Happy New Year!

** A great one to share! **

Even if you don’t factor biblical texts and biblical history into the equation, it doesn’t require a degree in meteorology to clearly see that the new year starts in the Spring season.

The earth is literally bursting forth into life, no matter where you look. But the vast majority of both Christian and secular culture united to celebrate the arrival of their new year over 3 months ago... in the gray cold of winter.

Why is this? Yeshua told us the direct answer many times, as in Mark chapter 7: "You are experts at setting aside the commandment of Elohim in order to keep your tradition." I get it. That was me for most of my life. I was ignorant.

Sadly, most Believers say things like the calendar of the Creator "just don't really matter anyway." But think of this, won't you?

When you abandon the Fourth Commandment and call every day holy, your foundation is off. When you replace Tabernacles with Christmas, your foundation is off. When you replace Passover with Easter, your foundation is off. When you remove YHWH’s entire Appointed Times calendar and replace it with man’s, your foundation is off. When you create a replacement new year and abandon the Creator’s established new year, your foundation is off.

So, the ongoing question remains, what *does* matter anymore?

For those of you out there celebrating Father's wonderful timing and doing your best to meet Him on His Appointed Times - blessings to you and your household! What a privilege it is to be a holy, set apart People that don't look to the ways of the nations to determine how to live. Let's blow the shofar and declare that a new year of His kindness and mercy is here! YHWH is most assuredly worthy of our absolute best. Selah.

 

Those Who Love God Keep His Commandments

 

Love & obedience are always covenantally inseparable.

Fear & Mercy

If we truly study the Word and know the attributes and character of the Most High, it should not surprise us to see lines such as these penned in the Psalms. Walking in obedience to His commandments and rightly receiving His great mercy always go hand in hand. Despite the biblical mandate to walk pursuing a holy and set apart life, there’s simply no room to embark into such an endeavor without welcoming and receiving Father’s great mercy.

The Hebrew understanding of mercy (chesed) appears 250 times in the Old Testament. It is most commonly used to describe YHWH’s great desire and zealous love for His People. A love that is often revealed most simply as His kindness. If one properly understands the biblical motivation for walking in His commandments, it is rightly recognizing this - His great “chesed” (mercy.)

This is why fear, reverence and obedience, in response to His mercy is seen all throughout the Scriptures. This is why the wise writer of Ecclesiastes stated, “The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear YHWH and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.” When a man acknowledges and receives the Father’s wonderful “chesed”, He wants to obey His commands. It is the biblical evidence of a yielded life of one that loves YHWH.

This is a simple, yet profound way, to rightly explain why Father’s great love and mercy, and then our obedience to His Instructions, are always inseparable.

Judging: Biblically, Can A Man Ever Judge Another?

 

In John 7:24 the words of the Messiah are recorded as the following: “Do not judge by the outward appearance.” Sadly, many people simply stop here and erect an unstable and incomplete doctrine. “Don’t judge… see, it says it right here. We cannot judge. That’s ‘God’s job’” they say.

But let us keep reading as this short line continues, “but judge with righteous judgment.” In our latest 2-part video series we look at answering the question, “Can a mere man ever rightly judge another man, biblically?” One of the keys to the answer is found in the second line of Messiah’s words. “Judge with righteous judgments.”

Do you know what these are? How is a man to even begin rightly removing the speck out of a brother’s eye? Do we just merely shrug everything off and disregard the biblical mandate to discern and bring humble correction to the Body as She suffers and fails?

There are answers to these questions, for those who truly want to know how to biblically edify, correct and discipline the Body, when necessary. To be clear, it starts with first rightly applying, and submitting to, Father’s righteous judgments ourselves – first. Consider watching the new series, won’t you? The Body could sure use a strong dose of rightly applying Father’s righteous judgements right now. Do you agree? 

The video series link to this series is HERE.

Two Types of Wisdom: Do You Know The Difference?

 

James 3:13-18   

Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peace-loving, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial, free of hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

Did you know that, biblically, there are two types of wisdom? One "comes down from above" and the other is "earthly, natural, demonic."

Allow me to ask, how have you trained yourself and your family to discern between the two? What process do you have in place to patiently determine which one is which? Many people flippantly assume that Holy Spirit will; just magically lead them to perfect truth. While I'm sure not discounting Holy Spirit's ability, it's you and I that I'm concerned about.

We must slow down and filter all matters of life through the wisdom criteria of the Word. The words of the Most High are our best counsel. This is why Messiah quoted the Torah and the Prophets when He was tempted by haSatan. This is why the righteous men of old live set apart, holy lives. The Torah of YHWH is perfect, friends. perfect. (Some of you may need to let that really sink in.)

And I'd caution us to not get lost in minute details either. I don't believe that this is about a lifestyle of "Father, should I choose 'Door A' or 'Door B' issue."

How do we govern our lives according to the overreaching counsel of heavenly wisdom? Let us not think too highly of ourselves and presume that we always know the difference. Choose well today!

* For more on this topic, tune into the new video series, "Prayers & Petitions: When YHWH Grants A Request, but Brings Leanness of Soul."