's ministry. Look for opportunities to help others in simple ways. One great way to help is…
Start a prayer habit. Remember that prayer isn't about getting what you want, it's about getting closer to Yah. So open up, share your heart, your needs, and pray for others too.
And there will be more new habits: confession habit, making Talmidiym habit. But if this starts to feel like a to-do list, slow down. Remember - it's not following rules, it's following Yahusha. So keep it simple, focus on Him, and let the Ruach guide you.
And remember that you're not being conformed into a cookie-cutter Mashiachiy. You are being transformed from the inside out - remade into the image of Yah that you were meant for. For example: one of your new habits will be giving. But you don't give money to earn points with Yah. You give because Yah is a giver, and you’re learning to be generous like Him.
So, time to get started. There's adventure ahead. There are journeys in life and journeys through the Sacred Scriptures. Yah has a work for you, so finish what you started. But it's not your work alone, it's His work, and: “… he which has begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of YAHUSHA HA'MASHIACH:” (Philippiym, Philippians, 1:6).
This isn't just about you finishing your work, it's about Yah finishing His work in you. So fix your eyes on Yahusha, the "author and finisher" of your faith (Ivriym, Hebrews, 12:2). He started this - He will finish it. And remember, you are never alone. He will never leave you nor forsake you (Ivriym 13:5). Yahusha's final words to the disciples in the Besorah according to Mattityahu (Matthew's gospel) are: "… and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amein.” (Mattityahu 28:20).
For Reflection and Discussion:
What does the phrase "Finish what you started" mean in your life?
Philippiym 1:6 means to say to us that "He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion." What does that mean to you?
Today's guide gave suggestions for your next steps. What do you plan to do next?
•Colossians 4:17-18
•Philippians 1:3-6
•Hebrews 12:1-2
Life is short.
Do stuff that matters.
Doing things that matter, 1.
This is the first part of a series, which are adaptions of a 14-day Reading Plan from the YouVersion Bible App, provided by Tim Mannin, the author of the book “Doing Things That Matter”, and OKC Community Church.
For most of us, the danger is not that we’ll become bad people who don’t care about things that matter. No, the danger is that we become good people who don’t actually do anything that matters. These Log Entries will encourage us to dream wildly, live differently, love recklessly, and lead courageously – all practices that matter!
For more information, please visit: http://www.okccommunitychurch.com or http://www.doingthingsthatmatter.com
"THINGS THAT MATTER"
Tim Mannin tells us:
"Most days I have the privilege of taking my kids to school. It has become special time to start our day. Even the kids seem to appreciate the value of this short time together. As we approach their school-building we finish our time by saying the same thing together every day. I say, “Okay, remember…today…do something that” - and they fill in the last word in unison, saying – “MATTERS!” That is the last thing we say to one another as they head into their everyday life.
After we say our “do things that matter” statement together, I watch my kids walk into their school, and I have a hopeful, and possibly overly idealistic anticipation of them making a radical impact. As I leave and head towards my everyday life I wonder, “What am I going to do today that matters?”
My hope within this blog-series is that you and I can explore some of the questions, hopes, dreams, and purposes of our life and help us consider our life and the path we are choosing every day. Because maybe it can be better. Better for others around us. Better for our family. Better for our career. Better for the glory of Yahuah, Who is best known as the LORD God! Better for you!!
Are you choosing the path to life, to Yah, or is life simply choosing you? Has whatever life brought you become your reality? Does your life feel more like you are keeping up with life's demands rather than experiencing fullness? I have found myself going through the motions of a life that has been handed to me, instead of living the life I was created to live.
What if you attempted to re-imagine the way you do life? Chances are your faith needs you to ask yourself new questions and to act on new discoveries. In this blog-series you will be introduced to four values, which are the undercurrent to a life of doing things that matter. Becoming a person who dreams wildly, lives differently, loves recklessly, and leads courageously all for the glory of Yah could end up smack dab in a middle of the life Yahusha (Jesus) describes as, life to the full!
Say a prayer inviting Yahuah (God) to speak to you throughout this devotional about the life you are choosing every day!
Scripture Quotes:
Mattithyahu (Matthew) 7:13-14,
Yahuchanon (John) 10:10.
Doing things that matter, 2.
This is the second part of a series, which are adaptions of a 14-day Reading Plan from the YouVersion Bible App, provided by Tim Mannin, the author of the book “Doing Things That Matter”, and OKC Community Church.
For most of us, the danger is not that we’ll become bad people who don’t care about things that matter. No, the danger is that we become good people who don’t actually do anything that matters. These Log Entries will encourage us to dream wildly, live differently, love recklessly, and lead courageously – all practices that matter!
For more information, please visit: http://www.okccommunitychurch.com or http://www.doingthingsthatmatter.com
"DREAM WILDLY” - PART ONE
Most of us are familiar with the story of Walt Disney. Perhaps no one else in the past century personifies a dreamer more than the creator of Mickey and friends! Perhaps Walt Disney’s most extraordinary accomplishment was the creation of Disney World in Florida. He had already created Disneyland in California, but he imagined something much grander and magical. He considered many locations around the country for his new dream and eventually settled on what most believed was unusable swampland in central Florida. Disney took a plane flight over the area and he saw everything he needed: great roads and interstates running through Orlando, an airport close by, warm weather year-round, and lot and lots of cheap land. His advisers were uncertain about the location because of the challenges of swampland and construction, but Disney was set and the rest is history. Disney World is a dream that seemed impossible to many people, but for a dreamer like Walt Disney nothing feels impossible!
Is that what it means to make the impossible … possible? We are certainly inspired by a dream like Disney’s, but there are truths in scripture that are even more jaw dropping than swampland transformed into castles and roller coasters. Ephesians 3:20-21 reminds us that Yah (God) is the biggest dreamer of us all! This doesn’t mean He will fulfill our wildest dreams for our own personal success or gain. No, it says Yah can do anything … by working within us … in order to give glory to Yah! More than anything our hearts must desire to see Yah receive glory in this world. When our dreams are to elevate and glorify Yah (and not ourselves) we will be able to see the truly impossible made possible.
Many of us hope to see the power of Yah in our lives, yet we continue to dream, strive, and pray for things that aren’t really about Yah receiving glory in this world. As a result, we aren’t seeing the power of Yah, but rather the limited power of ourselves.
People who do things that matter in this world dream about things that advance, promote, and glorify our Elohiym (God)! Perhaps, the power of Yah is already alive within us and we just need to start dreaming about the things that matter. We have an Elohiym who can do anything!
What is a dream you have that only Yah can do?
Scripture Quotes:
Eph’siym (Ephesians) 3:20-21,
Marqus (Mark) 10:27,
Marqus (Mark) 9:23,
Mattithyahu (Matthew) 17:20,
Romaiym (Romans) 8:31,
Yirmeyahu (Jeremiah) 32:17.
“DREAMING WILDLY” - PART TWO
Have you ever felt like you are living the life that was handed to you, instead of the life you’re meant to live? It can feel like you’re stuck in a hamster wheel wondering, “What am I doing?” This is where dreams become vital to life; they stir us out of the rut we can find ourselves in.
The best, most important, dreams help us pursue things that matter! Many of us want to live in the dream Yah has for us, but we are confused about what that is, so we cry out to Yah, “What’s your will for my life?!” The simple truth about Yah’s will is that it’s way more about who you are than what you do or where you go. (Tasloniqiym Ri’Shon [1 Thessalonians] 5:16-19)
If you find yourself wondering about your dream, then consider this: your dreams must be bigger than you! Meaning the best dreams, the most Kingdom minded dreams aren’t about what you will accomplish in life, but the best dreams see beyond ourselves and imagine the common good for all people! (Qorintiym Ri’Shon [1 Corinthians] 12:7) Isn’t that always Yah’s will?
What if you dreamed for the people and places you intersect every day?
What if you dreamed for your neighborhood?
For the people you work with?
For your community?
For your church?´
Having a dream can be intimidating, because the world has boxed dreams into things like advancing your career or creating causes and movements, that have a global impact. Many of us shy away from those types of “big dreams”, because we don’t want to fail.
Our dreams shouldn’t be rooted in the big or impressive, but rather in the hope for the people and places around us. Ask Yah to stir your heart for that cause! What’s something that matters for your neighborhood, kids school, work colleagues, or city? What is something good that you and your friends can do, that will spread the love of Yah and continue the global impacting movement, we are already a part of, called the Besorah (Gospel) of Yahusha HaMashiach (Jesus Christ).
The Besorah calls you to do things you thought you could never do, and it starts with the life you are living now. Look around you and dream wildly, that’s Yah’s will for you!
What is one dream that would advance the common good for the people and places around you?
Scripture Quotes:
Tasloniqiym Ri’Shon (1 Thessalonians) 5:17-19,
Romaiym (Romans) 12:1-8,
Qorintiym Ri’Shon (1 Corinthians( 12:7.
"DREAM WILDLY” - PART THREE
In Greek mythology there was a great warrior named Achilles. When he was a baby, it was foretold that he would die young. In order to prevent his death, his mother Thetis took Achilles to the River Styx, which was supposed to offer powers of invulnerability. She dipped his body into the water, but held Achilles by the foot and therefore his heel was not washed over by the magical waters of the river.
According to the legend, Achilles grew up to be a mighty warrior who survived many great battles, but his fateful day came when a poisonous arrow struck him in his heel, killing him shortly after. Today we refer to our “Achilles Heel” as something that is our weak spot, vulnerable place, or in some cases the thing that will defeat us. For Superman it is kryptonite, for some people it is fear, and for many of us it’s a sin lurking around the corner looking to trip us up.
Our enemy is out to crush our dreams and keep us from being people who do things that matter for the Kingdom. In fact, he’s out to deceive, steal, and destroy us. As much as there is a Yah in heaven Who loves everything about us, there is also an enemy that absolutely hates every part of who we are. Yahuchanon (John) 10:10 isn’t just about the abundant life Yahusha (Jesus) gives, but also a reminder that we have an enemy.
So many people have dreamed wildly for Yah only to see their hopes and dreams come crashing down because of sin. Is sin impacting your life in such a way that it is getting in the way of any dream Yah has for you? Has sin become your Achilles Heel? Don’t be fooled - sin will take you out! The enemy tempts us with sin and wants to pull us away from who Yah wants us to be.
We must be alert and of sober mind! What sins are crouching at our door? Yah’s Word promises that He will give us the strength to overcome temptation. We must submit our areas of struggle, sin, and even fears to prayer and the grace of Yah. We must repent of our sin and submit our lives to Him.
Read today’s scriptures and be encouraged. Never hesitate to seek spiritual counsel from someone you trust, if you need help.
Scripture Quotes:
Yahuchanon (John) 10:10,
Kepha Ri’Shon (1 Peter) 5:8-11,
Bere’shiyth (Genesis) 4:7,
Qorintiym Ri’Shon (1 Corinthians) 10:13,
Yahuchanon (John) 1:19,
Yahuchanon RiShon (1 John) 5:4.
Doing things that matter, 3.
This is the third part of a series, which are adaptions of a 14-day Reading Plan from the YouVersion Bible App, provided by Tim Mannin, the author of the book “Doing Things That Matter”, and OKC Community Church. For most of us, the danger is not that we’ll become bad people who don’t care about things that matter. No, the danger is that we become good people who don’t actually do anything that matters. These Log Entries will encourage us to dream wildly, live differently, love recklessly, and lead courageously – all practices that matter! For more information, please visit: http://www.okccommunitychurch.com or http://www.doingthingsthatmatter.com
"LIVE DIFFERENTLY” - PART ONE
Becoming different in a world of vast similarity requires breaking free of the things that hold you down and keep you grounded in the sea of sameness. Think about your life, and I’m certain you can identify things you haven’t surrendered but need to. You must possess the courage to let go of the things that anchor you to the safe and familiar. It’s time to let go of things that limit your faith. Go ahead and consider areas in your life that need change. Areas that you need to let go of by moving on, getting rid of, forgiving, or forgetting.
What is that thing, relationship, time consumer, or bitterness that you need to let go of? Perhaps you have a desire to have a certain reputation. Maybe you work too much or spend way too much time on your phone. Maybe things like materialism, greed, jealously, or anger seem to get in the way of the cross.
What do you need to let go of in order to pick up the cross?
After all, we are called to carry our cross every day.
And to carry the cross sometimes we have put something else down.
Many times we think we are living for Yahusha (Jesus), but all we are doing is carrying around the same things in this life that everyone else is carrying. So even though we love Yahusha, we may not be that different, much less a person who is living the Besorah (Gospel) or doing things that matter. Too many people who claim to love Yahusha are just dipping their toe into the pool and claiming that they are swimming. Living differently is a cannonball into a pool of endless possibilities that a life with Mashiach (Christ) has to offer.
The goal isn’t to be different, however following Yahusha results in a life that is different. Maybe that’s why Kepha (Peter) said we would be like strangers in this world or why Pa’al (Paul) said we should shine like the stars. People may not always understand some of the things faithful followers do or believe, but the hope is that the ways we are different will make a huge difference in this world.
What do you need to let go of, so you can pick up the cross?
Scripture Quotes:
Luqas (Luke) 9:23-25,
Kepha Ri’Shon (1 Peter) 2:11-12,
Philippiym (Philippians) 2:15.
"LIVE DIFFERENTLY” - PART TWO
Tim Mannin tells us: "We planted OKC Community Church in 2012 and when we first began dreaming about the church, I kept coming back to this simple hope that we would be a community of people who desires to be the church the best way we know how. The goal wasn't to do something different or even new, but instead it was to embody what the church was always supposed to be."
Most of us are aware that the church is struggling to find its place in our changing culture and as a result is shrinking and losing influence, especially among young people. This leaves us wondering if we should fight against the culture that is pushing the church to the margins of society, or do we look ourselves in the mirror and ask, what must we do differently?
The story of the early church in Ma'asiym (Acts) is an incredible example to learn from. They were radically generous, wholly devoted to scripture, completely united in community, and deeply committed to Mashiach (Christ) to the point of persecution all for the sake of the Besorah (Gospel)! They changed everything for Yahusha (Jesus) and thus embodied what the Called Out Assemblly (the Church) must be. Today, we are sometimes hard pressed to ask Mashiachiym (Christians) to change where they sit when they come to the meetings!
So how do we do better? What must change so people can taste and see how good Elohiym is? First of all, we aren't just talking about your local assembly - we are talking about being the Assembly (capital A) and it begins with identity. You don't go to an assembly; you are the Assembly. It's a constant state of being, that has purpose and character, that shapes your identity.
You can be a great neighbor, a humble servant at your child's school, an inclusive and encouraging friend, a forgiving and patient parent, a caring and sacrificial employee, and a person who cares for those who are hurting and broken. This is the work of the Assembly of Mashiachiym, to be people who bring life and give away our love. Perhaps you can capture this simple and hopeful ache to be the Assembly the best way we know how.
What is one thing you can do differently in order to be the Called-out Assembly the best way you know how?
Scripture Quotes:
Ma'asiym (Acts) 2:24-27,
Tehilliym (Psalms) 34:8,
Galatiym (Galatians) 5:22-25.
"LIVE DIFFERENTLY” - PART THREE
Yah is different and it starts with His name.
Mosheh (Moses) had a crazy encounter with Yah, Who is Elohiym, that is decribed in the book of Shemoth (Exodus) that began with a burning bush and led to other things like Yah parting the Sea and the ten commandments! There is a moment near the beginning of that story where Mosheh asks Elohiym His name, and if you think about it - that’s sort of crazy!
Mosheh had an out loud conversation with the Creator; the one that spoke the universe into reality, the one who created you and me, … that ONE! And Mosheh is asking HIM, His name? Yah didn’t have to answer him, yet without hesitation He told him exactly who He was. “And Elohiym said unto El-Mosheh, EHAYAH ASHER EHAYAH, Thus shall you say unto the children of Yashar’el, EHAYAH has sent me unto you.” (Or in a different translation: “GOD said to Moses, I AM WHO I AM, this is what you are to say to the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you.”)
This is one of the most significant and beautiful sentences in the entire Bible. The name of Elohiym is a glimpse in to who Yah is. Our Elohiym is different … and it starts with His name. The name I AM holds an ever-present reality about who He is!
I AM, yesterday, today, and forever.
I AM the center of everything.
I AM the creator of the universe
I AM the way, the truth and the life.
I AM the light of the world.
I AM your salvation.
I AM the bread of life.
I AM the resurrection and the life.´
I AM the joy.
I AM forgiveness.
I AM hope.
I AM dreams.
I AM life.
I AM love.
I AM courage.
I AM WHO I AM.
We could keep going! Scriptures say our mind cannot comprehend all that Elohiym is, however, we can start by understanding that nothing else deserves our hope, our lives, our worship, and our absolute best other than Yah. We serve a different Elohiym … who calls us to a different life. He is the Great “I Am” and He has promised that He will be with you.
How do you need Yah to be the great I AM for you today?
Scripture Quotes:
Shemoth (Exodus) 3:1-15,
Qorinthiym Ri’Shon (1 Corinthians) 2:9.
Doing things that matter, 5.
This is the fifth pert of a series, which are adaptions of a 14-day Reading Plan from the YouVersion Bible App, provided by Tim Mannin, the author of the book “Doing Things That Matter”, and OKC Community Church. For most of us, the danger is not that we’ll become bad people who don’t care about things that matter. No, the danger is that we become good people who don’t actually do anything that matters. These Log Entries will encourage us to dream wildly, live differently, love recklessly, and lead courageously – all practices that matter! For more information, please visit: http://www.okccommunitychurch.com or http://www.doingthingsthatmatter.com
"LEAD COURAGEOUSLY” - PART ONE
Tim Mannin tells us:
"When I was a kid, my friends and I often went to the community pool during hot summer days. At the deep end of the pool, three diving boards stood ominously challenging every little kid that dared climb their steps. The middle board towered sixteen terror-filled feet above the water. I can still remember the fear of climbing that high dive for the first time, uncertain if I would actually survive the ordeal.
As I inched out towards the edge all sorts of alarms were blaring within me saying, “Stop you idiot!” This particular diving board wasn’t a solid platform. No, it was a springboard that made each step towards the edge a wobbly nightmare. The edge is a dangerous, scary place. It’s much easier to simply dip our toe into the pool than to look down the barrel of the high dive, but for my friends and I, it was a right of passage … one where not jumping was more detrimental than jumping. It was a bad day for the poor kid that chose to turn around and climb back down the ladder and shamefully slip back into the shallow end of the pool."
We’ve all stood at the edges of things in life, such as a life-changing decision, an investment risk, or even the courage to ask someone out on a date. Similar to the feelings I had on that high dive, fear, concern, and impending danger are all in front of us, but nonetheless we have the conviction to jump. We all want to be courageous!
The scriptures are full of stories about people who lived and led courageously. One of the most striking things about the story of Kepha (Peter) walking on water is that there were twelve Talmidiym (disciples) on that boat, but only one had the courage to step out of the boat. Isn’t this true of so many of us? We are like the eleven talmidiym, we love Yahusha (Jesus), but when it comes to the truly courageous and faithful things, we’d rather stay in the safety of the boat.
Kepha was willing to do the thing that no one else was willing to do. He was willing to lead courageously!
What or where do you need courage so you can lead?´
Scripture Quotes:
Mattityahu (Matthew) 14:26-29,
Yahusha (Joshua) 1:9.
"LEAD COURAGEOUSLY” - PART TWO
It may sound like Captain Obvious to say that our words matter, but I’m not convinced that we really believe that. I say that because we spend a lot of time talking about things that don’t matter. Some of us love to talk about sports, in fact, some of us have passionate conversations about sports every day. Others constantly complain about people or how busy they are. Then there’s that parent that will never shut up about their perfect kids!´
In Luqas (Luke) 6, Yahusha (Jesus) says that the mouth says what the heart feels. In other words … we talk about the things that matter to us. Think about it this way; if someone were to meticulously track your words and chart the subject matter that you like to talk about … what would be revealed that matters to you? Would it be gossip? Small talk about the weather or sports? Conversations that revolve around yourself? Where would Yahusha, faith, and Yah’s (God’s) mission rank in the subjects that matter to you?
Perhaps, that is an unfair way to think about it. Perhaps, just because many us don’t talk about Yahusha or our faith as much as we should; well, that doesn’t mean those things don’t matter to us. Fair enough! If we love Yahusha, but struggle to talk about Him then I must conclude that we simply lack the courage to talk about what matters most to us!´
For many of us I believe it’s fair to say that Yahusha needs a little more volume in your life. He shouldn’t be a rare sighting in your public life! There’s a story in Ma’asiym (Acts) where Kepha (Peter) and Yahuchanon (John) are told to quit talking about Yahusha and they respond by proclaiming that they can’t quit talking about what they’ve seen and heard! There are many times in life where courage is required to speak! Some of our greatest potential as leaders lie within the power of our words -- they have the power of life and death.
Will you have the courage to speak about the things that truly matter?
Scripture Quotes:
Ma’asiym (Acts) 4:7-20,
Luqas (Luke) 6:45,
Mishlei (Proverbs) 18:21,
Ya’aqov (James) 3:3-12.
"LEAD COURAGEOUSLY” - PART THREE
I remember a leader confidently telling me years ago, “If you want to know if you’re a leader, turn around and see if anyone is following.” At first take, that makes some sense. Leaders should have followers, but as I thought about it more, something smelled funky about that philosophy. In my mind’s eye I imagined who was behind me as I glanced over my shoulder, but I quickly realized that sometimes that mattered and sometimes it didn’t matter. I wrestled with this because most believe that the best leaders have the most followers, but what I’m discovering is that often the people who have the biggest “position” have the most followers.
Meaning, whoever holds the more powerful position can easily maintain the larger following regardless of their actual leadership. As a result, people seek greater power and position so they can claim greater leadership, but few are actually stirred about something that matters - because sometimes, when we do the things that really matter in this world, we find ourselves standing on that limb all by ourselves. At times, great leadership comes at the price of being in a lonely place but trusting that God has you.
Many chase leadership in the form of greater esteem, larger titles, and bigger pay checks. But we need leaders who are looking to be gripped by what stirs the heart of Yah (God) and to faithfully and courageously give themselves to that cause, no matter what it costs. On one occasion the talmidiym (disciples) argued about which one of them would be the greatest and Yahusha (Jesus) used that moment to revolutionize the idea of greatness and leadership by grabbing the servant towel and washing their feet.
Leadership is not about people following you.
Leadership is about you following Yah.
It’s not about who is behind you when you turn around, but it’s about Who’s ahead of you. Is Yahusha the one leading you? Our world needs leaders who understand it’s about following first! We must follow Him as we dream wildly, live differently, love recklessly, and lead courageously! Don’t be deceived by the world’s standards of greatness or leadership. Yahusha set the example of humility and courage every step of His life all the way to the cross. Thank you, Yahusha!
Scripture Quotes:
Yahuchanon (John) 13:1-17,
Luqas (Luke) 22:24-27,
Philippiym (Philippians) 2:1-11.
Doing things that matter, 6.
This is the sixth and last part of a series, which are adaptions of a 14-day Reading Plan from the YouVersion Bible App, provided by Tim Mannin, the author of the book “Doing Things That Matter”, and OKC Community Church. For most of us, the danger is not that we’ll become bad people who don’t care about things that matter. No, the danger is that we become good people who don’t actually do anything that matters. These Log Entries will encourage us to dream wildly, live differently, love recklessly, and lead courageously – all practices that matter! For more information, please visit: http://www.okccommunitychurch.com or http://www.doingthingsthatmatter.com
"A STORY THAT MATTERS"
Living a life that matters must be full of actually doing all sorts of things that matter. Doing things that matter doesn’t mean you have to create your own huge global-spanning movement. No. Instead it’s contributing to the largest, global-spanning movement in the history of the world! Finding ways to live and be the person that Yah (God) has created you to be. This is not about following religious rules or law. This is about love! This is about loving Yah, loving life, loving others, and as a result, having a life that you actually choose to live.
Tim Mannin began telling about he told his kids each morning as he dropped them off at school to do things that matter. It’s funny how when you begin saying something like that you’ll actually find yourself living a life that is full of life (Yahuchanon [John] 10:10). Doing things that matter won’t happen by accident -- they happen on purpose. Your story will become exactly what you lead it to become!
If you want to have a life of watching TV and eating Cheetos, that will be your story. If you want to give your heart to anger, regret, or unforgiveness then that will be your story. If you want to give your best to chasing money or obsessing over sports, then that will be your story. If you want to cling to security measures that keep you grounded in the sea of sameness, that will be your story.
But if you become a person who has a life full of doing things that matter then that will be your story. You only have one life to live, and no one is responsible for it but you. He calls us out of the mundane and mediocre and He beckons us to experience life to the full.
What if you allowed the seemingly impossible to become possible?
What if every day you made choices that caused you to live differently?
What if you loved Yahuah and others with reckless abandon and a selfless heart?
What if you never allowed fear to stop you?
If you pursue the journey to dream wildly, live differently, love recklessly, and lead courageously all for the glory of God you will discover a life that is well-lived. Don’t just do something -- become someone! Wake up every day and choose to be who Yah has called you to be.
Scripture Quotes:
Romaiym (Romans) 12:1-2,
Eph’siym (Ephesians) 3:20,
Luqas (Luke) 9:23-25,
Yahuchanon (John) 10:10,
Marqus (Mark) 12:28-31,
Yahusha (Joshua) 1:9.
You are an ambassador
Is the "Church" a Kingdom Colony or a Country Club?
One of the oldest monasteries in the world is Saint Catherine’s. Built by Emperor Justinian to protect the monks in the region, St. Catherine’s sits at the foot of Mount Sinai in Egypt. The walls are made of granite and are between 8 and 35 meters tall.
Up until last century, there was only one way into the monastery: a tiny door more than thirty feet above the ground. People entered the monastery through a system of pulleys and ropes. The monastery itself contains ancient icons and many treasures. But up until recently, it was largely inaccessible to the outside world.
Assemblies of the Mashiachiym (Christians), which are usually called churches, naturally drift toward becoming like St. Catherine’s monastery: fortified, door-less organizations, that focus upon their own preservation rather than their specific mission.
Their hearts drift toward tribalism, the tendency to gather with people just like themselves, and to reflect themselves rather than the missionary heart of YAHUAH ELOHIYM, known to most people as The LORD God. They’re always putting up mirrors around the light of the Besorah(the Gospel) when they should be putting up windows.
Colony or Country Club
The assembly of Mashiachiym is intended to be a colony of heaven, living according to the Besorah announcement. But too often we turn the kingdom colony into a country club. Our focus becomes the comfort and preservation of our tribe, rather than the mission that accompanies the announcement of the Good News.
Battleship or Cruise Ship
I’ve heard it said that the people of Yah (God) either have the mentality of a battleship or a cruise ship. Both may sail, but they have very different purposes. The battleship exists for others. It is on a rescue mission, set to penetrate the enemy’s territory and do battle for the commander. The cruise ship exists for the comfort of its passengers. Luxury and comfort are the core values, and everyone seeks to make the journey comfortable and memorable.
When we adopt a cruise ship mentality, the cross and resurrection of Mashiach (Christ) is reduced to a message of personal comfort. The core value of our worship services is to be memorable and entertaining. Our theological debates become about upholding doctrine for doctrine’s sake, rather than seeing theological reflection as an aid to fulfilling our mission. Instead of seeing our gatherings as a base from which individual Mashiachiym scatter into the world as salt and light, we wall ourselves off from the outside world and neglect the prophetic nature of our Besorah announcement.
Missional or Tribal
Tullian Tchividjian explains the difference between a missional and a tribal people:
“The highest value of a community with a tribal mind-set is self-preservation. A tribal community exists solely for itself, and those within it keep asking: How can we protect ourselves from those who are different from us?
“A tribal mind-set is marked by an unbalanced patriotism. It typically elevates personal and cultural preferences to absolute principles: If everybody were more like us, this world would be a better place.
“But in a missional minded community, the highest value isn’t self-preservation but self-sacrifice. A missional community exists not primarily for itself but for others. It’s a community that’s willing to be inconvenienced and discomforted, willing to expend itself for others on God’s behalf.”
This article is an adaption from a blog post by Trevin Wax on the 22nd of May 2013, which was adapted from “Counterfeit Gospels”, pages 142-144.
The "Church" is an Embassy, Not a Social Club
Here’s a question for you: Do Mashiachiym have to attend an Assembly of the Ecclesia, or, in common language, do Christians have to attend a Church meeting?
What about being a member of a church? Is that necessary for a believer to grow and mature as Yah (God) intends?
To hear many Christians talk, and this would probably be the opinion of many more if you could read their thoughts, about the idea of being a vital, connected member of a church, seems strange, unnecessary, maybe even a little antiquated. After all, if the goal is to grow as a Mashiachiym, to learn more about Yah, to understand and act out our faith more consistently, why should we think ‘the church’ is so important?
The best ‘Bible teachers’ on the planet podcast their preaching; there are energetic parachurch organizations, where a Christian can serve well; and a small group meeting in a home provides excellent opportunity for fellowship.
Really, when you get right down to it, what good is a hidebound, outdated thing like ‘the church’? And why should I be a part of one?
The answer, to put it simply, is that the assembly of believers (the church) isn’t just an invention of Christians who were trying to fulfil certain needs; fellowship, teaching, and so on. It’s much more than that.
In fact, the Bible, the Sacred Scriptures, seems to hold the local assembly of believers out as a unique organization, one unlike any parachurch organization, any other ministry, or any other institution in the world.
It is, by Yahusha's (Jesus’s) own royal prerogative, the Embassy of the Kingdom of Heaven to this rebellious world. This reality is mostly lost on Christians today, and yet that’s essentially how the Sacred Scriptures, Bible, describes it.
Constituted, Chartered, Commissioned
Do you remember when the ‘church’ was established in the Bible?
It wasn’t in the book of Acts, though that’s what many people guess.
It was during the ministry of Yahusha Himself, when Kepha (Peter) became the first person to recognize Yahusha for Who He really is; “Mashiach, Ben Elohiym Chayim (Christ, Son of the Living God)” (Matt. 16:16). When Kepha made that confession, it was as if the troop ships had landed, and the King’s counter-invasion of a rebellious world began in earnest. Yahusha immediately told Kepha that, upon this rock; that is, upon this confession, and him as the first to confess Yahusha's true identity, and later upon all those who would recognize Yahusha in like manner, He would build His ‘Called out Assembly’, His ‘Ecclesia’, His ‘Church’, and the gates of hell would not prevail against it.
Then, just as a king would do for an ambassador, Yahusha gave that Assembly the right to speak with His authority. That’s what He meant when He said the Called out Assembly would hold the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, and that whatever it bound or loosed on earth would be bound or loosed in heaven (Matt. 16:19; cf. 18:18). In effect, Yahusha was giving His Called out Assembly a royal charter of authority; it and it alone would be his Embassy on the earth.
Finally, He commissioned it with a charge that, until He returned, that embassy was to be about the work of proclaiming His gracious Kingship and making Talmidiym (disciples) of all nations (Matt. 28:18–20).
The Called out Assembly, or church, then, wasn’t the idea of a bunch of pastors who wanted some job security. It was Yahusha's idea. He constituted it, He chartered it, and He commissioned it; and now this Assembly plays a grand and unique role in Yah's plan of salvation.
That’s why Pa’al (Paul) could say in Eph'siym (Ephesians) 3:10 that “…now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the called out assembly the manifold wisdom of YAHUAH.” ( את CEPHER).
It’s not primarily through parachurch organizations, ministries, or podcasts, Pa’al says, but through the Called out Assembly that Yah is carrying out His purpose of glorifying Himself.
Looking to Scripture, Not the Fitness Club
If that’s true, then it’s no wonder Pa’al expects every believer in Yahusha — everyone who, like Kepha, understands who Yahusha is and relies on Him for Salvation—to be a vital, committed part of a local Called out Assembly. Sometimes people shy away from the words “church member,” as if membership is a concept foreign to Scripture, something ‘the church’ ripped off from a fitness gym or something.
But the fact is, “membership” is right at the heart of the Scriptures' description of the Assembly. It’s a concept having to do with the body, which is arguably the Scripture’s most important way of describing the Assembly and its life.
Just as an arm or a leg is a vital member of a body, so Pa’al says to the local Assembly in Qorinth (Corinth), “Now ye are the body of MASHIACH, and members in particular” ( אתCEPHER).
To be a member of a local Called out Assembly is to be vitally connected to it, to feel what it feels, to contribute to its life, to be a part of it in a fundamental and even intimate way. That is something Yah expects of every Netseriy, every branch of the vine, Who is Yahusha, and the benefits are amazing.
In Eph'siym (Ephesians) 4, just after saying it’s through the Called out Assembly that Yah is showing His glory to the world (3:21), Pa’al says, and I paraphrase, that through life in the local Called out Assembly we all are maturing in the faith in Yahusha, growing up to the full measure of the fullness of Mashiach (Eph. 4:13). That’s what life in a healthy Called out Assembly does.
But how?.
Body Building in the Word
The main means by which we grow into mature Netseriym in the Called out Assembly is through hearing and responding to Yah's Word together. From the beginning of the Sacred Scriptures, Yah has always given spiritual life by His Word. He called the universe into existence by His voice. He gave A’dam life by the breath of His mouth. He made the dry bones live by the preaching of Yechezq'el (Ezekiel). Yahusha called dead El'azar (Lazarus) out of the tomb by calling to him with His voice. And now He calls us as Netseriym to hear his Word preached week in and week out (see Timotheus Sheniy, 2 Timothy, 4:1–2). And as we do, we are challenged and taught and encouraged and rebuked and trained (Timotheus Sheniy 3:16).
Moreover, and crucially, you cannot benefit from everything Yah does through the preaching of the Word in a Called out Assembly by listening to recordings. There’s nothing mystical in that claim. It’s just that part of what Yah does through the preaching of the Word is that He molds and shapes a church together as they hear and respond to the Word together. They are made more like Yahusha together. Look how Pa’al describes the effect of all this, and I paraphrase again; “Speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into Him Who is the head, into Mashiach, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.”(Eph’siym 4:15–16).
That kind of thing just won’t, indeed can’t, happen in solitude, no matter how solid the teaching on your iPod is.
An Embassy, Not a Cruise Ship
But there’s more. As the Ruach HaQodesh (the Holy Spirit) uses the Scriptures to draw a Called out Assembly together and make it more like Yahusha, He also makes us effective as an Embassy of the High King, both to model to a rebellious world what life ought to be like, and also (and even through that life) to proclaim the good news of King Yahusha's offer of mercy to that world.
The fact is, the Assembly is not a social club or a cruise ship to heaven. It’s a military unit, and one under constant assault from the enemy. So the author of Hebrews says we should not “neglect to meet together,” but rather “stir up one another to love and good works” and “encourage one another” (Ivriym, Hebrews, 10:24–25).
Similarly, Pa’al tells us part of what we do as an Assembly is keep watch over each other, restore each other when we fall into sin, and bear each other’s burdens and sorrows (Galatiym, Galatians, 6:1–2). We pray for one another, confess to one another, watch out for one another, and encourage one another to press on - and all because we know that one day soon our King is coming back to take us home (Ya'aqov, James, 5:16; Ivriym, Hebrews, 10:25).
Locking Arms with Others
So let’s think back to the first question we asked: Do you need to be a member of a Called out Assembly (a church) to be a Netseriy (a Mashiachiy, a Christian)? Well, no. But unless there are extraordinary circumstances preventing that for you, you should realize that Scripture simply doesn’t even contemplate a follower of Yahusha who is not vitally, obviously, genuinely, and sincerely committed to a body of believers.
Yah did not intend us to be lone soldiers. For the duration of the battle — however long it is before the King returns — He intended us all to lock arms with other soldiers, protecting them, watching out for them, bearing them up, and step-after-step encouraging them to press on in the life and faith of Yahusha our Adonai (Lord).
This article is an adaptation of an article by Greg Gilbert, published on January 8th 2016.
[Note by the original editor: This excerpt is adapted from the ESV Men’s Devotional Bible (Crossway, 2015).
Categories: Christian Living
Tags: Church Membership, Church Unity, Nature of the Church, Sanctification and Growth.]
The "Church" as an Embassy
When it comes to the future of Christianity in America, and in the World for that matter, are you optimistic?
You may read this as a Political Question, so your answer depends on who is elected as the next president or prime minister.
You may read this as a Social Question, and you might feel dismayed at the rapid morality shift in your culture.
I would argue that how you answer this question reveals your beliefs about the "Christian Church".
Let's have a look at the Church, or Ecclesia in Biblical Greek, the Called out Assembly of Believers in Yahusha HaMashiach (Jesus Christ): what it is, why it matters, and how it relates to the culture and government.
Let’s consider a metaphor for the Called out Assembly as an embassy. Part of the difficulty in talking about it, is simply that it’s hard to define the word. The word “church” is used in many different ways, both in our Bibles, the translations of the Sacred Scriptures, and in everyday speech.
For the sake of simplicity I’m going to use one part of the definition that we find in the Westminster Confession of Faith. It says, “[The church] is the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ, the house and family of God” (WCF 25.2).
While there are other parts of the definition, this one is helpful as we look at the Called out Assembly of Believers as an embassy.
An embassy serves as an outpost in a foreign nation. The embassy itself is not considered territory of the nation it resides in, but territory of the nation the embassy represents.
If, for instance, a fire broke out in the U.S. Embassy in Brazil, the Brazilian fire department would not be allowed to enter the embassy to put out the fire without permission of the U.S. Ambassador. When an embassy is attacked, it is considered an attack on the nation itself.
Within an embassy is an ambassador. He resides in the foreign land and often depends upon its services for food, utilities and so forth. But as much as he might like that land, his citizenship and allegiance are to his home country.
With this in mind, consider some of the ways the Called out Assembly of Believers is described in Scripture:
“And Shim`on Kepha answered and said, You are HA'MASHIACH, the Son of the living YAH.
“And YAHUSHA answered and said unto him, Blessed are you, Shim`on Baryonah: for flesh and blood has not revealed it unto you, but my Father which is in heaven.
“And I say also unto you, That you are Kepha, and upon this Rock I will rebuild אתeth-my called out assembly; and the gates of She'ol shall not prevail against it.
“And I will give unto you the keys of the Kingdom of YAHUAH: and whatsoever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” MATTITHYAHU (MATTHEW) 16:16-19 את CEPHER
From this passage we could say the Called out Assembly of Believers serves as the Embassy, and its Leaders issue the travel visas to the Kingdom of Heaven.
“YAHUSHA answered, My Kingdom is not of this world: if My Kingdom were of this world, then would My servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Yahudiym: but now is My Kingdom not from hence.” YAHUCHANON (JOHN) 18:36 את CEPHER.
The Called out Assembly of Believers, which is located in this world, is not of this world. This Assembly could be compared to the gateway or portal to the Kingdom of YAH (God). It not only provides the travel documents, but also has the pathway to a Kingdom of YAH within its gates.
“For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the ADONAI YAHUSHA HA'MASHIACH.” PHILIPPIYM (PHILIPPIANS) 3:20 את CEPHER.
Or in a different translation: “But our Citizenship is in Heaven, and from it we await a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Here Christians are reminded that the land we live in is not our true home; it does not merit our highest allegiances. We are like Embassy Workers waiting for our Tour of Duty to be over so we can go Home.
“Now then we are ambassadors for MASHIACH, as though YAHUAH did beseech you by us: we pray you in MASHIACH'S stead, be ye reconciled to YAHUAH.” QORINTIYM SHENIY (2 CORINTHIANS) 5:20 אתCEPHER.
And again in a different translation: “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.”
What is our Role as part of the Embassy of YAH’s Kingdom on this earth?
To be Ambassadors!
Pa'al's (Paul’s) language couldn’t be any clearer: YAHUAH makes His appeal through us. We are His spokespeople on this earth.
What is YAHUAH's message?
Be reconciled to YAHUAH.
The message YAHUAH is speaking through us is the message of the Besorah, the Good News known as the Gospel.
Now that we have looked at Scripture, let’s look at some of the applications of thinking of the Called out Assembly of Believers as an Embassy.
The success of the Assembly doesn’t depend upon the friendliness of the culture.
It’s wrong to think that the strength of the Called out Assembly of Believers depends upon the friendliness of the surrounding culture or nation.
Jonathan Stoddard, the author of the news letter on which this article is based, tells us:
“While in the military, I was deployed to Iraq, and I can tell you there were many people not particularly friendly to Americans there. Yet the American Embassy was at one point the largest and best funded embassy in the world. Why? Not because the host nation was so friendly to it, but because the embassy had the resources of the U.S. government behind it.”
It’s the same with the Called out Assembly of Believers. Behind the Assembly are all the resources of the YAHUAH, Who made Heaven and Earth. The strength of the Called out Assembly of Believers does not depend upon where it’s located, but upon the YAHUAH, Who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places (see Eph’siym, Ephesians, 1:3).
Our success is in our faithfulness to the message, not in how it’s received.
Imagine if the U.S. ambassador to Russia had to pass on a message he knew would not go over well. So he decides to change the message to make it less offensive to the Russians. He leaves out several crucial demands of the U.S Government and offers to give the Russians top secret military technologies. The Russians are ecstatic at the ambassador’s offer and accept it immediately.
Is the U.S. Ambassador a hero for getting the Russians to agree to his terms?
No! He is a traitor. The ambassador is successful only when he is faithful to the true message.
It’s the same with us. We are ambassadors for Mashiach (Christ). We are successful when we are faithful in relaying His message to others. Sometimes the message is well received, and other times it’s not.
Another important point in this analogy is that successful ambassadors know both their home country and the country where they serve. The ambassador to Russia would never consider himself a Russian citizen, but he probably knows a lot about Russian culture. He may speak Russian fluently, and he may enjoy Russian food and music. This allows him to better deliver the message from the U.S Government in a way that appeals to the Russians.
As ambassadors for Mashiach we must understand the culture we find ourselves in. We must work to know how best to take Yahuah's unchanging message and present it to an ever changing world.
Unfortunately, we as Mashiachiym (Christians) often veer too far to one extreme or the other: Either we are so cut off from the world that we don’t know how to even speak with others, or we are so fully part of the world that we have forgotten our true home.
The Called out Assembly of Believers is a home away from Home.
When you step into an Embassy of your country, you will feel closer to home. You will hear the language of your home country, and you will see the its Flag. There are little reminders of home all around.
It’s the same with the Called out Assembly of Believers. The Assembly is our home away from our true Home with YAHUAH. It’s a place where we find refuge and rest, yet it reminds us that we are not Home yet, and there is still work to be done.
This is an adaptation of a newsletter by Jonathan Stoddard from Jordan Valley Church, published on September 2, 2016.
The Role and Function of Kingdom Ambassadors.
Part 1
When looking at the Called out Assembly of Believers in Yahusha HaMashiach, the Church of Jesus Christ, from the perspective of Ambassadors and Diplomats there are several critical considerations.
We have established firmly that in the Brit Chadashah, the New Testament, Believers are referred to as Ambassadors and Diplomats representing the Kingdom of Yahuah Elohiym, the LORD God, on Earth.
Yahusha Himself made many statements reflecting this philosophy. He talked about not being of this world. He stated that His Kingdom originated in Heaven and His mission and assignment was to establish or extend this Kingdom to earth. These are clearly Ambassador functions.
Any right thinking Believer, who examines the Brit Chadashah, cannot escape the fact that We have been given the Assignment to function as diplomats and ambassadors.
In further examining the Functions of ambassadors and diplomats, there are several job Requirements and Keys to effective function.
Ambassadors and Diplomats function more effectively when they have proficiency in Multiple Languages, especially the language of the country they are assigned to.
They understand Proper Attire for their position.
They are trained in Proper Speech and Communication ethics.
They understand timeliness and promptness.
They understand Decorum and Protocol (when to speak and when to be silent, order and diplomatic protocols).
The Called out Assembly of Believers in the Brit Chadashah, the "New Testament Church", outlines some parallels to ambassadorship and diplomatic positions as outlined in the Book of Eph'siym (Ephesians) where Scripture (the Bible) states that YAH (God) has established the following positions — Apostles, Prophets, Pastors, Teachers and Evangelists.
Each of these positions represents a type of Diplomat or Ambassador.
In the diplomatic corps there are Envoys, Attaches, Charge d affairs, Diplomatic Officers and various other positions that form a parallel to what is outlined in the book of Ephesians.
These Positions of Authority have a Diplomatic Parallel.
These positions are essentially diplomatic positions and positions within the "Embassy of HaMamlakah", the Kingdom (the Church).
The Called out Assembly of Believers is essentially an Embassy and Diplomatic Outpost where diplomats assemble to receive instruction on how to effectively represent the Kingdom of YAHUAH and ensure that its Policies, Programs and Agenda are known and carried out.
The Called out Assembly of Believers in Yahusha HaMashiach, the Church, is therefore a gathering of diplomats to receive instruction on Effective Representation and Guidance on how to carry out their Mission.
Every ambassador and diplomat Must be clear on three things to maintain their effectiveness — Identity, Message and Behavior.
If you do not understand your identity you will not function effectively. You Must know who you are and whom you represent in order to be an effective ambassador.
Every ambassador is charged with disseminating the message of their government, and if they are not Clear on what the message is, they cannot function effectively, because the wrong message can cause irreparable damage.
An ambassador’s conduct and behavior is a reflection of their government, so an ambassador Must understand how to conduct themselves so as not to cause a misconception about their country.
These three things make a major difference in a successful or failed representation.
Yahusha (Jesus), when He was on earth, was the Perfect ambassador and representative, and talked about the plan of the King.
He noted that there was an original plan that was interrupted, and that He came to restore the original, and enable humans, men and women, to be free from the curse of separation that resulted from this departure from the original plan.
When He stated that the Kingdom of Heaven was to come to earth He was speaking of this original plan being Re-introduced. The words “Thy Kingdom come” clearly indicated a re-introduction of this Kingdom to earth. In many of His conversations He used the words, in the beginning, meaning that this was the way it was originally.
Over a process of time, humans had become so far removed from the original intent and function, that when Yahusha spoke about these things it was strange and foreign, but He indicated that this was the original and should not be strange.
This is what ambassadors do — they Communicate the message of their Kingdom so that persons in their country of assignment have a clear understanding of how the Kingdom works, thus enabling them to receive its benefits.
The problem is that we have become so far removed from the original, that we see the original as strange.
Yahusha further explained, as the First Ambassador to earth, that perfection is not expected of ambassadors, But responsibility is. We are to be Responsible in carrying out our assignments. We Must be responsible and Must be proud of our country and heritage. We must have belief (faith) in our Country and King and this causes others to recognize and benefit from what our country and government has to offer.
Yahusha said that we should seek first the Kingdom of Yahuah and his righteousness and everything else we need would be added unto us (See Mattityahu, Matthew, 6:33). He was asking us to have faith in a King and a System that was not of this world and as Chief Ambassador He constantly explained the benefits of this Kingdom.
The above article is an adaptation of one published in The Nassau Guardian by Pastor Dave Burrows, who is senior pastor at Bahamas Faith Ministries International, on August 24, 2017.
Part 2
When looking at the Called out Assembly of Believers in Yahusha HaMashiach, the "church", from the perspective of ambassadors and diplomats, there are several critical considerations.
We have established firmly that in the Brit Chadashah, The Renewed Covenant or New Testament, believers are referred to as ambassadors and diplomats representing the Kingdom of Yahuah (God) on earth. Yahusha Himself made many statements reflecting this philosophy. He talked about not being of this world, He stated that His Kingdom originated in heaven and His “mission” and assignment was to establish or extend this Kingdom to earth. These are clearly ambassador and diplomat functions. Any right thinking believer, who examines the Brit Chadashah cannot escape the fact, that we have been given the assignment to function as diplomats and ambassadors.
In further examining the functions of ambassadors and diplomats there are several job requirements and keys to effective functioning.
Here are some of these keys:
Ambassadors and diplomats function more effectively when:
1. They have proficiency in multiple languages, especially the language of the country they are assigned to.
Essentially this means the effective ambassador learns the language and culture of his country of residence and uses this knowledge to engage with and influence citizens of that country.
An example of this would be understanding terminologies and practices, that are not native to the ambassador, but he learns to use the local culture and language for the purpose of influencing and communicating.
These “languages” can be local customs, business practices, music, art, political practices or food choices. Many “Christians” try to convert people away from their culture, instead of speaking to people through their culture. Some cultural practices may be inherently evil and not viable to use, but there are many aspects of culture in the world that can be used to engage and influence.
As an example of this, with my background as a youth ministry specialist, Dave Burrows tells us, many did not understand how I could use the rap and hip hop culture to engage and influence youth and draw them into the Kingdom, seeing their lives dramatically transformed, but I understood the principle of being in the world but not of the world. You cannot influence people you have no access to, and you cannot have access if you do not know how to speak the language. I learned to speak the language without embracing the dark side of the culture. In the process I showed young people how to use their existing culture for good.
The result was a massive positive influence, that was not just a passing fad. Many of the young people, who were impacted through my use of the hip hop and reggae culture, are now upstanding citizens, pastors, businessmen, husbands, fathers, wives and persons of influence in society. Many of them would have been gang members, prostitutes, criminals and negative influences in society if I had not engaged them through their culture.
How do I know this? The peers of these young people, who were from the same culture, did end up as some of the most notorious criminals you can imagine, and they walked side by side with the ones who had a positive outcome. The difference was, that I was able to build a mentorship relationship, that created a positive influence and changed the course of their lives.
This is a great testimony of true ambassadorship.
2. They understand proper attire for their position.
Ambassadors are taught by their King and government how to dress appropriately, because they are official representatives, and the way they present themselves is a reflection on their King and government. Some may think this is a trivial issue, but ambassadors are supposed to be highly-trained and well-versed in Kingdom issues. When the government issues a decree or guidelines for ambassadors to follow, the ambassador must take it seriously, because there are consequences.
Your attire and presentation affects the way people view you and think about you. The Kingdom Laws, the Torah, or Instructions, mentioned in the Scriptures (the Bible) explain, that as Ambassadors we are supposed to dress modestly, not wearing garish attire and not exposing flesh. The Scriptures also inform us, that our bodies are the King’s temple and therefore should be well kept and appropriately covered.
A distinction is also clearly made that we are not to adopt the standards of the country we reside in, because in most cases the citizens in our country of residence do not know our Kingdom’s laws, mores or requirements. Understanding this, it is incumbent upon us to learn the way of the Kingdom and abide by its rules of attire and presentation. Failure to do so can bring embarrassment to the King.
The world we live in today clearly has a different agenda, the agenda is about exposure of body parts that were once deemed as private into the public domain, creating an atmosphere of lust and animal instincts causing tremendous confusion and turmoil. A true ambassador adheres to the attire requirements of his government regardless of the environment they live in. This does not mean we are not fashionable, it means we do not degrade ourselves and adopt attire that brings disrepute to our King.
The above article is an adaptation of one published in The Nassau Guardian by Pastor Dave Burrows, who is senior pastor at Bahamas Faith Ministries International, on September 15th, 2017.
Part 3
We have established the fact that ambassadors have to be trained to understand their role and function, or they can misrepresent their government, cause embarrassment and in some cases be reprimanded or recalled preventing further repercussions.
The manual for role and function for ambassadors in Mamlakah HaShamayim, the Kingdom of Heaven, is found in the Torah of YAHUAH; the Law, that is the instructions, as described in the Sacred Scriptures (the Bible), and it clearly outlines the correct protocol, function and specific assignments for its representatives also known as diplomats. Let’s examine further these roles and functions.
The King establishes in the Brit Chadashah, the Renewed Covenant, also known as the New Testament, for the Called out Assembly of Believers in Yahusha, also called the Church, the role, offices, position and function of its diplomats and these can be paralleled to ambassadorship and diplomatic positions. These are outlined in the Cepher Eph'siym, the book of Ephesians, where the Sacred Scriptures, the Bible, state that YAH (God) has established the following diplomatic positions: Apostles, Prophets, Pastors, Teachers and Evangelists.
Each of these positions represents a type of diplomat or ambassador. In the diplomatic corps there are envoys, attaches, charge d’affaires, diplomatic officers and various other positions that form a parallel to what is outlined in the Cepher Eph'siym (the book of Ephesians).
As we have previously established, the Called out Assembly of Believers in Yahusha HaMashiach is essentially an embassy and diplomatic outpost where diplomats assemble to receive instruction on how to effectively represent Mamlakah Yahuah, the Kingdom of God, and ensure that its policies, programs and agenda are known and carried out.
The Called-out Assembly of Believers in Yahusha is therefore a gathering of diplomats to receive instruction on effective representation and guidance on how to carry out their mission. It is also a centre for distribution of goods and services to its citizens and a place where non-citizens can come to learn about this “Kingdom” and become citizens of the Kingdom.
The Assembly’s “Diplomatic Core” has the authority to process the ‘papers’ of non-citizens, who would like to become citizens.
Every ambassador and diplomat must be clear on three things to maintain their effectiveness.
Identity: If you do not understand your identity you will not function effectively. You must know who you are and who you represent in order to be an effective Ambassador.
Message: Every ambassador is charged with dissemination the message of their government and if they are not clear on what the message is they cannot function effectively because the wrong message can cause irreparable damage.
Behaviour (conduct): An ambassador’s conduct and behaviour is a reflection of their government, so an ambassador must understand how to conduct themselves so as not to cause a misconception about their country.
These three things make a major difference in a successful or failed representation.
Yahusha (Jesus) when He was on Earth was the Perfect Ambassador and Representative and talked about the Plan of the King.
He noted that there was an Original Plan that was interrupted, and that He came to restore the original and enable humans to be free from the curse of separation, that resulted from this departure from the original plan.
When He stated that the Kingdom of Heaven was to come to Earth He was speaking of this original plan being reintroduced. The words “Thy Kingdom come” clearly indicated a reintroduction of this Kingdom to Earth.
In many of His conversations He used the words “In the beginning”, meaning that this was the way it was originally. Over a process of time humans had become so far removed from the original intent and function, that when Yahusha spoke about these things it was strange and foreign, but Yahusha indicated that this was the original and should not be strange.
This is what ambassadors do, communicate the message of their Kingdom so that persons in their country of assignment have a clear understanding of how the Kingdom works, thus enabling them to receive its benefits.
The problem is that we have become so far removed from the original that we see the original as strange.
Yahusha further explained as the first ambassador to Earth that Perfection is Not expected of ambassadors, but Responsibility is.
We are to be responsible in carrying out our assignments. We must be responsible and must be proud of our country and heritage. We must have belief (faith) in our country and King and this causes others to recognize and benefit from what our country and government has to offer.
Yahusha stated that we should “Seek first the Kingdom of Yahuah and His righteousness and everything else we need would be added unto us”. (Mattityahu, Matthew, 6:33) He was asking us to have faith in a King and a system that was not of this world and as Chief Ambassador He constantly explained the benefits of this Kingdom.
Yahusha was the embodiment of all of the roles mentioned previously, because He was the One Who was responsible for their creation. He was the ultimate ambassador because He is the King Who decided to live among the people to show what the original model looked like, explain the process of representation and leave in place the offices to ensure effective administration over this worldwide group of ambassadors known as the Ecclesia or Church.
This article is an adaptation of one published in The Nassau Guardian by Pastor Dave Burrows, who is senior pastor at Bahamas Faith Ministries International, on September 21st, 2017.
Wikipedia on Ambassadors.
The following information was gathered from Wikipedia.
The origin, meaning and usage of these words, can be applied to Ambassadors of Mamlakah HaShamayim.
The information was slightly edited, but not adapted.
After the 3 ‘teachings’ about the role and function of ambassadors, I will leave it to you, the reader of this section, to apply it to the Believers as Ambassadors.
Ambassador
An ambassador is an official envoy, especially a high-ranking diplomat who represents a state and is usually accredited to another sovereign state or to an international organization as the resident representative of their own government or sovereign or appointed for a special and often temporary diplomatic assignment. The word is also often used more liberally for persons who are known, without national appointment, to represent certain professions, activities and fields of endeavour such as sales.
An ambassador is the ranking government representative stationed in a foreign capital. The host country typically allows the ambassador control of specific territory called an embassy, whose territory, staff, and vehicles are generally afforded diplomatic immunity in the host country. Under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, an ambassador has the highest diplomatic rank. Countries may choose to maintain diplomatic relations at a lower level by appointing a chargé d'affaires in place of an ambassador.
The equivalent to an ambassador exchanged among members of the Commonwealth of Nations are known as High Commissioners. The "ambassadors" of the Holy See are known as Papal or Apostolic Nuncios.
Etymology
The term is derived from Middle English ambassadour, Anglo-French ambassateur, ultimately of Latin origin from the word Ambaxus-Ambactus, meaning servant or minister; akin to Old High German ambaht, "service". The first known usage of the term was recorded around the 14th century.
Purposes
The foreign government to which an ambassador is assigned must first approve the person. In some cases, the foreign government might reverse its approval by declaring the diplomat a persona non grata, i.e. an unacceptable person.
This kind of declaration usually results in recalling the ambassador to their home nation. In accordance with the Congress of Vienna of 1815 and the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, the ambassador and embassy staff are granted diplomatic immunity and personal safety while living abroad.
Protect citizens
Due to the advent of modern technologies, today's world is a much smaller place in relative terms. With this in mind, it is considered important that the nations of the world have at least a small staff living in foreign capitals in order to aid travelers and visitors from their home nation. As an officer of the foreign service, an ambassador is expected to protect the citizens of their home country in the host country.
Support prosperity
Another result of the increase in foreign travel is the growth of trade between nations. For most countries, the national economy is now part of the global economy. This means increased opportunities to sell and trade with other nations. When two nations are conducting a trade, it is usually advantageous to both parties to have an ambassador and perhaps a small staff living in the other land, where they act as an intermediary between cooperative businesses.
Work for peace
One of the cornerstones of foreign diplomatic missions is to work for peace. This task can grow into a fight against international terrorism, the drug trade, international bribery, and human trafficking. Ambassadors help stop these acts, helping people across the globe. These activities are important and sensitive and are usually carried out in coordination with the Defense Ministry of the state (or the Defense Department in the U.S.) and the head of the nation.
Rise of modern diplomacy
The rise of the modern diplomatic system was a product of the Italian Renaissance (from around AD 1300). The use of ambassadors became a political strategy in Italy during the 17th century. The political changes in Italy altered the role of ambassadors in diplomatic affairs. Because many of the states in Italy were small in size, they were particularly vulnerable to larger states. The ambassador system was used to disperse information and to protect the more vulnerable states.
This practice then spread to Europe during the Italian Wars. The use and creation of ambassadors during the 15th century in Italy has had long-term effects on Europe and, in turn, the world's diplomatic and political progression. Europe still uses the same terms of ambassador rights as they had established in the 16th century, concerning the rights of the ambassadors in host countries as well as the proper diplomatic procedures. An ambassador was used as a representative of the state in which they are from to negotiate and disseminate information in order to keep peace and establish relationships with other states. This attempt was employed in the effort to maintain peaceful relations with nations and make alliances during difficult times.
The use of ambassadors today is widespread. States and non-state actors use diplomatic representatives to deal with any problems that occur within the international system. Ambassadors now normally live overseas or within the country in which it is assigned to for long periods of time so that they are acquainted with the culture and local people. This way they are more politically effective and trusted, enabling them to accomplish goals that their host country desires.
Ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary
The Congress of Vienna of 1815 formalized the system of diplomatic rank under international law:
Ambassadors are diplomats of the highest rank, formally representing the head of state, with plenipotentiary powers (i.e. full authority to represent the government). In modern usage, most ambassadors on foreign postings as head of mission carry the full title of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary. "Ordinary" ambassadors and non-plenipotentiary status are rarely used, although they may be encountered in certain circumstances. The only difference between an extraordinary ambassador and an ordinary ambassador is that while the former's mission is permanent, the latter serves only for a specific purpose.
Among European powers, the ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary was historically regarded as the personal representative of the Sovereign. The custom of dispatching ambassadors to the head of state rather than the government has persisted. For example, ambassadors to and from the United Kingdom are accredited to or from the Royal Court of St James's. Ambassadors hold the highest diplomatic rank and have precedence over chargés d'affaires, who are accredited by the foreign minister. Ambassadors also outranked envoys until the 1960s, when the last legations were upgraded to embassies.
Because members of the Commonwealth of Nations have or had a common head of state, they do not exchange ambassadors, but instead have High Commissioners, who represent the government, rather than the head of state. The diplomat representing the Holy See is titled a nuncio. In diplomatic usage, both the high commissioner and nuncio are considered equivalent in rank and role to an ambassador. Resident Coordinators within the United Nations system are accredited to the Head of State and have the same rank as ambassador.
Ambassadors carry formal letters of credence from their head of state, addressed to the host country's head of state. Because many Commonwealth countries have the same head of state, the accreditation of a High Commissioner is in the form of a simple and often informal letter of introduction from one head of government (Prime Minister) to that of another. The difference in accreditation is also reflected in the formal titles of envoys to foreign and Commonwealth states: e.g., British High Commissioners are formally titled "The High Commissioner for Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom", whereas British Ambassadors to foreign countries are known as "Her Britannic Majesty's Ambassador".
Ambassador-at-Large
An ambassador-at-large is a diplomat of the highest rank or a minister who is accredited to represent their country. But unlike the ambassador-in-residence, who is usually limited to a country or embassy, the ambassador-at-large can be appointed to operate in several - usually neighbouring - countries, a region or sometimes a seat of international organizations such as the United Nations or European Union. In some cases, an ambassador-at-large may even be specifically assigned a role to advise and assist the state or Government in particular issues.
Historically, presidents or prime ministers have commissioned special diplomatic envoys for specific assignments, primarily overseas but sometimes also within the country as ambassadors-at-large.
Title
While the title generally reflects the ambassador's second head position as head of a diplomatic mission, in some countries the term may also represent a rank held by career diplomats, as a matter of internal promotion, regardless of the posting, and in many national careers it is quite common for them to be appointed to other functions, especially within the ministry/ministries in charge of foreign affairs, in some countries in systematic alternation with actual postings.
The formal form of address for an ambassador is generally the form that would be used to address a head of state: "(Your/His/Her) Excellency" followed by name or the country represented. In many countries, less formal variations are frequently used, such as "Ambassador" followed by name, or the name followed by "Ambassador of...". In the United States, "Mister/Madam Ambassador" may be used. The Republic of Kosovo has bestowed the title of honorary ambassador to nine prominent individuals. This is a rare example of an appointment for life by presidential decree of an ambassador by a sovereign state. Honorary ambassadors are entitled to the same precedence and honors as career ambassadors in the Republic of Kosovo.
In some countries, a former ambassador may continue to be styled and addressed as ambassador throughout their life (in the United States, "Mr. Ambassador" or "Madam Ambassador" may be heard). In other countries, ambassador is a title that accrues to its holder only with respect to a specific position, and may not be used after leaving or beyond the position. Some countries do not use the term while an ambassador is in the home country, as the office holder is not an ambassador there; for example, a Canadian ambassador while in Canada is not generally addressed as ambassador, although they may be referred to as "Canadian ambassador to ..."; that is, with reference to a specific job function; the person is addressed or styled as ambassador only while holding such office.
Non-diplomatic ambassadorships
In a less formal sense, the phrase is used for high-profile non-diplomatic representatives of various entities (rarely states), mainly cultural and charitable organizations, often as willing figureheads to attract media attention; for example, film and pop stars make appeals to the public at large for UNESCO activities (see UNESCO Goodwill Ambassadors), sometimes during press-swarmed visits in the foreign country.
In French speaking regions such as metropolitan France, Guadeloupe, Réunion, Quebec, or Wallonia, the title of ambassadeur personneis used.